Effectiveness of wheelchair skills training for improving manual wheelchair mobility in children and adolescents: protocol for a multicenter randomized waitlist-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Self-directed mobility during childhood can influence development, social participation, and independent living later in life. For children who experience challenges with walking, manual wheelchairs (MWCs) provide a means for self-directed mobility. An effective MWC skills training program exists for adults, but controlled trials have not yet been documented in children and adolescents. This paper outlines the protocol for a multi-centre randomized wait-list controlled trial. The primary objective is to test the hypothesis that children and adolescents who receive MWC skills training will have higher MWC skills capacity compared to children and adolescents in the control group who receive usual care. The secondary objectives are to explore the influence of MWC skills training in children and adolescents (MWC use self-efficacy and satisfaction with participation in meaningful activities), and parents (perceived MWC skills); and to measure retention three months later. METHODS: A multi-centre, parallel-group, single-blind randomized wait-list controlled trial will be conducted. A sample of 60 children and adolescents who use MWCs will be recruited in rehabilitation centres, specialized schools, and the communities of three Canadian cities. Participants will be randomized (1:1) to the experimental (Wheelchair Skills Training Program [WSTP]) or wait-list control group (usual care). Performance-based and self-report measures will be completed at baseline (T1), three months (post-intervention, T2), and three months post-intervention (T3). The primary outcome will be MWC skills capacity post-intervention. Secondary outcomes will be MWC use self-efficacy and satisfaction with participation of the child/adolescent, and parent-perceived MWC skills. The WSTP will consist of 12 sessions, 45-60 min each, delivered 1-2 times per week by trained personnel with health professions education. Training will be customized according to the child's baseline skills and participation goals that require the use of the MWC. The wait-list control group will receive usual care for 3 months and then receive the WSTP after completing T2 evaluations. Data will be analysed using ANCOVA (controlling for baseline scores). DISCUSSION: MWC skills training may be one way to improve self-directed mobility and related outcomes for children and adolescents. The results of this multi-centre randomized wait-list controlled trial will allow for the effectiveness of the intervention to be evaluated in a variety of clinical contexts and geographical regions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05564247, Version October 3, 2022.

Consequences of daily self-weighing: a pilot study in higher-weight women with a history of breast cancer.

Self-monitoring weight is commonly recommended for higher-weight women with a history of breast cancer, despite evidence demonstrating potentially negative psychological consequences of frequent self-weighing. The extent to which higher-weight women with breast cancer experience emotional and behavioral consequences in response to daily self-weighing is unknown. In this pilot study, women (n = 51) with a history of breast cancer in a behavioral weight management program completed a weeklong daily diary protocol. Participants were asked to self-weigh every morning and report on subsequent weight-related shame and guilt, and end-of-day engagement in compensatory exercise, diet, and purging behaviors. Women reported higher levels of guilt on days when their body weight was higher than usual, and when there was more discrepancy between their current vs. goal weight. Additionally, women engaged in higher levels of compensatory diet behavior on days when they experienced more weight-related guilt than usual. Based on these preliminary findings, daily self-weighing may be associated with harmful emotional and behavioral consequences among higher-weight women with a history of breast cancer.

Patterns of multiple health risk-behaviours in university students and their association with mental health: application of latent class analysis. / Profils de multiples comportements à risque pour la santé des étudiants universitaires et leurs liens avec la santé mentale : utilisation de l'analyse des classes latentes.

INTRODUCTION: University and college campuses may be the last setting where it is possible to comprehensively address the health of a large proportion of the young adult population. It is important that health promoters understand the collective challenges students are facing, and to better understand the broader lifestyle behavioural patterning evident during this life stage. The purpose of this study was to examine the clustering of modifiable health-risk behaviours and to explore the relationship between these identified clusters and mental health outcomes among a large Canadian university sample. METHODS: Undergraduate students (n = 837; mean age = 21 years) from the University of Toronto completed the National College Health Assessment survey. The survey consists of approximately 300 items, including assessments of student health status, mental health and health-risk behaviours. Latent class analysis was used to identify patterning based on eight salient health-risk behaviours (marijuana use, other illicit drug use, risky sex, smoking, binge drinking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and insufficient sleep). RESULTS: A three-class model based on student behavioural patterns emerged: "typical," "high-risk" and "moderately healthy." Results also found high-risk students reporting significantly higher levels of stress than typical students (χ2(1671) = 7.26, p < .01). CONCLUSION: Students with the highest likelihood of engaging in multiple health-risk behaviours reported poorer mental health, particularly as it relates to stress. Although these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the 28% response rate, they do suggest that interventions targeting specific student groups with similar patterning of multiple health-risk behaviours may be needed.

INTRODUCTION: Les campus universitaires et collégiaux sont sans doute les derniers milieux au sein desquels il est possible d'aborder de façon globale la question de la santé d'une grande proportion de la population de jeunes adultes. Il est important que les promoteurs de la santé saisissent en quoi consistent les difficultés collectives auxquelles font face les étudiants et qu'ils comprennent mieux les modèles plus larges de comportements liés au mode de vie qui se manifestent au cours de cette période de la vie. L'objectif de notre étude a été de déterminer des catégories de comportements à risque pour la santé modifiables et d'étudier la relation entre ces catégories et divers paramètres relevant de la santé mentale au sein d'un vaste échantillon d'étudiants universitaires canadiens. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Des étudiants de premier cycle (n = 837, âge moyen = 21 ans) de l'Université de Toronto ont répondu à l'enquête National College Health Assessment (NCHA) (évaluation nationale de la santé dans les collèges) qui comprend environ 300 éléments, dont des évaluations de l'état de santé, de la santé mentale et des comportements à risque pour la santé des étudiants. Nous avons réalisé une analyse des classes latentes pour relever des profils en fonction de huit comportements à risque pour la santé connus (consommation de marijuana, consommation d'autres drogues illégales, rapports sexuels à risque, tabagisme, excès occasionnel d'alcool, mauvaise alimentation, inactivité physique, manque de sommeil). RÉSULTATS: Nous avons obtenu un modèle à trois catégories axé sur les profils de comportement des étudiants : étudiants « typiques ¼, « à risque élevé ¼ et « relativement en bonne santé ¼. Nos résultats ont par ailleurs montré que les étudiants à risque élevé ont déclaré souffrir d'un niveau de stress considérablement plus élevé que celui des étudiants typiques (χ2 [1671] = 7,26; p < 0,01). CONCLUSION: Les étudiants les plus susceptibles d'adopter de multiples comportements à risque pour la santé ont fait état d'une moins bonne santé mentale, particulièrement en ce qui concerne le stress. Bien que l'on doive interpréter ces conclusions avec prudence en raison du taux de réponse de 28 %, celles-ci suggèrent néanmoins que l'on pourrait envisager des interventions ciblées auprès de groupes d'étudiants ayant des profils similaires de multiples comportements à risque pour la santé.

Development of an evidence-informed leisure time physical activity resource for adults with spinal cord injury: the SCI Get Fit Toolkit.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically develop an evidence-informed leisure time physical activity (LTPA) resource for adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Canada. METHODS: The Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II protocol was used to develop a toolkit to teach and encourage adults with SCI how to make smart and informed choices about being physically active. A multidisciplinary expert panel appraised the evidence and generated specific recommendations for the content of the toolkit. Pilot testing was conducted to refine the toolkit's presentation. RESULTS: Recommendations emanating from the consultation process were that the toolkit be a brief, evidence-based resource that contains images of adults with tetraplegia and paraplegia, and links to more detailed online information. The content of the toolkit should include the physical activity guidelines (PAGs) for adults with SCI, activities tailored to manual and power chair users, the benefits of LTPA, and strategies to overcome common LTPA barriers for adults with SCI. The inclusion of action plans and safety tips was also recommended. CONCLUSION: These recommendations have resulted in the development of an evidence-informed LTPA resource to assist adults with SCI in meeting the PAGs. This toolkit will have important implications for consumers, health care professionals and policy makers for encouraging LTPA in the SCI community.

Secondary complications and subjective well-being in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury: associations with self-reported adiposity.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between adiposity, secondary complications and subjective well-being (SWB) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Parkwood Hospital (London); Hamilton Health Sciences-Chedoke Site and McMaster University (Hamilton); Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Lyndhurst Centre (Toronto); and St Mary's of the Lake Hospital and Queen's University (Kingston), Ontario, Canada. METHODS: A total of 531 men and 164 women (N=695) enrolled in the Study of Health and Activity in People with Spinal Cord Injury (SHAPE-SCI) completed the Secondary Health Complications Survey, SF-36 pain subscale, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ) during a telephone interview. Body mass index (BMI) measurements were obtained from a subsample of the SHAPE-SCI participants (n=73) during a home visit. RESULTS: Controlling for covariates, individuals who reported being overweight were more likely to have a history of overuse injuries and fatigue, experienced a greater impact of overuse injuries and fatigue, had greater pain and depressive symptoms, and had lower satisfaction with life than individuals who did not report being overweight. BMI was only associated with an increased likelihood of reporting spasticity. CONCLUSION: Self-reported overweight status was associated with an increased prevalence of certain secondary complications and lower SWB. Future prospective studies should examine whether reductions in adiposity are associated with changes in the prevalence and the impact of secondary complications and SWB.