An exploration of patient satisfaction with and experience of a sexual abuse survivors clinic.

Background: The scale and extent of sexual violence perpetrated in the United Kingdom is being increasingly acknowledged. Support after the initial disclosure is often sought in NHS sexual health clinics. The purpose of this service evaluation was to explore patient satisfaction and experience amongst sexual health clinic attendees who disclosed sexual violence and were subsequently managed in a specialist sexual abuse survivors clinic.

"He's not fat, he just has asthma": a qualitative study exploring weight management in families living with pediatric asthma.

Children and young people living with asthma have an increased risk of overweight/obesity, leading to increased severity of asthma symptoms. Weight management has been recommended to improve asthma symptoms, however, there is limited understanding of how this is experienced or how children and young people with asthma and their families wish to be supported. The aim of this study was to explore parents and children/young people's views and experiences of managing weight while living with asthma, and to identify acceptable strategies for support.

Understanding the impact of 'wish-granting' interventions on the health and well-being of children with life-threatening health conditions and their families: A systematic review.

This review aimed to explore how wish-granting interventions impact on the health and well-being of children with life-threatening health conditions and their families, using any study design. Six electronic databases (Medline; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Embase; AMED and HMIC) were systematically searched to identify eligible research articles. Studies were critically appraised using a Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Parental Feeding, Child Eating and Physical Activity: Differences in Children Living with and without Asthma.

This study aimed to establish the differences in parental attitudes toward feeding and activity, as well as child eating and activity levels, between families of children living with and without asthma. Parents of children and young people aged between 10 and 16 years living both with asthma (n = 310) and without asthma (n = 311) completed measures for parental feeding, parental attitudes toward child exercise, child eating, child activity level and asthma control. Children living with asthma had a significantly higher BMIz (BMI standardised for weight and age) score, were significantly more likely to emotionally overeat and desired to drink more than their peers without asthma.

Fungal vaccines.

Invasive fungal disease continues to be a cause of significant life-threatening morbidity and mortality in humans, particularly in those with a diminished immune system, such as with haematological malignancies. The mainstay of treating such life-threatening fungal infection has been antifungal drugs, including azoles, echinocandins and macrocyclic polyenes. However, like antibiotic resistance, antifungal resistance is beginning to emerge, potentially jeopardizing the effectiveness of these molecules in the treatment of fungal disease.

Parental attachment and depressive symptoms in pregnancies complicated by twin-twin transfusion syndrome: a cohort study.

Background: Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a highly morbid condition in which treatment exists, but the pregnancy remains high-risk until delivery. It may have serious sequelae, including fetal death, and in the longer term, neurodevelopmental problems. The aim of this study is to assess antenatal and postnatal parental attachment and depressive symptoms in those with pregnancies affected by TTTS.

Pregnancy prevention and contraceptive preferences of online sex workers in the UK.

The internet has changed the organisation of sex work. The risk of sexually transmitted infections has frequently been a research focus, but less is known about sex workers' use of contraception for pregnancy prevention. The aim of this research was to gain a better understanding of contraceptive preferences and provider interactions of online sex workers.

Phenotypic characteristics and risk factors in a multi-ethnic cohort of young adults with type 2 diabetes.

Early onset of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with prolonged exposure to hyperglycaemia and increased propensity to chronic complications. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the phenotypic characteristics and risk factors in a multi-ethnic cohort of young adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DMY). One hundred young adults (White European [WE], South Asian [SA] and African-Caribbean [AC]) diagnosed with T2DM before the age of 40 years were recruited.

Weight-management in children living with asthma: a qualitative study of the experiences of paediatric healthcare professionals.

Weight loss has been found to improve the symptoms of asthma in children who are overweight. However, many paediatric weight management programmes do not address the challenges associated with living with asthma. The aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of paediatric healthcare professionals concerning weight management advice and support offered to families of children living with asthma.

Type 2 diabetes in adolescents and young adults.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in adolescents and young adults is dramatically increasing. Similar to older-onset type 2 diabetes, the major predisposing risk factors are obesity, family history, and sedentary lifestyle. Onset of diabetes at a younger age (defined here as up to age 40 years) is associated with longer disease exposure and increased risk for chronic complications.

Educational and behavioural interventions for anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Current guidelines recommend oral anticoagulation therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with one or more risk factors for stroke; however, anticoagulation control (time in therapeutic range (TTR)) with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) is dependent on many factors. Educational and behavioural interventions may impact patients' ability to maintain their international normalised ratio (INR) control. This is an updated version of the original review first published in 2013.

Usual medical treatments or levonorgestrel-IUS for women with heavy menstrual bleeding: long-term randomised pragmatic trial in primary care.

Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a common, chronic problem affecting women and health services. However, long-term evidence on treatment in primary care is lacking.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of commencing the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) or usual medical treatments for women presenting with HMB in general practice.

Perceptions of Self-Testing for Chlamydia: Understanding and Predicting Self-Test Use.

Background: Self-testing technology allows people to test themselves for chlamydia without professional support. This may result in reassurance and wider access to chlamydia testing, but anxiety could occur on receipt of positive results. This study aimed to identify factors important in understanding self-testing for chlamydia outside formal screening contexts, to explore the potential impacts of self-testing on individuals, and to identify theoretical constructs to form a Framework for future research and intervention development.

Developing a Complex Educational-Behavioural Intervention: The TREAT Intervention for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

This article describes the theoretical and pragmatic development of a patient-centred intervention for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Theoretical models (Common Sense Model, Necessity-Concerns Framework), clinical frameworks, and AF patient feedback contributed to the design of a one-off hour-long behaviour-change intervention package. Intervention materials consisted of a DVD, educational booklet, diary and worksheet, which were patient-centred and easy to administer.

Developing a Tool to Support Communication of Parental Concerns When a Child is in Hospital.

The involvement of parents in their child's hospital care has been strongly advocated in paediatric healthcare policy and practice. However, incorporating parental worries about their child's condition into clinical care can be difficult for both parents and healthcare professionals. Through our "Listening To You" quality improvement project we developed and piloted an innovative approach to listening, incorporating and responding to parental concerns regarding their child's condition when in hospital.

GPs' perspectives on managing the NHS Health Check in primary care: a qualitative evaluation of implementation in one area of England.

Objectives: To evaluate the implementation of the National Health Service (NHS) Health Check programme in one area of England from the perspective of general practitioners (GPs).

Design: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted with GPs and other healthcare professionals involved in delivering the NHS Health Check and with patients. This paper reports the experience of GPs and focuses on the management of the Heath Check programme in primary care.

Patients' perceptions and experiences of cardiovascular disease and diabetes prevention programmes: A systematic review and framework synthesis using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Background: This review provides a worked example of 'best fit' framework synthesis using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) of health psychology theories as an a priori framework in the synthesis of qualitative evidence. Framework synthesis works best with 'policy urgent' questions.

Objective: The review question selected was: what are patients' experiences of prevention programmes for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes? The significance of these conditions is clear: CVD claims more deaths worldwide than any other; diabetes is a risk factor for CVD and leading cause of death.

A randomised controlled trial of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system in primary care against standard treatment for menorrhagia: the ECLIPSE trial.

Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a common problem, yet evidence to inform decisions about initial medical treatment is limited.

Objectives: To assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) (Mirena®, Bayer) compared with usual medical treatment, with exploration of women's perspectives on treatment.

Design: A pragmatic, multicentre randomised trial with an economic evaluation and a longitudinal qualitative study.

An online study combining the constructs from the theory of planned behaviour and protection motivation theory in predicting intention to test for chlamydia in two testing contexts.

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection that has potentially serious consequences unless detected and treated early. The health service in the UK offers clinic-based testing for chlamydia but uptake is low. Identifying the predictors of testing behaviours may inform interventions to increase uptake.

Developing an intervention to equip nurses for acute life threatening events (ALTEs) in hospital: a phenomenological approach to healthcare research.

Objectives: To understand staff's experiences of acute life threatening events (ALTEs) in a pediatric hospital setting. These data will inform an intervention to equip nurses with clinical and emotional skills for dealing with ALTEs.

Method: A mixed design was used in the broader research program; this paper focuses on phenomenon-focused interviews analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Be SMART: examining the experience of implementing the NHS Health Check in UK primary care.

Background: The NHS Health Check was designed by UK Department of Health to address increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease by identifying risk levels and facilitating behaviour change. It constituted biomedical testing, personalised advice and lifestyle support. The objective of the study was to explore Health Care Professionals' (HCPs) and patients' experiences of delivering and receiving the NHS Health Check in an inner-city region of England.

A qualitative study of English community pharmacists' experiences of providing lifestyle advice to patients with cardiovascular disease.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) progression is modifiable through lifestyle behaviors. Community pharmacists are ideally placed to facilitate self-management of cardiovascular health however research shows varied pharmacist engagement in providing lifestyle advice.

Objective: This study explored community pharmacists' experiences and perceptions of providing lifestyle advice to patients with CVD.

Health care professionals' views of paediatric outpatient non-attendance: implications for general practice.

Background: Non-attendance at paediatric hospital outpatient appointments poses potential risks to children's health and welfare. Prevention and management of missed appointments depends on the perceptions of clinicians and decision makers from both primary and secondary care, including general practitioners (GPs) who are integral to non-attendance follow-up.

Objectives: To examine the views of clinical, managerial and executive health care staff regarding occurrence and management of non-attendance at general paediatric outpatient clinics.

Effectiveness and uptake of screening programmes for coronary heart disease and diabetes: a realist review of design components used in interventions.

Objective: To evaluate behavioural components and strategies associated with increased uptake and effectiveness of screening for coronary heart disease and diabetes with an implementation science focus.

Design: Realist review.

Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and reference chaining.

Educational intervention improves anticoagulation control in atrial fibrillation patients: the TREAT randomised trial.

Background: Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), most commonly with warfarin, requires maintenance of a narrow therapeutic target (INR 2.0 to 3.0) and is often poorly controlled in practice.