Clinical Research Directory

Musicians' Health Education in D-A-CH

Professional musicians are often exposed to significant physical and psychological strain. Long hours of playing, high muscle tension in the head and neck area, and performance-related stress can lead to problems such as musculoskeletal pain, jaw joint disorders, facial pain, and reduced oral health. Although these health issues are common, preventive strategies and structured health education are often insufficiently integrated into music training programs. This study aims to assess how topics related to musicians' health and performing arts medicine are currently included in the curricula of music universities in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking part of Switzerland (D-A-CH region). Professors and lecturers responsible for musicians' health or curriculum planning at 39 music universities will be invited to complete a short questionnaire (approximately 10 minutes). The survey collects information about whether and how health-related topics are taught, including whether they are mandatory or elective, their duration, and the specific subjects covered. This is a non-interventional survey study. No medical examinations or treatments will be performed. Participation consists solely of completing the questionnaire. The results will help identify gaps in health education for professional musicians and support the future development of preventive and educational programs.

Validation of Fitbit Measurements in Hospitalized General Medicine Patients

Patients admitted to the General Internal Medicine ward are sick and in need of monitoring that cannot be provided at home or treatments best administered in hospital. Standard care currently includes vital signs measurements and in some cases ECG. Wearable devices that continuous monitor patients could provided added information to improve the care of inpatients. This could include more monitoring and catching deterioration before it happens. Wearables have been shown to be largely accurate for monitoring heart rate, however it is still necessary to determine if they can reliably measure sleep, activity, and other health metrics. For this, study investigators are evaluating the validity of FitBit Sense 2 (or other FitBit devices) for measurement of sleep, activity, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.