Parents’ Perceptions and Responses to the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy

Objective: To record parents’ awareness of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), and explore associations between negative psychological reactance to the levy and motivation and intentions to change consumption and purchasing.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey with UK-based parents of 5-11 year old children (n=237). Regression analyses were used to test associations between psycho-social responses to the levy and behavioural intentions to change family consumption and purchasing. Results: 92% of responding parents were aware of the SDIL. 57% supported its aims, but 29% felt it threatened their freedom of choice. 41% expressed intention to change shopping habits or restrict their child’s intake as a result. Reactance and motivation were poorer in low income families, and intentions to change positively predicted by motivation. Conclusions and implications: This snapshot suggests the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy is largely supported by parents and associated with intentions to change their children’s intake

Can evolutionary mismatch help generate interest in health promotion messages?

Background: Generating interest in health interventions is an important first step towards engagement with health promotion and effecting behaviour change. This study explored whether framing health information about physical activity and diet from an evolutionary mismatch perspective could help to generate interest in health promotion among overweight and inactive adults. Evolutionary mismatch theory proposes that human cultural evolution has occurred too rapidly for biological evolution to keep up, creating a mismatch between genes and lifestyles that gives rise to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Method: A total of 18 adults completed interviews in which they viewed and discussed a variety of mismatch-framed health information resources. Follow-up questions assessed if and what participants had thought about the information in the week after the interview. Transcripts were thematically analysed. Results: Participants found the evolutionary perspective to be novel and interesting. It also provided a meaningful rationale for behaviour change. However, there was some evidence of negative elaboration, which would need to be managed if implementing this approach. Conclusion: Adopting a mismatch perspective can help to engage audiences with important health information.</p

Parents’ Perceptions and Responses to the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy

Objective: To record parents’ awareness of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), and explore associations between negative psychological reactance to the levy and motivation and intentions to change consumption and purchasing.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey with UK-based parents of 5-11 year old children (n=237). Regression analyses were used to test associations between psycho-social responses to the levy and behavioural intentions to change family consumption and purchasing. Results: 92% of responding parents were aware of the SDIL. 57% supported its aims, but 29% felt it threatened their freedom of choice. 41% expressed intention to change shopping habits or restrict their child’s intake as a result. Reactance and motivation were poorer in low income families, and intentions to change positively predicted by motivation. Conclusions and implications: This snapshot suggests the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy is largely supported by parents and associated with intentions to change their children’s intake

Using narrative messages to improve parents' experience of learning that a child has overweight

BackgroundProviding feedback to parents that their child is overweight often elicits negative reactance. AimsTo investigate the acceptability and feasibility of providing theoretically-informed narrative messages to reduce negative reactance, alongside National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) feedback informing parents when their child is overweight. MethodsA mixed-methods design: interviews with parents of primary school-aged children explored responses to the narratives; a randomised trial examined the feasibility, acceptability and promise of enclosing narratives with NCMP feedback.FindingsInterview participants found the narratives acceptable and indicated they could help lessen negative reactance. Pilot study data suggested 65% of parents could identify with the characters, with evidence of elaboration (applying the story to one’s own situation) evident in 65% of those reading the accounts. ConclusionAlthough the findings are limited by the low response rates typical in this population, narrative messages were acceptable to parents, feasible to deliver and show promise. <br/

Dispensing doctor practices and community pharmacies: exploring the quality of pharmaceutical services

This research sought (a) to investigate the similarities and differences in how pharmaceutical services are provided by community pharmacies (CPs) and dispensing doctor practices (DPs) and (b) to identify the issues relevant to determining the quality of pharmaceutical services in these settings. UK pharmaceutical services, including dispensing prescriptions and public health advice, can be provided from both (CP) and, in rural areas, (DP). While there is much similarity between CPs and DPs in the types of services provided, there is also the potential for variation in service quality across settings. A postal questionnaire of DPs and CPs in South West England was conducted to provide a descriptive overview of pharmaceutical services across the settings. A subsection of questionnaire respondent sites were selected to take part in case studies, which involved documentary analyses, observation and staff interviews. Survey response was 39% for CPs (52/134) and 48% (31/64) for DPs. There were three CP and four DP case study sites, with 17 staff interviews. More pharmacies than practices were open at the weekend and they had more staff trained above NVQ level 2. Both doctors and pharmacists saw themselves as medicines experts, as being accessible and having good relationships with patients. Workplace practices and organisational ethos varied both within and across settings, with good practice observed in both. Overall, CPs and DPs have much in common. Workplace culture and an evidence-based approach to checking prescriptions and error reporting need to be considered in future assessments of service quality

Community pharmacists: members or bystanders of the primary care multidisciplinary team?

ObjectivesThis study investigated who community pharmacists (CPs), general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses (PNs) included in their multidisciplinary team (MDT), whether they felt part of the MDT, barriers and facilitators to multidisciplinary working and whether the extent of the CPs’ clinical role influenced being part of a MDT.MethodsSurvey to CPs, GPs and PNs in south England. Participants were recruited using social media, journal ads and face-to-face visits/phone calls using NHS and professional networks. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses and content analysis for open text.Key FindingsTwo hundred and fourteen GPs, 147 PNs and 162 CPs responded. Nearly, all PNs (98%) and GPs (99%) considered themselves part of a MDT compared to 78% of CPs. Working in isolation, lack of time and a lack of information sharing were the most common reasons for not feeling part of a MDT. The extent of the CPs’ clinical role was not related to feeling part of a MDT.ConclusionsGreater investment is needed in the structures to support multidisciplinary working in terms of time and resources, as well as a greater awareness of MDT members’ roles and potential contribution