Background and aims: Very little is known about khat use in the UK. The aim of this study was to explore the barriers and enablers to quitting khat from the perspective of those using it and the barriers and enablers to supporting users to quit from the healthcare professional (HCP) perspective. Methods: A qualitative study using semi structured interviews with users and HCPs in London. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used to collect and analyse the data. The important domains were mapped onto the Behaviour Change Techniques Taxonomy (BCTT_v1) and two interventions targeting khat users and healthcare professionals were designed. Results: A total of 10 khat users and 3 HCPs were interviewed. The beliefs held by khat users regarding the consequences of continued use facilitated their decision to quit. The social influences from those around them were a barrier and enabler. For healthcare professionals, the social influence of other colleagues and working together was key in enabling them to support clients. Social/professional role and identity was also an important enabler, as the healthcare professionals saw supporting users to quit as an integral part of their role. A range of BCTs were identified as potential ways in which quit attempts could be more successful, from the user and HCP perspective. Conclusions: The study has highlighted key factors in enabling khat users to quit and HCPs to support them to do so. It has clear implications for current quit khat services and demonstrates how to target interventions by focusing on key barriers and enablers to quitting khat and supporting HCPs to deliver services. Recommendations for practice in the field of substance misuse and areas for future research have been identified.

In India, alongside Information Technology, health care has become a leading sector in the country‘s development as a 'knowledge economy' (World Bank 2005). One of the major achievements and beacons of economic reform is the growth of some of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the world. This thesis examines the social processes shaping the expansion of the private health care system in the state of Kerala, South India, where large corporate hospitals and 'super-speciality' medicine have spread throughout urban and many rural areas. It explores the intersections between the local and the global, as the health system becomes the major driver of industrial development, unevenly linking the local health care system to the global marketplace for technologies, health care professionals and patients. It examines the three faces of the health care system in Kerala - as a knowledge industry and route to social mobility for the middle classes, in particular doctors and nurses; secondly, as a consumer economy, as people prioritise spending on health care and shop for treatment in the urban marketplace; and finally as a moral economy, as people develop high levels of dependency on doctors, hospitals and technologies in the hope of receiving good health care. The ethnography is set in Malabar, Northern Kerala, where the expansion of private health care has been financed by remittances from migration to the Arabian Gulf countries. The thesis examines the influence of migration and economic reforms on local ecologies of health and health care; the impact of the globalisation of trade in health services in the developing world; the relationship between the private health care system and the middle classes in South Asia; and the role of markets in the delivery of health services. Based on 18 months of participant observation across the urban and rural health care market with local communities of doctors and patients, it examines how doctors and patients adjust to a changing ecology and economy of health care.

There are more mobile phones in the world than there are people, and numbers are increasing. Immediate access to technology has completely permeated everyday life, and for many people their mobile devices are an indispensable accessory that accompanies them everywhere, including the bathroom. Mobile devices can harbour pathogenic microorganisms on their surfaces, that can survive for days, before potentially being transferred onto hands or other objects that they come into contact with. These devices are also rarely decontaminated. Whilst these microorganisms are generally not of concern to the healthy adult, they may be to the very young, the elderly, and those with reduced immunity. This study determined if mobile devices can be used in the healthcare setting and not be an infection risk. A six-stage mixed methodology approach was employed, with laboratory investigations into the contamination on mobile devices, the efficiency of transfer from them, and the effectiveness of decontamination methods. Analysis of existing NHS mobile device policy and application of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point process to perioperative practice provided real-world perspective. The findings from this study identified that current literature is under-reporting the contamination on mobile devices, and determined that the bacterial presence is transient, not constant. Transfer efficiency of up to 79% was recorded for Staphylococcus aureus from a device onto a wet gloved hand, and observation of perioperative practice identified five hazards specific to the presence of a device, that could become a risk to patient safety, but could be managed through application of Critical Control Points. This study also found that over 40% of NHS organisations in mainland UK do not have a mobile device policy, and only 11% make any reference to their infection prevention and control. Testing of decontamination methods determined that a two-stage process of wiping with a dry lint-free cloth, followed by exposure to UV-C, was the only approach that effectively reduced contamination levels without contradicting manufacturers’ guidance and thus voiding the device warranty. Optimum criteria for mobile device policy, and suggestions for in-context application, are proposed.

The pervasive demand and desire for an ideal body evident in today's society has led to the normalisation of beautification and enhancement treatments. Unlicensed weight loss (UWL) drugs which comprise of 2,4 dinitrophenol (DNP), sibutramine and rimonabant are just one method used in enhancing and improving the body in line with social expectations. However, previous research exploring the use of these drugs has been confined to male dominated bodybuilding communities, despite women experiencing increasing pressures to look a certain way. This doctoral research explores the use of UWL drugs by women, focusing specifically on attitudes and perceptions of UWL drug use, motivations for use, experiences of use and self-reported adverse effects. This qualitative research involved an online forum analysis. Online discussion forms (n=10) were selected based on their levels of popularity, the proportion of female users accessing them and because they contained relevant UWL drug discussion. All threads (470) relating to UWL drug discussion were downloaded and analysed using thematic analysis conducted through the software package NVivo version 10. Four forum moderators and three female UWL drug users were also recruited, with their interviews presented as case studies. Online communities can provide a raft of knowledge concerning hidden or hard to reach populations. This research however advocates for greater consideration to be given to the methodological and ethical implications of online research and reflects on what is public information, the protection of anonymity and protecting online users from harm. This research also identified that removal of a license from a drug does not prevent use, but once outside regulatory control or medical supervision, UWL drugs are often purchased online with risks to the user of potential drug interactions, adulteration and contamination. UWL drug user engagement needs to be reclaimed as part of a wider health agenda, something that has been lacking due to the unlicensed status of the drugs. However, the findings highlighted the diverse motivations for why women use UWL drugs as well as differences in experiences, drugs used, willingness to take risks and adverse effects and argues against there being a typical female UWL drug user. Given this heterogeneity, a one size fit all model for harm reduction may be ineffective. Additionally the rapid changes in online communities as well as the diffusion of these drugs into different populations creates another challenge for public health in identifying and targeting specific groups. Online discussion of these drugs focuses on user experience and anecdotal evidence. Education on the different types of drugs as well as the risks and harms of using them is therefore warranted for all online communities as well as a focus on specific harm reduction strategies including harm minimisation, engagement with health care practitioners and peer to peer education. However, further consideration is needed concerning how this information should be disseminated, identifying those who have authority within the community, but also have the appropriate credentials, knowledge, skills and desire to offer advice.

Introduction: World Health Organisation (WHO) policy presents parental HIV disclosure to children as beneficial and encourages parents to disclose. Most research on disclosure has been conducted in high income countries and tends to represent women’s choices in terms of a disclosure/non-disclosure binary which, I argue, is premised on rationalist theory models of decision making and disclosure which fail to contextualise women’s experiences, particularly those women who live in the Global South. This research study aimed to address gaps in existing research by exploring the maternal disclosure experiences of HIV positive Jamaican mothers to their seronegative children and offers a critique of existing WHO policy. Methods: I carried out in-depth interviews with 15 HIV positive Jamaican women with at least one seronegative child aged over 10 years, associated with one clinic and one NGO in Kingston, Jamaica. I adopted a feminist approach to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and applied Hochschild’s concept of emotion work to make sense of women’s experiences. In attending to the structural factors shaping health actions, a feminist approach highlights the relationship between Jamaican contextual factors of poverty, violence and complex familial formations and women’s disclosure decisions. Conceptual resources drew on feminist critiques of dominant discourses of motherhood, including governmentality and responsibilisation, which, I argue, underpin policy imperatives on disclosure to children. Results: Mothers’ experiences of maternal disclosure to children occurred on a spectrum, rather than a disclosure/nondisclosure binary, and included: full disclosure, partial disclosure, nondisclosure, denial of HIV, differential disclosure (telling only some of their children) and disclosure by others. Experiences of disclosure were affected by financial risks and practical issues as well as consideration of children’s long-term physical and mental health, education prospects and the impact on other family relationships. Mothering at a distance (mothers living apart from their child/ren) and the fear or reality of ‘downfallment’ (a child being HIV positive) further complicated disclosure experiences. The women described strategies which challenged negative characterisations of HIV positive women in order to present themselves as capable mothers and manage their own and their children’s emotions. Conclusion: Disclosure of maternal HIV to children is a complex issue, carrying risks as well as benefits, which are particularly heightened in low income contexts. When women disclose this could be seen as a form of governmentality and when they don’t disclose their mothering is called into question within policy discourses predicated on evidence from the Anglo North. The over simplistic disclosure /non-disclosure binary fails to consider the emotion work women engage in to manage their illness and their mothering identity in the context of their relationships with their children. This research adds to the HIV disclosure literature from low and middle income countries and extends maternal HIV disclosure research through the use of a novel approach, feminist IPA, to understand women’s experiences. The research findings point to the need for a more nuanced policy on disclosure in low and middle income countries.

Musculoskeletal conditions are believed to cost UK society approximately £7.4 billion per year, with 30 million working days lost each year due to musculoskeletal conditions. Currently, within the UK, sickness certification can be self-certified for a period of seven days after which time a General Practitioner is required to authorise any further period of absence from work for patients. In April 2010 the Sickness Certificate was replaced with the Fit Note. The existing literature has offered little ‘in-vivo’ insight into the primary care consultation in relation to the management of patient musculoskeletal work-related concerns since the introduction of the Fit Note, and there is a paucity of research exploring the patient experience of these consultations. The research questions in this thesis broadly ask: How are musculoskeletal work-related concerns discussed and managed within the primary care consultation? How do patients experience these consultations? Mixed qualitative methodology is used within this study. Interpretative methods are used to thematically analyse 100 video-recorded consultations and 19 semi-structured interviews to answer these research questions and provide insight into this area. Findings reveal that the management of musculoskeletal work-related concerns within the primary care consultation is sub-optimal. Accessing work-related support for these people is complicated and contingent upon how they come to identify themselves as candidates for work-related support. The theoretical framework of candidacy is offered as a useful device for understanding and conceptualising the patient experience of these consultations. Interactions with healthcare, in combination with sociocultural factors, mediate how people come to understand their candidacy to seek musculoskeletal work-related support. Directions for further research in this area are provided.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects hepatocytes of the liver causing progressive liver disease including; fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the precise mechanism(s) underlying HCV induced liver injury are poorly understood. Hepatocytes are highly polarized with distinct apical and basolateral membranes separated by tight junctions that maintain a normal liver physiology. We studied the role of HCV infection in driving hepatic injury. Our studies show that HCV infection induces hepatocellular reprogramming via hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) stabilization and increased glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling. HIF-1α stabilization promoted epithelial to mesenchymal transition accompanied by reduced polarity and cell adhesion. Whereas GR signaling increased cholesterol synthesis and altered HCV receptor expression. Alterations in hepatocellular biology induced a cellular state conducive for virus entry and replication. Consequently, cells de-differentiate to acquire a malignant phenotype via HIF-1α target genes including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF). In addition, GR transcription induced by glucocorticoid treatment or HCV infection enhanced virus uptake, highlighting the caveat for glucocorticoid immunosuppression post liver transplantation. Importantly, HIF-1α inhibitors and GR antagonist reversed the effects of both transcription factors on virus infection and hepatocellular biology. These findings suggest that HCV potentiate liver injury via indirect mechanisms.

Public health agencies engage in the public discourse through the creation and promulgation of various health-related campaigns. Using anti-obesity messages for context, I analyse the ethics of the communicative actions that public health engages in, finding that the ethical standards of truth-telling and respect for agents are frequently sacrificed in favour of quick, catchy, and manipulative messages. This is morally problematic. For example, in the case of anti-obesity communications, manipulative messages utilise and contribute to the on-going discrimination, marginalisation, and imperialisation of the fat body, which contributes to and reproduces oppression. This oppression is observable in the lives of fat people, with research showing negative impacts upon important aspects of social identity, and upon self-regarding attitudes. An impact of manipulative campaigns upon attitudes that contribute to the capacity for self-governance and self-authorisation may be that individuals become less able and less likely to undertake the behavioural changes that public health encourages. Further, a central aim of public health activity is the achievement of greater equity in society. I argue, in sum, that public health defeats its own behaviour-change efforts, while also undermining its central equity-focussed aim, in engaging in manipulative campaigns in the public discourse.

This thesis addressed gaps in the literature regarding the effects of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and sought to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of an MBI for a group at high risk for T2D, South Asians. A mixed-methods approach was utilised to produce four studies: 1) a systematic review evaluating the psychological and physiological effects of MBIs applied to T2D; 2) a modelling phase to gauge interest in, and cultural considerations for, a modified MBI for young adult South Asians as a diabetes prevention strategy; 3) an examination of the acceptability and feasibility of a modified MBI; and 4) a comparison of the perceived and objective effects of the modified MBI. The review found evidence for psychological benefits and mixed results for physiological effects. The modelling phase indicated that Mindfulness is acceptable to young South Asians pending minor adaptations. The subsequent feasibility study found the modified MBI to be acceptable and feasible, warranting a future full-scale trial. Across these studies, Mindfulness bore psychological benefits, and to a lesser degree physiological and behavioural benefits. The final study’s triangulation approach (using quantitative and qualitative methods) suggests the intervention has a potential positive impact on stress, anxiety, energy levels, emotional wellbeing, and systolic blood pressure in this sample.

Serial peak expiratory flow measurements (PEF) are recommended as an initial investigation in the confirmation of occupational asthma. Plotting measurements in Oasys gives reproducible results and can be used by non-experts. I report a new analysis, the area between curves (ABC) score, which gives 72% sensitivity and 100% specificity using a cut off of 15 L/min/h. Two-hourly measurements of PEF require 8 work days and 3 rest days for sensitive and specific analysis. Serial PEF records with long periods off work (≥ 4 consecutive days) show improved sensitivity from 73% to 80%, implying that 7 more workers in every 100 would be diagnosed. In a comparison of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) to PEF, PEF was more sensitive to diurnal changes than FEV1, although FEV1 was more reproducible. Exhaled breath nitric oxide (FENO) showed similar ABC scores between those with normal and raised FENO. FENO was significantly correlated to methacholine reactivity. In shift workers, mean ABC scores were increased on morning shifts compared to nights, but the cut off of 15 L/min/h would be applicable across all shift types. The ABC score is a new robust method of confirming occupational asthma requiring shorter records than the Oasys score.