P-46 Exploring factors influencing the delivery of community based salon interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease among ethnically diverse women in England: The BELONG Study
Author(s):
M Lima do Vale, M Zaman, V L’Esperance, L M Goff, S Ayis, X Zourntos, A Goel, S Durbaba, A Karamanos, A Mernaghiles, C Coultas, V Ćurčin, K Mishra, S Armes, M Molokhia, S Harding
Year of Presentation:
2026
Objective: The Beauty and health community Lounges (BELONG) study is a feasibility study that aims to identify
best practices for building partnerships between hairdressing and beauty salons and primary care services in deprived and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods to promote equitable reach of the NHS preventative services (for CVD and breast cancer). The formative phase of BELONG included concept mapping with hairdressing and beauty professionals and readiness assessments surveys. This study investigated the
feasible priorities identified with hairdressing and beauty
professionals to enable community salons to promote the
uptake of the NHS health checks for CVD in partnership
with local primary care services.
Methods: Concept mapping (CM) was conducted with hairdressers and beauty therapists in England, UK. Participants generated responses to the prompt “Factors that will affect the ability of hairdressers to promote this service are….”. Statements were sorted into conceptually similar clusters and were rated for importance and feasibility. Concept maps were produced using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses. Readiness assessment surveys were undertaken with a sample of salons in London.
Results: CM participants were mainly female (22; 88%) with more than 11 years of experience (19; 82%). Most of the statements in the Go-Zone (10; 40%) related to salon capabilities and capacity and captured issues such as salon staff knowledge and confidence to approach clients and share health information. Nine salons completed the readiness assessments with several enablers (local and collaborative decision- making, previous experiences in healthrelated conversations, client support, and awareness of the local GP practices) identified.
Conclusion: Salons were well positioned to support health promotion interventions. Actionable priorities around capacity and capability and relationship with primary healthcare services were identified to support a salon–GP surgery partnership to promote CVD prevention.