Protocol for a national monthly survey of alcohol use in England with 6-month follow-up: 'The Alcohol Toolkit Study'.

Timely tracking of national patterns of alcohol consumption is needed to inform and evaluate strategies and policies aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm. Between 2014 until at least 2017, the Alcohol Toolkit Study (ATS) will provide such tracking data and link these with policy changes and campaigns. By virtue of its connection with the 'Smoking Toolkit Study' (STS), links will also be examined between alcohol and smoking-related behaviour

Web-based Discussion Forums on Pregnancy Complaints and Maternal Health Literacy in Norway: A Qualitative Study

Background: The Internet is one of the fastest growing information sources for pregnant women and seems to be used across social and economic strata. However, we still lack knowledge on how interaction in Web-based discussion forums influence maternal health literacy, in terms of how pregnant women access, appraise, and apply information to promote and maintain good health. Objective: The aim of this study was to understand how Web-based discussion forums influence maternal health literacy; hence, we explored the role of interactions in Web-based discussion forums among women who experienced health problems during pregnancy. More specifically, we explored why media-literate women experiencing the medically unexplained condition, pelvic girdle pain (PGP), during pregnancy participated in Web-based discussion forums and how they appraised and applied the information and advice that they gained from the Web-based interaction with other women. Methods: Women were invited to participate in the study via postings on 3 different open websites for pregnant women and mothers. The sample included 11 Norwegian women who participated in open Web-based discussion forums when experiencing PGP in pregnancy. The data were collected using synchronous qualitative email interviews and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results:In our study sample, interaction in Web-based discussion forums influenced maternal health literacy in terms of increased health-related knowledge and competencies, increased awareness of health promotion and health protection, and increased system navigation. The women appraised and selectively applied information and advice that resonated with their own experiences. For many, the information provided online by other women in the same situation was valued more highly than advice from health professionals. Women reported that they used their knowledge and competency in encounters with health professionals but hesitated to disclose the origin of their knowledge. Those with a high level of education in medicine-related fields raised a concern about the Internet as a source of horror stories and erroneous information and were actively engaged in trying to minimize potential negative effects, by providing biomedical information. Conclusions: The popularity of Web-based discussion forums among pregnant women suggests that this group needs additional sources of information and support to complement traditional consultations with the health professionals. The professionals need to recognize that pregnant women access Web-based discussion forums for support and information to increase their ability to take better health decisions for themselves. This is a potential resource that health professionals may find useful in consultations with pregnant women

Beyond academia – interrogating research impact in the Research Excellence Framework

Big changes to the way in which research funding is allocated to UK universities were brought about in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), overseen by the Higher Education Funding Council, England. Replacing the earlier Research Assessment Exercise, the purpose of the REF was to assess the quality and reach of research in UK universities – and allocate funding accordingly. For the first time, this included an assessment of research ‘impact’, accounting for 20% of the funding allocation. In this article we use a text mining technique to investigate the interpretations of impact put forward via impact case studies in the REF process. We find that institutions have developed a diverse interpretation of impact, ranging from commercial applications to public and cultural engagement activities. These interpretations of impact vary from discipline to discipline and between institutions, with more broad-based institutions depicting a greater variety of impacts. Comparing the interpretations with the score given by REF, we found no evidence of one particular interpretation being more highly rewarded than another. Importantly, we also found a positive correlation between impact score and [overall research] quality score, suggesting that impact is not being achieved at the expense of research excellence

Development and implementation of the Bachelor of Nursing (Conversion) course in Vanuatu.

CONTEXT: Vanuatu, a Pacific Island nation in the Western Pacific region, has to date educated its nurses by diploma program. Research evidence in developed countries has consistently shown that nurses educated by bachelor degree improve patient health outcomes and reduce hospital length of stay. In seeking to improve health outcomes, the Vanuatu Ministry of Health decided to introduce a new Bachelor of Nursing degree to provide a skilled, safe nursing workforce for the provision of health care to its peoples{1-3}. The curriculum for this degree was to be developed by Ni-Vanuatu nurse educators with the collaboration of educators from the WHO Collaborating Centre, University of Technology Sydney. However, it was first necessary to upgrade (from diploma to bachelor level) the qualifications of teachers and senior nursing practitioners who would lead the new degree course by introducing a Bachelor of Nursing (Conversion) course. ISSUES: In order to design and implement a Bachelor of Nursing (Conversion) course that would be relevant for the educational and healthcare context in Vanuatu and that would meet qualification requirements of the local regulatory bodies, it was essential to build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders in Vanuatu. A second key concern was to design a program that would cater for participants who were working full time, who were not all living in the same physical location, and who had limited access to internet technology and resources. The course also needed to take into account that participants were multilingual, and that English was not their first language. LESSONS LEARNED: Lessons learned included the importance of coming to understand the sociocultural nexus within which this course was developed and implemented, as well as appreciating the constraints that affect nursing education within the Pacific

Fetal and neonatal exposure to trans fatty acids impacts on susceptibility to atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E*3 Leiden mice

Nutrition during pregnancy can impact on the susceptibility of the offspring to cardiovascular disease. Postnatal consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA), associated with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (PHVO), increases the risk of atherosclerosis, while evidence for those trans fatty acids associated with ruminant-derived dairy and meat remain equivocal. Here, we investigate the impact of maternal consumption of dietary PHVO (P) and ruminant milk fat (R) on the development of atherosclerosis in their offspring, using the transgenic apoE*3 Leiden mouse. Dams were fed either chow (C) or one of three high fat diets: a diet reflecting the saturated fatty acid content of a ‘Western’ diet (W) or one enriched with either P or R. Diets were fed during either pregnancy alone or pregnancy and lactation. Weaned offspring were then transferred to an atherogenic diet for twelve weeks. Atherosclerosis was assessed as lipid staining in cross-sections of the aorta. There was a significant effect of maternal diet during pregnancy on development of atherosclerosis (p=0.013) in the offspring with those born of mothers fed R or P during pregnancy displaying smaller lesions that those fed C or W. This was not associated with changes in total or lipoprotein cholesterol. Continuing to feed P during lactation increased atherosclerosis compared to that seen in offspring of dams fed P only during pregnancy (p<0.001). No such effect was seen in those from mothers fed R (p=0.596) or W (p=901). We conclude that dietary TFA have differing effects on cardiovascular risk at different stages of the lifecycle

WS01.05 Development of a musculoskeletal screening tool for children and young people with cystic fibrosis (Addenbrooke’s MST): initial findings

© 2023 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, to view a copy of the license, see: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Objectives: Development of the Addenbrooke’s Musculoskeletal Screening Tool (MST) for children and young people (CYP) with CF. It is recommended by the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in CF that Musculoskeletal (MSK) screening is carried out in all children from 7 years of age. Currently there is no specific tool for CYP with CF, only the Adult Manchester MST is available in CF (Ashbrook, Taylor and Jones, 2011). Methods: A paediatric MST was constructed by reviewing the Manchester MSK Screening Tool, the pGALS and recent literature surrounding both paediatric and CF related MSK conditions. The tool was developed with support from paediatric CF specialist physiotherapists, paediatric MSK specialist physiotherapists and respiratory consultants. This tool was then used over a one year period on a total of 58 CYP. Results: The MST was well accepted by clinicians and CYP, taking up to 5 minutes to complete. There were 81.8% more positive MSK screens in the year using this Addenbrooke’s MST (20) compared to the previous year using the Manchester MST (11). There were also 6 more referrals, all deemed appropriate by MSK specialist physiotherapists. MSK advice was given to 83% more children in the year using AMST (11) compared to the year using MMST (6). Urinary incontinence appears to be under reported in this population when comparing to other studies with only two positive screens. Kyphosis (as diagnosed by plumb line) was particularly prevalent in this population (20%) and those with kyphosis had a significantly reduced FEV1% (p = 0.008) and FVC% (p = 0.034), as well as tighter pectoralis major (p = 0.002). Conclusion: A screening tool designed for CYP with CF is important in identifying specific conditions to this population. There is an increased number of appropriate referrals when using this tool and interesting initial evidence on the use of pectoralis major length as an outcome measure, however further research and validation is required.Peer reviewe

Revisiting the university front

dc.subject: Postdemocracy / Public function of the university / Governance / Knowledge society / research university / Managerialism / Academic audit / Quality contro