Hearing the unheard voice-puberty experiences of young Pakistani men: A qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Puberty experiences of male adolescents can have significant impacts on physical and psychological health outcomes. This qualitative study explored the puberty experiences of young males in Pakistan, as there are limited accounts of what shapes these puberty experiences, especially for adolescent males living in a restrictive culture. METHODS: Twenty-two young Pakistani men (aged 18-21 years) from two urban sites in Karachi participated in individual face-to-face (n=19) and Skype (n=3) interviews. Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using an inductive approach to identity and examine the patterns emerging from the data. RESULTS: Participants described puberty as a challenging phase for which they were unprepared with a combination of various socio-cultural factors exposing them to negative impacts. As a result, young men expressed feelings of anxiety, embarrassment and isolation. Societal and gender norms around masculinity, sexuality and the roles and responsibilities of young men had a significant impact on how participants experienced puberty. While negative reactions towards puberty were dominant, participants described adopting coping strategies (e.g. social support) to help them deal with negative experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the significance of culturally appropriate puberty education and various facilitating factors that may improve the puberty experiences for future young men. While extending current literature, this study also identifies key factors that could inform the development of health promotion programmes, which may aid adolescent males' puberty transition and positively influence their long-term health, well-being and identity.

Working with Families Affected by Mental Distress: Stakeholders' Perceptions of Mental Health Nurses Educational Needs.

Family and informal caregivers provide a substantial amount of care and support to people who experience mental health problems. The aim of this study was to explore mental health nurses', students' and service users' perceptions of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required by mental health nurses to work with families and carers using a qualitative methodology. Three themes emerged from the data: Knowledge of the family and how mental distress affects the family; working with the family - support and education; and valuing the role of the family. The three themes demonstrate the complexity of preparing mental health nurses to work with families and carers, and the article offers recommendations about how this might be achieved.

Use and evaluation of a mentoring scheme to promote integration of non-medical prescribing in a clinical context.

BACKGROUND: Growing numbers of non-medical health professionals are attaining prescribing rights through post-registration non-medical prescribing (NMP) courses in the UK. However, not all implement prescribing post-qualification. This study evaluated the uptake and perceived usefulness of a mentoring scheme for two cohorts of NMP students at the University of Nottingham. The scheme paired students with qualified mentors with whom they had an opportunity to discuss the integration of prescribing theory into practice. METHODS: Mentors were allocated on days 2-5 of the course. Surveys were distributed to students who completed the NMP course [n = 63] and their mentors. Likert-scale and open-ended questions addressed: use, perceived usefulness, and positive and negative aspects of the mentoring scheme. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with both students (n = 6) and mentors (n = 3) to explore their experience of the mentoring scheme in more detail. Students were purposively selected for interview depending on their level of use of the mentoring system. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The response rates were 65.1% (n = 41) and 56.3% (n = 36) for students and mentors respectively. Just over half of students (57.1%) accessed their mentor. Having a sufficient support network was the key reason for not using the scheme. Students found mentors helpful for: moral support (68.2%); contextualising prescribing (71.4%); and helping them to think about implementing prescribing in practice (72.7%). Fewer mentors felt they helped in relation to contextualising (57.9%) or implementing prescribing (31.6%). Less than half the students and mentors surveyed agreed that they received/provided assistance related to the integration of prescribing theory into practice (38.1% and 42.2% respectively) and assistance with assignments (36.3% and 45.5% respectively).Interviews suggested that students found it difficult to focus on implementing prescribing because of the academic demands of their course, which impacted on uptake and use of the mentoring scheme. Students emphasised the importance of being paired with a prescriber who was successfully prescribing. Mentors benefited from sharing and refreshing their academic knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Students and mentors derived benefits from participation in this scheme. This intervention may be better as a post-qualification support resource when students are ready to consider their future prescribing practice.

What's different about digital? A qualitative interview study exploring experiences of adapting in-person behaviour change interventions for digital delivery.

OBJECTIVES: Digital health behaviour change interventions may be adapted from in-person interventions, without appropriate consideration of how the digital context might differ. Drawing on the wider literature on behaviour change intervention development, this research aims to explore the digital adaptation process of health behaviour change interventions and the specific considerations for digital modes of delivery. DESIGN: A qualitative interview study. METHODS: Interviews with 15 intervention developers/facilitators were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Findings highlight a continuum of digitalization, where variation in technology available and human support influences considerations for digital adaptation. 'What vs how: "trying to do the impossible"' describes the balance between retaining the intervention's active ingredients while modifying for digital delivery. Through 'Trial and error', participants described an iterative process based on experience of delivery. 'Creating connection and engagement' emphasizes the importance of social support and the challenges of replicating this. CONCLUSIONS: Several considerations for digital adaptations are proposed including the involvement of end-users (facilitators and recipients) during adaptation, the need to understand the original intervention and new context for use, and the different motivational needs of digital intervention recipients.

An exploration of student experiences of using biology podcasts in nursing training.

BACKGROUND: Students regard biological science as one of the most difficult components of the nursing curriculum. However, a good understanding of this area is essential for effective nursing practice. The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' perceptions of the usefulness of supplementary biology podcasts for their learning. METHODS: Biological science podcasts (n=9) were made available to first-year nursing students (n=189) as supplementary learning tools. On completion of their first year, students were asked to complete a survey which investigated the frequency of their podcast use, reasons for use and their perception of the usefulness of podcasts as a learning tool. 153 of these students participated in the survey study (80.9%). Two focus groups were conducted with students (n=6) to gain a detailed understanding of student experiences of the usefulness of the podcasts for their learning. RESULTS: Survey data demonstrated that most students (71%) accessed at least one podcast. The majority of students who reported accessing podcasts agreed that they were useful as learning tools (83%), revision aids (83%) and that they helped promote understanding of course materials (72%). Focus group participants discussed how they found podcasts especially useful in terms of revision. Students valued being able to repeatedly access the lecture materials, and appreciated having access to podcasts from a range of lecturers. Focus group members discussed the benefits of live recordings, in terms of valuing the information gleaned from questions asked during the lecture sessions, although there were concerns about the level of background noise in live recordings. Lack of awareness of the availability of podcasts was an issue raised by participants in both the survey component and the focus groups and this negatively impacted on podcast use. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students found the availability of biology podcasts helpful for their learning. Successful implementation of these tools to support learning requires teaching staff to understand and promote the importance of these tools.

Assessing the feasibility, fidelity and acceptability of a behaviour change intervention to improve tractor safety on farms: protocol for the BeSafe tractor safety feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: In Ireland, the agriculture sector reports the highest number of fatalities even though farmers constitute only 6% of the working population. Tractor-related behaviours are implicated in 55% of all vehicle work-related fatalities and 25% of reported injuries, and many of these occur in farmyards. There is limited research on the feasibility and acceptability of behaviour change interventions to improve tractor safety. Target behaviours that promote safe operation in farmyards, determining and addressing blind spots of tractors, were identified, and an intervention was developed following the Behaviour Change Wheel Approach. The objective of the study is to examine the feasibility, fidelity and acceptability of a behaviour change intervention to enhance the safe operation of tractors in farmyards with a particular focus on tractor blind spots. METHOD: A single group feasibility study will be undertaken. Approximately 16 farmers from four major farm types will be recruited for the study between August and September 2022. The intervention involves an in-person demo session, facilitated discussion and personalised safety training procedure with safety goals. The study will collect data from participants at three time points: baseline (3-10 days prior to the intervention), during the intervention and at the follow-up session (7-30 days post-intervention). Quantitative data will be collected through a pre-intervention interview and feedback surveys. A pre- and post-intervention qualitative interview will also be conducted with the participants and will be supplemented with qualitative data from recruitment logs, observational memos and logs and feedback from recruiters. Evaluation of the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of the intervention will be guided by a pre-determined feasibility checklist, fidelity framework and theoretical framework of acceptability, respectively. Interviews will be analysed using the content analysis. DISCUSSION: The current study can determine the feasibility and fidelity of delivering a systematic, theoretically driven, tailored behaviour change intervention. It will also assess whether the intervention, its ingredients and delivery are acceptable to the farming population. This study will also inform the development of a future larger trial to test the effectiveness of the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Identifier: ISRCTN22219089. Date applied 29 July 2022.

Increasing Machine-Related Safety on Farms: Development of an Intervention Using the Behaviour Change Wheel Approach.

Farming is essential work, but it suffers from very high injury and fatality rates. Machinery, including tractors, are a leading cause of serious injuries and fatalities to farmers and farm workers in many countries. Herein, we document the systematic development of an evidence-based, theory-informed behaviour change intervention to increase machine-related safety on farms. Intervention development progressed through four phases. Phase 1 defined the problem in behavioural terms based a review of the literature, Phase 2 identified candidate intervention targets through a series of focus groups guided by the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model and Phase 3 employed expert and stakeholder consultation guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to consider potential target behaviours and intervention components and finalise the intervention content. Phase 4 finalised the evaluation strategies with a team of agricultural advisors who supported the rollout and identified outcome measures for the first trial. The target intervention was the identification of blind spots of farm tractors, and three priority target behaviours (farm safety practices) were identified. Following Phase 3, the intervention comprised four components that are delivered in a group-based, face-to-face session with farmers. In Phase 4, the acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of these components were identified as the outcome measures for the first trial of the intervention. The four-phase systematic method detailed here constitutes an initial template for developing theory-based, stakeholder-driven, behaviour-change-based interventions targeting farmers and reporting such developments.

Exploring non-participation in colorectal cancer screening: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, colorectal cancer is a major public health issue. Despite the existence of screening programmes in many countries, global uptake remains low. This meta-ethnography aimed to analyse qualitative literature to explore attitudes towards colorectal cancer screening and reasons for non-participation in eligible people that do not participate when invited. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in five databases in May 2021. Critical appraisal of included studies was performed using the CASP checklist for qualitative studies. FINDINGS: Thirteen studies were included. Three main themes and eight sub-themes were developed across studies: (1) Differences in motivation, with non-participants expressing a lack of knowledge and varying levels of intention to participate but not feeling screening was personally necessary; (2) Active aversion to screening expressed by fear, discomfort, disgust or not wanting to know; and (3) Contextual barriers of the healthcare system such as practical constraints or poor relationships with healthcare professionals. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest multiple pathways to non-participation including ambivalence, aversion to the process and consequences of screening or lack of support. Persuasive messages and prompts to action to target ambivalence, reassurance regarding the screening procedures to target negative reactions, and increased support from healthcare professionals may be beneficial in increasing screening uptake.

Exploring barriers and enablers to the delivery of Making Every Contact Count brief behavioural interventions in Ireland: A cross-sectional survey study.

OBJECTIVES: The public health impact of the Irish Making Every Contact Count (MECC) brief intervention programme is dependent on delivery by health care professionals. We aimed to identify enablers and modifiable barriers to MECC intervention delivery to optimize MECC implementation. DESIGN: Online cross-sectional survey design. METHODS: Health care professionals (n = 4050) who completed MECC eLearning were invited to complete an online survey based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Multiple regression analysis identified predictors of MECC delivery (logistic regression to predict delivery or not; linear regression to predict frequency of delivery). Data were visualized using Confidence Interval-Based Estimates of Relevance (CIBER). RESULTS: Seventy-nine per cent of participants (n = 283/357) had delivered a MECC intervention. In the multiple logistic regression (Nagelkerke's R2  = .34), the significant enablers of intervention delivery were 'professional role' (OR = 1.86 [1.10, 3.15]) and 'intentions/goals' (OR = 4.75 [1.97, 11.45]); significant barriers included 'optimistic beliefs about consequences' (OR = .41 [.18, .94]) and 'negative emotions' (OR = .50 [.32, .77]). In the multiple linear regression (R2  = .29), the significant enablers of frequency of MECC delivery were 'intentions/goals' (b = 10.16, p = .02) and professional role (b = 6.72, p = .03); the significant barriers were 'negative emotions' (b = -4.74, p = .04) and 'barriers to prioritisation' (b = -5.00, p = .01). CIBER analyses suggested six predictive domains with substantial room for improvement: 'intentions and goals', 'barriers to prioritisation', 'environmental resources', 'beliefs about capabilities', 'negative emotions' and 'skills'. CONCLUSION: Implementation interventions to enhance MECC delivery should target intentions and goals, beliefs about capabilities, negative emotions, environmental resources, skills and barriers to prioritization.

Using Audience Response Technology to provide formative feedback on pharmacology performance for non-medical prescribing students--a preliminary evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The use of anonymous audience response technology (ART) to actively engage students in classroom learning has been evaluated positively across multiple settings. To date, however, there has been no empirical evaluation of the use of individualised ART handsets and formative feedback of ART scores. The present study investigates student perceptions of such a system and the relationship between formative feedback results and exam performance. METHODS: Four successive cohorts of Non-Medical Prescribing students (n=107) had access to the individualised ART system and three of these groups (n=72) completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of using ART. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of seven students who achieved a range of scores on the formative feedback. Using data from all four cohorts of students, the relationship between mean ART scores and summative pharmacology exam score was examined using a non-parametric correlation. RESULTS: Questionnaire and interview data suggested that the use of ART enhanced the classroom environment, motivated students and promoted learning. Questionnaire data demonstrated that students found the formative feedback helpful for identifying their learning needs (95.6%), guiding their independent study (86.8%), and as a revision tool (88.3%). Interviewees particularly valued the objectivity of the individualised feedback which helped them to self-manage their learning. Interviewees' initial anxiety about revealing their level of pharmacology knowledge to the lecturer and to themselves reduced over time as students focused on the learning benefits associated with the feedback.A significant positive correlation was found between students' formative feedback scores and their summative pharmacology exam scores (Spearman's rho = 0.71, N=107, p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Despite initial anxiety about the use of individualised ART units, students rated the helpfulness of the individualised handsets and personalised formative feedback highly. The significant correlation between ART response scores and student exam scores suggests that formative feedback can provide students with a useful reference point in terms of their level of exam-readiness.

Reflecting on 'insider' and 'outsider' positionality when undertaking culturally sensitive research with young Pakistani men: insights from a female researcher.

BACKGROUND: Conducting culturally sensitive research into male experiences can be challenging for female researchers. Despite this, there are very few published reflective accounts of how they have overcome these difficulties. AIM: To illustrate a female researcher's challenges in conducting research into young men's experiences of puberty in Pakistan and highlight the strategies used to overcome these. DISCUSSION: An important challenge for the researcher was creating an environment in which participants felt able to share their experiences. This was overcome by the incorporation of the experiences of public involvement contributors in the development of the project, offering a choice of interview format to participants and other solutions driven by the 'insider' position of the researcher. The researcher's 'outsider' role as a mature and pregnant woman appeared to create a 'safe' environment, allowing the young men to openly share their personal experiences. CONCLUSION: Female researchers can successfully conduct culturally sensitive research with young men in patriarchal societies such as Pakistan. The key is to be aware of potential cultural issues and to use any insider/outsider positionality to the greatest effect. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: In addition to adapting procedures, such as gaining trust, building rapport and assuring a non-judgemental and comfortable environment, the 'outsider' position of the female researcher should be given due consideration when undertaking culturally sensitive research with men.

Enhancing the implementation of the Making Every Contact Count brief behavioural intervention programme in Ireland: protocol for the Making MECC Work research programme.

Background: Brief behavioural interventions offered by healthcare professionals to target health behavioural risk factors (e.g. physical activity, diet, smoking and drug and alcohol use) can positively impact patient health outcomes. The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) Making Every Contact Count (MECC) Programme supports healthcare professionals to offer patients brief opportunistic behavioural interventions during routine consultations. The potential for MECC to impact public health depends on its uptake and implementation.   Aim: This protocol outlines the 'Making MECC Work' research programme, a HSE/Health Behaviour Change Research Group collaboration to develop an implementation strategy to optimise uptake of MECC in Ireland. The programme will answer three research questions: (1) What determines delivery of MECC brief interventions by healthcare professionals at individual and organisational levels? (2) What are patient attitudes towards, and experiences of, receiving MECC interventions from healthcare professionals? (3) What evidence-informed implementation strategy options can be consensually developed with key stakeholders to optimise MECC implementation? Methods: In Work Package 1, we will examine determinants of MECC delivery by healthcare professionals using a multi-methods approach, including: (WP1.1) a national survey of healthcare professionals who have participated in MECC eLearning training and (WP1.2) a qualitative interview study with relevant healthcare professionals and HSE staff. In Work Package 2, we will examine patient attitudes towards, and experiences of, MECC using qualitative interviews. Work Package 3 will combine findings from Work Packages 1 and 2 using the Behaviour Change Wheel to identify and develop testable implementation strategy options (WP 3.1). Strategies will be refined and prioritised using a key stakeholder consensus process to develop a collaborative implementation blueprint to optimise and scale-up MECC (WP3.2). Discussion: Research programme outputs are expected to positively support the integration of MECC brief behaviour change interventions into the Irish healthcare system and inform the scale-up of behaviour change interventions internationally.

Pharmacology podcasts: a qualitative study of non-medical prescribing students' use, perceptions and impact on learning.

BACKGROUND: There is growing research on student use of podcasts in academic settings. However, there is little in-depth research focusing on student experience of podcasts, in particular in terms of barriers to, and facilitators of, podcast use and students' perceptions of the usefulness of podcasts as learning tools. This study aimed to explore the experiences of non-medical prescribing students who had access to podcasts of key pharmacology lectures as supplementary learning tools to their existing course materials. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven non-medical prescribing students (average age = 43 years), all of whom were nurses, who had access to seven podcasts of key pharmacology lectures. These podcasts took the form of downloadable audio lecture recordings available through the virtual learning environment WebCT. Low, medium and high users of the podcasts took part in the interviews in order to access a variety of student experiences. Interview data was analysed using thematic template analysis to identify key themes surrounding student experience of podcast availability, particularly in relation to barriers to and facilitators of podcast use, and students' experiences of podcasts as a learning tool. RESULTS: Students used podcasts for a variety of reasons such as revisiting lectures, preparing for exams, to clarify or revise specific topics and, to a lesser extent, to catch up on a missed lecture. Barriers to podcast use centred mainly around technological issues. Lack of experience of the technology required to access podcasts proved a barrier for some students. A lack of access to suitable technology was also a reported barrier. Family assistance and I.T. assistance from the university helped facilitate students' use of the podcasts. Students found that using podcasts allowed them to have greater control over their learning and to gauge their learning needs, as well as helping them build their understanding of a complex topic. CONCLUSIONS: Students used podcasts for a variety of reasons. Barriers to podcasts use were generally related to technological issues. Students often found that once assistance had been gained regarding these technological issues, they accessed the podcasts more easily. Students felt that access to podcasts added value to their learning materials by allowing them to better manage their learning and build their understanding. Podcasts represent a valuable additional learning tool for this specific group of older students.

Identifying the active ingredients of cardiac rehabilitation: A behaviour change technique and qualitative analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Despite evidence that cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can be effective, the active ingredients or behaviour change techniques (BCTs) constituting effective CR remain unclear. There is also a lack of research surrounding patient and facilitator perceptions of active ingredients. This study sought to identify the active ingredients of a community-based CR programme and explore patient and facilitator perceptions of the active ingredients. DESIGN: A multimethod design conducted in two stages, a BCT coding stage and a qualitative stage. METHODS: The BCT coding stage involved the observation and audio recording of ten sessions from a community-based CR programme and the collection of programme materials. Data were coded using the BCT Taxonomy version 1 (Ann Behav Med, 46, 2013, 81). During the qualitative stage, six focus groups were carried out separately with patients (n = 16) and facilitators (n = 4). Qualitative data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The BCT coding phase identified 34 BCTs, many of which were highlighted by patients and facilitators. Patients and facilitators felt the group effort, motivation provided by facilitators, individualized care, knowledge gained, acceptance, and fear reduction enabled change. The majority of BCTs identified in the qualitative stage were also identified in the BCT coding stage, excluding a component related to self-acceptance. Facilitators felt the programme was limited by duration and inadequate psychological support. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides a comprehensive overview of objectively coded BCTs and perceived active ingredients of CR. The findings can be used to inform future refinement and improvement of CR.

A scoping review of research on the determinants of adherence to social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This scoping review focused on answering key questions about the focus, quality and generalisability of the quantitative evidence on the determinants of adherence to social distancing measures in research during the first wave of COVID-19. The review included 84 studies. The majority of included studies were conducted in Western Europe and the USA. Many lacked theoretical input, were at risk for bias, and few were experimental in design. The most commonly coded domains of the TDF in the included studies were 'Environmental Context and Resources' (388 codes across 76 studies), 'Beliefs about Consequences' (34 codes across 21 studies), 'Emotion' (28 codes across 12 studies), and 'Social Influences' (26 codes across 16 studies). The least frequently coded TDF domains included 'Optimism' (not coded), 'Intentions' (coded once), 'Goals' (2 codes across 2 studies), 'Reinforcement' (3 codes across 2 studies), and 'Behavioural Regulation' (3 codes across 3 studies). Examining the focus of the included studies identified a lack of studies on potentially important determinants of adherence such as reinforcement, goal setting and self-monitoring. The quality of the included studies was variable and their generalisablity was threatened by their reliance on convenience samples.

Exploring barriers and facilitators of physical distancing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative interview study.

Background: Physical distancing measures (e.g., keeping a distance of two metres from others, avoiding crowded areas, and reducing the number of close physical contacts) continue to be among the most important preventative measures used to reduce the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID -19). Therefore, it is important to understand barriers and facilitators of physical distancing to help inform future public health campaigns. Methods: The current study aimed to qualitatively explore barriers and facilitators of physical distancing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic using a qualitative interpretative design. Semi-structured one-to-one phone interviews were conducted with 25 participants aged 18+ years and living in the Republic of Ireland between September and October 2020. A purposive sampling strategy was used to maximise diversity in terms of age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Analysis resulted in the development of six main themes related to barriers and facilitators of physical distancing: (1) Maintaining and negotiating close relationships; (2) Public environments support or discourage physical distancing; (3) Habituation to threat; (4) Taking risks to maintain well-being; (5) Personal responsibility to control the "controllables"; and (6) Confusion and uncertainty around government guidelines. Conclusions: Our study found that physical distancing measures are judged to be more or less difficult based on a number of internal and external psychosocial factors, including maintaining and negotiating close relationships, habituation to threat, risk compensation, structure of public environments, personal responsibility, and confusion or uncertainty around government guidelines. Given the diversity in our sample, it is clear that the identified barriers and facilitators vary depending on context and life stage. Messaging that targets sub-groups of the population may benefit from considering the identified themes in this analysis.

An international, Delphi consensus study to identify priorities for methodological research in behavioral trials in health research.

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable chronic diseases are linked to behavioral risk factors (including smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity), so effective behavior change interventions are needed to improve population health. However, uptake and impact of these interventions is limited by methodological challenges. We aimed to identify and achieve consensus on priorities for methodological research in behavioral trials in health research among an international behavioral science community. METHODS: An international, Delphi consensus study was conducted. Fifteen core members of the International Behavioral Trials Network (IBTN) were invited to generate methodological items that they consider important. From these, the research team agreed a "long-list" of unique items. Two online surveys were administered to IBTN members (N = 306). Respondents rated the importance of items on a 9-point scale, and ranked their "top-five" priorities. In the second survey, respondents received feedback on others' responses, before rerating items and re-selecting their top five. RESULTS: Nine experts generated 144 items, which were condensed to a long-list of 33 items. The four most highly endorsed items, in both surveys 1 (n = 77) and 2 (n = 57), came from two thematic categories:"Intervention development" ("Specifying intervention components" and "Tailoring interventions to specific populations and contexts") and "Implementation" ("How to disseminate behavioral trial research findings to increase implementation" and "Methods for ensuring that behavioral interventions are implementable into practice and policy"). "Development of novel research designs to test behavioral interventions" also emerged as a highly ranked research priority. CONCLUSIONS: From a wide array of identified methodological issues, intervention development, implementation and novel research designs are key themes to drive the future behavioral trials' research agenda. Funding bodies should prioritize these issues in resource allocation.

Investigating and evaluating evidence of the behavioural determinants of adherence to social distancing measures - A protocol for a scoping review of COVID-19 research.

Background: The WHO has declared the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic. With no vaccine currently available, using behavioural measures to reduce the spread of the virus within the population is an important tool in mitigating the effects of this pandemic. As such, social distancing measures are being implemented globally and have proven an effective tool in slowing the large-scale spread of the virus. Aim: This scoping review will focus on answering key questions about the state of the evidence on the behavioural determinants of adherence to social distancing measures in research on COVID-19.  Methods: A scoping review will be conducted in accordance with guidelines for best practice. Literature searches will be conducted using online databases and grey literature sources. Databases will include Medline, Web of Science, Embase and PsycInfo, alongside relevant pre-print servers. Grey literature will be searched on Google Scholar. Screening, data extraction and quality appraisal will be conducted by members of the research team, with any discrepancies resolved by consensus discussion. Quality appraisal will be conducted using the Cochrane's ROBINS-I tool, the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist where appropriate. Results will be analysed by mapping findings onto the Theoretical Domains Framework and visualising characteristics of the included studies using EviAtlas. This scoping review is pre-registered with Open Science Framework. Conclusions The results of this study may facilitate the systematic development of behavioural interventions to increase adherence to social distancing measures.

Identifying and addressing psychosocial determinants of adherence to physical distancing guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic - project protocol.

Optimising public health physical distancing measures has been a critical part of the global response to the spread of COVID-19. Evidence collected during the current pandemic shows that the transmission rate of the virus is significantly reduced following implementation of intensive physical distancing measures. Adherence to these recommendations has been poorer than adherence to other key transmission reduction behaviours such as handwashing. There are a complex range of reasons that are likely to predict why people do not or only partially adhere to physical distancing recommendations. In the current project we aim to address the following research questions: (1) What are the psychosocial determinants of physical distancing for the general public and for key socio-demographic sub-groups (e.g., young adults, older adults, etc.)?; (2) Do current Government of Ireland COVID-19 physical distancing communications address the determinants of physical distancing?; and (3) How can communications be optimised and tailored to sub-groups to ensure maximum adherence to guidelines? These will be addressed by conducting three work packages (WPs). In WP1, we will work closely with the iCARE international study, which includes a large online survey of public responses to measures established to reduce and slow the spread of COVID-19, including physical distancing. We will analyse Irish data, comparing it to data from other countries, to identify the key psychosocial determinants of physical distancing behaviour. This will be followed by a qualitative study to explore in depth the barriers and facilitators of physical distancing behaviour among the Irish public (WP2). In WP3, we will conduct a content analysis and evidence mapping of current government messaging around physical distancing, to ensure the findings from this research feed into the development of ongoing communication and future messaging about physical distancing.

Pharmacology as a foreign language: a preliminary evaluation of podcasting as a supplementary learning tool for non-medical prescribing students.

BACKGROUND: Nurses and other health professionals in the U.K. can gain similar prescribing rights to doctors by undertaking a non-medical prescribing course. Non-medical prescribing students must have a thorough understanding of the pharmacology of prescribing to ensure safe practice. Pharmacology education at this level is complicated by the variation in students' prior subject knowledge of, and anxiety about, the subject. The recent advances in technology, particularly the potential for mobile learning, provide increased opportunities for students to familiarise themselves with lecture materials and hence promote understanding. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate both the subjective (student perception) and objective (student use and exam results) usefulness of podcasts of pharmacology lectures which were provided as an extra learning tool to two cohorts (n = 69) of non-medical prescribing students. METHODS: The podcasts were made available to students through the virtual learning environment WebCT. Use of podcasts by two successive cohorts of nurse prescribing students (n = 69) was tracked through WebCT. Survey data, which was collected from 44 of these students, investigated patterns of/reasons for podcast use and perceived usefulness of podcasts as a learning tool. Of these 69 students, 64 completed the pharmacology exam. In order to examine any impact of podcasts on student knowledge, their exam results were compared with those of two historical cohorts who did not have access to podcasts (n = 70). RESULTS: WebCT tracking showed that 91% of students accessed at least one podcast. 93% of students used the podcasts to revisit a lecture, 85% used podcasts for revision, and 61% used the podcasts when they had a specific question. Only 22% used the podcasts because they had missed a pharmacology session. Most students (81%) generally listened to the entire podcast rather than specific sections and most (73%) used them while referring to their lecture handouts. The majority of students found the podcasts helpful as a learning tool, as a revision aid and in promoting their understanding of the subject. Evaluation of the range of marks obtained, mode mark and mean mark suggested improved knowledge in students with access to podcasts compared to historical cohorts of students who did not have access to pharmacology podcasts. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that non-medical prescribing students utilised podcasts of pharmacology lectures, and have found the availability of these podcasts helpful for their learning. Exam results indicate that the availability of podcasts was also associated with improved exam performance.