A multifaceted training tool to reduce weight bias among healthcare students: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Weight bias toward people with obesity (PwO) is common in healthcare settings. Efforts to address weight bias in healthcare settings should begin during university studies. This study aimed to explore the effect of a multifaceted intervention on weight bias among undergraduate healthcare students. METHODS: An open label randomized controlled trial. The intervention tool consisted of short video lectures on obesity, vignettes simulating interactions between health professionals and PwO, and open discourse with a PwO. The control group received a short-written document on obesity. Online questionnaires on Anti-Fat Attitudes ('AFA'), short form of the Fat-Phobia Scale ('FPS'), Weight Implicit Association Test ('Weight-IAT'), and knowledge about obesity were administered at baseline, 1-week, and 6-week post-intervention. RESULTS: A total of 162, 152, and 146 students participated in the study at baseline, 1-week, and 6-week post-intervention, respectively. Their mean age was 25.8 ± 6.7 years and 88.3% were women. Means of AFA total scores and FPS scores decreased significantly over time only within the intervention group (P Time*Group = 0.002 and 0.014). Both groups showed a similar trend over time in mean scores of Weight-IAT (P Time*Group = 0.868) and knowledge about obesity (P Time*Group = 0.115). CONCLUSIONS: A multifaceted intervention resulted in a significant reduction in explicit weight bias but did not yield any additional advantages over the control group in implicit weight bias and knowledge about obesity. GOV NUMBER: NCT05482802.

Factors associated with corticosteroid use in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients in Israel: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: We examined corticosteroid use among Israeli patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), focusing on demographic, disease-related, and psychosocial factors. The objective was to contribute to the development of strategies minimizing corticosteroid dependence and improving patient outcomes, given the adverse effects associated with prolonged corticosteroid use. METHODS: A comprehensive analysis was conducted on data collected from adult IBD patients attending six gastroenterological outpatient clinics in Israel. The data collected encompassed disease characteristics, demographic information, service level characteristics, social data, and steroid use. Statistical analyses were performed to associate these variables with steroid use. RESULTS: Out of 402 patients, 26 % had been treated with corticosteroids in the previous year, with a majority of these having only one treatment course. Of patients treated with steroids, 57% (n-44) met steroid dependent/excess criteria. Steroid use was more common in patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) compared to those with Crohn's disease. Factors such as a diagnosis of UC, male gender, elevated C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin, and decreased albumin and hemoglobin were associated with steroid use. CONCLUSION: Corticosteroid use among Israeli IBD patients was associated with disease-related factors and some demographic characteristics. The results highlight the need for continued research to inform strategies aimed at reducing corticosteroid dependence in managing IBD, thereby improving patient outcomes.

The Effects of a Physical Activity Online Intervention Program on Resilience, Perceived Social Support, Psychological Distress and Concerns among At-Risk Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 restrictions have led to social isolation affecting youth's health, particularly at-risk youth. OBJECTIVES: We examined whether an online mentoring health intervention (OMHI) would strengthen characteristics that can prevent risky behaviors: resilience, perceived social support, psychological distress, and crisis concerns. METHODS: Fifty-six secondary-school students participated, 27 in the intervention group and 29 in the control group (mean age 16.18, SD 0.83 vs. 16.62, SD 0.82, respectively). The study took place between March and August 2020. RESULTS: The intervention group was less resilient pre-test, with similar resilience levels as the control group post-test. Intervention group participants presented a significantly higher crisis level pre- and post-test than the control group, as well as an increase in resilience (effect size = 1.88) and social support (effect size = 1.22), while psychological distress significantly decreased (effect size = -1.03). Both groups (intervention vs. control) predicted changes from pre-to-post test for resilience and crisis (adjusted R2 = 0.33, p = 0.001 and R2 = 0.49, p = 0.0001 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: OMHI participation was associated with improved resilience and social support, and decreased psychological distress, making it an effective strategy in health promotion for at-risk youth. An online intervention program combining mentoring in physical activity and interpersonal connections may constitute an effective health promotion strategy for at-risk youth, especially in times of crisis.

The Role of Fundamental Nursing Practices Simulation on Students' Competencies and Learning Satisfaction: Repeated Measured Design.

Few studies have examined the simulation of fundamental nursing practices regarding nursing competencies and learning satisfaction via repeated measured methods. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a simulation of fundamental nursing practices on nursing students' competencies and learning satisfaction in three time points: before (T1), immediately after (T2), and one month after simulation (T3), and to examine nursing students' competency predictors to learning satisfaction, immediately after conducting the simulation and one month after. METHODS: The study design was a one-group, repeated measures study. Ninety-three undergraduate nursing students were convenience sampled and conducted a simulation of fundamental nursing practices. The students completed a questionnaire at T1, T2, and T3. The Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses questionnaire was distributed, and question about the level of learning satisfaction were asked. RESULTS: All nursing competencies and learning satisfactions increased significantly. Only the legal/ethical practice competency succeeded in predicting the learning satisfaction in T2 and in T3 after conducting simulations. CONCLUSIONS: This study has established that a simulation of fundamental nursing practices is effective not just immediately after performing the simulation but also one month after the simulation. Therefore, it is recommended to implement a pedagogical structure of simulations of fundamental nursing practices in other nursing education areas.

Investigating the Influence of Vaccine Literacy, Vaccine Perception and Vaccine Hesitancy on Israeli Parents' Acceptance of the COVID-19 Vaccine for Their Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Vaccination is currently the most effective strategy for combating COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines were introduced to the adult population in Israel in early December 2020 and have been available for children aged 12-15 since June 2021. Our study aimed at assessing the influence of vaccine literacy, perception, hesitancy, and behavior on Israeli parents' intentions to have their children vaccinated. Using an anonymous online questionnaire, we recruited 520 parents; 70.4% of the parents indicated that they would get their children vaccinated. The participants' COVID-19 vaccination status was the only socio-demographic factor significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccination acceptability (OR = 32.89; 95%CI = [13.11, 82.54]). The most common sources of information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine were health-care providers and the Internet. Parents who intend to vaccinate their children had higher mean levels of vaccine literacy (2.99 ± 0.47 vs. 3.07 ± 0.44 respectively, p = 0.06), more positive perception of the vaccine (mean scores of 2.26 ± 0.75 vs. 3.44 ± 0.68 respectively, p < 0.001), and lower perceived vaccine hesitancy (7.53 ± 2.37 vs. 4.68 ± 2.71 respectively, p < 0.001) than parents who do not intend to do so. Vaccine behavior was measured using the 5C model of psychological antecedents. All 5C components were significantly correlated with parents' willingness to vaccinate their children. Understanding of parents' willingness to have their children receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the barriers to and facilitators of the vaccination is crucial, as vaccination of children aged 5-11 has recently been approved by the FDA. Providing the population with reliable information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine is an important measure in the attempt to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.