Barriers and facilitators of physical activity in adolescents with intellectual disabilities: An analysis informed by the COM-B model

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with intellectual disabilities are insufficiently physically active. Where interventions have been developed and delivered, these have had limited effectiveness, and often lack a theoretical underpinning. AIM: Through application of the COM‐B model, our aim is to explore the factors influencing adolescent physical activity within schools. METHODS: A qualitative methodology, using focus groups with students who have mild/moderate intellectual disabilities, their parents'/carers' and teachers'. The COM‐B model provided the lens through which the data were collected and analysed. RESULTS: We identified of a range of individual, interpersonal, and environmental factors influencing physical activity, across all six COM‐B constructs, within the context of the ‘school‐system’. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to use the COM‐B model to explore school‐based physical activity behaviour, for adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Identification of such physical activity behavioural determinants can support the development of effective and sustainable interventions

‘Walk Buds’: A walking intervention to increase physical activity, physical fitness, and emotional wellbeing, in 9–13 year old children with intellectual disabilities. Results of a clustered randomised feasibility trial

BACKGROUND: Children with intellectual disability are less physically active and more sedentary than typically developing peers. To date no studies have tested the feasibility of a school-based walking intervention for children with Intellectual Disability.METHOD: A clustered randomised controlled trial (cRCT), with an embedded process evaluation, was used to test the feasibility of a school-based walking intervention. Eight schools (n = 161 pupils aged 9-13 years) were randomised into either an intervention arm or an 'exercise as usual' arm. Measures included physical activity, physical fitness and emotional wellbeing. Baseline and 3-month follow-up data were collected.RESULTS: The 'Walk Buds' intervention was found to be acceptable to teaching staff and pupils, with an uptake rate of the walking sessions offered of 84%.CONCLUSION: A number of challenges were experienced, relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, and difficulties collecting accelerometer data. Barriers, facilitators and required changes identified through the mixed methods process evaluation are discussed.</p

Student experience of university email communication

Since email access has become almost universal, Universities have increasingly used email as a key communication channel. This project investigated the number and origin of email communications to students on three Open University first year undergraduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) modules. The modules were: Topics in Science (S142), Introducing Health Sciences (SDK125) and Environment: Journeys through a changing World (U116). S142 and SDK125 are 30 credit modules amounting to about 8 hours study a week and U116 is 60 credits amounting to around 16 hours study per week and all three modules are run over 31 weeks. The number of students who started studying the modules in February 2015 was; S142 838, SDK125, 824 and U116, 494 which ran from February to October presentation in 2015. Quantitative analysis of the number and type of emails sent to students on these modules revealed an average and maximum number of email communications per student on each module was S142: average 38, maximum 59, SDK125: average 67, maximum 82, U116: average 45, maximum 83. These figures are for students studying a single module over 31 weeks. Qualitative analysis from interviews undertaken with 40 students from each module determined how they felt about the number and type of communications they were receiving. The outcome of this analysis revealed that students appreciated email as the main form of communication from the university, although they underestimated quite significantly the number of emails they had received

"Including us, talking to us and creating a safe environment" - Youth Patient &amp; Public Involvement and the Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study: Lessons learned

© 2023 The authors. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13885Background: Young people have the right to be informed and consulted about decisions affecting their lives. Patient and public involvement (PPI) ensures that research is carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ young people rather than ‘to’, ‘about’ or ‘for’ them. The aim of this paper is to outline how youth PPI can be embedded within a physical activity intervention, reflect on the impact of PPI and provide recommendations for future PPI in a similar context. Methods: A Youth Advisory Group (YAG) was set up within the Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study to involve adolescent girls in the delivery, implementation and dissemination of a physical activity intervention targeted at adolescents. Schools invited pupils aged 12–14 years and 15–18 years to YAG meetings (n3, from 2019 to 2023). Participative methods were used to inform recruitment strategies and data collection methods for the WISH Study. Results: Across the three YAG meetings, n51 pupils from n8 schools were involved. Pupils enjoyed the YAG meetings, felt that their feedback was valued and considered the meetings a good way to get young people involved in research. The YAG advised on specific issues and although measuring impact was not the primary aim of the YAG meetings, over the course of the study there were many examples of the impact of PPI. Recruitment targets for the WISH Study were exceeded, the attrition rate was low and pupils were engaged in data collection. Conclusion: Youth PPI is a developing field and there are few physical activity studies that report the PPI work undertaken. Within the WISH Study, three YAG meetings were held successfully, and the views of adolescent girls were central to the development of the study. Considering the specific issues that the YAG advised on (study recruitment, attrition and data collection), there was evidence of a positive impact of PPI. Patient or Public Contribution: Pupils from post-primary schools interested/participating in the WISH Study were invited to attend YAG meetings. YAG meetings were set up to consult adolescent girls on the delivery, implementation and dissemination of the WISH intervention.The WISH Study was funded from INTERREG VA funding of €8.84m (including a 15% contribution from the Department of Health in NI and Republic of Ireland), which had been awarded to the HSC Research & Development Division of the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland and to the Health Research Board in Ireland for the Cross-border Healthcare Intervention Trials in Ireland Network project.Published versio

Key findings from The Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study, a peer-led walking intervention for adolescent girls

Project Description: The effects of walking interventions on adult health are known, however the potential of walking to promote physical activity (PA) in adolescents is less known. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel, school-based walking intervention at increasing PA levels of adolescent girls. Female pupils aged 12-14 years, were recruited from eighteen (mixed or single-sex) schools across the Border Region of Ireland/Northern Ireland. Schools were randomised to control (usual physical activity; n9) or intervention (n9). In intervention schools, female pupils (15-18 years) were trained as walk leaders and led the younger pupils in 10-15min walks before school, at break and lunchtime. Walks were in school grounds and pupils were encouraged to join as many walks as possible. Excluding holidays, the intervention was delivered for a full school year (18-21 weeks). Accelerometers measured PA and the primary outcome was total PA (cpm). Impact: In total, 589 pupils were recruited (intervention: n286; control n303). Baseline moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA) for the intervention group was (median [IQR]) 36.1 (23.0) mins per day and 35.3 (19.8) mins per day in the control group. At baseline, only 15% (n37) of intervention and 10% (n29) of control participants met PA guidelines (60 mins MVPA per day). Post-intervention total PA (cpm) did not statistically differ between groups when adjusted for age, body mass index z-scores and baseline PA (mean difference, -33.5, 95% CI= -21.2 to 88.1; p=0.213). Learning: ‘Scaling-up’ PA interventions is challenging. Despite a promising feasibility study, the results of this fully powered trial indicate that in this context, the walking programme did not increase PA. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, school environments have changed and although pupils enjoyed the programme, attendance at walks was low. There is a need to better understand the implementation of interventions such as WISH within schools

Molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of statins in the central nervous system

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, commonly referred to as statins, are widely used in the treatment of dyslipidaemia, in addition to providing primary and secondary prevention against cardiovascular disease and stroke. Statins’ effects on the central nervous system (CNS), particularly on cognition and neurological disorders such as stroke and multiple sclerosis, have received increasing attention in recent years, both within the scientific community and in the media. Current understanding of statins’ effects is limited by a lack of mechanism-based studies, as well as the assumption that all statins have the same pharmacological effect in the central nervous system. This review aims to provide an updated discussion on the molecular mechanisms contributing to statins’ possible effects on cognitive function, neurodegenerative disease, and various neurological disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, depression and CNS cancers. Additionally, the pharmacokinetic differences between statins and how these may result in statin-specific neurological effects are also discussed

Role of interferon‐γ and inflammatory monocytes in driving colonic inflammation during acute Clostridium difficile infection in mice

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136491/1/imm12700.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136491/2/imm12700_am.pd

Affective and perceptual responses during reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT)

We have previously demonstrated that reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) is a genuinely time-efficient exercise strategy for improving cardiometabolic health. Here, we examined the affective and perceptual responses to REHIT. Eight young men and women (age 21 ± 1 y, BMI 24.9 ± 2.1 m/kg2, V̇O2max 39 ± 10 ml/kg/min) and 11 men with type 2 diabetes (T2D; age 52 ± 6 y, BMI 29.7 ± 3.1 m/kg2, V̇O2max 29 ± 5 ml/kg/min) took part in three-arm crossover trials with RPE and affective valence measured during, and enjoyment and exercise preferences measured following either: 1) REHIT (2 × 20-s sprints in a 10-min exercise session), 2) HIIT (10 × 1-min efforts) and 3) 30 min MICT. Furthermore, 19 young men and women (age 25 ± 6 y, BMI 24 ± 4 m/kg2, V̇O2max 34 ± 8 ml/kg/min) completed a 6-week REHIT intervention with affective valence during an acute REHIT session measured before and after training. Affect decreases (briefly) during REHIT, but recovers rapidly, and the decline is not significantly different when compared to MICT or HIIT in either healthy participants or T2D patients. Young sedentary participants reported similar levels of enjoyment for REHIT, MICT and HIIT, but 7 out of 8 had a preference for REHIT. Conversely, T2D patients tended to report lower levels of enjoyment with REHIT compared with MICT. The decrease in affective valence observed during an acute REHIT session was significantly attenuated following training. We conclude that affective and perceptual responses to REHIT are no more negative compared to those associated with MICT or HIIT, refuting claims that supramaximal sprint interval training protocols are associated with inherent negative responses