Community In England Research Articles

The effects of land use change on ant communities in New England

Abstract Urbanisation and agricultural expansion are two of the most prevalent and intense forms of land use change worldwide and can have dramatic consequences on biodiversity and biotic community structure. Ants are extremely widespread, ecologically diverse and small ectotherms that are sensitive to changes from a wide range of environmental factors. Therefore, ants make an ideal study organism to examine the effects of anthropogenic land use change on biotic communities. In this study, we examined differences in ant species richness and community composition between urban parks, farms and forest fragments, and related these differences to environmental factors that vary among each of these three habitat types. We sampled 46 sites across Worcester County and found farms have significantly lower ant species richness than parks, and all habitat types had different ant community compositions. We also identified higher plant species richness is associated with higher ant species richness, and both plant species richness and air temperature are associated with differences in community composition. Our findings support that habitats affected by human land use will host different assemblages of ant species compared to those found in nearby natural habitats, as seen in our New England forest fragments.

Mental health services for Muslim communities in England and Wales: developing a more collaborative model

ABSTRACT The landscape of mental health services for Muslim communities in England and Wales remains fragmented with many Muslims unsure how to access services that accommodate their religious beliefs and practices. This article reports findings from a pilot study of mental health services and Muslim communities in England and Wales. It explores the role of Muslim mental health organisations, charities, therapists, counsellors, faith leaders and community groups in supporting the communities they serve. The study’s aim was to establish a larger project to identify and amplify best practice across mainstream and non-mainstream mental health services in relation to improving provision for Muslim communities. Focus group data from key informants was analysed using grounded theory. Four analytical themes emerged from the analysis: “Knowledge gaps”, “Policy gaps”, “Working together” and “Moving forward”. Based on this, the authors argue for an asset-based approach to building collaborative partnerships between Muslim communities and mental health providers.

Pierre Jurieu and the Creation of a Protestant Imagined Community in England, 1680–1705

This article discusses how Pierre Jurieu's (1637–1713) political journalism advanced the cause of pan-Protestantism in the later seventeenth century. It examines how Jurieu portrayed his Huguenot subjects as worthy of sympathy, as well as spelling out how that sympathy could manifest itself politically, by reinterpreting the Glorious Revolution as an event that enabled England to carry out a pan-Protestant foreign policy. This discussion demonstrates how Jurieu was characteristic of three trends that have attracted historiographical attention. Firstly, Jurieu's works were part of the later seventeenth century speeding up of time and closing in of space: he informed his readers of events in faraway regions in unprecedentedly quick time spans. Secondly, the reconstruction of Jurieu's patronage networks in the English print market casts aspersions on the idea of a pristine public sphere. Thirdly, his blending of religious and political ideas problematizes the divide between the two: his apocalyptic writings complemented his works on political economy, and vice versa. With these themes in mind, Jurieu is presented as a provider of one of the richest defences of pan-Protestantism, as well as a representative actor of the broader forces that were shaping English discourse in the later seventeenth century.

Dealing With Covid-19 in Casual Democracies

This article reports findings from an in-depth, autoethnographic study of local communities in Denmark and England left behind by local journalism. The study was conducted during—and is thematically framed by—the Covid-19 pandemic, and it investigates how news, information, and deliberation related to this crisis were facilitated in the communities. The article embarks from ideas of informed citizenship and problems of misinformation and free speech related to the pandemic, and it aims to uncover developments in local democracy in places left behind by local journalism and dominated by platforms. The article argues that “news desert” is not an accurate term describing such places. Instead, such places and their social media platform dependency constitute what is identified as “casual democracies.” In casual local democracies, who and what gets to dominate the local public spheres is difficult to predict, as are the credibility and trustworthiness of local news and information and the interests that local news and information providers serve. Such local democracies are, to a large degree, shaped by informal power structures, individual agency, and the infrastructure of platforms.

Policing Rural Crimes and Rural Communities in England

This article examines factors that influence the processes and practices of crime prevention and investigation in rural areas of England. Whilst evidence shows that rural crime is a significant problem, there has been hitherto a dearth of research into how the issue is policed. Drawing on the perspectives of police personnel, this article examines the features of the rural environment and the organisation and management of police services that influence the delivery of police work in rural areas of England. Specifically, the article considers factors that influence the reporting and subsequent recording of rural crimes; how police officers understand and perceive rural crimes; how police services prioritise crimes for preventative and investigative purposes; how responsibility for investigating rural crimes is diffused across law enforcement agencies and how this can cause confusion for officers; matters related to the generation of evidence; officer understanding of the legislation regarding rural crime; the willingness of officers to undertake the investigation of rural crimes and the reluctance of some to live in the countryside; and the organisation and management of police resources in rural areas. In so doing, it sets out the reasons why the policing of rural spaces is distinctive and considers implications for police work and its outcomes.

S12-4 Feasibility evaluation of the Move Well, Feel Good movement behaviours intervention

Abstract Purpose Improving children’s motor competence through school-based physical activity interventions may be a mechanism for promoting positive mental health through psychosocial factors. Move Well, Feel Good (MWFG) is a such an intervention that was co-designed with children, class teachers, physical education (PE) teachers, and school leaders. This presentation describes the feasibility evaluation of MWFG. Methods Five primary schools were recruited from a low socioeconomic status community in northwest England. A 10-week intervention was co-designed which aimed to enhance children’s mental health through motor competence and psychosocial development. The core delivery of the programme involved one PE lesson per week devoted to development of locomotor, object control, and stability skills. This was supplemented by optional recess and home activities, and by non-PE curricular activities. Teachers were asked to record details of each MWFG session taught, and feasibility was evaluated against pre-defined criteria using surveys, interviews (teachers), and participatory focus groups (children). Pre- and post-intervention assessments of motor competence, mental health, wellbeing, psychosocial factors, and 24-hour movement behaviours were also completed. Results The 5 schools represented 83% of the target number of schools and 108 children consented (43% of target). PE and class teachers were recruited in all schools (100% of target). Intervention dose was reflected by 76% of scheduled PE lessons being delivered. Adherence was strong with >85% of children attending ≥75% of lessons. Positive indicators of acceptability were provided by 86% of children, 83% of PE teachers, and 90% of class teachers. Teachers commented on the children’s positive engagement irrespective of ability, the quality of resources provided, and the challenges of competing demands for curriculum time and spaces to deliver MWFG. The data collection methods were deemed acceptable by 91% of children and 80% of class teachers, and children spoke positively about participating in the data collection. Secondary outcome data collection was completed by 87%-100% of children, with a 0%-6% attrition rate at post-intervention. Descriptive analysis revealed favourable changes in motor competence and mental health. Conclusions MWFG was deemed to be feasible to develop further into a pilot trial, with improved school and child recruitment strategies warranted.

Constructions of race in advertising archives: The “silent” Chinese minority

What do historical representational imageries of the Chinese in television commercials tell us about Britain’s perceptions of this ‘silent’ community? The power of advertising to distort reality and misrepresent ‘the Other’ is well documented. This report addresses colonial constructions of race in advertising using historical archival evidence of the Chinese as a hidden ethnic minority community in Britain. The arguments, drawn from my doctoral thesis, emphasises the importance of archival analysis in historical research on race. In particular, cultural commodification of Chinese culture is evidenced by their depiction during 1960s television commercials for Guinness Export. These interrogations provide clues to how Chinese people and culture have been constructed onscreen, and the political and hegemonic influence of racial politics in Britain. The report also considers the methodological implications of archival holdings in contributing to our understanding how and why race on screen advertising is produced, consumed, and reproduced.

Responding to Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms in England's Community Pharmacies.

Most urinary tract infections (UTIs) are self-limiting and frequently present in primary care; it is common for patients to seek symptom relief. The TARGET Treating Your Infection (TYI) leaflet was used to respond to UTI symptoms for women under 65 years presenting in community pharmacies. The widespread use of these leaflets was incentivised as part of NHS England's Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) 2022-23, between October 2022 and March 2023. The TARGET TYI leaflets are aimed to support appropriate antibiotic use and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) as well as reducing the opportunity for resistance to develop. A total of 8363 community pharmacies completed the AMS criteria within the PQS and collectively submitted data for 104,142 patients presenting with UTI symptoms. The majority, 77% (75,071), of (non-pregnant) women presented with none or only one of the three strongly predictive symptoms of dysuria, new nocturia, cloudy urine, and/or vaginal discharge and, therefore, were less likely to have a UTI, as outlined in the English UTI diagnostic guidance. Conversely, 23% (22,381) of women presented with two or more symptoms of dysuria, new nocturia, cloudy urine, and with no vaginal discharge and, therefore, they were more likely to have a UTI. The TARGET TYI UTI leaflets support community pharmacy teams to differentiate between symptoms more likely to be associated with UTIs and those that could be managed with self-care. The findings suggest that most women presenting to community pharmacies with urinary symptoms were likely to have self-limiting symptoms, and could be suitably managed with self-care, pain relief, and appropriate safety netting. Approximately one-third of patients were managed by community pharmacy team members without the need for referral to a pharmacist and one in five patients presented with escalation symptoms and were signposted to other healthcare settings. A total of 94% (97,452) of women received self-care advice of which 36% (37,565) were also provided with additional patient information leaflets.

Pesticide pollution associations with riverine invertebrate communities in England

Globally freshwater biodiversity has experienced major decline and chemical pollutants are believed to have played a significant role in this decline, but this has not been well quantified for most riverine invertebrate populations. Here we applied a biogeographically independent trait-based bioindicator, SPEARpesticides across sites across five regions (Northern, Midlands and Western, Anglian, Southeast, and Southwest) in England to investigate for associations specifically between pesticide use/pollution and riverine invertebrate communities over a 55-year period (1965–2019). Both spatially and temporally post-1990, the Anglian and Thames regions consistently showed the lowest SPEARpesticides scores, illustrating the presence of fewer pesticide sensitive species. The Anglian region had the highest pesticide use compared to all other regions from 1990 to 2018 and there were negative relationships between the level of pesticide/insecticide use and the regional SPEARpesticides score. Biochemical Oxygen Demand and ammonia, as measures of general water quality, were also negatively correlated with the SPEARpesticides scores across the regions, but these factors were not the driver for the lower SPEARpesticides scores seen in the Anglian region. Based on SPEARpesticides scores, riverine invertebrate communities in England have been most impacted in the Anglian region and we evidence chronic insecticide exposure is likely a significant factor in shaping the status of those invertebrate communities.

Patterns of GP and nurse independent prescriber prescriptions for antibiotics dispensed in the community in England: a retrospective analysis.

Physician-nurse task shifting, a process of delegation whereby tasks are moved to other specialized healthcare workers, is used in primary care in many countries to improve access, efficiency and quality of care. One such task is the prescription of medicines. To identify nurse independent prescriber (NIP) and GP numbers in England, the proportions and types of NIP and GP antibiotic prescriptions dispensed in the community, and the impact of COVID-19 on the volume, rate and types of antibiotic prescriptions dispensed. Descriptive population-based retrospective cohort study using routinely collected data on prescriptions for antibiotics dispensed in the community in England between January 2014 and October 2021. Between 2014 and 2021, numbers (headcount) of NIPs whose prescriptions were dispensed in the community rose by 146% to 34 997. GP numbers (headcount) rose by 10% to 44 681. Of the 25.373 million antibiotic prescriptions dispensed between 2014 and 2021, NIPs were responsible for 8.6%. The rate of dispensed antibiotic prescriptions per prescriber per calendar year decreased (by 50% for NIPs and by 21% for GPs) between 2014 and 2020. This decreasing trend continued following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic across both groups. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics (penicillins, macrolides, tetracyclines) were the most frequently dispensed across both NIPs and GPs. NIPs are an increasing contributory influence on total antibiotic prescribing and should be included in antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Interventions for this group need to be tailored to the population and context in which they work.

Toward a feminist housing commons? Conceptualising care - (as) - work in collaborative housing

ABSTRACT This article conceptualizes care-(as)-work in collaborative housing and addresses current debates on the potential of cohousing to embody a feminist commons. A focus on purpose-built cohousing projects in the UK enables us to focus on the values present in the initial phases of collective design and on the ongoing negotiations and mediation that take place through social interactions, resident-led self-management, and formal and informal mutual support. Our analysis is based on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with two communities in England. Our contribution focuses on two aspects of care-(as)-work: how difficult emotions related to cohousing maintenance work are minimized for the good of the common and how such work is differentially embodied. Returning to cohousing’s transformational capacities as a feminist commons, we show that while boundaries of care in commoning are critical to residents, they are inherently blurry, performative and gendered.

Mixed Marriages of Poles in England and Wales, 2007–2020: A Preliminary Sociological Analysis

The aim of the article is to present the scale and characteristics of the phenomenon of church marriages by Poles who migrated to England and Wales. The phenomenon of heterogamous relationships has grown over the last several decades due to factors such as the expansion of the community of European Union member states, globalization processes, and the resulting diversity of the population of migrants. The article is focused mainly on religious mixed marriages. The empirical material consisted of data from the records of the largest organization of the Polish community in Britain. The authors analysed the data of 25,530 marriages of Poles living in England and Wales, registered between 2007 and 2020, including 2,922 mixed religions marriages.

Ethnicity, hypermobility syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: A study based on hospital admissions

The purpose of the study was to identify any evidence of different patterns of disease for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Syndrome (JHS) in the White British and South Asian communities in England. The numbers of hospital in-patients in ten NHS Trusts, between 2016 and 2020, in whom a diagnosis of EDS or JHS had been recorded were identified through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The condition was either the primary diagnosis or a secondary one, incidental to the reason for admission. The ten Trusts were selected because they served areas with a significant South Asian population and had been involved in previous studies of discrimination in the delivery of care. The study also assessed whether there was evidence of any of the Trusts underserving their South Asian community with lesser levels of recognition of EDS and JHS. Overall South Asian patients were almost four times more likely to have been diagnosed as having JHS. This proportion was statistically significant (z = -11.69, p <0.00001). In Burton and Derby, Cambridge and Leicester the proportion of South Asian patients diagnosed as having EDS was significantly lower than in other Trusts (z = 9.4, p <0.00001). This was also the case for JHS (z = 8.09, p < 0.00001). This would indicate that in these three Trusts both conditions are underdiagnosed in the South Asian community. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Old English terminological word-complexes in natural philosophic worldview (exemplified by terms of astronomy)

The research focuses on the study of terminological word-complexes in Old English. Following a complex multidisciplinary approach, it addresses the linguistic evidence from the viewpoint of terminology, phraseology and linguoculturology. The article analyzes the role of terminological word- complexes from the Anglo-Saxon Manual of Astronomy in the semiotic segment of natural philosophy in the Pre-Norman linguistic community of England. The research is conducted mainly within the framework of linguocultural approach. The 27 terminological word-complexes under analysis belong to the sphere of theoretical and observational astronomy and are taken from the text of the 10th century Anglo-Saxon Manual of Astronomy. The system of methods includes analysis of dictionary definitions, componential analysis, phraseological identification, contextual analysis, etc. The research proceeds from the assumption that Old English astronomic terms subsume culturally significant information on the Early Medieval prescientific worldview. Most terms are substantive phrases denoting heavenly bodies and their characteristics, peculiarities of the Universe’s physical structure, and events of the astronomic calendar. A number of inherent characteristics, such as recurrence of use and metaphoric transformation of the components’ semantics allow for treating the terminological word-complexes as phraseological entities. The entirety of word-complexes falls into two groups of word-combinations of idiomatic and phraseomatiс type. The research consecutively puts to scrutiny the terminological word-complexes verbalizing the concepts ‘heavenly body’, ‘outer space’, and ‘orbital rotation’. Attention is paid to the volume and character of culturally significant information conveyed by the astronomical terms in context and demonstrating the natural philosophical interpretation of the physical world structure as different from the modern scientific views. A conclusion is made that further research of phraseologically bound terminological word-complexes pertaining to various spheres of knowledge is needed to reconstruct the complete picture of natural philosophic worldview for the benefit of phraseology, terminology, linguoculturology and history of English.

O02 Patterns of GP and nurse-independent prescriber prescriptions for antibiotics dispensed in the community in England: a retrospective analysis

Abstract Background The substitution of nurses for doctors is a strategy used in primary care to improve access to, and efficiency and quality of, care. Many of these nurses prescribe medicines including antibiotics. Objectives To identify nurse-independent prescriber (NIP) and GP numbers in England, the proportions and types of NIPs and GP antibiotic prescriptions dispensed in the community, and the impact of COVID-19 on the volume, rate and types of antibiotic prescriptions dispensed. Methods A descriptive population-based retrospective cohort study using data obtained from the National Health Service Business Service Authority (under a Freedom of Information request) on GP and nurse-independent prescriber prescriptions for antibiotics dispensed in the community in England between January 2014 and October 2021. Results Between 2014 and 2021, the number of NIPs (headcount) in England almost doubled from 24 457 to 41 649. Of the 41 649 NIPs in 2021, the prescriptions of 34 997 (84%) were dispensed in the community, i.e. a rise of 146% over this 6-year period. By contrast, GP numbers (headcount) rose by 10% to 44 681. Of the 25.373 million antibiotic prescriptions dispensed between 2014 and 2021, NIPs were responsible for 8.6%. The rate of dispensed antibiotic prescriptions decreased (NIPs by 50% and GPs by 21%) between 2014 and 2020 (where data across the full year were available). This decreasing trend continued following the onset of the pandemic across both groups. In line with guidance for the treatment of minor infections, narrow-spectrum antibiotics (penicillins, macrolides and tetracyclines) were the most frequently dispensed across both NIPs and GPs. Trends in prescription of antibiotics during the pandemic were reflected in the use of individual classes of antibiotics prescribed for RTIs. Conclusions Given the rising numbers of nurse prescribers and their increasing contributory influence on total antibiotic prescribing, it is important that this group is included in antimicrobial stewardship efforts. NIPs prescribe fewer antibiotics than GPs but work under different conditions (e.g. longer consultations and less complex patients), and so, interventions should also be tailored to this group and the population and context in which they are delivered.

Community factors and excess mortality in the COVID-19 pandemic in England, Italy and Sweden.

Analyses of coronavirus disease 19 suggest specific risk factors make communities more or less vulnerable to pandemic-related deaths within countries. What is unclear is whether the characteristics affecting vulnerability of small communities within countries produce similar patterns of excess mortality across countries with different demographics and public health responses to the pandemic. Our aim is to quantify community-level variations in excess mortality within England, Italy and Sweden and identify how such spatial variability was driven by community-level characteristics. We applied a two-stage Bayesian model to quantify inequalities in excess mortality in people aged 40 years and older at the community level in England, Italy and Sweden during the first year of the pandemic (March 2020-February 2021). We used community characteristics measuring deprivation, air pollution, living conditions, population density and movement of people as covariates to quantify their associations with excess mortality. We found just under half of communities in England (48.1%) and Italy (45.8%) had an excess mortality of over 300 per 100 000 males over the age of 40, while for Sweden that covered 23.1% of communities. We showed that deprivation is a strong predictor of excess mortality across the three countries, and communities with high levels of overcrowding were associated with higher excess mortality in England and Sweden. These results highlight some international similarities in factors affecting mortality that will help policy makers target public health measures to increase resilience to the mortality impacts of this and future pandemics.

A comparative study on the perceptions of Dutch and British Muslim leadership regarding social-political challenges

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze and compare attitudes and perceptions of Muslim leadership toward society and politics based on their personal experiences in England and the Netherlands.Design/methodology/approachThis study provides valuable insights into how Muslim leadership experiences socio-political realities from own perspectives. The comparative analysis of Muslim leadership in England and the Netherlands highlights the unique qualities of each community, while also demonstrating shared communal awareness regarding political participation and concerns regarding the rise of Islamophobia and populism.FindingsThe study reveals significant differences between Dutch and British Muslim leadership regarding attitudes toward politics. While the Dutch political system enables minorities to have political parties, British leaders prefer peaceful resistance, internal cooperation and voting power for influence. Muslim communities in both countries face similar challenges, such as access to politics, rising Islamophobia and populism. However, there are variations in leadership maturity and attitudes toward communal unification and political participation.Research limitations/implicationsEspecially Dutch Muslims were much more open toward cooperation once approached. The biggest challenge was to get into the Muslim communities in England. Even though British Muslims showed a much greater aptitude toward their civic duties, British Muslims were much more careful and wished that interviews were written down instead of being recorded. But once the author was part of the community, community leaders were more accepting and tolerant towards the author's presence. From that point on, to be recommended (snowballing) became easier.Practical implicationsThis research shows clearly how different ethnic Muslim communities differ across two different countries. Even though both countries have their own advantages and disadvantages, understanding how civic responsibilities and the progressive development of minority attitudes can be best approached is important to policymakers.Social implicationsOne major social implication is the way minorities perceive social and political equality and how these minority expectations can be met. Research shows that there is much fear and anxiety to growing sentiments of populism and right-wing appraisals. For a better integration and inclusion, a sound assessment of social and religious expectations is crucial.Originality/valueAs far as the author knows, there are no qualitative research studies that compare Muslim minority conditions in the Netherlands and England. This research makes this even more interesting for how to create policy that contributes to a European understanding of Muslim existence in Europe and a common European identity. This is crucial for a more stable and stronger European future.

EE236 Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs Associated with Acute COVID in Adult Patients Managed in the Community or Hospital Setting in England: A Population-Based Study

The COVID pandemic has imposed significant direct medical cost and resource use burden on healthcare systems. This study described the patient demographic and clinical characteristics, healthcare resource utilization and costs associated with acute COVID in adults in England.

Community-led responses to COVID-19 within Gypsy and Traveller communities in England: A participatory qualitative research study

Individuals were asked to play an active role in infection control in the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet while government messages emphasised taking responsibility for the public good (e.g. to protect the National Health Service), they appeared to overlook social, economic and political factors affecting the ways that people were able to respond.We co-produced participatory qualitative research with members of Gypsy and Traveller communities in England between October 2021 and February 2022 to explore how they had responded to COVID-19, its containment (test, trace, isolate) and the contextual factors affecting COVID-19 risks and responses within the communities.Gypsies and Travellers reported experiencing poor treatment from health services, police harassment, surveillance, and constrained living conditions. For these communities, claiming the right to health in an emergency required them to rely on community networks and resources.They organised collective actions to contain COVID-19 in the face of this ongoing marginalisation, such as using free government COVID-19 tests to support self-designed protective measures including community-facilitated testing and community-led contact tracing. This helped keep families and others safe while minimising engagement with formal institutions.In future emergencies, communities must be given better material, political and technical support to help them to design and implement effective community-led solutions, particularly where government institutions are untrusted or untrustworthy.

“I am not really into the government telling me what I need to eat”: exploring dietary beliefs, knowledge, and practices among ethnically diverse communities in England

BackgroundCommunities with diverse ethnicity in high-income countries are disproportionately affected by poor diet-related health outcomes. In England, the United Kingdom’s government’s healthy eating dietary resources are not well accepted and are underutilised among this population. Thus, this study explored perceptions, beliefs, knowledge, and practices around dietary intake among communities with African and South Asian ethnicity residing in Medway, England.MethodsThis qualitative study generated data from 18 adults aged 18 and above using a semi-structured interview guide. These participants were sampled using purposive and convenience sampling strategies. All the interviews were conducted in English over the telephone, and responses were thematically analysed.ResultsSix overarching themes were generated from the interview transcripts: eating patterns, social and cultural factors, food preferences and routines, accessibility and availability, health and healthy eating, and perceptions about the United Kingdom government’s healthy eating resources.ConclusionThe results of this study indicate that strategies to improve access to healthy foods are required to improve healthy dietary practices among the study population. Such strategies could help address this group’s structural and individual barriers to healthy dietary practices. In addition, developing a culturally responsive eating guide could also enhance the acceptability and utilisation of such resources among communities with ethnic diversity in England.