Is informed consent related to success in exercise and diet intervention as evaluated at 12 months? DR's EXTRA study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a permanent need to evaluate and develop the ethical quality of scientific research and to widen knowledge about the effects of ethical issues. Therefore we evaluated whether informed consent is related to implementation and success in a lifestyle intervention study with older research participants. There is little empirical research into this topic.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The subjects (n = 597) are a subgroup of a random population sample of 1410 men and women aged 57-78 years who are participating in a 4-year randomized controlled intervention trial on the effects of physical exercise and diet on atherosclerosis, endothelial function and cognition. Data were collected in two steps: A questionnaire about informed consent was given to all willing participants (n = 1324) three months after the randomization. Data on implementation and success in the exercise and diet interventions were evaluated at 12 months by intervention-group personnel. The main purpose of the analysis procedure performed in this study was to identify and examine potential correlates for the chosen dependent variables and to generate future hypotheses for testing and confirming the independent determinants for implementation and success. The nature of the analysis protocol is exploratory at this stage.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>About half of the participants (54%) had achieved good results in the intervention. Nearly half of the participants (47%) had added to or improved their own activity in some sector of exercise or diet. Significant associations were found between performance in the interventions and participants' knowledge of the purpose of the study (p < 0.001), and between success in interventions and working status (p = 0.02), and the participants' knowledge of the purpose of the study (p = 0.04).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The main finding of this study was that those participants who were most aware or had understood the purpose of the study at an early stage had also attained better results at their 12-month intervention evaluation. Therefore, implementation and success in intervention is related to whether subjects receive a sufficient amount and are able to comprehend the information provided i.e. the core principles of informed consent.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>(ISRCTN 45977199)</p

Maatalousyrittäjien työterveyshuollon sisällön ja kattavuuden kehittäminen :Haaste-hankkeen loppuraportti 2009-2011

HAASTE-hankkeen tavoitteena oli kehittää maatalousyrittäjien työterveyshuollon palveluiden sisältöä sekä sisällön kattavuutta asiakaslähtöisesti. Hankkeessa oli mukana neljä kuntaa ja kaksi kaupunkia Pohjois-Savon alueelta.Lomakkeet on tulostettavissa julkaisun lopusta.1

Examination of the phases of metasynthesis: A study on patients' duties as an example

ABSTRACT In recent years, the use of metasynthesis as a research method has increased within nursing science. In the present paper, we focus on examining the phases of metasynthesis, using a study of patients' duties as an example. The aim of this paper is to increase the understanding of synthesis as a method in order to promote research trustworthiness by making the research process more transparent and thereby increasing the readers' awareness of it. We formulated a purpose for each phase of metasynthesis in order to better understand synthesis as a rational thinking process. We found that the collaboration of several researchers during all phases of metasynthesis is needed in order to maintain research ethics and trustworthiness. In addition, further study of the phases of metasynthesis is needed for improving research methods in order to produce new, accumulated knowledge based on previous qualitative study.Key words: Qualitative study, Metastudy, Methodology, Synthesis.RIASSUNTO Negli ultimi anni, l'uso della metasintesi come metodo di ricerca si è diffuso nell'ambito delle scienze infermieristiche. Questo lavoro si focalizza sulle fasi della metasintesi , prendendo come esempio i doveri dei pazienti. Scopo dello studio è di migliorare la comprensione della sintesi come metodo per promuovere l'affidabilití  della ricerca, rendendo il processo di ricerca più trasparente e più comprensibile. Gli autori hanno stabilito uno scopo per ogni fase della metasintesi per paragonare meglio la sintesi ad un processo razionale di pensiero. E' necessaria la collaborazione di alcuni ricercatori durante tutte le fasi della metasintesi per garantire l'etica della ricerca e la sua affidabilití . Inoltre , sono necessari ulteriori studi sulle fasi della metasintesi per migliorare i metodi di ricerca ed accumulare nuove conoscenze basate su precedenti studi qualitativiParole chiave: Studio qualitativo, Metastudio, Metodologia, Sintesi