Enhancing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller peoples’ trust:using maternity and early years’ health services and dental health services as exemplars of mainstream service provision

Gypsies, Roma and Travellers (GRT) are socially excluded groups where evidence for improving health is weakest. Although GRT communities are diverse, and robust evidence of health needs is lacking, there is consensus that GRT in the UK have poorer health and lower life expectancy than the general population and other disadvantaged groups. Reasons why GRT are vulnerable to poor health outcomes include poor living conditions, high rates of homelessness, low educational achievement, social exclusion, widespread prejudice and discrimination and barriers to accessing healthcare. These multiple factors, alongside poor quality care that does not meet needs, may lead to low expectations and mistrust of health services. Trust in services and personnel is associated with increased utilisation of healthcare, improved health behaviours and quality of care. Community engagement strategies have the potential to enhance trust and ensure services are tailored to the needs of specific populations. This multi-component study aimed to strengthen evidence on how to improve uptake and delivery of health services and thereby reduce health inequalities for GRT

De-platforming disinformation: conspiracy theories and their control

Informed by two case studies of de-platforming interventions performed by Facebook against two high profile conspiracy theorists who had been messaging about Covid-19, this article investigates how de-platforming functions as an instrument of social control, illuminating the intended and unintended effects it induces. To help interpret the patterns in the data, two novel conceptual innovations are introduced. The concept of ‘minion accounts’ captures how following a de-platforming intervention, a series of secondary accounts are set up to continue the mission. Such accounts are part of a wider retinue of ‘re-platforming’ behaviours. Overall, the empirical evidence reviewed suggests that whilst de-platforming can constrain transmission of conspiratorial disinformation, it does not eradicate it

'Unlocking the door to being there'. The contribution of creative facilitators in supporting people living with dementia to engage with heritage settings

This article reports findings from the evaluation of ‘Sensory Palaces’, an innovative project developed by the charity Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), which looks after six of the United Kingdom’s unoccupied royal palaces. The Sensory Palaces (SP) project employs creative facilitators to support people living with dementia and their care partners in engaging with two of these sites; Hampton Court Palace, and Kew Palace. This paper focusses on the role and contribution of the creative facilitators in supporting people living with dementia to connect with these heritage spaces. It reports on data collected from facilitator interviews relating to the benefits of engaging together through sensory and creative methods to explore and share experiences of the palaces, drawing out important factors from the design, content and delivery of the sessions

Disinformation and digital influencing after terrorism: spoofing, truthing and social proofing

This article explores how digital communications platforms are used in the aftermath of terrorist attacks to amplify or constrain the wider social impacts and consequences of politically motivated violence. Informed by empirical data collected by monitoring social media platforms following four terrorist attacks in the UK in 2017, the analysis focusses on the role of ‘soft facts’ (rumours/conspiracy theories/fake news/propaganda) in influencing public understandings and definitions of the situation. Specifically, it identifies three digital influence engineering techniques – spoofing, truthing and social proofing – that are associated with the communication of misinformation and disinformation. After configuring these concepts, the authors consider their implications for policy and practice development, concluding that, to date, possibilities for evidence-informed post-event preventative interventions have been relatively neglected in the formulation of counter-terrorism strategies. They recommend more attention be paid to how strategic communications interventions can counteract the effects of misinformation and disinformation, and thus mitigate the wider public harms induced by terror events

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Functional Analysis of a Breast Cancer-Associated FGFR2 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Using Zinc Finger Mediated Genome Editing

The authors thank Barts Charity for funding and Breast Cancer Campaign for funding the Barts Breast Tissue Bank

The normalisation and domestication of digital disinformation: on the alignment and consequences of far-right and Russian State (dis)information operations and campaigns in Europe

This article traces a normalising and domesticating process in the use of digital misinformation and disinformation as part of political campaigning in Europe. Specifically, the analysis highlights innovations associated with the digital influence engineering techniques pioneered by far-right groups and agencies linked to the Kremlin, showing how there are areas of alignment and differentiation in the agendas and interests of these two groups. Their individual and collective activities in this area are important because of how they have promoted the use of similar disinforming tactics and techniques in the conduct of domestic politics