scholarly journals Leisure centre entrance charges and physical activity participation in England

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-388
Author(s):  
F Ward ◽  
E C Halliday ◽  
B Barr ◽  
J Higgerson ◽  
V Holt

Summary Reducing or eliminating the cost to the public of using leisure facilities is one tool that local authorities have available to reduce inequalities in physical activity (PA). There is limited evidence about the effect of leisure entrance charges and their impact on participation. This study aimed to ascertain how facility pricing influenced the decisions people made about how to pay and what to pay for and how, in turn, these decisions impacted on participation for different groups. A total of 83 members of the public living in 4 local authorities in the North West of England were involved in focus groups or individual interviews. The results show that cost was a key factor which influenced PA participation in low income neighbourhoods. In practise, however, the majority of service users navigated the range of prices or payment options to find one that was suitable rather than simply reporting whether leisure was affordable or not. Whilst pre-paid options (e.g. direct debit memberships) encouraged participation, entrance charges incurred each time an individual participated had a negative impact on frequency but were a convenient way of paying for occasional use or for people who were unable to afford a pre-paid option. Free access also helped people who could not afford pre-paid membership to exercise regularly as well as incentivizing non-users to try activities. The research concluded that policies that include components of free access and offer more flexible payment options are most likely to contribute to reducing inequalities in PA.

Author(s):  
А.М. Мазин ◽  
Э.Э. Егги

В статье рассмотрены приёмы восстановления высокоурожайного сорта клевера лугового Псковский местный двуукосный селекции Псковского НИИСХ с целью возвращения его в сельскохозяйственное производство Северо-Западного региона РФ. Сорт Псковский местный двуукосный отличается высокой урожайностью, продуктивным долголетием и устойчивостью к неблагоприятным факторам среды. Имеет повышенный спрос у производственников Псковской области. Однако отсутствие семеноводства, проблемы с выдачей сортовых и посевных документов сдерживают его распространение. Большой интерес представляет использование данного сорта в селекционной работе. В 2018–2020 годах в питомнике ОП Псковского НИИСХ были изучены семь образцов этой культуры (П-101–П-107), полученных из хозяйств области. Посеянные семена собраны с неапробированных посевов предположительно сорта Псковский местный двуукосный, который возделывался в хозяйствах многие годы. Для сравнительного анализа оригинал сорта получили из коллекции ВИР (К-31744). В результате определения типа созревания образцов по количеству междоузлий на стебле и построения вариационных кривых образцы П-103, П-106, П-107 отнесли к позднеспелому типу клевера лугового, что указало на их несоответствие оригиналу. Наиболее близкими по этому показателю к оригиналу оказались образцы П-101, П-102, П-104, П-105. По морфологическим признакам наибольшее сходство с оригиналом имели образцы П-101, П-102, П-103. Методом SDS-электрофореза белковых спектров выявили три позиции, по которым исследованные образцы неапробированных посевов (П-101, П-102, П-103) отличались от К-31744. Для восстановления сорта Псковский местный двуукосный в качестве исходного материала перспективно использование образцов П-101 и П-102 как наиболее схожих с оригиналом по срокам созревания и морфологии. Метод SDS-электрофореза позволяет контролировать селекционные образцы на идентичность сортам клевера лугового. This article reports on the experiment aimed at improving the performance of red clover “Pskovskiy mestnyy dvuukosnyy” to be cultivated in the North-West region of Russia. The variety was bred at the Pskov Agricultural Research Institute and has high productivity, productive longevity and resistance to environmental stresses. This variety is well-known among the farmers in the Pskov region. However poor seed production together with paper issues have negative impact on its wide cultivation. “Pskovskiy mestnyy dvuukosnyy” is a valuable material for plant breeding. In 2018–2020 the Pskov Agricultural Research Institute collected seven red clover specimens (P-101–P-107) from the regional farms. The collected seeds potentially belonged to the “Pskovskiy mestnyy dvuukosnyy” variety. The original variety was obtained from the Federal Research Center N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) as a control (K-31744). As a result, P-103, P-106, and P-107 were shown to be long-seasoned and therefore differed from the control. P-101, P-102, P-104, and P-105 were more similar to the control in their maturation rate. However, P-101, P-102, P-103 morphologically were closer to the original variety. SDS-PAGE showed that P-101, P-102, and P-103 differed from the control (K-31744). P-101 and P-102 were used as parent material to improve “Pskovskiy mestnyy dvuukosnyy” since they were more similar to the one.


Water SA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1 January) ◽  
Author(s):  
JE Cobbing

The Grootfontein Aquifer, part of the important North West dolomite aquifers, supplies about 20% of Mahikeng’s domestic water needs. Over-abstraction caused the large natural spring draining the aquifer to disappear in 1981, and groundwater levels have since fallen nearly 30 m in the vicinity of the former spring. Analysis of water levels and a water balance using recent assessments of groundwater abstractions confirm past work describing the hydrogeological functioning of the aquifer, and suggest that current abstractions need to fall by between 19 and 36 ML/day (7 and 13 Mm3/a) to bring the aquifer back into longterm balance. Continued over-abstraction at Grootfontein implies increasing risk to Mahikeng’s water supply, and illuminates the larger challenge of ensuring groundwater use in the North West dolomites that is sustainable and in the public interest.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e2013002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Bejaoui ◽  
Naouel Guirat

Beta-thalassemia major (TM) remains to be one of the major health problems particularly in developing countries. Tunisia is a part of the Mediterranean countries mostly affected by this disease which is highly concentrated in small towns in families with low-income earners. The main objectives of this study are to provide a description of the demographic, clinical features and transfusion-related complications in patients with TM living in Tunisia. A standardized questionnaire was sent to clinicians throughout 33 different medical institutions caring for thalassemic patients. 391 transfusion dependant thalassemic patients with a median age of 10.7 years (range 3 months- 31 years) were included in the study.The majority were originated from the north west of the country .A moderate overload between 1501 and 2500ng/ml was found in 61patients, while 81 patients (26.9%) had ferritin level more than 2500 ng/ml and greater than 5000ng/ml in 21 patients (6.9%). 51 patients died from complications related to their disease. Heart failure was the main cause of death. The incidence of cardiac, endocrine, and infectious complications will be reviewed. Preventive measures such as health education, carrier screening and premarital screening remain the best ways for lowering the incidence of these diseases, which might be reflected in financial saving, social benefits and health benefits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobelungu S. Spencer ◽  
Antoinette Du Preez ◽  
Catharina S. Minnie

Background: According to a Cochrane review, continuous support during childbirth increases the mother’s chances of a vaginal birth without identified adverse effects. However, this evidence-based practice is not universally implemented. The objective of the study was to identify challenges encountered in implementing continuous support during childbirth in public hospitals in the North West Province of South Africa. Method: An explorative, descriptive and contextual qualitative approach was used. The data were collected during 2013 by conducting focus group interviews with 33 registered midwives who had worked in maternity units in three selected public hospitals in the North West Province for at least two years. Results: Midwives identified challenges that negatively impacted the implementation of continuous support during childbirth at organisational and interpersonal levels. At the organisational level, challenges included human resources, policies and guidelines as well as the architectural outlay of the maternity units. The personal challenges related to communication and attitudes of nurses, patients and their families.  Conclusions: Organisational and personal challenges had a negative impact on the provision of continuous care during childbirth.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Paraskevadakis ◽  
Alan Bury ◽  
Jin Wang ◽  
Jun Ren ◽  
Stephen Bonsall ◽  
...  

Abstract In the North West of England the issue of a perceived infrastructure gap is of increasing concern. Investment needs to be made to improve the transport infrastructure of the region if it is to be expected to promote the development of its own regional logistics gateway. Funding tools have been set up to address the challenges arising from the imbalance in infrastructure development that exists between regions in the north of the United Kingdom and those in the south. For regions with well developed economies the outlook is promising as the availability of modern transport infrastructure looks set to improve. However, some sources believe that the development of new transport infrastructure will have a negative impact upon sustainable development. It is expected that this will occur in a range of both direct and indirect ways. As a result, it is critical that planning for the creation of new intermodal transport infrastructure, or the upgrading of that which already exists, takes into account the impact that these developments will have on the sustainable development of the host region. A scenario based development methodology is proposed in this paper. It was developed to provide a way to identify potential scenarios that may arise within a given region as a result of transport infrastructure projects. To create significant scenarios the methodology is dependent on the availability of a sufficient quantity of quality data. For this paper that data was collected through a focus group composed of stakeholders from the region in question. This was further supported by the performance of an impact survey using the same group of stakeholders.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-176
Author(s):  
Claudia Bueno Rocha Vidigal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impact of racial and low-income quotas on academic performance of students from public and private universities in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach Using propensity score matching applied to student-level data from the National Examination of Student Performance conducted in 2012; this paper identifies the impact of the quota policy on academic performance considering all Brazilian universities. Findings The results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in academic performance between students admitted under the racial quota and those who had the regular admission (non-quota students). The impact is positive, however, for students from the North region of Brazil and among those with very low family income, whereas a negative impact is observed for those from the Central-West region. In regard to the low-income quota, quota students perform worse than eligible non-quota students as their scores are, on average, 14 percent lower. Similar findings are observed when different subsamples are considered. Originality/value This paper’s main contribution is to provide a broader and more rigorous empirical approach than that presented by the existing literature in order to evaluate the impact of quota policies on academic achievement. Moreover, this study considers all Brazilian institutions whereas previous studies are limited to only one or a few universities.


1958 ◽  
Vol 38 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 205-217
Author(s):  
G. C. Dunning

During the excavations conducted by Mr. L. F. Salzman, F.S.A., at Pevensey Castle in the winter of 1907–8, a deep pit was found and its filling dug out. The pit (called site VII) was located in the north-west quarter of the interior of the Saxon Shore fort, about 60 ft. south of the fort wall and nearly opposite the third bastion north of the Roman west gate. A short account of the pit was published in the excavation report, but the nature of the pit and the finds from it deserve more detailed study than they have yet received. The finds were divided between the Sussex Archaeological Society's Museum at Lewes and the Public Museum at Hastings; I am greatly indebted to the respective curators, Mr. N. E. S. Norris, F.S.A., and Mr. J. Manwaring Baines, F.S.A., for facilities to examine and make drawings of the objects, and permission to publish them here. Samples taken from the various wooden objects found in the pit were kindly identified by Mr. G. L. Franklin, of the Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, as noted in the descriptions of these objects. Acknowledgements for technical reports on the wattling are made in the text. Mr. Salzman has kindly supplied information and unpublished prints, valuable as a record of the bottom of the pit, of which the negatives are fortunately preserved at Hastings. Mr. Salzman has also read this report and approved of the interpretation placed on his findings. The following description of the pit and its contents is the result of correlating all the information now available.


Author(s):  
Marius Constantin PROFIROIU ◽  
Maria-Roxana BRIȘCARIU

"The society based on knowledge and innovation brings to the fore the role of universities as research and learning spaces, with the purpose for sustainable development, at local, regional, national and global levels. Following this approach, we explore the capacity of spreading the knowledge and innovation capital in the North-West region of Romania between universities, the private sector and the public sector. Also, the study explores the role taken by the university system in Romania, locally and regionally, emphasizing what type of relationship defines the exchange of outputs and what are the most useful know-how transfer mechanisms from universities to the private and public sectors. The empirical research in this paper has shown that there is a growing relationship between universities – private sector – public sector, which is characterized as ‘in an incipient phase’, ‘based on urgent needs of the parties’. All of the actors involved in this triad want to develop the links between universities – private sector – public sector in communication, research, innovation and technology, and they suggest standardization and regulation of this interaction and developing a legal framework to correspond to the actual needs at local and regional levels."


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255903
Author(s):  
Dominic Dzamesi Kumashie ◽  
Ritika Tiwari ◽  
Muhammed Hassen ◽  
Usuf M. E. Chikte ◽  
Mogamat Razeen Davids

Background The growing global health burden of kidney disease is substantial and the nephrology workforce is critical to managing it. There are concerns that the nephrology workforce appears to be shrinking in many countries. This study analyses trends in South Africa for the period 2002–2017, describes current training capacity and uses this as a basis for forecasting the nephrology workforce for 2030. Methods Data on registered nephrologists for the period 2002 to 2017 was obtained from the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. Training capacity was assessed using data on government-funded posts for nephrologists and nephrology trainees, as well as training post numbers (the latter reflecting potential training capacity). Based on the trends, the gap in the supply of nephrologists was forecast for 2030 based on three targets: reducing the inequalities in provincial nephrologist densities, reducing the gap between public and private sector nephrologist densities, and international benchmarking using the Global Kidney Health Atlas and British Renal Society recommendations. Results The number of nephrologists increased from 53 to 141 (paediatric nephrologists increased from 9 to 22) over the period 2002–2017. The density in 2017 was 2.5 nephrologists per million population (pmp). In 2002, the median age of nephrologists was 46 years (interquartile range (IQR) 39–56 years) and in 2017 the median age was 48 years (IQR 41–56 years). The number of female nephrologists increased from 4 to 43 and the number of Black nephrologists increased from 3 to 24. There have been no nephrologists practising in the North West and Mpumalanga provinces and only one each in Limpopo and the Northern Cape. The current rate of production of nephrologists is eight per year. At this rate, and considering estimates of nephrologists exiting the workforce, there will be 2.6 nephrologists pmp in 2030. There are 17 government-funded nephrology trainee posts while the potential number based on the prescribed trainer-trainee ratio is 72. To increase the nephrologist density of all provinces to at least the level of KwaZulu-Natal (2.8 pmp), which has a density closest to the country average, a projected 72 additional nephrologists (six per year) would be needed by 2030. Benchmarking against the 25th centile (5.1 pmp) of upper-middle-income countries (UMICs) reported in the Global Kidney Health Atlas would require the training of an additional eight nephrologists per year. Conclusions South Africa has insufficient nephrologists, especially in the public sector and in certain provinces. A substantial increase in the production of new nephrologists is required. This requires an increase in funded training posts and posts for qualified nephrologists in the public sector. This study has estimated the numbers and distribution of nephrologists needed to address provincial inequalities and achieve realistic nephrologist density targets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 035-054
Author(s):  
Kombienou Pocoun Damè

This study addresses the specificities of soils in low-income countries. These infertile soils are characterized by low levels of agricultural productivity and the disappearance of long-term fallow, which is gradually giving way to shorter-term fallow and sedentary agriculture. The overall objective was to assess the physico-chemical characteristics of the soils of the Boukombe watersheds in the north-west of Atacora in Benin. Soil studies of 15 farm sites from which soils were sampled at the [0-20] cm horizon with 30 composite samples and statistical analyzes were performed. The results of particle size analysis showed predominance (68%) of a textural dimorphism with a sandy loam character and a relatively stable structure. The soils are generally acidic (pH ≤ 5), sodium in places and poor in Organic Matter (0.3%), particularly in the plateau. Mountain lands have soils richer in OM (4%), but poor in nitrogen with a content of between [0.02-0.14%], the C / N ratio at 3% lower than 12. The contents nutrients and minerals are accumulated at the bottom of slopes (2.23% carbon, 0.14% nitrogen) and at the top of slopes (14ppm of phosphorus) under Fonio. These soils remain in a fragile state, subjecting them to the process of intense erosion. The degradation, silting up and progressive acidification of soils constitute the main constraints of agricultural production, the solution of which is based on restoring their fertility by rehabilitating dikes and removing silt.


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