tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39553042105993732302024-03-18T03:04:08.500+00:00Fuse open science blogFuse open science blog
Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.comBlogger606125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-35928951906965850262024-03-14T10:30:00.002+00:002024-03-14T10:37:08.556+00:00Supporting people with Severe Mental Illness who face food insecurity to access a nourishing meal<i>Sally Smith, Peer Lead for Research, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV)</i><br /><br />I have met many wonderful and interesting people on the inside of a psychiatric ward. The immediacy and depth of connection between peers in there was an unexpected comfort in the most challenging of environments.<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdO_HVR4lTE-Lgwe3QphMhTKCNgMYoaY-VLVPilKwvPby22IUAmERd36gSgu1Z6QQ_ahR4fNIXeXeCcHKyTkzCt-vj9zePUc3Au9ClKZ55MP-li94AoW-x_MUbDMevHLoxaEyn9zP8dLho_OgM6UnRYuR2c6YnsN65i-xGP6rYqeS673MEyr3mR67tx8/s1100/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdO_HVR4lTE-Lgwe3QphMhTKCNgMYoaY-VLVPilKwvPby22IUAmERd36gSgu1Z6QQ_ahR4fNIXeXeCcHKyTkzCt-vj9zePUc3Au9ClKZ55MP-li94AoW-x_MUbDMevHLoxaEyn9zP8dLho_OgM6UnRYuR2c6YnsN65i-xGP6rYqeS673MEyr3mR67tx8/w640-h415/Picture1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration by Sally Smith</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I remember lots of the stories shared in the smoking corners of gardens. We often reflected on how misunderstood we felt in the ward and in the world.</div><div><br />One young woman was desperate to stay on the ward as she knew that was the only way she was certain of ongoing access to food. Her cupboards empty, her benefits paused, she was terrified about discharge. I was unsure how much <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/dialectical-behaviour-therapy-dbt/">Dialectical Behavioural Therapy</a> or anti-depressants would help: wouldn’t <b>anyone</b> feel miserable with no food or money?<br /><br />I remember physical health checks on the ward being introduced. Being weighed and measured, compared to the graphs…. and yet being given medication that makes you want to eat sugar out of the bag, being locked on a ward with no way to exercise, offered beige food four times a day and feeling so damn lousy and desperate that motivation to even clean your teeth was a challenge. <br /><br />It felt cruel and shaming. It certainly never helped me to change anything. <br /><br />In my mind it is no surprise that the mortality gap for people with severe mental illness (SMI) continues to rise, the challenges and barriers around nutrition that people living with SMI face continue to go unseen. No amount of lessons on what makes a healthy plate will make avocado cost less than crisps, and no knowledge of a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) will reduce the intense effects of psychiatric medication. <br /><br />And perhaps this is more of an issue than ever with austerity and the cost-of-living crisis exacerbating people’s struggles.<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Increasing accessibility of affordable healthy food to adults living with SMI in Middlesbrough</b></span><br /><br />With this perspective in mind, I was delighted to join the team working on this National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) <a href="https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/increasing-accessibility-of-affordable-healthy-food-to-adults-living-with-severe-mental-illness-in-middlesbrough/33659">Communities study</a> as a peer researcher. With co-production and the voice of lived experience running throughout the project, we are seeking to develop practical solutions for people living with SMI who face food insecurity in Middlesbrough. <br /><br />The project is a collaboration, bringing together lived experience with the best bits of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV), Teesside University and Middlesbrough Environmental City, a charity dedicated to promoting healthy and sustainable living. <br /><br />Over a period of 16 weeks, we plan to co-design and co-develop a nutritious meal with surplus fresh ingredients from local Eco shops (social supermarkets) that would otherwise go to waste. <br /><br />With the support of the food scientists at Teesside University, this will then be turned into a healthy ready meal and distributed back to Eco shops in Middlesbrough. Aiming to be an appetising, nourishing and accessible meal for local people battling severe mental illness, who for whatever reason may struggle to cook the fresh ingredients themselves. <br /><br />Through the design and delivery group we are hopeful that there may be additional benefits for all participants and the collaborating organisations, for example:<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The opportunity to learn some cooking skills and explore recipes that are good to cook on a budget.</li><li>The opportunity to develop peer relationships amongst the delivery group that support connection and foster hope for change.</li><li>The opportunity for organisations to learn from one another’s strengths and take a fully <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Biopsychosocial_Model" target="_blank">bio-psycho-social</a> lens on mental health difficulties.</li></ul>We are currently in the recruitment phase for participants and a collaboration of this type has not been without substantial challenge. It is has not been easy to marry NHS language and expectations and academic protocols with how a community organisation runs. It has not always been easy to find middle ground between the clinical expertise and lived experience expertise. However, I look forward to sharing the progress we make as the delivery team becomes established.</div><div> </div><div><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Research published by the project team</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>This <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12868" target="_blank">study published today</a> explores food insecurity prevalence and the experiences of adults with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) living in Northern England.</div><div><br /></div><div>This <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpm.12969">systematic review paper</a> found that people with SMI are more likely to experience food insecurity.<br /><br />Another <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/inm.13270">recently published paper</a> identified strategies to tackle food insecurity centred on making food banks more accessible and improving the quality of available food available.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><div><div style="mso-element: comment-list;"><div style="mso-element: comment;"><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_2" language="JavaScript">
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</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-53046467181416858292024-03-08T06:00:00.034+00:002024-03-08T12:58:09.471+00:00Saying farewell to Fuse and celebrating its remarkable women on International Women's Day<p><i><a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/lauraritson.html" target="_blank">Laura Ritson</a>, Programme Manager, NIHR Three Research Schools, Prevention Research Programme, Newcastle University</i></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span>We are marking International Women's Day by saying thank you and a farewell to Laura Ritson, who helped to establish Fuse in 2008 and has been integral to the Centre's success, while at the same time </span><a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/meetnewfusemanageragatarobertson.html" target="_blank">welcoming new Fuse Manager Agata Robertson</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In this post Laura talks about her journey with Fuse.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOWtTpQGFTai_BGvFiqmuu544byY5c74IxsujgwPTHygcqhYjanPXd1QRxsQd9gAKcBbm_2bOqj0r1TRRUvSCfI9thGH5CJwlHA8lgIBWpjLI-xnhR35rgPzLtJ_upUr1BJmBu4pGRUsQxk27219QrGTyVWvguIFsHjMANV0pef3LZ8oCgv97Vx4GPLU/s4032/Fuse%20at%2010%20senior%20researchers.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOWtTpQGFTai_BGvFiqmuu544byY5c74IxsujgwPTHygcqhYjanPXd1QRxsQd9gAKcBbm_2bOqj0r1TRRUvSCfI9thGH5CJwlHA8lgIBWpjLI-xnhR35rgPzLtJ_upUr1BJmBu4pGRUsQxk27219QrGTyVWvguIFsHjMANV0pef3LZ8oCgv97Vx4GPLU/w400-h300/Fuse%20at%2010%20senior%20researchers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating Fuse's 10th birthday</td></tr></tbody></table>After an incredible 16-year journey, the realisation that my
chapter with Fuse has come to a close feels surreal. I am deeply grateful for
the opportunity to have collaborated with an exceptional group of colleagues.
Their contributions not only fuelled the growth of Fuse but also played a vital
role in my personal development, fostering a continuous journey of learning and
growth throughout this period.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Casting my mind back to 2008, I had the privilege of
supporting Professor Martin White in spearheading an application to the <a href="https://www.ukcrc.org/" target="_blank">UK Clinical Research Collaboration</a> (UKCRC) for a Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. This ambitious
venture united our five esteemed North East Universities in a unique
collaboration dedicated to advancing world-class public health research. Our mission
was clear: to enhance health and well-being and combat inequalities. Professors
David Hunter, Charlotte Clarke, Janet Shucksmith, and Ann Crosland, among
others, joined forces with us in this endeavour. The success of the application
was made possible through the invaluable support of policy and practice leaders
in Public Health, including Professors Peter Kelly and Eugene Milne. Their
ongoing commitment to flying the Fuse flag is truly commendable. The Fuse
funding was allocated for infrastructure to build public health capacity in our
region. Securing funding alongside four other national centres forged close
working relationships that have endured over the years. In 2009, I was
delighted to be appointed as the Administrator for Fuse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Reflecting on the past, our initial funding contract
mandated a two-year review due to concerns about the complexity of our
collaborative model, one which we passed with flying colours. Fast forward to
today, and it's evident that collaborative efforts are now an integral part of
our professional landscape. Embracing collaboration with practice partners and
the public has been a significant aspect of our growth during my tenure with Fuse.
How times have changed, and how exciting it has been to witness and contribute
to this transformative evolution.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There have been so many highlights that it’s difficult to
know where to start, and impossible to cover them all!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We underwent a lengthy process to identify our name,
debating between Fuse and Rede! The communications agenda has grown
considerably since we first established Fuse, and we have produced this award-winning
blog and our <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/" target="_blank">public partner led podcast</a>, and found many other <a href="https://youtu.be/Y6nIIiHniuc">creative
ways to share our research</a> supported by Fuse Communications Manager Mark
Welford. The Fuse network has expanded to 2000 members, and we now have a
dedicated <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/joinfusespublicpartnernetwork/" target="_blank">Public Partner network</a>, thanks to the support of Fuse Public
Involvement and Engagement Manager Ella Anderson.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another jewel in the crown has been <a href="http://fuse.ac.uk/askfuse/">AskFuse</a>, a rapid response and evaluation
service for our policy and practice partners. Special thanks must go to
Professor Janet Shucksmith and Rosemary Rushmer, who were integral to establishing the service, and Dr Peter van der Graaf, Lesley Haley, and Annmarie Ruse, who
have supported the development and continued to lead the way with a service
that has also <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/aboutus/legacy/inspiringandinfluencingothers.html">inspired
and influenced</a> the development of other regional and national
infrastructures.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Capacity building has been integral to the Fuse endeavour,
and it’s been great to see the development of public health leaders of the
future. I’ve witnessed Fuse PhD students progress to senior-level careers in
local authorities, prestigious NIHR awards, and professorial appointments.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have been delighted to be part of the founders and
planning of the Fuse International Conference on Knowledge Exchange in Public Health, and I am
looking forward to connecting with colleagues at Cornell in June for the <a href="https://bctr.cornell.edu/2024fuseconference">6th International Conference</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4ZDFu08QB7gLgvDQjHBnxMNRpFJg6FO-RDJUfgog1za8ZqDFiyXdYzZ3nF97-f6oUx7T2M3IIlOM_CdZUsySjzErxsoU9-Hw0-nx-TkL471zlPymflPHvqtqYt6fileTv2DL5OvpVpi_-4NZxFJZtpdkqVkwBqQjdtmWVCtC3dnVv-IVevguFEJQvx0/s2048/Fuse%20Awards%202023.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4ZDFu08QB7gLgvDQjHBnxMNRpFJg6FO-RDJUfgog1za8ZqDFiyXdYzZ3nF97-f6oUx7T2M3IIlOM_CdZUsySjzErxsoU9-Hw0-nx-TkL471zlPymflPHvqtqYt6fileTv2DL5OvpVpi_-4NZxFJZtpdkqVkwBqQjdtmWVCtC3dnVv-IVevguFEJQvx0/w300-h400/Fuse%20Awards%202023.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving the Director's Award from Ashley at the Fuse Awards 2023</td></tr></tbody></table>I’ve seen many changes over the years, including in
directorship to Professor Ashley Adamson. Working with Ashley over the last 10
years has been truly inspirational. A successful woman leader, she has steered
Fuse through two renewals of its membership to the <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/">NIHR School for Public Health Research</a>
(SPHR) and also successfully directed the national School since 2017, with the
support of a fantastic directorate team at Newcastle University who I’ve been
fortunate to work alongside. I’ve also been inspired by the work of Professors
Eileen Kaner, Carolyn Summerbell, Clare Bambra, Susan Carr, Monique Lhussier,
and Amelia Lake. All of them challenged and helped me grow in the Administrator
role, which expanded considerably between 2008 and 2017, enabling a strong case
for a promotion opportunity to Fuse Manager.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 2018, we moved towards a Fuse sustainability model,
transitioning away from research council funding and towards Fuse partner
University contributions, one which took time, effort and challenging
conversations. Sustainability funding covers core staff costs and non-staff
activities, including successful <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/events/fuseresearchevents/previousresearchevents/" target="_blank">research events</a> that serve as a key
opportunity for disseminating our research, engaging in dialogue about
implications for policy and practice, making new and strengthening existing
contacts, and building a dialogue around research results and potential future projects.
These events are a crucial forum for knowledge exchange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has also been the development of the <a href="http://fuse.ac.uk/events/physicalactivityworkshops/">Physical Activity
network</a> and Embedded Researcher network which attract national level
engagement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 2020, I was an integral part of a Fuse-led application to
the <a href="https://phirst.nihr.ac.uk/">NIHR Public Health Interventions
Responsive Studies</a> scheme, in which PHIRST Fusion was established. The
Fusion initiative takes an evaluability assessment approach to co-producing evaluation
design that addresses the priorities of Local Authority stakeholders. Due to my
experience with Fuse, I led the communications agenda for PHIRST at a national
level and helped secure funding from the Department of Health and Social Care for
a dedicated Communications Manager post, which we now host within PHIRST Fusion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve been dedicated to working with Fuse for a number of years,
drawn by; the people, nature, and variety of the Programme Manager role, the
difference public health research is making to the population, and the
flexibility I’ve had during my career to bring up my children through a
combination of part-time and flexible working and during a national pandemic. I
was also enthused by the challenge each day brought my way. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve been grateful to Cheryl Wiscombe for supporting Fuse
Administration and, more recently, Ann Payne, who has supported me with Fuse’s
membership in SPHR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m thrilled to have transitioned into the role of Programme
Manager for the <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/research/prevention-programme/">NIHR
Three Schools Prevention Research Programme</a>, hosted by the School for
Public Health Research, all while pursuing a part-time MSc in strategic
leadership. Considering the latter, I had never thought myself capable of
undertaking such a commitment. However, thanks to the support and encouragement
of close colleagues, I've grown in confidence to seize this opportunity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has shown dedication to Fuse over the years. I wish Fuse the best of luck for
the future under the <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/fusewelcomesnewdirector.html">leadership of
the new Director</a>, Professor Sheena Ramsay, and Programme Manager Agata
Robertson. I am confident that the coming years will bring both joy and
challenges, and I eagerly anticipate following your progress, including the
expansion of Fuse into Cumbria and the reinvigoration of the Fuse research
clusters.</p><p class="MsoNormal">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p class="MsoNormal">Visit the Fuse website to <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/meetnewfusemanageragatarobertson.html" target="_blank">meet new Fuse Manager Agata Robertson</a>, as she tells us about herself, her interest in public health, and what attracted her to working with Fuse.</p><p></p>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-51403630519530432952024-03-07T06:00:00.001+00:002024-03-07T09:30:05.209+00:00Creating an out of this world children’s book to help families affected by substance use<i><a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/trainee/cassey-muir/" target="_blank">Cassey Muir</a>, Research Associate from Newcastle University<br /></i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">To celebrate <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WorldBookDay%20&src=typed_query&f=live" target="_blank">#WorldBookDay</a>, Cassey tells us about going beyond the research to co-produce a children's story book to help families affected by substance use which is now freely available.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“To take the findings from our lived experience and create something real for families and people beyond the world of research has been brilliant” </i></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">Young person involved in the project</span></blockquote><div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Creating something real: How we produced a children’s story book </span></b><br /><br />When I had the opportunity to create a children’s story book based on some of my PhD research that could help families affected by substance use, I was really excited to get started with the project. Ever since I was little, I wanted to write a children’s storybook and I had even mentioned this at my PhD interview panel, so being part of this project was a dream come true in many ways. </div><div><br /></div><div>To be able to create a book that has such meaning for the children and families involved has been incredibly rewarding, if not emotionally challenging at times. To help shape the plot and character development based on the stories of the young people that I had talked to during my PhD, felt like an enormous privilege but also a weight to get right. I wanted to make sure the story reflected the different experiences of children, while other members of the team were making sure the story reflected parents and caregivers’ experiences. Working with the talented Danielle Slade (author) and <a href="https://www.josiebrookes.com/about" target="_blank">Josie Brookes</a> (illustrator) helped make this process go as smoothly as possible. They were empathetic to the stories of families and wanted to keep to the integrity of family’s experiences and impacts, while making a story that was engaging. <br /><br />With the creative minds of Danielle and Josie, we worked with 15 family members who were affected by parental alcohol or drug use, three teachers, <a href="https://www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk/" target="_blank">Coram Life Education</a>, and <a href="https://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/" target="_blank">Coram Beanstalk</a> to co-produce this storybook. Using techniques like free writing to music, drawing different characters, and storyboarding ideas, we involved children and parents in the creative process from the start. Families were also able to see early mock-ups of the book and feedback their ideas on improvements to the story and share their preferences on illustrations. Josie and Danielle were really receptive to the ideas from children and parents and valued their input.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7tPvmI8Zq4BiqbFKa6V3-c4IN62dx_w6BcpoKUQIIOQg92bSNWYZ89zHfHLOH6qIqpawafqNVwvmDGoPZ7_wjsGpXYzm7FgXYuNWa_6wCabzLa2dCInayb-_swGHnE8Fe6wMnmLGijK1BedZOKffECwocxdH1eTxGwP19hhnT4oYfPhNKFF5Us2IApE/s4080/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7tPvmI8Zq4BiqbFKa6V3-c4IN62dx_w6BcpoKUQIIOQg92bSNWYZ89zHfHLOH6qIqpawafqNVwvmDGoPZ7_wjsGpXYzm7FgXYuNWa_6wCabzLa2dCInayb-_swGHnE8Fe6wMnmLGijK1BedZOKffECwocxdH1eTxGwP19hhnT4oYfPhNKFF5Us2IApE/w482-h640/6.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTrsabK7X0KxMdwUYpPoKiTUYp0JQQfTU2fMhWPDbVQPALgF31dAgPWXUSOUxRWFmaJ5PQtXReCx6OsCC8rEC0uXmLkPuoHX1gnDGsHx8s3rxhBGPy-Og_Zaa3JcxpjfPrk0Gg_cD-esDDhVv0kfYqTCjd1ECbGafbm81EZSyRt6aHlsaT4abx_IhGMY/s4032/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTrsabK7X0KxMdwUYpPoKiTUYp0JQQfTU2fMhWPDbVQPALgF31dAgPWXUSOUxRWFmaJ5PQtXReCx6OsCC8rEC0uXmLkPuoHX1gnDGsHx8s3rxhBGPy-Og_Zaa3JcxpjfPrk0Gg_cD-esDDhVv0kfYqTCjd1ECbGafbm81EZSyRt6aHlsaT4abx_IhGMY/w480-h640/2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />We met with teachers from local primary schools and practitioners from Coram to think about who the target age range of the book would be, how the book could be used within schools and practice, and how to help adults have conversations with children. Through these discussions we developed conversation prompts for adults that are at the back of the book. These prompts (for example, what do you think of the Yozzle?) can help with discussing the characters and themes within the book with children in one to ones, in groups, or within a whole class setting. Anyone can follow along with this story of Arti, a wishing star. We have received positive feedback from practitioners where this book has been used with younger children (5-8 years), older children as a discussion point for reflecting on childhood (14-16 years) as well as with children who have special educational needs and disabilities. <br /><br />We have also recently collaborated with Newcastle Film Club to produce a ‘story time’ video of the book being read by the author. This video allows the book to be accessed more widely and can be used alongside the book. Being able to produce this video, with Amy Mains (Director and Editor) and Scott Anderson (Director of Photography), who are also both teachers, was a fun and unique experience. We set up the equipment and reshuffled the backdrop in Fenham Library and managed to shoot the film in under two hours, just in time for the library opening to the public. I think this video adds an extra bit of magic to the story, with soft music and twinkling sounds!</div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8tvNq1VBDas?si=U8B7W5kUdh6_paXD" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Beyond the world of research: Creatively disseminating research findings </span></b><br /><br />For context on the book, <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/resources/resources-for-schools/" target="_blank">Twinkle, Twinkle Arti</a> is a free story book co-produced with and for children who experience parental alcohol and drug use. This book helps start conversations between trusted adults and affected children. The messages within the book are based on two linked studies around the needs of affected families, led by Fuse Researchers. <br /><br />The <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/research/safeguarding-children-affected-by-parental-substance-misuse-developing-parenting-interventions-to-support-non-using-parents/" target="_blank">Safe Space project</a>, led by Ruth McGovern, found that many parents and caregivers find it difficult to talk to their child about substance use and the impact upon the child and family. Parents and caregivers spoke about wanting resources to help with these conversations. Alongside this, research led by <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/trainee/cassey-muir/" target="_blank">me</a>, explored the experiences and support needs of children and young people. Children and young people told me that they valued the importance of confiding in a trusted adult such as a teacher, social worker, or family support worker but often did not know who they could trust or talk to, and prioritised approaches within schools which <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/12/what-support-do-children-and-young.html" target="_blank">promoted conversations about parental substance use</a>. <br /><br />The story book captures the emotional and social impacts of living in a difficult family situation, from the perspective of the child and the parent or caregiver, and highlights helpful strategies to support the child’s wellbeing, for example talking about your feelings. <br /><br />Using <b>out of this world</b> storytelling and fictional characters, the findings from these two studies are told in a way that makes them accessible to families and practitioners and offers positive messages and validation not only to children but to parents/caregivers and practitioners who find it challenging to know how to broach this sensitive topic.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9pGcKHS9wYQaqSaFGpLmYmV8AwqvbYnfDjvKMFJAlvrlaw3iCs5TivhZPGGhWSTRwrkYhiKj6VdraWI-YU-1UrVPO7RJS_upovBwppvL4K-eC3JW4x6IrSamPOL12k3ztmzqAH4wTGNsd78_qSfO7zMqCkm8sezQFPxAJjbCuVw_Vr0t9OXOkRr4i4U/s1200/p7-8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9pGcKHS9wYQaqSaFGpLmYmV8AwqvbYnfDjvKMFJAlvrlaw3iCs5TivhZPGGhWSTRwrkYhiKj6VdraWI-YU-1UrVPO7RJS_upovBwppvL4K-eC3JW4x6IrSamPOL12k3ztmzqAH4wTGNsd78_qSfO7zMqCkm8sezQFPxAJjbCuVw_Vr0t9OXOkRr4i4U/w640-h334/p7-8.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>We are freely sharing this book with families, schools, and practitioners across the country. To help understand the usability and impact of the storybook, we are gathering feedback from practitioners with a <a href="https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/newcastle/twinkle-twinkle-arti-feedback" target="_blank">short online survey</a>. This feedback will contribute to informing further development of the book and additional resources that are needed. I hope the book can be used across many different settings (schools, social care, and voluntary organisations) and can be shared with families who want to have those conversations. Within schools, we hope it is used in whole class situations, to reduce the stigma and show children they are not alone. It’s a fun story with fictional characters, and I hope families feel the book is engaging and non-stigmatising.</div><div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is some of the feedback that we have received so far about the book. </span></b><br /><br />A practitioner told us: <i>“It is so meaningful for children to know about the Yozzle [fictional character depicting alcohol or drugs in the book] and how it makes them feel. What a very complex idea to get across to children and yet it has been achieved with such skill!” </i><br /><br />A child who reviewed the book shared: <i>“It [the story] shows you’re not on your own and that there are other stars [fictional character depicting trusted adults] to support you.” </i><br /><br />A primary school teacher shared the following: <i>“There were no problems at all using Twinkle, Twinkle Arti in a whole class situation. In fact, I think it worked well as an introduction because it wasn't only alcohol use that the children discussed it was mental health, feelings, and how to overcome problems.” </i><br /><br />A parent who helped co-produce the book reflected: <i>“I am proud of the book because other children won't have to go through what my children have." </i><br /><br />I think it is really important for researchers to work collaboratively with public, practice, and policy partners and to engage in creative processes that open their research to wider audiences. Through this process, you might learn something new and have fun doing it. But don’t just take my word for it, here are the perspectives of the illustrator and young person involved in the project: <br /><br />Josie, the story’s illustrator, says: <i>“This has been a really inspirational project, and a joy to work with Danielle, the research team, and all the families involved. We collectively believed in the power of storytelling to get these important issues across, and the resulting book is something I am so proud to have been a part of making. I think children will connect with Arti, her colourful world, and her story. I am excited for it to be used as a positive resource with children and families, in opening up those very crucial conversations, whilst simultaneously being so enjoyable to read!” </i><br /><br />A young person reflected: <i>“This book is something I would have loved to have been able to give to ‘little’ me, having something that related to my home situation when I was a child. I feel rewarded to be able to do this for ‘me’ now, for little me going through all those hard times and for all the children who will read this book, who are going through something, have a hard home life, have parents who are struggling, anything. <br /><br />I hope through the book, we are able to show them that they are not alone and that there are people around them who are there to give them love and support. Hopefully, the book can help reach them earlier than I was reached out to. To create a book that would educate and support whomever read it, no matter their age or background, to be more than a storybook and to be able to help them, even in a small subtle way. It is a chance to reach the children that need it through a storybook that they come across all the time in life. It is incredibly rewarding to have a book that exists, that will last and be passed on to different children who are in a variety of situations for years to come. I am very proud of it. <br /><br />I sincerely hope the book not only entertains children at bedtime, but that it can in some ways soothe a child's worries. It was an honour to hear the brave accounts from families and even more so, that they have trusted us to put their feelings and stories into this book.”</i></div><div><i><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qESGPga9qpCXz-PewjIEUBc2FEnMRnH4dkNJPuiC-JQH90PK9sIlwS0fLtGN8qCWc_U7TL15Ajl5jQtG2T5OIrEa063xR1Z-mdVNWu-US94-w5eKJW55uxkZYhvfH0zdIBudinWZkrCo5FD8MlJ7ArzsKQIEm1myh58_QXS_EAhJuPaA5Q6J7bI8GH0/s1536/IMG_0410-1536x1152.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qESGPga9qpCXz-PewjIEUBc2FEnMRnH4dkNJPuiC-JQH90PK9sIlwS0fLtGN8qCWc_U7TL15Ajl5jQtG2T5OIrEa063xR1Z-mdVNWu-US94-w5eKJW55uxkZYhvfH0zdIBudinWZkrCo5FD8MlJ7ArzsKQIEm1myh58_QXS_EAhJuPaA5Q6J7bI8GH0/w640-h480/IMG_0410-1536x1152.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fuse researchers and lived experience expert at book launch event. From left to right: Ruth McGovern, Kira Terry, Cassey Muir and Debbie Smart </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></i>If you would like to learn more about this research, then please go to the links at the bottom of this page. And if you would like to join Arti on her journey of bravery, self-discovery, and learning about the important of talking about your feelings then take a look at the story book or <a href="https://youtu.be/8tvNq1VBDas?feature=shared" target="_blank">watch the video</a>.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Find out more</span></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Download the <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/resources/resources-for-schools/">book</a> free.</li><li>Listen to this Fuse <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/fuselaunchesinnovativepodcastledbypublicpartners.html">podcast</a> to hear Cassey discussing her research on social and emotional resilience in children and young people affected by parental substance use.</li><li>Read this <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/newchildrensstorybookpublishedtohelpfamiliesaffectedbysubstanceuse.html" target="_blank">Fuse news article</a> about Twinkle, Twinkle Arti.</li><li>Read this Alcohol Action Ireland <a href="https://alcoholireland.ie/free-childrens-book-supports-conversations-around-parental-substance-use/" target="_blank">blog</a> and listen to the <a href="https://shows.acast.com/5f157f638ce0a04ab0dd9305/episodes/6532621932aab9001203533c" target="_blank">podcast</a>.</li></ul></div><div><br /> <br /><i>All illustrations by Josie Brookes</i><br /><div style="mso-element: comment-list;"><div style="mso-element: comment;"><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_12" language="JavaScript">
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</div></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-1723555835826862342024-02-23T06:00:00.001+00:002024-02-23T15:22:21.547+00:00School's out for stigma: Understanding the mental health needs of LGBTQ+ youth<i>Posted by <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/liamspencer1.html" target="_blank">Liam Spencer</a>, Fuse Associate and Research Assistant at Newcastle University</i><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i> February is LGBTQ+ History Month, an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. The 2024 theme celebrates LGBT+ peoples’ contribution to science and medicine both historically and today. </i></h3><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i>In this blog, Liam </i><i>reflects on his research of LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health.</i></h3><div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ver2_badge-1536x1536.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ver2_badge-1536x1536.png" width="320" /></a></div>As LGBTQ+ History Month unfolds, it offers us an opportunity to reflect on the strides we’ve made, the challenges we still face, and the incredible diversity within our communities. This month holds particular significance for me – a chance to not only honour the struggles of those who came before us, but also to celebrate the progress we’ve achieved and recommit to the work that lies ahead.<br /><br />With a background in youth and community work practice, my research interests are primarily focused on children and young people’s mental health, particularly early and preventative interventions, and school-based interventions. My journey as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and as a researcher has been intertwined with a deep sense of purpose – to shed light on the unique mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. This is a mission born out of personal experience, and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the wellbeing of this community. <div><br /></div><div>I have recently been involved in several Fuse projects funded by the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/category/research/public-mental-health/" target="_blank">Public Mental Health programme</a>, and I’ve had the privilege of being able to delve into the complex dynamics of LGBTQ+ mental health, particularly in school environments. One of these projects, led by <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/social-policy/staff/profile?ReferenceId=192347" target="_blank">Professor Liz McDermott</a>, aimed to investigate the impact of school-based interventions on LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health.<br /><br />In the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638237.2023.2245894" target="_blank">first phase of our study</a>, we did a <a href="https://www.betterevaluation.org/methods-approaches/approaches/realist-evaluation" target="_blank">realist review</a> (a type of evidence review that assesses the specific contexts in which a certain intervention may or may not work) of published evidence and identified positive interventions that supported LGBTQ+ mental health in school environments. However, the focus tended to be upon outcomes and studies rarely detailed underlying processes. The <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4274" target="_blank">second phase of our study</a> aimed to develop a theory that explained how, why, for who, and in what context school-based interventions prevent or reduce mental health problems in LGBTQ+ young people, through participation with key stakeholders.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uXTzHgcIfbIZLfvb8Pw3skYttQMVcFI_Rw4NyPcY4cnnGFnNC3va5MOaZ3RcaIPhfJFhwQrI0eNHc8AhG20x_VSz0JOgWzRe1gij0aAawU8278B_NDdK_al7X797UH1MrN2pmPWBtVsnTPGcHb4aGX1YSP01s5QG4RPPvioCff3gTRuj5dNEukI7WvM/s960/mesh-TRVSyEf4UEE-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uXTzHgcIfbIZLfvb8Pw3skYttQMVcFI_Rw4NyPcY4cnnGFnNC3va5MOaZ3RcaIPhfJFhwQrI0eNHc8AhG20x_VSz0JOgWzRe1gij0aAawU8278B_NDdK_al7X797UH1MrN2pmPWBtVsnTPGcHb4aGX1YSP01s5QG4RPPvioCff3gTRuj5dNEukI7WvM/w266-h400/mesh-TRVSyEf4UEE-unsplash.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>We interviewed LGBTQ+ young people aged between 13 to 18 years attending secondary schools; intervention practitioners; and school staff in the UK. We then analysed this data to identify relationships across different interventions that improved mental health outcomes. The theory we produced explains how school-based interventions that directly tackle dominant cisgender and heterosexual norms can improve LGBTQ+ pupils’ mental health. Specifically, our theory proposes three interventions that may improve these outcomes:</div><div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Interventions that promote LGBTQ+ visibility and facilitate <a href="https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/resources/for-educators/" target="_blank">usualising</a>, school belonging, and recognition.</li><li>Interventions for talking and support that develop safety and coping.</li><li>Interventions that address institutional school culture (staff training and inclusion polices) that foster school belonging, empowerment, recognition, and safety.</li></ol><div>Ultimately, our research underscores the importance of providing a school environment that affirms and normalises LGBTQ+ identities, promotes school safety and belonging, and addresses systemic issues within educational institutions. By implementing evidence-based interventions informed by our theory, we can pave the way for improved mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ pupils.<br /><br />This month serves as a powerful reminder of our collective resilience, our shared struggles, and our unwavering commitment to justice and equality. Let us continue to push boundaries, challenge norms, and advocate for a world where difference is celebrated and all are embraced for who they are – within academia, our personal lives, and beyond.<br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/phsi-edi/" target="_blank">Adapted with thanks to the PHSI EDI Committee Newcastle University</a></i></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Images:</b></div><div>Image 1: courtesy of <a href="https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/lgbt-history-month-2024/" target="_blank">Schools OUT LGBT+ History Month 2024</a></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-91689164094871141682024-02-16T06:00:00.014+00:002024-02-16T06:00:00.244+00:00Beyond stats and diseases: my summer internship in Public Health<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SPHR-picture-aspect-ratio-1-1.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="689" height="200" src="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SPHR-picture-aspect-ratio-1-1.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div>Posted by <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/trainee/bethany-henshaw/">Bethany Henshaw</a>, NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) Intern in Fuse, undergraduate at Newcastle University</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) recently asked its members (including Fuse) if we would like to host an internship this summer. The <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/news-and-events/summer-internship-scheme-in-public-health-research/" target="_blank">summer internships</a> are aimed at undergraduate students with an interest in a career in public health research. The internships offer support for 6-8-week projects supervised by SPHR Early Career Researcher (ECRs), Fellows and PhD students. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>In this post, Beth (pictured right) tells us about her internship experience last year at Gateshead Council. <br /></i><br /><br /></div><div>When you think of the term ‘public health’ what comes to mind? According to the World Health Organization, it is:<div><blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">“the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society.” </span></blockquote></blockquote><div>If you had asked me this question in early 2023, I would probably have given a very general, slightly muddled answer which was focused on the disease aspect of the field. What my answer would have highlighted was that I had very little understanding of just how broad and wide ranging the field of public health is. <br /><br />Last year I undertook a NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) summer internship in Fuse, looking at the perspectives of <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/workforce-and-training/social-prescribing-link-workers/">social prescriber link workers</a> (who connect people to community-based support) on the promotion of active travel. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X22002025">Active travel</a> refers to modes of travel that involve a level of physical activity such as walking and cycling. I was interested in understanding how social prescriber link workers felt the prescription of this to their patients would impact them. <br /><br />The findings will be used to inform the development of an active travel pilot in Gateshead. The internship was a fantastic experience in many ways: it enabled me to develop my qualitative research skills, for example, I developed a topic guide for the social prescriber link worker focus group, and gave me valuable insight into professional working life. However, my biggest take-away was the insight it gave me into career options within public health. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1cY_ixr06nTbky59VR0qmrtmcRMAstCnp3IaI4uX75YacuSsAyH5-mH1EfrhrNwSwFPaGXYOeBQL2k1VNdf1CY8jfS5YuoKU66KOShVdqhElGRhPYqT6R2psWul83qQInpS_MCQem912MzbD3O-sNqcWXPzFbbNpwLxAqjXK2RoKRImLLd4AYSsKmQE/s960/pexels-cottonbro-studio-5473950.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1cY_ixr06nTbky59VR0qmrtmcRMAstCnp3IaI4uX75YacuSsAyH5-mH1EfrhrNwSwFPaGXYOeBQL2k1VNdf1CY8jfS5YuoKU66KOShVdqhElGRhPYqT6R2psWul83qQInpS_MCQem912MzbD3O-sNqcWXPzFbbNpwLxAqjXK2RoKRImLLd4AYSsKmQE/w266-h400/pexels-cottonbro-studio-5473950.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behind the stats are real people with their own unique story</td></tr></tbody></table>As a biomedical science undergraduate, I spent two years studying topics like physiology, pharmacology, and immunology largely at the molecular level. I understand how many different diseases invade the body and make a patient ill. However, for a while now I have been interested in understanding disease at a population level. Rather than the cellular mechanisms of disease, I have grown more interested in why some people are more susceptible, and how we can reduce this disparity and prevent further people from becoming ill in the future. Before my internship, I mainly considered public health from a disease related perspective and thought that <a href="https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/directorates/public-health/health-protection">health protection</a> covered the vast majority of the field. However, by speaking to both researchers and members of the Public Health team at Gateshead Council, it became clear to me that it covers significantly more than this! Issues such as environmental health, health services and health improvement are all things I previously wouldn’t have thought about when trying to define what I considered public health to be. <br /><br />Something that surprised me during my internship was just how central recognising the individuality of each patient’s situation is in public health. I came to the realisation that when I had read research papers on disease outbreaks or rates of chronic disease as part of my degree, I had been overlooking this important detail: that behind the stats are real people with their own unique story. Talking to members of the active travel social prescribing team at the Council, made me realise just how individual and unique the journey is for each patient. Summarising, for example, how many patients continued to regularly use active travel for the time period they were prescribed it as a percentage does not reflect the reality of what these patients go through, something that will only be understood by talking to the patients to understand their experience. I found this outlook on viewing patients as people and not just statistics to be incredibly refreshing, and it has provided me with a new perspective to take into my final year of university and beyond. <br /><br />My internship offered me a view of what life could be like working within public health research and the broader field. My understanding of what public health is, has been challenged and has been significantly changed from the disease focused perspective I had before. However, one of the main things I will take away is that behind all the statistics we see in the news and read in research papers regarding rates of disease, it is vital to remember that each statistic is a patient whose own unique experience should not be undermined.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span face="PlusJakartaSans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, Ubuntu, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span face="PlusJakartaSans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, Ubuntu, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre;"><b>Image:</b></span></span></div><div><span face="PlusJakartaSans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, Ubuntu, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre;">2. Photo by cottonbro studio: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-with-red-light-on-face-5473950/">https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-with-red-light-on-face-5473950/</a></span></span></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-47939815440695644322024-02-09T06:00:00.007+00:002024-02-12T13:33:32.952+00:00How can we fail more intelligently?<i>Posted by Peter van der Graaf, Northumbria University; Amanda Purington Drake, Cornell University; and Ien van de Goor, Tilburg University</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXAi5g2zp1JKx0CE0gKhKIy1Fk6S1P8xa0vk6JVF66cMgF9EBcgXVvN0ntCWnoXlktAGJi5IvM4f0VNZFR0vMjx49wGThx-zPFPvIQ3Ph669kWUy_JlJMNGwHLq2n3J2FJNAURrqIMNzJmXhZxBRQF_GBS9vKaCWu8Mjx8Bf9gFJdoPVfDmViZRx5npY/s1280/success-1123017_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXAi5g2zp1JKx0CE0gKhKIy1Fk6S1P8xa0vk6JVF66cMgF9EBcgXVvN0ntCWnoXlktAGJi5IvM4f0VNZFR0vMjx49wGThx-zPFPvIQ3Ph669kWUy_JlJMNGwHLq2n3J2FJNAURrqIMNzJmXhZxBRQF_GBS9vKaCWu8Mjx8Bf9gFJdoPVfDmViZRx5npY/w640-h426/success-1123017_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We don’t like talking about failures, as it signals loss of time, resources and reputation, but failures present opportunities for learning in knowledge exchange. <div><br /></div><div>However, this requires a ‘failure culture’ in academia and policy, in which failures are no longer avoided but actively encouraged. To learn how to turn failures into successes, we need to share and publish our failures, have early engagement with all stakeholders in the knowledge exchange process, and make more use of <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2023/11/should-researchers-act-as-disruptors.html" target="_blank">boundary spanners</a>.<br /><br />There are plenty of academic papers celebrating successes in knowledge exchange, but not many researchers and policy makers talk openly about their failures. But learning from failures is just as important, if not more crucial, than celebrating successes. Allowing partners to reflect in a safe space on knowledge exchange practices and research projects gone wrong, in which communication broke down, partners did not engage or dropped out, and evidence was not taken up or ignored, will provide important lessons on how knowledge exchange practices and research can be improved.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FVYEk4FXEAk35i2?format=jpg&name=900x900" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FVYEk4FXEAk35i2?format=jpg&name=900x900" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Iske. Chief Failure Officer, speaking at the Fuse conference in 2022 </td></tr></tbody></table>At the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220813001754/https:/www.fuseconference.net/">5th Fuse Conference on Knowledge Exchange in Public Health</a> in 2022, we created such a space in Newcastle by bringing together over 100 academic researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and community members to share and reflect on their failures and how to turn them into success. <i>Don't miss the <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/submityourproposalforthe6thfuseinternationalconferenceintheusa.html" target="_blank">6th conference in the US</a> !</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>Our <a href="https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/evp/20/1/evp.20.issue-1.xml" target="_blank">Special Issue: Learning from failures in knowledge exchange</a> published this month in journal Evidence & Policy brings together selected papers from the conference and papers that were submitted in response to an open call afterwards. From 23 original submissions from 14 different countries (including the UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Kenya, Chile, South Korea, and Portugal) and from a range of disciplines and areas of focus (Public Health, Primary Care, Oral Health, Sociology, Anthropology, Public Management, Policy-Making, and Community and Voluntary Sector), we invited four research papers and three practice papers for full submissions.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiBM9jmXsAI4z0V?format=jpg&name=360x360" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="332" height="200" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiBM9jmXsAI4z0V?format=jpg&name=360x360" width="200" /></a></div>This includes a paper from Fuse Associate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1332/17442648Y2023D000000003">Mandy Cheetham and her practice colleagues</a> on the challenges of co-production. They reflect on the failed performance of a <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2020/12/speaking-truth-to-power-is-all-we-can-do.html" target="_blank">theatre play to mobilise the research findings</a> of a qualitative study into the health and wellbeing effect of major social security reforms (Universal Credit) in the North East of England. They argue that academics fail to appreciate emotional engagement of stakeholders in knowledge exchange.</div><div><br /></div>The point about emotional labour in knowledge exchange and research <a href="https://doi.org/10.1332/17442648Y2023D000000008">is further developed (and flipped) by Louise Warwick-Booth, Ruth Cross and James Woodall</a>. They reflect on data generated from three evaluation studies across different Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) interventions in the North of England. In their paper, they expose the conflict between the research teams and evaluation partners, structured around five key features of co-production to highlight the emotional costs and labour involved for researchers.<div><br /></div><div>The seven papers highlight different ways of defining and conceptualising failures in knowledge exchange, ranging from mis-implementations, to setbacks, pitfalls, unproductive interactions between stakeholders, conflicts in co-production, and deviations from expected and desired results. Using different theories and frameworks, the papers in this special issue demonstrate that failures are complex problems, involving many actors at different levels across various organisations and networks. These organisations and networks are in turn influenced by a range of determinants, from workforce instability, leadership challenges, and lack of adequate funding to practical, everyday issues, such as logistical, technical, and buy-in considerations.</div><div><br />Each paper offers a different perspective on relational barriers and structural stressors contributing to failures, but all authors agree that failures offer opportunities for learning, particularly small failures. We tend to focus on large catastrophic failures, but small failures are often the early warning signs, which can help to avoid larger failure in the future. To support this learning, we need to talk more openly about failures and create a culture where talking about and sharing of failures is more accepted and, even better, actively encouraged. Therefore, we argue for more deliberate experimentation in organisations and partnerships to allow for failures that provide rich insight and learning. How can we fail more intelligently? And how do we create spaces and time for reflection on failures between evidence producers, brokers and users to share this learning and support them in turning failures into successes?<br /><br /><br />This blog post is based on the article, ‘<a href="https://doi.org/10.1332/17442648Y2023D000000018">Learning from failures in knowledge exchange and turning them into successes’</a>, which introduces the Special Issue: ‘<a href="https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/evp/20/1/evp.20.issue-1.xml">Learning from Failures in Knowledge Exchange</a>’. Adapted with thanks to <a href="https://evidenceandpolicyblog.co.uk/2024/02/07/why-failure-isnt-the-f-word-in-knowledge-brokering-2/#more-1829" target="_blank">Evidence & Policy</a>.</div><div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Authors</b><br /><br />Peter van der Graaf is an Associate Professor in Public Health at Northumbria University and Research Manager of <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/askfuse/" target="_blank">AskFuse</a> - the responsive research and evaluation service run by Fuse. Peter is interested in the interface between research, practice and policy making and how this interface facilitates (or hinders) social improvement processes at local, regional, national and international levels. He conducts research on knowledge mobilisation in public health, with a focus on the wider determinants of health (e.g. housing, health landscapes, urban regeneration) and how they affect people’s health and wellbeing.</div><div><br />Amanda Purington Drake, PhD, is the Director of the ACT for Youth Center for Community Action at the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research and a research collaborator with the Social Media Lab, both at Cornell University, USA. Amanda has a passion for using research and evaluation to help communities to promote and support the health and wellbeing of youth. Her work in the Bronfenbrenner Center has focused on promoting positive youth development, investigating non-suicidal self-injury in general populations of adolescents and young adults, and evaluating the effectiveness of large-scale adolescent sexual health initiatives. She has co-developed and evaluated interventions to develop youth social media literacy and to promote parent-teen communication about sexual health. Amanda works to bridge research and evaluation with practice and policymaking to prevent youth risk-behavior and promote healthy development.<br /><br />Ien van de Goor (MSc, PhD) works as endowed professor and program leader in Public Health and Prevention at Tranzo, Faculty of Social and Behavioral sciences, Tilburg University, in the Netherlands. She has a background in health sciences with many years of research experience in evidence-informed public health. Central areas of interest are healthy behaviour in relation to the environment, poverty and vulnerable groups, and monitoring and public health policy.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The views and opinions expressed by the authors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.</i></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-51662468651652761682024-01-26T06:00:00.001+00:002024-01-26T06:00:00.140+00:00A new social contract for Public Health<i>By David Hunter, Newcastle University; Peter Littlejohns, King’s College London; Albert Weale, University College London; Jacqueline Johnson, public health and management consultant; and Toslima Khatun, King’s College London</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxf8lEt5UJefLR_Ip6723rJuvB61AVyfFGbtLqNXTz4rdcqOq7maW4fpbUS_Jn4HiAMmmg9awJeG3GJOcWzguI6zw72YmwMZeVfxongLfKRckPa7Z2D3B1UgS-QhNelzfVpdOZMbP8RsNAy_BhdSghOjyVV7c3Is8qE6yrWZ5OFKJG9bQPqLvYSanwdc/s1280/mural-6161057_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxf8lEt5UJefLR_Ip6723rJuvB61AVyfFGbtLqNXTz4rdcqOq7maW4fpbUS_Jn4HiAMmmg9awJeG3GJOcWzguI6zw72YmwMZeVfxongLfKRckPa7Z2D3B1UgS-QhNelzfVpdOZMbP8RsNAy_BhdSghOjyVV7c3Is8qE6yrWZ5OFKJG9bQPqLvYSanwdc/w640-h426/mural-6161057_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Air pollution is widely recognised as a serious health hazard while Covid-19 shone a spotlight on the weaknesses of the UK’s public health system<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The UK is in the grip of a public health crisis. With depressing regularity, new research shows the growing deterioration of the public’s health. Improvements in life expectancy have stalled, health inequalities have widened, obesity and alcohol misuse are placing an increasing strain on health services, and air pollution is now widely recognised as a serious health hazard. While Covid-19 shone a spotlight on the weaknesses of the UK’s public health system, they had existed for some time. Indeed, as Michael Marmot has argued, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/10/england-worst-covid-figures-austerity-inequality" target="_blank">most of the deterioration in health stems from 2010 and the Coalition government’s austerity policy</a>. This resulted in cuts to public spending with local government, which is responsible for public health, suffering some of the deepest.<i><br /></i><div><br /></div><div>Despite the wealth of evidence testifying to the parlous state of public health and with many studies offering solutions that are both cost-effective and for which there is robust evidence, there remain significant political and organisational barriers to the realisation of an effective public health system. Unless these are confronted, the chances of progress are slim. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A new social contract for public health </b></span><br /><br />We support the case for a new social contract in which health policy is truly public. Public health policies are often criticised by those of a neoliberal persuasion for restricting individual choice and for ‘nanny statism’. We refer to this form of liberalism as ‘vulgar individualism’. Big government and state overreach are viewed as problems which stifle personal freedom and hinder private sector growth on which the economy depends. <br /><br />In fact, a much bigger problem is state underreach and a failure to take up and apply policies and policy instruments that are known to be effective in order to improve health. But as long as governments continue to subscribe to the view that the health of individuals is a matter of personal responsibility then action of the kind needed will not be forthcoming. Over the past 13 years or so, successive governments have subscribed to this view ignoring all the evidence which demonstrates the flaw at the heart of such thinking, namely, a belief that that government is best which governs least. <br /><br />In place of such a stunted political ideology we propose a new social contract for public health incorporating the principles of what might be termed ‘social individualism’, that is, a commitment to using the instruments of collective political authority to create the conditions for individual choice and fulfilment. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>What are the elements of the new social contract for public health? </b></span><br /><br />First, and importantly, a social contract for public health would focus on prevention, reflecting the significant body of evidence demonstrating how a wide range of public health measures would prevent more serious conditions developing. But while it is easy to state all this, as indeed numerous academics and analysts have done over many years, unless political leadership is in place to confront the challenges the prospect of change happening is slim. <br /><br />A particular challenge is the tension arising from the urgent driving out the important. With an NHS under extreme pressure in respect of growing waiting lists and staff shortages, for electoral and other reasons, politicians are most likely to prioritise addressing these to the exclusion of longer-term public health measures. Yet, as the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148568/the-hewitt-review.pdf" target="_blank">Hewitt Review of Integrated Care Systems</a> points out, ‘we have mistaken NHS policy for healthcare policy’. <br /><br />Second, a new social contract requires a precautionary state, paying attention not only to known hazards but also to remote and uncertain ones. If the pandemic taught us anything, it was the need to be prepared and have sufficient resources in place to enable swift and effective action to be taken. Sadly, for a government emerging from the debacle over Brexit and trapped in a mindset of short-termism with a focus on campaigning rather than governing, adopting a policy of precaution does not come naturally. <br /><br />Third, social solidarity is required in the face of health inequalities. Social individualism recognises that policies for the most vulnerable are not policies for a particular group in society, but policies for all of us when in need. What is required from public policy is the support to resilience over the life cycle. <br /><br />Fourth, a new social contract requires a different approach to government and governance. In particular, addressing the short-termism that pervades our politics has to be challenged and replaced by a more sober acknowledgement of how governments need to function. A populist politics that wishes away the need for planning and relies on easy, facile slogans to attain and retain office – ‘the unbearable lightness of politics’ as the historian, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/178939/ill-fares-the-land-by-judt-tony/9780718191412" target="_blank">Tony Judt</a>, put it – undercuts the seriousness that is needed for effective government. <br /><br />Above all, a new social contract sees a central role for an active state. To this end, we set out a manifesto to frame the approach to public health that is needed in the hope that it might inform the political debate as preparations get underway for a general election due over the next year. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A manifesto </b></span><br /><br />Much that needs to be done already exists and is supported by a sound evidence base as well as by the main UK public health bodies. The Hewitt Review’s plea for priority to be given to population health matched by new investment is also worth acting on. Some measures could be swiftly adopted by a new government if it so chose. Others will take longer but making a start by implementing what be done quickly would make most sense in tackling the crisis facing public health. <br /><br />Above all, regardless of the particular topic demanding attention, at the heart of public health policy is the need to work in a cross-organisational and cross-sectoral way. This will not happen without strong political leadership, but to embed a cross-government commitment to public health requires new legislation to place a duty on all government departments to respect in their policies the claims of public health. To monitor how policy is taken forward and implemented, there is a strong case for making the publication of health impact statements obligatory. <br /><br />If the winds of change blowing through the country offer a turning point in the public’s health, then the incoming government has no time to lose in seizing the opportunity. <br /><br /><br /><div><i>For an extended discussion of the issues raised go to our new book: Littlejohns P, Hunter DJ, Weale A, Johnson J and Khatun T (2024) Making Health Public: A Manifesto for a New Social Contract. Bristol: Policy Press </i><br /><br /><a href="https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/making-health-public">Bristol University Press | Making Health Public - A Manifesto for a New Social Contract, By Peter Littlejohns, David J. Hunter, Albert Weale, Jacqueline Johnson and Toslima Khatun</a> <br /><br /><br /></div><div><b>Authors</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>David J Hunter, Emeritus Professor of Health Policy and Management, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University <br /><br />Peter Littlejohns, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, Centre for Implementation Sciences, Institute for Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King’s College London <br /><br />Albert Weale, Emeritus Professor of Political Theory and Public Policy, University College London <br /><br />Jacqueline Johnson, pubic health and management consultant <br /><br />Toslima Khatun, teaching fellow, King’s College London <br /><br /> <br /><br /><b>References</b></div><div><b><br /></b><div>The answer starts with austerity, The Guardian, 10 August</div><div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/10/england-worst-covid-figures-austerity-inequality">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/10/england-worst-covid-figures-austerity-inequality</a></div><div><br /></div>Hewitt P (2023) The Hewitt Review: An independent review of integrated care systems, GOV.UK <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148568/the-hewitt-review.pdf">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148568/the-hewitt-review.pdf</a> <br /><br />Judt T (2010) Ill Fares the Land. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books <div><a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/178939/ill-fares-the-land-by-judt-tony/9780718191412" target="_blank">https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/178939/ill-fares-the-land-by-judt-tony/9780718191412 </a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The views and opinions expressed by the authors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of </i><i>Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.</i></div></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Image:</b></div>
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/gaimard-10324218/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=6161057">Jacques GAIMARD</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=6161057">Pixabay</a>.Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-47601674145065663282024-01-19T06:00:00.001+00:002024-01-19T15:07:26.740+00:00Energy drinks may be commercially lucrative but what is more valuable than the health of our children? <i>Posted by <a href="https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/amelia-lake" target="_blank">Amelia A Lake</a>, Professor of Public Health Nutrition at Teesside University, and <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/shelinavisram.html" target="_blank">Shelina Visram</a>, Senior Lecturer in Public Health at Newcastle University</i><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9feRGz5wi2gk0ZJ0xpyr4GxylDQO5Mq_XxhDCL4RBmsbrIekK6w5cepAUPAMuDQ0IZmPyXYPIX4pVRhXI0j3Mys1Chkuom6sLWowE9DHoqjTc9-e28mKgVqBEhMuPzcmJQasXCw1npmuidi-2C2S0IXlaMYVdWkk-VIOwSkF282thPwr6Sma4ALeKhww/s1280/red-bull-249416_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9feRGz5wi2gk0ZJ0xpyr4GxylDQO5Mq_XxhDCL4RBmsbrIekK6w5cepAUPAMuDQ0IZmPyXYPIX4pVRhXI0j3Mys1Chkuom6sLWowE9DHoqjTc9-e28mKgVqBEhMuPzcmJQasXCw1npmuidi-2C2S0IXlaMYVdWkk-VIOwSkF282thPwr6Sma4ALeKhww/w400-h266/red-bull-249416_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As we prepared <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350623003189">our new review</a> on the health effects of the consumption of energy drinks by children and young people, we have been dwelling more and more on the Commercial Determinants of Health.<div><div>The Commercial Determinants of Health are <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/commercial-determinants-of-health#:~:text=Commercial%20determinants%20of%20health%20are,or%20indirectly%2C%20positively%20or%20negatively">defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO)</a> as: </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">“...the private sector activities that affect people’s health, directly or indirectly, positively or negatively.”</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The WHO definition goes on to expand on how these activities might include the private sector influencing:</div><div><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">“...the social, physical and cultural environments through business actions and societal engagements; for example, supply chains, labour conditions, product design and packaging, research funding, lobbying, preference shaping and others.”</span></blockquote>Now cast your mind back to pre-Covid… a Government consultation on the banning of energy drinks had a 93% backing to restrict the sale of these drinks to under 16s. There was even a Green Paper proposing this. Yet, there has been inaction (helpfully <a href="https://www.sustainweb.org/blogs/mar22-energy-drinks-ban/" target="_blank">summarised here</a> by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming).</div><div><br />What is causing this inaction? Is it a turnaround in evidence that suggests these drinks are not as harmful as previously thought, or is there something else going on...? Perhaps, instead there are some pretty significant commercial interests at stake; but what could be more valuable than the health and wellbeing of our children and young people?<br /><br />Energy Drinks are VERY commercially viable. They have been the fastest growing sector of the soft drink market for some time. In 2020 the global market was worth $45.80 billion and this is projected to grow at an annual rate of 8.2%. In an article in December 2023, <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/top-products/soft-drinks-carbonates-and-energy-drinks-2023-viral-drink-prime-steals-the-spotlight/686235.article">The Grocer</a> described the hydration drink and energy drink market as “buoyant”. <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/top-products/soft-drinks-carbonates-and-energy-drinks-2023-viral-drink-prime-steals-the-spotlight/686235.article"></a> <br /><br />Research has found that around one in three young people (under 18) say that they regularly consume energy drinks, typically containing high levels of caffeine and sugar in combination with other ingredients known to have stimulant properties. On average, young people in the UK consume more energy drinks than those in other European countries. <br /><br />You may be familiar with the labelling on energy drinks:</div><div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmsctech/821/IDExport-web-resources/image/Image2705.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="800" height="356" src="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmsctech/821/IDExport-web-resources/image/Image2705.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.parliament.uk">www.parliament.uk</a> (by URL)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">‘</span><span style="font-size: large;">‘</span><span style="font-size: medium;">High caffeine content. <b>Not recommended for children</b> or pregnant or breast-feeding women</span><span style="font-size: large;">’</span><span style="font-size: large;">’</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div>Under <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c98a3d040f0b633f7198a2d/govt-response-to-science-and-technology-committee-energy-drinks-report-print.pdf">current labelling rules</a>, any drink, other than tea or coffee, that contains over 150mg of caffeine per litre requires this label and should state the amount of caffeine in milligrams per 100ml of the drink.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet why do we see these drinks unrestricted and available to children and young people, not just in the UK but globally? Some countries have attempted to regulate energy drinks (<a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/energydrinksassociatedwithincreasedriskofmentalhealthissuesinchildren.html">see our research for more on this</a>).</div><div><br />Our new review of the global evidence around energy drinks and the health impacts on children and young people shows a worrying increase in the types of health outcomes associated with their consumption. This includes mental as well as physical health behaviours. Not only health impacts but wider impacts around sleep and educational attainment. <br /><br />This new review is the latest of many which have highlighted the impacts of these products to our younger population. <br /><br />We accept the evidence is from mostly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32658654/#:~:text=Cross%2Dsectional%20studies%20are%20observational,describe%20features%20of%20a%20population." target="_blank">cross-sectional studies</a>, exploring association rather than causation. Experimental studies to establish causation have both ethical and feasibility issues. We have <a href="https://www.jamieoliver.com/features/its-time-to-ban-the-sale-of-energy-drinks-to-children/">argued before</a> <a href="https://www.jamieoliver.com/features/its-time-to-ban-the-sale-of-energy-drinks-to-children/"></a>that the precautionary principle should be applied. This country <a href="https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/underage-sales/age-restrictions">bans the sale of a number of items to young people</a> (fireworks, crossbows, knives) <a href="https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/underage-sales/age-restrictions"></a>presumably these don’t have the large commercial interests or lobbying groups that the energy drink industry has? <br /><br />Why are we applying a higher standard of evidence to energy drinks, if it isn’t around their commercial value? <br /><br />The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350623003189">evidence is here</a>, the labels clearly say these drinks are not suitable for children. How many more studies are needed before policy action is enacted? <br /><br /><span></span>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><b>Fuse Podcast about this Energy Drinks research</b><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Listen to the latest episode of the Fuse podcast ‘<a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/" target="_blank">Public Health Research and Me</a>’, in which host and Fuse Public Partner Cheryl Blake chats with Amelia and Shelina about their research, to cut through the confusion and ask some the questions that you want to know about Energy Drinks. </i><br /><b>> <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/shouldwebeconcernedaboutenergydrinksandyoungpeopleshealth.html" target="_blank">Listen now</a></b><br /><br /><b>Find out more</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/energydrinksassociatedwithincreasedriskofmentalhealthissuesinchildren.html">News item on the latest research</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350623003189">Research paper in full</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/research/briefs/Evidence%20shows%20wider%20range%20of%20risks%20associated%20with%20energy%20drinks%20in%20children.pdf">Research brief (2-page summary)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/research/impactonpublichealthpracticepolicy/energydrinksandyoungpeopleshealth.html">Timeline of Fuse energy drink research activity and impact</a></li><li><a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/10/e010380">Original review in 2016</a></li></ul> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Images:</b></div></div></div><div>2. Courtesy of www.parliament.uk (by URL) > Parliamentary business > Publications & records > Energy drinks and children > 4 Labelling and advertising: </div><div><a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmsctech/821/82107.htm#_idTextAnchor031">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmsctech/821/82107.htm#_idTextAnchor031</a></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The views and opinions expressed by the authors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Teesside University, Newcastle University, </i><i>or Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.</i></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-3005463283302518352024-01-05T06:00:00.003+00:002024-01-05T11:42:30.073+00:00Using board games to increase inclusion in research - a trivial pursuit?<i>Posted by <a href="https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/lesley-haley" target="_blank">Lesley Haley</a>, AskFuse Research Associate, Teesside University </i><br /> <br />Did you play any board games over the holidays? As we scrabble into 2024, have you ever thought about how they could be used as a way to engage people in your research?<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DwPBakFG50LcZfyqTjRMmklV_Eb9313F8ZLKdOMjszWV2EXeOvI3YjOdZxV9j7pKCfFY8uTAsAmzPPauieOLLtZWSn7CiO0nWDidTIL2oF_MZXXAE8VcmB2x1A_lDvLJoLUuUQH0NX_vbMMRVihf-zlE1dXyyDTLvU_aPOu5K1IEPgFACFtNogd7IaY/s802/Snakes%20and%20Ladders.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="602" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DwPBakFG50LcZfyqTjRMmklV_Eb9313F8ZLKdOMjszWV2EXeOvI3YjOdZxV9j7pKCfFY8uTAsAmzPPauieOLLtZWSn7CiO0nWDidTIL2oF_MZXXAE8VcmB2x1A_lDvLJoLUuUQH0NX_vbMMRVihf-zlE1dXyyDTLvU_aPOu5K1IEPgFACFtNogd7IaY/w300-h400/Snakes%20and%20Ladders.png" width="300" /></a></div><div>I hadn’t, until I went to a recent <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/getting-creative-to-make-research-more.html">Creative Methods in Research conference</a>, where <a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?web_id=Kath_Maguire">Kath Maguire</a> (University of Exeter/NIHR School for Public Health Research) showcased how using board games in research was anything but trivial! Kath demonstrated the concept of using board games in public involvement and engagement can increase participation by reaching people less comfortable with standard formats of engagement or data collection, such as interviews or questionnaires.</div><div><br />Kath brought examples, like a “pairs” game used with public partners to break down barriers of understanding around the jargon used in research. Pairing research jargon, concepts or acronyms (‘randomised control’, ‘double blinded’, ‘SPHR’, ‘NIHR’ for example) with their plain English explanations allowed all participants to probe the underlying assumptions and constructs, and perhaps to reduce the power imbalance between the knowledge giver (usually researchers) with the knowledge receiver (usually public partners). And of course this game can be used to redress that balance by public partners sharing their knowledge with researchers. <br /><br />However, the most surprising game that Kath has used in increasing involvement was the repurposing of that classic multicultural game, Snakes and Ladders. <br /><br /><div>While <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/askfuse/">AskFuse</a> (the responsive research and evaluation service run by Fuse) created the pictured Snakes and Ladders game as an interactive way to explore successes (Ladders) and setbacks (Snakes) of getting research knowledge used in practice, Kath has taken the game to a whole new level. <br /><br />Kath has a wealth of experience in using board games as a creative method of inclusion to reach people less comfortable with more literacy-based research methods. They bring a blank paper board and a variety of stick-on snakes and ladders as a visual prompt to generate discussion and reflection using the metaphor of the game to explore a range of experiences. The aim is not necessarily to play the game, but to use the building of a bespoke “game” to reflect and “illustrate” narratives and experiences.</div><div><br />Participating in Kath’s interactive workshop was, for me, a real game changer. We explored how using snakes and ladders enabled discussion, reflection and inclusion. We could design our own individual game to tell our story, or do it collaboratively. We used the game layout as a metaphor for exploring changes through time or to illustrate a “journey” (for example, exploring access or barriers to health services). It allowed us to describe and reflect on different pathways or starting points. Being a physical representation of our narrative meant that, at times, “gaps” emerged which led to questions around “what was happening here?” and “what are we missing?” The grid could also used to reflect emotional journeys in response to a given (research) question or situation. We explored how focussing on a game allowed for different viewpoints to emerge and for less vocally confident people to engage without having to “carry” a conversation or justify their experience. The game squares could be filled with comments, contributing factors, and ideas. We reflected that the snakes and ladders could be reconfigured for creative re-imagining of time/place/situations - “what would happen if we did this”? And of course the complexities of the research process can be illustrated through the metaphor of Snakes and Ladders. <br /><br />At the end of the session, there was a tangible product and graphic representation of the research question, the process and the outcomes of the exploration. We reflected that over several sessions, the game would perhaps change and this progress could be captured in photos. The “game” could also then be used creatively to disseminate the research (<a href="https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-022-01935-2">Coon et al 2022</a>). <br /><br />We also explored the risk that a gaming method for engagement or data collection, especially in the “Snakes & Ladders” format, could be seen by some people as trivialising the serious business of research, as in the UK it is perceived as a child’s game. However the game is not all it appears. Originally known in “Moksha Patamu”, it was a philosophical game of actions and consequences for adults developed in ancient India (Museum of Gaming 2015). Over time and locality, the game has evolved into other versions, with snakes transformed into “drainpipes” or “chutes (<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001t2xq?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile">Start the Week 2023</a>). So the game has a tradition of being adapted and re-purposed and perhaps we should not be shy of re-purposing it to make research more accessible?<br /><br />Since Kath’s workshop, I’ve had a quick look around to see if there are other researchers using gaming. While there is literature on using board games in health education and promotion (<a href="https://bpsmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13030-019-0146-3">Nakao 2019</a>) and public health policy (<a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/40/suppl_1/i39/4925598?login=false">Spitters 2018</a>) there seems less on the use of board games in public involvement and engagement in health. <br /><br />Of course, snakes and ladders doesn’t have the monopoly on being the only board game that can be used. So, do you use board games in your research to engage with people and communities? What's been your experience of what works for who? How do you pitch it? What have you found the setbacks and successes of using board games as a creative way of engaging people and communities? <br /><br />As you scrabble to fit all the board games back into the cupboard after Christmas, maybe it’s time to reflect that participatory board games in research could be for the rest of the year too, not just for Christmas. <br /><i><br />With thanks to Kath Maguire for the interactive workshop and to SPHR for funding attendance at the conference.</i><br /><br /> <br /><br /><b>References: </b><br /><br />Coon, J.T., Orr, N., Shaw, L. et al. (2022) Bursting out of our bubble: using creative techniques to communicate within the systematic review process and beyond. Syst Rev 11, 56 <a href="https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-022-01935-2">https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-022-01935-2</a> <br /><br /><b>Kath’s work:</b><br /><br />Museum of Gaming Newsletter (2015) Issue 2 Snakes and Ladders History. Accessed 2 Jan 2024 Available at: <a href="https://www.museumofgaming.org.uk/documents/Newsletter2.pdf">https://www.museumofgaming.org.uk/documents/Newsletter2.pdf</a> https://www.museumofgaming.org.uk/index.cfm <br /><br />Nakao M (2019) Effects of board games on health education and promotion” board games as a promising tool for health promotion: a review of recent literature BioPsychoSocial Medicine (2019) 13:5 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0146-3">https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0146-3</a> <br /><br />Spitters H.P.E.M , van de Goor L.A.M, Juel Lau C, Sandu P , Eklund Karlsson L , Jansen J, van Oers J.A.M (2018) Learning from games: stakeholders’ experiences involved in local health policy Journal of Public Health | Vol. 40, Supplement 1, pp. i39–i49 | doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdx149 <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/40/suppl_1/i39/4925598">https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/40/suppl_1/i39/4925598</a> <br /><br />Start the Week: Playing Games (2023) BBC Radio 4 Monday 4th December 2023 09.00 Available at: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fsounds%2Fplay%2Fm001t2xq%3Fpartner%3Duk.co.bbc%26origin%3Dshare-mobile&data=05%7C01%7Cl.haley%40tees.ac.uk%7Cd8025866603348e151f208dbf7f8ff40%7C43d2115ba55e46b69df7b03388ecfc60%7C0%7C0%7C638376421030632583%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7ZuKLfpQs2O2LaqmMEfb%2B8HOyFz5yTR5gZmFHpPs8E0%3D&reserved=0">https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001t2xq?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile</a> (Accessed 8 Dec 2023)<br /> </div></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-76779946230507686792023-12-01T06:00:00.001+00:002023-12-01T06:00:00.145+00:00Getting creative to make research more accessible and inclusive<i>Posted by <a href="https://www.livingwithinvisibleillness.co.uk/" target="_blank">Victoria Bartle</a>, Fuse Public Partner</i><br /><br /><div>We were throwing balls of wool around, picking picture cards to describe ourselves and having a thoroughly inspiring time. This was not your typical research conference!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDSNgv5Dy6f5R7Nv6j_Rmhoy6ud7pP_OoHBaavpNH4aoU_NG5_iq5uwY81s3aOfFOomf6jHahf4HjqjLJNsn2A75KX7ER706mcFbVbYoLhvRYNAUCJNcZu1EDrjaAY7X1R0XCpAdmc6YOOhsxi8uGrQ-K14n89ahQXjFPokxD9r722vx2GicNvTUfqOQ/s320/podcast%20pres2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDSNgv5Dy6f5R7Nv6j_Rmhoy6ud7pP_OoHBaavpNH4aoU_NG5_iq5uwY81s3aOfFOomf6jHahf4HjqjLJNsn2A75KX7ER706mcFbVbYoLhvRYNAUCJNcZu1EDrjaAY7X1R0XCpAdmc6YOOhsxi8uGrQ-K14n89ahQXjFPokxD9r722vx2GicNvTUfqOQ/s1600/podcast%20pres2.png" width="240" /></a></div></div><div>It was day one and keynote speaker <a href="https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/network/pamela-burnard/" target="_blank">Pam Burnard</a> was encouraging us to challenge the system using creative methods to subvert common assumptions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many of the researchers at the <a href="https://creativeresearchmethods.com/" target="_blank">International Creative Research Methods Conference</a> in Manchester are independent, not linked to a specific university or funder and this allows them to approach research from a variety of unusual and unfamiliar angles.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The conference is the brainchild of Dr Helen Kara: independent researcher, author, teacher, speaker and creative research methods (CRM) expert. Helen’s vision was to bring together the global CRM community to share knowledge, promote understanding, enable networking and have fun!</div></div><div><br /></div><div>After the first day's keynote, I went to see <a href="https://www.nicole-brown.co.uk/dr-nicole-brown/" target="_blank">Nicole Brown</a>, a researcher looking at <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibromyalgia/" target="_blank">fibromyalgia</a>, a condition that I also have. She had asked people living with fibromyalgia to collect objects to describe how the condition made them feel. One person had taken a photo of her chair - a really comfortable armchair, with a blanket, a table beside it holding drinks, snacks and distractions. This could have been a picture of my own living room! Due to chronic pain and fatigue I have what I call my 'nest'. I have reclining sofas with a side table with all of my remotes, chargers, creams, spare meds, thermostat, drinks, snacks, book, switch, lip balm (etc.) just so that everything I need is within reach and I don’t have to move too much or cause myself too much pain. I found the picture really impactful and saw the potential for objects, artwork and abstract thinking to be able to describe conditions like fibromyalgia which is extremely difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t have it. Using objects as data to assess and evaluate was really interesting and a methodology that I wasn’t previously aware of.</div><div><div><br />We were then given the task of picking some cards to describe ourselves as researchers.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMS5WiZqXcKT7XGNAMm6vjusbTqkTINdYSvAmSVCNSGWyA1GtFlxDTGma4v3Qe_cyVkEQvB6GpqUbjlvpHqACNVsJAVuhn-jky3depvMvJ8N8JTzCRCX5jhyP2kH1-9ehWMRFShvjnjjKr_ShkFAa42cjmdvaj_GksHRTsD0nWNlc0NHXb1orN1ucBz8/s320/Lego%20cards.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMS5WiZqXcKT7XGNAMm6vjusbTqkTINdYSvAmSVCNSGWyA1GtFlxDTGma4v3Qe_cyVkEQvB6GpqUbjlvpHqACNVsJAVuhn-jky3depvMvJ8N8JTzCRCX5jhyP2kH1-9ehWMRFShvjnjjKr_ShkFAa42cjmdvaj_GksHRTsD0nWNlc0NHXb1orN1ucBz8/s16000/Lego%20cards.png" /></a></div><i><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">These are the lego cards I chose to describe me during the sessions by Nicole Brown, who works with objects as data in research. </span></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;">The skydiver because I feel like I just ask to do things and hope for the best, the singer because I like to present and talk about PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) in research. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Black widow because she’s a superhero and fights for people who can’t and Rocket because he’s been made up with tech and I felt like he’s a disabled superhero :)</span></p></i></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><b style="font-size: large;">Jargon buzzing</b></div><div><br /></div><div>On day 2 the <a href="https://lawnmowerstheatre.com/" target="_blank">Lawnmowers Theatre Company</a>, run by and for people with learning difficulties, brought out jargon buzzers which were amazing! The characters pressed the buzzers every time someone used a term or word that they didn’t understand. I really want to use these in PPI meetings in the future, but we might not get anything done having to explain all the acronyms and research language that is often used!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Making a 'zine'</span></b><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzlnPJwLZmUvA1GZJJtOtdb-xqhwyzjsPuzpeVsgyfhZQRtsuqchcUaU5ymeI-xP0sqTr9OME3OpTEbzny5K4nxNWQAtrJXpzpqyKUNh19eprjF2YLI_gnioRnNJFex3Nq42rYqtjc2nPSGQWbpm7UBHT5s3jbtl2VS6-NyWh76Gv-N-U3cU8NVp0EJI/s320/zine4a.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzlnPJwLZmUvA1GZJJtOtdb-xqhwyzjsPuzpeVsgyfhZQRtsuqchcUaU5ymeI-xP0sqTr9OME3OpTEbzny5K4nxNWQAtrJXpzpqyKUNh19eprjF2YLI_gnioRnNJFex3Nq42rYqtjc2nPSGQWbpm7UBHT5s3jbtl2VS6-NyWh76Gv-N-U3cU8NVp0EJI/s16000/zine4a.png" /></a>I didn’t know anything about zines and wasn’t aware of the Madzine project to help people with mental health conditions to explain how they feel, get things out and be creative. The session was really interesting giving us some <a href="https://madzines.org/context/" target="_blank">history on zines</a> before we were able to create our own. I made one about a project that I have been working on using some paper with stars on to represent the PPI Group members. A black page for accessibility as we all had different barriers to involvement and some of them were difficult to address, hidden or unknown. Some of the zines that they showed us were amazing: creative, visual, unusual, thought provoking and touching. They plan to create a mobile Madzine library that tours around the country so that people can read the zines and share in the experiences of the creators to increase awareness and understanding of living with mental health conditions.<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzlnPJwLZmUvA1GZJJtOtdb-xqhwyzjsPuzpeVsgyfhZQRtsuqchcUaU5ymeI-xP0sqTr9OME3OpTEbzny5K4nxNWQAtrJXpzpqyKUNh19eprjF2YLI_gnioRnNJFex3Nq42rYqtjc2nPSGQWbpm7UBHT5s3jbtl2VS6-NyWh76Gv-N-U3cU8NVp0EJI/s320/zine4a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Board games, rockpools and p</span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">odcasts </span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div><div><br /><a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?web_id=Kath_Maguire" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?web_id=Kath_Maguire" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRTLiRpBpoYIQHfXHN3VGsCf96395PitKRylz_0WRRT8kLBlS8Hkbb6dhBJPnfIPJ4MJI0G-kVX4RZBNldIQo7F-is4AWW52hvH_sn3TaYwv4b8wdRTkapuliHcgeSTAvmScBxukRj2y7ahgC862MjZSOw9Nj4c0VBFa2YEDl2gOr8f1Ft07w5GK1t-k/s320/podcast%20pres4.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRTLiRpBpoYIQHfXHN3VGsCf96395PitKRylz_0WRRT8kLBlS8Hkbb6dhBJPnfIPJ4MJI0G-kVX4RZBNldIQo7F-is4AWW52hvH_sn3TaYwv4b8wdRTkapuliHcgeSTAvmScBxukRj2y7ahgC862MjZSOw9Nj4c0VBFa2YEDl2gOr8f1Ft07w5GK1t-k/s1600/podcast%20pres4.png" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?web_id=Kath_Maguire" target="_blank">Kath McGuire</a> (University of Exeter/NIHR School for Public Health Research), led our session talking about working with creative methods, public involvement and research dissemination. I briefly introduced the <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/" target="_blank">Fuse podcast</a> and explained the collaborative approach to creating it. People were then able to take a look around the room at the variety of creative outputs that we had brought with us, and a video about how we have <a href="https://youtu.be/Y6nIIiHniuc?feature=shared" target="_blank">creatively communicated research</a> in Fuse (see below). We had a snakes and ladders game to be used with PPI groups, or groups of researchers to evaluate their projects: snakes were barriers and challenges and ladders were successes and wins. We also took posters created by Fuse researchers showing their project results (<a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/is-picture-truly-worth-thousand-words.html" target="_blank">Emma Adams</a>) and Kath had a <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielMutanda_/status/1701669398996471961/photo/2" target="_blank">Blue Health Rockpool</a> from another project. We took questions and explained <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/fuselaunchesinnovativepodcastledbypublicpartners.html" target="_blank">how we created the podcast</a>, what its impact had been and answered lots of technical questions about equipment, hosting and distribution. Hopefully accurately!</div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y6nIIiHniuc?si=p5ZwS0vN7bYANkqd" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<div><br />Attending the conference really broadened my view of research and public involvement. Lots of researchers at the conference felt that by making their work more creative it made it more inclusive. By reducing or removing established barriers to involvement such as language, terminology, education level and academic preconceptions they were able to engage with a wider, more diverse group of people. They could still be academically rigorous and produce research that stands up to peer review and meets publication standards whilst including more people, accessing people with appropriate lived experience of their topic of study and making involvement engaging, interesting and fun!<br /><br /></div><div>I have come away from the conference wanting to make Patient and Public Involvement meetings more creative, use games and objects to describe feelings and opinions, implement the jargon buzzer and design engaging dissemination methods that are relevant to the target audience of the study, drawing on the skills of the researchers and PPI teams.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>A special thanks to Kath Maguire, Daniel Mutanda and Heather Boult (University of Exeter/NIHR School for Public Health Research), and the Fuse colleagues: Lesley Haley, who helped me with the podcast aspect of the workshop 'market place'; Ella Anderson for preparing the workshop activity; and Mark Welford for producing the <a href="https://youtu.be/Y6nIIiHniuc?feature=shared" target="_blank">Creatively communicating research</a> video that we used in the session.</i></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-66714270603679194312023-11-10T06:00:00.009+00:002023-11-10T06:00:00.149+00:00What is the best way to reduce the amount of meat we eat?<i>Posted by <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/jack-p-hughes/" target="_blank">Jack Hughes</a>, PhD Candidate in Behavioural Science; <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/mario-weick/" target="_blank">Mario Weick</a>, Professor of Behavioural Science; and </i><i>Fuse Associate </i><i><a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/milica-vasiljevic/" target="_blank">Milica Vasiljevic</a>, Associate Professor of Behavioural Science, from Durham University</i><br /><br />The science is clear that eating meat can be bad for our health; eating meat has been linked to an increase in cardiovascular risks, diabetes, stroke, cancers, and even dementia. Meat is also bad for the planet, with the livestock industry being estimated to be responsible for up to 15% of greenhouse gas emissions. Eating meat is also surprisingly closely connected to the risk of pandemics, with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html">zoonotic diseases</a> (caused by harmful germs that spread between animals and people) much more easily spread from eating animals.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicf5RiPo-BsITPzsfuxlYDJggy-bZ6DdWVWTsI05gnsUWTsCB-j-3mfTmVvISb_EAK8oUaHU4WnxbG3K7TMKPKY5MicLWbKjHcWLjcIr0Bs2okysQWQykZtuQzfjN809ly3hVUJTXjboSdZdFZL9vb8F7DQskJoOVndR_CIxD2EN7JMqn93prDqI4CMpA/s5000/Climate%20label%20in%20burger.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="5000" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicf5RiPo-BsITPzsfuxlYDJggy-bZ6DdWVWTsI05gnsUWTsCB-j-3mfTmVvISb_EAK8oUaHU4WnxbG3K7TMKPKY5MicLWbKjHcWLjcIr0Bs2okysQWQykZtuQzfjN809ly3hVUJTXjboSdZdFZL9vb8F7DQskJoOVndR_CIxD2EN7JMqn93prDqI4CMpA/w640-h384/Climate%20label%20in%20burger.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><br />Governmental policy and legislative choices play an important role in our excessive meat consumption. The Committee on Climate Change has recommended a 20% reduction in UK meat consumption by 2030 if we want to hit our net zero targets. Additionally, the Department of Health and Social Care recommends eating no more than 70g of meat a day, but average meat consumption in the UK is closer to 90g. So, what is the best approach? Do we advocate for a ‘nanny state’ that bans meat or imposes hefty taxes? Or do we advocate for a removal of all subsidies for meat farming and just let the market and people decide how much meat we consume under the hopes that awareness of the dangers of meat will drive down consumption? <br /><br />There are of course significant problems with both approaches, but maybe there is a third option. One that can be applied not just to meat but to all society’s destructive large-scale behaviours, from alcohol to tobacco to ultra-processed foods to sedentary lifestyles. <br /><br />In 2003 Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein coined the phrase <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3132220">Libertarian Paternalism</a>. Essentially arguing that the best way to produce policy is to design interventions that change behaviour without affecting people’s right to choose. So, you can still eat as many steaks as you like but policy will build an environment that unconsciously discourages eating an excessive amount. This idea could be argued to balance individual and government responsibilities, the government is nudging people to healthier choices, but the individual still gets to make the final decision. <br /><br />For example, in <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/graphicwarninglabelscouldreducepeoplesmeatconsumption.html">a recent study of ours</a> we found that sticking a graphic warning label (similar to those you see on cigarettes) onto meals could reduce the amount of meat chosen. Not only were the labels effective, leading to between a seven and 10 percent reduction in meat meals chosen, but the idea of introducing them as policy received fairly neutral responses. Which, let’s be honest, makes it more popular than most policy proposals! <br /><br />When we look at recent research we can see that a variety of interventions have shown promising effectiveness on reducing meat consumption. Whether changing the ratio of meat to non-meat meals on offer, making meat meals less appealing by using less flattering descriptions, changing which meals appear at the top of the menu, or adding eco and warning labels to discourage the selection of meat meals, there are many ways of changing the environment without reducing the freedom of choice consumers ask for. <br /><br />The question is though: is this approach the best or the worst of both arguments? Does Libertarian Paternalism thread the needle between governmental and personal responsibility? Others might say the approach is too hands off, or too hands on. If we accept that as a society we would benefit from eating less meat, which policy strategy do you support? The ‘nanny state’, the free market, or the libertarian paternalist approach? <br /><br />The paper described in this blog-post can be accessed here: <br /><br />Hughes, J. P., Weick, M., & Vasiljevic, M. (2023). <i>Impact of pictorial warning labels on meat meal selection: A randomised experimental study with UK meat consumers</i>. Appetite, 190, 107026. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666323024881">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666323024881</a><br /><div><div><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_1" language="JavaScript">
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</div> </div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-38898709907402288522023-11-03T08:00:00.001+00:002023-11-03T08:00:00.143+00:00Should researchers act as disruptors?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Learning from the Dutch Academic Collaborative Centres</span></div><p><i>Posted by <a href="https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/v/peter-van-der-graaf/" target="_blank">Peter van der Graaf</a>, Associate Professor in Public Health & <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/askfuse/" target="_blank">AskFuse</a> Research Manager, and <a href="https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/c/mandy-cheetham/" target="_blank">Mandy Cheetham</a>, Research Fellow, from Northumbria University</i></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">While <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/67122268" target="_blank">Storm Babette</a> was
wreaking havoc in the UK, a team of international delegates from <a href="https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/research/institutes-and-research-groups/tranzo" target="_blank">Tranzo</a>, scientific
centre for care and wellbeing of Tilburg University visited Fuse. <a style="mso-comment-date: 20231024T0952; mso-comment-parent: 1; mso-comment-reference: PVdG_2;"></a><a style="mso-comment-date: 20231024T0845; mso-comment-reference: MC_1;"><span style="mso-comment-continuation: 2;">The visit focused on sharing learning on how
to develop and maintain collaborative research partnerships between policymakers,
health practitioners, communities and academic researchers.</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Great visit from <a href="https://twitter.com/TilburgU_Tranzo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TilburgU_Tranzo</a> to the North East yesterday hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/fuse_online?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fuse_online</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gateshead?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gateshead</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/EdbertsHouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdbertsHouse</a> to share international learning on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/collaborative?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#collaborative</a> research partnerships between policymakers, health practitioners, communities and researchers. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KMb?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KMb</a> <a href="https://t.co/iTCMggC1hG">pic.twitter.com/iTCMggC1hG</a></p>— Peter van der Graaf 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇬🇧 (@pvandergraaf75) <a href="https://twitter.com/pvandergraaf75/status/1715667303704973791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tranzo works in Academic Collaborative Centres (ACCs),which
are sustainable partnerships between Tilburg University researchers and health
and care organisations at both a regional and national level, including (local)
government, third sector organisations and other research institutes. Tranzo
hosts in total 11 ACCs, each with a different topic area: ranging from mental
health, addiction, intellectual disability, to public health, youth, work &
health, social work, care for older adults, and technological and social
innovations for mental health. Each centre could be compared to a <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/research/fuseresearch/" target="_blank">research cluster within Fuse</a> and is led by an academic lead. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite the diversity in topics addressed in each centre, there are five underlying research themes:</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>h<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">ealth-related behaviour, health care policies and societal influences; </span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">social inequality and inclusivity; </span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">mental health care, capabilities and
recovery; </span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">client perspective and participation, experiential expertise, and; </span></li><li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">the (health) care system.</span></li></ol><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We could call these cross-cutting themes, and this
is something Fuse could consider to integrate research across clusters. For
example, <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/research/fuseresearch/translationalresearch/" target="_blank">translational research</a> could act as a cross-cutting theme within Fuse.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The ACCs work in a similar way to Fuse: they connect science,
lived experience and professional practice in the domain of health and
wellbeing in the Netherlands through co-creation of research and knowledge
exchange. These diverse sources of knowledge are valued equally. The principles
of establishing long-term partnerships, based on equality, personal
relationships will also sound familiar to Fuse members. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During the discussions on the day, we reflected on the
importance and challenges of blurring boundaries and the need for ‘living
bridges’ between partners organisations. Personal and trusted relationships and
a commitment to reciprocity were identified as key for this, but also the need
for systems that support and incentivise collaborative working. Unfortunately, universities
and research funding programmes are often not set up for this way of working, or
narrowly confine knowledge exchange to commercial spin-off companies.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Blurring boundaries, science practitioners, and the fourth-generation university</h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the ways in which Tranzo has tried to blur boundaries
is by developing science practitioner roles, which are practitioners who take
up a temporary post in universities to develop their research skills and act as
boundary spanners for the knowledge they co-create within their practice
organisations. These roles can be funded by the health and care organisations (in
kind), as they recognise the importance of using more evidence to inform their decision
making, by blending scientific knowledge with the knowledge and expertise from
practitioners and service users. <a style="mso-comment-date: 20231027T1435; mso-comment-reference: IG_4;">But sometimes also external funding (grants) is
available for co-creation projects with science practitioners. Sometimes it is a combination of in kind and grant funding.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This makes science practitioners the flip side of embedded
researchers in Fuse: instead of academic researchers co-locating temporarily in
a practice organisation (for example a <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/research/fuseresearch/translationalresearch/embeddedresearcherinapublichealthteam.html" target="_blank">public health team in a local authority</a>)
practitioners spend time in academia, (partly) paid for by their organisation and
supported by academics to develop their own research. Both roles help to blur
boundaries and therefore science practitioners, which go beyond short-term
placements, could be a valuable role to consider for Fuse. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To support this two-way traffic between researchers and
practitioners, Tranzo has defined itself as a ‘developing towards a fourth-generation
university’: an open network university reaching out and working on innovation
with partners and citizens in an ecosystem. While first generation universities
are focused on education and second generation universities combine education
with research, third generation universities embrace entrepreneurship and try
to market their knowledge. However, this happens solely within the space of the
university (<a href="https://maartensteinbuch.com/2016/07/23/towards-the-4th-generation-university/" target="_blank">Steinbuch, 2016</a>). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In contrast, fourth generation universities see themselves
as only one space within a wider knowledge eco-system that requires close
collaboration with all participants in this eco-system, including policymakers,
professionals and service users, but also private organisations, arts and creative
industries and international collaborations. Interestingly, the function of
senior leaders within fourth generation universities is not to manage processes
and structures, but to disrupt them. By disrupting existing practices, ways of
thinking, and valuing and using different types of knowledge, more value can be
created within the eco-system. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This perspective suggests an extended new role for Fuse: not
only trying to be a bridge between different worlds (research and practice) or
between different research infrastructures and networks within the North East
and North Cumbria - Applied Research Collaboration (ARC), Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs), and Research Support Service (RSS) - but actively disrupting the status quo by
building structures and processes to enable the creation of value through new
collaborative partnerships and by stimulating multi-actor innovation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The new value that could be created in this way was clearly
visible during the two site visits on the day, when we were welcomed by staff
and community members at <a href="https://edbertshouse.org/" target="_blank">Edberts House</a> and Gateshead Council. Embedded research
roles have shone a light in Gateshead on the importance of control for
residents, whose lives are often defined by a lack of control and influence over
decisions affecting their lives. Research helped them to learn from a
community-centred approach and use this learning to inform future planning. Council
staff felt more confident and skilled to develop their own research and evaluations
and implement solutions using this knowledge and the connections it helped to
create with external partners. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was inspiring to hear from our colleagues in Tranzo and
share examples of our collaborative research. We had positive and fruitful
exchanges about our experiences, challenges and shared interests including training
in the craft of knowledge exchange, mentoring, engagement and impact. We look
forward to continuing the conversations and would be interested in any readers' thoughts
on how we can be more disruptive as Fuse researchers?<o:p></o:p></p>
<h1 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The view from Tranzo</span></b></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Reflections from <a href="https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/staff/l-vandegoor" target="_blank">Prof. Dr. Ien van de Goor</a>, Program leader Academic Collaborative Center Public Health, Tranzo and Tilburg University</i></p><div>On behalf of the Tranzo delegation, first of all many thanks
for the very warm welcome on this stormy day in October. We were impressed by the introductions in the morning program on how translational
research within Fuse is taking form. There were some very nice examples of how knowledge
exchange can help to increase the flow of evidence into public health practice.
And how push and pull factors in this process are taken into account in the
<a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/four-practical-steps-to-increase.html" target="_blank">Fuse knowledge exchange model</a>. It was very interesting to hear about the co-creation
process where research was translated in a book for children with parents
suffering from addiction problems. As was the report on the relation between the
Covid-19 pandemic and health inequities. Both resonated with Tranzo’s way of
working: a diversity of themes and different ways of making an effort to do
impactful research. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next in the afternoon program we were invited to Edberts
House and the Gateshead Council. The way the voice of the community is a
driving force in making Edberts House into a successful and valued community
project, was impressive to experience (as was the lovely lunch offered!).
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The program was finalised by meeting with representatives of
Gateshead Council. The enthusiasm of the members from the Council's Public
Health team and the Fuse researchers was striking and made clear that direct
collaboration and co-creation between academic research and local authorities can contribute significantly to the uptake of evidence in public health policy
and practice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So for Tranzo it was a very insightful and inspiring
visit learning about Fuse collaborating with practice and sharing
our ways of working and trying to be impactful with scientific research. We
really look forward to exploring further opportunities to collaborate, co-create
and share our thoughts on finding ways to be disruptive (for the better!)</p><p></p>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-21827215853575591682023-10-20T06:00:00.033+01:002023-10-20T10:18:19.755+01:00Pulling the PINS on takeaways<div><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Creating healthier food environments through the planning system</i></span></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><i><br /></i></div>Posted by <a href="https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/callum-bradford-3">Callum Bradford</a> and <a href="https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/claire-oaposmalley">Claire O'Malley</a>, Research Associates, Teesside University <br /><br />Obesity continues to be significant health and social problem, especially due to its links with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. One potential solution is to change our environment so we are better equipped to make healthier food choices, however, as you can imagine, this is easier said than done!<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8R0BbTcmQgao9hBaf2H0lXLTl3-PCwT_Dz47ZsqCdb6IMU5sz0k1AIfRENgmgQMSdWGK3dXnIGRpteY09woWX42i6tVId5GtzAcBlFR7oe2A5-ufGxD0t-AEE0l0FwyQn8P2JT_EYRAiElL9HJ1W-_TBtd3bRAxwungxDGo0efhutSWzZ-rHUBP25ysc/s1216/20230919_111725%20crop%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1216" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8R0BbTcmQgao9hBaf2H0lXLTl3-PCwT_Dz47ZsqCdb6IMU5sz0k1AIfRENgmgQMSdWGK3dXnIGRpteY09woWX42i6tVId5GtzAcBlFR7oe2A5-ufGxD0t-AEE0l0FwyQn8P2JT_EYRAiElL9HJ1W-_TBtd3bRAxwungxDGo0efhutSWzZ-rHUBP25ysc/w640-h516/20230919_111725%20crop%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />A tool that can be used to help shape the environment with help from Local Authorities is the Planning System. Many of our towns and cities are full of hot food takeaway outlets and unless you are made of stone (or perhaps a public health researcher?), there will come a day when your motivation is low and you don’t have time to cook a meal, making the local takeaway feel like the obvious solution. But, if we can limit the number of takeaways and improve access to healthier food, we can encourage individuals to make healthier choices. <br /><br /><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-019-0884-4" target="_blank">Research has shown</a> that just over half of Local Authorities in England use the planning system to limit the number of hot food takeaways in their area, with 34% doing so with public health in mind. The most well-known example of this policy is setting a minimum distance a new takeaway must be from local schools, usually set at 400-800m away. <br /><br />However, when a newly proposed takeaway is rejected, the owner has the right to appeal the decision. This <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-applications-called-in-decisions-and-recovered-appeals" target="_blank">appeal moves the decision from the Local Authority to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS)</a> on behalf of the Secretary of State.<br /><br />Our research looked at the ins-and-outs of this process. Specifically:<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>What are the influences behind a decision by the Planning Inspectorate?</li><li>How is the Planning Inspectorate perceived by professionals involved in the process?</li><li>What barriers do Local Authorities need to overcome to win a case?</li><li>What factors make for a better chance of success?</li></ul>To explore this, we spoke to local planners and public health professionals, including the Planning Inspectorate to get a greater insight into the process.<br /><br />The main findings from our interviews were that:<br /></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>there was a discrepancy between what public health professionals, planners and the Planning Inspectorate considered to be public health evidence; and</li><li>how public health professionals countered this with their enthusiasm to try and shape healthier environments.</li></ol>The Planning Inspectorate was viewed by all as fair and neutral. However, public health professionals believed they had to go out of their way to ‘state the obvious’, in that new takeaway outlets would likely be harmful to local health. Conversely, planners and the PINS were keen to point out that public health is just one small aspect of planning policy.<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">“I think there seems to be an expectation from the public health side of things that planning will provide policy…like restricting take-aways will be the end of it from a health point of view, and of course planning is not actually designed to do that.”<span> </span></span> </blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>Planning Officer</blockquote></blockquote>This perceived constraint that health-based evidence was not given enough weight in decisions was offset by the enthusiasm of public health professionals to limit hot food takeaways in their area. They were often very proactive in defending appeal cases, stressing the importance of communication across a Local Authority, finding robust statistical evidence (as opposed to ‘anecdotal qualitative evidence’), and having good knowledge of their local area. Having this information in a Local Authority’s Local Plan (this guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of the area) supported this activity and removed the need for re-researching the area for each application.<br /><blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">“It's all well and good having the policy but it needs the evidence as well to back it up. So, having access to the public health team and the public health evidence is a really, really relevant part of the appeals process”</span> </blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>Public Health Professional</blockquote></blockquote>Planning policy can be used to successfully limit the number of takeaways within a local area. However, if such policies are to be used reliably to prevent their spread in our towns, public health professionals need adequate support to defend appeals, and planning needs to give greater consideration to public health evidence.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Read the research paper here: <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17579139231187492" target="_blank">Regulatory mechanisms to create healthier environments: planning appeals and hot food takeaways in England</a></b></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-20196749581137093382023-07-21T06:00:00.001+01:002023-07-21T06:00:00.136+01:00How to choreograph a dance between policy makers and academic researchers?<i>Posted by <a href="https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/v/peter-van-der-graaf/" target="_blank">Peter van der Graaf</a>, Associate Professor in Public Health at Northumbria University and <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/askfuse/" target="_blank">AskFuse</a> Research Manager</i><div><i><br /></i>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Czqtjk_iGFU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<br /><br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Dancing is a key move in public health, particularly if you want to make an impact with your research. Knowledge exchange is not just a science or even an art, but very much a dance between researchers and policy makers about the use of research evidence. To complete this dance successfully and get evidence used in decision making, both partners need to follow certain steps. However, learning the steps (science) or performing them perfectly (art) is not sufficient: it requires instinct and feel for where you are in the dance and why you are doing it.</span></i><br /><br />To develop a dance plan for your interactions between policy makers and academic researchers, Fuse hosted a special session (or dance class) at the <a href="https://www.efpa.eu/event/european-implementation-event-2023-eie2023">European Implementation Event</a> in Basel, Switzerland on 8 June. The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EIE2023?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">EIE2023</a> brought together over 300 implementation scientists, practitioners and funders from across health, social welfare, education and other sectors in Europe. Over two days through <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSarahCHunter/status/1667073299552038912" target="_blank">fishbowls</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/NadinaPeters/status/1666851505020842008" target="_blank">science slams</a>, workshops, inspiring keynotes and oral presentations, participants explored how to create a new normal for implementation science in society.</div><div><br />Our session explored dance challenges (e.g. moving too slow, bad timing, outfit malfunctions, and unsynchronised performances) and new routines in response (see: ‘What did we learn?’ below) that we have developed in Fuse over the last 15 years collaboratively with our partners. In the session, we highlighted examples of creative communication (the art of knowledge exchange), research performance both backstage and frontstage (<a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/askfuse/" target="_blank">AskFuse</a>), and dancing together (embedded research) to set the scene for a discussion about what makes a successful dance between policy makers, health practitioners and academic researchers. We invited conference participants to share their own reflections of dance routines they have developed to support knowledge exchange and implementation of research evidence in practice and policy making. <br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">What did we learn? 10 dance lessons</span></h3><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://denceandpolicyhome.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/11-van-der-graaf_figure-1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="800" height="261" src="https://denceandpolicyhome.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/11-van-der-graaf_figure-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://evidenceandpolicyblog.co.uk/2021/02/24/four-practical-steps-to-increase-knowledge-exchange-between-researchers-and-policymakers/" target="_blank">Fuse knowledge exchange model</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div>1. Academic researchers need to learn <b>four basic steps</b> for dancing with policy makers (see the <a href="https://evidenceandpolicyblog.co.uk/2021/02/24/four-practical-steps-to-increase-knowledge-exchange-between-researchers-and-policymakers/">Fuse knowledge exchange model</a>):<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Raising awareness, using creative communication.</li><li>Knowledge sharing through joint events.</li><li>Making evidence fit for purpose (localising and tailoring).</li><li>Supporting uptake and implementation (e.g., capacity, co-production, linking activities).</li></ul>2. <b>A deviant knowledge broker</b> can help to facilitate backstage conversation and protect policy makers and academic researchers from missteps.<br /><br />3. <b>Go with the music</b>: as the context and process in which evidence is useful changes constantly, it is an important skill for researchers to be able “to go with the music” based on ongoing relationships with policy and practice partners. <br /><br />4. <b>Emotional engagement</b> between researchers and policy makers is essential to get a better feel for the music. A heart-to-heart or moaning about bad performances helps you to improve dance routines and hide missteps. Don’t forget <a href="http://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-power-of-cookies.html">the power of cookies</a>! <br /><br /></div><div>5. <b>Embedded research</b> helps to develop an instinct for the dance, based on a better understanding of each other’s organisational contexts. Embedded research allows you to be part of solutions, developed with the communities affected, not just report on the effect on interventions and their implementations. <br /><br /></div><div>6. Public health is <b>political; lobbying and advocacy</b> are a core part of the embedded research roles. <br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Choreographing your own dance routine</b></span></p><div style="text-align: left;">We presented participants with the following questions to
help develop their own dance routines: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBjn5U_sk3oFSoWDe9MUkNnkR7tYv62QkSxdg7RkROhwKo9eY7REwHlqivVOEAuuLtFqriC1QuAw2OCJ9azMOLiVOY0KQEefpNFo8TVnBqaCcStuHDmU7Lq2qhvWfiPvb3sR_OduPP59sDmAZELe6jIlKqSzQhzG4eC61mW3-_cOA4sTDAmveMHHvugU/s605/Dance%20routines%20blog%20image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBjn5U_sk3oFSoWDe9MUkNnkR7tYv62QkSxdg7RkROhwKo9eY7REwHlqivVOEAuuLtFqriC1QuAw2OCJ9azMOLiVOY0KQEefpNFo8TVnBqaCcStuHDmU7Lq2qhvWfiPvb3sR_OduPP59sDmAZELe6jIlKqSzQhzG4eC61mW3-_cOA4sTDAmveMHHvugU/s16000/Dance%20routines%20blog%20image.png" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br />In response, conference participants started to develop
their own dance metaphors for describing their experiences with collaborative
research between academics and policymakers. Someone referred to their routines
as a ‘silent disco’, where academics and policymakers were dancing to different
pieces of music without knowing what the other where listening too. Other participants emphasised the need to
spend time together first before you start picking music, to get a better
understanding of each other’s musical tastes (classical meets punk?).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Overall, participants felt inspired to start to think more
deeply about their own dance plans. How would you answer the above questions
and what would your dance plan look like? </p></div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Full house at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EIE2023?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EIE2023</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/fuse_online?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fuse_online</a> Special Session! <a href="https://twitter.com/pvandergraaf75?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pvandergraaf75</a> and Mandy Cheetham choreographing a dance between policymakers and researchers. Creative communication at it’s best! 💃🏽🕺🏼 <a href="https://t.co/7ej4Kr29LG">pic.twitter.com/7ej4Kr29LG</a></p>— Leah Bührmann (@LeahBuehrmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeahBuehrmann/status/1666790911156662273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-32982481229116916562023-06-30T06:00:00.003+01:002023-06-30T06:00:00.183+01:00One size fits none, watch your language, and keep pondering...<i><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></i><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Insights from the <i>Integrated Community Care to Promote Healthy Ageing</i> event</b></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOkDb5xyi_ndYQ2NuIu2xs3NHUnPQkWlu0KGpElpm_XeYS9tCG5BmwDjORybcqwP57KtFKD3NzeK2nqAmey6ras74FzDfWLto_mj0VgVMgaKX6Ls2nqUVKAGIFSQflFf6zXCeOjGP1TjoeUVbz8Fj4OX3GF8F8nIZR3UaUANQBtrwWAFkDy_kzOdkBwI/s1200/FyvMqx2WwAASnYL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOkDb5xyi_ndYQ2NuIu2xs3NHUnPQkWlu0KGpElpm_XeYS9tCG5BmwDjORybcqwP57KtFKD3NzeK2nqAmey6ras74FzDfWLto_mj0VgVMgaKX6Ls2nqUVKAGIFSQflFf6zXCeOjGP1TjoeUVbz8Fj4OX3GF8F8nIZR3UaUANQBtrwWAFkDy_kzOdkBwI/w320-h180/FyvMqx2WwAASnYL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Posted by Hamdi Hamzah, Research and Evaluation Coordinator with NECS Research & Evidence</i><div><br /></div><div>It was my first time attending an event that saw people (<a href="https://rdforum.nhs.uk/red4research-2023/">some of us dressed in red</a>) from across different professions – academics, healthcare professionals, voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE) professionals and members of the public – come together to share common interests and explore future opportunities or collaborations.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Being new to the health and social care sector and a career changer with experience working with large corporations through strategic human resource roles, the <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/events/otherevents/previousfuseevents/integratedcommunitycaretopromotehealthyageing.html">Integrated Community Care to Promote Healthy Ageing</a> event co-hosted by Fuse introduced something that I felt was closer to what was happening on the ground, especially when research and practice interweave. From this event, I have identified seven insights that I felt were worth sharing.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2WJ0fjYsjG5jhEYDLHC3CAcVCvDnS1kAmMZDNS9M3pkLZt-SXpfsg59Hes0iuM6HkKl4QgoCtzfXVWaRxCANB6muuWLu2t90sIwEcKEoycmcd7iOeJ0nFdDL2njIyBeIa38SqPS4j0wEqhlcEcs7nvnz7y6ZewHlS6caaukvMH_iBaj09XJaivYTCwo/s2048/Fyu9a2YXsAIoKCM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2WJ0fjYsjG5jhEYDLHC3CAcVCvDnS1kAmMZDNS9M3pkLZt-SXpfsg59Hes0iuM6HkKl4QgoCtzfXVWaRxCANB6muuWLu2t90sIwEcKEoycmcd7iOeJ0nFdDL2njIyBeIa38SqPS4j0wEqhlcEcs7nvnz7y6ZewHlS6caaukvMH_iBaj09XJaivYTCwo/w640-h480/Fyu9a2YXsAIoKCM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br />But first... what exactly is Integrated Care? The <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/what-is-integrated-care/">NHS England website</a> describes Integrated Care Systems as: “…partnerships of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services, and to improve the lives of people who live and work in their area.” They also provide a <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/">helpful video explainer</a>. <br /><br />So, on to my magnificent seven: <br /><br /><span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUkPZINjzIBAfVy3ARXTM1dOR0DUK2Gznd-V_8GMTEYcyJ0U4FDdfKtK7mIxgZ62vNSGWofKGAb1zs0L-NuQzefRV3g9I9reA9nWO7r-Bckq4A2x-rrtm6GJ45iAH_8OTxw8HsCfuouUocFhnT6u4ZXakRjO8Fav65zoXmha6IQ16S5-7tzcyoQO7quM/s2048/Beth%20Bareham.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUkPZINjzIBAfVy3ARXTM1dOR0DUK2Gznd-V_8GMTEYcyJ0U4FDdfKtK7mIxgZ62vNSGWofKGAb1zs0L-NuQzefRV3g9I9reA9nWO7r-Bckq4A2x-rrtm6GJ45iAH_8OTxw8HsCfuouUocFhnT6u4ZXakRjO8Fav65zoXmha6IQ16S5-7tzcyoQO7quM/s320/Beth%20Bareham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1. There is no “one-size fits all” approach to care</span></b></span><br /><br />Throughout the event, this was a common theme from both presenters and attendees, who continued to stress the importance of putting individual needs at the forefront in providing care. To echo <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBareham?s=20">Dr Bethany Bareham</a> (pictured right), Fuse Associate and NIHR fellow at Newcastle University through her talk on <a href="https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/the-co-act-study/">providing support to older adults with co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems</a>, support for one individual may not be needed for someone else. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Similarly, there is no one way to answer a research question</span></b><br /><br />The event brought together different questions, methods and groups of people to enhance our understanding of promoting healthy ageing. For example, a video presentation by <a href="https://twitter.com/V_DAVEY?s=20">Dr Vanessa Davey</a>, a Research Associate at Newcastle University, on the <a href="https://dachastudy.com/">feasibility of developing a data set in care homes</a> to assist in care delivery and commissioning decisions was eye-opening. You might think that digital GP records could readily be used in one form or another to build this data set, but it is clearly not that straightforward as data from other systems, namely social care, could (and should) provide additional insights into this dataset. Most importantly, while we might take different approaches and target different populations, we are all aiming towards achieving the same goal.</div><div><br /><b><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUW_axSeFzaDkPhc8QGeRbpapoCvimp38blKQaXWlbtKc-_P5WHpafcPrJw3W0TZIntaSgumk1uiZcrz_LPNPjrFOokMhVb-GpWLGb-EnRkGwBEvhjcC0DJFic2VtfMrkMK5Ha1-fdKngF1-MzHRYC9LfRndImy_aNd26qFZ3HlYhQdG821LPGieooQPE/s2048/Dan%20Cowie.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUW_axSeFzaDkPhc8QGeRbpapoCvimp38blKQaXWlbtKc-_P5WHpafcPrJw3W0TZIntaSgumk1uiZcrz_LPNPjrFOokMhVb-GpWLGb-EnRkGwBEvhjcC0DJFic2VtfMrkMK5Ha1-fdKngF1-MzHRYC9LfRndImy_aNd26qFZ3HlYhQdG821LPGieooQPE/s320/Dan%20Cowie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">3. Language can have an important effect on how we approach a question</span></span></b><br /><br />Simply put, are we talking about the same thing? We might think that the terminologies that we are using are similar but they could mean different things to different people. For example, Dr Dan Cowie (pictured right), clinical lead with the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) Ageing Well Network (who also spoke about the <a href="http://frailtyicare.org.uk/">Frailty iCARE</a> platform) posed the question: are "personalised care," "personhood" and "person-centred" the same thing for the groups of people that researchers are interested in studying? How we phrase the topic we are researching could also help or hinder what we get out of our work.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Co-production of research through VSCE organisations</span></b><br /><br />Local communities should be involved in every activity within the research lifecycle, such as research planning, analysis and dissemination, and not just during the delivery stage of the study – an opinion shared by <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaAnnB?s=20">Greta Brunskill</a> from <a href="https://www.vonne.org.uk/">Voluntary Organisations' Network North East (VONNE)</a> in one of the workshops. Patient and public involvement (PPI) is a useful platform to involve members of the public and co-produce research, but there is the risk of “professionalising” these platforms, which may lead to voices from certain communities not being heard. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. But what about before we reach a specific age? </b></span><br /><br />There was interest from the audience in exploring personal and environmental factors before someone even reaches a specific age. The idea of testing the impact of, for instance, universal basic income among young people on healthy ageing was food for thought and suggests that a lot of where we are now or – perhaps will be in the future – could depend on factors in the present such as lifestyle, socioeconomic status and access to relevant services. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span>6. Addressing health inequalities remains challenging</span></b><br /></span><br />Expanding on points 4 and 5 above, health inequalities remain a hot topic in this field of work. Access to care, health literacy (a person’s ability to understand and use information to make decisions about their health), personal qualifications and involvement of underserved communities were mentioned by attendees either during the talks or workshops as challenging areas. Introducing care or support may not work if barriers to accessing care remain.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">7. Keep pondering</span><br /></b><br />The entire event not only provided the opportunity to know what research is being conducted but showed the tremendous volume of research questions left to be explored! One of the themes that came out of <a href="https://twitter.com/Taniastablets?s=20">Tania Jones</a>' workshop on maximising the use of pharmacy services was the bigger role that they may play in primary care, especially in 2026 once pharmacy graduates enter the job market with prescribing qualifications. This could in turn lead to more questions, for example, is there an inclination for pharmacists to prescribe pharmaceutical over non-pharmaceutical treatments?<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicK71zFMWteTKnZ7aYYk3K9-fNjINPbaMyoio3ekQM4rxqXRN6Dn0Y_QexpC4yt9rqxcZldGMW2YkhfDtLyH6qBFJrNjZBSktCHEct7ljnGFbX-6MVdagw5dxpMwylgzH6jzpvLrTYq5n0Dg96ttgB9iRog681AfTA-KW4uXEVTuIOoYj_8Aez_BfnIh4/s2048/Lesley%20Bainbridge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicK71zFMWteTKnZ7aYYk3K9-fNjINPbaMyoio3ekQM4rxqXRN6Dn0Y_QexpC4yt9rqxcZldGMW2YkhfDtLyH6qBFJrNjZBSktCHEct7ljnGFbX-6MVdagw5dxpMwylgzH6jzpvLrTYq5n0Dg96ttgB9iRog681AfTA-KW4uXEVTuIOoYj_8Aez_BfnIh4/w320-h240/Lesley%20Bainbridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>While the possibilities are endless, identifying questions that are crucial and impactful may be the first step to starting a research journey and finding the right collaborators. Regardless, we should continue to think about things that we are working on, as <a href="https://twitter.com/lesleybainbrid1">Lesley Bainbridge</a> (pictured right), clinical lead in the NENC Ageing Well Network, quite aptly put it, "Some of the best research questions come from what we ponder."<br /></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Images: provided with thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/necsREteam" target="_blank">NHS NECS Research & Evidence Team</a></i></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-75139042237510215782023-06-16T06:00:00.061+01:002023-06-16T15:13:12.791+01:00The Power of Partnership<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Our Top Tips for co-production with inclusive and meaningful Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement </b></span></h3><i><div><i><br /></i></div>Posted by Rosemary Nicholls, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) member, and Charlotte Parbery-Clark, Fuse researcher at Newcastle University and Public Health Registrar<br /></i><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVIvO5Tp_8rfsa7FnfbeJrTDeBAhm0tLzPLo_j0qf1Qu5lvlrCdNOVKikaUOiRtm1YTFKI8djVxjJ4HbTDJZdwiioJ5KNTQs3RA8vdX43QNBKIRXZfCvBwvBYwihJ6wZ6FotFhwfjL0Pd986BcTpnJlTkimDeYfuvx11my_j-7udzo_wOUxEJRTND/s7680/Scene%203%20Still%20Upscale.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4320" data-original-width="7680" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVIvO5Tp_8rfsa7FnfbeJrTDeBAhm0tLzPLo_j0qf1Qu5lvlrCdNOVKikaUOiRtm1YTFKI8djVxjJ4HbTDJZdwiioJ5KNTQs3RA8vdX43QNBKIRXZfCvBwvBYwihJ6wZ6FotFhwfjL0Pd986BcTpnJlTkimDeYfuvx11my_j-7udzo_wOUxEJRTND/w640-h360/Scene%203%20Still%20Upscale.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This image was co-produced with members of the public, researchers and film production company Kaleidoscope CFA as part of the UNFAIR research programme. You are welcome to use and share the animation or images whilst acknowledging the source (<a href="https://bit.ly/UNFAIRstudy">https://bit.ly/UNFAIRstudy</a>) when doing so. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Earlier this year, members of the public with researchers at Newcastle University launched an animation that explores public views of health inequalities. <a href="https://sites.google.com/nihr.ac.uk/unfairstudy/outputs/resources">The animation</a> was created as part of the UNFAIR project, which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).</div><br />Here Rosemary and Charlotte share their experiences as co-applicants on the project and give some top tips for members of the public and researchers.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rosemary</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipip6-fKtR3bSwWI-sYYMHs6uG6UZrLmKJMuSAu5pA0zv0Ex4CxpHDGvIKWY_MzfhGUuFzValLHE23h-cMBV2aQD-eipVW18uj--HzWpWpBvvNTPiu-x6Ci4x4dXHtPC3mZLbApOrA6Q09uwX9f-SKJ4lj6Ub17jn4WRS1NrMZx2rG8CVmmGnkbhqM/s4608/IMG_Rosemary.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipip6-fKtR3bSwWI-sYYMHs6uG6UZrLmKJMuSAu5pA0zv0Ex4CxpHDGvIKWY_MzfhGUuFzValLHE23h-cMBV2aQD-eipVW18uj--HzWpWpBvvNTPiu-x6Ci4x4dXHtPC3mZLbApOrA6Q09uwX9f-SKJ4lj6Ub17jn4WRS1NrMZx2rG8CVmmGnkbhqM/w240-h320/IMG_Rosemary.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>"A key factor in the success of this project was the leadership style of the professional UNFAIR researchers. Their excitement and commitment to the study and to us as members of the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) advisory team was infectious. The timely exchange of emails kept us all informed of progress and involved in deciding next steps. There was ongoing respect for what we had to offer.</div><div><div><br />"I was confident in my views and sometimes doubtful about the practicalities of what was being proposed, thinking: “This isn’t going to work.” But I found various methods much more successful than I expected and I learned through my surprise that I’d been wrong!<br /><br />"A risk of consulting people in disadvantaged settings is that they may assume that the researchers will be able to effect immediate improvement in their circumstances, so it’s important to be clear from the outset about the aims and likely outcomes of a project and I feel we succeeded in this. The people we met in community groups emphasised how vital it is for them to be treated with respect and I’m confident that we put their needs at the top of our agenda when we asked them questions.<br /><br />"There were occasions when we had to reassess our approach and resilience became a useful quality. The excellent teamwork that Charlotte and I had developed over previous months enabled us to undertake a successful review of our methods and move forward."</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Charlotte</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKjPdaeQMfC5ysAxC3o34WSEoJ4ve-hoggOObMnX7MupMM4bfGQBrSIe49PRkXuFeGc5JGklyyXHpyboEqH6Z-CR8UKd3iaHRaUJ2FMol_yomsDrak0j5UTO_S5Ku3V-w3hGTLr-AyrUsZorJfMApNszHL9R1rkKFSC42lGZXT9UoBO7FkrM1Qn4M/s530/Photo%20CParberyClark2023.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="431" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKjPdaeQMfC5ysAxC3o34WSEoJ4ve-hoggOObMnX7MupMM4bfGQBrSIe49PRkXuFeGc5JGklyyXHpyboEqH6Z-CR8UKd3iaHRaUJ2FMol_yomsDrak0j5UTO_S5Ku3V-w3hGTLr-AyrUsZorJfMApNszHL9R1rkKFSC42lGZXT9UoBO7FkrM1Qn4M/w261-h320/Photo%20CParberyClark2023.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>"When the opportunity came up to co-lead the project, I was excited but also a bit apprehensive as I was new to this type of work and was unsure about how to 'get it right'. One thing I was sure of was that I wanted to involve members of the public throughout the project in a meaningful way and avoid it being 'tokenistic'. So, the start of my PPIE journey involved lots of reading and reflecting about how to approach it!</div><div><br /></div><div>"Co-leading with Rosemary and working with the UNFAIR PPIE contributors was invaluable as we could bounce ideas off each other and consider a variety of perspectives. They kept me right with the 'academic speak' I would sometimes slip into. I learnt so much with so many firsts, such as applying for funding for this type of work (and being successful!), creating flyers, navigating remuneration, as well as being involved in creating an animation."</div><div><br /></div><div> <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Top tips for members of the public (especially if considering a co-applicant role)</span></b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Applying to be a co-applicant or public contributor can involve being selected from a group of interested people. Don't let that put you off as there are lots of opportunities. The <a href="https://rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/public-involvement-consumer-panel/">Research Design Service</a> (RDS) including <a href="https://rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/creating-connections/">Creating Connections</a>, or <a href="https://www.peopleinresearch.org/">People in Research</a> are good places to start.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Be confident about taking up the role, if you would like to do it. The researchers have asked you because they’re confident you can contribute relevant skills and experience.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Check that you have the time to commit to being a co-applicant. In terms of hours, the commitment may not be very great, but being able to respond to emails quickly (within 48 hours) and to attend online and in person meetings at arranged times can be important. It’s likely that you will be consulted about suitable times, perhaps by doodle poll, but there may be occasions when you need to prioritise the project to ensure continuity and re-arrange your diary. Ongoing dialogue between you and the researchers to figure out the best approach together works well.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Each stage of the project will be well-planned and costed in advance by the researchers and the lay co-applicant is paid by the hour in my experience, depending on the nature of the work. However, there may be occasions when lay co-applicants feel that they can offer further insights and they should feel freely encouraged to check that comments outside the box will be welcome and if so, volunteer their thoughts to the researchers by email.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Be willing to ask questions of the researchers and put your point of view across with confidence, but be prepared to find that your assumptions may be proved wrong as the project progresses. Remember that it’s a learning process for us all. Be resilient when necessary and work together to keep the project on track.</li></ul><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Top tips for researchers </b><br /></span><b><br />Ways of working:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Decide how you will involve public contributors at each stage of the project in line with your budget.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If working with a specific group of PPIE contributors on a project, decide together how you would like to work. There are tools to help you with this, such as <a href="https://www.learningforinvolvement.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/6-a4a3db6b0b559cc56e92b50375fca087/2022/03/RDS_Working_Together-002.pdf">Working Together</a>.</li></ul><b>Diversity and inclusion: </b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Remove barriers for involvement as much as you can. For example, provide options such as different online and/or in-person sessions on different days/times, go to community groups and be flexible about timings to ensure it suits public contributors (not expecting people to come to you), or use online platforms, such as <a href="https://padlet.com/">Padlet</a>, for people who want to be involved but can't attend the session.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Language is really important, be as clear and as simple as possible.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To increase diversity of public contributors, networks can help promote the opportunities particularly in public health research compared to disease related research as public health research typically has a wider remit.</li></ul><b>Time: </b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Building relationships is key and takes time. It is good practice to keep people updated and adapt according to need where you can.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Make sure you know how to remunerate public contributors in your organisation before any PPIE sessions to reduce delays.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Build in extra project time for unforeseen events.</li></ul><b>Challenges:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Any challenges that may come about with PPIE work or co-production are opportunities to make the project even better, see them as gifts.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sometimes, what is feasible in the time/resources available may not align with the feedback so be clear that you may not be able to act on all suggestions at the outset. Compromise as well as sharing why you have not been able to act on certain suggestions is useful. Have a way of deciding what you will do if the feedback conflicts with others' feedback is important.</li></ul><br />Involving members of the public is incredibly worthwhile strengthening the project in so many ways. Also, undertaking PPIE and/or co-leading provides opportunities for rich learning and skill development for both researchers and public contributors. There is lots of support especially if this is your first time doing this type of work, as either a member of the public or researcher. To find out more about PPIE or public co-applicants, the following resources may be useful:</div><div><br /></div>Guidance:<br /><ul><li>NIHR guidance on PPIE including <a href="https://www.learningforinvolvement.org.uk/content/resource/public-co-applicants-in-research-guidance-on-roles-and-responsibilities/">guidance for public co-applicants</a> and <a href="https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/payment-guidance-for-researchers-and-professionals/27392#What_do_you_need_to_budget_for">PPIE remuneration</a></li><li><a href="https://rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/">NENC RDS Public Involvement Guidance</a></li><li><a href="https://sites.google.com/nihr.ac.uk/pi-standards/home">UK Standards for Public Involvement</a></li><li><a href="https://www.rdsresources.org.uk/ce-toolkit">NIHR RDS Community Engagement Toolkit</a></li><li><a href="https://www.learningforinvolvement.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/6-a4a3db6b0b559cc56e92b50375fca087/2022/03/RDS_Working_Together-002.pdf">Working Together</a></li></ul>Opportunities for public involvement:<br /><ul><li>Contact your local Research Design Service (RDS); in North East and North Cumbria, opportunities for involvement are available, for example, through the <a href="https://rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/public-involvement-consumer-panel/">RDS Consumer Panel</a> and/or <a href="https://rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/creating-connections/">Creating Connections</a></li><li><a href="https://www.peopleinresearch.org/">People in Research</a></li></ul><div> <br /><br /></div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://newcastle.mic.nihr.ac.uk/meet-the-insight-panel-rosemary-nicholls/" target="_blank">Rosemary Nicholls</a> is a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Representative and Consumer Panel Member, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS) North East North Cumbria (NENC) and one of the UNFAIR PPI members.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>We would like to thank the UNFAIR PPIE and research team, members of staff who helped facilitate the online workshop as well as everyone who took part in the workshops.</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><i>This project was funded by the Tilly Hale Award from Newcastle University and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (ref CA-CL-2018-04-ST2-010).The views expressed in this blog are of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, the Department of Health and Social Care or Newcastle University.</i></div></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-38270482555943563832023-04-21T06:00:00.002+01:002023-04-21T06:00:00.207+01:00A public partner’s guide to podcasting<div><i>Posted by <a href="https://www.livingwithinvisibleillness.co.uk/" target="_blank">Victoria Bartle</a>, Fuse Public Partner, with tips for guests from </i><i>Cassey Muir, Fuse & NIHR School for Public health Research (SPHR) funded PhD Researcher from Newcastle University</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpxYnxCJJRU8gZfXz278je0kkGBppRxHV66MTC3CH1IHOOzezNx0-PyrnBIakE4Ewd6Vc1qREoDr8YM206oPm7U-iFw625cqWvZmUsabIafyBWWUbjz5tEZJXXYldo4Okx6gqjaj7CL7jQyGUquZwxGYqx-kcoiSKyF-zTNq5h_ZTzDDQ5OTai6sM/s1824/Podcast%20capture%20crop.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="1824" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpxYnxCJJRU8gZfXz278je0kkGBppRxHV66MTC3CH1IHOOzezNx0-PyrnBIakE4Ewd6Vc1qREoDr8YM206oPm7U-iFw625cqWvZmUsabIafyBWWUbjz5tEZJXXYldo4Okx6gqjaj7CL7jQyGUquZwxGYqx-kcoiSKyF-zTNq5h_ZTzDDQ5OTai6sM/w640-h182/Podcast%20capture%20crop.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div>Everyone seems to have a podcast these days and there are lots discussing research, but how many can say that they are totally led by the public? I have been participating in public involvement in research since 2016 and believe that it is a vital part of improving everybody’s health, but find that getting other people involved and informing the public about research projects is really difficult.<div><br /></div><div>I was excited to be involved with the <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/fuselaunchesinnovativepodcastledbypublicpartners.html">Fuse podcast <i>Public Health Research and Me</i></a> as I’ve wanted to start my own for a while now, and felt as if this would be a perfect opportunity to learn about podcasting and give it a try, as well as being part of creating a platform to help engage the public in research and hopefully increase awareness and involvement. I joined the podcast team made up mainly of other public partners and took part in some excellent training which went through equipment, hints and tips for selecting guests, how to phrase and deliver questions, different podcast formats, as well as recording and editing. I was buzzing after the training and keen to get started.</div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/10gB7rPjvMk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /></div><div>I was lucky enough to be <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/publicinvolvement/fusepodcast/fuselaunchesinnovativepodcastledbypublicpartners.html" target="_blank">selected to be the first host for the podcast and was matched with Cassey Muir</a>, one of the Fuse researchers who is working with children and young people who have been affected by parental substance use. Her work is fascinating and I was soon enthralled reading everything I could to prep for the interview and come up with a very long list of questions. As brevity is not my forte the rest of the team helped to cut these down to around five or six questions which is about all that you need to create a 30 minute podcast. <br /><br />We then had a pre-record meeting with Cassey, where we discussed the questions. Talking to her about her work helped me to edit and refine the questions for the interview. Once the questions had been finalised and approved by the podcast team and Cassey, we set a recording date. <br /><br />I was quite nervous before the record. I’d been a panel member on a podcast before and had so many technical issues that I was really stressed and anxious by the time I managed to get everything sorted. So for this recording I made sure I had tried all of the equipment and was all set up with my notes, drinks, tissues and cough medicine…because of course I had a cold! Recording when one of the presenters keeps coughing is really difficult for the editor, but Cassey was a pro and kept pausing whenever I coughed so that we would have a second or two to edit it out. We talked for ages and the record went really well. I was able to bring in some of my own lived experience of the topic and this helped to make the conversation more natural and less like me firing questions at Cassey, although I did say “wow” and “that’s amazing” a lot which I was determined not to do as much the next time. <br /><br />Now to the technical part! Although we had had some training on editing podcasts, the team decided to use an external editor as we wanted it to sound as professional as possible, and none of us were confident in using the software just yet. Listening to the edited version we were able to make requests for changes, but I felt that it generally sounded great, and asking to cut out all of my embarrassing “wows” was my own issue and not necessary. We had to write our bios to go with the podcast, an overview of what it was about, and make sure that the projects and references that we discussed were all available for the listeners to link to directly from the podcast page. <br /><br />Going live was exciting, I sent the link to all of my friends and family, it was tweeted on the Fuse twitter feed and is also on the Fuse website so everyone can access it. We’ve had over 100 listens and the <a href="https://youtu.be/10gB7rPjvMk" target="_blank">bonus video has had nearly 300 views</a> so far. I’ve had lovely feedback from my friends and family who said they found it really interesting. My Mum was especially impressed as she now has something that she understands to tell people when she’s trying to explain what public involvement in research is and what I do.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Round two </h3><br />The <a href=" http://www.fuse.ac.uk/news/fourdecadesinpublichealthwithprofessoreugenemilnembe.html" target="_blank">second recording</a> went a bit differently. I had loads of background information to read about Eugene Milne, his career history, his involvement in establishing Fuse, his role in public health and his recent MBE which was all very exciting. I had lots of questions about all of the different projects that he had been involved in, their impact on public health in the North East, as well as his plans for retirement, but during the pre-record chat I decided to take a more focused direction as his responses to some of the topics were just so interesting. We narrowed it down to his involvement in establishing Fuse, what his initial expectations were and how he feels it has developed over the past 15 years; the impressive results from the public health initiatives that he oversaw (including North East tobacco and alcohol control programmes <a href="http://www.freshne.com/" target="_blank">Fresh</a> and <a href="https://www.balancenortheast.co.uk/" target="_blank">Balance</a>); as well as responding to Covid-19 during his time as the Director of Public Health for Newcastle. <br /><br />Again the public partner team reviewed the questions and the theme of the podcast and we went ahead with the recording. This time I didn’t have a cough which made recording much easier, but I still responded with lots of “wow’s” and “that’s amazing” as I found Eugene very engaging and his career so interesting. I then got myself a bit confused towards the end of the record. I’d skipped a question as it didn’t fit with how the conversation was flowing, but I wanted to come back to it at the end. I’d already said the outro lines so I had to pause for a second or two, ask the missed question, and then remind the editor to swap the order of the last two sections around. I was a bit embarrassed about this, but it was absolutely fine and you can’t tell in the final version.<div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Things don’t always go to plan</h3><div><br /></div>The third recording with PhD student Joanne McGrath has been different again. We had already decided to focus on one of Joanne’s current projects looking at women experiencing homelessness as it fitted in with <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/events/fuseresearchevents/previousresearchevents/celebratingwomenembracingequityinthenortheast.html" target="_blank">International Women’s Day and an event that Fuse was hosting for the occasion</a>. This meant that I had a bit less reading to do while prepping the questions this time. They were approved by the podcast team and Joanne, and she steered the direction of the podcast from the outset as she knows her research best and which areas are being focused on currently. The recording has been beset with challenges, technical issues, diary clashes and unavoidable life events that have meant that we have had to postpone the recording three times. Is it cursed!? <br /><br />These challenges actually led us to writing this blog, as well as the hints and tips below. We have all learnt so much from the first three podcasts and as I pass the hosting responsibilities to the next public partner we wanted to make sure that we were learning from our experiences. At the point of writing this blog, we have now managed to record Joanne’s episode, so keep an eye out for it. Her work with women experiencing homelessness is so important and will benefit an often overlooked group of people by supporting positive changes in their lives. <br /><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">Our top tips for podcasting</h4><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b><b>For hosts</b></h3><b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div>Preparing for the podcast:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Give yourself enough time to read through all of the guest’s work and discuss with them and the team the possible theme of the interview.</li><li>Write down all the questions you can think of; you can always edit and rearrange the order later.</li><li>Have a pre-record meeting with the guest; this helps you and your guest to feel comfortable, and to try out the microphone and recording platform. This can also help to define the questions and theme of the podcast.</li><li>After the guest and the team have reviewed the questions and decided on five or six to use, arrange them in an order that should flow like a conversation.</li><li>Write your own intro, a couple of sentences about yourself to introduce you to the listeners and practice this a few times so that you are familiar and comfortable saying it.</li><li>Also practice the intro and outro sections that have already been created, changing some of the words if it fits better with how you speak.</li></ul><b>The podcast recording:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Login to the meeting for the record early, have everything you need set up around you, and make sure you have all devices on silent so you won’t be disturbed.</li><li>Check the mic in advance, you may need a USB port to attach to your computer and headphones with a connector jack. If you use an Apple Mac (or similar) you may have to use a USB adapter.</li><li>Place the mic approximately 15cm (6”) in front of you.</li><li>Find a small quiet room that is preferably well furnished to absorb any echo.</li><li>Have a little chat with the guest, try to make them feel comfortable and start when you’re both ready.</li><li>Mute yourself if you need to cough, sneeze or drink etc.</li><li>Avoid rustling any paper or notes that you may have prepared.</li><li>Turn off non-essential devices using wifi and reduce the tabs/windows on your device. This will reduce the likelihood of buffering during the Zoom/Teams call.</li><li>If you do cough, sneeze or make a mistake then pause for a second or two and start again (or mark by saying “edit point”), this gives the editor a space to remove the noise.</li></ul><b>After the recording:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Re-record any sections you feel necessary, or let the team know if you think a section will need to be moved, cut or edited and they can pass this on to the editor.</li><li>Once the edited version comes back, with the “umms”, “aaahhhhs”, coughs (etc.) removed, you will be able to listen through and request any further edits that you’d like.</li><li>Write a bio and provide a photo to go on the podcast platform.</li><li>Help with any promotion through your own networks, and enjoy listening!</li></ul><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">For guests</h3><div><br /></div><b>Preparing for the podcast:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Identify and share your relevant publications, resources, and information with the host and podcast team, which allows them to focus the conversation and questions (e.g., do you want to provide a wide variety of resources or only those on a specific topic?).</li><li>Help clarify any specific points of interest or themes you would like to get across about your work as this will help with determining relevant questions.</li><li>Pre-record meetings and/or emails are helpful, which can take away some of the nerves by building a relationship with the host or testing out the equipment.</li><li>Ask for a copy of the questions if you would like to make notes and think about your answers ahead of time.</li></ul></div><div><b>The podcast recording:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>This should be/is a fun experience where you get to talk about your work with someone who is keen to listen and explore different topics with you. It is a great chance to discuss your research in a way that you might not normally and possibly from a different viewpoint, so try to ease into it and enjoy it. If you lose your train of thought or stumble over your words it is okay, that is the benefit of editing and not being live.</li><li>If you have made them, have your notes to hand, either printed (but not rustling) or on the screen to help you remember important points that you want to make during the podcast.</li><li>As this is meant to be somewhat conversational, remember to go with the flow of questioning as some of your answers may spark interesting follow-up questions that you are unprepared for.</li></ul><b>After recording:</b><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Ensure you have provided links to the important items you discussed during the podcast, which can then be shared alongside the podcast.</li><li>You get to listen/watch through the edited podcast before it goes live, which is your chance to highlight any changes you would like to be made (although the editing team do a fab job, so there may be no necessary changes at this stage).</li><li>Once the podcast is live, this is a great opportunity to share your work and the podcast with relevant networks and/or on your social media.</li><li>Enjoy listening or watching the podcast!</li></ul><div style="mso-element: comment-list;"><div style="mso-element: comment;"><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_11" language="JavaScript">
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</div></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-81336305675512246122023-03-17T06:00:00.001+00:002023-03-17T12:04:02.691+00:00What can be done to improve the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people in schools?<i>By <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/liamspencer1.html">Liam Spencer, </a>Research Assistant and ARC NENC Mental Health Research Fellow, Fuse & NIHR School for Public Health Research, Newcastle University</i><div><i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3m2qgn1c7ifILfLlK-JZPM0E7QgYB1CXXkboIsi0ecxmjLGCGO8k9AZjJ6aHPf6rZrTFwcb6DZHP9r0KzPe3YdlKL1wu3TqiKatPM33CtXzdOB8rpA1OqJk6_stjLh-75-j9cbPipVYDmgNhEOsNWUHTXApzow9QYkG0ojuCY2hg6ceMsqR47Pz5/s640/people-gefb7cd94b_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3m2qgn1c7ifILfLlK-JZPM0E7QgYB1CXXkboIsi0ecxmjLGCGO8k9AZjJ6aHPf6rZrTFwcb6DZHP9r0KzPe3YdlKL1wu3TqiKatPM33CtXzdOB8rpA1OqJk6_stjLh-75-j9cbPipVYDmgNhEOsNWUHTXApzow9QYkG0ojuCY2hg6ceMsqR47Pz5/w400-h268/people-gefb7cd94b_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i>Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33074740/" target="_blank">experience significant mental health inequalities</a> in comparison with their peers. School environment is a major risk factor and is consistently associated with negative mental health for LGBTQ+ young people, as shown in research <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12310-020-09403-9" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11121-020-01196-2">here</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19359705.2016.1171188">here</a>. The UN Convention for the Rights of Child Committee has also specifically emphasised the need to take <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-20-2016-implementation-rights" target="_blank">effective action to protect LGBTQ+ young people</a> from all forms of violence, discrimination or bullying, and to improve mental health.<br /><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Our research </span></b><br /><br />Our <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/news-and-events/behind-the-research-creating-lgbt-affirming-school-environments-class-research-team/" target="_blank">Creating LGBTQ+ Affirming School Environments (CLASS)</a> research project aimed to investigate the impact of school-based interventions (schemes or initiatives) on the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people. In the first stage of our study, we reviewed published evidence, and identified positive interventions that supported LGBTQ+ mental health in school, however the focus tended to be on the outcomes rather than detailing how they were done. <br /><br />We also interviewed 10 young people aged between 13 and 18 years, nine practitioners (e.g. people working in organisations who had delivered LGBTQ+ inclusivity interventions in UK schools), and three members of school staff, and analysed the data to identify interventions that improved mental health. We used this information to develop a theory model that aimed to explain how, why, for who, and in what context school-based interventions can prevent or reduce mental health problems in LGBTQ+ young people, in collaboration with these key stakeholders.<div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/ijerph/ijerph-20-04274/article_deploy/html/images/ijerph-20-04274-g001.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://www.mdpi.com/ijerph/ijerph-20-04274/article_deploy/html/images/ijerph-20-04274-g001.png" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McDermott, E. et al. Understanding How School-Based Interventions Can Tackle LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Inequality: <br />A Realist Approach. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 4274. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054274" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054274</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div> <div>Our model (diagram above) has three levels at which interventions may work, on psychological, behavioural, emotional, cultural, and social levels. It explains how school-based interventions that directly tackle dominant cisgender and heterosexual norms can improve LGBTQ+ pupils’ mental health. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Our findings</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>We found that contextual factors such as a ‘whole-school approach’ and ‘collaborative leadership’ were crucial to the delivery of successful interventions. Our theory suggests three ways (causal pathways) that might improve mental health:<br /></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Interventions that promote LGBTQ+ visibility and ‘usualise’ the presence of LGBTQ+ identities, school belonging, and recognition.</li><li>Interventions for talking and support that develop safety and coping.</li><li>Interventions that address institutional school culture (staff training and inclusion polices) that foster school belonging, empowerment, recognition, and safety.</li></ol>Our findings suggest that providing a school environment that affirms and ‘usualises’ LGBTQ+ identities, and that promotes school safety and belonging can improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ pupils. The causal pathways we present are a starting point as theories, however more research to develop our understanding of how school interventions work to improve school climate and the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people is needed. We now need the UK, and other countries, to take seriously LGBTQ+ young people’s rights and ensure they are afforded equal respect and protection as their peers in schools. We may then find that the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people improves. <br /><br /><i>Read the full research paper here: <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4274" target="_blank">Understanding How School-Based Interventions Can Tackle LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Inequality: A Realist Approach</a>, 28/02/23</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Funded as part of the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/research/" target="_blank">Public Mental Health programme</a>, the <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/news-and-events/behind-the-research-creating-lgbt-affirming-school-environments-class-research-team/">Creating LGBTQ+ Affirming School Environments (CLASS)</a> research project, led by Professor Liz McDermott, aimed to investigate the mental health impact on LGBTQ+ young people of school-based interventions. </i><i>Fuse is a founding member of the NIHR SPHR.</i></div><div><div style="mso-element: comment-list;"><div style="mso-element: comment;"><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_2" language="JavaScript">
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</div></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/news-and-events/blog/understanding-how-school-based-interventions-can-tackle-lgbtq-youth-mental-health-inequality-a-realist-approach/" target="_blank">Adapted with thanks to SPHR</a></i></div></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-39325222267794621032023-03-10T06:00:00.113+00:002023-03-10T11:58:11.420+00:00North East women share their experiences of inequalities in powerful poems for International Women's Day<p><i>Posted by <a href="https://twitter.com/clairesmiles87?lang=en" target="_blank">Claire Smiles</a>, Fuse PhD student from Newcastle University and experts by experience Marie Warby and </i><i>Kayleigh Cookson</i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsTIbJfpLy-vGUPOe1TCjVQe01nWsY1tZ5fm48YboMH9vAtK2nBRZ7ALOs8AEgsl_YS_uxlDOyhSLN3r9rJdff2Pt2zXPZQEp4_FJCw7Yy-rXx4AhL3ZYXgP4ic891XP5YevD7Xk8L3r3PVzJoeNux2hyeTyzSU8vZnPzA-O4reMb-Vg90pKaoqBM/s1669/Presenters%20and%20EbEs%20crop%202.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1669" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsTIbJfpLy-vGUPOe1TCjVQe01nWsY1tZ5fm48YboMH9vAtK2nBRZ7ALOs8AEgsl_YS_uxlDOyhSLN3r9rJdff2Pt2zXPZQEp4_FJCw7Yy-rXx4AhL3ZYXgP4ic891XP5YevD7Xk8L3r3PVzJoeNux2hyeTyzSU8vZnPzA-O4reMb-Vg90pKaoqBM/w400-h268/Presenters%20and%20EbEs%20crop%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Presenters and experts by experience at the Fuse event on International Women's Day </td></tr></tbody></table>On International Women’s Day 2023 we at Fuse celebrated by showcasing the lived experiences of women in the North East. This event brought together experts by experience, researchers and practitioners who engaged with presentations, shared experiences and devised top priorities to tackle women’s health inequalities. <p></p><p></p><p>I presented the early findings from the ‘Women’s Sexual Wellbeing’ study alongside wonderful women with lived experience. During my presentation Marie and Kayleigh shared powerful poetry they had written for our IWD Fuse event. Their poetry about womanhood and motherhood reflected on personal experiences and demonstrated the challenges and the resilience of women. A big thank you to Marie and Kayleigh for agreeing to share their poems in this blog post and to Kirsty for taking the videos below.</p><p>Catch up with all the discussion on Twitter using <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FuseRE&src=typed_query&f=live" target="_blank">#FuseRE</a> and International Women's Day using <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23IWD2023&src=typed_query&f=live" target="_blank">#IWD2023</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23EmbracingEquity&src=typed_query&f=live" target="_blank">#EmbracingEquity</a>. For more information about the event <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/events/fuseresearchevents/celebratingwomenembracingequityinthenortheast.html" target="_blank">visit the Fuse website</a>.</p><b>** Content/trigger warning: adult language and </b><b>references to abuse and suicide </b><b>**</b><br /><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Womanhood by Marie Warby</span></b></p><p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EHpwOsfv95s" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>The road to womanhood wasn’t so kind to me. </p><p>I look at infancy and I see abuse; I look at puberty and I see a noose. </p><p>A very painful past as I recall, I didn’t allow it to stop me, I refuse to fall. </p><p>I felt like an adolescent, stuck in a woman’s body, </p><p>Screaming out hoping someone would hear, my body always stuck in a constant state of fear </p><p>Very submissive that’s what I’d become, all I needed was a way to find home. </p><p>Without a map nor a tool, just a woman to teach me from her school, </p><p>A wealth of knowledge to show me the way, I know ill be powerful and independent one day. </p><p>My inner child is reaching out and ready to kneel, this little girl needs to heal. </p><p>With a blank sheet of paper where do I start, it's time to mend my broken heart. </p><p>I look at my past with no regret, for every challenge of womanhood I’ve met. </p><p>To say it’s been easy that would be wrong, and here I stand singing my song. </p><p>Shining a light for others to see, some days I can’t believe it's me. </p><p>Womanhood is such a beautiful place to be, and now finally I can nurture Marie.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Needs to be everything by Kayleigh Cookson</span></b></p><p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ovx-PkcbCUs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><div>The expectations of a mother is not easy, <br />I need superpowers and multi-tasking skills. <br />I have to be a role model and provide a clean tidy house, <br />I have to budget and pay all the bills. <br /><br />I need to be very organised, <br />Always plan ahead every time I go shopping. <br />I have to be a cook, a baker, I'm never out the kitchen, <br />And I am a professional at washing. <br /><br /></div><div>I need to be brilliant at cleaning, <br />Wash the dishes, hoover up, pick up mess. <br />I have to negotiate and play referee, <br />My patience constantly at test. <br /><br />I need to be very responsible, <br />Be a doctor, nurse, councillor, therapist. <br />I have to be handy at odd jobs round the house, <br />There's no problem that I cannot fix. <br /><br />I need to be an expert encyclopaedia, <br />To answer all the why's, how's, what's, where's and when. <br />I have to be fun and play lots of games, <br />Again and again and again. <br /><br />I need to be a smart tutor, <br />Help with homework, teach right from wrong. <br />I have to be a PA, hairdresser, taxi driver, <br />And always put things back where they belong. <br /><br />I need to make lots of dreams come true, <br />I am Santa, the tooth fairy, Easter bunny. <br />I have to cure boredom on cold and wet rainy days, <br />Go out and make memories when it is sunny. <br /><br /></div><div>I need to be rich with empathy, <br />Be supportive, wipe away lots of tears. <br />I have to be a hero and never be scared, <br />And chase away all the nightmares and fears. <br /><br />I need to be a care giver, <br />A good communicator and be able to detect lies. <br />I have to be an agony aunt and a shoulder to lean on, <br />I've got to know how to save lives. <br /><br />I need to be an active listener, <br />Good at advice and have psychic abilities. <br />I have to be ready and always prepared, <br />To provide mental and emotional stability. <br /><br />I need to be loving and caring, <br />Tend to wounds, scars, bumps, patch up scrapes. <br />I have to be a healer and always the best one, <br />To pick up pieces every time a heart breaks. <br /><br />I need to be strong, be a survivor, <br />Put on a brave face no matter the weather. <br />I have to paint on a smile, show no pain, head up high, <br />Always cope, always hold it all together. <br /><br />I need to always have time, <br />There's no relax, no switch off, no escape. <br />I have to put everyone's needs above my own, <br />Oh the guilt if I make a mistake. <br /><br />I need to never be ill, <br />Cope with bleeding monthly and raging hormones. <br />I have to put up with mood swings, hot flushes and cramps, <br />Then not to mention the menopause. <br /><br />I need to be forever perfect, <br />Can't shout or swear coz I'll face stigma and shame. <br />I have to never go out coz I'll be a bad mam and a slag, <br />Not worthy, always judged, the one to blame.</div><div><br /></div><div>The expectations of a mother is not easy, <br />I need to also then be a friend, a partner, a wife. <br />I have to be a daughter, a sister, an aunty, a nana, <br />I am never just me, a woman living my life.</div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-51277016233187597222023-02-10T06:00:00.088+00:002023-02-10T06:00:00.217+00:00Treats: a helpful reward, or to be approached with care?<i>Posted by Anita Attala, Lead Adult Weight Management Dietitian from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and research team from Teesside University</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F_RM2zI85SUZ7Jh9kroxiU2n0wLtL5NRpR0YeJQC3Gw_QSKv8o9bDxsCqFXgfK_BBjvGGDrdhc_rQyrz-E41UQNLx6ZS5EzsSPCXWXH-CtMPD7xg2ySpGs0pwibfDe8gthoZrLrMolimbMLpbxo6IHTTdOtmkGBji42o6aij1r_ES8cSJIiGdwvF/s960/rob-wicks--sZvLTd7ONs-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F_RM2zI85SUZ7Jh9kroxiU2n0wLtL5NRpR0YeJQC3Gw_QSKv8o9bDxsCqFXgfK_BBjvGGDrdhc_rQyrz-E41UQNLx6ZS5EzsSPCXWXH-CtMPD7xg2ySpGs0pwibfDe8gthoZrLrMolimbMLpbxo6IHTTdOtmkGBji42o6aij1r_ES8cSJIiGdwvF/w266-h400/rob-wicks--sZvLTd7ONs-unsplash.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>We all like to have a ‘treat’ and to give ‘treats’ to others. Indeed, the use of food, and in particular what we in public health call ‘high fat, sugar, and salt’ containing foods or ‘HFSS’, are often chosen as rewards. The notion of food cultures is certainly a social anthropological (study of humans) concept, with an example being the use of food in positive reinforcement; using ‘treat’/HFSS foods to reward children in particular. Taken at ‘face-value’ such treats may appear harmless, however repeated use of HFSS in this way has been shown to physiologically influence the human food reward system, and impact on our ability to <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/73/5/296/1862679?login=false" target="_blank">regulate how much food we eat</a>. This, together with other detrimental impacts, has led to advice <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.09.024" target="_blank">not to regularly use food as a reward</a>. Research has also shown that using food rewards in adults can hinder healthy weight management, <a href="https://www.jmir.org/2014/6/e138" target="_blank">especially from a psychological perspective</a>.<br /><br />But what exactly is a ‘treat’? Why do we feel the need to ‘treat’ someone? Are ‘treats’ always a positive experience or can they be used in a detrimental or harmful way? <br /><br />While working in a forensic service I saw patients gain weight, and often gain this weight very rapidly. I also noted that some staff seemed frustrated and concerned about the weight gain some patients experienced. However, I also noticed that HFSS food was frequently used as part of patient care. This sparked my interest in wanting to understand this apparent conflict. <br /><br />Forensic services provide care for people with a severe mental illness or learning disability, who have committed a crime but are too vulnerable to be in prison. For example, they are high risk either to themselves or the public, and therefore are unable to live in the community. People in these environments are often here for a long time and are reported to die 15-20 years prematurely, often from avoidable diseases. There are often restrictions imposed on the person and their environment. These restrictions will depend on the level of security required and the risk posed by the patient, and can be directed by the Ministry of Justice. An example of a restriction might be the person is not able to leave the ward. <br /><br />Limited research seems to have been undertaken around the use of HFSS food ‘treats’ for adults, let alone adults who are in hospital. Yet, it is something many of us seem primed to do – bring (HFSS) food to someone when they’re ill. <br /><br />The word ‘treat’ conjures up a particular thought of food – which is often high in calories, high fat and high in sugar. What you view as a ‘treat’ and how to ‘treat’ can often have been learnt in childhood and can differ from person to person. But, while it is entirely possible to have a non-food ‘treat’, it’s often harder to think of one and can be more difficult to provide while in hospital (particularly one with restrictions such as forensic wards). <br /><br />You could argue that ‘treats’, by definition, can only be a ‘treat’ if you don’t consume them on a regular basis. As research shows, regular behaviours of any kind, can soon develop into habits. <br /><br />Wanting to learn more about the use of ‘treats’ to show care and kindness, particularly in a hospital setting, I applied for research funding from my Trust (<a href="https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/" target="_blank">Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust</a>). Also, in 2020, I was successful in obtaining a clinical academic internship with Health Education England (HEE) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Both awards enabled me to research the use of treats in forensic inpatient care settings. <br /><br />Using this funding, I decided to focus on whether ‘treats’ were being used to prompt a particular behaviour from a person, while in inpatient care settings; whether these ‘treats’ impacted on a person’s weight and physical health; and why treats were chosen and if it was related to ideas of care and kindness. Certainly, from my observations this is what seemed to be happening - often perhaps unconsciously – but this research allowed us to evidence what may be happening. <br /><b><br /></b><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiIxxQQecoipMgDreWPeW4svkC1spMgwvgGM4F43RXguw_s1GPveditiIaPuz_lhl7fU0rqMSeAzsFU1lL19WksOHZW7EshTH96SSaFI-bhRKAlW9UDhFtMkT2UAyu7__SzHO-HnuDfMfXSpLWJ1fA2BWvo5ADDgt5vvqndINV0Hr3fZFpvkkvaoP/s640/heart-617405_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiIxxQQecoipMgDreWPeW4svkC1spMgwvgGM4F43RXguw_s1GPveditiIaPuz_lhl7fU0rqMSeAzsFU1lL19WksOHZW7EshTH96SSaFI-bhRKAlW9UDhFtMkT2UAyu7__SzHO-HnuDfMfXSpLWJ1fA2BWvo5ADDgt5vvqndINV0Hr3fZFpvkkvaoP/w320-h214/heart-617405_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What we found </span></b><br /><br />Our research into treats in the health care sector has <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13129" target="_blank">now been published</a>. It found that treats were used for a number of reasons including:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Being an affordable way to reward someone</li><li>An incentive to encourage patients to participate in activities, and</li><li>A way to express love/care for someone.</li></ul>Of course, food as a bonding mechanism is not a new phenomenon, and the idea of <a href="https://hraf.yale.edu/craving-comfort-bonding-with-food-across-cultures/" target="_blank">certain foods providing comfort is well-established</a>.<br /><br />It’s entirely possible to have ‘treats’ as part of a healthy balanced diet, and that the origin of using HFSS as treats may be from a place of nurture, but the advice is that food treats should be infrequent and limited in quantity. While it would appear ‘easy’ to say that those working in institutions, like in NHS care services, need to be mindful of how food is being used, our research findings suggest that it may take a much bigger system/cultural change to reduce the use of HFSS as treats in services. I think the idea of a ‘positive food culture’ is useful here. One where the focus is on preserving and nurturing good health and wellbeing through the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3955304210599373230/5127701623318759722#" target="_blank">use of healthy, positive, food behaviours, attitudes and values</a>.<br /><br /><b>Authors: </b><br /><br /><i>Anita Attala, Lead Adult Weight Management Dietitian from Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, and postgraduate student from Teesside University. <br /><br />Jo Smith, Consultant Dietitian (Clinical Academic) from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, and PhD student from Teesside University <br /><br />Amelia Lake, Fuse Associate Director and Professor of Public Health Nutrition from Teesside University <br /><br />Dr Emma Giles, co deputy-lead of the Fuse Behaviour Change Theme and Associate Professor Public Health from Teessside University </i><br /><br /><b>References:</b><br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Alonso-Alonso M, Woods SC, Pelchat M, Grigson PS, Stice E, Farooqi S, Khoo CS, Mattes RD, Beauchamp GK. Food reward system: current perspectives and future research needs. . Nutr Rev 2015;73(5):296-307. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4477694/" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4477694/</a></li><li>Roberts L, Marx JM, Musher-Eizenman DR. Using food as a reward: An examination of parental reward practices. Appetite 2018;120:318-326. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.09.024" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.09.024</a></li><li>Hsu A BA. Designing for Psychological Change: Individuals’ Reward and Cost Valuations in Weight Management. J Med Internet Res 2014;16(6). <a href="https://www.jmir.org/2014/6/e138" target="_blank">https://www.jmir.org/2014/6/e138</a></li><li>Attala A, Smith J, Lake AA, Giles E. Investigating ‘treat culture’ in a secure care service: a study of inpatient NHS staff on their views and opinions on weight gain and treat giving for patients in a forensic secure care service. J Hum Nutr Diet 2023; 1-13. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13129" target="_blank">http://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13129</a></li><li>Human Relations Area File. Craving comfort: bonding with food across cultures. 2023; Available at: <a href="https://hraf.yale.edu/craving-comfort-bonding-with-food-across-cultures/" target="_blank">https://hraf.yale.edu/craving-comfort-bonding-with-food-across-cultures/</a></li><li>Mingay E, Hart M, Yoong S, Hure A. Why We Eat the Way We Do: A Call to Consider Food Culture in Public Health Initiatives. International journal of environmental research and public health 2021; 18(22) <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8623951/" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8623951/</a></li></ol><div style="mso-element: comment-list;"><div style="mso-element: comment;"><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_8" language="JavaScript">
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</div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-67808784220605123922023-02-03T06:00:00.043+00:002023-02-03T06:00:00.231+00:00Welcome to your Wrapped, Fuse Open Science Blog <div><i>Posted by Mark Welford, Fuse Communications Manager, Teesside University</i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9COLXHnAQyDQf88T9J2BCBZVJ9fCRUIdDMBIY3qeTmHV8N7u4GEnZhakC9b0EP5Zf6S8MGDyMt0EpEwrqkOJtDvOG7AZG3OduH802ZYEqg3_KAyduAsXIK7MILvyjsR5f40ddcNXsmM7KOMbovUWaoGmOHa8Uth0HFFMThom8qC04mfqXsSsM8AHI/s1280/Spotify_Wrapped_Meme_Template_2022.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9COLXHnAQyDQf88T9J2BCBZVJ9fCRUIdDMBIY3qeTmHV8N7u4GEnZhakC9b0EP5Zf6S8MGDyMt0EpEwrqkOJtDvOG7AZG3OduH802ZYEqg3_KAyduAsXIK7MILvyjsR5f40ddcNXsmM7KOMbovUWaoGmOHa8Uth0HFFMThom8qC04mfqXsSsM8AHI/w225-h400/Spotify_Wrapped_Meme_Template_2022.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div>If you use Spotify (other streaming platforms are available) then you will no doubt have received your own personalised ‘Wrapped 2022’. A helpful (if somewhat creepy!) summary of your annual listening habits in one eye-searing psychedelically coloured package. Apparently, my most listened to song in 2022 was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqZsoesa55w">Baby Shark</a> - I have a 3 year old.<br /><br />Around this time of year I do a similar (if slightly less garish) job of pulling together the top 5 Fuse blog posts from the previous year.<br /><br />But this year is a little different.<br /><br />It’s award season and this year the blogs listed below were in the running for a coveted gong. Not at the GRAMMYs, Oscars, Emmys, BAFTAs, or BRITs but the (much more prestigious) first ever Fuse Awards!<br /><br />Earlier this week (30 January), the post with the most views was crowned best blog of 2022 with the author awarded a shiny trophy at our <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23fuseawards23&src=typed_query&f=live" target="_blank">ceremony in Durham</a> *link may contain SPOILERS*.<br /><br />So without further ado, here is the full list of the runners and writers in reverse order, culminating with the post that received the most views...<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">5.</span> <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/05/planning-for-healthier-future.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Planning for a healthier future?</span></a></b></div><div><br /><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTONPiuFyk2NUgVyrwXRiZn9wVVEEAsycxwHdWf9aLSCRY6nPmvPxqKiifJiyebqM22eWyC4DYb07YTQ0-Hl6ktF4CT-Su5I76e9jyHyKDe6h47otYC6XgqXItYKWnO4WmBJ5H1Zch4kZZRKsEqUK9G6SDG6odoH5IbFuPY5LMgIeuSPnCpEZViP8J/s310/Image2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTONPiuFyk2NUgVyrwXRiZn9wVVEEAsycxwHdWf9aLSCRY6nPmvPxqKiifJiyebqM22eWyC4DYb07YTQ0-Hl6ktF4CT-Su5I76e9jyHyKDe6h47otYC6XgqXItYKWnO4WmBJ5H1Zch4kZZRKsEqUK9G6SDG6odoH5IbFuPY5LMgIeuSPnCpEZViP8J/s16000/Image2.png" /></a></div>Posted by Tim Townshend, Professor of Urban Design for Health, Newcastle University</i><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">“...primarily designing around the needs of the private car - rather than humans - has been a disaster.”</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Prof Townshend explores how we can plan for a healthier future by intervening in the built environment. From the 'toxic high street', to the green (and blue) spaces in our cities that encourage physical activity and social interaction, positive for physical health and mental wellbeing.<br /><br />Posted: 13 May 2022</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgymNP55FjQ0pcSeUpLJnp2uW9Vb_fGBzYHvaQJNdEx0gtUNCBZGlKwyVxEJIrxlwjbifjd9h79LGdph4e8AvmBB0H5Jv4Blr1LmS5py0mMmwjzEwBN9WOrhjSeoTZv_hllhNriTY_nJyPIrBeZQbBN9WIxsU90bjHDW-FDKAxeeS0Qzm_Cl9Tnj3Dm=s800" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="537" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgymNP55FjQ0pcSeUpLJnp2uW9Vb_fGBzYHvaQJNdEx0gtUNCBZGlKwyVxEJIrxlwjbifjd9h79LGdph4e8AvmBB0H5Jv4Blr1LmS5py0mMmwjzEwBN9WOrhjSeoTZv_hllhNriTY_nJyPIrBeZQbBN9WIxsU90bjHDW-FDKAxeeS0Qzm_Cl9Tnj3Dm=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></div>4. <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/01/science-and-art-of-communication.html">Science, and the art of communication</a></span></b><br /><br /><i>Posted by Louis Goffe, Research Associate, NIHR Policy Research Unit in Behavioural Science</i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">"...building the evidence-base isn’t enough, we all need to work on at least one aspect of the artistic craft of research promotion."</span><br /><br />COVID19 has brought into sharp focus that health promotion takes more than good science, there is an art to the delivery. In this post, Louis explores vaccine misinformation, the infodemic, involving the public and advocacy.<br /><br />Posted: 28 January 2022<br /><br /><br /><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. </span><a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/12/what-support-do-children-and-young.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">What support do children and young people actually want when their parents use drugs and alcohol?</span></a></b><br /><br /><i>Posted by Cassey Muir, Fuse & NIHR School for Public health Research (SPHR) funded PhD Researcher from Newcastle University and Kira Terry, Lived Experience Expert.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_N2FHByV1Ml7p5HcNaP4BjCP55NZzKX1DCjVUYMy17IEXVR3IxNxfAVEGxkCzw_UCgj9n941CmKMYlatUv7A2YYXQIqFVuGihS9-i2d5YdkMZ3E_VkLT2wS3w3UN5uxha7VBGyAmCKrTdUZ5Cp3EJMbtFFWFhG9NfWklbzn5jD11KOERw7RJ5waE/s800/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3958461.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_N2FHByV1Ml7p5HcNaP4BjCP55NZzKX1DCjVUYMy17IEXVR3IxNxfAVEGxkCzw_UCgj9n941CmKMYlatUv7A2YYXQIqFVuGihS9-i2d5YdkMZ3E_VkLT2wS3w3UN5uxha7VBGyAmCKrTdUZ5Cp3EJMbtFFWFhG9NfWklbzn5jD11KOERw7RJ5waE/w320-h213/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3958461.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;">“No-one has ever asked me about how I feel in any of this.”</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Fuse PhD student Cassey shares her research aiming to understand the experiences, perceived impacts and coping strategies of young people whose parents use substances. The post ends with Kira’s thoughts about contributing to the project as a Lived Experience Research Advisor.<br /><br />Posted: 9 December 2022</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgdiZ7aSRwhZw6PgGW4VEWb_E29VZUOunEOSAScTxF7wl5rhN4vFCqgpZxAD7B1d5Zt6Pgko4giCwpRqvqc-O8Tsaj4nfl0tSup48b4g7B-yK43MJ-i6GPPIaC4adV4VOlQBRh8bA1lWe2m0TRGwzACtKXQKpsQCcrIBk9J8zzFsiXO97BpMmG0r0e=s228" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="170" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgdiZ7aSRwhZw6PgGW4VEWb_E29VZUOunEOSAScTxF7wl5rhN4vFCqgpZxAD7B1d5Zt6Pgko4giCwpRqvqc-O8Tsaj4nfl0tSup48b4g7B-yK43MJ-i6GPPIaC4adV4VOlQBRh8bA1lWe2m0TRGwzACtKXQKpsQCcrIBk9J8zzFsiXO97BpMmG0r0e=s228" width="170" /></a></div>2. <a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/is-picture-truly-worth-thousand-words.html">Is a picture truly worth a thousand words?</a></b></span><br /><br /><i>Posted by Emma Adams, NIHR ARC NENC Mental Health Fellow at Newcastle University, and Experts by Experience from Fulfilling Lives Newcastle Gateshead & #HealthNow Newcastle</i><br /><br />Find out how Emma and her Experts by Experience worked together to develop striking visuals to share what they had learned from a study exploring access to community based mental health and substance use support during the COVID-19 pandemic for individuals experiencing homelessness and those providing support.</div><div><br /></div><div>Posted: 25 March 2022<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>And in at number one </b></span><b style="font-size: large;">our award winner</b><b style="font-size: large;">...</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1. </span><a href="https://fuseopenscienceblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/universal-credit-experiences-and.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Universal Credit experiences and research co-production</span></a></b><br /><br /><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_sswagHGWaNDFQphMJqnD0f96mJ9mvzCPIUzCIQE-vyRJzKv61X30cYamKoq0fCQ1Fl5Da2EfWkDrHE6UyaskpyHyfyFFVhEMNaD8ryKFyOIGxGrtjR6lMqYxxWQz9pH2yxmg02kBiWvmueLQ-jEeQQcm02I6wwgD-jljMvRnqzq3_daJDFFJbUTi=s639" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="639" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_sswagHGWaNDFQphMJqnD0f96mJ9mvzCPIUzCIQE-vyRJzKv61X30cYamKoq0fCQ1Fl5Da2EfWkDrHE6UyaskpyHyfyFFVhEMNaD8ryKFyOIGxGrtjR6lMqYxxWQz9pH2yxmg02kBiWvmueLQ-jEeQQcm02I6wwgD-jljMvRnqzq3_daJDFFJbUTi=w200-h169" width="200" /></a></div>Posted by David Black, Fuse Public Partner and Expert by Experience. Introduction by Mandy Cheetham, Research Fellow in the Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria (ARC NENC), Northumbria University</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">“In the past I'd always found the process of seeking</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> help from the unemployment benefit system to be</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> relatively easy, but Universal Credit was a disaster</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> for me.”</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Ever wondered how you could help shape research as a member of the public? In this Fuse blog, David shares his personal experiences of claiming benefits and how this has informed research to assess the impact of Universal Credit.</div><div><br /><div>Posted: 11 March 2022</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Below is a photo of David (second from the right) along with the other Fuse Award winners. Congratulations to all! </b></span></div><div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many thanks to everyone who joined us for the first ever Fuse Awards <a href="https://twitter.com/durham_uni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@durham_uni</a> and a huge congratulations to our winners and those shortlisted! 🏆🎉🤩<br /><br />The standard of entries was exceptional and our panel of judges had tough decisions to make in all categories.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FuseAwards23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FuseAwards23</a> <a href="https://t.co/uJimaKDzc7">pic.twitter.com/uJimaKDzc7</a></p>— Fuse (@fuse_online) <a href="https://twitter.com/fuse_online/status/1620371668375056384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tGQe7-iij-4C833AcUCNd5CpFYs0nQnPUM7-k_qWvebxwzd3NeM-mt32TxBDLdnLmSBe2jHnrePPr5qL4Dewqai8V_ZzAp4oNdHpaLcofWkXMRNV-y15mVUFXpg7K8uxkbycnlXcE5U1hHttYi4AjPT1ds8BCh6uKQwUn6vHWk1puPwkvxxKIgmC/s929/fuseawards-holding-cup-with-attribution-221114-USE-FINAL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="867" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tGQe7-iij-4C833AcUCNd5CpFYs0nQnPUM7-k_qWvebxwzd3NeM-mt32TxBDLdnLmSBe2jHnrePPr5qL4Dewqai8V_ZzAp4oNdHpaLcofWkXMRNV-y15mVUFXpg7K8uxkbycnlXcE5U1hHttYi4AjPT1ds8BCh6uKQwUn6vHWk1puPwkvxxKIgmC/s320/fuseawards-holding-cup-with-attribution-221114-USE-FINAL.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>Catch up with all the award winners using <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23fuseawards23&src=recent_search_click&f=live" target="_blank">#FuseAwards23</a> or see the <a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/events/otherevents/fuseawardceremony.html" target="_blank">event programme</a> on the Fuse website for all those shortlisted.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.fuse.ac.uk/getinvolved/joinfuse/" target="_blank">Join Fuse</a> to be in with a shout of winning a coveted Fuse Award in 2024!</span></div></div><div><br /><p></p></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-74723196738359217292023-01-27T06:00:00.001+00:002023-01-27T13:28:35.836+00:00Public Health at a crossroads again: meeting the challenge of a reformed system in England<i>Posted by <a href="https://research.ncl.ac.uk/davidhunter/" target="_blank">David Hunter</a>, Newcastle University, <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/professor-peter-littlejohns" target="_blank">Peter Littlejohns</a>, King’s College London, and <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/political-science/people/academic-teaching-and-research-staff/professor-albert-weale" target="_blank">Albert Weale</a>, University College London</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBD_5-yrRQ3rkbGQNiY-5WrY7o-_fV0PkkYEXhZH62hYxyc7mSFSkVyI2WaFhZVjR8AXhPqfkULXxsfJHTXfSMqrP0cZeTVEG7v9GdVF5z33XNJH_UwAKNpLLqjlsteefXRHCm8N46Mq1TYmnWyn_u9I2YiybzREe8_-4JV0dPllbbo0KF44mqHDS1/s1280/road-3227047_1280.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBD_5-yrRQ3rkbGQNiY-5WrY7o-_fV0PkkYEXhZH62hYxyc7mSFSkVyI2WaFhZVjR8AXhPqfkULXxsfJHTXfSMqrP0cZeTVEG7v9GdVF5z33XNJH_UwAKNpLLqjlsteefXRHCm8N46Mq1TYmnWyn_u9I2YiybzREe8_-4JV0dPllbbo0KF44mqHDS1/w640-h358/road-3227047_1280.jpg" /></a><br /><br />With health policy understandably preoccupied with the pressures on, and changes occurring in, the NHS arising from the impact of COVID-19, implementation of the <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/health-and-care-act-2022-make-sense-legislation " target="_blank">Health and Care Act 2022</a>, and various strikes among the workforce, it is imperative not to overlook the public health system reforms in England. <br /><br />Public Health England’s (PHE) sudden demise in August 2020 followed mounting criticisms of its performance during the early stages of the pandemic and <a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/failures-of-state-the-inside-story-of-britains-battle-with-coronavirus-jonathan-calvertgeorge-arbuthnott?variant=39528280391758">general unpreparedness</a>.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span> Rather than consider how PHE might be reformed, the government rushed to replace it with two new bodies: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). Like PHE, the UKHSA is an executive agency with close ministerial oversight while still permitting ‘independence in the delivery of policy advice’. It will act as a ‘system leader’ for health security with responsibility for pandemic preparedness and external threats across the UK while bearing in mind that health is a devolved responsibility. <br /><br />PHE’s remaining functions in respect of the wider public health, including health improvement and population health, lie with OHID. Located within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and jointly accountable to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Chief Medical Officer for England, it enjoys even less independence than the UKHSA. Building on the work of PHE, OHID’s priorities include tackling obesity, improving mental health, promoting physical activity and other population health issues, notably inequalities. <br /><br />There is merit in taking stock to identify any lessons which might be gleaned from the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4476">mixed life of PHE</a> and whether the new bodies offer hope to do things better.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2 </span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Learning the lessons</span></b><br /><br />The findings from a research project to explore the circumstances surrounding the rise and fall of PHE may assist with the <a href="https://arc-sl.nihr.ac.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/files/public-health-report-sept-2022-final.pdf">learning process</a>.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3</span> Five broad underlying issues were identified in the research which contributed to PHE’s demise.<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiPO3MNKsSsJARpJQseq-SqdFwE49kKu3UjLCTVnwl71fheeTDfZV5wOxZ_-FjswUh4iZhbpQfiVNa22W8aUuBIri5s4MKvkqG8EG5EpzyRQQbKhGwmJ8Tf61mrDjIb8rWiSop1wXgymCeHfMFSdEVpqNmgNYjJTe5WswS5OaFRT037LXZeQ3KIGL/s640/maskmedicare-shop-_Rkrbhyq84Y-unsplash%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiPO3MNKsSsJARpJQseq-SqdFwE49kKu3UjLCTVnwl71fheeTDfZV5wOxZ_-FjswUh4iZhbpQfiVNa22W8aUuBIri5s4MKvkqG8EG5EpzyRQQbKhGwmJ8Tf61mrDjIb8rWiSop1wXgymCeHfMFSdEVpqNmgNYjJTe5WswS5OaFRT037LXZeQ3KIGL/s320/maskmedicare-shop-_Rkrbhyq84Y-unsplash%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHE did not possess the capacity to undertake a testing regime<br /> of the size and complexity required by the pandemic</td></tr></tbody></table>Severe funding cuts in public health spending, nationally and locally, since 2010 meant that PHE functioned with reduced capacity when the pandemic struck</li><li>PHE did not possess the capacity to undertake a testing regime of the size and complexity required by the pandemic, the absence of which was the basis of the case against the organisation</li><li>The governance of PHE as an executive agency meant it lacked independence</li><li>While decisions made by PHE at the start of the pandemic were later considered mistakes (and judged outside the law by a judicial review) at the time there was little information about the nature and possible effects of the virus and limited capacity in the health system which required tough prioritisation decision to be made</li><li>The sudden closure of PHE without any consultation was widely reported to be due to blame-avoidance behaviour on the part of key actors, principally Dominic Cummins (as former Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson) and Matt Hancock (as former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care). There was also a view that the decision was based on policy favouring use of the private sector and contracting out functions like test and trace.</li></ul>Key lessons from these findings centre on two major areas of concern: the respective remits of the new bodies, and their governance.<br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Remits</span></b><br /><br />The respective remits of UKHSA and OHID need to be clearer and more transparent if the risk of fragmentation is to be avoided. A welcome feature of PHE was its attempt to bring together the key public health functions that had previously operated in separate silos. As things now stand, separating communicable diseases (CDs) from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a retrograde move since, as the pandemic highlighted in stark terms, close links exist between them when it comes to those groups and communities which suffered most in terms of illness and death. A <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32000-6/fulltext" target="_blank">syndemic understanding of diseases</a> and their underlying social factors is pivotal in preventing disease in the future and avoiding fragmentation.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">4 </span><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Governance</span></b><br /><br />Governance of the new public health bodies requires careful attention. As an executive agency, PHE was criticised for its lack of independence from government which restricted its ability to ‘speak truth to power’. Given UKHSA enjoys the same status, it remains unclear how it intends to avoid a similar fate. The problem is a deep-seated and pervasive one within government. The idea that OHID being housed in the DHSC will allow it to exercise greater influence and have a closer collaboration with ministers could be a good move, or, more likely if history is any guide, it may be overly optimistic. There is a risk that OHID may disappear into Whitehall and become invisible, lacking even the limited degree of independence PHE had. To succeed, OHID has to be visible and have allies inside government. <br /><br />A further issue concerning the governance and working style of both agencies, especially OHID, centres on their ability to operate effectively across government. Public health comprises numerous ‘<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01405730" target="_blank">wicked issues</a>’, that is, multi-faceted problems that are complex and for which there are no simple or single solutions. Confronting them will be especially challenging for a government which, for all its rhetoric about ‘levelling up‘, remains topic- and department-focused, <a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/levelling-up-policies-drive-economic-change" target="_blank">operating in silos rather than concerned with cross-government issues</a>.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">5 </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>OHID has a steep hill to climb if it wants to lead a transformational agenda across the wider determinants of health which demands a whole-of-government approach. The hill just got steeper following government delays in tackling child obesity and its failure to implement a national food strategy. In keeping with the prevailing political ethos, there is a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61449921" target="_blank">renewed focus on individual behaviour change and lifestyle choices</a> rather than <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/377/bmj-2022-070589" target="_blank">tackling the influence on health of commercial interests via taxation and regulation</a>.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">6,7</span> If significant inroads into the population health agenda are to be made, then confronting powerful vested interests in, and lobbying from, the food and drinks industry and their ’friends’ in government engaged in what has been termed ’<a href="http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Social-Market-FoundationInstitutional-Corruption-the-revolving-door-in-American-and-British-politics.pdf" target="_blank">institutional corruption</a>’ cannot be avoided.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">8</span> Whether OHID has either the backing from government or competences for such a struggle remains doubtful in the extreme.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Conclusion</span></b><br /><br />Public health once again finds itself at a crossroads. It can either continue to ‘muddle through’ with a broken political and <a href="https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/hard-choices/" target="_blank">public policy system that is not fit for purpose</a>.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">9</span> Or there is an opportunity to construct a strong and confident public health system that is well-placed to confront the challenges facing it. The aftermath of COVID-19 should make the choice of options self-evident. However, as things stand, it is unlikely that the UK’s broken political system with its focus on short-term fixes is up to the challenge. Without major systemic change aimed at overhauling the UK’s political system, a risk of further deterioration in the state of the public’s health may be unavoidable.<br /><br /> <b><br /></b><div><b>References:</b><br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Calvert J, Arbuthnott G. Failures of state: the inside story of Britain’s battle with coronavirus. London: Mudlark, 2021. <a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/failures-of-state-the-inside-story-of-britains-battle-with-coronavirus-jonathan-calvertgeorge-arbuthnott?variant=39528280391758">https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/failures-of-state-the-inside-story-of-britains-battle-with-coronavirus-jonathan-calvertgeorge-arbuthnott?variant=39528280391758</a></li><li>Vize R. Controversial from creation to disbanding, via e-cigarettes and alcohol: an obituary of Public Health England. British Medical Journal 2020; 371:m4476 <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4476">http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4476</a></li><li>Littlejohns P, Khatun T, Knight A, Hunter DJ, Markham S, Coultas C, Kelly MP, Ahuja S. (2022) Lessons from the demise of Public Health England: where next for UK public health? London: NIHR ARC South London. <a href="https://arc-sl.nihr.ac.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/files/public-health-report-sept-2022-final.pdf">https://arc-sl.nihr.ac.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/files/public-health-report-sept-2022-final.pdf</a></li><li>Horton R. Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic. The Lancet 2020; 396: 874. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32000-6">https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32000-6</a></li><li>Pope T, Shearer E, Hourston P. What levelling up policies will drive economic change? The need for a long-term focus on skills and cities. London: Institute for Government, 2022. <a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/levelling-up-policies">https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/levelling-up-policies</a>?</li><li>British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Junk food: obesity strategy falling apart, Jamie Oliver says. 15 May 2022 <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61449921">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61449921</a></li><li>Ralston R, Smith K, O’Connor CH, Brown A. Levelling up the UK: is the government serious about reducing regional inequalities in health? British Medical Journal 2022; 377:e070589 <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/377/bmj-2022-070589" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-070589</a></li><li>Draca M. Institutional corruption? The revolving door in American and British politics. SMF-CAGE global perspectives series: 1. 2014. <a href="http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Social-Market-FoundationInstitutional-Corruption-the-revolving-door-in-American-and-British-politics.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Social-Market-FoundationInstitutional-Corruption-the-revolving-door-in-American-and-British-politics.pdf</a></li><li>Ricketts P. Hard choices: the making and unmaking of global Britain. London: Atlantic Books, 2022. <a href="https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/hard-choices">https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/hard-choices</a></li></ol><br /><b>David J Hunter, Emeritus Professor of Health Policy and Management, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University<br /><br />Peter Littlejohns, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, Centre for Implementation Science, Institute for Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King’s College London<br /><br />Albert Weale, Emeritus Professor of Political Theory and Pubic Policy, University College </b><b>London</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The views and opinions expressed by the authors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Newcastle University, King’s College London, University College London, </i><i>or Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.</i></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-793954027540951272023-01-06T06:00:00.001+00:002023-01-06T06:00:00.210+00:00What’s really going on when a child is ‘overtired’ – and how to help them have a silent night in the New Year<i>Posted by <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/h-l-ball/">Helen Ball</a>, Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre (DISC), and Fuse Associate at Durham University</i><div><br /></div><div>Anyone who’s cared for a young child will recognise the signs. They’ve had too little sleep or missed a nap, they’re cranky, tearful, and stroppy, and they can’t or won’t fall asleep. They are “overtired”. But is such a thing really possible – to be more tired than tired?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8GCr3xTmhH1YLvu0ux3VDVXNMBzUOYgIdMs73uJ535v7tfpsloUiYDx94lFxEe5G3TpL_KfjhyBmH9EtlFHqTm4kv7Qe4cCVgbpa2tqsBBaqaIC-CPII-Xxns6IwyvcQLPp6k9NiQ9__TAKJRSPAakbgBFmlk4kfqe8aChXxmFKvHB2ZS93ZpM5A/s960/nathan-dumlao-Y-H5pu2oglE-unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8GCr3xTmhH1YLvu0ux3VDVXNMBzUOYgIdMs73uJ535v7tfpsloUiYDx94lFxEe5G3TpL_KfjhyBmH9EtlFHqTm4kv7Qe4cCVgbpa2tqsBBaqaIC-CPII-Xxns6IwyvcQLPp6k9NiQ9__TAKJRSPAakbgBFmlk4kfqe8aChXxmFKvHB2ZS93ZpM5A/w266-h400/nathan-dumlao-Y-H5pu2oglE-unsplash.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What we tend to call overtiredness happens when an emotional state, such as anxiety, distress or fear, <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/anxiety-and-sleep">blocks our ability to go to sleep</a> even when we’re really tired. This is a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/emph/article/2016/1/227/2802646">survival response</a> that helps us to stay awake when in danger, no matter how tired we are. It suggests overtiredness can be reframed to help us better respond to our child’s needs when it happens.<br /><br />At the end of the day, the feeling we have of needing to sleep is called <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/work-hour-training-for-nurses/longhours/mod2/11.html#">sleep pressure</a>. The longer we stay awake the more sleep pressure rises. Typically, the higher it gets, the easier it is to fall asleep. If we stay awake for long enough, eventually we’ll fall asleep even if we are trying not to.<br /><br />The sensation of sleep pressure is caused by the <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/adenosine-and-sleep#:">build-up of chemicals</a> (called adenosines) in the brain. These are proteins that are <a href="https://the-gist.org/2021/05/sleep-pressure-or-why-do-we-crash/">removed from our brains</a> while we sleep, and build up again while we are awake.<br /><br />For adults, this process takes about 14-16 hours. When we delay sleep past this point the build-up of adenosines cannot go on unchecked. At some point, eventually, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00303/full">we must sleep</a>.<br /><br />Babies’ sleep pressure builds up more quickly than adults. Young babies often fall asleep after being awake for an hour or two. As children get older, sleep pressure builds more slowly. But it takes <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/when-do-kids-stop-napping">several years</a> until a child is able to stay awake all day.<br /><br /><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What stops us sleeping?</span></b><br /><br />To fall asleep we must be calm, relaxed and able to <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/sleep-problems/about-sleep-and-mental-health/">switch off our brains</a> so that the build up of sleep pressure can tip us into sleep. When something blocks the action of sleep pressure, such as fear, pain or racing thoughts, we may struggle with sleeplessness.<br /><br />In the same way, sleep happens more easily for a baby or child when sleep pressure is high, they are in a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378378207002265">calm relaxed state</a>, and nothing is preventing sleep onset. But sometimes babies and children need help to become calm before sleep pressure can kick in and they can nod off.<br /><br />When a baby or young child’s sleep pressure is high and the need to sleep is strong, but they are emotionally unable to calm themselves, or they are in a situation where they cannot relax – where there is noise, lights, or activity – we may label them as overtired. <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2021/01/12/covid-mental-health-how-cope-emotional-exhaustion-and-burnout/4134289001/">Emotional exhaustion</a>, which is a form of stress, prevents both children and adults from sleeping and makes them cranky.<br /><br />Some responses to overtiredness are heavy-handed. Ordering a child to their room, putting them to bed in the face of distress or punishing them for not falling asleep when told to do so will dial up the child further and push sleep further from reach. After all, none of us can fall asleep on command.<br /><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Helping babies to sleep</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ76tdYcScm4KvveoQT36s2rlwGCojvReFRprhf5b2zCk8NbAJQlZnNzrTMjgMs_9dwk6V3NUeo8UDVpSBZrWc4sZj7Eu7Vk0iGtjP4D30hlB9PsJHxkJVkpumsJZob0U_7Axcwu9WPNHrbdhCYueYgqPEcBNut7Q7psKbL6fy31sVCMtYmakgevp7/s960/pexels-helena-lopes-6957518.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ76tdYcScm4KvveoQT36s2rlwGCojvReFRprhf5b2zCk8NbAJQlZnNzrTMjgMs_9dwk6V3NUeo8UDVpSBZrWc4sZj7Eu7Vk0iGtjP4D30hlB9PsJHxkJVkpumsJZob0U_7Axcwu9WPNHrbdhCYueYgqPEcBNut7Q7psKbL6fy31sVCMtYmakgevp7/w266-h400/pexels-helena-lopes-6957518.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>In this situation, we must remember that babies and young children <a href="https://childmind.org/article/can-help-kids-self-regulation/">need our help to manage their emotions</a>. It is our job as parents to help them become calm, dial down, and relax in preparation for sleep.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/584174">We can do this in many ways</a>. Physical contact such as cuddling, rocking, stroking or patting works for most children, although it must be remembered that some neurodivergent children can find touch irritating rather than calming.<br /><br />Non-contact methods also work. The presence of a relaxed slow breathing adult can calm a child, as can listening to gentle talking, singing and humming. In the Czech Republic, there is a specific word for lying with and helping a child to relax so they can fall asleep: <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721821002254">uspávání</a>.<br /><br />There is no name in English for the process of helping a child relax so that sleep pressure can tip them into slumber, so we often don’t discuss or acknowledge it. We can use it, though. And we can understand that what we have named “overtiredness” is the conflict between sleep pressure being high and something blocking the effect of that sleep pressure.<br /><br />In this situation actively removing the blockage – fear, pain, anxiety – by helping babies and children to become calm is the quickest way to help them fall asleep.<br /><br />Next time your baby is having a meltdown at bedtime, or your child is throwing a tantrum at the end of the day, hug them, cuddle them, talk gently to them and calm them. Let sleep pressure do its thing, and they’ll be snoozing in no time.
<p><i><br /></i></p><p><i></i></p><p><i>The <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/durham-infancy-sleep-centre/">Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre</a> (formerly the Parent-Infant Sleep Lab) is a research centre of the Department of Anthropology. It is the home for a group of researchers examining various aspects of infant and child sleep and parenting behaviour since 1995. Its work with more than 5,000 parents and babies during the last 20+ years has substantially increased parents' understanding of babies' sleep, how best to care for babies during the night, and how best to keep them safe when asleep. </i></p><div><br /></div><p><i>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-really-going-on-when-a-child-is-overtired-and-how-to-help-them-go-to-sleep-194784">original article</a>.</i></p></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-2103288423242868462022-12-16T06:00:00.004+00:002022-12-16T06:00:00.208+00:00Walking football for people with chronic breathlessness – has it got legs?<div><i>Posted by <a href="https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/callum-bradford-3">Callum Bradford</a>, Research Associate, Teesside University</i></div><div><br /></div>Following on from the recent success of the England Women’s football team, and with the Men’s World Cup final just around the corner, now seems like a good opportunity to talk about our walking football project, designed exclusively for people with chronic breathlessness. What is walking football you ask? Well it's football, without running (you don’t say?!), and the physical contact is a bit more restricted. Thankfully, FIFA hasn't got its hands on walking football <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12071484/fifa-threatens-legal-action-against-walking-football-world-cup-organisers-over-name">just yet</a>, with the World Cup being an example of why we perhaps should <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/21/lgbt-groups-condemn-fifa-over-onelove-armband-sanctions-threat">avoid such a thing</a>.<div><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4s2V95nQtbg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div><div>Chronic Breathlessness is predominantly caused by pulmonary conditions, such as <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/">chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)</a>, impacting 75 million people globally. With Covid-19 and an ageing population this number is expected to rise, increasing the burden on families, carers, and health and social care services. For individuals, breathlessness is associated with a lower quality of life, decreased capacity to do exercise, and higher levels of anxiety and depression <br /><br /><a href="https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/keep-active/pulmonary-rehabilitation">Pulmonary rehabilitation</a> is recommended for everyone with breathlessness. Consisting of both exercise and education, its benefits on health are unequivocal, however, any benefits gained by patients are often reduced three months after completion. This is primarily because patients go back to doing less physical activity once the programme has finished and support from healthcare professionals is removed. With this in mind, we wanted to develop an intervention that could step-in when patients finish their rehabilitation, offering a form of exercise maintenance and continued social support. Given the nation's love of football (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_4NMn9JjwM">most of the time</a>), we believed walking football might have potential. <br /><br />To develop the intervention, we initially consulted pulmonary physiotherapists, and a local walking football team. The physios were initially very sceptical, raising concerns that the pace would be too fast, and highlighting the number of people with breathlessness who required oxygen or walking-aids. Walking-aids?! Oxygen?! I hadn't even considered that. I was starting to worry that this idea might be a complete non-starter. <br /><br />So next stop was to see some walking football for myself at Middlesbrough’s <a href="https://mfcfoundation.co.uk/get-involved/herlingshaw-centre/walking-football/">Herlingshaw Centre</a>. I left the session with mixed feelings. They played three-touch, meaning everyone got the opportunity to play, forcing that one player who thinks they're <a href="https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12594906/allan-saint-maximin-step-over-dance-against-crystal-palace">Allan Saint-Maximin</a> to pass the ball. It was also proactively refereed to the benefit of everyone, with players encouraged to talk to the ref if they felt the pace of the game was too fast. However, after giving it a go myself, the pace was still surprisingly quick, despite what <a href="https://youtu.be/l6bFxh2cnzU">Father Ted</a> might have you believe, bringing back concerns as to whether it would be too high an intensity. What I really needed to know was what patients themselves thought of walking football. <br /><br />So we linked up with <a href="https://www.breatheeasydarlington.org/">Breathe Easy Darlington</a>, a local support group for people with lung conditions. Describing the input from Breathe Easy members as invaluable to our research over the last few years would be a massive understatement. So much so that, as a small thank you, we held a fundraiser for them last month on <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/jon_robinson/status/1592860380514385921/photo/1">World COPD Day</a>, raising £1120.76. <br /><br />Their opinions would be vital to walking football’s success... however, they were also dubious of the idea. Again, concerns were raised about the speed, the walking-aids, and the balance required to play. So I asked, under what circumstances – if any – would they consider giving walking football a go? They stated that if the football was exclusive to people with breathlessness like themselves, they would give it a try, as they would be able to dictate the pace of the game and not feel too self-conscious of their footballing abilities. Our original plan involved asking patients to join onto sessions at the Herlingshaw. Luckily, by consulting with Breathe Easy members, I now understand how that plan – to mix people with and without breathlessness - would have likely ended in disaster, demonstrating the importance of including end-users when designing research studies. <br /><br />Twelve Breathe Easy members agreed to play and the stage was set for our walking football taster sessions, and as you can see from our <a href="https://twitter.com/TeessideUni/status/1596875118432903175">video</a>, I don't think it could have gone much better. <br /><br />The players embraced the competitive aspect of football, stating that “On the pitch you forget about breathlessness”; and the concern for walking-aids was turned on its head after we agreed that hitting the ball with a walking-stick is a perfectly fine way to score a goal. Our coach, Monty Towers, was key to its success, mixing up the session with fun games, while allowing everyone to play football at their own pace. In our follow-up conversations, members also suggested implementing a buddy system, where more experienced participants take responsibility for introducing new patients to the group so they feel more welcome – a brilliant idea that we intend to implement in the future. <br /><br />Throughout 2023 we will be assessing the feasibility of walking football following pulmonary rehabilitation in collaboration with both North Tees & Hartlepool and South Tees NHS Foundation Trusts, plus the <a href="https://www.northridingfa.com/news/2021/dec/01/active-through-football">North Riding FA</a>; and I’m confident if it’s anything like our sessions with Breathe Easy members, it will be a great success. <br /><br />And if you’re still upset about the World Cup, don’t worry, I’m sure our walking football team will bring it home <a href="https://www.fiwfa.org/confirmed-associations-for-walking-football-world-nations-cup/">next year</a>.<br /> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The views and opinions expressed by the author are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Teesside University or Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health.</i></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3955304210599373230.post-74902004515375786562022-12-09T06:00:00.064+00:002022-12-09T14:17:47.443+00:00What support do children and young people actually want when their parents use drugs and alcohol?<i>Posted by <a href="https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/trainee/cassey-muir/">Cassey Muir</a>, Fuse & NIHR School for Public health Research (SPHR) funded PhD Researcher from Newcastle University and Kira Terry, Lived Experience Expert. </i><div><i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_N2FHByV1Ml7p5HcNaP4BjCP55NZzKX1DCjVUYMy17IEXVR3IxNxfAVEGxkCzw_UCgj9n941CmKMYlatUv7A2YYXQIqFVuGihS9-i2d5YdkMZ3E_VkLT2wS3w3UN5uxha7VBGyAmCKrTdUZ5Cp3EJMbtFFWFhG9NfWklbzn5jD11KOERw7RJ5waE/s5760/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3958461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_N2FHByV1Ml7p5HcNaP4BjCP55NZzKX1DCjVUYMy17IEXVR3IxNxfAVEGxkCzw_UCgj9n941CmKMYlatUv7A2YYXQIqFVuGihS9-i2d5YdkMZ3E_VkLT2wS3w3UN5uxha7VBGyAmCKrTdUZ5Cp3EJMbtFFWFhG9NfWklbzn5jD11KOERw7RJ5waE/w400-h266/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3958461.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></i><div><i style="font-size: xx-large;">“No-one has ever asked me about how I feel in any of this.”</i></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>I found the powerful quote above from a young person during my research exploring parent drug and alcohol (or substance) use from the young person’s perspective. Since then the question of <i>‘what support do children and young people ACTUALLY want?’</i> has remained central to my PhD research in this area. <br /><br />Most schemes focus on the parents themselves, to reduce the risk to young people. While these interventions are needed it should be alongside and in addition to support for the child or young person as well. There are currently a very limited number of evidence-based interventions for young people whose parents use substances, with low quality effectiveness. The distribution of support services for children and young people whose parents use substances is also patchy across the country, with practitioners doing really great work with little funding and resources. <br /><br />In a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15248380221134297">recently published review</a> of the research in this area, I aimed to understand the experiences, perceived impacts, and coping strategies of young people whose parents used substances. The review was extensive - covering the perspective of over 700 children and young people from across twenty different countries - and I hope that it can help to inform practice and policy through illustrative cases of young people’s experiences, as well as giving insights into what support could be useful. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Feeling different and isolated </span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Kb010KC2HRSyZ2v7tc9vlOsbL1mR01v8h2O-a2QfIHUt7O7CIe4krw0VrDs2YTjcB3SL3Kq1elbxJTDZQCtAUlfAo2H2oUIdsMy6ECamaglfOaEb8wthEiDB6XzUlRM_SBWPG2krVNXud9eCVwX_NM0h6a7Gp3nhz15chgb06Q-7RjqRco9JL1AA/s282/download%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="282" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Kb010KC2HRSyZ2v7tc9vlOsbL1mR01v8h2O-a2QfIHUt7O7CIe4krw0VrDs2YTjcB3SL3Kq1elbxJTDZQCtAUlfAo2H2oUIdsMy6ECamaglfOaEb8wthEiDB6XzUlRM_SBWPG2krVNXud9eCVwX_NM0h6a7Gp3nhz15chgb06Q-7RjqRco9JL1AA/s1600/download%20(1).jpg" width="282" /></a></div>Working with <a href="https://props.org.uk/how-we-can-help/young-person-project/">PROPS Young Person’s Project</a>, a group of young people with lived experience supported the early stages of this review to help us understand the findings. One area that the young people felt was missing and may not have been explored across the current studies was the experience of feeling different to their peers, and how they felt isolated and like they had to keep everything hidden from others. This idea, relating to the experience of stigma, helped me to explore the data from a different perspective.<br /><br />Children and young people described living highly disrupted and chaotic lives, characterised by unpredictability and insecurity within their relationships. They also often experienced adversity occurring at the same time in childhood, such as parents with mental health problems, domestic violence and abuse, as well as poverty. Children and young people were impacted both emotionally and socially from their experiences of parental substance use, which often extended beyond their parents stopping use, further highlighting that child-focused support is crucial. The painful experience of shame, stigma, and discrimination due to their close association and relationship with a parent who uses substances, was often further compounded for those who had experienced poverty or lower socioeconomic status. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Resisting and coping </span></b><br /><br />Most of the studies described the negative impacts of parental substance, without recognising children and young people’s agency and attempts to change, control, and resist their experiences or impacts. Children and young people tried to manage and mitigate vulnerabilities and be resilient to unpredictable, adverse, and stigmatising experiences. While it is not a child’s role to resist and cope with the negative impacts of parental substance use, they were trying to do this anyway, often without formal support in place. Formal support was often thought of as something children and young people only have at times of crisis and due to the stigma and fear of speaking out it was also difficult for young people to seek support for themselves before a crisis point. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What can we do to support? </span></b><br /><br />The findings had little to say about how young people wanted to be supported following their experiences. So, as part of my PhD I have been chatting with young people, and the practitioners that support them, around what we can do to support and build on their strengths, agency, resistance, and resiliency. For instance, young people and practitioners thought it would be good to develop a digital app that teenagers and young adults can access themselves at any time of day. They can choose what topics or sessions they want to go through and hear about other young people’s stories. Such digital interventions could be used alongside in-person support with a practitioner or act as a gateway to more formal support, with the aim of helping reduce the stigma of speaking out and accessing help. Additionally, young people wanted free text support lines that they can access out of hours, usually in the evening when things may be worse at home. Text and chat-based support lines provide young people with the opportunity to safely get support without having to physically talk to somebody and gives them more flexibility. Both young people and practitioners wanted in-depth training for professionals (e.g. teachers or first responders) around the experiences and impacts of parental substance use on children and young people and how to signpost to support. <br /><br />Finally, one of the main areas that the young people and practitioners wanted to focus was on the co-production of resources to be used in primary and secondary schools. Young people wanted parent drug and alcohol use to be talked about in schools, as many reflected that it had never been spoken about making them feel more alone and isolated. Having lessons around the emotional and social impacts of family substance use within secondary school, or having story books read out loud in primary school about a child whose parent drinks alcohol or uses drugs would begin to reduce the stigma and fear of speaking about such a hidden and taboo subject. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote><blockquote><i><blockquote>“I’ve really enjoyed that chat, thanks for reaching out to me and wanting to hear about my experiences and how to support young people.”</blockquote></i></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>Young person after taking part in this study</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p> </p></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote><blockquote>“He has told us he has gotten so much out of chatting with you and is really happy to have been involved and listened to regarding what might help others.”</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>Practitioner on behalf of a young person </blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The young person’s voice </span></b><br /><br />In any decisions made throughout my PhD, I have tried to ensure that the young person’s voice is lasting and at the forefront. Young people have been involved in this project from the start, guiding the research questions, designing research materials, contributing to ethics procedures, analysing data, and presenting results to over 100 practice and policy professionals. To finish this blog post, Kira shares her thoughts on contributing to this project as a Lived Experience Research Advisor and what she thinks is needed to support young people whose parents use substances: <br /><br /><i>“It has been an absolute honour to be involved as part of this project. To use my ‘negative’ life experience and be able to turn it into a positive impact for other children like me in the future: to help speak for those who feel they don’t have a voice and aren’t seen by people around them in the position they are in. The main part of supporting young children is accessing them and communicating with them. Reaching out to young people in general about parental substance use issues, getting the knowledge out there about it is important. This in turn will help the young people experiencing parental substance use, as the subject isn’t so hidden anymore as it usually feels hidden in the home. And through that we must back up with access to different support links. Some children aren’t ready, some don’t want help, some we won’t reach, but to push and be as present for as many children as possible, as long as possible and to reduce the isolation of the stigma around it is vital.”</i><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/10gB7rPjvMk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Find out more about this research in the first <i>Public Health Research and Me</i> Fuse Podcast: <i>How can we promote resilience in children and young people affected by parental substance use?</i></span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>
Links:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15248380221134297">Cassey’s first PhD Journal Publication reviewing the existing literature around children and young peoples' experiences of parental substance use</a>.</li><li><a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-98286-7_8">Cassey’s book chapter exploring stigma experienced by young people, which they may feel about their parent’s substance use</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwxIph4caH4">Fuse/Adfam Research Event recording with young people’s perspectives</a>.</li><li><a href="https://props.org.uk/how-we-can-help/young-person-project/">PROPS Young Person’s Project</a>.</li><li><a href="http://adfam.org.uk/about-us/">Adfam</a></li></ul><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Image credits:</b></div></div></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-woman-talking-with-therapist-3958461/">https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-woman-talking-with-therapist-3958461/</a></li><li>PROPS Family Recovery Service logo. Copyright © 2022 - All Right Reserved - PROPS North East: <a href="https://props.org.uk/ ">https://props.org.uk/</a></li></ol></div></div>Fusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02167289608282259405noreply@blogger.com0