Enhancing evidence-based practice into healthcare: Exploring the role of scientific skills in occupational therapists.

BACKGROUND: Research utilization and evidence-based practice (EBP) in occupational therapy rely on essential scientific skills. Despite prior research exploring factors influencing EBP, a gap remains in understanding the specific scientific competencies crucial for effective EBP application. OBJECTIVES: To (1) describe the level of scientific skills for EBP and research application, and (2) investigate the factors influencing higher scientific competence among 1159 Spanish-speaking occupational therapists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed the scientific skills using the HACTO-Screen online survey. Recruitment was conducted through a non-probability convenience sampling method between April to June 2020, using social networks and email dissemination to education and professional organizations in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. RESULTS: Out of a total score of 115 points, participants showed a moderate level of scientific skills (mean: 62.7, SD: 21.6), with literature searching skills ranking the highest and scientific writing skills ranking the lowest. Associations were found between greater scientific competence and advanced degrees, ongoing research training, and on-the-job research. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous research training, higher academic degrees, and active research engagement are essential for enhancing scientific competence among occupational therapists. SIGNIFICANCE: Targeted training to enhance scientific skills and promote research utilization are crucial in advancing EBP in occupational therapy.

Folic Acid Supplementation during Pregnancy and Its Association with Telomere Length in Children at Four Years: Results from the INMA Birth Cohort Study.

This study examined the association between folic acid supplements (FAs) during different periods of pregnancy and offspring telomere length (TL) at age four in 666 children from the INMA study. FAs were self-reported using food-structured questionnaires during three periods of pregnancy (the first three months of pregnancy, from month fourth onward, and the whole pregnancy). For each period, the average daily dosage of FAs was categorised into (i) <400 µg/d, (ii) ≥400 to 999 µg/d, (iii) ≥1000 to 4999 µg/d, and (iv) ≥5000 µg/d. Leucocyte TL at age four was measured using quantitative PCR methods. Multiple robust linear log-level regression models were used to report the % difference among FA categories. During the first period, and compared with children whose mothers were classified in the reference group (<400 µg/d), children whose mothers took higher dosages of FAs showed shorter TL at age four (≥5000 µg/d). When the first and the second periods were mutually adjusted, children whose mothers self-reported ≥5000 µg/d during the first period of pregnancy had a statistically significant shorter TL than their counterparts (% difference: -7.28% [95% CI: -14.42 to -0.13]). Similar trends were observed for the whole period of pregnancy. When the analysis was stratified by sex, the association was more evident in boys (% difference: -13.5% [95% CI: -23.0 to -4.04]), whereas no association was observed in girls. This study suggests that high dosages of FAs in the first pregnancy period may be associated with a shorter TL in children at age four, particularly among boys. Further studies should confirm these results.

Sedentary Behaviour and Telomere Length Shortening during Early Childhood: Evidence from the Multicentre Prospective INMA Cohort Study.

Sedentary behaviour (SB) may be related to telomere length (TL) attrition due to a possible pro-inflammatory effect. This study examined the association between parent-reported sedentary behaviour (SB) and leukocyte TL at the age of 4 and telomere tracking from 4 to 8 years. In the Spanish birth cohort Infancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) project, we analysed data from children who attended follow-up visits at age 4 (n = 669) and 8 (n = 530). Multiple robust regression models were used to explore the associations between mean daily hours of SB (screen time, other sedentary activities, and total SB) at 4 years categorised into tertiles and TL at 4 years and difference in TL rank between age 4 and 8, respectively. At the age of 4, the results showed that children with the highest screen time (1.6-5.0 h/day) had a shorter TL of -3.9% (95% CI: -7.4, -0.4; p = 0.03) compared with children in the lowest tertile (0.0-1.0 h/day). Between 4 and 8 years, a higher screen time (highest tertile group vs. lowest tertile) was associated with a decrease in the LTL rank of -1.9% (95% CI: -3.8, -0.1; p = 0.03) from 4 to 8 years. Children exposed to a higher screen time at 4 years were more prone to have shorter TL at 4 and between 4 and 8 years of age. This study supports the potential negative effect of SB during childhood on cellular longevity.

The Impact of Foods, Nutrients, or Dietary Patterns on Telomere Length in Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review.

Environmental factors such as diet can affect telomere length (TL) dynamics. However, the role that children's and adolescents' diets play in maintaining TL is not well understood. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to examine the association between the intake of nutrients, foods, food groups, and/or dietary patterns and TL in childhood and adolescence. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases and additional registers and methods. The five selected studies were cross-sectional and conducted in children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years. The main results suggest that a higher consumption of fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, olives, legumes, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and an antioxidant-rich diet might positively affect TL. On the contrary, a higher intake of dairy products, simple sugar, sugar-sweetened beverages, cereals, especially white bread, and a diet high in glycaemic load were factors associated with TL shortening. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review examining the impact of dietary intake factors on TL in childhood and adolescence. Although limited, these results are consistent with previous studies in different adult populations. Further research is needed to ascertain potential nutritional determinants of TL in childhood and adolescence.

Identification and Use of Assessment Tools in Spanish Occupational Therapists: An Exploratory Study.

The use of standardized assessment tools is essential for the occupational therapy intervention process to ensure clinical practice is appropriate and of high quality. This study aimed to explore which assessment tools Spanish occupational therapists use in their clinical practice. An ad hoc online questionnaire of 19 open and closed questions was used to collect information on assessment tools, socio-demographics, and academic background. The assessment tools were classified according to the main domains of occupational therapy using the last edition of the American Occupational Therapy Association framework. The survey was completed by 73 Spanish occupational therapists, of whom 86.3% were women; the median age was 31 years, and more than 60% treated people suffering from neurological and neurodegenerative disorders or worked in geriatric medicine. Of 147 assessment tools identified, those designed to assess activities of daily living, body functions, process skills, and motor skills were the instruments most frequently used. Specifically, the Barthel Index, Lawton Instrumental ADL Scale, Functional Independence Measure, Sensory Profile 2, and Mini-Examen Cognoscitivo were the tools most employed by Spanish occupational therapists. However, more than one third of the participants used assessment tools without knowing whether they were validated in the Spanish context and/or a specific target population. To our knowledge, this is the first time a study has examined the use and type of assessment tools in Spanish occupational therapists. Our results may constitute a positive step forward for developing strategies for enhancing evidence-based assessment in occupational therapy practice.

Validation of a Parent-Reported Physical Activity Questionnaire by Accelerometry in European Children Aged from 6 to 12 Years Old.

Validated physical activity (PA) questionnaires are crucial for collecting information in large epidemiological studies during childhood. Thus, this study analyzed the validity of a parent-reported PA questionnaire based on the Children's Leisure Activities Study Survey by accelerometry in European children aged from 6 to 12 years old. We used data from 230 children of the Human Early-Life Exposome and Infancia y Medio Ambiente projects. Mean differences between moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) reported by the questionnaire and the accelerometer were calculated (min/day), and its associated factors were explored by multiple robust linear regression. The agreement between methods was examined using a Bland−Altman plot. The concurrent validity of assessing MVPA was analyzed by cohort-adjusted Spearman's partial correlations. ROC curve analysis was also used to explore the questionnaire's capability to identify active children based on the World Health Organization guidelines. A moderate correlation was found between parent-reported and accelerometer MVPA (rho = 0.41, p < 0.001). The child's sex (girl) was statistically associated with the mean MVPA difference between methods. However, this questionnaire accurately identified physically active children (area under the curve = 83.8% and 82.7% for boys and girls, cut-points = 68.6 and 45.4 min/day in MVPA, respectively). Consequently, this questionnaire is suitable for classifying active children in order to monitor public health interventions regarding PA.

Reporting Quality in Abstracts of Randomized Controlled Trials Published in High-Impact Occupational Therapy Journals.

IMPORTANCE: Adequate reporting in the abstracts of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is essential to enable occupational therapy practitioners to critically appraise the validity of findings. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reporting quality and characteristics of RCT abstracts published between 2008 and 2018 in the occupational therapy journals with the five highest impact factors in 2018. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study. DATA SOURCES: The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT), Australian Occupational Therapy Journal (AOTJ), Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy (CJOT), Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy (SJOT), and Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics (POTP) were identified using a Web of Science search. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: We searched Scopus for abstracts in the five included journals. We used a 17-point scale based on the CONSORT for Abstracts (CONSORT-A) checklist to assess reporting quality. We also identified characteristics of the abstracts. FINDINGS: Seventy-eight RCT abstracts were assessed and showed moderate to low adherence to the CONSORT-A checklist (Mdn = 8, interquartile range = 7-9). Abstracts of articles with authors from a higher number of institutions, European first authors, and >200 words had higher CONSORT-A scores. The most underreported CONSORT-A items were trial design, blinding, numbers analyzed, outcome (results), harms, trial registration, and funding. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Between 2008 and 2018, the reporting quality in RCT abstracts from the five highest impact occupational therapy journals was moderate to low. Inadequate reporting in RCT abstracts raises the risk that occupational therapy practitioners will make ineffective clinical decisions based on misinterpretation of findings. What This Article Adds: Reporting quality in RCT abstracts in occupational therapy journals is moderate to low. Journal editors should require authors of RCTs to use the CONSORT-A checklist to promote optimal reporting and transparency in abstracts.

Desarrollo de un proceso participativo para el diagnóstico de salud comunitaria en estudiantes de la Universidad Miguel Hernández: Proyecto #beUMHealthy.

Los procesos participativos permiten analizar, comprender, debatir y promover la acción colectiva en asuntos significativos para una comunidad. Estas metodologías activas favorecen la identificación de necesidades y activos en salud para elaborar un diagnóstico de salud comunitaria y promover acciones colectivas. En este sentido, la aplicación de los procesos participativos en el contexto universitario resulta de gran interés para el fortalecimiento de las universidades como comunidades promotoras de la salud. En este trabajo se describe el desarrollo del proceso participativo #beUMHealthy, cuyo objetivo principal fue potenciar el debate sobre la salud y las iniciativas de promoción de la salud en el alumnado de la Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH). El proyecto se desarrolló entre mayo y noviembre del 2019. Se recogieron 22 participaciones mediante WhatsApp y 173 cuestionarios diligenciados en línea. Este proceso permitió identificar necesidades y activos en salud en el alumnado de la UMH y obtener propuestas para su mejora. Esta información se usará para promover acciones futuras que incrementen la salud de la comunidad universitaria.

Gut Health in Veterinary Medicine: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Literature.

Gut health is a recent relevant research topic in veterinary medicine and it has been shown to be associated with better zootechnical performances and animal welfare. A bibliometric analysis was performed to explore publication trends, dynamics and possible knowledge gaps in this field in the last twenty years (2000-2020). The database Web of Science was searched and the results were analyzed by the R package Bibliometrix. A total of 1696 documents were retrieved in the evaluated period, showing a constant annual growth in the number of publications of 22.4%. These articles focused mainly on pigs (34.8%), poultry (chicken, duck, turkey and quail-33.9%) and aquaculture (fishes, crustaceans and frog-15.0%) while a scarce number was found on felines, cows, horses, rodents, goats and sheep. China was the most productive country (24.7%) followed by the USA (17.2%) and Canada (5.7%). Keyword's analysis showed that the main research lines aimed to explore animal nutrition, prevention of inflammatory diseases and microbiota composition. This study shows a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the evolution of veterinary gut health research that will help to drive future investigations on this topic.

Screening for Scientific Skills in Spanish-Speaking Occupational Therapists (HACTO-Screen): Study Protocol of a Cross-Sectional Survey.

The acquisition of scientific competencies for the application of evidence-based practice (EBP) is considered an essential part of healthcare education programs in order to improve clinical effectiveness. An examination of scientific skills in occupational therapists may be helpful in understanding their current practice as well as being useful in providing a basis for applying suitable approaches to the development and implementation of EBP. Hence, this study was designed with a double main objective: (1) to describe the level of acquisition of scientific skills and academic achievement in Spanish-speaking occupational therapists; (2) to examine the factors associated with these skills. The screening for Scientific Skills in Occupational Therapists (HAbilidades Científicas en Terapeutas Ocupacionales), the HACTO-Screen, is an online cross-sectional survey divided into five sections: sociodemographic data, academic and professional background; assessment of scientific skills; research training and development needs; experience as a researcher and/or academic. A total sample of 1159 occupational therapists finally participated. Main associations will be analyzed using multiple linear and/or Poisson regression models with/without robust variance. Our findings will provide valuable insights on the research skills and associated factors in a large sample of Spanish-speaking occupational therapists. The results will also be helpful to enhance research training and research career development in occupational therapy in order to promote the use of EBP.

Effects of Feeding Dried Fruit Pomaces as Additional Fibre-Phenolic Compound on Meat Quality, Blood Chemistry and Redox Status of Broilers.

The present study investigated the effects of apple (A), blackcurrant (B) and strawberry (S) dried pomaces on meat quality, blood chemistry and redox status of broiler chickens. A total of 480 Ross-308 male broilers were divided into 8 dietary treatments containing 3% and 6% of cellulose preparation (C), A, B or S. Six birds/group were slaughtered at 35 days of age and blood samples were collected. Carcass traits and meat quality were determined on the Pectoralis major muscles, recording nonsignificant differences. Antioxidant activity was evaluated in serum, liver and breast muscle. In serum, fruit pomaces lowered triglycerides, creatinine and atherogenic index (p < 0.05). Regarding redox status, in serum, ACW (antioxidant capacity of water-soluble substances) and ACL (antioxidant capacity of lipid-soluble substances) were greater in A (p < 0.001). In breast, ACW and ACL were higher in B and S compared to C (p < 0.05). In liver, ACL was greater in B and S compared to C (p < 0.001) and in higher dosage compared to low (p = 0.036). GSSG (oxidized glutathione) concentration was lower in A, whereas A, B and S presented a higher GSH (reduced glutathione)/GSSG ratio. The results showed that fruit pomaces could represent promising feed ingredients for broilers, improving serum, meat and tissue antioxidant parameters.

Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Telomere Length in Children: A Review of Scientific Literature.

Telomere length in early life has been recently associated with biological aging and development of negative consequences in later adult life. A relevant area of research has emerged to understand the factors that impact telomere length in children. We conducted a bibliometric analysis to track research output and identify global trends and gaps in the knowledge of telomere length in children. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Web of Science database and then analyzed by using Bibliometrix R package. A total of 840 publications were yielded from 1991 to 2019. The references were prominently published in journals, with 20 high ranked journals contributing to 30% of literature on telomere length in children. The USA was the most productive country (35.7%), followed by Europe (12.1%), and Asia (11.9%). A knowledge map of telomere length in children through keyword analyses revealed that there were two potential main lines of research based on two different approaches: genomic research and epidemiological research. This study shows that telomere length in children is a topic of research that has gained significant relevance in the last decade. This bibliometric study may be helpful in identifying research trends and finding research hot spots and gaps in this research field.

Dried fruit pomace inclusion in poultry diet: growth performance, intestinal morphology and physiology.

BACKGROUND: Fruit pomaces are by-products rich in polyphenol compounds and dietary fiber. They seem to play an important role in regulating the gut microbiota, morphology and physiology. The aim of this study was to assess whether apple (A), blackurrant (B) or strawberry (S) pomaces could be suitable ingredients in broiler diets and their effect on gut health. A total of 480 male broilers were randomly allotted to 8 dietary treatments with lower (3%-L) or higher (6%-H) dietary fiber content: two control groups (CL/CH), two A diets (AL/AH), two B diets (BL/BH), two S diets (SL/SH). Diet and fruit pomaces were chemically analyzed to assess polyphenol concentration and fibre fraction content. After the evaluation of growth performance, 6 birds/group were slaughtered at 35 days of age. Morphometric and histopathological investigations were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Excreta were collected to perform microbiota evaluation by 16S DNA sequencing. Weight, viscosity, enzymatic activity, short chain fatty acid (SCFAs) and ammonia concentration were determined in ileum and/or ceca content. RESULTS: A pomace and A diets showed the lowest polyphenol content and the highest content of soluble fibre fraction. No significant differences were observed for growth performance, gut morphometry and histopathology (P > 0.05). Dietary fruit pomace inclusion increased the weight of ileum and ceca and the ileum digesta viscosity (P < 0.05). In the ileum, A and S groups showed lower bacterial α-glucosidase activity than C groups. Moreover, small intestine SCFAs concentration was higher in fruit pomaces diets (P < 0.05). In ceca, B and S groups showed lower ammonia concentration and higher SCFAs than C. Dietary treatments also influenced the activity of α-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, ß-galactosidase ß-glucuronidase and xylase. Regarding microbiota, at phylum level, Firmicutes were differentially abundant across treatment (maximum for C and minimum in S, FDR > 0.05). At genus level, an increase of Weissella in AH and Erwinia in S/B diets, as well as a decrease of Lactobacillus in all fruit pomace groups were recorded (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fruit pomaces could be suitable ingredients in poultry nutrition even if further studies are needed to better understand which doses is more recommended to avoid negative effects on gut microbiota.