Triage Decision-Making in Interdisciplinary Pediatric Chronic Pain Programs.

BACKGROUND: Interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain programs are ideal treatment settings for youth with chronic pain who are complex from a biopsychosocial perspective. There is currently no evidence-based clinical decision support to guide nurses triaging patients to such programs, which increases the risk for haphazard triage decisions. AIMS: To explore and describe the decision-making practices of and contextual influences on nurses triaging patients to interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain programs. DESIGN: A qualitative exploratory descriptive design. SETTINGS: Interdisciplinary Pediatric Chronic Pain Programs. PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS: In all, 12 nurses across 11 different interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain programs participated in this study. METHODS: Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using concurrent content analysis, guided by the Cognitive Continuum Theory and the Theoretical Domains Framework. RESULTS: Findings focused on the complexity of the pediatric chronic pain population and the leading role nurses play in triage without evidence-based guidance. Analysis generated three prominent themes: (1) nurse-led triage determinants; (2) process of triage decision-making; and (3) external influences on triage decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Triage decision making in the setting of interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain programs is complex and often led by nurses. There is a desire amongst nurses to adopt an evidence-based clinical decision support triage tool (CDS), which may streamline the referral and triage process and foster a system whereby patients in highest need for interdisciplinary care are best prioritized.

A scoping review of interventions to improve strength training participation.

BACKGROUND: Low participation rates (1-31%) and unique barriers to strength training (e.g., specialized knowledge, equipment, perceived complexity) suggest effective strength training interventions may differ from effective aerobic or general physical activity interventions. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine interventions used to improve strength training participation through mapping theory, intervention characteristics, prescription parameters, and behaviour change techniques. METHODS: Recommendations by Levac et al. (2010) and PRISMA-ScR were followed in the conduct and reporting of this review, respectively. Patients and exercise professionals participated in developing the research question and data extraction form, interpreting the findings, and drafting the manuscript. Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and PubMed databases (inception-December 2020) were searched. The inclusion criteria were (a) original peer-reviewed articles and grey literature, (b) intervention study design, and (c) behavioural interventions targeted towards improving strength training participation. Two reviewers performed data screening, extraction, and coding. The interventions were coded using the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy version 1. Data were synthesized using descriptive and frequency reporting. RESULTS: Twenty-seven unique interventions met the inclusion criteria. Social cognitive theory (n = 9), the transtheoretical model (n = 4), and self-determination theory (n = 2) were the only behaviour change theories used. Almost all the interventions were delivered face-to-face (n = 25), with the majority delivered by an exercise specialist (n = 23) in community or home settings (n = 24), with high variability in exercise prescription parameters. Instructions on how to perform the behaviour, behavioural practice, graded tasks, goal setting, adding objects to the environment (e.g., providing equipment), and using a credible source (e.g., exercise specialist delivery) comprised the most common behaviour change techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight gaps in theory, intervention delivery, exercise prescription parameters, and behaviour change techniques for future interventions to examine and improve our understanding of how to most effectively influence strength training participation.

Understanding the Experiences of Rural Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Using a New DVD-Delivered Otago Exercise Program: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: The home-based Otago Exercise Program (OEP) has been shown to reduce the occurrence of falls in community-dwelling seniors. A new OEP DVD was recently developed for people living in rural communities to be used with minimal coaching by a physical therapist. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand older adults' experiences using the DVD-delivered OEP and explore barriers and facilitators to implementing the DVD-delivered OEP from the participants' perspectives. METHODS: Rural community-dwelling older adults (75 years and older) who participated in a six-month DVD-delivered OEP study were invited to participate in this qualitative study. Two small group interviews were initially conducted to explore the breadth of participants' experiences with the program. These were followed by semi-structured individual interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of these experiences. An inductive constant comparison analysis of the transcripts was performed. To ensure methodological rigor, field notes, journaling, and an audit trail were maintained, supplemented by peer-review. RESULTS: Of 32 eligible participants, five participated in group interviews and 16 in individual interviews. Three themes emerged. Theme 1, The OEP DVD-useful training tool but in need of more pep, represented participants' experiences that the DVD provided important guidance at program onset, but was too slow and low-energy for longer-term use. Theme 2, Gaining control over one's exercise regimen, but sometimes life gets in the way of staying active, described participants' appreciation of the program's flexibility, but personal health concerns and everyday lives posed challenges to adhering to the program. Theme 3, Social creatures-wanting greater human connection during exercise, described how some participants desired further social interactions for enhancing motivation and receiving guidance. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals should be encouraged to refer to the OEP user manual or DVD as needed and engage friends and family in exercises. The importance of exercise even when living with health problems should be raised at program onset, and participants should be supported in working through challenging issues. Health professionals should work with individuals to integrate the program with their everyday activities.