research

The Succeed Foundation’s Vision is “A World Free From Eating Disorders”

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The Succeed Foundation has a simple mission to free the world from eating disorders. Through fundraising and investment in innovative research, and the promotion of ground-breaking evidence-based treatments and preventions, the charity aims to tackle eating disorders in measureable ways.

Every individual with an eating disorder is unique. They will not all respond to the same treatment. In partnership with researchers and clinicians, we develop a broad range of approaches and transform the science into practical tools that sufferers can beneficiate in their daily life as a self-help tool. We want to move from awareness to action.

The Succeed Body Image Programme

 The charity has a wealth of sound scientific research behind it thanks to its association with a number of academic institutions; including the University of the West of England; their Centre for Appearance Research is monitoring the Body Image programme in the UK, headed by research fellow and Doctor Phillippa Diedrichs.

The Succeed Body Image Programme (SBIP) is a cognitive dissonance-based intervention.

Dissonance theory suggests that if individuals act in ways that contradict their beliefs then they will typically change their beliefs to align with these actions. The Succeed Body Image Programme therefore, actively engages its participants in of a series of verbal, written and behavioural exercises that critique the unrealistic, ultra-thin-ideal standard of female beauty.

The SBIP is designed to help individuals across all spectrums to establish and maintain a positive body image. Using highly interactive, peer-led, small groups, it is a two-day, intervention program designed by experts and implemented through trained peer leaders on college campuses throughout the UK.  As the first peer-led, evidence-based eating disorders prevention program shown to truly work, The Body Image Program does not specifically focus on eating disorders; rather, it emphasizes creating and reaffirming positive and healthy personal body image through a variety of structured discussions, activities, and exercises. The phenomenal program has a proven track record – not only on improving body image issues, but on encouraging healthy confrontation and communication skills as well. It is the first scientifically supported evidence-based eating disorders prevention program designed.

Fat Talk Free

Fat Talk describes all of the statements made in everyday conversation that reinforce the thin ideal and contribute to women’s dissatisfaction with their bodies. We want to raise the nation’s consciousness about the danger of fat talk and our initiative is to eliminate that kind of talk from our lives and stop appearances critiques and accept the way we are.

This can be achieved by simply changing our conversation.

Our Success depends on collaboration and monitoring our work we want to focus in what works.

to access the support contact the Succeed Foundation Directly

www.succeedfoundation.org

Carers may find this link helpful too;

http://www.succeedfoundation.org/work/skillsforcarers

 

 

Research at SHS

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Research is crucial to all parts of the NHS, helping us to understand, adapt and respond to the challenges faced. Traditionally, research was viewed as the job of academic departments in large hospitals, but that is no longer the case. The vast majority of peoples’ contact with the NHS takes place in general practices like Students’ Health Service (SHS), so it makes sense that more research is taking place in this setting too.

SHS has been a research active practice for several years. We participate in a wide variety of studies, most of which are featured on our research notice board. We are only involved in NHS funded studies approved by our local Primary Care Research Network (PCRN). They will also have been considered in detail and approved by a Research Ethics Committee. Some studies involve our GPs, nurses or Health Care Assistants recruiting students during consultations. We have recruited to studies which have resulted in important findings and been published in very well known journals. For example, we were one of the main recruiters to a study called IPCRESS, published in the Lancet in 2009. IPCRESS showed that Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT) seemed to be effective when delivered online in real time by a therapist. This method of delivery of CBT has since grown, enabling broader access to CBT, impacting significantly on how mental health problems such as depression are managed. We also recruited students to a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) earlier this year, which found that offering people initial telephone contact with physiotherapists (PhysioDirect) was equally clinically effective as usual care, provided faster access to physiotherapy, and seemed to be safe, (although it could be associated with slightly lower patient satisfaction). These findings will be shaping how physiotherapy services are delivered nationally.

Interestingly, there is also growing evidence to suggest that people who take part in a research study, even in the control arm, tend to do better than equivalent individuals who are not involved in research!

We are very grateful to those students who respond positively when we approach them about taking part in research (almost all of you do!). The studies we take part in are designed to be user friendly, both for us and for you, and the rewards of taking part for the NHS as a whole can be really significant. So don’t be surprised if we mention research to you, and take a look at our research notice board next time you visit the practice.