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Poster Awards

EHPS 2024 Poster Award Winners

Eight posters have been selected for the award of EHPS 2024 Poster Prize winners. These posters were selected by a panel of six judges who were drawn from the EHPS 2024 Scientific Committee

While the standard overall of posters presented at the conference was high, these prize winning posters demonstrated exceptionally high quality research presented in a visually interesting, accessible and engaging way.
Congratulations to all prize winners! Prize winners will receive a book voucher from Taylor and Francis.

Wednesday Poster Session winners

Emma Tack – Selecting and constructing outcomes for a RCT: construct and item mapping

Viktoria S. Egele – Explaining physical activity behaviour using a network analytical approach to social cognitive theory

Ingrid Muller – Eczema care online: implementing of an effective behavioral intervention to support self-management

Thursday Poster Session winners

Alexandra Husivargova Theofanidis – Psychosocial variables impacting physical activity in biologics-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients

Carole Lynn Rüttimann – Predicting non-adherence in dietary behaviour maintenance using passive sensing: First part of a registered report

Hiroaki Uechi – Gamification-based positive psychology intervention for enhancing well-being

Friday Poster Session winners

Laura Belmon – Youth-centred participatory action research meets systems thinking: co-creating a systems map together with children

Maja Žutić – Severe nausea and hyperemesis gravidarum: prevalence, daily functioning, maternal mental health, and social support

Wednesday Poster Session

Selecting and constructing outcomes for a RCT: construct and item mapping

Emma Tack2 , Lore Dams1, Geert Crombez2, Mira Meeus1, Annick De Paepe2, Michel Mertens1, Marthe Van Overbeke2, An De Groef1

1Antwerp University, Belgium;

2Ghent University, Belgium

Background: Evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention requires appropriate and concise measures that assess (primary and secondary) outcomes, and underlying mechanisms of change. We describe this process using construct and item mapping for evaluating an eHealth intervention to promote self-management and physical activity in cancer survivors with persistent pain (PECAN).
Methods: We developed a program theory outlining immediate, short- and long-term outcomes, and documenting the causal chains of processes involved in the intervention. After mapping selected questionnaire items in MIRO to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), we found that TDF lacked coverage in pain-related concepts, leading us to also use the Common-Sense Model of illness representations (CSM). We involved health psychology and physiotherapy experts in mapping, refining existing items, and developing new ones to ensure comprehensive assessment of our program theory components and outcomes.
Findings: We identified items that measured 8 out of the 14 TDF domains (knowledge, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences, intentions, goals, social influences, emotion, behavioural regulation) and 6 out of the 7 CSM domains (causes, consequences, timeline, controllability, illness coherence, emotional representations). Certain items did not align with our program theory and lacked coverage.
Discussion: The TDF and CSM have proven to be useful frameworks for systematically mapping items onto constructs, thereby enabling the identification of potentially relevant missing constructs and uncovering any item overlap between measures. This analysis resulted in the development of a comprehensive set of questionnaires tailored for investigating the efficacy of PECAN.

Explaining physical activity behaviour using a network analytical approach to social cognitive theory

Viktoria Egele1, Eric Klopp1, Robin Stark1

1Saarland University, Germany

Although Bandura’s social cognitive theory is well researched, the theoretical assumptions of the model are increasingly being questioned – while Bandura assumed unilateral relationships between self-efficacy, outcome expectations, socio-structural factors, and goals as well as corresponding behavioral measures, a reciprocal influence of these constructs is conceivable, which can be analyzed by network analyses. Network analyses can analyze the complex pattern of relationships between the constructs without the restriction of causal assumptions. Analyzing the network topology in terms of the community structure of a network also allows statements about which constructs of SCT theory are more or less interconnected. It is possible to investigate for example whether cognitive constructs interact more strongly with each other than with behavioral measures. 394 participants (225 female (55.1%)) completed an online questionnaire on their physical activity behavior and related self-efficacy, outcome expectations, social-cognitive factors, and goals. The networks were estimated using regularization procedures and resulted in accurate and stable estimates of the network parameters. The resulting network structure is divided into two communities, one of which consists solely of physical activity behavior, while the other community represents the cognitive constructs postulated by social-cognitive theory. The central node of the network is self-efficacy, which in turn confirms the current research in the field of SCT in which self-efficacy is primarily investigated and promoted while the other variables take a back seat. However, the two communities indicate the classic problem of theories for explaining and predicting behavior: the existence of an intention-behavior gap.

Eczema care online: implementing of an effective behavioral intervention to support self-management

Ingrid Muller1

1University of Southampton, United Kingdom

Background: Eczema Care Online is a web-based behavioural intervention developed using theory-, evidence- and person-based approaches to support people with eczema and parents of children with eczema. The website (www.EczemaCareOnline.org.uk ) has been shown in two large RCTs to improve eczema symptoms. Compared with usual care over 24 weeks, eczema severity significantly improved in the intervention groups and this effect was sustained up to 52 weeks.

We sought to understand the implementation pathway for Eczema Care Online and evaluate its impact on costs and outcomes for healthcare providers.

Methods: We mapped the key features of Eczema Care Online to the NICE Evidence Standards Framework using mixed methods to define key features of the website and evaluate the views of key stakeholders. Health economic data was collected through an in-trial evaluation using medical notes review to collect health resource use data.

Results: Key features of the website that were valued by stakeholders were that it is: evidence informed, created in partnership, comprehensive, independent, accessible and proven to improve eczema. The website meets the NICE Evidence Standards for adoption of digital interventions into the UK National Health Service. The intervention was shown to be low cost and highly cost-effective compared to usual care (being lower cost and more effective in most scenarios).

Conclusion: Eczema Care Online is clinically and cost-effective and is being adopted in a variety of healthcare settings across the UK and internationally. We reflect on the different routes to implementation and integrating the behavioural intervention into clinical care pathways.

Thursday Poster Session

Psychosocial variables impacting physical activity in biologics-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients

Alexandra Husivargova Theofanidis1, 2, Vladimira Timkova1, Zelmira Macejova3, Zuzana Kotradyova3, Robbert Sanderman2, 4, Iveta Nagyova1

1Department of Social and Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, PJ Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia;
2Department of Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands;
31st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, PJ Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia;
4Department of Psychology Health and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands

Background: Physical activity is currently highly recommended for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Yet studies show that the majority of patients lead physically inactive lifestyles. Besides, there is insufficient research on various sociodemographic and psychological factors that may enhance physical activity in RA, particularly psychosocial variables. Thus, we aimed to assess the potential psychosocial factors impacting RA patients’ physical inactivity.

Methods: Our study involved 146 RA patients (84.9% female; mean age 56.6±13.6 years; mean disease duration 19.6±9.2 years). All patients completed the General Health Questionnaire-28, EuroQol-5D, and the Physical Activity Scale. Correlation analyses and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data.

Findings: Our research revealed that 78% of RA patients engage in less physical activity than the WHO’s minimum recommendations. Bivariate analyses showed that lack of physical activity was significantly associated with lower education, higher disease activity, age, anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction. No association was found with sex or functional disability. In the final regression model, only education (β=0.20; p≤0.05) and social dysfunction (β=-0.21; p≤0.05) remained significant. The total explained variance of physical activity in the final model was 14.7%.
Discussion: Lower education and higher social dysfunction may pose significant challenges for RA patients in planning and maintaining physical activity. For a comprehensive understanding of the interactions holistic approach is needed to create an encouraging atmosphere that increases physical activity and improves RA management. Non-pharmacological interventions that strengthen patients’ social networks and promote an active lifestyle are essential for effective and sustainable behavioral change.
[Grant support:VEGA:1/0748/22(80%); APVV-22-0587(20%)]

Predicting non-adherence in dietary behaviour maintenance using passive sensing: First part of a registered report

Carole Lynn Rüttimann1, Dario Baretta1, Corina Berli1, Jennifer Inauen1

1University of Bern, Switzerland

Background: Overweight and obesity pose substantial health risks and reduced quality of life. The current emphasis on short-term outcomes in behavioural weight loss interventions neglects the crucial aspect of dietary behaviour maintenance. Gaps persist in understanding and predicting non-adherence, i.e. when and why lapses, relapse, and disengagement occur in dietary behaviour maintenance. The aim is to present the work in progress of a registered report to study these processes in daily life.
Methods: This is the first part of a registered report of a 12-month intensive-longitudinal observational study with 82 adults in a weight loss maintenance phase. Passive sensing and daily e-diaries capture dietary lapses, relapses, and disengagement during weight-loss maintenance and their contextual (e.g., location) and psychosocial determinants (e.g., stress, affect). Smart scales monitor body weight. Multi-level modelling is used to predict dietary non-adherence at different time scales (e.g., days, weeks, months).
Expected results: This first part of a registered report describes a protocol to investigate the phenomena of non-adherence (i.e., lapses, relapse, and disengagement) and their predictors in dietary behaviour maintenance regarding timescales, patterns, psychosocial and contextual factors.
Current stage of work: We are currently in the preparation phase of the study and plan to submit the first part of our registered report in July 2024.
Discussion: This poster will showcase a study protocol that uses innovative sensing methods to address an important research gap on behavioural maintenance. Further, the registered report demonstrates how this rigorous open science format can be used for intensive-longitudinal studies in health psychology.

Gamification-based positive psychology intervention for enhancing well-being

Hiroaki Uechi1, Koji Takenaka2

1Yamaguchi University, Japan, 2Juntendo University, Japan

Background: This study aimed to develop the gamification-based Positive Psychology Intervention (PPI) and examine the effects of the PPI on well-being.

Methods: Eligible participants were undergraduate or graduate students at Y University and had a mobile phone. Twenty-four Japanese participants were assigned to the intervention group. Moreover, 24 students were included in the control group. We developed the app which consisted of three PPI activities (character strength, gratitude letter, and three good things) for two weeks. Participants recorded the progress of PPI activities into app. The app also applied gamification elements to encourage participants to continue using the app. If participants accomplished some PPI activities, they could get the points. When they accumulated the points, the color of Prince Shotoku’s icon changes on the top screen of the app.

Expected results: ANOVA was conducted to assess the effect of the intervention. A significant interaction was observed in the scores of engagement and achievement factor in the PERMA-Profiler. Significant increases in the scores of engagement and achievement were found only in the intervention group after the intervention.

Current stage of work: We are currently in the preparation phase of the study and plan to submit the first part of our registered report in July 2024.

Discussion: The app mainly promoted engagement and achievement in well-being (PERMA). This result is likely due to the use of character strengths. The participants were likely to challenge themselves with something new because they were instructed to use their character strengths in new ways during the orientation session before the intervention.

Friday Poster Session

Youth-centred participatory action research meets systems thinking: co-creating a systems map together with children

Laura Belmon1, 2, Teatske Altenburg1, 2, Mai Chin A Paw1, 2

1Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands;
2Amsterdam Public Health, programs ‘Health Behaviors and Chronic Diseases and Methodology’ and ‘Methodology’, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Background: Participatory action research and systems thinking are promising approaches for tackling complex problems and both are increasingly being used in developing public health interventions, also in combination. A first step in understanding the complexity of the problem is to build a system map visualizing how individual components are interconnected. We aim to co-create a feasible and child-friendly protocol for building a systems map together with children.
Methods: An action team including 6-8 child co-researchers aged 9-12 years and two adult facilitators will participate in 8-10 participatory sessions. Applying principles of participatory action research, the team will focus on developing a child-friendly protocol for building a systems map. The process will include continuous evaluation. All sessions will be recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic content analysis
Expected results: The participatory process will result in a practical protocol for building a systems map together with children.
Current stage of work: Participatory sessions are planned for April/May, and results will be available by June 2024.
Discussion: To optimally involve children in research, feasible and child-friendly research protocols are urgently needed. Such protocols will increase the chances of a more holistic understanding of the mechanisms underlying children’s behavior and thereby interventions that are more likely to change the relevant system.

Severe nausea and hyperemesis gravidarum: prevalence, daily functioning, maternal mental health, and social support

Maja Žutić1, Maja Brekalo1, Marijana Matijaš1, Sandra Nakić Radoš1

1Catholic University of Croatia, Croatia

Background: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), characterised by severe nausea and excessive vomiting during pregnancy, poses a significant burden on maternal and neonatal health, and pregnancy outcomes. Despite the serious consequences, research on HG’s impact on maternal well-being and functioning remains scarce. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HG, the frequency of vomiting, and its impact on daily functioning, mental health, and perceived social support.
Methods: Pregnant women in the second trimester participated in an online study (N = 850), completing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales, Pregnancy Concerns Scale, Social Support Appraisals Scale, Perceived Support from Partner Scale and HG-related questions.
Findings: In total, 1.9% had a diagnosis of HG, while 17.2% experienced severe nausea that disrupted daily functioning. Most women with HG reported vomiting up to 10 times per day (62.5%). HG most severely impaired work and household functioning and moderately adversely affected physical, psychological, and social functioning. Regarding mental health and social support, women with HG or severe nausea exhibited significantly higher depression, general and pregnancy-specific anxiety, and stress levels, along with lower support from family compared to women without nausea.
Discussion: One in five women experienced severe nausea during pregnancy, with a smaller proportion diagnosed with HG. Severe nausea or HG disrupted daily functioning across all aspects of life and was related to impaired mental health and lower perceived family support. These findings demonstrate the severity of such conditions and underscore the urgency for prompt attention and adequate support for these women.