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Factors influencing public health engagement in alcohol licensing in England and Scotland including legal and structural differences: comparative interview analysis
Get PDFBackground: Greater availability of alcohol is associated with higher consumption and harms. The legal systems by which premises are licensed to sell alcohol in England and Scotland differ in several ways. The ExILEnS (Exploring the Impact of alcohol Licensing in England and Scotland) study measured public health team (PHT) activity regarding alcohol licensing from 2012-2019 and identified seven differences between England and Scotland in the timing and type of activities undertaken. Objective: To qualitatively describe the seven previously identified differences between Scotland and England in public health approaches to alcohol licensing, and to examine, from the perspective of public health professionals, what factors may explain these differences. Methods: Ninety-four interviews were conducted with 52 professionals from 14 English and 6 Scottish PHTs selected for diversity who had been actively engaging with alcohol licensing. Interviews focused primarily on the nature of their engagement (n=66) and their rationale for the approaches taken (n=28). Interview data were analysed thematically using NVivo. Findings were constructed by discussion across the research team, to describe and explain the differences in practice found. Findings: Diverse legal, practical and other factors appeared to explain the seven differences. (1) Earlier engagement in licensing by Scottish PHTs in 2012/13 may have arisen from differences in the timing of legislative changes giving public health a statutory role and support from Alcohol Focus Scotland. (2) Public Health England provided significant support from 2014 in England, contributing to an increase in activity from that point there. (3) Renewals of statements of licensing policy (SLPs) were required more frequently in Scotland and at the same time for all Licensing Boards, probably explaining greater focus on policy in Scotland. (4) Organizational structures in Scotland, with public health stakeholders spread across several organizations, likely explained greater involvement of senior leaders there. (5) Without a public health objective for licensing, English PHTs felt less confident about making objections to licence applications without other stakeholders such as the police, and instead commonly negotiated conditions on licences with applicants. In contrast, Scottish PHTs felt any direct contact with applicants was inappropriate due to conflicts of interest. (6) With the public health objective in Scotland, PHTs there were more active in making independent objections to licence applications. Further in Scotland, licensing committee meetings are held to consider all new applications regardless of whether objections have been submitted; unlike in England where there was a greater incentive to resolve objections, because then a meeting was not required. (7) Finally Scottish PHTs involved the public more in licensing, partly because of statutory licensing forums there. Conclusion: The alcohol premises licensing systems in England and Scotland differ in important ways including and beyond the lack of a public health objective for licensing in England. These and other differences, including support of national and local bodies, have shaped opportunities for, and the nature of, public health engagement. Further research could examine the relative success of the approaches taken by PHTs and how temporary increases in availability are handled in the two licensing systems
The high-resolution map of Oxia Planum, Mars; the landing site of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission
Get PDFThis 1:30,000 scale geological map describes Oxia Planum, Mars, the landing site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. The map represents our current understanding of bedrock units and their relationships prior to Rosalind Franklin’s exploration of this location. The map details 15 bedrock units organised into 6 groups and 7 textural and surficial units. The bedrock units were identified using visible and near-infrared remote sensing datasets. The objectives of this map are (i) to identify where the most astrobiologically relevant rocks are likely to be found, (ii) to show where hypotheses about their geological context (within Oxia Planum and in the wider geological history of Mars) can be tested, (iii) to inform both the long-term (hundreds of metres to ∼1 km) and the short-term (tens of metres) activity planning for rover exploration, and (iv) to allow the samples analysed by the rover to be interpreted within their regional geological context.Additional authors: Nick Thomas, Ines Torres, Jorge L Vago, Matthieu Volat, Sander De Witte, Francesca Altieri, Andrea Apuzzo, Julene Aramendia, Gorka Arana, Rickbir Singh Bahia, Steven G. Banham, Robert Barnes, Alexander M. Barrett, Wolf-Steven Benedix, Anshuman Bhardwaj, Sarah Jane Boazman, Tomaso R. R. Bontgnali, John Bridges, Benjamin Bultel, Valerie Ciarletti, Maria Cristina De Sanctis, Zach Dickeson, Elena A. Favaro, Marco Ferrari, Frederic Foucher, Walter Goetz, Albert F. C. Haldemann, Elise Harrington, Angeliki Kapatza, Detlef Koschny, Agata M. Krzesinska, Alice Le Gall, Stephen R. Lewis, Tanya Lim, Juan Manuel Madariaga, Benjamin James Man, Lucia Mandon, Nicolas Mangold, Javier Martin-Torres, Joseph D. McNeil, Antonio Molina, Andoni G. Moral, Sara Motaghian, Sergei Nikifirov, Nicolas Oudart, Andrea Pacifici, Adam Parkes Bowen, Dirk Plettemeier, Pantelis Poulakis, Alfiah Rizky Diana Putri, Ottaviano Ruesch, Lydia Sam, Christian Schroder, Christoph Statz, Rebecca Thomas, Daniela Tirsch, Zsuzsanna Toth, Stuart Turner, Martin Voelker, Stephanie C. Werner, Frances Westall, Barry J. Whiteside, Adam Williams, Rebecca M. E. Williams, Jack Wright, Maria-Paz Zorzan
Are there limits to globalising the medieval?
Get PDFThe aim of this article is threefold: firstly, it seeks to critique, from the perspective of Iberian and Latin American studies, the Eurocentrism inherent in the research programme known as the ‘Global Middle Ages’ that has emerged in the last two decades in Humanities faculties primarily in the USA and Europe. Secondly, it argues that the identification of global neomedievalism is particu larly indicative of the Eurocentric limits of the global medieval paradigm, which is illustrated with several examples from Hispanophone contexts. Lastly, it proposes some alternative theoretical frames through which to analyse the his stories of diverse geographies, which seek to account for multiple global tem poralities in different linguistic traditions without reinforcing the medieval/modern construction that is in turn rooted in systemic forms of racism and antiblackness.Gol
Could care giving have altered the evolution of human immune strategies?
Get PDFLife history theory indicates that individuals/species with a slow pace of life invest more in acquired than innate immunity. Factors that decrease the pace of life and predict greater investment in acquired immunity include increased nutritional resources, increased pathogen exposure and decreased risk of extrinsic mortality. Common care behaviors given to sick individuals produce exactly these effects: provisioning increases nutritional resources; hygiene assistance increases disease exposure of carers; and protection can reduce the risk of extrinsic mortality to sick individuals. This study, therefore, investigated under what conditions care giving behaviors might impact immune strategy and pace of life. The study employed an agent-based model approach that simulated populations with varying levels of care giving, disease mortality, disease transmissibility, and extrinsic mortality, enabling measurements of how the immune strategy and age structure of the populations changed over evolutionary time. We used multiple regressions to examine the effects of these variables on immune strategy and the age structure of the population. The findings supported our predictions that care was selected for an acquired immunity. However, the pace of life did not slow as expected. Instead, the population shifted to a faster, but also more cost-intensive reproductive strategy in which care improved child survival by subsidizing the development of acquired immune responses
Bullshit consumption: What lockdowns tell us about work-and-spend lives and care-full alternatives
Get PDFCOVID-19 disrupted ‘non-essential’ work and consumption, providing an unparalleled opportunity to examine work-and-spend culture, which we do via 44 in-depth interviews that capture experiences and reflections during UK lockdowns. Deploying Graeber’s conceptualisation of ‘bullshit jobs’ and related critiques of consumption, we first consider the possibility that contemporary work-and-spend lifestyles may deny the normative separation of work as worthy toil and consumption as its pleasurable opposite. Within such experience, and in addition to Graeber’s bullshit jobs, we find a parallel in bullshit consumption at work, in order to work, and because of work. Yet our findings also highlight that when freed from bullshit, participants engage in more caring practices for the self, others, and their possessions. We propose that much of our work-and-spend lives might be bullshit: routines that promise status, virtue, freedom, and pleasure, but feel meaningless, while displacing satisfying experiences of care. We conclude that a focus on subtractive logics – cutting the bullshit! – can activate both new critiques and optimism about societal arrangements
Numerological Superstitions and Market-Wide Herding: Evidence from China
Get PDFWe empirically investigate the effect of traditional Chinese numerological superstitions over market-wide herding in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges for the 2000–2020 period, based on a classification of stocks as lucky/unlucky contingent on the presence of digits deemed numerologically lucky/unlucky in their tickers. We find no compelling evidence that herding is more pronounced in those superstitious stocks, as compared to the rest of the stock market. Both superstitious stock-types herd exclusively on high-volatility days and exhibit some pronounced patterns in up vs down markets; these effects are not significantly different from the behaviour of non-superstitious stocks, however. Similarly, herding in both superstitious stock-types is largely noise-driven, but the same effect is observed for non-superstitious stocks. The similarities in herding between superstitious and non-superstitious stocks suggest that numerological superstitions do not motivate significantly stronger herding in Chinese markets
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on women’s access to and experiences of contraceptive services in England: a qualitative study
Get PDFAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic response prompted rapid changes to how contraceptive services were delivered in England. Our aim was to examine women’s experiences of accessing contraceptive services since March 2020 and to understand any inequalities of access. Methods We conducted telephone interviews with 31 women aged 17–54 years who had accessed contraceptive services in England since March 2020. The sample was skewed to include participants with lower educational attainment and higher deprivation. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed using inductive and deductive approaches. Results Few differences were found regarding educational attainment. Participants using contraceptive injections (all living in areas in the most deprived quintile) reported the greatest access challenges. Some switched method or stopped using contraception as a result. More general barriers reported by participants included service closures, unclear booking processes, and lack of appointment availability. Many participants welcomed the flexibility and convenience of remote contraceptive services. However, telephone appointments posed challenges for those at school or living with parents, and some described them as rushed and inconducive to asking questions or raising concerns. Those accessing contraception for the first time or nearing menopause felt they were unable to access sufficient support and guidance during the pandemic. Some participants voiced concerns around the lasting effects of COVID-19 on appointment availability and inadequate service delivery. Conclusions Women’s experiences of accessing contraceptive services in England since March 2020 are diverse. While remote services were suitable for some, COVID-19 restrictions unequally impacted women depending on their method of contraception and life stage.Output Status: Forthcoming/Available Onlin
A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study of Machine-Based Resistance Training With Prefrail Older Adults in Residential Care: The Keeping Active in Residential Elderly Trial II
Get PDFPhysical activity is an effective, proactive intervention to reduce or reverse frailty and functional decline. However, uncertainty exists about the feasibility and impact of resistance training on multidimensional health in prefrail older adults in residential care. This mixed methods feasibility study assessed practicability with limited efficacy testing on health and functional outcomes. Eleven prefrail older adults participated in a 6-week progressive resistance training protocol three times per week. The intervention and measures were found to be appropriate and acceptable by those who completed the trial, with participants self-reporting improved well-being, mood, and function. Analysis identified several barriers to recruitment, including prior commitments, seasonal impact, and session timing, and offered potential solutions with further recommendations for program refinement prior to a definitive randomized controlled trial. These findings add to our understanding of prefrail older adults’ preferences regarding participation in physical activity research and the perceived benefits of resistance training. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03141879
Anxiety, history of childhood adversity, and experiencing chronic pain in adulthood: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis
Get PDFBackground: When considering factors that may impact chronic pain experiences in adulthood, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and anxiety should be considered. The literature on the associations between these 3 variables remains unclear. Objective: To summarize the existing literature on the relationship between ACEs and anxiety on chronic pain experience in adults, and examine the association between ACEs and anxiety. Methods: A systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis was used to examine adults (≥18) with a reported history of ACEs, self-reported and/or diagnosed anxiety, and chronic pain. The SLR included quality appraisal according to the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Results: The narrative summary indicated a significant association between ACEs, anxiety, and chronic pain experiences in adults. Of 52 selected studies, 79% reported a moderate-strong association. For ACE prevalence, the majority reported experiencing sexual abuse (50% [SD 16.01]), followed by physical abuse (46% [SD 20.7]). Other ACEs included emotional abuse (33% [SD 17.17]), emotional neglect (25% [SD 21.02]), and physical neglect (23% [SD 22.44]). Meta-analyses showed moderate associations between anxiety and chronic pain (r = 0.30; 95% CI = [0.14, 0.45], p < 0.01) and between ACEs and anxiety (r = 0.26; 95% CI = [0.15, 0.36], p < 0.01), and that participants who experienced ACEs are around twice as likely to present chronic pain during adulthood (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = [1.53, 2.60], p < 0.01). Conclusion: The results of the SLR and meta-analysis indicated that ACEs and anxiety influence chronic pain experience in adults. Given the relationship between ACEs and anxiety, there would be value in exploring this as a potential mediator in future studies. Significance: There was an unmet need to summarize the existing literature on the relationship between ACEs and anxiety on chronic pain experience in adults and the association between ACEs and anxiety. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that both ACEs and anxiety influenced chronic pain experience in adults and helped to inform the diverse literature on these potential relationships to date
Early career teacher mentoring in England: a case study of compliance and mediation
Get PDFThis paper reports the findings from a small-scale study of ten mentors’ experiences of supporting Early Career Teachers (ECTs) in secondary schools in England following the introduction of the Early Career Framework (ECF) in 2021. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with individual mentors based in London, Manchester and York, UK. The findings suggest that mentors experience some challenges supporting ECTs through the use of mandated training materials. The data report the contradictions of being required to support trainees through a programme governed by the statutory requirements of the Department for Education (DfE) in England, whilst also being part of a complex, nuanced school community. The authors examine mentors’ experiences as they balance the compliance requirements of the ECF alongside seeking to support ECTs with the realities of classroom life in their own settings. The paper discusses the emergence of a mediated mentor professionalism as mentors seek to navigate competing demands. We argue that this case study illustrates the potential for the international sector to challenge postulated solutions of homogenised mentoring curricula and practices to the recruitment and retention of ECTs
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