Artículos de revistas sobre el tema "Families – Economic aspects – Northern Ireland"

Abstract Given the increased prominence of a border poll in Ireland, particularly following the outcome of the Brexit referendum, this paper provides an initial assessment of some of the issues that are likely to become central in any debate on this issue. We examine the relative income and growth position of Northern Ireland within a UK and Irish regional framework over time. We further compare, and contrast, in detail aspects of the structure of both economies on the island of Ireland in the areas of educational attainment, trade orientation and the role of Foreign Direct Investment. The paper goes on to analyse other relevant issues, such as the relative strength and weaknesses of the healthcare systems and the factors determining the potential economic cost of Irish unification. The objective of the research is to initiate an evidence-based approach to the question of a border poll and to provide an initial indication of the breadth of detail and analysis required for any debate to proceed in a meaningful manner.

Background: Enabling patients to die in their preferred place is important but achieving preferred place of death may increase the informal carer’s risk into bereavement. Aim: To determine risk factors of family carers bereaved through cancer in Northern Ireland. Design: These results form part of a larger QUALYCARE-NI study which used postal questionnaires to capture quantitative data on carer’s bereavement scores using the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief. Setting/participants: Participants were individuals who registered the death of a person between 1 December 2011 and 31 May 2012; where cancer (defined by ICD10 codes C00-D48) was the primary cause; where the deceased was over 18 years of age and death occurred at home, hospice, nursing home or hospital in Northern Ireland. Participants were approached in confidence by the Demography and Methodology Branch of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Those wishing to decline participation were invited to return the reply slip. Non-responders received a second questionnaire 6 weeks after initial invitation. Results indicated that risk factors positively influencing bereavement outcomes included patients having no preference for place of death and carers remaining in employment pre- or post-bereavement. In contrast, patients dying in hospital, carers stopping work, being of lower socio-economic status and close kinship to the deceased negatively affected bereavement scores. Family carers should be adequately supported to continue in employment; priority should be given to assessing the financial needs of families from lower socio-economic areas; and bereavement support should focus on close relatives of the deceased.

AREAS OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST IN IRELAND. Dublin: An Foras Forbartha, 1981. 166pp. IR£3-00. Reviewed by: Stu DaultreyTHE PERSONALITY OF IRELAND. HABITAT, HERITAGE AND HISTORY, by E. Estyn Evans. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1981. 2nd edition, 130pp. £3–95 stg. Reviewed by: P.J. DuffyTHE EMERGENCE OF MODERN IRELAND 1600–1900, by L.M. Cullen. London: Batsford, 1981. 292 pp. £17–50stg. Reviewed by: T. Jones HughesLA POPULATION DE LTRLANDE, by Jacques Verricrc. Paris: Mouton Editeur, 1979. 580 pp. Reviewed by: J.P. HaughtonTHE CONTEMPORARY POPULATION OF NORTHERN IRELAND AND POPULATION RELATED ISSUES, edited by Paul A. Compton. Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University, Belfast, 1981. £4–50stg. Reviewed by: D.G. PringleTHE SOCIO-ECONOMIC POSITION OF IRELAND WITHIN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, National Economic and Social Council Report No. 58 (by Anthony Foley and Ms. P. Walbridge). Dublin: Stationery Office, (1981). 88 pp. IRC1-35. Reviewed by: P. BreathnachGEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF TOURISM IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, By HJ. Plettner. Research Paper Number 9. Galway: Social Sciences Research Centre, University College, Galway, 1979. 50 pp. Reviewed by: Desmond A. GillmorTHE TOWN IN IRELAND: HISTORICAL STUDIES XIII, edited by David Harkness and Mary O'Dowd. Belfast: Appletree Press, 1981. 252 pp. IR£10'90; £8–95 stg. Reviewed by: Stephen A. RoyleURBANISATION: PROBLEMS OF GROWTH AND DECAY IN DUBLIN, National Economic and Social Council Report No. 55 (by M.J. Bannon, J.G. Eustace and M. O'Neill). Dublin: Stationery Office, 1981. 376pp. IR£3–15. Reviewed by: A.J. ParkerLAND TRANSACTIONS AND PRICES IN THE DUBLIN AREA 1974–1978, by R. Jennings. Dublin: An Foras Forbartha, 1980. 29 pp. IR£l–50. Reviewed by: Andrew MacLaranRESOURCE SURVEY OF THE KILLALA AREA, by M.S. 6 Cinneide and M.J. Keane. Galway: Social Science Research Centre, University College, Galway, 1980. 152 pp. IR£10-00. Reviewed by: P. O'FlanaganSIDE BY SIDE: TOWARDS A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT, by a Dutch Study Team. Sligo: (County development office), 1980. 166 pp. Reviewed by: Mary E. CawleyTHE BLASKET ISLANDS: NEXT PARISH AMERICA, by Joan and Ray Stagles. Dublin: The O'Brien Press, 1980, 144 pp. IRC8-00. Reviewed by: R.H. BuchananTHE SASH CANADA WORE: A HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE ORANGE ORDER IN CANADA, by C.J. Houston and W.J. Smyth. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980. 215 pp. $(Can.)15-00. Reviewed by: F.H.A. AalenRICHARD GRIFFITH 1784–1878, edited by G.L.H. Davies and R.C. Mollan, Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1980. 221 pp. Reviewed by: Colin A. LewisMAP REVIEWSMOURNE COUNTRY OUTDOOR PURSUITS MAP. 1:25,000. Belfast: Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, 1981. £1–75 stg; THE WICKLOW WAY. 1:50,000. Dublin: Ordnance Survey of Ireland, 1981. IR£l-80. Reviewed by: E. BuckmasterORDNANCE SURVEY HOLIDAY MAP. 1:250,000. Sheet 1, Ireland North. Belfast: Ordnance Survey of Northern ireland, 1980. £1–20stg. Sheet 3, Ireland East. Dublin: Ordnance Survey of Ireland, 1981. IR£l-80. Reviewed by: E. Buckmaster

Political cleavages are often understood as deriving from either deep-rooted social divisions or institutional incentives. Contemporary Northern Ireland provides a test of the mutability of apparently entrenched cleavages to institutional change. Research undertaken before the ceasefire in the 1990s found noticeable asymmetries in the patterns of cleavage within the unionist and nationalist blocs. Within the unionist bloc, economic ‘left–right’ issues formed the main ideological division between the two major unionist parties. This contrasted with an ethno-national source of ideological division between the two nationalist parties. However, the emergence of a consociational form of government structure since then has demonstrated the ability of institutional incentives to reform some aspects of party competition swiftly. As evidence of this, we show that between 1989 and 2004 there was little change in the sources of support for Sinn Féin relative to the SDLP, but the influence of left–right ideology within the unionist bloc was negated as the influence of ethno-nationalism dramatically increased.

Background: In 2003, the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine (BSRM) published guidelines on amputee and prosthetic rehabilitation, including those with congenital limb deficiency.Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the service provided by the Regional Disablement Service (RDS) to children with congenital upper limb deficiency, against BSRM guidelines.Study Design: Retrospective chart review.Methods: Chart review.Results: Analysis of the group ( n = 44) showed 52% were male, with 61% of children affected on the left side, and 73% having a transverse deficiency. Compliance to individual aspects of the guidelines varied considerably. Only 14 (32%) of children had met with the multidisciplinary team by the recommended age of six months. Analysis of referral sources and timings suggested that children were initially seen elsewhere and later referred to RDS after consultation with a surgeon.Conclusions: RDS compliance with the BSRM guidelines was variable. Particularly disappointing was the low rate of children and families meeting the multidisciplinary team at an early age (< 6 months). The low rate of early referral prompted us to contact all paediatricians in Northern Ireland highlighting the guidelines, the benefits of early contact with RDS and encouraging referral on diagnosis.Clinical relevanceThis work will be of interest particularly to those involved in treating paediatric amputees. The challenges we face in treating upper limb deficient children in accordance with current guidance may not be unique and our study may prompt other units to consider how best to improve service to this group.

SynopsisWork on short-rotation coppice willow as an alternative and renewable energy source began in Northern Ireland in the mid-1970s, prompted by the massive rise in oil prices during that period. Although in the short run oil prices have dropped in real terms, interest in short-rotation coppice willow has ben sustained because of the potential role it has in the development of agriculture, particularly in marginal areas. This is particularly relevant in the current situation of over production of a wide range of agricultural commodities within the European Community and the moves to reduce Government support in the form of farm and export subsidies.Although Salix cultivars have yielded in excess of 30 tonnes dry matter (DM) ha−1 annually under experimental conditions, it is considered that 10–12 tonnes DM ha−1 is a sustainable commercial yield.Melampsora spp. rust has emerged as one of the most important factors limiting the development of short-rotation coppice as a commercial crop. For economic and environmental reasons, the application of fungicide for rust control is not a possibility. Consequently, other disease control strategies have to be established. The main focus of this work is in the selection, for suitability for coppice application, of the widening range of genetic material becoming available from breeding programmes in Canada, Sweden and Finland with a view to their incorporation into mixed stands.End product utilisation is considered a priority area for investigation if short-rotation coppice is to make a contribution to land use and the development of agriculture in marginal areas. Currently two potential end uses are being investigated: firstly fractionation – to produce cellulose for paper manufacture, hemi-cellulose for the production of molasses and lignin for further processing into other industrial chemicals, and secondly the simultaneous generation of heat and power using gasification – ‘combined heat and power’.

AbstractObjectiveTo (i) explore the factors influencing family out-of-home (OH) eating events and (ii) identify possible opportunities for food businesses to support families in making healthier OH choices.DesignFocus group discussions were conducted with parents (six to eight participants per group) and friendship pair discussions (informal interviews with two children who are friends) were conducted with children (5–12 years) throughout the island of Ireland. Both discussions were audio-recorded and analysed using a thematic content analysis.SettingEight focus groups and sixteen friendship pairs were conducted in Northern Ireland and sixteen focus groups and thirty-two friendship pairs were conducted in the Republic of Ireland.SubjectsPurposive sampling was used to recruit a sample of non-related parents and children that represented equal numbers of gender, age, socio-economic status and demographic backgrounds.Results:The main, overarching theme was that families perceived OH eating to be a treat, while health was not currently a key priority for many parents and children. Children were reported to have most responsibility for their own food choice decisions in this environment, with taste and food neophobia having the greatest influences. Parents believed that if food businesses could meet parent and child priorities in addition to health influences, e.g. change cooking methods, and increase flexibility, then families would be more likely to patronise these establishments.ConclusionsThe entire family OH eating experience needs to be considered when developing public health interventions and this research has highlighted key opportunities that caterers could employ to support healthier family OH food choices.

The paper proposes a model of analysis of modern armed conflicts in the world, based on the studied political practices of conflict management in Croatia, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Moldova. The authors highlight the critical conditions for resolving armed conflicts, including addressing security issues, consensus on a peace plan, involvement of minority groups in negotiations, establishing inclusive political institutions, promoting sustainable economic development, and strengthening the role of international organizations in mediating and monitoring peace agreements. The model endeavors to integrate political, economic, and social aspects to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing armed conflict management and settlement.Comparing the conflicts in Croatia, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Moldova, the authors considered the unique historical features of each case and identified their common object. The study of the conflicts allowed for the identification of the main stages of analysis. These stages include forming a historical background of the conflict, explaining its features, conducting an event analysis, studying the main stages of escalation and the current state of the conflict, identifying the main features of its settlement, as well as the characteristics of the post-conflict territories management policy.The study examines how local and international dynamics interact in maintaining or ameliorating conflicts, offering a comparative analysis of different approaches and their effectiveness in various contexts. In this way, the model considers the unique characteristics of armed conflicts in border areas and their governance practices, combining security, economic, social, and political factors essential for understanding the emergence of conflicts, their consequences, and possible solutions.This model has the potential to improve the study and development of conflict resolution policies, as well as to create strategies for conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction.

The features of conducting business negotiations with foreign partners, taking into account the influence of cultural factors are investigated in this paper. The systematization of approaches to understanding business negotiations is performed and it is determined that business negotiations are bilateral or multilateral processes of communication, as a result of which a joint decision concerning business interests realization is made. Scientific approaches to the cultures grouping by certain features, particularly, E. Hall, G. Hofstede and R. Lewis, Florence Clachon and Fred Strodbeck, D. Pinto, R. Gesteland, F. Trompenaars and C. Hampden-Turner are considered. Analysis of the manifestation of certain cultural features in relation to the representatives of the countries with which Ukraine currently has the most developed trade and economic relations is carried out. Accordingly, the probability of the need to negotiate the foreign economic activity implementation is rather high. The following countries are selected among them according to 2020 statistics: China, Poland, India, Spain, Italy, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Turkey, Hungary, USA, Belgium, Israel, Indonesia, Iraq, Moldova, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France and the Czech Republic. Using Hert Hofstede's approach and his theory of cultural dimensions for the listed countries, the indicators characterizing the manifestation of the distance of power, individualism, masculinity, avoidance of uncertainty, long-term orientation and indulgence are analyzed. The countries which cultures are the closest to Ukraine’s one are identified according to the above mentioned methodology, and, consequently, the construction of communications with their representatives is more understandable and is characterized by lower probability of misunderstandings due to cultural factors. For other countries the cultural features similar and different from Ukraine ones are defined. Taking into account these features, recommendations for planning and conducting business negotiations with representatives of other countries, aimed at increasing the benefits and opportunities for Ukraine in the process of making joint decisions with partners are given.

The 1970s was a time of crisis internationally, when governments struggled to cope with rising inflation and public indebtedness in the aftermath of the first oil shock. It was also a period of social change, of demands for divorce and abortion, and second-wave feminism campaigned for greater rights for women. But as many of the contributors toThe shock of the globalhave shown, amidst the political, social and economic turmoil, there was development and transformation. Ireland was not isolated from many of these trends that marked the 1970s. This article is concerned with the Fine Gael–Labour government of 1973 to 1977, in particular with the social reform agenda pursued by a coalition of one party (Fine Gael) that had advocated a ‘Just Society’ in the 1960s, and another (Labour) that had declared that the seventies would be socialist. They presented themselves at the 1973 general election as the socially progressive parties in the political system, attempting to outflank Fianna Fáil, which, in contrast, emphasised the Northern Ireland security question during the campaign. As the National Coalition grappled with fiscal expansion and the effects of stagflation, important changes occurred in the realm of social policy. Legislation affecting the status of women, recognising female heads of household and offering support to families of physically and mentally disabled children were all indicators of change.

The aim of this study is to diagnose quality of living in capitals of EU member states in 2006. The quality of living has been divided into three aspects: social, economic and ecological. Research was based on public opinion survey. The author has undertaken to describe factors which determine public opinion too. The results of conducted analysis indicate that capitals of "old" member states were characterized by the higher quality of living. Exception to the rule were Athens, Lisbon and Rome. Besides it is possible to notice that, on one hand, capitals of countries located in Northern Europe (Finland, Denmark, Sweden) and capital of Ireland were characterized by the higher quality of living, on the other hand, capitals of countries located in Southern Europe were characterized by the lower quality of living (Greece, Portugal, Italy). Warsaw, according to this survey, took 18th place among 27 capitals of EU member states.

Abstract Background The Model for Dementia Palliative Care Project will develop a service delivery model for community-based dementia palliative care in Ireland. This responds to palliative care now being recognised as a priority in care for people with dementia. Various dementia palliative care services exist internationally, however little is known about what the service providers would deem to be the most important aspects of service provision. The aim of this study was to identify what key stakeholders consider to be essential components of a model of dementia palliative care. Methods A web-based survey was developed, piloted (n=5), and revised. It was distributed electronically within five healthcare jurisdictions, in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. The target population was healthcare professionals, policy-makers, and academics, with an interest in dementia and palliative care. Content analysis of open ended questions was used to identify common themes within the data. Results Complete surveys were received from 112 stakeholders. The majority of respondents were female (86%). Identified key principles of care incorporated the philosophies of palliative care and good dementia care, with many describing ‘holistic’ and ‘person-centred care’ as core. Important individual components were identified, including support for carers, advanced care planning, information, education and training, activities for ‘meaningful living’, comprehensive disease management, coordinated case management, and linking in with community health services and social activities. Barriers to the model were identified at three levels: ‘(mis)understanding of dementia palliative care’, ‘application of dementia palliative care’ and ‘wider service organisation’. Conclusion Numerous components of a ‘good’ model were identified, along with possible barriers to implementation of the model. This study, as part of the larger project, will inform a model of dementia palliative care for the Irish Healthcare system with the potential to improve the experiences of people with dementia and their families.

This study was conducted to identify the digital addiction levels of secondary school students in Northern Cyprus and the factors affecting them. The study was a descriptive, cross-sectional and methodological study. In this study, seven primary and secondary schools were selected randomly in Northern Cyprus and a total of 844 students were included in the study. The children scored 48.12 ± 17.46 points on the “Digital Addiction Scale for Children”. Gender, economic status, age, reasons for using the internet, own cell phone, duration of cell phone and computer use, own computer, mother’s education and place of residence significantly affected the children’s digital addiction level (p < 0.05). Digital tools have entered many areas of our lives and while they have positive and helpful aspects, their negative aspects are coming to light day by day. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, digital tools have entered our lives more and children have encountered digital tools at an earlier age. It is thought that there is a need to warn about the negative and harmful effects of digital tools on children and to inform families more about this issue. It is recommended not to ignore the negative effects of digital tools and to implement practices to prevent addiction under parental supervision.

This paper highlights several unusual aspects of the socio-political structure of Lombard society in the years following the conquest of Italy, bearing in mind that Germanic society consisted unequivocally of both men and women with complementary roles and the possibility of action, including intervention in the economic sphere, which could be expressed in various ways. As well as the capacity of foreigners to integrate with the local community, traditionally recognised in the two cemeteries of Nocera Umbra and Castel Trosino, the archaeological evidence shows a second form of integration with a process that took place exclusively within individual Germanic communities. The Collegno cemetery reveals the presence of women belonging to the Merovingian culture, probably from Transalpine territories and of high social status, who integrated with the Germanic community without losing the prerogatives of their rank during the transitional period. Lastly, the case of the Spilamberto cemetery shows how the formation of grave goods, and thus the investment capacity of individual families, corresponded to requirements that exceeded any other necessity including the state of health of female individuals. By placing all these elements on an ideal hypothetical level of reflection, it can be suggested that a funeral, at least until the mid-seventh century, was not just a religious ceremony but the moment when the family of the deceased displayed their economic capacity to absorb the roles, prerogatives and property of the dead person through the permanent loss of material goods, sometimes of significant value, when they were placed in the burial.

From the Middle Copper Age in the mid-4th millennium cal BC, and throughout the whole Late Copper Age, we observe the emergence of supra-regional, expansionistic ‘cultures’. Originating in south-east Europe, they expanded into central and northern Europe, eventually reaching the west and the margins. Typical of these are the Černavoda III/Boleráz cultures; then, later, the Baden sequence, along with the Globular Amphora Culture adjacent to the northern arc of the Carpathian mountains. The Corded Ware/Single Grave Cultures, and finally the Bell Beaker Culture, follow in a third stage from the first quarter of the 3rd millennium cal BC. The latter expand – emerging from the Iberian Peninsula according to current research – towards the east in a fourth stage, reaching Britain and Ireland, Central Europe, and the central Mediterranean by 2500 cal BC. It is now common knowledge that this Bell Beaker phenomenon does not represent a homogeneous unit, but splits into at least four supra-regional groupings. Of these, the Central European, or Bell Beaker East Group, is the focus of this study.The many published and well-dated assemblages along the Danube between southern Germany and western Hungary, and also in the Czech Republic, allow us to pose questions concerning the social organisation of these Beaker societies. Extended families, without visible hierarchies between them, are mirrored in cemeteries as the basic social unit. The settlement pattern seems to consist of single farmsteads, often closely spaced and each inhabited by one of these extended families. As self-sufficient, but flexibly organised and already partly specialised economic units, they demonstrate an equal exchange of information, goods, genes, and social values. Existing fundamental hierarchies within these families are demonstrated, however, by unequal burial customs, in particular the inclusion of prestige objects in some graves, and by some lavishly equipped child burials of both sexes, as well as in the portrayal of some individuals in death as hunters or warriors, buried with archery equipment.Bell Beaker society displays an intermediate position between ranked and stratified societies, with signs that it was evolving towards simple chiefdoms. However, this stage of social organisation is only fully reached in Central Europe during the second half of the Early Bronze Age, from 2000 cal BC onwards.

This study introduces a framework for assessing the resilience of different European countries against the problem of energy poverty. The proposed framework is established upon two major implementation pillars: capturing stakeholder knowledge and employing a multi-criteria analysis framework in order to provide valuable insights and objective results. The implicated evaluation criteria have been identified by the group of stakeholders and incorporate several socio-economic aspects of the problem beyond the energy dimension. The proposed methodology is largely dependent on the engaged stakeholders’ assessments, thus introducing nuggets of subjectivity into the whole analysis. However, it significantly differs from other energy poverty-based approaches, its novelty lying in that it directly attempts to evaluate a country according to its potential to deal with the problem as a whole, rather than deconstructing it in components and partial indicators. The proposed framework is demonstrated in countries in both Southern/Eastern and Northern/Western Europe (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain), exploiting diversities and particularities associated with their context.

The relationship between deprivation and health and educational inequalities has been well evidenced in the literature. Recent UK research has now established a similar social gradient in child welfare interventions (Bywaters et al. 2018) with children living in the most deprived areas in the UK facing a much higher chance of being placed on the child protection register or in out-of-home care. There is an emerging narrative that poverty has become the wallpaper of practice, “too big to tackle and too familiar to notice” (Morris et al. 2018) and invisible amid lack of public support and political will to increase welfare spending. This paper will examine poverty-related inequalities and how these affect families. It will discuss the importance of recognising that poverty is a social justice issue and a core task for social work and outline the range of supports that may be available for families to help lift them out of poverty. Finally, it will describe the development of a new practice framework for social work in Northern Ireland that challenges social workers to embed anti-poverty approaches in their practice. The framework emphasises that poverty is a social justice issue, seeks to provide practical support and guidance to re-focus attention, debate, and action on poverty in times of global economic uncertainty and give social workers the tools to make it central to their practice once again. It reinforces the need for social workers to understand and acknowledge the impact of poverty, and to advocate for and support those most in need. It aims to challenge and empower professionals to tackle poverty and inequality as an aspect of ethical and effective practice.

The article is devoted to the modern tendencies of population family structure transformation in Belarus and their spatial heterogeneity. Spare-time trends of marriages, divorces and population family structure of Belarus during 1989‒2017 were determined. For researching period for population of Belarus marriage decline and divorce rate growth and general increasing of marriage and divorce from northern west to southern east are discovered. Marriage and divorce dynamics is influenced with demographic waves fluctuation. Reduction of number of families, simplification of structure of families, decreasing of family size and general regional degradation of family structure from south to north of Belarus were found out. Economic-geographical typology of administrative districts of Belarus on family structure character was worked through. Dividing approach of economic-geographical typology has double-component character and consider interests of national demographic policy which has pronatalistic aims. On the base of complex of marriage, divorce, family density, family size and family types structure with considering of features of demographic situation characterized with parameters of population natural movement and age structure 3 main economic-geographical types and 9 subtypes of Belarusian districts were distinguished by character of family structure of population. These types are demographic central with progressive family structure, demographic semi-peripheral with family structure of transit type, demographic peripheral with regressive family structure. Demographic central districts with progressive family structure are characterized with relatively preferable parameters of demographic situation and family-matrimonial situation. Demographic semi-peripheral districts with family structure of transit type are the most widespread in Belarus and are characterized with non-stable demographic situation and family structure. Belarusian districts with regressive type of family structure include demographic peripheral territories and are characterized with adverse family structure and demographic situation in general. Economic-geographical researching of population family structure directed on studying and explaining of its modern tendencies must be based on the detailed examination of socio-economic, demographic and spare aspects.

This paper illustrates the importance of moving beyond an economic focus, and towards an emotional one, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of why farmers can be reluctant to retire and/or pass their farm onto the next generation. We report on a two-phase qualitative study of family farm decision-making processes in Northern Ireland, drawing on 62 in-depth oral life history interviews with farmers, farmers’ spouses, and farm successors. In an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional aspects of retirement and succession decision-making processes, and their relationship with place belonging, in the first phase of this research we employed an innovative ‘Work and Talk’ method, whereby interviews were conducted while shadowing, or in some cases, co-working, with farmers on their land. The second phase of this research responded to restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and involved remote telephone or online interviews with family farm members. This research revealed the complex relationships between a ‘longing for belonging’ and emotional attachment to the family farm, and the challenges associated with patrilineal farming structures, expectations and identities, in planning for succession. The emotional impacts of strained relationships with policy makers around support for retirement emerged as a surprisingly dominant theme throughout the interview process, suggesting the need for greater emphasis on the emotional aspects of farming retirement and succession planning to inform future rural development policies targeted towards the sustainability of family farms.

BackgroundPeople with diabetes often have difficulty maintaining optimal blood glucose levels, risking progressive complications that can lead to unscheduled care. Unscheduled care can include attending emergency departments, ambulance callouts, out-of-hours care, and non-elective hospital admissions. A large proportion of non-elective hospital admissions involve people with diabetes, with significant health and economic burden.AimTo identify precipitating factors influencing diabetes-related unscheduled hospital admissions, exploring potential preventive strategies to reduce admissions.Design & settingThirty-six people with type 1 (n = 11) or type 2 (n = 25) diabetes were interviewed. They were admitted to hospital for unscheduled diabetes-related care across three hospitals in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Participants were admitted for peripheral limb complications (n = 17), hypoglycaemia (n = 5), hyperglycaemia (n = 6), or for comorbidities presenting with erratic blood glucose levels (n = 8).MethodFactors precipitating admissions were examined using framework analysis.ResultsThree aspects of care influenced unscheduled admissions: perceived inadequate knowledge of diabetes complications; restricted provision of care; and complexities in engagement with self-care and help-seeking. Limited specialist professional knowledge of diabetes by staff in primary and community care, alongside inadequate patient self-management knowledge, led to inappropriate treatment and significant delays. This was compounded by restricted provision of care, characterised by poor access to services — in time and proximity — and poor continuity of care. Complexities in patient engagement, help-seeking, and illness beliefs further complicated the progression to unscheduled admissions.ConclusionDedicated investment in primary care is needed to enhance provision of and access to services. There should be increased promotion and earlier diabetes specialist team involvement, alongside training and use of technology and telemedicine, to enhance existing care.

This article examines the social aspects of the mobile living conditions of people living in the south of the Tyumen Region and working in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area. The methodological foundations of the analysis include the ideas on the social space of life, which allow revealing the place, role, meaning of interaction, and spatio-temporal movements of social actors, who have certain social positions and social connections. Since 2005, the authors have studied the practice of rotational organization of labor in the implementation of large economic projects in Yamal, as well as in other northern and Arctic regions of Russia, the social well-being of rotational workers and their families living in the south of the Tyumen Region. Based on these studies, the authors show the lack of understanding of rotational labor as a technology for staffing economic projects, the need for its interpretation and research as a social phenomenon — a complex of interrelated social phenomena and processes in the social space of the territories of hiring and labor of shift workers, which are generated by their multilocal way of life or are its consequence. In addition, this paper authors demonstrates the insufficiency of modern regulatory and legal support of rotational work and describes the scheme of legal relations arising during its use requiring settlement.

The geographic patterns of genetic variation in a wide variety of quantitative traits were studied in Eucalyptus globulus ssp. globulus and its intergrades, leading to a revised racial classification. The analysis was based on 35 traits assessed in five field trials in northern Tasmania from approximately 500 open-pollinated families, encompassing 49 collection localities in native stands. There were significant differences between the collection localities for most traits. While growth and survival traits exhibited weak spatial structuring, there were clear regional patterns in bark thickness, wood basic density, flowering precocity and some aspects of juvenile leaf morphology. There were a number of significant correlations between trait locality means, but few simple correlations between the regional patterns observed and climate. Multivariate analyses indicated that the localities could be effectively amalgamated into larger, geographically concordant races. A hierarchy of five major groupings of 13 races and 20 subraces is proposed to account for most of the quantitative genetic variation while allowing for outliers and intermediate populations. Some areas of the distribution may need further sampling to more accurately elucidate their racial affinities, especially those with traits of high economic importance.

<br>The commentary focuses on the current process of converting the British immigration procedures into an entirely digital format, as part of a reform brought about by Brexit and in the framework of broader digital strategies in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British government’s ambitious aim is to digitalise the immigration procedures by 2025, further support eGates and eventually enforce a contactless mode of arrival. The policy plan, its execution to date and its reception are analysed briefly. Taking into account that the government is revealing only selected aspects of the complex system rather than all the mechanisms and safeguards, neither British digital sovereignty in this matter nor the scope of protection of personal and meta-data could be fully examined.</br> <br>The challenges already encountered are set out, with the conclusion being that a human-centred approach is still lacking in the practical employment of the policy. Subsequently, the isolationist or populist concept of protecting the state against any migrant, as a potential threat rather than a potential to be developed for the benefit of the state, is the prevailing mindset. Finally, the current political and economic instability may play a pivotal role in policy implementation and contribute to its ultimate failure.</br>

The important role of food choices in symbolic, economic and social aspects of life leads to the increased attention given to this area. This role became increasingly important and complicated for international students living in a foreign country for the first time, away from their families, as they are now required to make individual decisions on food choice. Therefore, the food choice strategy as practiced by the international students will receive dedicated attention to this study. This study is set within the academic environment at a local university in Northern Malaysia. Several qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews and observation were used to assess the international students’ food choice strategies and how the local food environment influences their food choice decision. Six international students took part in this study. The findings indicated that most international students resorted to preparing and cooking their own food, mainly to satisfy their cravings and as a cure to homesickness. The food choice strategy also depended on their level of knowledge in food preparation, convenience, and resources available to them. These finding advances the food choice decision process and explicates the food acculturation among international students in Malaysia. Moreover, the findings have direct implications for institutions’ management of international students in assisting and improving their overseas experience.

Introduction: one of the most important functioning aspects of modern regional international organizations is the institution of state membership. For the European Union, this issue has until recently been considered in terms of the ongoing process of developing European integration and expanding the membership of States in this international organization. In 2016, the UK held a referendum on its leaving the EU, whose positive result gave rise to the process of leaving the EU – Brexit. Brexit has produced a number of consequences, some of which will be analyzed in this paper. The aim of the study is to investigate and analyze some of the legal consequences of Brexit. Methods: in the course of the research both general scientific methods of cognition and specific legal methods (formal-legal, historical-legal) were used. Results: the paper proves that Brexit is a unique case in the practice of both the European Union and the international practice of interaction between States and international organizations. The author found that the UK’s leaving the EU entails a number of consequences, which are extremely difficult to identify, since they are very diverse and relate to completely different spheres of public relations: peace, security, economy, migration, Northern Ireland, and etc. Conclusions: Brexit becomes a process of testing completely new mechanisms and procedures that will have a significant impact both at the international legal level and at the domestic level. Today, Brexit requires careful legal support, as it directly affects the rights and freedoms, first of all, of citizens on both sides. Without a properly executed international treaty, Brexit could become a threat not only to the economic sphere, but even to peace and security in the region.

The Library and Information Commission (LIC) for England and Northern Ireland was established in 1995 by the then Department of National Heritage. Its aims are to consult the library and information community and other relevant sectors, and to provide to government a single and coherent source of advice on policy and other issues, covering both national and international aspects. The 13 Commissioners, drawn from a wide range of private and public information and library organizations, have taken a holistic approach. Based on building partnerships, demonstrating best value, consulting widely, and disseminating results from its own activities, the LIC's approach focuses on results and lessons that are transferable. Research commissioned by the LIC has included Internet availability in public libraries, digitization in archives and local government libraries, and library involvement in lifelong learning. The LIC has also provided advice to the EU on copyright and data protection; a paper for the UK government on the feasibility of a national information policy; a national strategy for public libraries to exploit digital and network technologies; and a national research strategy for the library and information sector. Its most recent major output has been its ‘2020 Vision’ statement, which articulates its vision of the value of library and information services as a cornerstone of the global information economy through excellence in connectivity (providing universal access), content (creating a digital library of UK material), and competencies (equipping individuals and organizations to play their full role in learning and the information society). In the next four years the LIC will develop its role through seven action lines, which include national information policy, a UK ‘digital library’, and contributions to learning and regional and economic development.

The Red Sea is one of the key areas of biodiversity in the world. It is a hotspot for speciation and biological invasions. In the current work, a pilot, random sampling trial was carried out to characterize some species in the landings reaching the fish market in Suez city, which is one of the largest fish markets in the Northern Red Sea. Samples of different fish species were subjected to the standard procedures of DNA barcoding, applying the sequencing of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene (COI). DNA barcoding could successfully identify all the targeted fishes to the species-level (>98%). The results exhibited a taxonomically-versatile commercial trends in this market, being the collected species belonging to 7 different fish families and 3 orders. These species were Coris aygula, Papilloculiceps longiceps, Priacanthus sagittarious, Gerres longirostris, Alepes djedaba, Psettodes erumei Cheilinus trilobatus, Calotomus viridescens, and Pardachirus marmoratus. Haplotype diversities in the first six species were moderate. However, their nucleotide diversities were low. This may have resulted from fishing from bottlenecked populations, or from areas that do not hinder the genetic flow. Also, possible cryptic speciation could be detected in P. sagittarius, P. erumei and G. longirostris. Applying the DNA barcoding for species identification in Suez city fish market could then detect various aspects of fish species diversity. More works using the applied analyses can be strongly recommended to aid proper conservation and management of economic fisheries in the Red Sea.

The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe economic, social, and cultural impacts. In India, it has uncovered the harsh reality of the rural migrant labourers, by exposing the risks of their working and living conditions and the chronic homelessness they face in the city. The sudden enforcement of the lockdowns during the pandemic intensified the pre-existing vulnerabilities of the rural migrant labourer force living in the cities. Homeless and forced to return to their villages, the rural migrant workers and their families faced yet another form of marginalisation in their native hometowns as ‘vectors’ of the disease. In light of this context, this paper attempts to explore and understand the experience of migrant labourers during COVID-19 towards issues concerning their livelihood, health, social security, and their experiences of stigma. Furthermore, it also delves into finding the kinds of alternative strategies adopted by the State to resolve and care for these communities. This study critically looks into these aspects through primary empirically collected data, in Muda, a small remote village in Damoh district in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, a socio-economically backward region of India, with the help of existing secondary information about the region and communities. The study identified that migrants faced significant food, shelter and security challenges at both their place of employment in the city as well as their hometown in the remote village of Muda.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the consequences of the referendum on the UK’s membership in the European Union. The causes that contributed to the radical transformation of political processes and crisis phenomena in the framework of European integration processes are revealed. It is noted that the crisis of the British model of democracy and the rise of “monitoring democracy”, as well as the constitutional reforms in the UK, which were not brought to a logical conclusion, influenced the effectiveness of political institutions. The range of new complex issues of constitutional, legal, financial, economic, social and humanitarian nature that need to be addressed in the context of brexit is determined.The features of the development and implementation of the strategies of the United Kingdom and the European Union on the negotiation process are considered. The most important stages of negotiations on the problem of developing an agreement defining the conditions and principles of relations between the parties in the post-brexit period are studied. Particular attention is paid to the key controversial issues - the implementation of the financial obligations of the United Kingdom to the EU, guarantees the rights of EU citizens and their families living in the UK, as well as the preservation of the free movement of people, goods, services and capital between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.The author analyzes internal and external factors that have a direct impact on the course of the dialogue, arguments and counter-arguments of the parties, the reasons for the change in the positions of the United Kingdom and EU leaders on key issues of cooperation in the new historical conditions. There is a deep split between British society and the main political forces of the country on the issue of withdrawal from the EU. The factors that led the UK to a serious political crisis and the inability to develop an adequate and effective brexit strategy are considered.

For the Rosaceae family (Rosaceae Juss.), which is part of the group of families with the highest species abundance, one of the largest genera is the Prunus genus, which, according to the Catalog of Life, includes 395 species, 16 subspecies, 55 variations. Various sources for this genus indicate from 250 to 400 species of trees and shrubs widely distributed in the northern temperate zone, subtropical and tropical regions, from forests to deserts, in altitude ranges from sea level to alpine zones. In the Samara Oblast, among 67 species of woody Rosaceae, there are 30 native and 36 introduced species (adventitious and wild). The genus is most widespread in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, is widely represented in North America, Europe and Northern Asia, and includes a number of cultivated species of global economic importance. The active involvement of interspecific hybridization between representatives of the Prunus genus is considered by experts as a determining factor in the evolutionary development of its species diversity, which manifested itself in the appearance of a number of hybridogenic species that were able to overcome successfully the effects of abiotic stressors in the process of expanding ranges, the formation of cultigenic species of stone crops and their varietal diversity. In recent decades, the characteristics of leaves have gained special place in the research programs of plant ecologists as significant indicators of various aspects of growth, reproduction and functions of the plant organism, water use, nutrients, adaptation to environmental changes, including projected climatic changes. Leaf indicators are the most accessible for study throughout almost the entire growing season, they can be evaluated quickly enough, without involving expensive equipment, the screening procedure for leaf apparatus indicators is well standardized. The combined efforts of researchers led to the creation of large and complete databases of leaf apparatus features for various plant species. For the leaves of 15 varieties of stone crops (cherry Olechka, Chernookaya, Kalinka, Nyusha, Pervinka; apricot Samara, Yantar Povolzhya; Russian plum Dolgozhdannaya, Konservnaya, Velikansha, Naryadnaya, Kompotnaya, Lunnaya; domestic plum Dachnaya, Doch Eurasii) quantitative indicators determined for samples selected in July 2020, 2021 and 2022 are analyzed. In order to visualize the possible features of the leaf apparatus in groups of varieties of various fruit crops, the construction of dot diagrams with a limited area of location for each group of points was used. This technique made it possible to identify both the presence of separate groups of points corresponding to one indicator of the leaves of individual stone fruits, and the overlap of the corresponding ranges of other indicators of values. Probably, this picture is a reflection of a certain ecological and physiological heterogeneity in groups of stone fruit varieties, which are cultigenic hybrids of complex origin.

BackgroundDental caries is the most common disease of childhood. The NHS guidelines promote preventative care in dental practices, particularly for young children. However, the cost-effectiveness of this policy has not been established.ObjectiveTo measure the effects and costs of a composite fluoride intervention designed to prevent caries in young children attending dental services.DesignThe study was a two-arm, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial, with an allocation ratio of 1 : 1. Randomisation was by clinical trials unit, using randomised permuted blocks. Children/families were not blinded; however, outcome assessment was blinded to group assessment.SettingThe study took place in 22 NHS dental practices in Northern Ireland, UK.ParticipantsThe study participants were children aged 2–3 years, who were caries free at baseline.InterventionsThe intervention was composite in nature, comprising a varnish containing 22,600 parts per million (p.p.m.) fluoride, a toothbrush and a 50-ml tube of toothpaste containing 1450 p.p.m. fluoride; plus standardised, evidence-based prevention advice provided at 6-monthly intervals over 3 years. The control group received the prevention advice alone.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was conversion from caries-free to caries-active states. Secondary outcome measures were the number of decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces in primary dentition (dmfs) in caries-active children, the number of episodes of pain, the number of extracted teeth and the costs of care. Adverse reactions (ARs) were recorded.ResultsA total of 1248 children (624 randomised to each group) were recruited and 1096 (549 in the intervention group and 547 in the control group) were included in the final analyses. A total of 87% of the intervention children and 85% of control children attended every 6-month visit (p = 0.77). In total, 187 (34%) children in the intervention group converted to caries active, compared with 213 (39%) in the control group [odds ratio (OR) 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64 to 1.04;p = 0.11]. The mean number of tooth surfaces affected by caries was 7.2 in the intervention group, compared with 9.6 in the control group (p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in the number of episodes of pain between groups (p = 0.81). However, 164 out of the total of 400 (41%) children who converted to caries active reported toothache, compared with 62 out of 696 (9%) caries-free children (OR 7.1 95% CI 5.1 to 9.9;p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the number of teeth extracted in caries-active children (p = 0.95). Ten children in the intervention group had ARs of a minor nature. The average direct dental care cost was £155.74 for the intervention group and £48.21 for the control group over 3 years (p < 0.05). The mean cost per carious surface avoided over the 3 years was estimated at £251.00.LimitationsThe usual limitations of a trial such as generalisability and understanding the underlying reasons for the outcomes apply. There is no mean willingness-to-pay threshold available to enable assessment of value for money.ConclusionsA statistically significant effect could not be demonstrated for the primary outcome. Once caries develop, pain is likely. There was a statistically significant difference in dmfs in caries-active children in favour of the intervention. Although adequately powered, the effect size of the intervention was small and of questionable clinical and economic benefit.Future workFuture work should assess the caries prevention effects of interventions to reduce sugar consumption at the population and individual levels. Interventions designed to arrest the disease once it is established need to be developed and tested in practice.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN36180119 and EudraCT 2009-010725-39.FundingThis project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full inHealth Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 71. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

A significant increase in date palm fires in Sudan Northern State since the mid-2000s has triggered different and partially contradictory assessments of why and how they have broken out. These assessments were not merely disinterested cause-effect analyses or differing environmental interpretations: they were profoundly intertwined with political conflicts and socio-economic changes in the region that did not relate just to planned hydropower dams and the presence of extractive activities, respectively posing an immediate threat of displacement and pollution. The ensuing debates have also discussed wider implications for the future of the region and its population, especially for the Nubian majority that considers it to be their ancestral homeland. This connects an investigation about date palm fires to broader political issues, such as the resource policies of the Sudanese Ingaz regime (1989-2019).In this article, we discuss the subsequent politics of information and evidence that had an essential impact on what data were gathered and made available, and which explanations were given credence by the actors involved. We started out from a set of questions guiding the reconstruction of the preconditions for the outbreak, spread and aftermath of the fires. Why was a place vulnerable to fire? What were the conditions that allowed the fire to happen? How did it actually break out (wildfire, accident or arson)? How did it spread? What conditions facilitated (or hindered) its spread? What was the response of those with an interest in extinguishing it? To what extent was the response successful in putting it out? What was the ultimate damage it caused? What did this event mean for the perception of and/or response to potential future fires? Our subsequent investigation was not defined by the need to identify a specific perpetrator or factor, but was rather aimed at producing a genealogy of circumstances and developments that influenced the way the fires gained ground. At the same time, we had to take into account the complexities of the landscapes and the changing status of date palms both in these landscapes and in human production planning.Parallel to our own investigation, we began to observe the formation of opinions about these fire events, and to record the responses to our becoming involved in the societal debate on which interpretation was convincing. This brought in aspects of our own positionality, especially regarding the politically loaded differentiation between “wild” and “man-made” fires, and between “accidental” and “intentional” fires. Accusations that the Sudanese central government had instigated a huge proportion of these fires were prominent among Nubian anti-dam activists, and the fact that one of us—Mohamed Salah—belongs to that group had implications for how we approached and analysed our research. The fact that we both opposed the Ingaz regime was also cause for reflection.In order to deal with the ensuing methodological complications, we referred to academic debates on research approaches to and methods for the study of spatio-temporal relationships with different environments and evidence-making within the framework of these relationships. We identified walking interviews, a form of perambulatory fieldwork, as an appropriate technique for thinking through these complications, as they combine the detachment process of the interview—as a conversation intended to create a temporary reflective distance from the flow of social practices in order to look at them—with exposure to the familiar, in the sense of paths that have been taken numerous times. After reflecting on the multiple disciplinary contexts in which this technique has been discussed—such as anthropology, memory studies, environmental sociology and human geography—we present examples of fire event case studies that used it as part of the research process. In our presentation of walking interviews, we also use and reflect on different techniques of visualisation and illustration, including geotagged photos in combination with edited transcripts or self-reflective comments. We then offer more systematic reviews of the interpretations that were put forward during these and other interviews during our research.As a result, our article indicates the different ways in which the affected date palm owners considered what exactly they had lost when their palms burned, and whether this may have been intentional. The complex answers to these questions highlighted both social and political processes around the palms. The economic and socio-cultural status of date palms has changed among the resident populations, especially since the second half of the twentieth century. Being intergenerationally linked to families through property relations and shared memories, palm trees and their changing status can simultaneously represent roots and the immovability of origin, or their loss. When one looks at the socio-ecological landscape and the place of date palm fires in it, one therefore finds several layers to the amount of damage done.At the same time, the ongoing political tensions meant that many of the interpretations suggested by date palm owners, activists and government officials had a political thrust, whether accusatory or defensive, often along the lines of pre-existing hostilities. However, we found that in spite of the tense, antagonistic dynamics in the region, these interpretations could not simply be inferred from the various standpoints and interests in these dynamics. Our open-ended conversations with date palm owners, who generally shared opposition to the then ruling party (the NCP), revealed multiple and differentiated processes of interpretation. The juxtaposition of their arguments with statements from a local NCP member attested to the existence of points of convergence amidst their political antagonism around common notions, such as “negligence” and “climate change.” A careful mapping of the boundaries of these shared ideas seems to us to be a valuable mediatory and methodological principle.In conclusion, we confirm the importance of exposure as a crucial element of environmental research, especially if it relates to issues that not only our interlocutors but also we ourselves are invested in, whether emotionally, politically, or otherwise. At the same time, this also requires a highly reflective and critical analysis of subsequent research materials and their sources in order to navigate the intricate methodological complications this type of research process generates.

Croatia has been facing a population decline, mainly due to a low birth rate and the emigration of young and qualified workers. Considering the historical and dynamic aspects of emigration (Draženović, Kunovac and Pripužić, 2018), leading to depopulation, it is necessary to investigate all contributing factors in Croatia and explore potential models and measures to mitigate these unfavourable processes. Apart from Germany, Croatian citizens have emigrated mostly to Ireland and Austria since the country acceded to the EU (Pokos, 2017). Research confirms that the number of Croatian citizens who immigrated to Germany, Ireland and Austria in 2016 was, on average, 62% higher than the official data reported by the Republic of Croatia (Jerić, 2019). The increasingly intensive emigration of the young and able-bodied population additionally contributes to a rapidly ageing population, exerting strong pressure on the sustainability of the pension system (Družić, Beg and Raguž Krištić, 2016) and underscores the importance of investigating the reasons for emigration and the factors essential for return. Migration is also an important area of interest for the European Union due to its exceptional impact on all aspects of society. Increased opportunities for mobility, advances in technology that provide access to information sources, and societal changes strongly suggest the need for policymakers to examine the micro, meso, and macro drivers that influence migration or potentially influence a person's decision not to migrate or remigrate. Governments require migration analysis to create informed migration policies, including citizen participation in the policy development process. The perspectives of migrants and their behaviour should be taken into account when creating policies to better understand the key success factors needed for the desired outcomes of migrants (European Commission, 2020). According to Fargues (2017), migration is a complex process that is constantly changing as a result of various local, international, and global situations, highlighting the need for con¬tinual investigation and repeated surveying of the population. Within the current demographic climate, the World Youth Alliance Croatia (SSMH) launched the project “Network 2050 – Demography, From Challenges to Answers”, co-financed by the European Social Fund. The project is based on intersectoral cooperation, identified as necessary for improving collaborative efforts to address the effects of negative demographic trends on the social and economic development of Croatia and develop measures for demographic revitalisation. This paper will present the data and analysis of the empirical results of the research conducted by the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies. The study focuses on emigrants' opinions and perspectives regarding the factors that influenced their decision to migrate. This includes their own perceptions of the situation in Croatia, as well as abroad in their host country, which played a role in their decision-making process and continues to potentially impact them. Additionally, the paper explores the emigrants’ perception of their current life circumstances. The target group comprised Croats currently living as expatriates in European countries. A total of 497 respondents, Croats currently living abroad, most of whom left Croatia between 2016 and 2021, took part in the survey. Three main research questions guided the investigation: 1) What are the key drivers of migration at the micro, meso, and macro levels that influence the decision to emigrate or stay, according to the perception of emigrants from Croatia?; 2) What factors influence the decision of Croats to stay abroad?; and, 3) What are the key factors that influence the decision to return to Croatia? For the purposes of this paper, the general results related to research questions 1 and 2 will be presented. The instrument used for data collection was an online questionnaire that respondents filled out independently. The questionnaire consisted of 62 questions, mostly closed-ended, with only a few open-ended questions to accommodate additional information if participants chose to elaborate on their perceptions. Including this option also allowed for the possibility of results that were not expected by the research team. The questions were divided into five thematic chapters: sociodemographic data, migration status, socioeconomic status, returnee motivational status, and identity and value system. The questionnaire was administered with special attention to the time of completion, clarity, and appropriateness of the questions. The data collection process included advertising the research project and posting calls for participation on various social media networks across platforms managed by members of various Croatian dias¬pora groups. Additionally, advertising was conducted through social groups and institutions, as well as using the snowball method. Data was collected during the period from July to October 2021. At the beginning, the purpose of the questionnaire was explained, and respondents were informed that their participation was voluntary with the possibility to withdraw at any time. Consistency in the questionnaire administration was achieved by exclusively offering it online. A total of 500 responses were received, of which 497 were valid, while three questionnaires were partially filled. Only key socio-demographic information was collected and, together with the respondents' personal perceptions, it was examined in relation to the key drivers of emigration. Their perception is the key feedback that can help state authorities and policymakers in designing measures aimed at retaining the population and attract¬ing potential returnees. Their perception was viewed as potentially showing indica¬tors of migration drivers, push and pull factors, as well as demonstrating public perception around key issues and policies, and the type of information (including its accuracy) used to inform migration. Respecting the perception of the general public when creating policies is in line with the concepts promoted by the EU Parliament (2020), which encourages the participation of citizens in decision-making. According to the obtained sociodemographic data, 208 respondents (41.9%) were female, and 289 respondents (58.1%) were male. The most represented age category (39%) was 30–39 years old. Additionally, 24% of respondents were between 40 and 49 years old, 22% were between 18 and 29 years old 9.5 % were between 50 and 59 years old, 3.2% were 60–69 years old and 2% were between 70 and 81 years old. This indicates that the majority of respondents who leave are younger than 40, i.e. in the reproductive age group. The results obtained support the relevance of the research by Družić, Beg and Raguž Krištić (2016), who warn about the loss of the young population in Croatia, which results in population ageing. The majority (78.3%) were born in Croatia, and the next significant group (13.1%) was born in Bosnia and Herzego¬vina. The largest group of respondents, at the time of the questionnaire, lived in Germany, followed by the numerically significant groups in Great Britain, Ireland and Sweden. The trend shown by the majority of respondents coming from Germany is in line with the large wave of migration to Germany since 2013 when Croatia entered the EU, and since July 2015 when the labour market in Germany was opened to Croatia. Jurić (2022) and Pokos (2017) describe Germany as still the most desirable country for Croatian emigration. The results showed that macro-level factors related to working conditions and employment rates influence micro-level factors, such as socioeconomic status. Work opportunities and the working environment were perceived as somewhat important because respondents believe that these aspects affect their personal quality of life. An interesting result is that the number of respondents who stated that they were married or in a partnership doubled after moving. It is worth mentioning that Jang, Cast¬erline and Snyder (2014) warn that the longer the time spent abroad, the stronger the ties made, potentially leading to the establishment of family life connected to the host country. This could negatively affect the potential decision to return. The influence of this factor at the micro level requires further research to show the possible impact of marriages abroad on the mobility of new families and their possible return to Croatia, especially if Croatia's goal is to encourage the return of its emigrants. The results of this study, as well as the recommendations of researchers such as Kis, Ozdemir and Ward (2015) on the importance of improving working conditions and wages as a means of improving living conditions, are useful for formulating strategies for population retention. Additionally, certain political restrictions can negatively affect the achievement of the country's migration goals (Boswell, 2002), which, in the case of Croatia, involves return migration and population retention.

The “anatomy” of the rosette fibulaRosette or thistle fibulas have always attracted attention by virtue of their size and exclusiveness. They are richly decorated with, for example, gilt sheet metal and inlaid pieces of coloured glass. Also in terms of craftsmanship these are complicated pieces as each fibula consists of 40-60 different individual components. It was apparently only women of high status who were buried with one or, in rare instances, two examples. In Oscar Almgren’s classic work on the Northern European fibula types, rosette fibulas are assigned to his group VII – fibulas with a high catch plate – and thereby to the Late Roman Iron Age (AD 150/160 – 375). There is general agreement today that rosette fibulas in Denmark should be dated primarily to C1b (AD 210/220 – 250/260), i.e. generally a short period of use of just one to two generations, and neither has any wear been observed on these artefacts. Rosette fibulas are widespread across a very large area: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Northeast Germany, Poland, the Baltic countries and Moldavia. The present article involves a systematic examination of their method of manufacture and material composition with the aim of distinguishing both geographic groups and possible workshop districts. As a basis for this, an overview has been produced of Danish rosette fibulas, defined here as having at least two rosettes. Denmark is represented by the greatest number, with 60 examples. Of these, 58 originate from inhumation graves, one from a cremation grave and one from a pit. Their geographic distribution is not even but is linked with particular areas such as Northern Jutland around the Limfjord, Southwestern Jutland and the southern part of Central Jutland, Eastern Funen, Eastern Zealand and the southwestern part of Bornholm (fig. 1). In the list of finds, numbers 1-24 are from Jutland, 25-29 are from Funen, 30- 57 from Zealand and 58-60 are from Bornholm. In the rest of Scandnavia these artefacts are rare, with seven examples from Norway and nine from Sweden. In studies of rosette fibulas it is practical to focus separately on functional and ornamental aspects. The former comprises the elements of spring, bow and pin, which are necessary in order for the fibula to be used as a simple safety pin, but also the technique and the metals used is included here. The ornamentation comprises, conversely, many different elements such as, for example, the upper and lower surfaces of the box-shaped spring cover as well as the various rosettes terminating in moulded knobs. Furthermore, the tension lugs, which sit between the spring and the ends of the spring cover. The ornamentation of the bow comprises rosettes and cuffs whereas the catch plate may be fitted with a band and ornamentation on the actual catch itself. The decorative parts are normally made of sheet metal, which is often gilded (figs. 2a, b).Correspondence analysesThe most important results of a series of correspondence analyses show that the material can be divided up into four geographic groups (figs. 9-10). Group 1 is very homogeneous and has its primary distribution on Zealand. Almost half (46%) of all the examples from Zealand fall into this group. They are very well preserved and are represented by many variants. They are made of silver, and other special features are that the bow and catch plate are cast in one piece. The upper surface of the spring cover is constructed of three successive vaulted rosettes (form 1), which are also seen on the bow. The rosettes are wreathed with flattened silver discs and the moulded knobs are encased within sheet silver. Group 2 is similarly represented primarily by examples from Zealand and should be considered as a sub-group of group 1. Group 3 is represented by a few fibulas from Jutland and a single example from Funen. Most of these are poorly preserved and therefore only present in a few variants. Characteristic features, which should be highlighted, include three rosettes on the spring cover, the bow and the catch plate cast in one piece, a flat silver disc around the rosettes and a bow of bronze. The choice of metal follows primarily the Jutish tradition in which bronze is most prominent, whereas the manufacture is according to the tradition on Zealand. In the analysis, this cluster locates itself mid between groups 1 and 2 on the one side and group 4 on the other. Group 4 has its distribution in Jutland as 62.5% of all the fibulas from Jutland fall here. There are also two from Funen. The most important features are that the bow and catch plate are not cast in one piece and the bow consists typically of bronze plated with babbitt metal, whereas the catch plate is often of silver and is, in several cases, ornamented with engraved lines. The pin itself is of bronze or copper, the same applies to the tension lugs. The upper surface of the spring cover comprises a rectangular bronze band clad with a rosette that sits as a central feature around the lower end of the bow. The bow is ornamented with flat rosettes and typically with a domed roundel of blue glass. Basically it is, as already suggested, possible to speak of two traditions, an Eastern Danish and a Jutish. With regard to the identification of possible workshop groups, it can be tentatively concluded that there was one on Zealand and two in Jutland. The five rosette fibulas from Funen show, conversely, no indication of the existence of independent workshops but should be seen rather as a mixture of Jutish and Zealand craft traditions.Typological classification of rosette fibulas and their distributionOn the basis of the primary studies, a typological classification has been carried out of the 36 best examples within six types. As the number of examples is modest, the classification should be taken with some reservation. Only the dominant types will be dealt with in more detail here; these are types 1 and 4. Again, it is the geographic distribution that is apparent, in that type 1 appears on Zealand whereas type 4 is Jutish. Due to its special construction, type 3 is similarly commented upon. The distribution of the other types is, conversely, very scattered as is apparent from the table (fig. 11). Type 1 is defined by having five vaulted rosettes. They are attached by way of a cast pin or a long through rivet and terminating in a moulded knob. The bow and catch plate are cast in one piece. Type 4 is characterised by having three rosettes, including the central rosette. The two rosettes on the bow have inlaid glass roundels or are made of vaulted sheet metal. The spring cover is most often rectangular. Type 3 comprises just three examples. These are characterised by the angle of the bow being greater than 90 degrees, they lack the high catch plate and have a triangular catch-plate cover with a hook to take the pin. The rosettes are soldered to the edge of the spring cover, and they can be circular or semi-circular and of sheet metal with or without blue glass inlays. All three examples come from Southwestern Jutland. Rosette fibulas have a very wide geographic distribution, from Norway in the north to the Black Sea in the south, and from Jutland in the west to the Baltic countries in the east. These spectacular ornaments must have belonged to the elite and their distribution indicates the extensive nature of the various networks at that time and therefore give a good insight into the extent of social mobility. One potential form of contact could have been marital alliances. These may have played an important role for the aristocracy in its wish to maintain their social status as well as their economic and political power. In other aspects of the archaeological record there are indications that women from the aristocratic Himlingeøje families were apparently married off to men in Tuna in Sweden. Rosette fibulas of Scandinavian type have, furthermore, been found in the Ukrainian-Rumanian Moldau area north of the Black Sea, which is perhaps also an indication of marital alliances. Unfortunately, the distinctive and easily recognisable rosette fibulas were only in use for a short period of 30-50 years, after which it again becomes more difficult to evaluate the extent of exchange within the large Germanic area. The work presented here is based on primary observations of most of the rosette fibulas from Denmark. It demonstrates clearly that there is much new information to be obtained from these elitist ornaments. At the same time, the importance is demonstrated yet again of renewed and primary studies of the existing archaeological record. Neither is there any doubt that more sophisticated methods of scientific analyses will, in the future, definitely be able to reveal much more new information and thereby contribute to a better and more sophisticated understanding of the significance of rosette fibulas as an important social marker within the aristocratic environs of the Iron Age.Annagrete Skjødt †Redigeret af Jørgen LundInstitut for Antropologi, Arkæologi, og LingvistikAarhus Universitet

The Troubles have spread heartbreak and misery across Northern Ireland, mainland Britain, and Europe for 50 years, claiming the lives of thousands and victimizing tens of thousands. With each death, physical, and psychological injury there are stories of a father, son, brother, sister, daughter, and mother. Human security encapsulates the lives of these people and examines their experiences front and center, and for the first time this sentiment will be adopted in an academic paper to analyze casualty counting in Northern Ireland. This study demonstrates that the Northern Irish Troubles are not just suitable for casualty recording but are also in desperate need of it, as current casualty recording facilities are inadequate in tackling victimization and providing closure to grief-stricken families. This paper analyzes the theoretical aspects of casualty counting and inspects human rights laws in Northern Ireland, seeking to remedy current issues of victim hierarchies in database inclusions, incomplete timelines, and limited accessibility to records, in order to provide Troubles victims with the recognition and answers they yearn for. The overarching theme of this study is that effective casualty recording is a steppingstone to bridging the community divide in Northern Ireland, bringing accountability and ultimately ending the war.

Abstract Background The first UK-wide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 had a serious financial impact on low-income households, a population already in higher risk of food insecurity and poor dietary choices. Qualitative data on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on food decisions of UK families are scarce. This study aimed to explore how the measures to control the spread of COVID-19 influenced the food-related decisions of socioeconomically deprived families in Northern Ireland. Methods A qualitative study captured data from online individual interviews. Participation was open for parents of children 2–17 years old living on a tight budget in urban and rural areas of Northern Ireland. A sampling matrix enabled equal representation of single- and two-parent households, as well as parents of younger children (<12y) and adolescents (≥12y). Data were collected by using the methods of Photovoice and mapping exercise. Data were analysed through a thematic approach. Results Twelve online interviews were conducted and five distinct themes were identified reflecting families’ food-related decisions that were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown: 1) food planning; 2) food purchasing; 3) meal preparation; 4) eating and feeding behaviours and 5) eating food prepared outside the house. Conclusions The restrictions put in place to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 influenced all aspects of dietary decisions of low-income families. Changes observed during this period included frequent consumption of homemade meals, but also increased unhealthy snacking. Infrequent food shopping encouraged good meal planning, but was also a barrier to securing adequate fresh food. Food-related support including school meal assistance contributed to families’ food security, particularly those of single parents.

ObjectivesThis study uses longitudinal administrative data to investigate the relationship between area level deprivation and the 1) referral, 2) investigation, 3) registration and 4) looked-after stages of children’s contact with child and family social work in Northern Ireland (NI) from 2010-2017 (stages 1-3) and 2010-2020 (stage 4). MethodsChildren’s social care data (SOSCARE database) for the years 2010 to 2020 were obtained from the Honest Broker Service in NI. The data were linked with the 2017 NI Multiple Deprivation Measure through the family of origin postcode. Cross-tabulations of year and deprivation decile were used to produce frequencies of children who experienced the four levels of intervention within each of the study years. These were then used to calculate various measures of absolute and relative inequality including the Slope Index of Inequality (SII), the Relative Ratio of Inequality (RRI) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII). ResultsThere was a clear and increasing social gradient in child welfare interventions over time. Children referred to children’s social care during 2010-2017 were 4-5 times more likely to come from the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived. Despite fairly stable levels of referral inequality, the ratio of children subject to child protection investigations rose from 3 in 2010 to 6 in 2017, the ratio of children subject to child protection plans rose from 4.5 in 2010 to 8 in 2017 and the ratio of children looked after rose from 4 in 2010 to 9 in 2020. This widening inequality was largely driven by the increasing involvement of younger children from the most deprived areas in child protection and looked-after processes. ConclusionIn an environment of economic austerity and reduced spending, we are intervening in the lives of children and families living in the most deprived areas of NI at disproportionate rates. The current independent review of children’s social care offers an opportunity to reconfigure current provision with a clear inequalities focus.

Objectives: The main objectives of the study are to identify the socio-economic characteristics of lay persons who engage in self-medication activities, to determine the economic aspects of self-medication, to conduct cost minimization analysis, and to determine the consequences of self-medication. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in community pharmacies throughout Northern Kerala for a period of 6 months from April 2021 to September 2021. A total of 300 participants were selected through consecutive sampling. Results: 117 people were from upper middle class families based on Kuppuswamy’s scale. A majority of participants considered self-medication for economic benefits which confirmed that self-medication is closely related to the financial background of the respondents. The costs saved were measured by calculating the costs associated with hospital visits by them or family in the past 6 months for similar manifestations. During the study, the cost of branded drugs prescribed was determined as 70–1498.78% more than the generic versions. Hence, patients are spending much more on their treatment unaware about other alternative options. 117 participants experienced an adverse drug reaction after taking the medication, and 134 participants responded that their symptoms were not improving and 99 entrants had to visit the hospital who had an economic burden due to delay in detection of the disease. Conclusion: Thus, the study concluded that there is a strong relationship between pharmacoeconomics and self-medication behavior.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of the foreign policy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in both bilateral and multilateral aspects. Relations between the UK and Ukraine are developing rapidly. The article also examines UK’s relations with the USA, Germany, and China. First of all, economic relations between the UK and the USA are analyzed in the article. In UK-Germany relations much attention is paid to maintaining strong economic ties. In UK-China relations it is worth noting that relations between the two countries are tense, but at the same time both parties are interested in continuous economic cooperation. In the article, it is stressed that the UK is an active participant in many international organizations. NATO is the primary way for the UK to achieve national and collective security, while AUKUS aims to strengthen security in the Pacific region. The Commonwealth also plays an important role as a means of extending British influence.

Tourism has an important economic contribution at a global level; however, in some cases, this is not reflected in the benefit of the inhabitants of tourist destinations, since in an unusual way their opinion is asked for their place of residence to become a tourist destination. Therefore, in order to know the perception of the inhabitants of a community in northern Mexico to become a tourist development pole, a study was carried out with reference of the Social Exchange theory.To achieve this aim, a questionnaire was applied to 367 representatives of families of this population. Exploratory factor analysis was performed in SPSS version 27, followed by structural equation modelling in AMOS 27. The findings show that as long as the inhabitants perceive that they will receive a direct benefit in terms of socioeconomic aspects that will improve their quality of life, as well as improvements in the town’s infrastructure, they will accept that their town will become a tourist attraction with the consequences that this entails.

Abstract Background Low back pain (LBP) is the main cause of activity limitation and work absence across the world, leading to a high social and economic burden for individuals, families, the labour market and society. The overall aim of this multicentre study is to test the usability, acceptability and feasibility of an evidence-based, digital education programme for people living and working with persistent LBP who are in sedentary or physically demanding jobs and need advice on ergonomics, self-management of pain and healthy behavioural strategies. Methods This is the protocol of a multinational, multicentre, prospective uncontrolled feasibility study targeting people with persistent LBP in Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Portugal. Eligible participants will be offered the opportunity to use the MyRelief educational platform as part of their care and will undergo evaluations at baseline (enrollment) and 1-month follow-up. Feasibility will be assessed using measures of recruitment and retention, intervention engagement, outcome measure completion rates and within-group effect sizes in response to the digital education programme. Discussion This study will identify the challenges and implications of delivering a digital training programme in advance of potentially delivering the programme via an online educational platform available on mobile devices. The findings will inform the design of a future randomised controlled trial if it proves feasible. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04673773. Registered 17 December 2020.

AbstractBackgroundThe location dynamics of rural northern Minnesota involve shifting economic structures, demographic transitions, and diverse physical environments that affect access to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) diagnosis, care and health services.MethodWe conducted semi‐structured interviews with 56 key informants including health care providers (n = 7), health leaders and administrators (n = 10), social workers (n = 12), formal and informal caregivers (n = 19), and healthy older adults (n = 8) across northern Minnesota concerning the unique protective and risk factors and the socio‐cultural context of ADRD in the region. Interviews were transcribed and thematically coded in QSR NVivo using a lived experience framework.ResultOur analysis reveals that winter weather, depopulation trends, and lack of healthcare facilities and services and aspects of rural culture create multi‐faceted challenges to healthy aging and ADRD diagnosis and care. Rural residents often rely on social capital, community institutions, volunteerism, and families to compensate for the lack of medical services. Rural people without social or financial resources may have to relocate to different communities to receive care and services. This lack of access to local care influences stigma and fear of dementia diagnoses in rural areas. These experiences shape cultural understandings of ADRD, and health seeking behaviors, which can be characterized as hesitant and dismissive, creating additional challenges for community interventions.ConclusionThe location dynamics of rural northern Minnesota shape unique cultural understandings around ADRD diagnosis and care that limits the effectiveness of existing interventions and demands tailored approaches to overcome the lack of local resources, geographic distance, and winter weather constraints. Dense social networks, a culture of volunteerism, and community capacity to develop medical infrastructure are key assets used to overcome these challenges to ADRD care.

The purpose of this study was 2-fold, to (1) explore current education provision in UK schools including barriers to menstrual cycle education and (2) assess the perceived support teachers received to deliver menstrual cycle education. Seven hundred eighty-nine teachers (91% female) from all stages of school education in England (48%), Scotland (24%), Wales (22%) and Northern Ireland (6%) completed an online survey. The survey captured information on menstrual education in schools, teacher's knowledge and confidence of the menstrual cycle, support provided to teachers, provision of menstrual products in school and perceived impact of the menstrual cycle on young people in school. Four hundred ninety-eight teachers reported lessons were provided on the menstrual cycle (63%), predominantly delivered within personal, social, health and economic or science subjects, with over half of the lessons focusing on the biology (56%) or provision of menstrual products (40%) rather than lived experiences (14%). Teachers perceived the menstrual cycle affected participation in PE (88%), pupil confidence (88%), school attendance (82%) and attitude and behavior (82%). Overall, 80% of teachers felt receiving training would be beneficial to improve menstrual education. The results highlight education is scientifically focused, with less education on management of symptoms or lived experiences. Teachers also perceive the menstrual cycle to influence multiple aspects of school attendance and personal performance. There is a need to address menstrual education provided in schools across the UK to help empower girls to manage their menstrual cycle, preventing a negative impact on health and school performance.

Abstract Background Randomised trials play a vital role in underpinning evidence-based care. However, trials involving adults with impaired capacity to consent raise a number of ethical and methodological challenges, leading to the frequent exclusion of this group from trials. This includes challenges around involving family members as alternative ‘proxy’ decision-makers. Family members are often given little information about their role as a consultee or legal representative. Some family members find making a decision about trial participation difficult and may experience an emotional and decisional burden as a result. Families have reported a need for greater support and guidance when making such decisions, leading to the development of a decision aid (‘Making decisions about research for others’) for family members acting as consultee/legal representative. The decision aid now requires evaluation to determine its effectiveness in supporting families to make more informed decisions. Methods This protocol describes a prospective, multi-centre, randomised-controlled Study Within a Trial (SWAT) to evaluate the effectiveness of the decision aid. The SWAT will initially be embedded in approximately five host trials. SWAT participants will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention (decision aid alongside standard information about the host trial provided to consultees/legal representatives) or control (standard information alone). The primary outcome is the quality of proxy consent decision, assessed by the Combined Scale for Proxy Informed Consent Decisions (CONCORD). The SWAT design is informed by previous qualitative research. Initial feasibility will be explored in one host trial, followed by the main SWAT. An embedded process evaluation and economic evaluation will enable the SWAT findings to be contextualised and identify factors likely to affect implementation. Discussion This SWAT will generate the first evidence for recruitment interventions for trials involving adults lacking capacity to consent and add to knowledge about the use of decision support interventions in trial participation decisions. The SWAT will be embedded in a range of trials, and the heterogenous nature of the host trials, settings and populations involved will enable the intervention to be evaluated in a wide range of contexts. However, a pragmatic and flexible approach to conducting the SWAT is needed. Trial registration The SWAT is registered as SWAT #159 with the Northern Ireland Hub for Trials Methodology Research SWAT repository (registered 09.08.2020). Each host trial will be registered on a clinical trials registry.

In today's society there is evidence of a culture of the 'empowered consumer' -- an image of the consumer as a citizen rather than a subordinate. In fact, human rights language is increasingly coming to the fore in the consumption debate. The consumer has been allocated rights by the United Nations whereby all human beings are born free and equal and have civil, political, economic and social rights (McGregor 44). However, as citizens we also have responsibilities of an environmental and social concern. Food retailing and equality of shopping provision is one such concern. Food is a basic right. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights everyone has a fundamental right to be free from hunger and have access to safe and nutritious food. Social exclusion refers to those in the population who are unable to participate in economic, political, social and cultural life. Social exclusion is different from, but related to, poverty since it further marginalises the most disadvantaged -- for example, those who cannot access a large supermarket. In keeping with the rights/responsibilities language, the consumer has a basic right to food and the retailer has the social responsibility to supply the needs of the consumer. It is in this respect that food is an ethical issue and has social justice implications. Inability to consume, or have access to, sufficient food of nutritional quality is a global concern. In North America the issue is one of 'food insecurity' or 'food poverty' due to inadequate finance to purchase sufficient food. In the United Kingdom the same problem arises within the context of access to food stores. This is identified as a 'food (shopping) desert', where due to restricted access social exclusion can arise. The term 'food deserts' was first used by the Low Income Project Team of the Nutrition Task Force in 1996 and was succinctly defined by Tessa Jowell (Government Health Minister) in 1997 when she stated that a food desert was an area "where people do not have easy access to healthy, fresh foods particularly if they are poor and have limited mobility". The term 'food desert' is an emotive one referring to a unique tool of social polarisation and exclusion (Lang 5). The issues compounding the problem include low income, locational policy of supermarkets with the acquisition of edge-of-town / out-of-town sites, consumer mobility, car ownership levels and food availability. This research study focuses on Northern Ireland -- a region of the UK on the periphery of Europe. The Province of Northern Ireland (Ulster) is a sparsely populated (122 people per km²), predominantly rural area with the highest unemployment and poverty statistics in the United Kingdom. Similarly, Northern Ireland has a proportionately high degree of non-car ownership (35%) which further complicates the equation since shopping is increasingly becoming a car-borne activity necessitating transportation to edge-of-town superstores. Those not able to avail themselves of large edge-of-town superstores are being socially excluded, since inner-city areas are becoming denuded of food stores. Those that do exist usually have a limited range of food items, usually non-perishable, or are specialist shops stocking high priced items. It is the aim of the study to identify the characteristics, extent and location of food deserts in both rural and urban areas of Northern Ireland. It is a particularly apt time to do so since Northern Ireland is experiencing a 'retail revolution' with the arrival of the major UK grocery multiples and subsequent situational policies to locate off-centre. Similarly, there are plans to curtail out-of-town developments which has been viewed by some smaller retailers as "too little, too late". With the above in mind, it is a timely study for Northern Ireland. Multiple research tools of both a qualitative and a quantitative nature have been employed including consumer focus groups, shopping diaries, comparative shopping exercises, consumer questionnaires and retail interviews. This will enable sufficient validation of results. The focus groups provide qualitative depth (Colquhoun 39) and serve to highlight the issues of shopping inequality from the point of view of different consumer groups which could be identified as potentially vulnerable in the food poverty stakes; the elderly, the disabled, the unemployed or low income families, lone-parent families and females in general; to whom falls the responsibility for provisioning the household, organising the kitchen and doing the household's cooking (Murcott 11). Basically, food is gendered -- women are mainly in charge (Vaines 13). The respondents in this study demonstrate exactly that point since 77% of the sample were female and reported that they were responsible for household shopping. This point is particularly prevalent with regard to access to cars. In fact over 50% of women in 1991-1993 either lived in households without a car or were non-drivers in a household with a car. Similarly, although there is a rising proportion of women who work they still do most of the shopping and spend twice as much time as men provisioning the household (Piachaud & Webb 18). Ultimately, anything that affects the purchaser also affects the purchasing experience -- in this case physical access to the foodstore. Comparative shopping exercises illustrate the availability and price indices of food and reiterate the price differences between the smaller independents, the local corner shops and the supermarkets. Initial research using the British Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's "Low Cost, Healthy Diet" (Leather 75) provides evidence of a cost differential of £1.41, or a 26% cost penalty by shopping at a corner store rather than a superstore. Availability among corner shops similarly compared unfavourably with the supermarkets, with the smallest stores offering minimal fresh fruit and vegetables and regularly offering no 'economy' branded equivalent to an established manufacturer's brand. This supports previous research which found that in areas where small shops do exist they offer only a limited overpriced range of processed foods (Elliott 5), and it is generally accepted that those who can shop at supermarkets can generally benefit from lower prices and more choice (Piachaud & Webb 32). The benefits of supermarkets are not therefore available to all. Shopping diaries further illustrate this point with the dichotomy existing where the lower-income consumer shops more frequently and locally than does her higher-income counterpart and it is these same consumers who patronise the smaller, often more expensive corner shop. Many consumers like the convenience of large supermarkets where they have access to a vast range of items and do not mind paying premium prices on some items for this convenience. Supermarkets do not offer low prices on all items, but do stock economy lines as well as premium priced items. The consumer questionnaire provides some quantitative analysis and statistical weight to the data and was analysed using the χ-square test on SPSS for Windows Version 8. With the χ-square test the important detail is the significance level (reported as a p-value). A p-value of less than 0.05 indicates that the two groups are significantly different at a confidence level of 95% -- in other words, it can be concluded that the author is 95% certain that the result is statistically significant and free from error. Four areas of the Province were sampled -- two rural and two urban. The sample was 77% female and the median age group fell between 45 to 54 years. The social class status was skewed towards the lower socio-economic classes and only 12% fell into social classes A or B. The mean household income was £151 to £200 per week. The survey was interviewer-assisted and pointed to some interesting correlations between levels of satisfaction with store location and distance travelled, product choice and the decision to continue shopping in the town centre. Thirty percent of the sample stated that they shop at off-centre complexes and 70% of the sampled households shop in the town centre or closer to home. This sample also provides evidence that shopping is largely a car-borne activity with 58% of the sample using the family car. Journey distance is significantly influenced by degree of satisfaction with locality: p<0.01 and is supported with the evidence that 64% of the respondents stated that they shop less than fifteen minutes from home. Similar relationships exist between reported satisfaction with locality and differing degrees of satisfaction for product choice: p<0.01. A significant bias similarly exists between those who continue to shop in the town centre after the advent of the UK multiples into Northern Ireland in 1996 and those who do not: p<0.05 with a bias towards those continuing to shop in the town centre reporting high satisfaction levels. Ultimately, perceived adequacy of shopping provision influences satisfaction with store locality: p<0.05. Although the majority of respondents' weekly shopping is conducted at a multiple there is still an identified need for the local corner shops and independents since approximately 29% of respondents buy essentials like bread, milk and other basic grocery provision there. In fact, 98% of those surveyed reported that every town centre should have a food store, and 82% noticed a reduction in the number of food stores locally in recent years. In a concluding open question in the survey attitudes towards off-centre supermarkets were gauged. Responses ranged from positive in nature ("better parking facilities") to indifferent ("I never bother with them") to negative ("they [out-of-town supermarkets] only suit people with cars" and "they hurt the small shopkeeper"). From a retail management point of view, the multiple stores perceive (or want the consumer to believe) that they have a "social responsibility" but suggest that it should be a coalition between retailers and councillors to rejuvenate the town centres and it is not their sole responsibility. The corner shops argue their business position has survived but allude to the fact that the migration to out-of-town sites by the supermarkets has "created a void in the town centre". The issue is complex. While it is true that the multiples have brought shoppers a number of benefits -- price, choice and quality -- they have also both directly (siting shops outside town centres and in high income areas) and indirectly (undermining the economies of small, local outlets) increased costs on disadvantaged consumers in terms of time, physical effort and transport. This has led to a degree of social exclusion amongst certain consumer groups, although this was not quantitatively expressed as significant via the medium of the questionnaire in this preliminary study. It should be remembered that food and mealtimes are imbued with social and cultural meaning (Lang 27) and that "food is a vehicle for social control" (7). In fact food desertification has been likened to the "food equivalent of disconnecting the water supply" (27) and initiatives should be considered to alleviate food poverty and rejuvenate town centres throughout the Province. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary with input from retailers, councillors, health promotion personnel and education bodies to bring about a policy to eradicate this form of social exclusion and disadvantage. References Colquhoun, A. "Food Retailing in Transition: Memories of Traditional Grocer Shops in the 1950s." Strugnell and Armstrong. Elliott, V. "Food Deserts Threaten Health of Poor and Old." Sunday Times 5 Nov. 1997: 5. Lang, T. "Running On Empty." Demos Collection 12 (1997). 25-7. ---. "Food Education and the Citizen: Whose Responsibility?" Strugnell and Armstrong 7. Leather, S. "Less Money, Less Choice: Poverty and Diet in the United Kingdom Today". Your Food: Whose Choice? Ed. National Consumer Council. London: HMSO, 1992. 72-94. McGregor, S. "Globalising Consumer Education: Shifting from Individual Consumer Rights to Collective Human Responsibilities." Strugnell and Armstrong 43-52. Murcott, A. "Is It Still a Pleasure to Cook for Him? Social Changes in the Household and the Family." Strugnell and Armstrong 11. Piachaud, D. and J. Webb. The Price of Food: Missing Out on Mass Consumption." London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 1996. 32. Strugnell, C. J. "Food Deserts: Fact or Fiction." Nutrition and Food Science 6. MCB UP. 349-50. Strugnell, C.J. and G. A. Armstrong, eds. Consumer Education: An International Dimension. Conference Proceedings of the XIXth International Consumer Studies and Home Economics Research Conference. Belfast: University of Ulster, 1999. Vaines, E. "The Sacred Nature of Food: A Family Perspective" Strugnell and Armstrong 13. Citation reference for this article MLA style: Sinead Furey, Heather McIlveen, Christopher Strugnell. "Food Deserts: An Issue of Social Justice." M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 2.7 (1999). [your date of access] <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/9910/deserts.php>. Chicago style: Sinead Furey, Heather McIlveen, Christopher Strugnell, "Food Deserts: An Issue of Social Justice," M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 2, no. 7 (1999), <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/9910/deserts.php> ([your date of access]). APA style: Sinead Furey, Heather McIlveen, Christopher Strugnell. (1999) Food deserts: an issue of social justice. M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 2(7). <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/9910/deserts.php> ([your date of access]).

Abstract Background The concept of nature-based solutions (NBS) has evolved as an umbrella concept to describe approaches to learning from and using nature to create sustainable socio-ecological systems. Furthermore, NBS often address multiple societal challenges that humans are facing in the medium to long-term and as such can enhance human well-being (HWB). This study was commissioned to fulfil the need for a targeted systematic evidence map on the linkage between NBS and HWB to support focused research going forward that addresses the key knowledge needs of policy makers in the UK and beyond. Methods A consultation with policy makers and government agency staff (n = 46), in the four component parts of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) was conducted in spring 2019. This identified four key societal challenges of operational experience lacking a scientific evidence base. Three of these challenges related to management issues: NBS cost-efficacy, governance in planning, environmental justice. The fourth challenge related to the acoustic environment (soundscape). Using systematic methods, this study searched for and identified studies that assessed NBS on HWB with regard to these four selected societal challenges. Review findings A total of 7287 articles were returned from the systematic search and screened for suitability at the level of title and abstract. A total of 610 articles passed screening criteria to warrant full text screening. Of these, 115 studies met the full text criteria for eligibility in the final systematic map database. Included studies were coded for twelve NBS interventions and ten HWB related outcome categories. Most of the evidence reviewed referred to natural, blue or green infrastructure in the urban environment and focused on economic, material and health aspects of HWB. Less than 2% of studies identified in the searches robustly reported the role of NBS actions or interventions on HWB compared with non-NBS actions or interventions Conclusion This systematic map found the evidence base is growing on NBS-HWB linkages, but significant biases persist in the existing literature. There was a bias in favour of the urban environment and restoration studies focused on conservation aspects, with only a few studies investigating the full suite of advantages to HWB that can be delivered from NBS actions and interventions. The soundscape was the least studied of the societal challenges identified as being of key importance by policy makers, with cost-efficiency the most reported. There was a lack of robust long-term studies to clearly test the potential of NBS regarding the HWB outcomes compared with non-NBS alternatives. This lack of robust primary knowledge, covering all four key societal challenges identified, confirms that the knowledge gaps identified by the policy makers persist, and highlights a clear research need for long-term, transdisciplinary studies that focus on comparisons between NBS and non-NBS alternatives

The practice of “Early Marriage” has been an ancient phenomenon specially developed for girl’s arranged marriage in the disguise of “Paro” (which means a bride bought from other regions i.e., transnational migration) or “Molki” (Paid brides in which girl’s family gets money from groom’s family). The impoverishment is the push-factor behind bride trafficking in Northern Lines of India. Female feticide and infanticide have declined the sex ration and has resulted in shortage of brides. The “Molki” practice is more prevalent among backward class because disadvantaged class are poverty stricken social groups which are unable to find local brides in their own community; as a result, the social group opts for paid bride from other regions which gradually makes a practice among community. These men resort to buying inter-region brides from the poorer areas. Early marriage of child benefits both the families by rendering money to the poor family and bride to the disadvantaged family against monetary exchange. North-East states are more affected by inter and intra trafficking of brides against monetary transaction. As such trafficking includes forced sale or resale minor girls in the fake name of marriage, sometimes girls are abducted, raped or abused for sexual slavery and marriage at the clemency of the groom and his family who have “paid” for her. Dearth, orphan at early childhood age, lack of education, orthodox and culturally sanctioned harsh practices and norms, monetary quest of parents, parental separation, etc. are major push factors contributing in the rise in bride trafficking. The practice is profoundly more in rural and tribal areas because bride prices are much higher among rural communities. In counterfactual exercises, parents entirely rely on early marriage and bride price for their easy survival. Taking into consideration the positive side of bride trafficking, lack of steady economic market cannot fill the financial gap of poor families and unnecessary prohibition upon such reciprocal practices may worsen the life of daughter’s parents. “The society in which a girl child is accepted unwillingly and in the form of burden, bride trafficking is an absurd reality for such society.” ITPA (Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act) is the special statute enforced to curb illegal activities like forced prostitution, sexual abuse, and minor’s trafficking but the act is insufficient to cover all he forms of crimes and trafficking. Thus, this article involves analyses of current situations, demographic data, various aspects of bride trafficking, causes and current legal status on bride trafficking. In first section, the paper will explain technical definition of every term related to early marriage given by institutions like United Nations and special departments. In second section, the affecting factors accountable for trafficking of minor brides through forced marriage will be discussed at length. In last part, the impact upon the society along with statistic data will be narrated. Consequently, the paper will focus on transforming stage of issue of bride-trafficking which earlier existed in hidden form but now a days has become culturally sanctioned practice in society.

AbstractFishermen household has a special characteristic, such use the use of coastal and marine areas (common property) as a factor of production, working hours should follow the oceanographic conditions (sail only an average of about 20 days in a month, the rest is relatively idle). Fishermen were particularly vulnerable to seasonal changes caused by climate change, making studies of the lives of fishermen generally emphasize the poverty and economic uncertainty experienced fishermen and their families. Based on those problems that can be formulated, any strategy that made the fisherman community in meeting the needs of the household?. The purpose of this study are: 1). examines the general state of the village Tateli Dua Mandolang Minahasa District of Northern Sulawesi province, 2). detailing the standard of living in terms of the social aspect is education, number of dependents, age structure, and organization / social institutions, 3). detailing the standard of living in terms of the economic aspects ie venture capital, marketing catches, income and expenditure, 4). explore and learn strategies fishermen community in meeting the needs of the household. Basic research will be used is a case study. The case study is a study done by studying a particular case in which the object is limited (Helmi and Satria, 2012). The results showed that in meeting household needs, fishermen in the village Tateli Two has a three-pronged strategy: 1). The use of alternative livelihoods, 2). Contributions empowerment fisherman's wife, and 3). Saving of household spending.Keywords: Household, Fishermen, Strategy AbstrakRumah tangga nelayan memiliki ciri khusus seperti penggunaan wilayah pesisir dan laut (common property) sebagai faktor produksi, jam kerja harus mengikuti kondisi oseanografis (melaut hanya rata-rata sekitar 20 hari dalam satu bulan, sisanya relatif menganggur). Nelayan menjadi sangat rentan terhadap perubahan musim yang diakibatkan oleh perubahan iklim, membuat kajian-kajian terhadap kehidupan nelayan umumnya menekankan pada kemiskinan dan ketidakpastian ekonomi yang dialami nelayan dan keluarganya. Berdasarkan hal tersebut dapat dirumuskan permasalahan yaitu, strategi apa saja yang dilakukan masyarakat nelayan dalam memenuhi kebutuhan rumah tangga?. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu : 1). menelaah keadaan umum Desa Tateli Dua Kecamatan Mandolang Kabupaten Minahasa Provinsi Sulawesi Utara, 2). merinci taraf hidup ditinjau dari aspek sosial adalah pendidikan, jumlah tanggungan keluarga, struktur umur, dan organisasi/lembaga sosial, 3). memerinci taraf hidup ditinjau dari aspek ekonomi yaitu modal usaha, pemasaran hasil tangkapan, pendapatan dan pengeluaran serta 4). menggali dan mempelajari strategi masyarakat nelayan dalam memenuhi kebutuhan rumah tangga. Dasar penelitian ini adalah studi kasus. Studi kasus adalah penelitian yang dilakukan dengan cara mempelajari satu kasus tertentu pada obyek yang terbatas (Helmi dan Satria, 2012). Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa dalam memenuhi kebutuhan rumah tangga, nelayan yang ada di Desa Tateli Dua memiliki tiga bentuk strategi yaitu 1). Penggunaan mata pencaharian alternatif, 2). Kontribusi pemberdayaan istri nelayan, dan 3). Penghematan belanja rumah tanggaKata Kunci : Rumah tangga, Nelayan, Strategi