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Test-Retest Reliability of the 20-Metre Shuttle Run Test in a Cohort of Police Trainees
Get PDFThe 20-metre Multistage Fitness Test (20-m MSFT) is commonly used to measure aerobic capacity in police trainees as an entry gateway or exit requirement. However, its test-retest reliability, or consistency of scores for individual candidates across successive days, has not been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the 20-m MSFT in police trainees. Retrospective data for 13 police trainees who completed the 20-m MSFT on two occasions 48 hours apart (Trial 1 and Trial 2) were provided. Paired sample t-tests were used to detect differences between individual performances with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) investigating the test-retest reliability. A Bland Altman plot was created to inspect the limits of agreement between the two measures. Alpha levels were set at 0.05 whereby a p value of >0.05 indicated no significant difference in mean scores between the two trials. No significant differences (p=0.821) between the mean total numbers of shuttles completed in Trials 1 (mean = 70.4±19.7 shuttles; Level 8-9) and 2 (mean = 69.8 ±21.3 shuttles; Level 8-9) were found. Six trainees achieved higher total shuttle scores for Trial 1 (+8.0 ±3.2 shuttles) while seven trainees achieved higher total shuttle scores for Trial 2 (+5.9± 5.1 shuttles). Test-retest reliability across trials was ‘excellent’ (ICC(3,1)=0.922 [95%CI 0.766-0.976], meandifference between scores = 0.55±8.37 shuttles). While the 20-m MSFT has excellent test-retest reliability the small amount of variability in results suggests that retesting of candidates who fail to meet any discriminatory standard by a small margin should be considered.Keywords: Law Enforcement, test consistency, police academy, shuttle run, PSRT, beep tes
Optimising tuberculosis screening in high-risk groups
Get PDFExtract Like other developed countries, Australia and New Zealand host a significant number of refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants, many of whom originate from or transit through regions with high TB prevalence.3 Additionally, the growing use of biologics, immune modulators, and immunosuppressive therapies for conditions like certain rheumatological and skin disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and organ transplant recipients has further heightened the need for effective TB screening in these populations.4 TB screening is also required for those who study orwork in healthcare settings. Public health and primary care Practitioners are at the forefront to handle with TB screening in highrisk individuals. This article discusses the importance of cost-efficient and effective tests for TB screening
Enhanced energy availability has limited impact on training adaptations across a pre-season in female rugby union athletes
No full textAimThis single-blinded, controlled dietary intervention examined the influence of enhanced energy availability (EA) on training adaptations across a 7-week pre-season in female rugby union athletes.IntroductionAthletes often fail to upregulate energy and carbohydrate (CHO) intake to match training demands, potentially leaving them vulnerable to problematic low EA1. Current sports nutrition guidelines recommend 6-10g CHO·kg-1·d-1 on heavy training days2 yet typical reported intakes are 3-4g CHO·kg-1·d-1.1Observational studies (4-12 weeks) suggest female athletes who fail to increase energy intake to accommodate increased needs throughout intensive training blocks (where exercise energy expenditure (EEE) is increased to 1200-1400kcal·d-1) fail to adapt to the training stimulus3,4. This remains to be verified by interventional studies as controlling for EA becomes more challenging over time5.Methods13 female rugby athletes were allocated to intervention (INT, n=7) or control (CON, n=6). Both groups were supplied with full food provision on all training days but were blinded to the intervention (see Figure 1).Training load consisted of 4 squad sessions per week, including field and resistance training.EEE was estimated using Actiheart wearables with individual HR-VO2 algorithms derived from a treadmill graded exercise test.Comparisons between INT and CON for change in training adaptations were explored using linear effect mixed modelling (time, group and interaction (group*time) effects).ResultsTraining day energy and CHO intakes were higher in INT than CON (3092±230 vs 2474±225kcal·d-1, p=0.006; 6.3±0.2 v 3.1±0.2g·kg-1·d-1, p <0.001).Self-reported non-training CHO and protein intakes remained higher in INT (3.3±0.8 v 2.2±0.7g·kg-1·d-1, p=0.007; 1.8±0.4 vs 1.3±0.4g·kg-1·d-1, p=0.026) with no differences in energy or fat intake between groups.EEE per session was lower for INT than CON (554±100 vs 661±128kcal, p<0.001), however there was no statistical difference when expressed relative to FFM.EA on training days, non-training days and collectively across the 7 weeks was higher for INT than CON (47.3±2.6 vs 27.5±3.0kcal·kg-1·FFM-1·d-1, p<0.001; 43.6±5.0 vs 33.3±9.2kcal·kg-1·FFM-1·d-1, p=0.026; 45.6±3.7 vs 30.5±5.5kcal·kg FFM-1·d-1, p<0.001).The model revealed a significant time effect for 3RM bench pull (F[1,10] = 7.047, p = 0.024; increase 4.5kg (0.7-8.3kg)) and bench press (F[1,10] = 9.671, p = 0.011; increase 5.1kg (1.4-8.7kg)) over the 7 weeks.There were no significant time, group or interaction effects for any other fitness metrics (see Figure 2).ConclusionsThis is the first intervention study in which blinded dietary control has been applied over more than several days.Implications of altered (problematic) EA were not evident in this small group of high-calibre female rugby athletes which may be explained by the length of time and severity of the EA applied.Despite differences in EA status, female rugby athletes improved upper body strength over a 7-week pre-season period. However, the training load (as inferred by EEE) may have been an insufficient stimulus to enable changes in high-intensity running capacity and lower body strength and jump performance, and with that, the implications of problematic low energy availability
Gameful Design for Learning Through Escape Rooms in Higher Education
Get PDFConference Session Title:Disrupting pedagogies through gamification pedagogy, game-based learning, and gameful learning: gameful design for learning through escape rooms in higher education.Games enhance learning across all education sectors, but the variety of terms can be confusing for educators new to this field. We propose the term ‘gameful learning’ to describe learning that uses an immersive gamified experience, emphasizing intrinsic motivation for mastery. We highlight the importance of fostering learner motivation. Over the past five years, we have designed and facilitated escape rooms in various disciplines, finding them effective in promoting content knowledge and transferable skills. Our presentation will share insights and lessons learned from these projects, focusing on motivation and mastery in escape rooms
Digital technologies to provide occupational therapy home assessments: A scoping review
Get PDFIntroduction: Digital technologies and telehealth are growing areas for occupational therapy. Studies have examined technical innovation being used in different stages of the home assessment process. This includes information gathering, home risk assessment, equipment prescription, home modification, follow-up, discharge, and data storage. While deemed to be positive and potentially beneficial, little is known on the benefits and limitations of technical advances to home assessments by occupational therapists. Objective: To map and synthesis the literature to develop an inventory of digital applications being used for occupational therapy home assessments. Method: A scoping review was conducted in September2024 using the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Three databases were reviewed PubMed, CINAHL, and Embrace, following the PPC (population, concept, and context) frame-work to construct the objectives and eligibility criteria for the scoping review. Eligible studies include occupational therapists, participants, or carers accessing technology for home assessment services, whereas exclusion criteria include studies conducted in nursing home, technology used for rehabilitation training, and face-to-face home visits. Results: The initial search yielded 8507 studies and was imported into Covidence for further screening. Preliminary findings reveal a preponderance of papers relating to the use of technology in different stages of the home assessment services and the effectiveness of using technology to assist with occupational therapists’ interventions. Conclusion: Final findings will be presented with the types of technologies being used in the home assessment services, associated with the potential benefits and barriers of each technology in use. Keywords: home assessment services, occupational therapy, scoping review, telehealt
Sharing responsibility for concussion symptom reporting and removal from play in youth sport: “It takes a village”
No full textDespite heightened attention to the prevention and medical management of concussion in sport, many incidents continue to go unreported in the youth sport context, highlighting an important gap in the organization and delivery of safe sport
One word can change it all: GenAI places an emphasis on entered pseudoscientific terms for patients seeking advice on urinary tract infections
Get PDFThere are an increasing number of identified benefits for employing generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the presentation of health information. For patients, GenAI is particularly appealing as it presents information in a way that is digestible and understandable to a broad audience. This includes tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Deepseek, and Copilot. However, the practice runs the risk of perpetuating misinformation and presenting potentially hazardous advice. With the rising development of antimicrobial resistance in urinary tract infections (UTIs), this disorder presents an area where it is important to ‘get the message right’. In some cases, a GenAI response to a health query can be considerably influenced by the addition of a single word to the user’s entered prompt. In particular, this study identified particular words of concern related to UTI treatments, such as ‘homeopathy’, ‘crystals’ and ‘star sign’. When a single pseudoscientific term (usually only a single word) was entered, the response tended to emphasise this, returning misinformation. This article provides insights into where concern should be taken if patients mention using GenAI for their health advice. The outcome is that health professionals should be specifically aware of the tendency for GenAI to emphasise pseudoscientific concepts if prompted, and its tendency to present them as effective interventions for UTIs. When counselling patients, a discussion of this concept would be necessary to clarify the limitations of this technology in health education
What are the characteristics of patients requiring reconditioning admitted to tertiary care inpatient rehabilitation services? An exploratory audit
Get PDFObjective:To determine the characteristics of patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation services for reconditioning to inform clinical care.Design:An exploratory audit.Setting:A major tertiary hospital service in Australia providing 48 inpatient beds across two facilities.Participants:Patients admitted to a rehabilitation service over two years (2019–2020) and categorised under Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre impairment codes for reconditioning.Main measures:Demographic and clinical service data.Methods:Descriptive analysis of data from the hospital admissions data base.Results:Of the 368 patients in the study sample (432 admissions), the age range was 22–100 years of age (mean = 75 years). Data on smoking, language and age groups was trended and identified a younger group of patients with 16% (58 of 368 patients) being aged 60 and under. The gender split was 54.2% male and 45.8% female. Admissions of Indigenous people was higher than the recorded population with females being disproportionately categorised as deconditioned, and an overall mean age 24 years younger than the sample mean. Identified for increased attention were nephology patients and a group of 58 people (15.7%) with two or more admissions for reconditioning rehabilitation in the two-year period. This group were older (aged over 80) and male.Conclusion:Literature on reconditioning programs has a predominant focus on the older, more frail population. Patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation for reconditioning are a diverse population and further study is required to determine effective interventions for specific groups of patients, particularly younger cohorts, and those with frequent readmissions
Neural Correlates of Chanting: A Systematic Review
No full textChanting is an ancient and globally widespread ritualistic practice involving rhythmic vocalization or repetition of words, phrases, or sounds. While previous reviews have considered the neurophysiological impact of meditation and spirituality, chanting has received limited systematic investigation. This review aimed to identify and synthesize neural correlates of chanting, examine methodological variability, and determine consistent neural patterns across chanting studies and styles. PsycINFO and PubMed databases were systematically searched for neuroimaging studies including chanting, mantra, and repetitive prayer. Articles published through October 8, 2024, were included, yielding 899 initial articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 24 studies were included. Study quality was assessed using the adapted Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) criteria. Findings demonstrate that chanting activates brain regions involved in attention and emotional regulation, including the prefrontal cortex, insula, and cingulate gyrus. Deactivation of default mode network (DMN) areas, particularly the posterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus, was also observed, suggesting reduced self-referential thought. Electroencephalography (EEG) studies revealed increased theta activity, indicating enhanced relaxation during chanting. Although heterogeneity in sample sizes, imaging modalities, participant characteristics, and control conditions preclude a formal meta-analysis, the findings lay a foundation for advancing research into the neural mechanisms of chanting. Chanting engages neural networks associated with attention and emotional regulation. The consistent pattern of prefrontal activation and DMN deactivation suggests mechanisms similar to other contemplative practices