Are interventions delivered by healthcare professionals effective for weight management? A systematic review of systematic reviews.

Objective: There are many systematic reviews of weight management interventions delivered by healthcare professionals (HCP), but it is not clear under what circumstances interventions are effective due to differences in review methodology. This review of systematic reviews synthesises the evidence about: (a) the effectiveness of HCP-delivered weight management interventions and (b) intervention and sample characteristics related to their effectiveness.

Design: The review of reviews involved searching six databases (inception - October 2020).

Template for Rapid Iterative Consensus of Experts (TRICE).

Background: Public health emergencies require rapid responses from experts. Differing viewpoints are common in science, however, "mixed messaging" of varied perspectives can undermine credibility of experts; reduce trust in guidance; and act as a barrier to changing public health behaviours. Collation of a unified voice for effective knowledge creation and translation can be challenging.

A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: update of Medical Research Council guidance.

The UK Medical Research Council’s widely used guidance for developing and evaluating complex interventions has been replaced by a new framework, commissioned jointly by the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research, which takes account of recent developments in theory and methods and the need to maximise the efficiency, use, and impact of research.

Framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions: gap analysis, workshop and consultation-informed update.

Background: The Medical Research Council published the second edition of its framework in 2006 on developing and evaluating complex interventions. Since then, there have been considerable developments in the field of complex intervention research. The objective of this project was to update the framework in the light of these developments.

Reducing bias in trials from reactions to measurement: the MERIT study including developmental work and expert workshop.

Background: Measurement can affect the people being measured; for example, asking people to complete a questionnaire can result in changes in behaviour (the 'question-behaviour effect'). The usual methods of conduct and analysis of randomised controlled trials implicitly assume that the taking of measurements has no effect on research participants. Changes in measured behaviour and other outcomes due to measurement reactivity may therefore introduce bias in otherwise well-conducted randomised controlled trials, yielding incorrect estimates of intervention effects, including underestimates.

Exploring psychological factors associated with breastfeeding in women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m.

Objective: Women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m are less likely to initiate and maintain breastfeeding compared to normal-weight women. Psychological factors have been linked with breastfeeding, but their influence on women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m experiences needs further exploration. The aim of this study was to investigate whether psychological factors are voiced by women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m, and how these factors influence their breastfeeding.

Acceptability of a Brief Web-Based Theory-Based Intervention to Prevent and Reduce Self-harm: Mixed Methods Evaluation.

Background: The volitional help sheet (VHS) for self-harm equips people with a means of responding automatically to triggers for self-harm with coping strategies. Although there is some evidence of its efficacy, improving acceptability and making the intervention available in a web-based format may be crucial to increasing effectiveness and reach.

Objective: This study aims to use the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA) to explore the acceptability of the VHS, examine for whom and under what circumstances this intervention is more or less acceptable, and develop a series of recommendations for how the VHS can be used to support people in reducing repeat self-harm.

Effects of the first COVID-19 lockdown on quality and safety in mental healthcare transitions in England.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rapid implementation of changes to practice in mental health services, in particular transitions of care. Care transitions pose a particular threat to patient safety.

Aims: This study aimed to understand the perspectives of different stakeholders about the impact of temporary changes in practice and policy of mental health transitions as a result of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on perceived healthcare quality and safety.

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Primary Prevention Advice in Primary Care: A Systematic Review of Provider Attitudes and Routine Behaviours.

Implementing risk-stratified breast cancer screening is being considered internationally. It has been suggested that primary care will need to take a role in delivering this service, including risk assessment and provision of primary prevention advice. This systematic review aimed to assess the acceptability of these tasks to primary care providers.

Reasons for indoor tanning use and the acceptability of alternatives: A qualitative study.

Rationale: Using indoor tanning devices is associated with substantial health consequences, such as an increased risk of melanoma and other skin cancers. Many people including minors and some at high risk of skin cancer continue to use these devices. In the absence of effective restrictions on use, it is important that behaviour change interventions are designed to reduce indoor tanning.

Identifying the content and context of pain within paediatric rheumatology healthcare professional curricula in the UK: a summative content analysis.

Background: The curriculum for professionals working in paediatric rheumatology should include pain but it is unclear to what extent this currently occurs. The aim of this study was to identify pain-related curriculum content and the context in which pain is presented in educational and training documentation for healthcare professionals in this clinical speciality.

Methods: Core curricula documents from UK based professional organisations were identified in partnership with healthcare professionals.

What do young women below national screening age in England think about cervical cancer and cervical screening? A qualitative study.

Aims And Objectives: To explore what women aged below the national screening age in the UK know and think about cervical cancer and cervical screening.

Background: The efficacy of cervical cancer screening is well established. However, cervical screening attendance in the United Kingdom has decreased, with especially low rates at the first screening opportunity at age 25.

Identifying barriers and facilitators of hearing protection use in early-career musicians: a basis for designing interventions to promote uptake and sustained use.

Objective: The current study aimed to: i) determine the patterns of hearing protection device (HPD) use in early-career musicians, ii) identify barriers to and facilitators of HPD use, and iii) use the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to develop an intervention to increase uptake and sustained use of HPDs.

Design: A mixed-methods approach using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

Study Sample: Eighty early-career musicians (age range = 18-26 years; women  = 39), across all categories of musical instrument.

Identifying Targets for Interventions to Increase Uptake and Use of Hearing Protection in Noisy Recreational Settings.

Interventions to increase hearing protection behaviours within noisy recreational settings are limited by the lack of an underpinning evidence base. The aim of the present study was to identify targets for interventions in a population exposed to recreational noise, including those who had used hearing protection (ever-performers) versus those who had not (never-performers). A cross-sectional survey was administered to 185 UK adults who had been involved in noisy recreational activities.

Enhancing community weight loss groups in a low socioeconomic status area: Application of the COM-B model and Behaviour Change Wheel.

Background: Obesity rates are higher among people of lower socioeconomic status. While numerous health behaviour interventions targeting obesity exist, they are more successful at engaging higher socioeconomic status populations, leaving those in less affluent circumstances with poorer outcomes. This highlights a need for more tailored interventions.

Experiences of barriers to self-monitoring and medication-management among Indian patients with type 2 diabetes, their primary family-members and physicians.

Objectives: This study explored the subjective accounts of the main barriers to self-monitoring of blood-glucose (SMBG) and medication-management among Indian patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), their primary family-members (PFMs) and physicians.

Methods: Using convenience sampling, patients with T2DM, their PFMs, and physicians, residing in a South Indian capital city, were recruited for semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Reducing bias in trials due to reactions to measurement: experts produced recommendations informed by evidence.

Objective: This study (MEasurement Reactions In Trials) aimed to produce recommendations on how best to minimize bias from measurement reactivity (MR) in randomized controlled trials of interventions to improve health.

Study Design And Setting: The MERIT study consisted of: (1) an updated systematic review that examined whether measuring participants had effects on participants' health-related behaviors, relative to no-measurement controls, and three rapid reviews to identify: (i) existing guidance on MR; (ii) existing systematic reviews of studies that have quantified the effects of measurement on behavioral or affective outcomes; and (iii) studies that have investigated the effects of objective measurements of behavior on health-related behavior; (2) a Delphi study to identify the scope of the recommendations; and (3) an expert workshop in October 2018 to discuss potential recommendations in groups.

Results: Fourteen recommendations were produced by the expert group to: (1) identify whether bias is likely to be a problem for a trial; (2) decide whether to collect data about whether bias is likely to be a problem; (3) design trials to minimize the likelihood of this bias.

Understanding acceptability in the context of text messages to encourage medication adherence in people with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Acceptability is recognised as a key concept in the development of health interventions, but there has been a lack of consensus about how acceptability should be conceptualised. The theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA) provides a potential tool for understanding acceptability. It has been proposed that acceptability measured before use of an intervention (anticipated acceptability) may differ from measures taken during and after use (experienced acceptability), but thus far this distinction has not been tested for a specific intervention.

Including non-English language articles in systematic reviews: A reflection on processes for identifying low-cost sources of translation support.

Non-English language (NEL) articles are commonly excluded from published systematic reviews. The high cost associated with professional translation services and associated time commitment are often cited as barriers. Whilst there is debate as to the impact of excluding such articles from systematic reviews, doing so can introduce various biases.

Factors influencing health behaviour change during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.

Pregnancy is an opportune time for women to make healthy changes to their lifestyle, however, many women struggle to do so. Multiple reasons have been posited as to why this may be. This review aimed to synthesise this literature by identifying factors that influence women's health behaviour during pregnancy, specifically in relation to dietary behaviour, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use.

Sunbed Use among 11- to 17-Year-Olds and Estimated Number of Commercial Sunbeds in England with Implications for a 'Buy-Back' Scheme.

Prior to 2011 legislation prohibiting children from using commercial sunbeds, the prevalence of sunbed use in 15- to 17-year-olds in some areas in England was as high as 50%. Despite significant decreases since 2011, children today still practice indoor tanning. We estimated current sunbed use in 11- to 17-year-olds in England, the number of available commercial sunbed units, and the associated cost of a 'buy-back' scheme to remove commercial sunbeds under a potential future policy to ban sunbeds.

A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial of the I-PLAN Intervention to Promote Hearing Aid Use Among First-Time Adult Hearing Aid Users.

Suboptimal hearing aid use negatively impacts health and well-being. The aim of this study was to conduct a controlled trial of a behavior change intervention to promote hearing aid use. This study was a quasi-randomized controlled trial with two arms.