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Public Perceptions (public + perception)
Selected AbstractsGLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION: THE CHALLENGE OF TRANSLATION,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 2 2000Susan Seacrest ABSTRACT: Global climate change is examined from the perspective of its relevancy and urgency as a public policy issue. Interpreting from literature specific to investigations into public awareness and concern, climate change is seen as a legitimate though less than urgent issue. The literature reveals that the general public holds surprising misconceptions about the processes contributing to climate change, including failure to grasp the fundamental connection to CO2. General ambivalence is also suggested from the results of two surveys conducted by The Groundwater Foundation. They first asked participants in a recent Groundwater Guardian Conference to rate levels of discussion and concern for water resources implications in the participants' communities. A second survey polled national water resource organizations about the extent climate change has been a focus of their educational, investigative, or advocacy efforts. The paper concludes by describing basic barriers to stimulating public response to climate change, which education about the issue should address, and by offering a model to educate and involve citizens based on the Groundwater Guardian program developed by the The Groundwater Foundation. [source] Macrophytes in Urban Stream Rehabilitation: Establishment, Ecological Effects, and Public PerceptionRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Scott T. Larned Abstract Efforts to rehabilitate degraded urban streams generally focus on improving physical habitat and rarely include reestablishing biota such as macrophytes. Our objectives in this study were to propagate and transplant native macrophytes into a South Island, New Zealand, urban stream undergoing rehabilitation, assess macrophyte survival and growth, and determine whether native macrophytes suppress non-native macrophytes and/or enhance stream invertebrate communities. Effects of native macrophytes on invertebrates and non-native macrophytes were assessed after transplanting patches of native macrophytes into a 230-m-long stream section. A 100-m-long section upstream was left unplanted for subsequent comparisons. Following the study, a survey was conducted to gauge public opinion about the rehabilitation project and determine whether macrophytes were prominent in perceptions of stream health. In the first growing season, native macrophyte cover in the planted stream section increased from 1.5 to 20%, and then decreased during winter. Regrowth from rhizomes led to rapid aboveground growth during the second year, when cover reached 51%. Non-native macrophytes colonized the stream the first year, but native macrophytes appeared to limit the spread of non-natives, which were absent in the planted section by the second spring. Native macrophyte establishment did not enhance invertebrate communities as predicted; few invertebrate metrics differed significantly between the planted and unplanted sections. Pollution- and sediment-tolerant invertebrate taxa were abundant in both sections, suggesting that invertebrate colonization was limited by water quality or sedimentation, not macrophyte composition. Survey respondents considered the stream to be visually and ecologically improved after rehabilitation, and macrophyte establishment was generally considered positive or neutral. [source] Public Perceptions of BiotechnologyJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 9 2002K. Blaine ABSTRACT: Through commercial application, biotechnology may improve health, agriculture, farming practices and the quality of foods. However, along with the array of potential benefits are potential risks and uncertainties surrounding the commercial applications of biotechnology. Public support for a controversial technology such as agricultural biotechnology is crucial for deriving any benefits associated with the technology. Surveys are one tool to gauge public reactions and attitudes over time, and in identifying underlying concerns regarding a technology. This review article is built on the results of a collection of public opinion surveys on some aspects of biotechnology and its applications that have been conducted to date. [source] Public Perceptions of Natural Character in New Zealand: Wild Nature Versus Cultured NatureNEW ZEALAND GEOGRAPHER, Issue 2 2002BRONWYN M. NEWTON ABSTRACT Results of empirical research undertaken in New Zealand to determine public perceptions of natural character in the biophysical environment are presented and related to recent theoretical literature. The research comprised two distinct case studies using Q method and photographs, in which participants evaluated natural character in terms of their own landscape experiences by ranking the photographs in order of preference. The results confirm prevailing responses to nature recently specified in North American literature, and have some policy implications for environmental management in New Zealand. [source] Public perceptions about low back pain and its management: a gap between expectations and reality?HEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 3 2000Jennifer A. Klaber Moffett PhD MSc MCSP Objective To compare public perceptions and patient perceptions about back pain and its management with current clinical guidelines. Design A survey using a quota sampling technique. Setting On-the-street in South Derbyshire in the UK. Subjects 507 members of the general population aged between 20 and 60 years, including a representative subsample of 40% who had experienced back pain in the previous year. Survey To test knowledge and perceptions of back pain and its best management using statements based on The Back Book which was produced in conjunction with the Royal College of General Practitioners and based on best available evidence. In addition expectations of back pain management and outcome were investigated. Results Forty percent of this sample had experienced back pain during the previous year, more than half of whom had consulted their GP. More than half believed the spine is one of the strongest part of the body, but nearly two thirds incorrectly believed that back pain is often due to a slipped disc or trapped nerve. Two thirds expected a GP to be able to tell them exactly what was wrong with their back, although slightly fewer among those who had consulted. Most expected to have an X-ray, especially if they had consulted. Most recognised that the most important thing a GP can do is offer reassurance and advice. The responses were not related to age, gender or social class. Those who had consulted appeared to have slightly more misconceptions: this could be partly due to people with more severe problems or more misconceptions being more likely to consult, but also suggests either that GPs are still giving inaccurate information or at least failing to correct these misconceptions. Conclusions The problem of managing back pain might be reduced by closing the gap between the public's expectations and what is recommended in the guidelines through the promotion of appropriate health education messages. Further professional education of GPs also appears to be needed to update them in the most effective approach to managing back pain. [source] Anticipatory grieving among parents living with a child with cancerJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 9 2010Ekhlas Al-Gamal al-gamal e. & long t. (2010) Anticipatory grieving among parents living with a child with cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(9), 1980,1990. Abstract Aim., This paper is a report of a comparative study of anticipatory grief of parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer and those whose children were diagnosed 6,12 months earlier. Background., Public perceptions of cancer as a fatal illness persist despite improved prognosis for children. Parents may experience feelings of despair, hopelessness, and worthlessness , the most common psychological expressions of anticipatory grief. With a focus on developing more effective therapeutic intervention, healthcare professionals have developed greater interest in the concept of anticipatory grief. Method., One hundred and forty parents, divided between ,newly diagnosed' and ,6,12 months after diagnosis' groups, were recruited in 2006 from two hospitals representative of the healthcare sector in Jordan. Structured interviews were conducted to assess anticipatory grief, using the Marwit and Meuser Caregiver Inventory: Childhood Cancer. Analysis was performed using t -tests. Results., Fewer than half of the parents in both groups reported being at peace with themselves and their situation in life. Parents of newly diagnosed children reported more severe anticipatory grief responses than those in the second group. No statistically significant differences were found in responses between mothers and fathers. Conclusion., Healthcare professionals should encourage parents to discuss negative feelings related to their child's illness and potential outcome. Hospital policies need to include the provision and promotion of support group services for parents, and nurses should encourage parents to exploit such services. [source] Public perceptions of the threat of terrorist attack in Australia and anticipated compliance behavioursAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 4 2009Garry Stevens Abstract Objective: To determine the perceived threat of terrorist attack in Australia and preparedness to comply with public safety directives. Methods: A representative sample of 2,081 adults completed terrorism perception questions as part of the New South Wales Population Health Survey. Results: Overall, 30.3% thought a terrorist attack in Australia was highly likely, 42.5% were concerned that self or family would be directly affected and 26.4% had changed the way they lived due to potential terrorist attacks. Respondents who spoke a language other than English at home were 2.47 times (Odds Ratios (OR=2.47, 95% CI:1.58-3.64, p<0.001) more likely to be concerned self or family would be affected and 2.88 times (OR=2.88, 95% CI:1.95-4.25, p<0.001) more likely to have changed the way they lived due to the possibility of terrorism. Those with high psychological distress perceived higher terrorism likelihood and greater concern that self or family would be directly affected (OR=1.84, 95% CI:1.05-3.22, p=0.034). Evacuation willingness was high overall but those with poor self-rated health were significantly less willing to leave their homes during a terrorism emergency. Conclusion: Despite not having experienced recent terrorism within Australia, perceived likelihood of an attack was higher than in comparable western countries. Marginalisation of migrant groups associated with perceived terrorism threat may be evident in the current findings. Implications: This baseline data will be useful to monitor changes in population perceptions over time and determine the impact of education and other preparedness initiatives. [source] Public perceptions of biotechnologyBIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 9 2007Alan McHughen Dr. Abstract The very term ,Biotechnology' elicits a range of emotions, from wonder and awe to downright fear and hostility. This is especially true among non-scientists, particularly in respect of agricultural and food biotechnology. These emotions indicate just how poorly understood agricultural biotechnology is and the need for accurate, dispassionate information in the public sphere to allow a rational public debate on the actual, as opposed to the perceived, risks and benefits of agricultural biotechnology. This review considers first the current state of public knowledge on agricultural biotechnology, and then explores some of the popular misperceptions and logical inconsistencies in both Europe and North America. I then consider the problem of widespread scientific illiteracy, and the role of the popular media in instilling and perpetuating misperceptions. The impact of inappropriate efforts to provide ,balance' in a news story, and of belief systems and faith also impinges on public scientific illiteracy. Getting away from the abstract, we explore a more concrete example of the contrasting approach to agricultural biotechnology adoption between Europe and North America, in considering divergent approaches to enabling coexistence in farming practices. I then question who benefits from agricultural biotechnology. Is it only the big companies, or is it society at large , and the environment-also deriving some benefit? Finally, a crucial aspect in such a technologically complex issue, ordinary and intelligent non-scientifically trained consumers cannot be expected to learn the intricacies of the technology to enable a personal choice to support or reject biotechnology products. The only reasonable and pragmatic alternative is to place trust in someone to provide honest advice. But who, working in the public interest, is best suited to provide informed and accessible, but objective, advice to wary consumers? [source] Shrinking baseline: the growth in juvenile fisheries, with the Hong Kong grouper fishery as a case studyFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 4 2009Allen W L To Abstract Historic and current information on the grouper fishery from Hong Kong and adjacent waters reveals significant changes in species composition and fish sizes over the past 50 years in this important Asian centre for seafood consumption. Once dominant, large groupers are now rare and small species and sizes prevail in the present-day fishery. Juveniles comprise over 80% of marketed fish by number among the most commonly retailed groupers, and reproductive-sized fish are absent among larger species. Current fishery practices and the lack of management in Hong Kong and adjacent waters pose a significant threat to large species with limited geographic distribution such as Epinephelus akaara and Epinephelus bruneus, both now listed as threatened by the IUCN. The heavy reliance on juveniles, not only for groupers, but for an increasing diversity of desired fishes within Asia, potentially reduces stock spawning potential. The ,shrinking baseline' in terms of a progressive reduction in fish sizes being marketed in the region can seriously undermine fishery sustainability and recoverability of depleted fish stocks. Fishing pressure on groupers and other valuable food fishes within the Asia-Pacific is intensifying, the declining long-term trend of grouper landings in Hong Kong and the increasing focus on juveniles for immediate sale or for mariculture ,grow-out' signal a worrying direction for regional fisheries. Moreover, the common appearance of small groupers for sale will influence public perception regarding what are ,normal-sized' fish. Management attention is needed if these fisheries are to remain viable. [source] Designing for conservation of insects in the built environmentINSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY, Issue 4 2008MARYCAROL R. HUNTER Abstract., 1The conservation of insects is not a priority for most urban dwellers, yet can be accomplished in urban settings by the careful design of urban nature. Our goal is to foster cross-talk between practitioners of insect conservation biology who develop the knowledge base and professional design practitioners who are poised to apply this knowledge in designs and management plans for urban green space. The collaborative product promises a built environment that promotes human well-being and urban beauty while maximizing the potential for the conservation of insects. 2There is precedence for collaboration between science and design communities to achieve conservation, and existing professional and civic organizations offer a structure to formalize and expand collaboration. Design professionals, particularly landscape architects, are trained to support insect conservation in the urban landscape through land planning and ecological site design. 3Ecological site design is based in principles of sustainability and so must address the well being of humans and nature simultaneously. This powerful approach for insect conservation is illustrated in examples from around the world focusing on roadway-easement corridors, stormwater management areas, and greenroofs. 4To improve insect conservation and its public support we offer recommendations, organized in response to cultural aspects of sustainability. Considerations include: a) social drivers for support of conservation practices, b) public perception of urban space, c) applying conservation biology principles in urban areas, and d) merging insect conservation goals with human cultural demands. [source] Creative marketing and the art organisation: what can the artist offer?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 2 2002Ian Fillis The poem ,My Paintings', written in a deliberate, uncorrected dyslexic style offers an insight into the mind of a present day avant garde bad boy of British art, Billy Childish. Constantly challenging the art establishment through public demonstrations of distaste against the annual Turner Prize,[Button, V. (1999) ,The Turner Prize', Tate Gallery Publishing, London.] Childish and his cohorts launched an alternative, Stuck-ist, art manifesto,[Alberge, D. (1999) ,Rebels Get Stuck into the Brit Artists', The Times, Thursday 26th August, p. 7.] in the belief that it would assist in a shift in public perception of what good art is, as well as influence the creative practice of those artists concerned with more traditional, authentic forms of art. Childish's ex-girlfriend Tracey Emin, however, has had other ideas. She has revelled in mass media exposure and now dismisses the concept of traditional painting as a valid art from.[Brown, N. (1998) ,Tracey Emin', Art Data, UK.] These are two examples of contrasting creative, artistic behaviour. Their creativity has resulted in varying levels of commercial success. By examining the role that creativity plays in determining how the idea for a creative product is first identified, through to its commercial exploitation, there are valuable lessons contained in such a process for both profit-oriented and nonprofit art organisations alike. Instead of constantly fighting the conflicting philosophies of art for art's sake versus art for business sake, following the market and consumer demand, there is a much more effective method for establishing longer-term success, which mirrors the creative practice of the artist. The existing literature on arts marketing is examined. A critique of the usefulness of current thinking is presented, with the recommendation that the formal models of marketing offered in arts marketing literatures can only ever hope to offer general advice on marketing. What is called for is a much more in-depth analysis of how creative entrepreneurial marketers as artists can offer alternative visualisations of more appropriate models of marketing for the industry. This in turn should result in the stimulation of creative research methodologies that can inform both theory and practice within arts marketing in particular, and the wider remit of marketing in general. The use of the metaphor and the examination of published biographies of creative individuals are used to construct a manifesto of marketing artistry. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications [source] Catching fairies and the public representation of biogeographyJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2008Richard J. Ladle Abstract Biogeography is a vibrant academic discipline that plays an important role in framing and directing debates on some of the most important environmental issues of our time, such as the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, biotic homogenization and the effectiveness of global conservation policy. Despite this, biogeography suffers from a low public profile and may consequently be poorly understood by the public. Here I review the representation of the term biogeography, and a selection of biogeographers in the public sphere (newspapers, websites, blogs) and the academic sphere (journals and reports) to understand more fully the public perception of the discipline. As anticipated, the survey suggests that the term ,biogeography' has little public currency, and that the public still largely associate the subject area with either eminent Victorians such as A.R. Wallace or modern greats such as E.O. Wilson. I conclude by discussing the potential consequences of the virtual absence of biogeography from public discourse for education and professional biogeographers. [source] Forest change and stream fish habitat: lessons from ,Olde' and New EnglandJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2005K. H. Nislow The North Atlantic region has a long history of land use change that has influenced and will continue to influence stream ecosystems and fisheries production. This paper explores and compares the potential consequences of changes in forest cover for fish production in upland, coldwater stream environments in New England, U.S.A. and the British Isles, two regions which share important similarities with respect to overall physical, biotic and socio-economic setting. Both regions were extensively deforested and essentially no extensive old-growth forest stands remain. In New England, recovering forests, consisting almost entirely of naturally-regenerated native species, now cover >60% of the landscape. Associated with this large-scale reforestation, open landscapes, common in the 19th and first half the 20th century, are currently rare and declining in this region. In the British Isles, forests still cover <20% of the landscape, and existing forests largely consist of exotic conifer plantations stocked at high stand densities and harvested at frequent rotations. While forest restoration and conservation is frequently recommended as a fisheries habitat conservation and restoration tool, consideration of the way in which forests affect essential aspects of fish habitat suggests that response of upland stream fish to landscape change is inherently complex. Under certain environmental settings and reforestation practices, conversion of open landscapes to young-mature forests can negatively impact fish production. Further, the effects of re-establishing old-growth forests are difficult to predict for the two regions (due to the current absence of such landscapes), and are likely to depend strongly on the extent to which critical ecosystem attributes (large-scale disturbances, fish migrations, keystone species, large woody debris recruitment) are allowed to be re-established. Understanding these context-dependencies is critical for predicting fish responses, and should help managers set realistic conservation, management and restoration goals. Management may best be served by promoting a diversity of land cover types in a way that emulates natural landscape and disturbance dynamics. This goal presents very different challenges in New England and the British Isles due to differences in current and predicted land use trajectories, along with differences in ecological context and public perception. [source] Newspaper coverage of a violent assault by a mentally ill personJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 6 2004C. STARK mbchb mph msc mrcpsych ffph The media is an important source of public information on mental ill-health. A man with a serious psychiatric illness attacked a minister with a knife at a Remembrance Sunday service in a remote, rural part of the Highlands, inflicting a severe facial wound. We aimed to identify lessons for the National Health Service (NHS) from the media coverage of the incident and of a subsequent court case and NHS Highland inquiry and in addition to explore how newspaper reporters approached reporting such incidents. We searched local and regional, national Scottish, and the Scottish editions of three UK newspapers for relevant coverage. We also conducted structured telephone interviews with eight reporters who had attended the inquiry press conference. Most of the media coverage was associated with the assault and the court case, rather than the inquiry results. Only three of 10 inquiry recommendations were mentioned in any reports. Coverage largely dealt with identified shortfalls, rather than proposed solutions. The NHS had made little comment in advance of the announcement of the inquiry results. Most of the newspaper coverage had already occurred. The NHS therefore limited its opportunity to influence newspaper coverage. The interpretation of the results is limited by the size of the study, but the coverage of such events forms part of the discourse on mental health in the media episodes and may have some affect on public perception of mental health issues. We conclude that, without providing confidential information, the NHS should take a more active stance in providing information on the nature and treatment of mental illness in such instances, even in advance of court cases. [source] Modern statistics: the myth and the magicJOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY: SERIES A (STATISTICS IN SOCIETY), Issue 2 2009David J. Hand Summary., The paper is a personal exploration of the puzzling contradiction between the fundamental excitement of statistics and its poor public image. It begins with the historical foundations and proceeds through the role of applications and the dramatic impact of the computer in shaping the discipline. The mismatch between the reality of statistics and its public perception arises from a number of dichotomies, some of which are explored. In particular, although statistics is perhaps typically seen as an impersonal discipline, in some sense it is very personal, and many of its applications are aimed at providing unique benefit to individuals. This benefit depends on the creation of detailed data sets describing individuals, but the contrary view is that this represents an invasion of privacy. Some observations on statistical education are made, and issues which will affect the future health of the discipline are examined. [source] Factors affecting the meat quality of vealJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 10 2006Tania M Ngapo Abstract Over the last 50 years the veal industry has seen a number of changes, in particularly in production systems with the introduction and acceptance of grain-fed and heavier calves and the progressive move from individual pens to group housing. Reasons for the changes are multi-faceted of which two important players are the well-being of the animal and the public perception of the industry. Regardless of the reasons for the changes, breeders strive to attain veal conforming to the rigorous standards reflecting consumer demands. Consequently a multitude of publications exists on production factors in veal farming. However, many of these reports stop at the ,farm gate', or more correctly, the slaughterhouse, where carcass characteristics in particular are assessed. Changes in production systems generally aim to improve feed efficiency and weight gains, but often overlook meat quality aspects which ultimately dictate financial gains. This review aims to summarise the existing and available literature on factors affecting the quality of veal meat. The topics covered include the effects of breed, sex, weight or age, diet composition and dietary treatments, environment and pre-slaughter handling, and processing factors such as stunning, electrical stimulation, ageing and packaging. Copyright © 2006 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Medical error: a discussion of the medical construction of error and suggestions for reforms of medical education to decrease errorMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 9 2001Helen Lester Introduction There is a growing public perception that serious medical error is commonplace and largely tolerated by the medical profession. The Government and medical establishment's response to this perceived epidemic of error has included tighter controls over practising doctors and individual stick-and-carrot reforms of medical practice. Discussion This paper critically reviews the literature on medical error, professional socialization and medical student education, and suggests that common themes such as uncertainty, necessary fallibility, exclusivity of professional judgement and extensive use of medical networks find their genesis, in part, in aspects of medical education and socialization into medicine. The nature and comparative failure of recent reforms of medical practice and the tension between the individualistic nature of the reforms and the collegiate nature of the medical profession are discussed. Conclusion A more theoretically informed and longitudinal approach to decreasing medical error might be to address the genesis of medical thinking about error through reforms to the aspects of medical education and professional socialization that help to create and perpetuate the existence of avoidable error, and reinforce medical collusion concerning error. Further changes in the curriculum to emphasize team working, communication skills, evidence-based practice and strategies for managing uncertainty are therefore potentially key components in helping tomorrow's doctors to discuss, cope with and commit fewer medical errors. [source] Perception of a cetacean mass stranding in Italy: the emergence of compassionAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 6 2010Giovanni Bearzi Abstract 1The view that whales are malicious monsters has been pervasive throughout history. Conversely, the idea that these animals experience suffering has emerged only recently. One way of investigating perceptual, as well as behavioural, shifts is assessing general public reactions to mortality events involving wild, rare and charismatic animals. 2Here, the responses of 118 individuals to questions regarding the mass stranding of seven sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) along the Adriatic Sea coast of Italy in December 2009 are reported through interviews taken at the stranding site and in the direct proximity of the dead animals. 3When asked why the whales were stranded, 44.1% of the respondents suggested anthropogenic causes and 21.2% non-anthropogenic. The remaining 34.7% mentioned a generic ,disorientation' or stated they did not know. When asked how they felt about the whales, 68.6% expressed feelings of compassion or care towards the animals. Clearly non-compassionate attitudes accounted for only 4.1% of the sample. Finally, 21.2% expressed feelings that were ambiguous in terms of being suggestive of compassionate or non-compassionate attitudes, including 11.9% amazement, 4.2% deprecation and 5.1% powerlessness. 4These results are in stark contrast with information obtained from accounts of similar events that have occurred in historical times, up until the first half of the 20th century. For centuries, responses to cetacean live strandings,typically including killing and harming of the animals,were either utilitarian or characterized by feelings including fear and a desire to ,subjugate the beast', with no apparent concern for their suffering and death. 5It is concluded that attitudes towards whales,today strikingly revolving around sadness, compassion and a sense of loss,have changed dramatically over time, with a steep turnaround in the 1970/1980s. Full appreciation of the ongoing evolution in public perception can channel marine conservation efforts and assist in the design of response strategies to marine mammal strandings. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] On Message: An Interview with Michael ChertoffARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Issue 5 2010Charles Rice Abstract For governments, pre-emptive strategies for handling communications and risk management have become essential for public perception, which plays such a significant part in structuring political responses to disaster and conflict. In an interview with guest-editor Charles Rice, former US Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff highlights the importance of ,lessons learnt' and informed anticipation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Challenges, lessons learned and results following the implementation of a human papilloma virus school vaccination program in South AustraliaAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 4 2009Maureen Watson Abstract Objective: To describe the process and challenges in the roll out of a large cervical cancer vaccination program to protect against human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. Methods: This article describes the process of planning and implementing a HPV vaccination program using the existing state-wide framework that supports vaccine delivery to all 219 high schools in South Australia. The decision was made to offer three doses of HPV vaccine to 50,191 female students in Years 8-12 during the 2007 school year. Results: By November 2007, despite many challenges, the school vaccination program had delivered 107,541 doses of HPV vaccine. Coverage of dose 1 was highest in Years 8 (83%) and 10 (70%), but was reduced for doses 2 and 3 in all year levels, with dose 3 coverage ranging from 55% (Year 11) to 77% (Year 8). Conclusions: The introduction of a large school-based vaccination program at short notice posed new challenges for the co-ordination and implementation. Not all schools supported the introduction of HPV vaccine, resulting in reduced access for some students. Negative media messages provided a strong platform for individuals who opposed vaccination. These factors may have contributed to the less-than-expected uptake of HPV vaccine. Implications: Historically, there has been high uptake of other vaccines given to adolescents. However, the introduction of HPV vaccine may have adversely affected the uptake of Hepatitis B vaccine, given concurrently in the school program. Further studies are needed to determine if this is likely to have a negative effect on the public perception of the value of vaccine programs in general. [source] Alcohol research and the alcoholic beverage industry: issues, concerns and conflicts of interestADDICTION, Issue 2009Thomas F. Babor ABSTRACT Aims Using terms of justification such as ,corporate social responsibility' and ,partnerships with the public health community', the alcoholic beverage industry (mainly large producers, trade associations and ,social aspects' organizations) funds a variety of scientific activities that involve or overlap with the work of independent scientists. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the ethical, professional and scientific challenges that have emerged from industry involvement in alcohol science. Method Source material came from an extensive review of organizational websites, newspaper articles, journal papers, letters to the editor, editorials, books, book chapters and unpublished documents. Results Industry involvement in alcohol science was identified in seven areas: (i) sponsorship of research funding organizations; (ii) direct financing of university-based scientists and centers; (iii) studies conducted through contract research organizations; (iv) research conducted by trade organizations and social aspects/public relations organizations; (v) efforts to influence public perceptions of research, research findings and alcohol policies; (vi) publication of scientific documents and support of scientific journals; and (vii) sponsorship of scientific conferences and presentations at conferences. Conclusion While industry involvement in research activities is increasing, it constitutes currently a rather small direct investment in scientific research, one that is unlikely to contribute to alcohol science, lead to scientific breakthroughs or reduce the burden of alcohol-related illness. At best, the scientific activities funded by the alcoholic beverage industry provide financial support and small consulting fees for basic and behavioral scientists engaged in alcohol research; at worst, the industry's scientific activities confuse public discussion of health issues and policy options, raise questions about the objectivity of industry-supported alcohol scientists and provide industry with a convenient way to demonstrate ,corporate responsibility' in its attempts to avoid taxation and regulation. [source] Trajectories of Multiculturalism in Germany, the Netherlands and Canada: In Search of Common PatternsGOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION, Issue 2 2010Elke Winter In the mid-1990s, Canadian scholarship introduced an important distinction between historically incorporated national minorities and ethnic groups emerging from recent immigration. While the former may be accommodated through federal or multinational arrangements, multiculturalism has come to describe a normative framework of immigrant integration. The distinction between these analytically different types of movements is crucial for Taylor's and Kymlicka's influential theories, but the relations between different types of national and ethnic struggles for rights and recognition have remained unexplored in much of the subsequent scholarly literature. This article starts from a theoretical position where different types of diversity are viewed as highly interdependent in practice. Tracing the trajectories of multiculturalism in three different countries, the article aims to identify common patterns of how changing relations between traditionally incorporated groups affect public perceptions of and state responses to more recent immigration-induced diversity. More specifically, it asks the following question: to what extent does the absence (in Germany), discontinuation (in the Netherlands) and exacerbation (in Canada) of claims on ethnocultural grounds by traditionally incorporated groups influence the willingness of the national majority/ies to grant multicultural rights to immigrants? [source] Public perceptions about low back pain and its management: a gap between expectations and reality?HEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 3 2000Jennifer A. Klaber Moffett PhD MSc MCSP Objective To compare public perceptions and patient perceptions about back pain and its management with current clinical guidelines. Design A survey using a quota sampling technique. Setting On-the-street in South Derbyshire in the UK. Subjects 507 members of the general population aged between 20 and 60 years, including a representative subsample of 40% who had experienced back pain in the previous year. Survey To test knowledge and perceptions of back pain and its best management using statements based on The Back Book which was produced in conjunction with the Royal College of General Practitioners and based on best available evidence. In addition expectations of back pain management and outcome were investigated. Results Forty percent of this sample had experienced back pain during the previous year, more than half of whom had consulted their GP. More than half believed the spine is one of the strongest part of the body, but nearly two thirds incorrectly believed that back pain is often due to a slipped disc or trapped nerve. Two thirds expected a GP to be able to tell them exactly what was wrong with their back, although slightly fewer among those who had consulted. Most expected to have an X-ray, especially if they had consulted. Most recognised that the most important thing a GP can do is offer reassurance and advice. The responses were not related to age, gender or social class. Those who had consulted appeared to have slightly more misconceptions: this could be partly due to people with more severe problems or more misconceptions being more likely to consult, but also suggests either that GPs are still giving inaccurate information or at least failing to correct these misconceptions. Conclusions The problem of managing back pain might be reduced by closing the gap between the public's expectations and what is recommended in the guidelines through the promotion of appropriate health education messages. Further professional education of GPs also appears to be needed to update them in the most effective approach to managing back pain. [source] Charity law reform: implementing the Strategy Unit proposalsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 3 2004Belinda Pratten This paper discusses the recommendations arising from the Strategy Unit review of charities and the wider voluntary sector in England and Wales and the government's response to these. The proposed reforms will involve an updating of charity law; changes to the regulatory framework governing the sector; and a greater emphasis on improving the accountability, transparency and performance of charities and voluntary organisations. In the main these proposals have been welcomed by the sector. In particular there is a clear recognition of the need to modernise the legal position of charities to reflect changes in society and changing public perceptions of what is, or should be, charitable. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications [source] Justice and local community change: Towards a substantive theory of justiceJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Neil M. Drew Justice is a core principle in community psychology, yet has been the subject of relatively little systematic research. In the social psychological literature on the other hand there is a long tradition of research on justice in social life. In this article the potential benefits of integrating the social justice aspirations of community psychology and the conceptualizations of procedural and distributive justice from social psychology are discussed in the context of planned community change. The benefits of exploring justice in this way are illustrated with reference to a research project examining public perceptions of the fairness of roadside tree lopping. Although the issue may appear trivial, it was seen by the local residents as important. The results support the development, application, and utility of a social community psychology of justice to issues of community change. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Technologies, Security, and Privacy in the Post-9/11 European Information SocietyJOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 2 2004Michael Levi Since 11 September 2001, many ,hard' and ,soft' security strategies have been introduced to enable more intensive surveillance and control of the movement of `suspect populations'. Suicide bombings have since generated a step-change in asymmetric threat analysis and public perceptions of risk. This article reviews how post-9/11 ,security' issues intersect with existing and emerging technologies, particularly those relating to identity, location, home, and work that will form the backbone of the European Information Society. The article explores the complexities generated by the way that these technologies work, sites of nationalist resistance, and formal bureaucratic roles. Many of the planned surveillance methods and technologies are convergence technologies aiming to bring together new and existing data sources, but are unable to do so because of poor data quality and the difficulty of using the integrated data to reduce serious crime risks. The delay may enable legal compliance models to be developed in order to protect the principles of privacy that are set out in the ECHR and the EC Data Protection Directive. Though (moral) panics produce changes in law, the article emphasizes the constraining effects of law. [source] Consumer benefits and acceptance of genetically modified foodJOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Issue 3-4 2005John G. Knight Much of the resistance towards genetically modified foods appears to stem from public perceptions that they offer no consumer benefits. In order to test whether clearly defined consumer benefits would change behaviour, a purchasing experiment has been conducted in New Zealand, where the genetically modified issue has been highly politicized. Cherries labelled as spray free-genetically modified, organic or conventional were offered for sale in a roadside stall, with price levels manipulated to test price sensitivity of the different options. Approximately 27% of consumers proved willing to purchase genetically modified labelled cherries when all three types were priced at the prevailing market price, and this market share increased to 60% when the price was discounted by 15% and organic was priced at a 15% premium. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Implementing and sustaining science curriculum reform: A study of leadership practices among teachers within a high school science departmentJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 7 2009Douglas B. Larkin Abstract This study presents a description and analysis of a ninth-grade integrated science curriculum developed and implemented by teachers within a high school science department and subsequently sustained for over 25 years. The Integrated Science Program (ISP) at Lakeside Southwest High School depicted here offers a unique example of longitudinal science education reform. In this study, we examined ISP as an artifact of teacher leadership. Findings affirmed the importance of shared philosophical purpose among teachers, attention to public perceptions, staff stability, the distribution of responsibilities, and instructional coherence. This study also demonstrated how curricular reforms might change over time in response to contextual pressures as was the case with the equity challenges faced by the current teachers of ISP. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 813,835, 2009 [source] Technology, security, and individual privacy: New tools, new threats, and new public perceptionsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Lee S. Strickland Highly portable information collection and transmission technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and smart cards are becoming ubiquitous in government and business,employed in functions including homeland security, information security, physical premises security, and even the control of goods in commerce. And, directly or indirectly, in many of these applications, it is individuals and their activities that are tracked. Yet, a significant unknown is (a) whether the public understands these technologies and the manner in which personally identifiable information may be collected, maintained, used, and disseminated; and (b) whether the public consents to these information practices. To answer these and related questions, we surveyed a select group of citizens on the uses of this technology for business as well as homeland security purposes. We found a significant lack of understanding, a significant level of distrust even in the context of homeland security applications, and a very significant consensus for governmental regulation. We conclude that a primary objective for any organization deploying these technologies is the promulgation of a comprehensive Technology Privacy Policy, and we provide detailed specifications for such an effort. [source] Shellfish aquaculture and First Nations' sovereignty: The quest for sustainable development in contested sea spaceNATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 2 2010Alyssa L. Joyce Abstract Aquaculture tenures or leases have become an increasingly important management tool for regulating access rights to coastal and offshore marine habitat. Tenure, as a form of private property rights to marine space, is generally considered a prerequisite for aquaculture development, as are the associated exclusive access rights which provide necessary incentives for producers to invest in infrastructure. The shellfish industry in British Columbia (BC), Canada, is presented as a case study of a transition from a primarily common property wild fishery to a rights-based system for aquaculture. In BC, seafood production has grown substantially during the past two decades as a result of aquaculture production. However, despite the inherent economic advantages of the tenuring system for increasing seafood production, rights to aquaculture sites in BC remain highly controversial, particularly in response to environmental concerns and infringements on Aboriginal territorial claims. Shellfish farming has, to-date, been far less controversial than salmon farming; however, shellfish aquaculture has not been uniformly adopted across the province, and analyses of industry capacity or economic opportunities for coastal communities have failed to adequately explain development patterns. This paper, which identifies perceptions of the risks and benefits of the shellfish aquaculture tenuring system, presents the results of 56 interviews conducted with individuals involved in shellfish production in BC. Results indicate that heightened perceptions of risk about shellfish aquaculture tenuring are related to unresolved Aboriginal territorial claims, economic dependence on wild shellfish resources, as well as place-based values favouring access to wild resources. Underlying values and cultural understandings also strongly shape public perceptions of the risks of aquaculture, and as such, influence local decisions to either accept or resist industry growth. In this case, interviewees' risk perceptions were found to be more important indicators of the potential for industry expansion than studies of capacity or economic cost-benefit analyses. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||