0000000001290394
AUTHOR
Eirik Abildsnes
The New Patterns study: coordinated measures to combat child poverty
Background: Child poverty rates are rising in Norway with potential negative consequences for children. Services for families with low income are often fragmented and poorly integrated, and few coordinated initiatives have been implemented and evaluated in Norway. Aims: The aim of the current study is to evaluate how integrated and coordinated services provided over a prolonged period by a family coordinator are related to changes across a wide range of health, wellbeing and home environment indicators for the participants. Methods: The study uses a mixed methods approach utilising survey and register data, as well as information from interviews and shadowing, to document and evaluate outco…
Use of health care services among Syrian refugees migrating to Norway: a prospective longitudinal study
Abstract Background Understanding the differential utilization of healthcare services is essential to address the public health challenges. Through the migration process, refugees move from one set of health risk factors to another and can face multiple healthcare challenges along their journey. Yet how these changing risk factors influence refugees’ use of health care services is poorly understood. Methods A longitudinal survey assessing health care utilization of 353 adult Syrian refugees was conducted; first in a transit setting in Lebanon and after one year of resettlement in Norway. The main outcomes are the utilization of general practitioner services, emergency care, outpatient and/o…
The Norwegian Healthy Life Study: protocol for a pragmatic RCT with longitudinal follow-up on physical activity and diet for adults
The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that Healthy Life Centres (HLCs) be established in primary health care to support behaviour change and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. The aim of the present study protocol is to present the rationale, design and methods of a combined pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) and longitudinal cohort study of the effects of attending HLCs concerning physical activity, sedentary behaviour and diet and to explore how psychological well-being and motivational factors may mediate short— and long-term effects. The present study will combine a 6-month RCT with a longitudinal cohort study (24 months from baseline) conducted at six HLCs …
Experiences of Norwegian child and school health nurses with the "Starting Right" child health assessment innovation: a qualitative interview study
Abstract Background Although child health services are well established in Norway, the use of information technology for the systematic collection of evidence-based child- and proxy-reported health measures may be beneficial in the early identification of child development problems. The Norwegian “Starting Right™” health service innovation consists of parent- and child-reported online structured health assessments tools, including practical routines for child and school health assessments. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of child and school health nurses with the Starting Right innovation. Methods We used a qualitative design and conducted three focus group interviews w…
Stakeholders’ expectations of Healthy Life Centers: A focus group study
Aims: The aims of this study were to explore stakeholders’ expectations of municipal Healthy Life Centers (HLCs) in Norway, and to evaluate whether these expectations were compatible with current guidelines and recommendations. Methods: A multidisciplinary team of researchers arranged focus group sessions with Healthy Life Centre staff, municipality administration, county administration, general practitioners and representatives of three patient organizations. We audiotaped and transcribed the sessions verbatim. In analyses we used Systematic Text Condensation and an editing analysis style. Results: Expectations spanned from primary prevention among children to rehabilitation of adults wit…
Healthy and unhealthy eating after a behaviour change intervention in primary care
Abstract Background: To prevent and reduce non-communicable diseases, the Norwegian Directorate of Health encourages Healthy Life Centres (HLCs) in all municipalities. Aims: This study investigates whether the behaviour change interventions at HLCs positively affected participants’ diet and to evaluate predictors for healthy and unhealthy eating. Our data are part of the Norwegian Healthy Life Centre Study, a 6-month, pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods: Totally, 118 participants ≥18 years old were randomised to an intervention group (n 57), or a waiting list (control group) (n 61). Eighty-six participants met at the 6 months follow-up visit. We merged the participants to o…
Do young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) have more health problems than their peers? A cross-sectional study among Norwegian adolescents
Objectives: An increasing proportion of young Norwegians are categorised as too ill to attend upper secondary education, and poor physical and mental health may reduce their opportunities to return to school or find paid employment. This study examined the differences in self-perceived health, mental health, and prevalence of pain between Norwegian adolescents, who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) compared to adolescents who attend upper secondary school (age 16-21 years). Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants and setting: A total of 96 NEET youth and 384 age and gender matched adolescents attending upper secondary school in the south of Norway participated in the s…
The New Patterns study: coordinated measures to combat child poverty
Background Child poverty rates are rising in Norway with potential negative consequences for children. Services for families with low income are often fragmented and poorly integrated, and few coordinated initiatives have been implemented and evaluated in Norway. Aims: The aim of the current study is to evaluate how integrated and coordinated services provided over a prolonged period by a family coordinator are related to changes across a wide range of health, wellbeing and home environment indicators for the participants. Methods: The study uses a mixed methods approach utilising survey and register data, as well as information from interviews and shadowing, to document and evaluate outcom…
The road to equitable healthcare: A conceptual model developed from a qualitative study of Syrian refugees in Norway
Background Refugees in high-income countries face barriers to healthcare access even when they have the same rights and entitlements as the host population. Disadvantages in healthcare access contribute to differences in health outcomes and impact acculturation. This study explores perceived changes in health status and experiences with the Norwegian healthcare system of Syrian refugees living in Norway, using a trajectory perspective. Methods We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews in April 2020 among purposefully recruited adult refugees from Syria resettled in Norway. Interviews were carried out in Arabic and analysed with Systematic Text Condensation using NVivo software. We used Lév…
How is motivational interviewing (un)related to self-determination theory: An empirical study from different healthcare settings.
To explore how quality aspects and clients’ verbal behaviors in Motivational Interviewing sessions correspond with counsellors’ support of basic psychological needs described in Self-determination Theory, we conducted a mixed method study with quantitative analyses of transformed qualitative data from counselling sessions. Coding manuals identified if the counselling was consistent with Motivational Interviewing and the support of basic psychological needs. The study supported a conceptual relationship between motivational interviewing (MI) and self-determination theory (SDT), except for autonomy support which was conceptualized differently in the two approaches. Relational support in SDT a…
Additional file 3 of Changes in self-rated health and quality of life among Syrian refugees migrating to Norway: a prospective longitudinal study
Additional file 3.
Additional file 1 of Use of health care services among Syrian refugees migrating to Norway: a prospective longitudinal study
Additional file 1
Exploring the relationship between physical activity, life goals and health-related quality of life among high school students: a cross-sectional study
Background: Two models were developed to increase high school students’ participation in physical education (PE): “motion enjoyment” and “sport enjoyment”. The first model focuses on increasing knowledge about the health benefits of a physically active lifestyle and thereby promoting a positive attitude towards physical activity, whereas the second model focuses on techniques and practices for enhancing athletic performance. The aims of the present study are to investigate and understand the similarities and differences between students selecting “motion enjoyment” vs. “sport enjoyment” and to examine the extent to which life goals and reported physical activity are associated with health-r…
Using the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children: study protocol for a quasi-experimental trial
Abstract Background In light of the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, there is a need of developing effective prevention programs to address the rising prevalence and the concomitant health consequences. The main aim of the present study is to systematically develop and implement a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children, aged 6–10 years old, enhancing parental self-efficacy, family engagement and parent-child interaction. A subsidiary aim of the intervention study is to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among those participating in the intervention study. Methods/design The Intervention Mapping p…
Norwegian municipal rehabilitation services in transition
Background: Intending to meet increased demands of health care services due to the demographic change with an increasing elderly population, Norwegian municipalities along with many other western countries over the last couple of years have increased responsibility for providing rehabilitation services. The services include integrated homebased rehabilitation and institution- based rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study: How have workforces from the primary healthcare services experienced an increased responsibility for somatic rehabilitation? Methods: The study was based on qualitative research methods. We conducted five focus-group interviews with 25 participants with professi…
Participants at Norwegian Healthy Life Centres: Who are they, why do they attend and how are they motivated? A cross-sectional study.
Aims: We examine the characteristics of participants entering Norwegian Healthy Life Centres, their reasons for attending and whether socio-economic status, motivation, self-efficacy and social support relate to physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Methods: This cross-sectional study is part of a randomised controlled trial. Inclusion criteria are that participants should be ≥ 18 years old and able to take part in a physical activity group intervention. Exclusion criteria are severe mental illness and general learning disability. We analysed data using simple and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: We recruited 118 participants from eight Norwegian municipalities between Ju…
Implementation of the norwegian ‘Starting right’ child health service innovation: implementation adjustments, adoption, and acceptability
Abstract Background An increased and/or stable proportion of the child and adolescent population reports symptoms of impaired health, and the symptoms can be identified early. Therefore, structured child- and parent-reported outcome measures need to be implemented in child and school health services for decision support and identification of children at risk. We aimed to (a) qualitatively examine adjustments of active implementation from the pilot implementation of the Norwegian ‘Starting Right’ health service innovation including an online child health assessment tool and practical routines, and (b) measure practitioners´ adoption and parental acceptability. Methods We used a mixed-methods…
Use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in child and school health services among children aged 4 and 6 years in Southern Norway: clinical considerations
Abstract Background Parent reported mental health can be assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Currently, Norwegian norms for parent-reported SDQ do not exist, whereas Swedish, Danish, and United Kingdom (UK) norms have been published. We aimed to (1) describe parent-reported SDQ among children aged 4 and 6 years in Southern Norway, (2) evaluate empirical cutoff values within the context of the Starting RightTM project in relation to the Swedish, Danish, and UK cutoffs, and (3) evaluate the representativeness of the study sample with regard to parental socioeconomic status. Methods This study included parent-reported observations for 665 children (63% consent rate)…
Fun, influence and competence—a mixed methods study of prerequisites for high school students’ participation in physical education
Background: Many adolescents do not reach the recommended levels of physical activity (PA), and students attending vocational studies are less committed to take part in physical education (PE) than other students. The purpose of the present study was twofold: 1) to examine differences in physical activity, diet, smoking habits, sleep and screen time among Norwegian vocational high school students who selected either a PE model focusing on PA skills, technique and improvement of physical performance (“Sports enjoyment”) or more on health, play and having fun when participating in PE lessons (“Motion enjoyment”), and 2) to explore the students’ experiences with PE programs. Methods: In this m…
Changes in self-rated health and quality of life among Syrian refugees migrating to Norway: a prospective longitudinal study
Abstract Background Forced migrants can be exposed to various stressors that can impact their health and wellbeing. How the different stages in the migration process impacts health is however poorly explored. The aim of this study was to examine changes in self-rated health (SRH) and quality of life (QoL) among a cohort of adult Syrian refugees before and after resettlement in Norway. Method We used a prospective longitudinal study design with two assessment points to examine changes in health among adult Syrian resettlement refugees in Lebanon accepted for resettlement in Norway. We gathered baseline data in 2017/2018 in Lebanon and subsequently at follow-up one year after arrival. The mai…
Empirical evaluation of home-based reablement: A review
Home-based reablement (HBR) aims to restore or increase patients’ level of functioning, thereby increasing the patients’ self-reliance and consequently decreasing their dependence on healthcare services. To date, the evidence on whether HBR is an efficient method has not been comprehensively reviewed. The aim of this study was to provide a concise summary of relevant existing findings. In addition, we provide a critical constructive assessment of the publications reflecting the extant research. The relevant literature on this topic was identified through a systematic search of appropriate databases. Thereafter, we screened the studies, first by title, followed by abstract and then by asses…
Physical education Teachers’ and public health Nurses’ perception of Norwegian high school Students’ participation in physical education – a focus group study
Background: High quality physical education programs in high schools may facilitate adoption of sustainable healthy living among adolescents. Public health nurses often meet students who avoid taking part in physical education programs. We aimed to explore physical education teachers’ and public health nurses’ perceptions of high school students’ attitudes towards physical education, and to explore physical education teachers’ thoughts about how to facilitate and promote students’ participation in class. Methods: Prior to an initiative from physical education teachers, introducing a new physical education model in two high schools in the South of Norway, we conducted focus groups with 6 phy…
The Norwegian Healthy Life Centre Study: A pragmatic RCT of physical activity in primary care.
Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of behaviour change interventions at Norwegian Healthy Life Centres (HLCs) on participants’ moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) six months after baseline. We also explore predictors of change in MVPA, and if level of education and MVPA at baseline modify the effect. Methods: A randomised controlled trial with inclusion criteria age ⩾ 18 years and ability to participate in group-based physical activity. Participants were randomised to either behaviour change interventions or a waiting list (control). Objective recordings of physical activity were the main outcome, analysed with simple and multiple linear regression. …
Additional file 2 of Changes in self-rated health and quality of life among Syrian refugees migrating to Norway: a prospective longitudinal study
Additional file 2.
Additional file 1 of Changes in self-rated health and quality of life among Syrian refugees migrating to Norway: a prospective longitudinal study
Additional file 1.