Self care news Archives - Self-Care Forum

Vaccines Work – so why are people hesitant?

Libby Whittaker — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:48:26 +0000

Blog by Helen Donovan – Self-Care Forum Chair, and Trevor Gore – Self-Care Forum Treasurer

The World Health Organization’s Immunization Week 2026 (24–30 April) is built around a simple but powerful message, “For every generation, vaccines work.” Research published in 2024 demonstrated that over the last 50 years vaccines have saved around 150 million lives, which equates to 6 lives every minute of every day (Andrew Shattock et al 2024). This has contributed to the reduction in child mortality which means of course, children go on to live productive lives. The UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) has recently published data (UKHSA February 2026) showing that the pre-school vaccination programme saves around 5000 deaths and over 220,000 hospitalisations in England every year.

Vaccines obviously work, yet across many countries vaccination rates are falling. This raises an important question for those of us working in public health, behavioural science, and self-care.

If vaccines work so well, why aren’t more people taking them?

The term ‘Vaccine Hesitancy’ is defined as ‘delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services. We know that the reasons for it are complex, including factors such as complacency, convenience and confidence. Part of the answer lies in human behaviour. We tend to assume that all vaccine decisions are rational, that people weigh up risks and benefits and make the “right” choice, for some of course this is true. In reality, however, behavioural economics tells us that decisions are often shaped by biases, social influences, convenience, trust, and emotion, the reasons will often overlap but it is where behavioural insights can help.

What behavioural economics tells us about vaccination.

Research shows that small changes to how choices are presented can have a big impact on behaviour. These “nudges” don’t remove choice, but they make the healthier option easier or more salient. Some, but by no means all, of the approaches that have shown promise include, making vaccination the easy default, and based on a presumption that the individual will get the vaccine they are eligible for; things like, pre-booked appointments, opt-out systems, or reminders that say “your vaccination is scheduled for…” can all significantly increase uptake.

Reducing friction can also improve uptake rates. Simple things like convenient clinic hours, pharmacy access, or workplace vaccination, remove barriers that often matter more than attitudes. Using trusted messengers also has a part to play, the way people are greeted when they contact the service and the way the messages are given, having a welcoming and friendly service helps to make people feel valued.

People are more likely to accept vaccines when the message comes from someone they trust and feel they can talk to.

It is accepted that health care professionals are generally the most trusted source of information (UKHSA 2025) but a trusted, community leader, teacher or peer will also often be more trusted than a national campaign.

Speaking to people about local needs and recognising any community issues are important, messages such as “most parents in your community vaccinate their children” can reinforce positive behaviours. This is part of the FOMO phenomenon (fear of missing out) or harnessing social norms. But behavioural economics also teaches us something important, that not all vaccine hesitancy is the same.

As said, vaccine hesitancy is recognised as being complex it is vaccine and context specific and varies across time. The term itself needs to be considered because individuals won’t recognise themselves as hesitant but say they have questions, which is surely to be expected for any vaccine, treatment or other medication. The reasons for vaccine hesitancy and the questions people have are often vaccine specific. the same nudge doesn’t work equally well for every vaccine. COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy often reflected mistrust in institutions, politicisation of the pandemic and concerns about speed of development. In these cases, nudges alone had limited impact. Trust-building and credible messengers mattered more.

MMR hesitancy, on the other hand, is often driven by misinformation (such as lingering myths around autism, even though this is completed refuted), perceived low risk of measles, parental risk aversion. Here, behavioural strategies that highlight social norms, child protection, and community immunity can be more effective.

In other words, different behavioural problems require different behavioural solutions.

What could we do differently?

As vaccination rates decline globally, the challenge isn’t just scientific or medical. It’s behavioural. Some promising directions include designing vaccination services around convenience and defaults, using trusted local voices rather than distant institutions, tailoring interventions to specific vaccines and communities, and combining behavioural insights with frontline clinical relationships.

It is seen as increasingly important that health care professionals are able to talk about vaccines with confidence using good communication skills, listening to what people are saying and addressing their individual concerns (WHO 2025).

Vaccines protect across generations, but ensuring people take them requires understanding how people make decisions. Behavioural economics gives us powerful tools to do exactly that.

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Nursing Leaders highlight the need for Vaccine Confidence

Libby Whittaker — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:02:51 +0000

Vaccination is a vital act of self‑care, protecting individuals, families and wider society.

Vaccination is a vital act of self‑care, protecting individuals, families and wider society. That was the message from Helen Donovan, public health nurse, immunisation expert and Chair of the Self‑Care Forum, when she gave evidence to the House of Lords Childhood Vaccinations Committee. She highlighted that vaccines have prevented an estimated 154 million deaths globally over the past 50 years, and stressed that they not only protect against serious illness but also support children’s long‑term wellbeing, learning and development. Yet with uptake declining and the collective memory of pre‑vaccine diseases fading, she warned of rising complacency—particularly in communities facing persistent barriers to healthcare. She argued that most children’s vaccines are given by nurses in primary care and called for better support for nursing staff to be enabled to do the job.

This call for renewed focus led by nurses is echoed by Jamie Waterall, registered nurse and Deputy Chief Public Health Nurse for England, writing in the Nursing Times. Waterall argues that nurses and midwives must lead the national effort to restore confidence in vaccination, drawing on their trusted relationships, community presence and ability to tackle inequalities. He emphasises the need for accessible, community‑centred services, strong professional leadership and clear, evidence‑based communication to counter misinformation and rebuild public trust.

Together, these perspectives underline a shared message: empowered nursing and midwifery leadership is essential to ensure vaccination—one of the most effective acts of self‑care—protects every child and adult who needs it.

Click here for the House of Lords Vaccine Committee Proceedings >

Click here for the Jamie Waterall, Nursing Times article >

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New research highlights need for better advice on antibiotics during ear infection consultations

Libby Whittaker — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:57:11 +0000

New research from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) highlights a gap in both parents’ understanding of childhood ear infections and the information they receive during consultations.

The findings show that many parents still believe antibiotics are usually needed for ear infections, when that is often not the case. Ear infections are very common in children, but most get better on their own within around 3 days, although symptoms can sometimes last up to a week.

The research also suggests that parents are not always getting the explanation they need during consultations. Without clear advice on why antibiotics may not be necessary, parents can be left uncertain about how ear infections should be managed and what they can do to help their child.

The Self-Care Forum’s ear infection fact sheet can help by giving parents clear, practical advice on what to do when a child has an ear infection, how to manage symptoms, how long symptoms may last, and when to seek help. The fact sheet is designed to support shared conversations between health professionals and patients.

Chair of the Self-Care Forum, Helen Donovan, who is also a public health nurse, said it is worrying that 1 in 3 parents surveyed believe antibiotics are always needed.

“It is crucial to help parents better understand common childhood illnesses such as ear infections, including when antibiotics are not needed. Parents need clearer explanations during consultations so they feel more confident about managing symptoms and making informed decisions.”

Helen added that unnecessary antibiotic use can cause side effects in children and contributes to antimicrobial resistance. She said the Self-Care Forum hopes primary care colleagues will use its resources widely to support health literacy, improve understanding, and build confidence in safe self-care. The resources are designed to support shared conversations that promote self-care-aware consultations.

Click here for the UKHSA research on Gov.UK >

Click here for self-care fact sheet “middle ear infection in children” >

Click here for Living Self-Care Survey findings which reveal people want more help to self-care from health professionals >

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Ageing Well: Why Wellness and Self-Care Matter More Than Ever

Libby Whittaker — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:36:41 +0000

Blog By Trevor Gore, Self-Care Forum Treasurer

As populations age around the world, the relationship between wellness, ageing, and self-care is becoming impossible to ignore. I recently contributed to a report exploring these themes as part of the Global Wellness Institute’s Ageing Well Initiative, which focuses on understanding the needs and preferences of people aged 50+. The goal is not simply to help people live longer, but to support the conditions that allow them to live well for longer. A key insight from the work is that the conversation about ageing is slowly shifting. Instead of focusing mainly on treating illness, the emphasis is increasingly on maintaining wellbeing, independence, and capability throughout later life. Self-Care at the Heart of Wellness.

The World Health Organization (WHO), and the Self-Care Forum, offer a helpful definition of self-care:

“the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability—with or without the support of a healthcare provider.”

The WHO and Self-Care Forum also highlight that self-care is supported by seven interconnected pillars: health literacy; mental wellbeing and self-awareness; physical activity; healthy eating; risk avoidance; good hygiene; and the responsible use of health products and services. Together, these pillars reinforce the idea that self-care is not just an occasional wellness practice but a continuous set of behaviours that support health across the lifespan. Seen this way, wellness becomes less about avoiding illness and more about maintaining the ability to do the things that matter to you. Can you stay active, connected, and engaged in the activities you enjoy? Increasingly, these everyday capabilities are seen as key indicators of healthy ageing.

Click here for the Global Wellness Initiative Report “What is happening with Aging Well? Views from leading experts” >

Ageing Well Is Also a Social Issue

Self-care matters, but it does not happen in isolation. One challenge highlighted in the report is that many of our societies are not designed with ageing populations in mind. Cities, workplaces, and services often assume younger users, even though older adults increasingly want to remain active and independent for longer. Creating environments that support autonomy and dignity, through accessible spaces, supportive communities, and opportunities for continued participation, can make a significant difference to wellbeing. There are also interesting cultural dynamics at play. In many societies, ageing is still framed through the lens of youthfulness. Women often associate ageing well with maintaining appearance and a youthful attitude, while men tend to link it to fitness and physical capability. I write this just after International Women’s Day, but there are still worrying discrepancies between the sexes when it comes to ageing and illness/self-care. When illness occurs within couples, caregiving patterns often shift, where women are far more likely to take on caregiving roles, and men are statistically more likely to withdraw from them. These patterns underline an important point that wellness in later life is shaped as much by social expectations as by individual behaviour.

How Behavioural Economics Could Help

One promising approach to strengthening self-care comes from behavioural economics, which looks at how people actually make decisions. Even when we know what supports health, exercise, preventive check-ups, social engagement, we often delay or avoid these behaviours. Behavioural economics suggests small changes in how choices are structured can help people adopt healthier habits.

For example:

Automatic scheduling of preventive health screenings can increase participation.
Social programs and group activities can harness peer influence to encourage healthy behaviours.
Commitment tools or reminders can help people maintain exercise or wellness routines.

These small “nudges” can make preventive behaviours easier and more consistent.

Living Well for Longer

The key message from the Aging Well work is simple but powerful. Ageing well is not just about medical care, it is about supporting people’s ability to live meaningful, active lives as they grow older. Self-care forms the foundation, but societies also need to create environments, policies, and cultural attitudes that make healthy choices easier and enable older adults to remain capable, connected, and valued members of their communities.

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Public enthusiasm for self-care risks being squandered SCF President tells health and care leaders

Libby Whittaker — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:29:07 +0000

Writing in a thought piece for NHS Voices, which is read by health and care leaders and key NHS stakeholders, Self-Care Forum President Dr Pete Smith warns that, despite strong public interest in self-care, the NHS risks losing this momentum unless it closes the gap between how patients and health professionals understand and support self-care.

He argues that people are already investing increasing amounts of time, effort, and money into living healthier lives, which should create ideal conditions for delivering the NHS 10 Year Health Plan. However, a recent study suggests that many health professionals still view this shift with suspicion.

Click here to read NHS Voices blog “Public enthusiasm for self-care risks being squandered” >

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Self-Care Awards 2026 Open for Entries

Libby Whittaker — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:15:57 +0000

Each year, we celebrate and recognise the outstanding self-care efforts taking place in our communities through the Self-Care Awards, and we are pleased to announce that this year’s awards are now open for applications.

If you are supporting individuals to improve their self-care practices—whether through education, social prescribing, personalised care, peer support, or other initiatives—we encourage you to apply.

Don’t underestimate the impact your work has. By empowering people to take control of their own self-care, you are equipping them with a lifelong skill that can positively transform their health and wellbeing.

The winner and highly commended entries will receive a small cash prize as a token of appreciation, courtesy of our sponsor the International Self-Care Foundation (ISF).

To simplify the process, we’ve moved our Self-Care Award submissions online. Please read the eligibility criteria before applying to understand how entries are judged and to maximise your chance of creating a stronger entry.

Click here to read details about eligibility and criteria and to access the online application form >

We would like to thank our international partner, the ISF for its help in sponsoring the Self-Care Awards. You can access the website here.

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King’s Fund: Is the UK the “sicker man of Europe?”

Libby Whittaker — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:14:20 +0000

Using recent OECD data, the King’s Fund asks whether the UK is slipping behind its peers on population health.

In 2023 (the latest available data), life expectancy in the UK was 79 years for men and 82.9 years for women – among the lowest across comparable high income countries, with UK women ranking at the bottom of peer comparisons.

The King’s Fund also notes that the UK’s gap with peers widened between 2019 and 2023, and that the UK has the highest rate of avoidable mortality (deaths that are preventable and treatable), more than 60% higher than Japan, Sweden and Australia.

It concludes that health inequalities are wide and have been widening since 2010, with more chronic conditions, more economic inactivity due to long-term sickness and more time spent in poorer health. The King’s Fund is calling for bolder prevention and stronger action on the social determinants of health, beyond what it describes as the “weak ambitions of the government’s 10 Year Plan.”

The Self-Care Forum’s chair, Helen Donovan agrees, “the King’s Fund is clear – the UK is falling behind on health and too many deaths are avoidable. There’s no silver bullet. To turn this around we need joined up action: health education built into the school curriculum, regular and consistent public health messages and every healthcare professional supported to make self-care part of everyday care, helping to reduce health inequalities.”

Click here to read the King’s Fund blog – Is the UK becoming the ‘sicker man’ of Europe? >

Click here to read the Self-Care Forum’s 2024 letter to the new government laying out recommendations for a healthier population >

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WHO says “harmful” sugary drinks and alcohol too cheap

Libby Whittaker — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:57:51 +0000

The World Health Organization warns that sugary drinks and alcohol are becoming cheaper globally because taxes are too low and rarely keep pace with inflation, driving increases in preventable diseases.

The UK has a sugar tax but some drinks, like 100% fruit juice and sweetened milk drinks are exempt, and the levy hasn’t been updated since it began in 2018. Alcohol duty is due to rise in February 2026 in the UK.

World Health Organization’s call to strengthen and regularly uprate health taxes directly aligns with UK prevention priorities and efforts to reduce long‑term health inequalities.

Click here to read WHO: Cheaper drinks will see a rise in noncommunicable diseases and injuries >

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Threescore years and then?

Libby Whittaker — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:38:05 +0000

Dr Peter Smith, President, Self-Care Forum

As I enter my 67^th year, I am reminded, according to several sources, that as a male born in in the UK in 1959, my life expectancy was deemed to be a remarkably specific 67.8 years[i]. In two areas of wellbeing and health in which I am involved (self-care and health inequalities), the concept of prevention of ‘premature death’ is writ large. Globally, however, there is lack of agreement on the definition of premature death.

‘Normal’ life and ‘preventable death’: a history

An extensively analysed paper, assumed to have been written around 3500 years ago[ii] reported the average human lifespan to be threescore years and ten (70) and fourscore years (80) achievable ‘by reason of strength’. It is worth noting that the traditional author of this paper was reputed to have lived to the age of 120.

In a paper presented in 1878[iii], Wilhelm Lexis coined the term ‘premature death’ as occurring before the ‘normal life of man’ at 70 years old. At this time, in the UK, ‘overall life expectancy’ (the average total life span or the mean age at death) was 40, with ‘median age of death’ (age at which exactly half the deaths in a given time period were below that age and half the deaths were above that age) at 46, but ‘modal age of death’ (the age where death is most likely or most common) reached 70.

In 1959, the year referred to above, the WHO was still in its infancy, grappling with the immediate global problem of communicable diseases and the urgent need for widespread vaccination programmes. At the time, the average life expectancy globally was 49.6[iv] and premature death was rarely referred to. The global burden of disease subsequently shifted, assisted by international and country-specific preventive efforts. By 1990 non-communicable diseases (NCDs) had surpassed communicable diseases as causes of death globally[v].

However, even by its Global Health Report of 1998[vi], the WHO was still referring to premature death as ‘deaths before the age of 50’. Since then, the date before which death is classed as ‘premature’ has increased significantly. Both the 1993 UK health inequalities paper by Eames and Marmot[vii] and the Acheson report in 1997[viii], referred to deaths under 65 as premature. It is entirely possible that those individuals who were in their receptive professional infancy at the time might believe that this definition is extant.

Prevention of premature death in 2025

The WHO largely defines premature death as before the age of 70[ix] [x], but the NHS uses age 75[xi].

According to the WHO 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 3.4, the aim is to reduce premature deaths (before the age of 70) from NCDs by a third by 2030. Prevention of NCDs through self-care and lifestyle changes is a powerful potential tool. Yet the UK has no formal self-care strategy and although it is signed up to the sustainable development aim, locating the national figures that support the NCD reduction in under 70s is problematic.

In addition, recent research demonstrates a willingness to self-care in individuals which is not supported by the system[xii]. If we are to deliver the NCD prevention aims to which we are signed up, the NHS requires a self-care preventive strategy that includes appropriate national goals and that harnesses and encourages the public enthusiasm for self-care.

References

[i] Mortality in England and Wales – Office for National Statistics

[ii] Moses, Psalm 90:10, King James’ (KJV) Bible.

[iii] Wilhelm Lexis On the normal length of human life and on the theory of the stability of statistical ratios. W. Lexis, “Sur la durée normale de la vie humaine et sur la théorie de la stabilité des rapports statistiques”, Annales de démographie internationale, 1878, II, Paris, pp. 447-62. https://www.persee.fr/doc/pop_1634-2941_2003_num_58_3_18444

[iv] Annual global life expectancy at select ages 1950-2100| Statista

[v] The global burden of disease. A comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from diseases, injuries, and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020 content

[vi] WHO The world health report 1998 Life in the 21st century: a vision for all, p2 ea3.pdf

[vii] Eames M, Ben-Shlomo Y, Marmot M. Social deprivation and premature mortality: regional comparison across England 1097.full.pdf

[viii] Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health Report Chairman: Sir Donald Acheson. 1997 ih.pdf

[ix] NCD deaths: premature deaths due to noncommunicable diseases (NCD) as a proportion of all NCD deaths

[x] Homepage | NCD Countdown 2030

[xi] Chapter 2: trends in mortality – GOV.UK

[xii] Smith, P, Altalib S, Al Mammouri M, EL-Osta, A Self-Care Confidence, Professional Support and Health Literacy in the UK: Findings from the Living Self-Care Survey Study

medRxiv 2025.06.01.25328745; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.01.25328745

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New resource for Self-Care Week

Libby Whittaker — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:58:33 +0000

New Moving More fact sheet launched during National Self-Care Week (17 – 23 November)

Created especially for release during National Self-Care Week, the Self-Care Forum’s new Moving More fact sheet is a resource all about staying well by moving more, which is especially important as we age.

The Self-Care Forum’s research — the Living Self-Care Survey, conducted in collaboration with Imperial College London’s SCARU — found that respondents, including healthcare professionals, were uncertain about national public health recommendations, particularly those on exercise and alcohol.

This resource brings together guidance from several authoritative sources, including the UK’s NHS, the World Health Organization, and NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). It has also been informed by several evidence-based papers on exercise and exercise-related disease prevention.

We hope that this fact sheet will be used in surgeries, clinics, pharmacies, and other settings where health professionals and advisers, such as social prescribers and link workers, can use it during shared consultations with patients and service users. Its purpose is to help people understand exactly how much exercise — and what types of activities — are needed to keep us healthy. This is especially important as we age, when strength, balance, and flexibility become increasingly vital for maintaining independence for longer.

Download our "Moving More" self-care aware fact sheet by clicking here or on the image >

To visit the National Self-Care Week page click here >

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