This paper aims to give an overview of the issue of loneliness, an update of issues heard of from across the country, as well as some positive stories and projects being delivered…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to give an overview of the issue of loneliness, an update of issues heard of from across the country, as well as some positive stories and projects being delivered to alleviate loneliness in older age.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes the current research into loneliness in older age, including related health issues and anecdotal evidence from local groups linking reductions in services with increased levels of loneliness in older age.
Findings
Loneliness is a highly subjective emotion that is difficult and complex to measure. However, research has shown that men and women are affected differently. It has been shown to have strong links to health issues such as depression, Alzheimer's and heart disease as well as having been shown to be a bigger risk factor in early mortality than lifelong smoking and obesity.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the first steps being taken by organisations working, under the umbrella of a recently launched Campaign to End Loneliness, towards further reducing loneliness in older age.
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This paper aims to present and discuss a range of evidence from across the UK and further afield that supports the view that preventing loneliness through action by all ages will…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present and discuss a range of evidence from across the UK and further afield that supports the view that preventing loneliness through action by all ages will ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of older people, and that an asset‐based, cross‐agency movement to creating and maintaining connections in older age could deliver savings to both health and social care in the long term.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a collation of academic research, along with more informal evidence from voluntary sector groups to support an approach to policy and practice that tackles loneliness in older age.
Findings
Drawing on evidence from UK and US research that states the health impact of loneliness, a view of the multi‐layered action required shows that local health bodies, charities and groups as well as neighbours and businesses have crucial parts to play to stop the pernicious hold of loneliness in older age.
Originality/value
The arguments put forward here draw on research undertaken by academic authors but their collation to present a view on how to address the impact of loneliness on health is a relatively recent one.
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– The purpose of this paper is to highlight the actions needed and organisations to make a difference to the problem of loneliness in old age.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the actions needed and organisations to make a difference to the problem of loneliness in old age.
Design/methodology/approach
Draws on the work of the Campaign to End Loneliness in collaboration with hundreds of organisations worldwide to document what has been done so far and to provide exemplars and imagined case studies based on collected experience to identify potential relevant actions.
Findings
Many hundreds of organisations worldwide are recognising the need to support older peoples’ connections and abilities to engage with their communities. However, these need to be better mapped and coordinated.
Practical implications
Innovative work is already being done to tackle loneliness needs to be more systematically supported and promoted.
Originality/value
Identifies how much has already changed in terms of recognising and addressing loneliness but that a more comprehensive approach to support is needed.
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Juan Smart and Alejandra Letelier
The purpose of this paper is to do a systematic assessment and testing of identified human rights norms alongside social determinant approaches in relation to identified health…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to do a systematic assessment and testing of identified human rights norms alongside social determinant approaches in relation to identified health issues of concern in four Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay) to show how social determinants and human rights frameworks improve population health.
Design/methodology/approach
To do so, in the first part the authors analyze the inequalities both between and within each of the selected countries in terms of health status and health determinants of the population. Then, in the second section, the authors analyze the level of recognition, institutionalisation and accountability of the right to health in each country.
Findings
From the data used in this paper it is possible to conclude that the four analysed countries have improved their results in terms of health status, health care and health behaviours. This improvement coincides with the recognition, institutionalisation and creation of accountability mechanisms of human rights principles and standards in terms of health and that a human rights approach to health and its relation with other social determinants have extended universal health coverage and health systems in the four analysed countries.
Originality/value
Despite of the importance of the relation between human rights and social determinants of health, there are few human right scholars working on the issues of social determinants of health and human rights. Most of the literature of health and human rights has been focussed specific relations between specific rights and the right to health, but less human right scholar working on social determinants of health. On the other hand, just a few epidemiologists and people working on social medicine have actually started to use a universal human rights frame and discourse. In fact, according to Vnkatapuram, Bell and Marmot: “while health and human rights advocates have from the start taken a global perspective, social medicine and social epidemiology have been slower to catch up”.
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International literature on missing persons suggests that a significant volume of missing person cases originate from hospitals and mental health units, resulting in considerable…
Abstract
Purpose
International literature on missing persons suggests that a significant volume of missing person cases originate from hospitals and mental health units, resulting in considerable costs and resource demands on both police and health sectors (e.g., Bartholomew et al., 2009; Sowerby and Thomas, 2017). In the Canadian context, however, very little is known about patients reported missing from these locations – a knowledge deficit with profound implications in terms of identifying and addressing risk factors that contribute to this phenomenon. The present study is one such preliminary attempt to try to fill a significant research and policy gap.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw on data from a sample of 8,261 closed missing person reports from a Canadian municipal police service over a five-year period (2013–2018). Using multiple logistic regression, the authors identify, among other factors, who is most likely to be reported missing from these locations.
Findings
Results reveal that several factors, such as mental disabilities, senility, mental illness and addiction, are significantly related to this phenomenon. In light of these findings, the authors suggest that there is a need to develop comprehensive strategies and policies involving several stakeholders, such as health care and social service organizations, as well as the police.
Originality/value
Each year, thousands of people go missing in Canada with a large number being reported from hospitals and mental health units, which can be burdensome for the police and health sectors in terms of human and financial resource allocation. Yet, very little is known about patients reported missing from health services – a knowledge deficit with profound implications in terms of identifying and addressing risk factors that contribute to this phenomenon. This manuscript seeks to remedy this gap in Canadian missing persons literature by exploring who goes missing from hospitals and mental health units.
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Lorna Ferguson, Laura Huey, Hina Kalyal and Judith P. Andersen
Incident commanders (ICs) are senior police officials tasked with being the key operational decision-makers and leading a command team during major, critical and public order…
Abstract
Purpose
Incident commanders (ICs) are senior police officials tasked with being the key operational decision-makers and leading a command team during major, critical and public order incidents (e.g. bomb threats, hostage situations and protests). Such events are often characterized by heavy time pressures and little information, requiring a highly skilled, integrated emergency response across multiple agencies and significant police planning, organizing and management. ICs must possess the necessary skills, traits and behaviors to deal with such incidents and their challenges. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the competencies of ICs.
Design/methodology/approach
We conducted a thematic analysis of thirty-eight (n = 38) in-depth interviews with police personnel who have professional experience as ICs.
Findings
Results provided information on the competencies important for effective incident command, including a range of skills, traits and behaviors these police personnel should exhibit, such as command presence, decision-making, confidence, risk assessment, teamwork, task management, stress management, humility and others.
Originality/value
We provide a novel literature contribution by proposing a framework of police IC competencies and their interrelatedness based on first-hand interviews with experts in the field. Practitioners and policymakers need to know actionable strategies for developing standardized training and assessment curricula for ICs. The next steps are to delineate what skills, traits and behaviors are trainable and need to be selected for at the time of recruitment (e.g. occupational aptitude, personality). We provide the foundation upon which researchers and practitioners can make actionable decisions on moving forward to attain these important goals.
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Laura Huey, Lorna Ferguson and Larissa Kowalski
The purpose of this paper is to test the “power few” concept in relation to missing persons and the locations from which they are reported missing.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the “power few” concept in relation to missing persons and the locations from which they are reported missing.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on missing persons’ cases (n = 26,835) were extracted from the record management system of a municipal Canadian police service and used to create data sets of all of the reports associated with select repeat missing adults (n = 1943) and repeat missing youth (n = 6,576). From these sources, the five locations from which repeat missing adults and youth were most commonly reported missing were identified (“power few” locations). The overall frequency of reports generated by these locations was then assessed by examining all reports of both missing and repeat missing cases, and demographic and incident factors were also examined.
Findings
This study uncovers ten addresses (five for adults; five for youths) in the City from which this data was derived that account for 45 percent of all adults and 52 percent of all youth missing person reports. Even more striking, the study data suggest that targeting these top five locations for adults and youths could reduce the volume of repeat missing cases by 71 percent for adults and 68.6 percent for youths. In relation to the demographic characteristics of the study’s sample of adults and youths who repeatedly go missing, the authors find that female youth are two-thirds more likely to go missing than male youth. Additionally, the authors find that Aboriginal adults and youths are disproportionately represented among the repeat missing. Concerning the incident factors related to going missing repeatedly, the authors find that the repeat rate for going missing is 63.2 percent and that both adults and youths go missing 3–10 times on average.
Practical implications
The study results suggest that, just as crime concentrates in particular spaces among specific offenders, repeat missing cases also concentrate in particular spaces and among particular people. In thinking about repeat missing persons, the present research offers support for viewing these concerns as a behavior setting issue – that is, as a combination of demographic factors of individuals, as well as factors associated with particular types of places. Targeting “power few” locations for prevention efforts, as well as those most at risk within these spaces, may yield positive results.
Originality/value
Very little research has been conducted on missing persons and, more specifically, on how to more effectively target police initiatives to reduce case volumes. Further, this is the first paper to successfully apply the concept of the “power few” to missing persons’ cases.
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Victoria Pennington, Emily Howell, Rebecca Kaminski, Nicole Ferguson-Sams, Mihaela Gazioglu, Kavita Mittapalli, Amlan Banerjee and Mikel Cole
Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) can create participatory cultures by removing barriers to access materials, encouraging student modes of expression, differentiating…
Abstract
Purpose
Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) can create participatory cultures by removing barriers to access materials, encouraging student modes of expression, differentiating student interactions through digital environments and increasing learner autonomy. Participatory cultures require competencies or new media literacy (NML) skills to be successful in a digital world. However, professional development (PD) often lacks training on CALL and its implementation to develop such skills. The purpose of this study is to describe teachers use of digital tools for multilingual learners through a relevant theoretical perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
This design-based research study examines 30 in-service teachers in South Carolina, a destination state for Latinx immigrants, focusing data over three semesters of PD: interviews and instructional logs. The researchers address the question: How are teachers using digital tools to advance NML for multilingual learners (MLs)?
Findings
The authors analyzed current elementary teachers’ use of digital tools for language learning and NML purposes. Three themes are discussed: NMLs and digital literacy boundaries, digital tools for MLs and literacy teaching for MLs and NML skills.
Originality/value
Teacher PD often needs more specificity regarding the intersection of MLs and digital literacy. The authors contribute to the literature on needed elementary teaching practices for MLs, the integration of NML and how these practices may be addressed through PD.