ORCID Profile
0000-0002-7048-830X
Current Organisations
Johns Hopkins University
,
University of Western Australia
,
EnBerg Analytics
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-11-2021
DOI: 10.1093/NTR/NTAB236
Abstract: Evidence-based smoking cessation interventions provided by healthcare professionals can be successful in helping citizens to quit smoking. Yet, evidence is needed about the active ingredients of these interventions, how these ingredients work and how they are implemented in practice. Such knowledge is required to effectively support healthcare professionals to optimally put evidence-based smoking cessation interventions to (inter)national practice. To identify active ingredients (including behavior change techniques), mechanisms of action and implementation fidelity reported in smoking cessation interventions in Dutch primary care settings and to relate these to intervention effectiveness. A systematic review was conducted by searching nine national intervention or funding databases, five international scientific databases and consulting 17 national smoking cessation experts. Out of 1066 identified manuscripts, 40 interventions were eligible for this review. Based on published protocols, information regarding behavior change techniques and mechanisms of action was systematically abstracted. Additionally, information regarding study characteristics and other active ingredients, effects on smoking behavior and implementation fidelity was abstracted. Comparative effectiveness concerning abstracted intervention characteristics was qualitatively explored. Active ingredients, mechanisms of action and implementation fidelity were moderately to poorly reported. Interventions applying behavior change techniques and interventions with a single behavioral target (i.e. smoking-only versus multiple behaviors) seemed to provide stronger evidence for successfully changing smoking behavior. Attention to and reporting on interventions’ active ingredients (e.g. behavior change techniques), mechanisms of action and implementation fidelity are prerequisites for developing more effective evidence-based smoking cessation interventions to be successfully implemented in primary healthcare. This systematic review provides an overview of smoking cessation interventions in Dutch primary care settings, identified since the year 2000. Smoking cessation support is offered in various forms, but our qualitative findings show that interventions including more behavior change techniques and interventions targeting only smoking cessation (compared to multiple behaviors) might be more effective. Results also show that—based on available intervention reports—it is difficult to distinguish patterns of active ingredients (such as behavior change techniques), mechanisms of action and fidelity of implementation in relation to interventions’ effectiveness. This means (quality of) reporting on these intervention characteristics should improve.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-08-2020
Abstract: Addressing the psychological mechanisms and structural inequalities that underpin mental health issues is critical to recovery following disasters and pandemics. The Asia Pacific Disaster Mental Health Network was established in June 2020 in response to the current disaster climate and to foster advancements in disaster-oriented mental health research, practice and policy across the region. Supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health EDRM), the network brings together leading disaster psychiatry, psychology and public health experts. Our aim is to advance policy, research and targeted translation of the evidence so that communities are better informed in preparation and response to disasters, pandemics and mass trauma. The first meetings of the network resulted in the development of a regional disaster mental health agenda focused on the current context, with five priority areas: (1) Strengthening community engagement and the integration of erse perspectives in planning, implementing and evaluating mental health and psychosocial response in disasters (2) Supporting and assessing the capacity of mental health systems to respond to disasters (3) Optimising emerging technologies in mental healthcare (4) Understanding and responding appropriately to addressing the mental health impacts of climate change (5) Prioritising mental health and psychosocial support for high-risk groups. Consideration of these priority areas in future research, practice and policy will support nuanced and effective psychosocial initiatives for disaster-affected populations within the Asia Pacific region.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-07-2021
DOI: 10.1111/BJET.13003
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.APPET.2018.11.029
Abstract: A virtual shopping task was employed to illuminate why women who intend to shop healthily are differentially successful in doing so. Female undergraduates (N = 68) performed a modified approach and avoidance task that employed food items differing in healthiness and tastiness, and yielded relative speed to select and reject food items in a stylised supermarket. Participants categorised a food item either in terms of healthiness or tastiness, then pulled (selected) or pushed (rejected) the item using a joystick. Participants showed faster selection of tasty food after categorisation in terms of tastiness, irrespective of the food's healthiness. However, after categorisation in terms of healthiness, only more successful healthy food shoppers showed faster selection of healthy items regardless of tastiness. Less successful healthy food shoppers showed this effect only for tasty food, and displayed faster rejection of food items not considered tasty, regardless of their assessed healthiness. Thus, when participants who reported the greatest gap between their shopping intention and shopping behaviour were judging the healthiness of food items, their speed to select and reject items continued to be influenced by tastiness. This suggests that reducing incidental processing of food tastiness may reduce the intention-behaviour gap in healthy food shopping.
Publisher: Ubiquity Press, Ltd.
Date: 10-10-2022
DOI: 10.5334/HPB.38
Abstract: Background: A healthy parental feeding program consisting of six sequential modules was developed to improve parental feeding behaviours. The six modules focusing on various parental feeding behaviours were found to be moderately effective in changing behaviour. In this study, one of those modules (the self-efficacy module) was systematically adapted and evaluated using Intervention Mapping (IM).Methods: In a literature review (Study 1), the relevance of self-efficacy as a determinant for parental feeding habits was examined. In study 2, the behaviour change techniques used in the original healthy parental feeding program were analysed and adapted to fulfil the related parameters of effectiveness. In study 3, the effectiveness of the new module was pilot-tested among parents (N= 27). Parents received either the original self-efficacy module (group 1), the adapted self-efficacy module (group 2), or no additional module (group 3/control-group). Parental self-efficacy was measured at baseline, post-intervention and at one-week follow-up.Results: In study 1, self-efficacy was identified as a relevant (i.e., important and changeable) determinant for parental feeding habits. In study 2, parameters for effectiveness of the used behaviour change techniques were added where necessary, and texts were changed to improve understanding. In study 3, both the original and new module appeared to increase self-efficacy compared to the no-intervention control group.Discussion: This study was an attempt to adapt existing behaviour change programs based on theory and evidence. However, we were not successful in changing self-efficacy more as compared to the original module.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 17-09-2021
DOI: 10.1177/1035719X211040857
Abstract: People with diabetes face increased risk of serious COVID-19 complications, making self-care for optimal metabolic management crucial. However, the pandemic has reduced access to routine care among people with diabetes. The pandemic can also elicit distress, which can impact diabetes self-management and health. To understand the impact of COVID-19 on Western Australians with diabetes, we conducted an evaluation involving an online survey of consumers of diabetes health services and an analysis of routine program data (i.e. service utilisation rogram attendance). Survey respondents were concerned about contracting COVID-19, many intended to change the way they utilised health services and many indicated they would continue to socially isolate. Utilisation of digital/telephone services peaked between April and June 2020. Despite the concerns indicated, a participation resurgence was observed upon resumption of face-to-face programs. Continued access to diabetes programs via multiple modes of delivery is critical to support optimal self-care and mitigate COVID-19 risks, distress and social isolation. This timely and pragmatic assessment of consumer beliefs synthesised with routinely collected evaluation data represents an agile approach to evaluation through an emerging public health crisis. The findings helped to ensure optimal service delivery to meet the needs of this priority population throughout the pandemic.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.APPET.2019.03.011
Abstract: Healthy eating behaviours are important for physical and mental well-being and developing healthy eating behaviours early in life is important. As parents are the main providers of preschool children's food the main objective of this study was to use the theory of planned behaviour, expanded to include habit and past behaviour, to predict parents' healthy feeding intention and behaviour. Theory of planned behaviour, habit strength, and past behaviour were reported at baseline by 443 mothers. One week later, 235 mothers completed a healthy feeding questionnaire on the eating behaviours of their 2-4 year old child. Data were analysed using hierarchical regression analyses to predict parent's general healthy feeding behaviour, and five sub-behaviours: parents' perceptions of their child's fruit and vegetable consumption, healthy and unhealthy snacking behaviour, as well as healthy and unhealthy drinking behaviour. Intention, perceived behavioural control, habit strength and past behaviour were all positively associated with parents' general healthy feeding (47% explained variance). Perceived behavioural control was the only variable positively associated with mothers' perception of their child's fruit and vegetable consumption and unhealthy snacking behaviour. The theory did not explain the other behaviours. Moreover, habit strength only strengthened the intention-behaviour link for fruit and vegetable consumption and child's age was only positively associated with the mothers' perception of their child's unhealthy snacking behaviour. The findings suggest important differences in the predictors of different feeding behaviours that can provide direction for future intervention development.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 20-05-2022
DOI: 10.1177/01632787221099941
Abstract: The objective was to assess active ingredients, change mechanisms, and fidelity in interventions aiming to increase the quality of smoking cessation care in the Dutch primary healthcare setting. We conducted a systematic review searching five scientific databases on August 2nd, 2019, updated on October 28th, 2021. We included effect data of behavioural interventions aiming at improving the provision of smoking cessation support by Dutch primary care providers to their patients. We excluded studies published before 2000 and those without a behavioural support intervention for primary care providers targeting smoking cessation in their patients. We found 1939 articles and included 15 distinct interventions in the review. We provided an overview of study characteristics, intervention effects, fidelity, active ingredients and change mechanisms using the Behaviour Change Techniques (BCT) Taxonomy and Mechanisms of Action (MoAs) protocols. Interventions seemed more effective when including a face-to-face component, using active learning strategies and providing a tool to help follow the guidelines in practice (e.g., physical cards with information). BCTs, MoAs, and fidelity were overall poorly reported on. To support the application of smoking cessation practices in Dutch primary care, we recommend implementation of face-to-face training programs incorporating active skill training elements combined with practical tools.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 17-06-2020
Publisher: American Diabetes Association
Date: 27-01-2023
DOI: 10.2337/DC22-1830
Abstract: The plasma proteome preceding diabetes can improve our understanding of diabetes pathogenesis. In 8,923 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants (aged 47–70 years, 57% women, 19% Black), we conducted discovery and internal validation for associations of 4,955 plasma proteins with incident diabetes. We externally validated results in the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Cohort (MEC) nested case-control (624 case subjects, 1,214 control subjects). We used Cox regression to discover and validate protein associations and risk-prediction models (elastic net regression with cardiometabolic risk factors and proteins) for incident diabetes. We conducted a pathway analysis and examined causality using genetic instruments. There were 2,147 new diabetes cases over a median of 19 years. In the discovery s le (n = 6,010), 140 proteins were associated with incident diabetes after adjustment for 11 risk factors (P & 10−5). Internal validation (n = 2,913) showed 64 of the 140 proteins remained significant (P & 0.05/140). Of the 63 available proteins, 47 (75%) were validated in MEC. Novel associations with diabetes were found for 22 the 47 proteins. Prediction models (27 proteins selected by elastic net) developed in discovery had a C statistic of 0.731 in internal validation, with ΔC statistic of 0.011 (P = 0.04) beyond 13 risk factors, including fasting glucose and HbA1c. Inflammation and lipid metabolism pathways were overrepresented among the diabetes-associated proteins. Genetic instrument analyses suggested plasma SHBG, ATP1B2, and GSTA1 play causal roles in diabetes risk. We identified 47 plasma proteins predictive of incident diabetes, established causal effects for 3 proteins, and identified diabetes-associated inflammation and lipid pathways with potential implications for diagnosis and therapy.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 21-01-2022
No related grants have been discovered for Enrique Mergelsberg.