Dadswell Anna, Bungay Hilary
School of Allied Health and Social Care, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 1SQ, UK.
School of Allied Health and Social Care, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK.
BMC Prim Care. 2025 May 8;26(1):149. doi: 10.1186/s12875-025-02835-9.
There is growing evidence for the role of culture in supporting health and wellbeing, including as part of social prescribing provision. This study set out to explore the existing cultural provision and mechanisms for connecting people to cultural opportunities as part of a local social prescribing offer in the UK and how it could it be strengthened to better support health and wellbeing. A broad view of culture was adopted encompassing the creative and digital industries, heritage, food, hospitality, nature, greenspaces, and sport. It covers activity associated with the artforms and organisations such as collections, combined arts, dance, libraries, literature, museums, music, theatre and the visual arts.
A qualitative exploratory descriptive approach using focus groups was employed to explore the perspectives and experiences of social prescribing and the cultural provision in an area of the East of England. Six focus groups were conducted with social prescribers, community connectors, healthcare professionals, cultural providers, adults with lived experience of adverse health, and young people. Data was analysed using a reflexive thematic approach.
Findings from the research highlight the need for a clear and shared understanding of culture and health and the link to social prescribing. Barriers for connecting people with culture and health opportunities in the area were identified including gaps in provision and processes, challenges due to language and terminology, accessibility issues for marginalised groups, and issues around funding for transport and sustainable and equitable provision of cultural opportunities.
This study indicated that to engage local communities in social prescribing and the development of cultural provision for social prescribing, proactive outreach community strategies are required. This could be achieved by involving community leaders, organisers, connectors, and representatives. In addition to promote the concept of culture for health and social prescribing and engage the wider community it was suggested that community members should be involved in and contribute to culture and health social prescribing locally through volunteering, roles for students, training opportunities, and befriending or buddy schemes.
越来越多的证据表明文化在促进健康和幸福方面发挥着作用，包括作为社会处方服务的一部分。本研究旨在探索英国当地社会处方服务中现有的文化服务以及将人们与文化机会联系起来的机制，以及如何加强这些机制以更好地支持健康和幸福。本研究采用了对文化的广义理解，涵盖创意和数字产业、遗产、食品、酒店、自然、绿地和体育。它涵盖了与艺术形式和组织相关的活动，如收藏、综合艺术、舞蹈、图书馆、文学、博物馆、音乐、戏剧和视觉艺术。
采用焦点小组的定性探索性描述方法，以探究英格兰东部某地区社会处方和文化服务的观点与经验。与社会处方师、社区联络员、医疗保健专业人员、文化服务提供者、有不良健康生活经历的成年人以及年轻人进行了六个焦点小组讨论。使用反思性主题方法对数据进行分析。
研究结果强调了对文化与健康以及与社会处方的联系要有清晰和共同的理解。确定了该地区将人们与文化和健康机会联系起来的障碍，包括服务和流程方面的差距、语言和术语带来的挑战、边缘化群体的可及性问题，以及交通资金和文化机会的可持续公平提供方面的问题。
本研究表明，要让当地社区参与社会处方以及为社会处方发展文化服务，需要积极的外展社区策略。这可以通过让社区领袖、组织者、联络员和代表参与来实现。除了推广文化促进健康和社会处方的概念并让更广泛的社区参与外，还建议社区成员通过志愿服务、学生角色、培训机会以及交友或伙伴计划，在当地参与文化和健康社会处方并做出贡献。
