300 research outputs found
National level promotion of physical activity: results from England's ACTIVE for LIFE campaign.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a national campaign on awareness of the campaign, change in knowledge of physical activity recommendations and self reported physical activity. DESIGN: three year prospective longitudinal survey using a multi-stage, cluster random probability design to select participants. SETTING: England. PARTICIPANTS: A nationally representative sample of 3189 adults aged 16-74 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness of the advertising element of the campaign, changes in knowledge of physical activity recommendations for health and self reported physical activity. RESULTS: 38% of participants were aware of the main advertising images, assessed six to eight months after the main television advertisement. The proportion of participants knowledgeable about moderate physical activity recommendations increased by 3.0% (95% CI: 1.4%, 4.5%) between waves 1 and 2 and 3.7% (95% CI: 2.1%, 5.3%) between waves 1 and 3. The change in proportion of active people between baseline and waves 1 and 2 was -0.02 (95% CI: -2.0 to +1.7) and between waves 1 and 3 was -9.8 (-7.9 to -11.7). CONCLUSION: The proportion of participants who were knowledgeable about the new recommendations, increased significantly after the campaign. There was however, no significant difference in knowledge by awareness of the main campaign advertisement. There is no evidence that ACTIVE for LIFE improved physical activity, either overall or in any subgroup
Standard evaluation framework for weight management interventions
This document builds on the āStandard Evaluation Framework (SEF) for weight management interventionsā,
published by NOO in April 2009.1 It takes the principles described in the original SEF and applies
them to dietary interventions. It contains a list of āessentialā and ādesirableā criteria for data required
for a comprehensive and robust evaluation. Essential criteria are the minimum data and information
recommended to perform a basic evaluation of an intervention that sets out to improve diet. Desirable
criteria are additional data that would improve the quality of an evaluation, and enhance understanding
about what has been achieved, and the processes that have taken place during the intervention.
A glossary of terms is available on page 35
Health economic assessment tools (HEAT) for walking and for cycling
Physical inactivity is a significant public health
problem in most regions of the world, which
is unlikely to be solved by classical health
promotion approaches alone. The promotion
of active transport (cycling and walking) for
everyday physical activity is a win-win approach;
it not only promotes health but can also lead
to positive environmental effects, especially
if cycling and walking replace short car trips.
Cycling and walking can also be more readily
integrated into peopleās busy schedules than,
for example, leisure-time exercise. These forms
of physical activity are also more practicable for
groups of the population for which sport is either
not feasible because of physical limitations or is
not an accessible leisure activity for economic,
social or cultural reasons. There is a large
potential for active travel in European urban
transport, as many trips are short and would
be amenable to being undertaken on foot or
by bicycle. This, however, requires effective
partnerships with the transport and urban
planning sectors, whose policies are key driving
forces in providing appropriate conditions for
such behavioural changes to take place. This has
been recognized by a number of international
policy frameworks, such as the Action Plan for
implementation of the European Strategy for the
Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable
Diseases 2012ā2016, adopted by the WHO
Regional Committee for Europe (1). The strategy
identifies the promotion of active mobility as
one of the supporting interventions endorsed
by WHO Member States to address this highpriority
topic in the European Region, as do other
international policy frameworks such as the
Toronto Charter for Physical Activity launched
in May 2010 as a global call for action (2)
Using complex systems mapping to build a strategic public health response to mental health in England
Purpose
This paper aims to use systems mapping as a tool to develop an organisation-wide approach to public mental health to inform strategic direction within a national public health agency.
Design/methodology/approach
Two workshops were facilitated with internal staff from a wide range of public health policy teams working in small groups to produce paper-based maps. These were collated and refined by the project team and digitised.
Findings
The approach engaged a range of teams in forming a shared understanding and producing a complex system map of the influences on population mental health and well-being, where current policy initiatives were addressing them and what the gaps and priorities were. Participants valued the approach which led to further study and organisational commitment to the whole system working as part of national public mental health strategy.
Research limitations/implications
The approach was limited to internal stakeholders and wider engagement with other sectors and community members would help further the application of complex system approaches to public mental health.
Originality/value
It was a valuable process for developing a whole-organisation approach and stimulating thinking and practice in complex system approaches. The paper provides a practical example of how to apply systems mapping and its benefits for organising public mental health practice
Psoriatic nail dystrophy is associated with erosive disease in the distal interphalangeal joints in psoriatic arthritis:a retrospective cohort study
Objective. To assess whether the association between psoriatic nail dystrophy and radiographic damage in the hands of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is specific to the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. Methods. A convenience sample of patients was collated from the Bath longitudinal PsA cohort. All patients had PsA according to the ClASsification for Psoriatic ARthritis criteria (CASPAR) criteria, scored radiographs of their hands, and documented nail scores as measured by the Psoriatic Nail Severity Score. Chi-square tests were performed to examine for association between features of nail dystrophy and radiographic damage in the DIP joints, and proximal interphalangeal or metacarpophalangeal (non-DIP) joints of the corresponding digits. Results. There were 134 patients included, with a median age of 53 years (interquartile range; IQR 44-61) and disease duration of 7 years (IQR 3-17). The presence of any form of psoriatic nail dystrophy was associated with erosion at the DIP joints of the corresponding digit (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.23-2.83; p < 0.004) and this association was primarily driven by the presence of nail onycholysis (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.12-2.62; p = 0.02). Nail subungual hyperkeratosis was more strongly associated with joint space narrowing, erosions, and osteoproliferation at the corresponding DIP joint compared to non-DIP joints (p < 0.001). Nail pitting was not associated with erosions or osteoproliferation. Conclusion. The presence of psoriatic nail dystrophy, particularly onycholysis, is associated with erosive disease at the DIP joints. Subungual hyperkeratosis is more strongly associated with erosive damage at the DIP than non-DIP joints. These findings support the anatomical and pathological link between nail and DIP joint disease.</p
Contributions from coherent and incoherent lattice excitations to ultrafast optical control of magnetic anisotropy of metallic films
Spin-lattice coupling is one of the most prominent interactions mediating response of spin ensemble to ultrafast optical excitation. Here we exploit optically generated coherent and incoherent phonons to drive coherent spin dynamics, i.e. precession, in thin films of magnetostrictive metal Galfenol. We demonstrate unambiguously that coherent phonons, also seen as dynamical strain generated due to picosecond lattice temperature raise, give raise to magnetic anisotropy changes of the optically excited magnetic film; and this contribution may be comparable to or even dominate over the contribution from the temperature increase itself, considered as incoherent phonons
Ultrafast changes of magnetic anisotropy driven by laser-generated coherent and noncoherent phonons in metallic films
Ultrafast optical excitation of a metal ferromagnetic film results in a modification of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and induces the magnetization precession. We consider two main contributions to these processes: an effect of noncoherent phonons, which modifies the temperature dependent parameters of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coherent phonons in the form of a strain contributing via inverse magnetostriction. Contrary to earlier experiments with high-symmetry ferromagnetic structures, where these mechanisms could not be separated, we study the magnetization response to femtosecond optical pulses in the low-symmetry magnetostrictive galfenol film so that it is possible to separate the coherent and noncoherent phonon contributions. By choosing certain experimental geometry and external magnetic fields, we can distinguish the contribution from a specific mechanism. Theoretical analysis and numerical calculations are used to support the experimental observations and proposed model
Resourcefulness, reciprocity and reflexivity: the three Rs of partnership in sport for public health research
This paper explores the dynamics of researchāpolicyāpractice (RPP) partnerships in sport. Such partnerships, involving a diverse range of groups, have emerged as a response to: (1) a contemporary political prioritisation in the use of sport for health and wellbeing and (2) a parallel requirement for robust evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. A conceptual framework for understanding such RPP partnerships is proposed and discussed in relation to three overlapping characteristics; resourcefulness, reciprocity and reflexivity. The paper concludes that understanding these three Rs of RPP partnerships is a way to demythologise the role of sport in public health and present theoretically informed analyses about processes of knowledge production, dissemination and use. It is a conceptual framework which might also further an understanding of, and make public, issues concerning the legitimation of some forms of evidence over others, and potentially maximise the impact of the co-production of knowledge about sport for public health and wellbeing
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