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Upskilling Rheumatology Occupational Therapists in Work Rehabilitation: An Evaluation of a Job Retention Vocational Rehabilitation Training Course (the Workwell Trial)
Get PDFObjectives: The objectives were to assess current job retention vocational rehabilitation (JRVR) services for employed individuals with inflammatory arthritis (IA) in rheumatology therapy departments interested in participating in the Workwell trial. Additionally, to modify a JRVR training course to support therapists in delivering JRVR and to evaluate changes in therapists’ knowledge, confidence, and ability following the training. Methods: This was a mixed‐methods study. Current work services were explored with lead therapists through a cross‐sectional survey about their work rehabilitation service; and one‐to‐one interviews. Feedback from previous course attendees and trainers informed modifications to the training course. Participating therapists completed mailed questionnaires pre‐and post‐training. Results: Lead therapists from 28 interested departments reported providing JRVR to a median of 7 patients per month (IQR 3–12) for an average of 60 min (IQR 41.25–90). Nine therapists participated in pre‐trial interviews, with themes highlighting variability in referrals, the use of work assessment tools, and advice on ergonomic adjustments. The training course was shortened from three to 2 days by incorporating a pre‐training self‐study pack and reducing lecture time, while increasing practical content such as work assessment demonstrations and extended workshops. Following the training, 32 therapists showed significant improvements in their knowledge and confidence in delivering JRVR (p < 0.001). Discussion: The need for training in work assessment and delivery of complex JRVR was identified. The therapist training course provided was favourably received. Post‐training, therapists’ ability to assess and plan complex JRVR improved. Trial Registration: WORKWELL Trial: ISRCTN: 61762297; Clinical Trials.Gov: NCT0394278
‘The scales never seem to balance’: exploring the lived realities of poverty during the UK ‘cost-of-living crisis’ through participatory research
Get PDFSince late 2021, the term ‘cost-of-living crisis’, indicating decreased disposable incomes, has gained prominence in the UK. This study draws on the long-running online participatory research project Changing Realities, involving over 100 low-income parents and caregivers across the UK, to provide deeper insights into cost-of-living challenges. Focusing on transcriptions of spoken testimonies and written diary entries between February and June 2023, findings highlight the normalised struggle to meet living costs irrespective of a crisis, emphasising effects on low-income families and the inability to make further sacrifices. The study sheds light on the broader ramifications on family life, prompting an exploration of its enduring nature and temporal support. The article concludes by setting out co-produced policy recommendations, which urge the government to rethink social security as an investment in the future, rather than as a temporary safety net that leaves families exposed to a permanent state of crisis
Delivering Universal Health Care to People with Major Limb Loss or Damage in Low and Middle Income Countries
Get PDFThis Open Access book addresses the need for rehabilitation services for people impacted by Major Limb Loss in Low and Middle Income Countries. It focuses on a Complex Intervention study in Uganda supporting the provision of affordable and accessible prosthetic services in a public referral hospital. The book demonstrates the impact that overwhelming dependency on overseas support has had on service development and the delivery of universal health coverage and provides an evidence base to support a change in the contribution that overseas assistance makes to health systems planning
bridging ai skills gaps in marketing education: prompt engineering as a key competency
Get PDFThe advancement of artificial intelligence is reshaping the marketing landscape, underscoring the need to integrate prompt engineering into marketing education. This study presents a conceptual framework for embedding prompt engineering within marketing curricula, rooted in established educational theories. An integrative literature review and thematic analysis revealed five critical themes: the essential role of prompt engineering, key techniques for marketing students, curriculum integration challenges, effective implementation strategies, and wider implications for marketing education. The resulting framework encompasses five core components: foundational AI and marketing knowledge, skill development in prompt engineering, curriculum integration and design, faculty development through interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical AI use. A workshop-based case study demonstrates how instruction in advanced prompting techniques enhanced content clarity, creativity, and practical AI readiness. Building on these findings, the paper offers actionable recommendations for curricular design, faculty training, hands-on learning opportunities, industry partnerships, ethical considerations, and ongoing assessment. By equipping students with robust prompting skills and ethical awareness, educators can address the evolving demands of AI-driven marketing, ultimately advancing the profession. This comprehensive framework helps institutions modernize their marketing programs, fostering graduates prepared for innovation and responsible AI engagement
Mainstreaming indigenous knowledge in flood disaster management - A case study of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria
Get PDFThis dissertation investigated the integration of indigenous knowledge into flood disaster management in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, four research questions were posed to guide the study; What factors are responsible for non-inclusion of indigenous knowledge in flood disaster management in the Niger Delta region? What are the existing frameworks for incorporating indigenous knowledge in flood disaster management? What factors underlie the existing frameworks? How can indigenous knowledge in flood disaster management be incorporated/mainstreamed into the formal management of flood disasters? A review of literature was carried out to ascertain what relevant scholars and researchers have already documented on the objectives of the study. Mixed methods research methodology with case study and descriptive survey research design was adopted as the most appropriate for respondents made up of community members, state actors, academia and organisations purposively selected in communities in the Niger Delta. While the qualitative phase involved twenty (20) semi structured interviews, 280 randomly sampled respondents took part in the questionnaire survey. The respondents were drawn from three states in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, From the sample size, semi-structured interview questions and questionnaires were the instruments used for data collection from the respondents while NVivo, simple percentage and inferential statistical tools were used for data analysis. The study explored the socioeconomic profiles of community members, their past experiences with flood threats, and the recognition and utilization of indigenous knowledge in managing these disasters. Key findings reveal that systemic barriers, including inadequate policy frameworks, lack of formal recognition, and insufficient community engagement, were identified as critical impediments to mainstreaming of indigenous knowledge in flood disaster management. Additionally, socioeconomic characteristics, such as age, education, and years of residence, significantly influence the use and recognition of indigenous knowledge in flood disaster managementThe qualitative component highlighted the invaluable role of traditional practices, such as flood forecasting, water management, and adaptive land use, in mitigating flood risks. These findings were aligned with the quantitative data, which underscored the importance of integrating local insights with institutional disaster management strategies. The study also revealed significant gaps in government-led disaster management initiatives, emphasising the need for inclusive approaches that leverage the lived experiences and cultural heritage of local communities.To address these challenges, the study proposed a comprehensive framework designed to incorporate indigenous knowledge into formal disaster management practices. The dissertation concludes that integrating indigenous knowledge can enhance community resilience, reduce the impacts of flood disasters, and promote sustainable development. Recommendations include policy changes, increased training for disaster management professionals, and collaborative efforts to value and utilise indigenous knowledge effectively. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a practical solution for integrating indigenous knowledge into disaster management, with implications for policy and practice in similar contexts worldwide.
Investigating demand forecasting practices and challenges in Ghana's Manufacturing Pharmaceutical (MPharma) small and medium enterprises (SMEs): insights and recommendations
Get PDFAn organisation’s ability to accurately forecast future demand can generate considerable competitive advantage through effective planning, reducing inventory costs, and enhancing customer service. This paper investigates how Manufacturing Pharmaceutical (MPharma) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana forecast demand for their products. A qualitative approach was employed, utilising semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including CEOs and managers from various functional areas. This methodology allows for an in-depth understanding of the unique contextual factors influencing forecasting practices in this specific industry and geographical setting. The key findings indicate that MPharma SMEs predominantly use judgemental forecasting methods, and despite receiving significant intermittent orders from customers, systematic intermittent demand forecasting is non-existent among the participating SMEs. Additionally, these organisations face challenges such as a lack of historical and accurate data, dedicated forecasters, and low technology adoption. Forecasting activities are typically performed by managers with domain knowledge but insufficient training. The size and limited financial resources of these SMEs exacerbate these challenges. This research contributes valuable insights into the demand forecasting practices of MPharma SMEs in Ghana, highlighting the need for improved methodologies and training to enhance forecasting accuracy and supply chain efficiency
A coupled finite volume-lattice Boltzmann method for incompressible internal flows
No full textWe present, test and validate a two-way framework that couples macroscopic and mesoscopic methods to simulate incompressible internal flows spanning a range of spatial and temporal scales. Specifically, the unstructured finite volume method (FVM) is coupled to the structured lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The multi-resolution domain is resolved through two strategies, i.e., non-Cartesian FVM meshes and multi-level refinement LBM using octree-like Cartesian grid points. The coupled approach divides the entire computational domain into sub-regions, each solved independently. Information exchange between these sub-regions is facilitated by a coupling library that introduces spatial interpolation and temporal iteration schemes for different scales. The effectiveness of the proposed coupled strategy is assessed against well-documented benchmark tests and further examined in scenarios involving flow over artificial porous media. The results obtained by the new coupled framework show excellent agreement with reference data and exhibit strong parallel performance for tests on up to 32768 CPU cores, demonstrating the potential of the approach for large-scale investigations
Reliability and validity of lower extremity and trunk kinematics measured with markerless motion capture during sports-related and functional tasks: A systematic review
Get PDFThis study reviewed the literature regarding reliability and validity of markerless motion capture (MMC) for measuring lower extremities and trunk kinematics during sports-related and functional tasks. Articles published until 28 February 2024 were assessed. Studies were included if they assessed walking, squatting, jumping/landing, running, or cutting. After screening, 53 studies were included in the review. Variability across task characteristics, MMC systems, and statistical analyses was observed. The relative reliability of MMC, measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), ranged from low to excellent, with most variables showing standard error of measurement (SEM) values below 5°. Squats and landing tasks reported the highest reliability, with good to excellent ICC and most joints reporting SEM values < 5°, except for hip flexion (4.0°to 11.1°). Validity studies (compared to marker-based motion capture) showed differences between technologies ranging from 0.2° to 28.6° and correlations negligible (including negative values) to very strong, depending on the task, plane of motion, and joints analysed. Hip angle in frontal plane reported the lowest differences between technologies across tasks. MMC systems provide reliable measurements for most kinematic variables but are not largely comparable to marker-based systems. MMC reliability creates opportunities to develop more ecological valid research outside traditional biomechanical laboratory settings
Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions prediction in individuals with metabolic syndrome-associated lipoprotein lipase gene (LPL) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
Get PDFMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is predictive of increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular conditions (CVC). Lipoprotein lipase gene (LPL) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be of importance to the eventual diagnosis of T2D and CVC. This study aimed to predict the diagnosis of T2D and CVC amongst individuals with LPL SNPs rs268, rs11542065, rs116403115, rs118204057, rs118204061, rs144466625, and rs547644955. This is a retrospective study using the UK Biobank data. Variables associated with MetS, T2D and CVC were selected from the data set. The total number of subjects in the cohort was 12,872 (mean age 56years±8.1, 90.0% were of British ethnicity, and 53.9% were females). Logistic regression was used to assess whether the T2D and CVC can be predicted based on the presence of LPL SNPs and some of the clinical measures. Prediction models using clinical parameters showed good area under the curve (AUC) for prediction of T2D and CVC diagnosis (in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, area under the curve (AUC)=0.959 for T2D, AUC=0.772 for CVC). The addition of Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS/s) showed an improvement for diagnosis of both (AUC=0.961 and 0.790 for TD and CVC, respectively). Further addition of SNPs showed more increase in AUC (AUC=0.965 and 0.837 for T2D and CVC, respectively). The additive effect of the PRSs and LPL SNPs was more pronounced in the CVC than in the T2D model. The variant that had major significance for both T2D and CVC diagnoses was rs547644955 (AUC 1.0 and 0.910, respectively). The SNPs rs116403115 and rs118204057 both had an AUC of 1.0 for T2D diagnosis. The prediction of T2D and CVC diagnoses with the use of clinically available factors may be enhanced with the addition of PRSs and SNPs, including LPL SNPs, which may have implications for stratified or personalised approaches for disease prevention or treatment. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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