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Abstract Background In 2015, the results of the ‘Small bites versus large bites for closure of abdominal midline incisions (STITCH) Trial’ were published in The Lancet. This demonstrated the superiority of small bite laparotomy closure over mass closure for the reduction of incisional hernias; despite this most surgeons have not changed their practice. Previous research has shown the time taken for the implementation of evidenced based practise within medicine takes an average of 17 years. This study aims to understand the reasons why surgeons have and have not changed their practice with regards to closure of midline laparotomy. Methods Semi-structured interviews were completed with surgical consultants and registrars at a single institution in South West England. The interview topic guide was informed by a review of the published literature, which identified barriers to adopting evidence into surgical practice. Interview transcripts underwent thematic analysis with themes identified following discussions within the research team, exploring views on published data and clinical practise. Results Nine interviews with general surgical and urological consultants as well as registrars in training were performed. Three themes were identified; ‘Trusting the Evidence & Critical Appraisal’, ‘Surgical Attitude to Risk’ and ‘Adopting Evidence in Practise’, that reflected barriers to the introduction of evidenced based practise to clinical work. Conclusion Identification of the themes highlights possible areas for intervention to decrease the adoption time for evidence, for example from randomised controlled trials. The continued updating of clinical practise allows clinicians to provide best evidenced based care for patients and improve their outcomes.

Abstract Background Globally, the counting of deaths based on gender identity and sexual orientation has been a challenge for health systems. In most cases, non-governmental organizations have dedicated themselves to this work. Despite these efforts in generating information, the scarcity of official data presents significant limitations in policy formulation and actions guided by population needs. Therefore, this manuscript aims to evaluate the accuracy, potential, and limits of probabilistic data relationships to yield information on deaths according to gender identity and sexual orientation in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Methods This study evaluated the accuracy of the probabilistic record linkage to obtain information on deaths according to gender and sexual orientation. Data from two information systems were used from June 15, 2015 to December 31, 2020. We constructed nine probabilistic data relationship strategies and identified the performance and cutoff points of the best strategy. Results The best data blocking strategy was established through logical blocks with the first and last names, birthdate, and mother’s name in the pairing strategy. With a population base of 80,178 records, 1556 deaths were retrieved. With an area under the curve of 0.979, this strategy presented 93.26% accuracy, 98.46% sensitivity, and 90.04% specificity for the cutoff point ≥ 17.9 of the data relationship score. The adoption of the cutoff point optimized the manual review phase, identifying 2259 (90.04%) of the 2509 false pairs and identifying 1532 (98.46%) of the 1556 true pairs. Conclusion With the identification of possible strategies for determining probabilistic data relationships, the retrieval of information on mortality according to sexual and gender markers has become feasible. Based on information from the daily routine of health services, the formulation of public policies that consider the LGBTQ + population more closely reflects the reality experienced by these population groups.

Abstract Background The problem of mental ill-health in doctors is complex, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and impacts on healthcare provision and broader organisational performance. There are many interventions to address the problem but currently no systematic way to categorise them, which makes it hard to describe and compare interventions. As a result, implementation tends to be unfocussed and fall short of the standards developed for implementing complex healthcare interventions. This study aims to develop: 1) a conceptual typology of workplace mental health and wellbeing interventions and 2) a mapping tool to apply the typology within research and practice. Methods Typology development was based on iterative cycles of analysis of published and in-practice interventions, incorporation of relevant theories and frameworks, and team and stakeholder group discussions. Results The newly developed typology and mapping tool enable interventions to be conceptualised and/or mapped into different categories, for example whether they are designed to be largely preventative (by either improving the workplace or increasing personal resources) or to resolve problems after they have arisen. Interventions may be mapped across more than one category to reflect the nuance and complexity in many mental health and wellbeing interventions. Mapping of interventions indicated that most publications have not clarified their underlying assumptions about what causes outcomes or the theoretical basis for the intervention. Conclusion The conceptual typology and mapping tool aims to raise the quality of future research and promote clear thinking about the nature and purpose of interventions, In doing so it aims to support future research and practice in planning interventions to improve the mental health and wellbeing of doctors.

Abstract Background Health and care workers (HCW) faced the double burden of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: as members of a society affected by a public health emergency and as HWC who experienced fear of becoming infected and of infecting others, stigma, violence, increased workloads, changes in scope of practice, among others. To understand the short and long-term impacts in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs) on HCW and relevant interventions to address them, we designed and conducted a living systematic review (LSR). Methods We reviewed literature retrieved from MEDLINE—PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, LILACS, the World Health Organization COVID-19 database, the ClinicalTrials.org and the ILO database, published from January 2000 until December 2021. We included quantitative observational studies, experimental studies, quasi-experimental, mixed methods or qualitative studies; addressing mental, physical health and well-being and quality of life. The review targeted HCW; and interventions and exposures, implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic or other PHEICs. To assess the risk of bias of included studies, we used the Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools. Data were qualitatively synthetized using meta-aggregation and meta-analysis was performed to estimate pooled prevalence of some of the outcomes. Results The 1013 studies included in the review were mainly quantitative research, cross-sectional, with medium risk of bias/quality, addressing at least one of the following: mental health issue, violence, physical health and well-being, and quality of life. Additionally, interventions to address short- and long-term impact of PHEICs on HCW included in the review, although scarce, were mainly behavioral and individual oriented, aimed at improving mental health through the development of individual interventions. A lack of interventions addressing organizational or systemic bottlenecks was noted. Discussion PHEICs impacted the mental and physical health of HCW with the greatest toll on mental health. The impact PHEICs are intricate and complex. The review revealed the consequences for health and care service delivery, with increased unplanned absenteeism, service disruption and occupation turnover that subvert the capacity to answer to the PHEICs, specifically challenging the resilience of health systems.

Background Nurses, midwives and paramedics are the largest collective group of clinical staff in the National Health Service and have some of the highest prevalence of psychological ill-health. Existing literature tends to be profession-specific and focused on individual interventions that place responsibility for good psychological health with nurses, midwives and paramedics themselves. Aim To improve understanding of how, why and in what contexts nurses, midwives and paramedics experience work-related psychological ill-health; and determine which high-quality interventions can be implemented to minimise psychological ill-health in these professions. Methods Realist synthesis methodology consistent with realist and meta-narrative evidence syntheses: evolving standards’ reporting guidelines. Data sources First round database searching in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online Database ALL (via Ovid), cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature database (via EBSCO) and health management information consortium database (via Ovid), was undertaken between February and March 2021, followed by supplementary searching strategies (e.g. hand searching, expert solicitation of key papers). Reverse chronology screening was applied, aimed at retaining 30 relevant papers in each profession. Round two database searches (December 2021) targeted COVID-19-specific literature and literature reviews. No date limits were applied. Results We built on seven key reports and included 75 papers in the first round (26 nursing, 26 midwifery, 23 paramedic) plus 44 expert solicitation papers, 29 literature reviews and 49 COVID-19 focused articles in the second round. Through the realist synthesis we surfaced 14 key tensions in the literature and identified five key findings, supported by 26 context mechanism and outcome configurations. The key findings identified the following: (1) interventions are fragmented, individual-focused and insufficiently recognise cumulative chronic stressors; (2) it is difficult to promote staff psychological wellness where there is a blame culture; (3) the needs of the system often override staff well-being at work (‘serve and sacrifice’); (4) there are unintended personal costs of upholding and implementing values at work; and (5) it is challenging to design, identify and implement interventions to work optimally for diverse staff groups with diverse and interacting stressors. Conclusions Our realist synthesis strongly suggests the need to improve the systemic working conditions and the working lives of nurses, midwives and paramedics to improve their psychological well-being. Individual, one-off psychological interventions are unlikely to succeed alone. Psychological ill-health is highly prevalent in these staff groups (and can be chronic and cumulative as well as acute) and should be anticipated and prepared for, indeed normalised and expected. Healthcare organisations need to (1) rebalance the working environment to enable healthcare professionals to recover and thrive; (2) invest in multi-level system approaches to promote staff psychological well-being; and use an organisational diagnostic framework, such as the NHS England and NHS Improvement Health and Wellbeing framework, to self-assess and implement a systems approach to staff well-being. Future work Future research should implement, refine and evaluate systemic interventional strategies. Interventions and evaluations should be co-designed with front-line staff and staff experts by experience, and tailored where possible to local, organisational and workforce needs. Limitations The literature was not equivalent in size and quality across the three professions and we did not carry out citation searches using hand searching and stakeholder/expert suggestions to augment our sample. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42020172420. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020172420. Funding This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR129528) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 9. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information. Plain language summary The National Health Service needs healthy, motivated staff to provide high-quality patient care. Nurses, midwives and paramedics experience poor psychological health (e.g. stress/anxiety) because of pressured environments and the difficulties of healthcare work. This study planned to better understand the causes of poor psychological ill-health in nurses, midwives and paramedics and find which interventions might help and why. We analysed the literature using a method called ‘realist review’ to understand how interventions work (or not), why, and for who. We tested our findings with patients, the public, nurses, midwives and paramedics in our stakeholder group. We reviewed over 200 papers/reports and identified five main findings: (1) existing solutions (interventions) are disjointed, focus mainly on the individual (not the system) and do not recognise enduring stressors enough; (2) when there is a blame culture it is difficult to encourage staff psychological well-being; (3) the needs of the system often override staff psychological well-being at work; (4) upholding and implementing personal and professional values at work can have negative personal costs; and (5) it is difficult to design, identify and implement solutions that work well for staff groups in different circumstances with varied causes of poor psychological health. Healthcare organisations should consider: (1) changing (rebalancing) the working environment to help healthcare professionals rest, recover and thrive; (2) investing in multiple-level system (not just individual) approaches to staff psychological well-being; (3) continuing to reduce stigma; (4) ensuring the essential needs of staff are prioritised (rest-breaks/hydration/hot food) as building blocks for other solutions; (5) addressing the blame culture, assuming staff are doing their best in difficult conditions; (6) prioritising staff needs, as well as patient needs. We will provide guidance and recommendations to policy-makers and organisational leaders to improve work cultures that tackle psychological ill-health and suggest new areas for research. Scientific summary Background The National Health Service (NHS) is the biggest employer in Europe and the world’s largest employer of highly skilled professionals with 1.6 million people. The NHS needs healthy, motivated staff to provide high-quality patient care; however, in recent years increasing workload, due to societal demand for healthcare services, combined with increasing external scrutiny of their work, has been associated with a high prevalence of psychological ill-health amongst staff. Due to budget constraints and staff shortages, pressure is building in the health and care system and this is taking its toll on staff and patients. In 2018, commentators described staff as ‘running on empty’ and the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to these pressures. The 2021 NHS staff survey reports that 47% of staff felt unwell because of work-related stress in the last 12 months, 55% went into work despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties in the last 3 months, 77% often felt they had unrealistic time pressures, 73% felt there were not enough staff to enable them to do their job properly and only 68% were happy with the standard of care provided by their organisation. Nurses, midwives and paramedics are the largest collective group of clinical staff in the NHS, comprising 29.3% of the NHS workforce and over 56% of the clinical workforce. Although there is a large body of literature on interventions that offer prevention, support or treatment to nurses, midwives and paramedics experiencing poor psychological health, this literature tends to be profession-specific and focused on individual interventions that place responsibility for good psychological health with nurses, midwives and paramedics themselves. There is a need for research that is sensitive to the complexities of psychological ill-health in nurses, midwives and paramedics and provides an understanding of the causes of poor psychological health in these three groups, thus identifying what is unique to each group or setting. Through this understanding, we will be able to design context-sensitive interventions that are more likely to address the pressing workforce problems faced by the NHS. Aims The overall aim of this research was to improve understanding of how, why and in what contexts nurses, midwives and paramedics experience work-related psychological ill-health; and determine which high-quality interventions can be implemented to minimise psychological ill-health in nurses, midwives and paramedics. Our specific aims were to (A1) understand when and why nurses, midwives, and paramedics develop psychological ill-health at work and provide examples of where and how it is most experienced; (A2) identify which strategies/interventions to reduce psychological ill-health work best for these staff groups, find out how they work and in what circumstances these are most helpful; (A3) design and develop resources for NHS managers/leaders so that they can understand how work affects the psychological health of nurses, midwives and paramedics; and what they can do to improve their psychological health in the workplace. Methods A realist synthesis methodology based on the realist and meta-narrative evidence syntheses: evolving standards’ reporting guidelines was adopted to search, identify, appraise and synthesise the literature (including primary and secondary empirical research, as well as editorials, theoretical and discussion papers, and key reports) to reach an ontologically deep understanding of causes and interventions to mitigate psychological ill-health in nurses, midwives and paramedics. A stakeholder group supported the project, meeting four times over the course of the project to confirm that our developing analysis was resonating with stakeholders and to make suggestions regarding important areas for improving understanding. The realist approach allowed us to synthesise evidence on organisational and structural contexts (e.g. community or hospital work) and profession-specific working practices (e.g. types of shift work, team or lone-working) within each of these three professional groups, but also differences and similarities between the groups (e.g. by specialty, setting). By illuminating differences in organisational factors, context and working practices (service architecture), we anticipated how these might influence the development of psychological ill-health and the uptake and success or otherwise of interventions aimed at supporting psychological wellness within and between these staff groups. This feature of the approach is particularly appealing because the causes and solutions to workplace psychological ill-health are complex and multifactorial. Due to the broad mandate, and the potential for locating insights across a diversity of literature in nursing, midwifery and paramedic professions, in February–March 2021, we undertook a broad first round of database searching using Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online Database ALL (via Ovid), cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature database (via EBSCO) and health management information consortium database (via Ovid), followed by more specific supplementary searching strategies (e.g. hand searching journals, expert solicitation of key papers). Subsequent database searches in December 2021 targeted COVID-19-specific literature, as well as literature reviews, to supplement that found in the first database search. We used reverse chronology quota screening to include a manageable, recent set of papers relating to each profession, and excluded literature focussing on physical health, students and patient well-being. All included papers were read multiple times and we extracted key information, including causes and interventions. We used an appraisal journaling technique to enable the multidisciplinary team to extract key insights, built on existing knowledge of the research literature and the NHS, and use these insights to formulate context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOcs). Multiple rounds of analysis in consultation with stakeholders allowed us to crystallise the key findings, and generate insights into the tensions facing nurses, midwives and paramedics, as well as a range of interventions that might support their workplace psychological ill-health and wellness. Results We built on seven key reports and included 75 papers in the first round (26 nursing, 26 midwifery, 23 paramedic) plus 44 expert solicitation papers, 29 literature reviews and 49 COVID-19 focused articles in the second round. We found that overall there are more similarities than differences in causes of psychological ill-health among nurses, midwives and paramedics; and very few interventions were profession-specific. Some causes may be more prevalent or exacerbated in certain professions, or roles within professions (rather than being profession-specific). In most cases it is the service architecture (organisational factors, context and working practices), that can increase risk rather than the profession itself. Our findings suggest that staff come into health care with high ideals, strong values and the desire to do a good job every day, yet many develop psychological ill-health as a result of their work. Through the realist synthesis and by surfacing 14 key tensions in the literature, we identified five key findings, supported by 26 CMOcs. The key findings (and 14 key tensions) were as follows: Interventions are fragmented, individual-focused and insufficiently recognise cumulative chronic stressors, with tensions between the below: T1: a focus on individuals versus a focus on systemic issues T2: a focus on acute episodes of trauma versus recognising and supporting chronic cumulative stressors. It is difficult to promote staff psychological wellness where there is a blame culture, with tensions between the below: T3: a lack of collective accountability, which blames individual staff for errors, versus a team/system-based approach T4: needing to raise concerns to improve conditions and patient safety versus fitness-to-practice processes becoming an oppressive force T5: encouraging staff to speak up versus the ‘deaf effect’ response from managers and hearers. The needs of the system often override staff well-being at work (‘serve and sacrifice’), with tensions between the below: T6: a professional culture that promotes a ‘serve and sacrifice’ ethos, which persuades staff to prioritise institutional needs, versus a culture that promotes self-care T7: supporting existing staff in the context of staff shortages versus perceived coercion to fill vacant shifts beyond contracted hours T8: the lived reality of staff shortages versus the wish to deliver high-quality patient care, which can result in moral distress (MD). There are unintended personal costs of upholding and implementing values at work and tensions between the below: T9: the reality of healthcare delivery versus the taught theory and values, which can lead to guilt and moral and emotional distress T10: the benefits of staff empathy to patients (ensuring quality care) versus the harms of staff empathy to staff (increasing risk of vicarious trauma or unhealthy/negative coping strategies). T11: the excessive requirements for emotional labour inherent in healthcare practice versus the need to improve workplace psychological ill-health. It is challenging to design, identify and implement interventions to work optimally for diverse staff groups with diverse and interacting stressors, with tensions between the below: T12: making staff wellness interventions mandatory versus voluntary T13: the need for spaces to debrief with managers/leaders so they hear and can thereby offer support versus the need for peer-led spaces for debriefing T14: the need to act and offer support versus providing interventions that are ineffective because they are too soon, reactive and/or single time point. Importantly, we identified that a multi-layered systems approach to psychological well-being is required; not a one-size-fits-all approach, but individualised, where everyday events as well as acute events, are acknowledged as impacting on staff psychological wellness. A psychologically safe culture, where good visible leaders enable and support staff to speak up and take accountability is needed to change the status quo. Initiatives such as the ‘Freedom to Speak up Guardians’ are promising but need adequate resources to learn from data, change culture and respond to concerns raised. Through the analysis, we learned that healthcare delivery and staff psychological health is a balancing act, with different considerations needing to be held in productive tension, such as needs of staff and the needs of patients. Our findings showed that nurses, midwives and paramedics tend to put patients first, often putting their own needs second, which can erode well-being in the face of intense and potentially traumatic work, and (counterintuitively) actually serve to compromise high-quality patient care. We identified that healthcare staff are selected and trained to hold strong professional values and codes of conduct. Yet, compassion and empathy can come at a high price for staff in terms of their own psychological health and not being able to deliver care in line with their values can cause guilt and MD or moral injury. We also identified the significant challenges of designing and embedding complex interventions within large organisations that meet the dynamic needs of diverse groups of healthcare staff, for example, considering who, when and how interventions are delivered, not just what they are. This implementation gap needs significant future attention in practice and research. Finally, the analysis of COVID-19 literature revealed that the pandemic had significantly impacted the psychological health of staff, in an almost entirely negative way, exacerbating and accelerating staff mental distress from already difficult pre-pandemic conditions. One of the few benefits that the pandemic offered was the focus on staff health and psychological well-being and adaptation and innovation of interventions to support staff, but many interventions had unintended negative consequences. Unfortunately, while most editorials and commentaries tended to call for multi-level, systems approaches, most empirical papers focused on single interventions, perhaps because these interventions are easier to design or evaluate. In other words, the practice and research effort seem to be focusing on what is easiest currently, rather than what is likely to be most effective. Therefore, in the future, more attention needs to be paid to how the primary, secondary and tertiary levels can work together to provide a systems approach to preventing, mitigating and treating psychological ill-health in staff. There is a focus on the traumatised (tip of the iceberg), rather than the essential needs of the majority and organisational prevention is under-represented. Some individual characteristics (e.g. ethnicity, sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and disability) deserve greater focus to improve understanding of causes and interventions. Our profession-specific analysis revealed a need for targeted interventions to support particular staff groups, especially minority groups and newly qualified staff, and at specific times when they may be at greater risk of psychological ill-health. Encouragingly, we also identified many ‘informal’ interventions, perhaps developed by front-line staff to plug gaps in current provision, some of which could be formalised. The strengths of our study were the use of realist methodology that uncovered rich insights, the cross-professional analysis, which provided unique perspectives, and the expertise offered by the multidisciplinary research team, advisory group and stakeholder group. In terms of limitations, the literature was not equivalent in size and quality across the three professions, the literature synthesised was not comprehensive, although it was appropriate to the methodology, and we did not carry out citation searches since hand searching and stakeholder/expert suggestions had proved an efficient way to identify papers. Conclusions Unequivocally our realist synthesis suggests the need to improve the systemic working conditions and the working lives of nurses, midwives and paramedics to improve their psychological well-being. Individual, one-off psychological interventions are unlikely to succeed alone. Psychological ill-health is highly prevalent in these staff groups (and can be chronic and cumulative as well as acute) and should be anticipated and prepared for, indeed normalised and expected. Our research has resulted in eight implications for healthcare practice suggesting a need for healthcare organisations to the following: rebalance the working environment to enable healthcare professionals to recover and thrive; invest in multi-level systems approaches to promote staff psychological well-being; continue to reduce stigma by implementing long-term plans and investment; focus on staff essential needs in order of priority; assume that staff are doing the best job they can in difficult circumstances, to counteract a blame culture; enable the needs of staff to be prioritised, to challenge a ‘serve and sacrifice’ ethos; identify and nurture future compassionate leaders; and use an evidence-based framework to self-assess and implement a systems approach to staff well-being, for example, the NHSE/I Health and Wellbeing Framework. Future research examining psychological ill-health in nurses, midwives and paramedics should build on our synthesis and seek to implement, refine and evaluate systemic interventional strategies. We recommend that interventions and evaluations are co-designed with front-line staff and staff experts by experience and tailored where possible to local organisational and workforce needs. Future interventions and research should focus on what is most needed, rather than what is easy to implement or evaluate, and significant attention should be paid to the implementation design and process. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42020172420. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020172420. Funding This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR129528) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 9. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Abstract Background The Russia-Ukraine war has undeniably impacted global science and healthcare in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian researchers have had their projects disrupted by this war, either due to loss of life, displacement, or destruction of resources. Despite these challenges, these researchers have sought to make their voices heard. This scoping review highlights the trend of healthcare-related publications on the current Russia-Ukraine war and characterizes the contribution of Ukrainian authors to these publications. Method A comprehensive literature search was performed using two databases (Scopus and Pubmed) for publications related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. We included articles only related to healthcare. We then extracted and analyzed bibliometric data. Result One hundred and eighty-three articles were identified, including 12 (6.6%) original articles, 26 (14.2%) cross-sectional studies, 19 (10.4%) letters to the editor, 10 (5.5%) commentaries, 5 (2.7%) perspectives, 35 (19.1%) editorials, 2 (1.1%) randomized controlled trials, 11(6.0%) correspondences, 13 (7.1%) opinions, 8 (4.4%) reviews and 42 (23.0%) are identified as others. 180 (98.4%) studies were in English, and 3 (1.7%) were in German. 54 (29.5%) papers on the war had at least one author affiliated with a Ukrainian institution, and 29 (15.9%) studies had authors with Ukrainian affiliation as first authors. Conclusion our study shows that there has been a significant number of publications on the Russia-Ukraine war and only a small portion of first authors, co-authors, and last authors of these publications are affiliated to an institution in Ukraine. Therefore, despite the relatively high number of publications, most publications do not arise from the perspective of Ukrainian authors.

Abstract Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) are vital collaborators in a clinical research project. They often are the primary liaisons between investigators and human participants in studies and are involved in every aspect of many protocols, including participant recruitment, care (both usual medical care and specific study‐related monitoring and procedures), data collection, specimen processing, and follow‐up. The Clinical Translational Science Award program, which was created by the National Institutes of Health in 2006, has significantly expanded the venues in which Clinical Research Resource (CRR) – based CRCs are embedded. CRCs functioning in these areas, outside of the research‐focused in‐patient environment of the CRR, are designated as “off‐site” CRCs. Many of these locations, such as intensive care units and emergency departments, require that CRCs interact regularly with healthcare providers whose primary functions are focused on providing optimal patient care rather than research and often involving very complex patients. These off‐site CRCs require additional training and support outside of the usual research‐oriented environment of the CRR. They are required to function within the context of the patient‐care team while fostering implementation of collaborative research. This is a description of such a program specifically geared to off‐site CRCs with the goal of enhancing the quality of research and experiences of CRCs.

Abstract Background Postpartum home-based midwifery care is covered by basic health insurance in Switzerland for all families with newborns but must be self-organized. To ensure access for all, Familystart, a network of self-employed midwives, launched a new care model in 2012 by ensuring the transition from hospital to home through cooperation with maternity hospitals in the Basel area. It has particularly improved the access to follow-up care for families in vulnerable situations needing support beyond basic services. In 2018, the SORGSAM (Support at the Start of Life) project was initiated by Familystart to enhance parental resources for better postpartum health outcomes for mothers and children through offering improved assistance to psychosocially and economically disadvantaged families. First, midwives have access to first-line telephone support to discuss challenging situations and required actions. Second, the SORGSAM hardship fund provides financial compensation to midwives for services not covered by basic health insurance. Third, women receive financial emergency support from the hardship fund. Aim The aim was to explore how women living in vulnerable family situations experienced the new early postpartum home-based midwifery care model provided in the context of the SORGSAM project, and how they experienced its impact. Methods Findings are reported from the qualitative part of the mixed-methods evaluation of the SORGSAM project. They are based on the results of seven semi-structured interviews with women who, due to a vulnerable family postpartum situation at home, received the SORGSAM support. Data were analyzed following thematic analysis. Results Interviewed women experienced the early postpartum care at home, as “relieving and strengthening” in that midwives coordinated patient care that opened up access to appropriate community-based support services. The mothers expressed that they felt a reduction in stress, an increase in resilience, enhanced mothering skills, and greater parental resources. These were attributed to familiar and trusting relationships with their midwives where participants acknowledged deep gratitude. Conclusion The findings show the high acceptance of the new early postpartum midwifery care model. These indicate how such a care model can improve the well-being of women in vulnerable family situations and may prevent early chronic stress in children.

People with serious mental health conditions face social exclusion and have poorer social outcomes compared to the general population in several areas of life. Social exclusion also negatively impacts mental health. Promising models of support to improve social outcomes for people with serious mental health conditions have been described in the literature and proliferate in practice, but typologies of support are not clearly established and a robust evidence base for effective approaches is lacking in many areas. We conducted a scoping review of relevant literature and consulted with experts in the field to identify models to improve social circumstances across eight life domains, with the aim of developing a conceptual framework to distinguish the main broad approaches to improving the social circumstances of people with serious mental health conditions. We also sought to explore which approaches have been used in models within each life domain. This work was conducted in collaboration with a group of expert stakeholders, including people with lived experience of accessing mental health services. We developed a conceptual framework which distinguishes sources and types of support, allowing description of complex interventions to improve the social circumstances of people with serious mental health problems, and providing a framework to guide future service development and evaluation.

Abstract Background Learning what matters to women/couples with recurrent miscarriage (RM) is essential to inform service improvement efforts and future RM care practices. Previous national and international surveys have examined inpatient stays, maternity care, and care experiences around pregnancy loss, but there is little focus on RM care. We aimed to explore the experiences of women and men who have received RM care and identify patient-centred care items linked to overall RM care experience. Methods Between September and November 2021, we invited people who had experienced two or more consecutive first trimester miscarriages and received care for RM in Ireland in the ten-year period prior to participate in a cross-sectional web-based national survey. The survey was purposefully designed and administered via Qualtrics. It included questions on sociodemographics, pregnancy and pregnancy loss history, investigation and treatment for RM, overall RM care experience, and patient-centred care items at various stages of the RM care pathway such as respect for patients' preferences, information and support, the environment, and involvement of partners/family. We analysed data using Stata. Results We included 139 participants (97% women, n = 135) in our analysis. Of the 135 women, 79% were aged 35–44 years (n = 106), 24% rated their overall RM care experience as poor (n = 32), 36% said the care they received was much worse than expected (n = 48), and 60% stated health care professionals in different places did not work well together (n = 81). Women were more likely to rate a good care experience if they had a healthcare professional to talk to about their worries/fears for RM investigations (RRR 6.11 [95% CI: 1.41–26.41]), received a treatment plan (n = 70) (RRR 3.71 [95% CI: 1.28–10.71]), and received answers they could understand in a subsequent pregnancy (n = 97) (RRR 8 [95% CI: 0.95–67.13]). Conclusions While overall experience of RM care was poor, we identified areas that could potentially improve people’s RM care experiences – which have international relevance – such as information provision, supportive care, communication between healthcare professionals and people with RM, and care coordination between healthcare professionals across care settings.

Abstract Background Modifiable factors such as substance use, lack of attendance at antenatal care, overweight or obesity and sleeping position are associated with a higher risk of stillbirth. This qualitative study aimed to explore women's experiences of modifiable factors during pregnancy and their awareness of stillbirth. Methods Purposive sampling was implemented by hospital staff in a large tertiary maternity hospital in Ireland between November 2020 and March 2021. Women were approached during their stay in the hospital and were invited to participate in a semistructured interview 3–5 months later. Eligible women were primiparous, >18 years of age and had an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. Eighteen women who consented to be followed up were interviewed at 3–5 months postpartum. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Four themes were identified: attitudes towards behaviour change, awareness regarding stillbirth and risk factors, the silence around stillbirth and risks, and attitudes towards receiving information about stillbirth. Women spoke about behaviour change in terms of outcomes, and most changes (e.g., ceasing alcohol consumption) were perceived as easy to manage. Awareness of stillbirth was limited among the women interviewed, and the association between risk behaviours and stillbirth was not known by any woman. Results suggest that there is a silence around stillbirth, including in antenatal care, which hinders information provision. However, most women highlighted the value of receiving information and extra education about modifiable risk factors and stillbirth. Conclusion There is a general lack of understanding of the link between behavioural risk factors and potential pregnancy outcomes such as stillbirth. Providing further information to women about stillbirth and providing additional support with behaviour change might contribute to enhancing preventive efforts. Patient or Public Contribution Patients were involved in this study by providing their experiences of antenatal care which were used as primary data.

OBJECTIVE: Mounting evidence indicates increased risk of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel, but the evidence on risks in other occupations is limited. In this study, we quantify the occupational risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in Denmark during 2020–2021. METHODS: The source population included 2.4 million employees age 20–69 years. All information was retrieved from public registers. The risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission was examined in 155 occupations with at least 2000 employees (at-risk, N=1 620 231) referenced to a group of mainly office workers defined by a COVID-19 job exposure matrix (N=369 341). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were computed by Poisson regression. RESULTS: During 186 million person-weeks of follow-up, we observed 2944 COVID-19 related hospital admissions in at-risk occupations and 559 in referents. Adjusted risk of such admission was elevated in several occupations within healthcare (including health care assistants, nurses, medical practitioners and laboratory technicians but not physiotherapists or midwives), social care (daycare assistants for children aged 4–7, and nursing aides in institutions and private homes, but not family daycare workers) and transportation (bus drivers, but not lorry drivers). Most IRR in these at-risk occupations were in the range of 1.5–3. Employees in education, retail sales and various service occupations seemed not to be at risk. CONCLUSION: Employees in several occupations within and outside healthcare are at substantially increased risk of COVID-19. There is a need to revisit safety measures and precautions to mitigate viral transmission in the workplace during the current and forthcoming pandemics.

Abstract Background Recurrent miscarriage (RM) affects 1%–3% of women/couples of reproductive age depending on the definition used, for example, whether 2 or ≥3 miscarriages. Stakeholders' views of how RM is defined have received limited attention to date. A definition reflects the medical evidence and values of a society at the time, and thus warrants ongoing review. Aim We aimed to explore the views of women and men with lived experience of RM, and those involved in the delivery/management of services and supports, on how RM is and/or should be defined. Methods We adopted a qualitative study design, incorporating semi‐structured interviews. We used purposive sampling to recruit participants in the Republic of Ireland, ensuring diverse perspectives were included. Women and men with lived experience of ≥2 consecutive first‐trimester miscarriages were recruited via health professionals and social media; other participants via the research team's networks. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, pseudo‐anonymized and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings We conducted interviews with 42 health professionals/service providers and 13 women and 7 men with lived experience of RM (June 2020 to February 2021). We generated three interrelated themes from the data: (i) The need for a standardized definition of recurrent miscarriage–Finding a balance between research evidence, individual needs and healthcare resources, (ii) The definition is a route to finding an answer and/or validating women/couples' experience of loss and (iii) Working around the definition—Advocacy and impacts. Conclusion A nuanced approach to defining RM is warranted, one which is evidence‐informed recognizes the individual needs of women/couples, and considers healthcare resources. Patient or Public Contribution Members of the multidisciplinary RE:CURRENT (REcurrent miscarriage: evaluating CURRENT services) Project Research Advisory Group (including four parent advocates, two of whom are co‐authors on this article) were actively involved throughout the study, including the generation of topic guides and the refining of themes.

Abstract Objective: This paper uses data from the seventh fortnightly Coronavirus (COVID‐19) Survey sent to women in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health to investigate the relationship between the COVID‐19 pandemic and the food and drink consumption of women born in 1946‐51, 1973‐78 and 1989‐95. Methods: A survey about changes in fruit, vegetable, discretionary food, takeaway and sugary drink consumption during the pandemic was emailed on 22 July 2020 to 28,709 women in three cohorts of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Thematic qualitative analysis was conducted on comments about changes in consumption, and basic quantitative analysis was included for context. Results: There were significant associations between age and all categories of food and drink consumption. Women wrote of lifestyle changes and choices during lockdowns, comfort and emotional eating, and access to food and drink changing their consumption behaviours. Conclusions: The COVID‐19 pandemic and interventions had both positive and negative impacts on the food and drink consumption behaviours of Australian women. Implications for public health: These findings can be used to directly influence practice around healthy food and drink consumption, highlighting enablers, including being at home, and barriers, including mental health, that should be considered.

Background and objectivesEarly Childhood Development is high on the policy agenda in Côte d’Ivoire, where the government has identified it as part of its overall approach to improve human capital outcomes. This paper describes a multi-partner approach to piloting, monitoring, adaption, testing and scaling of parental training for ECD. It discusses the learnings from the pilots, and present early evaluation results from two RCTs, focusing on parental participation in trainings and acceptability of messages, with the objective to inform national scaling strategies. As such, this paper illustrates how “MEL systems contributed to ensuring that positive early childhood development (ECD) outcomes were improved as interventions were seeking to achieve scale,” one of the research questions outlined in the call description for the special issue. The paper further provides a real-world example of “How MEL systems can support contributions and buy-in from a variety of stakeholders as ECD interventions (seek to) achieve impacts at scale (e.g., through the public system)?MethodsFive training approaches to improve caregivers’ knowledge and practices around nutrition, preventive health, stimulation, and disciplining were piloted at small scale between 2018 and 2020. An intensive process evaluation was embedded to identify strengths and weaknesses, adapt through an iterative phase, and ultimately make recommendations for their scale up against 11 defined criteria. In early 2021, the two most promising approaches were scaled through two clustered randomized control trials to more than 150 villages each. A cost-effectiveness study was designed in consultation with government stakeholders, centered around targeting different caregivers and decision makers in the household and the extended family and on enhancing community interactions around ECD.ResultsThe evaluation of the five pilots identified one model recommended to be scaled, and one other model to scale after further adaptations. Monitoring and evaluation data from the two models at scale show high levels of participation and acceptability of core messages. Experimental variations involving community champions and fathers increase participation.ConclusionThe iterative and multi-partner process led to two models of parenting training that have wide acceptability. Future work will analyze impacts on cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes, together with cost analysis.

Abstract Background This study included Community Health Workers and their supervisors from HIV clinical care teams who participated in the Healthy Choices intervention program. Healthy Choices is a Motivational Interviewing-based intervention aimed at improving medication adherence and reducing alcohol use for adolescents and emerging adults ages 16—24 living with HIV. In this study, the intervention was “scaled up” for delivery by local HIV care providers in real-world clinic settings. Methods Providers (N = 21) completed semi-structured interviews (N = 29) about their experiences with intervention scale-up. Rigorous thematic analyses were conducted within discussions of barriers and facilitators of intervention implementation. Results Three dominant thematic areas emerged from the data: (1) perceptions of the Healthy Choices intervention, (2) engaging high risk YLH in in-person behavior interventions, and (3) perspectives on implementation of the intervention using local staff. Results offer insights into implementation of MI-based interventions for adolescents and emerging adults in clinic settings using local clinical staff instead of dedicated research staff. Conclusions Overall, scaled-up intervention programs for youth are challenged to maintain scientific rigor, provide rigorous training and supports, and offer an attractive and engaging program.

Women who experience physical intimate partner violence (IPV) are at high risk of suffering a brain injury (BI) due to head impacts and/or strangulation. Currently, most staff at women’s shelters tend not to be aware of IPV-caused BIs. The objective of this study was to address this by developing a new online module within the Concussion Awareness Training Tool (cattonline.com) specifically focused on IPV-caused BI, and measuring its effectiveness in increasing BI awareness and knowledge among staff members at women’s shelters. A mixed-methods approach was used which included (i) a survey to measure participant knowledge before and after completing the module; (ii) a 1-on-1 interview 6 months post-training to better understand participants’ perceptions of what effect the training had on how they worked with women in their job; and (iii) an evaluation of the content of the module using behavior change techniques. About 81 participants recruited from staff at women’s shelters completed the pre/post survey. The average BI knowledge score increased significantly from the pre-survey ( M = 8.12/12, SD = 1.05) to the post-survey ( M = 9.72/12, SD = 1.62), t (80) = 9.12, P

Abstract Background Deep South states, particularly Alabama, experience disproportionately higher opioid prescribing rates versus national rates. Considering limited opioid use disorder (OUD) providers in this region, collaborative efforts between non-healthcare professionals is critical in mitigating overdose mortality. The Alabama Opioid Training Institute (OTI) was created in 2019 to empower community members to take action in combatting OUD in local regions. The OTI included: 1) eight full-day in-person conferences; and 2) an interactive mobile-enabled website ( https://alabamaoti.org ). This study assessed the impact of the OTI on influential community members’ knowledge, abilities, concerns, readiness, and intended actions regarding OUD and opioid overdose mitigation. Methods A one-group prospective cohort design was utilized. Alabama community leaders were purposively recruited via email, billboards, television, and social media advertisements. Outcome measures were assessed via online survey at baseline and post-conference, including: OUD knowledge (percent correct); abilities, concerns, and readiness regarding overdose management (7-point Likert-type scale, 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree); and actions/intended actions over the past/next 6 months (8-item index from 0 to 100% of the time). Conference satisfaction was also assessed. Changes were analyzed using McNemar or Marginal Homogeneity tests for categorical variables and two-sided paired t-tests for continuous variables (alpha = 0.05). Results Overall, 413 influential community members participated, most of whom were social workers (25.7%), female (86.4%), and White (65.7%). Community members’ OUD knowledge increased from mean [SD] 71.00% [13.32] pre-conference to 83.75% [9.91] post-conference (p

Background: Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are at a high risk for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Women's shelters may be an ideal location for TBI screening. Behavior change theory can help understand factors that influence screening at women's shelters and develop interventions to promote screening. Objective: To use behavior change theory to understand the local context of women's shelters, factors influencing screening for TBIs among staff who work at women's shelters, and co-develop intervention recommendations to promote screening of TBIs at women's shelters. Methods: The research was conducted in three phases in partnership with the Kelowna Women's Shelter. In phase 1, participants (staff at women's shelters across Canada) completed an online survey that assessed their current TBI screening behaviors, knowledge of TBIs, and factors influencing screening. In phase 2, participants (staff at women's shelters in the Okanagan) completed an interview regarding the factors that influence screening for TBIs. In both phases, factors were analyzed using the Theoretical Domains Framework. In phase 3, intervention recommendations were co-developed using the Behavior Change Wheel. Results: In phase 1, findings indicate that participants (n?=?150) lack skills (mean?=?2.1, standard deviation [SD]?=?1.9) and knowledge (mean?=?2.9, SD?=?2.2) with regard to screening and are nervous to screen (mean?=?3.0, SD?=?2.4) for TBIs. In phase 2, 194 barriers to screening for TBI were extracted from 10 interviews with staff members. Prominent domains included knowledge (37%), beliefs about capabilities (16%), and environmental context and resources (15%). Finally, in phase 3, five intervention recommendations were co-developed for interventions aiming to promote TBI screening in women's shelters. Conclusions: This thesis was the first theory-based study to develop intervention recommendations for promoting screening of TBIs at women's shelters. The recommendations have the potential to increase TBI screening at women's shelters ultimately improving the quality of life of women who have experienced a TBI from IPV.

Abstract Background Translating research findings into service improvements for patients and/or policy changes is a key challenge for health service organizations. The Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland launched the Action Plan for Health Research 2019–2029, as reported by Terrés (HSE, Dublin, 2019), one of the goals of which is to maximize the impact of the research that takes place within the service to achieve improvements in patient care, services, or policy change. The purpose of this research is to review the literature on knowledge translation theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs) and to assess the suitability of the TMFs for HSE use, selecting one or more for this purpose. The aim is to produce guidance for HSE researchers and other health services staff, validate the usability of the framework(s) with researchers, and review and implement the guidance. It was hoped that identifying a suitable methodology would provide the means to increase the uptake and application of research findings, and reduce research wastage. This paper reports on the first part of the study: the review, assessment, and selection of knowledge translation TMFs for a national health service. Methods An interdisciplinary working group of academic experts in implementation science, research wastage, and knowledge translation, along with key representatives from research funders (Health Research Board) and HSE personnel with expertise in quality improvement and research management, undertook a three-stage review and selection process to identify a knowledge translation TMF that would be suitable and usable for HSE purposes. The process included a literature review, consensus exercise, and a final consensus workshop. The review group adopted the Theory Comparison and Selection Tool (T-CaST) developed by Birken et al. (Implement Sci 13: 143, 2018) to review knowledge translation theories, models, and frameworks. Results From 247 knowledge translation TMFs initially identified, the first stage of the review identified 18 that met the criteria of validity, applicability, relevance, usability, and ability to be operationalized in the local context. A further review by a subgroup of the working group reduced this number to 11. A whole-group review selected six of these to be reviewed at a facilitated consensus workshop, which identified three that were suitable and applicable for HSE use. These were able to be mapped onto the four components of the HSE knowledge translation process: knowledge creation, knowledge into action, transfer and exchange of knowledge, and implementation and sustainability. Conclusion The multiplicity of knowledge translation TMFs presents a challenge for health service researchers in making decisions about the appropriate methods for disseminating their research. Building a culture that uses research knowledge and evidence is important for organizations seeking to maximize the benefits from research. Supporting researchers with guidance on how to disseminate and translate their research can increase the uptake and application of research findings. The use of robust selection criteria enabled the HSE to select relevant TMFs and develop a process for increasing the dissemination and translation of research knowledge. The guidance developed to inform and educate researchers and knowledge users is expected to increase organizational capacity to promote a culture of research knowledge and evidence use within the HSE.

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, youth mental health and substance use services rapidly moved to virtual modalities to meet social distancing requirements. It is important to understand youth attitudes toward and experience of virtual services. Objective This study examined the attitudes toward and experiences of virtual mental health and substance use services among youth drawn from clinical and non-clinical samples. Method Four hundred nine youth completed a survey including questions about their attitudes toward and experience of virtual services. The survey included quantitative and open-ended questions on virtual care, as well as a mental health and substance use screener. Results The majority of youth with mental health or substance use challenges would be willing to consider individual virtual services, but fewer would consider group virtual services. However, many have not received virtual services. Youth are interested in accessing a wide variety of virtual services and other supportive wellness services. Advantages and disadvantages of virtual services are discussed, including accessibility benefits and technological barriers. Discussion As youth mental health and substance use services have rapidly gone virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that we hear the perspectives of youth to promote service utilization among those in need. Diverse, accessible, technologically stable virtual services are required to meet the needs of different youth, possibly with in-person options for some youth. Future research, engaging youth in the research process, is needed to evaluate the efficacy of virtual services to plan for the sustainability of some virtual service gains beyond the pandemic period.

Abstract Background Adolescent pregnancy is a complex socio-economic phenomenon ranking high on the global health policy agenda. Early childbearing is associated with early marriage and school drop-out, and is defined as a problem to the health and development of girls. This paper reports from formative research. The formative research aimed to explore socio-cultural and structural dynamics at work behind early pregnancy and school drop out in rural Zambia. The study findings have been used to inform a school based intervention to reduce early pregnancy (RISE: ‘Research Initiative to Support the Empowerment of Girls’). Theoretically the study is informed by social constructionism. Methods A qualitative approach was employed. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (61) and focus group discussions (7) were carried out with girls (in and out of school), boys, parents, teachers, health workers and community- and district leaders in 2014–15. Systematic text condensation was drawn upon in the analysis of the material. Results The study findings indicate that the official Zambian discourse that presents early pregnancy as a serious challenge and schooling as the prime way to confront the problem enjoy substantial support at community levels. However, a parallel discourse on fertility, early marriage and childbearing as social and economic security surfaced and was articulated by the same study participants. The latter contrasting discourse questioned schooling as the only solution to secure a girl’s future arguing that there are many reasons why early pregnancy may emerge as rational. Conclusions Grasping the complexity of local discourse is vital in planning health interventions. The present study revealed that although delayed child bearing and schooling among girls enjoyed high status and legitimacy in the study area, the social and economic context worked to reward early marriage. Interventions to reduce early pregnancies in rural Zambian communities need to fundamentally address the material constraints that condition and reinforce a culture of early childbearing.

Abstract This editorial provides an overview of a thematic series that brings attention to the persistently deficient and unequal access to sexual and reproductive health services for young women in sub-Saharan Africa. It represents an effort to analyze the multifaceted relationship between laws, policies and access to services in Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. Using a comparative perspective and qualitative research methodology, the papers presented in this issue explore legal, political and social factors and circumstances that condition access to sexual and reproductive health services within and across the three countries. Through these examples we show the often inconsistent and even paradoxical relationship between the formal law and practices on the ground. Particular emphasis is placed on safe abortion services as an intensely politicized issue in global sexual and reproductive health. In addition to the presentation of the individual papers, this editorial comments on the global politics of abortion which represents a critical context for the regional and local developments in sexual and reproductive health policy and care provision in general, and for the contentious issue of abortion in particular.

Background: To date, there has been a dearth of research on health literacy in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and in particular Lebanon. Objectives: This cross-sectional study assessed the levels and correlates of health literacy in Lebanese adults. Methods: A total of 587 participants (54.5% women) were recruited from the outpatient clinics of five health facilities in Beirut. The questionnaire consisted of the Arabic version of the Functional Health literacy Scale, the Arabic short version of the European Health Literacy Survey, and questions on sociodemographic and health-related factors. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to assess the association of these factors with functional health literacy (FHL) and comprehensive health literacy (CHL) levels. Key Results: About 65.8% had inadequate or problematic FHL and 43.8% had inadequate or problematic CHL. Although FHL was negatively correlated with long-term illness, it was positively correlated with ability to pay and health status. CHL was positively correlated with education, income, ability to pay for treatment, health status, and FHL level, whereas it was negatively correlated with long-term illness. Binary logistic regression showed that low education, low socioeconomic status, and being a widow were predictive of inadequate FHL. Moreover, having inadequate FHL and low income increased the likelihood of having inadequate CHL. Conclusion: This study has identified those with risk factors for inadequate health literacy and unfavorable health outcomes. A national action plan can guide the promotion of health literacy and its embeddedness in society to instill competencies and the environment that would eliminate health inequities and sustain health in Lebanon. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2021;5(4):e295–e309.] Plain Language Summary: This study examined health literacy levels and correlates in 587 Lebanese adults using two recognized screening tools. The first tool measured functional health literacy (FHL), which represents the ability of a person to acquire information on health through reading or writing. The second tool assessed comprehensive health literacy (CHL), which encompasses the ability of a person to use their social skills to acquire health information from different media and make appropriate health decisions based on this information. Close to two-thirds of the participants had inadequate or problematic FHL. More specifically, low education, low socioeconomic status, and widowhood were predictive of inadequate FHL. Nearly one-half of the participants had inadequate or problematic CHL with an increased likelihood of inadequate levels in people with low FHL and low income.

Abstract Background Nitrate is converted to nitrite in the human body and subsequently can react with amines and amides in the gastrointestinal tract to form N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), which are known to be carcinogenic in animals. Humans can be exposed to nitrate via consumption of drinking water and diet, especially green leafy vegetables and cured meat. The contribution of nitrate from drinking water in combination with meat intake has not been investigated thoroughly. Therefore, in the present pilot study, we examined the effect of nitrate from drinking water, and its interaction with the consumption of white and processed red meat, on the endogenous formation of NOCs, taking into account the intake of vitamin C, a nitrosation inhibitor. Methods Twenty healthy subjects were randomly assigned to two groups consuming either 3.75 g/kg body weight (maximum 300 g per day) processed red meat or unprocessed white meat per day for two weeks. Drinking water nitrate levels were kept low during the first week (

Abstract Introduction At the turn of the century, when the Millennium Development Goals placed maternal mortality reduction high on the global agenda, Ethiopia relaxed its restrictive abortion law to expand grounds on which a woman could legally obtain an abortion. This radical policy shift took place within a context of predominant anti-abortion public opinion shaped by strong religious convictions. Drawing upon Walt and Gilson’s policy analysis framework, this paper explores the tension between public policy and religious dogma for the strategies chosen by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and its partners implementing the new policy, and for access to safe abortion services. Methods The study employed a qualitative research methodology. It targeted organizations that are key stakeholders in the field of reproductive health. These included policy makers and policy implementers like ministries, UN agencies and international and national NGOs as well as religious organizations as key opinion leaders. The data collection took place in Addis Ababa between 2016 and 2018. A total of 26 interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed using the principles of qualitative content analysis. Results Our analysis showed that the implementing organizations adopted a strategy of silence not to provoke anti-abortion sentiments and politicization of the abortion issue which was seen as a threat to the revised law and policy. This strategy has facilitated a rollout of services and has improved access to safe abortion care. Nevertheless informants were concerned that the silence strategy has prevented dissemination of knowledge about the revised law to the general public, to health workers and to the police. In turn this has caused confusion about eligibility to legal and safe abortion procedures. Conclusions While silence as a strategy works to protect the law enhancing the health and survival of young women, it may at the same time prevent the law from being fully effective. As a long term strategy, silence fails to expand awareness and access to safe abortion services, and may not sufficiently serve to fulfill the potential of the law to prevent abortion related maternal deaths.

Abstract Background Unsafe abortion continues to be a major hazard for maternal health in Sub-Saharan Africa, where abortion remains highly controversial and access to safe abortion services is unequally distributed. Although national abortion laws are central in indicating women’s potential for accessing safe abortion services, the character of an abortion law may alone say little about national discursive abortion landscapes and access scenarios. The article calls for the study and problematization of the relationship between legal abortion frameworks on the one hand, and discourses surrounding abortion on the other, in an attempt to move closer to an understanding of the complexity of factors that influence knowledge about and access to safer abortion services. With the restrictive abortion law in Tanzania as a starting point, the paper explores the ways in which the major global abortion discourses manifest themselves in the country and indicate potential implications of a hybrid abortion regime. Methods The study combined a review of major legal and policy documents on abortion, a review of publications on abortion in Tanzanian newspapers between 2000 and 2015 (300 articles), and 23 semi-structured qualitative interviews with representatives from central institutions and organizations engaged in policy- or practical work related to reproductive health. Results Tanzania’s abortion law is highly restrictive, but the discursive abortion landscape is diverse and is made manifest through legal- and policy documents and legal- and policy related disputes. The discourses were characterized by diverse frames of reference based in religion, public health and in human rights-based values, and as such reflect the major global discourses. Fairclough’s concepts interdiscursivity and recontextualization were drawn upon to develop an understanding of how the concepts health, rights and life emerge across the discourses, but are employed in contrasting lines of argumentation in struggles for hegemony and legitimacy. Discussion and conclusions The paper demonstrates that a hybrid discursive regime relating to abortion characterizes the legally restrictive abortion context of Tanzania. We argue that such a complex discursive landscape, which cuts across the restrictive - liberal divide, generates an environment that seems to open avenues for enhanced access to abortion related knowledge and services.

Abstract Introduction Unsafe abortion is a major contributor to the continued high global maternal mortality and morbidity rates. Legal abortion frameworks and access to sexuality education and contraception have been pointed out as vital to reduce unsafe abortion rates. This paper explores the relationship between abortion law, policy and women’s access to safe abortion services within the different legal and political contexts of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia. The research is inspired by recent calls for contextualized policy research. Methods The research was based in Addis Ababa (Ethiopa), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Lusaka (Zambia) and had a qualitative exploratory research design. The project involved studying the three countries’ abortion laws and policies. It moreover targeted formal organizations as implementers of policy as well as stakeholders in support of, or in opposition to the existing abortion laws. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with study participants (79) differently situated vis-à-vis abortion, exploring their views on abortion-related legal- and policy frames and their perceived implications for access. Results The abortion laws have been classified as ‘liberal’ in Zambia, ‘semi-liberal’ in Ethiopia and ‘restrictive’ in Tanzania, but what we encountered in the three study contexts was a seeming paradoxical relationship between national abortion laws, abortion policy and women’s actual access to safe abortion services. The study findings moreover reveal that the texts that make up the three national abortion laws are highly ambiguous. The on-paper liberal Zambian and semi-liberal Ethiopian laws in no way ensure access, while the strict Tanzanian law is hardly sufficient to prevent young women from seeking and obtaining abortion. In line with Walt and Gilson’s call to move beyond a narrow focus on the content of policy, our study demonstrates that the connection between law, health policy and access to health services is complex and critically dependent on the socio-economic and political context of implementation. Conclusions Legal frameworks are vital instruments for securing the right to health, but broad contextualized studies rather than classifications of law along a liberal-restrictive continuum are demanded in order to enhance existing knowledge on access to safe abortion services in a given context.

Abstract Background Reproductive health problems such as HIV, unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion among adolescents are closely linked to insufficient knowledge about sexuality and reproduction and lack of access to contraceptives. Supported by international agencies, Zambia has introduced an ambitious nation-wide program for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) to be implemented into ordinary school activities by teachers. The curriculum is firmly based in a discourse of sexual and reproductive rights, not commonly found in the public debate on sexuality in Zambia. This paper explores how teachers perceive the curriculum and practice discretion when implementing the CSE in mid-level schools in Nyimba district in Zambia. Methods Using a case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 18 teachers and analyzed thematically drawing upon theories of discretion and policy implementation. Results Individual teachers make decisions on their own regarding what and when to teach CSE. This discretion implies holding back information from the learners, teaching abstinence as the only way of preventing pregnancy or cancelling sexuality education sessions altogether. Teachers’ choices about the CSE program were linked to lack of guidance on teaching of the curriculum, especially with regards to how to integrate sexuality education into existing subjects. Limited prioritization of CSE in the educational sector was observed. The incompatibility of CSE with local norms and understandings about adolescent sexuality combined with teacher-parent role dilemmas emerged as problematic in implementing the policy. Limited ownership of the new curriculum further undermined teachers’ motivation to actively include CSE in daily teaching activities. Use of discretion has resulted in arbitrary teaching thus affecting the acquisition of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health knowledge among learners. Conclusion The CSE had limited legitimacy in the community and was met with resistance from teachers tasked with its’ implementation. In order to enhance ownership to the CSE program, local concerns about the contents of the curriculum and the parent-teacher role dilemma must be taken into consideration. Not addressing these challenges may undermine the policy’s intention of increasing knowledge about sexuality and reproduction and empowering adolescents to access contraceptive services and avoid unwanted pregnancies.

Abstract Background No studies have examined distribution, retention and use of maternal and child health (MCH) home-based records (HBRs) in the poorest women in low income countries. Our primary objective was to compare distribution of the new Afghanistan MCH HBR (the MCH handbook) to the poorest women (quintiles 1–2) with the least poor women (quintiles 3–5). Secondary objectives were to assess distribution, retention and use of the handbook across wealth, education, age and parity strata. Methods This was a population based cross sectional study set in Kama and Mirbachakot districts of Afghanistan from August 2017 to April 2018. Women were eligible to be part of the study if they had a child born in the last 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to adjust for clustering by district and potential confounders decided a priori (maternal education, maternal age, parity, age of child, sex of child) and to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and corresponding p values. Principal components analysis was used to create the wealth quintiles using standard methods. Wealth categories were ‘poorest’ (quintiles 1,2) and ‘least poor’ (quintiles 3,4,5). Results 1728/1943 (88.5%) mothers received a handbook. The poorest women (633, 88.8%) had similar odds of receiving a handbook compared to the least poor (990, 91.7%) (aOR 1.26, 95%CI [0.91–1.77], p value 0.165). Education status (aOR 1.03, 95%CI [0.63–1.68], p value 0.903) and age (aOR 1.39, 95%CI [0.68–2.84], p value 0.369) had little effect. Multiparous women (1371, 91.5%) had a higher odds than primiparous women (252, 85.7%) (aOR 1.83, 95%CI [1.16–2.87], p value 0.009). Use of the handbook by health providers and mothers was similar across quintiles. Ten (0.5%) women reported that they received a book but then lost it. Conclusions We were able to achieve almost universal coverage of our new MCH HBR in our study area in Afghanistan. The handbook will be scaled up over the next three years across all of Afghanistan and will include close monitoring and assessment of coverage and use by all families.

Abstract Background Chronic homelessness is a problem characterised by longstanding inability to attain or maintain secure accommodation. Longitudinal research with homeless populations is challenging, and randomised controlled trials that evaluate the effectiveness of intensive, case management interventions aimed at improving housing and health-related outcomes for chronically homelessness people are scant. More research is needed to inform programmatic design and policy frameworks in this area. This study protocol details an evaluation of the Journey to Social Inclusion – Phase 2 program, an intervention designed to reduce homelessness and improve outcomes in chronically homeless adults. Methods/design J2SI Phase 2 is a three-year, mixed methods, multi-site, RCT that enrolled 186 participants aged 25 to 50 years between 07 January 2016 and 30 September 2016 in Melbourne. The intervention group (n = 90 recruited) receives the J2SI Phase 2 program, a trauma-informed intervention that integrates intensive case management and service coordination; transition to housing and support to sustain tenancy; and support to build social connections, obtain employment and foster independence. The comparison group (n = 96 recruited) receives standard service provision. Prior to randomisation, participants completed a baseline survey. Follow-up surveys will be completed every six months for three years (six in total). In addition to self-report data on history of homelessness and housing, physical and mental health, substance use, quality of life, social connectedness and public service utilisation, linked administrative data on participants’ public services utilisation (e.g., hospitalisation, justice system) will be obtained for the three-year period pre- and post-randomisation. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews will be conducted with a randomly selected subset of participants and service providers at three time-points to explore changes in key outcome variables and to examine individual experiences with the intervention and standard service provision. An economic evaluation of the intervention and associated costs will also be undertaken. Discussion Results of this trial will provide robust evidence on the effectiveness of J2SI Phase 2 compared to standard service provision. If the intervention demonstrates effectiveness in improving housing, health, quality-of-life, and other social outcomes, it may be considered for broader national and international dissemination to improve outcomes among chronically homeless adults. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000162415 (retrospectively registered 10-February-2016).

Abstract Background Due to the limited evidence of the cost-effectiveness of Community Health Workers (CHW) delivering treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM), there is a need to better understand the costs incurred by both implementing institutions and beneficiary households. This study assessed the costs and cost-effectiveness of treatment for cases of SAM without complications delivered by government-employed Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and complemented with non-governmental organisation (NGO) delivered outpatient facility-based care compared with NGO delivered outpatient facility-based care only alongside a two-arm randomised controlled trial conducted in Sindh Province, Pakistan. Methods An activity-based cost model was used, employing a societal perspective to include costs incurred by beneficiaries and the wider community. Costs were estimated through accounting records, interviews and informal group discussions. Cost-effectiveness was assessed for each arm relative to no intervention, and incrementally between the two interventions, providing information on both absolute and relative costs and effects. Results The cost per child recovered in outpatient facility-based care was similar to LHW-delivered care, at 363 USD and 382 USD respectively. An additional 146 USD was spent per additional child recovered by outpatient facilities compared to LHWs. Results of sensitivity analyses indicated considerable uncertainty in which strategy was most cost-effective due to small differences in cost and recovery rates between arms. The cost to the beneficiary household of outpatient facility-based care was double that of LHW-delivered care. Conclusions Outpatient facility-based care was found to be slightly more cost-effective compared to LHW-delivered care, despite the potential for cost-effectiveness of CHWs managing SAM being demonstrated in other settings. The similarity of cost-effectiveness outcomes between the two models resulted in uncertainty as to which strategy was the most cost-effective. Similarity of costs and effectiveness between models suggests that whether it is appropriate to engage LHWs in substituting or complementing outpatient facilities may depend on population needs, including coverage and accessibility of existing services, rather than be purely a consideration of cost. Future research should assess the cost-effectiveness of LHW-delivered care when delivered solely by the government. Trial registration NCT03043352, ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrospectively registered.

Abstract Introduction The Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act permits abortion on socio-economic grounds, but access to safe abortion services is limited and this constitutes a considerable problem for rights to sexual and reproductive health. The case of Zambia provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between a legal framework that permits abortion on diverse grounds, the moral and political disputes around abortion and access to sexual and reproductive health services. Methods This paper draws upon eleven months of ethnographic fieldwork in Zambia. The fieldwork included 28 open-ended interviews with key stakeholders as well as the collection of archival material related to the origins of Zambia’s legal framework for abortion. The archival material and the interview data were analyzed thematically, using theoretical perspectives on discourse and the anthropology of policies. Results The study findings show that the Zambian case is not easily placed into standard categories of liberal or restrictive abortion laws. The archival material reveals that restrictive elements were in focus when the Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act was passed (1972). The restrictive aspects of the law were emphasized further when Zambia was later declared as a Christian nation. Some of these restrictive elements are still readily recognized in today’s abortion debate. Currently there are multiple opinions on whether Zambian abortion policy is liberal, restrictive or neither. The law emerges as ambiguous, and this ambiguity is actively used by both those working to increase access to safe and legal abortion services, and those who work to limit such access. Coupled with a lack of knowledge about the law, its ambiguity may work to reduce access to safe abortion services on the grounds permitted by the law. Conclusions We argue that the Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act is ambiguous and leaves much room for interpretation. This paper challenges the notion that the Zambian abortion law is liberal and opens up for further discussion on the relationship between how a law is described and perceived by the public, and the rights to health and services ensured by it.

Background: The growing incidence of mental ill-health in health professionals, including doctors, is a global concern. Although a large body of literature exists on interventions that offer support, advice and/or treatment to sick doctors, it has not yet been synthesised in a way that takes account of the complexity and heterogeneity of the interventions, and the many dimensions (e.g. individual, organisational, sociocultural) of the problem. Objectives: Our aim was to improve understanding of how, why and in what contexts mental health services and support interventions can be designed to minimise the incidence of doctors’ mental ill-health. The objectives were to review interventions to tackle doctors’ mental ill-health and its impact on the clinical workforce and patient care, drawing on diverse literature sources and engaging iteratively with diverse stakeholder perspectives to produce actionable theory; and recommendations that support the tailoring, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of contextually sensitive strategies to tackle mental ill-health and its impacts. Design: Realist literature review consistent with the Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards quality and reporting standards. Data sources: Bibliographic database searches were developed and conducted using MEDLINE (1946 to November week 4 2017), MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-indexed Citations (1946 to 6 December 2017) and PsycINFO (1806 to November week 2 2017) (all via Ovid) and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (1987 to 6 December 2017) (via ProQuest) on 6 December 2017. Further UK-based studies were identified by forwards and author citation searches, manual backwards citation searching and hand-searching relevant journal websites. Review methods: We included all studies that focused on mental ill-health; all study designs; all health-care settings; all studies that included medical doctors/medical students; descriptions of interventions or resources that focus on improving mental ill-health and minimising its impacts; all mental health outcome measures, including absenteeism (doctors taking short-/long-term sick leave); presenteeism (doctors working despite being unwell); and workforce retention (doctors leaving the profession temporarily/permanently). Data were extracted from included articles and the data set was subjected to realist analysis to identify context–mechanism–outcome configurations. Results: A total of 179 out of 3069 records were included. Most were from the USA (45%) and had been published since 2009 (74%). More included articles focused on structural-level interventions (33%) than individual-level interventions (21%), but most articles (46%) considered both levels. Most interventions focused on prevention, rather than treatment/screening, and most studies referred to doctors/physicians in general, rather than to specific specialties or career stages. Nineteen per cent of the included sources provided cost information and none reported a health economic analysis. The 19 context–mechanism–outcome configurations demonstrated that doctors were more likely to experience mental ill-health when they felt isolated or unable to do their job, and when they feared repercussions of help-seeking. Healthy staff were necessary for excellent patient care. Interventions emphasising relationships and belonging were more likely to promote well-being. Interventions creating a people-focused working culture, balancing positive/negative performance and acknowledging positive/negative aspects of a medical career helped doctors to thrive. The way that interventions were implemented seemed critically important. Doctors needed to have confidence in an intervention for the intervention to be effective. Limitations: Variable quality of included literature; limited UK-based studies. Future work: Use this evidence synthesis to refine, implement and evaluate interventions. Study registration: This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017069870. Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health Services and Delivery Research; Vol. 8, No. 19. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Popular Opinion Leader (POL) model was implemented in a lupus education program (MONARCAS) for the Latino community. The program aim was to increase lupus awareness by training high school students, community health workers, and parents. Methods: A curriculum was developed training POLs to disseminate concepts about lupus signs and symptoms. Pre- and post-program questions assessed lupus knowledge and message dissemination. Results: POL groups represented distinct demographic characteristics with Spanish or English language dominance. POLs reported increased lupus knowledge and program satisfaction. Conclusions: Future program goals should aim to increase understanding and improving access to care for Latino communities affected by lupus.

Abstract Background Maternal recognition of overweight/obesity during early childhood is a key determinant in achieving healthy weight status in children. The aim of this study is to 1) investigate maternal perceptions of their child weight, focusing on whether or not mothers accurately identify if their child is overweight or obese at three years old and five years old; 2) identify the factors influencing maternal misperceptions regarding their child’s weight at three years old and five years old, 3) ascertain if a failure to recognize overweight/obesity at three years old is associated with the likelihood of doing so at five years old. Methods Using two waves of the longitudinal Growing Up in Ireland study data regarding child, maternal, and household characteristics as well as healthcare access and utilization variables were obtained for mothers when their children are three and five years old respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to examine the factors associated with mothers inaccurately perceiving their child to be of normal weight status when the child is in fact either clinically overweight or obese. Results In wave 2, 22% of mothers failed to accurately identify their child to be overweight or obese. This inaccuracy decreased to 18% in wave 3. A failure of mothers to identify their child’s overweight/obesity was more likely to occur if the child was a girl (OR: 1.25) (OR: 1.37), had a higher birth weight (OR:1.00), if the mother was obese (OR: 1.50), (OR: 1.72) or working (OR:1.25) (OR:1.16) in wave 2 and wave 3, respectively. Other factors affecting the odds of misperceiving child’s weight include gestation age, income and urban living. Conclusion These findings suggest that mothers of overweight or obese three and five year olds show poor awareness of their child’s weight status. Both child and mother characteristics play a role in influencing this awareness. Mothers unable to accurately identify their child’s overweight or obesity status at three years old are likely to do again when the child is five years old. This study highlights the need for increased support to help improve mothers’ understanding of healthy body size in preschool aged children.

Abstract Background Early identification and management of mental illness in childhood and adolescence helps to avert debilitating mental illness in adulthood but the attention given to Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) has until recently been low. Traditional healers are often consulted by patients with mental illness and in Uganda, up to 60% of patients attending traditional healers have moderate to severe mental illness. Poor access to CAMH care in Uganda creates a treatment gap that could be met through enhanced collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical health systems. The aim of this study was to explore traditional healers’ views on their collaboration with biomedical health systems so as to inform the implementation of strategies to improve access to CAMH services in Uganda. Methods In-depth interviews with 20 purposively selected traditional healers were conducted in November 2015. A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore: 1) The experiences of traditional healers with mental ill-health in children and adolescents; 2) their willingness to collaborate with the formal health system; and 3) their perception of clinicians’ willingness to collaborate with them. Interviews were conducted in local languages and tape recorded. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Traditional healers described several experiences managing children and adolescents with mental illness, which they ascribed to spiritual and physical causes. The spiritual explanations were a consequence of unhappy ancestral spirits, modern religions and witchcraft, while physical causes mentioned included substance abuse and fevers. No traditional healer had received a patient referred to them from a medical clinic although all had referred patients to clinics for non-mental health reasons. Traditional healers expressed distrust in biomedical health systems and believed their treatments were superior to medical therapies in alleviating mental suffering. They expressed willingness to collaborate with biomedical providers. However, traditional healers believe clinicians disregard them and would not be willing to collaborate with them. Conclusion Potential for collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical health systems for improving access to CAMH services in Uganda exists, but is undermined by mutual mistrust and competition between traditional healers and clinicians.

Abstract Background The first month of life is the period with the highest risk of dying. Despite knowledge of effective interventions, newborn mortality is high and utilization of health care services remains low in Ethiopia. In settings without universal health coverage, the economy of a household is vulnerable to illness, and out-of-pocket payments may limit families’ opportunities to seek health care for newborns. In this paper we explore intra-household resource allocation, focusing on how families prioritize newborn health versus other household needs and their coping strategies for managing these priorities. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in 2015 in Butajira, Ethiopia, comprising observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with household members, health workers, and community members. Household members with hospitalized newborns or who had experienced neonatal death were primary informants. Results In this predominantly rural and poor district, households struggled to pay out-of-pocket for services such as admission, diagnostics, drugs, and transportation. When newborns fell ill, families made hard choices balancing concerns for newborn health and other household needs. The ability to seek care, obtain services, and follow medical advice depended on the social and economic assets of the household. It was common to borrow money from friends and family, or even to sell a sheep or the harvest, if necessary. In managing household priorities and high costs, families waited before seeking health care, or used cheaper traditional medicines. For poor families with no money or opportunity to borrow, it became impossible to follow medical advice or even seek care in the first place. This had fatal health consequences for the sick newborns. Conclusions While improving neonatal health is prioritized at policy level in Ethiopia, poor households with sick neonates may prioritize differently. With limited money at hand and high direct health care costs, families balanced conflicting concerns to newborn health and family welfare. We argue that families should not be left in situations where they have to choose between survival of the newborn and economic ruin. Protection against out-of-pocket spending is key as Ethiopia moves towards universal health coverage. A necessary step is to provide prioritized newborn health care services free of charge.

Abstract Background The Malian Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health and Action Against Hunger tested the feasibility of integrating treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) into the existing Integrated Community Case Management package delivered by community health workers (CHWs). This study assessed costs and cost-effectiveness of CHW-delivered care compared to outpatient facility-based care. Methods Activity-based costing methods were used, and a societal perspective employed to include all relevant costs incurred by institutions, beneficiaries and communities. The intervention and control arm enrolled different numbers of children so a modelled scenario sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the cost-effectiveness of the two arms, assuming equal numbers of children enrolled. Results In the base case, with unequal numbers of children in each arm, for CHW-delivered care, the cost per child treated was 244 USD and cost per child recovered was 259 USD. Outpatient facility-based care was less cost-effective at 442 USD per child and 501 USD per child recovered. The conclusions of the analysis changed in the modelled scenario sensitivity analysis, with outpatient facility-based care being marginally more cost-effective (cost per child treated is 188 USD, cost per child recovered is 214 USD), compared to CHW-delivered care. This suggests that achieving good coverage is a key factor influencing cost-effectiveness of CHWs delivering treatment for SAM in this setting. Per week of treatment, households receiving CHW-delivered care spent half of the time receiving treatment and three times less money compared with those receiving treatment from the outpatient facility. Conclusions This study supports existing evidence that the delivery of treatment by CHWs is a cost-effective intervention, provided that good coverage is achieved. A major benefit of this strategy was the lower cost incurred by the beneficiary household when treatment is available in the community. Further research is needed on the implementation costs that would be incurred by the government to increase the operability of these results.

Abstract Background Citizen participation in health service co-production is increasingly enacted. A reason for engaging community members is to co-design services that are locally-appropriate and harness local assets. To date, much literature examines processes of involving participants, with little consideration of innovative services are designed, how innovations emerge, develop and whether they sustain or diffuse. This paper addresses this gap by examining co-designed initiatives through the lens of social innovation – a conceptualisation more attuned to analysing grassroots innovation than common health services research approaches considering top-down, technical innovations. This paper considers whether social innovation is a useful frame for examining co-designed services. Methods Eighty-eight volunteer community-based participants from six rural Australian communities were engaged using the same, tested co-design framework for a 12-month design and then 12-month implementation phase, in 24 workshops (2014–16). Mixed, qualitative data were collected and used to formulate five case studies of community co-designed innovations. A social innovation theory, derived from literature, was applied as an analytical frame to examine co-design cases at 3 stages: innovation growth, development and sustainability/diffusion. Results Social innovation theory was found relevant in examining and understanding what occurred at each stage of innovation development. Innovations themselves were all adaptations of existing ideas. They emerged due to local participants combining knowledge from local context, own experiences and exemplars. External facilitation brought resources together. The project provided a protective niche in which pilot innovations developed, but they needed support from managers and/or policymakers to be implemented; and to be compatible with existing health system practices. For innovations to move to sustainability/diffusion required political relationships. Challenging existing practice without these was problematical. Conclusions Social innovation provides a useful lens to understand the grassroots innovation process implied in community participation in service co-design. It helps to show problems in co-design processes and highlights the need for strong partnerships and advocacy beyond the immediate community for new ideas to thrive. Regional commissioning organisations are intended to diffuse useful, co-designed service innovations. Efforts are required to develop an innovation system to realise the potential of community involvement in co-design.

Abstract Background An estimated 1 in 150 infants is born each year with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV); nearly 1 in 750 suffers permanent disabilities. Congenital CMV is the result of a pregnant woman becoming infected with CMV. Educating pregnant women about CMV is currently the best approach to prevention. Limited research is available on how to effectively communicate with women about CMV. We conducted formative research on fear appeals theory-based messages about CMV and prevention with U.S. women. Fear appeal theories suggest that message recipients will take action if they feel fear. Methods First, we conducted in-depth interviews (N = 32) with women who had young children who tested positive for CMV. Second, we conducted eight focus groups (N = 70) in two phases and two cities (Phase 2: Atlanta, GA; Phase 3: San Diego, CA) with pregnant women and non-pregnant women who had young children. Few participants knew about CMV before the focus groups. Participants reviewed and gave feedback on messages created around fear appeals theory-based communication concepts. The following concepts were tested in one or more of the three phases of research: CMV is severe, CMV is common, CMV is preventable, CMV preventive strategies are similar to other behavior changes women make during pregnancy, CMV preventive strategies can be incorporated in moderation to reduce exposure, and CMV is severe but preventable. Results Participants recommended communicating that CMV is common by using prevalence ratios (e.g., 1 in 150) or comparing CMV to other well-known disabilities. To convey the severity of CMV, participants preferred stories about CMV along with prevention strategies. Participants also welcomed prevention strategies when it included a message about risk reduction. In general, participants said messages were motivating, even if they felt that it could be difficult to make certain behavior changes. Conclusions Findings from this research can contribute to future efforts to educate pregnant women about CMV, especially regarding use of fear appeals-based messages. Pregnant women may face certain challenges to practicing prevention strategies but, overall, are motivated make changes to increase their chances of having a healthy baby.

Abstract Background Little research has been conducted into the physical health implications of suicide bereavement compared to other causes of death. There is some evidence that suicide bereaved parents have higher morbidity, particularly in terms of chronic illness. This systematic review aims to examine the physical and psychosomatic morbidities of people bereaved by a family member’s suicide and compare them with family members bereaved by other modes of death. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched from 1985 to February 2016. The search was re-run in March 2017. Peer-reviewed English language articles comparing suicide-bereaved family members to non-suicide bereaved family members on measures of physical or psychosomatic health were eligible for inclusion. Cohort, cross-sectional, case-control and cohort-based register studies were eligible for inclusion. A modified version of the Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. Results were synthesised using narrative synthesis. Results The literature search located 24 studies which met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies found statistically significant associations between physical health and suicide bereavement. Five of the studies found that suicide-bereaved family members were more likely to experience pain, more physical illnesses and poorer general health. They were also at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In contrast, another study in Denmark found that those bereaved by suicide had a lower risk of a number of physical health disorders, including cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular and chronic lower respiratory tract disorders compared to those bereaved by other causes of death. Additionally, a further study conducted in the United States found that suicide-bereaved children visited a GP less frequently than non-suicide bereaved children. Conclusions Review findings are relevant for clinicians working with people bereaved by suicide as they highlight that such clients are at increased risk of several adverse physical health outcomes. Future research should examine health risk behaviours of suicide-bereaved and non-suicide bereaved family members as they may confound the association between exposure and outcome. Trial Registrations The review protocol has been registered on PROSPERO, registration number CRD42016030007 .

Fifty percent of middle schools and 35% of high schools in Hillsborough County, Florida, serve students at high-risk for teen birth and sexually transmitted infections. This study assessed the desired type of sexual health education (SHE), content, and support for SHE from residents in the districts. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to analyze 314 survey phone interviews with adults, and thematic analysis was used to analyze eight focus groups with 104 youth living in the high-risk school districts. Survey results showed strong community support for comprehensive SHE with human anatomy and reproduction and HIV and sexually transmitted disease as the most supported contents for both middle (93%, 98%) and high school (93%, 97%). However, 38% of adults surveyed agreed that providing information about how to obtain and use contraception would cause teens to be more sexually active. Themes from the focus groups included an acknowledgement of a teen pregnancy problem and perils, support for comprehensive SHE, and a lack of contraception knowledge. In conclusion, adults and youth expressed support and need for comprehensive SHE in their schools. As a link between the community and schools, Hillsborough County school boards have a responsibility to convey such support.

Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a major global public health concern. Despite the cost-effectiveness of treatment, ministries of health are often unable to commit the required funds which limits service coverage. Objective: A randomised controlled trial was conducted in Sindh Province, Pakistan, to assess whether adding a point of use water treatment to the treatment of SAM without complications improved its cost-effectiveness. Three treatment strategies – chlorine disinfection (Aquatabs); flocculent disinfection (Procter and Gamble Purifier of Water [P&G PoW]) and Ceramic Filters – were compared to a standard SAM treatment protocol. Methods: An institutional perspective was adopted for costing, considering the direct and indirect costs incurred by the provider. Combining the cost of SAM treatment and water treatment, an average cost per child was calculated for the combined interventions for each arm. The costs of water treatment alone and the incremental cost-effectiveness of each water treatment intervention were also assessed. Results: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for Aquatabs was 24 US dollars (USD), making it the most cost-effective strategy. The P&G PoW arm was the next least expensive strategy, costing an additional 149 USD per additional child recovered, though it was also the least effective of the three intervention strategies. The Ceramic Filters intervention was the most costly strategy and achieved a recovery rate lower than the Aquatabs arm and marginally higher than the P&G PoW arm. Conclusions: This study found that the addition of a chlorine or flocculent disinfection point-of-use drinking water treatment intervention to the treatment of SAM without complications reduced the cost per child recovered compared to standard SAM treatment. To inform the feasibility of future implementation, further research is required to understand the costs of government implementation and the associated costs to the community and beneficiary household of receiving such an intervention in comparison with the existing SAM treatment protocol. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02751476.

Abstract Background Swaziland has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in sub-Saharan Africa, 26 % of the adult population is infected with HIV. The prevalence is highest among pregnant women, at 41.1 %. According to Swaziland’s prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) guidelines, approximately 50 % of pregnant women are eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART) by CD4 criteria (

Background Good drug regulation requires an effective system for monitoring and inspection of manufacturing and sales units. In India, despite widespread agreement on this principle, ongoing shortages of drug inspectors have been identified by national committees since 1975. The growth of India’s pharmaceutical industry and its large export market makes the problem more acute. Methods The focus of this study is a case study of Maharashtra, which has 29% of India’s manufacturing units and 38% of its medicines exports. India’s regulations were reviewed, comparing international, national and state inspection norms with the actual number of inspectors and inspections. Twenty-six key informant interviews were conducted to ascertain the causes of the shortfall. Results In 2009-2010, 55% of the sanctioned posts of drug inspectors in Maharashtra were vacant. This resulted in a shortfall of 83%, based on the Mashelkar Committee’s recommendations. Less than a quarter of the required inspections of manufacturing and sales units were undertaken. The Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act and its Rules and Regulations make no provisions for drug inspectors and workforce planning norms, despite the growth and increasing complexity of India’s pharmaceutical industry. Conclusion The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) falls short of the Mashelkar Committee’s recommended workforce planning norms. Legislation and political and operational support are required to produce needed changes.

Abstract Background We examined the relationship between dog walking and physical activity within and between four US cities and Australia and investigated if dog walking is associated with higher perceived safety in US and Australian cities. Methods Dog owners (n = 1113) in the Pet Connections Study completed a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected across four study sites; three in the US (San Diego, Nashville, Portland) and a fourth in Australia (Perth). Physical activity, local walking, dog walking, and individual and community perceptions of safety were analysed for dog walkers and non-dog walkers for each study site. Between-city comparisons were examined for dog walkers. Results Across all study sites, dog walkers walked with their dog 5–6 times/week for a total of 93–109 min/week and achieved ≥30mins of physical activity on more days/week and walked in their neighbourhood more often/week, compared with non-dog walkers (all p ≤ 0.01). Compared with Perth, significantly fewer dog walkers walked in their local park in the three US study sites. San Diego dog walkers walked more often in their neighborhood/week compared with Perth dog walkers (all p ≤ 0.05). In Portland, dog walkers perceived significantly more neighborhood problems and in Nashville dog walkers perceived a significantly higher level of neighborhood natural surveillance (i.e., ‘eyes on the street’), compared with non-dog walkers (both p ≤ 0.05). Among dog walkers, females were more likely than males to feel safer walking with their dog in their neighborhood (OR = 2.49; 95 % CI = 1.76, 3.53). Compared with dog walkers in Perth, dog walkers from each of the US study sites felt safer in their neighborhood and perceived there was more neighborhood surveillance (all p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion This multi-site international study provides further support for the potential for dog walking to increase levels of daily physical activity. Walking with a dog may be a mechanism for increasing perceptions of neighborhood safety and getting to know the neighborhood, however significant between-country differences exist. Further international research is required to understand the drivers for these between-country differences. Community based programs and policies aimed at improving safety and social connectedness should consider the wider community benefits of dog walking and include strategies for supporting more dog walking.

Background: Interventions to improve the antimicrobial prescribing practices of doctors have been implemented widely to curtail the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, but have been met with varying levels of success. Objectives: This study aimed to generate an in-depth understanding of how antimicrobial prescribing interventions ‘work’ (or do not work) for doctors in training by taking into account the wider context in which prescribing decisions are enacted. Design: The review followed a realist approach to evidence synthesis, which uses an interpretive, theory-driven analysis of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods data from relevant studies. Setting: Primary and secondary care. Participants: Not applicable. Interventions: Studies related to antimicrobial prescribing for doctors in training. Main outcome measures: Not applicable. Data sources: EMBASE (via Ovid), MEDLINE (via Ovid), MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations (via Ovid), PsycINFO (via Ovid), Web of Science core collection limited to Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Science (CPCI-S) (via Thomson Reuters), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) database (all via The Cochrane Library), Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) (via ProQuest), Google Scholar (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) and expert recommendations. Review methods: Clearly bounded searches of electronic databases were supplemented by citation tracking and grey literature. Following quality standards for realist reviews, the retrieved articles were systematically screened and iteratively analysed to develop theoretically driven explanations. A programme theory was produced with input from a stakeholder group consisting of practitioners and patient representatives. Results: A total of 131 articles were included. The overarching programme theory developed from the analysis of these articles explains how and why doctors in training decide to passively comply with or actively follow (1) seniors’ prescribing habits, (2) the way seniors take into account prescribing aids and seek the views of other health professionals and (3) the way seniors negotiate patient expectations. The programme theory also explains what drives willingness or reluctance to ask questions about antimicrobial prescribing or to challenge the decisions made by seniors. The review outlines how these outcomes result from complex inter-relationships between the contexts of practice doctors in training are embedded in (hierarchical relationships, powerful prescribing norms, unclear roles and responsibilities, implicit expectations about knowledge levels and application in practice) and the mechanisms triggered in these contexts (fear of criticism and individual responsibility, reputation management, position in the clinical team and appearing competent). Drawing on these findings, we set out explicit recommendations for optimal tailoring, design and implementation of antimicrobial prescribing interventions targeted at doctors in training. Limitations: Most articles included in the review discussed hospital-based, rather than primary, care. In cases when few data were available to fully capture all the nuances between context, mechanisms and outcomes, we have been explicit about the strength of our arguments. Conclusions: This review contributes to our understanding of how antimicrobial prescribing interventions for doctors in training can be better embedded in the hierarchical and interprofessional dynamics of different health-care settings. Future work: More work is required to understand how interprofessional support for doctors in training can contribute to appropriate prescribing in the context of hierarchical dynamics. Study registration: This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015017802. Funding: The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

Background Pharmacovigilance (PV) data are crucial for ensuring safety and effectiveness of medicines after drugs have been granted marketing approval. This paper describes the PV systems of India, Uganda and South Africa based on literature and Key Informant (KI) interviews and compares them with the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) minimum PV requirements for a Functional National PV System. Methods A documentary analysis of academic literature and policy reports was undertaken to assess the medicines regulatory systems and policies in the three countries. A gap analysis from the document review indicated a need for further research in PV. KI interviews covered topics on PV: structure and practices of the system; current regulatory policy; capacity limitations, staffing, funding and training; availability and reporting of data; and awareness and usage of the systems. Twenty interviews were conducted in India, 8 in Uganda and 11 in South Africa with government officials from the ministries of health, national regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical producers, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), members of professional associations and academia. The findings from the literature and KI interviews were compared with WHO’s minimum requirements. Results All three countries were confronted with similar barriers: lack of sufficient funding, limited number of trained staff, inadequate training programs, unclear roles and poor coordination of activities. Although KI interviews represented viewpoints of the respondents, the findings confirmed the documentary analysis of the literature. Although South Africa has a legal requirement for PV, we found that the three countries uniformly lacked adequate capacity to monitor medicines and evaluate risks according to the minimum standards of the WHO. Conclusion A strong PV system is an important part of the overall medicine regulatory system and reflects on the stringency and competence of the regulatory bodies in regulating the market ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medications. National PV systems in the study countries needed strengthening. Greater attention to funding is needed to coordinate and sustain PV activities. Our study highlights a need for developing more systematic approaches to regularly monitoring and evaluating PV policy and practices.