bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small Countries under Great Pressure. The Politics of National Vulnerability during International Restructuring
Authors: Hveem Helge
Published: March 2007

The international economic system is characterized by rapid and radical restructuring. The causes of change are located in one or several of the following factors: instability resulting out of a declining or changing US hegemony and the responses of US economic policies to change; conflict over distributing the costs imposed by surplus capacity in many industries; an innovation race among the major powers and cor porations ; and the emergence of a new international division of labour resulting out of economic nationalism and internationalization of production at one and the same time. In the process, nations have become more economically vulnerable, a fact experienced in particular by small and open economies like those of the Nordic countries. The author sets out the options of these countries for facing the challenges of increased vulnerability: seeking niche power, cooperating, playing on their democratic corporatism and welfare state policies as a means towards securing national support for economic policy, or improving their external organization. The hypothesis is presented that the latter — external organization — is a crucial factor inter alia because it addresses some inevitable choices that international development is highlighting: the tendency to deregulate financial markets and regulate trade; the drift from multi lateralism to bilateralism and protectionism in trade; and the reinforced international sedimentation process most visible in North-South relations but witnessed also within the South as well as within various countries (rising unemployment).
The Defense Council of the USSR
Authors: Karlsson Hakan
Published: March 2007

The article contributes to the study of the Soviet decision-making structure in national security affairs, focusing on one important but shadowy institution at the highest level of the political system: the Defense Council of the USSR. An attempt is made to determine the status and responsibilities of the council, as well as its likely membership and operating procedures, through various analytical approaches. First, the evidence available from the official Soviet literature on the Defense Council itself is marshaled. Additional insight is gained from the material on historical antecedents, from infor mation about analogous institutions in East European countries, and from statements by Soviet officials. In analyzing the data, particular attention is paid to the question of the position and influence of the Soviet military. The analysis supports the prop osition that current institutional arrangements in the Soviet Union give the professional military privileged access to the national security decision-making process.
Dimensions of Hegemony
Authors: Ougaard Morten
Published: March 2007

Ougaard, M. Dimensions of Hegemony. Cooperation and Conflict, XXIII, 1988, 197- 214.

The first section of the article deals briefly with the history of the concept of inter national hegemony. The second section identifies several dimensions in various defi nitions of the concept. The first dimension is the distribution of resources implying that hegemony is defined as a preponderance of material power resources, while the second dimension is control over outcomes. In some definitions the hegemon has a greater control than other actors, no matter which outcomes are attained. In other definitions a specific kind of outcome is required, such as the provision of certain collective goods. A related question is whether the hegemon takes care of shared interests or is catering to its own interests, to the detriment of those of others. This points to what is arguably a somewhat neglected dimension of hegemony: the underlying pattern of interests. It is suggested that the concept of hegemony is relevant in situations with common basic interests and secondary but significant contradictory interests. In such a situation hegemony is defined as one actor's ability to provide for its own interests in conflicts of a secondary nature. The third section focuses on the patterns of interests underlying US hegemony. Three possible changes that can lead to declining hegemony are examined: increasing difficulties for the common interests, increasing incompatibility between the interests of the hegemon and its allies, and finally a growing disparity within the hegemon's own interests. The evidence is only suggestive and points in different directions, but on balance it tends to strengthen the case for declining hegemony.
A Democratic Revolt? Stability and Change in Danish Security Policy 1979-1989
Authors: Holm Hans-Henrik
Published: March 2007

Holm, H.-H. A Democratic Revolt? Stability and Change in Danish Security Policy 1979-1989. Cooperation and Conflict, XXIV, 1989, 179-197.

The events in many European countries following the intense security debates since 1979 have revitalized arguments about the relationship between democracy and security policy change. From Tocqueville onwards, many have argued that security policy should be shielded from the democratic process. An analysis of Danish security policy content and the decision-making process in the years 1979-1989 is used here to provide an answer to this debate. Representation, participation and information are used as indices for the democratization of Danish security policy, and it is concluded that despite a clear trend towards increased participation and information, both the content of Danish security policy and the decision-making process have remained stable.
Problems of Enlargement: Political Integration in a Pan-European EC
Authors: Pedersen Thomas
Published: March 2007

This article highlights one aspect of the dilemma between the widening and deepening of integration which is becoming particularly acute in the context of the recent profound transformations in the European system. It analyses the effects of Pan-Europeanization and enlargement (including German "enlargement") on political integration, defined as the creation of a distinct European identity in foreign policy and security policy. Approaching the question from both a theoretical and empirical perspective, the author argues that on the whole the liberation of Eastern Europe and the pressure for Pan-European cooperation will function as an external catalyst on European integration: The political integration system will be reactivated by the pressure of expectations from Eastern Europe and it will be fed with new functional tasks. The legitimacy of the European unification process will be broadened as a consequence of the EC's new Pan-European role, and the more manifest German problem will unleash centripetal forces in Europe. Significantly, in order to cope with the East European challenges, the political dimension of the Community is likely to be strengthened — even at the cost of postponing and in some cases perhaps blocking enlargement.
Stokke, O. S. and Hoel, A. H. Splitting the Gains: Political Economy of the Barents Sea Fisheries. Cooperation and Conflict, XXVI, 1991, 49-65
Authors: Stokke Olav Schram , Hoel Alf Hakon
Published: March 2007

Despite the phase-out of third countries and a growing cooperation between Norway and the Soviet Union, the Barents Sea fisheries management system has failed to reach its conservational goals in the past decade. Politically, however, it has been very successful. The parties have managed to lay conflictual issues aside in order to maximize cooperative gains. A growing bias in the bilateral distribution between Norway and the Soviet Union has developed, mainly by declining transfers to Norway of Soviet cod and haddock. We have sought to explain this growing bias, exploring three analytical paths: interest-based, power-based, and bargaining-dynamics approaches to the study of international negotiations. As to the relevance of power, military capabilities are ill-suited to the present situation, but issue-specific interest-based power stemming from a stronger relative preference on the part of the Soviet Union for her own cod offers an acceptable explanation. There is also a possible impact of salient solutions, in that more or less fixed absolute-quantity keys employed by the negotiators throughout the 1980s concerning quotas allocated to the Soviet Union have withstood the reductions of groundfish transferred to Norway.
Moscow Airport Food Service
Authors: Kreck Lothar
Published: March 2007

Recently on several occasions I visited the Moscow air terminal and ate in its restaurant. Because of my long-time interest in restaurants I obtained as much information as I could about the Airport Restaurant. Since my knowledge of Russian is limited, most of this information was obtained from an English-speak ing female supervisor.—L.K.
No-Iron Sheets Pillowcases Uniforms
Authors: Bradley L.A.
Published: March 2007

This article is adapted from the 1967 revision of The Selection, Care, and Laundering of Institutional Textiles, and is published with the permission of AH&MA. Copies of the complete manual may be obtained for $2.00 from The Cornell Hotel & Restaurant Administration Quar terly.
The Valuation of Distressed Hotels
Authors: Rushmore Stephen
Published: March 2007

Even the most distressed hotels have some value-here're three valuation techniques for determining that value
Barriers to the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders
Authors: Dale Mitchell W.
Published: March 2007

A person's identity—both in his own eyes and in the eyes o f others—is very often tied to his occupation. One's job may determine to a large extent the kind and quality of life one leads. In penology and correction, therefore, as in perhaps all the social sciences, the function and availability of employ ment are o f great concern. According to some analysts, gain ful employment is perhaps the most important ingredient needed to help ex-offenders pursue law-abiding, productive lives; unemployment is one of the principal causes of recidi vism among adult male offenders.

Yet, despite popular sentiment regarding the desirability o f giving "a second chance" to the person with a criminal re cord, socially imposed and almost insurmountable barriers prevent him from obtaining productive and rehabilitative employment.

Employers resist hiring ex-offenders because of perceived security risks that are often more imaginary than real. More often than not, an ex-offender cannot be bonded by the private bonding industry. Under the terms of a standard "blanket" bond—the only type of bonding appropriate to many large operations and available at a price the employer can afford—an employer's insurance coverage is specifically voided if he knowingly hires any person having a criminal record.

Finally, under misguided statutes ostensibly enacted to protect the public from criminal depredations, ex-offenders may be excluded from service in government and a myriad of "licensed occupations."

This paper discusses these so-called "legal" barriers to the employment of ex-offenders. Its conclusion is that the attempt to protect against crime by denying ex-offenders gainful employment not only makes a mockery o f the concept of equal opportunity for all but costs us dearly in recidivist crime.
Judicial Paternalism and the Female Status Offender
Authors: Chesney-Lind Meda
Published: March 2007

Criticism of the juvenile court's jurisdiction over the status offender consistently neglects one important aspect of the issue. As a product of the court's history of extralegal paternalism, status offenses have involved the system in the maintenance of traditional family norms, which require greater obedience and chastity from females than from males.

The enforcement of status offenses has created a de facto double standard of juvenile justice in America. Like "good parents," police and court personnel tend to select for punishment girls whose behavior threatens parental authority and boys whose behavior is beyond that which can be excused as "boys will be boys." This pattern explains both the overrepresentation of girls charged with status offenses in court popula tions and the relatively harsh official response to this behavior. Evidence is presented to show that, at every level in the system, girls charged with status offenses are treated more harshly than girls charged with crimes. Further, the noncriminal activity of girls is frequently seen as requiring more drastic intervention than the criminal behavior of boys.
Reexamining the President's Crime Commission
Authors: Walker Samuel
Published: March 2007

In the ten years following the initial publication of the report of the Presi dent's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, we have seen significant changes in criminal justice. Though widely con sulted today, the report has become out of date. As a reference work, The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society ( 1967) remains valuable, but it no longer reflects the dominant issues in American criminal justice. The single most important change over the past decade has been the decline in faith in the idea of rehabilitation. The report of the President's Crime Commission reflected the belief that alternative correctional programs could effectively attack the causes of crime; now, however, rehabilitation has become an unpopular goal. The debate today over deterrence and the growing interest in determinate sentencing are phenomena unforeseen by the commission's report. These changes in criminal justice are, in part, a result of the growing public frustration over the continued rise in the rate of violent crime. Another significant change-for which the President's Crime Commission is partially responsible—is the increased awareness of the criminal justice system as a system. The development of a federal justice agency and the emergence of a new academic discipline of criminal justice represent the new strategy of approaching criminal justice as a un ified system.
Arbitrariness and Discrimination under Post-Furman Capital Statutes
Authors: Bowers William J. , Pierce Glenn L.
Published: March 2007

Drawing on a wide variety of data sources, this study examines arbi trariness and discrimination under capital statutes in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Ohio, which are responsible for roughly 70 percent of the. death sentences imposed nationwide in the five years following the United States Supreme Court's Furman decision. It finds that there are gross dif ferences in the treatment of potentially capital offenders by race of of fender and victim and by judicial circuits within states. These are (1) inde pendent of aggravating felony-related circumstances, (2) present at both presentencing and sentencing stages of the criminal justice process, (3) uncorrected by the postsentencing appellate review process, (4) unaltered by the form and restrictiveness of capital statutes among states, and (5) remarkably similar to the best documented patterns of differential treat ment by race of offender and victim under pre-Furman capital statutes, now ruled unconstitutional. These findings show that the present system of capital punishment is inconsistent with the constitutional standards of the Furman and Gregg decisions of the United States Supreme Court, but is instead consistent with historically prevailing extralegal influences which compromise and displace the legally prescribed functions of such punishment and are an enduring source of arbitrariness and discrimina tion.
Public Understanding and Education Decision-Making
Authors: Mann Dale
Published: March 2007

Decisional participation is legitimated at least in part through its sub stantive or factual basis. The disparity between the public's stock of education-relevant facts and the professional's is a source of recurring tension. This article examines some evidence about public understand ing of education policy, compares it to similar understandings of other public policy fields, and discusses some of the steps that may be taken to deal with the prevailing levels of understanding. Dale Mann is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University and a faculty associate of the Teachers College/Educational Testing Service Joint Institute on Urban and Minority Education.
Principals' Conceptual Ability in Relation to Situation and Behavior
Authors: Silver Paula F.
Published: March 2007

Conceptual systems theory and information theory were the bases for an exploratory descriptive study of elementary school principals' behavior. Relationships were identified among principals' level of integrative complexity, the complexity of their school environments, and their person-oriented leadership style. Implications for adminis trator selection and preparation were drawn. Dr. Paula Silver is an Associate Director of UCEA and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Educational Administration at The Ohio State University.
Research Orientation of Doctoral Students in Educational Administration
Authors: Kuh George D. , McCarthy Martha M.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to assess the research orientation of doctoral students in educational administration preparation programs. More specifically, the study sought to determine whether learning experiences during the doctoral program and certain personal variables were associated with research orientation. Prior exposure to research activity wasfound to be related to students' interest in and appreciation of inquiry. (This research was supported in part by a grant from the University Council for Educational Administration, Columbus, Ohio. The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Joan M. Beckman in collecting these data.)
Critical Variables in the Formation and Maintenance of Consensus in School Districts
Authors: Bacharach Samuel B. , Mitchell Stephen M.
Published: March 2007

A comparative case study methodology was employed to investigate the formation and maintenance of consensus in school district governance and administration in six central New York school districts. Based on these case studies, eight critical variables were identified as affecting consensus. These variables include: the environmental constraints which the district operates under; the degree of mobilization of community interest groups; the unity of the school board; the degree and breadth of administrative expertise; the unity of the administrative realm; the leadership ability of the superinten dent, specifically the strategies and tactics employed; the coalition behavior of teachers; and the stability of the profile of critical variable values. The implications of these variables for research, practice, and theory are discussed.
News as olds1
Authors: Kleinnijenhuis Jan
Published: March 2007

Johan Galtung & Mari Holmboe Ruge (1965) hypothesize that the more consonant an event is with the mental image of what journalists expect to find, the more probable journalists will consider that event to be newsworthy. This article on foreign news in the Netherlands underpins this hypothesis, as well as the related hypotheses of unambiguity and negativity .

It is assumed that mental pre-images of journalists are reflected in the news they present. To reconstruct the mental images reflected in the news, the NET-method for content analysis ('Networkanalysis of Evaluative Texts', Van Cuilenburg et al. (1986, 1988)) was used.

Because images are sometimes real in their consequences, political implications of consonantly structured foreign news in the Netherlands, France and the United States are briefly discussed.
Race, riots and the press
Authors: van Dijk Teun A.
Published: March 2007

Against the background of earlier work on the structures of news in the press and within the framework of a broader study of the reproduc tion racism in various types of discourse, this paper examines some properties of the British newspaper editorials about the inner city distur bances in 1985. Editorials appear to be structured by three major categories: Definition and Evaluation of the events, and Recommendations or a Moral about actions to be taken to contain or avoid future 'riots'. The disturbances are consistently defined and evaluated as criminal actions of young Afro- Caribbean males, if not blamed on the whole Black community. Socio- economic explanations are rejected in the editorials. The other major actor, viz., the police, on the other hand is represented as the victim, and as the forces of order that deserve respect and support. The results of the, mostly argumentative, analysis are further analyzed in terms of an ideological system of law and order values and a schema for the representation of all participant groups or institutions organized according to the well-known US vs. THEM pair.
Credibility of the Asian News Broadcasts of the Voice of America and the British Broadcasting Corporation
Authors: Rampal Kuldip R. , Clifton Adams W.
Published: March 2007

Official radio broadcasting directed to international listeners is an integral part of the process of carrying out the foreign policy objectives of the United States and Great Britain. Foreign policy objectives, however, cannot be promoted with any degree of effectiveness through official international radio unless the broadcasting station is perceived to be a credible source of information. Credibility of official radio stations depends on two key considerations: a) Professional autonomy, if not independence, to conduct the journalis tic work without resorting to propaganda; b) Adherence to professional news standards of timeliness, accuracy, objectivity, balance and relevance.

Published material indicates that credibility of news broadcasts of the Voice of America has improved in recent years following years of concerns. News broadcasts of the British Broadcasting Corporation, on the other hand, have been held up as a model of credibility since the station's inception.

This study investigated the credibility of Asian news broadcasts of the VOA and the BBC by applying as criteria measurable elements within the above-mentioned definition of credibility. The discourse analysis methodology was used. News broadcasts of the two stations relevant to Asia were recorded and transcribed on a daily basis during November 1988. The coding of the news transcripts, done by a team of Asian and American graduate students, used as criteria the following credibility elements: (1) quality of sources, (2) selection and relevance of news items, (3) accuracy and balance in news items, and (4) use of propaganda techniques including ideologically loaded language.

The analysis of the four variables indicated that the news services of the VOA and the BBC are credible. A qualitative analysis of the transcripts by the authors, of whom the principal author is from Asia with a relative expertise in Asian affairs, reinforced that finding. The study also found that the two stations rank as equal in the quality of their news broadcasts. There was no statistically significant difference between the two broadcasting services on any of the four credibility variables. In the area of story relevance, both the VOA and the BBC tended to give relatively more treatment to issues of interest to their respective countries, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Some suggestions are provided for further improvement of the quality of both services. The authors propose that a similar study is needed to compare the quality of the public affairs programs of the two stations. Such a study would help establish a more complete picture of the credibility and ranking of the VOA and the BBC.
Government policies toward advertising in China (1979-1989)
Authors: Yu Xuejun
Published: March 2007

The evolution of Chinese government policies toward advertising (1979-1989) and the issues involved, are examined by analyzing documents published inside and outside China.

The study demonstrates the historical background, social environment, and rapid growth of advertising in China. Advertising was resurrected in 1979 due to China's economic reform and open-door policy, and played an important role in the national economic development.

The study found that advertising developments in China were effected by political factors in society. The government's advertising policies were in a state of flux, and were not clearly defined within the broad complex of society's needs, aspirations and resources. The regulations on advertising were incomplete and their enforcement was weak.

It was concluded that China needs to upgrade its advertising level and to learn more from the West, but may not leap on the Western consumer-oriented bandwagon and neglect the political and cultural impacts of advertising on society. Between the two extremes - a rejection or a embrace of advertising - China needs to find a "middle road" for its further advertising development.
‘Europe 1992’: The audiovisual challenge
Authors: Servaes Jan
Published: March 2007

The article discusses the changing role of the European Community and its impact on national media systems and policies. It claims that the EC-policies advocate total freedom to provide services across borders, and that, therefore, total liberalization may lead to a future cultural synchronization and economic oligopolization of Europe. The main arguments presented are:

1. The national, and especially the European policies regarding telecommunication services in general and broadcasting in particular are based on economic in stead of cultural considerations. This trend will continue after 1992.

2. The public service broadcasting structure and philosophy has undergone major changes throughout the last decades. These changes, initiated by internal as well as external factors, have affected the organizational and finance structures, and the programming of public service broadcasting.

3. It is questionable whether the European policies will be in the advantage of the so-called smaller countries in the European Community, like for instance Belgium or the Netherlands, on the one hand, and whether these policies will be able to secure a free and balanced flow of information, ideas, opinions and cultural activities within the Community on the other hand.
Improving cooperation for communication training
Authors: Gaunt Philip
Published: March 2007

With a few notable exceptions, efforts to foster regional and international cooperation for communication training have been hampered by a variety of obstacles, and yet, as communication needs continue to grow in industrialized nations and Third World countries alike, it is becoming increasingly urgent to develop successful strategies for cooperation. This article identifies what are believed to be two fundamental sources of problems standing in the way of cooperation: firstly, differences in the perceived role and function of journalism, and, secondly, differences in the type of relations that exist between training establishments and the communications industry. As part of a broader study this article analyzes these differences as they exist in four selected countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Denmark, and then proposes areas of common ground on which future cooperation might be built.
The Caribbean story on CNN report: Just what is development news?
Authors: Mc.Clean Lisa , Stewart Robert K.
Published: March 2007

One of the criticisms made in the 1970s of the media in the English-speaking Caribbean was that, even when given the opportunity to do so, they did not report on the region's advances, or development. This criticism is significant in light of the position taken by Caribbean and other developing countries on the New World Information Orderdebate of the 1970s. This study content analyzed news stories submitted to CNN World Report by broadcast stations of the Caribbean to determine whether the criticism made of the Caribbean media in the 1970s still have relevance. Further, the study suggests new ways to define "development news", and challenges previous definitions as being too narrow. The authors found that a large proportion of the Caribbean story, as told on World Report, comprised development news.
U.S. media and libel law: An international perspective
Authors: Kyu Ho Youm
Published: March 2007

This article examines various issues facing American media when sued by foreign libel plaintiffs in U.S. courts. Foreign plaintiffs tend to be well-financed and internationally prominent public figures. For them, real vindication of their allegedly damaged reputation is not at the top of their litigational agenda. Rather, they often try to take advantage of such libel trials for political and ideological gains in their home countries. In adjudicating international libel litigation, American courts have enunciated various choice of law tests for balancing between the first amendment interests of the American press and foreigners' reputations. The Desai test, for example, recognizes first amendment protections for domestic publication of defamation by focusing on the status of plaintiff and the application of foreign libel law to the intentional and direct extraterritorial publication of the challenged statement so long as abandonment of first amendment protections is established.
Asian television: Global trends and local processes
Authors: Chan Joseph Man , Ma Eric K.W.
Published: March 2007

This study portrays the rapid changing Asian television scene, in broad social processes, of which some are global, some are uniquely Asian. These interlocking trends and processes include the policy oscillation between state control and liberalisation, the contradic tions between media internationalisation, regionalisation and indigenisation, and the discursive struggle between Western and Asian television culture. This mid-rang and context-sensitive analysis is an attempt to supplement the catch-all generalisation of academic discourses such as globalism and media imperialism, which we think are incapable of describing the non-linear and asymmetrical nature of media exchanges between Asia and the West.
Questioning and advising in health counselling: results from a study of Finnish nurse counsellors
Authors: Poskiparta Marita , Kettunen Tarja , Liimatainen Leena
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study is to describe the main ways in which nurse coun sellors' questions and advice are initiated, received, accepted or refused during health counselling. Thirty-eight health counselling situations were videotaped in a Finnish hospital and the data were examined using adapted conversation analysis. We found two types of health counselling models, which fluctuated during the encounters. Empowerment, 'reciprocal' health counselling began with the nurse counsellors' reflective questioning which took the form of check up questions about the patient's condition, followed by questions about the patient's feelings. The patients' answers guided the conversation. 'Non-recipro cal' health counselling sessions did not contain questions about the patients' feelings, nor did the patients reflect on their health habits. On the basis of our results we suggested training programmes, where the development of professionals' communication skills can occur in practical, dynamic situations, being videotaped and transcribed for later evaluation.
'Breathing Space' - Reflecting upon the realities of community partnerships and workers' beliefs about promoting health
Authors: Ritchie Deborah
Published: March 2007

The paper will analyse the initial community mapping, the observations of the processes of the engagement phase of the partnership and the health promotion settings of the 'Breathing Space' project. 'Breathing Space' is aiming to promote a non-smoking environment and to produce a significant cultural shift in the local community norms towards non- toleration and non-practice of smoking, in a low income area in Edinburgh. The beliefs of the local workers, revealed their significant ambivalence in considering their potential involvement in smoking action in the community The planning process has recognised that there are 'community representatives' who effectively act as gatekeepers to the wider community. It will be suggested that there is a need for a fundamental revision of our practice of community development and partnership approaches and this can be achieved by holistic planning. Such planning could be supported by a more organic and dynamic approach to health promotion settings, with consideration given to the context of the setting and the interconnections and processes between health promotion settings.
Smoking cessation among young people: The need for qualitative research on young people's experiences of giving up tobacco smoking
Authors: Denscombe Martyn
Published: March 2007

Medical research has shown that smoking cessation is beneficial in terms of reducing the subsequent risk of lung cancer even where people stop smoking when well into middle age and, in recent years, the government has identified smoking cessation as one of the key mechanisms for reducing tobacco consumption in the UK. The focus of attention has been on adults who express a wish to stop smoking. So far as young people are concerned, in particular those under 16, the emphasis has remained on trying to prevent them from starting the habit rather then helping them to stop. Yet, there is evidence to suggest that a significant proportion of young smokers (aged 16 and under) would like to stop smoking, and that many do stop smoking of their own volition. This article makes the case for research into young smokers' motives for wanting to stop, and their experiences of the process of trying to give up smoking. Such motives and experiences are worthy of study in detail, not least because of the implications they might have for health promotion initiatives aimed at smoking cessation among young people.
Community development: Knowledge, attitudes and training needs amongst professionals in Northern Ireland
Authors: Teahan B. , Gaffney B. , Yarnell J.
Published: March 2007

Objective To evaluate the level of understanding and the practice of community development among Health and Social Service professionals in Northern Ireland and to assess the potential need for formal training in community development.

Design A survey using questionnaires among a representative sample of health and social service professionals in Northern Ireland. Qualitative data was obtained from separate focus groups.

Setting Questionnaires were self-completed by subjects contacted at their place of work. Focus groups were carried out by experienced interviewers in workplace settings.

Method Ten Health and Social Services Community Trusts were selected to be representative of Trusts in Northern Ireland. Questionnaires were distributed to all 502 Health and Social Service professionals working in these Trusts. A focus group session was carried out in each of four Health and Social Services Community Trusts across the Province.

Results The overall response rate was 57 per cent. Two hundred and eighty-seven questionnaires were returned from a total of 502. High response rates were obtained among health visitors, community psychiatric nurses, and social workers for disability, but groups such as community midwives may have been less well represented in our study sample (response rate 21 per cent).

Over 28 per cent of subjects, particularly social workers, said they were unfamiliar with the concept of community development. Thirty- nine per cent described their knowledge as adequate and 4 per cent as good. Almost 40 per cent of the subjects said that they never used a document which had been widely distributed in Northern Ireland on a strategy for community development. Seventy-two per cent of subjects had not used the Voluntary Activity Unit's Handbook for Practitioners which had also been widely distributed in the Province.

Questions on training required by professionals suggested that the majority of professionals required training in methods and techniques, values and principles, definition and clarification of professional roles, and knowledge of practice elsewhere.

Focus groups reported that a high level of commitment and out- of-hours involvement was required to further enhance community development.

Conclusions The majority of professional groups were positive about community development, but were unable to find or provide examples. Training needs were identified among all professional groups in this study.
Treating obesity: A qualitative evaluation of a lifestyle intervention for weight reduction
Authors: Adolfsson Birgitta , Carlson Anita , Undén Anna-Lena , Rössner Stephan
Published: March 2007

Objective To identify which factors are considered important for eating habits and weight change in obese participants in a one-year weight reduction programme at a primary health care centre.

Design A qualitative study of factors affecting participants' eating habits and weight change before, during and after the programme.

Settiiig The primary health care centre where the programme was taking place.

Method Fifteen participants were interviewed three times during the programme and once one year after the intervention programme had ended.

Results Fourteen participants described how emotion and factors other than hunger, such as stress, need for affinity, depression, worry or tiredness affected their eating habits. The only participant to describe 'hunger' as the only reason for eating reached the greatest weight reduction after two years. Emotional eating continued to affect the eating habits and weight gain of all other participants.

Conclusion If emotion and factors other than hunger that are associated with eating habits that lead to obesity are not addressed, the treatment needs are never met. Thus a motivational phase including an emotional evaluation of the problem behaviour and preparation for a change in lifestyle preceding the actual change of behaviour would be valuable. This would provide an opportunity to address emotional factors and reasons other than hunger associated with excessive eating, as well as emotional factors associated with behavioural change. Furthermore, a period of supported maintenance of achieved weight loss should be included in weight reduction programmes.
Towards sustainable and flexible health promotion at work: Summary of evaluation findings from the Tyne & Wear 'health @ work' award
Authors: Griffin Barbara L. , Hall Nicola J. , Watson Nigel
Published: March 2007

Objective The objective of the paper is to summarise a process evaluation of an ongoing subregional health at work award scheme in relation to flexibility and sustainability.

Design The design of the evaluation was a series of semi-structured interviews with designated members of participating organisations and health promotion specialists.

Setting It was located in workplaces in Tyne and Wear, North East England.

Method Researchers from the University of Sunderland transcribed and analysed the qualitative data.

Results The results demonstrated the health at work award provided a flexible framework for participating organisations to develop direction and focus on health at work activities.

Conclusion It was concluded that the health at work award was flexible and beneficial in the promotion of healthy workplaces and in working towards sustainable frameworks for health interventions.
A survey of exercise patterns in primigravidae at a Scottish NHS Trust: More consistent support and advice required for women and their families
Authors: Weallens Emma , Clark Alexander , Maclntyre Paul , Gaudoin Marco
Published: March 2007

Objective To examine primigravidae women's reported exercise patterns, approaches to exercise and information sources on exercise.

Design Face-to-face survey.

Setting Urban maternity unit in a Scottish city centre hospital.

Method Survey of 42 consecutive recently-delivered primigravidae. Results The women exercised less as they got older and this reduction was exacerbated as pregnancy advanced, particularly for vigorous activities. Exercise declined significantly during the first trimester, a period during which 37 per cent of the women believed that exercise increased the risk of miscarriage. Over the trimesters of pregnancy a significant minority of women (40 per cent) received no advice from any sources on exercise during pregnancy. For the remainder, a wide range of different information sources on exercise were drawn upon, including health professionals, family and educational literature. All women knew that exercise had physical benefits for themselves and their babies but only a minority cited cardiovascular benefits specifically; while 34 per cent of respondents believed that exercise in later pregnancy could be beneficial to the baby. Women from poorer social backgrounds received significantly less advice at all stages of pregnancy ( p< 0.01).

Conclusion Pregnancy is a period during which women's perception of risk is likely to be heightened, exercise patterns change and physical activity lessens. Women in this study either tended to receive no advice on exercise during pregnancy or received information from a wider variety of professional and lay sources. Health professionals should therefore promote the benefits of exercise to both pregnant women and their families throughout the trimesters of pregnancy. Support should be particularly targeted to those from lower socioeconomic groups.
Diet and colorectal cancer risk: Baseline dietary knowledge of colorectal patients
Authors: Dyer K.J. , Fearon K C H , Buckner K. , Richardson R.A.
Published: March 2007

Objective To establish the dietary knowledge, attitudes and potential barriers to change of patients attending a colorectal outpatient clinic. Design Use of a semistructured interview to generate qualitative and quantitative data.

Setting A regional colorectal outpatient clinic within Edinburgh. Method Patients attending clinic with colorectal symptoms were invited to participate in a semistructured interview using a validated questionnaire.

Results Fifty patients (mean age 62 ± SD 15.1 years; male:female = 22:28) were interviewed. Twenty-three (46 per cent) knew that five portions of fruit and vegetable were recommended daily, but 31 (62 per cent) were unclear what constituted a portion. Only three (6 per cent) and two (4 per cent) could name three foods high in fat and fibre, respectively. Twenty-three (46 per cent) were unable to identify why healthy eating is important, while only four (8 per cent) were aware of an association between diet and cancer. Women had significantly higher nutrition knowledge scores than men (16.3 ± SD7.1 v 12.3 ± SD5.1, p<0.05 ). There was a significant relationship between educational attainment and nutritional knowledge ( r=0.534, p<0.001). Potential barriers to change included the belief that their diet was already healthy ( n=35, 70 per cent) and lack of time ( n=25, 50 per cent).

Conclusion Patients attending a colorectal clinic lack practical dietary knowledge and the majority are unaware of the link between diet and cancer. Targeted health promotion strategies are needed to raise awareness in this group.
Diet and colorectal cancer risk: Evaluation of a nutrition education leaflet
Authors: Dyer K.J. , Fearon K.C.H. , Buckner K. , Richardson R.A.
Published: March 2007

Objective To evaluate the effect of a needs-based, nutrition education leaflet on nutritional knowledge.

Design Comparison of nutritional knowledge levels before and after exposure to a nutrition education leaflet.

Setting A regional colorectal out-patient clinic in Edinburgh.

Method A nutrition education leaflet, based on an earlier needs-assessment, was used in the study. Patients attending an out-patient clinic with colorectal symptoms were invited to participate. Nutritional knowledge was determined using a validated questionnaire in a semi-structured interview. In Group A, nutritional knowledge was determined at baseline and after exposure to the leaflet. In Group B, nutritional knowledge was determined after exposure to the leaflet and again one month later. Results In Group A ( n=35), there was a significant increase in awareness of the '5 fruit and vegetables a day' (46 per cent v 91 per cent, p<0.001 ) and 'what constitutes a portion of fruit and vegetable' messages (38 per cent v 71 per cent, p<0.05), compared with baseline. In Group B( n=52), knowledge levels were maintained after one month, and during this time, 12 (23 per cent) subjects reported an increase in their fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusion Targeted nutrition education significantly increased levels of nutritional knowledge, which was sustained one month later. Nearly a quarter of the cohort reported improvements in their dietary intake, which suggests that this method of nutrition education may be particularly cost- effective in facilitating dietary change.
Scale Development of Individual and Organisation Infrastructure for Heart Health Promotion in Regional Health Authorities
Authors: Plotnikoff Ronald C. , Anderson Donna , Raine Kim , Cook Kay , Barrett Linda , Prodaniuk Tricia R.
Published: March 2007

Objective The purpose of this study was to validate measures of individual and organisational infrastructure for health promotion within Alberta's (Canada) 17 Regional Health Authorities (RHAs).

Design A series of phases were conducted to develop individual and organisational scales to measure health promotion infrastructure. Instruments were designed with focus groups and then pre-tested prior to the validation study.

Setting In 1993 all hospitals and Public Health Units in the province of Alberta were regionalised into 17 RHAs, with responsibility for public health, community health, and acute and long-term care. While regionalisation may offer more opportunity for community participation, reorganisation of the public health system may have fragmented and diluted resources and skills for heart health promotion in some RHAs. Infrastructure (for example, human and financial resources), amongst other items, is believed to contribute to the capacity to promote health.

Method All 17 RHAs participated in the study, yielding a total of 144 individuals (that is board members, senior/middle management, and front line staff). These representative employees completed a self- administered questionnaire on individual- and organisational-level infrastructure measures.

Results Psychometric analyses of survey data provided empirical evidence for the robustness of the measures. Principal component analyses verified the construct validity of the scales, with alpha coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.95.

Conclusion The scales can be used by health professionals and researchers to assess individual- and organisational-level infrastructure, and tailor interventions to increase infrastructure for health promotion in health organisations.
Poverty and health: Primary care patients living at the interface
Authors: Abbott Stephen , Hobby Lindsay
Published: March 2007

Background There is strong evidence associating poverty with poor health, and welfare benefits are an important means of maximising the income of deprived people in the United Kingdom (UK). The welfare benefits system is complex, and many need help in understanding their entitlements and in completing the applications. Research has shown that primary care is a suitable setting for the provision of welfare benefits advice.

Objective of study To explore associations between changes in health status and increased income resulting from advice in primary care.

Setting Welfare benefits advice services provided in primary care settings.

Methods Structured interviews with those receiving welfare benefits advice in primary care, shortly after the advice session, and 6 and 12 months later.

Results This paper reports six cases in detail to illustrate the interplay between financial, social and health aspects of the lives of deprived patients. Two patients recognised the role of an income increase in improving their health-related quality of life; in two cases, social and health issues outweighed the benefits of income increase; and two patients had, despite advice, experienced a reduction in income that they believe affected their health for the worse.

Conclusion The simple relationship between poverty and health at a population level is not necessarily reflected in the lives of individuals. Nevertheless, there is a clear if modest role for benefits advice as part of a holistic approach to health in primary care.