Clinical Research Directory

Dental-Child Interaction Training

The goal of this behavioral, interventional clinical trial is to provide a specialized workshop training for dental providers (e.g., dentists, hygienists, assistants) to improve interactions with young children (2-10 years old) and parents/caregivers. The training is derived from a well-established behavior management program for preschoolers, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Change in behavior of dental providers * Acceptability of training by dental providers All participants will receive the same behavior training; however, one group will receive the training on a delayed schedule. Researchers will compare the immediate intervention and control group to see if the training was effective in the dental providers usage of skills.

The Effect of Mobile Devices on the Development and Health of Young Children

Interactive electronic devices (IEDs) have become a common part of young children's lives, yet research on this topic remains limited. Most studies utilise cross-sectional designs and present inconsistent evidence regarding the benefits and harms of IED use. Some findings suggest that IEDs may negatively impact sleep quality, be linked to visual impairment, and lead to reduced and more negative interactions between parents and children. However, it might also have a positive effect in helping language learning in young children when IEDs are co-viewed with parents and improving literacy, mathematics and science skills. Due to this conflicting evidence, health guidelines for young children do not provide specific recommendations on using these devices, leading policymakers to request more information in this area. In conversation with parents and nursery practitioners, they told us they were confused about the benefits and hams of using these devices and wanted further guidance. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the long-term association between IED use (duration and mode) and development outcomes in 3-to-5-year-old children. The researchers will also explore the longitudinal association between IED use (duration) and other outcomes, including BMI z-score, movement behaviour, motor skills, parent-child interaction and school readiness. Children and their parents or caregivers from both low, mid and high-income areas in England will be invited to take part. Children can participate if they are between 3 and 4 years old when they join the study, have received consent from their parent or caregiver, and have provided verbal agreement to participate. However, children will not be eligible if their parents or caregivers do not speak or understand English or if the child has been diagnosed with a developmental disorder by a medical professional before the baseline or follow-up measurements. Data collection will occur at the start of the study and one year later when children are 4 to 5 years old. Parents will be asked to download an app called EARS on the smartphone and/or tablet that the child uses. The app will measure how long they use the device (IED duration) and the specific apps accessed during device usage (IED mode). Child development will be assessed through the following measures: 1) working memory, including visual-spatial and phonological aspects; 2) ability to control, referred to as inhibition; 3) the ability to control and redirect attention, defined as shifting; 4) self-regulation; 5) social development; 6) numeracy skills; and 7) expressive vocabulary. Child development will be measured using the Early Years Toolbox app and recorded on an iPad. The researchers will also measure a set of secondary outcomes, including 1) BMI z-score; 2) 24-hour movement behaviour (i.e. physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep); 3) motor development (i.e., gross motor skills and fine motor skills); 4) parent-child interaction; 5) school readiness. The researchers will also measure other things that might influence IED use or emerging abilities, such as participants' demographics (i.e., sex, age, ethnicity and caregiver education), parenting styles, parents' smartphone addiction, the presence of screen viewing policy at the early year's settings. To thank the early years settings for participating, each will receive £100 for every data collection session. Parents will receive a £30 high street e-voucher for each data collection session in which they participate. There are no risks of physical injury or harm involved in this study. All researchers entering the nursery will have been subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and are permitted to engage in controlled activity. If the research team observes a significant developmental delay in the child while conducting the health and development measures, they will notify the nursery staff, who will then communicate this information to the parents. Parents may feel uncomfortable downloading the app (EARS) onto their electronic devices to track how long the device is being used and the type of apps in use. The app has been designed for research purposes and approved by Sheffield Hallam University Digital Technology Services. Participants will download the app through the official Apple or Google Stores, which offers additional security and convenience. Participants will be advised to delete the app after each data collection point. The investigators will have regular group meetings throughout the project with parents, carers, nursery teachers and policymakers to gather ideas and opinions and share our findings. These discussions will help researchers improve the project. The findings will help inform public health guidance on children's device usage. The researchers will share the knowledge gained from this study with all participants, write policy briefs and scientific papers, and present the findings at conferences.

Interventions in Mathematics and Cognitive Skills

The purpose of this study is to investigate neurocognitive mechanisms underlying response to intervention aimed at enhancing, and remediating weaknesses in, numerical skills in children, including those with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD).

Validation of a Making Decision Hybrid (Ecologic and Virtual) Task

The aim of this study is to validate a new hybrid (ecological + virtual) decision-making tool. The difference in behavior (risky choices) between the "hybrid" task and the "virtual" task will be evaluated.

An Exploratory Feasibility Study

This study explores the feasibility of ContextWell, a well-being education programme that combines an online webinar with an AI-powered behavioural nudging system. The programme aims to support university students, particularly those in healthcare disciplines, in enhancing well-being and adopting healthier lifestyle habits. The primary objective is to determine whether the programme can be feasibly delivered within university settings. A secondary objective is to assess its potential to improve student well-being and encourage behavioural changes aligned with lifestyle medicine principles. The intervention builds on the understanding that healthcare professionals' lifestyle habits and well-being have a direct impact on patient care. Focusing on healthcare students helps advance the integration of lifestyle medicine within health education and clinical practice. This single-group feasibility study delivers the full intervention to all participants. Students participate in an online well-being webinar and receive AI-generated behavioural prompts designed to promote self-awareness and healthier daily choices. Key evaluation measures will indicated the feasibility of the programme among young adults in academic environments. Participant feedback and initial outcomes will support future development and inform larger-scale research.

Learning and Living With Wildfire Smoke

The proposed intervention in this Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) proposal will improve knowledge and awareness of the health impacts of air pollution exposure, will elevate the youth voice, improve youth self-efficacy and lead to behavior changes that would reduce exposure to air pollution in a high school setting. These outcomes will be accomplished through the introduction of a new air quality curriculum into science classes, and the establishment of an after-school air quality monitoring program. All students enrolled in Food Science (Montrose High School), Intro to Agriculture (The STEAD School) and Environmental Science Academy (Grand Junction High School) will participate in the new air quality curriculum, as it will be built into the existing lesson plans. For the after-school monitoring program, the PI and participating teachers (Letters A and B) will recruit 10 to 15 students at each school to be involved in the Student Research Cohort (SRC). Information on this program and how to apply will be shared with students through their health and science classes, included in the school newsletter, and posted on billboards around the school. Students will be identified within the following inclusion criteria: 1) freshman or sophomores in high school and 2) participation in the air quality curriculum. New students will be recruited each year to keep a consistent group as students leave and/or graduate. New students will be brought up to speed by carry-over students, and each new year will represent a separate SRC dedicated to a specific goal.

Medication Adherence Program

Randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of the Supporting Tailored Adaptive change and Reinforcement for Medication Adherence Program (STAR-MAP), a health coaching approach that aims to improve antihypertensive medication adherence, blood pressure control, and quality of life. Participants (n=402) \>=40 years old with a diagnosis of hypertension, uncontrolled blood pressure, and low antihypertensive medication adherence will be recruited through a statewide health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, and randomized to receive either interactive health coaching sessions with medication reminder tools (intervention) or medication reminder tools only (control) over one year. Data will be collected from participants at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months using questionnaires, physical measurement (height, weight, blood pressure), a computer-based single-category implicit association test, and laboratory analysis of antihypertensive medication urinary metabolites.

Deimplementing CXR After CVC (DRAUP) in the ICU

This study proposes adapting and testing an innovative, behavioral theory-driven deimplementation program called DRAUP in two intensive care units for proof of concept and support that the program can help providers and hospital organizations address context determinants of deimplementation. Study data will be used to optimize the intervention for a subsequent larger trials.

Health-Enhancing Adapted Physical Activity Program at "Mon Stade"

Introduction: Regular practice of exercise or physical activity (PA) is a recognized intervention as a determinant of good health acquisition, maintenance, or recovery for a large number of chronic pathologies. Nevertheless, few studies have evaluated adherence to an initial health-adapted PA (APA) program, and persistence of active behavior over the time in individuals with a chronic disease. The aim of the study is to determine the brakes and levers associated with motivation and long-term compliance. In addition, the investigators aim to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of such program in term of care consumption. Finally, the investigators complete their interest for APA prescription from practitioners agreeing to enroll their patients in the present study. Method: The investigators perform a prospective monocentric cohort, of 2024 patients affected of a chronic disease or long-term illness (LTI), enrolled from 2021 to 2024 (4 years, 506 per year), for a 16-week APA program, and followed 5 years with an annual fitness and habits of life and care consumption evaluation.