Dr Magdalena Wilczynska

Background: ecofit is an evidence-based multi-component physical activity intervention that integrates smartphone technology, the outdoor environment, and social support. In a previous efficacy trial, significant improvements were found across several clinical, fitness, and mental health outcomes among adults at risk of (or with) type 2 diabetes. Methods: The aim of the present pilot study was to evaluate a number of patient-centered and feasibility outcomes of the ecofit intervention in a ¿real-world¿ setting, using a scalable implementation model. ecofit was adapted and implemented by a rural municipal council in the Upper Hunter Shire, New South Wales, Australia, and evaluated using a single-group pre-post design. Inactive middle-aged and older adults (N=59) were recruited and assessed at 6 (primary time-point) and 20 weeks (follow-up). Results: Improvements were found in this predominantly overweight and obese sample for aerobic fitness, functional mobility, upper and lower body muscular fitness, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference at 6 weeks. At 20 weeks, effects were found for aerobic fitness, functional mobility, upper and lower body muscular fitness, and systolic blood pressure. Overall, participants were satisfied with the ecofit program. Participants attended the 6-week primary time-point (66.1%) and follow-up at 20 weeks (41.6%). Conclusions: Our findings support the preliminary effectiveness and feasibility of the ecofit intervention delivered by municipal council staff following a brief training from the research team. This study provides valuable preliminary evidence to support a larger implementation trial.

People with mental health conditions have a median reduced life expectancy of 10¿years, largely due to a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Health risk behaviours, including tobacco smoking, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, harmful alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, contribute substantially to the burden of chronic disease for this population. Community Managed Organisations (CMOs) may have an important role in addressing these behaviours among consumers with a mental health condition; however, little previous research has explored the provision of preventive care from these organisations. To fill this research gap, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted between August and November 2017 with staff (n = 174) of one CMO which has multiple services in two states of Australia. The survey explored the provision of preventive care for four key health risk behaviours. Optimal preventive care (to = 80% consumers for all four behaviours) was reported more frequently for brief advice (28%) and assessment (26%), than for assistance (13%) and referring/connecting consumers to services for help (12%) with modifying health risk behaviours. Preventive care to = 80% consumers was least frequently reported for alcohol consumption and most frequently reported for physical activity. The provision of preventive care for health risk behaviours appears to be part of CMO staffs¿ existing practice; however, it does not appear to be routinely provided across all behaviours. Further research exploring the barriers and facilitators to providing preventive care is needed to understand how CMOs may better support people with a mental health condition to improve their health risk behaviours.

People living with mental health conditions have a reduced life expectancy of approximately 10 years compared to the general population, largely due to physical chronic diseases and higher rates of tobacco smoking, poor nutrition, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and poor sleep behaviours. Community managed organisations (CMOs) may play a valuable role in providing preventive care to people with mental health conditions (consumers) to address these health behaviours. This paper reports the findings of a cross-sectional survey undertaken between November 2018 and February 2019 with leaders of CMOs (n = 76) that support people with mental health conditions in the state of New South Wales, Australia to: 1) measure the provision of preventive care (screening, support, and connections to specialist services) for five health behaviours; 2) identify the presence of key organisational features (e.g., data collection, staff training); and 3) explore if these organisational features were associated with the provision of preventive care. Preventive care provision to a majority of consumers (50% or more) was least frequently reported for tobacco smoking and most frequently reported for physical activity. Staff training and guidelines regarding the provision of preventive care were associated with the provision of such care. The results demonstrate that CMOs are already engaged in providing preventive care to some extent, with certain behaviours and preventive care elements addressed more frequently than others. Further research with additional CMO stakeholders, including staff and consumers, is needed to gain a deeper understanding of factors that may underlie CMOs capacity to routinely provide preventive care.

Background: Reducing the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global priority. Contact tracing identifies people who were recently in contact with an infected individual, in order to isolate them and reduce further transmission. Digital technology could be implemented to augment and accelerate manual contact tracing. Digital tools for contact tracing may be grouped into three areas: 1) outbreak response; 2) proximity tracing; and 3) symptom tracking. We conducted a rapid review on the effectiveness of digital solutions to contact tracing during infectious disease outbreaks. Objectives: To assess the benefits, harms, and acceptability of personal digital contact tracing solutions for identifying contacts of an identified positive case of an infectious disease. Search methods: An information specialist searched the literature from 1 January 2000 to 5 May 2020 in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase. Additionally, we screened the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register. Selection criteria: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs, quasi-RCTs, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and modelling studies, in general populations. We preferentially included studies of contact tracing during infectious disease outbreaks (including COVID-19, Ebola, tuberculosis, severe acute respiratory syndrome virus, and Middle East respiratory syndrome) as direct evidence, but considered comparative studies of contact tracing outside an outbreak as indirect evidence. The digital solutions varied but typically included software (or firmware) for users to install on their devices or to be uploaded to devices provided by governments or third parties. Control measures included traditional or manual contact tracing, self-reported diaries and surveys, interviews, other standard methods for determining close contacts, and other technologies compared to digital solutions (e.g. electronic medical records). Data collection and analysis: Two review authors independently screened records and all potentially relevant full-text publications. One review author extracted data for 50% of the included studies, another extracted data for the remaining 50%; the second review author checked all the extracted data. One review author assessed quality of included studies and a second checked the assessments. Our outcomes were identification of secondary cases and close contacts, time to complete contact tracing, acceptability and accessibility issues, privacy and safety concerns, and any other ethical issue identified. Though modelling studies will predict estimates of the effects of different contact tracing solutions on outcomes of interest, cohort studies provide empirically measured estimates of the effects of different contact tracing solutions on outcomes of interest. We used GRADE-CERQual to describe certainty of evidence from qualitative data and GRADE for modelling and cohort studies. Main results: We identified six cohort studies reporting quantitative data and six modelling studies reporting simulations of digital solutions for contact tracing. Two cohort studies also provided qualitative data. Three cohort studies looked at contact tracing during an outbreak, whilst three emulated an outbreak in non-outbreak settings (schools). Of the six modelling studies, four evaluated digital solutions for contact tracing in simulated COVID-19 scenarios, while two simulated close contacts in non-specific outbreak settings. Modelling studies. Two modelling studies provided low-certainty evidence of a reduction in secondary cases using digital contact tracing (measured as average number of secondary cases per index case - effective reproductive number (R eff)). One study estimated an 18% reduction in R eff with digital contact tracing compared to self-isolation alone, and a 35% reduction with manual contact-tracing. Another found a reduction in R eff for digital contact tracing compared to self-isolation alone (26% reduct...

Background: The study aim was to examine the mechanisms of physical activity behaviour change in the multi-component eCoFit randomised controlled trial (RCT) among adults diagnosed with, or at risk of, T2D. Method: The RCT included two phases: phase 1 (weeks 1¿10) integrated group sessions (outdoor physical activity and cognitive mentoring) and the use of the eCoFit smartphone application (app), and phase 2 (weeks 11¿20), which included the use of the eCoFit smartphone application only. Participants (n = 84) were assessed at baseline and 10 and 20¿weeks from baseline. Physical activity was assessed using pedometers, and the following mediators were tested: action self-efficacy, barrier self-efficacy, recovery self-efficacy, implementation intentions, intention to have regular physical activity, outcome expectations, risk perception and implicit associations related to physical activity. The PROCESS INDIRECT Macro was used to perform mediation analyses. Results: Significant mediation pathways were found for implementation intention measured at 10¿weeks, AB (95% CI = 486.04 [128.19, 1073.42]). No significant pathways were found for the other social¿cognitive and implicit attitudinal mediators. Conclusion: Increased daily steps among the intervention participants were explained by increased implementation intentions. The eCoFit study successfully operationalised implementation intentions in the smartphone app designed to promote outdoor physical activity. Trial Registration: The trial was approved by a University Human Research Committee and is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12615000990527).

The risk and prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) has dramatically increased over the past decade. The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a physical activity intervention to improve aerobic and muscular fitness among adults at risk of, or diagnosed with T2D. A 20-week, assessor blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted at the University of Newcastle (June¿December 2015). Adults were randomized to the intervention (n = 42) or wait-list control group (n = 42). The theory-based intervention included: Phase 1 (weeks 1¿10) integrated group sessions (outdoor physical activity and cognitive mentoring), and the eCoFit smartphone application (app). Phase 2 (weeks 11¿20) only included the eCoFit app. Participants were assessed at baseline, 10 weeks and 20 weeks. Linear mixed models (intention-to-treat) were used to determine group-by-time interactions at 10 weeks (primary time-point) and 20 weeks for the primary outcomes. Several secondary outcomes were also assessed. After 10 weeks, significant group-by-time effects were observed for aerobic fitness (4.5 mL/kg/min; 95% CI [1.3, 7.7], d = 0.68) and muscular fitness (lower body) (3.4 reps, 95% CI [2.7, 4.2], d = 1.45). Intervention effects for secondary outcomes included significant increased physical activity (1330 steps/week), improved upper body muscular fitness (5 reps; arm-curl test), improved functionality (- 1.8 s; timed-up and go test) reduced waist circumference (2.8 cm) and systolic blood pressure (- 10.4 mm Hg). After 20 weeks, significant effects were observed for lower body muscular fitness and health outcomes. eCoFit is an innovative lifestyle intervention which integrates smartphone technology, social support, and the outdoor environment to improve aerobic and muscular fitness.