How to make privacy policies both GDPR-compliant and usable

It is important for organisations to ensure that their privacy policies are General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant, and this has to be done by the May 2018 deadline. However, it is also important for these policies to be designed with the needs of the human recipient in mind. We carried out an investigation to find out how best to achieve this.We commenced by synthesising the GDPR requirements into a checklist-type format. We then derived a list of usability design guidelines for privacy notifications from the research literature. We augmented the recommendations with other findings reported in the research literature, in order to confirm the guidelines. We conclude by providing a usable and GDPR-compliant privacy policy template for the benefit of policy writers

How to design browser security and privacy alerts

Browser security and privacy alerts must be designed to ensure they are of value to the end-user, and communicate risks efficiently. We performed a systematic literature review, producing a list of guidelines from the research. Papers were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively to formulate a comprehensive set of guidelines. Our findings seek to provide developers and designers with guidance as to how to construct security and privacy alerts. We conclude by providing an alert template, highlighting its adherence to the derived guidelines

An investigation into the relevance of shared mental models in youth work settings, supporting young people to achieve positive outcomes.

This research demonstrates the relevance of shared mental models (SMMS) in developing the effectiveness of youth work teams. Much of the literature states that SMMs are crucial for team efficacy in healthcare settings, business, and aviation, although there is limited research about their development. Cooper et al. (2016) explored teamwork and collaboration, critical elements of SMMs, specifically in mental health services, and their importance in achieving positive outcomes for young people. Similarly, Fox (2022) researched a team of experts in social work education, discovering that cohesion and team support, again critical factors of SMMs, are essential for positive outcomes. Therefore, given their widespread use, SMMs have proven valuable tools in numerous sectors. However, utilising and developing SMMs in youth work have not received much attention in the literature. Literature was scanned for constructs relating to supporting young people in youth support environments, primarily from UK websites such as the National Youth Agency (2024), The Centre for Youth Impact (2023), The Prince’s Trust (2024), Youth and Policy (2024) and What Works for Children’s Social Care (2024) were also used. The methodology utilised a quantitative approach, which involved a ranking questionnaire to gauge the alignment of perceptions among team members in a charitable organisation that supports young people. Ten constructs were derived from the literature and used for a questionnaire. The study aimed to determine the extent of shared understanding among small teams in close and supportive environments, ultimately aiding young people in achieving positive outcomes and transitioning to independence. To this end, the presence of an SMM was evaluated. The study revealed a degree of agreement in mental models within the team and significant disparities in priority setting. These disparities present opportunities for enhancing SMMs to boost team effectiveness and facilitate more positive outcomes. These findings underscore the potential of SMMs to address issues arising from restricted resources and the complex support requirements of young people, particularly during the post-COVID recovery period (Jeffs and Smith, 2010; Rhodes and Dubois, 2008) and with the large cohort of young people currently transitioning to independence (OECD, 2024). This potential offers a beacon of hope for improving youth support services. This study offers a new perspective on how to work more effectively with what we already have, given cost-cutting, recruitment and changing governmental priorities, to ensure that young people receive the best available support. It underscores the transformative power of SMMs in bolstering team effectiveness, particularly within youth support services. It asserts that SMMs are critical in enhancing organisational performance, aligning with the literature on the transformative power of integrated team mental models (Jonker et al., 2010). The research advocates for targeted SMM development training as a strategic approach to fortify the functionality of youth support teams. It also calls for further investigation into effective SMM strategies and recommends that organisations invest in training programs that promote comprehensive, mutual understanding among team members. This research has found that SMMs are an important element of effective teams in many support environments other than youth work. Accordingly, the sector should consider its importance in improving the outcomes for young people against a backdrop of ever decreasing support resources

Raising awareness of sensory impairment among community nurses: a brief intervention in a remote island setting

Introduction: The prevalence of sensory impairment that includes, sight and/or hearing impairment is projected to rise worldwide given the strong correlation between sensory impairment, older age, and the demographic structure of the global population. Sensory impairment and associated disability is thus a significant global health concern. The prevalence rates for sensory impairment in Scotland are significant as more people live into older age and as the age distribution in rural areas is markedly different with a higher proportion of older people, the extent of sensory impairment in the rural population will increase proportionally.  In rural areas community nurses have a key role in recognising sensory impairment and signposting people to sensory services to reduce the debilitating impact of sensory impairment. However, there is limited evidence about the utility of educational interventions to enhance healthcare professionals’ knowledge, skills and attitudes about sensory impairment and subsequent impact on referral practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a brief educational intervention with community nurses. The educational intervention was a training workshop that included simulation practice, information on assessment and referral pathways. The study was conducted in a remote, island community health setting in the Western Isles of Scotland. The study evaluated nurses’ perceptions of the training on their knowledge, attitudes and practice.  Methods: Mixed method, longitudinal design implemented in three phases. Phase 1: Pre and post workshop questionnaire; Phase 2: Postal questionnaire three months post workshop; Phase 3: Qualitative focus group interview six months post workshop. Kirkpatrick’s (1) model of training evaluation provided a framework for data evaluation.  Results: 41 community based healthcare professionals who were mostly nurses participated in the study. Participants described increased awareness of the potential for their patients to have a sensory impairment, greater understanding and empathy with patients who experience sensory impairment, more robust patient assessment to identify impairment, and increased likelihood to inform of, and refer to, sensory services.  Conclusions: Community nurses are often well placed to identity disabilities and patients at risk of injury because of sensory impairment. Participation in simulation training can help to develop greater awareness of the impact of that sensory impairment. Knowledge of specialist services will increase the opportunities for referral to services and impact positively on the lives of older people living in rural settings. Provision of accessible education on sensory impairment for health and social care professionals can enhance care delivery to older people

The role of online support groups for parents of adolescents with type 1 diabetes during the transition to adult diabetes services

Paediatric type 1 diabetes is often referred to as a 'family disease' due to the importance of family interactions and parental supervision required to achieve optimal blood glucose levels and quality of life. The treatment regime for this chronic disease in children is complex and requires co-management by parents, many of whom experience psychosocial problems whilst undertaking this responsibility. Parents managing their child’s diabetes care need informational and emotional support that is not always adequately met by existing sources of support. With Internet access becoming increasingly ubiquitous, parents can search online for health information, advice and support, augmented by the use of diabetes online support groups. Previous research has identified potential benefits health-related online support groups can afford patients with chronic health conditions; addressing their information and support needs in a safe, non-judgemental environment with others in a similar situation, shown to empower individuals. However, little is known about the role of diabetes online support groups for parents of children with type 1 diabetes as they transition from paediatric to adult diabetes services during late adolescence; a particularly stressful event for some parents. The present thesis aimed to address this disparity by exploring parents of adolescent’s experiences of using diabetes online support groups during a period of change; investigating if group membership affects psychological well-being and if participation empowers parents. Using a mixed methods approach, three empirical studies were conducted. The first study used an online survey completed by 88 parents. This garnered information about parents’ experiences of using diabetes online support groups. It assessed the illness representations held about diabetes, along with reported levels of parental diabetes distress. Perceptions of empowering processes and outcomes within the diabetes online support groups were also investigated. For Study 2, qualitative one-to-one interviews were carried out with 13 parents who had previously completed the online survey, to gain a greater understanding of parents’ initial motivation to join a diabetes online support group, and what factors influence their continued participation. The final study was a thematic analysis of 945 messages posted on two UK diabetes online support groups to identify and examine the types of social support in group members’ communications. The combined results from the three studies indicate diabetes online support groups play an important role in providing informational and emotional support to parents of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, the availability and reciprocity of social support within diabetes online group were considered empowering by parents, with positive psychosocial benefits noted as being associated with group membership rather than dependant on the level of participation. Findings from this thesis also identified a disparity between mothers and fathers using diabetes online support groups, suggesting a more targeted approach should be considered for future research to investigate fathers’ perspectives and experiences. This thesis provides a deeper understanding of issues pertinent to the use of diabetes online support groups by parents of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. It provides a unique insight into the implications and potential benefits diabetes online support groups can have for the psychological well-being of parents for whom relinquishing control of their child’s diabetes management may be a determinant of increased anxiety, fear and diabetes distress

The role of online support groups for parents of adolescents with type 1 diabetes during the transition to adult diabetes services

Paediatric type 1 diabetes is often referred to as a 'family disease' due to the importance of family interactions and parental supervision required to achieve optimal blood glucose levels and quality of life. The treatment regime for this chronic disease in children is complex and requires co-management by parents, many of whom experience psychosocial problems whilst undertaking this responsibility. Parents managing their child’s diabetes care need informational and emotional support that is not always adequately met by existing sources of support. With Internet access becoming increasingly ubiquitous, parents can search online for health information, advice and support, augmented by the use of diabetes online support groups. Previous research has identified potential benefits health-related online support groups can afford patients with chronic health conditions; addressing their information and support needs in a safe, non-judgemental environment with others in a similar situation, shown to empower individuals. However, little is known about the role of diabetes online support groups for parents of children with type 1 diabetes as they transition from paediatric to adult diabetes services during late adolescence; a particularly stressful event for some parents. The present thesis aimed to address this disparity by exploring parents of adolescent’s experiences of using diabetes online support groups during a period of change; investigating if group membership affects psychological well-being and if participation empowers parents. Using a mixed methods approach, three empirical studies were conducted. The first study used an online survey completed by 88 parents. This garnered information about parents’ experiences of using diabetes online support groups. It assessed the illness representations held about diabetes, along with reported levels of parental diabetes distress. Perceptions of empowering processes and outcomes within the diabetes online support groups were also investigated. For Study 2, qualitative one-to-one interviews were carried out with 13 parents who had previously completed the online survey, to gain a greater understanding of parents’ initial motivation to join a diabetes online support group, and what factors influence their continued participation. The final study was a thematic analysis of 945 messages posted on two UK diabetes online support groups to identify and examine the types of social support in group members’ communications. The combined results from the three studies indicate diabetes online support groups play an important role in providing informational and emotional support to parents of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, the availability and reciprocity of social support within diabetes online group were considered empowering by parents, with positive psychosocial benefits noted as being associated with group membership rather than dependant on the level of participation. Findings from this thesis also identified a disparity between mothers and fathers using diabetes online support groups, suggesting a more targeted approach should be considered for future research to investigate fathers’ perspectives and experiences. This thesis provides a deeper understanding of issues pertinent to the use of diabetes online support groups by parents of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. It provides a unique insight into the implications and potential benefits diabetes online support groups can have for the psychological well-being of parents for whom relinquishing control of their child’s diabetes management may be a determinant of increased anxiety, fear and diabetes distress

How to design browser security and privacy alerts

Browser security and privacy alerts must be designed to ensure they are of value to the end-user, and communicate risks efficiently. We performed a systematic literature review, producing a list of guidelines from the research. Papers were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively to formulate a comprehensive set of guidelines. Our findings seek to provide developers and designers with guidance as to how to construct security and privacy alerts. We conclude by providing an alert template, highlighting its adherence to the derived guidelines

Can consumers learn to ask three questions to improve shared decision making? A feasibility study of the ASK (AskShareKnow) Patient–Clinician Communication Model® intervention in a primary health-care setting

Funded by Informed Medical Decisions Foundation. Grant Number: #0175-1 National Health and Medical Research Council Public Health Training Fellowship. Grant Number: 568962Peer reviewedPublisher PD