Mental health first aid for the UK Armed Forces

Education programmes in mental health literacy can address stigma and misunderstanding of mental health. This study investigated self-rated differences in knowledge, attitudes and confidence around mental health issues following participation in a bespoke Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course for the Armed Forces. The mixed methods approach comprised quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. A survey, administered immediately post training (n=602) and again at 10- months post attendance (n=120), asked participants to rate their knowledge, attitudes and confidence around mental health issues pre and post training. Quantitative findings revealed a significant increase in knowledge, positive attitudes and confidence from the post training survey which was sustained at 10-months follow-up. Semi-structured telephone interviews (n=13) were conducted at follow-up, 6- months post attendance. Qualitative findings revealed that participation facilitated an ‘ambassador’ type role for participants. This study is the first to have investigated the effect of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in an Armed Forces community. Findings show participants perceived the training to increase knowledge regarding mental health and to enhance confidence and aptitude for identifying and supporting people with mental health problems. Results suggest that such an intervention can provide support for personnel, veterans and their families, regarding mental health in Armed Forces communities

Methods of connecting primary care patients with community-based physical activity opportunities:A realist scoping review

Funding: NHS Fife Endowment Fund (Grant Number(s): FIF142).Deemed a global public health problem by the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is estimated to be responsible for one in six deaths in the United Kingdom (UK) and to cost the nation's economy £7.4 billion per year. A response to the problem receiving increasing attention is connecting primary care patients with community-based physical activity opportunities. We aimed to explore what is known about the effectiveness of different methods of connecting primary care patients with community-based physical activity opportunities in the United Kingdom by answering three research questions: 1) What methods of connection from primary care to community-based physical activity opportunities have been evaluated?; 2) What processes of physical activity promotion incorporating such methods of connection are (or are not) effective or acceptable, for whom, to what extent and under what circumstances; 3) How and why are (or are not) those processes effective or acceptable? We conducted a realist scoping review in which we searched Cochrane, Medline, PsycNET, Google Advanced Search, National Health Service (NHS) Evidence and NHS Health Scotland from inception until August 2020. We identified that five methods of connection from primary care to community-based physical activity opportunities had been evaluated. These were embedded in 15 processes of physical activity promotion, involving patient identification and behaviour change strategy delivery, as well as connection. In the contexts in which they were implemented, four of those processes had strong positive findings, three had moderately positive findings and eight had negative findings. The underlying theories of change were highly supported for three processes, supported to an extent for four and refuted for eight processes. Comparisons of the processes and their theories of change revealed several indications helpful for future development of effective processes. Our review also highlighted the limited evidence base in the area and the resulting need for well-designed theory-based evaluations.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

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of key indicators within a cohort of 83 GP practices and an eligible population of 210 513. Data were assessed to compare differences between practices and to compare county data with national indicators. Results The annual programme uptake was 49.8% and a total of 1031 patients were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Variations in the detection of modifiable risk factors in relation to the NHS Ready Reckoner were identified: diabetes (20.04%), CKD (20.9%), hypertension (219.9%); obesity (27.1%); low physical activity (257.7%) and smoking (214.3%). Conclusions Disparities in uptake and implementation of the care pathway demonstrate inconsistencies in the application of processes and knowledge. There appears to be an overestimation of CVD risk by the Ready Reckoner tool likely to be attributable to a failure to adjust for existing local early identification efforts in primary care and prevention

Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees

Background: A 16-week lunchtime walking intervention was designed to increase physical activity in physically inactive University employees. The program was delivered and monitored twice over 7 months to examine feasibility across different seasons. Methods: Seventy-five participants (n = 69 females, n = 6 males; mean age = 47.68) were randomly allocated into a Winter (February start) or Spring group (May start). Participants were asked to complete 3 weekday lunchtime walks and 2 weekend walks. Weeks 1 to 10 were led by walk leaders (group phase) while the participants self-organized their walks during weeks 11 to 16 (independent phase). Yamax pedometers recorded daily step counts and walk group leaders recorded participant attendance in the group phase. Acceptability was assessed via a satisfaction survey and 2 focus groups with participants. Results: A participant pool representative by ethnicity, but not gender was recruited using a range of strategies. The program demonstrated good retention across both groups (73%). The intervention was acceptable to participants. More steps were accumulated in the group-led versus the independent phase. Conclusion: The intervention is feasible in this workplace setting across different seasonal periods. In the future, researchers should examine if the findings can be replicated in a definitive trial and generalize to other workplace settings

A step in the right direction? Change in mental well-being and self-reported work performance among physically inactive university employees during a walking intervention

Objective: To examine well-being and work performance changes accompanying participation in a 16-week uncontrolled feasibility lunchtime walking trial. Method: Participants were 75 (92% female; M age ¼ 47.68) previously physically inactive non-academic employees from a large British university. Multilevel modelling analyses examined well-being and work performance trajectories from baseline to post-intervention, to four months later, controlling for group membership and trait affectivity. Results: Increases in perceptions of health, subjective vitality, and work performance, and decreases in fatigue at work were observed. Changes were sustained four months after the end of the intervention. No changes were identified for enthusiasm, nervousness and relaxation at work. Conclusion: Although this was a relatively small uncontrolled feasibility trial, the results suggest that participation in a walking programme may be associated with sustainable well-being benefits and improvements in perceptions of work performance

Skills and attributes needed in the workplace: A European survey of sport employers' and sport graduates' perceptions

This study presents data from the Erasmus Life Long Learning Program “Employability of Graduates of Sport” (EGS). EGS aims at establishing a Europe wide Employers/Sport related Higher Education Institutions network, to promote good practice in employability programs. As part of the Needs Analysis action of the project, a survey of employers and sport graduates was performed. Employers (n = 347) and Sport Graduates (n = 2047) from 6 countries (UK, France, Germany, Greece, Spain and Czech Republic) rated: a. the importance and b. the perceived possession of 20 specific attributes and skills related to employability. This study presents data from the Greek sub‐samples as well as a comparison between the results from Greece and those from all countries. Regarding Greece, there were large differences between Graduates and Employers perception of the possession of skills and attributes, with Employers denoting that Graduates possess the skills to a much lower extent that the Graduates perceived. Also, Greek Employers perceived that Graduates possessed the skills and characteristics to a lower extent than Employers from the other countries