Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41629978›Full record

ArticleBMC research notes2026

Navigating public health research in UK secondary schools: key challenges and opportunities identified by researchers.

Laila Khawaja, Sarah Muir, Sarah Jenner, Sarah Shaw, Millie Barrett, Sofia Strommer, Kath Woods-Townsend, Donna Lovelock, Lisa Bagust, Naomi Leonard and 11 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC research notes, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Laila KhawajaMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK. Laila.Khawaja@soton.ac.uk.
Sarah MuirMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Sarah JennerMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Sarah ShawMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Millie BarrettMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Sofia StrommerMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Kath Woods-TownsendNIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Donna LovelockSchool of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Lisa BagustSchool of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Naomi LeonardMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Wendy LawrenceMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Danielle LambrickSchool of Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Judit Varkonyi-Sepp CPsycholSchool of Primary Care, Population Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Hamid HomatashGlasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
Patricia CoakleyMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Christina VogelMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Leanne MorrisonSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Mary Christina HorsfallMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Hazel InskipMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Janis BairdMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
Mary BarkerMRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveConducting health research with adolescents involves navigating complex challenges at both organisational and individual levels. As part of evaluating the EACH-B (Engaging Adolescents with Changing Behaviour) intervention-a school-based randomised controlled trial aimed at improving diet and physical activity in adolescents, we explored researchers' insider experiences of programme implementation. The study investigates real-world implementation challenges and protocol adaptations in the EACH-B trial to provide practical guidance for public health interventions in schools. Applying the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 10 members of the research team.

resultsResearchers identified significant barriers within the 'Inner' settings (internal research processes) and 'Outer' settings (external school environment and policy landscape). Research delivery was hindered by post-pandemic school priorities-specifically academic recovery and mental health support which limited the feasibility of maintaining adolescent engagement and school access. Researcher-led adaptations emerged as a critical, yet often hidden, component of maintaining trial fidelity. The study concludes that reflexive 'insider' perspectives and flexible designs are essential to align research with shifting school priorities. These adaptive strategies provide a blueprint for more resilient and feasible public health interventions.

Indexed as

Public HealthResearch PersonnelSchool Health ServicesSchoolsAdolescentHumansUnited KingdomAdolescent healthCFIRCOVID-19Implementation scienceProcess evaluationPublic healthResearcher reflexivitySchool-based interventions

Identifiers

PMID41629978
PMCPMC12955064

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.