Using digital tools in clinical, health and social care research:a mixed-methods study of UK stakeholders

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated changes to clinical research methodology, with clinical studies being carried out via online/remote means. This mixed-methods study aimed to identify which digital tools are currently used across all stages of clinical research by stakeholders in clinical, health and social care research and investigate their experience using digital tools.Design: Two online surveys followed by semistructured interviews were conducted. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed and analysed thematically.Setting, participants: To explore the digital tools used since the pandemic, survey participants (researchers and related staff (n=41), research and development staff (n=25)), needed to have worked on clinical, health or social care research studies over the past 2 years (2020–2022) in an employing organisation based in the West Midlands region of England (due to funding from a regional clinical research network (CRN)). Survey participants had the opportunity to participate in an online qualitative interview to explore their experiences of digital tools in greater depth (n=8).Results: Six themes were identified in the qualitative interviews: ‘definition of a digital tool in clinical research’; ‘impact of the COVID-19 pandemic’; ‘perceived benefits/drawbacks of digital tools’; ‘selection of a digital tool’; ‘barriers and overcoming barriers’ and ‘future digital tool use’. The context of each theme is discussed, based on the interview results.Conclusions: Findings demonstrate how digital tools are becoming embedded in clinical research, as well as the breadth of tools used across different research stages. The majority of participants viewed the tools positively, noting their ability to enhance research efficiency. Several considerations were highlighted; concerns about digital exclusion; need for collaboration with digital expertise/clinical staff, research on tool effectiveness and recommendations to aid future tool selection. There is a need for the development of resources to help optimise the selection and use of appropriate digital tools for clinical research staff and participants

Factors influencing employees’ eating behaviours in the office-based workplace : a systematic review

Employees spend a large proportion of their time at work and typically consume a third of their total calories during the working day. Research suggests that the workplace environment can affect employees' eating behaviours, leading to various related health consequences. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize the evidence surrounding factors influencing eating behaviours within an office‐based workforce. The literature search was restricted to studies published in English between January 2008 and April 2018. A total of 5,017 articles were screened and assessed for eligibility, of which 22 articles (n=23 studies) were included in the review. All included studies were subjected to quality assessment and were summarized into groups (themes) of “factors” affecting any aspect of eating behaviour at work. The findings revealed a number of factors influencing eating behaviours at work relating to the job role, workplace food environment, and social aspects of the office‐based workplace. Most of the existing research implies the office‐based workplace has a negative influence on eating behaviours. The findings of this review provide an evidence based, comprehensive summary of the possible determinants of eating behaviours in the workplace, which may help researchers to identify factors that are potential targets for intervention

Social norms and reference groups relating to eating behaviours and body weight judgements

People use others to inform their own eating behaviours and weight judgements. This thesis aimed to understand perceptions of social norms and reference groups in relation to eating behaviours and weight judgements. Chapter 1 describes the key concepts and background information to understand the context of the current PhD thesis. It begins by introducing the concept of social norms. Followed by a summary of research studies that have investigated social influences on eating behaviours in general. Next, it discusses the key reference groups that people compare their eating behaviours with and considers social media as a reference group for eating behaviours. It presents research that suggests colleagues are an important reference group for eating behaviours. Chapter 2 presents a systematic review investigating factors affecting eating behaviours in the office-based workforce. Findings suggest colleagues influence people’s eating behaviour at work. Based on this, I employed a broader approach and explored some fundamental research questions; How do people make weight judgements? and who do they make weight judgements with? These questions formed the basis of studies in this thesis. Chapter 3 discusses the implications of the systematic review findings and considers colleagues as an important reference group for body weight judgements. It considers what is known about who people compare themselves with to make a weight judgement and what is known about reference groups more generally. Next, a summary of theories of how people make body weight judgments and an introduction to rank based judgements. Then, a summary of the key points covered in chapters one, two and three. Finally, an outline of the objectives and aims of the thesis, as well as an overview of the thesis structure. Chapter 4 provides an overview and background to the methods utilised in this thesis. First, an overview of study design, participant recruitment, and participant characteristics included within each of the studies are presented (studies 1-7). Then, a description of the research methods used within the thesis and discussion of the rationale for the methods used in each study and finally a chapter summary. Chapter 5 examines whether people use perceived rank of weight with others to inform weight judgements and explored reference group composition. Three studies suggest people use rank with others to make a weight judgement, explaining the cognitive mechanisms behind how people make weight judgements. Friends and people the same gender are important reference groups for weight judgements. Chapter 6 investigates whether people’s judgments are sensitive to the rank position of a judged stimuli among other stimuli or if they are sensitive to the mean in a comparison context. Judgments of weight in context appear to be sensitive to the rank position of weight relative to the weights of others. Chapter 7 explored perceptions of restrained eating in reference groups (Instagram/UK population). Two studies utilised a rank-based approach as an underlying mechanism to explain people’s judgements towards their restrained eating, results were inconclusive. Chapter 8 discusses theoretical and practical implications of all findings. People use rank to make judgements about weight. Findings support rank-based models of human judgment, offering insight into the exact mechanisms by which people judge weight of themselves and others