Process evaluation results of a cluster randomised controlled childhood obesity prevention trial: the WAVES study.

BACKGROUND: Increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and its related consequences emphasises the importance of developing and evaluating interventions aimed at prevention. The importance of process evaluation in health intervention research is increasingly recognised, assessing implementation and participant response, and how these may relate to intervention success or failure. A comprehensive process evaluation was designed and undertaken for the West Midlands ActiVe lifestyle and healthy Eating in School children (WAVES) study that tested the effectiveness of an obesity prevention programme for children aged 6-7 years, delivered in 24 UK schools. The four intervention components were: additional daily school-time physical activity (PA); cooking workshops for children and parents; Villa Vitality (VV), a 6-week healthy lifestyle promotion programme run by a local football club; and signposting to local PA opportunities. METHODS: Data relating to six dimensions (Fidelity, Reach, Recruitment, Quality, Participant Responsiveness, Context) were collected via questionnaires, logbooks, direct observations, focus groups and interviews. Multiple data collection methods allowed for data triangulation and validation of methods, comparing research observations with teacher records. The 6-stage WAVES study model ((i) Data collection, (ii) Collation, (iii) Tabulation, (iv) Score allocation and discussion, (v) Consultation, (vi) Final score allocation) was developed to guide the collection, assimilation and analysis of process evaluation data. Two researchers independently allocated school scores on a 5-point Likert scale for each process evaluation dimension. Researchers then discussed school score allocations and reached a consensus. Schools were ranked by total score, and grouped to reflect low, medium or high intervention implementation. RESULTS: The intervention was predominantly well-implemented and well-received by teachers, parents and children. The PA component was identified as the most challenging, VV the least. Median implementation score across schools was 56/75 (IQR, 51.0 - 60.8). Agreement between teacher logbooks and researcher observations was generally high, the main discrepancies occurred in session duration reporting where in some cases teachers' estimations tended to be higher than researchers'. CONCLUSIONS: The WAVES study model provides a rigorous and replicable approach to undertaking and analysing a multi-component process evaluation. Challenges to implementing school-based obesity prevention interventions have been identified which can be used to inform future trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN97000586 . 19 May 2010.

Obesity prevention in English primary schools: headteacher perspectives.

Schools are seen as important contributors to obesity prevention, yet face barriers in fulfilling this function. This qualitative study investigates headteacher views on the primary school role in preventing obesity. Semi-structured interviews were held with 22 headteachers from ethnically and socio-economically diverse schools in the West Midlands, UK. Data analysis was conducted using the framework approach. Two over-arching categories were identified: 'School roles and responsibilities' and 'Influencing factors'. Participants agreed that although schools contribute towards obesity prevention in many ways, a moral responsibility to support children's holistic development was the principal motivator, rather than preventing obesity per se. The perceived impact on learning was a key driver for promoting health. Parents were believed to have the main responsibility for preventing obesity, but barriers were identified. Whilst headteachers recognized the advantageous position of schools in offering support to parents, opinion varied on the degree to which schools could and should take on this role. Headteachers serving more deprived areas reported adopting certain responsibilities that elsewhere were fulfilled by parents, and were more likely to view working with families on healthy lifestyles as an important school function. Several factors were perceived as barriers to schools doing more to prevent obesity, including academic pressure, access to expert support and space. In conclusion, school leaders need more support, through resources and government policy, to enable them to maximize their role in obesity prevention. Additionally, school-based obesity prevention should be an integral part of the education agenda rather than bolt-on initiatives.

The views of stakeholders on the role of the primary school in preventing childhood obesity: a qualitative systematic review.

Schools are increasingly recognized as an ideal setting for interventions to tackle childhood obesity. A better understanding of the views of key stakeholders would help to engage schools and inform the feasibility of such interventions in practice. This meta-synthesis of 18 qualitative studies explores the views of parents, school staff, school governors, school nurses and students on the role of the primary school in preventing childhood obesity. Six categories emerged: 'School as a key setting'; 'What schools should be doing to promote healthy eating (HE)'; 'What schools should be doing to promote physical activity (PA)'; 'General barriers'; 'Barriers to promoting HE at school'; and 'Barriers to promoting PA at school'. Thirty-seven finer-level themes emerged within these categories. Stakeholders agreed on the key role of the primary school as a setting for obesity prevention, the importance of schools providing and promoting opportunities for HE and PA, and the need for schools to work with parents. Some perceived barriers could be overcome at school level, e.g. using unhealthy foods as rewards/fundraisers or withholding PA for bad behaviour. Leadership and guidance from government were considered to be needed to counteract other observed barriers, particularly regarding school canteens, support for parents and time for PA.

Educational attainment among adult survivors of childhood cancer in Great Britain: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of educational attainment among childhood cancer survivors were small, had contradictory findings, and were not population based. This study investigated educational attainment in a large population-based cohort of survivors of all types of childhood cancer in Great Britain. METHODS: Four levels of educational attainment among 10,183 cancer survivors--degree, teaching qualification, advanced (A') levels, and ordinary (O') levels--were compared with expected levels in the general population. A questionnaire was used to obtain educational attainment data for survivors, and comparable information for the general population was available from the General Household Survey. Factors associated with level of educational attainment achieved by cancer survivors were identified using multivariable logistic regression together with likelihood ratio tests. Logistic regression adjusting for age and sex was used for comparisons with the general population. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Childhood cancer survivors had lower educational attainment than the general population (degree: odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, 99% confidence interval [CI] = 0.68 to 0.87; teaching qualification: OR = 0.85, 99% CI = 0.77 to 0.94; A'level: OR = 0.85, 99% CI = 0.78 to 0.93; O'level: OR = 0.81, 99% CI = 0.74 to 0.90; P < .001, all levels). Statistically significant deficits were restricted to central nervous system (CNS) neoplasm and leukemia survivors. For leukemia, only those treated with radiotherapy were considered. Odds ratios for achievement by irradiated CNS tumor survivors were 50%-74% of those for cranially irradiated leukemia or nonirradiated CNS tumor survivors. Survivors at greater risk of poorer educational outcomes included those treated with cranial irradiation, diagnosed with a CNS tumor, older at questionnaire completion, younger at diagnosis, diagnosed with epilepsy, and who were female. CONCLUSIONS: Specific groups of childhood cancer survivors achieve lower-than-expected educational attainment. Detailed educational support and implementation of regular cognitive assessment may be indicated for some groups to maximize long-term function.

The British Childhood Cancer Survivor Study: Objectives, methods, population structure, response rates and initial descriptive information.

BACKGROUND: In Britain 75% of individuals diagnosed with childhood cancer survive at least 5 years. The British Childhood Cancer Survivor Study was established to determine the risks of adverse health and social outcomes among survivors. To be eligible individuals were diagnosed with childhood cancer in Britain between 1940 and 1991 and survived at least 5 years. The entire cohort of 17,981 form the basis of population-based studies of late mortality and the risks/causes of second malignant neoplasms using national registration systems. METHODS: A postal questionnaire was sent to survivors who were alive and aged at least 16 years via their primary care physician. RESULTS: Of the 14,836 survivors eligible to receive a questionnaire, 10,483 (71%) returned it completed. Of the 13,211 who were mailed a questionnaire by their primary care physician 10,483 (79%) returned it completed. Outline treatment information concerning initial radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery is available. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest available population-based cohort of childhood cancer survivors to have included investigation of a wide spectrum of adverse outcomes (the risk of which might be increased as a result of childhood cancer or its treatment). The study should provide useful information for counselling survivors, planning long-term clinical follow-up and evaluating the long-term risks likely to be associated with proposed treatment strategies.

Offspring sex ratio and gonadal irradiation in the British Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

We investigated offspring sex ratio among 6232 offspring born to 3218 survivors of childhood cancer in relation to therapeutic irradiation, and pooled our data with those from two other large-scale studies giving a total of 9685 offspring. Exposure to high-dose gonadal irradiation was not associated with a significant alteration in offspring sex ratio compared to low doses (men: P=0.58, women: P=0.66). There was also no evidence that the ratio varied with time since cancer diagnosis when comparing survivors treated with radiotherapy vs those without (men: P=0.51; women: P=0.46). This, the largest study to date, finds no evidence that exposure to radiation affects the offspring sex ratio among survivors of childhood cancer.

A preliminary trial of ascorbic acid as supplemental therapy for autism.

1. This study presents the results of a 30-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial exploring the effectiveness of ascorbic acid (8g/70kg/day) as a supplemental pharmacological treatment for autistic children in residential treatment. 2. Residential school children (N = 18) were randomly assigned to either ascorbate-ascorbate-placebo treatment order group or ascorbate-placebo-ascorbate treatment order group. Each treatment phase lasted 10 weeks and behaviors were rated weekly using the Ritvo-Freeman scale. 3. Significant group by phase interactions were found for total scores and also sensory motor scores indicating a reduction in symptom severity associated with the ascorbic acid treatment. 4. These results were consistent with a hypothesized dopaminergic mechanism of action of ascorbic acid.