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"Addressing the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) burden and protecting the young through comprehensive Alcohol Policies: Lessons from recent studies in Africa".
No full textThe age-standardized alcohol-attributable burden of disease and injury is highest in the WHO African Region, at 70.6 deaths and 3 044 DALYs per 100 000 people, placing an enormous strain on already challenged health systems. Drinkers in Africa consume 21% more alcohol per day than the global average. Small disposable plastic sachets- pouches which contain single use quantities of alcohol which often contain 40% spirits- have led to significant abuse amongst the most vulnerable and poorest communities in Malawi and Uganda. Concerns about harmful consumption and the public health and societal impact led to national bans on sachets of alcohol in Malawi (2016) and Uganda (2019), but those may not have had the impact anticipated. We will conduct interviews with key policy stakeholders and with district and local stakeholders in enforcement and trade in Malawi and Uganda to understand the adoption and formulation of the bans, what mechanisms for implementation were proposed and put in place, how the bans were enforced in practice, and any unintended consequences that have resulted. We will conduct focus group discussions with community members, health staff from local health centres and with traditional/ church leaders and school headteachers to explore the perceived impact of the ban and any unintended consequences from a local community perspective. Our multidisciplinary international team will conduct a robust analysis based the Health Policy Analysis framework to highlight contextual factors important for the transferability of findings to other Sub-Saharan countries in order to inform alcohol policy development and implementation across the region. We will publish results in peer reviewed journals and share them at stakeholder events in each country to discuss how the results may be used to further regulation of the supply of alcohol and reduction of related harms. Our researchers in LMICs will benefit from a strong capacity-building and research skills programme
Improving accessibility to cervical cancer screening for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Scotland: Exploring barriers, facilitators and the acceptability of future HPV self-sampling
No full textBackground: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women around the world, with an estimated 660,000 newly identified cases in 2022 (WHO, 2024). A group where cervical cancer screening attendance has consistently been the lowest at around 30% is those with intellectual disabilities (ID). Screening for cervical cancer in Scotland checks for high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cell changes to enable early detection and prevention. HPV self-sampling could provide an easier and more accessible opportunity for women with ID to screen for cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of the barriers, facilitators and acceptability of future HPV self-sampling from the perspective of healthcare professionals (HCP) and those with an ID across Scotland.
Methods: A mixed methods design was utilised. An online survey was used for HCPs; themes from qualitative data were analysed using a social constructionist thematic analysis (TA). Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and correlational analysis. Focus groups explored the views of those with ID. Recordings were transcribed and reflexive TA used to analyse data.
Results: A total of 107 participants across Scotland took part in the survey. Most participants were female (94.4%), with 61.7% working in urban locations and 38.3% in rural locations. Participants with greater knowledge of self-sampling were more likely to think it was a good idea. Those with increased knowledge of self-sampling were more likely to think that self-sampling should be promoted. Zero participants thought that it should not be promoted. Thematic analysis resulted in 4 themes and 2 subthemes, including “self-sampling could provide autonomy and choice for the public” and “insufficient thought could lead to self-sampling increasing health inequities”. HCP completed story completion tasks and identified groups where self-sampling could be advantageous or disadvantageous. A total of 13 participants took part in focus groups. Participants were female (n=12; 11 women with ID, 1 carer) and male (n=1 carer). Thematic analysis resulted in 5 themes and 6 subthemes, including “power imbalance leading to loss of control and uninformed consent” and “self-sampling could be a powerful tool to regain control and reduce feelings of vulnerability”. Participants considered self-sampling a positive initiative which could overcome many barriers to screening providing that the needs of patients were considered within its implementation.
Conclusion: This study evidenced significant support for self-sampling from both HCP and women with ID in Scotland. Self-sampling could significantly advance health equity goals while improving healthcare outcomes
Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of Healthcare Innovation in UK Higher Education: A Narrative Review
Get PDFBackground: The healthcare sector is under increasing pressure due to an ageing population, rising multimorbidity, and a projected global workforce shortage of 10 million by 2030. It is becoming increasingly apparent that addressing these challenges requires more than simply increasing workforce numbers—it necessitates a shift towards innovative practices in healthcare education. Higher education (HE) plays a crucial role in preparing future healthcare professionals, yet embedding innovation within HE presents challenges such as resistance to change, resource limitations, and difficulties in interdisciplinary collaboration. This review explores the barriers and opportunities associated with fostering innovation in HE health programmes. Methods: This narrative review explored the recent literature on innovation in healthcare HE, examining national policies, institutional strategies, and emerging technological advancements. It describes the impact of digital learning tools, simulation-based education, artificial intelligence (AI), and interprofessional education (IPE) on student learning outcomes and workforce preparedness. Results: Findings suggest that while digitalisation and AI-driven innovations offer opportunities to enhance HE health programmes, their effectiveness is dependent on appropriate pedagogical integration and resource. Challenges include upskilling workforce to new more modern methods, ensuring equitable access to digital resources, and maintaining a balance between technological innovation and traditional face-to-face learning. Conclusions: To embed innovation effectively within healthcare HE, institutions may need to prioritise interdisciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, and sustainable funding models. While technology is key to modernising education, it should be implemented alongside evidence-based pedagogical strategies to ensure meaningful learning outcomes and long-term workforce preparedness
From minority to mainstream sport: establishing basketball in Scotland
Get PDFThe history of wartime basketball in Scotland to date is limited. Gleaning information from local newspapers in the British Newspaper Archive, the article focuses on Scottish basketball during the 1930s and 1940s which were the transformational period of basketball in Scotland. It builds upon early knowledge about Scottish basketball through discussing the changing attitudes and growing acceptance of the game within culture and society. The article also adds to current historiography through documenting basketball’s search for recognition and its pre, during and post-World War II (WWII) development. It covers three areas: participatory patterns in perceived aggregate minority sports concerning what approaches worked and which did not; the impact of WWII on a minority sports development; the popularity of non-traditional and quintessential sports in wartime. The findings reveal that basketball became established in Scotland due to three overarching factors; societal shifts around sport; efforts of Scottish sport organizations; and WWII
[Perspective Paper]
Get PDFAchieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 requires innovative and often disruptive approaches to address critical gaps in global water quality monitoring. The most recent SDG Indicator 6.3.2 (Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality) progress report highlights a critical water quality data gap, with an urgent need for countries to strengthen their monitoring capacity and commence state water quality assessments and trends analysis. Earth Observation (EO) technologies hold immense potential to close that gap for SDG Indicator 6.3.2. However, limited awareness, lack of skill, and resource inequalities are some of the barriers which hinder EO’s widespread adoption. We present insights from a unique 2024 workshop held at the University of Stirling, which convened diverse participants from academia, industry, NGOs, and international agencies and across disciplines, geographies, and sectors. Through creative and collective thinking approaches, they developed four actionable concepts: (1) Space Buzz: a media campaign to raise awareness of EO’s value; (2) centralised EO access hubs to empower users and improve equality; (3) scalable education strategies for capacity building; and (4) an Intergovernmental Panel for Water Quality to enhance global coordination. Each concept derived from a synoptic creative process, demonstrating the uniqueness of thinking within the teams. To unlock the potential of EO for global water quality monitoring, we invite EO networks, funders, water resource managers and individuals to champion these concepts, and incorporate them into funding calls and proposals. Our findings underscore the importance of broader stakeholder engagement to reveal innovative solutions
Editorial: Food production potential in the changing ocean
Get PDFFirst paragraph: Ocean and coastal environments are, as with many other environments, vulnerable to climate change (IPCC, 2023). The oceans occupy 70% of the world´s surface, with a vast biomass production potential, but climate stressors affect ecosystem functioning and the health and growth of aquatic organisms. Understanding how climate change will affect marine food production, and possible adaptation strategies is therefore vital. Whereas fisheries yields are stable or declining, aquaculture is believed to play an increasingly more important role in food security, contributing to the supply of high-quality food to meet growing demands in local and regional communities as well as the global population (Aksnes et al., 2017; FAO, 2024). Hence, we must consider how the changing ocean environment supports sustainable food production
Editorial: Pain and Relationships
Get PDFIntroduction People are social beings. For the most part, at all stages of their life course, people strive to establish relationships, in order to experience social connectedness (a sense of belonging and being 'in relation' with others). Although the relationship between persistent pain and social connectedness is complex and multi-faceted (1) there is good evidence to show that poor social connectedness can amplify pain (2), increases the risk of poor mental health and lower well-being (3-5), and can result in loneliness (3, 6), emotional distress (7), and poorer cognitve function (4). Evidence suggests that psychosocial variables can moderate this negative relationship, such that positivity, resilience and happiness can lessen the experience of pain, even in the face of social isolation (8) and lessen the experience of loneliness (9). Adding to the complexity, pain not only affects the person in pain but also spreads out to affect those with whom they are in a relationship; this impact is o[en typified as being negative. Pain can impact friendship networks (10), partner relationships (11, 12), and intimacy, sexual well-being and sexual expectations in relationships (13, 14). Its impact reaches out beyond personal relationships and can affect therapeutic relationships (15). Overview of the contributions. This Research Topic brings together a collection of six papers that individually and collectively explore pain, being 'in relation', and a variety of different personal and professional relationships. Whilst in many healthcare papers the pain status of the author(s) is not revealed, in her paper Wilkinson draws attention to herself as a 'researcher-in-pain'. Considering the ubiquity of persistent pain, it is perhaps surprising that the phenomenon of 'researcher-in-pain' has not been previously foregrounded. Wilkinson proposes that 'researchers-in-pain' can connect in ways that other researchers cannot do, bringing an embodied responsiveness drawing on their lived insights of pain. This creates a sense of shared vulnerability that has the potential to accommodate 'pain-friendly' methods and generate new understandings, inspiring innovative approaches from a potential of empathy and understanding. Putting the person in pain at the centre of treatment requires professionals to closely abend to both what is and is not communicated and to reach out and create connection. In their case report Adachi et al. present how they carefully built a relationship of trust and a therapeutic relationship with Akiko, a patient with fibromyalgia, and deep-rooted negative emotions arising from adverse childhood experience. The therapeutic relationship is achieved through giving Akiko the opportunity express her feelings using non-verbal means (using drawing and being able to hold a 'towel baby')
Preferences for facial femininity/masculinity across culture and the sexual orientation spectrum
Get PDFJudgments of attractiveness have many important social outcomes, highlighting the need to understand how people form these judgments. One aspect of appearance that impacts perceptions of attractiveness is facial femininity/masculinity (sexual dimorphism). However, extant research has focused primarily on White, Western, heterosexual participants’ preferences for femininity/masculinity in White faces, limiting generalizability. Indeed, recent research indicates that these preferences vary by culture, and other work finds differences between gay/lesbian and heterosexual individuals. Aspects of identity such as culture and sexual orientation do not exist in isolation from one another, but rather intersect, leaving a critical gap in understanding. Our research therefore bridged across these hitherto separate areas of inquiry to provide a more comprehensive understanding of facial femininity/masculinity preferences. We tested how White British and East Asian Japanese individuals’ culture and sexual orientation (including, crucially, bisexual individuals) predict their femininity/masculinity preferences for White and East Asian women’s and men’s faces, using two experimental tasks (forced-choice, interactive). Results show that individuals’ culture and sexual orientation consistently interact to predict their preferences for femininity/masculinity in women’s and men’s faces, and we furthermore reveal bisexual individuals’ preferences to differ from those of other sexual orientations. We also find differences between experimental tasks, with greater preferences for femininity emerging in the interactive task, compared to the forced-choice task. Altogether, our findings highlight the importance of considering intersecting identities, consequences of methods of measurement, and shortcomings of extant explanations for preferences for facial femininity/masculinity
Cristiano of Arabia: Did Ronaldo increase Saudi Pro League attendances?
Get PDFIn December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo, five-time Ballon d'Or winner and the most-followed person on Instagram, signed a reported €200million contract to play football in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for two and a half years. This marked one of several recent ground-shaking and expensive interventions by the KSA in global sports markets. We exploit the timing of this event, midway through a season of the Saudi Pro League, to estimate superstar effects. There are clear patterns showing that Ronaldo alone increased stadium attendance demand in the KSA, even before the influx of further stars in the summer of 2023. On average, Ronaldo helped to fill an additional 20% of the seats in his home team's stadium when he played, 15% of the seats in the stadiums he visited, and 3% of the seats where he did not even play. These effects may be the tip of the iceberg in terms of what policymakers will be hoping for. Regardless, they demonstrate that the astronomical sums being invested in sports markets by the Saudi state are not necessarily a total folly.Output Status: Forthcoming/Availabl
Use of scenarios with multi-criteria evaluation to better inform the selection of aquaculture zones
Get PDFThe allocation of zones for aquaculture development is a strategic problem as it involves long-term outcomes and many stakeholders with competing interests. Resource planners require tools to support such complex allocation decisions, but these are either lacking or with serious limitations. This paper presents an approach that improves the traditional method of developing aquaculture zoning model. Four scenario narratives describing potential development pathways for aquaculture in Nigeria were used to guide the model development, from selection of suitability factors to evaluation of alternatives. The modelling objective was to identify a suitable location for zoning small-to-medium scale commercial pond catfish production in Nigeria. So, a GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) was used to produce a suitability map, from which five alternative zones were extracted. These zones were then compared using three sustainability criteria that were designed based on future uncertainties highlighted by the four scenarios. Results show that 4 of the 5 zones are concentrated in the north-eastern part of Nigeria, while the other one occurred in the north-west. Furthermore, this study found two top-ranking zones that can be selected in all the scenarios, meaning the two zones with the most potential to support the sustainable development of small-to-medium scale aquaculture in Nigeria. As these two were almost tied in ranking, sensitivity analyses across the scenarios revealed the most stable zone to changes in the criteria scores. These findings can be used to inform aquaculture expansion policy in Nigeria and integrate the activity into wider land use planning. Overall, the new approach advances the traditional method of developing GIS-based MCE models for aquaculture zoning, as it generates options and relevant information to facilitate strategic decision-making
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