Injection of Anabolic Steroids in Men Who Had Sex with Men in Madrid and Barcelona: Prevalence Correlates and Role as a Risk Factor for Transmitted Infections

This study describes the prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) injection, their main correlates, and the prevalence of specific AAS injection risk behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM), an area insufficiently addressed in scientific research. Participants were HIV-negative MSM attending four HIV/STI diagnosis services: two clinics and two community programmes in Madrid and Barcelona. Participants answered an online self-administered questionnaire. Crude and adjusted lifetime prevalence and prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated by different factors and using Poisson regression models with robust variance. Of the 3510 participants, 6.1% (95% CI: 5.3–6.9) had injected AAS before and 3.5% (95% CI: 2.9–4.2) had done so in the last 12 months. In the multivariate analysis, AAS injection was independently associated with being over 40 years old (aPR = 3.6; 95% CI: 2.0–6.5) and being born in Latin America (aPR = 2.5; 95% CI:1.9–3.4), and was less strongly associated (aPRs of around two) with having been recruited into STI clinics, having ever been paid for sex before, injected drugs, used drugs for sex, having been diagnosed with an STI before, and having been diagnosed with HIV at the recruitment consultation. Only three participants, 1.4%, of those who had injected AAS before had shared AAS or equipment for preparation or injecting before. Conclusions: In contrast to drugs, AAS injecting behaviours do not play a relevant, direct role in the transmission of blood-borne infections among MSM. However, AAS injectors have a higher prevalence of sexual risk behaviours. These findings should be confirmed using new studies that employ other sampling procedures.

The impact of cultural beliefs and practices on parents’ experiences of bereavement following stillbirth: a qualitative study in Uganda and Kenya

Background Stillbirth is an extremely traumatic and distressing experience for parents, with profound and long-lasting negative impacts. Cultural beliefs and practices surrounding death vary considerably across different contexts and groups, and are a key influence on individual experiences, impacting grief, adjustment, and support needs. Few studies have explored cultural influences surrounding stillbirth in an African context. This study explored the influence of cultural beliefs and practices on the experiences of bereaved parents and health workers after stillbirth in urban and rural settings in Kenya and Uganda. Methods A qualitative descriptive study design was employed. Face to face interviews were conducted with parents (N = 134) who experienced a stillbirth (≤ 1 year) and health workers (N = 61) at five facilities in Uganda and Kenya. Interviews were conducted in English or the participants’ local language, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was conducted using descriptive thematic analysis. Results Commonalities in cultural beliefs and practices existed across the two countries. Three main themes were identified: 1) Gathering round, describes the collective support parents received from family and friends after stillbirth. 2)‘It is against our custom’ addresses cultural constraints and prohibitions impacting parents’ behaviour and coping in the immediate aftermath of the baby’s death. 3) ‘Maybe it’s God’s plan or witchcraft’ summarises spiritual, supernatural, and social beliefs surrounding the causes of stillbirth. Conclusions Kinship and social support helped parents to cope with the loss and grief. However, other practices and beliefs surrounding stillbirth were sometimes a source of stress, fear, stigma and anxiety especially to the women. Conforming to cultural practices meant that parents were prevented from: holding and seeing their baby, openly discussing the death, memory-making and attending the burial. The conflict between addressing their own needs and complying with community norms hindered parents’ grief and adjustment. There is an urgent need to develop culturally sensitive community programmes geared towards demystifying stillbirths and providing an avenue for parents to grieve in their own way.

Decolonising the languages curriculum: linguistic justice for linguistic ecologies

What is it? Decolonising the languages curriculum is a radical requirement to critically re-examine the way in which the languages curriculum has been formed in any context. It requires the examination of the power dynamics which have led to the dominance of certain languages over others and which languages are and are not accorded resources in schools, universities, and colleges by the state, by the military, by community programmes, and in families. Decolonising the languages curriculum requires what is known as a phenomenological double break.

Education Opportunities and Support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Bagamoyo District Tanzania

Education is a fundamental and universal basic need for all, especially orphans and vulnerable children in Tanzania. Education imparts knowledge, skills, and competencies to individuals. This study assessed educational opportunities and the support available to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Bagamoyo District to determine socioeconomic and psychological factors that limit access to education. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, non-participant observation and documentary review. The study involved 102 orphans and vulnerable children aged between 7 and 15 years and 35 adults key informants aged 25 years and above. The findings showed that OVC had access to free primary education but had limited access to secondary education. Access to education among OVC was constrained by limited and unreliable sources of funds to meet the necessary basic needs and school requirements including food, learning materials, school uniform, and fees. The findings show further that, OVC living in extended family experience more challenges compared to those staying in orphanage homes. OVC in the family and orphanage homes experience psychological challenges such as depression, loneliness, and stress. The study recommends that community programmes aimed at assisting orphans and vulnerable children should be strengthened to enable Orphanage homes and the extended family in taking care of orphans and vulnerable children. The relevant ministry (POR-LAG) should facilitate the availability of educational resources among orphans and vulnerable children to enable them to realise their educational goals.

Community Programmes, KIDS SAVE LIVES, World Restart a Heart and Other Campaigns to Increase Survival After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is the third leading cause of death in industrialized nations.While educating lay bystanders in CPR is clearly the most important way to increase survival in this third leading cause of death and the community programs are helpful, it is less easy to reach the entire population if programs are not obligatory. Therefore experts see the need for obligatory inclusion of CPR education in schools. And this is exactly our clear expectation to all politicians involved in health care and school politics worldwide. Until this is reality in all countries, we invite everyone to help to convince the responsible politicians and to take part in campaigns like KIDS SAVE LIVES and WRAH.

Aboriginal Family Planning Circle evaluation: Empowering Aboriginal communities in evaluating and future-proofing Aboriginal-led community programmes

The Aboriginal Family Planning Circle (AFPC) programme is an Aboriginal-led community programme, which works with Aboriginal families in Western Sydney to address their complex needs and reduce the risk of having their children put into out-of-home care (OOHC). This article explores two external evaluations undertaken by WESTIR Limited (WESTIR), a non-Aboriginal research service, on the AFPC programme. The purpose of the first evaluation was to provide an assessment of how effective the AFPC programme had been for participants and identify programme aspects that could be improved or developed. The second evaluation was undertaken to examine whether the AFPC programme had continued to meet its objectives and address some knowledge gaps, particularly the estimated savings and return on investment that the programme created for the OOHC system in New South Wales (NSW). The evaluations used qualitative and quantitative techniques, including interviews, focus groups and a return on investment analysis. This article outlines methods, results and recommendations from both evaluations, along with lessons learned to better inform evaluation practice. This case study shows that culturally responsive evaluations can provide an avenue for Aboriginal communities to advocate for the continued funding of their programmes. It also emphasises the need to adequately resource Aboriginal programme evaluations in the community services sector now and in the future.

Exploring forensic service users’ experience of participating in a community life skills and work-readiness programme

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the experiences of individuals with a criminal history of participating in a community life skills and work-readiness programme. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven individuals that have a criminal history who were participating, or had previously participated, in a community life skills and work-readiness programme. This data was analysed by interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings Four superordinate themes emerged, these were: “need to change”, “changing identity”, “giving back to the community” and “a sense of belonging”. These themes are discussed in relation to desistance literature and the Good Lives Model. Practical implications This research identifies through the participants’ narratives that engaging with the programme appeared to facilitate the desistance process. The importance of community programmes that provide participants skills and social integration must be acknowledged. Originality/value There is limited research on the experiences of forensic services users’ experiences of community programmes, especially those that are not aimed specifically at ex-offenders. The results of this research can be used to enhance services and identify further research areas.

Cyberbullying Victimization and Cyberbullying Perpetration with Self-Esteem as the Moderator

Cyberbullying is a growing phenomenon with many negative and long-term effects. Past literature has not been consistent in the findings with regard to the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. The role of self-esteem in its interaction from both aspects of cyberbullying has also been inconclusive. This study therefore sought to examine the relationship between cyberbullying victimization, cyberbullying perpetration with self-esteem as its moderating factor. 120 participants (aged 18 to 25 years old) were recruited to complete the surveys comprising the Cyberbullying and Online Aggression Survey and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression was run to analyse the predictive relationship of the variables. One finding shows that cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying perpetration have positive correlation which may explain the propagation of the vicious cycle. The other finding did not seem to highlight the role of self-esteem in mediating the perpetration and victimization of cyberbullying. This study nevertheless provides valuable insights to the nature of cyberbullying which can assist in the management of this pervasive social ill in community programmes.

Western online extremism advances mixed approach

Subject Tackling online extremism. Significance Online fringe communities pose jurisdictional and investigation challenges, amid technological limits and a free speech dilemma for Western law enforcement. This makes effective policing extremely difficult, even though the hate speech and extremism that such sites offer a platform to are contributing to real-world crimes, with the US El Paso shooting last month being only the latest. Impacts Trust-based community programmes will expand. Federal US funding will shape state-level anti-crime priorities. US gun laws will remain a major sticking point in tackling violent extremism.

Waimānalo Pono Research Hui: Establishing Protocols and Rules of Engagement to Promote Community-Driven and Culturally-Grounded Research with a Native Hawaiian Community

Research processes that are centered on western models and rooted in colonisation and racism can have deleterious effects upon disenfranchised groups, such as people of colour and indigenous communities. Community-centred and culturally-grounded processes are necessary to achieve meaningful participation and engagement in research by creating equitable protocols and ensuring beneficial outcomes. Such processes are particularly needed in indigenous populations, including the Hawaiian community. This article describes the participatory development of the community engagement protocols and rules of engagement created by a community and academic partnership called the Waimānalo Pono Research Hui (WPRH). Through monthly gatherings, academic and community partners engaged in discussions of constructing community programmes and developing research protocols that are rooted in Hawaiian wholistic values of health and well-being with indigenous methodologies. A final set of protocols and rules of engagement was developed through an iterative feedback process that was rooted not only in community-based participatory (CBPR) principles but also Hawaiian values, beliefs and way of life. Challenges and future directions are also presented.