Marja van Bon-Martens

Adolescents and alcohol: an explorative audience segmentation analysis

BackgroundSo far, audience segmentation of adolescents with respect to alcohol has been carried out mainly on the basis of socio-demographic characteristics. In this study we examined whether it is possible to segment adolescents according to their values and attitudes towards alcohol to use as guidance for prevention programmes.MethodsA random sample of 7,000 adolescents aged 12 to 18 was drawn from the Municipal Basic Administration (MBA) of 29 Local Authorities in the province North-Brabant in the Netherlands. By means of an online questionnaire data were gathered on values and attitudes towards alcohol, alcohol consumption and socio-demographic characteristics.ResultsWe were able to distinguish a total of five segments on the basis of five attitude factors. Moreover, the five segments also differed in drinking behavior independently of socio-demographic variables.ConclusionsOur investigation was a first step in the search for possibilities of segmenting by factors other than socio-demographic characteristics. Further research is necessary in order to understand these results for alcohol prevention policy in concrete terms.

Towards quality criteria for regional public health reporting : Concept mapping with Dutch experts

Background: In the Netherlands, municipal health assessments are carried out by 28 Regional Health Services, serving 418 municipalities. In the absence of guidelines, regional public health reports were developed in two pilot regions on the basis of the model and experience of national health reporting. Though they were well received and positively evaluated, it was not clear which specific characteristics determined ‘good public health reporting’. Therefore, this study was set up to develop a theoretical framework for the quality of regional public health reporting in The Netherlands. Methods: Using concept mapping as a standardized tool for conceptualization, 35 relevant reporting experts formulated short statements in two different brainstorming sessions, describing specific quality criteria of regional public health reports. After the removal of duplicates, the list was supplemented with international criteria, and the statements were sent to each participant for rating and sorting. The results were processed statistically and represented graphically. The output was discussed and interpreted, leading to the final concept map. Results: The final concept map consisted of 97 criteria, grouped into 13 clusters, and plotted in two dimensions: a ‘product’ dimension, ranging from ‘production’ to ‘content’, and a ‘context’ dimension, ranging from ‘science’ to ‘policy’. The three most important clusters were: (i) ‘solution orientation’, (ii) ‘policy relevance’ and (iii) ‘policy impact’. Conclusion: This study provided a theoretical framework for the quality of regional public health reporting, indicating relevant domains and criteria. Further work should translate domains and criteria into operational indicators for evaluating regional public health reports.

A qualitative exploration of attitudes towards alcohol, and the role of parents and peers of two alcohol-attitude-based segments of the adolescent population

BackgroundAn earlier study using social marketing and audience segmentation distinguished five segments of Dutch adolescents aged 12–18 years based on their attitudes towards alcohol. The present, qualitative study focuses on two of these five segments (‘ordinaries’ and ‘ordinary sobers’) and explores the attitudes of these two segments towards alcohol, and the role of parents and peers in their alcohol use in more detail.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted in the province of North-Brabant, the Netherlands. With a 28-item questionnaire, segments of adolescents were identified. From the ordinaries and ordinary sobers who were willing to participate in a focus group, 55 adolescents (30 ordinaries and 25 ordinary sobers) were selected and invited to participate. Finally, six focus groups were conducted with 12–17 year olds, i.e., three interviews with 17 ordinaries and three interviews with 20 ordinary sobers at three different high schools.ResultsThe ordinaries thought that drinking alcohol was fun and relaxing. Curiosity was an important factor in starting to drink alcohol. Peer pressure played a role, e.g., it was difficult not to drink when peers were drinking. Most parents advised their child to drink a small amount only. The attitude of ordinary sobers towards alcohol was that drinking alcohol was stupid; moreover, they did not feel the need to drink. Most parents set strict rules and prohibited the use of alcohol before the age of 16.ConclusionsQualitative insight into the attitudes towards alcohol and the role played by parents and peers, revealed differences between ordinaries and ordinary sobers. Based on these differences and on health education theories, starting points for the development of interventions, for both parents and adolescents, are formulated. Important starting points for interventions targeting ordinaries are reducing perceived peer pressure and learning to make one’s own choices. For the ordinary sobers, an important starting point includes enabling them to express to others that they do not feel the need to drink alcohol. Starting points for parents include setting strict rules, restricting alcohol availability at home and monitoring their child’s alcohol use.

Concept mapping as a method to enhance evidence-based public health.

In this paper we explore the suitability of concept mapping as a method for integrating knowledge from science, practice, and policy. In earlier research we described and analysed five cases of concept mapping procedures in the Netherlands, serving different purposes and fields in public health. In the current paper, seven new concept mapping studies of co-produced work are added to extend this analysis. For each of these twelve studies we analysed: (1) how the method was able to integrate knowledge from practice with scientific knowledge by facilitating dialogue and collaboration between different stakeholders in the field of public health, such as academic researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and the public; (2) how the method was able to bring theory development a step further (scientific relevance); and (3) how the method was able to act as a sound basis for practical decision-making (practical relevance). Based on the answers to these research questions, all but one study was considered useful for building more evidence-based public health, even though the extent to which they underpinned actual decision-making varied. The chance of actually being implemented in practice seems strongly related to the extent to which the responsible decision-makers are involved in the way the concept map is prepared and executed.

Alcohol segment-specific associations between the quality of the parent–child relationship and adolescent alcohol use

BackgroundThere is much evidence that parents have an influence on the alcohol use of their children. However, in general the relationship is rather weak. A reason for this small association may be due to the fact that adolescents are a heterogeneous group and that, consequently, the association between the quality of the parent–child relationship and alcohol use varies for diverse subgroups, resulting in an overall small effect. In an earlier study we found five different segments for adolescents regarding their attitude towards alcohol. This article reports on a study into the differences between these segments with respect to the quality of the parent–child relationship and parental attitudes to alcohol. Moreover, we examined segment-specific associations of the quality of the parent–child relationship and alcohol use.MethodsThis study used data from a survey held among adolescents aged 12 to 18. A random sample of 59,073 adolescents was drawn from 67 municipalities in the south of the Netherlands. To assign respondents into one of the five segments, a questionnaire of 28 items concerning alcohol and approval from others from the original segmenting study was included in the internet version. Therefore, only the results of the internet version (N = 12,375 adolescents) were analysed.ResultsBoth the quality of the parent–child relationship and the attitude of the parents towards the drinking behaviour of their children differed between the segments. Significant associations were found between the quality of the parent–child relationship and life-time and recent alcohol use and binge drinking. The interaction between the quality of the parent–child relationship and the segments was only significant for binge drinking.ConclusionsThe quality of the parent–child relationship seemed to be most strongly associated with life-time alcohol use, suggesting that parents appear to play the most important role in the prevention of alcohol use. Moreover, the results showed segment-specific associations between the quality of the parent–child relationship and binge drinking, indicating that the role of parents in heavy drinking is different for the various segments.

De ontwikkeling van een regionale Volksgezondheid Toekomst Verkenning (VTV) in twee Brabantse regio’s

SamenvattingIn de academische werkplaats Openbare Gezondheidszorg Tilburg zijn regionale VTV’s ontwikkeld voor de gemeenten in de GGD-regio’s Hart voor Brabant en West-Brabant. Hoofddoel van de regionale VTV, net als van de nationale VTV, is het verschaffen van inzicht in de gezondheidstoestand van de bevolking nu en in de toekomst en de mogelijkheden om efficiënt gezondheidswinst te behalen ter onderbouwing van beleid voor de (middel)lange termijn.

Do conceptualisations of health differ across social strata? A concept mapping study among lay people

Objectives The legitimacy of policies that aim at tackling socioeconomic inequalities in health can be challenged if they do not reflect the conceptualisations of health that are valued in all strata. Therefore, this study analyses how different socioeconomic groups formulate their own answers regarding: what does health mean to you? Design Concept mapping procedures were performed in three groups that differ in educational level. All procedures followed exactly the same design. Setting Area of the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands. Participants Lay persons with a lower, intermediate and higher educational level (±15/group). Results The concept maps for the three groups consisted of nine, eight and seven clusters each, respectively. Four clusters occurred in all groups: absence of disease/disabilities, health-related behaviours, social life, attitude towards life. The content of some of these differed between groups, for example, behaviours were interpreted as having opportunities to behave healthily in the lower education group, and in terms of their impact on health in the higher education group. Other clusters appeared to be specific for particular groups, such as autonomy (intermediate/higher education group). Finally, ranking ranged from a higher ranking of the positively formulated aspects in the higher education group (eg, lust for life) to that of the negatively formulated aspects in the lower education group (eg, having no chronic disease). Conclusion Our results provide indications to suggest that people in lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to show a conceptualisation of health that refers to (1) the absence of health threats (vs positive aspects), (2) a person within his/her circumstances (vs quality of own body/mind), (3) the value of functional (vs hedonistic) notions and (4) an accepting (vs active) attitude towards life.

Kennis in een tijd van decentralisatie: een quick scan

SamenvattingDe decentralisaties brengen met zich mee dat kennisvragen voor onderzoek en professionele ontwikkeling steeds meer op lokaal niveau ontstaan. Op dat lokale niveau moet nieuwe kennis ontwikkeld en ook toegepast worden. Regionale kennisnetwerken in het domein van de publieke gezondheid, zoals Academische Werkplaatsen Publieke Gezondheid (AWPG’en) en regionale kennisnetwerken in het sociaal domein, zoals Wmo-werkplaatsen en Academische Werkplaatsen Transformatie Jeugd (AWTJ’s), spelen hierbij een steeds belangrijkere rol. Daarbij zullen de landelijke kennisinstituten en regionale kennisnetwerken zich ten opzichte van elkaar moeten verhouden.

De epidemiologische functie in het sociaal domein : Wat is het perspectief?

De nieuwe taken van de gemeenten in het sociale domein vragen om nieuwe kennis. Het is nog niet altijd vanzelfsprekend dat de GGD een rol hierbij krijgt toebedeeld. De vraag is daarom of de GGD de gedroomde spilfunctie kan krijgen in de informatievoorziening voor het sociale domein en wat daar dan voor nodig is.

GGD-epidemiologie : een functie in blijvende ontwikkeling

SamenvattingOp 17 april 2008 werd in Den Haag, ministerie van VWS, de toolkit regionale Volksgezondheid Toekomst Verkenning (rVTV) gepresenteerd. Onderstaand de geschiedenis van GGD-epidemiologie en de ontwikkelingen die onder andere hebben geleid tot die toolkit rVTV. Tevens een antwoord op de vraag waarom het onderwerp rVTV meestal uitmondt in een dispuut over de epidemiologische taken van GGD’en. En welke bijdrage die lokale epidemiologie zou moeten leveren aan inzicht in de landelijke gezondheidssituatie. Waar staan we over pakweg 10 jaar?