Realising young children's rights: Researching conversations with rights respecting early childhood leaders

Children in the UK have been rights bearing citizens since ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1991). Between 1996-2017 the Department of Education, published 5 iterations of a curriculum for children younger than statutory school age. Since 2006 compliance, of settings, with Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has been mandatory. National, and international, reports record low levels of well-being and increasing levels of mental distress amongst children in the UK. Since publication of UNCRC a range of research practices which respect young children’s agency have been developed. These, divergent, trajectories rest on competing discourses; children as agents, children as performers. This professional study intertwines understanding rights respecting identities with the case for realising young children’s rights in early years settings. A catalyst for the research conversations was the author’s experience of rights disrespecting behaviours whilst a pupil, teacher and lecturer. Alongside the substantive foci the study responds to two questions; an entreaty from Goodson and Ball (1981), to integrate, ‘the biographical with the situational‘ when researching teachers’ lives and Mannion’s query from 2007 what, exactly, is it that childhood researchers are supposed to do in their empirical studies? The response of this study has been to fashion research conversations focused on the development and enactment of early years leaders’ rights respecting praxes.Set within an interpretative conceptual framework refining a respectful, responsive methodology was imperative. Following a practise interview research conversations provided an opportunity to two early years leaders to share formative experiences from their educational biographies to which they attribute the development of rights respecting values. Analysis of the conversations was undertaken using a bespoke, inductive process denoted by a metaphor of Egyptian rope-making. The rich, joint meaning making which characterised the conversations supported the value of integrating the biographical with the situational and indicated purposeful directions for supporting training, and qualified, early years educators in realising young children’s rights

Health-Related Quality of Life and Disability among Older People with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has been characterised into five stages with CKD5 defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of < 15ml/min/1.73m2 and includes those receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) (dialysis and transplantation) or those who are eligible for RRT but are not receiving treatment. In New Zealand (NZ) approximately 1000 individuals commence dialysis each year, with the majority aged between 65-74 years. Māori experience a two-fold higher rate of CKD5 compared to non-Māori. CKD5 has a potential to have a negative effect on an individual’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL). CKD5 is associated with disability. Little research has been completed to understand the impact of HRQoL on disability in people aged ≥65 years with CKD5. Aims The aims of the Health and Disability Study (H&D Study) presented in this thesis are to describe cross-sectional associations between HRQoL and disability among a cohort of older New Zealanders with CKD5, and to determine which factors at recruitment, including HRQoL, have the potential predict disability outcomes 12 months later; and to describe the HRQoL and disability outcomes for an older Māori cohort with CKD5. Methods A rapid review was completed to identify important models of HRQoL and disability, with a scoping review completed to identify existing research investigating HRQoL and disability in CKD patients. The dialysis outcomes in those aged ≥65 study (DOS65+ Study) was an “accelerated longitudinal” cohort which aimed to determine the HRQoL of those aged ≥65 years with CKD5, to aid in developing evidence-based guidelines for the management of CKD5 in older adults. This study analysed the baseline characteristics of the 225 participants in the DOS65+ Study to determine associations between HRQoL (EQ-5D-3L) and disability (WHODAS 2.0). Participants who were followed to 12 months (n=156) were analysed using modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors to identify which factors at recruitment, including HRQoL, predict disability outcomes 12 months later. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the Māori cohort (n=49) and their outcomes. Results Of the 223 participants analysed at baseline, those with 3 or more comorbidities were more likely to be disabled as were those with moderate-severe problems with the EQ-5D-3L dimensions of mobility, self-care, usual activities and anxiety/depression. The multivariable analyses indicate that those disabled at baseline were at an 86% higher risk of being disabled at 12 months. The HRQoL dimensions of self-care and mobility at baseline predicted disability at 12 months by 31% and 38% respectively. Dialysis vintage of ≥2 years was associated with lower disability. Within the Māori cohort, HRQoL and disability at baseline appear important in predicting disability at 12 months, however this result is limited due to small sample size. Discussion and Conclusion Issues with EQ-5D-3L mobility, self-care and disability at baseline predict disability at 12 months in this cohort. The EQ-5D-3L and WHODAS 2.0 allow for patients to determine how they perceive their HRQoL and disability which may be important in improving patients’ clinical experiences and therefore outcomes. Patient participation in assessing these HRQoL components and baseline disability could help with CKD5 education and planning for RRT

PR Social and Digital Professional Challenges: A Relationship between Organizations and Their Publics

Public Relations is extensively integrated into social and digital communication platforms. PR is focused on dialogic communication grounded in the philosophy of caring (Coombs, 2007). The most effective approach to understanding the PR role through social media is to examine how these platforms are used in developing relationships between an organization and its publics. Experienced professionals suggest it is the relationship between an organization\u27s goals and the needs of its publics that allows the most effective communication process. Therefore, students conducted in-depth interviews of members of a student organization to establish the goals of the organization. Then the publics were interviewed to see if the needs of the external audience matched the goals of the organization. From this data, the students developed content for the various social media platforms. The test of this experiment will be when these platforms are established for execution and the impact results in increased membership. This reflected the relationship between Valpo student organizations and increased membership, including potential membership

4th International Conference - Sexuality and Cancer Breast Cancer

Breast cancer patients and the artists involved in the highly innovative ComMA research programme led an experiential workshop attended by 100 health professional delegates. The experiential workshop explained how patients and artists together explored sexual problems encountered following breast cancer treatment. This novel and highly collaborative approach empowered patients to use art and new forms of artistic expression as an alternative language to express and communicate their feelings of emotional and physical trauma using visual metaphors. ComMA enabled patients to explore and express their feelings through the use of collage, drawing on items such as gowns, which had a deep meaning in the context of their treatment, to enable them to express their feelings openly. Work co-produced by the artists and patients was shared at the workshop to challenge health professionals to understand the patients’ concerns, insecurities and difficulties in communicating their sexual and relationship problems

Is Being in School Better? The Impact of School on Children's BMI When Starting Age is Endogenous

In this paper, we investigate the impact of attending school on body weight and obesity. We use school starting age cutoff dates to compare weight outcomes for similar age children with different years of school exposure. As is the case with academic outcomes, school exposure is related to unobserved determinants of weight outcomes because some families choose to have their child start school late (or early). If one does not account for this endogeneity, it appears that an additional year of school exposure results in a greater BMI and a higher probability of being overweight or obese. When actual exposure is instrumented with expected exposure based on school starting dates and birthday, the significant positive effects disappear, and most point estimates become negative and insignificant. However, for children not eating the school lunch, there is a significant negative effect on the probability of being overweight.

Is Being in School Better? The Impact of School on Children’s BMI when Starting Age is Endogenous

In this paper, we investigate the impact of attending school on body weight and obesity using a regression-discontinuity design. As is the case with academic outcomes, school exposure is related to unobserved determinants of weight outcomes because some families choose to have their child start school late (or early). If one does not account for this endogeneity, it appears that an additional year of school exposure results in a greater BMI and a higher probability of being overweight or obese. When we compare the weight outcomes of similar age children with one versus two years of school exposure due to regulations on school starting age, the significant positive effects disappear, and most point estimates become negative, but insignificant. However, additional school exposure appears to improve weight outcomes of children for whom the transition to elementary school represents a more dramatic change in environment (those who spent less time in childcare prior to kindergarten)

A Novel ascaroside controls the parasitic life cycle of the entomopathogenic nematode heterorhabditis bacteriophora

Entomopathogenic nematodes survive in the soil as stress-resistant infective juveniles that seek out and infect insect hosts. Upon sensing internal host cues, the infective juveniles regurgitate bacterial pathogens from their gut that ultimately kill the host. Inside the host, the nematode develops into a reproductive adult and multiplies until unknown cues trigger the accumulation of infective juveniles. Here, we show that the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora uses a small-molecule pheromone to control infective juvenile development. The pheromone is structurally related to the dauer pheromone ascarosides that the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans uses to control its development. However, none of the C. elegans ascarosides are effective in H. bacteriophora, suggesting that there is a high degree of species specificity. Our report is the first to show that ascarosides are important regulators of development in a parasitic nematode species. An understanding of chemical signaling in parasitic nematodes may enable the development of chemical tools to control these species. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Development of the Menu Assessment Scoring Tool (MAST) to assess the nutritional quality of food service menus

Preventing the rise in obesity is a global public health priority. Neighbourhood environments can help or undermine people’s efforts to manage their weight, depending on availability of nutritious and nutrient-poor ‘discretionary’ foods. The proportion of household food budgets spent on eating outside the home is increasing. To inform nutrition policy at a local level, an objective assessment of the nutritional quality of foods and beverages on food service menus that is context-specific is needed. This study describes the development and piloting of the Menu Assessment Scoring Tool (MAST), used to assess the nutritional quality of food service menus in Australia. The MAST is a desk-based tool designed to objectively assess availability of nutrient-poor and absence of nutritious food and beverages on food service menus. A risk assessment approach was applied, using the best available evidence in an iterative way. MAST scores for 30 food service outlets in one Local Government Authority in Perth, Western Australia highlight opportunities for improvements. MAST is the first tool of its kind in Australia to assess the nutritional quality of food service menus. It was practical and feasible to use by public health nutritionists/dietitians and can be adapted to suit other settings or countries