The college setting represents an untapped window of opportunity to target the growing number of college student smokers. To address this need the current study tested an intervention drawing upon research from social psychology and previously effective health-related interventions. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of an experiential, dissonance-enhancing smoking intervention for increasing motivation to quit smoking and reducing smoking by comparing it to two control groups, in a three-arm randomized study. Participants were 215 college student smokers randomized to an experiential smoking intervention, a traditional educational smoking intervention, or an experiential intervention on nutrition. A secondary purpose of the present study was to explore the influence of possible mediating variables (e.g. risk perceptions, smoking knowledge) and to investigate whether demographic or smoking history variables would moderate the effects of the intervention. As predicted, the experiential smoking intervention was more effective in increasing motivation to quit as compared to both groups. However, moderator analyses revealed that the effect was found only for females. Increased motivation to quit was also demonstrated on an immediate behavioral measure of impact. Additional analyses indicated that a greater reduction in smoking and higher quit rates at follow-up were found for participants in both smoking conditions as compared to participants in the Nutrition control condition. Potential mechanisms of change were not supported; however, participants who received the experiential smoking intervention exhibited greater smoking knowledge and were more likely to report greater negative consequences of smoking. Findings support the efficacy of a standard didactic intervention, and the added efficacy of a more intensive experiential intervention. Implications for intervention are discussed.

<p>Given the question of how to further decrease childhood mortality and attain the fourth MDG in Bangladesh, the determinants of childhood mortality and successful health intervention programmes in a rural area of Bangladesh are examined in this paper. The binominal logit regression analysis, on Matlab HDSS data from 2001 to 2005, indicates that the child’s birth order, outcome of mother’s previous pregnancy, mother’s age, mother’s education, economic condition of the household, immunization, and place of delivery are important determining factors of childhood mortality. Interview discussions show that the delivery of health services is a determining factor for successful health intervention programmes. It is worth to note that childhood mortality levels are no longer significantly lower in the treatment area of Matlab. Furthermore, the intervention programmes in the area require continuous reform, especially in the fields of birth assistance and injury prevention.</p>

Given the question of how to further decrease childhood mortality and attain the fourth MDG in Bangladesh, the determinants of childhood mortality and successful health intervention programmes in a rural area of Bangladesh are examined in this paper. The binominal logit regression analysis, on Matlab HDSS data from 2001 to 2005, indicates that the child’s birth order, outcome of mother’s previous pregnancy, mother’s age, mother’s education, economic condition of the household, immunization, and place of delivery are important determining factors of childhood mortality. Interview discussions show that the delivery of health services is a determining factor for successful health intervention programmes. It is worth to note that childhood mortality levels are no longer significantly lower in the treatment area of Matlab. Furthermore, the intervention programmes in the area require continuous reform, especially in the fields of birth assistance and injury prevention.

Rising obesity rates and low physical activity levels among children and youth are a global concern due to links to adverse health outcomes, poor quality of life, and an increased burden on the health care system. One response to the problem has been the implementation of school-based physical activity and nutrition policies. For example, the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Daily Physical Activity (DPA) Policy mandates that all elementary school students receive at least 20 minutes of physical activity per day. This exploratory research sought to understand the local-level factors shaping implementation of DPA, from the perspective of elementary school teachers and principals. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with Ontario grade 1-8 teachers (n=14) and elementary school principals (n=5) regarding DPA implementation, facilitators, barriers, perceived outcomes, and suggestions for change. Interviews were audio recorded (with permission) and transcribed verbatim for subsequent thematic analysis using NVivo. Although all but two participants indicated they had implemented DPA, the majority reported that students were not meeting the requirement daily. Findings were organized using the Analysis Grid for Environments Linked to Obesity (ANGELO) framework. Implementation facilitators were focused within the microenvironment (i.e., classrooms and schools), while barriers were identified within both the micro- and macroenvironments (i.e., classrooms, schools, school boards, and the Ministry of Education). Both teachers and principals considered DPA a lower priority than other subjects, partly because of limited monitoring of implementation within schools and school boards. Participants discussed student benefits resulting from DPA; however, student fitness was not identified as a positive outcome- in fact, some questioned whether the policy is improving student physical activity levels. The results suggest the status of DPA results from a failure of implementation rather than a failure of concept. Participants believed increasing student physical activity levels was important; however, they argued that factors within the classroom, school, school board, and Ministry of Education limit the feasibility of delivering DPA. This thesis contributes to the limited literature regarding the evaluation of DPA implementation and outcomes by exploring the perspectives of teachers and principals implementing the policy. Substantive, methodological, and theoretical contributions to the school-based physical activity literature are discussed, followed by policy implications and directions for future research.

BAKGRUND: Att arbeta med hälsofrämjande insatser är att effektivt sätt att minska ohälsosamma levnadsvanor hos individer med psykisk funktionsnedsättning. Personal som arbetar hälsofrämjande kan aktivt förebygga risker hos funktionsnedsatta och motivera dem till en förändrad livsstil.     SYFTE: Syftet med vår uppsats var att ta del av hur personal som arbetar med individer med psykisk funktionsnedsättning upplever en hälsointervention. Vi ville ta del av deras upplevelser och tankar kring utbildningar de gått och hur de sedan går tillväga för att motivera individerna till att leva ett hälsosammare liv, genom att stärka egenmakten hos individen för att uppnå resultat till en förändring av ohälsa. Vi vill också ta del av deras upplevelser av motiverande samtal som pedagogisk metod i arbetet och hur personalen använder sig av metoden för att motivera individerna på boendena och att hjälpa dem under förändringsprocessen.   METOD: För att få reda på personalens upplevelser av hälsointerventionen genomfördes en fallstudie på två boenden, där deltagarna fått utbildning i motiverande samtal och tips på enkla aktiviteter som kan ha stor betydelse i de boendes/individernas vardag för att göra det enklare att välja mer hälsosamma alternativ. Metoden som användes var en fenomenografisk kvalitativ intervju och deltagarna i vår undersökning var fyra personal som arbetar på två boenden.   RESULTAT: Resultatet i undersökningen visade att personalen upplevde hälsointerventionen som något positivt för att stärka samhörigheten mellan brukare och personal. De upplevde utbildningen om motiverande samtal som mest givande i hälsointerventionen.

Rising obesity rates and low physical activity levels among children and youth are a global concern due to links to adverse health outcomes, poor quality of life, and an increased burden on the health care system. One response to the problem has been the implementation of school-based physical activity and nutrition policies. For example, the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Daily Physical Activity (DPA) Policy mandates that all elementary school students receive at least 20 minutes of physical activity per day. This exploratory research sought to understand the local-level factors shaping implementation of DPA, from the perspective of elementary school teachers and principals. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with Ontario grade 1-8 teachers (n=14) and elementary school principals (n=5) regarding DPA implementation, facilitators, barriers, perceived outcomes, and suggestions for change. Interviews were audio recorded (with permission) and transcribed verbatim for subsequent thematic analysis using NVivo. Although all but two participants indicated they had implemented DPA, the majority reported that students were not meeting the requirement daily. Findings were organized using the Analysis Grid for Environments Linked to Obesity (ANGELO) framework. Implementation facilitators were focused within the microenvironment (i.e., classrooms and schools), while barriers were identified within both the micro- and macroenvironments (i.e., classrooms, schools, school boards, and the Ministry of Education). Both teachers and principals considered DPA a lower priority than other subjects, partly because of limited monitoring of implementation within schools and school boards. Participants discussed student benefits resulting from DPA; however, student fitness was not identified as a positive outcome- in fact, some questioned whether the policy is improving student physical activity levels. The results suggest the status of DPA results from a failure of implementation rather than a failure of concept. Participants believed increasing student physical activity levels was important; however, they argued that factors within the classroom, school, school board, and Ministry of Education limit the feasibility of delivering DPA. This thesis contributes to the limited literature regarding the evaluation of DPA implementation and outcomes by exploring the perspectives of teachers and principals implementing the policy. Substantive, methodological, and theoretical contributions to the school-based physical activity literature are discussed, followed by policy implications and directions for future research.

This thesis attempts to answer the research question: What are the causal mechanisms for behaviour change undergirding choice architecture (CA) interventions in alcohol use? This thesis is organised along two dimensions: conceptual and empirical. At the conceptual level, this project discusses the application of CA to public policy; the lack of consensus regarding the theory of change underpinning the relationship between CA intervention stimuli and modified behaviour; and the need for clearer understandings of the CA intervention components in relation to other behavioural interventions. At the empirical level, this project systematically reviews available CA interventions intended to reduce alcohol consumption in public drink settings and suggests new alcohol-related CA intervention strategies.

Studiens syfte var att granska organisationers hälsosatsningar och skapa en fördjupad förståelse för vilka motiv som ligger bakom implementeringen av specifika hälsosatsningar samt att beskriva hälsoprojektansvariges upplevelse av hälsosatsningens verkan. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och har baserats på empiri från sex semistrukturerade telefonintervjuer. Studiens resultat visar att motiven till de olika hälsosatsningarna i stor utsträckning överensstämmer med varandra. De motiv som framkommit är att organisationerna har infört hälsosatsningar i syfte att minska sjuktalen, främja fysisk och psykisk hälsa, skapa balans mellan fritid och arbetstid, förändra beteenden och skapa trivsel på arbetsplatsen samt att bli en attraktivare arbetsgivare och minska personalomsättningen. Hälsosatsningarna har även visat sig i större utsträckning mer handla om individinriktade insatser än organisationsinriktade satsningar trots att forskning rekommenderar en kombination av dessa. Resultatet av studien har även visat att samtliga informanter delar upplevelsen av att hälsosatsningen väckt positiva känslor hos dem anställda samt att hälsosatsningarna i stor utsträckning har motsvarat deras förväntningar. Samtliga informanter uttrycker dock svårigheter med att mäta insatsernas verkan. Studien har genererat kunskap om vilka motiv som har legat bakom hälsosatsningarna, hur organisationerna arbetat med hälsosatsningarna samt hur de upplevt hälsosatsningens verkan. Denna kunskap hoppas vi kan bidra med en djupare förståelse för ämnet.

Studiens syfte var att granska organisationers hälsosatsningar och skapa en fördjupad förståelse för vilka motiv som ligger bakom implementeringen av specifika hälsosatsningar samt att beskriva hälsoprojektansvariges upplevelse av hälsosatsningens verkan. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och har baserats på empiri från sex semistrukturerade telefonintervjuer. Studiens resultat visar att motiven till de olika hälsosatsningarna i stor utsträckning överensstämmer med varandra. De motiv som framkommit är att organisationerna har infört hälsosatsningar i syfte att minska sjuktalen, främja fysisk och psykisk hälsa, skapa balans mellan fritid och arbetstid, förändra beteenden och skapa trivsel på arbetsplatsen samt att bli en attraktivare arbetsgivare och minska personalomsättningen. Hälsosatsningarna har även visat sig i större utsträckning mer handla om individinriktade insatser än organisationsinriktade satsningar trots att forskning rekommenderar en kombination av dessa. Resultatet av studien har även visat att samtliga informanter delar upplevelsen av att hälsosatsningen väckt positiva känslor hos dem anställda samt att hälsosatsningarna i stor utsträckning har motsvarat deras förväntningar. Samtliga informanter uttrycker dock svårigheter med att mäta insatsernas verkan. Studien har genererat kunskap om vilka motiv som har legat bakom hälsosatsningarna, hur organisationerna arbetat med hälsosatsningarna samt hur de upplevt hälsosatsningens verkan. Denna kunskap hoppas vi kan bidra med en djupare förståelse för ämnet.

Health intervention schemes have previously been used in order to improve animal welfare and to reduce and sometimes eradicate disease (Bell et al., 2009). This investigation looks at the success of one such scheme upon the incidence of cattle lameness. Farmers participating in the Healthy Livestock Scheme, which took place in the South West of England from November 2010- January 2014, had their cattle mobility scored before commencing any mentored training, to determine pre-intervention lameness prevalence and again after intervention. The results confirm there was a significant reduction in lameness, from an average 26.7% lame before any intervention to 20.4% after. This means there was on average, 23.6% fewer cases of lameness after farms had participated in the Healthy Livestock Scheme, than before. In an average 128 cow herd, this equates to seven fewer cows becoming lame each year and, based on a single case of lameness costing £180 (AHDB, 2016), this represents a significant saving of £1,283 per annum. Importantly, none of the independent variables had a significant effect upon the change in lameness seen between pre and post-intervention mobility scores. This means the Healthy Livestock scheme was effective at reducing lameness regardless of farming system, breed, herd size, housing, or number of FTEs. The wider implications of this mean that, crucially, this type of funded vet and farmer interaction reaps benefits for all farm types, regardless of these factors.