{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T16:30:58Z","timestamp":1787157058453,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Air pollution is the greatest environmental health risk in the UK, contributing to a range of chronic conditions and preventable deaths each year. General Practitioners and wider healthcare professionals (HCPs) are trusted messengers who regularly advise on modifiable risk factors, yet air pollution is largely absent from medical education and patient-facing communications. To address this gap, an online training intervention was developed to equip HCPs with knowledge and confidence to discuss air pollution with patients and act as \u201cchampions\u201d cascading their air quality knowledge to colleagues.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This mixed-methods feasibility study assessed the acceptability of the training intervention, changes in self-reported knowledge and confidence and feasibility of applying a champion model in practise. Outcome measures were underpinned by a Theory of Change. Quantitative data were statistically analysed whilst qualitative data were thematically analysed using a deductive approach.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Forty-three HCPs (40 GPs, a nurse practitioner, a pharmacist and a practise manager) completed the training, with 100% completing the pre-training survey, 90% the post-training survey (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f40) and 53% the three-month follow up (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f26). Improvements were observed across all self-reported outcomes, including understanding of the health impacts of air pollution, the actions patients could take to minimise exposure, and confidence in discussing and advising on the health impacts of air pollution. GPs valued the training and identified a need for practical tools and integration into standard care pathways. Interviews highlighted key barriers to implementing the champion model, including limited time and a lack of a \u201cnatural in\u201d during consultations. At 3\u202fmonths, 85% of trained HCPs who completed the follow up survey (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f22) had shared learning with colleagues, indicating successful knowledge sharing.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The one-hour education intervention appears to be an acceptable and feasible way to rapidly upskill time-pressured healthcare practitioners to discuss air pollution with patients. The \u201cchampion\u201d model shows promise for wider dissemination, but widespread scale-up will likely require integration into medical curricula and clinical training pathways to ensure consistent, long-term education on air pollution.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1862924","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T05:56:46Z","timestamp":1786514206000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of an educational intervention on air pollution for healthcare professionals"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Diana","family":"Varaden","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Environmental Research Group, School of Public Health, Imperial College London","place":["London, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ben","family":"Hudson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kent County Council","place":["Kent, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Malcolm","family":"White","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Action Plan","place":["London, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Camilla","family":"Allwood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Action Plan","place":["London, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lucy G.","family":"Anderson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol","place":["Bristol, United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) Results","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref2","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref3","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref4","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"o1664","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.o1664","article-title":"Air pollution is a public health emergency","volume":"378","author":"Holgate","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref6","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"Regulation 30: Action to Prevent Future Deaths \u2013 Inquest into the Death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah","author":"Barlow","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2027","DOI":"10.1007\/s11625-021-01038-2","article-title":"How do we effectively communicate air pollution to change public attitudes and behaviours? A review","volume":"16","author":"Riley","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sustain Sci"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1186\/s12940-017-0307-4","article-title":"Psychosocial and demographic predictors of adherence and non-adherence to health advice accompanying air quality warning systems: a systematic review","volume":"16","author":"D\u2019Antoni","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ Health"},{"key":"ref10","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"n2061","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n2061","article-title":"A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: update of Medical Research Council guidance","volume":"374","author":"Skivington","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100436","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssmqr.2024.100436","article-title":"Examining the role of community champions to promote vaccine uptake in under-served communities in the United Kingdom: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"5","author":"Vanderslott","year":"2024","journal-title":"SSM Qual Res Health"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"126468","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvman.2025.126468","article-title":"Cleaner air, healthier hospitals: implementing the UK\u2019S clean air hospital framework","volume":"391","author":"Okeowo","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Environ Manag"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2547","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-17462-1","article-title":"Empowering community health professionals for effective air pollution information communication","volume":"23","author":"Tan","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1834759","DOI":"10.1080\/21614083.2020.1834759","article-title":"What do reinforcement and confidence have to do with it?. A systematic pathway analysis of knowledge, competence, confidence, and intention to change","volume":"9","author":"Lucero","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Eur CME"},{"key":"ref16","volume-title":"Stata Statistical Software: Release 18","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref17","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref18","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"p409","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.p409","article-title":"Doctors have a role in tackling air pollution: here's how some are rising to the challenge","volume":"380","author":"Howard","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref20","year":"2024"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1862924\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T16:03:28Z","timestamp":1787155408000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1862924\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"references-count":20,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1862924"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1862924","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"article-number":"1862924"}}