scholarly journals Beds, budgets and burdens: Learning disability expenditure v. workload across English health authorities

2002 ◽  
Vol 181 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bunny Forsyth ◽  
Paul Winterbottom
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
National Database ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Audit Commission ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up

BackgroundFollowing the closure of asylums and widespread changes in the population distribution of people with learning disabilities, there has been little investigation of changing expenditure requirements of health authorities in England.AimsTo compare expenditure on learning disability health services across England with the burden of services regionally, as estimated by numbers of people with learning disabilities.MethodA national database was set up using data from the National Audit Commission and the Department of Health. The spend/burden ratio was calculated and correlation tests for likely causes of inequality were applied.ResultsThere is widespread discrepancy from the median spend/burden ratio of £10 260 per person with learning disability. There is a positive correlation between ratios and levels of net exports of people funded by their local authority social services to reside ‘out of area’. Comparative underspending occurs in rural areas.ConclusionsThere are inequalities in levels of spending on learning disability services. Comparison of regions suggests resources may not be allocated fairly. Health authorities should ensure that population increases are mirrored by appropriate adjustments in expenditure.

Sexual exploitation of adolescent students in Tanzania: Implication for social services

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 1104-1116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Budeba Petro Mlyakado ◽  
Jessica Chi-Mei Li
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
School Students ◽  
Adolescent Students ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Collaborative Efforts

A considerable empirical research has been conducted on sexual exploitation of children and adolescents; however, limited information is available in developing countries. This study describes and discusses the prevalence, nature and characteristics of sexual exploitation of adolescents using data collected from 1116 secondary school students in Tanzania. Results indicate that 21 percent of the surveyed adolescent students had had at least one experience of sexual exploitation. Being a female, living in rural areas and being aged above 15 years were associated with high risk of sexual exploitation. This study underscores gender- and locality-specific social work interventional requirements, with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaborative efforts.

scholarly journals A Framework for Assessing Benefits of Implemented Nature-Based Solutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Watkin ◽  
Ruangpan ◽  
Vojinovic ◽  
Weesakul ◽  
Torres
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Performance Indicator ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Selection Of

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that can protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems in urban and rural areas, while providing many benefits and co-benefits including stormwater mitigation, biodiversity enhancement, and human well-being. As such, NBS have the potential to alleviate many of the environmental, social, and economic issues that we face today. Grey infrastructure, such as lined trenches and catch basins, pipes, and concrete dikes are frequently used for stormwater management and flood protection, but they do not provide many of the co-benefits that are common with NBS. Grey infrastructure is designed to quickly collect and remove rainwater, whereas NBS keep rainwater where it falls, and where it can be used by the environment. Many stakeholders lack knowledge of the capabilities and benefits of NBS, and as a result, they continue to rely on grey infrastructure in their projects. When information is made available on the benefits and how they can be quantitatively measured, it is hoped that NBS will be promoted to a mainstream infrastructure choice. A valuable way to quantify and highlight the benefits of NBS is by using an evaluation framework. There are several evaluation frameworks that qualitatively assess the potential benefits of possible NBS, however there is a need for quantitative frameworks that can assess the actual benefits (or performance) of implemented (or existing) NBS. This article presents an evaluation framework that aims to quantify the benefits and co-benefits of implemented NBS. The framework involves five main steps: (1) selection of NBS benefit categories, (2) selection of NBS indicators, (3) calculation of indicator values, (4) calculation of NBS grade, and (5) recommendations. The outcome of the framework is a single numerical grade that reflects the benefit functioning for an NBS site and values for each performance indicator. This information may be used by decision makers to determine their budget allocations to expand or construct a new NBS site, to update maintenance plans that will improve the benefits of that site, to set up programs to monitor the NBS benefits and co-benefits over time, and to schedule labour and resources for other NBS projects. The framework was tested and validated on a case study of NBS in Thailand. Through conversations with stakeholders and knowledge of the case study area, relevant categories and indicators were chosen. Using data and information obtained through various means, values for each indicator and the overall NBS grade were calculated. The values revealed which benefits were pronounced, those that were weak, and where improvements were required.

scholarly journals Regional variation of HUIS in Achterhoeks

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-150
Author(s):  
Melody Pattison
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
West Germanic ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
The Status ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up ◽  
North And South

Abstract This research considers the pronunciation of the Standard Dutch vowel /œy/ in the Achterhoek region, where it is typically realised as a monophthong. Previous studies (eg. Kloeke, 1927; Van Reenen, 2005; 2006; Gerritsen and Jansen, 1979) have shown a variable use of [y] and [u] in this area of the Netherlands. However, this research follows on from previous studies by considering the links between rural and non-rural pronunciation, as well as a geographical split between the north and south of the region. During the summer of 2015, 34 Achterhoeks speakers (aged from 26-73) from different towns in the region were recorded completing a picture task and reading sentences designed to elicit marked dialectal pronunciations. F1 and F2 formant frequencies were analysed in Praat (Boersma and Weenink, 2014) and a formant editor developed by Sóskuthy (2014), and then compared in order to arrive at the results. These were then compared with the findings from a 1979 corpus designed by Leendert van Prooije. A system of classifying Dutch vowels into lexical sets (cf. Wells, 1982) was developed in order to more concisely discuss pronunciation differences; under this system, the vowels in question would fall under what has been termed the HUIS vowel.The first result is that variations in the position of the vowel following some rhotics were observed in the speakers. Grouped into age, gender, and location, and measured through normalised formant frequencies, it was found that the more retracted vowel [u] was observed in rural speakers, whereas the fronted vowel [y] was seen in speakers from non-rural areas. Where the vowel appeared in any position other than following the rhotic consonant, it was realised as [y], without any observable differences between speakers. However, further analysis of the FAND II corpus revealed that this effect was not always consistent.In the case of the HUIS vowel, it would appear there is variation based on the status of participants’ locations. The vowel [y] in this area of the Netherlands resulted in a shift from the older [u] of West Germanic dialects (Kloeke, 1927; Van Reenen, 2006), so here the [u] pronunciation after /r/ could be considered a relic of the older dialect of the area. This result was then considered alongside the possibility of a /ru/ isogloss involving more locations within the area of the Achterhoek. Using data from the FAND II database, it was found that there was some evidence for the existence of such an isogloss as a possible alternative explanation.This study therefore presents the conclusion that, based on the HUIS vowel, the style of speakers residing in the north-eastern part of the Achterhoek is likely to be more representative of the traditional dialect. Further exploration of this conclusion could be set up in other aspects of speech, and thus we can consider the implications for the future of the dialect in the southern and western areas.

scholarly journals Learning disabilities services: primary care or mental health trust?

2000 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 368-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean O'Hara
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Disability Services ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
National Service Framework ◽  
Health Trust ◽  
Service Framework

In the next few months the London Region is expected to publish its strategy for learning disability services in the capital. This will inform the National Service Framework due in the autumn. At the same time, many trusts and health authorities are at various stages of reorganisation and reconfiguration. With the dawning of primary care trusts, single speciality mental health trusts and joint commissioning between health and social services, the debate over where learning disability services are best placed and their interface with mental health services has re-emerged (Barron et al, 2000).

scholarly journals New trends in the health care provision for people with learning disabilities: a Welsh paradigm

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 442-444
Author(s):  
H. M. Verma
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Health Care Provision ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Community Based ◽  
At Home

The launch of the All Wales Strategy for people with learning disabilities in 1983 heralded an era of redressing the anomaly of 80% of resources being deployed in hospitals while the majority of people with learning disabilities lived at home (Welsh Office, 1983). Social services were given the lead responsibility to plan and co-ordinate services away from institutions towards community based facilities. In 1983, some 2,100 people with a learning disability were resident in hospitals and hostels; by April 1991 the number had fallen to just over 1,300. There was a concomitant development of services in the community with a rise in the number of adults living in ordinary accommodation from 170 to 1,000. The priorities for development of services in the second phase of the strategy were set out in the ‘Framework for Development’ from April 1992 (Welsh Office, 1993).

scholarly journals FUNCTIONS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION IN PROMOTING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES IN RURAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN: TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ BELIEFS

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (02) ◽  
pp. 91-107
Author(s):  
Dr. Syed Zubair Haider
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Important Idea ◽  
Set Up

Social enterprise is an important idea to resolve many societal issues at micro and macro level. This global concept appeared to have a significant impact on the improvement of communities. Like other countries, Pakistan has also been depositing significant resources in framework of social enterprise to supplement community services. This paper therefore, examined the beliefs about the functions of distance education in promoting social enterprises in rural areas of Punjab. Total 360 students and 120 teachers (with rural background) from 06 universities were the sample of the study. The data were collected purposively using two separate questionnaires. Multilevel analyses were performed to measure the participants’ beliefs. It is obvious from the findings that distance education performed significantly to enhance the awareness of social enterprises in the rural setting. This awareness also demonstrates as social services and attempt to enhance social set-up of the rural residents.

The Contacts that People with Learning Disabilities Have with Health and Social Services

1999 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
R. McConkey ◽  
D. McAteer
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Using Data

This study summarizes all the documented service inputs that people with learning disabilities received from one community health and social services trust in Northern Ireland during a 12-month period. Using data obtained from two computer-based recording systems used in Northern Ireland, the extent and type of service provision for this population is described. In all, 10 different health professionals were mainly involved with some inputs from a further six health workers, while social services offered a further eight service inputs. However, the services provided varied across different age groupings and levels of dependency. Three key issues are discussed: the number of different professionals involved; the co-ordination of service inputs and the criteria used to determine which persons receive a service and those who do not. The difficulties involved in undertaking an audit of this type are outlined but the potential contribution to achieving more cost-beneficial services are noted.

Specific Learning Disabilities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Lonigan
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Specific Learning Disability ◽  
Specific Learning Disabilities ◽  
Low Achievement ◽  
Specific Learning

Specific learning disability is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting about 5–8% of the school-aged population. A key concept in specific learning disabilities is unexpected low achievement. An individual whose achievement in reading, math, or writing is both low and less than what would be expected based on developmental capacity and opportunity to learn and whose low achievement cannot be explained by a sensory impairment, limited language proficiency, or other impairing medical condition is considered to have a specific learning disability. This chapter provides an overview of issues and challenges involved in the identification and diagnosis of a specific learning disability, and it provides information on prevalence, epidemiology, and interventions for specific learning disabilities. Response-to-instruction models of identification hold promise for the identification of individuals with a specific learning disability, and they provide a means for the identification of false positives while enhancing the instructional context for children at risk.

scholarly journals Impacts of Electricity Outages in Urban Households in Developing Countries: A Case of Accra, Ghana

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3676
Author(s):  
Paul Nduhuura ◽  
Matthias Garschagen ◽  
Abdellatif Zerga
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Electricity Supply ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Urban Households ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Family Setting

Many developing countries in Africa face a “double tragedy” when it comes to electrification. Electricity access rates are low, while those who have access to electricity face frequent outages. There are ongoing efforts aimed at increasing access to electricity on the continent. However, the need to improve the reliability of electricity supply receives limited attention. Unreliable electricity impacts users by limiting electricity utilization and the benefits that should accrue from having an electricity connection. Using data from 496 household survey questionnaires, this study examines the impacts of electricity outages in urban households in Accra, Ghana. The study applies correlation and regression analyses to identify which household characteristics are associated with or predict households reporting outage impacts. Outages were found to impact household safety/security, access to food, and access to social services and were found to cause appliance damage as well. Factors that are significantly correlated with reporting certain outage impacts include respondent’s annual income and employment status, frequency of electricity outages, and household size. Significant predictors of reporting outage impacts are socioeconomic disadvantage, high exposure to outages, and living in a large family setting. The study’s findings underscore the need for interventions to eliminate, or at least minimize, electricity supply interruptions in developing countries if sustainable social and economic development is to be achieved.

scholarly journals Integration of various scales for measurement of insomnia

2021 ◽  
pp. 263208432110100
Author(s):  
Satyendra Nath Chakrabartty
Keyword(s):  
Test Scores ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Weighted Sum ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Normal Probability ◽  
Equivalent Test ◽  
Item Scores ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Different Levels

Background Scales for evaluating insomnia differ in number of items, response format, and result in different scores distributions and score ranges and may not facilitate meaningful comparisons. Objectives Transform ordinal item-scores of three scales of insomnia to continuous, equidistant, monotonic, normally distributed scores, avoiding limitations of summative scoring of Likert scales. Methods Equidistant item-scores by weighted sum using data-driven weights to different levels of different items, considering cell frequencies of Item-Levels matrix, followed by normalization and conversion to [1, 10]. Equivalent test-scores (as sum of transformed item- scores) for a pair of scales were found by Normal Probability curves. Empirical illustration given. Results Transformed test-scores are continuous, monotonic and followed Normal distribution with no outliers and tied scores. Such test-scores facilitate ranking, better classification and meaningful comparison of scales of different lengths and formats and finding equivalent score combinations of two scales. For a given value of transformed test-score of a scale, easy alternate method avoiding integration proposed to find equivalent scores of another scales. Equivalent scores of scales help to relate various cut-off scores of different scales and uniformity in interpretations. Integration of various scales of insomnia is achieved by finding one-to-one correspondence among the equivalent score of various scales with correlation over 0.99 Conclusion Resultant test-scores facilitated undertaking analysis in parametric set up. Considering the theoretical advantages including meaningfulness of operations, better comparison, use of such method of transforming scores of Likert items/test is recommended test and items, Future studies were suggested.

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