Alysha Mcfadden
Biographic Data
| ID | 328028 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Alysha Mcfadden |
| GIVEN NAMES | Alysha |
| FAMILY NAME | Mcfadden |
| SIGNATURE | MCFADDEN A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Dundee |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5164-2025 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 5 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 19 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2006 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Interrogating the philosophical grounds for advancing equity-oriented arts-based spiritual support in Canadian healthcare
Co‐Development of an Evidence‐Based Breastfeeding Support Intervention, Optimised for Delivery in Healthcare Settings, and Adaptations for Mothers With Long‐Term Conditions
This intervention development study aimed to work with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK to integrate existing global evidence on the effectiveness and implementation of breastfeeding support for mothers with/without long-term conditions and co-develop a complex intervention optimised for delivery in healthcare settings. The intervention development process was informed by four systematic reviews, conducted alongside an embedded programm…
Transitioning to midwifery models of care
BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists on how midwives, other healthcare providers, and their local communities in low- and middle-income countries experience the transition to a midwifery model of care. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify opportunities, enablers, and barriers to integrating midwifery into existing public health systems, from the perspectives of key stakeholders representing health systems and communities. METHOD: We conducted …
Breastfeeding practices and chronic non-communicable diseases among mothers
Aimed to assess the prevalence of breastfeeding in the last 24 hours among mothers of children under 2 years of age, categorizing them based on the presence or absence of non-communicable diseases. A cross-sectional study using data from the Brazilian National Health Survey in 2013 and 2019, which employed a probabilistic sample structure with cluster sampling . The analysis covered 1,586 and 2,064 child-mother pairs in 2013 and 2019, respectivel…
Examining Child-Led Tours and Child Standpoint Theory as a Methodological Approach to Mitigate Asymmetrical Adult-Child Power Dynamics in Ethnographic Research
Child-led tours alongside intersectional feminist theory and child standpoint theory provide promising methodological insights regarding meaningful engagement and research approaches with young children that can inform intersectoral pediatric healthcare practice and policy. However, research has paid little attention to the dynamics between children and adults during research and promising methods and theories that may mitigate asymmetrical relat…
Implementing the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly initiative in Scotland
Despite strong policy support in Scotland, United Kingdom, key challenges to scaling up promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding remain. These include low breastfeeding rates and socioeconomic and regional inequalities. The Becoming Breastfeeding-Friendly (BBF) process was implemented to highlight actions that could address these challenges. The Scottish BBF committee employed an iterative process of documentary analysis and evidence r…
Considering an agency-vulnerability nexus in the lives of street children and youth
This article seeks to engage in a critical debate around the sociocultural contexts and academic understandings of agency and vulnerability. It proposes an agency–vulnerability nexus as a useful conceptual tool to consider these linked concepts and how they have been related in the literature on children and youth and across social and cultural contexts. We use the term ‘nexus’ as we seek to explore ‘agency’ and ‘vulnerability’ not as antonymic b…
Remote provision of breastfeeding support and education
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in remotely provided maternity care services, including breastfeeding support. It is, therefore, important to understand whether breastfeeding support provided remotely is an effective method of support. To determine if breastfeeding support provided remotely is an effective method of support. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Twenty-nine studies were included in the revi…
Community engagement to enhance trust between Gypsy/Travellers, and maternity, early years’ and child dental health services
Prospero registration for literature reviews: CRD42015021955 and CRD42015021950 UKCRN reference: 20036
Midwifery and quality care
Can food vouchers improve nutrition and reduce health inequalities in low-income mothers and young children
Our evaluation of the Healthy Start programme in England suggests that a food subsidy programme can provide an important nutritional safety net and potentially improve nutrition for pregnant women and young children living on low incomes. Factors that could compromise this impact include erosion of voucher value relative to the rising cost of food, lack of access to registered retailers and barriers to registering for the programme. Addressing th…
Does cultural context make a difference to women’s experiences of maternity care? A qualitative study comparing the perspectives of breast‐feeding women of Bangladeshi origin and health practitioners
Background Maternity services struggle to provide culturally appropriate care that meets the needs of women from diverse populations. Problems include simplistic understandings of ethnicity and the role of culture in women’s lives, and stereotypes held by health practitioners. Objective To explore the extent to which cultural context makes a difference to experiences of breast‐feeding support for women of Bangladeshi origin and to consider the im…
Policy and public health recommendations to promote the initiation and duration of breast-feeding in developed country settings
Objective To develop policy and public health recommendations for implementation at all levels by individuals and organisations working in, or related to, the field of breast-feeding promotion in developed country settings, where breast-feeding rates remain low. Design Two research phases, comprising (i) an assessment of the formal evidence base in developed country settings and (ii) a consultation with UK-based practitioners, service managers an…
Developing evidence‐based recommendations in public health – incorporating the views of practitioners, service users and user representatives
Background Guidance based on a systematic assessment of the evidence base has become a fundamental tool in the cycle of evidence‐based practice and policy internationally. The process of moving from the formal evidence base derived from research studies to the formation and agreement of recommendations is however acknowledged to be problematic, especially in public health; and the involvement of practitioners, service commissioners and service us…
Developing practice in breastfeeding
This paper reports on an approach to practice development in breastfeeding as part of a national programme of work to address inequalities in maternal and child nutrition. The production and dissemination of evidence and guidelines is necessary but not sufficient on its own to effect change in practice, particularly when dealing with complex public health issues. In the case of breastfeeding, review evidence and national guidance have shown that …
Addressing the learning deficit in breastfeeding
This paper summarizes the findings of the learning needs assessment described in this issue. Limitations and strengths are discussed. The paper describes a national, multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary picture. Our respondents may over-represent those with an interest in breastfeeding; if so, the true picture may be even more problematic than described here. Major deficits were identified in the knowledge and skills of practitioners from all backgr…
Assessing learning needs for breastfeeding
Breastfeeding has a major contribution to make to public health, yet the UK, like many other developed countries, has low rates of breastfeeding. A contributing factor is that practitioners are ill-prepared to support breastfeeding women. There is a mismatch between the care professionals provide and the support women desire. A national breastfeeding learning needs assessment (LNA) was carried out in England to provide a comprehensive picture of …
Informal’ learning to support breastfeeding
This study explored 'informal' learning opportunities in three health economies, both for National Health Service (NHS) staff and lay people wishing to promote and support breastfeeding and for new mothers wishing to breastfeed. The word 'informal' indicates local learning opportunities that are not part of recognized academic or professional training courses. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 31 key informants, including h…
Exploring women’s views of breastfeeding
There is ample evidence of the short- and long-term health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and infants, yet breastfeeding rates remain low in the UK, particularly in areas of high social deprivation. It is imperative that appropriate strategies are utilized to support more women to initiate and continue breastfeeding. This study used focus group methodology to explore women's views in relation to breastfeeding. The study was conducted withi…
Considering an agency-vulnerability nexus in the lives of street children and youth
This article seeks to engage in a critical debate around the sociocultural contexts and academic understandings of agency and vulnerability. It proposes an agency–vulnerability nexus as a useful conceptual tool to consider these linked concepts and how they have been related in the literature on children and youth and across social and cultural contexts. We use the term ‘nexus’ as we seek to explore ‘agency’ and ‘vulnerability’ not as antonymic b…
Developing practice in breastfeeding
This paper reports on an approach to practice development in breastfeeding as part of a national programme of work to address inequalities in maternal and child nutrition. The production and dissemination of evidence and guidelines is necessary but not sufficient on its own to effect change in practice, particularly when dealing with complex public health issues. In the case of breastfeeding, review evidence and national guidance have shown that …
Addressing the learning deficit in breastfeeding
This paper summarizes the findings of the learning needs assessment described in this issue. Limitations and strengths are discussed. The paper describes a national, multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary picture. Our respondents may over-represent those with an interest in breastfeeding; if so, the true picture may be even more problematic than described here. Major deficits were identified in the knowledge and skills of practitioners from all backgr…
Assessing learning needs for breastfeeding
Breastfeeding has a major contribution to make to public health, yet the UK, like many other developed countries, has low rates of breastfeeding. A contributing factor is that practitioners are ill-prepared to support breastfeeding women. There is a mismatch between the care professionals provide and the support women desire. A national breastfeeding learning needs assessment (LNA) was carried out in England to provide a comprehensive picture of …
Informal’ learning to support breastfeeding
This study explored 'informal' learning opportunities in three health economies, both for National Health Service (NHS) staff and lay people wishing to promote and support breastfeeding and for new mothers wishing to breastfeed. The word 'informal' indicates local learning opportunities that are not part of recognized academic or professional training courses. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 31 key informants, including h…
Exploring women’s views of breastfeeding
There is ample evidence of the short- and long-term health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and infants, yet breastfeeding rates remain low in the UK, particularly in areas of high social deprivation. It is imperative that appropriate strategies are utilized to support more women to initiate and continue breastfeeding. This study used focus group methodology to explore women's views in relation to breastfeeding. The study was conducted withi…
Developing evidence‐based recommendations in public health – incorporating the views of practitioners, service users and user representatives
Background Guidance based on a systematic assessment of the evidence base has become a fundamental tool in the cycle of evidence‐based practice and policy internationally. The process of moving from the formal evidence base derived from research studies to the formation and agreement of recommendations is however acknowledged to be problematic, especially in public health; and the involvement of practitioners, service commissioners and service us…
Policy and public health recommendations to promote the initiation and duration of breast-feeding in developed country settings
Objective To develop policy and public health recommendations for implementation at all levels by individuals and organisations working in, or related to, the field of breast-feeding promotion in developed country settings, where breast-feeding rates remain low. Design Two research phases, comprising (i) an assessment of the formal evidence base in developed country settings and (ii) a consultation with UK-based practitioners, service managers an…
Does cultural context make a difference to women’s experiences of maternity care? A qualitative study comparing the perspectives of breast‐feeding women of Bangladeshi origin and health practitioners
Background Maternity services struggle to provide culturally appropriate care that meets the needs of women from diverse populations. Problems include simplistic understandings of ethnicity and the role of culture in women’s lives, and stereotypes held by health practitioners. Objective To explore the extent to which cultural context makes a difference to experiences of breast‐feeding support for women of Bangladeshi origin and to consider the im…
Midwifery and quality care
Can food vouchers improve nutrition and reduce health inequalities in low-income mothers and young children
Our evaluation of the Healthy Start programme in England suggests that a food subsidy programme can provide an important nutritional safety net and potentially improve nutrition for pregnant women and young children living on low incomes. Factors that could compromise this impact include erosion of voucher value relative to the rising cost of food, lack of access to registered retailers and barriers to registering for the programme. Addressing th…
Community engagement to enhance trust between Gypsy/Travellers, and maternity, early years’ and child dental health services
Prospero registration for literature reviews: CRD42015021955 and CRD42015021950 UKCRN reference: 20036
Remote provision of breastfeeding support and education
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in remotely provided maternity care services, including breastfeeding support. It is, therefore, important to understand whether breastfeeding support provided remotely is an effective method of support. To determine if breastfeeding support provided remotely is an effective method of support. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Twenty-nine studies were included in the revi…
Implementing the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly initiative in Scotland
Despite strong policy support in Scotland, United Kingdom, key challenges to scaling up promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding remain. These include low breastfeeding rates and socioeconomic and regional inequalities. The Becoming Breastfeeding-Friendly (BBF) process was implemented to highlight actions that could address these challenges. The Scottish BBF committee employed an iterative process of documentary analysis and evidence r…
Considering an agency-vulnerability nexus in the lives of street children and youth
This article seeks to engage in a critical debate around the sociocultural contexts and academic understandings of agency and vulnerability. It proposes an agency–vulnerability nexus as a useful conceptual tool to consider these linked concepts and how they have been related in the literature on children and youth and across social and cultural contexts. We use the term ‘nexus’ as we seek to explore ‘agency’ and ‘vulnerability’ not as antonymic b…
Examining Child-Led Tours and Child Standpoint Theory as a Methodological Approach to Mitigate Asymmetrical Adult-Child Power Dynamics in Ethnographic Research
Child-led tours alongside intersectional feminist theory and child standpoint theory provide promising methodological insights regarding meaningful engagement and research approaches with young children that can inform intersectoral pediatric healthcare practice and policy. However, research has paid little attention to the dynamics between children and adults during research and promising methods and theories that may mitigate asymmetrical relat…
Transitioning to midwifery models of care
BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists on how midwives, other healthcare providers, and their local communities in low- and middle-income countries experience the transition to a midwifery model of care. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify opportunities, enablers, and barriers to integrating midwifery into existing public health systems, from the perspectives of key stakeholders representing health systems and communities. METHOD: We conducted …
Breastfeeding practices and chronic non-communicable diseases among mothers
Aimed to assess the prevalence of breastfeeding in the last 24 hours among mothers of children under 2 years of age, categorizing them based on the presence or absence of non-communicable diseases. A cross-sectional study using data from the Brazilian National Health Survey in 2013 and 2019, which employed a probabilistic sample structure with cluster sampling . The analysis covered 1,586 and 2,064 child-mother pairs in 2013 and 2019, respectivel…
Interrogating the philosophical grounds for advancing equity-oriented arts-based spiritual support in Canadian healthcare
Co‐Development of an Evidence‐Based Breastfeeding Support Intervention, Optimised for Delivery in Healthcare Settings, and Adaptations for Mothers With Long‐Term Conditions
This intervention development study aimed to work with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK to integrate existing global evidence on the effectiveness and implementation of breastfeeding support for mothers with/without long-term conditions and co-develop a complex intervention optimised for delivery in healthcare settings. The intervention development process was informed by four systematic reviews, conducted alongside an embedded programm…
Breastfeeding Practices and Influences (13 works) · Medicine (13 works) · Nursing (13 works) · Breastfeeding (10 works) · Political science (10 works) · Public relations (9 works) · Public health (8 works) · Pediatrics (7 works) · Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues (5 works) · Health care (5 works)