There are about 3753 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Hong Kong. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
This pilot study examines the feasibility and potential effects on upper limb (UL) motor function using a wearable device integrated with a telerehabilitation function in the home setting with chronic stroke survivors. The study seeks to address the question: - Is wearable device intervention more effective in promoting arm recovery in stroke survivors than conventional therapy for home-based training? We hypothesize that using a multimodal feedback system in the wearable device can provide more effective training to improve the hemiplegic UL function of chronic stroke survivors than conventional therapy. This is a single-blinded randomized crossover pilot trial. Twelve participants will be randomly assigned into two groups: the experimental (wristwatch) and the control (conventional therapy) groups. Participants in the experimental group will undergo a 4-week wearable device treatment followed by a 4-week conventional training. Participants in the control group will complete conventional therapy and then wearable device treatment. There will be a 3-week washout period between treatments. Upper limb motor outcome measures will be evaluated at the following intervals: baseline, post-treatment at 4-week, after a 3-week washout period for pre-intervention, and post-intervention after crossover by research assistants blinded to group allocation.
The goal of this observational study is to design and test a multicomponent education program of hand hygiene in nursing students. The main aims are: 1. conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of this program on knowledge and practice of hand hygiene in nursing students; 2. evaluate the effects of each component and collect feedbacks from participants. Participants will be randomly assigned into the three intervention: Group A (Hand scanner instant feedback) , Group B (Video training), Group C (Hand scanner + Video training) , and Group D (Control group without intervention). Pre- and post-intervention assessment will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and individual components.
The outcomes and implementation processes of the school based mindfulness program, as a universal prevention program in classroom as and support group programs for students with special education needs will be investigated. The study of classroom program will apply quasi-experimental design, comparing the pretest and posttest of seven primary schools with implementation of mindfulness programs with three schools with ordinary school activities only. A total of 800 students will be recruited to receive an eight session mindfulness program in classroom as a universal prevention program. Ten support group for students with special education needs will apply mindfulness programs, and its outcome will be evaluated using repeated time measures.
The study has 10 research questions regarding the cognitive training program and tablet-based interactive games: Primary study questions: 1. Can the participation of 12-week cognitive training program using tablet-based interactive games maintain cognitive functioning? Secondary study questions: 2. Can the participation of 12-week cognitive training program using tablet-based interactive games improve the scores of 6 supplier-developed cognitive domains (including executive function, memory, eye-hand coordination, attention, visual-spatial ability, language)? 3. Can the participation of 12-week cognitive training program using tablet-based interactive games improve the reaction time of the participants? 4. What is the attendance rate in the cognitive training program, and for how long do the participants play the tablet-based interactive games? 5. What is the usability and acceptability of the tablet-based interactive games? Auxiliary study questions: 6. Can the participation of 12-week cognitive training program using tablet-based interactive games reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms? 7. Can the participation of 12-week cognitive training program using tablet-based interactive games improve upper-body flexibility? 8. What are the physical side effects of using digital devices in the 12-week cognitive training program? 9. What are the perceived benefits and feasibility of the cognitive training program and tablet-based interactive games? 10. Can the participation of 12-week cognitive training program using tablet-based interactive games improve activities of daily living of persons with intellectual disability?
The study has 6 research questions regarding the use of dysphagia cups: Primary study questions: 1. Can the use of the dysphagia cups increase water consumption and liquid consumption during the trial period? 2. Can the use of the dysphagia cups reduce the frequency and intensity of choking and coughing while drinking? 3. What are the potential risks to the service users while using the dysphagia cups? Secondary study question: 4. Can the use of the dysphagia cups enhance the autonomy of the service users in drinking? Auxiliary study questions: 5. Can the use of the dysphagia cups reduce the amount of thickener used for water consumption? 6. What are the perceived benefits and acceptability of using the dysphagia cups?
The investigators designed an RCT aimed at 1) exploring the effectiveness of combining TC with rTMS for synergistically improving sleep disturbances in community-dwelling older adults, 2) investigating the mediating roles of arousal states as the underlying mechanism of the potential beneficial effects, and 3) evaluating the feasibility and safety to inform the clinical practice. The investigators hypothesized that integrating TC and rTMS can affect the different dimensions of the arousal system to improve sleep disturbances with optimized clinical outcomes.
Background: In emergency departments, suturing is a common procedure but often causes anxiety and pain. Virtual reality (VR) intervention has been reported as a relaxing measure. Objective: The study aims to examine the effects of VR intervention on anxiety, pain, physiological parameters, local anaesthesia requirements and satisfaction in Chinese adult patients undergoing wound closure in emergency departments in Hong Kong Hypothesis:VR can alleviate anxiety and pain experienced by Chinese adult patients undergoing wound-closure procedures, the intervention can decrease extra local anesthesia requirements and physiological parameters during the procedures, and the intervention can significantly increase satisfaction during wound-closure procedures.
The study has 12 research questions regarding the use of resident-handling device in elderly residential setting: Primary study questions: 1. Can the new resident-handling devices improve resident comfortability during the resident-handling task? 2. Are the new resident-handling devices perceived as safe compared to the conventional resident-handling devices? 3. What are the potential risks to the residents and care staff involve in the resident-handling tasks using the new and conventional resident-handling devices? Secondary study questions: 4. What are care staff attitudes towards the new and conventional resident-handling devices? 5. What are the perceived difficulties in using the new and conventional resident-handling devices? Auxiliary study questions: 6. What are the operation difficulties in the use of the new resident-handling devices in actual operation? 7. What are the perceived benefits and feasibility of using the new resident-handling devices compared to conventional resident-handling devices? 8. [For resident-handling device for residents with low dependency only] Can the new resident-handling device improve resident comfortability in functional activities? 9. [For resident-handling device for residents with low dependency only] Is the new resident-handling device perceived as safe for functional activities compared to the conventional resident-handling devices? 10. [For resident-handling device for residents with low dependency only] What are the potential risks to the residents and care staff involve in functional activities using the new and conventional resident-handling devices? 11. [For resident-handling device for residents with high dependency only] What is the average force exertion of care staff? 12. [For resident-handling device for residents with high dependency only] How frequently does care staff exert excessive force (i.e. Ergo feedback)?
Non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is one of the new training approaches to achieve motor restoration through a closed-loop system from brain activity through event-related desynchronization (ERD) after motor imagery (MI) or movement attempt to peripheral feedback triggered by an external hepatic device. Often, it is unclear whether the BCI intervention itself or the assistance of the external device leads to neural responses and functional gains. This study adopts a closed-loop BCI system involving ERD induced by MI. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) and virtual reality (VR) are simultaneously delivered as feedback. The aim is to investigate the efficacy of closed-loop BCI training combined with FES and VR on the recovery of the hemiparetic upper extremity of individuals with chronic stroke. Chronic stroke survivors are being recruited and randomly allocated into 3 groups: (1) BCI-FES-VR - participants look at an external screen displaying the VR avatar participant's arms while performing wrist dorsiflexion MI in random order (left or right). The BCI system detects the ERD of the motor area corresponding to correct MI. Then, visual feedback with the VR and motor-tactile feedback with the discharge of the FES is delivered; (2) BCI-FES - same procedure as group 1, but the difference is that the participant's hands replace the VR system; (3) BCI-VR - same procedure as group 1, but the FES is removed. Each session requires 240 MI trials with a training duration of 10 sessions in a 3-week interval. Motor and MI assessments are being conducted at post-assessment and at a 3-week follow-up. The findings of this study will provide significant new information regarding neurophysiological motor relearning mechanisms, which could inform the development and evaluation of BCI-based treatment for individuals with stroke and impact the field of translational neuroscience.
The investigators previous pilot study showed that the brain remained activated after 3 minutes of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Therefore, an open question remains that how long the effects will last and when the maximum effects will be achieved. In addition, many pioneering works showed the positive effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on working memory. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a patterned form of rTMS, it has shown a non-inferior efficacy in depression but with a much shorter time (approximately 3 mins) than traditional rTMS (approximately 40 mins). As discussed above, this study aims to investigate the effects of prefrontal iTBS on working memory using concurrent iTBS/fNIRS and to explore the duration of the effects.