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Focusing on the conceptualization of a whole university approach, this paper reports on an international qualitative study that explored vice-chancellors' and network members' understanding of and commitment to Health Promoting Universities, examined perspectives on leadership and investigated the Okanagan Charter's potential to catalyse whole university leadership and change. A multi-method qualitative approach was used: semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted face-to-face with vice-chancellors (n = 12) and Health Promoting University co-ordinators who were members of the UK Healthy Universities Network (n = 8); telephone interviews were conducted with a mix of UK and non-UK Health Promoting University co-ordinators (n = 5) and two online questionnaires were distributed to non-UK network co-ordinators (n = 6) and non-UK Health Promoting University co-ordinators (n = 10). Through thematic analysis, a number of key themes emerged that build a new conceptualization of the whole university approach (see Figure 1): building a broad understanding and framing of health; developing a supportive ethos and culture; embedding health into the university and joining up areas of work; focusing on the whole population and facing challenges and seizing opportunities. The study elicited rich and wide-ranging views from multiple stakeholders from universities and networks across four continents, confirming Health Promoting Universities as a truly global movement. Looking ahead, there are clear opportunities and challenges. First, the media narrative of a student mental health 'crisis' has focused universities' attention on 'health', but from a single issue 'illness' perspective. This risks detracting from the whole system Health Promoting Universities approach. Second, even with the Okanagan Charter inspiring individuals and universities, there are still major challenges in translating the rhetoric of whole system approaches into meaningful action within large, complex and culturally diverse organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the use of health impact assessment (HIA) as a means of facilitating community engagement in spatial planning. The paper discusses the background to the development of HIA as a tool for assessing the likely impact of policies and wider changes on health with a view to building those into planning and decision-making, and describes the evolution of HIA into more participatory forms. It then goes on to describe a case-study of plans for a waste incinerator in an inner-city area in the UK, where HIA was used in response to community concerns about the development as a means of building in the views of local people to the decision-making around the plan. We describe in detail how the HIA was conducted and additional research undertaken within a timescale set by the planning processes. We discuss the difficulties involved in conducting any kind of research-based HIA so rapidly and in a situation of multiple, competing stakeholder interests. We argue that although the HIA failed to influence the final decisions in this particular instance it does, nonetheless, provide a model for how to create ‘knowledge spaces’ in which different perspectives and information can be brought around the table to create more democratic approaches to planning for waste. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Over recent years, there has been growing interest in Healthy Universities, evidenced by an increased number of national networks and the participation of 375 participants from over 30 countries in the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges, which also saw the launch of the Okanagan Charter. This paper reports on research exploring the use and impact of the UK Healthy Universities Network's self review tool, specifically examining whether this has supported universities to understand and embed a whole system approach. The research study comprised two stages, the first using an online questionnaire and the second using focus groups. The findings revealed a wide range of perspectives under five overarching themes: motivations; process; outcomes/benefits; challenges/suggested improvements; and future use. In summary, the self review tool was extremely valuable and, when engaged with fully, offered significant benefits to universities seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities. These benefits were felt by institutions at different stages in the journey and spanned outcome and process dimensions: not only did the tool offer an engaging and user-friendly means of undertaking internal benchmarking, generating an easy-to-understand report summarizing strengths and weaknesses; it also proved useful in building understanding of the whole system Healthy Universities approach and served as a catalyst to effective cross-university and cross-sectoral partnership working. Additionally, areas for potential enhancement were identified, offering opportunities to increase the tool's utility further whilst engaging actively in the development of a global movement for Healthy Universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The workplace is considered an effective setting for health and wellbeing interventions, including programmes focusing on nutrition, and provides opportunities to tailor programmes to meet the specific needs of industry and employees. This study explored nutrition practices amongst construction workers and managers to inform the design of a nutrition intervention. Five focus groups were conducted on three construction sites: two with managers (n = 11) and three with workers (n = 27). Construction workers and managers identified several unhealthy nutrition-related behaviours, including high consumption of convenient and fast foods, excessive coffee, alcohol, energy drinks and low fruit and vegetable intake. These behaviours were often attributed to high workloads, long working hours and physically demanding jobs. Snacking and skipping meals were repeatedly reported, attributed to short breaks and poor accessibility to food outlets. The nutritional quality of meals differed between individuals (homemade vs fast food), depending on the type of sites (temporary vs permanent) and site location. Nutrition knowledge, establishing routines, meal planning and preparation were recognized as important in sustaining healthy nutrition habits. However, meal preparation depended on the facilities available, which differed between managers and workers, highlighting the complex relationship between the workplace context and eating behaviours. Construction workers were interested in learning about nutrition and improving their eating habits through nutrition intervention. However, they highlighted that better cooking and storage facilities on site, together with fewer job demands and longer break times, would enhance the sustainability of the intervention and their ability to make healthier food choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a novel look at the links between salutogenesis, health promotion, and urban design supported by the findings of recent research on local high streets and their benefits for the well-being of older people. Salutogenesis and the related explanatory concept of sense of coherence (SOC) have provided a theoretical framework for developing healthy settings interventions, shifting the focus from exploring barriers and deficits to assets and resources in promoting people's health and well-being. While these concepts have informed policies and programmes at the level of regions and cities, no attempt has been made to establish more direct links with the disciplines devoted to the organization and design of the built environment at the scale of public spaces and streets. This article advances the idea that the main categories of SOC—comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness—have found application in urban design theory. Linking these categories with urban design concepts in a comprehensive framework, it is possible to guide interventions aimed at strenghtening well-being resources available in the public realm. This is corroborated by the findings resulting from a study of the well-being experiences of older people (n = 84) across a range of local high streets in the city of Edinburgh (UK) applying an innovative multi-methods approach. The discussion establishes the links between well-being benefits, SOC constructs and urban design concepts, and underscores the potential of the proposed framework to guide a design-oriented salutogenic approach to the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifecourse epidemiology suggests that preconception is a valuable opportunity for health promotion with young women. Yet young women are less likely than older women to be research participants, limiting evidence about their needs and risks. Marketing data indicate that young adults are not engaged with one advertising strategy because they transition through three life stages: (i) limited independence and focus on own interests, (ii) increased independence and time with peers and (iii) establishing a home and family. The aim of this study was to explore whether these marketing lifestage categories could inform the tailoring of strategies to recruit young women. Three focus groups per lifestage category were conducted (49 women aged 16–34 years). Lifestage category (i) was represented by further education students, category (ii) by women in workplaces and (iii) by mothers. Questions explored participants' lifestyles, identity, reasons for participation in the current study and beliefs about researchers. Three major themes were identified through framework analysis: profiling how young women spend their time; facilitators of participating in research and barriers to participating. Students and women in work valued monetary remuneration whereas mothers preferred social opportunities. Participants' perceived identity influenced whether they felt useful to research. All groups expressed anxiety about participation. Altruism was limited to helping people known to participants. Therefore, the marketing categories did not map exactly to differences in young women's motivations to participate but have highlighted how one recruitment strategy may not engage all. Mass media communication could, instead, increase familiarity and reduce anxiety about participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone apps have been shown to increase physical activity (PA), but existing apps fail to target the emotional aspects of PA, which influence whether individuals are active. We developed an app that encourages individuals to focus on the emotional aspects of PA. We aimed to assess the acceptability of this app, and conduct a preliminary evaluation of efficacy. The app was developed in collaboration with users through focus groups. Seven users tested the app over 4 months and provided feedback on acceptability, aesthetics and functionality in a follow-up focus group. Results were summarized descriptively. Before testing the app, participants completed a questionnaire assessing their current PA and psychological antecedents of PA. A second questionnaire was completed at the follow-up focus group. Change scores are reported for each participant and overall. The social and reminder aspects facilitated motivation to be active and many found it easy to integrate into their lives. Most suggested modifications. Small improvements in number of minutes spent walking per week were observed (overall mean change +25 min) and some psychological antecedents of PA (overall mean change for social support for PA +0.14, self-efficacy for PA +0.17, outcome expectations about PA +0.20; all five-point scales), but reductions were seen in other domains. The app was acceptable to users, although developments are required. Testing with a small number of individuals, offering preliminary evidence of efficacy of this app, provides justification for further evaluation on a larger scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]