I can\u27t believe it\u27s not measurement: the legacy of operationism in social-scientific uses of numbers

What is called measurement in human sciences such as sociology is different from other uses of the term, embracing not only quantification in the strict sense, but also all kinds of scaling, ranking and even classification per se. This paper considers such habits as a legacy of the ‘Operational’ measurement theory of S. S. Stevens, wherein science meant measurement, but concepts (e.g., measurement) meant whatever we all agreed they did. Coupled with a broader cultural tendency to privilege mind over matter, this has led to great efforts to quantify the intangible, possibly at the expense of sociologically-relevant material factors which better lend themselves to it

Health and social care workers’ understanding of the meaning and management of challenging behaviour in learning disability services.

The present study sought to investigate the relationship between professional background, length of experience, understanding of the term “challenging behaviour” and opinions of factors important in managing challenging behaviour in people with a learning disability. Health Workers identified significantly more definition criteria than Social Care Workers, yet no significant difference was found between their overall scores for management criteria. Rather the emphasis of their knowledge of management principles appeared to be different. A significantly greater percentage of Health Workers identified management criteria relating to psychological principles, while a greater percentage of Social Care Workers identified that of reactive responses. Health Workers seemed more likely to identify challenging behaviour in terms of its impact on the service while Social Care Workers appeared to concentrate on the type of behaviour evident. Finally, the longer the experience of the Social Care Worker, the higher their overall scores for the definition and management criteria. However, no significant relationship was found between experience and overall scores amongst Health Workers. Implications of the findings are discussed

Knowledge of learning disabilities: the relationship with choice, duty of care and non-aversive approaches

The present study examines the relationship between the knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for a learning disability (based on DSM IV criteria), care practices and experience in health care and social care staff. Responses to a questionnaire were analysed in terms of participants emphasis on: recognizing duty of care; enabling choice; non-aversive and aversive strategies. Results indicated that the knowledge of the criteria for a learning disability was limited, with only I6% of the sample correctly identifying all three criteria. There were no significant differences between the two groups in relation to experience or level of knowledge. No clear cut differences were found between the groups in relation to tendency to emphasize a particular management approach, with the strategies adopted appearing to be influenced by vignettes used in this study. Participants tended to give responses that identified both a recognition of their duty of care to clients and the need to enable choice. Limitations of this study are discussed

The Assessment of Behavioural Decline in Adults with Down's Syndrome

The present study examines two methods of using the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales as a measure of behavioural change in people with Down syndrome who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The first method uses the Vineland scales as the basis of a semi-structured interview and notes all areas of behavioural change identified by staff; the second method scores the Vineland scales using the basal rule outlined in the manual. The comparison of these two methods illustrated that using the second method highlighted a significant decline in scores for the group meeting the criteria for ‘probable Alzheimer’s disease’ on a number of domains between baseline and 12–24 months. However, this scoring method also appeared to miss more subtle changes in behaviour, which may be important early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, which were picked up by the first method. The implications of the study are discussed

Sole Parent Families in Australia

This paper is intended primarily as a resource document. It provides information on the number of sole parent families in Australia, on the growth of sole parent families and on a range of indicators of their socio-economic circumstances. The focus in the paper is on describing the existing situation and trends over time rather than on explaining the causes of the observed trends. The paper begins with a brief summary of the demographic characteristics of sole parent families and how these differ from those of married couple families. This is followed by a discussion of poverty and inequality among sole parent families, again focusing on comparisons with couple families with children. This analysis highlights the degree to which sole parent families are characterised by low relative incomes and thus by high rates of poverty. The provisions for sole parents in the social security system are then described, focusing on income support coverage issues, the reasons for benefit termination and questions relating to the poverty trap facing sole parent pensioners. Finally, the labour market status of sole parents - particularly sole mothers - is compared and contrasted with that of married mothers, this being undertaken against a background of the main trends in the Australian labour market since the early seventies

An Examination of the Severe Impairment Battery as a Measure of Cognitive Decline in Clients with Down's Syndrome

The present study examined the validity of the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) as a tool for measuring cognitive decline in clients with Down syndrome. Two groups participated: 10 clients who showed behavioural decline over at least a 2 year period as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales, and 14 clients who showed no decline on this measure over the same period. No differences were found between the two groups in relation to health or life factors which may have impacted on functional and cognitive decline. The deteriorating group were found to be significantly older than the non-deteriorating group. The comparison of the SIB scores indicated that the deteriorating group showed a significant decline between baseline and 12 months and baseline and 24 months on the orientation factor. By contrast, for the non-deteriorating group, significant increases were found for praxis, orientating to name and total scores

Health and social care staff responses to working with people with a learning disability who display sexual offending type behaviours

This study found that 59% of social care staff were currently supporting a client with a learning disability who had offended or displayed an offending type behaviour. The range of behaviours was similar to that displayed by clients in a secure health facility and included rape, sexual assault and exposure. Only 22.9% of social care staff had received training in this area, while none of the health stuff had. Both groups expressed low levels of confidence in supporting this client group. The areas of difficulty were common to both groups and included personal attitudes and attitudes of others to the behaviour, and concern over risk, responsibility and safety. In respect of attitudes, social care staff were found to be significantly more likely to hold negative attitudes towards the person's behaviour, while health staff were significantly more likely to feel negatively towards the person. Health staff were significantly more likely to identify training as a means of further support, while social care staff identified professional input. Both groups identified the need for theoretical training about working with this client group. Despite this no significant differences were found between those who had and had not received training and confidence, attitudes and the need for further support

Thermodynamic, rheological and structural properties of edible oils structured with LMOGs: Influence of gelator and oil phase

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foostr.2018.03.003.The effect of different oil phases and low molecular weight organogelators (LMOGs) structures on edible oils was investigated through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Different gelators (glyceryl tristearateGT; sorbitan tristearateST; sorbitan monostearateSM and glyceryl monostearate-GM) were tested in medium-chain triglycerides and high oleic sunflower (named MCT and LCT). Systems were thermoreversible and their thermodynamic properties were dependent on the combined effect of the interactions of structurants polar head with other constituents and the sterical effect of their hydrophobic tails. The crystallization onset temperature was higher for GM and SM, possibly due to the lower sterical effect of their tails. However, the corresponding enthalpy and entropy change values were influenced by the hydrophilic head group: glycerol-based organogelator molecules were able to interact strongly than sorbitans, increasing these values. Rheological studies showed that gels produced with LCT were stronger than with MCT. Moreover, cooling and heating cycles showed more than one transition and shear dependence. Stronger structures were more sensitive to temperature, possibly because of their more organized structure that destabilizes more easily with the increase of molecular mobility. These results were in agreement with the SAXS analyses. At 50°C, the stronger networks lost their initial structure, and at 70°C they collapsed. Thus, molecular interactions and structurant self-assembly were dependent on the structurant+solvent combination, leading to different physicochemical properties and thermal stability. It is expected that these results will allow customizing properties of structured oil for diverse applications, spanning from food to cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.LuizH.FasolinthanksthescholarshipCapes/FCTprogram(349/13) for the research exchange and Rosiane Lopes Cunha thanks CNPq (CNPq 307168/2016-6) for the productivity grant. The authors also would like to thank Fapesp (EMU 09/54137-1), CNPq and Capes for their financial support and the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) for the opportunity to carry out SAXS measurements. This study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/ 04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. and of the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

What is known about community pharmacy supply of naloxone? A scoping review

There is growing evidence that expanded supply of take-home naloxone to prevent opioid overdose deaths is needed. Potential routes for expansion of naloxone provision include through community pharmacies. The aim of this scoping review is to establish what is known about community pharmacy supply of naloxone, in light of unique challenges and opportunities present in pharmacy settings. A scoping review methodology was employed using the six stage iterative process advocated by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and Levac et al. (2010). Searches used key words and terms such as ‘naloxone’; ‘overdose prevention/drug overdose/opiate overdose’; ‘community/retail pharmacy’; ‘pharmacist/pharmacy/community pharmacy/pharmaceutical services’; ‘professional practice/role’; ‘community care’; attitude of health personnel’; ‘training/supply/cost’. Appropriate search terms were selected for each database. After initial exploratory searches, comprehensive searches were conducted with Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, Medline in Process, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL. Eligibility criteria centered on whether studies broadly described supply of naloxone in community pharmacy or had content relating to community pharmacy supply. The search identified 95 articles, of which 16 were related to pharmacy supply of naloxone. Five themes were presented after initial review of the data and consultation with the project Expert Group, and are; ‘Pharmacists Perceptions of Naloxone: Facilitators and Barriers’, ‘Patient Populations: Identification and Recruitment’, ‘Supply Systems and Cost’, ‘Legal Issues’, and ‘Training of Pharmacists and Community Pharmacy Naloxone Recipients’. Findings from this scoping review suggest that community pharmacy based supply of take-home naloxone warrants the community pharmacy based route for distribution of take home naloxone provision warrants further consideration and development. Existing strengths include a range of established supply models, and training curricula, few direct concerns regarding legal liability of pharmacists in the supply of naloxone (once legal supply systems have been established) and the wide range of potential identifiable patient populations, which include pain patients that may not be in contact with existing naloxone supply programmes