A survey of the characteristics and maintenance of rainwater tanks in urban areas of South Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1569-1577 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Rodrigo ◽  
M. Sinclair ◽  
K. Leder
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Rainwater Tank ◽  
Galvanised Steel ◽  
Control Devices ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Rainwater Tanks

Households resident in metropolitan Adelaide and surrounding areas in South Australia were recruited into a randomised controlled trial. A total of 630 rainwater tanks with a total tank capacity of 14.5 ML were installed at the 325 households surveyed. The majority of the tanks were plumbed into the kitchen (64.6%), over 10 years in age (45.5%), over 15,000 L in capacity (42.5%) and composed of galvanised steel (36.9%). Over 90% of the households undertook one or more prevention and maintenance strategies for reducing contamination of collected rainwater. The use of first flush diverters was reported by 30.8% households, the presence of leaf control devices on the tank by 57.2%, and the presence of leaf control screens on gutters by 25.5% households. Most households reported that the rainwater tank was cleaned at some time, with 50.4% of these households stating that tank cleaning occurred 1 to 5 years previously, and 31.9% more than 5 years prior to enrolment Rainwater from the main drinking tank was sampled from a subset of households for turbidity and metals (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Pb, Zn). This information regarding tank characteristics and degree of adherence to recommended maintenance procedures may assist understanding of variability in rainwater quality data and may help determine whether untreated rainwater can be considered a safe water supply for household purposes including drinking.

Methodological Challenges and Solution Strategies During Implementation of a Midwife-led Multicentre Randomized-controlled Trial (RCT) in Maternity Hospitals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Striebich ◽  
Elke Mattern ◽  
Theresa Oganowski ◽  
Rainhild Schäfers ◽  
Gertrud M. Ayerle
Keyword(s):  
Complex Intervention ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Complex Interventions ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Technical Failure ◽  
Maternity Hospitals ◽  
Study Teams ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Delivery Rooms

Abstract Background: RCTs with complex interventions are methodically challenging. Careful planning under everyday conditions in compliance with the relevant international quality standard (ICH-GCP guideline) is crucial. Specific challenges exist for RCTs conducted in delivery rooms due to various factors that cannot be planned beforehand, such as “peak hours” of births and a high work burden for midwives and obstetricians. Moreover, in Germany as well as in other countries, midwives and obstetricians have frequently little experience as investigators in clinical trials. Methods: The randomised controlled trial “BE-UP” tests the effectiveness of an alternative birthing room on the rate of vaginal births and woman-oriented outcomes. In the process of implementing the trial in 17 obstetrical units and in the endeavour to reach the calculated sample size of 3,800 women, the research team encountered a variety of unexpected challenges. The aim is to describe in greater detail the methodical and organisational challenges and to inform about the research team’s strategies to overcome them.Results:The results are presented in five sectors: 1) Selection of and support for cooperating hospitals: they are to be selected according to predefined criteria and strategies to offer continuous support in trial implementation must be mapped out.2) Establishing a process of requesting informed consent: a quality-assured process to inform pregnant women early on must be feasible and effective. 3) Individual, digital real time randomization: besides instructing the maternity teams appropriate measures for technical failure must be provided.4) The standardized birthing room: the complex intervention is to be implemented according to study protocol, yet adapted to the prevailing conditions in the delivery rooms.5) GCP-compliant documentation: midwives and obstetricians is to be instructed in high quality data collection, supported by external monitoring throughout the trial.Conclusion:Since not all potential challenges can be anticipated in the planning of a trial, study teams need to be flexible and react promptly to any problems that threaten recruitment or the implementation of the complex intervention. Thought should be given to the perspectives of midwives and obstetricians as recruiters and how clinic-intern processes could be adapted to correspond with the trial’s requirements.

MANAGEMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS IN RURAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA: A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
E. Dent ◽  
E. Hoon ◽  
J. Karnon ◽  
A. Kitson ◽  
J. Dollard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Usual Care ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Global Functioning ◽  
Current Form ◽  
Musculoskeletal Conditions ◽  
Multiple Component ◽  
Randomised Controlled

With age, the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions increases markedly. This rural-based study determined the benefits of two approaches for managing musculoskeletal conditions: a multiple-component ‘Self-management Plus’ intervention, and usual care. The intervention combined self-management education with physical activity and health professional support. 6-month outcomes included: Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale (CGI-IS) and Quality of Life (QoL). A total of 145 people were recruited; mean (SD) age was 66.1 (11.1) and 63.3 (10.9) years for intervention and control groups respectively. The intervention resulted in greater improvements in global functioning (CGI-IS mean (SD) = 3.2 (1.3)) than usual care (CGI-IS mean (SD) = 4.2 (1.5)). There was no difference in QoL improvement between study groups. A multiple-component ‘Self-management Plus’ intervention had a positive effect on physical functioning for older adults with musculoskeletal conditions. However, recruitment and retention of participants was problematic, which raises questions about the intervention’s feasibility in its current form.

scholarly journals Efficacy of parent-mediated communication-focused treatment in toddlers with autism (PACT) delivered via videoconferencing: a randomised controlled trial study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e044669
Author(s):  
Lucie Jurek ◽  
Pauline Occelli ◽  
Angelique Denis ◽  
Anouck Amestoy ◽  
Thierry Maffre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Preschool Period ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionIntervention in the preschool period is currently recommended for autism spectrum disorder. Therapies delivered by parents are particularly suitable for young children. Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) is a parent-mediated therapy that has shown a significant and sustained impact on autism symptom reduction. However, access to such evidence-based therapies for families is limited due to autism centres located in large urban areas. Using videoconferencing to deliver PACT training to parents may improve accessibility for families living in underserved areas.Methods and analysisThis single-blind randomised controlled trial, involving six sites in France, will investigate the efficacy of a telehealth, videoconferencing-based, parent-mediated PACT therapy on autism symptoms, over a 12-month period. It will compare PACT plus treatment as usual (TAU) against TAU only in a cohort of 238 toddlers (119 per group) aged 18–36 months at inclusion and living with their families more than 40 min away from the specialist centres for autism. Primary outcome will include change of overall autism score on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes will measure change in child skills, child functioning, impact on parents (stress, health, priorities) and implementation characteristics. Repeated measures analyses will be used to test the effect of PACT intervention on the overall ADOS module 1 score over the 12-month study period. Linear mixed models will be used with time, treatment allocation and the interaction between treatment and time as fixed effects and individual variation as random effect.Ethics and disseminationThis protocol (V.5, date: 25 October 2019) is approved by the French National Review Board (reference no 2018-A02516-49). The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journalsTrial registration numberNCT04244721.

scholarly journals Reducing medicine-induced deterioration and adverse reactions (ReMInDAR) trial: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in residential aged-care facilities assessing frailty as the primary outcome

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e032851
Author(s):  
Renly Lim ◽  
Luke Bereznicki ◽  
Megan Corlis ◽  
Lisa M Kalisch Ellett ◽  
Ai Choo Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionMany medicines have adverse effects which are difficult to detect and frequently go unrecognised. Pharmacist monitoring of changes in signs and symptoms of these adverse effects, which we describe as medicine-induced deterioration, may reduce the risk of developing frailty. The aim of this trial is to determine the effectiveness of a 12-month pharmacist service compared with usual care in reducing medicine-induced deterioration, frailty and adverse reactions in older people living in aged-care facilities in Australia.Methods and analysisThe reducing medicine-induced deterioration and adverse reactions trial is a multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial. Participants will be recruited from 39 facilities in South Australia and Tasmania. Residents will be included if they are using four or more medicines at the time of recruitment, or taking more than one medicine with anticholinergic or sedative properties. The intervention group will receive a pharmacist assessment which occurs every 8 weeks. The pharmacists will liaise with the participants’ general practitioners when medicine-induced deterioration is evident or adverse events are considered serious. The primary outcome is a reduction in medicine-induced deterioration from baseline to 6 and 12 months, as measured by change in frailty index. The secondary outcomes are changes in cognition scores, 24-hour movement behaviour, grip strength, weight, percentage robust, pre-frail and frail classification, rate of adverse medicine events, health-related quality of life and health resource use. The statistical analysis will use mixed-models adjusted for baseline to account for repeated outcome measures. A health economic evaluation will be conducted following trial completion using data collected during the trial.Ethics and disseminationEthics approvals have been obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee of University of South Australia (ID:0000036440) and University of Tasmania (ID:H0017022). A copy of the final report will be provided to the Australian Government Department of Health.Trial registration numberAustralian and New Zealand Trials Registry ACTRN12618000766213.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Assessment Methodology for Urban Residential Rainwater Tank Implementation

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Sharma ◽  
Ted Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Building Codes ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Local Planning ◽  
Water Savings ◽  
Rainwater Tank ◽  
Rainwater Tanks

Rainwater tanks are increasingly being implemented as part of the integrated urban water management paradigm where all sources of water, including potable, stormwater and recycled, are considered eligible to contribute to the urban water supply. Over the last decade or so, there has been a rapid uptake of rainwater tank systems in urban areas, especially in Australian cities, encouraged through financial incentives, but more importantly, from change in residential building codes effectively mandating the installation of rainwater tanks. Homes with rainwater tanks in Australian cities have increased from 15% to 28% over six years to 2013. These building codes specify certain rainwater tank specifications to achieve a stated rainwater use, and hence potable water savings. These specifications include minimum rainwater tank size, minimum connected roof area, plumbing for internal supply for toilets and washing machines, and external supply for garden watering. These expected potable water savings from households are often factored into regional strategic water planning objectives. Hence if rainwater tanks do not deliver the expected saving due to sub-standard installation and/or poor maintenance, it will have an adverse impact on the regional water plan in the longer term. In this paper, a methodology to assess the effectiveness of a government rainwater tank policy in achieving predicted potable water savings is described and illustrated with a case study from South East Queensland, Australia. It is anticipated that water professionals across the globe should be able to use the same methodology to assess the effectiveness of similar rainwater policies, or indeed any other distributed water saving policy, in their local planning communities.

Filmed versus Live Social Contact Interventions to Reduce Stigma: A Randomised Controlled Trial

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Clement ◽  
Adrienne van Nieuwenhuizen ◽  
Aliya Kassam ◽  
Ian Norman ◽  
Clare Flach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Randomised Controlled
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