scholarly journals Beyond Behaviour: How Health Inequality Theory Can Enhance Our Understanding of the ‘Alcohol-Harm Paradox’

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6025
Author(s):  
Jennifer Boyd ◽  
Clare Bambra ◽  
Robin C. Purshouse ◽  
John Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Health Inequality ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Consistent Finding ◽  
Socioeconomic Groups ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
Alcohol Related Harm ◽  
Related Harm

There are large socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol-related harm. The alcohol harm paradox (AHP) is the consistent finding that lower socioeconomic groups consume the same or less as higher socioeconomic groups yet experience greater rates of harm. To date, alcohol researchers have predominantly taken an individualised behavioural approach to understand the AHP. This paper calls for a new approach which draws on theories of health inequality, specifically the social determinants of health, fundamental cause theory, political economy of health and eco-social models. These theories consist of several interwoven causal mechanisms, including genetic inheritance, the role of social networks, the unequal availability of wealth and other resources, the psychosocial experience of lower socioeconomic position, and the accumulation of these experiences over time. To date, research exploring the causes of the AHP has often lacked clear theoretical underpinning. Drawing on these theoretical approaches in alcohol research would not only address this gap but would also result in a structured effort to identify the causes of the AHP. Given the present lack of clear evidence in favour of any specific theory, it is difficult to conclude whether one theory should take primacy in future research efforts. However, drawing on any of these theories would shift how we think about the causes of the paradox, from health behaviour in isolation to the wider context of complex interacting mechanisms between individuals and their environment. Meanwhile, computer simulations have the potential to test the competing theoretical perspectives, both in the abstract and empirically via synthesis of the disparate existing evidence base. Overall, making greater use of existing theoretical frameworks in alcohol epidemiology would offer novel insights into the AHP and generate knowledge of how to intervene to mitigate inequalities in alcohol-related harm.

scholarly journals Physical inactivity and health inequality during coronavirus: a novel opportunity or total lockdown?

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e000903
Author(s):  
Natalie F Shur ◽  
David Johns ◽  
Stefan Kluzek ◽  
Nicholas Peirce
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Inequality ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Restricted Movement ◽  
Socioeconomic Groups ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
The World ◽  
Additional Burden ◽  
Public Health Promotion

Government-restricted movement during the coronavirus pandemic in various countries around the world has led to rapid and fundamental changes in our health behaviour. As well as being at a higher risk of contracting and being hospitalised with COVID-19, the elderly, those with chronic disease and lower socioeconomic groups are also disproportionately affected by restriction of movement, further widening the physical activity health inequality. In this viewpoint we discuss the physiological sequelae of physical inactivity, and the additional burden of ageing and inflammation. We provide recommendations for public health promotion and interventions to try to mitigate the detrimental effects of physical inactivity and rebalance the health inequality.

scholarly journals Exploring the use of workplaces to recruit “hard-to-reach” male drinkers to a survey on alcohol use and awareness of health messages

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dance ◽  
Charlotte Dack ◽  
Celia Lasheras ◽  
Cathy McMahon ◽  
Paul Scott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Financial Incentive ◽  
Health Messages ◽  
Heavy Episodic Drinking ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Recruitment Strategies ◽  
Public Health Messages ◽  
Alcohol Related Harm ◽  
Related Harm

Abstract Background Lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups, particularly lower SES males, are at greater risk of alcohol-related harm than higher SES groups, despite drinking at the same level or less. However, they are rarely recruited for research through typical recruitment strategies. Consequently, limited evidence exists on patterns of alcohol use and effectiveness of public health messages for these groups. Using workplaces to recruit male drinkers from lower SES backgrounds may provide a feasible and accessible approach to research participation and enable improved understanding of alcohol use, drinking motives and acceptance of alcohol-related public health messages in this underrepresented and high-risk group. We investigated workplace-based strategies to recruit male drinkers from lower SES backgrounds. We also investigated their experiences and motivations for alcohol use, and acceptance of alcohol-related public health messages. Methods A feasibility element investigated the effectiveness of workplace-based strategies to recruit male drinkers from lower SES backgrounds in the south west of England. A pilot element investigated this population’s experiences and motivations for alcohol use, and acceptance of alcohol-related public health messages, through a mixed-methods survey. Results Feasibility results indicated that workplace-based recruitment strategies, including recruiting participants in person at their workplace and providing a financial incentive, effectively led to the recruitment of 84 male drinkers (70% recruitment rate), predominately from lower SES backgrounds, to a survey. Pilot results indicated that more than half of participants were at increasing risk of alcohol-related harm, and approximately one fifth engaged in weekly heavy episodic drinking. Participation in campaigns aimed at reducing alcohol use, and knowledge of government alcohol consumption guidelines, were low. Participants reported negative beliefs about alcohol including health effects, dependency and excess use, and financial and occupational effects. Positive beliefs about alcohol included relaxation, socialising, and enjoyment. Conclusions Workplace-based recruitment, using in-person recruitment and a financial incentive, may be a feasible strategy to recruit male drinkers from lower SES backgrounds. Pilot results may direct larger scale research aiming to understand alcohol use in this population and inform targeted public health messages. Workplace-based recruitment may represent a promising avenue for future research aiming to tackle inequalities in participation in alcohol research.

scholarly journals Harm Experienced from the Heavy Drinking of Family and Friends in the General Population: A Comparative Study of Six Northern European Countries

2015 ◽  
Vol 9s2 ◽  
pp. SART.S23746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Ramstedt ◽  
Erica Sundin ◽  
Inger Synnøve Moan ◽  
Elisabet E. Storvoll ◽  
Ingunn Olea Lund ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Northern European ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Full Picture ◽  
National Estimates ◽  
Alcohol Related Harm ◽  
Related Harm ◽  
Related Mortality

Background Epidemiological research on alcohol-related harm has long given priority to studies on harm to the drinker. A limitation with this perspective is that it neglects the harm drinking causes to people around the drinker, and thus, it fails to give a full picture of alcohol-related harm in society. Aim The aim was to compare the prevalence and correlates of experiencing harm from the heavy drinking by family and friends across the Nordic countries and Scotland and to discuss whether potential differences match levels of drinking, prevalence of binge drinking, and alcohol-related mortality. Data and Method Data from recent national general population surveys with similar questions on experiences of harms from the drinking of family and friends were collected from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Scotland. Results National estimates of the overall population prevalence of harm from the drinking of family and friends ranged from 14% to 28% across these countries, with the highest prevalence in Finland, Iceland, and Norway and lower estimates for Denmark, Sweden, and Scotland. Across all countries, the prevalence of harm from heavy drinking by family and friends was significantly higher among women and young respondents. Conclusion This study revealed large differences in the prevalence of harm across the study countries, as well as by gender and age, but the differences do not match the variation in population drinking and other indicators of harm. The implications of the findings for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Health Promotion Strategies to Address Gambling-Related Harm in Indigenous Communities: A Review of Reviews

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54
Author(s):  
Megan Whitty ◽  
Helen Breen ◽  
Marisa Paterson ◽  
Kate Sollis
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Review Of Reviews ◽  
Related Harm

The evolution of commercial gambling and its expansion into digital arenas has increased opportunities for people all over the world—including Indigenous people—to gamble. While there is considerable evidence for the suitability of a health promotion approach to improving the health and well-being of Indigenous communities worldwide, the evidence-base does not extend to the field of gambling research. A systematic review of reviews was conducted to identify relevant reviews in crossover areas of interest: interventions to address gambling-related harm in Indigenous populations and/or health promotion interventions on related health or behavioural outcomes. The quality of reviews was critically assessed—13 fit the inclusion criteria. Principal themes were characterised as being either related to ‘cultural,’ ‘structural,’ or ‘methodological’ factors. Findings indicate that an appropriate model of health promotion to address Indigenous gambling would necessarily involve careful consideration of all three elements. Applying a health promotion approach to the context of Indigenous gambling harms is increasingly relevant considering recent conceptual shifts in key areas, but there is currently limited evidence to guide the implementation and evaluation of such strategies. This review highlights what published evidence is available to strengthen future research in this area.

scholarly journals A review of servitization theoretical foundations

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 496
Author(s):  
Agustín Ruiz-Martín ◽  
Eloísa Díaz-Garrido
Keyword(s):  
Resource Dependence ◽  
Transaction Cost Economics ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Resource Dependence Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Organizational Boundaries ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Attention Performance ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

Purpose: This study seeks to analyse how the servitization topic has been addressed through different theoretical approaches. More specifically, the aim is to answer two key questions: What theoretical approaches have been used to study the phenomenon of servitization? What specific aspects of the servitization process have been analysed through each theoretical approach?Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopts a systematic literature review. The first step involves a descriptive analysis, which is then followed by a thematic one.Findings: The results show that the topic of servitization has been analysed according to the main boundary of the firm theories (Resource-based view, Game theory, and Transaction cost economics) and to organizational boundaries (Contingency theory and Resource dependence theory), among others. From the perspective of these theoretical frameworks, the following topics have received the most scholarly attention: Performance, Capabilities, Supply Chain Management, Business Model, Strategy, and Sustainability.Originality/value: Observations are made on the relevance that diverse theories have on the development of research into servitization. The most suitable theoretical lenses are recommended for future research.

Public appointments as a tool for public governance: a systematic literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Cocciasecca ◽  
Giuseppe Grossi ◽  
Alessandro Sancino
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Academic Journal ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Public Governance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Approaches

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review previous research on public appointments to systematize existing knowledge, identify gaps and discuss implications for future research in this field.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a systematic literature review, carried out using the Scopus database. We selected academic articles published in journals ranked in the 2018 CABS Academic Journal Guide plus public administration articles in journals classified by Google as falling within the areas of public policy and administration. The papers were analysed according to four categories: geographical area, theoretical framework, research method and organizational setting.FindingsResults show the lack of research regarding areas like Latin America or East Asia; from a theoretical viewpoint, given the lack of explicit theoretical approaches, future research should have more formal and clear theoretical frameworks. Moreover, given the dominance of case study and review/reflection studies, alternative research methods, such as surveys or mixed methods are suggested for future works.Research limitations/implicationsWe identify a new research agenda to revive the focus on public appointments as a tool for intra- and inter-organizational governance in the public sector. Specifically, we argue that how the process of public appointments is managed has huge democratic implications, and public managers have a key role to play in that respect by designing effective governance systems and organizational procedures. The selection of papers has been limited to articles published in peer- review journals ranked in the 2018 CABS Guide; no distinctions have been made regarding journals' positioning in the ranking. Moreover, this work takes a managerial and organizational approach, while the research on public appointments is clearly interdisciplinary, with previous contributions coming mainly from political scientists.Originality/valueDespite the relevant body of literature on this topic, this study represents the first manuscript to summarize the state of the art of this theme, providing a research agenda on this very relevant but quite neglected issue in public governance.

scholarly journals Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorder – A Systematic Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. SART.S39921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Espen Ajo Arnevik ◽  
Sissel Berge Helverschou
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Patient Group ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Consistent Finding

Objective Patients with co-occurring autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and substance use disorder (SUD) require special attention from clinical services. Screening for this co-occurrence is not generally an integral part of routine clinical assessments, and failure to identify and understand this group of patients may contribute to a worsening of their symptoms and/or an increase in drug abuse. Thus, there is a need to review the evidence base on patients with co-occurring ASD and SUD in order to enhance clinical practice and future research. Methods We reviewed all identified papers on patients with co-occurring ASD and SUD. The focus of the review was on epidemiology, patient characteristics, function of drug use, and the effect of current interventions. Results A total of 18 papers were included in the analysis. Eleven papers were based on epidemiological studies, although only one study reported the prevalence of ASD in an SUD population. Two papers explored the role of personality, three papers studied subgroups of individuals serving prison for violent or sexual crimes, and one paper explored the function of drugs in the ASD patient group. There were no studies testing specific treatment interventions. Conclusions In most of the treatment settings studied, there were relatively few patients with co-occurring ASD and SUD, but due to differences in study samples it was difficult to establish a general prevalence rate. The one consistent finding was the lack of focused treatment studies. There is clearly a need for research on interventions that take account of the special needs of this patient group.

scholarly journals Drinking patterns, alcohol-related harm and views on policies: results from a pilot of the International Alcohol Control Study in Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 165-175
Author(s):  
Mark van der Maas ◽  
Norman Giesbrecht ◽  
Gina Stoduto ◽  
Heather Orpana ◽  
Robert Geneau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Drinking And Driving ◽  
Control Policies ◽  
Alcohol Control ◽  
Canadian Context ◽  
Alcohol Related Harm ◽  
Control Study ◽  
Related Harm

Introduction We conducted a pilot assessment of the feasibility of implementing the International Alcohol Control (IAC) Study in Ontario, Canada, to allow for future comparisons on the impacts of alcohol control policies with a number of countries. Methods The IAC Study questionnaire was adapted for use in the province of Ontario, and a split-sample approach was used to collect data. Data were collected by computer-assisted telephone interviewing of 500 participants, with half the sample each answering a subset of the adapted IAC Study survey. Results Just over half of the sample (53.6%) reported high frequency drinking (once a week or more frequently), while 6.5% reported heavy typical occasion drinking (8 drinks or more per session). Self-reported rates of alcohol-related harms from one's own and others' drinking were relatively low. Attitudes towards alcohol control varied. A substantial majority supported more police spot checks to detect drinking and driving, while restrictions on the number of alcohol outlets and increases in the price of alcohol were generally opposed. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated that the IAC Study survey can be implemented in Canada with some modifications. Future research should assess how to improve participation rates and the feasibility of implementing the longitudinal aspect of the IAC Study. This survey provides additional insight into alcohol-related behaviours and attitudes towards alcohol control policies, which can be used to develop appropriate public health responses in the Canadian context.

scholarly journals Environmental factors in drinking venues and alcohol-related harm: the evidence base for European intervention

Addiction ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 106 ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Hughes ◽  
Zara Quigg ◽  
Lindsay Eckley ◽  
Mark Bellis ◽  
Lisa Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Alcohol Related Harm ◽  
Related Harm

scholarly journals Developing Academic Identity: A Review of the Literature on Doctoral Writing and Feedback

10.28945/4168 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 001-031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Inouye ◽  
Lynn McAlpine
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Academic Identity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Writing Feedback ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Doctoral Writing

Aim/Purpose: This systematic review synthesizes the literature on doctoral writing and feedback published in peer-reviewed English-language journals between 1997 and 2017 to provide insight into how these topics have been theorized and approached. The goal was to examine how this literature characterizes the development of academic identity in doctoral students to better understand the conceptual relationships underpinning previous studies, and advance work on writing, feedback, and identity to support budding researchers. Background: Research on doctoral writing and identity development has been a focus of research in higher education over the past two decades, as identity development has been recognized as a key outcome of doctoral study; the PhD program is meant to transform students into independent researchers. As a site of identity development, writing—and feedback on writing—are central to doctoral growth. Methodology: The systematic search resulted in 887 citations, of which 579 abstracts were read reducing the number of relevant citations to 95. These 95 full text papers were reviewed, and 37 studies met our inclusion criteria. Frequently cited papers were identified and 3 were added to the final corpus for a total of 40 articles. (Limitations include the constraint to English-language articles and the exclusion of books, book chapters, and conference papers.) All 40 articles were open coded for definitions of academic identity, theoretical frameworks, research context, and key themes. Contribution: This paper contributes a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical perspectives on identity development underlying recent work on doctoral writing and feedback. It demonstrates that this literature takes a largely sociocultural approach to identity: conceived as shaped largely by social structures and interactions. This review also confirms a complex relationship between writing, feedback, and identity in which doctoral students draw upon feedback on their writing to learn about what it means to be a researcher in practice, and how to communicate like a researcher in their relevant discourse communities, thereby advancing their research thinking and encouraging critical reflection on writing and research practices. Findings: The review revealed that the literature draws primarily on sociocultural perspectives, that is, examining writing and feedback through the lens of the practices of the groups in which the individual engages - with academic identity development, though rarely defined, represented as an iterative process of writing and feedback. We noted two gaps resulting from this perspective, which are highlighted by the very few studies taking different perspectives. The first is the lack of attention to individual variation in agency as regards seeking out and using feedback. The second is the potential influence of feedback on critical thinking, which is seen as central to PhD progress. Future Research: Future research may adopt varying theoretical approaches to identity development to shed light on the role of individual agency in identity construction. Future studies that focus on the process of how students respond to and are influenced (or not) by feedback would be useful in illuminating the connections between feedback, writing, and the development of research thinking—all of which contribute to identity development.

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