SDG3 - Good Health and Wellbeing: Re-Calibrating the SDG Agendawill explore topics surrounding the contemporary discussions concerning the implementation of the goal. It will cover concepts and ...concerns, and include practical case studies of how SDG3 has been implemented in different regions of the world.
The sustainability of school-based health interventions after external funds and/or other resources end has been relatively unexplored in comparison to health care. If effective interventions ...discontinue, new practices cannot reach wider student populations and investment in implementation is wasted. This review asked: What evidence exists about the sustainability of school-based public health interventions? Do schools sustain public health interventions once start-up funds end? What are the barriers and facilitators affecting the sustainability of public health interventions in schools in high-income countries?
Seven bibliographic databases and 15 websites were searched. References and citations of included studies were searched, and experts and authors were contacted to identify relevant studies. We included reports published from 1996 onwards. References were screened on title/abstract, and those included were screened on full report. We conducted data extraction and appraisal using an existing tool. Extracted data were qualitatively synthesised for common themes, using May's General Theory of Implementation (2013) as a conceptual framework.
Of the 9677 unique references identified through database searching and other search strategies, 24 studies of 18 interventions were included in the review. No interventions were sustained in their entirety; all had some components that were sustained by some schools or staff, bar one that was completely discontinued. No discernible relationship was found between evidence of effectiveness and sustainability. Key facilitators included commitment/support from senior leaders, staff observing a positive impact on students' engagement and wellbeing, and staff confidence in delivering health promotion and belief in its value. Important contextual barriers emerged: the norm of prioritising educational outcomes under time and resource constraints, insufficient funding/resources, staff turnover and a lack of ongoing training. Adaptation of the intervention to existing routines and changing contexts appeared to be part of the sustainability process.
Existing evidence suggests that sustainability depends upon schools developing and retaining senior leaders and staff that are knowledgeable, skilled and motivated to continue delivering health promotion through ever-changing circumstances. Evidence of effectiveness did not appear to be an influential factor. However, methodologically stronger primary research, informed by theory, is needed.
The review was registered on PROSPERO: CRD42017076320, Sep. 2017.
The literature and practice of place promotion, place marketing and place branding lack a common understanding of what these three concepts mean and through what kind of policies they can be ...implemented. Although scholars have provided several theoretical frameworks and definitions, both scholars and practitioners (advisors, civil servants, public and private stakeholders, and politicians) often use them synonymously. This paper argues that recent developments in both theory and practice – with respect to place promotion, place marketing and place branding – provide an opportunity to address this conceptual confusion. In the academic debate, a common understanding is slowly emerging and in practice, a more integral approach is gaining ground. To contribute to these advances, we present the outline of a framework to help distinguish between place promotion, place marketing and place branding, along with a discussion on why we believe these differences (should) matter to practitioners.
•A classification of place promotion, place marketing, and place branding respectively as instruments for urban policy;•A conceptual reframing, highlighting and incorporating the differences between these three instruments;•Insights into how the current conceptual confusion causes asymmetries in both theory and practice.
Abstract Objective An automated health counselor agent was designed to promote both physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption through a series of simulated conversations with users on ...their home computers. Methods The agent was evaluated in a 4-arm randomized trial of a two-month daily contact intervention comparing: (a) physical activity; (b) fruit and vegetable consumption; (c) both interventions; and (d) a non-intervention control. Physical activity was assessed using daily pedometer steps. Daily servings of fruit and vegetables were assessed using the NIH/NCI self-report Fruit and Vegetable Scan. Results Participants in the physical activity intervention increased their walking on average compared to the control group, while those in the fruit and vegetable intervention and combined intervention decreased walking. Participants in the fruit and vegetable intervention group consumed significantly more servings per day compared to those in the control group, and those in the combined intervention reported consuming more compared to those in the control group. Conclusion Automated health intervention software designed for efficient re-use is effective at changing health behavior. Practice implications Automated health behavior change interventions can be designed to facilitate translation and adaptation across multiple behaviors.
In this trial involving black male barbershop patrons with uncontrolled hypertension, health promotion by barbers resulted in larger blood-pressure reduction when coupled with medication management ...in barbershops by specialty-trained pharmacists.
IntroductionThe growing population of the elderly, the rising costs of medical care and the low use of preventive services are three factors that highlight the importance of using preventive health ...care services in the Iranian population. This study aimed to determine the status of the use of preventive care services and its associated socio-demographic factors in the elderly referred to health centers. MethodsIn this analytical cross-sectional study, a number of 160 elderly people referred to health centers in East Guilan, Iran was selected by multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were obtained from May to September, 2021 using a questionnaire containing utilization of preventive care services (9 items) and socio-demographic characteristics. ResultsThe highest and the lowest utilization rates of preventive care services among study participants were related to the blood pressure test (96.9%) and colonoscopy (17.5%), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that only income had a significant association with performing fasting blood sugar test (p = 0.004), blood lipid test (p = 0.004), and blood pressure test (p = 0.013). Also, the associations between having an underlying disease and performing fasting blood sugar test (p = 0.032) and blood pressure test (p = 0.002), the association between gender and performing the bone mineral density test (p < 0.001), and the association between occupation and performing Pap-smear test (p = 0.011), were statistically significant. ConclusionsThe utilization rates of screening tests for most cancers, including gastrointestinal cancers, were low. Since, there were a significant association between income, disease, gender and occupation with the utilization of some preventive care services, considering them in health centers' preventive care program design might be useful.
The global surges in obesity and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have created a need for decisive new food policy initiatives. A major concern has been the impact of ...ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and ultra-processed drinks on weight gain and on the risk of several NCDs. These foods, generally high in calories, added sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats, and poor in fibre, protein, and micronutrients, have extensive negative effects on human health and on the environment (due to their associated carbon emission and water use). There is a growing tendency worldwide, and especially in South America, for food companies to add micronutrients to UPFs to make health claims regarding these products, to which food-regulating authorities refer to fake foods. Although more than 45 countries and smaller subregional or urban entities have created taxes on ultra-processed drinks, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, only a few have adopted taxes on snacks and other UPFs, and none have added major subsidies for truly healthy, fresh or minimally processed food for people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Another major focus has been on developing effective package labelling. A smaller number of countries have selected the most impactful warning labels and linked them with other measures to create a mutually reinforcing set of policies; a few other countries have developed effective school food policies. We herein present in-depth results from key countries involved in all these actions and in comprehensive marketing controls, and conclude with our recommendations for the future. This field is quite new; progress to date is substantial, but much more is left to learn.
In recent years, major sporting and cultural events such as the Olympic Games have emerged as significant elements of public policy, particularly in efforts to achieve urban regeneration. As well as ...opportunities arising from new venues, these events are viewed as a way of stimulating investment, gaining civic engagement and publicizing progress to assist the urban regeneration process more generally. However, the pursuit of regeneration involving events is a practice that is poorly understood, controversial and risky.
Events and Urban Regeneration is the first book dedicated to the use of events in regeneration. It explores the relationship between events and regeneration by analyzing a range of cities and a range of sporting and cultural events projects. It considers various theoretical perspectives to provide insight into why major events are important to contemporary cites. It examines the different ways that events can assist regeneration, as well as problems and issues associated with this unconventional form of public policy. It identifies key issues faced by those tasked with using events to assist regeneration and suggests how practices could be improved in the future.
The book adopts a multi-disciplinary perspective, drawing together ideas from the geography, urban planning and tourism literatures, as well as from the emerging events and regeneration fields. It illustrates arguments with a range of international case studies placed within and at the end of chapters to show positive outcomes that have been achieved and examples of high profile failures.
This timely book is essential reading for students and practitioners who are interested in events, urban planning, urban geography and tourism.
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