An Analysis of State Heterogeneity and Voting Patterns in the United States Senate

The United States Senate is one of the major legislating forces in the United States and can make policy impacts that can have significant impacts for the entire nation. The two major political parties in the U.S. have significant influence on the members of this body, yet they are elected to represent each of the different states. Previous research has shown that states and districts can vary significantly in their political leanings and preferences, even from the party that is considered the majority in that area. The purpose of this study is to investigate several forces that may influence members\u27 of the U.S. Senate voting patterns - specifically how frequently they vote with their party. The main variables in question are the individual state ideology and the state ideological heterogeneity, or how diverse the ideological viewpoints are of those in each state. Other factors used in this analysis are the ideology and ideological heterogeneity of each of the major political parties in the state, the previous election margins of victory for incumbent Senators, and leadership positions of the Senators. Over the course of this research, it was found that there are major differences between the two parties in how they respond to each of these variables. Republicans were more responsive to increases in homogeneity among their constituents. Democrats didn\u27t seem to respond at all. Both parties did vote more frequently with their parties as they became ideologically extreme. Overall, this study has important implications for how individuals are represented by their elected officials, how changing political demographics may affect representation, and it gives greater insight into how U.S. Senators choose to balance competing interests

Coronavirus: why managed alcohol programmes are essential for problem drinkers who are homeless

People who are homeless are being particularly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Common health problems such as respiratory disease put people who are homeless at more risk and self-isolation is impossible if you are living on the streets or in temporary accommodation. Those dependent on alcohol are at even greater risk as they need to continue using to prevent withdrawal, which can lead to serious health problems and sometimes death. But lockdown and self-isolation are challenging if you need to get a hold of alcohol.https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-why-managed-alcohol-programmes-are-essential-for-problem-drinkers-who-are-homeless-13665

Greenspace interventions for mental health in clinical and non-clinical populations: What works, for whom, and in what circumstances?

With growing strain on mental health services, greenspace interventions could be a promising addition to current health and social care provisions as they have the potential to be widely accessible for people within their own communities and used alongside a variety of treatment plans. Despite promising progress in greenspace research, the underlying mechanisms and processes of greenspace interventions are still unclear. Without knowing these it is impossible to understand why programmes work and how best to replicate them. To address this gap this review uses realist methodology to synthesise the international evidence for greenspace interventions for mental health in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Forty-nine full text articles are included in the review and the underlying contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes of the interventions identified and refined into an original overriding theory under three themes of Nature, Individual Self, and Social Self. The interaction of these three factors represents a new conceptual framework for greenspace interventions for mental health and shows what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. The findings of this review are not only theoretically novel but they also have practical relevance for those designing such interventions including the provision of recommendations on how to optimise, tailor and implement existing interventions

Feasibility and acceptability of Managed Alcohol Programmes for people who are homeless with severe alcohol problems

In Scotland, rates of alcohol use and alcohol-related harm are high, with more than 1100 deaths attributable to alcohol in 2018. People who are experiencing homelessness are at a particularly high risk of alcohol use and associated harms, including experience of extreme social inequalities. Managed Alcohol Programmes (MAPs) are a harm reduction approach specifically for people experiencing homelessness, providing alcohol in measured, regular doses throughout the day, as well as a range of other supports including health and housing. This briefing paper summarise a study which aimed to scope the feasibility and acceptability of MAPs in Scotland

How might the 'Youth in Iceland Model' for preventing substance use among young people be developed and adapted for use in Dundee, Scotland?

The Youth in Iceland Model (YiIM)is a community-based approach aiming to delay young people’s substance use through reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors. This paper considers how the approach can be adapted to for use in Dundee

Parks and green spaces are important for our mental health - but we need to make sure that everyone can benefit

First paragraph: How does walking through a forest make you feel? Peaceful? Blissful? Reflective? For many people, lockdown brought a new appreciation of nature and what it means for our well-being. The health benefits of immersing ourselves in “greenspace” are now widely accepted. Living in areas with grass and trees has been linked to lower risk of various health conditions such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. As well as physical health, greenspace is associated with positive mental health.https://theconversation.com/parks-and-green-spaces-are-important-for-our-mental-health-but-we-need-to-make-sure-that-everyone-can-benefit-14232

How might the 'Icelandic model' for preventing substance use among young people be developed and adapted for use in Scotland? Utilising the consolidated framework for implementation research in a qualitative exploratory study

Background: Substance use among young people is a significant public health concern, particularly in Scotland. Primary prevention activities are essential in delaying young people’s substance use and reducing the harms associated with use. However, such prevention activities are generally lacking. The Icelandic Model (IM) has received increasing attention and has been associated with improvements in substance use in Iceland since the 1990s. There is interest in implementing the IM in Scotland but concerns regarding transferability. This research study aimed to address a gap in the evidence base by providing insight into stakeholders’ views of the IM in Dundee and more widely in Scotland. Methods: Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured telephone interviews with 16 stakeholders. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis in NVivo, informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Results: Participants were keen for more prevention activities to be delivered in Scotland and were generally supportive of the IM, given the high rates of substance use and related harm. A range of positive factors were identified, including the evidence base, the multi-component nature of the IM, and availability of current services that could be embedded into delivery. Several barriers were noted, relating to funding, the franchise model, support and buy-in and cultural differences. Conclusions: Our findings provide insight into the views of a range of stakeholders regarding the potential implementation of the IM in Scotland, and perceived barriers and facilitators. There is a desire for primary prevention activities in Scotland, driven by concerns about high rates of substance use and related harms, and a general lack of effective and evidence based prevention activities across the country. Several key barriers would need to be addressed in order for implementation to be successful, and participants were clear that initial piloting is required. Future research and evaluation is required to examine its potential and the outcomes of the approach in Scotland

Greenspace programmes for mental health: A survey study to test what works, for whom, and in what circumstances

The health benefits of greenspace are widely acknowledged. Greenspace programmes, defined as health programmes undertaken in outside green areas such as parks, gardens, hills, and forests, are becoming more commonplace. However, there is still limited understanding of the mechanisms by which greenspace programmes are effective. This makes future development and implementation very difficult. We recently developed and published a novel framework for greenspace programmes for mental health showing what works, for whom, and in what circumstances (Masterton et al., 2020). In this current study, the accuracy of the proposed framework was tested for the first time using primary data from greenspace organisations in Scotland. Given the link between mental health and substance use, the applicability of the framework to programmes that support people with problem substance use was also tested. A survey was designed to test the contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes identified within the previously proposed framework. The survey was completed by 64 participants to provide a general overview of the framework's applicability for programmes that support mental health, as well as for programmes that support people with problem substance use. Overall, respondents agreed with all survey statements. This suggests that the framework does effectively represent the underlying context, mechanism, outcome configurations of greenspace programmes for mental health. Furthermore, there were no differences between responses from organisations that support people with problem substance use, and organisations that do not support this client group. This shows that the framework has the potential to be applicable to both greenspace programmes for mental health and greenspace programmes for people with problem substance use. This is a novel finding as, to our knowledge, there is currently no framework looking to explain the contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes necessary for greenspace programmes to be successful for people with problem substance use

What constitutes effective problematic substance use treatment from the perspective of people who are homeless? A systematic review and meta-ethnography

Background: People experiencing homelessness have higher rates of problematic substance use but difficulty engaging with treatment services. There is limited evidence regarding how problematic substance use treatment should be delivered for these individuals. Previous qualitative research has explored perceptions of effective treatment by people who are homeless, but these individual studies need synthesised to generate further practice-relevant insights from the perspective of this group.Methods: Meta-ethnography was conducted to synthesise research reporting views on substance use treatment by people experiencing homelessness. Studies were identified through systematic searching of electronic databases (CINAHL; Criminal Justice Abstracts; Health Source; MEDLINE; PsycINFO; SocINDEX; Scopus; and Web of Science) and websites and were quality appraised. Original participant quotes and author interpretations were extracted and coded thematically. Concepts identified were compared to determine similarities and differences between studies. Findings were translated (reciprocally and refutationally) across studies, enabling development of an original over-arching line-of-argument and conceptual model.Results: Twenty-three papers published since 2002 in three countries, involving 462 participants, were synthesised. Findings broadly related, through personal descriptions of, and views on, the particular intervention components considered effective to people experiencing homelessness. Participants of all types of interventions had a preference for harm reduction-oriented services. Participants considered treatment effective when it provided: a facilitative service environment; compassionate and non-judgemental support; time; choices; and opportunities to (re)learn how to live. Interventions that were of longer duration and offered stability to service users were valued, especially by women. From the line-of-argument synthesis a new model was developed highlighting critical components of effective substance use treatment from the service user’s perspective, including a service context of good relationships, with person-centred care and an understanding of the complexity of people’s lives.Conclusion: This is the first meta-ethnography to examine the components of effective problematic substance use treatment from the perspective of those experiencing homelessness. Critical components of effective problematic substance use treatment are highlighted. The way in which services and treatment are delivered is more important than the type of treatment provided. Substance use interventions should address these components, including prioritising good relationships between staff and those using services, person-centred approaches, and a genuine understanding of individuals’ complex lives