Women's engagement, views and experiences of postnatal follow-up after gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnancy

Background The evidence base relating to women's engagement and experiences of postnatal care following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the United Kingdom is limited. Additionally, the uptake of a postnatal fasting blood glucose testing following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus appears to be poor. Objective This study aimed to explore women's engagement, views and experiences of postnatal care following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the United Kingdom. Design and Participants An online survey of participants that had Gestational Diabetes Mellitus was undertaken to gather mixed-methods data regarding women's engagement, views and experiences of postnatal care. Demographic data were also collected. Findings A total of 31 participants completed the online survey; respondents were from two countries in the United Kingdom only (England and Wales). Some respondents indicated positive postnatal experiences following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (such as good family support) with effective communication by some healthcare teams and screening coinciding with engagement with the routine six week follow-up appointment. Overall, findings indicated a general dissatisfaction with the care provided, mostly due to the inconsistency of information and advice in relation to the type of screening test and the timing, location and organisation of blood glucose screening and follow up care. Conclusion This study provides an insight into ways that may improve women's engagement, views and experiences of postnatal care following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in England and Wales

Exergaming (physically active video gaming) for mental health service users in a community mental health care setting: an ethnographic observational feasibility study

Background People with severe and enduring mental illness experience health inequalities with premature mortality; lifestyle behaviours are known to be contributing factors with low levels of physical activity reported. Facilitating physical activity to help maintain or improve health for those who are disadvantaged is essential. Exergaming (gaming involving physical movement) is increasingly used to improve physical activity across the lifespan and for those with a range clinical conditions; this might offer a way to increase physical activity for those with severe mental illness. The aim of this study was to explore engagement of mental health service users with exergaming to increase physical activity in a community mental health care setting. Methods An ethnographic observational feasibility study was undertaken through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. A gaming console was made available for 2 days per week for 12 months in a community mental health setting. A reflexive thematic analysis was performed on the data. Results Twenty one mental health service users engaged with the intervention, with two thirds exergaming more than once. One participant completed the semi-structured interview. Key themes identified from the observational field notes were: support (peer and staff support); opportunity and accessibility; self-monitoring; and perceived benefits. Related themes that emerged from interview data were: benefits; motivators; barriers; and delivery of the intervention. Integrating these findings, we highlight social support; fun, enjoyment and confidence building; motivation and self-monitoring; and, accessibility and delivery in community mental health care context are key domains of interest for mental health care providers. Conclusions We provide evidence that exergaming engages people with SMI with physical activity. The value, acceptability and feasibility of open access exergaming in a community mental health service context is supported. Facilitating exergaming has the potential to increase physical activity for mental health service users leading to possible additional health benefits. Peer Review report

Crowd-sourcing archaeological research: HeritageTogether digital public archaeology in practice

Archaeologists are increasingly working with crowd-sourced digital data. Using evidence from other disciplines about the nature of crowd-sourcing in academic research, we suggest that archaeological projects using donated data can usefully be differentiated between generative projects (which rely on data collected by citizen scientists), and analytical projects (which make use of volunteers to classify, or otherwise analyse data that are provided by the project). We conclude that projects which privilege hyper-local research (such as surveying specific sites) might experience tension if the audience they are appealing to are 'cyber local'. In turn, for more 'traditional' archaeological audiences (when the primary motivating interests may be the tangible, physical nature of portable material culture or the archaeological site itself), then intangible, digital simulacra may not provide an effective medium through which to undertake digital public archaeology

Problem based learning in mental health nursing : the students experience.

Problem based learning (PBL) is well established within the field of health-care education for professionals worldwide, although little has been done to explore the experiences of students undertaking a PBL course in mental health nursing. Without firm evidence of the benefits of PBL, educationalists in mental health might be reluctant to view it as an option in curricula design. This UK study examined the experiences of pre-registration post-graduate mental health student nurses undertaking a 2-year educational course in which all teaching and assessment followed a PBL philosophy. Focus groups were used throughout the course to elicit in-depth qualitative data that was analysed by applying a constant comparative method. The analysis of the data uncovered the following broad themes: ‘moves to autonomy, ’surviving the groups' and ‘the impact of PBL’. The findings show that participants had mainly positive experiences and gained a range of study and interpersonal skills central to mental health nursing. Participants described initial anxieties resulting from engagement in PBL. However, they increasingly gained confidence in this approach, exercising increasing control over the PBL process. Despite this increased autonomy, participants continued to value the input of skilled facilitators. A recurring issue centred on the potential for interpersonal conflict within the student group and its impact on their learning. It is suggested that more research is needed examining the use of PBL in mental health nursing

Relationship-centred care for people living with dementia in care homes

Dementia is a progressive degenerative disease, typically affecting older adults for which there is currently no cure. Dementia is characterised by progressive impairment to several cognitive functions including memory and orientation, practical abilities and mood changes, all of which can impact personality and social relationships. The theory of social death has been explored for people living with dementia as the ability to maintain social interactions are threatened leading to a loss of social identity and exclusion and withdrawal from the wider community. A relationship-centred care approach has been recommended to improve care for older people in long-term care, aiming to create environments conducive to relationships, considering the needs of the person living with dementia and also the staff and family members involved in their care. The ‘Senses Framework’ by Nolan was designed to promote relationships, acknowledging the experiences of all parties across six senses: security, continuity, belonging, purpose, fulfilment and significance. Utilising the Senses Framework has the potential to sustain meaningful relationships by fostering a sense of value and empowerment. This Rapid Evidence Summary aims to explore the evidence assessing the benefits of a relationship triad approach (Senses Framework and other relationship-centred care approaches) in long term care settings (including care homes) for people living with dementia. Nine primary studies and one systematic review were identified. The benefits of using a relationship-centred approach were mapped under each of the senses described within the Senses Framework, detailed separately for people living with dementia, relatives and care home staff. For people living with dementia, interventions using touch and music increased the sense of security and belonging reducing neuropsychiatric conditions such as agitation and aggression. Memory boxes were used to support a sense of significance and continuity and significant moments from the past brought pleasure and enabled meaningful conversations. For relatives and staff, improved communication and relationships increased confidence and trust and by working together they found that they could exert more influence and could develop into a powerful force for change

Alternative Representations of 3D-Reconstructed Heritage Data

© ACM, 2015. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of ACM for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, Vol. 9, No. 1, Article 4, Publication date: November 2015. doi>10.1145/2795233By collecting images of heritage assets from members of the public and processing them to create 3D-reconstructed models, the HeritageTogether project has accomplished the digital recording of nearly 80 sites across Wales, UK. A large amount of data has been collected and produced in the form of photographs, 3D models, maps, condition reports, and more. Here we discuss some of the different methods used to realize the potential of this data in different formats and for different purposes. The data are explored in both virtual and tangible settings, and—with the use of a touch table—a combination of both. We examine some alternative representations of this community-produced heritage data for educational, research, and public engagement applications

Small works, big stories. Methodological approaches to photogrammetry through crowd sourcing experiences

A recent digital public archaeology project (HeritageTogether) sought to build a series of 3D ditigal models using photogrammetry from crowd-sourced images. The project saw over 13000 digital images being donated, and resulted in models of some 78 sites, providing resources for researchers, and condition surveys. The project demonstrated that digital public archaeology does not stop at the 'trowel's edge', and that collaborative post-excavation analysis and generation of research processes are as important as time in the field. We emphasise in this contribution that our methodologies, as much as our research outputs, can be fruitfully co-produced in public archaeology projects

Correction: Folate Augmentation of Treatment – Evaluation for Depression (FolATED): protocol of a randomised controlled trial

This correction reports changes in our protocol since its publication. These include changes to authorship and acknowledgements, together with improvements to study design and procedures, and correction of an internal inconsistency. The improvements relate to the exclusion criteria, assessments carried out at screening, and mode of data collection