Henry W W Potts

University College London | UCL · Institute of Health Informatics

Objectives: To investigate knowledge of self-isolation rules and factors associated with knowledge. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional online surveys (n ≈ 2000 UK adults) between 9 November 2020 and 16 February 2022 (78,573 responses from 51,881 participants). We computed a composite measure of knowledge of self-isolation rules and investigated asso...

Objectives: We aimed to identify psychological factors associated with use of facemasks in shops in England following removal of legal requirements to do so, and to compare associations with and without legal restrictions.Design: Repeated cross-sectional online surveys (n≈ 2,000 adults) between August 2020and April 2022 (68,716 responses from 45,68...

Objectives: To investigate rates of mpox beliefs, knowledge, and intended behaviours in the general population and in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), and factors associated with intended behaviours. To test the impact of motivational messages (vs a factual control) on intended behaviours. Design: Cross-sectional online sur...

The authors regret that there are some errors with this manuscript.¹ There is an issue with labelling for socio-economic grade. The item for this variable asks participants to state the profession of the highest earner in the household. We categorised participants into two groups: highest earner works in a manual occupation, and highest earner does...

Social mixing contributes to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We developed a composite measure for risky social mixing, investigating changes during the pandemic and factors associated with risky mixing. Forty-five waves of online cross-sectional surveys were used (n = 78,917 responses; 14 September 2020 to 13 April 2022). We investigated socio-demo...

Psychological distress has been elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies published to date have investigated distress after the first wave of infections (Spring – Summer 2020). We investigated distress and wellbeing between April 2020 and April 2022 in England through a series of cross-sectional online surveys. People aged 16 yea...

BACKGROUND Sufficient sleep is crucial for good health but a third of adults in Western countries have impaired sleep quality and widely accessible sleep-interventions are limited. One solution is distribution of sleep aids through smartphone applications but empirical studies are limited to small pilot trials in distinct populations (e.g. soldiers...

Since February 2020, we have been working with the Department of Health and Social Care on a series of surveys, the COVID-19 Rapid Survey of Adherence to Interventions and Responses (CORSAIR) study. This entails a series of cross-sectional national (UK) surveys of approximately 2000 participants per wave, recruited via two survey panels. Surveys ha...

Objectives To assess the percentage of people in the UK with cough, fever or loss of taste or smell who have not had a positive COVID-19 test result who had been to work, to shops, socialised or provided care to a vulnerable person in the 10 days after developing symptoms. To investigate whether these rates differed according to the type of symptom...

Background There are multiple health benefits from participating in physical activity after a cancer diagnosis, but many people living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) are not meeting physical activity guidelines. App-based interventions offer a promising platform for intervention delivery. This trial aims to pilot a theory-driven, app-based intervent...

UNSTRUCTURED Push notifications policies can be developed to prompt engagement with a behaviour change app. An optimal policy would send the right support, to the right person at the right moment, while avoiding states of disengagement due to the burden of less helpful notifications over time. The Micro-Randomized Trial (MRT) is an experimental des...

Background Behaviour is key to suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining behaviour change can be difficult. We investigated engagement with hand cleaning, reducing the number of outings, and wearing a face covering over the course of the pandemic. Methods We used a series of 64 cross-sectional surveys between 10 February 2020 and 20 January 2...

Background The COVID-19 pandemic generated a surge of critically ill patients greater than the NHS’ capacity. Additionally, there have been multiple well-documented impacts associated with the national COVID-19 pandemic surge on intensive care unit (ICU) staff, including an increased prevalence of mental health disorders on a scale potentially suff...

BACKGROUND Digital health interventions (DHIs) have become increasingly common across healthcare, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health inequalities, particularly by ethnicity, are recognised across diseases, but may be excluded in frameworks addressing implementation of DHIs. OBJECTIVE Using cardiometabolic disease as an exemplar,...

Background: Digital health interventions have become increasingly common across health care, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health inequalities, particularly with respect to ethnicity, may not be considered in frameworks that address the implementation of digital health interventions. We considered frameworks to include any models,...

Objectives To investigate uptake of lateral flow testing, reporting of test results and psychological, contextual and socio-demographic factors associated with testing. Design A series of four fortnightly online cross-sectional surveys. Setting Data collected from 19 April 2021 to 2 June 2021. Participants People living in England and Scotland,...

Background: Failure to understand the rules and procedures regarding self-isolation when symptomatic with Covid-19 may have contributed to the low level of adherence found in the UK. We investigated knowledge of these rules and factors associated with knowledge.Methods: Data were drawn from repeated weekly/fortnightly online surveys of nationally r...

We aimed to describe levels of worry and uptake of behaviours that prevent the spread of infection (respiratory and hand hygiene, distancing) in the UK at the very start of the COVID-19 outbreak and to investigate factors associated with worry and adopting protective behaviours. Three cross-sectional online surveys of UK adults (28 to 30 January, n...

Social mixing contributes to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We developed a composite measure for risky social mixing, investigating changes during the pandemic and factors associated with risky mixing. Twenty-eight waves of online nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were used (n=47,933 responses; 14 September 2020 to 10 August 2021)....

Objectives: To investigate rates of uptake of lateral flow testing and reporting of test results in England and Scotland, and the psychological, contextual, and socio-demographic factors associated with testing.Design: Series of four fortnightly online cross-sectional surveys.Setting: Data collected 19 April to 2 June 2021.Participants: People who...

Objectives: Working from home where possible is important in reducing spread of Covid-19. In early 2021, a quarter of people in England who believed they could work entirely from home reported attending their workplace. To inform interventions to reduce this, this study examined associated factors.Study design: Data from the ongoing CORSAIR survey...

Objectives: To assess the percentage of people with cough, fever, or loss of taste or smell who had been to work, to shops, socialised or provided care to a vulnerable person in the ten days after developing symptoms. To investigate whether these rates differed according to the type of symptom, what the participant thought the cause of their sympto...

Objectives: To test whether public knowledge and confidence in one’s understanding of the local restrictions, motivation to adhere, and self-reported behaviour differed according to tier level.Design: Cross-sectional nationally representative online survey of 1728 participants living in England (data collection: 26 to 28 October 2020). Methods: We...

Objectives: To identify the prevalence of a stigmatising attitude towards people of Chinese origin at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK population and investigate factors associated with holding the stigmatising attitude.Design: Online cross-sectional survey conducted 10 to 13 February 2020 (n=2006, people aged 16 years or over and livin...

Objectives: (i) To investigate factors associated with intention to self-isolate, request a test, and share details of close contacts when required. (ii) To determine whether associations were stronger during periods when less stringent national restrictions were in place.Design: Series of cross-sectional nationally representative surveys. We selec...

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate public use of lateral flow tests (LFT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests when experiencing key COVID-19 symptoms.Study design: In this study, data from two waves of a cross-sectional nationally representative online survey (data collected 1 and 2 June, and 14 and 15 June 2021; n = 3665 adults aged...

Background: Behaviour is key to suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining behaviour change can be difficult. We investigated engagement with hand cleaning, reducing the number of outings, and wearing a face covering over the course of the pandemic.Methods: We used a series of 64 cross-sectional surveys between 10 February 2020 and 20 January 2...

Psychological distress has been elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies published to date have investigated distress after the first wave of infections (Spring – Summer 2020). We investigated distress and wellbeing between April 2020 and September 2021 in England through a series of cross-sectional nationally representative onli...

p>We aimed to describe levels of worry and uptake of behaviours that prevent the spread of infection (respiratory and hand hygiene, distancing) in the UK at the very start of the COVID-19 outbreak and to investigate factors associated with worry and adopting protective behaviours. Three cross-sectional online surveys of UK adults (28 to 30 January,...

Objectives: To test whether public knowledge and confidence in one’s understanding of the local restrictions, motivation to adhere, and self-reported behaviour differed according to tier level. / Design: Cross-sectional nationally representative online survey of 1728 participants living in England (data collection: 26 to 28 October 2020). / Methods...

Objectives: (i) To investigate factors associated with intention to self-isolate, request a test, and share details of close contacts when required. (ii) To determine whether associations were stronger during periods when less stringent national restrictions were in place. Design: Series of cross-sectional nationally representative surveys. We sele...

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate public use of lateral flow tests (LFT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests when experiencing key COVID-19 symptoms. Study design: In this study, data from two waves of a cross-sectional nationally representative online survey (data collected 1 and 2 June, and 14 and 15 June 2021; n = 3665 adults age...

Social mixing contributes to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We developed a composite measure for risky social mixing, investigating changes during the pandemic and factors associated with risky mixing. Twenty-eight waves of online nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were used (n=47,933 responses; 14 September 2020 to 10 August 2021)....

Objectives: To assess the percentage of people with cough, fever, or loss of taste or smell who had been to work, to shops, socialised or provided care to a vulnerable person in the ten days after developing symptoms. To investigate whether these rates differed according to the type of symptom, what the participant thought the cause of their sympto...

Objectives: To investigate: changes in beliefs and behaviours following news of the Omicron variant and changes to guidance; understanding of Omicron-related guidance; and factors associated with engaging with protective behaviours.Design: Series of cross-sectional surveys (1 November to 16 December 2021, 5 waves of data collection).Setting: Online...

Objectives To investigate changes in beliefs and behaviours following news of the Omicron variant and changes to guidance understanding of Omicron-related guidance, and factors associated with engaging with protective behaviours. Design Series of cross-sectional surveys (1 November to 16 December 2021, five waves of data collection). Setting Onli...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic generated a surge of critically ill patients greater than the NHS capacity. Additionally there have been multiple well-documented impacts associated with the national COVID-19 pandemic surge on ICU workers including an increased prevalence of mental health disorders on a scale potentially sufficient to impair high-...

Objectives To test whether public knowledge and confidence in one’s understanding of the local restrictions, motivation to adhere to local restrictions, and self-reported behaviour (going out for exercise; to work; socially) differed according to tier level. Study design Cross-sectional nationally representative online survey of 1728 participants...

Background The Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) Programme is a national initiative to promote digitally enabled transformation in English provider organizations. The Programme applied benefits realization management techniques to promote and demonstrate transformative outcomes. This work was part of an independent national evaluation of the GDE Progra...

Background There is currently a strong drive internationally towards creating digitally advanced healthcare systems through coordinated efforts at a national level. The English Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) programme is a large-scale national health information technology change programme aiming to promote digitally-enabled transformation in second...

We aimed to describe worry and uptake of behaviours that prevent the spread of infection (respiratory and hand hygiene, distancing) in the UK at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak (January and February 2020) and to investigate factors associated with worry and adopting protective behaviours. Three cross-sectional online surveys of UK adults (28 to...

Objectives: (1) To investigate factors associated with intention to self-isolate, request a test, and share details of close contacts when required. (2) To determine whether associations were stronger during periods when less stringent national COVID-19 restrictions were in place. Design: Series of cross-sectional nationally representative surve...

Introduction: Sufficient physical activity (PA) is important for all aspects of health. Smartphone apps and the use of gamification, such as narrative-based augmented reality (AR), have a great potential to engage a variety of people in more PA. Zombies, Run! (ZR) is the world’s most popular running exergame app and therefore a suitable model to un...

Introduction: Considerable observational evidence suggests that cancer online support groups reduce feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety, enhance coping and self-management, and lead to better informed patients. Other studies indicate that cancer online support groups can increase distress. Yet no studies theorise the complex, context-dep...

Objectives: To identify the prevalence of a stigmatizing attitude towards people of Chinese origin at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK population and investigate factors associated with holding the stigmatizing attitude. Design: Online cross-sectional survey conducted 10-13 February 2020 (n = 2006, people aged 16 years or over and li...

Objectives: To identify the prevalence of a stigmatising attitude towards people of Chinese origin at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK population and investigate factors associated with holding the stigmatising attitude. Design: Online cross-sectional survey conducted 10 to 13 February 2020 (n=2006, people aged 16 years or over and livi...

Background There are multiple health benefits from participating in physical activity after a cancer diagnosis, but many people living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) are not meeting physical activity guidelines. App-based interventions offer a promising platform for intervention delivery. This trial aims to pilot a theory-driven, app-based intervent...

BACKGROUND: Digital health interventions (DHIs) have the potential to improve public health by combining effective interventions and population reach. However, what biomedical researchers and digital developers consider an effective intervention differs, thereby creating an ongoing challenge to integrating their respective approaches when evaluatin...

Background: The Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) Programme was designed to promote the digitisation of hospital services in England. Selected provider organisations that were reasonably digitally-mature were funded with the expectation that they would achieve internationally recognised levels of excellence and act as exemplars ('GDE sites') and share...

Objective This paper examines the impact on doctors’ attitudes towards the General Medical Council (GMC) and on professional behaviours (reflective practice and raising concerns) following the Dr Bawa-Garba case. Design A cross-sectional survey designed using the theoretical lens of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was administered from Septe...

Objectives: Working from home where possible is important in reducing spread of Covid-19. In early 2021, a quarter of people in England who believed they could work entirely from home reported attending their workplace. To inform interventions to reduce this, this study examined associated factors. / Study design: Data from the ongoing CORSAIR surv...

Objectives To investigate public use of lateral flow test [LFT] or polymerase chain reaction [PCR] test when experiencing key COVID-19 symptoms. Study design Two waves of a cross-sectional nationally representative online survey (data collected 1-2 June and 14-15 June 2021; n=3665 adults aged 18 years or over living in England or Scotland). Metho...

Objectives Working from home where possible is important in reducing spread of Covid-19. In early 2021, a quarter of people in England who believed they could work entirely from home reported attending their workplace. To inform interventions to reduce this, this study examined associated factors. Study design Data from the ongoing CORSAIR survey...

BACKGROUND The Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) Programme is a national initiative to promote digitally-enabled transformation in English provider organisations. The Programme applied benefits realisation management techniques to promote and demonstrate transformative outcomes. This work was part of an independent national evaluation of the GDE Progra...

Digital health have the potential to deliver effective interventions on a wide scale. However, digital health products and services need better evaluations. There are significant barriers to this. Public Health England wanted to understand and tackle pragmatically the problem of evaluating digital health. This is particularly important in the time...

Ventilating indoor spaces helps prevent COVID-19 transmission. We investigated self-reported rates of opening windows to improve ventilation in the home, perceived effectiveness of opening windows, and confidence that if you wanted to, you could open windows. One in 6 people reported rarely, if ever, opening windows in their home in the last week....

UNSTRUCTURED These are author responses to peer reviews.

Background and aims: Working from home where possible is important in reducing spread of Covid-19. In early 2021, a quarter of people in England who believed they could work entirely from home reported attending their workplace. To inform interventions to reduce this, this study examined associated factors. Methods: Data from the ongoing CORSAIR su...

Objective To investigate rates of adherence to the UK’s test, trace, and isolate system over the initial 11 months of the covid-19 pandemic. Design Series of cross sectional online surveys. Setting 37 nationally representative surveys in the UK, 2 March 2020 to 27 January 2021. Participants 74 697 responses from 53 880 people living in the UK, a...

Objective: The Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) Program is a national attempt to accelerate digital maturity in healthcare providers through promoting knowledge transfer across the English National Health Service (NHS). "Blueprints"-documents capturing implementation experience-were intended to facilitate this knowledge transfer. Here we explore how...

Background Digital health interventions (DHIs) have the potential to improve public health by combining effective interventions and population reach. However, what biomedical researchers and digital developers consider an effective intervention differs, thereby creating an ongoing challenge to integrating their respective approaches when evaluating...

BACKGROUND Digital health interventions (DHIs) have the potential to improve public health by combining effective interventions and population reach. However, what biomedical researchers and digital developers consider an effective intervention differs, thereby creating an ongoing challenge to integrating their respective approaches when evaluating...

Background: Early adolescence (13-17 years) is a critical developmental stage for physical activity promotion. Virtual reality (VR) exergaming is a promising intervention strategy to engage adolescents in physical activity. Objective: The vEngage project aims to develop a physical activity intervention for adolescents using VR exergaming. Here, we...

Background One in three women in the United Kingdom (UK) will have an abortion before age 45, making abortion provision an essential aspect of reproductive healthcare. Despite this, abortion remains ethically contested and stigmatised, with variable teaching in UK medical schools and concerns about falling numbers of doctors willing to participate...

BACKGROUND: Behavior change apps can develop iteratively, where the app evolves into a complex, dynamic, or personalized intervention through cycles of research, development, and implementation. Understanding how existing users engage with an app (eg, frequency, amount, depth, and duration of use) can help guide further incremental improvements. We...

Background Early adolescence (13-17 years) is a critical developmental stage for physical activity promotion. Virtual reality (VR) exergaming is a promising intervention strategy to engage adolescents in physical activity. Objective The vEngage project aims to develop a physical activity intervention for adolescents using VR exergaming. Here, we d...

Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic led to the implementation of worldwide restrictive measures to reduce social contact and viral spread. These measures have been reported to have a negative effect on physical activity (PA). Studies of PA during the pandemic have primarily used self -reported data. Only one academic study using tracked data this did...