Disabled parents' involvement in their children's education: an examination of good practice

This report comes at the end of an 11 month study exploring disabled parents' experiences of involvement in their children's education. Supporting parents' participation in their children's schooling has been a government goal for decades. However, previous research has shown that some groups of parents face particular barriers to involvement. This includes disabled parents - although few studies (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 20031, Wates 20042, Morris 20043, Robinson et al4) have focused on their experiences. The focus of this research is very much on identifying and exploring examples of good practice in involving disabled parents within schools and local education authorities. These case studies of individuals' positive experiences are set alongside a review of relevant literature, a critical analysis of wider policy and practice frameworks across the UK, and an analysis of key informant interviews. The report begins with a brief resumé of the project aims and methods. It goes on to present the key findings of the research and finishes with a conclusion which draws out implications for policy and practice

Disabled parents' involvement in their children's education : an examination of good practice. Summary for parents

This leaflet sets out the main findings from research about disabled parents' involvement in their children's education. The research, completed in August 2009, was conducted by a team from Strathclyde University

Implementing Zero/Neutral Displacement IV Connectors to Reduce Blood Stream Infections

Catheter related blood stream infections are a major problem in the United States and account for over $225 million each year with over 1,300 infections occurring each day. By researching the most effective type of IV connector, health care providers can provide the best and safest care possible to patients requiring IV access. Zero/neutral IV connectors may be the answer to decreasing these infections as they produce no reflux in the connector which is a breeding ground for bacteria and occlusions. This literature review found that zero/neutral connectors performed better than positive and negative IV connectors when comparing both reflux and bacterial growth. By implementing zero/neutral connectors into everyday practice, over positive and negative connectors, the number of catheter related blood stream infections can be reduced and prevent additional harm to patients

Revisiting Plagiarism In An Internet Era: How Modern Technology Contributes To The Problem And Solutions

Plagiarism is widespread in academia. A vast and profitable new Internet-based industry has developed around students’ continued aversion towards doing their own work. Undergraduate and graduate students can acquire a paper on any topic for a cost of anywhere from free to over a hundred dollars a page. This article will acquaint the academic professional with the market place for college papers, name and evaluate several free and pay services for identifying plagiarism, and suggest assignment designs which aid in preventing the use of both the amateur and the professional paper

Disabled parents' involvement in their children's education: looking at good practice: Accessible Summary

This research project looked at how disabled parents, including people with learning disabilities, are involved in their children's education. This could be helping children with homework, going to parents' evenings at school, helping out in the classroom or on school trips, or being part of a parents' group. Children do better at school when their parents are involved in lots of different ways

Validity and repeatability of a simple index derived from the short physical activity questionnaire used in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study

Original article can be found at: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=PHN Copyright The Authors. DOI: 10.1079/PHN2002439Peer reviewe

Using mobile technology to engage sexual and gender minorities in clinical research.

IntroductionHistorical and current stigmatizing and discriminatory experiences drive sexual and gender minority (SGM) people away from health care and clinical research. Being medically underserved, they face numerous disparities that make them vulnerable to poor health outcomes. Effective methods to engage and recruit SGM people into clinical research studies are needed.ObjectivesTo promote health equity and understand SGM health needs, we sought to design an online, national, longitudinal cohort study entitled The PRIDE (Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality) Study that enabled SGM people to safely participate, provide demographic and health data, and generate SGM health-related research ideas.MethodsWe developed an iPhone mobile application ("app") to engage and recruit SGM people to The PRIDE Study-Phase 1. Participants completed demographic and health surveys and joined in asynchronous discussions about SGM health-related topics important to them for future study.ResultsThe PRIDE Study-Phase 1 consented 18,099 participants. Of them, 16,394 provided data. More than 98% identified as a sexual minority, and more than 15% identified as a gender minority. The sample was diverse in terms of sexual orientation, gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, geographic location, education, and individual income. Participants completed 24,022 surveys, provided 3,544 health topics important to them, and cast 60,522 votes indicating their opinion of a particular health topic.ConclusionsWe developed an iPhone app that recruited SGM adults and collected demographic and health data for a new national online cohort study. Digital engagement features empowered participants to become committed stakeholders in the research development process. We believe this is the first time that a mobile app has been used to specifically engage and recruit large numbers of an underrepresented population for clinical research. Similar approaches may be successful, convenient, and cost-effective at engaging and recruiting other vulnerable populations into clinical research studies

Association of the tumour necrosis factor alpha -308 but not the interleukin 10 -627 promoter polymorphism with genetic susceptibility to primary sclerosing cholangitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown aetiology. Abnormalities in immune regulation and genetic associations suggest that PSC is an immune mediated disease. Several polymorphisms within the tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) promoter genes have been described which influence expression of these cytokines. This study examines the possible association between polymorphisms at the −308 and −627 positions in the TNF-α and IL-10 promoter genes, respectively, and susceptibility to PSC. METHODS TNF-α −308 genotypes were studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 160 PSC patients from Norway and the UK compared with 145 ethnically matched controls. IL-10 −627 genotypes were studied by PCR in 90 PSC patients compared with 84 ethnically matched controls. RESULTS A total of 16% of Norwegian PSC patients and 12% of British PSC patients were homozygous for the TNF2 allele compared with 3% and 6% of respective controls. The TNF2 allele was present in 60% of PSC patients versus 30% of controls (ORcombined data=3.2 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.8–4.5); pcorr=10−5). The association between the TNF2 allele and susceptibility to PSC was independent of the presence of concurrent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the PSC patients; 61% of PSC patients without IBD had TNF2 compared with 30% of controls (ORcombined data=3.2 (95% CI 1.2–9.0); pcorr=0.006 ). There was no difference in the −627 IL-10 polymorphism distributions between patients and controls in either population. The increase in TNF2 allele in PSC patients only occurs in the presence of DRB1*0301 (DR3) and B8. In the combined population data, DRB1*0301 showed a stronger association with susceptibility to PSC than both the TNF2 and B8 alleles (ORcombined data=3.8, pcorr=10−6 v ORcombined data=3.2, pcorr=10−5 vORcombined data =3.41, pcorr=10−4, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study identified a significant association between possession of the TNF2 allele, a G→A substitution at position −308 in the TNF-α promoter, and susceptibility to PSC. This association was secondary to the association of PSC with the A1-B8-DRB1*0301-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201 haplotype. No association was found between the IL-10 −627 promoter polymorphism and PSC

Total Number of U.S. Statehouse Reporters Rises, but Fewer Are on the Beat Full Time

From voting rights and redistricting to abortion and public education, state capitols across the United States are at the epicenter of the nation's key public policy debates. This has been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, as state capitol buildings became ground zero in the debate over mask and vaccine mandates and other pandemic policies.A new Pew Research Center study finds that the total number of reporters assigned to the 50 state capitols to inform citizens about legislative and administrative activity has increased by 11% since 2014, the last time this study was conducted. The gain comes largely from two main developments: new nonprofit news outlets that are employing statehouse reporters, and a shift to more part-time statehouse reporting

Process evaluation of the Walk Well study : a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a community based walking programme for adults with intellectual disabilities

Background: Walking interventions can be effective in encouraging sedentary populations to become more active; however, limited research has explored the effectiveness of walking interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities. This process evaluation explored the delivery of a community based walking intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities. Methods: Walk Well was a single-blind cluster randomised controlled trial of a 12-week physical activity consultation-led walking intervention. 102 participants were randomised to the Walk Well intervention or a waiting list control group. Participants in the intervention group received three physical activity consultations with a walking advisor at baseline, 6 & 12-weeks. They were encouraged to use a pedometer to set goals and monitor their daily step count. Primary outcome was change in daily step count at 12-weeks. Process evaluation measures included qualitative interviews with key stakeholders (n = 6) and quantifiable data collected as part of the intervention. Additional process data were extracted from a sub-set of qualitative interviews with participants and carers (n = 20). Data were analysed for process information related to context, recruitment and retention, reach, implementation, and fidelity. Results: Walk Well was not effective in significantly increasing levels of physical activity. The process evaluation did, however, highlight several important areas for consideration in future studies, including: a successful recruitment and retention strategy reaching a representative sample of adults with intellectual disabilities in the community; feasible and (for most) enjoyable methods of engaging adults with intellectual disabilities in activities to support behaviour change; potential need for greater intervention duration and frequency of contact; advantages and disadvantages of using pedometers as a behaviour change tool; the need for strategies which engage carers in supporting participants; and the complex issue of ‘freedom of choice’ in relation to lifestyle behaviours and study participation. Conclusions: Walking interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities can be feasibly delivered in the community in relation to reach, recruitment, retention and intervention fidelity. More intensive intervention methods need to be explored as well as strategies to engage and motivate carers in their support of participants