319 research outputs found
Effective responder communication improves efficiency and psychological outcomes in a mass decontamination field experiment: implications for public behaviour in the event of a chemical incident
The risk of incidents involving mass decontamination in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear release has increased in recent years, due to technological advances, and the willingness of terrorists to use unconventional weapons. Planning for such incidents has focused on the technical issues involved, rather than on psychosocial concerns. This paper presents a novel experimental study, examining the effect of three different responder communication strategies on public experiences and behaviour during a mass decontamination field experiment. Specifically, the research examined the impact of social identity processes on the relationship between effective responder communication, and relevant outcome variables (e.g. public compliance, public anxiety, and co-operative public behaviour). All participants (N = 111) were asked to visualise that they had been involved in an incident involving mass decontamination, before undergoing the decontamination process, and receiving one of three different communication strategies: 1) Health-focused explanations about decontamination, and sufficient practical information; 2) No health-focused explanations about decontamination, sufficient practical information; 3) No health-focused explanations about decontamination, insufficient practical information. Four types of data were collected: timings of the decontamination process; observational data; and quantitative and qualitative self-report data. The communication strategy which resulted in the most efficient progression of participants through the decontamination process, as well as the fewest observations of non-compliance and confusion, was that which included both health-focused explanations about decontamination and sufficient practical information. Further, this strategy resulted in increased perceptions of responder legitimacy and increased identification with responders, which in turn resulted in higher levels of expected compliance during a real incident, and increased willingness to help other members of the public. This study shows that an understanding of the social identity approach facilitates the development of effective responder communication strategies for incidents involving mass decontamination
Public experiences of mass casualty decontamination
In this article, we analyze feedback from simulated casualties who took part in field exercises involving mass decontamination, to gain an understanding of how responder communication can affect peopleâs experiences of and compliance with decontamination. We analyzed questionnaire data gathered from 402 volunteers using the framework approach, to provide an insight into the publicâs experiences of decontamination and how these experiences are shaped by the actions of emergency responders. Factors that affected casualtiesâ experiences of the econtamination process included the need for greater practical information and better communication from responders, and the need for privacy. Results support previous findings from small-scale incidents that involved decontamination in showing that participants wanted better communication from responders during the process of decontamination, including more practical information, and that the failure of responders to communicate effectively with members of the public led to anxiety about the decontamination process. The similarity between the findings from the exercises described in this article and previous research into real
incidents involving decontamination suggests that field exercises provide a useful way to examine the effect of responder communication strategies on the publicâs experiences of decontamination. Future exercises should examine in more detail the effect of various communication strategies on the publicâs experiences of decontamination. This will facilitate the development of evidence-based communication strategies intended to reduce anxiety about decontamination and increase compliance among members of the public during real-life incidents that involve mass decontamination
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE: FILLING A NICHE MARKET
In less than a decade, the number of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) projects has grown to more than 400. Our research suggests that CSA shareholders' social objectives dominate their decision to join. Standard economic objectives and "club-related" objectives contribute to the decision, but are clearly secondary. Our research also suggests the CSA movement will continue to grow. Its emphasis on social objectives, its inability to supply food year around, and the ongoing development of size-neutral organic technologies, however, will probably keep it from becoming a major market channel in the next century.Agribusiness,
Recommended from our members
Recognising and understanding collective resilience in crowds of survivors
No description supplie
Pollution Trading and Environmental Injustice: Los Angelesâ Failed Experiment in Air Quality Policy
The effects of aluminum oxide on reactions of free chlorine with 2,4-dichlorophenol
Thesis (B.S.) in Chemistry -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1987.Bibliography: leaves 93-96.Microfiche of typescript. [Urbana, Ill.]: Photographic Services, University of Illinois, U of I Library, [1987]. 3 microfiches (108 frames): negative
Psychosocial care for persons affected by emergencies and major incidents: a Delphi study to determine the needs of professional first responders for education, training and support
Background
The role of ambulance clinicians in providing psychosocial care in major incidents and emergencies is recognised in recent Department of Health guidance. The study described in this paper identified NHS professional first respondersâ needs for education about survivorsâ psychosocial responses, training in psychosocial skills, and continuing support.
Method
Ambulance staff participated in an online Delphi questionnaire, comprising 74 items (Round 1) on 7-point Likert scales. Second-round and third-round participants each received feedback based on the previous round, and responded to modified versions of the original items and to new items for clarification.
Results
One hundred and two participants took part in Round 1; 47 statements (64%) achieved consensus. In Round 2, 72 people from Round 1 participated; 15 out of 39 statements (38%) achieved consensus. In Round 3, 49 people from Round 2 participated; 15 out of 27 statements (59%) achieved consensus. Overall, there was consensus in the following areas: âpsychosocial needs of patientsâ (consensus in 34/37 items); âpossible sources of stress in your workâ (8/9); âimpacts of distress in your workâ (7/10); âmeeting your own emotional needsâ (4/5); âsupport within your organisationâ (2/5); âneeds for training in psychosocial skills for patientsâ (15/15); âmy needs for psychosocial training and supportâ (5/6).
Conclusions
Ambulance clinicians recognise their own education needs and the importance of their being offered psychosocial training and support. The authors recommend that, in order to meet patientsâ psychosocial needs effectively, ambulance clinicians are provided with education and training in a number of skills and their own psychosocial support should be enhanced
Winding Design for Minimum Power Loss and Low-Cost Manufacture in Application to Fixed-Speed PM Generator
- âŚ