Western Part Of Norway Research Articles

Ekokritiska perspektiv i Maria Parrs Keeperen og havet

Abstract In the present study, we investigate how the relationship between human and nature is rendered as Norwegian children’s book author Maria Parr’s novel Keeperen og havet [Lena, the Sea and me] is translated into Danish, English, French, German, and Swedish. Our focus is mainly on book cover images, and methodologically we use concepts and tools from Kress and van Leeuwen’s Grammar of visual design. Nature and landscape are prominent in Parr’s œuvre, which is set in the Western part of Norway, where mountains and the sea are always present. Results show that the French cover positions itself as the most ecocentric one, whereas the Swedish and the German covers are much more anthropocentric.

Poetic Resistance: Girls’ Autograph Albums during World War II in Norway

Poetic Resistance: Girls’ Autograph Albums during World War II in Norway

Men’s perception of information and psychological distress in the diagnostic phase of prostate cancer: a comparative mixed methods study

BackgroundPrevious studies indicate that men experience frustration and uncertainty when confronted with an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and during further diagnostics for prostate cancer. The novel Stockholm3 test is an algorithm-based test that combines plasma protein biomarkers, genetic markers and clinical variables in predicting the risk of PCa. The test was introduced in a western part of Norway as a new tool for detecting prostate cancer. This study aimed to explore and compare men’s perception of information and possible experience of distress between a PSA group and a Stockholm3 group during the diagnostic phase of prostate cancer.MethodsThis study is a part of the trailing research evaluating the impact of the change from PSA to Stockholm3. It is a multicenter study using a comparative mixed method design. Data were collected in a PSA group (n = 130) and a Stockholm3 group (n = 120) between 2017 and 2019. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires and qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews (n = 20). The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed and compared separately and then merged in a side-by-side discussion. The study adheres to the GRAMMS guidelines for reporting mixed-methods research.ResultsCompared with the PSA group, men in the Stockholm3 group reported that the information from the general practitioners was better. Similarly, men in the Stockholm3 group were more likely to indicate that they had received sufficient information regarding how examinations would be conducted. No differences were found between the groups regarding waiting time and distress. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the two groups: “Information affects the experience of comprehension”, “Stepping into the world of the healthcare system”, and “Periodically feelings of distress”.ConclusionThe Stockholm3 test may facilitate the provision of information to patients. However, some patients in both groups experienced distress and would benefit from more information and additional support from healthcare professionals. Routines that ensure sufficient information from the interdisciplinary healthcare team should be of priority during the diagnostic phase of prostate cancer in order to provide patients with predictability and to avoid unnecessary distress.

Employment status three years after percutaneous coronary intervention – a nationwide prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Return to work plays an important part in social readjustment after an acute coronary event, and has important implications for both the individual and the society. Updated knowledge is lacking regarding losng-term employment after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Aims The aims of this study were to determine employment status three years after PCI and to assess predictors for return to work stratified by gender. Methods We included first-time PCI patients from the NorStent Trial, who were of working age (<60 years; n=2488) at a three-year follow-up. Employment status were assessed using self-report. Results Fifty-seven percent of females and 73% of males who were <60 years of age at the index event were employed at follow-up (p<0.001). Living with a partner, higher levels of education, and living in the western part of Norway were associated with a higher chance of being employed in males, while higher levels of education were associated with a higher chance of being employed in females. Prior cardiovascular morbidity and former smoking were associated with lower chance of being employed in males, while being older was associated with lower chance of being employed in females. Conclusion A significant number of working-age coronary heart disease patients are unemployed three years after coronary revascularization. Our findings indicate a need for revised and gender specific initiatives to promote vocational support. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority

Muscle Volume and Intramuscular Fat of the Tongue Evaluated With MRI Predict Malnutrition in People Living With Dementia: A 5-Year Follow-up Study.

Malnutrition is highly prevalent in older persons with dementia. Therefore, strong predictors of malnutrition in this population are crucial to initiating early interventions. This study evaluates the association between the probability of having malnutrition with the muscle volume and intramuscular fat (iMAT) of the masseter and the tongue in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of community-dwelling older persons diagnosed with mild dementia followed up for 5 years. This is a longitudinal study conducted in the western part of Norway. Muscle volume and iMAT of the tongue and masseter were computed from structural head MRI obtained from 65 participants of the Dementia Study of Western Norway using Slice-O-Matic software for segmentation. Malnutrition was assessed using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition Index. Linear mixed models were conducted. Having malnutrition at baseline was associated with lower muscle volume (odds ratio [OR] 0.60, standard error [SE] 0.20; p = .010) and higher iMAT (OR 3.31, SE 0.46; p = .010) in the tongue. At 5 years follow-up, those with lower muscle volume (OR 0.55, SE 0.20; p = .002) and higher iMAT (OR 2.52, SE 0.40; p = .022) in the tongue had a higher probability of presenting malnutrition. The masseter iMAT and volume were not associated with malnutrition in any of the adjusted models. In people diagnosed with mild dementia, tongue muscle volume and iMAT were associated with baseline malnutrition and the probability of developing malnutrition in a 5-year trajectory. In the masseter, there were no significant associations after adjustments.

Hydrological impacts of climate change on small ungauged catchments – results from a global climate model–regional climate model–hydrologic model chain

Abstract. Climate change is one of the greatest threats currently facing the world's environment. In Norway, a change in climate will strongly affect the pattern, frequency, and magnitudes of stream flows. However, it is challenging to quantify to what extent the change will affect the flow patterns and floods from small rural catchments due to the unavailability or inadequacy of hydro-meteorological data for the calibration of hydrological models and due to the tailoring of methods to a small-scale level. To provide meaningful climate impact studies at the level of small catchments, it is therefore beneficial to use high-spatial- and high-temporal-resolution climate projections as input to a high-resolution hydrological model. In this study, we used such a model chain to assess the impacts of climate change on the flow patterns and frequency of floods in small ungauged rural catchments in western Norway. We used a new high-resolution regional climate projection, with improved performance regarding the precipitation distribution, and a regionalized hydrological model (distance distribution dynamics) between a reference period (1981–2011) and a future period (2070–2100). The flow-duration curves for all study catchments show more wet periods in the future than during the reference period. The results also show that in the future period, the mean annual flow increases by 16 % to 33 %. The mean annual maximum floods increase by 29 % to 38 %, and floods of 2- to 200-year return periods increase by 16 % to 43 %. The results are based on the RCP8.5 scenario from a single climate model simulation tailored to the Bergen region in western Norway, and the results should be interpreted in this context. The results should therefore be seen in consideration of other scenarios for the region to address the uncertainty. Nevertheless, the study increases our knowledge and understanding of the hydrological impacts of climate change on small catchments in the Bergen area in the western part of Norway.

Independent medical evaluation of general practitioners’ follow-up of sick-listed patients: a cross-sectional study in Norway

ObjectivesThe study was designed to examine the sufficiency of general practitioners’ (GPs) follow-up of patients on sick leave, assessed by independent medical evaluators.DesignCross-sectional studySettingPrimary health care in the Western part...

Informal use of restraint in nursing homes: A threat to human rights or necessary care to preserve residents’ dignity?

Use of restraint in nursing homes is highly controversial and fundamentally transgresses human rights and freedom of movement and choice. While different forms of formal restraint use in nursing homes are broadly delineated, the use of informal restraint is less understood. The aim of this article is to identify different kinds of informal restraint, and how staff use informal restraint under which circumstances. This article illuminates informal restraint use based on an ethnographic study in four nursing homes in the Western part of Norway. We have identified five different forms of informal restraint use which are as follows: (1) diversion of residents' attention; (2) white lies; (3) persuasion and interpersonal pressure; (4) offers and finally (5) threats. These different forms of informal restraint are actions by staff against residents' will, limiting residents' freedom of movement and their personal preferences. In addition, we have identified 'grey-zone restraint' which comprises actions by staff towards residents which lie in-between formal and informal restraint. The use of informal restraint can be explained by institutional circumstances such as location, architecture and institutional collectivist constraints in relation to care work. Moreover, and paradoxically, informal restraint can be explained as a consequence of neo-liberal policies with establishment of extended premises for freedom of movement and practices of resident preferences in nursing homes. Informal restraint practices call into question whether these practices are compatible with fundamental human rights and the preservation of residents' dignity.

Pain may be an important factor to consider in inflammatory bowel disease patients troubled by fatigue.

Pain has been associated with fatigue in many chronic diseases, but data are not available for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to investigate whether fatigue is associated with pain in IBD after adjusting for the relevant covariates. Participants were recruited from nine hospitals in the south-eastern and western part of Norway. Socio-demographic variables were self-reported by patients. Disease activity was assessed by disease activity indices and faecal calprotectin. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were collected using the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire. From a total of 452 invited patients, 414 (91.6%) provided written informed consent. After excluding any missing data, 408 total patients were included in the analyses (ulcerative colitis = 180 and Crohn's disease = 228). In the crude analysis, substantial and chronic fatigue were associated with increased pain intensity regardless of the diagnosis. However, when controlling for relevant covariates in the ANCOVA, the differences in pain intensity among patients with and without substantial or chronic fatigue were insignificant. The Cohen's d effect size was small to moderate (>0.20) in patients with chronic fatigue. Despite a tendency of elevated pain intensity scores among patients with fatigue, these differences were insignificant after controlling for the relevant covariates. However, based on Cohen's effect size, these differences may be of clinical importance in a subset of patients.

Meaning and Functions of Norwegian-Turkish Vernacular Space in Drammen, Norway

This paper discusses the functions and meaning of Norwegian-Turkish vernacular space in Norway. Employing the Foucauldian concept of heterotopia, it analyzes Turkish ethnic clubs in Drammen - a midsized city situated in the western part of Norway. In 2013, 25% of the city’s inhabitants were of an immigrant background with the majority (13.5%) being of Turkish origin (Høydahl, 2014). Most of them arrived in the city as “guest workers” in the late 1960s and 1970s, and were followed afterwards by other members of their families. Due to their prolonged residence, they have managed to make an imprint on the city’s landscape. This study shows that Norwegian-Turkish ethnic clubs are heterotopias of Norwegian society, in a Foucauldian understanding of the term. They embody practices, discourses and signs of identity originating from Turkey, being at the same time ordered by the rules of Norwegian society. I argue that those transnational spaces, labeled as “foreign,” and linked to Turkey, bear strong influences from the host society and should be regarded as Norwegian-Turkish, rather than Turkish.

A cross-sectional study of factors associated with birth weights of Norwegian beef calves

A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate factors which influence birth weights of beef suckler calves in Norway. Data were from a national beef cattle registry, and lifetime production data of cows slaughtered between January 2010 and January 2013 were included in the study population. The study population consisted of 20,541 cows and 53,819 calves. The analysis was performed on the subset of singleton calvings from which birth weights were recorded. The study sample consisted of 9903 cows with birth weights available for 29,294 calves. The mean birth weight was 43.47kg (95% CI 43.40; 43.53). Two multilevel linear regression models were built; the first was for all calves and included parity of dam as one of the explanatory variables (with herd and cow as random effects), the second model was for calves born to primiparous dams only where age of first calving was included as an explanatory variable (with a random herd effect). The multilevel regression models estimated that female calves were 2.3kg lighter than males (95% CI 2.2–2.4, P<0.001), that calves of Norwegian Red, Charolais, Aberdeen Angus and “Other” born in the western part of Norway were lighter than from all other regions, and that calving in the autumn yielded lighter offspring than calving other parts of the year. Furthermore, calves born from primiparous cows were heavier than calves from older cows. Herd explained a large proportion of the variation in birth weights (40% and 37%, in the full and heifer models, respectively), and both the herd and cow random effects were highly significant. In conclusion, birth weights of beef calves in the Norwegian Beef Cattle Recording System were influenced by sex of the calf, breed of the dam, parity, age at first calving, calving season, cow, herd and region.

Patients’ perceptions of quality of care and follow-up in inflammatory bowel disease

ABSTRACTBackground and aims Quality of care (QoC) has gained increased attention in IBD. A better QoC has, historically, been linked to improved treatment outcomes. Even so, factors of equal importance to patients may be quality of life (QoL), patient–physician communication and access to care. Recent surveys suggest that IBD care in Europe is suboptimal. Methods Patients were recruited from nine hospitals in the south-eastern and western part of Norway as a part of an observational, multicenter study In addition to clinical and socio-demographic factors; a purposely designed 26 item questionnaire was used to quantify aspects related to IBD care, including QoC. Moreover, the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ) was used to investigate fatigue. Results In total, 411 patients were included. Of these, 231 were diagnosed with CD and 180 with UC. Furthermore, 86.1% (354/411) were satisfied with the quality of IBD follow-up and only 4.1% (17/411) were dissatisfied. Most dissatisfaction was related to: lack of focus on personal relations (18.2%), HRQoL (15.1%), general practitioner knowledge of IBD (13.9%), ability to talk about important topics (7.8%), and hospital discharge communication (9.4%). Higher age and longer disease duration was associated with improved QoC scores in both UC and CD. Fatigue was associated with decreased QoC scores in both diagnoses. Conclusions Patients are satisfied with quality of care in IBD. However, communication seems to be an important area of improvement – not only related to patient–physician communication, but also to transitional communication between different health-care levels.

How online journalists learn within a non-formal context

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of workplace learning, with a focus on the non-formal learning that takes place among online journalists. The focus of this article is journalists working in an online newspaper and their experiences with workplace and non-formal learning, centring on framework conditions and learning environments.Design/methodology/approach– The empirical data in this article are based on qualitative interviews conducted with journalists working in an online newspaper in the Western part of Norway. The sample comprises of five informants. The interviews were based on a combination of open-ended and more specific questions where the aim was to get a broad perspective on the informants’ experiences workplace non-formal learning and to investigate alternative perspectives that emerged during the interviews.Findings– The findings indicate that a theory of online journalists’ workplace learning should take into account the fact that learning, in this context, takes place at various levels of conscious awareness, encompassing cognitive, behavioural, motivational and emotional aspects.Originality/value– This project provides the field of workplace learning and journalism with context-specific research on the non-formal learning processes of online journalists.

Functions for estimating aboveground biomass of birch in Norway

A suite of regional allometric aboveground biomass functions were derived for Betula pubescens and Betula pendula for Norwegian conditions. The data consisted of 67 trees sampled throughout Norway. A total of 14 component functions were developed for total aboveground, total stem, stemwood, stem bark, live crown, live branch, leaf, and dead branch biomass using combinations of diameter at breast height and height as predictor variables. Application of the derived functions to existing local southern Norwegian mountain birch and regional Swedish biomass datasets indicated an overall good predictive ability of the developed functions. However, the functions produced slight underestimates, suggesting that the respective birch populations had differing biomass allocation patterns. When the developed functions were applied to Norwegian National Forest Inventory data, they produced slightly higher biomass stock and stock change estimates than what is obtained using existing Swedish functions. The higher estimates were evident in the north, central, and western part of Norway, while estimates were similar in southeastern Norway where growing conditions are most similar to Swedish conditions. The analysis indicates that the derived functions are the best available for regional birch biomass stock and stock change estimation in Norway.

Dental erosion: a widespread condition nowadays? A cross-sectional study among a group of adolescents in Norway

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, distribution and severity of erosive wear in a group of 16–18-year-olds in the western part of Norway. A second aim was to describe possible associations between caries experience, socioeconomic background and origin of birth. Materials and methods. Adolescents (n = 795) attending recall examinations at Public Dental Service (PDS) clinics were also examined for dental erosive wear on index surfaces, using the Visual Erosion Dental Examination scoring system (VEDE). Results. In total, 795 individuals were examined. Dental erosive wear was diagnosed in 59% of the population (44% erosive wear in enamel only, 14% combination of enamel and dentine lesions, 1% erosive wear in dentine only). The palatal surfaces of upper central incisors and occlusal surfaces of first lower molars were affected the most (33% and 48% of all surfaces, respectively). Cuppings on molars were registered in 66% of the individuals with erosive wear. Erosive wear was significantly more prevalent among men (63%) than women (55%) (p = 0.018). Conclusions. There were no significant associations between dental erosive wear and caries experience, socioeconomic background or origin of birth.

Wave Refraction Analyses at the Coast of Norway for Offshore Applications

The wave load on potential offshore wind farms off Norway is studied by the use of a numerical wave refraction model. The model estimates trajectories of wave energy (rays) for waves propagating in water with varying surface velocity. The calculations indicate that for southerly and southwesterly winds the majority of shoreward propagating waves will converge in the coastal area off southwestern Norway. For offshore wave propagation directions equal to 180o and 210o, respectively 88% and 72% of the shoreward propagating rays approaches land south of Ålesund on the western part of Norway. For westerly and northerly winds the distributions are approximately uniform. It is further found that in the case of southerly or southwesterly winds, waves approach- ing the southern part of Norway are frequently misaligned with the wind. This will result in an increased bending moment of the masts. For offshore wave propagation direction between 180o and 240o the calculations indicate that approximately 24% of the rays reaching the coast of Norway along its southwestern part deviates by more than 45o of offshore propagation direction.

Tick bites in healthy adults from western Norway: Occurrence, risk factors, and outcomes

The frequency of tick bites, risk factors, as well as simple outcome measures after tick bites in a healthy adult population (blood donors) from Sogn and Fjordane county situated at the western coast of Norway, was assessed. The study was based on cross-sectional data from blood donors at 4 different blood banks in the county during the period January to June 2010. Data on tick bites and potential risk factors were collected from 1213 blood donors using a questionnaire. Among participants, 65.7% had experienced tick bites during their life time, whereas 30% reported recent tick bites (during the latest 12 months). There were fewer tick bites in the eastern, inland part of the county, where the tick Ixodes ricinus is less prevalent compared to the western, coastal regions. The number of total and recent tick bites increased with the respondent's age, hours spent outdoors during summertime, educational level, ownership of domestic animals, and hunting. Women older than 50 years reported more bites than similarly aged men and younger females.Among bitten subjects, 22.7% reported ever having had a rash around a tick bite, whereas 12.7% had seen a medical doctor and 7.7% had received antibiotics owing to tick bite. Avoiding certain locations owing to a fear of tick bites was reported by 15.7% of all respondents, more women than men.In conclusion, tick bites are common in the western part of Norway. The risk of being bitten varies with age and outdoor activities, animal contact, and geography. The consequences in terms of disease seem modest.

1600 – Establishment of a regional register for neurstimulation treatment in the western part of norway

Introduction Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment option mainly in severe depression. ECTs longterm effects on cognitive function are currently unknown, limiting its use. Transcranial magnet stimulation (TMS), is considered less effective than ECT in treatment of severe depression, but is without cognitive side effects. TMS is studied to a less degree than ECT. Objectives There is a need of large scale studies of effect, side effects and patients’ subjective experience of ECT and TMS. Aims Generate data to better predict which patients will benefit from ECT and TMS by establishing a regional register including all patients referred to ECT and TMS as part of an ordinary clinical treatment practice in the western part of Norway. Methods All patients referred to ECT and TMS in Bergen and Stavanger will be asked to participate in the study. There are no exclusion criteria. Demographics and course of illness factors will be recorded before start of ECT. Severity of the depressive disorder and treatment effects will be evaluated with a mix of self evaluation and clinician administrated standardized rating instruments. There will be a follow up at 6 months. Date from the described register will be merged with other relevant central Norwegian health registers. Results We expect the described regional register to offer an opportunity to determine predictors for effect, side effects and subjective satisfaction of the treatments. Conclusion This register is investigator initiated, with the aim to investigate which patient will benefit from ECT and TMS without serious side effects.

Infauna fromZostera marina L. meadows in Norway. Differences in vegetated and unvegetated areas

To investigate the importance of benthic vegetation for shallow infaunal assemblages, macroinvertebrates were sampled inZostera marina meadows and in adjacent bare sand at three sites in the Skagerrak region and one in the Western part of Norway. A total of 3777 individuals were encountered, representing mainly the faunal groups Annelida, Nemertea, Echinodermata, Crustacea and Mollusca. Twice as many individuals were found in theZ. marina meadows compared to the bare sand. Oligochaetes were the most abundant group (29% of total number of individuals), followed by crustaceans (24%), polychaetes (18.5%) and molluscs (16%). Polychaetes showed the highest species number (42), followed by molluscs (30) and crustaceans (26). Multivariate cluster technique showed the highest similarities within sites and thereafter grouping according to the two different habitats;Zostera and sand. No regional differences were evident between the Skagerrak sites and the site in Western Norway, as the site from Western Norway grouped together with one of the Skagerrak sites. The high biodiversity inZostera marina beds should have implications for the management of such areas.

Psykisk helse i Helse- og levekårsundersøkelsen i 1998. II. Geografiske forskjeller

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