36057 research outputs found
Sort by
The social must be stabilised : how are the social needs of young people with social work involvement characterized in their mental health case notes?
No full textIn Donzelot’s landmark The Policing of Families, he traced the rise of the "social" sector in the 18th century, where institutions like social work, education, and healthcare regulated families, shaping norms of deviance to justify intervention. Social scientists continue to debate the impact of post-2008 austerity measures on the relationship between the social sector and family life in contemporary society. This study aims to contribute to these discussions through a critical discourse analysis of how the social needs of 70 young people with social work involvement have been characterized in their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service case notes. This analysis was co-produced alongside three experts-by-experience with lived experience of both mental health and social care. Results of this analysis indicate that the social needs of our sample were a) rejected from mental health services for being too social, too chaotic and lacking a stable base; b) accepted but secondary to psychological concerns c) outsourced to other services or to families or young people themselves. Where young people’s social needs were sufficiently high risk in the community they were d) contained in mental health facilities or under deprivation of liberty orders by social services. We contend that in the contemporary context, rather than the social comprising an ever-expanding entity designed to govern the conduct of family life, we identified ways in which the social sector was also governing through neglect and containment. This analysis offers important insights into inequalities faced by young people with social care involvement who seek mental health support
Evolution of antigenic diversity in the zoonotic multi-host parasite Schistosoma japonicum : implications for vaccine design
No full textThe multi-host zoonotic transmission of the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum is complex, presenting challenges for China’s schistosomiasis elimination strategy. How multi-host transmission impacts the genetic diversity of S. japonicum populations is poorly understood and the extent of Schistosoma japonicum antigen coding gene (SjACG) variability remains unknown despite the implications for parasite survival, vaccine development and disease control. To address this, we sequenced the host-interacting domains of three functionally significant SjACGs previously identified as promising vaccine targets (tetraspanin 23 (TSP-23), venom allergen-like protein 7 (VAL-7), and tegument allergen-like protein 1 (TAL-1)) from FTA-archived S. japonicum miracidia sampled from natural infections amongst different definitive host species in mainland China. This work represents the first known analysis of SjACG variation among different host species. SjACGs were genetically diverse across host species, with 10-20 SjACG haplotypes identified from 60-81 sequences. Host-derived immune selection pressures may be driving this variation, impacting antigen protein structure, function, and antigenic propensity. Antigen haplotypes were broadly shared across host species, supporting prior suggestions of gene flow and underscoring the importance of zoonotic transmission in disseminating diversity. Some host adaptation was inferred through identification of host species-specific variation. Parasites sampled from humans displayed the greatest overall diversity of SjACGs, and humans shared haplotypes with all other host species. SjACG diversification appears to have occurred rapidly, and before modern humans arrived in China (∼1.7-0.66 million years ago (MYA)), suggesting that animal hosts have been important in the evolutionary history of these antigens. Collectively, the results expand our understanding of the impact of zoonotic transmission on the co-evolutionary processes driving antigenic variability and provide possible evidence of adaptive molecular evolution of certain antigen haplotypes to specific host species. Our findings have implications for the development of anti-schistosome vaccines and, ultimately, for control of zoonotic schistosomiasis
Development and validation of the short form of the Later Life Workplace Index (LLWI-SF) : a study across ten countries
No full textThis study aims to develop and validate a short form of the Later Life Workplace Index. The Later Life Workplace Index (LLWI) measures organizational practices relevant to older workers’ ability, motivation, and opportunity to continue working in later life. It consists of nine domains comprising three to four conceptual indicators each. We applied a combined qualitative and quantitative strategy to reduce the original LLWI 80-item measure into a 29-item short form (LLWI-SF). Different language versions were developed and applied to samples in ten countries: Belgium (N = 444), Germany (N = 387), Italy (N = 408), Japan (N = 349), Korea (N = 350), Norway (N = 140), Poland (N = 353), Portugal (N = 306), the Netherlands (N = 317), and the United States (N = 370). Our data provides evidence for the reliability and validity of the LLWI-SF in the ten countries and languages. Moreover, partial measurement invariance of the LLWI-SF is supported despite the diverging regulatory and cultural contexts. Thus, we provide a short but holistic measure of organizational practices for older workers that can be efficiently used in research and practice
Communicating diagnostic preferences for a chronic urinary tract infection among the adult female population
No full textBackground: Patient stories regarding their experiences of a urinary tract infection, and the language used in dialogue, details the severity and long-lasting consequences of their infection. The aim of this study was to understand the language and dialogue that patients use when discussing diagnosis and management processes that should be embedded as standard practice for their diagnostic bladder journey among the adult female population. Methods: This study adopted a descriptive-interpretive qualitative research approach. Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted as part of a wider study which focused on diagnosis and management of a urinary tract infection. Data were analyzed using NVivoTM software to identify thematic insight. Results: The main concept that emerged from language expressed through dialogue, was that the patients used collective words and phrases that demonstrated their need for effective diagnosis and management of their urinary tract infection. Diagnostic screening processes that would be straightforward and accurate was their main priority, and having a true record of infection from the urine specimen they produced was frequently articulated in the language they used. Conclusion: Understanding language expressed through dialogue when discussing diagnosis and management of a urinary tract infection are important aspects that should be embedded as standard practice among the adult female population diagnosed with a urinary tract infection
Unlocking 5G network slicing : a comprehensive survey on blockchain marketplace utilizing NFTs, AI, and advanced resource management
No full textMutual gains through sustainable employability investments : integrating HRM practices for organisational competitiveness
No full textThis study aims to examine the reciprocal relationship between employee and employer, focusing on the role of human resource management (HRM) practices in enhancing both employee career potential and organisational competitiveness. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these practices interact to foster mutual growth in dynamic organisational environments
"Eye contact, but not too much… don't stare into my soul" : understanding interviewee beliefs around rapport experiences and behaviours
No full textObjective: Building and maintaining rapport are important elements of investigative interviewing practice. However, there is little qualitative research about how interviewees contextualise rapport and identify behaviours that might indicate good or bad rapport building within an interaction. Method: Twenty-three participants took part in one of five focus groups which discussed: (i) individuals’ perceptions of rapport building in everyday life, (ii) behaviours they felt would aid or hinder rapport building and (iii) what behaviours they would consider effective in rapport building with a police officer during an investigative interview. Results: A thematic analysis identified three main themes: (i) building a relationship with trust and respect, (ii) attentive responsivity towards the witness and (iii) contextual and situational factors. A content analysis of rapport-affecting behaviours identified body posture, relaxing the witness and eye contact as the most frequently mentioned to enhance rapport. Being dismissive, rude and using intense eye contact were most frequently mentioned as hindering rapport. Overall, rapport was described as dependent on situation, person and environment, and enhancing rapport required contextual awareness. This research emphasises that perceptions of rapport building primarily rely on individual experiences and vary due to personal, situational and contextual factors
Employment situation and the formation of stigmatising attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities
Get PDF
Examining the interplay between job crafting and job satisfaction : a cross-cultural investigation
No full textThe positive relationship between job crafting and positive work outcomes, often mediated by individual basic needs, is well-supported; however, little is known about whether these relationships, specifically the mediation, hold across cultures. We investigated the relationship between job crafting and job satisfaction among nurses from diverse cultural contexts, as well as the potential mediating role of basic need satisfaction. We conducted a cross-cultural comparative study among nurses in hospital settings across three distinct cultural contexts: Lebanon, India, and the USA. We tested (a) whether the scales employed were psychometrically invariant via MGCFA and (b) conducted multi-group SEM to test the relationship between job crafting, need satisfaction, and job satisfaction across the three cultural samples. Only two of the four job crafting dimensions (increasing social job resources and increasing challenging job demands) and one of the three basic need satisfaction dimensions (need for autonomy) reached metric invariance. Hypotheses were tested for the metrically invariant scales: While job crafting was related to job satisfaction in the Lebanese and USA samples, no such relationship was found in the Indian sample. Only in the Lebanese and USA samples, increasing challenging job demands was related to job satisfaction, through the satisfaction of the need for autonomy. Increasing social job resources was related to job satisfaction only in the Lebanese sample. We recommend testing the psychometric appropriateness of measures before employing them and discuss what this means for job crafting research directions and practical implications