Living In Cold Homes After Heating Improvements: Evidence From Warm Front, England's Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.

Objective: To investigate explanatory factors for persistent cold temperatures in homes which have received heating improvements. Design: Analysis of data from a national survey of dwellings and households (in England occupied by low-income residents) that had received heating improvements or repairs under the Warm Front Scheme. Methods: Over the winters of 2001–02 and 2002–03, householders recorded living room and main bedroom temperatures in a diary. Entries were examined for 888 households, which had received high level heating interventions. Two hundred and twenty-two households were identified as occupying cold homes, with mean bedroom temperature below 16 °C or mean living room temperatures below 18 °C. Binary logistic regression was used to model dwelling and household features and then occupants’ behaviour and attitudes in the ‘cold homes’ sub-set compared with the remainder of the high intervention group. Seventy-nine supplementary, structured telephone interviews explored reasons given for lower temperatures. Using graphical and tabular methods, householders preferring cooler homes were distinguished from those who felt constrained in some way. Results: Cold homes predominate in pre-1930 properties where the householder remains dissatisfied with the heating system despite major improvements funded by Warm Front. Residents of cold homes are less likely to have long-standing illness or disability, but more likely to experience anxiety or depression. A small sample of telephone interviews reveals those preferring lower temperatures for health or other reasons, report less anxiety and depression than those with limited control over their home environment. Their ‘thermal resistance’ to higher temperatures challenges orthodox definitions of comfort and fuel poverty

Predator management for breeding waders: a review of current evidence and priority knowledge gaps

Rapid declines in breeding wader populations across the world have prompted the development of a series of conservation tools, many of which are designed to influence productivity. Across western Europe, efforts to reverse population declines are typically limited by high levels of nest and chick predation, and managing this predator impact has been a major research focus in the last two decades. A workshop held at the 2019 International Wader Study Group conference aimed to synthesise current understanding of predator management tools and to use expert knowledge to identify and prioritise important knowledge gaps in this area. Here we review the four predator management tools that were described (predator diversion, exclusion, lethal control and headstarting), together with insights into the potential responses of mammalian predators to these management tools. The expert assessment of important areas for future work highlighted the need to: (1) increase our knowledge of predators and their responses to management interventions; (2) ensure our science connects to policy, practitioners and members of the public; and (3) establish clear and consistent goals for the future of breeding wader populations to inform the development and deployment of these management tools

Earth Wars Pertempuran Memperebutkan Sumber Daya Global

25cm;270ha

Earth Wars : Pertempuran Memperebutkan Sumber Daya Global

25cm;270ha

Earth wars : pertempuran memperebutkan sumberdaya global

xviii, 270 hlm.: 25 c

Earth wars : pertempuran memperebutkan sumber daya global

xviii, 270 p. ; 25 cm

A comparison of the effectiveness of three parenting programmes in improving parenting skills, parent mental-well being and children's behaviour when implemented on a large scale in community settings in 18 English local authorities : the parenting early intervention pathfinder (PEIP)

Background There is growing evidence that parenting programmes can improve parenting skills and thereby the behaviour of children exhibiting or at risk of developing antisocial behaviour. Given the high prevalence of childhood behaviour problems the task is to develop large scale application of effective programmes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the UK government funded implementation of the Parenting Early Intervention Pathfinder (PEIP). This involved the large scale rolling out of three programmes to parents of children 8-13 years in 18 local authorities (LAs) over a 2 year period. Methods The UK government's Department for Education allocated each programme (Incredible Years, Triple P and Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities) to six LAs which then developed systems to intervene using parenting groups. Implementation fidelity was supported by the training of group facilitators by staff of the appropriate parenting programme supplemented by supervision. Parents completed measures of parenting style, efficacy, satisfaction, and mental well-being, and also child behaviour. Results A total of 1121 parents completed pre- and post-course measures. There were significant improvements on all measures for each programme; effect sizes (Cohen's d) ranged across the programmes from 0.57 to 0.93 for parenting style; 0.33 to 0.77 for parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy; and from 0.49 to 0.88 for parental mental well-being. Effectiveness varied between programmes: Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities was significantly less effective than both the other two programmes in improving parental efficacy, satisfaction and mental well-being. Improvements in child behaviour were found for all programmes: effect sizes for reduction in conduct problems ranged from -0.44 to -0.71 across programmes, with Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities again having significantly lower reductions than Incredible Years. Conclusions Evidence-based parenting programmes can be implemented successfully on a large scale in community settings despite the lack of concentrated and sustained support available during a controlled trial