Exercise in pregnancy - UK women's views and experiences: results of an online survey.

Unlabelled: Both NICE and RCOG recommend 30min of moderate physical activity, at least four times per week, for women with uncomplicated pregnancies, in all trimesters. The primary aims of this study were to establish the views of UK women regarding how much exercise they should undertake at each stage of pregnancy and whether they accumulated the recommended amount of physical activity through exercise during their current or most recent pregnancy.

Methods: An online survey was developed and advertised to women who had been or were pregnant via social media and websites related to pregnancy or parenting.

Important, misunderstood, and challenging: a qualitative study of nurses' and allied health professionals' perceptions of implementing self-management for patients with COPD.

Background: In light of the growing burden of COPD, there is increasing focus on the role of self-management for this population. Currently, self-management varies widely. Little is known either about nurses' and allied health professionals' (AHPs') understanding and provision of self-management in clinical practice.

Attitude of patients with HIV infection towards organ transplant between HIV patients. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

This study examined the HIV patients' attitudes towards the practice of organ transplant between HIV patients using a cross-sectional survey design. In total, 206 patients participated with a mean age of 42 (±8.8) years.

An evaluation of a self-management program for patients with long-term conditions.

Objective: To evaluate a group-based self-management program (SMP) delivered as part of a quality improvement program, Co-Creating Health, for patients living with one of four long-term conditions (LTCs): chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, diabetes, and musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: The 7 week SMP was co-delivered by lay and health professional tutors. Patients completed self-reported outcome measures at pre-course and 6 months follow-up.

A web-based program improves physical activity outcomes in a primary care angina population: randomized controlled trial.

Background: Angina affects more than 50 million people worldwide. Secondary prevention interventions such as cardiac rehabilitation are not widely available for this population. An Internet-based version could offer a feasible alternative.

Evaluation of a self-management programme for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Self-management is becoming an important part of treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We conducted a longitudinal survey of patients with COPD who attended a 7-week group-based lay and clinician co-delivered COPD self-management programme (SMP)to see whether they became more activated, enjoyed better health status, and quality of life, were less psychologically distressed and improved their self-management abilities. The main analysis was a per-protocol analysis (N = 131), which included only patients who attended ≥5 SMP sessions and who returned a 6-month follow-up questionnaires.

Theory of planned behaviour variables and objective walking behaviour do not show seasonal variation in a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Longitudinal studies have shown that objectively measured walking behaviour is subject to seasonal variation, with people walking more in summer compared to winter. Seasonality therefore may have the potential to bias the results of randomised controlled trials if there are not adequate statistical or design controls. Despite this there are no studies that assess the impact of seasonality on walking behaviour in a randomised controlled trial, to quantify the extent of such bias.

Qualitative evaluation of a self-management intervention for people in the early stage of dementia.

Self-management programs are effective for people living with chronic illnesses. However, there has been little research addressing self-management for people with dementia in the early stages. This study presents a qualitative evaluation of the experiences of attending a novel self-management program and initial process evaluation.

Perceived barriers to self-management for people with dementia in the early stages.

People with dementia in the early stages currently experience a care gap, which self-management may address. We explore perceived barriers to self-management. Using a systematic approach (logic mapping), 19 participants (people with dementia, carers, health care professionals and charity representatives) described self-management barriers facing people living with dementia.

What are the most effective techniques in changing obese individuals' physical activity self-efficacy and behaviour: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Increasing self-efficacy is generally considered to be an important mediator of the effects of physical activity interventions. A previous review identified which behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were associated with increases in self-efficacy and physical activity for healthy non-obese adults. The aim of the current review was to identify which BCTs increase the self-efficacy and physical activity behaviour of obese adults.

Conceptualisation of self-management intervention for people with early stage dementia.

Dementia is a major challenge for health and social care services. People living with dementia in the earlier stages experience a "care-gap". Although they may address this gap in care, self-management interventions have not been provided to people with dementia.

Promoting healthy eating in pregnancy: what kind of support services do women say they want?

Aim: To identify characteristics of the services and support women want to enable them to eat healthily during pregnancy to make a potential future service acceptable to this population.

Background: An unhealthy diet during pregnancy may have a significant influence on pregnancy outcome, either directly through nutrient deficiencies or indirectly through maternal weight gain. Many pregnant women in the United Kingdom gain too much weight in pregnancy, and this weight gain may lead to an increased risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and having an obese child.

How do young adults perceive the risk of chlamydia infection? A qualitative study.

Objectives: This study aimed to improve understanding of how young UK genito-urinary medicine (GUM) patients perceive the risk of chlamydia, and identify implications for health education.

Design: A qualitative methodology was chosen.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 27 respondents aged 16-22 years old were conducted.

'Breast is not always best': South Asian women's experiences of infant feeding in the UK within an acculturation framework.

Acculturating to a host country has a negative impact on immigrant women's breastfeeding practices, particularly when coming from countries where breastfeeding rates are higher than Western countries. Whether this is true of those immigrating to the UK remains to be investigated. The study aimed to explore whether acculturating to the UK had detrimental effects on breastfeeding practices of South Asian women, and to provide explanations as to how acculturation may have exerted its influence.

Evaluation and measurement for improvement in service-level quality improvement initiatives.

The National Health Service (NHS) in England, as with other health services worldwide, currently faces the need to reduce costs and to improve the quality of patient care. Evidence gathered through effective and appropriate measurement and evaluation, is essential to achieving this. Through interviews with service improvement managers and analysis of comments in a seminar of NHS staff involved in health service improvement, we found a lack of understanding regarding the definition and methodology of both measurement and evaluation, which decreases the likelihood that NHS staff will be competent to commission or provide these skills.

An intervention to increase walking requires both motivational and volitional components: a replication and extension.

An intervention to increase walking has previously been developed, consisting of three motivational techniques, designed to increase self-efficacy, and three volitional techniques, designed to help translate intentions into action. Previous research found large effects (d = 0.90) on the objectively measured walking behaviour of 130 English adult volunteers, mediated by self-efficacy.

A cluster randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of a brief walking intervention delivered in primary care: study protocol.

Background: The aim of the present research is to conduct a fully powered explanatory trial to evaluate the efficacy of a brief self-regulation intervention to increase walking. The intervention will be delivered in primary care by practice nurses (PNs) and Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) to patients for whom increasing physical activity is a particular priority. The intervention has previously demonstrated efficacy with a volunteer population, and subsequently went through an iterative process of refinement in primary care, to maximise acceptability to both providers and recipients.

The Brief IPQ does not have 'robust psychometrics': Why there is a need for further developmental work on the Brief IPQ, and why our study provides a useful start.

In this reply to Broadbent, Kaptein, and Petrie's commentary, we agree that our 'think aloud' study has limitations. However, we consider that the commentary goes too far in claiming these invalidate our findings. The authors of this commentary cite as a major limitation our use of a Dutch translation of the Brief IPQ.

What are the most effective intervention techniques for changing physical activity self-efficacy and physical activity behaviour--and are they the same?

There is convincing evidence that targeting self-efficacy is an effective means of increasing physical activity. However, evidence concerning which are the most effective techniques for changing self-efficacy and thereby physical activity is lacking. The present review aims to estimate the association between specific intervention techniques used in physical activity interventions and change obtained in both self-efficacy and physical activity behaviour.

The views of pre- and post-natal women and health professionals regarding gestational weight gain: An exploratory study.

Objectives: To explore the views of pre- and post-natal women and health professionals regarding gestational weight gain. The health professionals' views concerning their provision to prevent unhealthy weight gain in pregnancy were also elicited. These views may inform the design of future interventions targeting gestational weight gain.

Does the professional and working context of United Kingdom clinicians predict if they use practices to support patients with long term conditions to self manage?

Introduction: Our study examines how the professional and employment context may influence clinicians' practice self management support for patients with long term conditions (LTC).

Material And Methods: We surveyed clinicians working with patients with depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), chronic musculo skeletal pain and diabetes.

Results: Clinicians most frequently endorsed items on a scale concerned with patient centeredness, and less frequently endorsed items concerned with clinical and organizational self management support.

Reactivity of measurement in health psychology: how much of a problem is it? What can be done about it?

Purpose: Measurement reactivity is defined as being present where measurement results in changes in the people being measured. The main aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge concerning the extent and nature of psychological measurement affecting people who complete the measures. Other aims are to describe how this may affect conclusions drawn in health psychology research and to outline where more research is needed.

"What Should We Tell the Children About Relationships and Sex?"©: development of a program for parents using intervention mapping.

This article describes the development of an intervention that aims to increase the quantity and quality of parent-child communication about sex and relationships. The intervention has been designed as part of a local strategic approach to teenage pregnancy and sexual health. The process and findings of Intervention Mapping (IM), a tool for the development of theory-and evidence-based interventions, are presented.

What is the best way to change self-efficacy to promote lifestyle and recreational physical activity? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Purpose: Increasing self-efficacy is an effective method to increase physical activity. Despite this, the evidence concerning the most effective techniques to increase self-efficacy in physical activity interventions has not been systematically reviewed. The aim of the present research is to systematically gather, and meta-analyse, intervention studies which aimed to increase self-efficacy for physical activity; to estimate the association between intervention techniques used, and change in self-efficacy achieved.

Teenagers and emergency contraception in the UK: a focus group study of salient beliefs using concepts from the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Objectives: To explore teenagers' beliefs about emergency contraception (EC) within a Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework.

Methods: Six single sex focus groups comprising a total of 25 female and 23 male pupils aged 13-16 years conducted in schools in Central England.

Results: Attitudes to emergency contraception (EC) were mainly positive about the rewards of avoiding teenage pregnancy.