1.Enabling Effective Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Interventions
Gaia VITRANO ; Davide URSO ; Guido J.L. MICHELI ; Armando GUGLIELMI ; Diego De MERICH ; Mauro PELLICCI
Safety and Health at Work 2024;15(2):213-219
Background:
The design, implementation, and evaluation are three important stages of occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions. Historically, there has been a tendency to prioritize implementation, often neglecting detailed design and rigorous outcome evaluation. Currently, much has changed, and contemporary approaches recognize the interdependence of these stages, considering them integral to the success of any intervention. This work presents a comprehensive procedure for implementing interventions, not only to ensure short-term effectiveness but also their long-term sustainability through continuous monitoring. The focus is on a national OSH project introducing a near-miss management system (NMS) in Italy.
Methods:
Initial meetings were convened among project partners, complemented by interviews with diverse stakeholders, to plan implementation steps and test the NMS. Tailored questionnaires were designed for diverse stakeholder groups – initial promoters, company managers and employers, and employees – facilitating targeted implementation, and three case studies were started in Italian regions to assess the structured implementation, involving intervention promoters and collaborating companies.
Results:
The primary outcome is the development of practical tools, specifically three questionnaires, which are considered valuable for establishing an effective human-centered implementation strategy, meticulously designed to facilitate ongoing monitoring of processes and continual enhancement of instruments intended for NMS integration within companies.
Conclusions
This work lays the foundation for successful NMS implementation in Italy and, although the outlined procedure had specific objectives, it also provides valuable insights applicable in enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions across diverse contexts. It underscores the importance of comprehensive planning, stakeholder engagement, and continuous evaluation in achieving lasting OSH interventions.
2.Randomised clinical trial of rice germ supplementation on nutritional status and performance in trained swimmers: A pilot study
Mariangela Rondanelli ; Simone Perna ; Gabriella Peroni ; Milena A. Faliva ; Mara Nichetti ; Giancarlo Iannello ; Vittoria Infantino ; Clara Gasparri ; Daniele Spadaccini ; Davide Guido
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2020;26(No.2):215-228
Introduction: Rice germ (RG) could be a safe and effective dietary supplement for swimmers. Methods: This randomised, parallel, placebo controlled pilot study investigated the effect of a five-week RG supplementation (25 grams/two times/day) in moderately trained swimmers on 50-m and 200-m front crawl at maximal speed, as primary outcome, and body composition, muscle function, post-concussion assessment, cognitive testing (ImPACT) and lactic acid levels, as secondary outcomes. Twenty seven moderately trained swimmers (7 women and 20 men) participated in the study. Results: For primary outcome on 200-m front crawl at maximal speed, a significant average decrease of 2.98 seconds (p=0.022) was detected in RG group, but it was not significant compared to placebo. On 50-m front crawl at maximal speed, no statistically significant intra- or inter-group differences were detected. Regarding secondary outcomes, no difference was demonstrated between preperformance and post-performance lactic acid levels. Comparing the treatment with placebo across follow-up, mean mid-arm muscle circumference (MAC) increased weekly and significantly by 0.23 cm (p=0.026), as well as 0.36% for gynoid fat (p=0.005). In addition, a decrease of 0.13kg in fat-free mass (p=0.067) was also detected. No statistically significant intra- or inter-group differences were detected for secondary outcomes. Conclusion: This pilot study provided early evidence that RG supplementation may positively affect nutritional status and partially, the performance of moderately trained swimmers. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms of action, the optimal timing of supplementation, as well as the most effective dose.


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