Scale up of a multi-strategic intervention to increase implementation of a school healthy canteen policy: findings of an intervention trial

Abstract Background Implementation interventions delivered in schools to improve food provision have been found to improve student diet and reduce child obesity risk. If the health benefits of food availability policies are to be realised, interventions that are effective need to be implemented at scale, across an entire population of schools. This study aims to assess the potential effectiveness of an intervention in increasing the implementation, at scale, of a healthy canteen policy by Australian primary schools. Methods A non-controlled before and after study was conducted in primary schools located in the Hunter New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Schools received a multi-component intervention adapted from a previous efficacious and cost-effective randomised control trial. The primary trial outcome was the proportion of canteen menus compliant with the state healthy canteen policy, assessed via menu audit at baseline and follow-up by dietitians. Secondary outcomes included policy reach and adoption and maintenance policy implementation. Results Of the 173 schools eligible for inclusion in the trial, 168 provided menus at baseline and 157 menus were collected at follow-up. At follow-up, multiple imputation analysis found 35% (55/157) of schools compared to 17% (29/168) at baseline (OR = 2.8 (1.6–4.7), p = < 0.001) had menus compliant with the state healthy canteen policy. As an assessment of the impact of the intervention on policy reach, canteen manager and principal knowledge of the policy increased from 64% (n = 76) and 38% (n = 44) respectively at baseline to 69% (n = 89) and 60% (n = 70) at follow-up (p = 0.393, p = 0.026). Adoption of the policy increased from 80% (n = 93) at baseline to 90% (n = 104) at follow-up (p = 0.005) for principals, and from 86% (n = 105) to 96% (n = 124) (p = 0.0001) for canteen managers. Multiple imputation analysis showed intervention effects were maintained six-months post intervention (33% of menus compliant OR = 2.6 (1.5–4.5), p = < 0.001 compared to baseline). Conclusions This study found school canteen compliance with a healthy food policy increased in association with a multi-strategy intervention delivered at scale. The study provides evidence for public health policy makers and practitioners regarding strategies and modes of support required to support improvement in nutrition policy implementation across entire populations of schools

Recruitment in general practice

General practice is an ideal platform for public health researchers as it provides access to a large proportion of the population and enables researchers to target a range of health conditions. While research in this setting is both valuable and essential, difficulties with practice and practitioner recruitment may hinder the development of evidence in this setting

Access to chronic disease care in general practice: The acceptability of implementing systematic waiting-room screening using computer-based patient-reported risk status

Background: Routine screening and advice regarding risky lifestyle behaviours is appropriate in the primary care setting, but often not implemented. Routine electronic collection of patients' self-reported data may streamline the collection of such information. Aim: To explore the perceptions of GPs and their attending patients regarding the acceptability of waiting-room touchscreen computers for the collection of health behaviour information. Uptake, ease of operation, and the perceived likelihood of future implementation were studied. Design and setting: Cross-sectional health-risk survey. General practices in metropolitan areas in Australia. Method: Practices were randomly selected by postcode. Consecutive patients who were eligible to take part in the study were approached in the waiting room and invited to do so. Participants completed the touchscreen health survey. A subsample of patients and GPs completed additional items regarding acceptability. Results: Twelve general practices participated in the study, with 4058 patients (86%) and 51 of 68 (75%) GPs consenting to complete the health-risk survey, 596 patients and 30 GPs were selected to complete the acceptability survey. A majority of the 30 GPs indicated that the operation of the survey was not disruptive to practice and more than 90% of patients responded positively to all items regarding its operation. More than three-quarters of the patient sample were willing to consider allowing their responses to be kept on file and complete such surveys in the future. Conclusion: As waiting-room-based collection of this information appears to be both feasible and acceptable, practitioners should consider collecting and incorporating routine patient-reported health behaviours for inclusion in the medical record

A cross-sectional study of radiation oncology outpatients' concern about, preferences for, and perceived barriers to discussing anxiety and depression

Objective Although elevated psychological distress is commonly reported among cancer patients, our understanding of patients' preferences for, and perceived barriers to, accessing psychological support from key cancer care providers is limited. The aim of this study was to assess cancer patients' level of concern about, and willingness to discuss, their anxiety and depression. Methods Radiation oncology outpatients completed a touchscreen computer survey with questions assessing their concern about and willingness to discuss anxiety and depression. Results Among consenting respondents (n = 145), 51% (95% CI: 43%-59%) were concerned about their levels of anxiety, and 34% (95% CI: 26%-42%) about their levels of depression. If experiencing anxiety or depression, 92% (95% CI: 87%-96%) would want to discuss this with their general practitioner (GP), and 60% (95% CI: 52%-68%) with their cancer doctor. Almost half of the 58 respondents who would not want to discuss anxiety or depression with their cancer doctor indicated that this was because there were more important things to talk about during their appointment. Conclusions The majority of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy would be willing to discuss anxiety and depression with their cancer doctor and GP. These findings provide additional support for service delivery models in which GPs and oncologists play key roles in initiating and coordinating discussions about cancer patients' psychosocial concerns

A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Australian General Practitioners' Identification of Overweight and Obese Patients

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obese patients attempt weight loss when advised to do so by their physicians; however, only a small proportion of these patients report receiving such advice. One reason may be that physicians do not identify their overweight a