Search

Using the concept of methodological congruence—where the different elements of a study 'fit' together—we explore both problematic and good practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis (TA) as reported in Health Promotion International (HPI). Aligning with the importance we place on 'owning your perspectives' we situate this exploration in relation to our understanding of the variation in approaches to TA and qualitative research more broadly. This contextualization is necessary for highlighting why we judge practices to be in/congruent, and to facilitate more knowing congruence in future research. We critically reviewed a 'sample' of 31 papers published in HPI between 2010 and 2023 citing Braun and Clarke as reference for TA. We overview a range of problematic and good features of the use of TA in HPI , before focusing on two domains that seemed to present key challenges: theory and themes. Methodological incongruence can occur when postpositivist values and practices unwittingly creep into ostensibly non-positivist TA; we encourage thoughtfully and what we term 'knowing' consideration of theory, and quality practices and criteria. Methodological incongruence can also occur through mismatched conceptualizations of themes—notably, the use of 'topic summaries' as themes for reflexive TA (and fragmented thematic structures with 'thin' themes). We provide examples from the reviewed papers to demonstrate good practice in researcher reflexivity, articulation of theoretical and methodological frameworks and congruent themes. However, mindful of power dynamics, we only discuss problematic practice in general terms, to protect author anonymity. To facilitate thoughtful, quality TA—of all kinds—we provide eight pointers for researchers (and reviewers) to guide quality practice, and facilitate the use of concepts, procedures and criteria that promote knowing methodological congruence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been significant progress in improved adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) for girls across low- to- middle-income countries (LMICs). However, progress has been uneven, and disparities persistent across and within countries. For example, Vietnam is one of only nine countries to have achieved the 2015 maternal mortality rate (MMR) target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a nation, but for some sub-populations, progress has been much slower, and MMR is more than twice that the national average. Ensuring equity is a current focus of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda that seeks to Leave No One Behind. This paper explores some of these inequities and potential drivers for ethnic minority adolescent girls in Vietnam, with a specific focus on the Tay community, the largest ethnic minority group in Vietnam. This paper highlights the challenges to progress, including areas where there is still limited evidence about the range of socio-cultural factors that may determine sexual and reproductive health outcomes for Tay adolescent girls. In the era of the SDGs, Vietnam's national policy platforms and current aid architecture provide a solid basis on which to build research, policy and practice investments that improve the health of adolescent ethnic minority girls in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since launching health health-promoting settings approach to health by WHO, valuable progress has happened in implementing its holistic concepts in settings such as cities, schools, workplaces, hospitals and healthcare services. However, significant knowledge–intention–success gaps still exist in creating sustainable health-promoting changes in settings. The complexity of the task of bridging this gap has contributed to the call for a complexity-informed paradigm shift to health as well as settings, followed by increasing consultation of relevant complexity theories, frameworks and tools in health research. This paper provides a critical scoping review of the application of complex adaptive system (CAS) theory in settings-based health promotion research. We included 14 papers, mostly qualitative studies, reporting on planning or implementation of change initiatives, less on its evaluation. CAS theory application was often incomplete thereby reducing the potential benefit of using this lens to understand change management. We suggest some recommendations how to comprehensively apply the CAS theory in setting-based health research and to report on all CAS characteristics to enhance the understanding of settings as adaptive health-promoting settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to explore how hospitals can be reconfigured to adopt more 'health-promoting' approaches and values. Specifically, the paper focuses on the role of hospital chaplaincy and argues that spiritual care should be considered alongside other health domains. Using semi-structured interviews, the aim of the paper is to explore the experiences of patients who accepted (n = 10) and declined (n = 10) hospital chaplaincy services. Data were analysed drawing on principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings suggested that participants who accessed chaplaincy services reported using the chaplains for pastoral, religious and spiritual care which contributed positively to their sense of well-being. This included religious rituals and supportive conversations. The majority of these participants had existing links with a faith institution. Participants who declined chaplaincy services reported having personal religious or spiritual beliefs. Other reasons cited, included: that the offer was made close to discharge; they had different support mechanisms; they were unaware of what the chaplaincy service offered. Participants identified a number of skills and attributes they associated with chaplains. They perceived them as being religious but available to all, somebody to talk to who was perceived as impartial with a shared knowledge and understanding. The paper concludes by highlighting the important role of chaplaincy as part of a holistic health-promoting hospital. This has implications not only for the design, delivery and promotion of chaplaincy services but also for health promotion more broadly to consider spiritual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations offer activities and programmes to improve their employees' health. These workplace health promotion (WHP) activities usually have an individualized and top-down focus, a low uptake among employees, and are perceived to be out of line with employees' experiences and definitions of health. This paper follows up on studies that have broadened the focus of WHP by including social relations and delves deeper into how daily practices and experiences of (un)belonging at work relate to workplace health. Based on ethnographic research in two companies in the Netherlands, this paper analyses how (un)belonging is expressed and experienced by employees. The paper shows that employees define health at work as a social practice. It also demonstrates how dynamics at work shape different dimensions of (un)belonging that, in turn, affect employees' perceived health at work. These findings indicate the importance of including (un)belonging in the workplace as an ingredient of WHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing disease prevalence rather than promoting health has long been the objective of significant population health initiatives, such as the social determinants of health (SDH) framework. However, empirical evidence suggests that people with diagnosed diseases often answer the self-reported health (SRH) question positively. In pursuit of a better proxy to understand, measure and improve health, this scoping review of reviews examines the potential of SRH to be used as an outcome of interest in population health policies. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, it synthesizes findings from 77 review papers (published until 11 May 2022) and reports a robust association between SDH and SRH. It also investigates inconsistencies within and between reviews to reveal how variation in population health can be explained by studying the impact of contextual factors, such as cultural, social, economic and political elements, on structural determinants such as socioeconomic situation, gender and ethnicity. These insights provide informed hypotheses for deeper explorations of the role of SDH in improving SRH. The review detects several gaps in the literature. Notably, more evidence syntheses are required, in general, on the pathway from contextual elements to population SRH and, in particular, on the social determinants of adolescents' SRH. This study reports a disease-oriented mindset in collecting, analysing and reporting SRH across the included reviews. Future studies should utilize the capability of SRH in interconnecting social, psychological and biological dimensions of health to actualize its full potential as a central public health measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure of governments across the world to address climate change has fuelled social movements focused on climate-related policy and action. Research analysing these movements has focused mainly on the types of strategies employed including blockades and occupations, marches and petitions, divestment, boycotts and litigation as well as how groups are framing climate change as a problem. What has been largely missed are the ways these groups are framing the change they want to see, that is their demands to governments. Not all demands and actions have the same potential to create the changes needed to mitigate climate change. Used in public health and health promotion, the systems science Intervention Level Framework (ILF) is a tool that can help analyse to what extent different demands have the leverage to create change in a system. We use the ILF to analyse 131 demands from 35 different climate-related advocacy groups in Australia. Results show demands are more focused on lower system leverage points, such as stopping particular projects, rather than on more impactful leverage points, such as the governance structures that determine climate-related policy and decision-making mechanisms. Further, the results highlight the lack of attention on public health related topics of transport and food systems. This paper shows how a systems science framework used in health promotion, the ILF, could enable climate advocacy groups to more effectively target demands to achieve more impactful outcomes from governments, corporations and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is an essential stage of life for developing actions related to health promotion, especially in health education (HE). Public policies advocate for the expansion of participative technologies in this field, as well as different theoretical and methodological perspectives subsidize these. Among these, Paulo Freire's reference guide is practiced in Brazil and around the world. From the Freirean perspective, Thematic Investigation (TI) defines the content of the educational practice. This paper describes a methodological proposal of the Freirean Thematic Investigation for developing health educational practices and promoting health among adolescents. Initially, we describe the conception of the Freirean rationale that sets the grounds for the proposed method: human being, dialogical education and reality and their connections with HE with adolescents in a critical perspective. The methodological proposal is systematized into five stages: (i) Approaching adolescents and the field of educational practices; (ii) Reading reality; (iii) Seminars for analyzing reality reading and preparing the codifications; (iv) Critical analysis of reality; and (v) Planning educational practices. The TI confronts the adult-centric perspectives that characterize adolescent health care. Moreover, as a praxis, TI is a process of reflection and action with adolescents, allowing for not only the discovery of the themes that build educational practices but also for solutions (untested feasibility) for the individual and collective problems experienced by adolescents concerning their health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycaemic control is of one the main goals for managing type 2 diabetes. In sub-Saharan Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, studies have reported alarming poor control rates. Patients with poor glycaemic control are exposed to complications leading to high cost of care and deteriorated quality of life. In recent studies by our group, we have demonstrated that poor glycaemic control is high and driven by proximal (individual) and distal (structural) factors in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Financial constraints impacted many aspects of care at multiple levels from the Government to persons living with diabetes. Financial constraints prevented good preparation, organization and access to diabetes care. Difficulties in implementing lifestyle changes, lack of health literacy and limited healthcare support were also contributing to poor glycaemic control. Through a Delphi study, a group of experts reached a consensus on five potential strategies for improving glycaemic control in the Democratic Republic of Congo as follows: changing the healthcare system for better diabetes care extended to other noncommunicable diseases, ensuring consistent financing of the healthcare, augmenting the awareness of diabetes among the general population and the persons living with diabetes, easing the adoption of lifestyle modifications and reducing the burden of undiagnosed diabetes. This paper reflects on the urgent need for an improved management framework for diabetes care in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Specifically, the Government needs to increase the investment in the prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases including diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Despite progression in the ethical and methodological conduct of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, disparities still pervade, indicating limitations in knowledge translation. One identified gap is a lack of documented experiences detailing how ethical guidelines may be practically applied. This paper aims to (i) describe the research processes involved in co-designing a physical activity and psychosocial health program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and (ii) highlight learnings of the collaborative research journey. The Criteria for Strengthening Reporting of Health Research involving Indigenous Peoples (CONSIDER) statement was used to document participatory research activities undertaken with an Aboriginal community partner. Building upon the CONSIDER statement, Aboriginal (N = 3), Torres Strait Islander (N = 1) and non-Indigenous (N = 4) research team members engaged in critical reflection to identify lessons learnt. Researchers identified a tension between participatory research principles and the expectations of funding agencies and research institutions. Consequently, timelines must be flexible to foster meaningful community engagement and participatory processes. Additionally, researchers and community stakeholders are encouraged to embrace tensions that may associated with participatory research or the pressures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers face from their community and organization. Furthermore, differences in professional (i.e. occupational) and cultural knowledge systems need to be acknowledged and accounted for within the early stages of a project to ensure informed decision-making. Identified lessons will assist relevant stakeholders in the development of future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health programming, ensuring the most appropriate health solutions are devised with community. Lay Summary: The ethical and methodological quality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and associated community engagement has progressed significantly in the last thirty years. Despite this progress, improvements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health disparities have been slow and inconsistent, indicating there are limitations in the available information for health promotion stakeholders. One identified gap is a lack of documented experiences detailing how guidelines may be practically applied. This paper, therefore, details how an intercultural, intersectoral team engaged in a participatory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research project (i.e. Tidda Talk). In addition to documenting research processes, the paper also offers lessons learnt: (i) Prioritize a flexible response within the project plan, (ii) Embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community empowerment whilst working at the cultural interface (i.e. a place of knowledge exchange between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Western culture, resulting in two-way learning) (iii) Plan to navigate different knowledge systems, (iv) Acknowledge the pressures and demands placed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers. These documented experiences and lessons learnt have the potential to benefit researchers and practitioners in future health service design and evaluation, allowing for culturally appropriate practices to be identified and replicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although health education programmes have been implemented in higher music education (HME) and their evaluations published in peer-reviewed journals, guidelines as to what ought to be included in these programmes are still missing. This study aimed to document expert discussions on the content of an ideal health education curriculum for HME students in the UK, integrating critical thinking. Four interdisciplinary workshops were conducted, where 67 experts in relevant fields took part, and were asked to discuss four lists of topics and concepts created based on literature reviews (cognitive biases, logical fallacies, critical appraisal tools and health topics). Only the list on health topics is relevant here. Notes taken by the participants and ourselves were thematically analysed. Four themes were identified, two of which are reported in this paper: (i) The health education curriculum and (ii) A settings-based approach to health. Part I of this project (published elsewhere) is focussed on the critical thinking content of health education for conservatoire students. The present paper focusses on the ideal health education curriculum and its implications for the wider context of health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about unintentional drowning deaths in Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous and largest archipelagic country. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology and risk factors of unintentional drowning in Indonesia and explore existing health promotion and drowning prevention approaches in Indonesia within a socio-ecological health promotion framework. A scoping review, guided by PRISMA-ScR, was conducted to locate peer-reviewed studies and government reports/policy documents published until May 2023, in English or Indonesian language, using MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL, Informit, PsycINFO (ProQuest), Scopus, SafetyLit, BioMed Central and Google Scholar, Indonesian journal databases (Sinta, Garuda) and government agencies websites around the terms: drown, swim, flood, hurricane, cyclone, disaster, water rescue and maritime/boat safety. This review identified 32 papers. However, a paucity of information on unintentional drowning rates, risk factors and prevention in Indonesia was noted. The unavailability of a coordinated national drowning data collection system in Indonesia, from which national and subnational subcategory data can be collected, underlines the possibility of under-representation of drowning mortality. The association between various exposures and drowning incidents has not been fully investigated. An over-reliance on individual-focused, behaviour-based, preventive measures was observed. These findings highlight the need for improving drowning surveillance to ensure the availability and reliability of drowning data; and strengthening research to understand the risk factors for drowning and delivery of drowning prevention programs. Further policy development and research focusing on health promotion approaches that reflect a socio-ecological approach to drowning prevention in Indonesia is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (and their comorbidity) have been increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, including The Gambia. Diet is a critical driver of these public health problems, and diet-related health education is a major strategy employed for their prevention and management. The aim of this paper is to explore the lived experiences of diet-related health education among individuals with comorbid type 2 diabetes and hypertension in Serrekunda, The Gambia, a subject hitherto unexplored in the country. The study employed a qualitative (interpretivist) methodology. Thirty-two interviews were conducted with 18 participants, with most participating in two interviews at separate time-points between November 2018 and July 2019. In addition to participant validation, the two points in time interviews elicited more depth and provided rich data. The data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-phased approach to Thematic Analysis. Four main themes were generated in relation to the experiences: (i) one-off blanket dietary advice (ii) education in a vacuum (iii) diabetes-hypertension diet dichotomy and (iv) imbalanced power relationship. The study underscores the need for a reconfiguration of diet-related health education in The Gambia to include lived experiences as critical components of health promotion in tackling T2DM and hypertension. This requires an ecological approach, critical health education, regulations on unhealthy foods, and active participation of individuals as equal partners in health education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Services offering on-demand delivery of unhealthy commodities, such as fast food, alcohol and smoking/vaping products have proliferated in recent years. It is well known that the built environment can be health promoting or harmful to health, but there has been less consideration of the digital environment. Increased availability and accessibility of these commodities may be associated with increased consumption, with harmful public health implications. Policy regulating the supply of these commodities was developed before the introduction of on-demand services and has not kept pace with the digital environment. This paper reports on semi-structured interviews with health policy experts on the health harms of the uptake in on-demand delivery of food, alcohol and smoking/vaping products, along with their views on policies that might mitigate these harms. We interviewed 14 policy experts from central and local government agencies and ministries, health authorities, non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and university research positions in Aotearoa New Zealand using a purposive sampling strategy. Participants concerns over the health harms from on-demand services encompassed three broad themes—the expansion of access to and availability of unhealthy commodities, the inadequacy of existing restrictions and regulations in the digital environment and the expansion of personalized marketing and promotional platforms for unhealthy commodities. Health policy experts' proposals to mitigate harms included: limiting access and availability, updating regulations and boosting enforcement and limiting promotion and marketing. Collectively, these findings and proposals can inform future research and public health policy decisions to address harms posed by on-demand delivery of unhealthy commodities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries, a non-communicable disease, is one of the most prevalent diseases globally and share common modifiable risk factors with obesity such as excess sugar intake. However, prioritization by governments to improve population oral health has been limited and is typically excluded from the discourse of public health policy development. Therefore, interventions that target dental caries can have other co-benefits including obesity prevention. In Victoria, Australia, local government authorities have a regulatory requirement to develop their Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plans. The aim of this paper is to identify whether prioritization for oral health by local government authorities in Victoria has changed through the subsequent renewal of the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plans 2011–2015 and 2019–2023. Three desktop audits for all publicly available Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plans by local government authorities in Victoria were conducted between 2014 and 2022. Key terms related to oral health was searched within these policy documents and categorized into six indicators: (i) included oral health as a priority, (ii) linked healthy eating and oral health, (iii) supported the Achievement Program, (iv) included the Smiles 4 Miles program, (v) advocated for fluoridated drinking water, and (vi) included other strategies related to oral health. Overall, there was statistically significant reduction in five of the six indicators, with the exception for prioritization of other strategies related to oral health such as targeting excess sugar intake and smoking. A multi-sectoral approach, that includes oral health would be advantageous to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adapting interventions to the context increases the impact and sustainability of interventions. Literature acknowledges the need to adapt existing interventions and that these adaptations should be clearly reported. However, little is known about how to incorporate adaptation from the beginning. This paper argues that interventions should be developed and adaptations should be made using an ongoing non-linear approach. An action-oriented research approach with feedback loops is proposed. We illustrate this with the development of a food literacy intervention 'Up for Cooking' (Dutch: Zin in Koken) and present lessons learned in developing, implementing and studying such adaptable interventions. Interventions should clearly define and differentiate the intervention function and form. Implementers, in turn, should be encouraged to tailor interventions within a form that fits with a specific context. Sufficient time, continuous adaptation based on co-creation, feedback loops and interdisciplinary collaboration are important prerequisites for the development of adaptable interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2005, an applied theatre community outreach programme was launched to address low levels of HIV/AIDS awareness among farm workers in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. In cooperation with HIV testing organizations, the Lucky , the Hero mini-musical promoted regular HIV testing, condom use and acceptance of people living with HIV until being retired in 2017. Applying principles of the health belief model to interview data collected in 2015 from former Lucky, the Hero participants, this paper examines the effectiveness of the theatre production to achieve the behavioural outcomes of (i) encouraging regular HIV testing and ongoing awareness of HIV serostatus, and (ii) reducing AIDS-related social stigma. The findings suggest that the interventions were successful in persuading participants to know their HIV status immediately following the shows, as well as potentially contributing to a reduction of community-based external social stigma. However, the interventions were unable to maintain engagement with these behavioural outcomes in the years following the performances, resulting in low adherence to regular HIV testing and inconsistent condom use. Additionally, ongoing social and structural barriers to regular HIV testing and the potential for self-imposed HIV-related stigma were highlighted during the discussions. While applied theatre can be an effective avenue for HIV awareness and prevention, the paper demonstrates the importance of creating and maintaining strong community networks to support continued engagement with health-related behavioural outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a primary societal challenge worldwide, with over 23 million new cases/year, and 10 million deaths/year. Estimates of preventable cancer deaths rise as high as 70%, but such estimates rely heavily on individual behaviors, which in turn are correlated with knowledge and attitudes towards health and cancer. This paper describes the iterative evidence-based development of the first entertainment-education series on cancer prevention to be televised, and reports its effectiveness evaluation. A nominal group defined the guiding principles that were translated into key characteristics for a series named ' 2' Life-changing minutes '. Pilot episodes were produced and evaluated in two complementary studies—a focus group study with medical doctors and a survey study with prospective viewers. Results from these studies guided the optimization and production of the full series, which was broadcast on national public TV, in prime time. An evaluation study was performed afterwards with naturally-occurring viewers and results show audience reach on par with purely entertainment series, that health messages can be clearly conveyed through fictional narratives, and that the series has high levels of appreciation and health promotion potential. ' 2' Life-changing minutes ' constitutes a novel and effective proposal for health promotion, that challenges the primacy of information and statistics still common in health communication, with a new format based on stories, characters and social contexts to successfully promote health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few case studies exist in the public health or design literatures showing how to create national scale messaging campaigns in low-income countries using design processes. In this paper, we describe how we used Behaviour Centred Design to develop Nyumba ni choo , the Tanzanian National Sanitation Campaign. The process involved multiple iterations of ideation and filtration by professional creatives, government staff, academics and sanitation specialists to create a branded mass communication campaign, which was refreshed annually. The campaign was based on the insight that Tanzania is modernizing rapidly, with people upgrading their homes, but leaving their outside toilets in a 'traditional' state. Built around the 'big idea' that a household is not fully modern without a good-quality, modern toilet, the campaign employed reality TV shows, live engagements and mass and digital media postings, all targeted at motivating both the government and general population to improve toilets. The campaign has made toilets a topic of national conversation and has led to a major uptick in the rate of toilet building. Efforts to improve public health-related behaviour can be enhanced by using systematic approaches that build on available evidence, understand behaviour in its common settings, employ psychological theory and engage creative expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of employers implement worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs). In particular, blue-collar workers may benefit from these WHPPs. However, they are less likely than other workers to participate and little is known about which factors affect their participation. The aim of this scoping literature review is to produce an overview of studies on factors associated with blue-collar workers' participation in WHPPs. Five databases were searched: BSU, PsycINFO, Medline, Web of Science and CINAHL. The review included peer-reviewed empirical studies on determinants associated with blue-collar workers' participation in WHPPs. Factors were extracted and categorized. Similar determinants were clustered and the direction of the associations was further examined. Nineteen papers describing 11 qualitative and 4 quantitative studies met the eligibility criteria. Seventy-seven determinants were analyzed (in quantitative studies) or reported (in qualitative studies). In most studies, only participant characteristics were investigated. Participation may be enhanced by addressing needs, tailoring from a broad range of activities, offering group activities, requiring little effort and commitment at the start, using incentives, leading by example and combining WHPPs with occupational safety interventions. WHPPs seem to be able to reach blue-collar workers, but it remains particularly challenging to reach shift workers and those who do not yet experience health complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic is the mandate to stay home and practice physical distancing. In Canada, with essential activities such as grocery shopping, outdoor exercise and transportation, people need to be able to safely navigate dense, urban spaces while staying at least two metres or six feet apart. This pandemic has exacerbated the health inequities across neighbourhoods in cities like Toronto, Canada which are often segregated along racial and income lines. These inequities impact who has access to urban infrastructure that promotes health and quality of life. Safety in a time of COVID-19 goes beyond just exposure to the virus, it is complicated by notions of who belongs where, and who has access to what resources. The built environment has a role in maintaining and promoting physical and mental health during this pandemic and beyond it. This paper puts forwards three considerations for built environment interventions to promote health equitably: (i) addressing structural determinants of health and embedding anti-racist intersectional principles, (ii) revisiting tactical urbanism as a health promotion tool and (iii) rethinking community engagement processes through equity-based placemaking. This paper outlines four built environment interventions in Toronto, Canada that seek to address the challenges in navigating urban space safely in the short term, including street design that prioritizes pedestrians, protected cycling infrastructure, access to inclusive green space and safe, affordable housing. Longer-term strategies to create health-promoting urban environments that are equitable are discussed and may be valuable to other cities with similar urban equity concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Mass participation sports event (MPSE)s have been identified as a potential referral pathway for engaging inactive patients in regular physical activity. This study aimed to review evidence of physical activity behaviour and associated health-related outcomes of engaging in MPSEs among the general population. A systematic review was performed of quantitative studies that examined the relationship between MPSEs and physical activity behaviour or secondary outcomes (e.g. physical activity motivation or confidence, physical or mental health) or any intervention to maintain physical activity following MPSEs. Search methods included searching five electronic databases and checking reference lists. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A total of 2079 papers were identified, 142 were independently assessed for eligibility and 39 were included. Data from prospective cohort studies suggested that levels of physical activity achieved in training for MPSEs tended to drop in the months after, but increases were reported in some studies of novice participants. Interventions involving health promotion materials provided post-event led to small increases in physical activity. Perceived benefits of participating in MPSEs included physical and mental health, fitness, self-efficacy and social connections. Existing evidence suggests that MPSEs can act as a motivator to initiate exercise in preparation for the event, but there is limited evidence on how best to sustain physical activity post-event. Given the short duration of most studies, longer prospective analyses are needed to delineate patterns of habitual and event-related activity and account for seasonal effects. Lay Summary: Mass participation sporting events can be attractive to low-active participants as well as regular exercisers, with a notable proportion identified as low active (one-fifth). Overall levels of physical activity tend to decline after event completion, suggesting that training in preparation for events was not maintained. There is some evidence of increased exercise post-event reported among novice participants, though evidence is limited on effective ways to sustain exercise after event completion. Regularly held events such as parkrun or booster interventions following events helped maintain exercise levels over 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper aimed to evaluate the impact of an oral health programme targeting prisoners in eastern Saudi Arabia. The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance (RE-AIM) strategy was used as the evaluation framework to assess both process and outcome. This annual programme included four stations: an interview, an educational session, dental examination and treatment. Programme indicators included the number of prisoners reached, percent improvement in oral health practices, teeth present in the mouth and percent reduction in dental treatment needs. A non-experimental pre- and post-programme evaluation design was implemented. Prisons in eastern Saudi Arabia were visited once a year from 2016 to 2019. The evaluation used primary data collected during the visits in the form of clinical examination and surveys. The number of beneficiaries increased from 270 to 634, and three cities within the Eastern province were covered. The percent of inmates who smoke and consume sugary drinks decreased by 24 and 30%, respectively; however, there was a 25% reduction in regular toothbrushing using a fluoridated toothpaste. The long-term outcomes showed an improvement in the overall oral health condition and treatment needs: periodontal treatment needs and surgical procedures were reduced by 91 and 79%, respectively. The programme was successful based on the RE-AIM framework. This is the first sustainable oral health programme targeting prison inmates in the Middle East. The findings indicate that the oral health programme had positive effects on prisoners' oral health and achieved its objectives. Such programmes can help address health disparities among populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the year 2003 when the first walkability scale was published to date, person-environment fit models and empirical research, some of which was published in Health Promotion International , have encapsulated healthy communities in 'neighborhood walkability'. While there is no doubt that neighborhood walkability positively influences health-seeking behaviors and health, recent models suggest that their measurement and conceptualization have not emphasized the role played by psychosocial and personal factors in aging in place. Thus, the development of scales measuring human ecosystem factors has not recognized all critical factors suited for older adults. In this paper, we aim to draw on relevant literature to frame a more holistic construct, hereby referred to as Socially Active Neighborhoods (SAN), that would better support aging in place in older populations. Through a narrative review based on a systematic search of the literature, we define the scope of SAN and delineate some contextual implications for gerontology, health promotion and psychometric testing. SAN, unlike neighborhood walkability in its current measurement and conceptualization, incorporates critical theory-informed psychosocial factors (i.e. safety and disability friendliness of neighborhood infrastructure) that can encourage older adults with physiological and cognitive limitations to maintain physical and social activities as well as health in later life. The SAN is the result of our adaptation of key person-environment models, including the Context Dynamics in Aging (CODA) framework, that recognizes the role of context in healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various research designs and approaches to investigate how health-promoting activities are implemented in complex, real-world systems, and to identify potential health effects that might occur following implementation. Although literature describes guidelines to perform and report about implementation research and effect evaluations, no specific guidelines exist on analysing and reporting about the combination of effectiveness data and implementation data collected as part of intervention evaluation in complex and diverse settings. This paper describes the evaluation of primary school-based health-promoting activities in complex systems. Furthermore, an approach for data categorization inspired by Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theory is presented that can facilitate structuring the study's results and relating the degree of implementation to any impact on effectiveness outcomes that might be observed. Researchers interested in using this approach for data categorization have to ensure that the following three conditions are met: (i) data on an intervention's efficacy in a controlled setting with optimal implementation is available; (ii) key points that define an intervention's optimal implementation are available and (iii) an evaluation study is performed, collecting both effectiveness data and implementation data in a real-world context. This data categorization approach can be useful to generate more insight into an intervention's effectiveness under varying circumstances, and optimal support and advice can be provided to stakeholders to achieve maximum impact of population-based health-promoting interventions in complex, real-world systems. However, the proposed approach is a first suggestion and further testing and adaptation is necessary to increase its usefulness. Knowledge and experience sharing among researchers performing comparable research can increase the knowledge base regarding this subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For years Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has served as a key indicator of human progress and "successful" societies. Unfortunately, GDP has failed to robustly capture the human experience or predict resilience through crises; and obscures the presence of inequity -- a key determinant of suffering. It is clear the global community needs a new organizing principle: one that envisions and measures progress by focusing on the conditions that support health, resilience, and overall wellbeing. This paper examines key health promotion concepts and approaches, juxtaposed with philosophical underpinnings of the concept of wellbeing, alternative measurement strategies, and examples of wellbeing policy initiatives. In doing so, the paper highlights the relevance of wellbeing policy frameworks to health promotion, the utility of health promotion strategies for implementing wellbeing policy frameworks, and controversies and pitfalls that require consideration. The paper concludes by outlining how health promotion is uniquely poised to contribute to wellbeing policy frameworks that promote the sources of human and planetary thriving through sustainable development, and that promoting a wellbeing agenda can strengthen efforts to promote health by addressing social determinants and ensuring universal access to resources that support coping with emerging challenges and strengthen resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health Impact Assessment is a key approach used internationally to identify positive or negative impacts of policies, plans and proposals on health and well-being. In 2020, HIAs were undertaken in Scotland and Wales to identify the potential health and well-being impacts of the 'stay at home' and physical distancing measures implemented at the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. There is sparse evidence evaluating whether the impacts predicted in HIAs occur following policy implementation. This paper evaluates the impacts anticipated in the COVID-19 HIAs against actual observed trends. The processes undertaken were compared and predicted impacts were tabulated by population groups and main determinants of health. Routine data and literature evidence were collated to compare predicted and observed impacts. Nearly all health impacts anticipated in both HIAs have occurred in the direction predicted. There have been significant adverse impacts through multiple direct and indirect pathways including loss of income, social isolation, disruption to education and services, and psychosocial effects. This research demonstrates the value of prediction in impact assessment and fills a gap in the literature by comparing the predicted impacts identified within the HIAs with observed trends. Post-COVID-19 recovery should centre health and well-being within future policies and decisions. Processes like HIA can support this as part of a 'health in all policies' approach to improve the health and well-being of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes papers published in the journal with the term "complexity" in title and abstracts in an effort to provide a description and reflection on complexity diffusion in the health promotion community. Topics covered include the finding that complexity often was referred to as a generic descriptive term without any association to complexity concepts, theories or frameworks, and a summary of revised papers and their contribution to complexity informed health promotion practice.

Health impact assessment (HIA) is a method by which a policy, programme or project falling outside traditional health fields, may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population to mitigate negative impacts and strengthen the positive ones. Proposals are analysed from the perspective of all the determinants of health. In France, HIAs are mainly applied to urban development projects where social cohesion (SCo) is a major issue. Although the HIA method is well structured as a step-by-step process, there are no guidelines for assessing SCo. This article opens with literature review to clarify the concept of SCo and to understand how the built environment influences SCo and how social environment influence health. Drawing on this work, this paper presents an analytical framework to assess SCo, integrating both the spatial and physical dimensions of urban design and the perceptions of the neighbourhood characteristics. Following a brief overview of the key findings from applying this framework to HIA of an urban development project, the paper discusses its related strengths and weaknesses. The framework could be a useful tool for HIA as it embraces knowledge from both urban planning and social sciences. It also allows for an overall analysis of all the indicators without relying on a checklist. Nevertheless, it should be tested further to improve its validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective interventions are needed to stop homophobic behaviours in sport settings as these behaviours are associated with negative health and social outcomes for individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or other diverse genders and sexualities. This paper reports the results of a quasi-experimental study commissioned by a public health agency to explore the benefits of a novel intervention that has been widely adopted by Australian community sport clubs. The 'Pride Cup' intervention includes education for club leaders, sport participants and the hosting of a rainbow-themed 'pride game'. Survey responses of male participants from six randomly selected sport clubs which had received the intervention (n = 148) were compared to responses (n = 137) from six randomly selected comparison clubs (Australian Football, cricket, field hockey, roller derby). Employing a post-test-only design, the study explored differences in homophobic attitudes, behaviours and individual efficacy to react negatively to homophobic behaviours. The study found significant differences (p < 0.001) in self-reported use of homophobic slurs (e.g. fag) in the last 2 weeks by participants in the treatment (11%) versus comparison (31.8%) clubs, and significant differences in the perceived use of these slurs by teammates (25.9% vs. 56.6%) or coaches (7.8% vs. 23.3%). There were also significant differences in efficacy scores, but no differences in homophobic attitudes. These results, combined with evidence of community-driven adoption, support the allocation of public health resources to conduct larger scale trials using pre/post designs to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health literacy research is growing rapidly and broadly; however, conceptual advances in critical health literacy (CHL) seem hampered by a lack of a clear definition. In this paper, we refer to key features of the concept as identified in earlier works, offer a new definition of CHL and briefly discuss its theoretical roots. Reflection and action are suggested as the two constituent components of CHL. Consequences for future research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable, healthy families are the loto or heart of strong Pacific communities. This paper addresses the problem of a decline in the strength of Pacific families. It introduces and discusses the Tongan concept of O'ofaki , as the way in which shared, core relational commitments can bring Pasifika peoples together to support one another for health and community development. This process is based on a reciprocal sharing of social capital to promote cultural solidarity and social justice. We describe two studies by the lead author, through which the concept of O'ofaki emerged. The first study utilized an action research model while the second study focused on two Pasifika-centric research approaches: talanga , which is a Tongan word for interactive talking for a purpose, and the kakala (Tongan garland) research approach. The latter approach is incorporated within a general inductive methodology as well as luva— the dissemination of the results. Finally, the paper focuses on the components of O'ofaki and its application to Pasifika communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compassionate community movement as both a public health approach and a social model of care for various life stages is gaining traction in Canada and elsewhere. One example is the Windsor-Essex Compassion Care Community (WECCC), an evidence-based model and set of tools to improve the quality of life, health and wellness of vulnerable and aging populations by identifying and addressing upstream and downstream social and other risks to physical and mental health. This paper presents findings from the WECCC pilot evaluation. The WECCC initiative provided one-on-one volunteer-supported quality of life assessment, resource navigation and goals support program (Catalyzing Community Connections). This was augmented with public education sessions on social connection and loneliness (Importance of Being Connected) for the broader population. The RE-AIM framework was used to frame evaluation of WECCC through the first 4 years. Questionnaires were used to evaluate participant outcomes related to implementation and effectiveness. Interviews and focus groups were completed to understand impacts. From 2017 to 2020, WECCC has engaged over 2,500 individuals, 65 organizations and 400 volunteers combined in both programs. Nearly all (82% to 95%) participants reported positive changes to health, quality of life and/or social connections. This developmental phase of a compassionate community initiative has allowed piloting of an evaluation framework focusing on reach, adoption, implementation and early signals of effectiveness and maintenance. This demonstration provides information on feasibility, acceptability and potential impacts of this type of over-arching community initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building successful intersectoral partnerships to address health is critical to reaching health promotion goals. With the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in violence during the pandemic and the heightened demand for racial justice resulting from police killings of people of color, particularly young, black males, intersectoral public health–criminal justice partnerships must be more thoroughly examined. Violence prevention is both a public health and criminal justice issue, with public health systems emphasizing primary prevention and criminal justice systems addressing violence prevention at secondary and tertiary levels. Public health–criminal justice collaborations can provide an opportunity to seize upon unrealized violence reduction goals across the spectrum of prevention. At the same time, issues remain that are at odds across field boundaries as exemplified through community violence prevention. While there have been successful examples of such collaborations, past public health–criminal justice partnerships also demonstrate the challenges of working together. These challenges have yet to be systematically described and rooted in the larger literature on partnerships. In this paper, collaborative challenges are enumerated and evidence-informed strategies to overcome those barriers to achieve violence reduction goals are identified as a way to ground further intersectoral partnership work between public health and criminal justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based employee interventions can benefit the health of staff and have the potential to influence the health of school students through role-modelling. However, interventions within schools typically focus on students, with very few studies addressing obesity and related health behaviours among school staff. A systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature published between January 2000 and May 2020 was undertaken to synthesize the evidence on the impact that school-based obesity prevention programmes have on the staff they employ. Search terms were derived from four major topics: (i) school; (ii) staff; (iii) health promotion and (iv) obesity. Terms were adapted for six databases and three independent researchers screened results. Studies were included if they reported on the outcomes of body weight, dietary behaviours and/or physical activity. Of 3483 papers identified in the search, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. All 13 studies included an intervention that focussed on improving nutrition, physical activity or both. All included studies demonstrated a positive outcome for either dietary intake, weight or body mass index or physical activity outcomes, however not all results were statistically significant. The included studies showed promising, although limited, impacts on employee health outcomes. This review demonstrated a lack of global focus and investment in interventions targeting school staff, particularly in contrast to the large amount of research on school-based health promotion initiatives focussed on students. There is a need for further research to understand effective interventions to promote health and prevent obesity in this large, diverse and influential workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transnational corporations (TNCs) shape population health both positively and negatively through their national and international social, political and economic power and influence; and are a vital commercial determinant of health. Individual and group advocacy and activism in response to corporate products, practices or policy influences can mediate negative health impacts. This paper discusses the unequal power relations existing between TNCs that promote their own financial interests, and activists and advocates who support population and environmental health by challenging corporate power. It draws on interview data from 19 respondents who informed 2 health impact assessments conducted on TNCs; 1 from the fast food industry, and 1 from the extractive industries sector. It reveals the types of strategies that civil society organizations (CSOs) have used to encourage TNCs to act in more health promoting ways. It discusses the extent to which these strategies have been effective, and how TNCs have used their power to respond to civil society action. The paper highlights the rewards, and the very real challenges faced by CSOs trying to change TNC practices related to health, within a neoliberal policy environment. It aims to provide evidence for socially oriented actors to inform their advocacy for changes in public policy or corporate practices that can contribute to improving population health and equity and tackling commercial determinants of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the global number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, it is not strange that COVID-19 disease is a reminiscent of concepts such as death and affliction with a serious disease. Furthermore, it might remind people of issues such as the reason(s) for occurrence of deplorable events in the universe, the meaning of life, individuals' duties toward themselves and others, the relationship between the nature and human beings, and individuals' relationship with a higher being (in case there is a belief in a higher being), i.e. the subjects spirituality deals with. The constructive or destructive role of each of religious and non-religious spiritual systems at the time of crises are observed more clearly than ever. The present paper addresses roles which spiritual systems might play in facing the COVID-19 disease crisis, considering different areas of spiritual well-being and the possibility that spiritual systems might be affected by perceived challenges during a pandemic. Because of the problems interfering with overcoming COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of next waves of its epidemics and pandemics, it is necessary for health policy-makers to use all available capacities and capabilities to counteract the disease, including using both internal motivations (such as spiritual beliefs which prohibit hurting oneself and others and which emphasize performing social responsibilities) and external ones (e.g. regulations) to cope with it. It makes sense for public health officials in different countries to use more actively the potential of those spiritual systems that support COVID-19 public health recommendations, as a culturally based intervention and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current COVID-19 pandemic confines people to their homes, disrupting the fragile social fabric of deprived neighbourhoods and citizen's participation options. In deprived neighbourhoods, community engagement is central in building community resilience, an important resource for health and a prerequisite for effective health promotion programmes. It provides access to vulnerable groups and helps understand experiences, assets, needs and problems of citizens. Most importantly, community activities, including social support, primary care or improving urban space, enhance health through empowerment, strengthened social networks, mutual respect and providing a sense of purpose and meaning. In the context of inequalities associated with COVID-19, these aspects are crucial for citizens of deprived neighbourhoods who often feel their needs and priorities are ignored. In this perspectives paper, illustrated by a varied overview of community actions in the UK and The Netherlands, we demonstrate how citizens, communities and organizations may build resilience and community power. Based on in-depth discussion among the authors we distilled six features of community actions: increase in mutual aid and neighbourhood ties, the central role of community-based organizations (CBOs), changing patterns of volunteering, use of digital media and health promotion opportunities. We argue that in order to enable and sustain resilient and confident, 'disaster-proof', communities, areas which merit investment include supporting active citizens, new (digital) ways of community engagement, transforming formal organizations, alignment with the (local) context and applying knowledge in the field of health promotion in new ways, focussing on learning and co-creation with citizen initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the overwhelming evidence that highlights the effectiveness of routine vaccination, an increasing number of people are refusing to follow recommended vaccination schedules. While the majority of research in this area has focussed on vaccine hesitancy in parents, there is little research on the factors that promote vaccine hesitancy in health care providers (HCPs). Identifying factors that promote vaccine hesitancy in HCPs is essential because it may help broaden our understanding of vaccine hesitancy in patients. Therefore, the goal of this investigation was to review 21 studies and examine how professional autonomy and risk perception may promote vaccine acceptance, rejection and delay in physicians and nurses. We found that vaccine hesitant nurses and physicians shared similar views towards vaccines; both groups believed that their decision to vaccinate was separate from their role as an HCP. This belief comprised of three themes: decisional autonomy, personal risk perception and alternatives to vaccination. Both groups believed that mandatory vaccine policies reduced their ability to decide whether vaccination was in their best interests. We argue that decisional autonomy may weaken risk perception of disease, which in turn may encourage beliefs and behaviours that reinforce a 'hero persona' that reduces appropriate preventive and hygiene measures. We employ the Health Belief Model to discuss the crucial role that risk perceptions may play in reinforcing autonomy in vaccine hesitant physician and nurses. We conclude this paper by providing a set of recommendations that aim to improve the decision-making process surrounding mandatory vaccinations for HCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health problems are often complex and 'wicked' in nature. Wicked problems have multi-factorial causation, are dynamic and often understood and acted upon differently by different actors. Multi-sectoral collaboration is increasingly emphasized for tackling wicked problems through developing a strategic multi-sectoral plan and then taking collective action. Critical systems thinking can support the development of a shared perspective of the problem, strengthen participation in collective action and foster reflective practices to continuously improve both problem understanding and action. In this paper, we present a critical collaboration model, drawing together two complementary theoretical frameworks, as well as insights from three case studies from New Zealand, to offer a systematic approach to adopting a critical systems perspective in public health collaboration. The model provides six questions to make explicit individuals' understandings or assumptions about how others perceive an issue, problem or evidence, and the process of identifying answers strengthens the dialogical and reflective aspects of the collaboration. We indicate some potential areas for the application of the model to integrate critical systems thinking in collaborative practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online platforms can support health and educational professionals in their daily work; however, it is challenging to keep online platforms sustainable. This paper aims to indicate the most important factors of platform sustainability from the perspective of professionals involved in online platforms. Further, it aims to understand how these factors operate. A mixed methods study was carried out among professionals from Europe, Australia, the USA and Canada. In the first phase, the importance of 54 factors from the literature was assessed with a questionnaire among 17 professionals. The relative importance of the factors and the consensus regarding this importance were calculated using median scores and interquartile deviations. In total, 19 factors were selected representing general characteristics, characteristics related to the platform, communication, visitor and context. In the second phase, insight was gained regarding the experiences with those factors through 12 individual Skype interviews. The most frequently mentioned important factors of platform sustainability were (i) having sufficient time, resources and expertise, (ii) user friendliness and (iii) creating a sense of belonging. Platforms should use a planned approach to address a combination of factors directly from platform development. Gaining long-term resources is challenging and should be considered from the start of a project by building partnerships. To promote user friendliness, platforms should be simple, have a clear set-up and provide high-quality tools. Finally, establishing a sense of belonging could be supported by branding and face-to-face networking activities. For all aspects, involving visitors and stakeholders is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although health is mostly determined by socio-political factors, the need for providing reliable health recommendations to the public should not be neglected. There has been a considerable void in delivering evidence-informed oral health recommendations in Iran; whilst there is a significant gap in oral health knowledge among socioeconomic classes, recommendations are neither fully compatible with each other nor up-to-date. To fill in this void, we started Dahaan (meaning "mouth" in Persian) with the aim of providing the latest easily accessed evidence-informed dentistry recommendations and advocating dental public health in the Iranian community. In this paper, we as the authors present the performance and achievements of this group, which is a member of the NCD Alliance and the Informed Health Choices project with a reasonable number of readers across the country, and illustrate the way ahead towards our goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are numerous hurdles down the road for successfully scaling up health promotion innovations into formal programmes. The challenges of the scaling-up process have mainly been conceived in terms of available resources and technical or management problems. However, aiming for greater impact and sustainability involves addressing new contexts and often adding actors whose perspectives may challenge established orientations. The social dimension of the scaling-up process is thus critical. Building on existing conceptualizations of interventions as dynamic networks and of evolving framing of health issues, this paper elaborates a social view of scaling up that accounts for the transformations of innovations, using framing analysis and the notion of 'expanding scaling-up networks'. First, we discuss interventions as dynamic networks. Second, we conceptualize scaling-up processes as networks in expansion within which social learning and change occur. Third, we propose combining a 'representational approach' to frame analysis and an 'interactional approach' that illustrates framing processes related to the micro-practices of leading public health actors within expanding networks. Using an example concerning equity in early childhood development, we show that this latter approach allows documenting how frames evolve in the process. Considering the process in continuity with existing conceptualizations of interventions as actor-networks and transformation of meanings enriches our conceptualization of scaling up, improves our capacity to anticipate its outcomes, and promotes reflexivity about health promotion goals and means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the well-being ['well-being' and 'wellbeing' are used interchangeably in the literature. Well-being is used in this paper (except in the reference list where exact wording is maintained)] benefits of participation in a workplace choir for health service staff. A mixed method study, this project combines quantitative measures of work engagement, perceived stress, resilience levels and work absences with qualitative interviews with choir participants. It is the first study of workplace choirs in Ireland and one of very few studies internationally that research health service staff choirs. There is some preliminary evidence of benefits that choir attendance may increase positive perception of workers' mental health as well as effect depression rates. However, evidence is limited quantitatively and difficulties in measuring the health benefits of arts interventions are noted. Qualitative data, however, confirms previous study findings, namely that a workplace choir can promote social connectedness, enjoyment at work and staff engagement. Work place choir was also noted to appeal mainly to a limited demographic of work place staff and people with relatively positive health and well-being. Efforts must be made to engage staff from lower socio-economic backgrounds, diverse cultural backgrounds and male staff in work place health promotion activities, as these groups were found less likely to join a work place choir. Given the low cost and low risk of this activity, and the qualitative benefits reported, it is recommended to continue to develop and evaluate health service workplace choirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The language used in health promotion warrants attention as it shapes how health promotion is understood, constraining or opening up possibilities for action. The 2016 Shanghai Declaration and the 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion call for comprehensive approaches which include policy and environmental changes. Yet many health promotion programmes in Australia continue to focus on informational and/or behavioural strategies, and there is a contemporary tendency for such programmes to be described as 'sending messages'. This paper uses frame analysis to discuss the role of language, and specifically language that frames health promotion as sending messages, in contributing to and reinforcing the predominance of informational and/or behavioural strategies. It argues such 'message' language helps to set a pattern in which informational and/or behavioural strategies are assumed to be the primary goal and extent of health promotion; rather than one component of a comprehensive, multi-strategic approach. It discusses how frames can be 'taken for granted' and ways in which such frames can be challenged and broadened. It argues that the message frame and associated behavioural framings set narrow boundaries for health promotion, contributing to the continuation of health inequities. These frames can also displace the language of the Ottawa Charter, which has capacity to reframe health issues socio-ecologically and include collective strategies. The paper concludes that a first step (of the many needed) towards applying the Charter's approach and multi-level, multi-strategic framework is to use the innovative vocabulary it offers. The words matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As well as serving as a critic and conscience for societies, universities are elite sites of privilege which, at a surface level, are unlikely locations for health promotion interventions. This paper provides a critical review of the existing health promoting universities (HPU) approaches which is informed by health promotion values. It explores the silence in the global literature around issues of structural discrimination such as the sexism, homophobia and institutional racism that can thrive within university settings. The existing literature also reveals a very limited engagement about positive mental health or indigeneity. In response, this paper brings together these three factors—structural discrimination, mental health, and indigeneity—all of which the authors consider are criterial to health and its promotion. The authors introduce the New Zealand university landscape, in which there are eight Western universities and three whare wānanga (Māori universities), and, drawing on a survey of their Charters and other official statements, offer a moemoeā (vision or dream) of an HPU that addresses structural discrimination, is based on holistic conceptions of health, and is centred on indigenous worldviews and concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes children's perceptions and visions for a healthier social and physical environment in the setting of a primary school on the Danish island of Bornholm. Guided by an everyday-life perspective and applying participatory action research methods including social imagination and visual techniques within the framework of future creating workshops, the study engaged 50 children aged 6–9 years in creative processes of identifying health-related problem areas and solutions in their school setting. The study observed that the children were very capable of articulating their thoughts, ideas and visions for a better and healthier school environment. Identified problem areas and solutions differed widely and represented a broad perspective of health including social, physical, environmental and emotional aspects. The paper discusses advantages and challenges of involving children in decision-making processes and concludes that children are visionary and creative agents of change in health promotion projects provided that applied participatory methods are appealing to the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, prisoners tend to come from marginalized and socially disadvantaged sections of the society and exhibit a high incidence of ill health, linked to social exclusion and multiple complex needs. Prisons therefore offer an important opportunity to tackle inequality and injustice, through promoting health, reducing reoffending and facilitating community reintegration.This paper reports on and critically discusses findings from an evaluative research study, which aimed to identify and explore impacts of prisoners' participation in an innovative social and therapeutic horticultural programme, 'Greener on the Outside for Prisons' (GOOP), delivered in prisons in North West England. Focus groups with 16 prisoners and semi-structured interviews with six prison staff were conducted at five sites. Presented under three overarching themes (health and well-being; skills development, employability, and work preparedness; and relationships), findings suggest that engagement with and participation in GOOP were important in improving positive mental well-being, increasing physical activity and knowledge about healthier eating; developing skills and work readiness; and building relationships and catalysing and strengthening prosocial behaviours, important for good citizenship and effective resettlement. The paper concludes that – in the context of the current UK prison reform agenda and concern about the high incidence of violence, substance misuse, self-harm and suicide – prison-based horticulture can offer multiple benefits and make a significant contribution to the creation of safe, secure, supportive and health-enhancing environments. Furthermore, it contends that by joining up health and justice agendas, programmes such as GOOP have the potential to serve as powerful catalysts for wider systemic change, thereby helping tackle inequalities and social exclusion within societies across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community engagement is crucial for controlling disease outbreak and mitigating natural and industrial disasters. The COVID-19 pandemic has reconfirmed the need to elevate community engagement to build equity, trust and sustained action in future health promotion preparedness strategies. Using the health promotion strategy of strengthening community action enhances the opportunity for better outcomes. There is, therefore, a need to improve our understanding of community engagement practices during crises, scale-up good community engagement initiatives, and improve and sustain people-centered approaches to emergency responses. This paper presents five case studies from the United States, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Kenya and South Africa that demonstrate the potential strengths that can be nurtured to build resilience in local communities to help mitigate the impact of disasters and emergencies. The case studies highlight the importance of co-developing relevant education and communication strategies, amplifying the role of community leaders, empowering community members to achieve shared goals, assessing and adapting to changing contexts, pre-planning and readiness for future emergencies and acknowledgement of historic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of the Health Promoting School (HPS) encourages a holistic approach to promoting health in schools, instead of a more traditional education on health. The aim of this paper was to determine the association between studying in a HPS and smoking and alcohol consumption among adolescents. A cross-sectional study of 3574 adolescents from 44 HPS and 66 non-HPSs was conducted. The association between studying in a HPS and smoking and alcohol consumption among adolescents was analysed using logistic regression models. Pearson's χ 2 test was used to determine the differences between HPS and non-HPS students' sociodemographic characteristics, and the difference in distribution of students who smoked and consumed alcohol at various rates across different groups. Studying in a HPS setting was not significantly associated with adolescent smoking or attempts to smoke. Compared to HPS students, non-HPS students had a significantly higher chance of attempting to consume alcohol and consumed alcohol once a month or more frequently. In comparing the distribution of HPS and non-HPS students according to the frequency of smoking and alcohol consumption across various groups of respondents, it was determined that some factors were associated with frequency of smoking and alcohol consumption among adolescents. The results of the study showed that studying in a HPS was associated with a reduction in both smoking and alcohol consumption, and therefore it is advisable to further develop the HPS network. However, both the individual and educational characteristics of adolescents must be taken into account when planning prevention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]