A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research

Download A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470510471
Total Pages : 299 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (75 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research by : Sandra Eldridge

Download or read book A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research written by Sandra Eldridge and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-02-20 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cluster randomised trials are trials in which groups (or clusters) of individuals are randomly allocated to different forms of treatment. In health care, these trials often compare different ways of managing a disease or promoting healthy living, in contrast to conventional randomised trials which randomise individuals to different treatments, classically comparing new drugs with a placebo. They are increasingly common in health services research. This book addresses the statistical, practical, and ethical issues arising from allocating groups of individuals, or clusters, to different interventions. Key features: Guides readers through the stages of conducting a trial, from recruitment to reporting. Presents a wide range of examples with particular emphasis on trials in health services research and primary care, with both principles and techniques explained. Topics are specifically presented in the order in which investigators think about issues when they are designing a trial. Combines information on the latest developments in the field together with a practical guide to the design and implementation of cluster randomised trials. Explains principles and techniques through numerous examples including many from the authors own experience. Includes a wide range of references for those who wish to read further. This book is intended as a practical guide, written for researchers from the health professions including doctors, psychologists, and allied health professionals, as well as statisticians involved in the design, execution, analysis and reporting of cluster randomised trials. Those with a more general interest will find the plentiful examples illuminating.

A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research

Download A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119966728
Total Pages : 299 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research by : Sandra Eldridge

Download or read book A Practical Guide to Cluster Randomised Trials in Health Services Research written by Sandra Eldridge and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-01-09 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cluster randomised trials are trials in which groups (or clusters) of individuals are randomly allocated to different forms of treatment. In health care, these trials often compare different ways of managing a disease or promoting healthy living, in contrast to conventional randomised trials which randomise individuals to different treatments, classically comparing new drugs with a placebo. They are increasingly common in health services research. This book addresses the statistical, practical, and ethical issues arising from allocating groups of individuals, or clusters, to different interventions. Key features: Guides readers through the stages of conducting a trial, from recruitment to reporting. Presents a wide range of examples with particular emphasis on trials in health services research and primary care, with both principles and techniques explained. Topics are specifically presented in the order in which investigators think about issues when they are designing a trial. Combines information on the latest developments in the field together with a practical guide to the design and implementation of cluster randomised trials. Explains principles and techniques through numerous examples including many from the authors own experience. Includes a wide range of references for those who wish to read further. This book is intended as a practical guide, written for researchers from the health professions including doctors, psychologists, and allied health professionals, as well as statisticians involved in the design, execution, analysis and reporting of cluster randomised trials. Those with a more general interest will find the plentiful examples illuminating.

How to Design, Analyse and Report Cluster Randomised Trials in Medicine and Health Related Research

Download How to Design, Analyse and Report Cluster Randomised Trials in Medicine and Health Related Research PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119992028
Total Pages : 266 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis How to Design, Analyse and Report Cluster Randomised Trials in Medicine and Health Related Research by : Michael J. Campbell

Download or read book How to Design, Analyse and Report Cluster Randomised Trials in Medicine and Health Related Research written by Michael J. Campbell and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-05-27 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A complete guide to understanding cluster randomised trials Written by two researchers with extensive experience in the field, this book presents a complete guide to the design, analysis and reporting of cluster randomised trials. It spans a wide range of applications: trials in developing countries, trials in primary care, trials in the health services. A key feature is the use of R code and code from other popular packages to plan and analyse cluster trials, using data from actual trials. The book contains clear technical descriptions of the models used, and considers in detail the ethics involved in such trials and the problems in planning them. For readers and students who do not intend to run a trial but wish to be a critical reader of the literature, there are sections on the CONSORT statement, and exercises in reading published trials. Written in a clear, accessible style Features real examples taken from the authors’ extensive practitioner experience of designing and analysing clinical trials Demonstrates the use of R, Stata and SPSS for statistical analysis Includes computer code so the reader can replicate all the analyses Discusses neglected areas such as ethics and practical issues in running cluster randomised trials How to Design, Analyse and Report Cluster Randomised Trials in Medicine and Health Related Research provides an excellent reference tool and can be read with profit by statisticians, health services researchers, systematic reviewers and critical readers of cluster randomised trials.

Implementation Research in Health

Download Implementation Research in Health PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : World Health Organization
ISBN 13 : 9241506210
Total Pages : 69 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (415 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Implementation Research in Health by : David H. Peters

Download or read book Implementation Research in Health written by David H. Peters and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2013 with total page 69 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interest in implementation research is growing, largely in recognition of the contribution it can make to maximizing the beneficial impact of health interventions. As a relatively new and, until recently, rather neglected field within the health sector, implementation research is something of an unknown quantity for many. There is therefore a need for greater clarity about what exactly implementation research is, and what it can offer. This Guide is designed to provide that clarity. Intended to support those conducting implementation research, those with responsibility for implementing programs, and those who have an interest in both, the Guide provides an introduction to basic implementation research concepts and language, briefly outlines what it involves, and describes the many opportunities that it presents. The main aim of the Guide is to boost implementation research capacity as well as demand for implementation research that is aligned with need, and that is of particular relevance to health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Research on implementation requires the engagement of diverse stakeholders and multiple disciplines in order to address the complex implementation challenges they face. For this reason, the Guide is intended for a variety of actors who contribute to and/or are impacted by implementation research. This includes the decision-makers responsible for designing policies and managing programs whose decisions shape implementation and scale-up processes, as well as the practitioners and front-line workers who ultimately implement these decisions along with researchers from different disciplines who bring expertise in systematically collecting and analyzing information to inform implementation questions. The opening chapters (1-4) make the case for why implementation research is important to decision-making. They offer a workable definition of implementation research and illustrate the relevance of research to problems that are often considered to be simply administrative and provide examples of how such problems can be framed as implementation research questions. The early chapters also deal with the conduct of implementation research, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and discussing the role of implementers in the planning and designing of studies, the collection and analysis of data, as well as in the dissemination and use of results. The second half of the Guide (5-7) detail the various methods and study designs that can be used to carry out implementation research, and, using examples, illustrates the application of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method designs to answer complex questions related to implementation and scale-up. It offers guidance on conceptualizing an implementation research study from the identification of the problem, development of research questions, identification of implementation outcomes and variables, as well as the selection of the study design and methods while also addressing important questions of rigor.

Cluster Randomised Trials

Download Cluster Randomised Trials PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1315353237
Total Pages : 362 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (153 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Cluster Randomised Trials by : Richard J. Hayes

Download or read book Cluster Randomised Trials written by Richard J. Hayes and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-06 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cluster Randomised Trials, Second Edition discusses the design, conduct, and analysis of trials that randomise groups of individuals to different treatments. It explores the advantages of cluster randomisation, with special attention given to evaluating the effects of interventions against infectious diseases. Avoiding unnecessary mathematical detail, the book covers basic concepts underlying the use of cluster randomisation, such as direct, indirect, and total effects. In the time since the publication of the first edition, the use of cluster randomised trials (CRTs) has increased substantially, which is reflected in the updates to this edition. There are greatly expanded sections on randomisation, sample size estimation, and alternative designs, including new material on stepped wedge designs. There is a new section on handling ordinal outcome data, and an appendix with descriptions and/or generating code of the example data sets. Although the book mainly focuses on medical and public health applications, it shows that the rigorous evidence of intervention effects provided by CRTs has the potential to inform public policy in a wide range of other areas. The book encourages readers to apply the methods to their own trials, reproduce the analyses presented, and explore alternative approaches.

Designing Randomised Trials in Health, Education and the Social Sciences

Download Designing Randomised Trials in Health, Education and the Social Sciences PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 0230583997
Total Pages : 226 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (35 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Designing Randomised Trials in Health, Education and the Social Sciences by : D. Torgerson

Download or read book Designing Randomised Trials in Health, Education and the Social Sciences written by D. Torgerson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2008-03-13 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book focuses on the design of rigorous trials rather than their statistical underpinnings, with chapters on: pragmatic designs; placebo designs; preference approaches; unequal allocation; economics; analytical approaches; randomization methods. It also includes a detailed description of randomization procedures and different trial designs.

Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes

Download Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Government Printing Office
ISBN 13 : 1587634333
Total Pages : 385 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (876 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes by : Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality/AHRQ

Download or read book Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes written by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality/AHRQ and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This User’s Guide is intended to support the design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, and quality evaluation of registries created to increase understanding of patient outcomes. For the purposes of this guide, a patient registry is an organized system that uses observational study methods to collect uniform data (clinical and other) to evaluate specified outcomes for a population defined by a particular disease, condition, or exposure, and that serves one or more predetermined scientific, clinical, or policy purposes. A registry database is a file (or files) derived from the registry. Although registries can serve many purposes, this guide focuses on registries created for one or more of the following purposes: to describe the natural history of disease, to determine clinical effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of health care products and services, to measure or monitor safety and harm, and/or to measure quality of care. Registries are classified according to how their populations are defined. For example, product registries include patients who have been exposed to biopharmaceutical products or medical devices. Health services registries consist of patients who have had a common procedure, clinical encounter, or hospitalization. Disease or condition registries are defined by patients having the same diagnosis, such as cystic fibrosis or heart failure. The User’s Guide was created by researchers affiliated with AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, particularly those who participated in AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness) program. Chapters were subject to multiple internal and external independent reviews.

Finding What Works in Health Care

Download Finding What Works in Health Care PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309164257
Total Pages : 267 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Finding What Works in Health Care by : Institute of Medicine

Download or read book Finding What Works in Health Care written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-07-20 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Healthcare decision makers in search of reliable information that compares health interventions increasingly turn to systematic reviews for the best summary of the evidence. Systematic reviews identify, select, assess, and synthesize the findings of similar but separate studies, and can help clarify what is known and not known about the potential benefits and harms of drugs, devices, and other healthcare services. Systematic reviews can be helpful for clinicians who want to integrate research findings into their daily practices, for patients to make well-informed choices about their own care, for professional medical societies and other organizations that develop clinical practice guidelines. Too often systematic reviews are of uncertain or poor quality. There are no universally accepted standards for developing systematic reviews leading to variability in how conflicts of interest and biases are handled, how evidence is appraised, and the overall scientific rigor of the process. In Finding What Works in Health Care the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 21 standards for developing high-quality systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research. The standards address the entire systematic review process from the initial steps of formulating the topic and building the review team to producing a detailed final report that synthesizes what the evidence shows and where knowledge gaps remain. Finding What Works in Health Care also proposes a framework for improving the quality of the science underpinning systematic reviews. This book will serve as a vital resource for both sponsors and producers of systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research.

Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials

Download Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470854154
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (78 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials by : Susan S. Ellenberg

Download or read book Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials written by Susan S. Ellenberg and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2003-01-17 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There has been substantial growth in the use of data monitoring committees in recent years, by both government agencies and the pharmaceutical industry. This growth has been brought about by increasing recognition of the value of such committees in safeguarding trial participants as well as protecting trial integrity and the validity of conclusions. This very timely book describes the operation of data monitoring committees, and provides an authoritative guide to their establishment, purpose and responsibilities. * Provides a practical overview of data monitoring in clinical trials. * Describes the purpose, responsibilities and operation of data monitoring committees. * Provides directly applicable advice for those managing and conducting clinical trials, and those serving on data monitoring committees. * Gives insight into clinical data monitoring to those sitting on regulatory and ethical committees. * Discusses issues pertinent to those working in clinical trials in both the US and Europe. The practical guidance provided by this book will be of use to professionals working in and/or managing clinical trials, in academic, government and industry settings, particularly medical statisticians, clinicians, trial co-ordinators, and those working in regulatory affairs and bioethics.

Design and Analysis of Cluster Randomization Trials in Health Research

Download Design and Analysis of Cluster Randomization Trials in Health Research PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Wiley
ISBN 13 : 9780470711002
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (11 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Design and Analysis of Cluster Randomization Trials in Health Research by : Allan Donner

Download or read book Design and Analysis of Cluster Randomization Trials in Health Research written by Allan Donner and published by Wiley. This book was released on 2010-05-17 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A cluster randomization trial is one in which intact social units, or clusters of individuals, are randomized to different intervention groups. Trials randomizing clusters have become particularly widespread in the evaluation of non-therapeutic interventions, including lifestyle modification, educational programmes and innovations in the provision of health care. The increasing popularity of this design among health researchers over the past two decades has led to an extensive body of methodology on the subject. This is the first book to present a systematic and united treatment of this topic; it contains distinctive chapters on the history of cluster randomized trials, ethical issues and reporting guidelines.

Randomized Clinical Trials

Download Randomized Clinical Trials PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470319224
Total Pages : 375 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (73 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Randomized Clinical Trials by : David Machin

Download or read book Randomized Clinical Trials written by David Machin and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-05-20 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using examples and case studies from industry, academia and research literature, Randomized Clinical Trials provides a detailed overview of the key issues involved in designing, conducting, analysing and reporting randomized clinical trials. It examines the methodology for conducting Phase III clinical trials, developing the protocols, the practice for capturing, measuring, and analysing the resulting clinical data and their subsequent reporting. Randomized clinical trials are the principal method for determining the relative efficacy and safety of alternative treatments, interventions or medical devices. They are conducted by groups comprising one or more of pharmaceutical and allied health-care organisations, academic institutions, and charity supported research groups. In many cases such trials provide the key evidence necessary for the regulatory approval of a new product for future patient use. Randomized Clinical Trials provides comprehensive coverage of such trials, ranging from elementary to advanced level. Written by authors with considerable experience of clinical trials, Randomized Clinical Trials is an authoritative guide for clinicians, nurses, data managers and medical statisticians involved in clinical trials research and for health care professionals directly involved in patient care in a clinical trial context.

Public Health Research Methods

Download Public Health Research Methods PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : SAGE
ISBN 13 : 1452241333
Total Pages : 833 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (522 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Public Health Research Methods by : Greg Guest

Download or read book Public Health Research Methods written by Greg Guest and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2015 with total page 833 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Providing a comprehensive foundation for planning, executing, and monitoring public health research of all types, this book goes beyond traditional epidemiologic research designs to cover technology-based approaches emerging in the new public health landscape.

Running Randomized Evaluations

Download Running Randomized Evaluations PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 140084844X
Total Pages : 480 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (8 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Running Randomized Evaluations by : Rachel Glennerster

Download or read book Running Randomized Evaluations written by Rachel Glennerster and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-11-24 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive guide to running randomized impact evaluations of social programs in developing countries This book provides a comprehensive yet accessible guide to running randomized impact evaluations of social programs. Drawing on the experience of researchers at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which has run hundreds of such evaluations in dozens of countries throughout the world, it offers practical insights on how to use this powerful technique, especially in resource-poor environments. This step-by-step guide explains why and when randomized evaluations are useful, in what situations they should be used, and how to prioritize different evaluation opportunities. It shows how to design and analyze studies that answer important questions while respecting the constraints of those working on and benefiting from the program being evaluated. The book gives concrete tips on issues such as improving the quality of a study despite tight budget constraints, and demonstrates how the results of randomized impact evaluations can inform policy. With its self-contained modules, this one-of-a-kind guide is easy to navigate. It also includes invaluable references and a checklist of the common pitfalls to avoid. Provides the most up-to-date guide to running randomized evaluations of social programs, especially in developing countries Offers practical tips on how to complete high-quality studies in even the most challenging environments Self-contained modules allow for easy reference and flexible teaching and learning Comprehensive yet nontechnical

Design and Analysis of Group-randomized Trials

Download Design and Analysis of Group-randomized Trials PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Monographs in Epidemiology and
ISBN 13 : 0195120361
Total Pages : 481 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (951 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Design and Analysis of Group-randomized Trials by : David M. Murray

Download or read book Design and Analysis of Group-randomized Trials written by David M. Murray and published by Monographs in Epidemiology and. This book was released on 1998 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Community or group-randomized trials, which are usually done to evaluate the effect of health promotion effors. It reviews the underlying issues, describes the most widely used research design, and presents the many approaches to analysis that are now available.

Applying Quantitative Bias Analysis to Epidemiologic Data

Download Applying Quantitative Bias Analysis to Epidemiologic Data PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387879595
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (878 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Applying Quantitative Bias Analysis to Epidemiologic Data by : Timothy L. Lash

Download or read book Applying Quantitative Bias Analysis to Epidemiologic Data written by Timothy L. Lash and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-04-14 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bias analysis quantifies the influence of systematic error on an epidemiology study’s estimate of association. The fundamental methods of bias analysis in epi- miology have been well described for decades, yet are seldom applied in published presentations of epidemiologic research. More recent advances in bias analysis, such as probabilistic bias analysis, appear even more rarely. We suspect that there are both supply-side and demand-side explanations for the scarcity of bias analysis. On the demand side, journal reviewers and editors seldom request that authors address systematic error aside from listing them as limitations of their particular study. This listing is often accompanied by explanations for why the limitations should not pose much concern. On the supply side, methods for bias analysis receive little attention in most epidemiology curriculums, are often scattered throughout textbooks or absent from them altogether, and cannot be implemented easily using standard statistical computing software. Our objective in this text is to reduce these supply-side barriers, with the hope that demand for quantitative bias analysis will follow.

A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice: Tools for Transforming Mental Health Care

Download A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice: Tools for Transforming Mental Health Care PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0195304772
Total Pages : 270 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (953 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice: Tools for Transforming Mental Health Care by : Larry Davidson

Download or read book A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice: Tools for Transforming Mental Health Care written by Larry Davidson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book takes the lofty vision of "recovery" and of a "life in the community" for every adult with a mental illness promised by the U.S. President's New Freedom Commission and shows the reader what is entailed in making this vision a practical reality for people with mental illnesses and their families.

Field Trials of Health Interventions

Download Field Trials of Health Interventions PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 0198732864
Total Pages : 479 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (987 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Field Trials of Health Interventions by : Peter G. Smith

Download or read book Field Trials of Health Interventions written by Peter G. Smith and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Before new interventions are released into disease control programmes, it is essential that they are carefully evaluated in field trials'. These may be complex and expensive undertakings, requiring the follow-up of hundreds, or thousands, of individuals, often for long periods. Descriptions of the detailed procedures and methods used in the trials that have been conducted have rarely been published. A consequence of this, individuals planning such trials have few guidelines available and little access to knowledge accumulated previously, other than their own. In this manual, practical issues in trial design and conduct are discussed fully and in sufficient detail, that Field Trials of Health Interventions may be used as a toolbox' by field investigators. It has been compiled by an international group of over 30 authors with direct experience in the design, conduct, and analysis of field trials in low and middle income countries and is based on their accumulated knowledge and experience. Available as an open access book via Oxford Medicine Online, this new edition is a comprehensive revision, incorporating the new developments that have taken place in recent years with respect to trials, including seven new chapters on subjects ranging from trial governance, and preliminary studies to pilot testing.