School physical activity policies and associations with physical activity practices and behaviours: A systematic review of the literature

The development and implementation of school policies is considered a key strategy for the promotion of physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents. This study aimed to systematically review and synthesise existing literature focusing on the associations between formal written school-based PA policies and (a) school PA practices and (b) PA behaviours of school-aged children and adolescents. Fifty-one papers reporting on 52 studies met the eligibility criteria. All but two studies were from high income countries, most used cross-sectional designs and demonstrated fair methodological quality, and just over a third examined language aspects of policies. Findings predominantly indicated a lack of or inconclusive associations between the various characteristics examined and PA outcomes. Inconclusive associations were identified between both PA practice and behaviour outcomes and state level policies, policies focusing on PE and school-day PA, and in studies examining language aspects of policies. Inconclusive associations with both types of outcomes were more likely to be identified compared to a lack of associations in studies using self-report measures and in studies not providing information about the quality of exposure and outcome measures used. Overall, findings highlight the need for further research that acknowledges the complex relationship between school policies and PA outcomes and employs robust methodological approaches to enhance our understanding of this area.     

Progress toward sustainable influenza vaccination in the Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic, 2012–2018

Despite global recommendations for influenza vaccination of high-risk, target populations, few low and middle-income countries have national influenza vaccination programs. Between 2012 and 2017, Lao PDR planned and conducted a series of activities to develop its national influenza vaccine program as a part of its overall national immunization program. In this paper, we review the underlying strategic planning for this process, and outline the sequence of activities, research studies, partnerships, and policy decisions that were required to build Laos’ influenza vaccine program. The successful development and sustainability of the program in Laos offers lessons for other low and middle-income countries interested in initiating or expanding influenza immunization.     

Towards safe nurse staffing in England’s National Health Service: Progress and pitfalls of policy evolution

In 2013, a national inquiry into care failings at a large public hospital in England resulted in major healthcare reforms that included targeting policy aimed at ensuring the adequacy of nurse staffing levels on hospital wards within NHS England. This paper uses a review of publicly available documents to provide a contextual account of the evolution of nurse staffing policy development prior to and following the inquiry. We found that securing safe staffing policy has been impacted by caveats and competing policy, evidence gaps, lack of coordination, and the absence of readily implementable solutions. Consequently, five years on, safe staffing policy for NHS England is described in aspirational terms that ascribes accountability to providers, but fails to adequately address barriers to delivery. Kingdon’s ‘policy windows’ model is used to explain why policy, even when driven by strong public concern and with high inter-sector support, may struggle to gain traction when the conditions necessary for success are not present, and in the face of practical or political constraints. The progress and pitfalls encountered are not unique and the experience of safe staffing policy in England may have lessons for other countries grappling with policy development or implementation in this area.     

Sláintecare implementation status in 2020: Limited progress with entitlement expansion

The Sláintecare report developed by political consensus sets out a ten year plan for achieving Universal Health Care (UHC) in Ireland. This paper evaluates the design and progress of the report to mid 2020, but with some reflection on the new COVID 19 era, particularly as it relates to the expansion of entitlements to achieve UHC. The authors explore how close Sláintecare is to the UHC ideal. They also review the phased strategy of implementation in Sláintecare that utilises a systems-thinking approach with interlinkages between entitlements, funding, capacity and implementation. Finally the authors review the Sláintecare milestones against the reality of implementation since the publication of the report in 2017, cognisant of government policy and practice. Some of the initial assumptions around the context of Sláintecare were not realised and there has been limited progress made toward expanding entitlements, and certainly short of the original plan. Nevertheless there have been positive developments in that there is evidence that Government’s Implementation Strategy and Action Plans are focussing on reforming a complex adaptive system rather than implementing a blueprint with such initiatives as integrated care pilots and citizen engagement. The authors find that this may help the system change but it risks losing some of the essential elements of entitlement expansion in favour of organisational change.     

家庭医生政策执行方式的行为逻辑

本文采用扎根理论,利用2017—2018年上海3家社区卫生服务中心的访谈材料,从执行者行为的微观角度归纳并构建家庭医生如何选择政策执行方式的理论解释。研究归纳了家庭医生相关政策的执行中存在的三类政策执行方式:忠实执行、积极变通和消极变通。这三类政策执行方式因政策与情境契合度(简称契合度)的不同而区分。其中契合度较高时,容易发生忠实执行,即完全忠实于政策设计的执行方式;当政策与情境有不契合时,执行成本升高,出于职责观念和行政压力,执行者首先使用积极变通来降低执行成本,用自由裁量权在操作中对政策作修补和本土化,从而实现政策初衷;消极变通因任务契合度过低且具有强制性而产生,消极变通中出现了目标替代,仅表面应付上级考核指标,降低了执行成本、维护了岗位利益。结论:政策执行方式的行为逻辑可以通过契合度、职责观念、执行成本三个因素得到解释。本文整体、平衡地关注了消极与积极的政策变通,弥补以往研究只关注消极变通的不足;建议应完善决策制度保证基层执行者的决策参与,从而提升决策质量。