Psychological and educational interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows:To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of psychological interventions (such as cognitive behavioural therapy) (with or without an education component) for preventing falls in older people living in the community.To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of educational interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community

An exploratory investigation of food choice behavior of teenagers with and without food allergies

Background - Understanding food choice behavior in adolescence is important because many core eating habits may be tracked into adulthood. The food choices of at least 2.3% of teenagers living in the United Kingdom are determined by food allergies. However, the effect of food allergies on eating habits in teenagers has not yet been studied.Objective - To provide an understanding of how teenagers with food allergies make food choice decisions and how these differ from those of non–food-allergic teenagers.Methods - One focus group discussion with non–food-allergic teenagers (n = 11) and 14 semistructured interviewers (7 with food-allergic and 7 with non–food-allergic teenagers) were performed (age range, 12-18 years). The focus group discussion and interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis.Results - Teenagers from both groups (food-allergic and non–food-allergic) named sensory characteristics of foods as the main reason for choosing them. Some food-allergic teenagers downplayed their allergy and frequently engaged in risk-taking behavior in terms of their food choices. However, they reported difficulties in trying new foods, especially when away from home. Parental control was experienced as protective by those with food allergies, whereas non–food-allergic teenagers felt the opposite. Most teenagers, including food-allergic ones, expressed the wish to eat similar foods to their friends. Other themes did not vary between the 2 groups.Conclusion - Food-allergic teenagers strive to be able to make similar food choices to their friends, although differences to non–food-allergic teenagers exist. It is important to address these differences to improve their dietary management

Seeking authentic educational development practice : a spiritual and philosophical journey

This thesis is a spiritual and philosophical journey whose purpose is to explore the question: How can I realize my authenticity more fully in my practice as educational developer? The investigation is situated autobiographically in various dilemmas of educational development practice that I experienced. These experiences are consequences of tensions between the performative demands of the culture of western universities and the more ontological demands of authenticity. Authenticity calls us to a moral, "higher" educational purpose to become persons in a more developed sense. I propose that performative acts and utterances designed to create an impression of excellence and efficiency, and to improve competitiveness and wealth of universities, can obscure this higher educational purpose, denigrating authenticity of individual educators and of the institutions within which we work. I also propose that the Social Sciences research paradigms underpinning academic development as an emerging field of study and practice have methodological limitations for educational research. This lack of an authentically educational methodological paradigm, focused on the development of persons and rooted in educational practice, is at the heart of the stated problems of lack of legitimacy in the field of academic development. In this thesis I both employ and propose philosophical fieldwork as a new, inclusive paradigm for higher education research and practice that is concerned with the "higher" development of persons. This paradigm does not necessarily exclude or delegitimate performativie criteria or traditional or postmodern methodological approaches. It acknowledges and critiques them in the context of what it is to be educational. At the same time this paradigm includes and legitimizes a moral horizon (and language) of education that facilitates individual and institutional authenticity. I identify moral and spiritual dispositions and qualities of listening, thinking, and being underpinning this educational methodology--a pathway for realizing my authenticity more fully in my practice

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Ad hominem attacks on scientists are just as likely to undermine public faith in research as legitimate empirical critiques

Media coverage attacking the character and trustworthiness of a scientist can diminish public faith in the research findings of that scientist. Ralph M. Barnes, Heather M. Johnston, Noah MacKenzie, Stephanie J. Tobin and Chelsea M. Taglang have investigated the degree to which such attacks do undermine trust in that scientist's research, and the relative impact of various types of ad hominem attacks. Perhaps surprisingly, purely ad hominem attacks, such as accusations of a financial conflict of interest, for example, prove just as effective in undermining public faith in research findings as direct criticism of the empirical foundations of a science claim

Postpartum contraception acceptance and readiness study

Determine the optimal time to discuss and formulate a plan for postpartum contraception. Determine factors associated with uptake of and adherence to chosen postpartum contraception plan

The impact of Covid-19 restrictions and changes to takeaway regulations in England on consumers’ intake of, and method of accessing out-of-home foods:a longitudinal, mixed-methods study

COVID-19 restrictions significantly impacted the operations of Fast Food and Full Service retail-ers. Full Service retailers were permitted to operate as takeaway outlets without needing to seek formal changes in planning permissions. We conducted a study to determine consumers’ intake of, and mode of accessing foods from Fast Food and Full Service retailers during various Covid-19 restrictions and changes to takeaway/delivery regulations, and their experiences of this. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal, mixed-methods study comprising three surveys examining intake frequency and modes of accessing retailers, and two rounds of qualitative focus groups exploring related experiences. Data were collected from May 2021 – March 2022. Participants were adults living in Northern England (n = 701 at T1); a sub-sample participated in focus groups (n = 22). Intake data were presented descriptively; an ordered logit regression explored factors associated with intake frequency. Focus group data were analysed using Framework Analysis. Results: Mean weekly intake frequency from Fast Food retailers at T1, T2 and T3 was 0.96 (SD 1.05), 1.08 (SD 1.16) and 1.06 times (SD 1.12), respectively. For Full Service retailers, this was 0.36 (SD 0.69), 0.75 (1.06) and 0.71 (SD 0.99) times, respectively. Food access issues (OR (SE): T1 = 1.65 (0.40), T2 = 2.60 (0.66), T = 2.1 (0.62)) and obesity (T1 = 1.61 (0.31), T2 = 2.21 (0.46), T3 = 1.85 (0.42)) were pos-itively associated with intake from Fast Food, but not Full Service retailers. Delivery services were commonly used to access Fast Food (30–34% participants), but not Full Service retailers (6-10% participants). As Covid-19 restrictions eased, participants were eager to socialise on-premises at Full Service retailers. Conclusions: Takeaway/delivery services were seldom used to access Full Service retailers; use of delivery services to access Fast Food was high. Policy-makers must rec-ognise delivery services as a growing part of the food environment, and the challenges they pose to planning policies for obesity prevention. Keywords: Food delivery service