Contentious Issues and Future Directions in Adolescent Gambling Research

Background. There is currently considerable public policy and regulatory interest in the nature and prevalence of underage gambling. Research in this area has purported to show that adolescents are at elevated risk of problem gambling and that early exposure to gambling or gambling-like activities could be a potential precursor to future harm. Method. In this commentary, we provide a critical appraisal of these arguments with reference to major studies in the field of gambling studies. It is argued that adolescent gambling research is a contentious area. Some questions remain concerning the validity of adolescent problem gambling measures, the strength of the association between adolescent and adult gambling and the impact of simulated gambling activities. Results. The paper summarises the conceptual and methodological issues that should be considered and addressed in future studies to strengthen the validity of research in this area. Conclusion. The paper encourages the greater use of harm-based measures, longitudinal and individual-level transition analyses and questions that capture the influence of activities rather than just their temporal sequencing.

A threat to cosmopolitan duties? How COVID-19 has been used as a tool to undermine refugee rights

The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 provided cover for some states to take strict and hostile measures against refugees and asylum seekers, thereby privileging self-regarding over other-regarding or cosmopolitan-oriented policies. The hostile measures, which have included detentions, pushbacks and other refugee deterrence actions not only appeared to shake the refugee system, but they increased the vulnerability of asylum seekers and refugees who continued to be exposed to torture, drownings at sea, trafficking and sexual violence. This development, which included a fine-tuning of some measures that had been hatched before the emergence of COVID-19, appeared to set back efforts to nurture the bonds of global human solidarity and expand moral and ethical boundaries beyond state borders. However, the international refugee regime continues and is supported by many states and other international actors that seek to emphasise cosmopolitan and other-regarding policies. The resilience of the refugee system underlines the fact that international society has a practical and moral basis to challenge exclusionist policies towards asylum seekers and refugees, prevent future harm that might result from asylum deterrence policies and develop more humane forms of international refugee governance.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Medical Device Reporting and Investigation

Introduction The Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database houses medical device reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In May 2020, the FDA released guidance about medical device reporting during a pandemic, anticipating delays in reporting and investigating events involving medical devices. Methods We aimed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted medical device reporting by analyzing reports in the MAUDE database that mention COVID-19. Results From the 816,470 reports submitted between January 1 and July 31, 2020, 3,500 (0.43%) included phrases related to COVID-19. Of these reports, 4.8% (167/3,500) described adverse events during COVID-19 patients’ treatment, and 90.3% (3,161 /3,500) described barriers manufacturers faced investigating malfunctioning devices during the pandemic. 4.9% (172/3,500) of reports were not related to COVID-19. Malfunctions were clinically significant in 85.8% (3,004/3,500) of reports. Discussion Reports indicate challenges some manufacturers had when investigating medical devices during the pandemic. The pandemic made investigating implants uniquely difficult, as restrictions to person-to-person contact limited the type of care patients could receive. Because full-scale investigations into malfunctioning devices may be difficult to perform during the pandemic, safety issues may go unaddressed and result in future harm to patients. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad of healthcare, travel, and shipping challenges it created impacted how manufacturers reported and investigated medical devices. At the current time, it is unclear how manufacturers will address delayed clinical management of implant devices and other uninvestigated malfunctions after the pandemic and how this will impact patient safety.

Main Features of the Inter-American Convention on Violence Against Women

Violence against women is worldwide in scope. It occurs in both developed and developing countries regardless of the dominant religion or political ideology. One of the major reflections of gender inequality in society is violence against women. Gender-based social violence to women is defined as gender-based violence “directed to a woman just because she is a woman or affecting women disproportionately.” Regardless of the geographical border, economic development or education level, violence against women is rather common in many cultures all around the world. As an important social problem, violence to women not only leads to physical and spiritual damage in women but also prevents them to improve themselves socially. With the Belem Do Para Convention signed in 1994, an important step was taken in this direction. Mechanisms in this convention are trying to protect. This convention provides solutions for the protection of women who have been subjected to violence, as well as protection mechanisms to prevent future harm to women.

Main Features of the Inter-American Convention on Violence Against Women

Violence against women is worldwide in scope. It occurs in both developed and developing countries and regardless of the dominant religion or political ideology. One of the major reflections of gender inequality in society is violence against women. Gender-based social violence to women is defined as gender-based violence “directed to a woman just because she is a woman or affecting women disproportionately.” Regardless of the geographical border, economic development or education level, violence against women is rather common in many cultures all around the world. As an important social problem, violence to women not only leads to physical and spiritual damage in a woman but also prevents her to improve herself socially. With the Belem Do Para Convention signed in 1994, an important step was taken in this direction. Mechanisms in this convention are trying to protect. This convention provides solutions for the protection of women who have been subjected to violence, as well as protection mechanisms to prevent future harm to women.

Organizational support for frontline harm reduction and systems navigation work among workers with living and lived experience: qualitative findings from British Columbia, Canada

Background The inclusion of people with lived and living experience of substance use is essential to effective and client-centered harm reduction services and strategies. The aim of this study is to critically examine and characterize peer worker roles and the definition, recognition, and support for these roles within harm reduction organizations. Methods Fifteen interviews were conducted with peer workers—people with lived and living experience of substance use engaged in harm reduction service delivery—in British Columbia, Canada. An interpretive descriptive approach to data analysis was used to generate themes that best illustrated the roles of peer workers. Findings Two interrelated and overarching themes are presented: (1) peer work in practice; (2) organizational support. Our findings illustrate that peer work is incredibly complex and demanding, requiring peers to be at the forefront of support within their communities while simultaneously navigating the oppressive structures within which they work. While peer workers found a high degree of purpose and meaning in their day-to-day work, their roles lacked definition within organizations, which produced feelings of ineffectiveness and being undervalued. A lack of organizational understanding and recognition of their roles was evident from unclear "peer" role titles, a lack of role communication and expectations, the representation of experiential knowledge, and a lack of role support and training. Conclusions These findings may help harm reduction organizations understand peer work and worker roles which may inform and promote equity in future harm reduction initiatives that include people with living and lived experience of substance use.

Behavior Patterns, Energy Consumption and Comfort during COVID-19 Lockdown Related to Home Features, Socioeconomic Factors and Energy Poverty in Madrid

During spring 2020, the world was shocked at the imminent global spread of SARS-CoV-2, resorting to measures such as domestic confinement. This meant the reconfiguration of life in an unusual space; the home. However, not all households experienced it in the same way; many of them were vulnerable. A general increase in energy consumption and discomfort in many cases, led these families to suffer the ravages of confinement. This study analyzes the energy and comfort situation for the Madrid (Spain) population, according to the configuration of the homes, the characteristics of the dwellings, the vulnerability index by district, and energy poverty (measured with the 10% threshold of energy expenditure of home incomes). The results show a greater exposure, in confinement, of vulnerable and energy-poor households to scenarios of discomfort in the home, to which they could not respond, while energy consumption inevitably increased. Driven by need, energy-poor homes applied certain saving strategies, mainly resorting to thermal adaptation with clothing. This study shows the risk these households experienced in the face of an extreme situation, and invites reflection on preventive and containment measures that aim to avoid harming the disadvantaged in the future; harm that would also entail serious consequences on the health of their cohabitants.

Part V The Scope of Refugee Protection, Ch.46 Displacement in the Context of Climate Change and Disasters

The links between climate change, disasters, and displacement are now undisputed. Yet, extant legal frameworks do not expressly address the movement of people across borders in response to or in anticipation of disasters or climate change-related harms. This chapter examines the limits and scope of existing international legal frameworks (refugee law, human rights law, and the law on statelessness) to address displacement in the context of disasters and climate change. It also briefly considers measures that would enable people to remain in their homes, where possible and desirable, or to migrate or relocate elsewhere, as an adaptation strategy in anticipation of potential future harm. While climate change will affect migration, it will not be the sole cause. Rather, climate change will interact with a range of economic, social, and political drivers, which themselves affect migration. For this reason, the chapter argues that it is conceptually sounder to view climate change-related movement as a part of global migration dynamics, rather than as a discrete, independent category.

A ticking time bomb of future harm: Lockdown, child abuse and future violence

The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of national lockdowns has generated significant changes in the citizenry's material realities. Although the efficacy of lockdown is yet to be determined, emerging evidence points to a rise in unintended harms, such as increased child abuse and neglect. Indeed, reported incidences of child abuse in many countries across the world have increased as at-risk children are confined to their dwelling for significant periods of time with a violent perpetrator. Drawing on recently developed theories that indicate a mediated causal link between childhood trauma and a commitment to violent behaviour in later life, particularly in young men, this article claims lockdown may be an unintended ‘violence generating mechanism’ that might potentially manifest itself in increased violent outbursts in the future. First, the article briefly outlines how lockdowns have impacted upon societies. It then explores the statistical upsurge in child abuse and neglect, including afar as Croatia, South Africa, New Zealand, China, Uganda, Nepal and the United Kingdom. The paper closes with a discussion of the empirical evidence that demonstrates a link between childhood trauma and violence in later life, concluding that lockdowns may act as a ticking time bomb of future harm.