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Association between dietary factors and health-related quality of life in adolescents longitudinally over three years from age 11-16 years
Full text linkBackgroundCross-sectional studies have linked adolescent food choices to health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This research sought to determine the degree to which adolescent food choices are linked to HRQoL longitudinally.MethodsData were collected in the UK as part of the Wellbeing in Schools (WiSe) survey. Adolescents (N = 2241) (49% female, n = 1112) were surveyed at age 11-12 (2014); 13-14 (2016); and 15-16 years (2018). HRQoL was assessed using the Kidscreen10 and food intake using a 17-item short food frequency questionnaire (sFFQ). Confirmatory factor analysis of FFQ responses indicated five food factors (junk food; fruit and vegetables; bread and dairy; meat; protein). Using a bidirectional strategy the five food factors and HRQoL were examined at three points in time over a period of six years. This cross-lagged model was examined using a multigroup strategy to assess the stability of responses over time in boys and girls, thus accounting for temporal stability of the different constructs.ResultsBoys reported higher HRQoL than girls at age 13-14 and 15-16 years. Boys consumed 'protein' and 'meat intake' more frequently at all time-points. Girls reported more frequent consumption of 'fruit and vegetables' at all time points, while boys' intake decreased progressively at ages 13-14 and 15-16 years. Cross-lagged panel modelling indicated that more frequent intake of 'fruit and vegetables', and 'protein' was associated with lower HRQoL scores at baseline (age 11-12 years) and that this association strengthened through ages 13-14 and 15-16 years. Lower HRQoL scores at baseline were associated with more frequent 'bread and dairy' intake at age 13-14 years but not at 15-16 years. No associations were observed over time between HRQoL and 'junk food' or 'meat intake'.ConclusionsThese findings imply the importance of diet to quality of life during adolescence. Further research is required to understand why certain dietary factors were associated with lower HRQOL over the course of adolescence. Meanwhile, intervention to enhance HRQoL should target girls while efforts to enhance 'fruit and vegetable' intake should target boys
Future Island-Island Impact Cards:Making it on Rathlin: Craft Tourism
Full text linkChallengeIn supporting the professional development of the craft and artist communityon Rathlin Island, this fellowship sought to promote creative enterprisethrough design of a creative tourism package, web platform, and printedmarketing materials. The fellowship is aimed at advancing sustainable tourism,local community stewardship and visitor engagement.ApproachCreative tourism encourages active participation and immersive experiencesbetween local people and visitors. The design approach nurtures respect forlocal culture, authenticity, learning and mutual exchange. Creative tourism alsocontributes to the local economy, promoting island enterprise, resiliency andinitiative.OutcomesThe first craft tourism package on Rathlin Island has been listed in Craft NI’sAugust Craft Month 2025 directory. Local crafters received expert mentoringand training from the Director and Digital Development Officers at Craft NI. Adedicated webpage, marketing materials, and new signage were designed topromote artist profiles, monthly craft markets, and promote products from theisland’s creative community.LearningsThe partnership with Craft NI has increased confidence among participatingcrafters and enhanced their knowledge and skills on marketing, pricing andpackage development. This has encouraged makers to consider their uniquecreative story and product. The newly established monthly craft market onRathlin Island has further supported professional development, enterprise andtourism engagement.ImpactThis design fellowship project has generated:• Development of a new craft tourism package• A new marketing and e-commerce webpage and platform• Capacity building for local crafters and artists• Collaboration with relevant industry bodies such as Craft NI and Tourism N
Mental health professionals’ perceptions of using chatbots in mental health promotion and care:A cross-sectional survey study
Full text linkTo address the urgent need for accessible and flexible mental health services, digital technologies are increasingly researched and utilized in the prevention and management of mental health conditions. Chatbots, autonomous computer programs using deterministic scripted conversations or artificial intelligence, are one modality for delivering digital mental health services. Chatbots are potentially free from stigma and easily scalable. Despite the benefits, uncertainties and misconceptions about their role and use in supporting mental health remain. Successful integration of chatbots into existing services requires endorsement and trust from mental health professionals, but their perceptions on the future use of chatbots remain understudied.A cross-sectional survey of Finnish mental health professionals (n=784) examined factors influencing their willingness to recommend mental health chatbots to their clients or patients. Desirable chatbot features and possible use cases for chatbots were also queried. The data was analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis and multinomial logistic regression.Opinions on recommending chatbots to clients or patients over the next five years were divided. The findings suggest that when mental health professionals perceive a high level of usefulness in a mental health chatbot, they are more likely to recommend it to their patients or clients. The perceived level of usefulness was the strongest predictor for recommending chatbots to a patient or a client across all groups, including those who were unlikely, likely, or very likely to recommend chatbots. Based on this study, mental health chatbots should be useful, easy to comprehend, professional, and reliable. Professionals indicated that chatbots could assist in various tasks, such as sending reminders, instructing exercises, and monitoring.Finnish mental health professionals highly valued the usefulness and straightforward features of chatbots. To design mental health chatbots that professionals would recommend, it is important to ensure that their views are applied during the development process.<br/
How do new doctors prescribe insulin? Qualitative exploration of the complexity of everyday practice and implications for medical education
Full text linkObjectives(1) Analyse in depth an exemplar safety-critical task required of newly qualified doctors (prescribing insulin) and (2) Provide transferable insights into how undergraduate education could better educate medical students to meet the demands of practice when they become postgraduate trainees.DesignDocument analysis of doctors' reported experiences of insulin prescribing, an everyday task that has an emergent logic of practice and harms not just patients but (psychologically) new doctors. Application of third-generation (social emergence) complexity theory to explore why practice can be 'mutually unsafe'.SettingsA system of care comprising all five Northern Irish (UK) Health and Social Care Trusts, which together provide healthcare to a population of nearly two million people.Participants68 postgraduate year 1 and year 2 trainees (PGY1/2s), mainly PGY1s.Main outcome measuresThick description of new doctors' contexts of action, reasons for acting and specific actions. We present this as a narrative compiling all 68 stories, 13 detailed exemplar stories and a diagram summarising how multiple factors interacted to make practice complex.ResultsSituations that required PGY1/2s to act had interacting layers of complexity: (1) disease trajectories; (2) social dynamics between stakeholders and (3) contextual influences on stakeholders' interactions. Out-of-hours working and unsuitable wards intensified troublesome contextual influences. All three individually complex layers 'crystallised' briefly to create 'moments of action'. At best, PGY1/2s responded proactively, 'stretched time' and checked the results of their actions. At worst, PGY1/2s 'played safe' in unsafe ways (eg, took no action), acted on unsafe advice or defaulted to actions protecting them from criticism. Informal, pervasive rules emerged from, and perpetuated, unsafe practice.ConclusionsNew doctors' work includes acting on indeterminate, emergent situations whose complexity defies rules that are determinate enough to be taught off the job. If new doctors are to perform capably in moments of action, medical students need ample, supervised, situated experience of what it is like to take responsibility in such moments
Digital Mental Health Interventions for University Students with Mental Health Difficulties:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Full text linkBackground. While third-level educational institutions have long provided counselling, a sharp rise in demand has led to limited access to mental health supports for many students, including those with ongoing difficulties. Digital mental health interventions represent one response to this unmet need, given the potential low cost and scalability associated with no-to-low human resources involved. Objective. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature examining effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students with ongoing mental health difficulties. Methods. The following databases were searched: PubMed, EBSCOhost (CINHAHL/PsycINFO/PsycArticles) and Web of Science. Two-armed randomized-control trials were included in the meta-analysis. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted and standardized mean differences were calculated. Effect sizes were then compared in terms of therapeutic approach, and whether interventions were fully automated or guided interventions. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42024504265. Results. 34 eligible studies were included in this narrative synthesis, of which 21 randomized-controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis indicated an overall medium effect size in favour of digital interventions for both depression (Cohen’s d = 0.55), and anxiety (Cohen’s d = 0. 46). Of note, for anxiety outcomes, fully automated interventions appeared more effective (d= .55) than guided interventions (d= .35). Conclusions. Digital mental health interventions are associated with beneficial effects for college students when measured in terms of anxiety and depression symptom severity. For anxiety, fully automated interventions may be more effective than guided interventions to reduce symptom severity
Hospice at Home Out of Hours Models of Care: A Scoping Review - Irish Hospice Foundation
Full text linkDecoding semantic news ecosystem: Macro centrality analysis in Twitter news entity graphs and global influences
Full text linkThis research holds significance in unraveling the intricate interplay between global events and the semantic space of the news ecosystem. This investigation is motivated by the need for a comprehensive understanding of the structural dynamics and information flow within the Twitter news ecosystem. This research uniquely contributes to the existing literature by providing a longitudinal analysis of the macro-scale features of Twitter news entity graphs, specifically exploring their nuanced relationship with global events and the evolution of the news ecosystem. Over a span of 12 years and across 55 prominent news channels, this study employs a robust methodology, utilizing natural language processing techniques to extract named entities. These entities form the basis for constructing daily graphs which represent the semantic space, facilitating the analysis of co-occurrence patterns and macro centrality measures. The computed macro centrality measures undergo trend analysis, revealing temporal patterns and evolution. Subsequently, extremum analysis is applied to discern the impact of global events, while Fourier and wavelet techniques in frequency content analysis enrich the understanding of macro feature characteristics. Situated within pertinent theoretical frameworks, these findings offer insights into the profound influence of global events on news semantic space and inform practical applications, including event detection, prediction, and combating misinformation. Such insights into news entity graph dynamics can further assist news organizations in strategic planning and adapting to the ever-evolving digital landscape