How research impacts on health policy in Ireland: A case study of alcohol and drug policy

Abstract The goal of public health and health promotion practitioners is to increase the health of populations through evidence informed health policy. Comparable to evidence-based medicine, public health advocates argue health policies based on scientific knowledge are ultimately better than those based on moral or ideological beliefs. Increasingly too in research proposals and in institutional research assessment exercises, academic researchers are being asked to provide evidence of the wider impacts of their work, outside of their field of academic pursuits. This study explored the utilisation of academic research by policymakers in the development of alcohol and drug policy in Ireland. In addition, it tested the practicality of using the Research Impact Framework (Kuruvilla et al., 2006) in examining how academic researchers think through the impact of their work. A triangulation of methods was employed in this retrospective case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from the policymaking community, and with academic researchers from the fields of alcohol and drug research. This was complemented by the analysis of publically available policy documents on drugs and alcohol. The findings demonstrated that research evidence is only one type of knowledge used in public health policymaking. In the policy documents, it was most frequently used to identify the extent of an issue in society and to justify policy development in a specific area. In developing policy solutions its use was more haphazard and subject to the economic and political environment in which the policy was being developed. In these contextual situations for research to influence policy outcomes it needed to be acceptable to policymakers, acceptable to the public and cost effective to implement. This thesis found that researchers seeking to increase their influence on policy are required to increase their understanding of the policymaking process. Research evidence, framed and packaged in a way that was conscious of the contextual policy environment in which it would arrive was more likely to have an impact. The Research Impact Framework (Kuruvilla et al., 2006) was found to be an appropriate and efficient tool in helping academics to identify the impacts of their work.  2021-01-1

How research impacts on health policy in Ireland: A case study of alcohol and drug policy

Abstract The goal of public health and health promotion practitioners is to increase the health of populations through evidence informed health policy. Comparable to evidence-based medicine, public health advocates argue health policies based on scientific knowledge are ultimately better than those based on moral or ideological beliefs. Increasingly too in research proposals and in institutional research assessment exercises, academic researchers are being asked to provide evidence of the wider impacts of their work, outside of their field of academic pursuits. This study explored the utilisation of academic research by policymakers in the development of alcohol and drug policy in Ireland. In addition, it tested the practicality of using the Research Impact Framework (Kuruvilla et al., 2006) in examining how academic researchers think through the impact of their work. A triangulation of methods was employed in this retrospective case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from the policymaking community, and with academic researchers from the fields of alcohol and drug research. This was complemented by the analysis of publically available policy documents on drugs and alcohol. The findings demonstrated that research evidence is only one type of knowledge used in public health policymaking. In the policy documents, it was most frequently used to identify the extent of an issue in society and to justify policy development in a specific area. In developing policy solutions its use was more haphazard and subject to the economic and political environment in which the policy was being developed. In these contextual situations for research to influence policy outcomes it needed to be acceptable to policymakers, acceptable to the public and cost effective to implement. This thesis found that researchers seeking to increase their influence on policy are required to increase their understanding of the policymaking process. Research evidence, framed and packaged in a way that was conscious of the contextual policy environment in which it would arrive was more likely to have an impact. The Research Impact Framework (Kuruvilla et al., 2006) was found to be an appropriate and efficient tool in helping academics to identify the impacts of their work.  2021-01-1

The beauty and the beast of social media: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the impact of adolescents' social media experiences on their mental health during the Covid‑19 pandemic

Despite extensive research, the mental health implication of social media in adolescents is not yet understood due to mixed  and inconsistent fndings and more in-depth qualitative studies are needed to expand our understanding of the impact of  social media on adolescent mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore why and  how adolescents use social media, adolescents’ lived experiences on social media, how they make sense of these experiences  having impact on their mental health, and the infuence of the Covid-19 pandemic on their use of social media and mental  health. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven adolescents aged 14–16 (fve female, six male) across England. The  interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Two  key themes were identifed: the beauty of social media that captured positive experiences and emotions of adolescents and  the beast of social media that captured negative experiences and emotions. From the adolescents’ accounts, social media has  both positive and negative impacts on their mental health, but mostly positive impacts during the Covid-19 pandemic. The  results were discussed in relation to the study aims and previous study fndings. Strengths and methodological limitations  of the study, implications for future research that emerged from the study were discussed </p

A study protocol: the role of relational orientation in the relationship between social media use and mental health in adolescents

There is a complex relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes. To explore this complexity and understand how social media influence adolescent mental health, a two-phase, explanatory sequential mixed-method study will be conducted. Firstly, the quantitative phase will involve surveying a healthy sample of 400 adolescents attending secondary schools in the UK (n=200) and Turkey (n=200). We will use the survey to investigate the moderating effect of relational orientation in a cross-sectional study, in which participants will be selected from secondary schools in England or the United Kingdom and in Turkey. Secondly, the qualitative phase will involve interviewing a mixed sample of 12 clinical and non-clinical adolescents in England or the UK. In these interviews we will explore key quantitative findings in more detail, for example, how and why adolescents use social media, and the role of social media in the development and maintenance of mental health well-being. The strengths and limitations of the study proposal have been discussed

Implementation and evaluation of recovery-oriented practice interventions for people with mental illness in Asia: an integrative review

Background: Recovery is a process involving empowering individuals to take control of their lives and develop meaningful and purposeful life, regardless of whether their mental health symptoms persist. Recovery-oriented practice has been widely implemented, particularly in Anglophone countries, during the past two decades. Mental health recovery in Asia is also moving towards recovery-oriented practice. Little is known about how recovery-oriented interventions originating in the West have been implemented and evaluated in Asian contexts. Objective: This review aimed to identify 1) types of recovery-oriented practice interventions that have been implemented in Asia, 2) how they have been culturally adapted, 3) barriers and facilitators to implementation, and 4) how the interventions have been evaluated. Design: This is an integrative review. Methods: This integrative review followed Whittemore and Knafl's five-stage framework. Six electronic databases (e.g., PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) were systematically searched from their inception to January 2022 to identify eligible studies published in English language. The key search terms included “mental illness”, “recovery-oriented intervention”, and “Asia”. Studies reporting on implementation and evaluation of recovery-focused interventions in Asian settings were eligible. Quality assessment and narrative synthesis were subsequently undertaken. Results: Thirty-eight studies were included. Seven main types of recovery-oriented intervention were identified: (1) peer programmes; (2) illness management and recovery; (3) individual placement and support; (4) strength model case management; (5) clubhouse model; (6) wellness recovery action plan and (7) psychiatric advance directive, alongside several novel recovery programmes. Studies reported cultural adaptations for language, content, cultural norms, religious beliefs, family, and local context. Barriers to implementation included a poor understanding of recovery concepts and inadequate organisational resources. A range of clinical and personal recovery outcome measures were reported. Conclusions: Recovery-oriented interventions are increasing in Asia, with nearly half of reviewed studies featuring cultural adaptations. However, research is geographically skewed, and more rigorously conducted studies are needed across a wider range of Asian countries. </p

Evaluating the provision of Further Enabling Care at Home (FECH+) for informal caregivers of older adults discharged home from hospital: Protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial

Introduction: There are personal and societal benefits from caregiving; however, caregiving can jeopardise caregivers’ health. The Further Enabling Care at Home (FECH+) programme provides structured nurse support, through telephone outreach, to informal caregivers of older adults following discharge from acute hospital care to home. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of the FECH+ programme on caregivers’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after care recipients’ hospital discharge. Methods and analysis: A multisite, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial with blinded baseline and outcome assessment and intention-to-treat analysis, adhering to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines will be conducted. Participants (N=925 dyads) comprising informal home caregiver (18 years or older) and care recipient (70 years or older) will be recruited when the care recipient is discharged from hospital. Caregivers of patients discharged from wards in three hospitals in Australia (one in Western Australia and two in Queensland) are eligible for inclusion. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The intervention group receive the FECH+ programme, which provides structured support and problem-solving for the caregiver after the care recipient’s discharge, in addition to usual care. The control group receives usual care. The programme is delivered by a registered nurse and comprises six 30–45min telephone support sessions over 6months. The primary outcome is caregivers’ HRQOL measured using the Assessment of Quality of Life—eight dimensions. Secondary outcomes include caregiver preparedness, strain and distress and use of healthcare services. Changes in HRQOL between groups will be compared using a mixed regression model that accounts for the correlation between repeated measurements. Ethics and dissemination: Participants will provide written informed consent. Ethics approvals have been obtained from Sir Charles Gairdner and Osborne Park Health Care Group, Curtin University, Griffith University, Gold Coast Health Service and government health data linkage services. Findings will be disseminated through presentations, peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Trial registration number: ACTRN12620000060943