News avoidance during the Covid-19 Crisis:Understanding information overload

This study investigates the degree of news avoidance during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. Based on two panel surveys conducted in the period April–June 2020, this study shows that the increased presence of this behavior, can be explained by negative emotions and feelings the news causes by citizens. Moreover, news avoidance indeed has a positive effect on perceived well-being. These findings point to an acting balance for individual news consumers. In a pandemic such as Covid-19 news consumers need to be informed, but avoiding news is sometimes necessary to stay mentally healthy

SIX WEEK CONSISTENCY OF SENSORIMOTOR TEST METHODS

The purpose of this study was to compare sensorimotor testing methods. Therefore 15 healthy and sporty subjects undertook five different sensorimotor tests and repeated the same tests six weeks later without executing any specific sensorimotor training. The main outcome was that movement unspecific and simple tests like the Counter Movement Jump, the maximum isometric force and rate of force development on a blocked leg-press or a single-leg-stance with closed eyes have a better retest-reliability than more specific movements like a balance test on a balance board or a complex movement like a single-legged jump landing. Tests with a specific movement show a learning effect and at complex movements there was almost no correlation, as slight changes in the motion sequence can lead to big differences in the measured scores

Safety risks among frail older people living at home in the Netherlands:A cross‐sectional study in a routine primary care sample

Frail older people face a range of problems and risks that could undermine their ability to live safely at home. A comprehensive overview of these risks, from a multidimensional perspective, is currently lacking. This study aims to examine the prevalence of risks in multiple domains of life among frail older people living at home. We used cross‐sectional data from 824 people aged 65 years and older, who received a comprehensive geriatric assessment (the interRAI Home Care [interRAI‐HC]) between 2014 and 2018, as part of routine care from 25 general practices in the region of West‐Friesland, the Netherlands. The interRAI‐HC identifies amenable risks related to people's clinical conditions, functioning, lifestyle and behaviour, and social and physical environment. Descriptive statistics were used to examine population characteristics (age, gender, marital status, living arrangements and presence of chronic conditions) and prevalence of risks. Most common risks were related to people's clinical conditions (i.e cardio‐respiratory health, urinary incontinence, pain), functioning (i.e. limitations in instrumental activities of daily living and mood) and social environment (i.e. limitations in informal care and social functioning). More than 80% of frail older people faced multiple risks, and often on multiple domains of life simultaneously. People experiencing multiple risks per person, and on multiple domains simultaneously, were more often widowed and living alone. The multidimensional character of risks among frail older people living at home implies that an integrated approach to care, comprising both health and social care, is necessary. Insight in the prevalence of these risks can give direction to care allocation decisions

The gait and balance of patients with diabetes can be improved: a randomised controlled trial

Aims/hypothesis: Gait characteristics and balance are altered in diabetic patients. Little is known about possible treatment strategies. This study evaluates the effect of a specific training programme on gait and balance of diabetic patients. Methods: This was a randomised controlled trial (n = 71) with an intervention (n = 35) and control group (n = 36). The intervention consisted of physiotherapeutic group training including gait and balance exercises with function-orientated strengthening (twice weekly over 12weeks). Controls received no treatment. Individuals were allocated to the groups in a central office. Gait, balance, fear of falls, muscle strength and joint mobility were measured at baseline, after intervention and at 6-month follow-up. Results: The trial is closed to recruitment and follow-up. After training, the intervention group increased habitual walking speed by 0.149m/s (p < 0.001) compared with the control group. Patients in the intervention group also significantly improved their balance (time to walk over a beam, balance index recorded on Biodex balance system), their performance-oriented mobility, their degree of concern about falling, their hip and ankle plantar flexor strength, and their hip flexion mobility compared with the control group. After 6months, all these variables remained significant except for the Biodex sway index and ankle plantar flexor strength. Two patients developed pain in their Achilles tendon: the progression for two related exercises was slowed down. Conclusions/interpretation: Specific training can improve gait speed, balance, muscle strength and joint mobility in diabetic patients. Further studies are needed to explore the influence of these improvements on the number of reported falls, patients' physical activity levels and quality of life. Trial registration:: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00637546 Funding:: This work was supported by the Swiss National Foundation (SNF): PBSKP-123446/

Identifying effective behavioural components of Intervention and Comparison group support provided in SMOKing cEssation (IC-SMOKE) interventions: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews of behaviour change interventions for smoking cessation vary in scope, quality, and applicability. The current review aims to generate more accurate and useful findings by (1) a detailed analysis of intervention elements that change behaviour (i.e. behaviour change techniques (BCTs)) and potential moderators of behaviour change (i.e. other intervention and sample characteristics) and (2) assessing and controlling for variability in support provided to comparison groups in smoking cessation trials. METHODS: A systematic review will be conducted of randomized controlled trials of behaviour change interventions for smoking cessation in adults (with or without pharmacological support), with a minimum follow-up of 6 months, published after 1995. Eligible articles will be identified through the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialized Register. Study authors will be asked for detailed descriptions of smoking cessation support provided to intervention and comparison groups. All data will be independently coded by two researchers. The BCT taxonomy v1 (tailored to smoking cessation interventions) and template for intervention description and replication criteria will be used to code intervention characteristics. Data collection will further include sample and trial characteristics and outcome data (smoking cessation rates). Multilevel mixed-effects meta-regression models will be used to examine which BCTs and/or BCT clusters delivered to intervention and comparison groups explain smoking cessation rates in treatment arms (and effect sizes) and what key moderators of behaviour change are. Predicted effect sizes of each intervention will be computed assuming all interventions are compared against comparison groups receiving the same levels of behavioural support (i.e. low, medium, and high levels). Multi-disciplinary advisory board members (policymakers, health care providers, and (ex-)smokers) will provide strategic input throughout the project to ensure the review's applicability to policy and practice. DISCUSSION: By capturing BCTs in intervention and comparison groups, this systematic review will provide more accurate estimates of the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions, the most promising BCTs and/or BCT clusters associated with smoking cessation rates in intervention and comparison arms, and important moderators of behaviour change. The results could set new standards for conducting meta-analyses of behaviour change interventions and improve research, service delivery, and training in the area of smoking cessation

The role of ARNT in liver and myeloid cell function

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) is a transcription factor which acts as a general partner for members of the bHLH/PAS family of transcription factors. To investigate the effect of long term ARNT deletion in hepatocyte and myeloid cells, we created 2 lines of mice with ARNT deletion in these cells. Mice lacking hepatocyte ARNT had impaired glucose tolerance, increased gluconeogenesis, decreased ATP and increased post-prandial serum triglycerides. However, in contrast to type 2 diabetes (T2D) hepatic ARNT deletion resulted in decreased liver steatosis. Importantly, these changes became non-significant after high fat diet (HFD). Decreased ARNT in myeloid cells led to decreased cytokine expression, decreased phagocytosis, decreased bactericidal activity, impaired response to infection, and impaired wound healing. Again, the phenotype of impaired wound healing equilibrated in a diabetic milieu. In addition mice lacking ARNT in myeloid cells displayed impaired glucose tolerance on HFD and paradoxically increased liver inflammation. In human monocytes ARNT mRNA correlated negatively with serum cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and TNF-α. This data demonstrates that ARNT has important roles in hepatocyte and myeloid cell function and suggests that modulation of this transcription factor could be used in future therapy for diabetes and disorders of immune function

Unknown makes unloved:A case study on improving integrated health and social care in the Netherlands using a participatory approach

Many initiatives integrating health and social care have been implemented in order to provide adequate care and support to older people living at home. Further development of existing initiatives requires iterative processes of developing, implementing and evaluating improvements to current practice. This case study provides insight into the process of improving an existing integrated care initiative in the Netherlands. Using a participatory approach, researchers and local stakeholders collaborated to develop and implement activities to further improve collaboration between health and social care professionals. Improvement activities included interprofessional meetings focussing on reflection and mutual learning and workplace visits. Researchers evaluated the improvement process, using data triangulation of multiple qualitative and quantitative data sources. According to participating professionals, the improvement activities improved their communication and collaboration by establishing mutual understanding and trust. Enabling factors included the safe and informal setting in which the meetings took place and the personal relationships they developed during the project. Different organisational cultures and interests and a lack of ownership and accountability among managers hindered the improvement process, whereas issues such as staff shortages, time constraints and privacy regulations made it difficult to implement improvements on a larger scale. Still, the participatory approach encouraged the development of partnerships and shared goals on the level of both managers and professionals. This case study highlights that improving communication between professionals is an important first step in improving integrated care. In addition, it shows that a participatory approach, in which improvements are co-created and tailored to local priorities and needs, can help in the development of shared goals and trust between stakeholders with different perspectives. However, stakeholders' willingness and ability to participate in such an improvement process is challenged by many factors