A qualitative interview exploration of experiences and beliefs around risky health behaviours in a paediatric and an adult cystic fibrosis population

Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and illicit drug use are prevalent within the Cystic Fibrosis population, with these behaviours having adverse health effects upon patients regardless of their treatment adherence. Previous quantitative research highlighting the incidence, prevalence and effects of these behaviours within the Cystic Fibrosis population demonstrates the need for more effective health promotion measures to be integrated into Cystic Fibrosis care. Therefore, attempting to reduce occurring risky health behaviours specifically within the Cystic Fibrosis population, this doctoral research aimed to identify influential factors associated with these behaviours. This research utilised qualitative methods to explore beliefs associated with risky health behaviours within the adult Cystic Fibrosis population. This first phase of data collection was followed by another qualitative study exploring Cystic Fibrosis adolescents' understanding of, and beliefs about risky health behaviours. Both phases of data collection highlight that a desire to be normal, acceptance of Cystic Fibrosis and awareness of risks are influential in initiation and engagement of risky health behaviours. Both adult and paediatric participants reported a lack of awareness regarding adverse health effects of risky behaviours, demonstrating the need for more effective health promotion and encouragement of healthier lifestyles. Accordingly, to create a corresponding intervention, the researcher has listened to how Cystic Fibrosis Specialist Nurses perceive the issue of risky health behaviours within the population, along with gaining Cystic Fibrosis health care professionals' views on what interventions are needed to reduce the occurrence of such behaviours. The researcher presently plans to collaborate with health care professionals to design an intervention, which would consist of continuous professional development for health care professionals to improve awareness on risky health behaviours within the Cystic Fibrosis population, and would inform patients regarding the Cystic Fibrosis-specific adverse effects of risky health behaviours via interdisciplinary collaboration and scholarship between psychology and technology. Overall this research has provided practical insight into policy change for the prevention and reduction of risky health behaviours within the Cystic Fibrosis population nationally and internationally by informing current advice and practice

How does mindful eating without non-judgement, mindfulness and self-compassion relate to motivations to eat palatable foods in a student population?

Background: Previous research acknowledges the impact mindfulness, mindful eating and self-compassion has upon weight regulation and motives to eat palatable foods; with mindful eating showing an increased impact of eating behaviours. Some research has identified that present moment awareness should be the primary focus of mindful eating. Aim: This research aimed to explore the relationship between mindfulness, self-compassion, and mindful eating with motivations to eat palatable food. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate this relationship amongst university students (n=211), utilizing a newly developed mindful eating scale primarily focusing on present moment awareness. Results: Results indicated significant negative correlations between both self-compassion and mindful eating and motives to eat palatable foods. Mindful eating positively correlated with self-compassion and other mindfulness elements that are suggesting indirect acceptance measurements of the mindful eating scale. Conclusion: Possible explanations and future directions are discussed further with an emphasis on the need for more empirical work. In addition, suggestions are provided regarding the reinterpretation of elements that are investigated and explored in eating literature

An exploration into knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs towards risky health behaviours in a paediatric Cystic Fibrosis population

Risky behaviours are prevalent within the cystic fibrosis (CF) population; however, there is a lack of research which has investigated risky behaviour engagement among adolescents with CF, with reasons for initiation currently being unknown, as no qualitative studies have been conducted. This research therefore examines knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs towards risky behaviours at an age commonly associated with initiation. Ten paediatric participants were recruited. Thematic analysis illustrated several psychological factors associated with risky behaviours. A desire for normalcy was evident, with this been associated with a desire to engage in normalised risky behaviours. Evidence of a life-orientated illness perspective was also prevalent, with participants believing that many individuals engage in risky behaviours for fun. Overall, there was a reported lack of knowledge on consequences of risky behaviours, with many participants not being informed of these by health care professionals (HCPs). This research provides insight into an area of CF paediatric care which could be improved on, with the provision of awareness regarding risky behaviours not being embedded within paediatric CF care. Consequently, this research demonstrates the need for interventions to be integrated into paediatric CF care for the prevention and reduction of risky behaviours

In the Making: The ‘Power to the People’ Workshop Track at Crafting the Future

Over the last decade several projects and exhibitions have explored how crafts can play a central role for empowerment through social development, innovation and entrepreneurship. In order to facilitate this, there is a need to explore how craft practices can act as tools for empowerment, both in research and practice. The ‘Power to the People’ track at the European Academy of Design Conference in Gothenburg 2013 tried to answer this challenge with a series of craft-based seminars, each centred on a participant's proposed craft or ‘Paper of Practice’. This formed a series of practice-based seminars that mixed hands-on activities and discussion, centred on and emerging from the very act of doing

“Hair is your crown and glory” – Black women’s experiences of living with alopecia and the role of social support

Background:Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that results in hair loss, mainly from the scalp. There are three specific types of auto-immune alopecia: alopecia areata (AA; small patches of hair loss), alopecia totalis (AT; total hair loss from the scalp) and alopecia universalis (AU; total hair loss from the scalp and body). Whilst research has explored the experiences of White women living with alopecia, there is a lack of research exploring the impact of alopecia on women in the Black community. The current study aimed to explore Black women’s experience of living with autoimmune types of alopecia with a focus on the cultural importance of hair within the Black community and the impact of social support.Participants and procedure:Seven Black women (age range: 37-68 years; mean age: 51 years) were recruited purposively through alopecia support group organisations and social media to participate in a semi-structured interview; four participants were diagnosed with AA, two participants were diagnosed with AU, and one participant was diagnosed with AT. One-to-one interviews were conducted online, and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to guide data collection and analysis.Results:Participants discussed the significance of hair specifically within the Black community and the complex relationship be-tween psychological wellbeing, coping and seeking support.Conclusions:This novel area, specific to Black women’s psychological experience of alopecia, acknowledges the influence of cultural and ethnic differences. The findings suggest that proactive awareness from health professionals and social support groups are needed due to the nuances of Black women’s alopecia experience to provide better support and to enhance the quality of life for Black women to manage their alopecia.Background:Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that results in hair loss, mainly from the scalp. There are three specific types of auto-immune alopecia: alopecia areata (AA; small patches of hair loss), alopecia totalis (AT; total hair loss from the scalp) and alopecia universalis (AU; total hair loss from the scalp and body). Whilst research has explored the experiences of White women living with alopecia, there is a lack of research exploring the impact of alopecia on women in the Black community. The current study aimed to explore Black women’s experience of living with autoimmune types of alopecia with a focus on the cultural importance of hair within the Black community and the impact of social support.Participants and procedure:Seven Black women (age range: 37-68 years; mean age: 51 years) were recruited purposively through alopecia support group organisations and social media to participate in a semi-structured interview; four participants were diagnosed with AA, two participants were diagnosed with AU, and one participant was diagnosed with AT. One-to-one interviews were conducted online, and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to guide data collection and analysis.Results:Participants discussed the significance of hair specifically within the Black community and the complex relationship be-tween psychological wellbeing, coping and seeking support.Conclusions:This novel area, specific to Black women’s psychological experience of alopecia, acknowledges the influence of cultural and ethnic differences. The findings suggest that proactive awareness from health professionals and social support groups are needed due to the nuances of Black women’s alopecia experience to provide better support and to enhance the quality of life for Black women to manage their alopecia

Healthy and unhealthy eating amongst stressed students: considering the influence of mindfulness on eating choices and consumption

Background Academic stress is associated with (a) increased food intake and (b) choosing calorie-dense food choices in higher education students. In this research, mindfulness was used to alleviate academic stress and, in effect, promote healthier eating behaviours and decision-making. Participants and procedure Ninety students were randomly allocated to either a mindfulness or a control condition. Both conditions exposed students to a stress-inducing task and levels of anxiety were recorded three times (i.e., prior to and after stress induction, and post-intervention) during the experiment. Chocolate and grapes were available to participants after the experiment as a token of appreciation. Results Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that mindfulness had a non-significant effect on increasing consumption of healthy food, but assisted the decrease in consuming unhealthy food when compared to the control group. The main analyses revealed that when mindfulness alleviated stress (i.e., by using the anxiety measurements as a manipulation check), students consumed more healthy food and less unhealthy food. Conclusions Mindfulness appears to enable better decision making as regards healthy and unhealthy foods when mindfulness meditation actually works. While the results appear positive, non-engagement with mindfulness meditation may necessitate the availability of other practices to reduce anxiety and stress. Clinical implications and the integration of health and wellbeing initiatives into universities are discussed.Background Academic stress is associated with (a) increased food intake and (b) choosing calorie-dense food choices in higher education students. In this research, mindfulness was used to alleviate academic stress and, in effect, promote healthier eating behaviours and decision-making. Participants and procedure Ninety students were randomly allocated to either a mindfulness or a control condition. Both conditions exposed students to a stress-inducing task and levels of anxiety were recorded three times (i.e., prior to and after stress induction, and post-intervention) during the experiment. Chocolate and grapes were available to participants after the experiment as a token of appreciation. Results Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that mindfulness had a non-significant effect on increasing consumption of healthy food, but assisted the decrease in consuming unhealthy food when compared to the control group. The main analyses revealed that when mindfulness alleviated stress (i.e., by using the anxiety measurements as a manipulation check), students consumed more healthy food and less unhealthy food. Conclusions Mindfulness appears to enable better decision making as regards healthy and unhealthy foods when mindfulness meditation actually works. While the results appear positive, non-engagement with mindfulness meditation may necessitate the availability of other practices to reduce anxiety and stress. Clinical implications and the integration of health and wellbeing initiatives into universities are discussed

Examining the impact of mindfulness and self-compassion on the relationship between mental health and resiliency

BackgroundMechanisms for improving resiliency, and the potential benefits of doing so, are not well evidenced and understood. This research explored the relationship between mental health and resiliency, to broaden the perspectives of influ-ences on resiliency by controlling for mindfulness and self-compassion.Participants and procedureOne questionnaire comprised four pre-developed questions, examining mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress), resilience, mindfulness and self-compassion. Participants (N = 551) were recruited from the general public across the West and East Midlands of England.ResultsThe results showed that poor mental health was related negatively to resilience. Furthermore, the negative relation-ship of resiliency with mental health was mediated when controlling for mindfulness and self-compassion.ConclusionsMindfulness and compassion-based interventions have the potential to develop resiliency by influencing their rela-tionship with health. Future directions are discussed.BackgroundMechanisms for improving resiliency, and the potential benefits of doing so, are not well evidenced and understood. This research explored the relationship between mental health and resiliency, to broaden the perspectives of influ-ences on resiliency by controlling for mindfulness and self-compassion.Participants and procedureOne questionnaire comprised four pre-developed questions, examining mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress), resilience, mindfulness and self-compassion. Participants (N = 551) were recruited from the general public across the West and East Midlands of England.ResultsThe results showed that poor mental health was related negatively to resilience. Furthermore, the negative relation-ship of resiliency with mental health was mediated when controlling for mindfulness and self-compassion.ConclusionsMindfulness and compassion-based interventions have the potential to develop resiliency by influencing their rela-tionship with health. Future directions are discussed

The Challenges of Eating Well for People Living with Cystic Fibrosis: an Interview Study Exploring the Use of Mindful Eating Approaches and Behaviours to Support Optimal Nutritional Status

Background Nutritional status and weight are closely linked to lung function and health status in cystic fibrosis (CF). The investigation of eating behaviours has shown mindfulness practices to be useful in modifying eating behaviours, particularly with obesity; to date, no research specifically explores how these concepts may be utilised within a CF population who face specific challenges in eating behaviours. Method Adult patients (n = 20, M = 8, age range 21–62 years) were recruited from a UK CF regional centre to take part in qualitative semi-structured interviews. Experiences of eating behaviours focusing on the use of mindful (or mindless) eating as barriers and enablers to achieving and maintaining optimal nutritional status were explored. Data were analysed using thematic analysis with a contextualist approach to understand how participants experienced eating behaviours within the context of health and weight status. Results Participants engaged readily in discussions of eating behaviour describing active self-regulation of food eaten and calorie intake. Participants who struggled to maintain weight employed strategies to increase calorie intake such as distraction and multitasking while eating. Most participants reported no pleasure in food, describing eating as another treatment to endure. Confusion existed around how to eat healthily for CF alongside co-morbid health conditions including diabetes, cholesterol and heart disease. Conclusion Participants were highly aware of their eating behaviours, engaging in intentional and deliberate preparations, which could be described as mindful, for making eating a more automatic or mindless activity. Modifications to usual mindful eating interventions are needed to support people with CF

A weekend/weekday comparison of adherence to daily treatment regimens in adults with cystic fibrosis

Background Treatment adherence is a major concern in cystic fibrosis (CF), with accumulating evidence that health outcomes are worse in patients with lower levels of adherence. This study investigates how adherence differs for adults with CF during a weekday and a weekend day by examining the roles of sex, anxiety, depression, and lung function as predictors of adherence. Participants and procedure Fifty-two adult participants with CF were recruited. Demographics and spirometry results were recorded. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and two daily phone diaries in order to record their adherence to pancreatic enzymes, vitamins, physiotherapy and exercise. Based on previous findings, it was hypothesised that reported adherence would be higher during the weekend in comparison to weekdays, due to lower time pressure during the weekend. Results Paired sample t-tests indicated that overall participants had higher reported adherence during the weekend in comparison to weekdays, with sex, anxiety, depression and lung function being predictors of adherence. Conclusions Clinical implications and future directions are discussed, with an emphasis on the need for further qualitative research. We are now conducting another research project utilising qualitative interviews with participants to further investigate adherence within the CF population. Our aim is to identify the main adherence barriers and to develop interventions to improve treatment adherence in the CF population.Background Treatment adherence is a major concern in cystic fibrosis (CF), with accumulating evidence that health outcomes are worse in patients with lower levels of adherence. This study investigates how adherence differs for adults with CF during a weekday and a weekend day by examining the roles of sex, anxiety, depression, and lung function as predictors of adherence. Participants and procedure Fifty-two adult participants with CF were recruited. Demographics and spirometry results were recorded. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and two daily phone diaries in order to record their adherence to pancreatic enzymes, vitamins, physiotherapy and exercise. Based on previous findings, it was hypothesised that reported adherence would be higher during the weekend in comparison to weekdays, due to lower time pressure during the weekend. Results Paired sample t-tests indicated that overall participants had higher reported adherence during the weekend in comparison to weekdays, with sex, anxiety, depression and lung function being predictors of adherence. Conclusions Clinical implications and future directions are discussed, with an emphasis on the need for further qualitative research. We are now conducting another research project utilising qualitative interviews with participants to further investigate adherence within the CF population. Our aim is to identify the main adherence barriers and to develop interventions to improve treatment adherence in the CF population