Urgent Changes Research Articles

Navigating household food insecurity and environmental sustainability on a low income: An exploration of Sheffield mothers.

In 2023, 25% of adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland experienced food insecurity. The concentration of food insecurity in both socioeconomically disadvantaged groups and households containing children raises concerns about its uneven nutritional and health impacts across different groups. In parallel with rising food insecurity over the past decade, concerns about the environmental consequences of human diets are intensifying, where urgent changes are needed to people's diets to avoid irreversible environmental damage. It is generally assumed that cost has a significant impact on people's ability to adopt more environmentally sustainable food practices. This UK Research Council-funded project seeks to gain insights into the ways in which low-income mothers (are able to) engage with environmentally sustainable food practices. RQ1 will examine the day-to-day food practices that mothers undertake for their families to offer insights into everyday food insecurity and the relevance of environmentally sustainable food practices. RQ2 will explore biographical experiences to highlight how mothers' life histories influence their familial food practices, including their current household food security and engagement with environmentally sustainable food practices. Finally, RQ3 will explore mothers' upcoming prospects of food insecurity and environmentally sustainable food practices. These research questions will be explored through a qualitative longitudinal, feminist study of 15 low-income mothers in Sheffield, UK, combining in-depth interviews with ethnographic elements. Gaining improved knowledge of mothers' food practices on a low income will be valuable to influence realistic, effective and meaningful philosophies, policies and practical action that prioritises equity, good nutrition and environmentally sustainable food practices.

Action research for impact in addressing the grand challenges

The growing interest in impact-driven research invites organization and strategy scholars to not merely study, but actively help address grand challenges. This essay explores how action research might offer a robust methodology to impact and study grand challenges by developing theory through action. Action research is introduced, and its contributions, strengths, and limitations are discussed in view of the current conversation about impact-driven scholarly work. Some practical guidance is given to bring action research within reach as a viable approach. The essay concludes with an exploration of how a fuller embrace of action research might help transform academic practice in the interest of urgent planetary change.

Agrifood Sustainability Transitions in Firms and Industry: A Bibliographic Analysis of Research Themes

There is a growing consensus that the modern food system lies at the centre of the great challenges facing humanity and that urgent and profound changes are required in the way that food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed. This review analyses sustainability transitions within agrifood systems, focusing on the role of firms and industries as defined by the Sustainable Transitions Research Network (STRN). This paper conducts the first systematic literature review using bibliometric analysis to assess the current state of research on this theme. The findings reveal a significant increase in publications related to firms and industries associated with agrifood sustainability transitions. Furthermore, the focus of current research is geographically concentrated in the European Union. The review identifies four key themes in the literature, based on the co-occurrence of keywords. These are agriculture, innovation, governance, food systems and agroecology. The review identifies an increasing awareness of the role of farmers in driving sustainability transitions at the farm level. Furthermore, there is an increasing awareness of the interrelated characteristics of the agrifood system, which acknowledges the need for sustainable innovations to occur at multiple stages of the agrifood system. The review also shows that there is growing evidence that innovations can occur through disruptive as well as incremental innovation and highlights the importance of governance influencing transitions. The existing literature raises questions about alternative food networks as sustainable innovations, their potential for significant change in the established food system and the validity of their claims regarding food equity and environmental sustainability. A key theme emerging from the literature is an ecological perspective that identifies the complex biological processes and ecosystems that form an integral part of agricultural production. These findings provide a greater understanding of the current literature landscape of agrifood sustainable transitions relating to firms and industries and lay a foundation for future research.

Embodiment of structural vulnerability: illness experiences among Somali refugee women in urban displacement

ABSTRACT Objectives Forced migration and its subsequent sequelae have caused refugees to face significant adversities throughout the displacement process, making them susceptible to significant health issues. Refugees displaced in Africa are a group especially vulnerable to poor health outcomes, experiencing a documented decline in overall physical and mental health status and rise in mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Despite the heightened health risks experienced by Somali refugees, particularly women, research into their complex illness experiences and co-/multimorbid health conditions is scarce, leaving a gap in our understanding of the multifaceted health challenges of this population. Design Using structural vulnerability theory, this study explores how the broader host context shapes illness experiences for Somali refugee women in Kenya. Specifically, we describe the factors associated with illness experiences of urban Somali refugee women and how this compares with women with other similarly situated identities, such as Somali Kenyan women, other/non-Somali refugees, and Kenyan women. In-depth interviews were conducted with 43 women in Eastleigh, Kenya. Results Using hybrid thematic analysis, the emergent themes were grouped into three distinct domains: (1) multimorbid, complex illness experiences, (2) embodiment of structural vulnerability, and (3) distinct/shared vulnerability among refugee/non-refugee women. Results suggest that illness experiences of displaced refugee women are inextricably linked to traumatic experiences before displacement, as well as the experiences of transmigration stressors and the hostile socio-legal dynamics encountered post-displacement. Conclusions Our findings also have implications for the need to consider intersectional identities when examining for differential exposure to structural risks and the susceptibility to poor health experiences as well as supports the need for urgent change and improvement in systems of social protection and basic care for refugees experiencing prolonged displacement.

МЕНЕДЖМЕНТ В ОХОРОНІ ЗДОРОВ'Я. ОКРЕМІ ПРАВОВІ ТА ОРГАНІЗАЦІЙНІ АСПЕКТИ В ПОЛЬСЬКІЙ СИСТЕМІ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ'Я

In every democratic country that respects and protects human rights, human dignity and the functioning of the health care system are an extremely important element of society's development. In turn, the condition of the health care system should be one of the measures or factors proving the authorities' respect for society. Social changes, such as the increase in the wealth of citizens but also the aging of societies, cause debates and discussions on the functioning of the health care system, universality and access to medical services to become widespread. This is discussed by representatives of the medical community, representatives of groups currently «in power» and, above all, patients themselves. The structure of the health care system and the number of legal regulations creating this system in the Republic of Poland raise many problems. Their perception and analysis depend to a large extent on the nature of the evaluator, but one common element of such analyzes is the conclusion that the system is inefficient and requires changes. However, the scope of these changes is problematic. The medical community and management specialists see the need for changes in the management system combined with subsidizing the system. Patients, but also representatives of many communities, recognize the need for changes, but without incurring additional costs. Undoubtedly, the management system itself in facilities providing health services requires urgent changes. However, the complex structure of the system and its subjective and objective scope (including the multiplicity and diversity of facilities, various remuneration and employment systems) make it impossible to standardize activities. It should also be remembered that any changes must be made with the patient and his safety in mind.

Exploring the Sustainability of Upcycled Foods: An Analysis of Consumer Behavior in Taiwan.

Given the urgent climate change and food security challenges, upcycled food products are crucial for sustainable food production and waste management. This study investigates Taiwanese consumer behavior towards upcycled foods using the value-attitude-behavior (VAB) theory, focusing on "product knowledge", "green perceived quality", and "price sensitivity". Of the 335 distributed surveys, 320 valid responses (95.5% effectiveness) were analyzed. The results indicated that eco-conscious values strongly influenced consumer attitudes and anticipated guilt (β = 0.647, p < 0.001; β = 0.691, p < 0.001), shaping behavioral intentions (β = 0.290, p < 0.001). Attitudes significantly correlated with intentions, validating the VAB framework. However, anticipated guilt showed a minimal impact (β = 0.029, p = 0.629), revealing complex consumer emotions. Green perceived quality and product knowledge were the key decision-making factors (β = 0.193, p < 0.001; β = 0.146, p < 0.001). Surprisingly, price sensitivity positively influences intentions (β = 0.764, p < 0.001), suggesting the consumer prioritization of quality and environmental values over price. These insights inform strategies for businesses to enhance consumer engagement and sustainability alignment, advancing progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Barriers to Black Medical Students and Residents Pursuing and Completing Surgical Residency in Canada: A Qualitative Analysis.

The limited available data suggest that the Canadian surgical workforce does not reflect the racial diversity of the patient population it serves, despite the well-established benefits of patient-provider race concordance. There have been no studies to date that characterize the systemic and individual challenges faced by Black medical students in matching to and successfully finishing training in a surgical specialty within a Canadian context that can explain this underrepresentation. Using critical qualitative inquiry and purposive sampling to ensure sex, geographical, and student or trainee year heterogeneity, we recruited self-identifying Black medical students and surgical residents across Canada. Online in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed through an inductive reflexive narrative thematic process by 4 analysts. Twenty-seven participants including 18 medical students and 9 residents, were interviewed. The results showed 3 major themes that characterized their experiences: journey to and through medicine, perceptions of the surgical culture, and recommendations to improve the student experience. Medical students identified lack of mentorship and representation as well as experiences with racism as the main barriers to pursuing surgical training. Surgical trainees cited systemic racism, lack of representation, and insufficient safe spaces as the key deterrents to program completion. The intersection with sex exponentially increased these identified barriers. Except for a few surgical programs, medical schools across Canada do not offer a safe space for Black students and trainees to access and complete surgical training. An urgent change is needed to provide diverse mentorship that is transparent, acknowledges the real challenges related to systemic racism and biases, and is inclusive of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

A double‐edged sword: Interim CEO and corporate social (ir)responsibility activities

AbstractEmploying an interim CEO is one of the key strategies organizations use to address urgent changes in leadership, yet there is a notable lack of attention in existing corporate governance literature regarding their impact on non‐market strategic behaviors. In an effort to bridge this gap, our study integrates institutional theory with impression management literature. Based on unbalanced panel data from Chinese non‐state‐owned listed companies from 2010 to 2019, the study finds that the succession of an interim CEO is associated with a simultaneous reduction in both corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) activities. The negative relationship between interim CEO and CSI activities is weaken in the context of high institutional voids. Mechanism analysis reveals that interim CEOs tend to focus more on the present and allocate more attention toward external stakeholder management strategies and low‐cost and efficiency strategies. Additional analysis indicates that in the face of negative financial performance aspirations, interim CEOs are more likely to reduce CSR activities. Similarly, when confronted with negative social performance aspirations, interim CEOs tend to decrease CSI activities to a greater extent.

Food Choices, Sustainability and Australian Native Foods: Perceptions among University Students.

(1) Background: Urgent changes in our food choices are needed for more sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems. Australian native plant-based foods have both environmental and health benefits. Including these foods in our diet may reduce both the risk of chronic diseases and the impact of climate change. This study explored the perceptions and attitudes towards food choices, sustainability and Australian native plant-based food among university students. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 212 university students in Australia from October to December 2022. Questions included information about sociodemographic characteristics, food choices, Australian native foods and the impact on sustainability. Logistic regression was used for analyses. (3) Results: Most participants recognised the impact of food choices on sustainability. There was a significant association between recognition of the impact of food choices on sustainability and the environmental and nutritional benefits of Australian native foods (OR = 2.89, 95% CI 1.29, 6.46, p = 0.010). Students who were familiar with or had tried Australian native plant-based foods were significantly more likely to recognise their environmental and nutritional benefits (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Students who recognise the impact of food choices on sustainability and the benefits of Australian native foods are more likely to include native foods in their diet. More studies are needed to investigate the specific native foods consumed and the barriers and facilitators to the intake of these foods.

Radical and incremental, a multi-leverage point approach to transformation in ocean governance

Urgent change is required in the governance of ocean spaces to contend with the increasing presence and impact of human activities, the solution to which is often labelled a ‘transformation.’ While diverse interpretations of this concept exist across academic disciplines, a grounded exploration of the subject with those involved in ocean governance has not been undertaken and is a critical gap in the practical implementation of the concept. Leverage points have been not only identified as a mechanism for change, but also face similar research challenges. Therefore, this research aimed to identify, through 24 expert and practitioner interviews, what exactly transformation means in the context of ocean governance, and how it can be achieved through a leverage points approach. While reactions to and perceptions of the concept were mixed, several definitions of transformation were identified, ultimately hinging on incremental and radical change to define character. A multi-intervention ‘puzzle’ style of leverage points is advocated for. Therefore, ocean governance transformation is proposed to be achieved through a model that recognises the utility and benefits of both radical and incremental change and employs a multi-leverage approach, using interventions at varying depths across the system.

Realising the reserve capacity in existing reinforced concrete columns

Under the urgent global climate change situation and massive dwelling shortages in the UK, vertical extension and building conversions are viable approaches to supply dwellings sustainably and economically. However, in such reinforced concrete (RC) buildings, columns are often strengthened in related projects, which can be costly and time-consuming, while causing disruption to the residents or the daily running of business. In fact, this paper shows that strengthening could be avoided, as RC columns have more redundant capacity than one might have suspected. This paper quantifies this reserved structural capacity for the first time. There are many reasons for structural over-design inherent in today’s RC columns, emanating from the original structural design, construction, and present-day structural assessment stages. Each unlocks some spare capacity in existing RC columns. This paper groups the guaranteed ‘minimum’ and the ‘likely’ values of ‘overdesign factors’ to offer up values for minimum over-design and likely over-design in RC columns. It is well understood that seismic actions significantly influence buildings’ structural capacity. However, this paper exclusively focuses on the non-seismic zones of the UK. It transpires that for typical UK 1960 s purpose-built flats the guaranteed ‘minimum’ capacity of the columns that can be unlocked through following the ‘minimum’ path is 32%. This is already a significant unlocked capacity, in wait of exploitation. But, even better, it is found to be likely that such columns are only working at 15% of their potential capacity, which gives a ‘likely’ reserve capacity of 85%. In summary, significant capacity in an RC column can be unlocked from following both paths, which is readily available for retrofit vertical-extension exploitation. This would eradicate costly, disruptive strengthening. This paper provides the evidence base for such opportunity.

Calling for (r)Evolution: the rise of the educational phoenix of audacious hope

ABSTRACT Existing educational and social inequalities within colonised nations have been amplified by multitudinous health, racial, climate, and social crises. It is a time to act collectively and boldly pivot towards equitable, socially-just futures. This perspective article contextualises schools within a social eco-system contending with the convergence of childhood adversity, pandemics, increasing climate, human-rights, political, and economic crisis around the globe. Profound uncertainty has shaken the expectations and systems that have been relied-on by those communities which they privilege. We call for educators to apply a transformative praxis with critical and cultural pedagogy to disrupt the educational status-quo that privileges Western-colonial epistemologies – knowledge and ways of knowing; the ‘whitewashing’ of schools and curriculums. Leveraging comprehensively applied trauma-informed principles within a social justice agenda is presented as a way of positioning schools to be way-finders and change-makers as they partner with communities. The time is now to (re)construct a fully rights-based school (r)evolution. Humility and courage will be required to lean into the hard questions and challenges; to revolutionise and humanise education. This paper presents schools as potential truth-hearing and historical truth-telling agents of urgent social change building communities of healing and audacious hope, led by communities.

How Can the Law Address the Effects of Algorithmic Bias in the Healthcare Context?

This paper examines how UK ‘hard laws’ can adapt to regulate algorithmic bias in the healthcare context. I explore the causes of algorithmic bias which sets the foundation for how the law will address this issue. I critically analyse elements of the tort of negligence, the Equality Act 2010, and the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 which reveal the inadequacies of these frameworks in their application to algorithmic bias. Following this, I make recommendations on how the law can adjust to ensure that algorithms do not perpetuate existing biases and discriminate against patients. This paper acknowledges that addressing algorithmic bias will involve a mixture of hard and soft law measures, but in the final section, it will be argued that urgent systemic change (data sharing and workplace diversity) is also needed to enable the law to address the effects of algorithmic bias in the healthcare context.

‘J’accuse!’: whistleblowing, critical citizenship and the EU directive on whistleblowers’ protection

ABSTRACT Despite the enactment of legislation on public interest disclosures, whistleblowers still face significant retaliation. Perceptions and expectations of loyalty to a firm, organisation or a government continue to be seen as antithetical to ‘voice’, that is, the disclosure of wrongdoing, thereby triggering strategies of organisational exit and punishment. Real change can occur if whistleblowing is elevated to a civic duty of equal importance to other civic duties, such as to protect and defend the rule of law, human rights and democracy and to report suspected criminality to authorities. In this article, I justify whistleblowing on a good citizenship concept which transcends particular national institutional characteristics and critically examine the content and contribution of the European Union’s Directive on Whistleblower protection. By deploying a tripartite lens blending analytical questions and a discoursive theoretical perspective with a comparative assessment of instruments in the Member States and the EU, the discussion makes the case for the urgent change in the culture of punitive treatment of whistleblowers in the European Union and for further institutional reform when the Directive is reviewed in the future.

Improving the Education and Training Policies of the Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors: Identifying New Strategies to Meet the Needs of the Sector and Farm-to-Fork Priorities

The current European agri-food and forestry (AFF) systems are perceived to be moving too slowly towards more sustainable agriculture, forestry, food and bio-based value chains. The European Green Deal and Farm to Fork (FtF) Strategy stress the importance of the sustainable transition of food systems that emphasize resilience and justice along food chains. In this direction, education and training (ET) are given a major role, constituting one of the pillars of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) framework. This study aims to propose an extended version of the AKIS framework to focus on the transition of policies concerning the ET pillar and to use this framework as a conceptual background with which to identify strategies for the improvement of ET policies in the AFF sectors. Data collection was undertaken through a round of workshops, and the data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The results revealed that the need for a high-quality educational policy and the need to enhance collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovative learning methods were among the most important for the sector, where urgent changes in pace and an approach in ET are necessary for the entire value chain, from farm to fork. These results emphasize that pivoting the transition of ET systems toward achieving the Green Deal, FtF and new CAP objectives requires the development of policies that support student-centered and interdisciplinary education, while also being flexible and supported by non-formal and lifelong learning approaches.

Office Design Features and Future Organizational Change toward Supporting Sustainability

Organizational change, influenced by such factors as economics, information and communications technologies (ICTs), and users’ wellbeing, is essential for organizational effectiveness, productivity, and sustainability. Thus, there has been a call for urgent changes in workplace design features to respond to future change. This study is concerned with defining the level of change in design features that is needed in existing Saudi governmental workplaces to cope with future visions of sustainability, as well as controlling the cost of such redesigning. It is hypothesized that future challenges related to economics, ICTs, and users’ wellbeing would have a significant impact on the need to change existing workplace design features. Administrator workplaces in three buildings of Saudi organizations and their representative economic, ICT, and wellbeing trends were considered (n = 104, 95, 96). The average level of change in design features in each building was observed and reported. The most changed design features in buildings affected by economic, ICT, and wellbeing trends were minimizing of luxury workplaces, minimizing storage space, and improving thermal/lighting conditions, respectively. However, the most changed design features that were common to all three buildings were spatial and furniture layouts and minimizing storage space.

Health risk assessment and occupational safety at hospitals in Southwest of Iran

Background/objectives: Risk assessment is very important to reduce the occurrence and spread of preventable accidents in hospitals because they have huge resources of funds related to the health of society, human, financial, physical, and equipment capital. This study was done in order to assess the occupational health and safety risks at Mehr and Razi Hospital in Ahvaz. MethodsIn this descriptive-cross-sectional study, the HOSHRA method was used at Mehr Private and Razi University of Education Hospital in Ahvaz during 2022. Then, descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results. ResultsBased on result of this study in Razi Hospital, the final score of risk is in order from the highest to the lowest related to biological risks > physical risks > chemical risks > ergonomic risks > psychological risks, and in Mehr Hospital, in order from the highest to the lowest related to biological risks > ergonomic risks > psychological risks > risks Physical and chemical hazards were obtained. The findings of the total HOSHRA index for different risks in the two selected hospitals showed that close to each other, but it was slightly higher in Razi Hospital in Ahvaz than in Mehr Hospital. ConclusionAccording to the findings study the chemical, ergonomic, psychological, physical, and biological risk assessment results showed that the risk level at Razi Educational and Mehr Private Hospitals is unacceptable and requires fundamental and urgent changes.

Short stay unit led by pediatric hospital medicine advanced practice providers.

In response to a critical pediatric bed shortage in 2022, an urgent process change was required to provide safe and timely medical care. We proposed a pilot for an advanced practice provider (APP)-run short stay unit (SSU) for select pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) patients. To compare length of stay (LOS) and cost before and after implementation of a PHM APP-led SSU pilot at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Single-center prospective pilot observational cohort study with historical control. Observation encounters for patients with asthma, bronchiolitis, croup, and dehydration were included. An independent-practice model SSU staffed by APPs on the PHM service. SSU encounters (September 1, 2022-December 1, 2022) were compared against pre-SSU encounters (September 1, 2021-August 31, 2022). Cohorts were described with summary statistics. SSU encounters were matched against pre-SSU encounters based on demographics and diagnosis, and the average effect of treatment was calculated. LOS was abstracted from the enterprise data warehouse and standardized unit cost from the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. There were 1110 encounters included, 155 in the SSU cohort and 955 in the pre-SSU cohort:24.2% asthma, 30.8% bronchiolitis, 8.3% croup, and 36.7% dehydration. Median (interquartile range) unit LOS decreased from 21 (16-26) to 18 (10-22) h, p < .001. Cost decreased from $3593 ($3031-$4560) to $2958 ($2278-$3856), p < .001. After matching, the average treatment effect was reduction of 3.88 h (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.91-5.85) and $593 (95% CI $348-$839). There were no significant differences in 7-day ED revisit rates.

Prospects for inquiry in Delta Urbanism research by design

The undisputable human influences on the Earth’s system demand an urgent change of ways and transitions in human systems to sustain a healthy society in the future. Addressing the urgent climatic transformations in deltaic areas, this paper is an attempt of the Delta Urbanism research group at TU Delft to set the line for new (integrated) research inquiries by design and investigate fundamental, experimental, and strategic &amp; operational responses to the existing prospects for action as a way to create collaboration between various sectors. These prospects for action are targeted at four critical fronts (climate, urban, governance, cultural) based on trends and challenges that deltaic areas are facing and to which coherent spatial strategies are needed. These fronts together need a research response to enable the making of the delta of the future through the power of interdisciplinary design. This perspective or prospect is established through six lines of inquiry that are elaborated in the paper. The central question is “how can the research field of delta urbanism provide a transformative ‘prospect for action’ to establish strategic pathways toward a resilient Delta future, where assertion and proof are synergized”? The discussion of the six lines of inquiry, which effectively address the four critical fronts, explores how they are poised to deliver fundamental, experimental, and operational outputs for further research and action.

Об отдельных правовых аспектах регулирования деятельности по техническому обслуживанию внутридомового газового оборудования

The legislator, against the background of ongoing incidents related to the use of gas in everyday life, which resulted in deaths and significant material damage, carried out large-scale changes in legislation regulating the maintenance of indoor gas equipment, aimed, among other things, at ensuring the safety of the use of indoor gas equipment, at eliminating from the specified market numerous organizations admitted earlier. This situation requires urgent legislative changes, taking into account the development of gasification in the Russian Federation and the rapid increase in new natural gas consumers.