Public Health Institute Journal (LJMU)
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How do families who have been bereaved by substance use, use their experience to advocate for drug policy change and how does this affect them personally?
No full textBackground: Drug deaths in England and Wales are the highest they have been since records began. It is estimated that 275,896 adults in the United Kingdom are in touch with drug and alcohol services. It is thought that for every person who dies from drug use there will be ten close family or friends who grieve. Some people who have been bereaved by drug use their experience to campaign, or advocate, for drug policy change in the hopes to change laws and improve stigma for drug users and their families. There is sparse research on if campaigning work helps with their grief. There is also little research on barriers these campaigners feel they face.
Methods: An exploratory qualitative methodology using a phenomenological approach was the approach taken for this study. Semi structured online interviews were used to collected data. Purposeful sampling was used for this study and seven participants took part. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: Findings showed that families who had been bereaved by drug use although did not think campaigning helped explicitly with grief, did express that it gave them a focus. Participants also expressed that campaigning gave them meaning and felt that their message would help reduce drug deaths. Campaigning gave all the participants a sense of community and improved opportunities for them to meet people who had similar experiences which was deemed important to help cope with their grief.
Conclusion: Barriers to campaigning found in this study were lack of support from family and friends, stigma, cost, and it being traumatic to discuss death frequently. All participants felt that lived experience was as important, or more important, than professional opinion alone
Knowledge and attitude of female bankers toward the practice of exclusive breastfeeding in Ikeya local government area of Lagos state, Nigeria: an empirical quantitative study using a structured questionnaire.
No full textBackground: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is crucial for optimal infant health, but professional commitments, particularly in sectors like banking, can impact a mother\u27s decision to practice EBF. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female bankers in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, regarding EBF, focusing on the influence of workplace support on their decisions.
Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered online to female bankers in Ikeja, Lagos State, using a cross-sectional approach. Data analysis was conducted to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to EBF and the role of workplace support in their decisions. The sample consisted of 60 respondents aged between 21 and 50.
Results: Using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi-square test on SPSS, this study found that all respondents were aware of EBF, with 88.3% correctly identifying its definition. However, only 23.3% practiced EBF for up to six months, with 76.7% citing work schedules as a barrier. Attitudes towards EBF were generally positive, with 60% holding favourable views, but 40% had unfavourable views. A significant lack of workplace support was identified, with only 18.3% of respondents reporting provisions like designated breastfeeding areas or nursing breaks. The study also highlighted the influence of sociodemographic factors, such as age, religion, and marital status, on EBF practices.
Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female bankers in Lagos regarding EBF. Workplace support and sociodemographic factors are evident in shaping these practices. There is a pressing need for targeted interventions to improve workplace policies and practices, address misconceptions, and foster positive attitudes towards EBF
A survey study comparison of the knowledge, attitude, and smoking behaviour between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
No full textBackground: Smoking poses a critical global public health challenge, resulting in millions of annual deaths and imposing substantial burdens on individuals, societies, and healthcare systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) underscores tobacco\u27s harmful impact, attributing approximately 7 million yearly deaths to direct tobacco use and an additional 1.2 million deaths to exposure to tobacco smoke. To combat this crisis, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) advocates for a 100% tobacco-free environment to mitigate second-hand smoke consequences and aims to reduce global tobacco-related deaths by around 13%. The United Kingdom (UK) is profoundly affected by tobacco smoking, witnessing high death rates, financial strain, and health issues linked to smoking. In response, the UK has set an ambitious target to achieve a smoke-free status by 2030, reinforced by comprehensive strategies implemented by the National Health Service (NHS) to support smokers in quitting. The current study addresses a research gap by conducting a comprehensive comparative analysis of smoking behaviour between Nigeria, a developing nation, and the UK, a developed nation. Employing a comparative cross-sectional design, the research investigates and compares smoking behaviour, knowledge, and attitudes among populations in both countries.
Methods: Comparing Nigerian and UK populations aged 18+, the study employed an online English questionnaire, collecting quantitative data. 98 participants took part, with 67 from Nigeria and 31 from the UK. Primarily aged 30-45, highly educated respondents showed awareness of smoking\u27s health risks. Chi-Square tests linked smoking knowledge and residence.
Results: Data from 98 valid participants revealed substantial support for stricter tobacco control measures in both countries. Participants favour higher cigarette taxes and smoke-free public spaces, signalling a positive shift in recognizing smoking\u27s health hazards. However, dissenting opinions, notably in Nigeria, underscore the need to address cultural influences on attitudes toward tobacco control policies.
Conclusion: The study highlights public views on tobacco control, indicating global support for stringent measures while noting cultural nuances. Nigeria exhibits contrasting perspectives, emphasizing cultural considerations in policymaking. Tailored, culturally sensitive interventions are vital to address diverse attitudes toward tobacco
Impacts of female genital mutilation on the health of women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative systematic review.
No full textBackground: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a practice deeply rooted in certain cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere. It is associated with negative impacts on women’s sexual and reproductive health and their broader wellbeing and human rights. A good number of primary studies have assessed these impacts through different methods. A systematic review seeks to synthesize available evidence to guide more effective intervention strategies for addressing the problem which is the intention of this study.
Methods: Only qualitative studies conducted between 2013 and 2023 were included in this systematic review. Women from the Sub-Saharan African region constituted the target population for the study.
Results: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. The impact of FGM on the health of women included sexual, reproductive, or psycho-social problems. Painful sex, anorgasmia, and reduced lubrication were the most reported impacts on sexual health. Prolonged labour, postpartum haemorrhage, requiring episiotomy, and Caesarean section were mostly reported as impact on women’s reproductive health. The impact of FGM on psycho-social health included depression, rage, rejection by men, hatred for family, and traumatic recall of the experience.
Conclusion: This review has shown that FGM can have significant and long- lasting health consequences on women. Genital reconstruction, a difficult process of regaining sexual integrity seems to hold significant potential for mitigating the impact of FGM on women’s sexual health. More research is hereby required to provide evidence for this. Research exploring strategies for mitigating the impact of FGM on women’s reproductive and psycho-social health is also required. Furthermore, tackling the problem of FGM in Sub- Saharan Africa requires a collaborative effort of governments, civil society, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and international partners to protect the rights and health of women in the region
The impact of COVID-19 on medical practitioners’ mental health: A scoping review
No full textBackground: Providing care and treatment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has put frontline medical practitioners under physical and psychological pressures. Mental health is a critical public health issue which is often overlooked in mental practitioners. The aim of this scoping review is to explore and systematically review existing studies on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of medical practitioners worldwide.
Methods: A review of relevant studies was followed to address the question of the review. The studies were identified using relevant databases (MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Google for grey literature). Title and abstract screening were completed prior to full text examination of the studies. The five-stage methodological framework developed by Arskey and O\u27Malley for scoping reviews was utilized. Extracted data were classified and analysed using a narrative synthesis and summarized accordingly.
Results: Following removal of duplicates and screening against inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 studies were included in this review. Multiple mental health concerns were identified and categorised into three core themes 1) Burnout 2) Stress-Anxiety-Depression, and 3) Post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health concerns.
Conclusion: This scoping review highlights the mental health issues that medical practitioners faced and describes the risk factors that triggered these concerns during the height of the pandemic. It also provides recommendations for practitioners and organizations to enable doctors to cope better with mental health issues including. These recommendations include spreading awareness, encouraging practitioners to seek early help, and tackling stigma
The impact of Instagram on body image and dietary choices in 18-to-25 Year-olds in England: a quantitative study
No full textBackground: The aim of the study is to identify if using Instagram more frequently can have a negative impact on body image and dietary choices in people aged between 18 and 25 years old.
Methods: This research was a quantitative empirical study that used an online survey method. The inclusion criteria were that participants must be aged between 18 and 25 years of age, live in England, and hold or have held an Instagram account. The only exclusion was that they must identify as the same gender of which they were born to increase validity and reduce confounding variables. In total there were 53 participants included in the final analysis.
Results: Out of the 53 participants, 15 were male (28.3%) and 38 were female (71.7%), all identifying as the same gender as they were assigned at birth. The top 3 types of content participants engaged with most were “interacting with friends/ people they may know”, “food”, and “fitness”. As well as this 66.0% currently follow a ‘fitspiration’ account. Participants most commonly checked Instagram every few hours (58.5%) and spent 1 hour on Instagram on a typical day (35.8%).
When assessing body image, most participants identified their ideal body to be slimmer than their own. When participants engage with content on Instagram, 37.7% compare their appearance to others “very often”. This is higher in females (44.4%) than males (20.0%). 84.9% have also seen Instagram content that has made them want to change their diet.
Conclusion: Overall, there was no significant association between the use of Instagram and impacts on body image or diet choices. This was the case when analysing all three objectives overall. However, it highlighted many recommendations for future research
The impact of stress on emotional eating behaviour among LJMU students
No full textBackground: The impact of stress on emotional eating behaviour is a topic of considerable attention. A University student’s eating behaviour can be impacted by stressful circumstances. Studies suggest that stress-prone students frequently alter their quality and quantity of food intake. It is unclear what factors contribute to the parameters linked with stress-eating behaviour. This study intends to investigate the relationship between stress and emotional eating behaviour among LJMU students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a total of 27 participants aged 18 or more who were undergraduate or postgraduate students. This study used an online questionnaire that included questions based on the validated perceived stress scale (PSS) and the Salzburg stress eating scale (SSES). It takes only 10 minutes to complete. Participants were requested to fill out the questionnaire that asked about their sociodemographic characteristics like gender, age, international status, education level and stress level and emotional eating behaviour.
Results: The collected data were analysed using SPSS software. The study found that there is no significant correlation between emotional eating behaviour and stress (r = 0.259 p = 0.212). In addition to that, there is statistically insignificant difference found between gender (p = 0.726), age (p = 0.726), international status of the student (p = 0.386), and education level of student (p = 0.766) with SSES score. Also found insignificant difference between age (p = 0.396), gender (p = 0.648), international status of the student (p = 0.386) and education level (p = 0.364) with PSS score.
Conclusion: This study found that the majority of the university students have moderate stress (72%) and they eat less when experiencing stress (66.7%). Therefore, this finding highlights that student eat less when they experience stress. In summary, this study emphasises the necessity for improving healthy diet and eating habits, and effective stress management techniques among university students for reducing stress and unhealthy diet related health risk
Welcome
No full textZoe began her academic journey at LJMU back in 2001, completing a BA in Literature and American Studies. She then joined the Public Health Institute in 2016 to study for an MSc in Public Health: Addictions, and continued at PHI for her PhD in Public Health.
Despite prior study, my first experience of writing a dissertation was for my MSc in Public Health: Addictions. I remember being a little daunted by the prospect (especially of having to do a viva) and a little overwhelmed with choosing a topic. As the students featured in this edition of the journal demonstrate, there are so many fascinating areas within public health to choose from. After changing my mind several times, I went with a topic that I was most interested in, and believed was an important area for research. In the end, I went with the less ‘glamorous’ sounding topic of smoking cessation, but it’s a subject that I find interesting and care about, so I never got bored of it. In fact, it opened up opportunities for me for further work and study, and formed the basis for my PhD.
A dissertation is hard work and can be challenging at times, so having a topic you care about and find interesting certainly helps on those days when you wonder why you even considered doing an MSc! I was fortunate enough to have supportive and insightful supervisors who helped me to produce a dissertation that I was proud of, and I hope our students feel the same way. For me, supervising students is a rewarding activity and I enjoy passing on some of the skills and knowledge I have gained throughout my time studying and working at LJMU. It’s also a great opportunity to learn from and with our students as there are so many fascinating topics to cover. In a post-COVID landscape, it is reassuring to see how research and study have evolved and how these students have adapted to new ways of working.
The dissertations included in this journal cover a broad range of topics and methodologies, and are a testament to the hard work and dedication the students have demonstrated throughout their time at LJMU. They also give some insight into the public health issues we face today and provide hope that the next generation of researchers will have a positive impact on the many facets of public health. This journal offers a well-deserved platform to showcase the work of these students and to celebrate their successes, and I hope they continue to learn and succeed in whatever they do next.  
Does the adoption of Marmot principles reduce health inequalities? Coventry: An emerging Marmot city
No full textThe life expectancy in the UK is stalling for the first time in over 100 years, with many cities affected. Coventry is a city that has significant deprivation, is ranked as the 64th most deprived neighbourhood and is classified as an emerging Marmot City (focus on adopting Marmot principles). Marmot principles were defined by Sir Michael Marmot in 2010 as strategic aims that would reduce health inequalities. This report evaluates the adoption of three Marmot principles used by Coventry City Council to reduce health inequalities. Data was derived from several different credible sources with criteria, key words and limitation analysis, to ensure validity and relevance of review. Firstly, adopting the Marmot principle: ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, has reduced health inequalities by increasing school readiness, decreasing the prevalence of obesity and improving childcare settings. Secondly, adopting the Marmot principle: ‘Creating fair employment for all’, has reduced health inequalities by increasing local and small businesses, reducing the number of benefit claimants and improving mental health support in the workplace. Lastly, adoption of the Marmot principle: ‘Strengthening the role of ill-health prevention’, has reduced health inequalities by promoting vaccine uptake, improvements to air quality and the development of the prevention board. This literature review provides strong evidence that adoption of Marmot principles can help reduce health inequalities. However, many of the studies require a longer surveillance period. In the future, we can hope to see more reliable and comprehensive data
A quantitative study on the students of Liverpool John Moores University which investigates the effects and influences that alcohol can have on a person\u27s mental health
No full textThere is a close link between alcohol use and mental health. Alcohol misuse can contribute to the worsening of symptoms of multiple mental health problems. Drinking has become a large part of the student culture. Much of this research aims to highlight the links between alcohol and mental health and make more students aware of the detrimental effects that alcohol can have on the body mentally. This study used a quantitative approach and used an online questionnaire as the method for data collection. Participants were recruited through a social media advert posted on Facebook. The study had 31 respondents, and this made it difficult for the researcher to establish any clear trends or if there were any patterns shown it was difficult to see whether they were coincidence. Also, due to the sample size being so small, the study\u27s findings were not as representative as the researcher would have liked. The data produced by the questionnaires was analysed using SPSS software, where graphs and chi-square tables were created to make comparisons and see if there were clear trends between questions. The results from this study showed that there was an initial trend between the amount of alcohol consumed and the emotions that students were feeling. However, after producing the chi-square results, the P value of each chart (approximately 0.05) suggested the results were more than likely to be coincidence or due to the sample size. A large portion of participants in this study said they were consumers of alcohol and a lot of those who responded yes to drinking alcohol were the younger students aged 18-24. Once the researcher came to the end of the study, there were a few recommendations to be made to help raise awareness on the subject. These included implementing more educational campaigns to make students more aware of the dangers of drinking, especially binge drinking; having further promotion on drinking advice and limits that are already in place. Finally, the researcher believed that this study topic would benefit from further studies, which take a qualitative approach looking more specifically into the attitudes and reasoning as to why drinking is such a big part of the student culture
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