Intervention Study

Itching is one of the common symptoms found in patients with scleroderma, with a prevalence of about 42-62%, and it often occurs in the early stages of the disease. The mechanisms of itching are still unclear, and current treatments have not yet shown any clear efficacy in alleviating itching caused by scleroderma. Hemp extract has previously been used to treat itching in chronic skin diseases. Besides its antipruritic (anti-itch) effect, hemp extract also possesses anti-inflammatory properties, increases skin moisture, and helps repair the skin, all without psychoactive effects. Studies have investigated the benefits of hemp extract in the form of a topical cream with concentrations ranging from 1-5% for the treatment of various skin diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, and the management of fingertip ulcers in scleroderma patients. The results showed that a 1% hemp extract cream relieved itching in eczema and at the same concentration also helped heal fingertip ulcers in scleroderma patients. However, to date, there has been no clear study on the effectiveness of hemp extract in cream or lotion form for treating itching in scleroderma patients. Additionally, there is currently no standard guideline for the management of itching in scleroderma. Generally, 10% urea cream is commonly used to increase skin moisture and alleviate itching, but there has been no prior study on its efficacy specifically for itch relief. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a 1% hemp extract combined with 10% urea in lotion form compared to a lotion containing only 10% urea (without hemp extract) in relieving itching, increasing skin moisture, and reducing sleep disturbances caused by itching in scleroderma patients, as well as assessing any potential side effects.

The main goal of this study is to evaluate the "SIESTA" intervention, a culturally and contextually tailored sleep hygiene intervention that has the potential to exert greater improvements in sleep hygiene and sleep outcomes for group that may be more vulnerable to poor sleep health. The main question is: do SIESTA participants have improved sleep outcomes, sleep hygiene behaviors and less sleep-related impairment compared to Control Group participants? Participants randomized to the SIESTA intervention will: 1. Attend 4 remotely administered group sleep hygiene education sessions 2. Complete along with a parent/guardian, two individualized sessions administered by a SIESTA intervention facilitator 3. Complete study survey at baseline, end of treatment, and at 4, 8 and 12 months post-intervention. 4. Wear electronic sleep watches (actigraphy) throughout the protocol to objectively measure sleep duration and quality. Participants randomized to the Child Health Control condition will: 1. Attend 4 remotely administered group sessions covering general health topics 2. Complete along with a parent/guardian, two individualized sessions administered by a SIESTA intervention facilitator 3. Complete study survey at baseline, end of treatment, and at 4, 8 and 12 months post-intervention. 4. Wear electronic sleep watches (actigraphy) throughout the protocol to objectively measure sleep duration and quality. A secondary goal of the study is to conduct a process evaluation to prepare for future larger scale use of the intervention in other urban school settings. This will entail assessing Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) of the program through several methods, such as by conducting in-depth interviews with research participants and their parents/guardians, as well as school staff and by looking at rates of participation in the program.

Nearly half of adults in the United States have or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The overall goal of this community-engaged research is to examine the efficacy of an innovative couple-based lifestyle intervention to prevent type 2 diabetes that is applicable to a broad range of partnered adults in the United States. By simultaneously targeting lifestyle and perceived support from romantic partners, there is a high likelihood of creating lasting changes in both