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Evidence is growing to support mind-body practices (e.g., yoga) as a therapeutic intervention for many health conditions. In the UK, yoga is promoted as a social prescription asset by the National Health Service (NHS), yet the factors influencing its implementation are poorly understood. This study explored the attitudes, knowledge and understanding of mind-body practices as a social prescribing asset amongst health science populations within higher education. Twenty-six health science staff and students completed an online questionnaire. Data analysis used a mixed-methods approach, employing thematic analysis for qualitative data and calculating the net promoter score (NPS) to assess participants' inclination to recommend mind-body practices as a social prescribing asset. Nineteen participants (73%) were aware of the term “social prescription” and understood it to be a non-clinical, community-based alternative to medication. Whilst participants were aware of the physical benefits of mind-body practices, particularly yoga, they lacked awareness of the social, emotional, and spiritual benefits. Although 42% of participants would recommend mind-body practices as a social prescribing asset (NPS of 15), the opposite was true for yoga (NPS of -15), potentially due to poor knowledge or personal engagement with yoga. This study underlines the importance of increasing understanding and promoting yoga as an adjuvant mind-body practice to achieve social, emotional, and spiritual benefits. Implementing educational strategies to increase knowledge of mind-body practices and yoga, with a focus on social prescribing practice, may help to improve future referral pathways in practice in line with the NHS long term plan.

Mobile-application based interventions promoting engagement in regular physical activity have been shown to afford weight loss, although the wider health benefits remain unknown. This exploratory intervention study quantified the effects of a 10-week mobile-application based personal training programme combined with nutritional education content, considering physical and psychosocial health-related outcomes. Eleven healthy individuals completed the intervention, comprising physical activity prescription (resistance and high intensity interval training), nutritional education, a daily step target and online personal trainer support. Outcomes included anthropometrics, circumferential measurements, resting heart rate, blood pressure, aerobic capacity, self-rated health, physical activity enjoyment scale, and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index. Significant reductions in body mass, circumferential measurements and aerobic capacity (p<0.05) were observed amongst participants. Mobile-application based interventions promoting physical activity may elicit improvements in physical health outcomes. Although healthy individuals were recruited for the purpose of this study, further research is now warranted to explore the potential health-related benefits of such mobile-applications amongst targeted groups such as disengaged, inactive populations, or individuals with long-term health conditions.

Introduction A higher prevalence of knee pain in Southeast Asian countries, compared with non-Asian countries, is an established fact. This article hypothesizes that this fact, combined with personal, cultural, and environmental factors, may influence attitudes towards illness and treatment-seeking behaviour and adherence. Objective This study aimed to determine current attitudes, stigma, and barriers of women to the management of chronic knee pain and treatment in two Southeast Asian countries. Methods Fourteen semi-structured interviews explored female lived perceptions of chronic knee pain in Southeast Asia. Using a phenomenological reduction process, open-ended questions allowed participants to voice their perceptions of their experience of this knee condition. Particular foci were potential stigma associated with the perceptions of others, health-seeking attitudes, and attitudes towards exercise. Results The shared experiences of managing chronic knee pain revealed the impact of their condition on participants' normality of life and their struggles with pain, limitations, and fear for the future. Key individual, interpersonal, organisational and community barriers and facilitators impacted the health seeking attitudes and engagement with conservative rehabilitation programmes. Conclusion Improved socio-cultural competency and consideration for an individuals’ intersectional identity and interpersonal relationships are key to designing rehabilitation and conservative management solutions. Co-creating alternative pathways for rehabilitation for individuals that are more distant from health facilities may help reduce socio-cultural barriers at a community level.