Hydration Education for Dehydration

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Arizona State University

Must not be taking: Thyroid medication, Diuretics

Disqualifiers: Cardiovascular, Renal, Hepatic, Pregnant, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: 6 days

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if teaching hydration techniques and using self-assessment tools can help underhydrated wildland firefighters improve their fluid intake and overall hydration. By focusing on better hydration, the researchers hope participants will perform better during exercise and enjoy better long-term health. This study suits firefighters in the Phoenix area who often feel dehydrated and want to learn how to manage it better. Participants first provide urine and blood samples to ensure they meet the study's criteria for low hydration. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and skills to enhance their hydration and overall well-being.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are taking thyroid medication or diuretics (medications that help remove excess water from your body), you will not be able to participate in the trial. The protocol does not specify about other medications, so it's best to discuss your specific situation with the trial coordinators.

What prior data suggests that hydration education and self-assessment are safe for wildland firefighters?

Research has shown that learning about hydration and monitoring fluid intake is generally easy for participants. One study found that most people had positive opinions about hydration training, with 83% supporting it for their work. This indicates that people find this education helpful and easy to understand.

The main aim of these programs is to teach the importance of staying hydrated. They explain why drinking enough fluids is crucial, helping to prevent dehydration, which can lead to serious health problems if not addressed.

Participating in hydration education is very safe. It primarily involves learning new information and using tools to track fluid intake. There are no known negative effects from simply learning more about hydration and monitoring fluid intake. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Hydration Education for Dehydration trial because it focuses on empowering individuals with knowledge and self-assessment tools, rather than relying solely on traditional hydration strategies like increased fluid intake. This approach is distinctive because it encourages participants to actively engage in their hydration health by learning how to assess their own hydration levels. By focusing on education and self-assessment, this trial aims to promote long-term behavioral changes that could lead to better hydration habits and overall health improvements.

What evidence suggests that hydration education and self-assessment could be effective for improving hydration in wildland firefighters?

Research has shown that educational programs about drinking water can greatly improve hydration. One study found that water programs helped individuals who typically drank too little water to increase their intake and maintain this habit over time. Another study demonstrated that a simple educational program enhanced hydration and endurance in young athletes. Additionally, a game-based learning program led to a noticeable increase in water consumption over several weeks. In this trial, participants in the "Hydration education and hydration self-assessment" arm will receive a 25-minute education session and learn to use self-assessment tools. These findings suggest that learning about hydration and using self-check tools can effectively increase water intake and improve hydration. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for wildland firefighters and their surrogates who are not drinking enough fluids. Participants should be in a state of dehydration at the start, but without any health conditions that might interfere with the study or put them at risk.

Inclusion Criteria

Participants are part of a by the research selected wildland firefighter population (or surrogate population)

I identify as male, female, or other.

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnant or lactating

I have had weight loss surgery.

I have a heart condition.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Confirmation

Participants confirmed as low fluid consumers through urine and blood samples

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants undergo hydration education and self-assessment over 6 days

6 days

Daily monitoring (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for fluid turnover and activity patterns

4 days

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Hydration education and self-assessment

Trial Overview

The trial tests if teaching about hydration and using a self-assessment worksheet can help increase fluid intake compared to no intervention. It's divided into three parts: assessing current hydration, confirming low fluid consumption, and then trying to improve hydration.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Hydration education and hydration self-assessment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will participate in a 25-minute hydration education session that also includes instruction about how the use the hydration self-assessment worksheets and materials.

Group II: No Hydration education and hydration self-assessment (business as usual) Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants do not participate in any education or self-assessment, other than applying their normal hydration strategies.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Arizona State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

311

Recruited

109,000+

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Collaborator

Trials

6

Recruited

2,300+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 74 physically active elderly individuals in Portugal, less than 10% were found to be at risk of dehydration, indicating that most participants maintained adequate hydration status.

Food contributed nearly half of the total water intake (47% for women and 48% for men), highlighting the importance of water-rich foods and non-alcoholic beverages in hydration strategies, especially for men who had a significantly higher intake of alcoholic beverages.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Urinary hydration biomarkers and water sources in free-living elderly. Gonçalves, A., Silva, J., Moreira, P., et al.[2018]

Patient education significantly improves compliance with therapeutic regimens in chronic disease management, with an average improvement of 0.67 sigma over control groups, indicating a strong effect.

While patient education also leads to improvements in physiological progress (0.49 sigma) and health outcomes (0.02 sigma), the most effective strategies involve behaviorally-oriented programs that focus on changing the patient's environment rather than just increasing knowledge.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does patient education in chronic disease have therapeutic value? Mazzuca, SA.[2019]

A study involving 61 community nurses revealed significant gaps in their knowledge about heart failure self-management education, with correct responses ranging from 14% to 100% on a 20-item survey.

An educational intervention improved nurses' knowledge, as evidenced by over 90% of them answering more questions correctly after the training, highlighting the need for ongoing education in managing heart failure effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving community health nurses' knowledge of heart failure education principles: a descriptive study. Fowler, S.[2015]

Nurses often lack the knowledge and comfort needed to effectively educate patients about self-care for heart failure, which can lead to poor patient outcomes and increased healthcare use.

Educational interventions that empower patients to manage their heart failure, particularly regarding fluid management, have shown to improve clinical outcomes, highlighting the need for better training and support for nurses in delivering this education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parallel paths to improve heart failure outcomes: evidence matters. Albert, NM.[2013]

Citations

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3468721/

Educational intervention on water intake improves ...

An educational intervention improved hydration and endurance performance in young athletes, showing a simple program enhanced hydration status.

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withpower.com

withpower.com/trial/phase-hydration-status-3-2025-23379

Hydration Education for Dehydration · Info for Participants

Trial Overview The trial tests if teaching about hydration and using a self-assessment worksheet can help increase fluid intake compared to no intervention.

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Effect of a Mobile-Based Hydration Tracking Program on ...

The results are expected to show that the SIVI application improves older adults' hydration knowledge, fosters positive attitudes, and promotes healthy fluid ...

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9623173/

Health Promotion and Hydration: A Systematic Review About ...

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Effect of a Hydration Game-Based Learning Program in...

The results showed a significant improvement in fluid intake in the experimental group at 4 and 8 weeks (p = .002 and p < .001, respectively). In terms of ...

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5168638/

Hydration education: developing, piloting and evaluating a ...

The majority of respondents scored positively towards hydration care, including the need for hydration training for the profession (83%).

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sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938425002744

Hydration, mood, and cognition in primary school aged ...

In conclusion, the prevalence of dehydration increased from 17 % to 40 % from the beginning to the end of a school day, among a sample of primary school aged ...

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Rethinking Hydration: Why Dehydration Poses Serious Risks ...

The biggest dehydration related risk to workplace safety is the impact it can have on cognition, rather than the well-known physiological ...