Areas In Denmark Research Articles

Reading class: Digital evidence about fiction and social class

Recent years have seen the return of social class to popular fiction with the success of international authors like Édouard Louis, Annie Ernaux, Sally Rooney and Douglas Stuart. In Scandinavia, working-class authors have topped bestseller lists since 2022 and have drawn attention in mass media. This study looks at readers of “class fiction” by analyzing data from the digital book platform eReolen. Using data for loan time and geographic municipality, I argue that the popularity of class fiction has been fueled by media attention and gain many of its readers from relatively prosperous areas in Denmark – as opposed to the people represented in the books.

A systematic benchmarking framework for future assessments of soil health: An example from Denmark

Based on current evidence and established critical thresholds for soil degradation indicators, it is concerning that over 60–70% of European soils are unhealthy due to unsustainable management and the impact of climate change. Despite European and national efforts to improve soil health, significant gaps remain. The proposal for a Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law, to be implemented by the European Union, seeks to establish a framework for soil monitoring and promote sustainable management practices to achieve healthy soils by 2050. This requires extensive data collection and soil monitoring systems to accurately estimate soil health across Europe, considering the diversity of soil types, climates, and land uses. To establish a framework for soil monitoring, we must understand the site-specific status of soil and the ranges of soil health indicators across specific pedoclimatic regions. In our study, we evaluated the soil status in agricultural areas in Denmark using soil health indicators and a site-specific benchmarking approach. We compiled nationally representative datasets, combining point and model-informed data of soil parameters such as organic carbon content, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, clay-to-soil organiccarbon ratio, water erosion, and nitrogen leaching. By categorizing Danish agricultural soils into monitoring units based on textural classes, landscape elements, and wetland types, we calculated benchmarks for these indicators, considering different cropping systems. Our approach provided detailed point-based results and a spatially explicit overview of the status of soil health indicators in Denmark. We identified areas where soil deviates from the benchmarks of different indicators. Such deviations might indicate soil functions operating outside the normal range, posing potential threats to soil health. This proposed framework could support the establishment of a baseline for assessing the directionality of future changes in soil health. Moreover, it is adaptable for implementation by other countries to support assessments of soil health.

Survival, Nest Site Affiliation and Post-Fledging Movements of Danish White-Tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla)

The early life movement patterns of long-lived, large raptors, such as the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), remain largely unexplored. In this study, we have tracked 22 individuals of white-tailed eagles hatched in Denmark to investigate key parameters, including survival rates, causes of death, nest site fidelity, geographical distribution, and dispersal behaviors. Our analyses are based on approximately 340,000 GPS/GSM telemetry positions from the 22 individuals. We found that survival rates were lower in the first year of life, especially among females, but increased in subsequent years. The primary causes of death were wind turbine collisions and avian influenza. Movement analyses revealed that juvenile eagles frequented nest sites in August and September, with females showing earlier exploratory flights and dispersal. Both males and females spent most of their first calendar year near their nest sites. In the second calendar year, a significant proportion of their time was spent at well-known white-tailed eagle resting areas in Denmark, as well as visiting neighboring countries. Notably, one individual set a new distance record for a Danish GPS-tagged white-tailed eagle, venturing at least 1750 km away from its nest site to visit Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Norway. Our results, indicating that juvenile white-tailed eagles continue to utilize nest sites into September, suggest an extension of the recommended time period for nest protection zones provided by BirdLife Denmark (DOF).

Prevalence and population characteristics associated with frailty in a rural low socioeconomic area in Denmark: the Lolland-Falster Health Study

BackgroundFrailty is a major geriatric syndrome that predicts increased vulnerability to minor stressor events and adverse outcomes such as falls, fractures, disability and death. The prevalence of frailty among individuals...

Co-occurring orchid species associated with different low-abundance mycorrhizal fungi from the soil in a high-diversity conservation area in Denmark.

Plant-fungal interactions are ubiquitous across ecosystems and contribute significantly to plant ecology and evolution. All orchids form obligate symbiotic relationships with specific fungi for germination and early growth, and the distribution of terrestrial orchid species has been linked to occurrence and abundance of specific orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) in the soil. The availability of OMF can therefore be a habitat requirement that is relevant to consider when establishing management and conservation strategies for threatened orchid species, but knowledge on the spatial distribution of OMF in soil is limited. We here studied the mycorrhizal associations of three terrestrial orchid species (Anacamptis pyramidalis, Orchis purpurea and Platanthera chlorantha) found in a local orchid diversity hotspot in eastern Denmark, and investigated the abundance of the identified mycorrhizal fungi in the surrounding soil. We applied ITS metabarcoding to samples of orchid roots, rhizosphere soil and bulk soil collected at three localities, supplemented with standard barcoding of root samples with OMF specific primers, and detected 22 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) putatively identified as OMF. The three orchid species displayed different patterns of OMF associations, supporting the theory that association with specific fungi constitutes part of an orchid's ecological niche allowing co-occurrence of many species in orchid-rich habitats. The identified mycorrhizal partners in the basidiomycete families Tulasnellaceae and Ceratobasidiaceae (Cantharallales) were detected in low abundance in rhizosphere soil, and appeared almost absent from bulk soil at the localities. This finding highlights our limited knowledge of the ecology and trophic mode of OMF outside orchid tissues, as well as challenges in the detection of specific OMF with standard methods. Potential implications for management and conservation strategies are discussed.

A multidisciplinary, shared care clinic using personalized medicine and coordinated care in patients with concomitant type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Protocol and baseline characteristics

BackgroundConcomitant type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is frequent with a poor prognosis with high risk of comorbidities. Strict risk factor control reduces the risk for complications – yet many people do not achieve treatment targets. The complexity and fragmentation of the healthcare system may, together with the vulnerability of these patients, be a reason. ObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to describe the protocol of a non-randomized interventional pilot study testing the feasibility and effect of a multidisciplinary, shared care clinic using personalized medicine and coordinated care in people living with concomitant T2D and CVD. MethodsParticipants were included from the Holbaek area in Denmark. People suffered from T2DM and CVD and were dysregulated regarding to HbA1c, cholesterol, micro/macroalbuminuaria or blood pressure. Participants went through a thorough evaluation to identify their needs and resources and received consultations every three months for one year. ResultsA total of 63 participants with T2DM and CVD were enrolled in the clinic. The participants had a mean age of 69 years and a BMI of 30.9 kg/m2. Almost 50 % had heart failure, 95 % dyslipidemia and 91 % hypertension. Around 54 % received GLP-1 agonists and 39 % received SGLT-2-inhibitors. PerspectivesTo our knowledge, a similar study with a multidisciplinary, shared care, outpatient clinic treating people living with concomitant T2DM and CVD, has not been performed previously. This study will provide information about the feasibility and efficacy of a multidisciplinary clinic based on changes in cardiovascular risk factors and medication.

Co-creating communities of place in second home tourism

ABSTRACT The paper contributes to extant research by conceptualising and extending our understanding of communities of place and particularly the role of second home owners in the co-creation of these. Previous research has dealt with how translocated residents, such as second home owners, participate in co-creation activities with permanent residents. Despite considerable attention given to second home owners impacts on local communities, research that delves into the intricacies of their participation is missing. Specifically, there is a gap in understanding the diverse ways second home owners engage in the co-creation, and sometimes co-destruction, of communities of place. Utilising longitudinal data gathered from 2016 to 2022 in two second home areas in Denmark, this paper explores the defining aspects of these dynamics, synthesising them into distinct roles that second home owners can assume in these co-creation processes. Three overlapping co-creative/co-destructive roles of second home owners in communities of place that transcend places and contexts are defined and explored: custodians, holiday consumers and innovators. Contrary to prior assumptions, our research challenges the notion that specific groups of second home owners inherently contribute more positively to a community, as we find that each role carries the potential for both co-creative and co-destructive outcomes.

Rethinking the Vulnerability of Groups Targeted in Health-Promoting Sports and Physical Activity Programs

Vulnerability and related terms are increasingly used to describe the target groups of health-promoting programs involving sports and physical activity. Yet, such terms are often left undefined, creating an image of vulnerability that reinforces the health inequities the programs seek to counter. This article aims to reconceptualize vulnerability to help researchers and program personnel describe and support individuals and groups in vulnerable positions. To do so, we conceptualize vulnerability as a contentious phenomenon, emphasizing the spectrum between individual and community perspectives on vulnerability, along with between experts’ evaluation of (health) risks and lived vulnerability. We illustrate the utility of this elaborate conceptualization of vulnerability through a single case study of a walking program organized by a health promotion unit in a so-called deprived area in Denmark. Interviewing the health professionals, it was not surprising to identify that experts’ evaluations of risks are key to the program. However, employing the conceptual framework in its entirety, we also find indications of lived vulnerability and resistance towards their conditions among the program participants. We conclude that it is relevant for both researchers and program employees to consider the complete spectrum of risks and lived vulnerabilities, along with providing support not only to individuals in need but also to their communities.

Public transport route choice modelling: Reducing estimation bias when using smart card data

Automated Fare Collection (AFC) data for public transport analyses has received much research interest recently, including its use for the estimation of passenger route choice preferences. However, an important problem persists since AFC data only includes information about the trip within the public transport system, that is stop-to-stop (tap-in to tap-out). Not knowing the full trip from door-to-door might lead to estimation bias, especially when estimating route choice models based on only the chosen stops, which is common practice in current research using AFC data. To avoid this, we propose an improved method for estimating route choice models in public transport using AFC data. The method is based on randomly generating pseudo origin (and destination) points in close vicinity of the actually chosen origin (and destination) stops, thus allowing pseudo access and egress times to be incorporated into the route choice model. The framework is compatible with any probability density function. We suggest using the Beta distribution for generating points when knowledge about access and egress distances are available, whereas the Uniform distribution is suggested when no knowledge is available. The method was applied on replicated AFC data based on traditional travel survey data from the Greater Copenhagen area in Denmark. The results of the model estimations confirm estimation bias in parameter estimates when not correcting for the lack of access/egress information. The proposed method notably improves in-vehicle-time parameter estimates of the route choice model compared to estimation assuming AFC stop-to-stop data, whereas access/egress time and hidden waiting time parameters are still biased, although to a lesser extent than a traditional naïve estimation based on stop-to-stop data.

Implementing PCR testing in general practice—a qualitative study using normalization process theory

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to a need for rapid testing of large populations. Experiences from community-based testing settings show that there can be workload difficulties, logistical challenges and socioeconomic downsides to large scale Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing. Alternative testing arenas have therefore been considered. Rapid point-of-care (POC) PCR test methods have since been developed and could have potential to surveille viral respiratory infections. It is, however, unknown if PCR testing can be successfully implemented routinely in general practice. The aim of this study was to assess factors that enable and inhibit the implementation of point-of-care PCR testing for acute respiratory tract infection in general practice.MethodsFourteen general practices in the east Zealand area in Denmark were included in the study and given access to POC PCR testing equipment during a flu season. The participating clinics were initially trained in the use of a POC PCR testing device and then spent 6 weeks testing it. We conducted qualitative interviews with general practitioners (GPs) and their staff, before and after the testing period, specifically focusing on their clinical decision-making and internal collaboration in relation to POC PCR testing. We used normalization process theory to design the interview guides and to analyze the data.ResultsProfessionals reported no clinical need for a POC PCR testing device in a non-pandemic clinical setting. Results were delivered faster, but this was only timesaving for the patient and not the GP, who had to perform more tasks.ConclusionIn its current form, the added diagnostic value of using POC PCR testing in general practice was not sufficient for the professionals to justify the increased work connected to the usage of the diagnostic procedure in daily practice.Trial registrationn/a.

Mechanisms of Stigmatization in Family-Based Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Overweight and Obesity.

It is well established that overweight and obesity are often accompanied by stigmatization. However, the influence of stigmatization on interventions for overweight and obesity remains unknown. Stigma may be particularly harmful to children. This study aimed to examine how stigmatization affects efforts to reduce childhood overweight and obesity through family interventions. This research was conducted in a socially disadvantaged area in Denmark. Twenty-seven families and forty professionals participated in in-depth interviews or workshops. The data were analyzed using CMO configurations from a realist evaluation and the theory of stigmatization developed by Link and Phelan. Thus, an abductive approach was employed in the analysis, with its foundation rooted in the empirical data. The study found that the mechanisms of stigmatization could 1. restrain professionals and parents from approaching the problem-thereby challenging family recruitment; 2. prevent parents from working with their children to avoid eating unhealthy food for fear of labeling the child as overweight or obese; and 3. cause children with obesity to experience a separation from other slimmer family members, leading at times to status loss, discrimination, and self-stigmatization. The study showed how the mechanisms of stigmatization may obstruct prevention and treatment of childhood obesity through family interventions. It is suggested that the concept of stigma should be incorporated into the program theories of interventions meant to reduce childhood overweight and obesity.

Parents as both problem and resource

This article addresses the question of how the parenting role has become an issue in relation to the contemporary politics of marginalized residential areas in Denmark. Drawing on the empirical and analytic categories of 'good' and 'bad' parenting, we explore how parenting skills and parental responsibility are central to problem solving and finding solutions for the area. We explore this to achieve a more critical approach to understanding how different discourses of integration and marginalized residential areas, create categories of ‘parenting’. The analysis shows how policies have different kinds of impact on parents in the neighbourhood, and how discourses on parenting vary across the empirical material including governmental strategies, social master plans, and interviews. Despite, in political terms, being regarded as part of the problem, the parents themselves shape their child

Inside algorithmic bureaucracy: Disentangling automated decision-making and good administration

Public administrative bodies around the world are increasingly applying automated, administrative decision-making as underlying technologies such as machine learning mature. Such decision-making is a central element of emerging forms of algorithmic bureaucracies. With its direct exercise of public authority over individual citizens and firms, automated, administrative decision-making makes it particularly important to consider relations to values of good administration. Based on a multiple case-study, the article focuses on how empirical use of automated decision-making influences and transforms issues of good administration in four policy areas in Denmark: Business and social policy; labour market policy; agricultural policy; and tax policy. Supplementing emerging literature, the article exemplifies how public authorities struggle to apply automated decision-making in ways that support rather than undermine good administration. We identify six empirical relations of usage of automated, administrative decision-making and good administration: (I) Giving accurate and comprehensible reasons; (II) Informing addressees’ expectations; (III) Combining material and algorithmic expertise; (IV) Achieving effective oversight; (V) Continuously ensuring quality; and (VI) Managing high complexity. Additionally, we pinpoint related key capabilities for administrative bodies in order to support good administration.

Automated decision-making and good administration: Views from inside the government machinery

Use of semi- and fully automated, administrative decision-making in public administration is increasing. Despite this increase, few studies have explicitly analysed its relation to good administration. Good administration is regulations and norms aimed at securing the correctness of administrative decisions as well as the legitimacy of these and is often associated with underlying values such as transparency, equality of treatment and accountability. Based on a thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 43 key public administration stakeholders in a wide array of policy areas in Denmark, insiders of government machinery are shown to perceive relations between automated decision-making and good administration as manifold. Automated, administrative decision-making is articulated as providing both opportunities for supporting good administration and undermining good administration. Six values of good administration particularly related to automated, administrative decision-making are identified: Carefulness; Respecting-individual-rights; Professionalism; Trustworthiness; Responsiveness and Empowerment. Put simply, risks to good administration can be expected to occur if administrative bodies apply automated, administrative decision-making, while opportunities must be actively nurtured through managerial attention. Despite popular conceptions of the threat of “robotic government”, the conclusions of this study indicate a need for a more pragmatic view of relations of automated, administrative decision-making and good administration balanced between outright techno-optimism and techno-pessimism.

Corrigendum to: “Association Between Urban Regeneration and Healthcare-Seeking Behavior of Affected Residents: A Natural Experiment in two Multi-Ethnic Deprived Housing Areas in Denmark”

Corrigendum to: “Association Between Urban Regeneration and Healthcare-Seeking Behavior of Affected Residents: A Natural Experiment in two Multi-Ethnic Deprived Housing Areas in Denmark”

Environmental inequality and population exposure to air pollution in Denmark

ABSTRACT This study examines the environmental inequality, which is associated with air pollution in Denmark, by modelling street concentrations at addresses of all households in Denmark, and correlating the findings on key air quality pollutants to individual household income. The study furthermore analyses the relative distribution of exposure to risks between and within different commuting areas in Denmark. The findings are discussed in relation to comparable findings in the international literature on environmental inequity and inequality of exposure to environmental risks. Overall, the study showed limited environmental inequality and weak correlations between air pollution exposure and household income in Denmark thereby deviating from most findings in the international peer literature that finds strong correlations. Likely explanations for the weak correlations may be found in strict Danish environmental regulation that reduces overall exposure to the population, and Danish laws prohibit building residential areas nearby factories or building factories nearby residential areas as part of zoning in urban planning. Also, a relatively equal income distribution in Denmark, and the relation between the geographic distribution of air pollution and income groups where low-income groups do not systematically live in polluted areas and high-income groups in less polluted areas also add to the explanation. Key policy highlights The first study to examine Danish environmental inequality associated with air pollution exposure at street level. Modelled air quality street concentrations at all residential addresses in Denmark. Analyses of environmental inequality between and within different commuting areas. Very limited environmental inequality was found between air pollution exposure and household income that deviates from most findings in the international peer literature. A better knowledge foundation on environmental inequality could inform future policy making to reduce environmental inequality.

#4177 PREVALENCE OF UNRECOGNIZED CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN THE LOLLAND-FALSTER HEALTH STUDY: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN A RURAL-PROVINCIAL AREA OF DENMARK

Abstract Background and Aims In order to improve renal and cardiovascular outcome in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), it is important to identify patients with CKD in early stages of the disease. Given the asymptomatic nature of early-stage CKD, the majority of the CKD patients are living with an unrecognized condition. There is limited knowledge about the Danish prevalence of CKD stage 1-4. Moreover, previous studies have shown association between CKD and low socio-economic status. This study aims to increase the insights into prevalence and risk factors of CKD in a population living in a part of Denmark where income and life expectancy is below the national average. Method Data was derived from The Lolland-Falster Health Study (LOFUS) which is a population and household-based prospective cohort study at Lolland-Falster, a mixed rural-provincial area in Denmark. Data was obtained between 2016 and 2020 from questionnaires, clinical- and paraclinical evaluation. CKD was defined according to KDIGO classification (single test) as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) >30 mg/g and/or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Univariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate potential risk factors for CKD. Results The study included 16,142 adult individuals. Characteristics of the population are reported in Table 1. The median age was 58.6 years (IQR 44.7-68.6) and 53% of the population were women. The overall CKD prevalence was 17.7% and was higher in women than in men (19.2% versus 16.0%, p-value < 0.001). Of the 2856 participants with CKD, 71.1% had CKD based on elevated UACR, 19.0% had CKD based on reduced eGFR and 9.9% had CKD based on reduced eGFR combined with elevated UACR. Among the participants with CKD, 31.8% had CKD stage 1, 39.2% had stage 2, 28.0% stage 3, and 1.1% had CKD stage 4-5. Less than 2% (n = 207) of the total population had a self-reported kidney-related diagnosis which correspond to only 4.5% of the individuals with CKD identified in the study. Among those with CKD stage 3-5, more than 27% did not report any kidney-related diagnosis. In univariate analyses, female sex (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15 – 1.35), age above 55 years (OR 3.55, 95% CI 3.01 – 4.20), BMI > 25 kg/m2 (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.02 – 1.03), diabetes (OR 3.38, 95% CI 2.89 – 3.95), hypertension (OR 3.34, 95% CI 3.06 – 3.65), cardiovascular disease (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.86 – 2.79) and current or former smoking (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17 – 1.39) were all risk factors for CKD. In a multiple regression analysis, all risk factors but BMI were independent risk factors for CKD. Conclusion CKD is common in the LOFUS cohort with a prevalence of nearly 18%. Less than 5% are aware of their condition and therefore our data indicate a high rate of unrecognized CKD. Comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are strongly associated with CKD. In contrast to earlier findings, overweight and obesity did not seem to increase the risk of CKD in our study, when adjusted for other comorbidities. Our findings could be used to develop strategies for early identification of CKD patients, particularly in populations living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.

“But we´re talking about Jonas?!” Danish ECEC Between Quality Cultures

Abstract The aim of the article is to support critical consideration about what quality is and might be in ECEC. It argues that two different quality cultures – understandings of what quality is, how it may be understood and supported – intersect and create tensions in relation to the ECEC area in Denmark. One is analyzed as influenced by a transnational quality discourse, a specific regime of truth regarding quality as a phenomenon “out there” that must be defined and assessed to improve. This technical-instrumental quality culture needs to be balanced by a quality culture founded in pedagogy as a distinct perspective foundational for ECEC. Drawing on a continental tradition of pedagogy as a human science discipline the article offers a language and understanding of pedagogical qualities. Such qualities refer to the attributes of pedagogy and go beyond what is easily disregarded as subjective in the prevailing quality culture. To identify such pedagogic qualities the article revisits empirical data from a narrative research project that explored pedagogic knowledge at play in ECEC professionals’ practice. The article argues that a critical quality culture founded in thoughtful consideration and ethical balancing of pedagogical qualities is crucial for the sake of the children and our democratic society.

Historical Loss of Groundwater-Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems in Undrained and Artificially Drained Landscapes in Denmark

Groundwater-dependent terrestrial ecosystems (GWDTE) have been increasingly under threat due to groundwater depletion globally. Over the past 200 years, there has been severe artificial drainage of low-lying areas in Denmark, leading to a gradual loss of GWDTE nature habitat areas. This study explores the spatial-temporal loss of Danish GWDTE using historical topographic maps. We carry out geographic information systems (GIS) overlap analysis between different historical topographic maps with signatures of GWDTE starting from the 19th century up to a present-day river valley bottom map. We then examine the changes in two protected GWDTE habitat types in different periods and hydrologic spatial locations. Results reveal a decrease in the area of GWDTE over the last 200 years. We attribute this to different human interventions, e.g., drainage, that have impacted the low-lying landscape since the early Middle Ages. We further conclude that downstream parts of the river network have been exposed to less GWDTE habitat loss than upstream ones. This indicates that upstream river valleys are more vulnerable to GWDTE decline. Therefore, as a management measure, caution should be exercised when designing these areas for agriculture activities using artificial drainage and groundwater abstraction, since this may lead to further decline. In contrast, there is a higher potential for establishing constructed wetlands or rewetting peatlands to restore balance.

Using jointly calibrated fine-scale drain models across Denmark to assess the influence of physical variables on spatial drain flow patterns

Study regionDenmark Study focusTile drainage, widespread across agricultural areas in Denmark, significantly impacts the hydrological cycle. Tile drain flow dynamics and their spatial patterns are crucial for water managers to address water quality and quantity issues. However, these processes are challenging to simulate accurately. In this study, we developed 10 m resolution drain models in MIKE SHE for 26 drain sites across Denmark to predict drain flow spatial and temporal dynamics. Joint calibration of all drain models was conducted by evaluating PBIAS and KGE of simulated and observed drain flow. Subsequently, we performed a correlation analysis between physical parameters and spatial patterns of simulated drain fraction (DF, ratio of drain flow to recharge per grid cell). New hydrological insightsThe jointly calibrated models achieved average PBIAS and KGE of − 6.7% and 0.53 respectively, for drain flow predictions across 26 drain sites. The correlation of DF with topographical variables was highest on a national scale and on most of the drain sites, including Gyldenholm1–4, Norsminde1–11, and other Jylland drain sites. Lillebæk drain sites showed a high correlation with average clay content in 0–30 cm layer of soil. Thus, in addition to developing scalable fine-resolution drain models for Denmark, this study also identifies the control parameters for spatial patterns of drain flows across Denmark.