Communicating Public Health Advice After a Chemical Spill: Results From National Surveys in the United Kingdom and Poland

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Pearce ◽  
G. James Rubin ◽  
Richard Amlôt ◽  
Simon Wessely ◽  
M. Brooke Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Hazardous Substance ◽  
Crisis Communications ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Cost ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to enhance public health preparedness for incidents that involve the large-scale release of a hazardous substance by examining factors likely to influence public responses to official guidance on how to limit their exposure.MethodsAn online demographically representative survey was conducted in the United Kingdom (n = 601) and Poland (n = 602) to test the strength of association of trust in authorities, anxiety, threat, and coping appraisals with the intention to comply with advice to shelter in place following a hypothetical chemical spill. The impact of ease of compliance and style of message presentation were also examined.ResultsParticipants were more likely to comply if at home when the incident happened, but message presentation had little impact. Coping appraisals and trust were key predictors of compliance, but threat appraisals were associated with noncompliance. Anxiety was seen to promote behavioral change. UK participants were more likely to comply than Polish participants.ConclusionsSuccessful crisis communications during an emergency should aim to influence perceptions regarding the efficacy of recommended behaviors, the difficulties people may have in following advice, and perceptions about the cost of following recommended behaviors. Generic principles of crisis communication may need adaptation for national contexts. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:65-74)

scholarly journals The 23–26 September 2012 U.K. Floods: Using PV Surgery to Quantify Sensitivity to Upper-Level Forcing

2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (10) ◽  
pp. 4055-4079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Hardy ◽  
David M. Schultz ◽  
Geraint Vaughan
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Extreme Event ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
River Flooding ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Accumulated Rainfall ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
The Impact

Major river flooding affected the United Kingdom in late September 2012 as a slow-moving extratropical cyclone brought over 150 mm of rain to parts of northern England and north Wales. The cyclone deepened over the United Kingdom on 24–26 September as a potential vorticity (PV) anomaly approached from the northwest, elongated into a PV streamer, and wrapped around the cyclone. The strength and position of the PV anomaly is modified in the initial conditions of Weather Research and Forecasting Model simulations, using PV surgery, to examine whether different upper-level forcing, or different phasing between the PV anomaly and cyclone, could have produced an even more extreme event. These simulations reveal that quasigeostrophic (QG) forcing for ascent ahead of the anomaly contributed to the persistence of the rainfall over the United Kingdom. Moreover, weakening the anomaly resulted in lower rainfall accumulations across the United Kingdom, suggesting that the impact of the event might be proportional to the strength of the upper-level QG forcing. However, when the anomaly was strengthened, it rotated cyclonically around a large-scale trough over Iceland rather than moving eastward as in the verifying analysis, with strongly reduced accumulated rainfall across the United Kingdom. A similar evolution developed when the anomaly was moved farther away from the cyclone. Conversely, moving the anomaly nearer to the cyclone produced a similar solution to the verifying analysis, with slightly increased rainfall totals. These counterintuitive results suggest that the verifying analysis represented almost the highest-impact scenario possible for this flooding event when accounting for sensitivity to the initial position and strength of the PV anomaly.

scholarly journals Excess Mortality in England during the 2019 Summer Heatwaves

Climate ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Natasha Rustemeyer ◽  
Mark Howells
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Summer Period ◽  
The Public ◽  
National Statistics ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Excess Deaths ◽  
Related Mortality

There is increasing evidence that rising temperatures and heatwaves in the United Kingdom are associated with an increase in heat-related mortality. However, the Public Health England (PHE) Heatwave mortality monitoring reports, which use provisional death registrations to estimate heat-related mortality in England during heatwaves, have not yet been evaluated. This study aims to retrospectively quantify the impact of heatwaves on mortality during the 2019 summer period using daily death occurrences. Second, using the same method, it quantifies the heat-related mortality for the 2018 and 2017 heatwave periods. Last, it compares the results to the estimated excess deaths for the same period in the PHE Heatwave mortality monitoring reports. The number of cumulative excess deaths during the summer 2019 heatwaves were minimal (161) and were substantially lower than during the summer 2018 heatwaves (1700 deaths) and summer 2017 heatwaves (1489 deaths). All findings were at variance with the PHE Heatwave mortality monitoring reports which estimated cumulative excess deaths to be 892, 863 and 778 during the heatwave periods of 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Issues are identified in the use of provisional death registrations for mortality monitoring and the reduced reliability of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) daily death occurrences database before 2019. These findings may identify more reliable ways to monitor heat mortality during heatwaves in the future.

scholarly journals Youth-oriented packaging and the demand for e-liquids: Evidence from data scraped from Amazon in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelaziz Lawani ◽  
Owusu-Amankwah Georgette ◽  
Ihuhwa Anna-Liisa
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Propylene Glycol ◽  
Drug Administration ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Policy Goal ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

AbstractTo address the threat e-cigarettes poses to public health, especially among youths, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a policy in 2020 that regulates the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes with fruit and mint flavors. Such flavors are alleged to lure youth into smoking and can increase the likelihood for addiction to other drugs. However, this regulation does not address packaging that can have a similar effect on the demand for e-cigarettes products. Indeed, certain e-liquids use youth-oriented (kiddish, cartoonish, and colorful) packaging which are attractive to youth but may also induce a no-harm perception among e-liquids users. In this paper, we examine the impact of the youth-oriented packaging on e-liquid sales. Using data scraped from Amazon, the results of our analysis reveal that youth-oriented packaging increases the sale of e-liquids. In addition, the demand for e-liquids is inelastic and the percentage of propylene glycol (PG), the rating, and the sentiment in the online reviews left by previous buyers also influence the sale of e-liquids. This research suggests that besides fruit and mint flavors, the policy goal of reducing use among youth should also include packaging. The analysis finds that taxation policies to raise prices of e-liquids will not affect appreciably the demand for e-liquids. Policies for e-liquids control should focus on designing packaging that reduces the no- or low-risk perception.

scholarly journals Excess Mortality in England During the 2019 Summer Heatwaves.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Rustemeyer ◽  
Mark Howells
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Cumulative Number ◽  
Summer Period ◽  
The Public ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Excess Deaths ◽  
Related Mortality

There is increasing evidence that rising temperatures and heatwaves in the United Kingdom are associated with an increase in heat-related mortality. This study aims to retrospectively quantify the impact of heatwaves on mortality during the 2019 summer period using daily death occurrences. Second, it compares excess mortality during the 2019 heatwaves to excess mortality during the 2018 and 2017 heatwave periods. Lastly, it compares the excess mortality in the 2017-2019 heatwaves to the estimated excess deaths for the same period in the Public Health England (PHE) Heatwave mortality monitoring Reports. The cumulative number of excess deaths during the summer 2019 heatwaves were minimal and were substantially lower than during the summer 2018 heatwaves (1,700 deaths) and summer 2017 heatwaves (1,489 deaths). All findings were at variance with the PHE Heatwave mortality monitoring reports which estimated cumulative excess deaths to be 892, 863 and 778 during the summer period of 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively using provisional death registrations. Issues have been identified in the use of provisional death registrations for mortality monitoring and the reduced reliability of the ONS daily death occurrence database before 2019. These findings may identify more reliable ways to monitor heat mortality during heatwaves in the future.

scholarly journals Arts engagement supports social connectedness in adulthood: findings from the HEartS Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie Perkins ◽  
Adele Mason-Bertrand ◽  
Urszula Tymoszuk ◽  
Neta Spiro ◽  
Kate Gee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Arts Engagement

Abstract Background Loneliness is a public health challenge, associated with premature mortality and poorer health outcomes. Social connections can mitigate against loneliness, and there is evidence that the arts can support social connectedness. However, existing research on the arts and social connectedness is limited by focus on particular age groups and arts activities, as well as a reliance on typically small-scale studies. Methods This study reports survey data from 5892 adults in the United Kingdom, closely matched to the national profile in terms of sociodemographic and economic characteristics. It investigates the extent to which arts engagement is perceived to be linked with feelings of social connectedness, which forms of arts engagement are reported as most connecting, and how. Data were collected via the HEartS Survey, a newly designed tool to capture arts engagement in the United Kingdom and its associations with social and mental health outcomes. Demographic and quantitative data, pertaining to the extent to which arts engagement is perceived to be linked with social connectedness, were analysed descriptively. Qualitative data pertaining to respondents’ perceptions of how arts engagement is linked with feelings of social connectedness were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Results demonstrated that the majority of respondents (82%) perceive their arts engagement to be linked with feelings of social connectedness at least some of the time. The forms of arts engagement most linked with feelings of social connectedness were attending a live music performance, watching a live theatre performance, and watching a film or drama at the cinema or other venue. Four overarching themes characterise how arts engagement is perceived to facilitate feelings of social connectedness: social opportunities, sharing, commonality and belonging, and collective understanding. Conclusions The findings suggest that arts engagement can support social connectedness among adults in the UK through multiple pathways, providing large-scale evidence of the important role that the arts can play in supporting social public health.

scholarly journals The cost-effectiveness of accelerated partner therapy (APT) compared to standard contact tracing for people with chlamydia: an economic evaluation based on the LUSTRUM population-based chlamydia transmission model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor V. Williams ◽  
Chidubem B. Okeke Ogwulu ◽  
Claudia S. Estcourt ◽  
Alison R. Howarth ◽  
Andrew Copas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Chlamydia Infection ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Intervention Cost ◽  
Standard Contact ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

Objective: To investigate the cost-effectiveness of accelerated partner therapy (APT) compared with standard contact tracing for people with sexually transmitted chlamydia infection in the United Kingdom Design: Economic evaluation using a model consisting of two components: a population-based chlamydia transmission component, to estimate the impact of APT on chlamydia prevalence, and an economic component, to estimate the impact of APT on healthcare costs and health outcomes. Setting: United Kingdom Participants: Hypothetical heterosexual population of 50,000 men and 50,000 women aged 16-34 years. Main Outcome Measures: Cost-effectiveness based on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained and major outcomes averted (MOA), defined as mild pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), severe PID, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, tubal factor infertility and epididymitis. Results: For a model population of 50,000 men and 50,000 women and an APT intervention lasting 5 years, the intervention cost of APT (&pound135,201) is greater than the intervention cost of standard contact tracing (&pound116,334). When the costs of complications arising from chlamydia are considered, the total cost of APT (&pound370,657) is lower than standard contact tracing (&pound379,597). Thus, APT yields a total cost saving of approximately &pound9000 and leads to 73 fewer major outcomes and 21 fewer QALYs lost. Hence, APT is the dominant PN strategy. APT remained cost-effective across the full range of sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Based on cost-effectiveness grounds APT is likely to be recommended as an alternative to standard contact tracing for chlamydia infection in the United Kingdom

scholarly journals Centralization of Cleft Lip and Palate Services in the United Kingdom

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 676-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Marie Stock ◽  
Hamza Anwar ◽  
Jonathan R. Sandy ◽  
Nichola Rumsey
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Cleft Lip And Palate ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Delivery Of Care ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
The Impact

Background: Since the implementation of centralized services in the United Kingdom for those affected by cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P), several studies have investigated the impact of service rationalization on the delivery of care. While large-scale quantitative studies have demonstrated improvements in a range of patient outcomes, and smaller studies have reported on the benefits and challenges of centralization from the views of health professionals, little research has attempted to capture the patient perspective. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the views of adult “returners” who have undergone treatment both pre- and postcentralization. Methods: Qualitative data relevant to the subject of this article were extracted from 2 previous larger studies carried out between January 2013 and March 2014. A total of 16 adults born with CL/P contributed data to the current study. These data were subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Results: The findings suggest that centralization of CL/P services has considerably enhanced the patient experience. Specifically, the overall standard and coordination of care has improved, service delivery has become more patient centered, and access to professional psychological support and peer support has greatly improved patients’ capacity to cope with the associated emotional challenges. Conclusions: The data collected provide additional insight into the impact of centralization from the perspective of a largely unexplored patient population. In combination with other literature, these findings are also relevant to future efforts to centralize other specialist services around the world.

An overview of arisings and large-scale treatment technologies for healthcare waste in the United Kingdom

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 374-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry L. Tudor ◽  
William K. Townend ◽  
Christopher R. Cheeseman ◽  
Jen E. Edgar
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Complex Issue ◽  
Healthcare Waste ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Treatment Technologies ◽  
Wide Perspective ◽  
The Impact

This paper reviews the current generation and management of healthcare waste in the United Kingdom, with a focus on that produced from healthcare provision in the National Health Service. While the current capacities of large-scale off-site treatment systems are adequate, there are a number of logistical factors that must be considered in future. These include variations in arisings from each country and from various regions within each country, the age and location of treatment/disposal facilities, the quantities, types and sources of healthcare waste, and the impact of waste minimization and recycling strategies. Managing UK healthcare waste is a complex issue that requires the correct technologies and capacities to be available. With increasing quantities and costs there is urgent need for future planning, and healthcare waste issues need to be addressed from a UK-wide perspective. Holistic strategies need to incorporate both minimization and segregation, with treatment using a combination of incineration and alternatives treatment technologies. The need for more research and accurate data to provide an evidence-base for future decision-making is highlighted.

Euratom and Brexit: Could the United Kingdom Maintain One Foot in the European Union? Current Scenarios and Future Prospects of British withdrawal from the EAEC

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-151
Author(s):  
Andrea Circolo ◽  
Ondrej Hamuľák
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Independent Solution ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Status ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Energy Community ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The paper focuses on the very topical issue of conclusion of the membership of the State, namely the United Kingdom, in European integration structures. The ques­tion of termination of membership in European Communities and European Union has not been tackled for a long time in the sources of European law. With the adop­tion of the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), the institute of 'unilateral' withdrawal was intro­duced. It´s worth to say that exit clause was intended as symbolic in its nature, in fact underlining the status of Member States as sovereign entities. That is why this institute is very general and the legal regulation of the exercise of withdrawal contains many gaps. One of them is a question of absolute or relative nature of exiting from integration structures. Today’s “exit clause” (Art. 50 of Treaty on European Union) regulates only the termination of membership in the European Union and is silent on the impact of such a step on membership in the European Atomic Energy Community. The presented paper offers an analysis of different variations of the interpretation and solution of the problem. It´s based on the independent solution thesis and therefore rejects an automa­tism approach. The paper and topic is important and original especially because in the multitude of scholarly writings devoted to Brexit questions, vast majority of them deals with institutional questions, the interpretation of Art. 50 of Treaty on European Union; the constitutional matters at national UK level; future relation between EU and UK and political bargaining behind such as all that. The question of impact on withdrawal on Euratom membership is somehow underrepresented. Present paper attempts to fill this gap and accelerate the scholarly debate on this matter globally, because all consequences of Brexit already have and will definitely give rise to more world-wide effects.

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