‘The notorious gambling class’: Patterns of gambling among young people in Denmark: a longitudinal qualitative study

In this study, using a three wave qualitative longitudinal data set, we explored patterns of change in gambling behavior among a sample of young Danes. A total of 48 informants participated in all three sweeps of interviews. The overall aim was to explore the complexities and social contexts, as well as the subjective meanings that underlie gambling behavior changes. We identified four different types of gambling pathways, each illustrating different types of movement over time: intensification; reduction; stability, and those that were non-linear. Our overall finding was that transitions or oscillations in behavior are more common than a progressive linear gambling pattern, and that these changes are affected by a number of contextual factors. The implications for further research and policy are discussed

Investment Companies' Performance Maintenance Under the Greenhouse Gas protocol

The amount of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions has seen a substantial increase the past decades resulting in record-high CO2-levels in the atmosphere. In an effort to reduce emissions, several organizations established guidelines to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development established The Greenhouse Gas Protocol in 1998, which required every participating company to report direct and indirect emissions. Its goal is to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and it rapidly became one of the most adopted protocols in the world. Due to its global significance, it was desired to analyse the impact the Protocol has had on investment companies. In this thesis, we looked at certain investment companies whose primary source of income has been the oil and gas industry. These investment companies need to refocus their investment strategy to meet the emission targets. In this thesis, the following research question was derived: “How can investment companies adhere to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol while maintaining their profit and risk profiles?” Three focus questions were analysed to further reveal what options the investment companies have. Their potential for future performance through the methods described in the Protocol was discussed, as well as new methods highlighted in this study. In addition, the Protocol was put into question to whether it will suffice in order to meet net zero emissions by 2050. The results were based on qualitative measures conducted through interviews with three investment companies and presented with the support of a quantitative overlay. The study highlighted the importance for the investment companies to reduce emissions, and how these positive effects will be significant for their reputation and competitive advantage. However, the guidelines in the Protocol cannot predict profit and risk profiles due to its lack of future forecasting. In this study, a new method of reporting gives the possibility of making predictions by its ability to forecast future outcomes. The significance of this, is how it potentially can increase investment companies’ profitability. In conclusion, maintaining profit and risk profiles while adhering to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol is possible through new methods of reporting

Social support for South Asian Muslim parents with life-limiting illness living in Scotland:a multiperspective qualitative study

Objective: To explore experiences of social support needs among South Asian Muslim patients with life-limiting illness, living in Scotland, who are parents of young children. Design: Secondary analysis of data from a multiperspective, longitudinal Scottish study involving in-depth semistructured interviews with patients, their nominated carers and healthcare professionals. Data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland. Participants: South-Asian Muslim patients with life-limiting illness with children under the age of 18 (n=8), their carer (n=6) and their healthcare professional. Main outcome measures Access and provision of social support in palliative care. Results: Open-ended qualitative interviews identified four main themes: (1) parental sadness over being unable to provide tangible support; (2) parental desire to continue to provide emotional support; (3) limited availability of informal social support networks; and (4) differing perspectives between healthcare professionals and patients on patient access to social support sources, with a subtheme being the capacity of male carers to provide social support. South-Asian parents at the end of life had limited access to extended-network support. Gender roles appeared as challenging for healthcare providers who at times overestimated the amount of support a female carer could provide and underestimated the amount of support male carers provided. Implications for practice include the need for greater awareness by healthcare providers of the social support needs of ethnic minority and migrant parents with life-limiting illnesses and especially an awareness of the importance of the role of male and female carers. Further research is needed to explore how the timing of migration impacts the need for and availability of tangible and emotional informal social support among ethnic minority parents with life-limiting illness

Havneterminaler : kjemikalieredernes nye favoritt?

I denne masterutredningen ønsket vi å rette søkelyset mot det relativt nye satsningsområde til shippingselskaper, terminaldrift. I hovedsak har vi sett etter konkrete grunner til at shippingselskapene velger å investere i private terminaler og hvilke effekter dette har på selskapene. Vi har lagt vekt på hvilke innvirkninger dette har på effektiviteten og risikoen til selskapene, og utredningen er avgrenset til å se på selskaper og terminaler innenfor kjemikalitankindustrien. Utredningen har tatt utgangspunkt i den relativt begrensede litteraturen om terminaler, og koblet mot vårt empiriske datamateriale som er samlet inn gjennom intervjuer av shippingselskap, havner, markedsanalytikere og finansinstitusjoner. Vi har analysert mange forskjellige parametre som har innvirkning på effektiviteten og risikoen til selskapene, hvor overvekten av parametrene taler for at shipping selskapene lykkes med denne investeringen. Den største utfordringen i oppgaven har vært knyttet til relevant informasjon, og dette kan ha påvirket konklusjonen vår

Social relations and healthcare utilisation among middle-aged and older people:study protocol for an implementation and register-based study in Denmark

Abstract Background While previous research establishes an association between social relations, health and use of healthcare services among older people, how to implement this knowledge in real-life settings has received much less attention. This study will explore the relationship between social relations, health and use of healthcare services in a Danish mid-life population sample. In addition, the study will explore individual and contextual factors affecting the implementation of a group-based life story intervention aimed at establishing and strengthening social relations among older people at nursing homes in Denmark. Methods/design A combined quantitative register-based approach and a qualitative implementation approach will be applied in this study. First, we will quantitatively analyse the relationship between social relations, health status and use of healthcare services among middle-aged people in Denmark by linking survey data on social relations, loneliness, self-perceived health and disease status from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) (n = 7191) with national registries through the Public Health Database on use of healthcare services and demographic and socioeconomic factors. Second, we will qualitatively analyse individual and contextual factors affecting the implementation process of the group-based life story intervention based on semi-structured interviews (n = 16), observations and field notes with and among intervention stakeholders, i.e., participants and group leaders facilitating the intervention. Discussion The results of this study are expected to improve knowledge about mechanisms through which social relations are associated with health status and use of healthcare services and to inform the implementation of future interventions targeting social relations among older people at nursing homes. Trial registration The study has been registered and approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency. Seperate approvals have been attained for the qualitative data (Approval No. SUND-2016-08), and for the quantitative data in the CAMB database which has also received approval from the local ethical committee (approval No.H-A-2008-126 and No. 2013–41-1814, respectively)