Suchergebnisse

This volume explores issues relevant to young people who are affected by sexual exploitation and trafficking from a variety of critical perspectives. Issues include the language through which we construct and understand child sexual exploitation, to how and why issues of child sexual exploitation became objects of international policy concern.

This study aimed to investigate the extent of habitat overlap and competition between helmeted honeyeaters
and bell miners at Yellingbo State Nature Reserve by comparing the structural attributes of occupied
habitat, the spatial distribution of suitable and occupied habitat, and the reoccupation of former habitat by
the helmeted honeyeater following bell miner removal. The results suggest that little niche overlap occurs
between the two honeyeaters, at least within the range of structural attributes measured in the study, and
that competition appears to be for space rather than any other limiting resource. It is concluded that, in the
short term, the best way to minimise the conflict between the two honeyeaters and favour the expansion of
helmeted honeyeaters is to remove bell miners from adjacent habitat.

Purpose Common mental disorders are an increasing global public health concern. The least advantaged in society experience a greater burden of mental illness, but inequalities in mental health vary by social, political, and economic contexts. This study investigates whether spending on different types of social protection alters the extent of social inequality in depressive symptoms. Methods Data were obtained from the 2006 and 2012 cross-sectional waves of the European Social Survey, which included 48,397 individuals from 18 European countries. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CESD 8). Statistical interactions between country-level social protection spending and individuals' education level, employment and family status were explored using multilevel regression models. Results Higher spending on active labour market programmes was related to narrower inequality in depressive symptoms by education level. Compared to men with high education, the marginal effect of having low education was 1.67 (95 % CI, 1.46–1.87) among men in countries with lower spending and 0.85 (95 % CI, 0.66–1.03) in higher spending countries. Single parents exhibited fewer depressive symptoms, as spending on family policies increased. Little evidence was found for an overall association between spending on unemployment benefits and employment-related inequalities in depressive symptoms, but in 2012, unemployment spending appeared beneficial to mental health among the unemployed. Conclusions Greater investment in social protection may act to reduce inequalities in depressive symptoms. Reductions in spending levels or increased conditionality may adversely affect the mental health of disadvantaged social groups

Following government commitments to reducing health inequalities from 1997 onwards, the UK has been recognised as a global leader in health inequalities research and policy. Yet health inequalities have continued to widen by most measures, prompting calls for new research agendas and advocacy to facilitate greater public support for the upstream policies that evidence suggests are required. However, there is currently no agreement as to what new research might involve or precisely what public health egalitarians ought to be advocating. This article presents an analysis of discussions among 52 researchers to consider the feasibility that research-informed advocacy around particular solutions to health inequalities may emerge in the UK. The data indicate there is a consensus that more should be been done to learn from post-1997 efforts to reduce health inequalities, and an obvious desire to provide clearer policy guidance in future. However, discussions as to where researchers should now focus their efforts and with whom researchers ought to be engaging reveal three distinct ways of approaching health inequalities, each of which has its own epistemological foundations. Such differences imply that a consensus on reducing health inequalities is unlikely to materialise. Instead, progress seems most likely if all three approaches are simultaneously enabled.

The eastern barred bandicoot, Perameles gunnii, is functionally extinct on mainland Australia.
Conservation of this unique taxon is dependent on reintroduction, based on a managed captive-breeding
programme that provides founder animals. Existing reserves at which reintroduction has occurred are too
small to support long-term genetically viable populations. Therefore, reintroductions must be made at a
number of sites and the resulting populations managed as a metapopulation. A habitat-suitability model has
been developed to assess and compare reintroduction sites. This is the first application of this concept to an
Australian species. The model is composed of five variables-size, habitat structure, predation, shape and
security-values of which are combined in a simple relationship to produce comparable mathematical
statements for proposed reintroduction sites. The model has been applied to existing reserves to test their
contribution to the recovery programme.

Background: To explore UK public perceptions of children's sugar consumption, Public Health England's Change4Life Sugar Smart App and the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, using solicited and unsolicited digital data.Methods: Data from three digital spaces were used: (1) an online questionnaire advertised on parenting forums; (2) posts to UK online parenting forums; (3) English-language Tweets from Twitter. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data using content and inductive thematic analysis.Results: Data were (study 1) 184 questionnaire participants; (study 2) 412 forum posts; (study 3) 618 Tweets. In study 1, 94.0% (n=173) agreed that children in the UK consumed too much sugar and this had a negative health effect (98.4%, n=181). Environments (n=135, 73.4%), media/advertising (n=112, 60.9%), and parents (n=107, 58.2%) were all reported as barriers to changing children's sugar intake. In study 2, more posts were negative towards the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (n=189, 45.9%) than positive (n=145, 35.2%), and themes about the inability of the Levy to affect sugar consumption in children and childhood obesity emerged. Other themes related to distrust of the government, food industry and retailers. In study 3, the Sugar Smart App was viewed positively (n=474, 76.7%) with its function associated solely with identification of sugar content.Conclusions: Participants accepted the necessity of sugar reduction in children, but recognised the complexity of behaviour change. Public health activities were not always perceived as effective strategies for health promotion. There was some distrust in government, public health officials, and the food industry. A less simplistic approach to sugar reduction and more credible sources of information may, therefore, be welcomed by the public.

Objective 1. Examine the relationship between household wealth, social participation and loneliness among older people across Europe. 2. Investigate whether relationships vary by type of social participation (charity/volunteer work, sports/social clubs, educational/training course, and political/community organisations) and gender. 3. Examine whether social participation moderates the association between wealth and loneliness. Methods Data (N=29,795) were taken from the fifth wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which was collected during 2013 from 14 European countries. Loneliness was measured using the short version of the Revised-University of California, Los Angeles (R-UCLA) Loneliness Scale. We used multilevel logistic models stratified by gender to examine the relationships between variables, with individuals nested within countries. Results The risk of loneliness was highest in the least wealthy groups and lowest in the wealthiest groups. Frequent social participation was associated with a lower risk of loneliness and moderated the association between household wealth and loneliness, particularly among men. Compared to the wealthiest men who often took part in formal social activities, the least wealthy men who did not participate had greater risk of loneliness (OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.44 to 2.51). This increased risk was not observed among the least wealthy men who reported frequent participation in formal social activities (OR=1.12, 95% CI: 0.76 to 1.67). Conclusion Participation in external social activities may help to reduce loneliness among older adults and potentially acts as a buffer against the adverse effects of socioeconomic disadvantage.

International audience ; The Ontario feed-in tariff (FIT) for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has provided Ontario's Aboriginal communities with an opportunity to i) weaken the cycle of poverty; ii) directly counteract climate change by producing renewable energy; and iii) become more self-sufficient. This paper critically analyzes the technical, cultural, and economic viability of leveraging the FIT for PV to provide green electricity and revenue to assist First Nations communities in sustainable development. A generalized free GIS energy-based protocol was developed to determine the PV potential for Aboriginal communities. This model was applied to a case study of the Constance Lake First Nations community and an economic analysis showed financially viable rates of return over 20 years. By generalizing these findings to Ontario, the potential PV deployment on First Nation rooftops alone is over 200 MW, which clearly provides an opportunity for developing pride associated with owning a community-led, environmentally beneficial, local energy project.

The FP7-funded SiteChar project examined the entire CO2 geological storage site characterisation process, from the initial feasibility studies through to the final stage of application for a CO2 storage permit based on criteria defined by the relevant European legislation. The SiteChar workflow for CO2 geological storage site characterisation provides a description of all elements of a site characterisation study, as well as guidance to streamline the site characterisation process and make sure that the output covers the aspects mentioned in the European Community (EC) Storage Directive. Five potential European storage sites, representative of prospective geological contexts, were considered as test sites for the research work: a North Sea multi-store site (hydrocarbon field and aquifer) offshore Scotland; an onshore aquifer in Denmark; an onshore gas field in Poland; an aquifer offshore in Norway; and an aquifer in the Southern Adriatic Sea. This portfolio combines complementary sites that allowed to encompass the different steps of the characterisation workflow. A key innovation was the development of internal 'dry-run' permit applications at the Danish and Scottish sites and their review by relevant regulatory authorities. This process helped to refine the site characterisation workflow, and aimed to identify remaining gaps in site-specific characterisation, needed to secure storage permits under the EC Storage Directive as implemented in 'host' Member States. SiteChar considered the important aspect of the public awareness and public opinions of these new technologies, in parallel to technical issues, on the onshore Polish and offshore Scottish sites. A new format to assist public opinion-forming processes was tested involving a small sample of local communities. Generic as well as site-specific information was made available to the general and local public via the internet and at information meetings. These exercises provide insight in the way implementation of CCS project plans may be perceived by local stakeholders, and inform approaches to develop effective local communication and participation strategies. Key lessons from the research conducted in SiteChar were developed as technical recommendations for storage site characterisation and best practice guidance for storage permitting from the perspective of both applicant and regulator. A best practice guide for policymakers and regulators at Member States and European levels, potential storage site developers and operators has been presented.