It’s not just a Blue Economy moment…

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Winder and Le Heron (2017) advocate for geographers to engage directly and critically with the Blue Economy and to remove the ‘disciplinary framings’ from which the notion of the Blue Economy has emerged. While endorsing Winder and Le Heron’s call for human geography to engage with debates about the Blue Economy, I argue that the lack of critical engagement within the geographical community with respect to the Blue Economy has not been imposed by disciplinary framings. Instead I ask Winder and Le Heron to clarify how a social and cultural critique of the Blue Economy will expand the current knowledge base of our oceans and seas. I also ask whether a critique of extensive literature within economics, planning and governance on the ocean resource have been the building blocks for the critical analysis of the Blue Economy provided by Winder and Le Heron

An Urban-Rural Exploration of Depression, CVD and their Comorbidity in Ireland

This is the final version of the article. Available from Geographical Society of Ireland/Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this record.The significant rise in the comorbidity of physical conditions with mental disorders is increasingly recognised as a public health issue. Spatial considerations and how they interact with individual level socio-economic characteristics also play a crucial role in influencing health outcomes. To date, most hypotheses tend to assume that health outcomes will be poorer in urban rather than rural areas. The aim of this paper is to examine whether the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), depression and their comorbidity is higher across an expanded eight category classification of urban/rural areas once the known compositional determinants for both diseases are controlled for. It was found that the comorbidity of CVD and depression may be explained by individuals being exposed to spatially-variant demographic and socio-economic factors that may predispose them to both conditions. With regard to the location variables, it was found that health outcomes do not improve as space becomes increasingly rural relative to a city environment; suburban and mixed urban/rural residences bordering suburbs are consistently associated with poorer health outcomes, relative to city locations. Furthermore, residents of small towns have poorer health outcomes relative to city residents, whilst residents of large towns have better health outcomes relative to city residents. Thus, this paper concludes that health outcomes cannot be predicted on areas being dichotomously defined as rural versus urban and that non-linearities exist in health outcomes as areas become increasingly rural

Comorbidity and healthcare use for individuals with CVD in the Ireland: a cross-sectional, population-based study

This is the final version. Available on open access from BMJ Publishing Group via the DOI in this recordData sharing statement: No additional data are availableObjective This study explores the factors associated with health service use for individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and comorbidity in the Ireland. Design Population-based cross-sectional survey. Setting Nationally representative health and health service use survey from the 2010 Quarterly National Household Survey was analysed. Primary outcome measures Four outcome variables were examined: no CVD, CVD only, CVD with CVD-related comorbidities and CVD with non-CVD-related comorbidity. Results Of the 791 individuals reporting doctor-diagnosed CVD, 77% had a second morbidity. Using type of healthcare coverage as a proxy for socioeconomic status, both CVD-related and non CVD-related comorbidity increases the use of health service usage substantially for individuals with CVD, particularly general practitioner services (8.47, CI 4.49 to 15.96 and 5.20, CI 2.10 to 12.84) and inpatient public hospital care (3.64, CI 2.93 to 4.51 and 3.00, CI 2.11 to 4.26). Conclusion This study indicated that even when demographic and socioeconomic factors are controlled for, comorbidity significantly increases the risk of accessing health services for individuals with CVD

Examining the association between C-Reactive protein and obesity by using the fractional polynomial approach; applying on NHANES dataset from 2001 to 2010

This is the final version of the article. Available from Herbert Publications Ltd via the DOI in this record.Objective: This study uses a flexible nonlinear approach, Fractional polynomial models (FPs), to examine the association between obesity and C-reactive protein to select the best fitted model within 44 potentially FP models. Methods: Data for 5 years (2001-2010) of the National Health Interview Survey (NHANES) was used. All respondents aged between 17 and 74 were included in the analysis. CRP was transformed to ln(CRP) to eliminate skewness and missing values were removed from the analysis. A fractional polynomial approach was applied to measure the relationship between elevated levels of CRP and obesity. A closed test was used to select the best model among the 44 models. Results: The best fitted fractional polynomial regression model contained the powers -2 and -2 for BMI. The association between the ln(CRP) and BMI when estimated using the FP approach exhibited a J-shaped pattern for women and men. Women have a higher risk of elevated CRP level compared to men. A deviance difference test yielded a significant improvement in model fit of -2 and -2 compared to other BMI functions. Conclusion: The fractional polynomial regression model is the most robust estimator of BMI compared to other linear or nonlinear models.The authors would like to acknowledge the European Centre for Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter Medical School- UK and the School of commerce, Faculty of commerce Ain Shams University , Cairo- Egypt

Exploring the socio-cultural contexts of fishers and fishing: Developing the concept of the ‘good fisher’

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Recent calls have been made to pay greater attention to the social and cultural contexts of fisheries and their management. This paper explores how the recent Bourdieusian-inspired literature on the ‘good farmer’ might inform our discussion of fishers and their activities. Bourdieu’s ideas of habitus, field and capital(s), and how these interact in (re)shaping the positioning as a ‘good fisher’, allows us to move beyond the myopic, economic, framing of fishers seen in much previous literature and fishing policy. Through in-depth interviews and participant observations in a small-scale fishing community in North Wales (UK), the paper explores the particularity of the fishing field, and notes the multiple performances and demonstrations required in order for individuals to position as a ‘good fisher’. It goes on to highlight the importance of these performances in developing social capital and the associated access to networks of support and reciprocity at sea. Central to these interrelations, the paper observes, is adhering to and internalising various ‘rules of the game’ – which include managing territories, respecting fishing gear, maintaining safety at sea, and the importance of keeping secrets. The paper moves on to consider the implications of these observations for the current and future management of fishing in such areas – noting how pre-existing and context-specific relations between fishers offer boundaries to what change might be achieved by new policies – before examining future agendas for research in this field

Exploring the distributional impact of investment in the port sector on households in Mauritius: A social accounting matrix approach

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordResearch on the role that growth in the Ocean Economy can play on poverty reduction and income inequality has been limited to date. Using a Social Accounting Matrix framework this paper examines the distributional effects of investment in the port sector on employees and households in Mauritius. Two investment scenarios (conservative, US$1089 million and optimistic, US$1332 million) are considered. The results suggest that in the short term, investment in the development of the port sector would have an overall positive impact on the Mauritian economy. Poor and lower middle-income households would receive a very small positive impact, as would employees with lower education levels. However, in the medium to long term, impacts at the household level would be uneven with wealthy households and employees with university education receiving the greatest benefit. These results suggest the need for complementary redistributive policies

Web based health surveys: Using a Two Step Heckman model to examine their potential for population health analysis

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Article in press version. Available online 1 July 2016In June 2011 the BBC Lab UK carried out a web-based survey on the causes of mental distress. The ‘Stress Test’ was launched on ‘All in the Mind’ a BBC Radio 4 programme and the test’s URL was publicised on radio and TV broadcasts, and made available via BBC web pages and social media. Given the large amount of data created, over 32,800 participants, with corresponding diagnosis, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics; the dataset are potentially an important source of data for population based research on depression and anxiety. However, as respondents self-selected to participate in the online survey, the survey may comprise a non-random sample. It may be only individuals that listen to BBC Radio 4 and/or use their website that participated in the survey. In this instance using the Stress Test data for wider population based research may create sample selection bias. Focusing on the depression component of the Stress Test, this paper presents an easy-to-use method, the Two Step Probit Selection Model, to detect and statistically correct selection bias in the Stress Test. Using a Two Step Probit Selection Model; this paper did not find a statistically significant selection on unobserved factors for participants of the Stress Test. That is, survey participants who accessed and completed an online survey are not systematically different from non-participants on the variables of substantive interest

Future of the Sea: Health and Wellbeing of Coastal Communities

This is the final version of the report. Available from the Government Office for Science via the link in this recordThis review has been commissioned as part of the UK government’s Foresight Future of the Sea project. The views expressed do not represent policy of any government or organisationApproximately 17 per cent of the UK population live in coastal communities; some are prosperous and commercially successful, others experiencing socio- economic decline. Regardless, evidence suggests growing risks for the health and wellbeing of coastal communities. Communities along the coast are on the front line in facing climate change and marine pollution impacts, furthermore their economies are deeply embedded with coastal and other marine activities, making these communities particularly affected. Sea-level rise and extreme weather events, driven by climate change and ecosystem damage, expose coastal communities to flooding events now and in the future, damaging local economies, and threatening health and wellbeing. Continuing pollution of the sea has been underestimated as a threat to the health of coastal dwellers.Governtment Office for Scienc

Making the Case for “Whole System” Approaches Integrating Public Health and Housing

This is the final version. Available on open from MDPI via the DOI in this recordHousing conditions have been an enduring focus for public health activity throughout the modern public health era. However, the nature of the housing and health challenge has changed in response to an evolution in the understanding of the diverse factors influencing public health. Today, the traditional public health emphasis on the type and quality of housing merges with other wider determinants of health. These include the neighbourhood, community, and “place” where a house is located, but also the policies which make access to a healthy house possible and affordable for everyone. Encouragingly, these approaches to policy and action on housing have the potential to contribute to the “triple win” of health and well-being, equity, and environmental sustainability. However, more effective housing policies (and in public health in general) that adopt more systemic approaches to addressing the complex interactions between health, housing, and wider environment are needed. This paper illustrates some of the key components of the housing and health challenge in developed countries, and presents a conceptual model to co-ordinate activities that can deliver the “triple win.” This is achieved by offering a perspective on how to navigate more effectively, inclusively and across sectors when identifying sustainable housing interventions.This research was supported in part by funding provided by: (1) the South West Academic Health Science Network (grant number SW AHSN G005) and the European Regional Development Fund (grant number SZ07660) for the SMARTLINE Project; (2) the Eaga Charitable Trust; (3) the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Environmental Change and Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in partnership with Public Health England, and in collaboration with the University of Exeter, University College London, and the Met Office; and (4) the European Commission Horizon 2020 funded INHERIT project, coordinated by EuroHealthNet (grant number 667364)

Building resilience in practice to support coral communities in the Western Indian Ocean

Global environmental change and other site specific pressures (e.g. over fishing and pollution) are threating coral reefs and the livelihoods of dependent coastal communities. Multiple strategies are used to build the resilience of both coral reefs and reef dependent communities but the effectiveness of these strategies is largely unknown. Using the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) as a case study, this paper combines published literature and expert opinion elicited through a multi-stakeholder workshop to assess the intended and realised social and ecological implications of strategies commonly applied in the region. Findings suggest that all strategies can contribute to building social and ecological resilience, but this varies with context and the overall strategy objectives. The ability of strategies to be successful in the future is questioned. To support effective resilience policy development more nuanced lesson learning requires effective monitoring and evaluation as well as a disaggregated understanding of resilience in terms of gender, agency and the interaction between ecological and social resilience. Opportunities for further lesson sharing between experts in the region are needed