Counties Of England Research Articles

Uptake of childhood influenza vaccine from 2012–2013 to 2014–2015 in the UK and the implications for high-risk children: a retrospective observational cohort study

ObjectivesTo evaluate changes in influenza vaccination rates in healthy and at-risk children following the implementation of the UK's childhood influenza immunisation programme.DesignObservational cohort study before and after initiation of the...

Explaining social class inequalities in educational achievement in the UK: quantifying the contribution of social class differences in school ‘effectiveness’

There are large social class inequalities in educational achievement in the UK. This paper quantifies the contribution of one mechanism to the production of these inequalities: social class differences in school ‘effectiveness’, where ‘effectiveness’ refers to a school’s impact on pupils’ educational achievement (relative to other schools). It builds on the small number of existing studies, whilst overcoming a number of their limitations. It estimates the effectiveness of the (state) schools attended between ages 7/8 and 10/11 by a cohort of children born in the 1990s in Avon, a former county of England, and then compares the effectiveness of the schools attended by children from different social classes. It finds that ‘higher’ social class children attend more effective schools, on average, and that these social class differences in average school effectiveness between ages 7/8 and 10/11 account for 7% of social class differences in average educational achievement age 10/11. This is not a causal analysis, however.

The genus Conyza in Britain and a name for the hybrid between Erigeron acris and Conyza floribunda (Asteraceae)

The species of Conyza (Asteraceae) and their hybrids are briefly reviewed. A binomial name (x Conyzigeron stanleyi) is given for the hybrid between Erigeron acris L. and Conyza floribunda Kunth (including C. bilbaoana J. Rémy). The alien C. floribunda from South America has spread rapidly across Britain and Ireland since its initial records in 1992, and is now a common sight particularly in urban ruderal situations. Its hybrid with E. acris has now been found both in Ireland and several southern counties in England and is very likely to be found in further locations where both parents grow together.

Large-scale structure of brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) populations in England: effects on rodenticide resistance.

The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a relatively recent (<300 years) addition to the British fauna, but by association with negative impacts on public health, animal health and agriculture, it is regarded as one of the most important vertebrate pest species. Anticoagulant rodenticides were introduced for brown rat control in the 1950s and are widely used for rat control in the UK, but long-standing resistance has been linked to control failures in some regions. One thus far ignored aspect of resistance biology is the population structure of the brown rat. This paper investigates the role population structure has on the development of anticoagulant resistance. Using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA, we examined 186 individuals (from 15 counties in England and one location in Wales near the Wales–England border) to investigate the population structure of rural brown rat populations. We also examined individual rats for variations of the VKORC1 gene previously associated with resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides. We show that the populations were structured to some degree, but that this was only apparent in the microsatellite data and not the mtDNA data. We discuss various reasons why this is the case. We show that the population as a whole appears not to be at equilibrium. The relative lack of diversity in the mtDNA sequences examined can be explained by founder effects and a subsequent spatial expansion of a species introduced to the UK relatively recently. We found there was a geographical distribution of resistance mutations, and relatively low rate of gene flow between populations, which has implications for the development and management of anticoagulant resistance.

Roots of the Industrial Revolution

We analyze factors explaining the very different patterns of industrialization across the 42 counties of England between 1760 and 1830. Against the widespread view that high wages and cheap coal drove industrialization, we find that industrialization was restricted to low wage areas, while energy availability (coal or water) had little impact Instead we find that industrialization can largely be explained by two factors related to the human capability of the labour force. Instead of being composed of landless labourers, successful industrializers had large numbers of small farms, which are associated with better nutrition and height. Secondly, industrializing counties had a high density of population relative to agricultural land, indicating extensive rural industrial activity: counties that were already reliant on small scale industry, with the technical and entrepreneurial skills this generated, experienced the strongest industrial growth. Looking at 1830s France we find that the strongest predictor of industrialization again is quality of workers shown by height of the population, although market access and availability of water power were also important.

Seroprevalence of Schmallenberg virus in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland: 2011–2013

Since its identification in late 2011, Schmallenberg virus (SBV) spread rapidly across Europe. Using archived samples from domestic ruminants collected between October 2011 and June 2013, the seroprevalence in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (IE) was estimated using a serum neutralisation test. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in seroprevalence between sheep and cows suggesting that neither species is significantly more at risk of SBV infection in the UK. A single 2011 sample tested positive; the sample was taken in November from a cow in Wiltshire. There was a steady increase in overall seroprevalence during the first three quarters of 2012, which then more than doubled in quarter 4 (October–December), which may reflect a peak of vector activity. By the end of June 2013, overall seroprevalence was around 72%. However, although seroprevalence was over 50% in Wales and southern and central counties of England, it was below 50% in all other areas of the UK and IE. This suggests that there were still substantial numbers of animals at risk of infection in the latter half of 2013.

Socioeconomic Deprivation Independently Predicts Painful Diabetic Neuropathy in Type 2 Diabetes

Painful peripheral neuropathy in people with type 2 diabetes is a disabling complication. We explored associations of this condition with socioeconomic deprivation. The Townsend index of socioeconomic deprivation was examined in the pseudonymised GP records of 15388 (44.1% female) individuals with type 2 diabetes in the Cheshire county of England, and related to prevalence of drug treated painful diabetic neuropathy. We also analysed prescription trends with respect to pharmacotherapy for neuropathy pain relief. Treatment for neuropathic pain was initiated in 3 266 (21.2%) of patients. Those on treatment were older [68.2 (95% CI 67.8-68.7) vs. 66.6 (66.4-66.8) years] than those not on treatment. There was no difference in HbA1c (7%, 55 mmol/mol).There were significant differences between the groups for the Townsend deprivation index, with a greater proportion (30.6% vs. 22.8% of patients with treated neuropathic pain) having a score of ≥1 (Χ(2)=83.9, p<0.0001).Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that each unit increment in the Townsend index was associated with an 6% increased odds of requiring neuropathic pain treatment [odds ratio (95%CI) 1.06 (1.05-1.08), p<0.0001] independent of 5 year age band, BMI, gender, systolic BP, eGFR, HbA1C and total cholesterol. In this study using pseudonymised clinical records, a higher level of socioeconomic deprivation seemingly may predispose to severe neuropathic pain in diabetes requiring pharmacological intervention. Targeted allocation of healthcare resources to this group may offer clinical benefits.

Playing by the Rules: A Developmentally Appropriate Introduction to Rugby Union

The current study examined the effect of rules changes on game behaviours and opinions of under-nine rugby union players. Eighty-nine games were filmed in five counties in England; two governed by the then current rules and three governed by new pilot rules. The pilot rules were designed to create a less structured game; reducing numbers on the pitch and limiting set pieces and specialised skills. Games played under the pilot rules had 25% more ball-in-play time; 55% more runs with the ball; more than twice as many successful passes; and nearly twice as many tries scored ( ps &lt; .001). 272 players participated in a survey. Irrespective of the rules, players identified that passing, running and tackling were key activities, while having fun and playing with friends were their main reasons for playing rugby. The results suggest that the pilot rules create a competitive game that closely matches child-led informal activities.

Brendan Smith. Crisis and Survival in Late Medieval Ireland: The English of Louth and their Neighbours, 1330–1450.

Brendan Smith's central tenet in this book is that the English in Ireland were part of a larger English world. In doing so, he acknowledges an intellectual debt to the pioneering work of Robin Frame, whose work emphasized that Englishness did not end at the frontiers of England. What distinguishes Smith's work, though, are his chosen methods. Smith focuses on the English of Louth, a region in Ireland possessing both a coast and a deeper hinterland. Louth, through its ports, was an integral part of the medieval English maritime empire, in contrast to towns such as Ardee and Kells, which were located in the marches and exposed to the great Irish princely families of south Ulster. While Smith's approach is avowedly regional, his is also a study of English nobility, drawing upon the earlier work of K. B. McFarlane and Robert Rees Davies. Smith advocates that the history of medieval Ireland is very different when viewed through the prism of a regional case study, challenging old interpretations. Fortunately for Smith, the surviving medieval source material relating to the English of Louth is relatively plentiful in comparison to other parts of Ireland, although Smith freely admits that there are gaps in comparison to those available for the counties of England. Even so, he marshals the evidence with skill to set forth a convincing case for the Englishness of the Louth colony, drawing upon family deeds and charters relating to land and marriage, church records detailing Louth's holdings, as well as the surviving revenue records and parliamentary proceedings of the colony. In turn, he blends this mix with Irish annalistic sources, depicting the settlers at war with the Irish.

A ‘Suitable Person’: an ‘insider’ perspective

Accessible Summary The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how ‘insider’ research can make an effective contribution to policy debates. It draws on a study which looked at the experiences of twelve parents in England who manage a Direct Payment for an adult child who has a learning disability and complex support needs. This article matters to people with learning disabilities because it reveals some of the challenges faced by some parents who are managing Direct Payments on their behalf. SummaryThis article draws on a doctoral study carried out across seven counties in England which focused on twelve parents’ experiences of carrying out the role of a ‘suitable person’ (‘SP’) by managing a direct payment for an adult child (living in her/his own home) who has severe learning disabilities, autism and very complex support needs. Evidence came from naturally occurring qualitative data using (auto) ethnography. The research exposed how vital these parents’ expertise and skills are to their adult children, but also how they themselves are being used within the care system. This article considers whether research has greater impact if a researcher who has direct experience of the research problem has conducted it. It argues that ‘insider’ research can uncover a unique perspective of some of the issues that directly affect the lives of ‘SP’. In terms of ‘impact’, how seriously such research is taken, especially if the findings run counter to much of the existing literature, as it did in this study, remains to be seen.

A reply to ‘A meta-database of Holocene sediment cores for England: missing data’ (Tooley 2015)

We welcome the response of Tooley (2015) to our article describing a new meta-database of Holocene sediment cores for England. In our article we describe the online publication of this meta-database, arising from systematic meta-search. We define its scope and the meta-data it contains, before providing the data themselves (in the Electronic Supplementary Material online). We note that Prof. Tooley describes the idea of such a database as important and valuable, and we welcome the constructive approach he adopts throughout his article. Tooley highlights that the meta-database can be enhanced by the inclusion of a number of studies of the Coastal Lowlands, highlighting gaps in the Lancashire and Hartlepool Bay areas in particular. While it is undoubtedly true that these studies were omitted, they tend to document boreholes which have shown Holocene sediments, rather than boreholes subject to the analysis of least one palaeoecological proxy, as per our inclusion criterion. For example, based on the information M.J. Tooley provides, we estimate that 17 such analyses from Lancashire would have satisfied this criterion. It is certainly clear that these omissions are genuine, and we would agree that they add to the pool of sites already described in the meta-database. Because of the constraints of systematic search however, it could also be the case that omissions exist outside these areas, and in the original text we highlighted that: ‘‘the resulting meta-database is by no means exhaustive and we would expect further additions to be made in due course’’. We therefore welcome this addition and would similarly do so for others highlighted to the author team. We would however contest the suggestion that ‘much’ of the published data have been overlooked from improper searching. Tooley implores a greater level of focus at the county level; we would only encourage consideration of the attendant effects of his proposed strategy on search volume (the modern counties of England would generate an 84 fold increase to our list of

Exploring the opportunities for food and drink purchasing and consumption by teenagers during their journeys between home and school: a feasibility study using a novel method.

To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of using wearable cameras as a method to capture the opportunities for food and drink purchasing/consumption that young people encounter on their regular journeys to and from school. A qualitative study using multiple data-collection methods including wearable cameras, global positioning system units, individual interviews, food and drink purchase and consumption diaries completed by participants over four days, and an audit of food outlets located within an 800 m Euclidean buffer zone around each school. A community setting. Twenty-two students (fourteen girls and eight boys) aged 13-15 years recruited from four secondary schools in two counties of England. Wearable cameras offered a feasible and acceptable method for collecting food purchase and consumption data when used alongside traditional methods of data collection in a small number of teenagers. We found evidence of participants making deliberate choices about whether or not to purchase/consume food and drink on their journeys. These choices were influenced by priorities over money, friends, journey length, travel mode and ease of access to opportunities for purchase/consumption. Most food and drink items were purchased/consumed within an 800 m Euclidean buffer around school, with items commonly selected being high in energy, fat and sugar. Wearable camera images combined with interviews helped identify unreported items and misreporting errors. Wearable camera images prompt detailed discussion and generate contextually specific information which could offer new insights and understanding around eating behaviour patterns. The feasibility of scaling up the use of these methods requires further empirical work.

The status of assistant practitioners in the NHS

This article documents the findings of a stakeholder consultation to explore the perceptions of senior managers on the impact of the assistant practitioner role, scope for further implementation, and to determine the perceived barriers to assistant practitioner use in the workforce. Interviews with directors of nursing or their nominated alternates were undertaken in sixteen provider organisations in two counties in England. Five main themes were identified: identifying and locating the assistant practitioner; implementation of the assistant practitioner role, challenges to implementing the role, education and training, regulation and registration. Organisations whose leaders are committed to implementing the assistant practitioner role and have expertise in leading change will have most success with the implementation and impact of the assistant practitioner role on service delivery. Implications for nursing management: The introduction of the assistant practitioner role within the workforce needs to be undertaken by an organisational wide implementation strategy where the potential contribution of the assistant practitioner within the workforce is clearly identified and valued.

EXTRALINGUISTIC FACTORS OF CUMBRIA OICONYMY FORMATION OF THE XV-XVII CENTURIES

The paper is devoted to the oiconymy formation pro-cesses of Cumbria, the north-west county of England. Oiconym is a place-name of any kind of settlement: a city, a town, a village, etc. The study of oiconyms has great importance as the oiconyms show an inconceivable survivability in the course of historical development and they have an inherent characteristic of keeping the relict information fixed in the appellatives of oiconymic ety-mons, which is lost in other strata of the vocabulary. Cumbria settlement names formation is analyzed on two levels: linguistic and extralinguistic ones. This article highlights an extralinguistic level of Cumbria oiconymy formation of the XV-XVII centuries.

The winter storms of 2013/2014 in the UK: hydrological responses and impacts

This paper outlines the hydrological aspects of the 2013/2014 winter flooding in the UK, as well as the impacts. The episode is considered in a long-term historical context and wider issues raised by the flood events are discussed briefly.

Exploring the relationship between crime and place in the countryside

Despite the plethora of research on crime and rurality, relatively little has been written about location in terms of the offender or the victim. This is all the more surprising, given that wider criminological theories, such as routine activity theory, address how and why perpetrators and their victims are drawn to the crime locale, and perceptions of an endangered countryside often assign responsibility to outsider offenders. This contribution draws on the writer's work, between 2002 and 2005, in carrying out the Cornwall Crime Surveys (CCSs) in one rural county of England, to develop an exploratory model of crime and place in the countryside. In terms of both offender and victim, it is argued that location can be viewed in two ways: firstly, the status of offenders and victims in the area; secondly, their reasons for being at the crime scene. Thus victims' status in the area can be described according to whether they are: long term residents; recent arrivals; second home owners; temporary residents, e.g. seasonal workers; or visitors, e.g. holidaymakers or there on business. While their reasons for being at the crime scene may be because it is their home, workplace or a leisure facility. Similarly, offenders' status in the area can be described according to whether they are: long term residents; recent arrivals; temporary residents, e.g. seasonal workers; visitors, e.g. holidaymakers; travelling criminals; or commuter criminals. And their reasons for being at the crime scene may be because it is their home, workplace, or leisure facility, or a location specifically targeted.This model adds to our understanding of where and why offences are committed in rural areas, fear of crime, and what crime reduction measures might be most effective.

The Counties of England: a nineteenth-century geographical game to amuse and instruct

This study examines a Victorian geographical card game entitled The Counties of England published by Jaques & Son. Advertised as highly instructive and educational, it was designed to teach children about the principal towns in each county, their products and notable buildings. The aims of the study were to discover whether the information printed on the cards accurately reflected the towns’ main features and if the number of cards allocated to each county was representative of its population size. The study found that many towns included in the first edition of the game were accurately represented, but later issues, despite some modification, carried somewhat outdated information. Counties with large populations were also generally allotted more cards. Several factors were identified as possibly influencing which towns were selected and how they were presented, including tourist appeal, the card designer’s interests and knowledge and the rules and conventions of the game.

THE VICTORIA COUNTY HISTORY IN YORKSHIRE: THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

The Victoria History of the Counties of England, known conventionally from the beginning as the VCH, was founded in 1899 as part of the expanding publishing empire of Archibald Constable & Company,...

An audit of neonatal and infant hepatitis B immunisation and serological testing in two counties of England, 2007-12.

We audited adherence to national hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunisation policy for neonates and infants born to HBV positive mothers in two counties of England during 2007/08 to 2011/12 (n=112 in County X, n=190 in County Y). Over the five year period, 29.9% of at risk neonates in County X and 23.5% in County Y required hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) at birth. The annual median age of HBIG administration was 0.0-0.5 days. The annual median coverage and timeliness of the first (coverage range 92.3-100.0%; age of administration range 0.0-0.0 days), second (83.8-100.0%; 32.0-42.0 days), third (81.1-100.0%; 62.0-81.0 days) and fourth dose HBV immunisations (44.4-91.9%; 378.0-443.0 days) and serological testing (8.6-81.0%; 450.0-707.0 days) were calculated. Statistically significant variation was found in the coverage of third and fourth dose immunisations in County Y, age of fourth dose immunisation in County X, and the coverage and timeliness of serological testing in both counties (p < 0.05). HBIG and the first three HBV immunisations were commonly administered according to the national schedule. Fourth dose immunisations and serological tests showed poor adherence. We advocate public health interventions to improve immunisation programme outcomes and hepatitis B surface antigen testing.

Progress towards Healthy Ageing in Europe: to promote active healthy lifestyles in 45-68 year olds through workplace, rather than traditional health-related settings

Purpose – Progress towards Healthy Ageing in Europe has been a two-year European funded project led by Suffolk County Council Public Health and involving five European Union (EU) member nations. The purpose of this paper is to share the learning from the project as it relates to early preventative activity to promote healthy active ageing. The population of interest are those people in the mid-life age group of 45-68 years accessed via the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative research applying an online Health Manager tool and focus group discussions. Transnational work to learn from other EU countries about approaches to promote healthy active ageing. Findings – A comprehensive account of all project findings is available via the following web site: www.progresshealthyageing.eu This paper outlines the findings from the UK regional activity of the application of an online Health Manager™ tool to employees from Suffolk in the 45-68 year age group. Research limitations/implications – The research limitations related to smaller cohorts (ca. 1,000 participants) as opposed to large-scale surveys. The phenomenon of the “healthy worker effect” (Shah, 2009), may be a limitation as the population of interest in this age group were mainly employed and in paid employment. The healthy worker effect implies that those who are employed are already “healthier” due to being employed. The further limitation of the timescale for the intervention and project funding as a resource limitation precludes longer term follow-up and evidence collection to find out if behaviour change in participants has been sustained over time. Social implications – The findings of the EU Project have contributed towards the Europe 2020 Strategy. Locally the findings from the project have supported Suffolk County Council's ambition to be the most active county in England. The findings have added momentum to local workplace health initiatives by providing a focus for the needs of the older workforce. Learning from the Project has also informed development of the Suffolk Workplace Challenge. Originality/value – This paper provides a review on a European project, Progress towards Healthy Ageing in Europe.