Standardizing Attention Process Training-III for a Multisite Clinical Trial of Neuromodulation.

INTRODUCTION: The Control Network Neuromodulation to Enhance Cognitive Training in Complex Traumatic Brain Injury (CONNECT-TBI) study is an ongoing randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled multisite clinical trial to determine the enhancing effects of noninvasive neuromodulation when paired with cognitive training in military participants (Veterans and active duty) with mild TBI. Attention Process Training-III (APT-III) was selected for its strong evidence base, manualized procedures, and computerized program. However, many aspects of APT-III that make it ideal for personalization make it less ideal for reliable implementation across participants, clinicians/technicians, and sites. The purpose of this feature article is to highlight APT-III procedures that require additional standardization for reliable administration across participants and sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten studies using APT-III were reviewed for methodology of APT-III administration. The manual was also scrutinized; aspects of administration that involved clinical decision-making, subjectivity, flexibility, and/or that were identified by the APT-III developers as areas in need of "empirical evaluation" were flagged by clinicians. Literature and manual review findings were presented to the team for discussion and solution-finding. The authors created and refined a standardized process that would allow participants to move through APT-III training, including task movement algorithms and new materials drafts. Refining of algorithms and drafts continued until there was a consensus from team members. RESULTS: Many gray areas were identified, but we will limit our reporting to focus on (1) dosage, (2) adaptation, (3) metacognitive strategy instruction, and (4) goal attainment scaling. We present APT-III manual details, literature review findings, and CONNECT-TBI decisions and materials for each of these areas of focus. CONCLUSIONS: We have highlighted some of the major gray areas of APT-III administration so that fellow researchers can understand the need to take similar steps in clinical trials using APT-III. We provide examples of our standardization process and resultant rules and materials. Our algorithm, based on prior studies using the APT-III and our own iterative adjustments, allows for adjustment of the difficulty and speed of the training tasks (but within certain parameters) in order to achieve the best balance between individualization and consistency across participants and sites. We provide an example of a workflow and reporting process for future studies.

Transfer of Knowledge on Pneumoconiosis Care Among Rural-Based Members of a Digital Community of Practice: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Given the re-emergence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis in Appalachia and Mountain West United States, there is a tremendous need to train rural professionals in its multidisciplinary management. Since 2016, the Miners' Wellness TeleECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) Program held by the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and Miners' Colfax Medical Center, Raton, New Mexico, provides structured longitudinal multidisciplinary telementoring to diverse professionals taking care of miners by creating a digital community of practice. Program sessions emphasize active learning through discussion, rather than didactic training. Professional stakeholder groups include respiratory therapists, home health professionals, benefits counselors, lawyers or attorneys, clinicians, and others. Rural-urban differences in knowledge transfer in such a community of practice, however, remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the role of the rurality of the patient or client base in the transfer of knowledge to professionals caring for miners using the digital community of practice approach. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of 70 professionals participating in the Miners' Wellness TeleECHO Program between 2018 and 2019. Drawing insights from social network analysis, we examined the association between the rurality of participants' patient or client base and their self-reported receipt of knowledge. Our focal independent variable was the respondent's self-reported percentage of patients or clients who reside in rural areas. We measured knowledge transfer sources by asking participants if they received knowledge regarding the care of miners during and outside of TeleECHO sessions from each of the other participants. Our dependent variables included the number of knowledge sources, number of cross-stakeholder knowledge sources, number of same stakeholder knowledge sources, and range and heterogeneity of knowledge sources. RESULTS: Respondents, on average, identified 4.46 (SD 3.16) unique knowledge sources within the community, with a greater number of cross-stakeholder knowledge sources (2.80) than same stakeholder knowledge sources (1.72). The mean knowledge source range was 2.50 (SD 1.29), indicating that, on average, respondents received knowledge sources from roughly half of the 5 stakeholder groups. Finally, the mean heterogeneity of knowledge sources, which can range between 0 and 0.80, was near the midpoint of the scale at 0.44 (SD 0.30). Multivariable analyses revealed that as the rurality of patient or client bases increased, participants reported more knowledge sources overall, more knowledge sources from outside of their stakeholder groups, a higher knowledge source range, and greater heterogeneity of knowledge sources (P<.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that participants who serve rural areas especially benefit from knowledge transfer within the TeleECHO community of practice. Additionally, the knowledge they receive comes from diverse information sources, emphasizing its multidisciplinary nature. Our results underscore the capacity of the TeleECHO model to leverage technology to promote rural health equity for miners.

Risk factors for asthma and cough among Hispanic children in the southwestern United States of America, 2003-2004

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and mother's place of birth (Mexico vs. United States of America) on the prevalence of asthma and dry nighttime cough among children 2-12 years old residing in the southwestern United States. METHODS: Data were collected from November 2003 through March 2004 as part of a health survey of Hispanic mothers with young children who sought emergency, nutrition, or other clinical services. Information about respiratory health was obtained for one randomly selected child per United States-born (no. = 144) or Mexico-born (no. = 125) mother. Information on maternal and household sociodemographic variables, smoking, parental asthma, and child's exposure to room or automobile ETS during the previous seven days was also collected. Adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated with modified Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Most sociodemographic and ETS exposure variables differed significantly by mother's country of birth. Modeled asthma prevalence was 1.95 [95 percent confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-3.68] times greater in children of United States-born mothers than children of Mexico-born mothers. This difference persisted after known asthma risk factors were controlled for, including parental asthma, socioeconomic and demographic variables, and child ETS exposure. Childrens' recent automobile ETS exposure was associated with dry nighttime cough [adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.94, 95 percent CI = 1.19-3.15] and asthma (PR = 2.09; 95 percent CI = 0.99-4.39). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to ETS in automobiles is an important risk factor for asthma and dry nighttime cough among Hispanic children in the southwest United States, regardless of mother's country of birth. Further research is needed to identify causes of the higher prevalence of asthma in Hispanic children of United States-born mothers.

OBJETIVOS: Se investigó el impacto de la exposición al humo ambiental del tabaco (HAT) y del país de nacimiento de la madre (México frente a los Estados Unidos de América) en la prevalencia de asma y tos seca nocturna en niños de 2-12 años de edad que viven en el suroeste de los Estados Unidos de América. MÉTODOS: Los datos se colectaron de noviembre de 2003 a marzo de 2004 como parte de una encuesta de salud de madres hispanas con hijos pequeños, que solicitaron servicios de emergencia, nutrición o clínicos. Se obtuvo la información sobre el estado de salud respiratoria de un hijo seleccionado aleatoriamente por cada madre nacida en los Estados Unidos de América (n = 144) o en México (n = 125). Se colectó información sobre las variables sociodemográficas de la madre y del hogar, el hábito de fumar, los antecedentes de asma de los padres y la exposición del niño al HAT en habitaciones o automóviles en los siete días previos. Las razones de prevalencia ajustadas se estimaron mediante modelos de regresión de Poisson modificados. RESULTADOS: La mayoría de las variables sociodemográficas y de exposición al HAT presentaron diferencias significativas según el país de nacimiento de la madre. La prevalencia de asma según el modelo fue de 1,95 (intervalo de confianza de 95 por ciento [IC95 por ciento] = 1,03 a 3,68) veces mayor en niños de madres nacidas en Estados Unidos de América que en los de madres nacidas en México. Esta diferencia se mantuvo después de controlar por los factores de riesgo de asma conocidos, entre ellos los antecedentes de asma de los padres, las variables socioeconómicas y demográficas y la exposición del niño al HAT. La exposición reciente del niño al HAT en automóviles se asoció con la tos seca nocturna (razón de prevalencia ajustada [RP] = 1,94; IC95 por ciento = 1,19 a 3,15) y asma (RP = 2,09; IC95 por ciento = 0,99 a 4,39). CONCLUSIONES: La exposición al HAT en automóviles es un importante factor de riesgo de asma...