Developing a health promoting university in Trinity College Dublin-overview and outline process evaluation.

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have the potential to impact positively on the health and wellbeing of their staff and students. Using and expanding on the 'health promoting university' (HPU) platform within HEIs, this article provides a description of 'Healthy Trinity', which is an initiative underway in Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin. First, Healthy Trinity is contextualized in background literature including international and national policy and practice. Second, an overview of Healthy Trinity is provided including its vision and goals. Third, the article describes the steps taken relating to the identification of stakeholders and use of a network and a co-lead model. Within this approach, the article describes a partnership approach whereby responsibilities regarding health and wellbeing are shared by individuals and the institution. Fourth, the design and implementation of Healthy Trinity is discussed by taking a 'settings approach', in which the emphasis for change is placed on individual behaviours, environment, policy and organizational culture. Consideration is given to the interplay between intervention, implementation strategy and context for successful systemic implementation. The fifth element presented is the early-stage challenges encountered during implementation, such as the need to secure recurrent funding and the importance of having a direct input to the governance of the University to enable systemic change. The sixth and final component of the article is an outline of Healthy Trinity's intention to utilize a process evaluation of the early implementation phases of this complex intervention within a settings approach. Potential deliverables and impacts of this HPU initiative are presented and discussed.

Universities, such as Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, can be looked at as a community of staff and students. The university community has needs in terms of health and wellbeing. 'Healthy Trinity' attempted to build strategies and practices to meet these needs for its community. The approach taken was from multiple angles and involved students and staff, focusing on both individual and organizational responsibility to promote and encourage healthy behaviours. Healthy Trinity achieved some successes as well as encountering some challenges. This article explores how the university might build upon the successes of Healthy Trinity in order to embed a culture which prioritizes health and wellbeing for the entire university community. The article also looks at the broader impact of achieving this goal, namely the University's contribution to a healthier community beyond the university setting.

Brief interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption in opiate-dependent methadone-maintained patients: results from an implementation study.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: An implementation study to test the feasibility and effectiveness of brief interventions (BIs) to reduce hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption in opiate-dependent methadone-maintained patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: Before and after intervention comparison of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) scores from baseline to 3month follow up. Seven hundred and ten (82%) of the 863 eligible methadone-maintained patients within three urban addiction treatment clinics were screened. A World Health Organization protocol for a clinician-delivered single BI to reduce alcohol consumption was delivered. The full AUDIT questionnaire was used at baseline (T1) to measure alcohol consumption and related harms; and in part as a screening tool to exclude those who may be alcohol-dependent. AUDIT-C was used at 3month follow up (T2) to assess any changes in alcohol consumption. RESULTS. One hundred and sixty (23% of overall sample screened) 'AUDIT-positive' cases were identified at baseline screening with a mean total full AUDIT score of 13.5 (SD 6.7). There was a statistically significant reduction in AUDIT-C scores from T1 ( , SD=2.35) to T2 (, SD=2.66) for the BI group (z=-3.98, P<0.01). There was a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of men who were AUDIT-positive from T1 to T2 (χ(2) =8.25, P<0.003). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible for a range of clinicians to screen for problem alcohol use and deliver BI within community methadone clinics. Opiate-dependent patients significantly reduced their alcohol consumption as a result of receiving a BI.