Health Trainers End of Year Review 1st April 2013 – 31st March 2014

A critical assessment of health trainer activity, with particular reference to the most deprived social groups, and a focus on mental health and wellbeing

Analysis of the People's Panel Healthy Communities Consultation

Introduction Public Health England (PHE) carried out a consultation exercise with its People’s Panel, a group of approximately 1000 lay members who regularly participate in engagement exercises with the organisation. The aim of the consultation was to find out what members of the public think the public health system can do to put communities at the heart of public health. Method An online survey was designed by PHE. Questions covered demographics and five open questions. Members of the People’s Panel were invited to complete the survey. Data were coded and analysed thematically by Leeds Beckett University. Results In total, 342 respondents completed the survey (female, 70.5%; 55 years or over, 66.6%). Three quarters (75.7%) of respondents were members or part of social/ neighbourhood/ sports/ volunteer/ political/ faith-based/ community groups. Respondents reported that public sector organisations could best support communities and encourage involvement by: understanding local needs and priorities; raising awareness of existing provision as well as providing inclusive activities and better infrastructure. Factors considered to get in the way of or weaken community strengths and vitality included: austerity; disengagement; social isolation; political will; no ‘heart’ to the community; poor communication; and crime and anti-social behaviour. Suggestions for improvement were provided. Conclusion For the health system to put communities at the heart of public health, lay members feel more ‘local thinking’ surrounding co-production and shared decision making is needed. Improvements to communication/ information sharing within the health system as well as the promotion of the social model of health are suggested. Funders This work was funded by Public Health Englan

MAKING ADVICE WORK (CALDERDALE) EVALUATION FINAL REPORT

The Making Advice Work Project (MAW) was set up in 2013 to facilitate advice agencies in Calderdale to work together, and to improve advice and support through partnership. The project was delivered by a group of 4 organisations; Citizens Advice Calderdale Bureau (CACB), Age UK Calderdale and Kirklees, WomenCentre Calderdale and Kirklees and Calderdale Disability Advice Resource (DART). This report presents the findings from an evaluation of MAW conducted by the Centre for Health Promotion Research, Leeds Beckett University. It presents evidence about the project’s journey, the project outcomes and the overall learning from the project

SmokeFree Sports 2012-13: Final Project Report

Many children enjoy taking part in physical activity, whilst physical education, sport and play are common denominators among children worldwide. Physical activity contexts therefore provide an opportunity to deliver health promotion activity en masse in a positive, fun and healthy environment. Over the past three years SmokeFree Sports has sought to harness this potential and develop an effective and engaging mechanism to prevent and protect children from smoking. The main purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the research findings from the final phase of the SmokeFree Sports project – a smoking prevention intervention conducted in Liverpool primary schools in the 2012-13 academic year. The report also includes a summary of the innovative practices and campaign activities that have captured the interest of children and families, teachers and schools, and the local community. Information is presented in as much detail as possible, whilst findings are reported objectively together with practical recommendations so that others can learn from our experience

Addressing childhood obesity in ethnic minority populations

Childhood obesity in the UK is a serious public health concern. In some ethnic minority groups obesity prevalence is significantly higher than the national average (The NHS Information Centre, 2010). Therefore, it is recommended that interventions to manage childhood obesity are tailored to the needs of ethnic minority groups (NICE, 2006). GOALS (Getting Our Active Lifestyles Started!) is a community based, childhood obesity management programme that focuses upon physical activity, nutrition and behaviour change in families (Watson et aI., 2011). However, monitoring data has suggested an unrepresentatively low proportion of ethnic minority families who are referred to GOALS choose to access the service. Therefore the aim of this research was to improve the cultural relevance of the GOALS programme, whilst also contributing to the evidence-base for local and national strategic planning surrounding obesity and ethnicity. Studies set out to explore perceptions surrounding childhood weight, diet and physical activity in different ethnic groups; identify cultural preferences, and barriers to participation in healthy lifestyle interventions; to implement and pilot a culturally accessible intervention, using the GOALS framework for development; and to assess the acceptability and effectiveness of the pilot intervention. A multi-method, pluralistic, research design was employed that recognised the complexity of the research aims. In total three empirical studies were conducted, and parents (of children aged 4 to 16 years) and school-aged children participated. A combination of process and outcome data was obtained. Quantitative methods were used for descriptive and explanatory purposes and included questionnaire (Study 1,2 and 3b) and BMI measures (Study 3b). Qualitative methods included focus groups (Study 2 and 3a), face-to-face interviews (Study 3b) and the write-and draw-technique (Study 3b). Exploratory data gave context and depth to the research. In Study 1, parents (n=808) identified their ethnic background as Asian British, Black African, Black Somali, Chinese, South Asian, White British and Yemeni. Ethnic background was significantly associated to parental perceptions of weight in childhood. Results showed Black Somali parents exhibited the lowest level of concern for overweight in childhood in comparison to other ethnic groups. In Study 2, parents (n=36) and children (n=31) from six ethnic groups (Asian Bangladeshi, Black African, Black Somali, Chinese, White British and Yemeni) identified intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental barriers to healthy weight. Findings demonstrated that influences to health behaviours were sometimes specific to particular ethnic groups. For example, dominant cultural norms valuing overweight in childhood were apparent among Yemeni, Black African, Black Somali and Asian Bangladeshi parents and Asian Bangladeshi children. Results from Study 3a with parents (n=33) from ethnically diverse backgrounds, identified barriers and preferences to attending an intervention were often related to cultural and religious values of ethnic groups. Parents considered the ethnic composition of the group important, and suggested an intervention should be relevant to the ethnic background of all families attending. Based on these findings, 'surface' and 'deep' (Reniscow et al., 1999) structural modifications were made to the GOALS programme. Nine families from Asian British, Asian Bangladeshi, Yemeni and Black Somali backgrounds attended the pilot intervention to examine its appropriateness. Process and outcome data from Study 3b illustrated families benefited from a healthy lifestyles intervention that was designed to be culturally acceptable to multiple ethnic groups. This thesis has added to the limited evidence base surrounding the cultural relevance of family-based childhood obesity management programmes for ethnic minority groups. Differences in cultural norms between ethnic populations, and variations in assimilation to Western norms and acculturation within groups, highlight the complex task in addressing childhood obesity in multiple ethnic groups. Knowledge gained from the successful engagement of ethnic minority families in a culturally sensitive healthy lifestyle intervention, has lead to the development of key recommendations for policy and practice that extend beyond childhood obesity management to health promotion more widely

Parental views of children's physical activity: a qualitative study with parents from multi-ethnic backgrounds living in England

Background: Guidelines recommend children and young people participate in at least 60 min of physical activity (PA) every day, however, findings from UK studies show PA levels of children vary across ethnic groups. Since parents play an instrumental role in determining children’s PA levels, this article aims to explore parental views of children’s PA in a multi-ethnic sample living in a large city in the North-West of England. Methods: Six single-ethnic focus groups were conducted with 36 parents of school-aged children (4 to 16 years) with a predominantly low socio-economic status (SES). Parents self-identified their ethnic background as Asian Bangladeshi (n = 5), Black African (n = 4), Black Somali (n = 7), Chinese (n = 6), White British (n = 8) and Yemeni (n = 6). Focus group topics included understanding of PA, awareness of PA guidelines, knowledge of benefits associated with PA and perceived influences on PA in childhood. Data were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo 9.0. Results: Parents from all ethnic groups valued PA and were aware of its benefits, however they lacked awareness of PA recommendations, perceived school to be the main provider for children’s PA, and reported challenges in motivating children to be active. At the environmental level, barriers to PA included safety concerns, adverse weather, lack of resources and lack of access. Additional barriers were noted for ethnic groups from cultures that prioritised educational attainment over PA (Asian Bangladeshi, Chinese, Yemeni) and with a Muslim faith (Asian Bangladeshi, Black Somali, Yemeni), who reported a lack of culturally appropriate PA opportunities for girls. Conclusion: Parents from multi-ethnic groups lacked awareness of children’s PA recommendations and faced barriers to promoting children’s PA out of school, with certain ethnic groups facing additional barriers due to cultural and religious factors. It is recommended children’s PA interventions address influences at all socio-ecological levels, and account for differences between ethnic groups

Use of Atmospheric Glow Discharge Plasma to Modify Spaceport Materials

Numerous materials used in spaceport operations require stringent evaluation before they can be utilized. It is critical for insulative polymeric materials that any surface charge be dissipated as rapidly as possible to avoid Electrostatic Discharges (ESD) that could present a danger. All materials must pass the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) standard electrostatic test [1]; however several materials that are considered favorable for Space Shuttle and International Space Station use have failed. Moreover, to minimize contamination of Mars spacecraft, spacecraft are assembled under cleanroom conditions and specific cleaning and sterilizing procedures are required for all materials. However, surface characteristics of these materials may allow microbes to survive by protecting them from sterilization and cleaning techniques. In this study, an Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge Plasma (APGD) [2] was used to modify the surface of several materials. This allowed the materials surface to be modified in terms of hydrophilicity, roughness, and conductivity without affecting the bulk properties. The objectives of this study were to alter the surface properties of polymers for improved electrostatic dissipation characteristics, and to determine whether the consequent surface modification on spaceport materials enhanced or diminished microbial survival