Well, I Wouldn't be Any Worse Off, Would I, Than I am Now? A Qualitative Study of Decision-Making, Hopes, and Realities of Adults With Type 1 Diabetes Undergoing Islet Cell Transplantation.

Background: For selected individuals with type 1 diabetes, pancreatic islet transplantation (IT) prevents recurrent severe hypoglycemia and optimizes glycemia, although ongoing systemic immunosuppression is needed. Our aim was to explore candidates and recipients' expectations of transplantation, their experience of being on the waiting list, and (for recipients) the procedure and life posttransplant.

Methods: Cross-sectional qualitative research design using semistructured interviews with 16 adults (8 pretransplant, 8 posttransplant; from 4 UK centers (n = 13) and 1 Canadian center (n = 3)).

What factors support older people to increase their physical activity levels? An exploratory analysis of the experiences of PACE-Lift trial participants.

Background: Physical Activity (PA) has significant health benefits for older adults, but nearly all UK over 60's are not achieving recommended levels. The PACE-Lift primary care-based walking intervention for 60-75 year-olds used a structured, theoretically grounded intervention with pedometers, accelerometers, handbooks and support from practice nurses trained in behaviour change techniques. It demonstrated an objective increase in walking at 3 and 12 months.

"It's not just about walking.....it's the practice nurse that makes it work": a qualitative exploration of the views of practice nurses delivering complex physical activity interventions in primary care.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is important for physical and mental health in adults and older adults. Interventions incorporating theory-based behaviour change techniques (BCTs) can be useful in helping people to increase their PA levels and can be delivered by practice nurses in primary care. We undertook two primary care based complex walking interventions among adults and older adults.

A primary care nurse-delivered walking intervention in older adults: PACE (pedometer accelerometer consultation evaluation)-Lift cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Brisk walking in older people can increase step-counts and moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in ≥10-minute bouts, as advised in World Health Organization guidelines. Previous interventions have reported step-count increases, but not change in objectively measured MVPA in older people. We assessed whether a primary care nurse-delivered complex intervention increased objectively measured step-counts and MVPA.

Which older people decline participation in a primary care trial of physical activity and why: insights from a mixed methods approach.

Background: Physical activity is of vital importance to older peoples' health. Physical activity intervention studies with older people often have low recruitment, yet little is known about non-participants.

Methods: Patients aged 60-74 years from three UK general practices were invited to participate in a nurse-supported pedometer-based walking intervention.

Randomised controlled trial of a complex intervention by primary care nurses to increase walking in patients aged 60-74 years: protocol of the PACE-Lift (Pedometer Accelerometer Consultation Evaluation - Lift) trial.

Background: Physical activity is essential for older peoples' physical and mental health and for maintaining independence. Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes weekly, of at least moderate intensity physical activity, with activity on most days. Older people's most common physical activity is walking, light intensity if strolling, moderate if brisker.

Quantitative evidence for the benefits of Moving the Goalposts, a Sport for Development project in rural Kenya.

Sport for Development has many reported benefits, but quantitative evidence of the impact of these interventions in Low Income Countries remains sparse. A new monitoring and evaluation toolkit was used in a cross-sectional survey at Moving the Goalposts (MTG), a football project aiming to empower young Kenyan women. We wished to determine empirically whether increased membership duration brought increased benefits.

Design and validation of the Satisfaction With Immunisation Service Questionnaire (SWISQ).

Adverse experiences with child immunisation services can contribute to the deferral of immunisation appointments and to non-attendance. The aim of this study was to design and validate the Satisfaction With Immunisation Service Questionnaire (SWISQ) as a tool that can be used by general practices to evaluate their service and identify areas of dissatisfaction. The 19-item SWISQ was derived from past literature and qualitative interviews.

The Immunisation Beliefs and Intentions Measure (IBIM): predicting parents' intentions to immunise preschool children.

In England, uptake of the second dose of MMR (against measles, mumps, rubella), and dTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV booster (against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio), is lower than that of the primary course. The Immunisation Beliefs and Intentions Measure (IBIM), based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and qualitative interviews, was used to predict parents' intentions to take preschoolers for these recommended vaccinations. Parents from 43 child groups in southern England were randomised to receiving questions about either MMR (N=193) or dTaP/IPV (N=159).

Returning back pain patients to work: how private musculoskeletal practitioners outside the national health service perceive their role (an interview study).

Background: Private musculoskeletal practitioners treat a large section of people with back pain, and could play an important role in returning and maintaining patients to work.

Method: We conducted a qualitative study to explore the self-perceived role of such practitioners in the UK. We interviewed 44 practitioners, including chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists.

Fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 improved self-reported digestive comfort amongst a general population of adults. A randomized, open-label, controlled, pilot study.

Aim: Some probiotics improve digestive comfort of people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but this needs confirmation in a healthy population. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of consuming fermented milk containing the probiotics Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173010 and yoghourt strains (test product) on digestive comfort and symptoms amongst adults without diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders.

Methods: The study was designed to approximate a real-life situation, by using a branded product in the intervention groups.

The MacDQoL individualized measure of the impact of macular degeneration on quality of life: reliability and responsiveness.

Purpose: To investigate the MacDQoL test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change in vision over a period of one year in a sample of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: A prospective, observational study.

Method: Patients with AMD from an ophthalmologist's list (n = 135) completed the MacDQoL questionnaire by telephone interview and underwent a vision assessment on two occasions, one year apart.

'It's just the normal thing to do': exploring parental decision-making about the 'five-in-one' vaccine.

This qualitative study explored parental decision-making about the DTaP/IPV/Hib 'five-in-one' vaccine. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 parents of babies aged between 4 and 13 weeks old, recruited from four practices in southern England. A modified Grounded Theory approach identified that although parents had some concerns, most complied with the recommended programme rather than making an informed decision.

Validation of the revised 10-item HIV Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire status version and new change version.

Objectives: Previous validation of the HIV Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire status version (HIVTSQs) found that nine of the 10 items performed well, but the demands item needed revision. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the revised HIVTSQs and new change version (HIVTSQc).

Methods: English-speaking Americans completed the HIVTSQs at baseline and Week 48 of a clinical trial of HIV treatments, and the HIVTSQc at Week 48.

Factors underlying suboptimal childhood immunisation.

This review considers possible reasons behind parents' missed vaccination opportunities in the context of the latest immunisation coverage rates for England. Suboptimal uptake is not exclusive to measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). A substantial proportion of children also miss diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccination.

+Psychometric evaluation of the MacDQoL individualised measure of the impact of macular degeneration on quality of life.

Background: The MacDQoL is an individualised measure of the impact of macular degeneration (MD) on quality of life (QoL). There is preliminary evidence of its psychometric properties and sensitivity to severity of MD. The aim of this study was to carry out further psychometric evaluation with a larger sample and investigate the measure's sensitivity to MD severity.

The influence of diabetic retinopathy on quality of life: interviews to guide the design of a condition-specific, individualised questionnaire: the RetDQoL.

An individualised measure of the impact of diabetic retinopathy on quality of life (QoL) was developed, using a four-phase iterative approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods. In semi-structured interviews, eleven people with diabetic retinopathy in each of two UK and two German hospitals described how QoL would be different without diabetic retinopathy. They completed and commented on the latest Retinopathy Dependent QoL (RetDQoL) draft.