[Quality Criteria of Qualitative Studies in Rehabilitation Research]. / Qualitätskriterien qualitativer Studien in der Rehabilitationsforschung.

Considering the variety of research questions, perspectives, and disciplines involved, qualitative studies have become an integral part of rehabilitation sciences. To ensure and estimate their quality and thus the significance of their results, criteria are needed for both researchers and recipients. Due to the specific nature and the heterogeneity of qualitative research approaches, there is still disagreement regarding appropriate universally valid quality criteria. In this article, core criteria that can be used to plan, conduct and receive qualitative studies are presented and discussed with reference to national rehabilitation research. For this purpose, the specific characteristics of rehabilitation research are taken into account and the application of quality criteria is illustrated using concrete examples from the research practice of rehabilitation sciences.

Efficacy of occupational rehabilitation in return to work for back pain: A systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no standard procedure for a return to work (RTW) rehabilitation program used by practitioners. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to investigate the efficacy of occupational rehabilitation programs for workers with back pain. METHODS: Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full-text articles in a systematic literature search in three databases conducted in 2023. Subsequently, they extracted data according to the PRISMA Statement. RESULTS: Among the 4,010 articles retrieved, 20 met the inclusion criteria. Data from accepted studies were abstracted into tables relating to the RTW, improvement of pain intensity, quality of life (QOL), and degree of disability in persons with back pain. The risk of bias was assessed using the (SIGN)-criteria. Significant improvements in RTW were shown by a workplace intervention with a physical approach and a multidisciplinary intervention but with a wide range of effect sizes. Five studies showed significant improvements in pain intensity and QOL, six studies observed significant improvements in disability. CONCLUSION: The studies that stated positive effects on work-related data differed between intervention programs and traditional care. A combination of activity, maintenance therapy, stretching, and manual therapy showed promising results in improving RTW. In addition, the relationship and mediation between employer/workplace and employee seems to be an important aspect of RTW. However, pain intensity, disability, and QOL were enhanced with interventions that included a high proportion of physical activity. However, the intervention programs differed widely, leading to the assumption that the treatment effect of the intervention programs is not established, yet.

Preventive health examinations: protocol for a prospective cross-sectional study of German employees aged 45 to 59 years (Ü45-check).

Objective: Early identification of health-related risk factors is of great importance for maintaining workability. Screening examinations can help to detect diseases at an early stage and provide more needs-based recommendations. This study aims (1) to assess the individual need for prevention or rehabilitation based on preventive health examinations compared to a questionnaire survey, (2) to assess the results of the preventive health examinations compared to the Risk Index - Disability Pension (RI-DP), (3) to assess the results of the questionnaire survey compared to the RI-DP, (4) to assess the general health status of the sample (target population > 1,000) in German employees aged 45-59, (5) to identify the most common medical conditions. A further study question aims, and (6) to investigate the general health status of the specific occupational groups. Methods: Comprehensive diagnostics including medical examination, anamnesis, anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), handgrip strength, resting electrocardiogram (ECG), resting blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and laboratory blood analyses added by a questionnaire are conducted. The research questions are analyzed in an exploratory manner. Results and conclusion: We expect that the results will allow us to formulate recommendations regarding screening for prevention and rehabilitation needs on a more evidence-based level.Clinical Trial Registration: DRKS ID: DRKS00030982.

Comparison of two methods of cardiopulmonary exercise testing for assessing physical fitness in children and adolescents with extreme obesity.

It is well-known that children and adolescents with obesity have increased over recent decades which in turn carries greater risk of co-morbidities and poses a preventive as well as a therapeutic challenge. Currently, there are limited recommendations available on proven methods for recording physical fitness in children and adolescents presenting with extreme obesity. In this study, twenty participants, aged 12-17 years, with a body mass index (BMI) above the 99.5th percentile, were comparatively assessed, using a correlation between their physical fitness on a bicycle (BC) and treadmill (TM) cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) with a lactate diagnostic. The results of the BC and the TM were as follows: maximum heart rate (HRmax) 186.4 ± 8.6 beats per minute (bpm) vs. 190.8 ± 8.8 bpm, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak/kg) 23.5 ± 2.9 ml/min/kg vs. 25.4 ± 3.1 ml/min/kg, and maximum lactate (Lamax) 6.4 ± 1.6 mmol/l vs. 5.6 ± 1.4 mmol/l. The values of HRmax and VO2peak/kg were significantly higher for adolescents tested on the TM. However, no significant difference was observed in either Lamax values or between the genders.    Conclusions: The higher values of HRmax and VO2peak/kg could be attributed to the activation of a higher percentage of muscle mass on the TM. Lower Lamax values on the TM suggest maximum physical exertion was not achieved. This could be due to the extreme body weight carried by the participants. Both the BC and the TM CPET could be used for assessing physical fitness in children and adolescents with extreme obesity but should not be used interchangeably. What is Known: • Currently, there are only limited recommendations available on proven methods for recording physical fitness in children and adolescents with extreme obesity available. What is New: • Cardiopulmonary exercise testing with maximum physical exertion has been shown to be feasible in children and adolescents with extreme obesity. The results obtained from this study demonstrated that both a bicycle and a treadmill can be effectively used for assessing the physical fitness levels in children and adolescents with extreme obesity.