scholarly journals Paradise regained: older adult rock climbers turning space into place in the natural environment

Envigogika ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Hickman ◽  
Colin Beard ◽  
Alison Inkster

At the time of writing there are over 10 million people aged over 65 living in the UK, and by 2050 the number is predicted to rise to 19 million. This expansion of the ageing population is mirrored worldwide, and over the past ten years has stimulated a growth in age-related studies. However, the idea of a social gerontology of the outdoors is yet to take root. Yet, with the maturing of those born between the years 1946 and 1964, and increased participation in adventurous activities, we suggest that the time is right for scholarship in this specific direction. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to discover how older adult rock climbers perceived their relationship with the natural environment to have changed over the period of their involvement with rock climbing. The investigation used a purposive sample of rock climbers in the north-west of England (n=10) aged between 65 and 74 years (av=69.6) identifying them as ‘young-old’ adults. Oral testimony was collected over two phases, the first with interview-questionnaires, and the second with targeted semi-structured interviews. In order to give a clear voice to participants, manual data handling using was used to establish raw data that were then sorted into themes and verified against internal and external checkers. These were then organized around Peace, Wahl, Mollenkopf and Oswald’s (2014) concept of an ‘environment’ considered within three dimensions: the physical/material, including the natural landscape; the psychological, and the meaning attributed to the place, its evolution across the life course, and how it makes people feel about themselves; and the social/cultural, involving the engagement of people to places, including how the space is used and remembered.

Author(s):  
David Allen ◽  
Graeme Mitchell ◽  
Michael Pascucilla

AbstractIt is clear that there is an increasing proportion of the United Kingdom (UK) population who are suffering with food allergies and this combined with an increase in the frequency of eating away from home (where there is less control over the content of food) poses a significant risk. In December 2014, the European Union (EU) introduced legislation which aimed to ensure that customers with food allergens could make informed choices and safely consume food, without the risk of a potentially life-threatening reaction. The research used semi-structured interviews with staff from a BCB, located in the North West of the UK, as the aim of the research was to explore food handlers’ knowledge, attitudes and understanding of food allergens. The findings of the semi-structured interviews identified five themes: E-learning training programmes: the staff felt that these were ineffective and did not take into account individual learning styles. Responsibility: there is a lack of clarity as to who is responsible, with staff believing the key responsibility lies with the customer. Communication: similarly, communication, both within the kitchen and within the company was not clear and likely to give rise to confusion. Need to make a profit: the staff felt that the drive for profit meant that customer safety was being compromised, especially when staff numbers were reduced. Staff awareness: the staff felt confident in their own ability to prepare a safe meal but indicated that staff may be dismissive towards claims of allergen sufferers. In conclusion, these themes illustrate that a significant risk exists for allergen suffers, who rely upon the knowledge, attitudes and understanding of BCB staff to ensure their meals are safely prepared.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 928.2-929
Author(s):  
S. Juman ◽  
T. David ◽  
L. Gray ◽  
R. Hamad ◽  
S. Horton ◽  
...  

Background:Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is widely used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue disease. The prevalence of retinopathy in patients taking long-term HCQ is approximately 7.5%, increasing to 20-50% after 20 years of therapy. Hydroxychloroquine prescribed at ≤5 mg/kg poses a toxicity risk of <1% up to five years and <2% up to ten years, but increases sharply to almost 20% after 20 years. Risk factors for retinopathy include doses >5mg/kg/day, concomitant tamoxifen or chloroquine use and renal impairment. The UK Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) 2018 guidelines for HCQ screening recommend optimal treatment dosage and timing for both baseline and follow-up ophthalmology review for patients on HCQ, with the aim of preventing iatrogenic visual loss. This is similar to recommendations made by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (2016).Objectives:To determine adherence to the RCOphth guidelines for HCQ screening within the Rheumatology departments in the North-West of the UK.Methods:Data for patients established on HCQ and those initiated on HCQ therapy were collected over a 7 week period from 9 Rheumatology departments.Results:473 patients were included of which 56 (12%) were new starters and 417 (88%) were already established on HCQ. 79% of the patients were female, with median ages of 60.5 and 57 years for new and established patients respectively. The median (IQR) weight for new starters was 71 (27.9) kg and for established patients, 74 (24.7) kg.20% of new starters exceeded 5mg/kg daily HCQ dose. 16% were identified as high risk (9% had previously taken chloroquine, 5% had an eGFR <60ml/min/m2and 2% had retinal co-pathology). Of the high-risk group, 44% were taking <5mg/kg. In total, 36% of new starters were referred for a formal baseline Ophthalmology review.In the established patients, 74% were taking ≤5mg/kg/day HCQ dose and 16% were categorized as high risk (10% had an eGFR less than 60ml/min/m2, 3% had previous chloroquine or tamoxifen use and 2% had retinal co-pathology). In the high-risk group, 75% were not referred for spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). 41% of patients established on HCQ for <5 years, and 33% of patients on HCQ for >5 years were not referred for SD-OCT. Reasons for not referring included; awaiting 5 year review, previous screening already performed and optician review advised.Since the introduction of the RCOphth guidelines, 29% patients already established on HCQ had an alteration in the dosage of HCQ in accordance with the guidelines. In the high-risk group, 16% were not on the recommended HCQ dose.Conclusion:This audit demonstrates inconsistencies in adherence to the RCOphth guidelines for HCQ prescribing and ophthalmology screening within Rheumatology departments in the North-West of the UK for both new starters and established patients. Plans to improve this include wider dissemination of the guidelines to Rheumatology departments and strict service level agreements with ophthalmology teams to help optimize HCQ prescribing and screening for retinopathy.Acknowledgments:Drs. S Jones, E MacPhie, A Madan, L Coates & Prof L Teh. Co-1st author, T David.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


Author(s):  
W.N. Minnaar ◽  
R.C. Krecek

Information on the socioeconomic aspects and the health status of dogs in 2 resource-limited communities in the North West and Gauteng provinces of South Africa was gathered using semi-structured interviews and a standardised questionnaire. The dogs were examined clinically to determine their health status, and their body condition and age were scored. Most of the dogs (93 % in Jericho and 90 % in Zuurbekom) were infected with hookworm, which poses a threat to animal and human health in the 2 study areas. Many dogs were also being given a protein-deficient diet, which together with hookworm parasites would impact considerably on the dog's health. Dogs were mainly kept for security reasons. The need indicated to be most important by the residents of the 2 commnities was a lack of available and affordable veterinary services.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 4531-4561 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Young ◽  
A. J. Poulton ◽  
T. Tyrrell

Abstract. Within the context of the UK Ocean Acidification project, Emiliania huxleyi (type A) coccolith morphology was examined from samples collected during cruise D366. In particular, a morphometric study of coccolith size and degree of calcification was made on scanning electron microscope images of samples from shipboard CO2 perturbation experiments and from a set of environmental samples with significant variation in calcite saturation state (Ωcalcite). One bioassay in particular (E4 from the southern North Sea) yielded unambiguous results – in this bioassay exponential growth from a low level occurred with no artificial stimulation and coccosphere numbers increased ten-fold during the experiment. The samples with elevated CO2 saw significantly reduced coccolithophore growth. However, coccolithophore morphology was not significantly affected by the changing CO2 conditions even under the highest levels of perturbation (1000 μatm). Environmental samples similarly showed no correlation of coccolithophore morphology with calcite saturation state. Some variation in coccolith size and degree of calcification does occur but this seems to be predominantly due to genotypic differentiation between populations on the shelf and in the open ocean.


Finisterra ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (62) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Pike ◽  
Mário Vale

The industrial policy in the UK and in Portugal, as in most EU countries, seeks to attract new investment capacity, to create jobs and to promote the impact of the so-called "demonstration efect" of "greenfield" development strategies pursued in the new plants of inward investors on existing or "brownfield" plants. This industrial policy focus is particularly evident in the automobile industry.This paper compares the industrial policy oriented towards the automobile industry in the UK and in Portugal. Two recent "greenfield" investments are analised: Nissan in the North-East region (UK) and Ford/VW in the Setúbal Peninsula (Portugal), as well as three "brownfield" plants: Ford Halewood and GM Vauxhall Ellesmere Port in the North-West region (UK) and Renault in Setúbal (Portugal). The first part starts with a discussion of industrial policy in the automobile sector, the role of "greenfield" development strategies and the "demonstration effect" on "brownfield" plants. Then, the limits of new inward investment are pointed out, basically their problems and restrictions. Afterwards, the structural barriers to the "demonstration effect" within "brownfield" plants are outlined and some possabilities for alternative "brownfield" development strategies are presented.


Author(s):  
Ana Porroche-Escudero ◽  
Jennie Popay

Abstract Background Despite insistent calls for more and better evidence to inform action to reduce health inequities, applied health research sensitive to these inequalities is rare. Recognising this problem, the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Research and Care in the North West Coast (England) developed the Health Inequalities Assessment Toolkit (HIAT) to support those involved in health research to integrate equity into their work. Objective This paper reports on an evaluation of the extent to which HIAT enhances the equity focus of the work of users. Methods The evaluation used semi-structured interviews, focus groups and workshops (n = 131 respondents including Public Advisers, university, NHS and local government partners). Routine data included HIAT feedback forms. Findings HIAT can help to strengthen the equity focus of applied health research by: increasing understanding of how socioeconomic inequities impact on health; building capacity for integrating equity into all aspects of research, implementation and capacity building; stimulating thinking on action to address local structural drivers of health inequalities; and increasing understanding of the positive contribution public involvement can make to research. Conclusion If we are to advance health equity goals delivering research and training needs to be combined with political commitment to create more equal societies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (70) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Sergio Roncallo Dow ◽  
Germán Antonio Arango-Forero

Audience fragmentation has become a recurrent theoretical framework in the early 21 Century, used mainly to depict the new complex and dynamic relationships established between media and consumers. However, some academic studies have been published which expand on the meanings and implications of the so called fragmentation from the audience perspective. This paper is based on empirical research undertaken in Colombia, among young people (17-24 year-olds) who live in the ten most important urban areas of this country located at the north-west corner of South America. A mixed methodology was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods with a statistical sample. Conclusions support a theoretical proposal based on what the authors call the three dimensions of audiences’ fragmentation: intramedia, intermedia and transmedia fragmentation as a way to understand the new relationships established between media content producers and active and participative consumers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 186 (3) ◽  
pp. 92-92
Author(s):  
Fernando Malalana ◽  
Jo L Ireland ◽  
Gina Pinchbeck ◽  
Cathy M McGowan

BackgroundUveitis appears to be less prevalent in the UK compared with other parts of the world and studies characterising the disease in the UK are lacking. The objectives of this retrospective study were to describe acute and recurrent cases presenting for management of uveitis in a referral hospital on the North West of England and compare the signalment of horses presenting with uveitis with the equine hospital population during the same period.MethodsMedical records of horses presented to the referral Equine Hospital, University of Liverpool with signs of uveitis between 2008 and 2018 were reviewed and clinical details extracted.ResultsSeventy horses presented with uveitis; 33 were classified as acute and 37 as recurrent cases. Sixteen of the horses were affected bilaterally. More bilateral cases were classified as recurrent than acute (P=0.04). No differences in age or sex were noted between acute and recurrent cases, or between cases and the general hospital population. Warmbloods and Appaloosas were over-represented when compared with the general hospital population (P<0.001). Twenty-one horses (30 per cent, 95 per cent CI 20.5 to 41.4) underwent surgery for the control of the uveitis. Fourteen of the 70 horses (20.0 per cent, 95 per cent CI 12.3 to 30.8) underwent enucleation.ConclusionWhile relatively uncommon in the UK, uveitis can affect horses from a relatively young age. The disease appears to have a relatively higher frequency than expected in Warmbloods and Appaloosas. It is more likely that a recurrent case will have both eyes affected.


2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (691) ◽  
pp. e102-e110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verity Wainwright ◽  
Lis Cordingley ◽  
Carolyn A Chew-Graham ◽  
Nav Kapur ◽  
Jenny Shaw ◽  
...  

BackgroundPeople bereaved by suicide are a vulnerable group, also at risk of dying by suicide. The importance of postvention support (intervention after suicide) has recently been highlighted; however, little is known about the support needs of parents bereaved by suicide in the UK, and the role played by general practice.AimTo explore the perspectives, experiences, and support needs of parents bereaved by suicide.Design and settingThis was a qualitative study, with semi-structured interviews conducted between 2012 and 2014 in the north of England and the Midlands, with parents bereaved by their son or daughter’s suicide.MethodInterviews explored parents’ experiences of suicide bereavement following the death of their son or daughter, with a focus on their experiences of support from primary care. Interviews were analysed thematically using constant comparison.ResultsTwenty-three interviews were conducted. Three themes were identified from the data: the importance of not feeling alone; perceived barriers to accessing support; and the need for signposting for additional support. Some parents reported having experienced good support from their general practice; others described a number of barriers to accessing help, including triage processes. Primary care was considered to be an important avenue of support but GPs were often perceived as uncertain how to respond. The need for information, signposting to avenues of support, and the helpfulness of group support were also highlighted.ConclusionParents believed it was important that people working in general practice have an awareness of suicide bereavement and understanding of their needs, including knowledge of where to direct people for further support.


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