Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Programs”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,783 records · Page 99Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

The use of goal attainment scaling to evaluate a cancer research training program for high school and college students.

Goal attainment scaling has been used frequently in the evaluation of mental health services. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of the goal attainment scaling methodology in the evaluation of a cancer research training program. Subjects were 62 high school and college students participating in a summer research program. Prior to the program, all students were asked to predict the specific outcomes they expected to attain in relation to eight independent dimensions of the research training program. At the close of the program students were asked to indicate the outcome they attained for each dimension. Students also ranked the importance of each dimension. The analyses indicated that participants entered the program with accurate expectations of their ultimate achievement and satisfaction with the program. Significant differences were found for expected outcomes on a number of program dimensions for the high school and college students at the preprogram assessment. Significant differences were also found for the high school and college students' importance rankings at both the pre-program and post-program period. Goal attainment scaling proved to be a valuable and flexible technique for the evaluation of a cancer research training program.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Safety and economic impacts of photo radar program.

OBJECTIVE: Unsafe speed is one of the major traffic safety challenges facing motorized nations. In 2003, unsafe speed contributed to 31 percent of all fatal collisions, causing a loss of 13,380 lives in the United States alone. The economic impact of speeding is tremendous. According to NHTSA, the cost of unsafe speed related collisions to the American society exceeds 40 billion US dollars per year. In response, automated photo radar speed enforcement programs have been implemented in many countries. This study assesses the economic impacts of a large-scale photo radar program in British Columbia. The knowledge generated from this study could inform policy makers and project managers in making informed decisions with regard to this highly effective and efficient, yet very controversial program. METHODS: This study establishes speed and safety effects of photo radar programs by summarizing two physical impact investigations in British Columbia. It then conducts a cost-benefit analysis to assess the program's economic impacts. The cost-benefit analysis takes into account both societal and funding agency's perspectives. It includes a comprehensive account of major impacts. It uses willingness to pay principle to value human lives saved and injuries avoided. It incorporates an extended sensitivity analysis to quantify the robustness of base case conclusions. RESULTS: The study reveals an annual net benefit of approximately 114 million in year 2001 Canadian dollars to British Columbians. The study also finds a net annual saving of over 38 million Canadian dollars for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) that funded the program. These results are robust under almost all alternative scenarios tested. The only circumstance under which the net benefit of the program turns negative is when the real safety effects were one standard deviation below the estimated values, which is possible but highly unlikely. CONCLUSION: Automated photo radar traffic safety enforcement can be an effective and efficient means to manage traffic speed, reduce collisions and injuries, and combat the huge resulting economic burden to society. The cost-effectiveness of the program takes on special meaning and urgency when considering the present and future government funding constraints. The application of the program, however, should be planned and implemented with caution. Every effort should be made to focus on and to promote the program on safety improvement grounds. The program can be easily terminated because of political considerations, if the public perceives it as a cash cow to enhance government revenue.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2002

Diabetes disease management program for an indigent population empowered by telemedicine technology.

Mercy Health Center in Laredo, Texas implemented a Telemedicine Diabetes Disease Management Program to determine the impact of a web-based patient interface technology as part of a diabetes disease management program. The program featured the use of the Health Hero iCare Desktop and the Health Buddy appliance. The Mercy Health Center outcomes study aimed to assess the effect of telemedicine technology on the health of indigent border residents with diabetes. The study was conducted in calendar year 2000-2001 using comparative cohort data from calendar year 1999. Using the technology, patients were monitored daily at home, and to ensure early intervention, nurses were alerted if patients reported abnormalities. The goals of the program were to decrease hospital-based resource utilization, improve patient compliance with treatment plans, improve the level of patient satisfaction with healthcare services, and improve patients' perceived quality of life. Objective outcomes, including inpatient admissions, emergency room visits, postdischarge care visits, and outpatient visits, as well as charges for healthcare services, were all measured on a per patient per year basis. Subjective outcomes, including quality of life and patient satisfaction, were estimated from surveys conducted before, quarterly for two quarters within the program, and at the end of the study period. For each measure except for quality of life, comparisons were made between the year just prior to and the year of Health Buddy utilization. Quality of life was compared for the year just prior to Health Buddy utilization and at the end of the second quarter. After 1 year, reductions in overall utilization and charges, as well as improvements in quality of life, were demonstrated. Patients in the program showed reduced overall charges of 747 dollars per patient per year. Inpatient admissions were reduced 32% (p < 0.07), emergency room encounters were reduced 34% (p < 0.06), postdischarge care visits were reduced 44% (p < 0.28), and outpatient visits were reduced 49% (p < 0.001). Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 12-item Short Form health survey. The mean improvement in the mental component after 6 months in the program was 2.8, from 45.1 preprogram to 47.9 within the program (p < 0.0264). The mean improvement in the physical component after 6 months in the program was 2.1, from 41.7 preprogram to 43.8 within the program (p < 0.0518). The reductions in utilization and improvement in quality of life can likely be attributed to the patient's enhanced self-management behaviors and the nurse's ability to intervene in a timely manner when warranted. Without technology and daily remote monitoring, standard patient care is based on episodic encounters between patients and their care providers, which does not allow for prevention, education, or early intervention. This program bridged the gap between office visits for the patients. The early intervention ultimately reduced the cost of care.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed2005

Learning to provide end-of-life care: postgraduate medical training programs in Michigan.

PURPOSE: A statewide survey of postgraduate medical training programs was conducted to determine the current status of training related to end-of-life (EOL) care and hospice care training. METHODS: A mail survey of 275 program directors was conducted with a response rate of 70%. The questionnaire focused on information about training in EOL care and hospice care: specific content, required and elective experiences, teaching formats, and program directors' ratings of the perceived adequacy of training. This study received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. RESULTS: Less than half (46%) of the residency programs reported any formal training in EOL care, and less than one third (31%) reported training in hospice care. A majority of programs with EOL and/or hospice training required it for all residents. Of the programs with required hospice training, only half included a clinical component; fewer programs with EOL training reported a clinical component. Most program directors rated their programs as adequate or excellent in terms of EOL and hospice care, whether they had formal training or not. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the survey demonstrate considerable variability in training with respect to hospice and EOL care. Training through direct clinical experience was infrequently reported. There has been little formal adoption of published curricula in this area. The high level of adequacy in the rating of training by program directors contrasts with relative lack of reported curriculum content and implementation, suggesting that improvements in EOL care training will be slow to come if left in the hands of program directors.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1993

Biennial survey of physician clinical-nutrition training programs.

This is the fourth survey of physician clinical-nutrition training programs. As in previous reports, current fellowship training programs were identified, descriptive information obtained, and program content surveyed. In addition, a questionnaire developed by the American Board of Nutrition Committee on Fellowship Training Programs was used to determine the degree of emphasis given to content in the areas of basic nutrition science, clinical applications, and research training. Among the 38 programs identified, uniform ratings of importance were found in all major topic areas. There was also uniformity in most subtopics, with minor exceptions. As expected, in the area of nutrition in the life cycle, pediatric training programs emphasized infancy and childhood whereas medical-surgical programs emphasized adulthood and aging. Alcoholism was emphasized in medical-surgical training programs whereas cystic fibrosis and inborn errors of metabolism were emphasized in pediatric programs. Nutrition in burn patients received minor emphasis in all programs. The overall uniformity of curricular content in training programs confirms the contention that clinical nutrition has a defined clinical scope and should be considered for establishment as a recognized subspecialty in American medicine.

Education↗
PubMed2006

Feasibility of implementing the Strong for Life program in community settings.

PURPOSE: We describe the results of the dissemination of an efficacious, home-based exercise program called Strong for Life as it was implemented in a nationwide, volunteer caregiving program called Faith in Action, including training of volunteers who implemented the program, recruitment of older adult participants, exercise adherence, and attitudes and perceptions of program staff and participants. DESIGN AND METHODS: Frail, homebound older adults (N = 105) were recruited from 10 Faith in Action sites to participate in the Strong for Life exercise program. Volunteer trainers (n = 103) were trained by physical therapists to assist the older adults with the program. Surveys were conducted with older adults, volunteer trainers, and Faith in Action sites at baseline and after the older adults had been engaged in the program for 4 months. RESULTS: Satisfaction with program components was very high: At follow-up, 100% of volunteers and 98.6% of older adults rated the program positively. Participants reported engaging in exercise on average 2.2 times per week, with 53% of the participants exercising at least 2 to 4 times per week. Participants also had significant improvements in the Short Form-20 social functioning scale. There were no serious adverse events reported. IMPLICATIONS: Dissemination of the Strong for Life program in a community setting using trained lay volunteers was feasible, acceptable, and safe. Existing volunteer caregiving organizations such as Faith in Action offer a feasible and safe means of disseminating late-life exercise programs to the frail older population.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Receptivity of a worksite breast cancer screening education program.

A breast cancer screening education program was offered to 97 major worksites in Forsyth County, North Carolina. Worksites could design a program by choosing components that consisted of (1) brochures, (2) breast cancer education classes taught by program staff or (3) sending company nurses to be trained by program staff to then teach employees at the worksite. A total of 63 out of the original 97 companies (65%) accepted and offered a program to their employees. Worksites that chose to sponsor a program were more likely to have already sponsored breast cancer education programs at their worksites (P = 0.027) or to have a medical department (P = 0.006). The type of component selected was significantly associated with a history of sponsoring other health education programs (P < 0.001). Fourteen worksites chose the more intensive component, the training of a company nurse. More than half of the worksites that had never sponsored and had no plans to sponsor worksite breast education programs were receptive to our program (43 of 73, 59%). The majority of these sites (67%) chose the brochure. These results indicate that worksites are receptive to offering breast cancer educational programs if varying types of components can be selected.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Meanings of targeting from program workers.

Program workers have a critical role in targeting in nutrition programs, but little has been studied about the concept and the operation of targeting from their perspectives. This paper introduces and compares meanings of targeting from the perspectives of program workers in food assistance programs in the United States. There exist some variations in perceptions of targeting and actual operational procedures adopted by program workers at the local and federal levels. Regardless, program workers' perspectives on targeting suggest a new framework of targeting, which consists of key components (program access, service, and evaluation) and issues in need of careful attention in targeting nutrition programs. The success of targeting depends on how well these components and related issues can be translated into targeting policy, rules, and procedures. With increased devolution to the state and local levels in the United States, it is even more critical for federal policy makers and administrators to understand how frontline program workers perceive and implement targeting. The new framework based on the perspectives of program workers may contribute to developing a conceptual definition as well as practical guidance for targeting that can be used to formulate better ways of targeting in nutrition programs.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Survey of combined residency programs in internal medicine and pediatrics on curricula.

Combined residency programs in internal medicine and pediatrics began to emerge during the past decade. Combined programs provide four years of training that leads to board eligibility in both disciplines. To learn more about the curricula of these programs, the authors sent a questionnaire to the directors of the 81 known combined programs. Sixty-eight such programs were active as of July 1986. Of these, 54 had been active in the 1985-86 academic year and had a total enrollment of 390 residents, an average of 7.2 residents per program. Fourteen new programs were activated in July 1986 and enrolled 46 residents, with an average of 3.3 residents per program. Virtually all the programs emphasized training in primary care and included the use of outpatient clinics where residents often work with nonphysician health-care providers. Many programs provided instruction in the use of community resources, preceptorships, and outpatient-oriented conferences and emphasized data-gathering skills. Areas that need to be addressed by program directors and the accrediting organizations are discussed by the authors.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1999

Postbaccalaureate program at Wayne State University School of Medicine: a 30-year report.

In 1969, Wayne State University School of Medicine established the first postbaccalaureate program for medical students, with the focus on African American students whose applications to medical school had been rejected. The ten-month program was designed to improve students' scientific knowledge, academic skills, and personal adjustment and thereby ultimately to increase the number of African Americans enrolled in the school. The criteria included the quality of the student's high school, employment workload, parents' ability to assist financially, and several other factors. The school covered expenses, provided a living stipend, and guaranteed admission for students who attained a B average in the program. Consistent with the Bakke court decision, in 1979 the program eligibility was shifted to disadvantaged students irrespective of race or ethnicity; all other criteria remained unchanged. Until 1990 Wayne State University's program was the only one of its type. From 1969 to 1992, 214 African American students who could have graduated by 1997 had been admitted to the program: 192 (90%) of them attained a B average in the program and matriculated in the medical school, and 160 (83%) graduated. From 1978 (when the program was opened to all racial and ethnic groups) to 1992, 58 non-African American students who could have graduated by 1997 were been admitted to the program: 54 (93%) attained a B average and matriculated in the medical school, and 51 (94%) graduated. The program's success suggests that similar programs at more medical schools could have an immediate and substantial impact on the number of underrepresented-minority students who enter medical education and succeed.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Research support infrastructure and productivity in U.S. family practice residency programs.

PURPOSE: To examine the associations between 11 research support infrastructural characteristics and measures of research productivity. METHOD: A questionnaire was mailed to 462 directors of non-military family practice residency programs in the United States. A total of 11 research support infrastructural characteristics and six research productivity measures were coded. Initial analyses indicated a skewness in responses given by larger versus smaller programs. Respondents were divided into those from programs with eight or fewer full-time faculty and those from programs with nine or more. Separate analyses were run for each. Logistic regression was employed to determine which research support characteristics would best predict productivity in the top quartile. RESULTS: Of the 461 recipients of deliverable questionnaires, 351 (76.1%) responded. A large proportion of programs reported no research productivity for the preceding 12 months. Separate stepwise logistic regression analyses were run for small and large programs; the ability of the 11 characteristics to predict research-productive programs varied with size. Employment of full-time research professionals was the only characteristic positively associated with research productivity for both groups. For small programs, research productivity was positively associated with the requirement of faculty members to do research. For large programs, it was positively associated with both the presence of fellowship programs and the presence of a specific, written research strategic plan. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a positive association between several elements of research infrastructure and research productivity but that such infrastructure is inconsistent across programs and seemingly insufficient to develop the necessary research culture and socialization.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1991

Developmental and environmental induction of Lea and LeaA mRNAs and the postabscission program during embryo culture.

The major programs of gene expression during late embryogenesis are the muturation or reserve accumulation program and, after ovule abscission, the postabscission program that is composed largely of Lea and LeaA mRNAs that probably encode desiccation protectants. There are diverse opinions about the developmental regulators of these programs. Several candidates are evaluated here by measuring, in cultured embryos, the accumulation kinetics of cloned mRNAs specifically expressed in the normal maturation, postabscission, or germination programs of cotton. Maturation-stage embryos both terminate the maturation program and induce the postabscission program after excision and culture, just as they do later in the plant after ovule abscission. However, they also induce simultaneously the germination program and are thus different from any normal stage of embryo development or germination. The developmental induction of the postabscission program in culture does not require exogenous abscisic acid, but its expression is enhanced by precocious desiccation or culture on abscisic acid or high osmoticum, probably by an environmentally responsive mechanism that normally operates during germination. Normal desiccation does not control any of these programs because the embryo acquires all of the characteristics of a mature embryo before it desiccates. These and other results suggest regulation of normal embryogenesis by a maternal maturation factor, a postabscission factor, and the postabscission program.

Abscisic Acid↗
PubMed2004

Program directors' views of the importance and prevalence of mentoring in internal medicine residencies.

Program directors establish priorities for residency programs. Their views of mentoring likely influence the tone about and availability of mentoring programs. This survey to all internal medicine program directors assessed attitudes toward mentoring, existence of formal mentoring programs, and features of the mentoring programs. The response was 60%. The majority (>60%) favored mentoring. Forty-nine percent of the residencies had structured mentoring programs. Programs differed in frequency of meetings, use of evaluations, and presence of curriculum. Overall, although program directors' attitudes are favorable and at least half have formal mentoring programs, the programs are largely unstructured, loosely monitored, and underevaluated.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1995

Characteristics of emergency medicine resident orientation programs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, duration, composition, and goals of emergency medicine resident orientation programs. METHODS: Eleven-item, descriptive mail surveys were sent by the education committee of SAEM to the program directors of all emergency medicine residency programs approved by the RRC as of January 1992. RESULTS: Sixty-nine of 86 survey instruments (80%) were returned. Orientation programs were offered in 64 residencies, 41 PGY1-3 programs, five PGY1-4 programs, and 18 PGY2-4 programs. Results are tabulated below. [table: see text] No statistically significant difference between groups was found. Seven different special courses were offered. CONCLUSION: Resident orientation programs are used in 93% of surveyed programs in emergency medicine. Orientation programs consist mainly of lectures and special courses. There is great variability in the length, composition, goals, and associated courses offered. Orientation programs do not differ significantly by postgraduate year in which the residency begins.

Curriculum↗
PubMed2002

Influence of international emergency medicine opportunities on residency program selection.

OBJECTIVES: In the last several years, there has been increasing interest in international emergency medicine (IEM) programs. A number of residency programs offer or encourage international opportunities during residency. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to determine whether the availability of international opportunities during residency affected the ranking of emergency medicine (EM) residency programs by graduating medical students and 2) to determine whether prior international health experience among medical students influences interviewing and ranking of residency programs with international opportunities. METHODS: An eight-question survey measuring interest in IEM and its effect on ranking of programs was mailed to all 1,205 first-year EM residents from 122 accredited allopathic EM residency programs in the United States. International opportunities were defined as any program that offered an international elective during residency or had an IEM fellowship. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. RESULTS: Of the 1,205 mailed surveys, 34% were returned by the first-year residents. Of all respondents, 281/408 (69%) interviewed at programs with international opportunities. Study findings revealed 62% (164/264) of the students who interviewed at programs with international opportunities considered the availability of international opportunities a positive factor in ranking residency programs. Analysis revealed that applicants with previous international health experience, 68% (104/152), were more likely to rank EM residency programs with international opportunities higher than those that did not. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the availability of international opportunities during residency positively affected residency ranking. This relationship was stronger in medical students with prior international health experience.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed2004

Looking for caries...? Teachers evaluate a program to improve caries diagnosis from radiographs.

We developed a computer-assisted learning (CAL) program to improve student caries diagnosis from bitewing radiographs. In order to decide on its appropriateness, dental teachers independently evaluated the program before it was introduced. Our objective was to describe an evaluation by the teachers of the CAL diagnostic module and to compare the diagnostic performance with the evaluation score of the program. Key dental teachers involved in teaching clinical caries diagnosis and epidemiology (n = 22) viewed the CAL program. They evaluated aspects of the program by scoring 10 criteria on a visual analogue scale. Measures of the teachers' initial diagnostic accuracy assessed during use of the program were: sensitivity and specificity for the presence of dentine caries. Using Pearson's correlation coefficients, these measures of the teachers' diagnostic accuracy were compared separately with their evaluation score of one aspect of the program: the overall functionality of the program for a 2nd-year dental student. The teachers' mean sensitivity for dentine caries diagnosis was 76.5% (median 77.8%; SD 15.4%) and the mean specificity was 93.7% (median 94.2%; SD 3.9%). The teachers gave the program a mean overall functionality score of 68% (median 75.1%; SD 21%). Dentists with a lower sensitivity (P = 0.065) for dentine caries tended to give the CAL program a higher overall functionality score than the other teachers. The CAL program was valued as generally useful. It tended to be more highly valued by the dentists with initially lower scores for diagnostic accuracy.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The growth of postdoctoral general dentistry programs.

From 1972 to 1990, the number of Postdoctoral General Dentistry (PGD) programs increased by 57% and enrollment increased by 57% and enrollment increased by 131% for a total of 118 PGD programs and 1,367 positions. Although there has been some increase in military and Veterans Affairs (VA) programs, the major increase was in civilian programs. From 1972-78, the major impetus for growth was hospital sponsorship of General Practice Residency (GPR) programs. With federal funding of PGD programs, civilian GPR programs continued to be the main source of growth until the accreditation of Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) programs in 1981. Subsequently, almost all increases were in AEGD programs. Over the 12-year period of federal funding (1978-90), there was an increase of 406 civilian PGD positions to make a total of 925 positions. The increase in enrollment directly attributable to federal funding was 242. The "unmet demand" for PGD programs was estimated to be approximately 300 positions for 1990, from data derived from the Survey of Dental Seniors and the Matching Program. Assuming that the number of PGD positions continues to increase by 35 positions a year, as it has in the past 12 years, the unmet demand would be met in slightly less than 10 years. If, however, a postdoctoral year was mandated for licensure, the increase in the number of positions would be far short of projected need.

Education, Dental, Graduate↗
PubMed1985

Assessment of the performance of electrocardiographic computer programs with the use of a reference data base.

To allow an exchange of measurements and criteria between different electrocardiographic (ECG) computer programs, an international cooperative project has been initiated aimed at standardization of computer-derived ECG measurements. To this end an ECG reference library of 250 ECGs with selected abnormalities was established and a comprehensive reviewing scheme was devised for the visual determination of the onsets and offsets of P, QRS, and T waves. This task was performed by a group of cardiologists on highly amplified, selected complexes from the library of ECGs. With use of a modified Delphi approach, individual outlying point estimates were eliminated in four successive rounds. In this way final referee estimates were obtained that proved to be highly reproducible and precise. This reference data base was used to study measurement results obtained with nine vectorcardiographic and 10 standard 12-lead ECG analysis programs. The medians of program determinations of P, QRS, and T wave onsets and offsets were close to the final referee estimates. However, an important variability could be demonstrated between measurements from individual programs and mean differences from the referee estimates amounted to 10 msec for QRS for certain programs. In addition, the variances of all programs with respect to the referee point estimates were variable. Some programs proved to be more accurate and stable when the data from high- vs low-noise recordings were analyzed. Average Q wave durations calculated from ECGs for which programs agreed on the presence of a Q or QS wave differed by more than 8 msec in several program-to-program comparisons. Such differences may have important consequences with respect to diagnostic performance. Various factors that might explain these differences have been determined. The present study demonstrates that to allow an exchange of results and diagnostic criteria between different ECG computer programs, definitions, minimum wave requirements, and measurement procedures urgently need to be standardized.

Computers↗