60 research outputs found
Influence of testing procedure on evaluation of white clover (Trifolium repens L.)
peer-reviewedThis study examined data sets derived from the white clover cultivar evaluation
programmes of AFBI (N. Ireland), and DAFF (Republic of Ireland) to determine
whether elite performing genotypes are identifiable, independent of test procedure and
leaf size factors. Genetic variation in yield and persistency, independent of the leaf size
continuum effect, was observed. Identification of elite cultivars by breeders or testers
therefore required readjustment of assessment standards to account for the mostly curvilinear
relationships between performance and leaf size. The different testing procedures,
involving cutting or grazing at different heights, frequencies and nitrogen rates
changed the relative performances between the cultivars, making it difficult to predict
performance potential beyond specific test conditions. The underlying causes for these
changes in rankings was considered, including sensitivity to season and location, the
antagonistic affects of defoliation pressure and companion grass competition, the independence
of different seasonal profiles and the probable role of other morphological
characteristics. In is concluded that testing authorities must calculate the management
by leaf size relationships to adjust pass/fail standards if elite performing cultivars are
to be correctly indentified
Productivity Potential and Seasonality of Five Grass Species under Varying Nitrogen Levels at Three Latitudes in Ireland
The Effect of Sward Height and Bulk Density on Herbage Intake and Grazing Behaviour of Dairy Cows
The effects of sward height and bulk density on herbage intake and grazing behaviour of dairy cows during 1 hour grazing periods was investigated. Sward factors had a marked effect on dry matter (DM) intake/bite, which ranged from 0.4 to 1.1 g, and this was reflected in hourly intake rates. Intake/bite was largely influenced by sward height, reflecting increased bite depth in taller swards, with inherent differences between swards at low sward heights largely attributable to differences in bulk density (BD). The results indicate that DM intake rates up to 4.0 kg DM/hour can be achieved in short term grazing studies with dairy cows grazing tall (180 mm+), dense (3.0 kg DM/m3), leafy perennial ryegrass swards
Understanding the implementation and effectiveness of a group-based early parenting intervention : a process evaluation protocol
BACKGROUND: Group-based early parenting interventions delivered through community-based services may be a potentially effective means of promoting infant and family health and wellbeing. Process evaluations of these complex interventions provide vital information on how they work, as well as the conditions which shape and influence outcomes. This information is critical to decision makers and service providers who wish to embed prevention and early interventions in usual care settings. In this paper, a process evaluation protocol for an early years parenting intervention, the Parent and Infant (PIN) program, is described. This program combines a range of developmentally-appropriate supports, delivered in a single intervention process, for parents and infants (0–2 years) and aimed at enhancing parental competence, strengthening parent-infant relationships and improving infant wellbeing and adjustment. METHODS: The process evaluation is embedded within a controlled trial and accompanying cost-effectiveness evaluation. Building from extant frameworks and evaluation methods, this paper presents a systematic approach to the process evaluation of the PIN program and its underlying change principles, the implementation of the program, the context of implementation and the change mechanisms which influence and shape parent and infant outcomes. We will use a multi-method strategy, including semi-structured interviews and group discussions with key stakeholders, documentary analysis and survey methodology. DISCUSSION: The integration of innovations into existing early years systems and services is a challenging multifaceted undertaking. This process evaluation will make an important contribution to knowledge about the implementation of such programs, while also providing an example of how theory-based research can be embedded within the evaluation of community-based interventions. We discuss the strengths of the research, such as the adoption of a collaborative approach to data collection, while we also identify potential challenges, including capturing and assessing complex aspects of the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN17488830 (Date of registration: 27/11/15). This trial was retrospectively registered. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1737-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users
INSPIRE (INvestigating Social and PractIcal suppoRts at the End of life): Pilot randomised trial of a community social and practical support intervention for adults with life-limiting illness
YesBACKGROUND: For most people, home is the preferred place of care and death. Despite the development of specialist palliative care and primary care models of community based service delivery, people who are dying, and their families/carers, can experience isolation, feel excluded from social circles and distanced from their communities. Loneliness and social isolation can have a detrimental impact on both health and quality of life. Internationally, models of social and practical support at the end of life are gaining momentum as a result of the Compassionate Communities movement. These models have not yet been subjected to rigorous evaluation. The aims of the study described in this protocol are: (1) to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and potential effectiveness of The Good Neighbour Partnership (GNP), a new volunteer-led model of social and practical care/support for community dwelling adults in Ireland who are living with advanced life-limiting illness; and (2) to pilot the method for a Phase III Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). DESIGN: The INSPIRE study will be conducted within the Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework for the Evaluation of Complex Interventions (Phases 0-2) and includes an exploratory two-arm delayed intervention randomised controlled trial. Eighty patients and/or their carers will be randomly allocated to one of two groups: (I) Intervention: GNP in addition to standard care or (II) Control: Standard Care. Recipients of the GNP will be asked for their views on participating in both the study and the intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data will be gathered from both groups over eight weeks through face-to-face interviews which will be conducted before, during and after the intervention. The primary outcome is the effect of the intervention on social and practical need. Secondary outcomes are quality of life, loneliness, social support, social capital, unscheduled health service utilisation, caregiver burden, adverse impacts, and satisfaction with intervention. Volunteers engaged in the GNP will also be assessed in terms of their death anxiety, death self efficacy, self-reported knowledge and confidence with eleven skills considered necessary to be effective GNP volunteers. DISCUSSION: The INSPIRE study addresses an important knowledge gap, providing evidence on the efficacy, utility and acceptability of a unique model of social and practical support for people living at home, with advanced life-limiting illness. The findings will be important in informing the development (and evaluation) of similar service models and policy elsewhere both nationally and internationally. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN18400594 18(th) February 2015
A community-based parent-support programme to prevent child maltreatment : Protocol for a randomised controlled trial
The prevention of child abuse and neglect is a global public health priority
due to its serious, long-lasting effects on personal, social, and economic
outcomes. The Children At Risk Model (ChARM) is a wraparound-inspired
intervention that coordinates evidence-based parenting- and home-visiting
programmes, along with community-based supports, in order to address
the multiple and complex needs of families at risk of child abuse or
neglect. This paper presents the protocol for a study that will be carried out
to evaluate this new service model (i.e. no results available as yet). The
study comprises a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial, with embedded
economic and process evaluations. The study will be conducted in two
child-welfare agencies within socially disadvantaged settings in Ireland.
Families with children aged 3-11 years who are at risk of maltreatment (n =
50) will be randomised to either the 20-week ChARM programme (n = 25)
or to standard care (n = 25) using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The primary
outcomes are incidences of child maltreatment and child behaviour and
wellbeing. Secondary outcomes include quality of parent-child
relationships, parental stress, mental health, substance use, recorded
incidences of substantiated abuse, and out-of-home placements.
Assessments will take place at pre-intervention, and at 6- and 12-month
follow-up periods. The study is the first evaluation of a wraparound-inspired
intervention, incorporating evidence-based programmes, designed to
prevent child abuse and neglect within high risk families where children are
still living in the home. The findings will offer a unique contribution to the
development, implementation and evaluation of effective interventions in
the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised
Controlled Trial Number Registe
Seeking to understand lived experiences of personal recovery in personality disorder in community and forensic settings – a qualitative methods investigation
A pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of adding a structured home visiting intervention to improve outcomes for high-risk families attending the Incredible Years Parent Programme: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Ethnic inequalities in the incidence of diagnosis of severe mental illness in England: a systematic review and new meta-analyses for non-affective and affective psychoses.
This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01758-yPURPOSE: Although excess risks particularly for a diagnosis of schizophrenia have been identified for ethnic minority people in England and other contexts, we sought to identify and synthesise up-to-date evidence (2018) for affective in addition to non-affective psychoses by specific ethnic groups in England. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of ethnic differences in diagnosed incidence of psychoses in England, searching nine databases for reviews (citing relevant studies up to 2009) and an updated search in three databases for studies between 2010 and 2018. Studies from both searches were combined in meta-analyses allowing coverage of more specific ethnic groups than previously. RESULTS: We included 28 primary studies. Relative to the majority population, significantly higher risks of diagnosed schizophrenia were found in Black African (Relative risk, RR 5.72, 95% CI 3.87-8.46, n = 9); Black Caribbean (RR 5.20, 95% CI 4.33-6.24, n = 21); South Asian (RR 2.27, 95% CI 1.63-3.16, n = 14); White Other (RR 2.24, 95% CI 1.59-3.14, n = 9); and Mixed Ethnicity people (RR 2.24, 95% CI 1.32-3.80, n = 4). Significantly higher risks for diagnosed affective psychoses were also revealed: Black African (RR 4.07, 95% CI 2.27-7.28, n = 5); Black Caribbean (RR 2.91, 95% CI 1.78-4.74, n = 16); South Asian (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.07-2.72, n = 8); White Other (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.32-1.83, n = 5); Mixed Ethnicity (RR 6.16, 95% CI 3.99-9.52, n = 4). CONCLUSIONS: The risk for a diagnosis of non-affective and affective psychoses is particularly elevated for Black ethnic groups, but is higher for all ethnic minority groups including those previously not assessed through meta-analyses (White Other, Mixed Ethnicity). This calls for further research on broader disadvantages affecting ethnic minority people.Lankelly Chase Foundatio
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