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This paper is a report of a research study to explore specialist community public health nurses' views of their public health role. Three key objectives were set: to identify what their public health role was; to explore what the influences are on that role are; to investigate what they felt the solutions were to enhance this aspect of their role. The study design consisted of a small qualitative study that used three focus groups to collect data from practice teachers from health visiting, occupational health nursing and school nursing. The data was combined for thematic analysis of their responses to the three key topics identified. The results showed that the participants were somewhat knowledgeable about their role as public health nurses; were influenced by lack of resources, poor understanding from others of their role and tensions with managers and the wider team as to the importance of their public health role; and they offered solutions that included role clarity for effective skill mix, a shared vision for practice and debated the role of a specific public health nurse in the team. Recommendations for clear roles and responsibilities, clear protocols for assessing need and identifying priorities and performance management frameworks are offered.

Aim: Research was carried out to explore the knowledge and attitudes regarding HPV and the HPV vaccine among 12–13-year-old girls. Method: The research used four focus groups of school-aged girls. The ‘framework analysis approach’ (Krueger, 1994) was used for data analysis. Results: Five key recurring themes were identified: knowledge about HPV, concerns about the HPV vaccine, acceptability of the vaccination programme, media coverage affecting attitudes towards cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine, information about HPV and the HPV vaccine. Conclusions: This study concluded that the HPV vaccination programme has been successful in promoting a positive attitude to its value. However, information about HPV and the HPV vaccine must be communicated to girls and their parents using creative methods relevant to the target population.

Primary prevention programmes are recommended for eating disorders as they are debilitating, time-consuming to treat and in some cases fatal. However, current methods have found limited success. Research suggests this is because of both teaching content and teaching style. The aim of this research was to explore the views of adolescent girls on the content and teaching style of primary prevention programmes for eating disorders. A convenience sample of 22 female participants aged 10–14 took part in this qualitative research project, using focus groups and interactive tasks to collect the data. Framework analysis using the framework model developed by Ritchie and Spencer (1994) was used to analyse results. Findings revealed that participants had a basic knowledge of eating disorders and their predisposing risk factors, including the negative impact that the media has on body image. Key recommendations include: improving information sources for young people on eating disorders, practical advice on healthy lifestyles and how to help someone who has an eating disorder and a range of teaching strategies, including effective use of the media to deliver the messages.

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