The meaning of adherence when behavioral risk patterns vary : obscured use- and method-effectiveness in HIV-prevention trials

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The effects of demand characteristics on research participant behaviours in non-laboratory settings: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The concept of demand characteristics, which involves research participants being aware of what the researcher is investigating, is well known and widely used within psychology, particularly in laboratory-based studies. Studies of this phenomenon may make a useful contribution to broader consideration of the effects of taking part in research on participant behaviour. This systematic review seeks to summarise data from studies of the effects of demand characteristics on participant behaviours in non-laboratory settings. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Electronic databases were searched to identify eligible studies. These had to be purposely designed to evaluate possible effects of demand characteristics on at least one behavioural outcome under the autonomous control of the participants and use longitudinal study designs. Only 7 studies were included, 6 providing observational data and 1 experimental study, with 5 studies involving examination of possible effects on health behaviours. Although studies provided some evidence of effects of demand characteristics on participant behaviour, heterogeneous operationalisation of the construct, the limited number of studies and poor quality of study designs made synthesis and interpretation of study findings challenging. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although widely accepted as important in psychology, there have been few dedicated studies of the effects of demand characteristics on research participant behaviours outside laboratory settings. This body of literature does not currently contribute to the wider study of research participation effects. A systematic review of data from laboratory-based studies is needed, as are high-quality primary studies in non-laboratory settings. We suggest that unqualified use of the term demand characteristics should be abandoned

Everything should be as simple as possible, but this will still be complex : a reply to various commentaries on IPEBA

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Using air quality monitoring to reduce second-hand smoke exposure in homes : the AFRESH feasibility study

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council’s Public Health Intervention Development scheme. The research team would like to thank Christine Foster and the staff and volunteers of Healthy Valleys, Lanarkshire, for their support in carrying out this work, and Beverley Scheepers and Joanne Buchan of ASH Scotland for their assistance in developing training material. FUNDING Medical Research Council PHIND Grant MR/M026159/1.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Illness perceptions and illness behaviours in back pain : A cross-sectional cluster analysis

Funding sources: The data contained herein were provided by the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) project C45810/A17927 at the University of Aberdeen. This secondary analysis was undertaken as part of L. Morton’s doctoral studentship which was supported by the Versus Arthritis/Medical Research Council Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work (grant number: 20665). Acknowledgements: The data contained herein were provided by the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) project C45810/A17927 at the University of Aberdeen. We would like to thank Peter Murchie and Phil Hannaford at the University of Aberdeen who facilitated access to the USEFUL Study dataset for this secondary analysis. This work was undertaken as part of L. Morton’s doctoral studentship which was supported by the Versus Arthritis/Medical Research Council Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work (grant number: 20665).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Mapping the Asthma Care Process : Implications for Research and Practice

The authors would like to thank the participants to the Respiratory Effectiveness Group Adherence symposium for their comments on the model overview presented during this meeting, members of the ASTRO-LAB consortium for collaborative work on reviewing literature and performing qualitative interviews, and patients and clinicians that shared valuable insights into asthma management during the telephone interviews. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's 7th Framework (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 282593.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

High Current CD4+ T cell count predicts suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy

Date of Acceptance: 30/09/2015 Funding: A.O.P. is financially supported by the Dutch AIDS Fonds (http://www.aidsfonds.nl/), grant nrs. 2011020 and 2012025. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Development Of A Smoke-free Homes Intervention For Parents: An Intervention Mapping Approach

Exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) is associated with various ill-health outcomes for children and adults. Barriers to creating a smoke-free home (SFH) are well-documented. Feasible and effective interventions to create smoke-free homes for disadvantaged households are lacking. Interventions that include providing parents with objective information about the impact of smoking on air quality in their home may be particularly effective. This study describes the development of a novel, theory- and evidence-based smoke-free homes intervention using objectively-assessed air quality feedback. The intervention was developed using the six-step Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol. Findings from literature reviews, focus groups with parents, interviews with health/care professionals, and expert panel discussions shaped intervention content and materials. Findings highlighted the importance of parents receiving personalised information on second-hand smoke levels in their home. Professionals considered the use of non-judgemental language essential in developed materials. Previous literature highlighted the need to address home smoking behaviour at a household rather than individual level. The AFRESH intervention is modular and designed to be delivered face-to-face by healthcare professionals. It includes up to five meetings with parents, two sets of five days’ air quality monitoring and personalised feedback, and the option to involve other household members in creating a smoke-free home using educational, motivational, and goal setting techniques. Further research is needed to evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of the AFRESH intervention and which specific groups of parents this intervention will most likely benefit. IM was a useful framework for developing this complex intervention. This paper does not present evaluation findings

Cost-effectiveness of a nurse-based intervention (AIMS) to improve adherence among HIV-infected patients : Design of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial

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The opportunities item response theory (IRT) offers to health psychologists : Methods in Health Psychology Symposium IV

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