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Abstracts Critical Public Health WHITEHALL 2, CAMS Wednesday 07/09/2016 at 12:45 – 13:50 The Knowledge and Attitudes of UK University Students in Relation to Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) Exposure and their Sun-Related Behaviours: A Qualitative Study Kirk, L., Greenfield, S. (University of Birmingham) Malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and rising. With advances in accessibility to go abroad and use sunbeds, combined with the popularity to acquire a tan, young adults' sun-related behaviours are significantly increasing their risk of skin cancer. Understanding their knowledge and attitudes towards these behaviours would be key for developing effective skin cancer prevention campaigns. While existing evidence suggests appearance and health-related motives encourage the preference for tanning over sun-protection, evidence is inconclusive on whether knowledge affects sun-related behaviours. Equally, literature on attitudes has not been qualitatively studied in-depth pertinent to UK male and female students. 15 students from a UK University were individually interviewed to explore whether their knowledge on the harms of ultraviolet radiation influences their sun- related behaviours and to examine their attitudes towards: sun-protection, natural and artificial tanning behaviours. With thematic analysis using the Framework Method, analyst triangulation and member validation, five themes emerged. Knowledge did not strongly influence sun-related behaviours. Body image (Slade 1994) strongly motivated participants' sun-protection, natural and artificial tanning practices where implications on appearances affected self- confidence, owing to external influences from: peers, media and family. Unrealistic optimism appeared key in governing decisions towards harmful behaviours whereas perceived susceptibility (Health Belief Model; Becker 1974) to sunburn encouraged sun-protection. Overall, attitudes towards sun-related behaviours are multi-dimensional with influences linked, indicating the diversity of potential areas to be addressed for skin-cancer prevention. Public Health strategies may benefit from appearance-related campaigns, encouraging safer parental sun-related habits and correcting sun-related misconceptions. From Lifestyle Programme to Changing Social Practice: An Illustration from Football Fans in Training Wyke, S., Hunt, K., Bunn, C., Gray, C.M. (University of Glasgow) Recent theoretical developments constitute social practices as the integration of meanings, materials and competencies, and distinguish between practices as entities (a 'recognisable doing that is relatively stable') and practices as performance (the specific enactment of a practice by carriers)1. In summarising these developments Maller2 suggests they offer useful purchase on how to intervene to improve public health. This paper investigates the usefulness of the developments to understand lifestyle changes made by men aged 35-65 taking part in a group-based weight management programme delivered through football clubs, Football Fans in Training (FFIT). A randomised controlled trial in 13 clubs showed FFIT was effective in supporting long-term weight loss. Data from focus groups conducted immediately post- programme and 12 months after baseline measurement were analysed in relation to what was said about changes in meanings, competencies and the influences of materials. By participating in FFIT and interacting with other men in the football setting, men constructed new meanings for practices such as eating breakfast or walking more. For many, these practices were adopted as signifiers of 'men who cared about health', became taken for granted and embedded in everyday life. The programme introduced new competencies such as self-monitoring or reading food labels which were reported as powerful tools. The programme materials (the pedometer, club-branded programme guide and t-shirt, the stadium itself) were critical. The focus groups showed that repeated performance of practices whilst on the programme enabled their 'carriage' over time, enabling sustained change in the practices themselves after the programme ended. Ethnicity WHITEHALL 3, CAMS Wednesday 07 September 2016 at 13:20 - 13:50 1 Abstracts Being Invisible: Understanding the Experiences of the South Asian Population and Dementia Service Provision Atcha, M., Bingley, A., Keegan, T., Froggatt, K., Barnsley, K. (Lancaster University) People from the South Asian population are observed to have an elevated risk of developing dementia, related to a high incidence of diabetes and hypertension. However,this population appears to be under-represented in dementia research and service provision. The disparity between the prevalence of people with dementia and the reported incidence of dementia, especially among South Asian populations(United Kingdom's largest ethnic minority), is of concern to public health service providers. This paper reports on mixed-methods doctoral research that aimed to identify the social and cultural issues affecting the decisions of people with dementia and their families in the South Asian population in Blackburn with Darwen(BwD), seeking health and social care support. The research involved two phases: Phase1 assessed the incidence of dementia in BwD by age,sex, and ethnicity. Phase2 used qualitative methods to explore how members of the BwD South Asian population perceived dementia and those with relatives with the condition engaged with local dementia care services. Data was collected via three focus groups with people involved in a community project; dyad interviews with people living with dementia and their families; and interviews with healthcare professionals working in dementia services. Early findings suggest negative perceptions of dementia strongly influenced by cultural beliefs, resulting in people with dementia being hidden away by their families. This may explain why health professionals report that this population seek help late in the illness, and there is an argument for public health services to develop culturally relevant outreach programmes based on Alzheimer's Society 'Dementia Friendly Communities'. Exploring the Relationship Between Stigma and Help-Seeking for Mental Illness in African-Descended Faith Communities in the UK Mantovani, N., Pizzolati, M., Edge, D. (St George's, University of London) Stigma related to mental illness affects all ethnic groups but is especially prevalent in minority communities and is known to contribute to the production and maintenance of mental illness and to restrict access to care and support, thereby potentially increasing disparities. Little is known of the links between stigma and help-seeking for mental illness in African and Caribbean populations. Building on the evidence that Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) can aid the development of effective public health strategies, this qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with faith communities of African descent to explore the complex ways in which stigma influences help-seeking for mental illness in these communities. A thematic approach to analyse the data was applied to the entire data set. Twenty-six men and women who had varying levels of involvement with FBOs in South London were interviewed (e.g. six faith leaders, thirteen 'active members', and seven 'regular attendees'). The factors found to influence help-seeking behavior in African-descended communities were: beliefs about the causes of mental illness; 'silencing' of mental illness resulting from heightened levels of ideological stigma in these communities; and stigma (re)production and maintenance at community level. Individuals with a diagnosis of mental illness are likely to experience a triple jeopardy in terms of stigma – rejection by their families, stigma and alienation from their communities and internalised 'self-stigma'. 'One-size-fits-all' approaches cannot effectively meet the needs of diverse populations. Barriers to help-seeking for mental illness could be removed through active engagement of service users, families and community members in co- producing services. Experiences of Health and Illness G63, MAIN BUILDING Wednesday 07 September 2016 at 12:45 – 16:10 Dualities of Dementia Accounts: Biographical Reconstruction and Narrative Economies Hillman, A., Jones, I. R. (Cardiff University) 2 Abstacts Recently Marian Burchardt (2015) has referred to 'narrative economies' as a set of exchange relationships that, through biography and story-telling, facilitate access to resources and act as a source of symbolic and material value. This paper draws on findings from a pilot study undertaken as part of the ESRC funded project 'Improving the experience of dementia and enhancing active life' (IDEAL) and explores how biographical accounts by dementia patients and carers (re)produce important forms of value. Qualitative interviews were carried out with a group of people with dementia and their carers. The participants were members of a pre-existing group of patient advocates, facilitated by the Alzheimer's society, who represent the voices of patients and carers in research. Given the increasing success of campaigns to ensure the voice of people with dementia is represented, there are a growing number of people in the early stages of dementia - like our participants - being called upon to account for their experience, as a means of developing a politicised collective illness identity (Brown et al 2004). Consequently our interviews have multiple meanings. They highlight the ways in which