Publications by authors named "McGowan L"

Background: Severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD) is the combined effect of experiencing homelessness, substance use and repeat offending. People experiencing SMD have high burden of physical and mental health issues. Oral health is one of the most common health problems in people experiencing SMD which interacts with substance use, smoking, and unhealthy diet to create a cycle of harm and disadvantage.

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Background: Approximately 40% of older women in the community report experiencing urinary incontinence (UI); prevalence within secondary care is unknown. Illness, comorbidities, and hospital environments are likely to lead to higher prevalence.

Objectives: This study aimed to establish UI prevalence in older women admitted to hospitals and understand the views and knowledge of ward nurses in relation to older women's UI.

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Background: Virtual wards (VWs) are being introduced within the National Health Service (NHS) in England as a new way of delivering care to patients who would otherwise be hospitalized. Using digital technologies, patients can receive acute care, remote monitoring, and treatment in their homes. Integrated care system commissioners are employees involved in the planning of, agreeing to, and monitoring of services within NHS England and have an important role in the adoption and implementation of VWs in clinical practice.

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  • Regular testing with rapid antigen lateral flow tests (LFTs) was crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there were concerns about people falsifying results.
  • A survey with 1,295 adults in England explored how personality traits like empathy and honesty influenced attitudes and intentions regarding LFT falsification.
  • Findings indicated that individuals with higher empathy for vulnerable populations and Honesty-Humility were less likely to accept or engage in falsifying LFTs, emphasizing the importance of empathy in public health messaging.
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Background: The number of women entering pregnancy with overweight or obesity is increasing. This can increase the risk for excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) which is associated with health complications for mother and baby. There are limited evidence-based interventions within antenatal care settings to encourage healthy eating and physical activity behaviours and support women with managing GWG.

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Introduction: Inequity in access to healthcare in the United Kingdom can have a profound impact on people's ability to manage their health problems. Link work interventions attempt to overcome the socioeconomic and structural barriers that perpetuate health inequalities. Link workers are typically staff members without professional clinical qualifications who support patients to bridge the gap between services.

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  • Sarcopenia significantly impacts older adults by causing loss of independence and increasing frailty, and reducing sedentary behavior can help improve these issues.
  • A mixed-methods study involving interviews with 15 older adults assessed the effectiveness of the Frail-LESS intervention, which included tools like activity trackers and health coaching to promote active living.
  • Results showed that participants found the intervention generally acceptable, particularly valuing the activity tracker and coaching, while responses were mixed for other components like the psychoeducation workbook and online support.
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  • The study explored the experiences of older adults and service providers involved in a UK physical activity program designed through participatory approaches.
  • Four main themes were identified: tailored activities that encouraged participation, accessibility of sessions, enjoyment and perceived benefits, and support needs for service deliverers.
  • The findings suggest that involving older adults in the program's design enhances satisfaction and engagement, but ongoing support and resources are essential for sustainability.
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  • * A total of 60 older adults participated, with the intervention group receiving personalized strategies for reducing sitting time, along with health coaching and support tools, while the control group received standard care.
  • * Results showed high recruitment (72%) and retention (83%) rates, safe intervention practices, and a significant reduction in daily sitting time for the intervention group, indicating potential benefits for handling frailty.
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  • After a tissue injury, inflammatory cells immediately respond to clear debris and manage other cells for repair, but their role can be both beneficial and detrimental.
  • This study examines the use of protocells loaded with R848 to reprogram innate immune cells in zebrafish, observing significant changes in inflammatory responses during skin and skeletal repair.
  • The research shows that R848-reprogrammed macrophages enhance healing outcomes by improving bactericidal activities and positively influencing processes vital for recovery, with findings also applicable to human macrophages.
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Evidence-based approaches for weight management in the United Kingdom are lacking. This study examined preferences for behavioural weight-management programmes amongst adults aged eighteen and over in Northern Ireland who had experience living with overweight (i.e.

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Background: Routine primary care data may be a valuable resource for preconception health research and to inform the provision of preconception care.

Aim: To review how primary care data could provide information on the prevalence of preconception indicators and examine associations with maternal and offspring health outcomes.

Design And Setting: Systematic review of observational studies using UK routine primary care data.

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Background: Preconception health has the potential to improve parental, pregnancy and infant outcomes. This scoping review aims to (1) provide an overview of the strategies, policies, guidelines, frameworks, and recommendations available in the UK and Ireland that address preconception health and care, identifying common approaches and health-influencing factors that are targeted; and (2) conduct an audit to explore the awareness and use of resources found in the scoping review amongst healthcare professionals, to validate and contextualise findings relevant to Northern Ireland.

Methods: Grey literature resources were identified through Google Advanced Search, NICE, OpenAire, ProQuest and relevant public health and government websites.

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Background: People experiencing homelessness co-occurring with substance use or offending ('severe and multiple disadvantage' SMD) often have high levels of poor oral health and related health behaviours (particularly, substance use, smoking, poor diet). This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions in adults experiencing SMD to improve oral health and related health behaviours.

Methods And Findings: From inception to February 2023, five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus) and grey literature were searched.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, lateral flow tests (LFTs) were used to regulate access to work, education, social activities, and travel. However, falsification of home LFT results was a concern. Falsification of test results during an ongoing pandemic is a sensitive issue.

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Objectives: Among people experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD), poor oral health is common and linked to smoking, substance use and high sugar intake. Studies have explored interventions addressing oral health and related behaviours; however, factors related to the implementation of these interventions remain unclear. This mixed-methods systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on the implementation and sustainability of interventions to improve oral health and related health behaviours among adults experiencing SMD.

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Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition typically affecting joint spaces. However, extra-articular manifestations are common including vascular and gastrointestinal tract involvement. This disease may also manifest as nodules, although these are typically found in the extremities and are very rarely seen in the liver.

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Background: Homelessness overlapping with substance use and offending is described as severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD). People experiencing SMD have poor oral health along with high levels of related behaviours such as substance use, smoking, and poor diet. Existing evidence largely describes the prevalence of oral health problems, substance use, and smoking in SMD groups.

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Problem: Type 1 diabetes is associated with the risk of adverse outcomes for mother and baby.

Background: How pregnant people adapt to the challenges of type 1 diabetes and engage with healthcare professionals can affect how likely they will be to maintain good glycaemic control. Therefore, it is important to understand the childbearing and care experiences of women with type 1 diabetes.

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Background: Maternal folic acid supplementation is protective against the development of neural tube defects (NTDs) in babies. However, recent public-facing communications have raised concerns about a causal relationship between folic acid supplementation, particularly after the first trimester, and ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) in infants. Non-evidence-based communications are potentially harmful because they could adversely affect adherence to folic acid supplementation, increasing NTD occurrence.

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Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) is associated with increasing age and is more frequently experienced by women. Despite 40% prevalence in the community, little is known about the prevalence/incidence of UI in older women during hospital admission. UI during hospital admissions, within this group, has also been under-researched in terms of its relationship to specific clinical conditions and mortality rates.

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Preconception health is increasingly seen as a key target for improving population health in the UK and Ireland, yet little is known about the attitudes and beliefs of adults regarding preconception care strategies. This online cross-sectional survey aimed to explore the health behaviours, attitudes and beliefs of adults of reproductive age in regard to preconception health and care. The survey was developed by reviewing the previous literature and engaging with those from the target group.

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Objectives: Many women attempt to manage urinary incontinence (UI) independently with variable success while health professionals may be unaware of their needs. This study aimed to (1) understand older women's experiences of UI, their self-management strategies and support needs; (2) explore health professionals' experiences of supporting women and providing relevant services and (3) combine their experiences contribute to development of a theory-based and evidence-based self-management package for UI.

Design: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 older women with UI and 11 specialist health professionals.

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Background: Up to 40% of older women living in the community experience urinary incontinence. In community settings, urinary incontinence impacts the quality of life, morbidity, and mortality rates. However, little is known about urinary incontinence and its impact on older women admitted to hospitals.

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Telehealth services enable individuals to participate in meaningful occupations; however, the evidence on this topic has not been synthesized in older adult populations. This scoping review synthesized the evidence on interventions delivered through telehealth (and the mode of delivery) in occupational therapy for older adult populations. A search for studies on occupational therapy, older adults, and telehealth was performed in six research databases, and identified 536 articles.

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