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Purpose: This study examined experiences during the cessation of fertility treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including levels of mental health, coping strategies used to manage uncertainty about treatment due to the pandemic, sources of support, and predictors of mental health.Methods: One hundred and seventy-five participants in the UK completed an online survey.Results: Half of the participants experienced clinical levels of anxiety and/or depression, and 20% reported suicidal feelings as a result of the uncertainty about treatment due to the pandemic. Support from friends, family and online forums were reported by more than half of participants, but support from fertility clinics or counsellors were reported by less than one quarter. The strategy used most frequently to cope with the uncertainty about treatment due to the pandemic was self-distraction, and this predicted reduced depression. However, self-blame, behavioral disengagement and venting predicted increased depression and self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and denial predicted increased anxiety.Conclusions: Fertility clinic communication and psychological support, such as counselling, which had substantially reduced during treatment cessation, could include some focus on personal coping, including what to avoid. Psychological support is likely to be more important now than ever. Despite resumption of treatment, the impacts of the period of cessation and of COVID-19 are likely to continue to reverberate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the financial, emotional and relationship impacts of involuntary childlessness and treatment, and the satisfaction with support from professionals. 796 participants in the UK completed an online survey based on a similar survey conducted in 1997. 55% of participants had to pay for at least part of their treatment. High levels of distress were experienced and 42% experienced suicidal feelings at least occasionally. Those most at risk of distress and suicidal feelings had experienced unsuccessful treatment outcomes, spent longer trying to conceive and reported some relationship strains. While 75% would like to have received counselling if it had been free, 45% only received such counselling and 54% of these had to fund some of it themselves. Although advances have been made in improving the availability of funded treatment and psychological support, involuntary childlessness and treatment continue to have financial, emotional and relationship consequences for many people. While counselling was generally reported to be useful, an approach involving all fertility clinic staff in the psychosocial care of clients is advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examined experiences and psychological distress about fertility treatment in people combining work and treatment. Methods: Five hundred and sixty-three participants in the UK completed an online survey asking about difficulties in combining work and treatment; workplace disclosure, support, absence and policy; and psychological distress about treatment. Results: Absence from work and perceptions that treatment has an impact on work and career prospects were reported by the majority of participants and this was related to the psychological distress of treatment. Around three quarters of participants disclosed to their employer and colleagues. The key reason for disclosure was needing to ask for absence from work and the main reason for non-disclosure was privacy. Workplace policy relating to managing fertility treatment and support from colleagues and their employer was related to reduced psychological distress but workplace policy was reported by less than one quarter of participants. Conclusion: Difficulties experienced in combining work and treatment suggest that support is needed. Specific workplace policy, guidance for supervisors and flexibility in fertility clinic times should help support employees during treatment and reduce psychological distress, thereby potentially influencing physical health and treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many UK smokers use e-cigarettes as a quitting aid; however, a substantial number discontinue use of the e-cigarette and revert to smoking. Understanding why this may happen is important both for individuals and for stop smoking services. Aims: To explore young adult smokers' experiences of use and discontinued use of the e-cigarette. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants who tried e-cigarettes for at least seven days and returned to smoking. Data was transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Findings suggested participants held conflicting attitudes about using e-cigarettes, which undermined attempts to quit smoking, and led to the discontinuation of the e-cigarette. These conflicts centred on participants' discomfort with the e-cigarette or vaping identity, lack of abstinence self-efficacy and navigation of barriers to e-cigarette use. The complex interplay of these factors may have led to an underestimation of the individual effort required to continue vaping and reinforced participants' perception of the e-cigarette as an inferior product to the cigarette. Conclusions: Future research should focus on the role of identity, self-efficacy, control and smokers' expectations of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation as these may be important factors to consider for a more tailored service for e-cigarette users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MASPAD is a validated and reliable, self-reported scale developed in the USA for measuring acculturation in people of African descent. However, nothing is known about the scale's suitability for measuring acculturation and religious beliefs/behaviours of people of African descent living in Europe. The present study measured the psychometric properties of the MASPAD among Nigerian immigrants in the UK. Principal component analysis revealed that all variables loaded substantially across six components for acculturation patterns and religious factors, which are: "traditionalist behaviours", "traditionalist beliefs", "assimilationist behaviours", "integrationist behaviours", "religious beliefs", and "religious behaviours". Two new distinct subscales emerged from the adapted MASPAD for assessing religious beliefs and behaviours, which is characteristic of a multidimensional factor structure for acculturation scales. This study has provided important information on the need to develop appropriate measures for people of African descent, relative to their historical and cultural antecedents, as well as immigration contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationships between acculturation, religion, and coping styles; as well as their predictive potentials in relation to socio-demographic factors, on access to medical help among Nigerians in the UK. This is a cross-sectional study using questionnaires for data collection (N = 297). Results revealed negative correlations between assimilative behaviours and religious behaviours and between religious behaviours, denial and religious coping. High levels of religiosity and coping through behavioural disengagement and self-blame predicted poor attitudes to medical help; but those who used instrumental support, emotional support, and active coping showed more positive attitudes to medical help-seeking. No gender differences in medical help-seeking were found, but older people sought medical help more than those who were younger; while affiliation to the Christian religion predicted positive attitudes towards medical help seeking. These findings have implications for policy development towards tailored interventions that can enhance healthcare utilisation among immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study of the views and experiences of 21 sperm donors and five egg donors registered with UK DonorLink (UKDL), a voluntary DNA-based contact register established to facilitate contact between adults who wish to identify and locate others to whom they are genetically related following donor conception. Specifically, the paper examines donors’ reasons for searching for, or making information about themselves available to donor-conceived offspring. Their expectations of registration with UKDL, experiences of being registered and finally, the experiences of those who had contacted donor-conceived offspring and other genetic relatives are investigated. While most respondents reported largely positive experiences of registration, the study found significant issues relating to concerns about donation, DNA testing, possible linking with offspring and expectations of any relationship that might be established with offspring that have implications for support, mediation and counselling. Research that puts the experiences, perceptions and interests of gamete donors as the central focus of study is a relatively recent phenomenon. This study contributes to this debate and highlights directions for future research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The diversity in patient populations due to immigration in the UK has implications for adequate understanding of a patients’ culture by the clinician as well as patient–clinician cultural matching for enhanced service use and outcome. This qualitative study investigated how Nigerian clergy and health professionals perceived health-seeking behaviours among Nigerians in the UK, while considering the impact of their own beliefs and values as care providers. Six participants were interviewed (clergy,n = 2; health professionals,n = 4). Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results showed that the clergy and health professionals themselves use religious/cultural cure and formal healthcare methods, and believed Nigerian immigrants as predominantly using religious/cultural methods which can affect healthcare utilisation, although differences between the professionals were reported. The potentials for integrating other cure methods into the formal healthcare services were considered, while highlighting the challenges that may arise from such collaborative effort. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Migration from different cultures carries with it some acclimatisation challenges. This study explored various health-seeking behaviours and potential barriers to healthcare utilisation among Nigerian Christians in the UK. This qualitative study involved 10 adult male and female participants, with both interviews and focus group discussion (FG) for data collection (Interviews:n = 4, FG:n = 6). Thematic analysis revealed that religious and cultural beliefs were barriers to healthcare utilisation. The implication is that further research on cultural matching between care providers and service users is needed; where religious leaders and health providers from Nigeria can influence health decisions among this migrant community. Limitations of the current study are discussed, with directions for further research identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2007, the numbers of UK Parental Orders granted following surrogacy have markedly increased. More recently, eligibility criteria have been extended to unmarried heterosexual couples and same-sex couples rather than only married couples. Numbers seeking fertility treatments, including through surrogates, outside their country of residence have also increased. This paper presents the limited data currently available - from UK General Register Offices, Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service for England and the UK surrogacy agencies: COTS, Surrogacy UK, British Surrogacy Centre - to consider potential reasons for the increase and to consider policy and practice implications. It charts the apparent decline in involvement of surrogacy agencies and suggests the potential for exploitation where scmtiny of arrangements and follow up are limited. It recommends improvements to data collection and argues the need for a more integrated approach to review of surrogacy arrangements both nationally and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]