Lorenzo N Hopper, Shanika Jerger Butts, Kimberly Mosley, Sydney Stine, Hayat Naqvi, Kayla Blake, Adina Girmay, Navjot Khinda, Shaila Ganesan, Brianna Gardner
{"title":"Taking SHAPE: peer educators' insights on promoting preconception health in the college setting.","authors":"Lorenzo N Hopper, Shanika Jerger Butts, Kimberly Mosley, Sydney Stine, Hayat Naqvi, Kayla Blake, Adina Girmay, Navjot Khinda, Shaila Ganesan, Brianna Gardner","doi":"10.1093/her/cyag002","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyag002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Preconception health is vital for improving personal health and increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy. However, young adults often lack awareness of its importance for their overall and future health. Peer education effectively improves knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to preconception health among college students. While peer education has been studied in preconception health contexts within the USA, gaps remain in the literature regarding peer educators' lived experiences and perspectives. The Students Helping Advance Preconception Education (SHAPE) programme trains college students to serve as peer educators promoting preconception health topics to both campus and community peer learners. This study examined perspectives of the SHAPE peer educators (N = 15) themselves at a Southeastern university through focus groups and interviews. Data were collected between May and June 2025 using semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews. Rapid qualitative analysis was utilized to highlight key domains of programme implementation, peer engagement, and educator motivation and development. Educators identified challenges such as limited awareness and resource constraints and provided innovative engagement strategies. They discussed the need for ongoing training, culturally tailored resources, and institutional support. In this small exploratory sample, findings may offer insights into the value of peer perspectives in strengthening preconception health promotion initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"41 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146198227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mapping the evidence on virtual reality for dementia caregivers: a scoping review.","authors":"Xiaoli Li, Qiwei Li, Kang Sun, Reagen Conklin","doi":"10.1093/her/cyag003","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyag003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly recognized as a promising tool for healthcare training, yet its application in dementia caregiver education remains an emerging field. Despite growing interest, few reviews have systematically mapped how VR interventions are used to support both formal and informal caregivers. This scoping review aims to synthesize current evidence on VR-based dementia care training and to identify how VR contributes to caregiver knowledge, skills, empathy, and preparedness. Seventeen studies were included, encompassing diverse caregiver populations such as family caregivers, certified nursing assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, with sample sizes ranging from 10 to 223 participants. Study designs varied and included pre-post studies (n = 3), randomized controlled trials (n = 3), non-randomized controlled trials (n = 1), feasibility pilot studies (n = 1), quasi-experimental designs (n = 4), qualitative studies (n = 3), and post-test-only designs (n = 2). Research was conducted across the United States, Ireland, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. VR interventions included the Virtual Dementia Tour, Into D'mentia, Through the D'ementia Lens, 360° VR films, and A Walk-Through Dementia, reflecting substantial variation in content and delivery formats. Overall, the evidence indicates that VR is an engaging and impactful educational modality that enhances caregivers' empathy, dementia-related knowledge, and care competence. These findings highlight VR's potential as a valuable complement to traditional dementia care training. However, methodological variability, limited long-term follow-up, and inconsistent outcome measures underscore the need for more rigorous and standardized research to inform best practices and guide implementation across diverse caregiving contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"41 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13631920/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146158717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tailored psychoeducation for multiple myeloma patients: a step toward enhancing quality of life and health outcomes.","authors":"Yoorin Cho, Yang Sook Yoo","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf059","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) experience various symptoms throughout their treatment and have psychosocial needs that must be addressed. This study aims to develop and evaluate a psychoeducation program for MM patients, assessing its impact on supportive care needs, health-promoting lifestyle, and quality of life. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group was used. The experimental group received individual weekly 90-minute psychoeducation sessions for 5 weeks, while the control group received routine care. Supportive care needs, health-promoting lifestyle, and quality of life (QOL) were evaluated before, immediately after, and 4 weeks after the program. Supportive care needs decreased in the experimental group after the intervention; no significant change occurred in the control group. Health-promoting behaviours improved in the experimental group, while the control group showed no significant change. Physical and emotional functioning improved in the experimental group, but declined in the control group. MM-related QOL domains, such as symptoms and treatment side effects, improved in the experimental group, while they worsened in the control group. The psychoeducation program developed and applied in this study improved health-promoting behaviours and QOL for MM patients, providing a foundation for developing tailored programs in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146087736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Empowering rural communities through designing patient navigation learning materials that bridge healthcare access knowledge gaps.","authors":"Cristela Mae C Candelario, Eleanor C Castillo","doi":"10.1093/her/cyag001","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyag001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Limited knowledge regarding patient navigation services is a significant barrier for low-income rural communities in utilizing available healthcare resources. This study aimed to empower underserved populations in Southern Philippines by developing culturally appropriate patient navigation education materials that bridge this gap and enhance healthcare accessibility. Using a community-based participatory research design, focus group discussions with 40 residents and key informant interviews with six village staff from two remote communities were conducted. A formative use of the Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate (ADDIE) model guided the systematic development of patient education materials informed by community-specific goals and preferences. Seven key patient navigation education needs were identified: (i) user-friendly design and format, (ii) step-by-step procedures, (iii) health promotion campaigns, (iv) available service information, (v) capacity-building for local health workers, (vi) contact and scheduling details, and (vii) information preparation guidelines. Participants reported understanding of patient navigation services and motivation to utilize available healthcare resources. The community-centered development process empowered residents by validating their experiences, incorporating local knowledge, and creating culturally relevant educational tools that enable active participation in healthcare decision-making. The findings contribute to participatory research by demonstrating how collaborative development of learning materials can build local capacity and healthcare self-efficacy in disadvantaged communities with an example from the Global South.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"41 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146182810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K M Stephanie Tsoi, Mingming Zhu, Yan Ting Wong, Nga Kwa Bonnie Choy, Yau Kei Chan
{"title":"The use of a smartphone application to influence the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of patients towards a better glaucoma medication compliance.","authors":"K M Stephanie Tsoi, Mingming Zhu, Yan Ting Wong, Nga Kwa Bonnie Choy, Yau Kei Chan","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf051","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease that requires consistent and timely eye drop medication management. However, suboptimal treatment outcomes of glaucoma patients were attributed to poor medication compliance. To address this problem, the study proposed to assess the effectiveness of influencing the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of the patients with the use of a smartphone application (app) to improve the medication compliance of glaucoma patients. The smartphone app feature includes a 'reminder' function that reminds the study participants to apply eye drop medication on time, while also provides information and articles about glaucoma to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the study participants about glaucoma. A total of 181 participants were recruited and three questionnaire tools were used to assess the KAP of the patients towards medication compliance across three time points (baseline, 3-month, and 6-month) after using the proposed smartphone app. Compared to the control, the proposed intervention had an effect on improving the glaucoma knowledge, but showed no significant effect on the confidence and adherence of glaucoma medication of the participants. The findings suggested that integrating digital technology with educational strategies can have potential in enhancing participant compliance with glaucoma medication, ultimately improving their health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146108016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Derek T Dangerfield, Janeane N Anderson, Deanna Kerrigan
{"title":"Designing a novel peer-based decision aid to address perceived risk for HIV and PrEP interest among Black sexual minority men.","authors":"Derek T Dangerfield, Janeane N Anderson, Deanna Kerrigan","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf045","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Black gay, bisexual, and other Black sexual minority men (SMM) continue to experience significant Human Immunodificiency Virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) barriers, including stigma, medical mistrust, and low risk perceptions. Peer change agents (PCAs) are effective interventionists but are costly to scale. Therefore, we designed a culturally responsive web-based decision aid designed to improve perceived risk for HIV (PRH) and PrEP use among Black SMM modelled after a PCA-based intervention called POSSIBLE. The key domains of the PCA script in POSSIBLE were transposed into the online format of the decision aid and included interactive features to simulate peer-based interactions, encourage user reflection, and guide decision-making in a culturally resonant manner. Visual aids were also incorporated to approximate the peer-based approach in POSSIBLE. Content analysis of PCA-participant conversations among 12 participants from POSSIBLE who decided to use PrEP was conducted to identify common concerns among Black SMM and the persuasive language used by the PCA. Those concerns and communications collectively informed the response options and information of the online tool. This prototype offers a scalable, culturally responsive approach to addressing key multilevel PrEP barriers among Black SMM, including stigma, medical mistrust, and PRH. This tool could be a valuable resource in clinical and community-based settings, providing a cost-effective alternative to peer-based interventions. Future research will assess its impact on multilevel barriers, PrEP use, and HIV prevention behaviours in real-world settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12599302/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145483337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hsueh-Fen Chen, Hung-Ru Lin, Tz-Wen Lu, Mei-Yueh Lee
{"title":"Diet self-management and education encounter in confucianism-dominated culture: a qualitative study of taiwanese with poor diabetes control.","authors":"Hsueh-Fen Chen, Hung-Ru Lin, Tz-Wen Lu, Mei-Yueh Lee","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf046","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A diet self-management plan aligning with patients' culture, beliefs, and values is essential to the success of diabetes self-management education (DSME), which requires candid communication between patients and providers. However, in a Confucianism-dominated culture, the emphasis on social hierarchy, respect for authority, and harmony may hinder patients from communicating openly with healthcare teams. This qualitative study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research to explore the experiences of participants with poor diabetes control, focusing on the challenges they face in diet self-management and how they communicate these challenges to their providers during DSME encounters. The present study revealed that the 'fear of being judged' reflects the Confucian culture, which inhibits open dialogue between patients and healthcare teams about the difficulties patients face in managing their diet. Given the high prevalence of poor diabetes control in Confucianism-dominated societies, it is strongly recommended to modify the approach of DSME, such as using patients' food diary as the base for the DSME discussion to avoid requiring patients to ask questions to the healthcare team, to fit the Confucian culture dominating in Eastern Asian societies.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145373236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effectiveness of web-based health education for university students with premenstrual syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Ece Özkaradiğin, Sevgi Özkan","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf054","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of web-based health education on symptoms and quality of life of university students with premenstrual syndrome. This was a single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. The study was completed by 67 participants: 33 in the intervention group and 34 in the control group. The intervention group received web-based health education for 4 weeks, while the control group had no special intervention. Data were collected between three menstrual cycles using the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, Premenstrual Symptoms Impact Scale, System Usability Scale, and a personal information form. Following web-based health education, the intervention group showed significant improvements compared to the control group, and this difference remained significant after two menstrual cycles. Notably, the intervention group experienced significant reductions in psychological symptoms, such as depressive affect, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, and depressive thoughts. The intervention group reported that the website was usable. The results indicate that a web-based health education has the potential to be an effective strategy for managing premenstrual syndrome. This approach also underscores the important role of healthcare professionals in providing accessible digital interventions that address women's health needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145589314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Healthcare professionals' delivery of lifestyle health information via social media: a qualitative study in Malaysia.","authors":"Yan Yee Yip, Mohd Makmor-Bakry, Wei Wen Chong","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf048","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf048","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to explore the challenges and strategies for improving health information delivery by healthcare professionals (HCPs) on lifestyle behaviours using social media. Using a phenomenological qualitative study design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 22 HCPs who use social media to deliver health information, and three focus group discussions with 16 active users of social media. All participants were based in Malaysia. The sessions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using constant comparative approach and thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: (i) credibility of health information, (ii) accessibility, and timeliness of health information, (iii) attitudes and motivation of HCPs, (iv) users' receptiveness to health information, and (v) availability of resources for HCPs. HCPs were encouraged to show commitment when delivering information, ensuring users receive information in the most engaging way. It was also suggested that HCPs access resources through collaboration with HCPs and non-HCP individuals, including digital content creators and health advocates. In conclusion, this qualitative study provides insights into the perspectives of HCPs and social media users regarding the use of social media by HCPs to deliver health information on lifestyle behaviours. These insights can be used to improve health communication on social media.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145483342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ruth Wagstaff, Kirstie Daken, Amy B Mullens, Claire Moran, Zhihong Gu, Yibeltal Alemu, Judith A Dean
{"title":"Sexual health literacy and education programs for culturally and linguistically diverse young people living in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom: a scoping review of content evaluations.","authors":"Ruth Wagstaff, Kirstie Daken, Amy B Mullens, Claire Moran, Zhihong Gu, Yibeltal Alemu, Judith A Dean","doi":"10.1093/her/cyaf056","DOIUrl":"10.1093/her/cyaf056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Young people from key priority communities, represent an important focus for enhancing sexual and reproductive health (SRH). There is an abundance of literature indicating that sexual health programs designed to improve sexual health literacy (SHL) for young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds are often developed using established health behaviour models and community involvement models. However, little evidence exists on the processes or standards used to evaluate program effectiveness or update content to remain relevant and appealing. This scoping review of academic literature, and government and not-for-profit organizations reports in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom (countries with similar healthcare systems, immigration patterns and socioeconomic status), was conducted to determine if and how program content was reviewed and evaluated for currency and effectiveness. No academic or grey literature reports were identified that described the assessment of SHL program content or resources targeting young people from CALD backgrounds. Organizations and authors were contacted for further details of program content assessment with little success. This suggests a gap in the literature and lack of program evaluation or processes for updating of program content. This review highlights recommendations regarding advancing future research and enhancing program content evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":48236,"journal":{"name":"Health Education Research","volume":"40 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12670635/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145655775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}