We found little evidence of effectiveness of HRLAs for promotion of exercise/improved diets .
Conclusions Overall , there is limited evidence suggesting that HRLAs are cost-effective in terms of changing health-related knowledge , behaviours or health outcomes .
The evidence that does exist indicates that HRLAs are only cost-effective when they target behaviours likely to have a large impact on overall health-related quality of life .
Background Development of new peer or lay health-related lifestyle advisor ( HRLA ) roles is one response to the need to enhance public engagement in , and improve cost-effectiveness of , health improvement interventions .
This article synthesis es evidence on the cost-effectiveness of HRLA interventions aim ed at adults in developed countries , derived from the first systematic review of the effectiveness , cost-effectiveness , equity and acceptability of different types of HRLA role .
Maternal outcomes of a randomized controlled trial of a community-based support program for families of children with chronic illnesses.
BACKGROUND Parents of children with chronic illnesses are at high risk for secondary mental health problems , such as anxiety and depression . OBJECTIVE To evaluate maternal outcomes of a support intervention for families of children with selected chronic illnesses . DESIGN A r and omized controlled clinical trial design with repeated measures 1 year apart . SETTING A community-based family support intervention linked to subspecialty and general pediatric clinics and practice s in a metropolitan area . PARTICIPANTS A population -based sample of 193 mothers of children aged 7 to 11 years ; the children were diagnosed as having diabetes , sickle cell anemia , cystic fibrosis , or moderate to severe asthma . About 15 % of the persons contacted refused to participate in the research , and 14 % of the families were lost to follow-up . INTERVENTION The 15-month intervention , the Family-to-Family Network , was design ed to enhance mothers ' mental health by linking mothers of school-aged children with selected chronic illnesses with mothers of older children with the same condition . The program included telephone contacts , face-to-face visits , and special family events . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Beck Depression Inventory score and the Psychiatric Symptom Index . RESULTS Maternal anxiety scores for participants in the experimental group decreased during the intervention period for all diagnostic groups and for the total group ; scores for the control group increased ( F = 5.07 , P = .03 ) . In multiple regression analyses , the intervention group was a significant predictor of posttest anxiety scores ( P = .03 ) . Effects were greater for mothers with high baseline anxiety ( P<.001 ) and for those who were themselves in poor health ( P<.01 ) . CONCLUSIONS A family support intervention can have beneficial effects on the mental health status of mothers of children with chronic illnesses . This type of intervention can be implemented in diverse pediatric setting
We found little evidence of effectiveness of HRLAs for promotion of exercise/improved diets .
Conclusions Overall , there is limited evidence suggesting that HRLAs are cost-effective in terms of changing health-related knowledge , behaviours or health outcomes .
The evidence that does exist indicates that HRLAs are only cost-effective when they target behaviours likely to have a large impact on overall health-related quality of life .
Background Development of new peer or lay health-related lifestyle advisor ( HRLA ) roles is one response to the need to enhance public engagement in , and improve cost-effectiveness of , health improvement interventions .
This article synthesis es evidence on the cost-effectiveness of HRLA interventions aim ed at adults in developed countries , derived from the first systematic review of the effectiveness , cost-effectiveness , equity and acceptability of different types of HRLA role .