Singing for mental health and wellbeing: findings from West Kent and Medway

Background: An earlier study in East Kent of weekly singing for people with enduring mental health issues revealed clinically important improvements in mental wellbeing over a period of ten months. The present study was designed to assess whether the model developed in East Kent could be transferred to West Kent and Medway with similarly positive results. Methods: Four community singing groups were established for people with experience of mental health issues, which ran weekly from November 2014 to the end of 2015. The groups were allowed to establish themselves to ensure stability of attendance before formal evaluation of the project took place over a six-month period from February-July 2015. Participants completed the short Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation questionnaire, CORE10, a measure of mental distress, and the full Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), a measure of mental wellbeing, at baseline, and then three months and six months later. Of 47 participants regularly involved in the groups in early 2015, 26 (55%) completed baseline questionnaires in February, and after six months in July. Qualitative feedback on participants’ experiences of the groups was also gathered through comments on the questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Findings: Both the CORE10 and WEMWBS showed satisfactory reliabilities across the six-month period with significant negative correlations between the two scales. Scores on CORE10 significantly reduced over six months indicating reductions in reported mental distress. Scores on the WEMWBS significantly increased showing improved mental wellbeing. Significant improvements were found on the following CORE items, which signal reduction in specific problems affecting mental health: I have felt tense, anxious or nervous; I have had difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep; I have felt unhappy, and Unwanted images or memories have been distressing me. Qualitative feedback from participants was strongly consistent with the quantitative findings and gives further insights into participants’ mental health challenges and how regular singing helped ameliorate them. Conclusions: The current study replicates the earlier findings from the East Kent project and shows that regular group singing is associated with reductions in mental distress and increased mental wellbeing

A Three-Dimensional 463L Pallet Packing Model and Algorithm

As part of the Air Force Logistics Contingency Assessment Tool, Armstrong Laboratory determined the need for a software package to optimize the packing of 463L cargo pallets for deployments. In January 1998, TASC, Inc., to determine if optimizing the packing of 463L pallets was indeed possible, implemented a feasibility study. TASC, Inc. concluded that a linear program was infeasible due to time and size constraints. Therefore, this research focuses on the development of a nonlinear model. An extensive literature review is conducted to detail the pallet loading problem, define the current pallet process, establish necessary assumptions and constraints, and examine possible algorithms to be used for the solution of the model. Also, other packing models are examined for possible use in the development of the nonlinear 463L pallet packing model. The 463L pallet packing model consists of three sub-models. These are a hazardous constraints linear program, a knapsack model, and a pallet loading model. The complete model is solved using a knapsack heuristic and a tabu search

Further evidence that singing fosters mental health and wellbeing: The West Kent and Medway project

Purpose Clift and Morrison (2011) report that weekly singing over eight months for people with enduring mental health issues led to clinically important reductions in mental distress. The present study tested the robustness of the earlier findings. Design Four community singing groups for people with mental health issues ran weekly from November 2014 to the end of 2015. Evaluation place over a six-month period using two validated questionnaires: the short Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation questionnaire (CORE-10), and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). Findings Twenty-six participants completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires. CORE-10 scores were significantly reduced, and WEMWBS scores significantly increased. Comparisons with the earlier study found a similar pattern of improvements on CORE items that are part of the 'problems' sub-scale in the full CORE questionnaire. There was also evidence from both studies of participants showing clinically important improvements in CORE-10 scores. Research limitations The main limitations of the study are a small sample size, and the lack of a randomised control group. Originality No attempts have been made previously to directly test the transferability of a singing for health model to a new geographical area and evaluate outcomes using the same validated measure

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of a Community-based Egg Program in Rural Honduras

Background Young children living in poor rural areas in Honduras are susceptible to suffering from undernutrition. About 1 in every 4 children under age 5 have stunting. Stunting during early childhood has negative consequences on an individual\u27s life that can have short-term and lasting effects. This study\u27s purpose was to explore the perceptions of the mothers of children that participate in a community-based nutrition-agriculture program that offers 1 egg daily to all children ages 6 to 24 months in 13 communities. Methods Using community-engaged methods, we implemented a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using a semi-structured guide to conduct in-depth interviews in n = 14 participating mothers in the Hens Hatching Hope project (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04721197). Interviews were performed by a local community health worker in Spanish, translated to English, and analyzed via content analysis by a researcher. Main themes were identified and synthesized. Results Some of the identified strengths were the “improved community access to eggs” and “financial assistance that offset burdening household expenses”. For weaknesses “expansion of program age eligibility to accommodate multi-child households” and “no control over parent\u27s use of eggs”. For opportunities “Implementation of external community resources” and “improve water and sanitation initiatives”, for threats “changes in political climate” and “frail farm infrastructure”. Conclusions Perception of the program is positive among all mother participants. This analysis identified multiple strengths and opportunities to 1) improve the program locally, and 2) expand the program\u27s scope and reach. Further, this analysis identified weaknesses and potential threats that will serve to modify and improve the delivery and uptake of the intervention. Key messages • Explore program strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats perceived by particpating mothers of a community-based nutrition agriculture program that provides 1 egg a day to their child\u27s diet. • The swot analysis of participating mothers’ interviews serves in the developing contingency plans to continue the Hens Hatching Hope program

Further evidence that singing fosters mental health and wellbeing: The West Kent and Medway project

Purpose: Clift and Morrison (2011) report that weekly singing over eight months for people with enduring mental health issues led to clinically important reductions in mental distress. The present study tested the robustness of the earlier findings. Design: Four community singing groups for people with mental health issues ran weekly from November 2014 to the end of 2015. Evaluation place over a six-month period using two validated questionnaires: the short Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation questionnaire (CORE-10), and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). Findings: Twenty-six participants completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires. CORE-10 scores were significantly reduced, and WEMWBS scores significantly increased. Comparisons with the earlier study found a similar pattern of improvements on CORE items that are part of the 'problems' sub-scale in the full CORE questionnaire. There was also evidence from both studies of participants showing clinically important improvements in CORE-10 scores. Research limitations: The main limitations of the study are a small sample size, and the lack of a randomised control group. Originality: No attempts have been made previously to directly test the transferability of a singing for health model to a new geographical area and evaluate outcomes using the same validated measure

Novel robotic assistive technologies: choosing appropriate training for healthcare professionals

One of the key challenges for the training of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is to maintain a good understanding and knowledge of new assistive technologies (ATs) that are currently on the market [1]. Indeed, at present, available training on ATs is limited and does not meet the practice-related needs of HCPs. It is in this context that the ADAPT European project aims to develop a new AT training programme for healthcare professionals, which will also introduce them to the project’s new AT developments - a smart powered wheelchair and a virtual reality wheelchair-driving simulator. The program consists of six multimodal units; five delivered via e-learning and one through a blended method of e-learning and face-to-face sessions. The development of the content is guided by findings from an earlier literature review and an online survey of AT training needs for HCP’s, both undertaken by the ADAPT cross-national research team, comprised of UK and French experts. The level of technical difficulty increases with successive units in order to train all HCPs to use innovative ATs more widely in their practice. A Learning Management System enables the dissemination of the e-learning AT program. Preliminary results from participant unit-specific evaluations available at this stage are overall positive and encouraging

Factors Associated With the Nutritional Status of Infants and Young Children From Rural Honduras

Objectives Malnutrition is a major public health problem in children. Undernutrition and excessive weight at young ages are associated with life-long consequences. The main objective of this study was to characterize the sociodemographic and food insecurity factors associated with the nutritional status of rural children ages 6 to 24 months living in 27 rural communities in Intibucá, Honduras. Methods This secondary analysis of baseline data included a total of 402 children ages 6 to 24 months who were recruited to participate in a cluster-non-randomized trial of a community-based nutrition intervention. Data were collected in January 2021 through a survey that assessed food insecurity and dietary diversity, and measurement of weight and length by community health workers. The associations between explanatory variables (sociodemographic and food insecurity factors) and binary outcomes including stunting (length-for-age z-score \u3c –2); underweight (weight-for-age z-score \u3c –2); overweight (weight-for-length \u3e 2); and wasting (weight-for-length \u3c –2), were explored using generalized linear mixed models with community cluster as a random effect. Results Participant’s mean age was of 15.54 ± 5.63 months. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, overweight, and wasting were 18.41%, 4.49%, 6.00%, and 1.00%, respectively. The 74.8% of households reported being food insecure. The odds of being stunted decreased by 15% in children with more diverse diets [AOR = 0.85; 95% CI (0.73–0.98)]; females had 71% lower odds of being underweight [AOR = 0.29; 95% CI (0.09–0.93)]. More time breastfeeding was associated with 10% lower odds of being overweight [AOR = 0.90; 95% CI (0.84–0.97)]. No factors were associated with wasting. Conclusions Continued breastfeeding up to two years of age may be beneficial to avoid excessive weight in young children from rural areas in Honduras. Increased dietary diversity may help prevent stunting in the region. A community-based implementation research study is undergoing. This intervention includes the provision of vouchers to mothers of 6 to 24 month-old children. Vouchers are exchanged for locally produced eggs intended to be offered to the child daily. Further research characterizing complementary feeding practices and child gender in rural Honduras is needed

Targeting late diagnosis of HIV in Kent, Medway and Picardy: evaluation of interventions in the Anglo-French IMPRESS Health 2 (Interreg IVA Channel Programme) project 4282

This report outlines the results and final stakeholder evaluations for the intervention phase (phase 3) of the Interreg IVA Channel Programme 4282 IMPRESSHealth 2 study. It describes how recommendations from the phase 1 report were implemented in Kent, Medway and Picardy in Northern France, the impact which these had on the uptake and timeliness of HIV testing in these areas; and analysis of the reasons for variance between the two countries (UK and France). The report contains examples of some of the public health and social media materials developed to increase the uptake and timeliness of HIV testing, and the results of the stakeholder assessment of its success. Overall, the impact of the interventions have been successful, with widespread increases in both the number and timeliness of HIV testing in the UK though less so in France. Reasons for these differences are discussed in the report. The report also highlights the huge contribution which social and broadcasting media can make to public health campaigns of this nature, and the value of multi-sector and inter-organisational team working