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Turk A, Tierney S, Hogan B, Mahtani KR, Pope C. A meta-ethnography of the factors that shape link workers' experiences of social prescribing. BMC Med 2024; 22:280. [PMID: 38965525 PMCID: PMC11225255 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03478-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social prescribing is gaining traction internationally. It is an approach which seeks to address non-medical and health-related social needs through taking a holistic person-centred and community-based approach. This involves connecting people with and supporting them to access groups and organisations within their local communities. It is hoped that social prescribing might improve health inequities and reduce reliance on healthcare services. In the UK, social prescribing link workers have become core parts of primary care teams. Despite growing literature on the implementation of social prescribing, to date there has been no synthesis that develops a theoretical understanding of the factors that shape link workers' experiences of their role. METHODS We undertook a meta-ethnographic evidence synthesis of qualitative literature to develop a novel conceptual framework that explains how link workers experience their roles. We identified studies using a systematic search of key databases, Google alerts, and through scanning reference lists of included studies. We followed the eMERGe guidance when conducting and reporting this meta-ethnography. RESULTS Our synthesis included 21 studies and developed a "line of argument" or overarching conceptual framework which highlighted inherent and interacting tensions present at each of the levels that social prescribing operates. These tensions may arise from a mismatch between the policy logic of social prescribing and the material and structural reality, shaped by social, political, and economic forces, into which it is being implemented. CONCLUSIONS The tensions highlighted in our review shape link workers' experiences of their role. They may call into question the sustainability of social prescribing and the link worker role as currently implemented, as well as their ability to deliver desired outcomes such as reducing health inequities or healthcare service utilisation. Greater consideration should be given to how the link worker role is defined, deployed, and trained. Furthermore, thought should be given to ensuring that the infrastructure into which social prescribing is being implemented is sufficient to meet needs. Should social prescribing seek to improve outcomes for those experiencing social and economic disadvantage, it may be necessary for social prescribing models to allow for more intensive and longer-term modes of support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amadea Turk
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Stephanie Tierney
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bernie Hogan
- Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kamal R Mahtani
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Catherine Pope
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Ohta R, Yakabe T, Adachi H, Sano C. The Association Between Community Participation and Loneliness Among Patients in Rural Community Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus 2024; 16:e56501. [PMID: 38638785 PMCID: PMC11026138 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Loneliness among adults is a critical public health issue, particularly in rural areas where social isolation can be more pronounced. Understanding the factors that influence loneliness can guide the development of effective interventions. This study explores the impact of demographic, health-related, and social participation factors on loneliness among rural Japanese adults, focusing on the role of community participation. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted with rural Japanese adults who regularly visited rural community hospitals. Data were collected on participants' demographic characteristics, health status, and social participation and analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model to identify factors associated with higher levels of loneliness. The covariates included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), chronic health conditions, and community participation. Results The study found that community participation had a significant negative association with loneliness, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.46 (p < 0.01), indicating that individuals engaged in community activities were substantially less likely to experience higher levels of loneliness. Higher BMI was associated with lower odds of loneliness (OR = 0.93, p < 0.02), suggesting a protective effect against loneliness. Conclusion The findings highlight the paramount importance of community engagement in mitigating loneliness among rural Japanese adults. The inverse relationship between BMI and loneliness suggests that BMI and social participation influence loneliness. These insights underscore the need for comprehensive interventions that promote community participation and address the multifaceted nature of loneliness. Future research should further explore the mechanisms through which community engagement and BMI impact loneliness to develop targeted strategies for improving the well-being of rural adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chiaki Sano
- Community Medicine Management, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo, JPN
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Calderón-Larrañaga S, Greenhalgh T, Finer S, Clinch M. What does social prescribing look like in practice? A qualitative case study informed by practice theory. Soc Sci Med 2024; 343:116601. [PMID: 38280288 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Social prescribing (SP) typically involves linking patients in primary care with a range of local, community-based, non-clinical services. While there is a growing body of literature investigating the effectiveness of SP in improving healthcare outcomes, questions remain about how such outcomes are achieved within the everyday complexity of community health systems. This qualitative case study, informed by practice theory, aimed to investigate how SP practices relevant to people at high risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) were enacted in a primary care and community setting serving a multi-ethnic, socioeconomically deprived population. We collected different types of qualitative data, including 35 semi-structured interviews with primary care clinicians, link workers and SP organisations; 30 hours of ethnographic observations of community-based SP activities and meetings; and relevant documents. Data analysis drew on theories of social practice, including Feldman's (2000) notion of the organisational routine, which emphasises the creative and emergent nature of routines in practice. We identified different, overlapping ways of practising SP: from highly creative, reflective and adaptive ('I do what it takes'), to more constrained ('I do what I can') or compliant ('I do as I'm told') approaches. Different types of practices were in tension and showed varying degrees of potential to support patients at high risk of T2D. Opportunities to adapt, try, negotiate, and ultimately reinvent SP to suit patients' own needs facilitated successful SP adoption and implementation, but required specific individual, relational, organisational, and institutional resources and conditions. Feldman, M.S., 2000. Organizational Routines as a Source of Continuous Change. Organ. Sci. 11, 611-629.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calderón-Larrañaga
- Centre for Primary Care, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Yvonne Carter Building, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK; Bromley By Bow Health Partnership, XX Place Health Centre, Mile End Hospital, Bancroft Rd, Bethnal Green, London, E1 4DG, UK.
| | - Trish Greenhalgh
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Primary Care Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Sarah Finer
- Centre for Primary Care, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Yvonne Carter Building, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK; Barts Health NHS Trust, Newham University Hospital, Glen Rd, London, E13 8SL, UK
| | - Megan Clinch
- Centre for Primary Care, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, Yvonne Carter Building, 58 Turner Street, London, E1 2AB, UK
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