123 research outputs found
The art of communicating science
No full textJournalists care about accurate but entertaining science reporting, Rachel Isba and Lucy Potter discovered when they undertook a fellowship in two national media outlets Over the summer we took part in the British Science Association Media Fellowship scheme, with BBC Breakfast and mirror.co.uk. The scheme, which has run annually since 1987, places scientists in media outlets to give them the confidence to engage with the media and give journalists access to new scientific expertise. After their placements, fellows attend and report on the British Science Festival as part of the press team for the event. Our fellowships were funded by the Wellcome Trust, but other funders include research councils, learned societies, and universities. Neither of us had any formal experience with the media and we wanted to develop our communication skills. Science and medicine sometimes seem to be reported poorly so we wanted to find out why and how the media report on science and health. As well as raising the profiles of our hospital trusts and increasing understanding by strengthening links between ourselves, our departments, and the wider media, we were both keen to increase local science communication activity and encourage others to engage with the media
Optimizing Support Vector Machines with ISBA-A-gs Land Surface Variables as a Surrogate Model to Simulate ASCAT Derived Parameters
No full textThe TU-Wien developed a soil moisture retrieval algorithm that uses the incidence angle dependence of backscatter to obtain soil moisture estimates (Wagner et al., 1999). The core of this algorithm is a second order Taylor expansion with which the backscatter is normalized at a reference angle. Studies have shown that the first and second order derivative within this Taylor expansion, known as slope and curvature, are somehow related to the wet biomass and structure of vegetation. The general approach to forward model satellite observations with land surface variables in a data assimilation framework is through a radiative transfer model (Albergel et al., 2017). However, this requires plenty of assumptions about the vegetation canopy (such as stem height, shape, size, orientation etc.) and is therefore relatively inefficient for understanding the impact of soil moisture and vegetation dynamics on backscatter on a large scale. This study investigates the possibility of using support vector machines as a surrogate model instead of a radiative transfer model to link the TU-Wien normalized backscatter and slope to land surface variables soil moisture and leaf area index. The land surface variables are simulations from the CO2-responsive ISBA-A-gs land surface model. Support vector machines have the advantage of providing implicit kernel functions, which make them very useful for non-linear problems. The ISBA-A-gs data is provided by Météo-France. In total, 1324 support vector machines have been optimized through a cross validated grid search. The optimized hyperparameters were shown to have spatial consistency and look promising as an initial approach to forward modelling backscatter and slope. The SVM performances are further investigated through corresponding land cover types of grid points and the land surface variables.Geoscience and Remote Sensin
Feasbility and acceptability pilot of a public health intervention delivered in the paediatric emergency department
No full textAim Paediatric Emergency Departments (PEDs) are well-placed to deliver public health interventions. Whilst numerous studies describe the effectiveness of a range of ED-based interventions for adults, less has been done to assess interventions for Children and Young People (CYP). Every year in England, millions of CYP attend hospital, often with relatively minor illnesses/injuries, which sometimes result in long waits – time that could be used to improve wider health and wellbeing. This pilot study assessed the acceptability and feasibility of delivering a public health intervention in the PED of a busy district general hospital. Methods Full prospective ethical approval was obtained. Participants were CYP and their carers attending a PED in England. An opportunistic sampling strategy was used, with a focus on recruiting those who had a wait whilst in the department. The intervention was a consultation delivered by a public health specialist, based around the “Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment” (SBIRT) model and focussed on: household smoking, vaccination status, dental health, and frequent attendance. Quantitative outcome data (e.g. registering with dentist) were collected by phone at one week and then one, three, and six months post-enrolment (where indicated). Qualitative data came from engaging with participants and completion of a field diary by the public health specialist (primary researcher). Results Thirty participants were recruited over the two-week pilot, with 50% of CYP participating in the consent process. Twenty participants (67%) triggered at least one screening question, with dental health and (household) smoking being the most common triggers. Four participants were lost to phone follow-up at one week and a further five were “thanked and discharged” as they had not triggered any of the categories during screening. Of the remaining participants, five had taken action as a result of the study and others had plans, all relating to dental appointments. Conclusion The PED offers an under-utilised opportunity to deliver public health interventions. Findings from this study will be used to refine the intervention before an assessment of its effectiveness is made, using an appropriate study design. Acknowledgements This study was funded by a grant from the Sir Halley Stewart Trust
Vaping in children and young people, and why it is a bad idea
No full textIt is illegal for under-18s to buy vapes (e-cigarettes) in the UK, but evidence suggests that vaping amongst children and young people is a growing issue. Although recommended as a cessation aid for tobacco smoking in adults, the rationale for introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to “create a smokefree generation and tackle youth vaping” recognises the potential for harm caused by children and young people using vapes. Many vapes contain nicotine, and while the effects of nicotine from tobacco are well-established, much is unknown about the impacts of vaping-associated nicotine dependence. It is unlikely that vaping is entirely risk-free to health, particularly as nicotine is highly addictive. The wider context of how children and young people access vapes and why they use them also needs to be accounted for in identifying additional impact. Paediatricians need an awareness of prevention and cessation interventions, including how to start a supportive conversation around vaping and vaping cessation. The production and disposal of vapes also raises significant environmental concerns, so reducing vaping levels is also important for sustainability. Supporting children and young people to be nicotine free should be a public health priority
Facilitating GP registrations among children by linking with Child Health Information Services (CHIS)
No full textBackground Lack of access to primary care services, by not being registered with a general practitioner (GP), is a source of health inequality.1 Unregistered children are at risk of missing healthcare activity, including routine vaccination.2 NHS England has emphasised the importance of ensuring no child misses out on vaccination invitations and has sought to explore solutions for those not registered with a GP. NHS South, Central and West (SCW) currently provides Child Health Information Services (CHIS) coverage for 32% of the 0–19-year-old population in England.3 Approximately 1% (n=8000) of those aged 0–6 years within the areas covered are not registered with a GP. SCW CHIS maintains health records for all children aged 0–19 years who live in, attend school in, or are registered with a GP within one of its areas. CHIS is notified when a baby is born or moves into the area, when they register with a GP, and about their vaccinations and screening. The aim of this pilot was to facilitate GP registrations among children aged 0–6 years resident in Bath and North-East Somerset, Swindon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, so that families could access childhood vaccination and other healthcare services. Methods CHIS worked with NHS England South-West commissioners to develop a letter reminding parents/carers of the importance of registering their child with a GP. The letter was in plain English, written at a level below the average adult reading age, and included symbols to support accessibility. It outlined how to register, emphasising the process was quick, free and did not require a fixed address or identification. In September 2024, the letter was sent to the households of 807 children aged 8 weeks to 6 years who were not registered with a GP and had one or more missing routine vaccinations. A second letter was sent out the following month to all households where the child was under the age of 1 year (n=89). Results Within 2 months of the initial mailout, 77 children (9.5%) were newly registered with a GP in the area and 52 (6.4%) became up to date with their age-appropriate vaccinations.2 The cost of postage (the most expensive item at £0.86 per letter) for both mailouts (896 letters in total) was £770.56, which equates to just over £10 per new registration or just under £15 per child catching up with their vaccinations. Discussion and conclusion In recent years, there has been a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, alongside widening health inequalities. It is therefore more important than ever that children are registered with a GP. CHIS providers are well positioned to identify non-registered cohorts and send simple and low-cost mailouts, resulting in increased registrations and an associated increase in uptake of routine childhood vaccination. Future work A planned project will expand the area covered and will look to identify indicators associated with uptake, for example, ethnicity, index of multiple deprivation. Related projects will look at the optimum number of reminders for vaccination appointments, moving to digital-first invitations and making reminders more accessible
Referral of Children from a UK District General Hospital Emergency Department to Primary Care General Practitioners
No full textBackground: This preliminary audit aimed to assess the feasibilityof referring children presenting to a UK District General HospitalEmergency Department (ED), seeing 27500 children per year, totheir own Primary Care General Practitioner (GP) following an initial assessment in the ED.Method: One hundred and fifty-two patients were assessed by aConsultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine in the ED during thetriage process. Those fulfilling the audit inclusion criteria werereferred directly from triage to their own off-site Primary Care GPfor a same-day assessment.Results: Only ten patients (6.6%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria forreferral to Primary Care and seven (70%) of these were accepted,none of whom were referred back to the hospital acutely by theirGP. The median time spent in the ED for the 152 patients assessed in the audit was 1 hour 12 minutes and for the 10 patients referred to Primary Care was 31 minutes.Conclusions: Only a small number of children assessed in the audit were suitable for referral to Primary Care. The assessment and referral process was not a good use of Emergency Department resources. The absence of a valid and reliable screening tool or early warning score to predict the safe discharge of children from an ED reduced the number of children that could be referred directly to primary care from the ED.Further multi-centre work is required to evaluate a clinical decision-making framework to enable the accurate assessment of children for their safe discharge or referral from an ED
DREEMs, myths and realities : learning environments within the University of Manchester Medical School
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