Long-term Effectiveness of a Multistrategy Behavioral Intervention to Increase the Nutritional Quality of Primary School Students' Online Lunch Orders: 18-Month Follow-up of the Click & Crunch Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: School food services, including cafeterias and canteens, are an ideal setting in which to improve child nutrition. Online canteen ordering systems are increasingly common and provide unique opportunities to deliver choice architecture strategies to nudge users to select healthier items. Despite evidence of short-term effectiveness, there is little evidence regarding the long-term effectiveness of choice architecture interventions, particularly those delivered online. OBJECTIVE: This study determined the long-term effectiveness of a multistrategy behavioral intervention (Click & Crunch) embedded within an existing online school lunch-ordering system on the energy, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium content of primary school students' lunch orders 18 months after baseline. METHODS: This cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) involved a cohort of 2207 students (aged 5-12 years) from 17 schools in New South Wales, Australia. Schools were randomized to receive either a multistrategy behavioral intervention or the control (usual online ordering only). The intervention strategies ran continuously for 14-16.5 months until the end of follow-up data collection. Trial primary outcomes (ie, mean total energy, saturated fat, sugar and sodium content of student online lunch orders) and secondary outcomes (ie, the proportion of online lunch order items that were categorized as everyday, occasional, and caution) were assessed over an 8-week period at baseline and 18-month follow-up. RESULTS: In all, 16 schools (94%) participated in the 18-month follow-up. Over time, from baseline to follow-up, relative to control orders, intervention orders had significantly lower energy (-74.1 kJ; 95% CI [-124.7, -23.4]; P=.006) and saturated fat (-0.4 g; 95% CI [-0.7, -0.1]; P=.003) but no significant differences in sugar or sodium content. Relative to control schools, the odds of purchasing everyday items increased significantly (odds ratio [OR] 1.2; 95% CI [1.1, 1.4]; P=.009, corresponding to a +3.8% change) and the odds of purchasing caution items significantly decreased among intervention schools (OR 0.7, 95% CI [0.6, 0.9]; P=.002, corresponding to a -2.6% change). There was no between-group difference over time in canteen revenue. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to investigate the sustained effect of a choice architecture intervention delivered via an online canteen ordering systems in schools. The findings suggest that there are intervention effects up to 18-months postbaseline in terms of decreased energy and saturated fat content and changes in the relative proportions of healthy and unhealthy food purchased for student lunches. As such, this intervention approach may hold promise as a population health behavior change strategy within schools and may have implications for the use of online food-ordering systems more generally; however, more research is required. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618000855224; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375075.

Secondary school implementation of a healthy eating policy.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Healthy canteen policies regulating the sales of food and beverages are available across all the states and territories in Australia. The aim of this study was to assess the compliance with a newly updated healthy school canteen policy in New South Wales (NSW) among a sample of secondary schools. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of secondary school canteen menus was undertaken in selected regions across NSW (September 2017-November 2017). Government and Catholic secondary schools with a canteen menu publicly available on school websites were eligible for inclusion. Menus were classified according to the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy using a Quick Menu Audit tool, previously validated in primary schools. RESULTS: Of 62 Catholic and 128 Government secondary schools located in the study region, 53 secondary schools (25 Catholic and 28 Government) were eligible to participate. The average percentage of "everyday" (healthy) items on secondary school menus was 54% (strategy criteria is >75%). Twenty-eight per cent of menus had no "sugary drinks" (should not be sold). None of the 53 menus assessed met all strategy criteria regarding the availability of foods and beverages. There was no statistically significant difference in meeting; (a) 75% minimum "everyday" items and (b) no "sugary drinks," by socio-economic region, remoteness, school enrolments or school type. CONCLUSIONS: If public health benefits of healthy eating policies are to be realised, secondary schools need to be supported to implement such policies. SO WHAT?: Future research assessing the impact of intervention strategies to support policy implementation in secondary schools is recommended.

Effectiveness of embedding a specialist preventive care clinician in a community mental health service in increasing preventive care provision: A randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical practice guidelines recommend that community mental health services provide preventive care for clients' chronic disease risk behaviours; however, such care is often not routinely provided. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of offering clients an additional consultation with a specialist clinician embedded within a community mental health service, in increasing client-reported receipt of, and satisfaction with, preventive care. METHOD: A randomised controlled trial was undertaken in one Australian community mental health service. Participants (N = 811) were randomised to receive usual care (preventive care in routine consultations; n = 405) or usual care plus the offer of an additional consultation with a specialist preventive care clinician (n = 406). Blinded interviewers assessed at baseline and 1-month follow-up the client-reported receipt of preventive care (assessment, advice and referral) for four key risk behaviours individually (smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol overconsumption and physical inactivity) and all applicable risks combined, acceptance of referrals and satisfaction with preventive care received. RESULTS: Analyses indicated significantly greater increases in 12 of the 18 preventive care delivery outcomes in the intervention compared to the usual care condition from baseline to follow-up, including assessment for all risks combined (risk ratio = 4.00; 95% confidence interval = [1.57, 10.22]), advice for all applicable risks combined (risk ratio = 2.40; 95% confidence interval = [1.89, 6.47]) and offer of referral to applicable telephone services combined (risk ratio = 20.13; 95% confidence interval = [2.56, 158.04]). For each component of care, there was a significant intervention effect for at least one of the individual risk behaviours. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with preventive care received, ranging from 77% (assessment) to 87% (referral), with no significant differences between conditions. CONCLUSION: The intervention had a significant effect on the provision of the majority of recommended elements of preventive care. Further research is needed to maximise its impact, including identifying strategies to increase client uptake.

Preventive care for physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption: a survey of family carer expectations of health service delivery for people with a mental health condition.

BACKGROUND: Chronic disease is a leading cause of death globally, where inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption and inadequate physical activity are consistently implicated as key contributing risk factors for such diseases. People with a mental health condition are reported to experience a higher prevalence of such risks and experience an increased morbidity and mortality from resultant chronic disease. Despite guidelines identifying a need for services accessed by people with a mental health condition to provide care to address such health risk behaviours, sub-optimal care is frequently reported suggesting a need for innovative strategies to increase the provision of physical health care. An exploratory study was conducted to examine: 1) family carers' expectations of care provision regarding fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity by health and community services for people with a mental health condition; 2) carer's own health risk behaviour status and perceptions of the influence of the health risk behaviours on mental health; and 3) possible associations of socio-demographic, clinical and attitudinal factors with carer expectations of care provision for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. METHODS: Family carers (n = 144) of a person with a mental health condition completed a cross-sectional survey. Participants were members of a mental health carer support organisation operating in New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS: A high proportion of participants considered care for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity respectively should be provided by: mental health hospitals (78.5, 82.7%); community mental health services (76.7, 85.9%); general practice (81.1, 79.2%); and non-government organisations (56.2, 65.4%). Most participants perceived adequate fruit and vegetable consumption (55.9%), and physical activity (71.3%) would have a very positive impact on mental health. Carers who perceived adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity would have a positive impact on mental health were more likely to expect care for such behaviours from some services. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participants expected care for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity be provided by all services catering for people with a mental health condition, reinforcing the appropriateness for such services to provide physical health care for clients in a systematic manner.

Implementation of policies and practices to increase physical activity among children attending centre-based childcare: A cross-sectional study.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Supporting centre-based childcare services to create physical activity (PA) environments is a recommended strategy to improve child PA. This study aimed to describe the implementation of PA policies and practices by these services, and to examine the associations with service characteristics. METHODS: Nominated supervisors of childcare services (n = 309) in the Hunter New England region, New South Wales, Australia, completed a telephone interview. Using previously validated measures, the interview assessed the implementation of evidence-based practices shown to be associated with child PA. This includes: (a) provision of active play opportunities, (b) portable play equipment availability, (c) delivery of daily fundamental movement skills, (d) having at least 50% of staff trained in promoting child PA the past 5 years and (e) having written PA and small screen recreation policies. RESULTS: Although 98% (95% CI 96, 99) of childcare services provided active play opportunities for at least 25% of their daily opening hours, only 8% (95% CI 5, 11) of services fully implemented all policies and practices; with no service characteristic associated with full implementation. Long day care service had twice the odds of having a written PA policy (OR 2.0, 95% CI 0.7, 5.8), compared to preschools (adjusted for service size, socio-economic disadvantage and geographical location). CONCLUSIONS: Improvements could be made to childcare services' operations to support the promotion of child PA. SO WHAT?: To ensure the benefits to child health, childcare services require support to implement a number of PA promoting policies and practices that are known to improve child PA.

Patterns of emergency department use in rural and metropolitan New South Wales from 2012 to 2018.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the patterns of and investigate the factors associated with rises in emergency department presentations in rural and metropolitan New South Wales from 2012 to 2018. DESIGN: A retrospective descriptive study of de-identified data from the New South Wales Emergency Department Data Collection. SETTING: New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: All individuals presenting to 99 New South Wales emergency departments, which continuously reported to the Emergency Department Data Collection between 2012 and 2018. A total of 2 166 449 presentations recorded throughout New South Wales in 2012 (rural 786 278; metropolitan 1 380 171) and 2 477 192 in 2018 (rural 861 761; metropolitan 1 615 431). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total emergency department presentations, plus Poisson regression modelled annual changes in emergency department presentations over the period 2012-2018. RESULTS: Growth in emergency department presentations outpaced population growth in both rural and metropolitan New South Wales between 2012 and 2018. The patterns of age-standardised rates of presentations were broadly similar between rural and metropolitan areas, with highest rates observed in the youngest (0-4 years) and oldest (85+ years) cohorts. The rural sample also displayed a distinct third peak in ages 15-39 years, and rates were higher across all age groups. Rural New South Wales displayed disproportionately higher emergency department presentations in the two most deprived socio-economic status quintiles. While rural New South Wales displayed significant reductions in triage category 5 (non-urgent cases) over time, the relative proportion remained approximately double that of metropolitan sites. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences between rural and metropolitan emergency department presentations relating to demographic factors, triage levels, acuity and admissions. Detailed local investigations are required to determine specific contextual issues that impact on emergency department demand.

A survey of the prevalence of modifiable health risk behaviours among carers of people with a mental illness.

BACKGROUND: Family carers provide significant support to people with a mental illness; yet may experience poor mental and physical health themselves. Among limited research addressing the physical health of carers, studies of carers of people with dementia and young people with psychosis suggest increased risk of chronic diseases in conjunction with higher levels of potentially modifiable lifestyle risk behaviours. This exploratory study, conducted with carers of people with various mental illnesses, aimed to determine: carer prevalence of health risk behaviours (inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, inadequate physical activity, harmful alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking); interest in changing 'at risk' behaviours; and potential associations of socio-demographic characteristics with risk status and interest in change. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among family carers of people with a mental illness (N = 144) residing in New South Wales, Australia. Analyses explored risk behaviour prevalence and interest in change, and associations with socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: Inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption was most prevalent (74.8%), followed by engaging in inadequate amounts of physical activity (57.6%); harmful alcohol consumption (36.3%) and smoking (11.8%). The majority of carers were interested in improving 'at risk' behaviours (56.3-89.2%), with the exception of alcohol consumption (41.5%). Previously or never married participants were more likely to consume inadequate amounts of fruits and/or vegetables compared to those married or cohabiting (Odds Ratio [OR]: 4.1, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.3-12.9, p = .02). Carers in the workforce were more likely to be engaging in inadequate physical activity (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.2-5.7, p = .02); and male participants were more likely to engage in harmful alcohol consumption (OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1-7.9, p = .03). Working carers were approximately five times more likely to report interest in improving their alcohol consumption (OR: 5.1, 95% CI: 1.3-20.5, p = .02) compared to those not currently in the workforce. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest high engagement in health risk behaviours among carers of people with a mental illness, particularly with regards to harmful alcohol consumption. Findings suggest a need to develop and implement chronic disease prevention strategies. Further research with larger representative samples is needed to confirm findings.

Musculoskeletal conditions may increase the risk of chronic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases and musculoskeletal conditions have a significant global burden and frequently co-occur. Musculoskeletal conditions may contribute to the development of chronic disease; however, this has not been systematically synthesised. We aimed to investigate whether the most common musculoskeletal conditions, namely neck or back pain or osteoarthritis of the knee or hip, contribute to the development of chronic disease. METHODS: We searched CINAHL, Embase, Medline, Medline in Process, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science to February 8, 2018, for cohort studies reporting adjusted estimates of the association between baseline musculoskeletal conditions (neck or back pain or osteoarthritis of the knee or hip) and subsequent diagnosis of a chronic disease (cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease or obesity). Two independent reviewers performed data extraction and assessed study quality. Adjusted hazard ratios were pooled using the generic inverse variance method in random effect models, regardless of the type of musculoskeletal condition or chronic disease. PROSPERO: CRD42016039519. RESULTS: There were 13 cohort studies following 3,086,612 people. In the primary meta-analysis of adjusted estimates, osteoarthritis (n = 8 studies) and back pain (n = 2) were the exposures and cardiovascular disease (n = 8), cancer (n = 1) and diabetes (n = 1) were the outcomes. Pooled adjusted estimates from these 10 studies showed that people with a musculoskeletal condition have a 17% increase in the rate of developing a chronic disease compared to people without (hazard ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.13-1.22; I2 52%, total n = 2,686,113 people). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis found that musculoskeletal conditions may increase the risk of chronic disease. In particular, osteoarthritis appears to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Prevention and early treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and targeting associated chronic disease risk factors in people with long standing musculoskeletal conditions may play a role in preventing other chronic diseases. However, a greater understanding about why musculoskeletal conditions may increase the risk of chronic disease is needed.

Supporting change in chronic disease risk behaviours for people with a mental illness: a qualitative study of the experiences of family carers.

BACKGROUND: People with a mental illness experience greater chronic disease morbidity and mortality, and associated reduced life expectancy, compared to those without such an illness. A higher prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours (inadequate nutrition, inadequate physical activity, tobacco smoking, and harmful alcohol consumption) is experienced by this population. Family carers have the potential to support change in such behaviours among those they care for with a mental illness. This study aimed to explore family carers': 1) experiences in addressing the chronic disease risk behaviours of their family members; 2) existing barriers to addressing such behaviours; and 3) perceptions of potential strategies to assist them to provide risk behaviour change support. METHODS: A qualitative study of four focus groups (n = 31), using a semi-structured interview schedule, was conducted with carers of people with a mental illness in New South Wales, Australia from January 2015 to February 2016. An inductive thematic analysis was employed to explore the experience of carers in addressing the chronic disease risk behaviours. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified in family carers' report of their experiences: firstly, that health behaviours were salient concerns for carers and that they were engaged in providing support, and secondly that they perceived a bidirectional relationship between health behaviours and mental well-being. Key barriers to addressing behaviours were: a need to attend to carers' own well-being; defensiveness on behalf of the family member; and not residing with their family member; with other behaviour-specific barriers also identified. Discussion around strategies which would assist carers in providing support for health risk behaviours identified a need for improved communication and collaboration between carers and health services accessed by their family members. CONCLUSIONS: Additional support from general and mental health services accessed by family members is desired to assist carers to address the barriers to providing behaviour change support. Carers have the potential to support and extend health service interventions aimed at improving the chronic disease risk behaviours of people with a mental illness but may require additional information, and collaboration from services. Further research is needed to explore these constructs in a large representative sample.

Hunter and New England HealthPathways: a 4-year journey of integrated care.

Objective This paper describes the 4-year journey of Hunter and New England HealthPathways - a password-protected web-based portal designed to provide localised evidence-informed clinical and referral information to support general practice at the point of care. Methods A process evaluation was conducted in 2013, with a case study comparison performed in 2014 to assess impact of HealthPathways on patient referral and access to specialist care, followed by a review in 2016 of utilisation of the online portal to assess whether healthcare providers continued to access HealthPathways. Results Increased utilisation was correlated with an increase in the number of pathways published online. Clinical leadership and the process of developing pathways built relationships between primary care and specialist teams. Case studies indicated that a comprehensive approach to pathway implementation accompanied by service redesign resulted in higher pathway use and improved access to specialist care. Senior management support and a formal partnership between major health care providers led to strong governance of HealthPathways and the delivery of other integrated care initiatives. There was significant growth in utilisation over the 4 years, increasing to an average of 6679 sessions per month in 2016 and more general practices reported use of HealthPathways. Conclusions HealthPathways is a vehicle for building strong foundations to support system change and integrated care. The critical elements for acceptability, growth and sustainability are the strong relationships between primary care and specialist clinicians, as well as formal partnerships that are built from the processes used to develop HealthPathways. What is known about the topic? HealthPathways and similar web-based evidence-informed guidelines aimed at improving system integration are increasing in Australia. There are few published papers that describe approaches to inform the ongoing implementation of such programs. What does this paper add? This paper describes iterative methodology for evaluating complex programs, such as HealthPathways, that identifies the critical factors required to build sustainable models of integrated care. What are the implications for practitioners? The 4-year experience of Hunter and New England HealthPathways provides an approach to improve the implementation, sustainability and spread of similar programs and associated integrated care initiatives.