From Surviving to Thriving: Evaluation of the International Diabetes Federation Life for a Child Program

IDF-LFAC aims to provide: (1) insulin and syringes; (2) blood glucose monitoring (BGM) equipment; (3) appropriate clinical care; (4) HbA1c testing; (5) diabetes education; and (6) technical support and training for health professionals, as well as 7) facilitating relevant clinical research, and where possible 8) assisting with capacity building. IDF-LFAC receives financial and in-kind support from private foundations, individuals, and corporations. Insulin and blood glucose monitoring equipment distribution is made possible by donations of insulin and the purchase of blood glucose monitors and strips at a reduced price from large pharmaceutical companies.The goal of this evaluation is to assess IDF-LFAC's organizational structure, strategic framework, processes, program impact, and potential to catalyze longterm sustainable improvements to T1D care delivery systems in its partner countries. LSHTM were commissioned to undertake the evaluation in 2014 when IDF-LFAC had active programs in 45 countries

Towards cyber-resilient & sustainable SMES: the case study of added value from a large IT reseller

This chapter reports on and discusses an extensive interview conducted by the authors with the head of pre-sales at a hardware and software re-seller. The Pre-Sales division of the reseller provides advice based on end-to-end solution for IT infrastructure and technology management. Within the team there is expertise spanning a plethora of specifically defined technology areas to support end customers in the decision making process on their capital expenditure in IT equipment. Areas include Software licensing, Server infrastructure development, data storage and management, systems security, and networking infrastructure (and more). The business of being a re-seller may not initially strike the reader as being relevant to cybersecurity in general, and socio-technical matters at all, but we discovered the rather vital role that such an intermediary performs through their added value and corporate ethics. Specifically, this reseller’s team of customer service agents provide advice and referral to colleagues and end customers for subject-matter expertise as well, naturally, for opportunities to up-sell – specifically with that important core of any economy: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (hereafter SMEs) - usually defined as companies with up to 250 employees. In other words, the business both responds to requests for solutions from existing customers (pull) and actively engages with customers to grow awareness about, for example, security risks in order to sell products and services (push). The authors – drawing on a background of research in corporate resilience and SMEs (with a commercial background in the IT sector) were interested to learn from an individual with his finger very firmly on the pulse of SME cyber-security awareness, just what his view was on the general level of cyber-security awareness amongst SMEs and what his company offered in the way of assistance

‘There is more than one sort of prison, Captain’:a popular criminology of prisons and penal regimes in Star Wars

In this paper we emphasise how science fiction, as a projection of the possible, can forewarn of dystopic dangers in emergent and future penal regimes. In this popular criminology we explore three archetypes of the prison as they have appeared across the Star Wars franchise: the panoptic prison; the labour camp; and the smart prison. The panoptic prison of the Galactic Republic invokes reflective nostalgia; prompting critical discussion of the deficiencies of the modern prison. Under the Galactic Empire prisons become labour camps, recalling the horrors of the Gulag as violent and cruel manifestations of underpinning ideology. Whilst the fall of the Galactic Empire signalled a return to governance based on democratic values, the representation of the smart prison in the New Republic continues to resonate as a techno-Gulag, reading as an allegory for a deeper crisis of liberal democracy. Analysed as such, prisons in Star Wars exist at the intersection of the past, present and possible futures of penal regimes, and in our current political climate can be a resource for resistance to technological trends and dystopic dangers. Star Wars, we conclude, and science fiction more broadly, is well-positioned to inform a radical re-imagining of future prisons and penal regimes

Decision makers\u27 experience of participatory dynamic simulation modelling: Methods for public health policy

Background: Systems science methods such as dynamic simulation modelling are well suited to address questions about public health policy as they consider the complexity, context and dynamic nature of system-wide behaviours. Advances in technology have led to increased accessibility and interest in systems methods to address complex health policy issues. However, the involvement of policy decision makers in health-related simulation model development has been lacking. Where end-users have been included, there has been limited examination of their experience of the participatory modelling process and their views about the utility of the findings. This paper reports the experience of end-user decision makers, including senior public health policy makers and health service providers, who participated in three participatory simulation modelling for health policy case studies (alcohol related harm, childhood obesity prevention, diabetes in pregnancy), and their perceptions of the value and efficacy of this method in an applied health sector context. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with end-user participants from three participatory simulation modelling case studies in Australian real-world policy settings. Interviewees were employees of government agencies with jurisdiction over policy and program decisions and were purposively selected to include perspectives at different stages of model development. Results: The ‘co-production’ aspect of the participatory approach was highly valued. It was reported as an essential component of building understanding of the modelling process, and thus trust in the model and its outputs as a decision-support tool. The unique benefits of simulation modelling included its capacity to explore interactions of risk factors and combined interventions, and the impact of scaling up interventions. Participants also valued simulating new interventions prior to implementation in the real world, and the comprehensive mapping of evidence and its gaps to prioritise future research. The participatory aspect of simulation modelling was time and resource intensive and therefore most suited to high priority complex topics with contested options for intervening. Conclusion: These findings highlight the value of a participatory approach to dynamic simulation modelling to support its utility in applied health policy settings

Souvenirs from the British Isles: Archiving, Curating, and Collecting in Contemporary Art Practice

My interdisciplinary practice-­based research project utilises a theoretical framework of anthropology to explore concepts associated with economic and cultural appropriation in visual art. Through investigating the problematic history of artists appropriating ethnographic objects for use in their own work, the project considers how anthropology could be used to engage audiences in a more collaborative fashion. This thesis also outlines the processes for producing a body of work using the museum strategies of archiving, collecting and curating. This includes aspects of documentation, interpretation, and dissemination through online and offline channels such as blogging and participatory arts. The two main projects included in the thesis, The Imaginary Museum and Souvenirs from the British Isles, consider how audiences can be engaged through the artwork to produce their own interpretations. The Imaginary Museum achieved this through the physical interaction of audiences collecting postcards. Through ascribing a value to the work with the inclusion of a donation box and only having postcards available within the time frame of the exhibition, the audience began to consider the works as both limited edition artworks and souvenirs of the exhibition. Similarly, there was an element of ambiguity between the artwork and souvenir in the Souvenirs from the British Isles exhibition. Here the sculptures took the aesthetic of the souvenir but were presented in the style of museum artefacts which discouraged tactile engagement. This resulted in a more conceptual interaction, with audiences discussing potential interpretations of the work with each other. Both of these works demonstrate a method of engaging with the museum format, which suggests a model for other artists working in and with collections. Through considering the museum framework as a contact zone, I also aim to suggest the possibility of a collaborative form of anthropology, which can express multiple responses and interpretations of the work of art, whilst also addressing the more problematic aspects of cultural appropriation

‘In my own comfort zone’: Client experiences of relational aspects of Skype therapy for alcohol problems

Background: therapists and counsellors are increasingly using Skype or equivalent video-based applications to offer treatment in place of face-to-face delivery of talking therapies. In the alcohol treatment sector, this offers a range of potential benefits including value for money, accessibility, reduced stigma and increased privacy for service users. However, the impact on the therapeutic relationship remains unclear and under-researched, particularly from a service user or client perspective.Aims: to explore how alcohol treatment clients make sense of the relational aspects of their Skype therapy, and to examine how Skype might disrupt existing ideas around the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist.Methodology: qualitative design using thematic analysis, with 15 participant interviews, conducted via Skype and telephone, with male and female adult service users from a single treatment provider. All participants undertook a minimum of four Skype treatment sessions, and had completed their therapy in the six months prior to interview.Findings: the themes that were identified highlighted the significance of the participant’s own home as the site of therapy, with emphasis on the comfort of the home, and the presence of family members and pets in the therapeutic environment. Participants stressed the importance of viewing the face of the therapist, the establishment of a therapeutic bond, and specific therapist qualities that were viewed positively. Participants also reflected on their relationship with alcohol, issues around denial and avoidance, and their decision to undertake therapy for alcohol problems ‘remotely’ via Skype.Discussion: There are nuanced and potentially unforeseen consequences of undertaking therapy for alcohol problems via Skype, relating to the significance of the therapy environment and relationship between client and therapist. It is important for treatment providers and individual practitioners to be aware of these issues in light of rapid and radical changes in the way that therapy is increasingly delivered via new video-based technologies

“In my own comfort zone”: Clients' experiences of relational aspects of online therapy for alcohol problems

Background: Therapists and counsellors increasingly use online video applications to offer treatment in place of face‐to‐face delivery. In the alcohol treatment sector, this offers a range of potential benefits for treatment providers. However, the impact of working remotely via video on the therapeutic relationship remains unclear and under‐researched. Aims: This study aimed to explore how alcohol treatment clients make sense of the relational aspects of therapy delivered remotely, and to examine how the use of remote therapy might disrupt existing ideas around the therapeutic relationship. Methodology: This study utilised a qualitative design using thematic analysis, with 15 participant interviews with adult service users from a single treatment provider. All participants had previously undertaken at least four 1‐h online therapy sessions. Findings: The themes that were identified highlighted the significance of the participants' own homes as the site of therapy, with emphasis on the comfort of the home, and the presence of family members and pets. Participants stressed the importance of viewing the face of the therapist, the establishment of a therapeutic bond and specific therapist qualities. Participants also reflected on issues around denial and avoidance associated with self‐image and identity. Discussion: There are nuanced and potentially unforeseen consequences of undertaking therapy for alcohol problems via video, relating to the significance of the therapy environment and relationship between client and therapist. This may include issues of shame, denial and avoidance, which are of particular significance for clients experiencing difficulties associated with alcohol

Healthcare professionals' and parents' experiences of the confirmatory testing period:A qualitative study of the UK expanded newborn screening pilot

Background: With further expansion of the number of conditions for which newborn screening can be undertaken, it is timely to consider the impact of positive screening results and the confirmatory testing period on the families involved. This study was undertaken as part of a larger programme of work to evaluate the Expanded Newborn Screening (ENBS) programme in the United Kingdom (UK). It was aimed to determine the views and experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and parents on communication and interaction during the period of confirmatory testing following a positive screening result. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with parents of children who had received a positive ENBS result and HCPs who had been involved with the diagnosis and support of parents. Ten parents and 11 healthcare professionals took part in the in-depth interviews. Questions considered the journey from the positive screening result through confirmatory testing to a confirmed diagnosis and the communication and interaction between the parents and HCPs that they had been experienced. Key themes were identified through thematic analysis. Results: The results point to a number of elements within the path through confirmatory testing that are difficult for parents and could be further developed to improve the experience. These include the way in which the results are communicated to parents, rapid turnaround of results, offering a consistent approach, exploring interventions to support family relationships and reviewing the workload and scheduling implications for healthcare professionals. Conclusions: As technology enables newborn screening of a larger number of conditions, there is an increasing need to consider and mediate the potentially negative effects on families. The findings from this study point to a number of elements within the path through confirmatory testing that are difficult for parents and could be further developed to benefit the family experience

‘There is more than one sort of prison, Captain’ : a popular criminology of prisons and penal regimes in Star Wars

In this paper we emphasise how science fiction, as a projection of the possible, can forewarn of dystopic dangers in emergent and future penal regimes. In this popular criminology we explore three archetypes of the prison as they have appeared across the Star Wars franchise: the panoptic prison; the labour camp; and the smart prison. The panoptic prison of the Galactic Republic invokes reflective nostalgia; prompting critical discussion of the deficiencies of the modern prison. Under the Galactic Empire prisons become labour camps, recalling the horrors of the Gulag as violent and cruel manifestations of underpinning ideology. Whilst the fall of the Galactic Empire signalled a return to governance based on democratic values, the representation of the smart prison in the New Republic continues to resonate as a techno-Gulag, reading as an allegory for a deeper crisis of liberal democracy. Analysed as such, prisons in Star Wars exist at the intersection of the past, present and possible futures of penal regimes, and in our current political climate can be a resource for resistance to technological trends and dystopic dangers. Star Wars, we conclude, and science fiction more broadly, is well-positioned to inform a radical re-imagining of future prisons and penal regimes