Strong Negative Attitudes Research Articles

Public opinions about human enhancement can enhance the expert-only debate: A review study.

Human enhancement, the non-medical use of biomedical technologies to improve the human body or performance beyond their 'natural' limitations, is a growing trend. At the same time, the use of these technologies has societal consequences. In societal debates about human enhancement, however, it is mainly the voices of experts that are being heard, and little is known about the public's understanding of human enhancement. The views of the public can give valuable insights, and can, in turn, supplement experts' voices in political decision-making as has been argued before for other emerging technologies. This study presents a systematic literature review of current public perceptions and attitudes towards technologies for human enhancement. Results show that the public's view has not been assessed often. Studies originate mainly from western-oriented countries and cover a broad range of enhancement technologies. In the studies, the majority of respondents hold moderate to strong negative attitudes towards enhancement technologies for non-medical applications, although the type of technology influences these opinions. The study provides an overview of what is known about citizens' attitudes towards technologies for human enhancement.

Illness Attitudes Associated with Seasonal Depressive Symptoms: An Examination Using a Newly Developed Implicit Measure.

The Dual Vulnerability Model of seasonal depression posits that seasonal vegetative symptoms are due to a physiological vulnerability, but cognitive and mood symptoms are the result of negative appraisal of vegetative changes. In addition, rumination may be associated with stronger negative attitudes toward vegetative symptoms. This is the first study to examine implicit attitudes toward vegetative symptoms. We hypothesized that illness attitudes about fatigue moderate the relationship between the severity of vegetative symptoms and the severity of cognitive symptoms and that the illness attitudes are associated with rumination. This study also developed an implicit method to assess the appraisal of fatigue as indicating illness. Results supported both hypotheses. Illness attitudes toward fatigue moderated the relationship between vegetative symptoms and cognitive symptoms. Ruminative response style was positively associated with implicit illness attitudes towards fatigue. The study provides support for the role of negative appraisals of vegetative symptoms in the development of cognitive and mood seasonal depressive symptoms.

Knowledge and Attitude of Nurses towards In-vitro Fertilization: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: The use of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is now becoming a popular experience in developing countries. Little or no research has been conducted to ascertain nurses’ knowledge or practices regarding this emerging fertility technology in Nigeria. Objectives: This study determined the knowledge and attitude of nurses regarding IVF. Material and methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, south-east Nigeria. Nurses who worked in various wards and clinics, had at least one year of experience in practice were asked to complete the questionnaires. The wards and clinics in the hospital were contacted and the questionnaires were distributed and collected. Data was collected using pre-tested questionnaires with the 5-point Likert scale. Analysis was done using Epi info 2008 version 3.5.1. Results: Of the 133 questionnaires distributed, 122 (92.4%) were completed and returned. The mean age of the respondents was 35.6 (5.1) years. Of the 122 respondents, 116 (95.1%) have heard of IVF while 6 (4.9%) have not heard of it. Of the 116 respondents who have heard of IVF, 100 (86.2%) correctly knew the definition of IVF. Sixty three (51.6%) nurses have been in practice for more than 5 years while twenty one (17.2%) nurses were single. Statistically significant difference exist between their knowledge of IVF and the marital status and age of nurses (p<0.05). Eighty nine (76.2%) of the 116 respondents believed that IVF gives an infertile couple an opportunity to have children, 20 (17.2%) believed that it could be used to determine the gender of a child, while 8 (9.6%) agreed that IVF could be used to treat genetic disorders. Analysis of their attitude revealed a grand mean score of 2.2 (negative). Conclusions: Majority of the nurses had a good knowledge of IVF but with a strong negative attitude towards its use. IVF training would be a useful step in improving nurses’ attitudes regarding IVF. Key messages: Majority of the nurses had a good knowledge of IVF but with a negative attitude towards its use by single mothers and in sex selection. With the growing demand for IVF services in our environment, nurses should be adequately trained to enable them disseminate appropriate information on IVF to clients.

Do Online Comments Influence the Public's Attitudes Toward an Organization? Effects of Online Comments Based on Individuals’ Prior Attitudes

ABSTRACTThe authors investigated the effects of reading different types of online comments about a company on people's attitude change based on individual's prior attitude toward the company. Based on Social Judgment Theory, several hypotheses were tested. The results showed that the effects of online comments interact with individuals’ prior attitudes toward a corporation. People with a strong negative attitude toward a corporation were less influenced by other's online comments than people with a neutral attitude in general. However, people with a prior negative attitude were more affected by refutational two-sided comments than one-sided comments. The results suggest that the effects of user generated content should be studied in a holistic manner, not only by investigating the effects of online content itself, but also by examining how others’ responses to the content shape or change individuals’ attitudes based on their prior attitudes.

Attitudes towards individuals with disabilities as measured by the Implicit Association Test: A literature review

Research investigating attitudes towards individuals with disabilities has largely focused on self-reported explicit attitudes. Given that factors such as social desirability may influence explicit attitudes, researchers have developed tools which instead assess less consciously controllable implicit attitudes. Considering research on implicit attitudes thus seems pertinent. A review of studies measuring implicit attitudes towards individuals with physical disabilities (visual, motor or hearing) or intellectual disabilities via the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) was carried out. Systematic searches of PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, PUBMED, Scopus and Web of Science databases identified relevant articles published between January 2000 and September 2012. Seventeen articles (reporting on 18 studies that employed the IAT) were identified. These investigated implicit attitudes towards individuals with; physical disabilities (N=13), intellectual disabilities (N=3), both physical and intellectual disabilities (N=1), and 'unspecified disabilities' (N=1). Across all studies, moderate to strong negative implicit attitudes were found and there was little to no association between explicit and implicit attitudes. Individuals' beliefs about the controllability of their future, sensitivity to the concept of disease, and contact with individuals with disabilities appear to be associated with implicit attitudes. A consistent pattern of moderate to strong negative implicit attitudes towards individuals with disabilities was evident. These studies provide a starting point, but methodological issues related to sampling and the employed IATs limit the generalizability of these results. Further research investigating implicit attitudes towards specific disability types, with a wider subject pool are necessary as well as further investigation of factors that contribute to these attitudes.

Public opinion of drug treatment policy: Exploring the public's attitudes, knowledge, experience and willingness to pay for drug treatment strategies

BackgroundResearch evidence is strong for opiate replacement treatment (ORT). However, public opinion (attitudes) can be at odds with evidence. This study explored the relationships between, attitudes, knowledge of drugs and a range of socio-demographic variables that potentially influence attitude. This is relevant in the current policy arena in which a major shift from harm reduction to, rehabilitation is underway. MethodsA cross sectional postal questionnaire survey in Scotland was conducted where the drug, treatment strategy has changed from harm-reduction to recovery-based. A random sample (N=3000), of the general public, >18 years, and on the electoral register was used. The questionnaire was largely structured with tick box format but included two open questions for qualitative responses. Valuation was measured using the economic willingness-to-pay (WTP) method. ResultsThe response rate was 38.1% (1067/2803). Less than 10% had personal experience of drug, misuse but 16.7% had experience of drug misuse via a friend/acquaintance. Regression modelling revealed more positive attitudes towards drug users in those with personal experience of drug misuse, (p<0.001), better knowledge of drugs (p=0.001) and higher income (those earning >£50,000 per, annum compared to <£15K; p=0.01). Over half of respondents were not willing to pay anything for drug treatment indicating they did not value these treatments at all. Respondents were willing-to-pay most for community rehabilitation and least for methadone maintenance treatment. Qualitative analysis of open responses indicated many strong negative attitudes, doubts over the efficacy of methadone and consideration of addiction as self-inflicted. There was ambivalence with respondents weighing up negative feelings towards treatment against societal benefit. ConclusionsThere is a gap between public attitudes and evidence regarding drug treatment. Findings suggest a way forward might be to develop and evaluate treatment that integrates ORT with a community rehabilitative approach. Evaluation of public engagement/education to improve knowledge of drug treatment effectiveness is recommended.

Individual differences in pathogen disgust predict men’s, but not women’s, preferences for facial cues of weight

Previous research suggests that people who score higher on measures of pathogen disgust demonstrate (1) stronger preferences for healthy individuals when assessing their facial attractiveness and (2) stronger negative attitudes about obese individuals. The relationship between pathogen disgust and attractiveness judgments of faces differing in cues of weight has yet to be investigated, however. Here we found that men’s, but not women’s, pathogen disgust was positively correlated with their preference for facial cues of lower weight. Moreover, this effect of pathogen disgust was independent of the possible effects of moral and sexual disgust. These data implicate pathogen disgust in individual differences in preferences for facial cues of weight, at least among men, and suggest that the sex-specific effects of pathogen disgust on preferences for facial cues of weight may be different to those previously reported for general negative attitudes about obese individuals.

A Little Learning Is a Dang’rous Thing

A Little Learning Is a Dang’rous Thing Peter V Paul The title of this editorial is a line taken from Alexander Pope’s Essay on Criticism (Kronenberger, 1948, p. 38), and it is instructive to provide a few more lines from that passage: A little learning is a dang’rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring. There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again. Pope seems to convey the message that there is an intoxication that comes with attempts to understand complex topics at only an initial surface level. To become sober, one needs to clear the debris of the giddiness that accompanies this limited knowledge state and proceed to a deeper, analytical, balanced, comprehensive view. Re-reading, rethinking, re-dialoguing, reading widely, becoming cognizant of divergent positions, and so on can assist this process if individuals are relatively tolerant of ambiguous encounters and disagreeable standpoints. Ironically, the intoxication of which Pope writes might also be due to strong biases, stigmas, or negative attitudes associated with controversial, emotional-laden topics such as—for example, in our field—the value of American Sign Language, the establishment of ASL-English programs, cochlear implants, and speech and hearing practices and services. This intoxication prevents us from delving deeper into the issues and recognizing—albeit, not necessarily endorsing—a panorama of paradigms. In a diverse world, the promotion of and adherence to one comprehensive value system is probably not productive or possible, especially in a pluralistic society such as that which exists in the United States. At best, what we can hope for is a politically liberated position—which might be distasteful but necessary. This point is discussed eloquently by John Rawls in his book Political Liberalism (1993), which was actually a qualification of some of his major ideas in Theory of Justice (1971). (Trust me—both books require a substantial amount of re-reading, re-dialoguing, Tums, etc.) A Little One-Size-Fits-All Can Be a Dang’rous Thing, Too I certainly agree with the comments of Don Moores in his invited essay for this issue that none of what we have attempted so far to improve literacy and meet other educational challenges is a panacea. There might not be or should not be a one-size-fits-all solution. Specifically, there is no single variable or condition that can account predominantly for either the success or failure of the academic or English-language or English-literacy development of all or even most d/Deaf and hard of hearing children and adolescents. In my view, this one-size-fits-all phenomenon is a consequence of not heeding the warning associated with a little learning. Another direction I want to take with Pope’s dictum is to discuss the subsequent influence of the ideas of Helmer Myklebust, who died about 5 years ago (February 26, 2008) and who had been—and probably still is—one polarizing figure in the education of d/Deaf and hard of hearing children and adolescents (see, e.g., Moores, 2001; Paul & Jackson, 1993; Paul & Moores, 2010). Taking a short, superficial, reflective route, it is quite easy to fault Myklebust for his statements that (a) sign language is not a language and (b) there is a psychology of deafness. In addition, his compensatory hypothesis has caused considerable controversy due to its negative connotations (Myklebust, 1964). As should be done with the works of all complex scholars, it is critical to delve deeper and to contextualize Mykle-bust’s hypotheses. In the tenor of his time, Myklebust and others were interested in the effects of disabilities (or conditions—for those of you who do not like the word dis -abilities) on cognitive development. During Myklebust’s era, most linguists and psychologists asserted that a sign language was not a bona fide language similar to a spoken [End Page 3] language (Moores, 2001; Paul & Jackson, 1993; Paul & Moores, 2010). So it must be remembered that Myklebust was using proficiency in a spoken language as a prerequisite for cognitive development. This assertion can now be contested, and needs to be qualified and discussed within, at the least, the framework of sociocultural factors and the...

The prevalence and nature of gambling and problem gambling in South Korea

To establish the current prevalence of gambling and problem gambling in South Korea and to determine the associated demographic and game play patterns. Administration of a gambling survey over the phone to 4,000 randomly selected South Korean adults (19+), supplemented by an online survey of 4,330 members of a South Korean online panel. The past year prevalence of gambling among South Korean adults was 41.8 %. The past year engagement in individual forms of gambling was 36.2 % for lotteries and instant lotteries; 12.0 % for social gambling; 2.3 % for sports betting; 1.5 % for casino gambling; 1.5 % for internet gambling; and 1.1 % for horse, bicycle, or motor boat betting. The past year prevalence of problem gambling was 0.5 %. Logistic regression identified the best predictors of problem gambling to be: having a greater number of gambling fallacies; gambling on the internet; betting on horses, bicycling, or motor boat racing; social gambling; male gender; mental health problems; sports betting; motivation for gambling (gambling to escape); casino gambling; and lower income. The past year prevalence of gambling (41.8 %) and problem gambling (0.5 %) in South Korea is low compared to other countries, especially relative to other Asian jurisdictions. This relatively low prevalence of gambling is likely related to the very strong negative attitudes toward it, the low participation by females, and restricted access. The low prevalence of problem gambling is likely related to the relatively low prevalence of gambling and restricted access to continuous forms of gambling. The variables that are predictive of problem gambling in South Korea are quite similar to those found in other countries with a couple of important differences.

Offshore wind power in Sweden—A qualitative analysis of attitudes with particular focus on opponents

The Swedish Parliament has voted for massive expansion of wind power within the next decade. As in many other countries, the establishment of new wind farms has aroused local opposition. This paper contributes to the literature using a qualitative methodology to analyse attitudes towards wind power. In 2007, we carried out in-depth interviews with 40 stakeholders concerned with two planned near-shore farms in Sweden; despite their location, the wind farms' visual impact provoked strong negative attitudes. However, we found no evidence of the NIMBY-syndrome; rather, those opposing the wind farms question wind power more generally, especially vis-à-vis nuclear power. The analysis of attitudes is based on three components: cognition, feeling and action tendency. The results show high consistency between the feeling and cognitive components of attitudes: a negative feeling regarding landscape impact, for example, is accompanied by a belief that wind power is inefficient and unprofitable. However, in many cases the action tendency component is in dissonance with the other two: opponents remain passive despite being against the establishment of new wind farms. These passive opponents represent elements of uncertainty as they may suddenly, at a late stage, turn into active opponents exerting an effect on the decision process.

Attitudes Toward the Insanity Defense in Capital Cases: (Im)partiality from Witherspoon to Witt

Changes in the death qualification process suggest an increasing probability that jurors in capital cases will reject an insanity defense. The present study of 312 college undergraduates compares demographics and attitudes of death-qualified participants with those of their excludable counterparts, by varying standards for exclusion. When demographics were considered together, only religion predicted bias against the insanity defense, which was higher in those who identified with some form of Christianity. Further, religious fundamentalism, Christian orthodoxy, sociopolitical conservatism, and pro-prosecution bias were associated with stronger negative attitudes against the insanity defense. Results also support the contention that seating a death-qualified jury under either the Witherspoon or Witt standards increases bias against the insanity defense, although the consideration of automatic–death penalty jurors eliminates this effect.

Big boys don't cry: male secondary school students' attitudes to depression.

In an earlier qualitative study we explored the attitudes of young men aged 15-19 (Group A) to mental health and, in particular, to engaging with the various mental health services available. We found that the participants perceived stigma in connection with mental ill health and they displayed particularly strong negative attitudes in relation to both doctors and medication. The investigation was then repeated with students who had been given a short (less than two-hour) programme called 'Beat the Blues' (BTB) about mental health (Group B) in order to assess the effect of that exposure by comparing the attitudes of the two groups of students. This present phase of the analysis is a quantitative examination of the written responses by both Groups A and B to an administered questionnaire. A total of 42 young men took part in eight focus groups held in boys-only Dublin secondary schools, described in Burke et al. A questionnaire, administered to each participant, examined the students' attitudes to depression and mental illness. The results were analysed by computer using SPSS to search for any trends and any contrasts between groups A and B and among the different socio-economic groups (SEGs) within the sample. Almost no statistically significant differences were found between groups A and B. However, some differences were found among the SEGs. In particular, very significant differences (p < 0.01 in each case), were found in attitudes towards depression, with increasing support for statements such as "People with depression just need to snap out of it", "Drinking alcohol can help cure depression" and "Depression is only an excuse for laziness" found among the lower SEGs. A very high percentage of students indicated their desire to talk to someone in times of personal stress; this was almost always their best friend or their mother. However, most students said they would be uncomfortable if a friend raised such a topic. The main conclusion - that a single exposure to a positive programme about depression produces little or no effect - is hardly unexpected. Nonetheless, there are indications of a great willingness among older secondary students to learn about and discuss mental health issues. Furthermore, the highly negative attitudes among students from the lowest socio-economic group in this study would seem to indicate that the greatest need for education about mental health lies with working-class adolescents. Hence, it is recommended that a programme of multiple interventions be introduced into the senior cycle of secondary education.

Can a Suicide Prevention Law decrease the suicide rate in Korea?

The Suicide Prevention Law passed last March will be enacted beginning in April 2012, after the establishment of enforcement regulations. The suicide rate of Korea is 31/100,000, about 3 times the mean of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, and is still going up rapidly. Suicide is the 4th most common cause of death in Korea. As the suicide rate abruptly increased after the mid-1990s, there was little time to prepare effective strategies for suicide prevention, including personnel, programs, and networks. This is also partly due to the strong stigma and negative attitude against suicide and suicide prevention, which has prevented the exploration of the reason for the high suicide rate and recent increase. The Suicide Prevention Law requires comprehensive suicide prevention activities of the central and local governments, and support for those who attempt suicide, victims, and their families. Its successful implementation will be highly dependent on active participation of doctors for screening and prevention of high risk groups, including patients with depression and chronic physical illnesses and those who have psychosomatic symptoms from various stressful life events.

Predictors of Greek students’ attitudes towards lesbians and gay men

Research examining attitudes towards lesbians and gay men among Greek population (student or non-student) has been lacking. The study examined heterosexual Greek students' (N = 222) attitudes towards gay men and lesbians. The attitudes toward lesbian and gay men (ATLG) scale by Herek (1994) was used. The ATLG scale is a brief measure of heterosexuals' attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. The scale presents statements that tap heterosexuals' affective responses to gay men and lesbians (Herek, 1998). Findings suggest that negative attitudes are more strongly held by people who score high in religiosity and people who report no contact with lesbians and/or gay men. The results also show that heterosexual men hold strong negative attitudes towards male homosexuality. The current research suggests that it is crucial to identify the predictors of Greek students' negative attitudes towards lesbians and gay men and apply effective strategies for overcoming sexual prejudice directed at homosexuals. Further research needs to reveal the associations between attitudes and intergroup differences among heterosexuals' attitudes.

Manifestations and reduction strategies of stigma and discrimination on people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania

HIV/AIDS-related stigma, and its associated discrimination, is known to negatively affect all aspects of HIV prevention, care and treatment. Studies have revealed the extent to which individuals are stigmatized and discriminated against the health care system. However, there has been limited information on stigma manifestations and reduction interventions. The main objective of the study was to determine the magnitude and factors influencing HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination with a specific focus on the manifestations and reduction interventions. In-depth interviews, exit interviews and focus group discussions were deployed in the study. Results have shown that HIV/AIDS is increasingly conceptualized as a continuum between prevention and care, effects of stigma and discrimination are from both health facilities and communities. While religious leaders isolate people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and consider them as most promiscuous, health workers also have strong negative attitudes and feelings and as a result PLWHAs refrain from counselling and testing services. A stigmatizing social environment was found to pose barriers to all strategies and/or interventions that are aimed at reducing this situation. Because of stigma and discrimination, people living with HIV/AIDS receive inadequate treatment, as such they decline to divulge their status to partners or change their behaviour avoiding depressing reactions. Basing on that therefore, adequate outreach services at both community and health facility levels be established and line up in the fight against stigma and discrimination facing people living with HIV/AIDS.

Cynicism in the Indian I.T. Organizations: An Exploration of the Employees` Perspectives

Cynicism is described as a mind-set characterized by hopelessness, disappointment, and disillusionment, and is also associated with scorn, disgust, and suspicion. This strong negative attitude has infiltrated Indian I.T organizations, and is believed to be responsible for unfavorable organizational consequences, even though, hardly any studies have explored the causes and concerns of employee cynicism about their organizations in the Indian context. The present research centers around two qualitative case studies through in-depth interviews with seventy two participants undertaken in western India to investigate the causes and concerns of employee cynicism towards employer organization. Findings of the study indicate that workplace perceptions significantly influence organizational cynicism, which is largely influenced by poor leadership, organizational politics, decisive culture, accessibility of benefits and un-met expectations. As these findings have important organizational implications, I recommend for further studies on cynicism in the future.

Sexual Attitudes and Activities in Women with Borderline Personality Disorder Involved in Romantic Relationships

Women with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are prone to have sexual relationship difficulties and dysfunctional attitudes toward sexuality. A sample of 34 heterosexual couples composed of women meeting BPD criteria was compared to a sample of dating or married women from the general population. A short form of the Sexual Activities and Attitudes Questionnaire (SAAQ) was used to measure six types of sexual attitudes. Women diagnosed with BPD did not differ from controls on the frequency of three types of sexual activities in the last year but their subjective sexual experiences differed: they showed stronger negative attitudes, felt sexually pressured by their partners, and expressed ambivalence toward sexuality. Regression analyses suggest that anxious attachment mediates the association between BPD and feeling pressured to engage in sex.

Ambivalence versus Valence: Analyzing the Effects of Opposing Attitudes

Attitudinal ambivalence refers to holding equivalently strong positive attitudes (ATTPOS) and negative attitudes (ATTNEG) toward the same attitude object. We demonstrate two problems with common measures of attitudinal ambivalence. First, they contain multiple assumptions about how people weigh and balance ATTPOS and ATTNEG that are not separately tested. Second, they are often confounded with attitude valence; specifically, they are confounded with ATTPOS to the extent that most respondents' attitudes are more negative than positive and with ATTNEG to the extent that most respondents' attitudes are more positive than negative. To solve these problems, we introduced an alternative procedure—using hierarchical regression—for analyzing effects of potentially opposing attitudes, and demonstrated (with 286 American and 126 Chinese participants) how it produced more revealing and often more parsimonious models of the effects of ATTPOS and ATTNEG on conflicted feelings, behavioral tendencies, culture, and life satisfaction.

An exploration of the drivers to bio-security collective action among a sample of UK cattle and sheep farmers

At present, collective action regarding bio-security among UK cattle and sheep farmers is rare. Despite the occurrence of catastrophic livestock diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and foot and mouth disease (FMD), within recent decades, there are few national or local farmer-led animal health schemes. To explore the reasons for this apparent lack of interest, we utilised a socio-psychological approach to disaggregate the cognitive, emotive and contextual factors driving bio-security behaviour among cattle and sheep farmers in the United Kingdom (UK). In total, we interviewed 121 farmers in South-West England and Wales. The main analytical tools included a content, cluster and logistic regression analysis. The results of the content analysis illustrated apparent ‘dissonance’ between bio-security attitudes and behaviour. 1 1 Cognitive dissonance occurs when the relationship between attitudes and behaviours is ‘inconsistent’ ( Harmon-Jones and Harmon-Jones, 2002). Despite the heavy toll animal disease has taken on the agricultural economy, most study participants were dismissive of the many measures associated with bio-security. Justification for this lack of interest was largely framed in relation to the collective attribution or blame for the disease threats themselves. Indeed, epidemic diseases were largely related to external actors and agents. Reasons for outbreaks included inadequate border control, in tandem with ineffective policies and regulations. Conversely, endemic livestock disease was viewed as a problem for ‘bad’ farmers and not an issue for those individuals who managed their stock well. As such, there was little utility in forming groups to address what was largely perceived as an individual problem. Further, we found that attitudes toward bio-security did not appear to be influenced by any particular source of information per se. While strong negative attitudes were found toward specific sources of bio-security information, e.g. government leaflets, these appear to simply reflect widely held beliefs. In relation to actual bio-security behaviours, the logistic regression analysis revealed no significant difference between in-scheme and out of scheme farmers. We concluded that in order to support collective action with regard to bio-security, messages need to be reframed and delivered from a neutral source. Efforts to support group formation must also recognise and address the issues relating to perceptions of social connectedness among the communities involved.

Student nurses’ attitudes towards adolescents and their care in hospital

The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' attitudes towards adolescents and their care in hospital. A questionnaire containing a series of open-ended questions was emailed to a sample of 50 child branch degree-level students in their second, third or fourth year at a West Midlands university; 14 (28 per cent) responded. It was found that the students had a good knowledge of young people and of their needs while in hospital. They did not report strong negative attitudes towards adolescents but suggested that a number of factors affected their attitudes towards nursing young people, including media reports and the attitudes of mentors. Most of the students expressed a preference for working with younger children, partly because the students lacked experience and confidence, and partly because of a lack of age-appropriate resources in ward areas, which made caring for adolescents more challenging. It was concluded that more could be done to improve student exposure to adolescent patients and that inadequate inpatient facilities, rather than staff attitudes and knowledge, may prevent some young people receiving good quality care in hospital.