Development and acceptability of a co-produced online intervention to prevent alcohol misuse in adolescents: A think aloud study

Background: The prototype willingness model (PWM) may offer an appropriate basis for explaining and preventing adolescent alcohol misuse. An intervention was developed using a co-production approach, and consisted of an online quiz featuring 10 questions linked to the PWM. Objective: This study sought to determine the acceptability and relevance of the intervention content to young people, to incorporate their feedback into a final version. Methods: A qualitative think aloud study with follow-up semistructured interviews was undertaken with 16 young people aged 11-15 (50%). Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The following 3 main themes relating the acceptability of the intervention were identified: “challenging expectations of alcohol education”; “motivations for drinking or not drinking,” and “the inevitability of drinking.” Participants found the intervention appealing because it was counter to their expectations. The content appeared to reflect their experiences of social pressure and drinking encounters. There was evidence that a focus on drinker/nondrinker prototypes was too narrow and that because adolescents perceived drinking as inevitable, it would be challenging to enact any plans to resist pressure to drink. Conclusions: An online intervention based on the PWM has the potential to engage and interest adolescents. A wide range of alcohol prototypes should be targeted and a focus on short-term harms should ensure that the intervention is credible to young people

Gender differences in the impact of population-level alcohol policy interventions: evidence synthesis of systematic reviews

Background: Consistent review-level evidence supports the effectiveness of population-level alcohol policies in reducing alcohol-related harms. Such policies interact with well-established social, cultural and biological differences in how men and women perceive, relate to and use alcohol, and with wider inequalities, in ways which may give rise to gender differences in policy effectiveness.  Aims: To examine the extent to which gender-specific data and analyses were considered in, and are available from, systematic reviews of population-level alcohol policy interventions, and where possible, to conduct a narrative synthesis of relevant data.  Methods: A prior systematic ‘review of reviews’ of population level alcohol interventions 2002-2012 was updated to May 2014, all gender-relevant data extracted, and the level and quality of gender reporting assessed. A narrative synthesis of extracted findings was conducted.  Results: Sixty-three systematic reviews, covering ten policy areas, were included. Five reviews (8%) consistently provided information on baseline participation by gender for each individual study in the review and twenty-nine (46%) reported some gender-specific information on the impact of the policies under consideration. Specific findings include evidence of possible gender differences in the impact of and exposure to alcohol marketing, and a failure to consider potential unintended consequences and harm to others in most reviews.  Conclusions: Gender is poorly reported in systematic reviews of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, hindering assessment of the intended and unintended effects of such policies on women and men

Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger: computer-based identification and information tools to manage alien invasive species in the Kruger national park, South Africa

Invasive plant species are a major threat to the biodiversity of protected areas and South Africa's Kruger National Park (KNP), which covers some 20 000 km2, is no exception. Landscape and habitat diversity and a river network that drains highly invaded catchments outside the park make KNP highly susceptible to alien plant invasions. Efficient control of the threat requires early detection of introduced species, effective methods of eradication, and dissemination of current data to increase awareness. A collaborative project was initiated to provide a platform and a range of tools to support these actions. Methods Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger aimed to develop a suite of science-based, computer-driven tools for use by KNP managers, researchers and teams involved in alien plant control. Three applications were developed, each of which is supported by a global, multi-user database: i. The PUBLISH tool returns synthesised species information; ii. IDAO, which utilises computer-aided plant identification ; and iii. IDENTIFY, an image recognition system. Results & Discussion The online DataManager database allows data management by members for field surveys and facilitates collections management and the automated synthesis of species information. These syntheses are available as HTML pages through the PUBLISH tool, which detail descriptions and imagery of both invasive and contained alien plants, and includes information on ecology, biology and management. These data support the two identification tools. PlantInvKruger-IDAO constructs unknown species in a step-wise manner from prominent characteristics selected by the user from schematic multiple-choice menus. The IDAO application is compatible with a range of mobile electronic devices. PlantInvKruger-IDENTIFY assists, through image recognition algorithms, with the specific identification of images of plants and plant parts submitted to the database through a web interface. In both cases the suggested identification is expressed as the similarity of the unknown specimen to the type specimen information housed in the database and can be confirmed by accessing the species HTML pages. All tools are used from a collaborative web platform (Pl@ntNet) where members can also share information and documents and manage discussions (http://community.plantnet-project.org/pg/groups/561/plntinvasivekruger/). Conclusions Correct identification is an essential aspect of alien plant control programs, but is difficult and time consuming where large numbers of alien and indigenous species occur. The Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger database currently contains information on almost 400 alien plant species, with the identification tools focussing on the 113 most important species. By assisting with the identification of invasive plant species and facilitating the sharing of information between interested parties, Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger will promote biodiversity conservation in KNP. This project is a case study of the Pl@ntNet project funded by Agropolis Fondation. It is currently in the final testing and refinement stage, with evaluations being conducted with end users. (Résumé d'auteur

Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger: Developing an online alien plant database and identification platform

World wide, invasive plant species increasingly threaten to decrease biodiversity and modify ecosystems. South Africa's National Parks are no exception. Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger represents a partnership between SAEON, Sanparks and CIRAD, and aims to capture in a single, open-source database the current knowledge and status of Kruger National Parks' approximately 400 alien plant species. The outcomes of this collaboration will be detailed descriptions of both invasive and contained alien plants, including morphological traits, degree of invasiveness, habitat, and country of origin, current distribution, vernacular names, and documented control methods. Text is supported by clear photographs and illustrations of various diagnostic plant features. Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger utilises IDAO technology (a multimedia approach to computer-aided identification) to convey information in the database to its users. This simple platform guides users in identifying an alien plant through a series of step-wise choices and simple schematics based on morphological, habit and habitat characteristics. Final identification is expressed as the similarity (ranked percentage probability) of the unknown specimen to the type specimen information housed in the database. Pictures and supporting text for candidate species can then be accessed by the user to confirm identification. The IDAO application is compatible with a range of mobile electronic storage devices (Smartphones, PDAs and Tablets), allowing on-site identification and immediate management intervention. Pl@ntInvasive-Kruger has the capacity to educate people and inform management regarding the alien plant species found in the lowveld savanna, and to be instrumental in their control. (Texte intégral

Social norms information for alcohol misuse in university and college students

Drinking is influenced by youth perceptions of how their peers drink. These perceptions are often incorrect, overestimating peer drinking norms. If inaccurate perceptions can be corrected, young people may drink less.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Autonomy, special offers and routines: a Q methodological study of industry-driven marketing influences on young people's drinking behaviour

AIM: To identify shared patterns of views in young people relating to the influence of industry-driven alcohol marketing (price, promotion, product and place of purchase/consumption) on their reported drinking behaviour. DESIGN: Q methodology harnessed qualitative and quantitative data to generate distinct clusters of opinions as follows: 39 opinion statements were derived from earlier in-depth qualitative interviews with 31 young people; by-person factor analysis was carried out on 28 participants' (six previous interviewees and 22 new recruits) rank orderings of these statements (most-to-least agreement); interpretation of the factor arrays was aided by 10-15-minute debriefing interviews held immediately following each Q-sort. SETTING: Northeast England PARTICIPANTS: Young people aged 14-17 years purposively recruited from high schools, higher education colleges, youth centres and youth offending teams. FINDINGS: Centroid factor extraction and varimax rotation of factors generated three distinct accounts: factor one ('autonomous, sophisticated consumers') illustrated a self-defined sense of individuality and autonomy in alcohol choices; factor two ('price-driven consumers') appeared price-led, choosing to drink what was most accessible or cheapest; and factor three ('context-focused consumers') described drinking practices where products were chosen to serve specific functions such as being easy to carry while dancing. CONCLUSIONS: Considering young people's views on alcohol marketing, different perspectives can be identified. These include perceived imperviousness to maketing, responsiveness to price and affordability and responsiveness to marketing focusing on youth lifestyles

Protected-Area Boundaries as Filters of Plant Invasions

Límites de Áreas Protegidas como Filtros para la Invasión de Planta

Self-other differences in student drinking norms research: the role of impression management, self-deception and measurement methodology

Background: Data-driven student drinking norms interventions are based on reported normative overestimation of the extent and approval of an average student’s drinking. Self-reported differences between personal and perceived normative drinking behaviors and attitudes are taken at face value as evidence of actual levels of overestimation. This study investigates whether commonly used data collection methods and socially desirable responding may inadvertently impede establishing 'objective' drinking norms. Methods: UK students [N=421; 69% female; Mean age 20.22 years (SD = 2.5)] were randomly assigned to one of three versions of a drinking norms questionnaire: The standard multi-target questionnaire assessed respondents' drinking attitudes and behaviors (frequency of consumption, heavy drinking, units on a typical occasion) as well as drinking attitudes and behaviors for an ‘average student’. Two deconstructed versions of this questionnaire assessed identical behaviors and attitudes for participants themselves or an 'average student'. The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding was also administered. Results: Students who answered questions about themselves and peers reported more extreme perceived drinking attitudes for the average student compared with those reporting solely on the ‘average student’. Personal and perceived reports of drinking behaviors did not differ between multi- and single-target versions of the questionnaire. Among those who completed the multi-target questionnaire, after controlling for demographics and weekly drinking, socially desirable responding was related positively with the magnitude of difference between students’ own reported behaviors/attitudes and those perceived for the average student. Conclusions: Standard methodological practices and socially desirable responding may be sources of bias in peer norm overestimation research