This small scale mixed methods study aims to explore loneliness in an international student population in a single university. Further, to explore the relationship of loneliness in an international student to international student support service use. Design:A convergent parallel mixed method design. An online Jong Gierveld loneliness scale with some additional demographics provided the quantitative data on loneliness in international student population.The qualitative semi-structured interviews explored what the participants themselves said about their experience of loneliness. Findings:The online Jong Gierveld loneliness scale provides some evidence of high levels of loneliness, three out of four, across the international student sample with no single subgroup or population group identified as lonelier. The quantitative data shows a negative relationship between loneliness and the number of international experience team service used (Rho (56)+-.52 p< o.01). This data also showed that although knowledge of such services was high 30% of this sample chose not to use them as a result of events being full of too many strangers, or not feeling confident going as well as course work and part time employment pressures. The interviews provide evidence of the loneliness at the beginning on arrival, as might be expected, with participants talking about isolating themselves and talking to friends and family back home. For some this was not just an arrival issue but continued throughout their time in the UK and became more prominent when social situations changed such as people they had got to know moving or leaving. In addition, the qualitative data illustrates international student support service use as an important means of expanding social networks and having plans but also how for some 'being lost in a crowd' can be a barrier to attending. Research implications:This study provides support for understanding the scale of loneliness in international students in the UK and as such for loneliness and tackling loneliness to be part of healthy university and university wellbeing agendas. The empirical data supports the role of international student support service use in helping students deal with loneliness and identifies some barriers to use of such services.Originality/value: One of small number of studies looking at loneliness in international students in the UK and one of few using a loneliness scale alongside qualitative data.
1 Evaluating the effectiveness of a community-based dietary intervention in Nottingham Abstract PurposeTo evaluate the effectiveness of the Eatwell for Life (EWL) programme, with a particular focus on longer-term effectiveness in terms of dietary behaviour and the wider impact. EWL is a 6 week community-based dietary intervention which aims to increase nutritional knowledge, cooking confidence and provide the necessary skills to support behavioural change in relation to eating a balanced diet. There have been many evaluations of community-based dietary interventions, but most focus on brief measures and changes examined at the end of each course. Design A mixed method evaluation was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire, focus groups and semi-structured telephone interviews. Follow up evaluation was conducted at 3, 6 and 12 months with a purposive sample of EWL participants.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare quality of life scores in a long-term recovery population group (post five years) with a general population group and to explore how any differences might be explained by recovering individuals themselves in a small number of follow up qualitative interviews. Design/methodology/approach A sequential explanatory mixed method design combining quantitative quality of life measure (WHOQOL-BREF, 1996) and six subsequent semi-structured individual interviews. The quality of life measure compared long-term recovery scores (post five years) with the general population group. The subsequent qualitative semi-structured interviews explored what the participants themselves said about their recovery. Findings The quantitative data provide evidence of a significant difference in quality of life (WHOQoL-BREF) in two domains. The long-term recovery group (five or more years into recovery) scored higher in both the environment and psychological domains than the general population group. Of the long-term recovery group, 17 people who still accessed mutual aid scored higher in all four domains than those 23 people who did not. The interviews provide evidence of the this difference as result of growth in psychological elements of recovery, such as developing perspective, improvement in self-esteem, spirituality, as well as contributing as part of wider social involvement. Research limitations/implications This study provides support for the quality of life measure as useful in recovery research. The empirical data support the concept of recovery involving improvements in many areas of life and potentially beyond the norm, termed “better than well” (Best and Lubman, 2012; Valentine, 2011; Hibbert and Best, 2011). Limitations: snowballing method of recruitment, and undertaken by public health practitioner. Some suggestions of women and those who attend mutual aid having higher quality of life but sample too small. Practical implications Use QoL measure more in recovery research. Public health practitioners and policy makers need to work with partners and agencies to ensure that there is much more work, not just treatment focused, addressing the wider social and environmental context to support individuals recovering from alcohol and drugs over the longer term. Originality/value One of small number of studies using with participants who have experienced long-term (post five years) recovery, also use of quality of life measure (WHOQOL-BREF, 1996) with this population.
The Eatwell for Life (EWL) programme is a 6 week community-based dietary intervention which aims to increase nutritional knowledge, cooking confidence and skills to support behaviour change in relation to eating a balanced diet. Registered Nutritionists and Dietitians developed the programme and have trained and support a team of Community Food Workers (CFW) who facilitate the courses. CFW lead on practical cooking activities, nutrition education and utilise behaviour change techniques such as goal setting, to help participants make practical changes to their eating habits. Nutrition and cooking skills interventions are a popular way to improve dietary intake, cooking skills and health related outcomes (1) however, there is a need for studies to evaluate the long-term effectiveness (2) . Many have used brief measures but few extend their consideration of impact past the end of the course and into the follow up months. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EWL, with a particular focus on longer-term effectiveness in terms of dietary behaviour and the wider impact.A mixed method evaluation was conducted. A self-reported questionnaire was administered pre intervention (T1, n = 69) and post intervention (T2, n = 66), which measured consumption of fat, sugar, fruit and vegetables, confidence in cooking and preparing healthy food and dietary change made by the individual, family and friends. Fruit and vegetable consumption was also measured at 6 months follow up (T3, n = 22). Qualitative data on the long-tern effectiveness of EWL was collected via focus groups and semistructured telephone interviews, which were conducted at 3 and 6 months follow up with a purposive sample of EWL participants.Statistically significant increases between T1 and T2 in average daily fruit (0·85 portions, P < 0·001) and vegetable (0·99 portions, P < 0·001) intake were found. Paired means were analysed in a sub sample of 22 participants who responded to a follow up postal questionnaire between T1 to T2 and T2 to T3. Vegetable consumption between T1 and T3significantly increased (1·36 portions, P < 0·001). A reduction in median values of sugar consumption was reported between T1 (once a day) and T2 (once a week or less).A further sample (n = 22) of EWL participants was involved in the qualitative methods. Key themes emerged from a thematic analysis of the qualitative data. These themes indicated that participants were now cooking from scratch and reducing the amount of convenience foods consumed; knowledge of key healthy eating messages had increased; dietary changes made in terms of eating, cooking and shopping habits; wider impact in terms of influencing family and friends diets and gaining a social element from the course.The EWL programme led to positive and sustained changes in participants cooking and eating behaviours. This study adds to the existing limited evidence base and shows promise as a way to improve dietary behaviours over the longer term contributing to obesity prevention and reducing health inequalities...
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