Membership Surveys Research Articles

Deterrent or Stimulus? How Perceived Societal Stigma Affects Participation in Populist Radical Right Parties

While the effects of political stigma on populist radical right parties have been extensively investigated, we know little about the impact of societal stigma on populist radical right sympathisers. To examine this, I focus on a key group of populist radical right supporters, party members, and ask: How does perceived societal stigma affect the participation of populist radical right party members? Drawing on stigma research from social psychology and sociology, I develop the following three hypotheses: that stigma will work as a deterrent, as a stimulus, or that it will depend on where populist radical right rank-and-file live. I test these on the League in Italy and the Sweden Democrats, using original membership surveys of over 7800 grassroots members and interviews with 56 of them. The survey shows that perceived societal stigma has a consistent negative correlation with members’ participation. Furthermore, the interviews reveal that this negative relationship is due to stigma deterring participation, rather than participation reducing stigma.

Members’ experiences and perceptions of participating in an Australian Regional One Health Network

BackgroundThe One Health framework is intended to optimise the interdependent health of humans, animals and ecosystems. It relies on effective collaborations across disciplines, sectors and communities. One Health networks have become increasingly important platforms for encouraging, creating and supporting collaborations. Their success is usually judged by evaluations of their outputs. However, there is also a need to understand member experiences and perceptions of the networks in which they participate. To that end, we undertook the first membership survey of a One Health network that was established in Australia in 2005.MethodsAn online membership survey was created, comprising closed and open-ended questions.ResultsAround one third of the Regional One Health Partnership (‘the Network’) participated in the study (33 members). Participants contributed a combined total of 170 years of experience in the Network and 414 years of combined experience working in/on One Health. The Network has provided excellent opportunities for cross sectoral collaboration that would otherwise not have been possible. Findings also highlighted the intangible benefits of membership such as the creation of a collaborative support group for emerging and established One Health practitioners.ConclusionsThe Network plays an important role in One Health collaborations in New South Wales and further afield. Commensurate with the literature on One Health collaborations globally, we identified a need for greater diversity amongst members, especially from First Nations people, local communities, non-government organisations and wildlife/environment experts, as well as concerted attempts to identify policy implications. Our membership survey tool could be adapted for future One Health Network membership surveys in Australia and internationally.

Current pressure on the UK imaging workforce deters imaging research in the NHS and requires urgent attention

Medical imaging is a multidisciplinary specialty, combining clinical expertise from medical physics, radiography, and radiology, and plays a key role in patient care. Research is vital to ensure the care delivered to patients is evidence-based, and is a core component of clinical governance; however, there are pressures on the imaging workforce, which are significantly impeding imaging research. This commentary presents a research gap analysis pertaining to the multidisciplinary imaging workforce on behalf of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imaging Workforce Group. Data were summarised from membership surveys of the Royal College of Radiologists, Society and College of Radiographers, and Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine; national reports; and feedback from NIHR Clinical Research Network Imaging Champions meeting in 2020/2021. Common barriers to delivering research were found across the multidisciplinary workforce. The key issues were lack of staff, lack of time, and lack of funding to backfill clinical services. Given the ongoing workforce shortages and increasing clinical demands on radiologists, diagnostic radiographers, and medical physicists, these issues must be tackled with a high priority to ensure the future of clinical research within the NHS.

Dissemination of an evidence-based behavioral intervention to alleviate distress in caregivers of children recently diagnosed with cancer: Bright IDEAS.

Four multisite randomized clinical trials of>1400 caregivers of children newly diagnosed with cancer showed that the Bright IDEAS (BI) paradigm of problem-solving skills training is an acceptable and efficacious approach to alleviating the high levels of distress they experience. To facilitate providing evidence-based caregiver support as recommended in the pediatric oncology standards of care, the project described here was designed to disseminate BI to 200 psychosocial professionals. We partnered with the Children's Oncology Group (COG), Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers (APOSW), Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON), and special interest group in pediatric hematology/oncology of the Society for Pediatric Psychology (SPP). Membership surveys revealed substantial enthusiasm for training in BI. We structured training to include review of the evidence base for BI, role plays, and strategies for implementation at individual sites. Four conference calls designed to enhance implementation were held one, two, three, and five months after training. Ten 1.5-day workshops were held in conjunction with annual meetings of COG, APOSW, APHON, and SPP. A total of 209 psychosocial clinicians from 134 sites were trained. Evaluations were highly favorable. Trainees had provided BI to 545 individuals as of the last conference call. Initial dissemination goals were met. BI is now available at numerous pediatric oncology centers, but it has not become part of routine care. Future work focused on implementation might consider top-down approaches that include direct communication with pediatric oncologists and hospital leaders about the benefits of incorporating this evidence-based intervention systemically.

Application of the IPA definition of agitation in cognitive disorders in clinical trials

AbstractBackgroundIn 2015, the IPA published provisional criteria for Agitation in Cognitive Disorders. The criteria have since been extensively applied in clinical research and clinical trials. We review the impact of these criteria and the implications of their common use.MethodThe IPA criteria for Agitation in Cognitive Disorders were developed through an extensive process involving multiple stakeholders with two membership surveys, an in‐person meeting of international experts, and an iterative process of criteria and manuscript development. We reviewed the application of the IPA criteria in clinical trials since 2015 through interrogation of the clinicaltrials.gov registry.ResultsThere have been 21 clinical trials for agitation in Alzheimer’s diseases conducted since 2015, out of those, IPA criteria have been used as inclusion criteria in 11 trials, the other 10 trials did not identify the IPA criteria as the explicit entry criteria. There is trend for trials planned more recently to use the criteria (6 of 9 trials registered since 2018). The criteria have been used in clinical trials with agents of a variety of mechanisms of action: 7 different mechanisms are represented in the trials using the criteria.ConclusionsThe 2015 IPA provisional criteria for Agitation in Cognitive Disorder are widely used. They have been implemented as inclusion criteria in a majority of agitation trials conducted since their introduction. A variety of pharmacologic mechanisms are represented in the trials using the criteria; the criteria facilitated comparing efficacy across multiple agents. The convergent and concurrent validity demonstrated for the criteria support removal of “provisional” from the criteria.

Development of AGA’s Policy Agenda During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Development of AGA’s Policy Agenda During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Leadership Legitimacy

Leadership Legitimacy

Does social media enhance party responsiveness? How user engagement shapes parties’ issue attention on Facebook

Representative democracy presents politicians with an information problem: How to find out what voters want? While party elites used to rely on their membership or mass surveys, social media enables them to learn about voters’ issue priorities in real time and adapt their campaign messages accordingly. Yet, we know next to nothing about how campaigns make use of these new possibilities. To narrow this gap, we use a unique data set covering every Facebook post by party leaders and party organizations in the run-up to the 2017 Austrian parliamentary election. We test the hypothesis that party actors are more likely to double down on issues that have previously generated higher levels of user engagement. We also theorize that responsiveness is conditional on major/minor party status and pre-campaign issue salience. The analysis shows that parties’ issue strategies respond to user engagement, especially major parties on low-salience issues. This represents some of the first empirical evidence on how social media can enhance parties’ issue responsiveness.

The Cure SMA Membership Surveys: Highlights of Key Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Individuals with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Background:Cure SMA maintains the largest patient-reported database for people affected with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In 2017, Cure SMA initiated annual surveys with their membership to collect demographic and disease characteristics, healthcare, and burden of disease information from patients and caregivers.Objective:To summarize results from two large-scale Cure SMA surveys in 2017 and 2018.Methods:Cure SMA database members were invited to complete surveys; these were completed by caregivers for living or deceased individuals with SMA and/or affected adults.Results:In 2017, 726 surveys were completed for 695 individuals with SMA; in 2018, 796 surveys were completed for 760 individuals with SMA. Data from both survey years are available for 313 affected individuals. Age at symptom onset, distribution of SMN2 gene copy number, and representation of each SMA type in the surveys were consistent with that expected in the SMA population. In the 2018 survey, the average age at diagnosis was 5.2 months for SMA type I and the reported mean age at death for this subgroup was 27.8 months. Between survey years, there was consistency in responses for factors that should not change within individuals over time (e.g., reported age at diagnosis).Conclusions:Results from the Cure SMA surveys advance the understanding of SMA and facilitate advocacy efforts and healthcare services planning. Longitudinal surveys are important for evaluating the impact of effective treatments on changing phenotypes, and burden of disease and care in individuals with SMA.

Stakeholder perspectives on raptor conservation and falconry in North America

Global raptor conservation depends on non-governmental conservation organizations (NGCOs) and, fundamentally, members of those organizations. But while NGCOs declare a central mission, their membership may be more varied. This can pose a challenge to a NGCO in terms of developing programs and advocacy that reflects its membership’s preference and likelihood of support. Systematic assessment of members’ preferences and opinions is needed to assure alignment with an organization’s actions. Using the North American Falconers Association (NAFA) as a NGCO case study, members’ preferences and opinions on issues related to raptor conservation were assessed. Results suggest a consensus among participants that conservation should include habitats and species; prairie, sage, and wetland habitats are the most salient habitat issues and perceived declines in native game bird, waterfowl, and small game mammals are the most salient wildlife issues. Tied to these concerns of habitat and species was land access to practice falconry. Overall, results suggest participants prefer organizational resources be used to support prairie habitat and grouse species conservation. For NGCOs, systematic membership surveys can provide substantial insight for decision-making and effective allocation of membership-derived resources. Member surveys also signal an organizations willingness to listen to its constituents and act upon their views and local knowledge to coordinate conservation action.

Joining the party: Incentives and motivations of members and registered sympathizers in contemporary multi-speed membership parties

Many parties have updated their recruitment strategies and offer softer routes for joining their ranks. In some parties, registered sympathizers are given virtually the same rights as traditional members with substantially lower costs. This begs the question, why would somebody take the further step of joining such parties as full members rather than sympathizers? This article analyzes this question by using membership surveys from three left-wing Spanish parties. As such, it explores the usefulness of the general incentives model (GIM) for explaining the decisions of these two groups of affiliates. We find that full members and sympathizers differ in the motives they have to join the party and in their evaluations of the diverse types of incentives included in the GIM. Candidate selection incentives seem particularly important for sympathizers, whereas selective outcome incentives, selective process benefits, collective outcome benefits and altruistic motivations play a more significant role for members.

Venous Thromboembolism in Prader-Willi Syndrome: A Questionnaire Survey.

Prader–Willi Syndrome Association (USA) monitors the ongoing health and welfare of individuals with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) through active communication with members by membership surveys and data registries. Thromboembolism and blood clots have emerged in clinical studies as significant risk factors for injury and death in PWS. A 66-item questionnaire was developed by a panel of PWS medical and scientific experts, with input from Prader–Willi Syndrome Association (USA) leadership, so as to probe their membership on the frequency, risk, and protective factors for venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, and related findings. The characteristics of those with and without a reported history of blood clots and related health factors were tabulated and analyzed. Responses were obtained for 1067 individuals with PWS (554 females and 513 males), and 38 (23 females and 15 males) had a history of blood clots. The individuals with clots did not differ by gender, but were significantly older 32.8 ± 15 years vs 20.4 ± 13 years, and were more likely to have a reported history of obesity (76%), edema (59%), hypertension (24%), vasculitis (33%), and family history of blood clots (33%) than those without clots. Growth hormone treatment was more common in individuals without clots. The risk factors for thromboembolism in PWS overlap those commonly observed for the general population.

Recruiting and Retaining Members in Agricultural Organizations

Many organizations struggle with recruiting new members and retaining current members. The UF/IFAS PIE Center conducted membership surveys of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and Florida CattleWomen to aid both groups in their membership efforts. This 3-page document discusses common membership barriers and practices in order to help agricultural organizations be better equipped to attract new members and keep current ones. Written by Ricky Telg and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc300

Participation, representation, and shared experiences of women scholars in biological anthropology.

American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) membership surveys from 1996 and 1998 revealed significant gender disparities in academic status. A 2014 follow-up survey showed that gender equality had improved, particularly with respect to the number of women in tenure-stream positions. However, although women comprised 70% of AAPA membership at that time, the percentage of women full professors remained low. Here, we continue to consider the status of women in biological anthropology by examining the representation of women through a quantitative analysis of their participation in annual meetings of the AAPA during the past 20 years. We also review the programmatic goals of the AAPA Committee on Diversity Women's Initiative (COD-WIN) and provide survey results of women who participated in COD-WIN professional development workshops. Finally, we examine the diversity of women's career paths through the personal narratives of 14 women biological anthropologists spanning all ranks from graduate student to Professor Emeritus. We find that over the past 20 years, the percentage of women first authors of invited symposia talks has increased, particularly in the sub-disciplines of bioarchaeology, genetics, and paleoanthropology. The percentage of women first authors on contributed talks and posters has also increased. However, these observed increases are still lower than expected given the percentage of graduate student women and women at the rank of assistant and associate professor. The personal narratives highlight first-hand the impact of mentoring on career trajectory, the challenges of achieving work-life satisfaction, and resilience in the face of the unexpected. We end with some suggestions for how to continue to improve equality and equity for women in biological anthropology.

The 2016 Survey of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry.

The members of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP) had been last surveyed in 2010 to identify trends in medical student education in psychiatry, teaching methods, academic productivity, and administrative issues. With increasing requirements, ADMSEP members were surveyed in 2016 to characterize current expectations for and needs of medical student educators in psychiatry. A 53-item survey was sent to members of ADMSEP (n=260) and to clerkship directors nationwide. The current survey expanded past surveys with questions about current issues in medical education. Questions included categorical and scaled items (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). All ADMSEP members were invited to complete the survey, but half of the questions were for those who identified as clerkship directors. The survey was sent electronically with two reminders. The survey had a response rate of 42.7%. Half identified themselves as clerkship directors (49.5%), with an average of 6years as both a clerkship director and member of ADMSEP. Respondents noted that being involved in education (mean 4.1) and ADMSEP (mean 4.2) were a benefit to their career, and also reported that they had adequate access to faculty resources. Respondents also reported concerns with access to educational research consultants and personnel management. Results of the 2016 ADMSEP survey echoed previous membership surveys. However, training in personnel management, diminishing faculty resources, and compensation for education time emerged in this survey. Conducting a membership survey continues to provide beneficial information regarding the administration and education that occurs within psychiatry clerkship. Additionally, topics meriting further details have been identified that will be investigated in future membership surveys.

Gewerkschaftliche Mitgliederpolitik: Schlüssel für eine starke Sozialpartnerschaft

German trade unions have suffered for decades from declining membership, representation gaps and problems enforcing strong collective bargaining. The article analyses the pattern of union membership in an international comparison and discusses new approaches towards trade union membership policies. It thereby focuses on systematic approaches of organising strategies in the metal sector and the increasing use of membership surveys in order to establish members’ preferences and strengthen the legitimacy of trade union strategies in collective bargaining.

The Growth of Hospitalists and the Future of the Society of General Internal Medicine: Results from the 2014 Membership Survey.

According to the most recent annual membership surveys, hospitalists are a rapidly growing component of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM). Should this trend continue, hospitalists could increase from 22% of SGIM membership in 2014 to nearly 33% by 2020. Only 34% of hospitalists who responded to the survey, however, consider SGIM their academic home, compared to 54% of non-hospitalist respondents. Based on these survey findings, it is clear that the landscape of general internal medicine is changing with the growth of hospitalists, and SGIM will need to strategize to keep these hospitalist members actively engaged in the organization.

BANYAN. IX. The Initial Mass Function and Planetary-mass Object Space Density of the TW HYA Association

AbstractA determination of the initial mass function (IMF) of the current, incomplete census of the 10 Myr-old TW Hya association (TWA) is presented. This census is built from a literature compilation supplemented with new spectra and 17 new radial velocities from ongoing membership surveys, as well as a reanalysis ofHipparcosdata that confirmed HR 4334 (A2 Vn) as a member. Although the dominant uncertainty in the IMF remains census incompleteness, a detailed statistical treatment is carried out to make the IMF determination independent of binning while accounting for small number statistics. The currently known high-likelihood members are fitted by a log-normal distribution with a central mass ofM⊙and a characteristic width ofdex in the 12MJup–2M⊙range, whereas a Salpeter power law withbest describes the IMF slope in the 0.1–2M⊙range. This characteristic width is higher than other young associations, which may be due to incompleteness in the current census of low-mass TWA stars. A tentative overpopulation of isolated planetary-mass members similar to 2MASS J11472421–2040204 and 2MASS J11193254–1137466 is identified: this indicates that there might be as many assimilar members of TWA with hot-start model-dependent masses estimated at ∼5–7MJup, most of which would be too faint to be detected in 2MASS. Our new radial velocity measurements corroborate the membership of 2MASS J11472421–2040204, and secure TWA 28 (M8.5γ), TWA 29 (M9.5γ), and TWA 33 (M4.5 e) as members. The discovery of 2MASS J09553336–0208403, a young L7-type interloper unrelated to TWA, is also presented.

Membership, belonging, and identity in the twenty-first century: figure 1

This article takes a case study approach to exploring membership, belonging, and identity amongst English language teachers in the twenty-first century. It explores findings from two membership surveys conducted for the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL), and considers the impact of recommendations emerging from the first survey which were implemented to enable members to engage more fully in the organization. The article shows that a combination of reaching out to the broader community of teachers (using increasingly widespread digital technologies), combined with supporting targeted local actions, not only better enables teacher associations to achieve their mission to serve all their members, but also takes into account the changing nature of belonging and identity of ELT teachers, enabling them to become more engaged and have a stronger voice in the ELT community as a whole.

How Representative are AMS Membership Surveys?

Statistics regarding the fractional participation of women in meteorology/atmospheric sciences gathered by the AMS are quite similar to those based on annual National Science Foundation (NSF) surveys. The absolute numbers in the biennial AMS/UCAR survey of academic departments for the Curricula series ceased being useful by around 2005, when many departments stopped participating fully, but numbers from less-frequent direct AMS membership surveys have been increasing. Despite the limitations of the AMS data, the NSF statistics confirm conclusions from an earlier analysis of AMS data. Both numbers and percentages are required to tell the evolving story of the atmospheric sciences' “pipeline.” Furthermore, after correction of an error regarding the AMS statistics in our 2010 paper, both NSF and AMS data show the same increase in the proportion of women graduate students in the field over the last four decades, as well as an apparent leveling off at approximately one-third.