Perspectives in Public Health最新文献

The article summarises the recently published Creative Health Review, which sets out recent developments in creative health, and how creative health can help to address current public health challenges, including health inequalities.

Aims: Social prescribing is a growing health policy agenda to improve the quality and effectiveness of health systems. However, systematically collected knowledge on factors influencing the effective implementation of SP is scarce. A systematic review was conducted to identify and categorize factors influencing social prescribing initiatives.

Methods: A search of three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge) was carried out to retrieve studies from inception to May 2022, supplemented by grey literature searching and snowballing of the relevant references. The inclusion criteria were original empirical research, qualitative data collection, and a description of factors affecting social prescribing initiatives. Study quality was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. We categorized the results of individual studies using a narrative approach.

Results: A total of 23 studies were included for analysis. Along with patient-related factors (patient-centeredness, clinical complexity, perception, knowledge), three main settings of social prescribing initiatives (including healthcare providers, link workers, and voluntary and community sectors) are affected by (1) individual characteristics (knowledge, perception, skill mix); (2) interpersonal relations (collaboration, trust, feedback, supportive climate, follow-up, sustained connection, peer support within and across sectors); (3) organizational contingencies (resource adequacy, staffing, training, role description, continuity of support, caseload management, monitoring, affordability, accessibility, referral criteria, and tailored support); and (4) political context (national policy and guidance, stewardship, planning, cocreation, bureaucracy, economic condition, and the number of support organizations).

Conclusion: Many factors influencing social prescribing initiatives were identified. The results of this review can be applied by different stakeholders of social prescribing to guide development, implementation, description, and evaluation.

Aims: (1) To explore how social prescribing referrals impact experiences of existing members of a voluntary and community-based organisation and (2) to describe the processes and relationships associated with joining community and voluntary organisations.

Methods: Online survey and qualitative interviews with members of Men's Sheds, a global volunteer-led initiative to address loneliness and social isolation in men. 93 self-selecting Shed members (average age 67 years, 93% male) from across England and Scotland took part in the survey about demographics, joining the Shed, and free-text questions about experiences in the Shed. From the survey participants, 21 Shed members were purposively sampled and interviewed to explore the impact of social prescribing and referrals on the Sheds.

Results: Participating in the Men's Shed was often associated with a significant change in personal circumstances, and Sheds provided a unique social support space, particularly valuable for men. Key factors around experiences of social prescribing and referral mechanisms were identified. We developed three themes: the experience of joining a Shed, success factors and risks of social prescribing, and 'we care but we're not carers'.

Conclusions: The results show that Men's Sheds are a caring organisation, but their members are not trained as professional carers, and men come to the Shed for their own personal reasons. They are concerned about the potential additional responsibilities associated with formal referrals. They encourage the development of relationships and local-level understanding of the essence of Sheds to enable social prescribing. As models of social prescribing grow nationally and internationally, collaboratively working with voluntary and community organisations to develop a mutually beneficial approach is essential for the effectiveness and sustainability of social prescribing in community health.

This opinion piece details the challenges associated with defining and evaluating social prescribing. It explores the types of data and considerations needed to produce a more robust evidence base in this area, concluding with a call to action for better collaboration and evidence building from a range of stakeholders.

Aims: The prevalence of chronic mental and physical diseases is increasing globally. In addition, the changing demographics towards an ageing population pose a challenge to healthcare systems, as ageing is associated with a decrease in physical and mental capacity and an increased risk of developing disease. The review aims to explore primary studies that investigated the effect of museum and art gallery-based heritage activities and programmes on the wellbeing of (1) individuals recovering from drug addiction or patients with dementia and (2) younger and older adults.

Methods: We conducted a search using specific keywords, and inclusion and exclusion criteria, in databases for the period 2013-2023. Following a detailed examination of numerous articles, 15 original studies were included in this review.

Results: 15 original studies investigated the effects of museum and art gallery-based heritage activities or programmes on (1) patients with chronic diagnoses associated with mental health and/or physical impairment, such as drug addiction and dementia and (2) the wellbeing of younger and older populations. The interactive environment of museums had positive health outcomes for patients with chronic mental (addiction recovery, dementia) and physical diseases (cancer) as well as hospitalized patients. In addition, it improved the physical and mental wellbeing of younger and older individuals.

Conclusion: Museum art-based interventions may be integrated as part of the non-pharmacological management of patients experiencing mental disorders as well as for improving the wellbeing of younger and older populations.

This feature article is written by some of the Editorial Board at Perspectives in Public Health. It introduces the use of Plain Language Summaries, how to write one and the benefits of including them in your article.

This article explores the potential insights that increased sociological work could bring to the field of arts and health, suggesting that these insights can play a key role in understanding the role of society in the constitution and sustainability of this interdisciplinary field.