Applying the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention to increase European preschool children's physical activity levels: the ToyBox-study.

Science.gov (United States)

De Craemer, M; De Decker, E; De Bourdeaudhuij, I; Verloigne, M; Duvinage, K; Koletzko, B; Ibrügger, S; Kreichauf, S; Grammatikaki, E; Moreno, L; Iotova, V; Socha, P; Szott, K; Manios, Y; Cardon, G

2014-08-01

Although sufficient physical activity is beneficial for preschoolers' health, activity levels in most preschoolers are low. As preschoolers spend a considerable amount of time at home and at kindergarten, interventions should target both environments to increase their activity levels. The aim of the current paper was to describe the six different steps of the Intervention Mapping protocol towards the systematic development and implementation of the physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention. This intervention is a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention implemented across six European countries. Based on the results of literature reviews and focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers, matrices of change objectives were created. Then, theory-based methods and practical strategies were selected to develop intervention materials at three different levels: (i) individual level (preschoolers); (ii) interpersonal level (parents/caregivers) and (iii) organizational level (teachers). This resulted in a standardized intervention with room for local and cultural adaptations in each participating country. Although the Intervention Mapping protocol is a time-consuming process, using this systematic approach may lead to an increase in intervention effectiveness. The presented matrices of change objectives are useful for future programme planners to develop and implement an intervention based on the Intervention Mapping protocol to increase physical activity levels in preschoolers. © 2014 World Obesity.

Evidence-based development of school-based and family-involved prevention of overweight across Europe: The ENERGY-project's design and conceptual framework

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Klepp Knut

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is an urgent need for more carefully developed public health measures in order to curb the obesity epidemic among youth. The overall aim of the "EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth" (ENERGY-project is the development and formative evaluation of a theory-informed and evidence-based multi-component school-based and family-involved intervention program ready to be implemented and evaluated for effectiveness across Europe. This program aims at promoting the adoption or continuation of health behaviors that contribute to a healthy energy balance among school-aged children. Earlier studies have indicated that school and family environments are key determinants of energy-balance behaviors in schoolchildren. Schools are an important setting for health promotion in this age group, but school-based interventions mostly fail to target and involve the family environment. Methods Led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from eleven European countries and supported by a team of Australian experts, the ENERGY-project is informed by the Environmental Research Framework for Weight gain Prevention, and comprises a comprehensive epidemiological analysis including 1 systematic reviews of the literature, 2 secondary analyses of existing data, 3 focus group research, and 4 a cross European school-based survey. Results and discussion The theoretical framework and the epidemiological analysis will subsequently inform stepwise intervention development targeting the most relevant energy balance-related behaviors and their personal, family-environmental and school-environmental determinants applying the Intervention Mapping protocol. The intervention scheme will undergo formative and pilot evaluation in five countries. The results of ENERGY will be disseminated among key stakeholders including researchers, policy makers and the general population. Conclusions The ENERGY-project is an international

The Fangshan/Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC protocol

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Chen Dafang

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The exact etiology of ischemic stroke remains unclear, because multiple genetic predispositions and environmental risk factors may be involved, and their interactions dictate the complexity. Family-based studies provide unique features in design, while they are currently underrepresented for studies of ischemic stroke in developing countries. The Fangshan/Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC program aims to conduct a genetic pedigree study of ischemic stroke in rural communities of China. Methods/Design The pedigrees of ischemic stroke with clear documentation are recruited by using the proband-initiated contact method, based on the stroke registry in hospital and communities. Blood samples and detailed information of pedigrees are collected through the health care network in the rural area, and prospective follow-up of the pedigrees cohort is scheduled. Complementary strategies of both family-based design and matched case-spousal control design are used, and comprehensive statistical methods will be implemented to ascertain potential complex genetic and environmental factors and their interactions as well. Discussion This study is complementary to other genetic pedigree studies of ischemic stroke, such as the Siblings With Ischemic Stroke Study (SWISS, which are established in developed countries. We describe the protocol of this family-based genetic epidemiological study that may be used as a new practical guideline and research paradigm in developing countries and facilitate initiatives of stroke study for international collaborations.

Evidence-based development of school-based and family-involved prevention of overweight across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brug, Johannes; Velde, Saskia J. te; Chinapaw, Mai J.M.

2010-01-01

balance among school-aged children. Earlier studies have indicated that school and family environments are key determinants of energy-balance behaviors in schoolchildren. Schools are an important setting for health promotion in this age group, but school-based interventions mostly fail to target...... intervention development targeting the most relevant energy balance-related behaviors and their personal, family-environmental and school-environmental determinants applying the Intervention Mapping protocol. The intervention scheme will undergo formative and pilot evaluation in five countries. The results......Background: There is an urgent need for more carefully developed public health measures in order to curb the obesity epidemic among youth. The overall aim of the "EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth" (ENERGY)-project is the development and formative...

Family sociodemographic characteristics as correlates of children's breakfast habits and weight status in eight European countries. The ENERGY (EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth) project.

Science.gov (United States)

Manios, Yannis; Moschonis, George; Androutsos, Odysseas; Filippou, Christina; Van Lippevelde, Wendy; Vik, Froydis N; te Velde, Saskia J; Jan, Natasha; Dössegger, Alain; Bere, Elling; Molnar, Denes; Moreno, Luis A; Chinapaw, Mai J M; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Brug, Johannes

2015-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the associations of family sociodemographic characteristics with children's weight status and whether these potential associations are mediated by children's breakfast habits. A school-based survey among 10-12-year-old children was conducted in eight European countries. Children's weight and height were measured and breakfast habits and family sociodemographic characteristics were self-reported by 5444 children and their parents. International Obesity Task Force cut-off points were used to categorize children as overweight/obese or normal weight. Mediation analyses were used to test the potential mediating effect of children's breakfast consumption on the associations between family sociodemographic characteristics and children's overweight/obesity. Schools in eight European countries participating in the ENERGY (EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth) project. Children aged 10-12 years and their parents (n 5444). Children's reported daily breakfast consumption varied from 56 % in Slovenia to 92 % in Spain on weekdays and from 79 % in Greece to 93 % in Norway on weekends. Children of native parents, with both parents employed and with at least one parent having more than 14 years of education were more likely to consume breakfast daily and less likely to be overweight/obese. Finally, mediation analyses revealed that the association of parental nationality and parental educational status with children's overweight/obesity was partially mediated by children's daily breakfast consumption. The study shows that the lower likelihood of being overweight/obese among 10-12-year-old children of native background and higher parental educational status was partially mediated by children's daily breakfast consumption.

Using incomplete trios to boost confidence in family based association studies

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Varsha eDhankani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Most currently available family based association tests are designed to account only for nuclear families with complete genotypes for parents as well as offspring. Due to the availability of increasingly less expensive generation of whole genome sequencing information, genetic studies are able to collect data for more families and from large family cohorts with the goal of improving statistical power. However, due to missing genotypes, many families are not included in the family based association tests, negating the benefits of large scale sequencing data. Here, we present the CIFBAT method to use incomplete families in Family Based Association Test (FBAT to evaluate robustness against missing data. CIFBAT uses quantile intervals of the FBAT statistic by randomly choosing valid completions of incomplete family genotypes based on Mendelian inheritance rules. By considering all valid completions equally likely and computing quantile intervals over several randomized iterations, CIFBAT avoids assumption of a homogeneous population structure or any particular missingness pattern in the data. Using simulated data, we show that the quantile intervals computed by CIFBAT are useful in validating robustness of the FBAT statistic against missing data and in identifying genomic markers with higher precision. We also propose a novel set of candidate genomic markers for uterine related abnormalities from analysis of familial whole genome sequences, and provide validation for a previously established set of candidate markers for Type 1 diabetes. We have provided a software package that incorporates TDT, robustTDT, FBAT and CIFBAT. The data format proposed for the software uses half the memory space that the standard FBAT format (PED files use, making it efficient for large scale genome wide association studies.

Inequities in energy-balance related behaviours and family environmental determinants in European children: baseline results of the prospective EPHE evaluation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantziki, Krystallia; Vassilopoulos, Achilleas; Radulian, Gabriella; Borys, Jean-Michel; Du Plessis, Hugues; Gregório, Maria João; Graça, Pedro; De Henauw, Stefaan; Handjiev, Svetoslav; Visscher, Tommy Ls; Seidell, Jacob C

2015-12-02

Tackling inequalities in overweight, obesity and related determinants has become a top priority for the European research and policy agendas. Although it has been established that such inequalities accumulate from early childhood onward, they have not been studied extensively in children. The current article discusses the results of an explorative analysis for the identification of inequalities in behaviours and their determinants between groups with high and low socio-economic status. This study is part of the Epode for the Promotion of Health Equity (EPHE) evaluation study, the overall aim of which is to assess the impact and sustainability of EPODE methodology to diminish inequalities in childhood obesity and overweight. Seven community-based programmes from different European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Portugal, Romania, The Netherlands) participate in the EPHE study. In each of the communities, children aged 6-8 years participated, resulting in a total sample of 1266 children and their families. A parental self-administrated questionnaire was disseminated in order to assess the socio-economic status of the household, selected energy balance-related behaviours (1. fruit and vegetable consumption; 2. soft drink/ fruit juices and water consumption; 3. screen time and 4. sleep duration) of the children and associated family environmental determinants. The Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson's chi-square test were used to test differences between the low and high education groups. The country-specific median was chosen as the cut-off point to determine the educational level, given the different average educational level in every country. Children with mothers of relatively high educational level consumed fruits and vegetables more frequently than their peers of low socio-economic status. The latter group of children had a higher intake of fruit juices and/or soft drinks and had higher screen time. Parental rules and home availability were

A comprehensive family-based replication study of schizophrenia genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aberg, Karolina A; Liu, Youfang; Bukszár, Jozsef

2013-01-01

 768 control subjects from 6 databases and, after quality control 6298 individuals (including 3286 cases) from 1811 nuclear families. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Case-control status for SCZ. RESULTS Replication results showed a highly significant enrichment of SNPs with small P values. Of the SNPs...... in an independent family-based replication study that, after quality control, consisted of 8107 SNPs. SETTING Linkage meta-analysis, brain transcriptome meta-analysis, candidate gene database, OMIM, relevant mouse studies, and expression quantitative trait locus databases. PATIENTS We included 11 185 cases and 10...

Kahwà:tsire: Indigenous Families in a Family Therapy Practice with the Indigenous Worldview as the Foundation

OpenAIRE

Derrick, J.M.

2017-01-01

This study creates new knowledge regarding the impact of European colonization on Indigenous (Aboriginal, First Nations, Inuit, Metis) families in Canada. It particularly focuses on the issues in families whose children were forcibly removed by the government to institutions called residential schools. Members of Indigenous families voluntarily attended a family therapy practice which utilized a family systems approach and was uniquely based in the Indigenous worldview. This worldview is spir...

Combining employment and family in Europe: the role of family policies in health.

Science.gov (United States)

Artazcoz, Lucía; Cortès, Imma; Puig-Barrachina, Vanessa; Benavides, Fernando G; Escribà-Agüir, Vicenta; Borrell, Carme

2014-08-01

The objectives of this study were: (i) to analyse the relationship between health status and paid working hours and household composition in the EU-27, and (ii) to examine whether patterns of association differ as a function of family policy typologies and gender. Cross-sectional study based on data from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey of 2010. The sample included married or cohabiting employees aged 25-64 years from the EU-27 (10,482 men and 8,882 women). The dependent variables were self-perceived health status and psychological well-being. Irrespective of differences in family policy typologies between countries, working long hours was more common among men, and part-time work was more common among women. In Continental and Southern European countries, employment and family demands were associated with poor health status in both sexes, but more consistently among women. In Anglo-Saxon countries, the association was mainly limited to men. Finally, in Nordic and Eastern European countries, employment and family demands were largely unassociated with poor health outcomes in both sexes. The combination of employment and family demands is largely unassociated with health status in countries with dual-earner family policy models, but is associated with poorer health outcomes in countries with market-oriented models, mainly among men. This association is more consistent among women in countries with traditional models, where males are the breadwinners and females are responsible for domestic and care work. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

The European General Practice Research Network Presents the Translations of Its Comprehensive Definition of Multimorbidity in Family Medicine in Ten European Languages

Science.gov (United States)

Le Reste, Jean Yves; Nabbe, Patrice; Rivet, Charles; Lygidakis, Charilaos; Doerr, Christa; Czachowski, Slawomir; Lingner, Heidrun; Argyriadou, Stella; Lazic, Djurdjica; Assenova, Radost; Hasaganic, Melida; Munoz, Miquel Angel; Thulesius, Hans; Le Floch, Bernard; Derriennic, Jeremy; Sowinska, Agnieska; Van Marwijk, Harm; Lietard, Claire; Van Royen, Paul

2015-01-01

Background Multimorbidity, according to the World Health Organization, exists when there are two or more chronic conditions in one patient. This definition seems inaccurate for the holistic approach to Family Medicine (FM) and long-term care. To avoid this pitfall the European General Practitioners Research Network (EGPRN) designed a comprehensive definition of multimorbidity using a systematic literature review. Objective To translate that English definition into European languages and to validate the semantic, conceptual and cultural homogeneity of the translations for further research. Method Forward translation of the EGPRN’s definition of multimorbidity followed by a Delphi consensus procedure assessment, a backward translation and a cultural check with all teams to ensure the homogeneity of the translations in their national context. Consensus was defined as 70% of the scores being higher than 6. Delphi rounds were repeated in each country until a consensus was reached Results 229 European medical expert FPs participated in the study. Ten consensual translations of the EGPRN comprehensive definition of multimorbidity were achieved. Conclusion A comprehensive definition of multimorbidity is now available in English and ten European languages for further collaborative research in FM and long-term care. PMID:25607642

European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness initiatives on person-centred care.

Science.gov (United States)

Steffen, Sigrid

2011-04-01

European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness is working towards the goal of shifting the emphasis of care for people with metal illness from the treatment of the symptoms to a more holistic approach of treating the whole person - in other words 'person-centred care'. It is also working with the Geneva conference on person-centred medicine and various interested groupings and organizations to ensure that the role of the family is fully recognized and supported. By engaging primarily with the medical community in bringing to fruition certain initiatives which European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness considers as important to the success of person-centred care. To date, no formal reviews have taken place and feedback from the initiatives has been informal and anecdotal. Early reports from the various initiatives are positive. But they also indicate that there is still much work to be done in order for the concept to become a reality across the majority of European countries. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Engaging families in physical activity research: a family-based focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Helen Elizabeth; Schiff, Annie; van Sluijs, Esther M F

2015-11-25

Family-based interventions present a much-needed opportunity to increase children's physical activity levels. However, little is known about how best to engage parents and their children in physical activity research. This study aimed to engage with the whole family to understand how best to recruit for, and retain participation in, physical activity research. Families (including a 'target' child aged between 8 and 11 years, their parents, siblings, and others) were recruited through schools and community groups. Focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured approach (informed by a pilot session). Families were asked to order cards listing the possible benefits of, and the barriers to, being involved in physical activity research and other health promotion activities, highlighting the items they consider most relevant, and suggesting additional items. Duplicate content analysis was used to identify transcript themes and develop a coding frame. Eighty-two participants from 17 families participated, including 17 'target' children (mean age 9.3 ± 1.1 years, 61.1% female), 32 other children and 33 adults (including parents, grandparents, and older siblings). Social, health and educational benefits were cited as being key incentives for involvement in physical activity research, with emphasis on children experiencing new things, developing character, and increasing social contact (particularly for shy children). Children's enjoyment was also given priority. The provision of child care or financial reward was not considered sufficiently appealing. Increased time commitment or scheduling difficulties were quoted as the most pertinent barriers to involvement (especially for families with several children), but parents commented these could be overcome if the potential value for children was clear. Lessons learned from this work may contribute to the development of effective recruitment and retention strategies for children and their families. Making the wide

Testing for direct genetic effects using a screening step in family-based association studies

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Sharon M Lutz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In genome wide association studies (GWAS, families based studies tend to have less power to detect genetic associations than population based studies, such as case-control studies. This can be an issue when testing if genes in a family based GWAS have a direct effect on the phenotype of interest or if the genes act indirectly through a secondary phenotype. When multiple SNPs are tested for a direct effect in the family based study, a screening step can be used to minimize the burden of multiple comparisons in the causal analysis. We propose a 2-stage screening step that can be incorporated into the family based association test (FBAT approach similar to the conditional mean model approach in the VanSteen-algorithm [1]. Simulations demonstrate that the type 1 error is preserved and this method is advantageous when multiple markers are tested. This method is illustrated by an application to the Framingham Heart Study.

Neurocognitive performance in family-based and case-control studies of schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Gur, Ruben C.; Braff, David L.; Calkins, Monica E.; Dobie, Dorcas J.; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F.; Greenwood, Tiffany A.; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Light, Gregory A.; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D.; Seidman, Larry J.; Siever, Larry J.; Silverman, Jeremy M.; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S.; Sugar, Catherine A.; Swerdlow, Neal R.; Tsuang, Debby W.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Turetsky, Bruce I.; Gur, Raquel E.

2014-01-01

Background Neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) are established and the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS) investigated such measures as endophenotypes in family-based (COGS-1) and case-control (COGS-2) studies. By requiring family participation, family-based sampling may result in samples that vary demographically and perform better on neurocognitive measures. Methods The Penn computerized neurocognitive battery (CNB) evaluates accuracy and speed of performance for several domains and was administered across sites in COGS-1 and COGS-2. Most tests were included in both studies. COGS-1 included 328 patients with SZ and 497 healthy comparison subjects (HCS) and COGS-2 included 1195 patients and 1009 HCS. Results Demographically, COGS-1 participants were younger, more educated, with more educated parents and higher estimated IQ compared to COGS-2 participants. After controlling for demographics, the two samples produced very similar performance profiles compared to their respective controls. As expected, performance was better and with smaller effect sizes compared to controls in COGS-1 relative to COGS-2. Better performance was most pronounced for spatial processing while emotion identification had large effect sizes for both accuracy and speed in both samples. Performance was positively correlated with functioning and negatively with negative and positive symptoms in both samples, but correlations were attenuated in COGS-2, especially with positive symptoms. Conclusions Patients ascertained through family-based design have more favorable demographics and better performance on some neurocognitive domains. Thus, studies that use case-control ascertainment may tap into populations with more severe forms of illness that are exposed to less favorable factors compared to those ascertained with family-based designs. PMID:25432636

Neurocognitive performance in family-based and case-control studies of schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gur, Ruben C; Braff, David L; Calkins, Monica E; Dobie, Dorcas J; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Light, Gregory A; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D; Seidman, Larry J; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S; Sugar, Catherine A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Turetsky, Bruce I; Gur, Raquel E

2015-04-01

Neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) are established and the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS) investigated such measures as endophenotypes in family-based (COGS-1) and case-control (COGS-2) studies. By requiring family participation, family-based sampling may result in samples that vary demographically and perform better on neurocognitive measures. The Penn computerized neurocognitive battery (CNB) evaluates accuracy and speed of performance for several domains and was administered across sites in COGS-1 and COGS-2. Most tests were included in both studies. COGS-1 included 328 patients with SZ and 497 healthy comparison subjects (HCS) and COGS-2 included 1195 patients and 1009 HCS. Demographically, COGS-1 participants were younger, more educated, with more educated parents and higher estimated IQ compared to COGS-2 participants. After controlling for demographics, the two samples produced very similar performance profiles compared to their respective controls. As expected, performance was better and with smaller effect sizes compared to controls in COGS-1 relative to COGS-2. Better performance was most pronounced for spatial processing while emotion identification had large effect sizes for both accuracy and speed in both samples. Performance was positively correlated with functioning and negatively with negative and positive symptoms in both samples, but correlations were attenuated in COGS-2, especially with positive symptoms. Patients ascertained through family-based design have more favorable demographics and better performance on some neurocognitive domains. Thus, studies that use case-control ascertainment may tap into populations with more severe forms of illness that are exposed to less favorable factors compared to those ascertained with family-based designs.

Smoking in European adolescents: relation between media influences, family affluence, and migration background.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgenstern, Matthis; Sargent, James D; Engels, Rutger C M E; Florek, Ewa; Hanewinkel, Reiner

2013-10-01

Seeing smoking depictions in movies has been identified as a determinant of smoking in adolescents. Little is known about how such media influences interact with other social risk factors. Differences in smoking rates in different socio-economic status groups might be explainable by differences in media exposure. There might also be differences in the average response to movie smoking exposure. We tested this hypothesis within a cross-national study conducted in six European countries. A total of 16,551 pupils from Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and Scotland with a mean age of 13.4years (SD=1.18) were recruited from 114 state funded schools. Using previously validated methods, exposure to smoking depictions in movies was estimated for each student and related to ever smoking. The analysis was stratified by level of family affluence (low, medium, high) and migration history of parents (yes vs. no), controlling for a number of covariates like age, gender, school performance, television screen time, sensation seeking and rebelliousness and smoking within the social environment (peers, parents, siblings). We found a significant association for each category of family affluence and ethnicity between ever smoking and movie smoking exposure, also significant adjusted odds ratios for age, school performance, sensation seeking, peer smoking, mother smoking, and sibling smoking. This relationship between movie smoking and adolescent smoking was not moderated by family affluence or ethnicity. Although we used a very broad measure of economic status and migration history, the results suggest that the effects of exposure to movie smoking can be generalized to the population of youths across European countries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Gene-Based Family-Based Methods to Detect Novel Genes Associated With Familial Late Onset Alzheimer Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria V. Fernández

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Gene-based tests to study the combined effect of rare variants on a particular phenotype have been widely developed for case-control studies, but their evolution and adaptation for family-based studies, especially studies of complex incomplete families, has been slower. In this study, we have performed a practical examination of all the latest gene-based methods available for family-based study designs using both simulated and real datasets. We examined the performance of several collapsing, variance-component, and transmission disequilibrium tests across eight different software packages and 22 models utilizing a cohort of 285 families (N = 1,235 with late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD. After a thorough examination of each of these tests, we propose a methodological approach to identify, with high confidence, genes associated with the tested phenotype and we provide recommendations to select the best software and model for family-based gene-based analyses. Additionally, in our dataset, we identified PTK2B, a GWAS candidate gene for sporadic AD, along with six novel genes (CHRD, CLCN2, HDLBP, CPAMD8, NLRP9, and MAS1L as candidate genes for familial LOAD.

Values and Communication of Chinese, Filipino, European, Mexican, and Vietnamese American Adolescents with Their Families and Friends.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Catherine R.; And Others

1993-01-01

Total of 393 American college students of Chinese, Filipino, European, Mexican, and Vietnamese descent rated their families' familistic values and their relationship with their families. Mexican, Vietnamese, and Filipino descent students endorsed most strongly values regarding mutual support among siblings, whereas all groups reported more formal…

Web-based family intervention for overweight children: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Delamater, Alan M; Pulgaron, Elizabeth R; Rarback, Sheah; Hernandez, Jennifer; Carrillo, Adriana; Christiansen, Steven; Severson, Herbert H

2013-02-01

Research has shown the efficacy of family-based behavioral interventions for overweight children, but a major difficulty is access to effective treatment programs. The objective of this study was to develop and test the initial feasibility and efficacy of a web-based family program for overweight 8- to 12-year-old children. A website was created using concepts from effective family-based behavioral programs and input from focus groups with overweight children, parents, and pediatricians. The website provided information about obesity and healthy lifestyles, assessment of dietary and physical activity habits, interactive dietary and physical activity games, and instruction in goal-setting and monitoring of goals. Children selected a dietary and physical activity goal and a daily step goal with pedometers. Feasibility and pilot testing over 4 weeks was conducted with 24 overweight children referred by a physician. Outcomes were z-BMI, healthy eating and physical activity, and intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy for weight control. Mean number of logins over the study period was 11.4 for the study sample. Eighteen families (75%) returned for the follow-up assessment. Pre-post analyses for these participants showed improvements in intrinsic motivation, (p=0.05), self-efficacy (p=0.025), physical activity (p=0.005), and healthy lifestyle behaviors (p=0.001). Comparisons between high and low users of the program indicated that high users reduced their BMI while low users increased their BMI over time (p=0.02); high users also improved their dietary intake relative to low users (p=0.04). Consumer satisfaction ratings were high. These pilot findings suggest this is a feasible approach for treatment of overweight children and that children who used the web program frequently improved their BMI and dietary intake.

Evidence for shared susceptibility to epilepsy and psychosis: a population-based family study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Clarke, Mary C

2012-05-01

There is emerging evidence of an etiological overlap between a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and epilepsy. Here we investigate shared familial vulnerability to psychotic illness and epilepsy in a family-based study.

Weight status of European preschool children and associations with family demographics and energy balance-related behaviours: a pooled analysis of six European studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Stralen, M.M.; te Velde, S.J.; van Nassau, F.; Brug, J.; Grammatikaki, E.; Maes, L.; de Bourdeaudhuij, I.; Verbestel, V.; Galcheva, S.; Iotova, V.; Koletzko, B.V.; von Kries, R.; Bayer, O.; Kulaga, Z.; Serra-Majem, L.; Sanchez-Villegas, A.; Ribas-Barba, L.; Manios, Y.; Chin A Paw, M.J.M.

2012-01-01

This study aimed to (i) gain insight in the prevalence of overweight indices in European preschoolers (4-7 years); (ii) identify energy balance-related behaviours associated with overweight/obesity; and (iii) identify children at risk for overweight/obesity. Secondary analyses of six European data

Telemedicine of family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa: A protocol of a treatment development study.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Kristen E; Byrne, Catherine; Goodyear, Alexandria; Reichel, Ryan; Le Grange, Daniel

2015-01-01

Family-based treatment is an efficacious treatment available for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Yet the implementation of this treatment, at least in the United States, is challenging due to a limited number of trained family-based treatment therapists and the concentration of these therapists in a limited number of urban centers. The use of telemedicine in the delivery of family-based treatment can increase access to this therapy for this patient population. This two-year treatment development study (December 2013-November 2015) follows a two-wave iterative case series design. The study is ongoing and addresses the treatment needs of families in remote, rural, or underrepresented parts of the United States by delivering family-based treatment via telemedicine (video chat). The first six months of the study was dedicated to selecting a cloud-based secure telemedicine portal for use with participants. Recruitment for the first of two consecutive case series (N = 5) began during month seven. After these five patients completed treatment, a systematic review of treatment via feedback from participants and therapists related to the delivery of this model and use of technology was completed. A second wave of recruitment is underway (N = 5). At the end of both waves (N = 10), and after a second review of treatment, we should be able to establish the feasibility and acceptability of family-based treatment delivered via telemedicine for this patient population. This study is the first attempt to deliver family-based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa via telemedicine. If delivering family-based treatment in this format is feasible, it will provide access to an evidence-based treatment for families heretofore unable to participate in specialist treatment for their child's eating disorder.

Family ties and intergenerational relationships in European families in the twentieth century [Więzy rodzinne i relacje międzypokoleniowe w rodzinach europejskich w XX wieku

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie MAREČKOVÁ

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Intergenerational family relationships still performed an important social function in rural society in Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century. The situation within the Czech family illustrates the current problems in family ties and intergenerational relationships that have surfaced since the nineteen nineties. Negative developmental trends are being seen, particularly in comparison with family circumstances in other European countries, most significantly the continuing ageing of the population and the wide-ranging activities of seniors. Looser relationships with their families and a decline in their engagement in caring for their grandchildren mean that Czech grandparents tend to rank alongside more socially developed countries in this respect. Under Czech conditions, however, this can lead to great strain on the active roles played by seniors. The growing number of adult offspring, particularly men, living with their parents is a far from progressive trend in social and economic development, and corresponds more closely with southern European traditions. A preference for alternative forms of cohabitation, particularly among partners with primary education, the postponing of the birth of the first child, the growth in the number of single-person households and, perhaps most importantly, the enormous rise in the number of households comprised of young or middle-aged individuals in the economically productive age group may, it is true, rank the Czech Republic among socially developed countries and at around the European average, though in view of the unfavourable demographic trend a fundamental change in state support for marriage and the family is, however, also essential in the Czech Republic. The fact is that more than a third of families with children are threatened with poverty. The conclusion arising from the analyses performed indicates that the current problems in state social and family policy are reflected in the increasing

40 years of biannual family medicine research meetings--the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN).

Science.gov (United States)

Buono, Nicola; Thulesius, Hans; Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando; Van Merode, Tiny; Koskela, Tuomas; Le Reste, Jean-Yves; Prick, Hanny; Soler, Jean Karl

2013-12-01

To document family medicine research in the 25 EGPRN member countries in 2010. Semi-structured survey with open-ended questions. Academic family medicine in 23 European countries, Israel, and Turkey. 25 EGPRN national representatives. Demographics of the general population and family medicine. Assessments, opinions, and suggestions. EGPRN has represented family medicine for almost half a billion people and > 300,000 general practitioners (GPs). Turkey had the largest number of family medicine departments and highest density of GPs, 2.1/1000 people, Belgium had 1.7, Austria 1.6, and France 1.5. Lowest GP density was reported from Israel 0.17, Greece 0.18, and Slovenia 0.4 GPs per 1000 people. Family medicine research networks were reported by 22 of 25 and undergraduate family medicine research education in 20 of the 25 member countries, and in 10 countries students were required to do research projects. Postgraduate family medicine research was reported by 18 of the member countries. Open-ended responses showed that EGPRN meetings promoted stimulating and interesting research questions such as comparative studies of chronic pain management, sleep disorders, elderly care, healthy lifestyle promotion, mental health, clinical competence, and appropriateness of specialist referrals. Many respondents reported a lack of interest in family medicine research related to poor incentives and low family medicine status in general and among medical students in particular. It was suggested that EGPRN exert political lobbying for family medicine research. Since 1974, EGPRN organizes biannual conferences that unite and promote primary care practice, clinical research and academic family medicine in 25 member countries.

Associations between family-related factors, breakfast consumption and BMI among 10- to 12-year-old European children: the cross-sectional ENERGY-study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy Van Lippevelde

Full Text Available To investigate associations of family-related factors with children's breakfast consumption and BMI-z-score and to examine whether children's breakfast consumption mediates associations between family-related factors and children's BMI-z-score.Ten- to twelve-year-old children (n = 6374; mean age = 11.6 ± 0.7 years, 53.2% girls, mean BMI-z-score = 0.4 ± 1.2 and one of their parents (n = 6374; mean age = 41.4 ± 5.3 years, 82.7% female, mean BMI = 24.5 ± 4.2 kg/m(2 were recruited from schools in eight European countries (Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland. The children self-reported their breakfast frequency per week. The body weight and height of the children were objectively measured. The parents responded to items on family factors related to breakfast (automaticity, availability, encouragement, paying attention, permissiveness, negotiating, communicating health beliefs, parental self-efficacy to address children's nagging, praising, and family breakfast frequency. Mediation analyses were performed using multi-level regression analyses (child-school-country.Three of the eleven family-related variables were significantly associated with children's BMI-z-score. The family breakfast frequency was negatively associated with the BMI-z-score; permissiveness concerning skipping breakfast and negotiating about breakfast were positively associated with the BMI-z-score. Children's breakfast consumption was found to be a mediator of the two associations. All family-related variables except for negotiating, praising and communicating health beliefs, were significantly associated with children's breakfast consumption.Future breakfast promotion and obesity prevention interventions should focus on family-related factors including the physical home environment and parenting practices. Nevertheless, more longitudinal research and intervention studies to support these findings between family-related factors and

Paternal Hostility and Maternal Hostility in European American and African American Families.

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Wu, Ed Y; Reeb, Ben T; Martin, Monica J; Gibbons, Frederick X; Simons, Ronald L; Conger, Rand D

2014-06-01

The authors examined the hypothesized influence of maternal and paternal hostility on youth delinquency over time. The investigation addressed significant gaps in earlier research on parental hostility, including the neglect of father effects, especially in African American families. Using prospective, longitudinal data from community samples of European American (n = 422) and African American (n = 272) 2-parent families, the authors examined the independent effects of paternal and maternal hostility on youth delinquency. The results indicated that paternal hostility significantly predicted relative increases in youth delinquent behaviors above and beyond the effects of maternal hostility; conversely, maternal hostility did not predict youth delinquency after controlling for paternal hostility. Multiple-group analyses yielded similar results for both ethnic groups and for boys and girls. These results underscore the importance of including both parents in research on diverse families. Neglecting fathers provides an incomplete account of parenting in relation to youth development.

Family-Based Benchmarking of Copy Number Variation Detection Software.

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Nutsua, Marcel Elie; Fischer, Annegret; Nebel, Almut; Hofmann, Sylvia; Schreiber, Stefan; Krawczak, Michael; Nothnagel, Michael

2015-01-01

The analysis of structural variants, in particular of copy-number variations (CNVs), has proven valuable in unraveling the genetic basis of human diseases. Hence, a large number of algorithms have been developed for the detection of CNVs in SNP array signal intensity data. Using the European and African HapMap trio data, we undertook a comparative evaluation of six commonly used CNV detection software tools, namely Affymetrix Power Tools (APT), QuantiSNP, PennCNV, GLAD, R-gada and VEGA, and assessed their level of pair-wise prediction concordance. The tool-specific CNV prediction accuracy was assessed in silico by way of intra-familial validation. Software tools differed greatly in terms of the number and length of the CNVs predicted as well as the number of markers included in a CNV. All software tools predicted substantially more deletions than duplications. Intra-familial validation revealed consistently low levels of prediction accuracy as measured by the proportion of validated CNVs (34-60%). Moreover, up to 20% of apparent family-based validations were found to be due to chance alone. Software using Hidden Markov models (HMM) showed a trend to predict fewer CNVs than segmentation-based algorithms albeit with greater validity. PennCNV yielded the highest prediction accuracy (60.9%). Finally, the pairwise concordance of CNV prediction was found to vary widely with the software tools involved. We recommend HMM-based software, in particular PennCNV, rather than segmentation-based algorithms when validity is the primary concern of CNV detection. QuantiSNP may be used as an additional tool to detect sets of CNVs not detectable by the other tools. Our study also reemphasizes the need for laboratory-based validation, such as qPCR, of CNVs predicted in silico.

Women's job quality across family life stages: An analysis of female employees across 27 European countries

OpenAIRE

Piasna, A.; Plagnol, A.

2017-01-01

There is little empirical evidence on how working conditions affect women’s employment and fertility choices, despite a number of studies on the impact of individual-level and institutional factors. The article addresses this gap by examining how family life stages are related to particular aspects of job quality among employed women in 27 European countries. The central argument of the analysis is that high-quality jobs are conducive to both transitions to motherhood and employment after chi...

Alcohol attributable burden of incidence of cancer in eight European countries based on results from prospective cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schuetze, Madlen; Boeing, Heiner; Pischon, Tobias; Rehm, Juergen; Kehoe, Tara; Gmel, Gerrit; Olsen, Anja; Tjonneland, Anne M.; Dahm, Christina C.; Overvad, Kim; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Benetou, Vasiliki; Zylis, Dimosthenis; Kaaks, Rudolf; Rohrmann, Sabine; Palli, Domenico; Berrino, Franco; Tumino, Rosario; Vineis, Paolo; Rodriguez, Laudina; Agudo, Antonio; Sanchez, Maria-Jose; Dorronsoro, Miren; Chirlaque, Maria-Dolores; Barricarte, Aurelio; Peeters, Petra H.; van Gils, Carla H.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Wareham, Nick; Allen, Naomi E.; Key, Timothy J.; Boffetta, Paolo; Slimani, Nadia; Jenab, Mazda; Romaguera, Dora; Wark, Petra A.; Riboli, Elio; Bergmann, Manuela M.

2011-01-01

Objective To compute the burden of cancer attributable to current and former alcohol consumption in eight European countries based on direct relative risk estimates from a cohort study. Design Combination of prospective cohort study with representative population based data on alcohol exposure.

A family-based association study identified CYP17 as a candidate gene for obesity susceptibility in Caucasians.

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Yan, H; Guo, Y; Yang, T-L; Zhao, L-J; Deng, H-W

2012-08-06

The cytochrome P450c17α gene (CYP17) encodes a key biosynthesis enzyme of estrogen, which is critical in regulating adipogenesis and adipocyte development in humans. We therefore hypothesized that CYP17 is a candidate gene for predicting obesity. In order to test this hypothesis, we performed a family-based association test to investigate the relationship between the CYP17 gene and obesity phenotypes in a large sample comprising 1873 subjects from 405 Caucasian nuclear families of European origin recruited by the Osteoporosis Research Center of Creighton University, USA. Both single SNPs and haplotypes were tested for associations with obesity-related phenotypes, including body mass index (BMI) and fat mass. We identified three SNPs to be significantly associated with BMI, including rs3740397, rs6163, and rs619824. We further characterized the linkage disequilibrium structure for CYP17 and found that the whole CYP17 gene was located in a single-linkage disequilibrium block. This block was observed to be significantly associated with BMI. A major haplotype in this block was significantly associated with both BMI and fat mass. In conclusion, we suggest that the CYP17 gene has an effect on obesity in the Caucasian population. Further independent studies will be needed to confirm our findings.

A model for fine mapping in family based association studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Boehringer, Stefan; Pfeiffer, Ruth M

2009-01-01

Genome wide association studies for complex diseases are typically followed by more focused characterization of the identified genetic region. We propose a latent class model to evaluate a candidate region with several measured markers using observations on families. The main goal is to estimate linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the observed markers and the putative true but unobserved disease locus in the region. Based on this model, we estimate the joint distribution of alleles at the observed markers and the unobserved true disease locus, and a penetrance parameter measuring the impact of the disease allele on disease risk. A family specific random effect allows for varying baseline disease prevalences for different families. We present a likelihood framework for our model and assess its properties in simulations. We apply the model to an Alzheimer data set and confirm previous findings in the ApoE region.

Associations between Family-Related Factors, Breakfast Consumption and BMI among 10- to 12-Year-Old European Children: The Cross-Sectional ENERGY-Study

Science.gov (United States)

Van Lippevelde, Wendy; Te Velde, Saskia J.; Verloigne, Maïté; Van Stralen, Maartje M.; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Manios, Yannis; Bere, Elling; Vik, Froydis N.; Jan, Nataša; Fernández Alvira, Juan M.; Chinapaw, Mai J. M.; Bringolf-Isler, Bettina; Kovacs, Eva; Brug, Johannes; Maes, Lea

2013-01-01

Objective To investigate associations of family-related factors with children’s breakfast consumption and BMI-z-score and to examine whether children’s breakfast consumption mediates associations between family-related factors and children’s BMI-z-score. Subjects Ten- to twelve-year-old children (n = 6374; mean age = 11.6±0.7 years, 53.2% girls, mean BMI-z-score = 0.4±1.2) and one of their parents (n = 6374; mean age = 41.4±5.3 years, 82.7% female, mean BMI = 24.5±4.2 kg/m2) were recruited from schools in eight European countries (Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland). The children self-reported their breakfast frequency per week. The body weight and height of the children were objectively measured. The parents responded to items on family factors related to breakfast (automaticity, availability, encouragement, paying attention, permissiveness, negotiating, communicating health beliefs, parental self-efficacy to address children’s nagging, praising, and family breakfast frequency). Mediation analyses were performed using multi-level regression analyses (child-school-country). Results Three of the eleven family-related variables were significantly associated with children’s BMI-z-score. The family breakfast frequency was negatively associated with the BMI-z-score; permissiveness concerning skipping breakfast and negotiating about breakfast were positively associated with the BMI-z-score. Children’s breakfast consumption was found to be a mediator of the two associations. All family-related variables except for negotiating, praising and communicating health beliefs, were significantly associated with children’s breakfast consumption. Conclusions Future breakfast promotion and obesity prevention interventions should focus on family-related factors including the physical home environment and parenting practices. Nevertheless, more longitudinal research and intervention studies to

Developmental and familial predictors of adult cognitive traits in the European starling

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Nettle, Daniel; Andrews, Clare P.; Monaghan, Pat; Brilot, Ben O.; Bedford, Thomas; Gillespie, Robert; Bateson, Melissa

2015-01-01

In birds, there is evidence that adult cognitive traits can both run in families and be affected by early developmental influences. However, different studies use different cognitive tasks, which may not be measuring the same traits, and also focus on different developmental factors. We report results from a study in which we administered multiple cognitive tasks (autoshaping, discrimination learning, reversal learning, progressive ratio schedule, extinction learning and impulsivity) to a cohort of 34 European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, for which several early developmental measures were available. The cohort consisted of siblings raised either apart or together, whose position in the size hierarchy of the rearing brood had been experimentally manipulated. We examined how the different cognitive measures covaried, the extent to which they ran in families, and which of the developmental factors predicted which of the cognitive outcomes. We found that discrimination and reversal learning speeds were positively correlated, as were breakpoint on the progressive ratio schedule and resistance to extinction. Otherwise, the cognitive measures were uncorrelated, suggesting that they reflected different underlying traits. All traits except discrimination and reversal learning speed ran in families to a substantial extent. Using a model selection approach, we found evidence that natal brood size and developmental telomere attrition (the extent to which the birds' erythrocyte telomeres shortened in early life, an integrative measure of developmental stress) were related to several adult cognitive measures. Results are discussed with respect to the best way of measuring avian cognitive abilities, and the utility of developmental telomere attrition as a predictor of adult outcomes. PMID:26405302

The EuroPrevall birth cohort study on food allergy: baseline characteristics of 12,000 newborns and their families from nine European countries.

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McBride, D; Keil, T; Grabenhenrich, L; Dubakiene, R; Drasutiene, G; Fiocchi, A; Dahdah, L; Sprikkelman, A B; Schoemaker, A A; Roberts, G; Grimshaw, K; Kowalski, M L; Stanczyk-Przyluska, A; Sigurdardottir, S; Clausen, M; Papadopoulos, N G; Mitsias, D; Rosenfeld, L; Reche, M; Pascual, C; Reich, A; Hourihane, J; Wahn, U; Mills, E N C; Mackie, A; Beyer, K

2012-05-01

It is unclear why some children develop food allergy. The EuroPrevall birth cohort was established to examine regional differences in the prevalence and risk factors of food allergy in European children using gold-standard diagnostic criteria. The aim of this report was to describe pre-, post-natal and environmental characteristics among the participating countries. In nine countries across four major European climatic regions, mothers and their newborns were enrolled from October 2005 through February 2010. Using standardized questionnaires, we assessed allergic diseases and self-reported food hypersensitivity of parents and siblings, nutrition during pregnancy, nutritional supplements, medications, mode of delivery, socio-demographic data and home environmental exposures. A total of 12,049 babies and their families were recruited. Self-reported adverse reactions to food ever were considerably more common in mothers from Germany (30%), Iceland, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands (all 20-22%) compared with those from Italy (11%), Lithuania, Greece, Poland, and Spain (all 5-8%). Prevalence estimates of parental asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema were highest in north-west (Iceland, UK), followed by west (Germany, the Netherlands), south (Greece, Italy, Spain) and lowest in central and east Europe (Poland, Lithuania). Over 17% of Spanish and Greek children were exposed to tobacco smoke in utero compared with only 8-11% in other countries. Caesarean section rate was highest in Greece (44%) and lowest in Spain (<3%). We found country-specific differences in antibiotic use, pet ownership, type of flooring and baby's mattress. In the EuroPrevall birth cohort study, the largest study using gold-standard diagnostic criteria for food allergy in children worldwide, we found considerable country-specific baseline differences regarding a wide range of factors that are hypothesized to play a role in the development of food allergy including allergic family history

Daily Family Conflict and Emotional Distress among Adolescents from Latin American, Asian, and European Backgrounds

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Chung, Grace H.; Flook, Lisa; Fuligni, Andrew J.

2009-01-01

The authors employed a daily diary method to assess daily frequencies of interparental and parent-adolescent conflict over a 2-week period and their implications for emotional distress across the high school years in a longitudinal sample of 415 adolescents from Latin American, Asian, and European backgrounds. Although family conflict remained…

INS VNTR is not associated with childhood obesity in 1,023 families: a family-based study.

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Bouatia-Naji, Nabila; De Graeve, Franck; Brönner, Günter; Lecoeur, Cécile; Vatin, Vincent; Durand, Emmanuelle; Lichtner, Peter; Nguyen, Thuy T; Heude, Barbara; Weill, Jacques; Lévy-Marchal, Claire; Hebebrand, Johannes; Froguel, Philippe; Meyre, David

2008-06-01

Previous studies have described genetic associations of the insulin gene variable number tandem repeat (INS VNTR) variant with childhood obesity and associated phenotypes. We aimed to assess the contribution of INS VNTR genotypes to childhood obesity and variance of insulin resistance, insulin secretion, and birth weight using family-based design. Participants were either French or German whites. We used transmission disequilibrium tests (TDTs) for assessing binary traits and quantitative pedigree disequilibrium tests for assessing continuous traits. In contrast to previous findings, we did not observe any familial association with childhood obesity (T = 50%, P = 0.77) in the 1,023 families tested. In French obese children, INS VNTR did not associate with fasting insulin levels (P = 0.23) and class I allele showed only borderline association with increased insulin secretion index at 30 min (P = 0.03). INS VNTR did not associate with birth weight in obese children (P = 0.98) and TDT analyses in 350 French families with history of low birth weight (LBW) showed no association with this condition (P = 0.92). In summary, our study, the largest performed so far, does not support the previously reported associations between INS VNTR and childhood obesity, insulin resistance, or birth weight, and does not suggest any major role for this variant in modulating these traits.

Dimensions of Family Functioning: Perspectives of Low-Income African American Single Parent Families

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Mccreary, Linda L.; Dancy, Barbara L.

2004-01-01

Family functioning is influenced by socio-economic status, culture, family structure, and developmental stage, and is assessed primarily using instruments developed for middle-income European American two-parent families. These instruments may not validly assess low-income African American single-parent families. This qualitative study was…

Internationally Adopted Children from Non-European Countries: General Development during the First Two Years in the Adoptive Family

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Monica Dalen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Internationally adopted children are often delayed in their development and demonstrate more behaviour problems than nonadopted children due to adverse preadoption circumstances. This is especially true for children adopted from Eastern European countries. Few studies have focused on children adopted from non-European countries. This paper presents results from an ongoing longitudinal study of 119 internationally adopted children from non-European countries during their first two years in Norway. Several scales measuring different aspects of the children’s development are included in the study: communication and gross motor development, temperamental characteristics, and behaviour problems. The results show that internationally adopted children are delayed in their general development when they first arrive in their adoptive families. After two years the children have made significant progress in development. However, they still lag behind in communication and motor skills compared to non-adopted children. The temperamental characteristics seem very stable from time of adoption until two years after adoption. The children demonstrate a low frequency of behaviour problems. However, the behaviour problems have changed during the two years. At time of adoption they show more nonphysically challenging behaviour while after two years their physically challenging behaviour has increased.

Internationally adopted children from non-European countries: general development during the first two years in the adoptive family.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalen, Monica; Theie, Steinar

2012-01-01

Internationally adopted children are often delayed in their development and demonstrate more behaviour problems than nonadopted children due to adverse preadoption circumstances. This is especially true for children adopted from Eastern European countries. Few studies have focused on children adopted from non-European countries. This paper presents results from an ongoing longitudinal study of 119 internationally adopted children from non-European countries during their first two years in Norway. Several scales measuring different aspects of the children's development are included in the study: communication and gross motor development, temperamental characteristics, and behaviour problems. The results show that internationally adopted children are delayed in their general development when they first arrive in their adoptive families. After two years the children have made significant progress in development. However, they still lag behind in communication and motor skills compared to non-adopted children. The temperamental characteristics seem very stable from time of adoption until two years after adoption. The children demonstrate a low frequency of behaviour problems. However, the behaviour problems have changed during the two years. At time of adoption they show more nonphysically challenging behaviour while after two years their physically challenging behaviour has increased.

A Mysterious European Threesome: Work-care Regimes, Policies and Gender

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Anália Torres

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Arguing that European family lives are affected by many societal factors, this article discusses the interplay between three sets of phenomena: the management of work and care responsibilities, workcarepolicies and regimes, and gender order within the family context. Based on discussions about orientations to work and care, we compare European countries and analyze regularities and singularities among them. Identifying and assessing the interplay between structural, institutional and cultural determinants of orientations we try to explain country diversity mobilizing data from the European Social Survey (rounds 2002, 2004 and 2006 and data from Eurobarometer 2003.The paper is organized around three analytical axes. First, we nalyze how work and family orientations are perceived by the Europeans. Secondly, we assess different European political policies regarding work and care arrangements, the outcome being a proposal for a workcare political typology. And finally we discuss the connectionsbetween those policies and the production or reproduction of gender order within the family. We conclude that in countries with more egalitarian gender values and policies targeted at workcarearrangements, individuals experience less workfamily conflict. Conversely, in countries with more traditional gender values and restricted or disadvantaged policies we found more familyworkconflict. But institutional constraints don’t act alone: orientations to work and care differ according to age, education, family forms and employment status.

Employment Insecurity at Labour Market Entry and Its Impact on Parental Home Leaving and Family Formation : A Comparative Study among Recent Graduates in Eight European Countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolbers, Maarten H.J.

2007-01-01

This article explores whether employment insecurity (i.e. unemployment and fl exible employment) at labour market entry has a negative impact on parental home leaving and family formation. To answer this question, data from a large-scale European graduate survey carried out in 1998 were analysed.

Knowledge based economy in European Union

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Ecaterina Stănculescu

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Nowadays we assist at a fundamental change from the economy based mainly on resources to the one based mostly on knowledge. The concept has been launched in the last decade of the past century. The knowledge became a production agent and a value creation instrument for whatever country and of course for an entire community like European Union which is constantly concerned by its development and competitiveness. This paper presents the principal characteristics of the present EU preoccupations with the expansion of a knowledge based economy through the 2020 European Development Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive economy, and especially for the Framework Programs (Framework Programme 7 and Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme.

Antibacterial Efficiency of Benzalkonium Chloride Base Disinfectant According To European Standard 13727, Chemical Analysis and Validation Studies

OpenAIRE

Yıldırım, Çinel; Çelenk, Veysel

2018-01-01

Antibacterial Efficiency of Benzalkonium Chloride Base Disinfectant According To European Standard 13727, Chemical Analysis and Validation Studies This study was aimed to provide principle of the chemical analyses, antibacterial efficiency test and validation procedures of the most commonly used benzalkonium chloride (BAC) base disinfectant as a biocide. Disinfectant which comprised 20 % BAC concentration was used as a prototype product and active substance was verified with chemical analysis...

A new social-family model for eating disorders: A European multicentre project using a case-control design.

Science.gov (United States)

Krug, Isabel; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew; Anderluh, Marija; Bellodi, Laura; Bagnoli, Silvia; Collier, David; Fernandez-Aranda, Fernando; Karwautz, Andreas; Mitchell, Sarah; Nacmias, Benedetta; Ricca, Valdo; Sorbi, Sandro; Tchanuria, Kate; Wagner, Gudrun; Treasure, Janet; Micali, Nadia

2015-12-01

To examine a new socio-family risk model of Eating Disorders (EDs) using path-analyses. The sample comprised 1264 (ED patients = 653; Healthy Controls = 611) participants, recruited into a multicentre European project. Socio-family factors assessed included: perceived maternal and parental parenting styles, family, peer and media influences, and body dissatisfaction. Two types of path-analyses were run to assess the socio-family model: 1.) a multinomial logistic path-model including ED sub-types [Anorexia Nervosa-Restrictive (AN-R), AN-Binge-Purging (AN-BP), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and EDNOS)] as the key polychotomous categorical outcome and 2.) a path-model assessing whether the socio-family model differed across ED sub-types and healthy controls using body dissatisfaction as the outcome variable. The first path-analyses suggested that family and media (but not peers) were directly and indirectly associated (through body dissatisfaction) with all ED sub-types. There was a weak effect of perceived parenting directly on ED sub-types and indirectly through family influences and body dissatisfaction. For the second path-analyses, the socio-family model varied substantially across ED sub-types. Family and media influences were related to body dissatisfaction in the EDNOS and control sample, whereas perceived abusive parenting was related to AN-BP and BN. This is the first study providing support for this new socio-family model, which differed across ED sub-types. This suggests that prevention and early intervention might need to be tailored to diagnosis-specific ED profiles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lack of MEF2A Delta7aa mutation in Irish families with early onset ischaemic heart disease, a family based study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Horan, Paul G

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is a complex disease due to the combination of environmental and genetic factors. Mutations in the MEF2A gene have recently been reported in patients with IHD. In particular, a 21 base pair deletion (Delta7aa) in the MEF2A gene was identified in a family with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance of IHD. We investigated this region of the MEF2A gene using an Irish family-based study, where affected individuals had early-onset IHD. METHODS: A total of 1494 individuals from 580 families were included (800 discordant sib-pairs and 64 parent-child trios). The Delta7aa region of the MEF2A gene was investigated based on amplicon size. RESULTS: The Delta7aa mutation was not detected in any individual. Variation in the number of CAG (glutamate) and CCG (proline) residues was detected in a nearby region. However, this was not found to be associated with IHD. CONCLUSION: The Delta7aa mutation was not detected in any individual within the study population and is unlikely to play a significant role in the development of IHD in Ireland. Using family-based tests of association the number of tri-nucleotide repeats in a nearby region of the MEF2A gene was not associated with IHD in our study group.

Family Practitioners' Advice about Taking Time Off Work for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: A Prospective Study in Twelve European Primary Care Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Godycki-Cwirko, Maciek; Nocun, Marek; Butler, Christopher C; Little, Paul; Verheij, Theo; Hood, Kerenza; Fleten, Nils; Kowalczyk, Anna; Melbye, Hasse

2016-01-01

Acute cough and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the most important causes of lost working hours. to explore variation and predictors in family practitioners (FPs) advice to patients with LRTIs about taking time off work in different European countries. Prospective observational study in primary care networks in 12 countries, with multilevel mixed-effects binomial logistic regression. 324 FPs recruited 1616 employed adults who presented to primary care with LRTIs. The proportion of patients advised to take time off work varied from 7.6% in the Netherlands to 89.2% in Slovakia, and of these, 88.2% overall were advised to stay off work for seven days or less. None of Finnish or Dutch patients were advised to take more than 7 days off, in contrast to 35.5% of Polish and 27.0% of Slovak patients. The strongest predictors of FPs' advice about time off work were: patient symptoms interfering with normal activities (OR 4.43; Pwork, which is not explained by differences in patients' reported illness duration, but might be explained by differences in regulations around certification and sick pay. Evidence based guidance for advising patients about taking time off work for this common condition is needed.

Marrying into the European family of nations: national disorder and upset gender roles in post-Communist Romanian film.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgescu, Diana

2011-01-01

Drawing on recent Romanian films, this article explores the distinctive post-communist concerns with national relocation in the symbolic geography of Europe. The focus on tragic comedies, an increasingly popular genre in Eastern European cinematography, foregrounds the critical usage of irony to express skepticism about the inclusive nature of geopolitical projects such as the European Union by national communities situated at its periphery. While the tragic comedies examined here are successful in challenging official narratives of European belonging, they rely on highly gendered scripts that prove more resilient to ironic reworkings. The movies resort to gendered plots and family tropes, representing Romania’s efforts to receive European recognition as attempts to “marry into” the European Union. The larger thrust of this article is to open complex notions such as “Europe,” “nation,” and “gender,” which are notoriously prone to essentialization, to a deconstructive analysis as systems of differentiation.

Discovery of a polyomavirus in European badgers (Meles meles) and the evolution of host range in the family Polyomaviridae.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Sarah C; Murphy, Aisling A; Cotten, Matthew; Palser, Anne L; Benson, Phillip; Lesellier, Sandrine; Gormley, Eamonn; Richomme, Céline; Grierson, Sylvia; Bhuachalla, Deirdre Ni; Chambers, Mark; Kellam, Paul; Boschiroli, María-Laura; Ehlers, Bernhard; Jarvis, Michael A; Pybus, Oliver G

2015-06-01

Polyomaviruses infect a diverse range of mammalian and avian hosts, and are associated with a variety of symptoms. However, it is unknown whether the viruses are found in all mammalian families and the evolutionary history of the polyomaviruses is still unclear. Here, we report the discovery of a novel polyomavirus in the European badger (Meles meles), which to our knowledge represents the first polyomavirus to be characterized in the family Mustelidae, and within a European carnivoran. Although the virus was discovered serendipitously in the supernatant of a cell culture inoculated with badger material, we subsequently confirmed its presence in wild badgers. The European badger polyomavirus was tentatively named Meles meles polyomavirus 1 (MmelPyV1). The genome is 5187 bp long and encodes proteins typical of polyomaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses including all known polyomavirus genomes consistently group MmelPyV1 with California sea lion polyomavirus 1 across all regions of the genome. Further evolutionary analyses revealed phylogenetic discordance amongst polyomavirus genome regions, possibly arising from evolutionary rate heterogeneity, and a complex association between polyomavirus phylogeny and host taxonomic groups.

An Empirical Study on the Moderate Scale of Food-production-based Family Farm in Guangxi

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yaogui WU

2016-01-01

The moderate scale family farm is the future agricultural business entity in China,and the scale of family farm is a key factor affecting its development.With Guigang City in Guangxi as a point for the study,from the perspective of maximizing income of rural households,this paper uses production function model to calculate the moderate scale of food-production-based family farm at 5.7 ha,and makes policy recommendations.

Family resources study: part 1: family resources, family function and caregiver strain in childhood cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Panganiban-Corales, Avegeille T; Medina, Manuel F

2011-10-31

Severe illness can disrupt family life, cause family dysfunction, strain resources, and cause caregiver burden. The family's ability to cope with crises depends on their resources. This study sought to assess families of children with cancer in terms of family function-dysfunction, family caregiver strain and the adequacy of family resources using a new family resources assessment instrument. This is a cross-sectional study involving 90 Filipino family caregivers of children undergoing cancer treatment. This used a self-administered questionnaire composed of a new 12-item family resources questionnaire (SCREEM-RES) based on the SCREEM method of analysis, Family APGAR to assess family function-dysfunction; and Modified Caregiver Strain Index to assess strain in caring for the patient. More than half of families were either moderately or severely dysfunctional. Close to half of caregivers were either predisposed to strain or experienced severe strain, majority disclosed that their families have inadequate economic resources; many also report inaccessibility to medical help in the community and insufficient educational resources to understand and care for their patients. Resources most often reported as adequate were: family's faith and religion; help from within the family and from health providers. SCREEM-RES showed to be reliable with Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. There is good inter-item correlation between items in each domain: 0.24-0.70. Internal consistency reliability for each domain was also good: 0.40-0.92. Using 2-point scoring system, Cronbach's alpha were slightly lower: full scale (0.70) and for each domain 0.26-.82. Results showed evidence of association between family resources and family function based on the family APGAR but none between family resources and caregiver strain and between family function and caregiver strain. Many Filipino families of children with cancer have inadequate resources, especially economic; and are moderately or severely

Family resources study: part 1: family resources, family function and caregiver strain in childhood cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panganiban-Corales Avegeille T

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Severe illness can disrupt family life, cause family dysfunction, strain resources, and cause caregiver burden. The family's ability to cope with crises depends on their resources. This study sought to assess families of children with cancer in terms of family function-dysfunction, family caregiver strain and the adequacy of family resources using a new family resources assessment instrument. Methods This is a cross-sectional study involving 90 Filipino family caregivers of children undergoing cancer treatment. This used a self-administered questionnaire composed of a new 12-item family resources questionnaire (SCREEM-RES based on the SCREEM method of analysis, Family APGAR to assess family function-dysfunction; and Modified Caregiver Strain Index to assess strain in caring for the patient. Results More than half of families were either moderately or severely dysfunctional. Close to half of caregivers were either predisposed to strain or experienced severe strain, majority disclosed that their families have inadequate economic resources; many also report inaccessibility to medical help in the community and insufficient educational resources to understand and care for their patients. Resources most often reported as adequate were: family's faith and religion; help from within the family and from health providers. SCREEM-RES showed to be reliable with Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. There is good inter-item correlation between items in each domain: 0.24-0.70. Internal consistency reliability for each domain was also good: 0.40-0.92. Using 2-point scoring system, Cronbach's alpha were slightly lower: full scale (0.70 and for each domain 0.26-.82. Results showed evidence of association between family resources and family function based on the family APGAR but none between family resources and caregiver strain and between family function and caregiver strain. Conclusion Many Filipino families of children with cancer have inadequate

Intergenerational patterns of family violence related to alcohol abuse: a genogram-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cláudia Silveira Tondowski

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to analyze intergenerational patterns of alcohol related violence (ARV. An intentional sample comprising 42 family members was selected according to a set of criteria, including history of ARV. A genogram based on anonymous semi-structured taped interviews was created. The Content Analysis pointed to different patterns of repetition of intergenerational ARV. The most recurrent ones were those of lineal consanguinity (father/son and through marriage. We observed similarities over the generations of each family as regards the pattern of alcohol consumption; the type of violence; the family reaction and the family life cycle in which ARV was intensified. Our results confirm the intergenerational reproduction of ARV. In conclusion, it is important to create intervention strategies to prevent intergenerational repetition of this association of behaviors.

Investigation and description of European buildings that may be representative for “nearly-zero” energy single family houses in 2020

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skarning, Gunnlaug Cecilie Jensen; Svendsen, Svend; Hviid, Christian Anker

2013-01-01

As part of European energy politics and strategies for reduction of fossil fuels all new buildings should have a “nearly zero” energy consumption in 2020. This creates a strong need for research in cost-effective technologies and solutions that will contribute to the fulfilment of the ambitious...... of a set of reference parameters that can be expected to be representative for the behaviour of the “nearly zero” energy building of 2020 in different European climatic zones. This paper provides an overview of how single family houses with a very low energy demand for space heating and cooling can...... towards different orientations, where the windows in all rooms are dimensioned based on the diffuse daylight access at the specific location, it is shown that an equal window distribution will allow fulfilment of an ambitious energy target, while simultaneously enabling a balanced daylight access across...

Suggestive evidence for association between L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (CACNA1C) gene haplotypes and bipolar disorder in Latinos: a family-based association study

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Suzanne; Xu, Chun; Ramirez, Mercedes; Zavala, Juan; Armas, Regina; Contreras, Salvador A; Contreras, Javier; Dassori, Albana; Leach, Robin J; Flores, Deborah; Jerez, Alvaro; Raventós, Henriette; Ontiveros, Alfonso; Nicolini, Humberto; Escamilla, Michael

2013-01-01

Objectives Through recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS), several groups have reported significant association between variants in the alpha 1C subunit of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (CACNA1C) and bipolar disorder (BP) in European and European-American cohorts. We performed a family-based association study to determine whether CACNA1C is associated with BP in the Latino population. Methods This study consisted of 913 individuals from 215 Latino pedigrees recruited from the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. The Illumina GoldenGate Genotyping Assay was used to genotype 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that spanned a 602.9 kb region encompassing the CACNA1C gene including two SNPs (rs7297582 and rs1006737) previously shown to associate with BP. Individual SNP and haplotype association analyses were performed using Family-Based Association Test (version 2.0.3) and Haploview (version 4.2) software. Results An eight-locus haplotype block that included these two markers showed significant association with BP (global marker permuted p = 0.0018) in the Latino population. For individual SNPs, this sample had insufficient power (10%) to detect associations with SNPs with minor effect (odds ratio = 1.15). Conclusions Although we were not able to replicate findings of association between individual CACNA1C SNPs rs7297582 and rs1006737 and BP, we were able to replicate the GWAS signal reported for CACNA1C through a haplotype analysis that encompassed these previously reported significant SNPs. These results provide additional evidence that CACNA1C is associated with BP and provides the first evidence that variations in this gene might play a role in the pathogenesis of this disorder in the Latino population. PMID:23437964

Family support and cardiac rehabilitation: a comparative study of the experiences of South Asian and White-European patients and their carer's living in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Astin, Felicity; Atkin, Karl; Darr, Aliya

2008-03-01

Effective lifestyle modification facilitated by cardiac rehabilitation is known to reduce the occurrence of adverse coronary events and mortality. South Asians have poorer outcomes after a myocardial infarction than the general UK population, but little is known about their experiences of family support, cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle change. To explore the nature of family support available to a sample of South Asian and White-European cardiac patients and to highlight similarities and differences between these groups with regard to cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle modification. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews (in 1 of 6 languages) were conducted by researchers with; 45 South Asian patients and 37 carers and 20 White-European patients and 17 carers. Interviews were conducted in a home setting, up to eighteen months after discharge from hospital following myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery or unstable angina. The main themes that emerged related to the provision of advice and information, family support and burden, dietary change and exercise regimes. Several cultural and ethnic differences were identified between patients and their families alongside similarities, irrespective of ethnicity. These may represent generic characteristics of recovery after a cardiac event. Health professionals should develop a cultural repertoire to engage with diversity and difference. Not every difficulty a person encounters as they try to access appropriate service delivery can be attributed to ethnic background. By improving services generally, support for South Asian populations can be improved. The challenge is to know when ethnicity makes a difference and mediates a person's relationship with service support and when it does not.

Breakfast habits and factors influencing food choices at breakfast in relation to socio-demographic and family factors among European adolescents. The HELENA Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallström, Lena; Vereecken, Carine A; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Patterson, Emma; Gilbert, Chantal C; Catasta, Giovina; Díaz, Ligia-Esperanza; Gómez-Martínez, Sonia; González Gross, Marcela; Gottrand, Frédéric; Hegyi, Adrienn; Lehoux, Claire; Mouratidou, Theodora; Widham, Kurt; Aström, Annika; Moreno, Luis A; Sjöström, Michael

2011-06-01

Breakfast consumption has been shown to be an important indicator of a healthy lifestyle. Little is known however about factors influencing breakfast consumption and food choices at breakfast in adolescents. The aim of the present study was therefore to describe breakfast habits, and factors influencing food choices at breakfast within the framework of the EU-funded HELENA Study, in 3528 adolescents from ten European cities. Additionally, socio-demographic differences in breakfast habits and in influencing factors were investigated. Half of the adolescents (and fewer girls than boys) indicated being regular breakfast consumers. Girls with mothers with a high level of education, boys from 'traditional' families and boys who perceived low family affluence were positively associated with breakfast consumption. Boys whose parents gave encouragement and girls whose peers ate healthily were more likely to be regular breakfast consumers. 'Hunger', 'taste', 'health concerns' and 'parents or guardian' were the most important influences on the adolescents' food choices at breakfast. Adolescents from southern Europe and girls reported to be more influenced by personal and socio-environmental factors. Socio-demographic differences, in particular regional and gender differences, need to be considered in discussions surrounding the development of nutritional intervention programs intended for adolescents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

European neonatal intensive care nursing research priorities: an e-Delphi study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wielenga, Joke M; Tume, Lyvonne N; Latour, Jos M; van den Hoogen, Agnes

2015-01-01

This study aimed to identify and prioritise neonatal intensive care nursing research topics across Europe using an e-Delphi technique. An e-Delphi technique with three questionnaire rounds was performed. Qualitative responses of round one were analysed by content analysis and research statements were generated to be ranged on importance on a scale of 1-6 (not important to most important). Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in 17 European countries. NICU clinical nurses, managers, educators and researchers (n=75). None. A list of 43 research statements in eight domains. The six highest ranking statements (≥5.0 mean score) were related to prevention and reduction of pain (mean 5.49; SD 1.07), medication errors (mean 5.20; SD 1.13), end-of-life care (mean 5.05; SD 1.18), needs of parents and family (mean 5.04; SD 1.23), implementing evidence into nursing practice (mean 5.02; SD 1.03), and pain assessment (mean 5.02; SD 1.11). The research domains were prioritised and ranked: (1) pain and stress; (2) family centred care; (3) clinical nursing care practices; (4) quality and safety; (5) ethics; (6) respiratory and ventilation; (7) infection and inflammation; and (8) professional issues in neonatal intensive care nursing. The results of this study might support developing a nursing research strategy for the nursing section of the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care. In addition, this may promote more European researcher collaboratives for neonatal nursing research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Family control and financing decisions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Croci, Ettore; Doukas, John A.; Gonenc, Halit

2011-01-01

This study uses a comprehensive European dataset to investigate the role of family control in corporate financing decisions during the period 1998-2008. We find that family firms have a preference for debt financing, a non-control-diluting security, and are more reluctant than non-family firms to

Complete genomic sequence and taxonomic position of Eel virus European X (EVEX), a rhabdovirus of European eel

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galinier, R.; Beurden, van S.J.; Amilhat, E.; Castric, J.; Schoehn, G.; Verneau, O.; Fazio, G.; Allienne, J.F.; Engelsma, M.Y.; Sasal, P.; Faliex, E.

2012-01-01

Eel virus European X (EVEX) was first isolated from diseased European eel Anguilla anguilla in Japan at the end of seventies. The virus was tentatively classified into the Rhabdoviridae family on the basis of morphology and serological cross reactivity. This family of viruses is organized into six

Gender and Cultural Differences in the Association Between Family Roles, Social Stratification and Alcohol Use: A European Cross-cultural Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bloomfield, Kim; Kuntsche, Sandra; Gmel, Gerhard

2006-01-01

with alcohol consumption by societal level variables. Methods: Survey data of 25 to 49-years-old from eight European countries were used. Logistic regressions were used to analyse gender differences in the association between family roles (marriage, having children), social stratification (education...... countries, tended to drink more heavily if employed, having lower formal education, and a non-traditional family role. In countries with weak social welfare systems or work desirability, heavy drinking was associated with high education, while effects of family roles and employment were small. Conclusions...

Jamaican families.

Science.gov (United States)

Miner, Dianne Cooney

2003-01-01

The study of the family in the Caribbean originated with European scholars who assumed the universality of the patriarchal nuclear family and the primacy of this structure to the healthy functioning of society. Matrifocal Caribbean families thus were seen as chaotic and disorganized and inadequate to perform the essential tasks of the social system. This article provides a more current discussion of the Jamaican family. It argues that its structure is the result of the agency and adaptation of its members and not the root cause of the increasing marginalization of peoples in the developing world. The article focuses on families living in poverty and how the family structure supports essential family functions, adaptations, and survival.

European wet deposition maps based on measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuwen EP van; Erisman JW; Draaijers GPJ; Potma CJM; Pul WAJ van; LLO

1995-01-01

To date, wet deposition maps on a European scale have been based on long-range transport model results. For most components wet deposition maps based on measurements are only available on national scales. Wet deposition maps of acidifying components and base cations based on measurements are needed

Determination of the food consumption in eleven regions of the european community with a view to studying the radioactive contamination level: Methods used. Results of family enquiries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cresta, M.; Lacourly, G.

1966-01-01

In the present report are given the results obtained from food surveys carried out during the period 1963-1965 and involving 9000 families living in eleven regions spread out over the six European Community countries. A partial analysis of the results obtained covers a reduced sample of 3725 families; it makes it possible to fix the composition of the mean individual, monthly and annual food consumptions for each of the eleven regions. Details of the organisation of the survey, of the data processing methods and of the method of presenting the results are given in the first part of the report. the second part presents, in numerical table form, the consumption of various foodstuffs and the feeding principles for each region covered by the survey. Tables summarizing the data make it possible to compare the mean individual consumptions in the various regions studied. (author) [fr

Multi-sectoral action for child safety-a European study exploring implicated sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholtes, Beatrice; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Förster, Katharina; MacKay, Morag; Vincenten, Joanne; Brand, Helmut

2017-06-01

Injury to children in Europe, resulting in both death and disability, constitutes a significant burden on individuals, families and society. Inequalities between high and low-income countries are growing. The World Health Organisation Health 2020 strategy calls for inter-sectoral collaboration to address injury in Europe and advocates the whole of government and whole of society approaches to wicked problems. In this study we explore which sectors (e.g. health, transport, education) are relevant for four domains of child safety (intentional injury, water, road and home safety). We used the organigraph methodology, originally developed to demonstrate how organizations work, to describe the governance of child safety interventions. Members of the European Child Safety Alliance, working in the field of child safety in 24 European countries, drew organigraphs of evidence-based interventions. They included the different actors involved and the processes between them. We analyzed the organigraphs by counting the actors presented and categorizing them into sectors using a pre-defined analysis framework. We received 44 organigraphs from participants in 24 countries. Twenty-seven sectors were identified across the four domains. Nine of the 27 identified sectors were classified as 'core sectors' (education, health, home affairs, justice, media, recreation, research, social/welfare services and consumers). This study reveals the multi-sectoral nature of child safety in practice. It provides information for stakeholders working in child safety to help them implement inter-sectoral child safety interventions taking a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to health governance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Development of a Competency Framework for Quality Improvement in Family Medicine: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Czabanowska, Katarzyna; Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Potter, Amanda; Rochfort, Andree; Tomasik, Tomasz; Csiszar, Judit; Van den Bussche, Piet

2012-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive framework of quality improvement competencies for use in continuing professional development (CPD) and continuing medical education (CME) for European general practice/family medicine physicians (GPs/FDs). Methods: The study was carried out in three phases: literature review,…

[Genetic analysis and estimation of genetic diversity in east-European breeds of swift hounds (Canis familiaris L.) based on the data of genomic studies using RAPD markers].

Science.gov (United States)

Semenova, S K; Illarionova, N A; Vasil'ev, V A; Shubkina, A V; Ryskov, A P

2002-06-01

The method of polymerase chain reaction with a set of arbitrary primers (RAPD-PCR) was used to describe genetic variation and to estimate genetic diversity in East-European swift hounds, Russian Psovyi and Hortyi Borzois. For comparison, swift hounds of two West-European breeds (Whippet and Greyhound) and single dogs of other breed groups (shepherd, terriers, mastiffs, and bird dogs) were examined. For all dog groups, their closest related species, the wolf Canis lupus, was used as an outgroup. Variation of RAPD markers was studied at several hierarchic levels: intra- and interfamily (for individual families of Russian Psovyi and Hortyi Borzois), intra- and interbreed (for ten dog breeds), and interspecific (C. familiaris-C. lupus). In total, 57 dogs and 4 wolfs were studied. Using RAPD-PCR with three primers, 93 DNA fragments with a length of 150-1500 bp were detected in several Borzoi families with known filiation. These fragments were found to be inherited as dominant markers and to be applicable for estimation of genetic differences between parents and their offspring and for comparison of individuals and families with different level of inbreeding. A high level of intra- and interbreed variation was found in Russian Psovyi and Hortyi Borzois. In these dog groups, genetic similarity indices varied in a range of 72.2 to 93.4% (parents-offspring) and 68.0 to 94.5 (sibs). Based on the patterns of RAPD markers obtained using six primers, a dendrogram of genetic similarity between the wolf and different dog breeds was constructed, and indices of intragroup diversity were calculated. All studied breeds were found to fall into two clusters, swift hounds (Borzoi-like dogs) and other dogs. Russian Borzois represent a very heterogeneous group, in which the Russian Psovyi Borzoi is closer to Greyhound than the Russian Hortyi Borzoi. All studied wolfs constituted a separate cluster. Significant differences were found between the wolf and dogs by the number of RAPD markers

Family meals and eating practices among mothers in Santos, Brazil: A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Priscila de Morais; Lourenço, Bárbara Hatzlhoffer; Trude, Angela Cristina Bizzotto; Unsain, Ramiro Fernandez; Pereira, Patrícia Rocha; Martins, Paula Andrea; Scagliusi, Fernanda Baeza

2016-08-01

This study investigates family meals among mothers and explores associations between eating with family and sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, and eating practices. A population-based cross-sectional study, using complex cluster-sampling, was conducted in the city of Santos, Brazil with 439 mothers. Frequency of family meals was assessed by asking if mothers did or did not usually have a) breakfast, b) lunch, and c) dinner with family. Linear regression analyses were conducted for the number of meals eaten with family per day and each of the potential explanatory variables, adjusting for the mother's age. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to analyze each factor associated with eating with family as classified categorically: a) sharing meals with family, b) not eating any meals with family. Only 16.4% (n = 72) of participants did not eat any meals with family. From the 83.6% (n = 367) of mothers that had at least one family meal per day, 69.70% (n = 306) ate dinner with their families. Mothers aged ≥40 years reported significantly fewer meals eaten with family compared to mothers aged 30-39 years (β: -0.26, p = 0.04). Having family meals was 54% more prevalent among mothers with ≥12 years of education (PR for no meals eaten with family: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.30; 0.96, p = 0.03), when compared to mothers with less than nine years of education. Eating no meals with family was 85% more prevalent among mothers who reported that eating was one of the biggest pleasures in their lives (PR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.21; 2.82, p = 0.004). We suggest the need for further research investigating the effects of family meals on mothers' health through nutritional and phenomenological approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of the Family, the School, and the Group on the Environmental Attitudes of European Students

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Rosa; Escario, José-Julián; Sanagustín, María-Victoria

2017-01-01

The attitudes of young people arise from an intense interaction with their social groups of reference, and in this work we examine the extent to which this background conditions the individual environmental attitudes of the young. Using data provided by the PISA 2006 survey for the European Union, we test for the influence of the family, the…

Termination of pregnancy among very preterm births and its impact on very preterm mortality : results from ten European population-based cohorts in the MOSAIC study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papiernik, E.; Zeitlin, J.; Delmas, D.; Draper, E. S.; Gadzinowski, J.; Kuenzel, W.; Cuttini, M.; Di Lallo, D.; Weber, T.; Kollee, L.; Bekaert, A.; Breart, G.

Objective To study the impact of terminations of pregnancy (TOP) on very preterm mortality in Europe. Design European prospective population-based cohort study. Setting Ten regions from nine European countries participating in the MOSAIC (Models of OrganiSing Access to Intensive Care for very

The role of family-related factors in the effects of the UP4FUN school-based family-focused intervention targeting screen time in 10- to 12-year-old children: the ENERGY project.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Lippevelde, Wendy; Bere, Elling; Verloigne, Maïté; van Stralen, Maartje M; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Lien, Nanna; Vik, Frøydis Nordgård; Manios, Yannis; Grillenberger, Monika; Kovács, Eva; ChinAPaw, Mai J M; Brug, Johannes; Maes, Lea

2014-08-18

Screen-related behaviours are highly prevalent in schoolchildren. Considering the adverse health effects and the relation of obesity and screen time in childhood, efforts to affect screen use in children are warranted. Parents have been identified as an important influence on children's screen time and therefore should be involved in prevention programmes. The aim was to examine the mediating role of family-related factors on the effects of the school-based family-focused UP4FUN intervention aimed at screen time in 10- to 12-year-old European children (n child-parent dyads = 1940). A randomised controlled trial was conducted to test the six-week UP4FUN intervention in 10- to 12-year-old children and one of their parents in five European countries in 2011 (n child-parent dyads = 1940). Self-reported data of children were used to assess their TV and computer/game console time per day, and parents reported their physical activity, screen time and family-related factors associated with screen behaviours (availability, permissiveness, monitoring, negotiation, rules, avoiding negative role modeling, and frequency of physically active family excursions). Mediation analyses were performed using multi-level regression analyses (child-school-country). Almost all TV-specific and half of the computer-specific family-related factors were associated with children's screen time. However, the measured family-related factors did not mediate intervention effects on children's TV and computer/game console use, because the intervention was not successful in changing these family-related factors. Future screen-related interventions should aim to effectively target the home environment and parents' practices related to children's use of TV and computers to decrease children's screen time. The study is registered in the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (registration number: ISRCTN34562078).

Family joint activities in a cross-national perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuntsche Emmanuel

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parents and children joint activities are considered to be an important factor on healthy lifestyle development throughout adolescence. This study is a part of the Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in School-aged Children – World Health Organization Collaborative Study (HBSC. It aims to describe family time in joint activities and to clarify the role of social and structural family profile in a cross-national perspective. Methods The research was carried out according to the methodology of the HBSC study using the anonymous standardized questionnaire. In total, 17,761 students (8,649 boys and 9,112 girls aged 13 and 15 years from 6 European countries (Czech Republic, Finland, Greenland, Lithuania, Spain, and Ukraine were surveyed in the 2001–2002 school-year. The evaluation of joint family activity is based on 8 items: (1 watching TV or a video, (2 playing indoor games, (3 eating meals, (4 going for a walk, (5 going places, (6 visiting friends or relatives, (7 playing sports, (8 sitting and talking about things (chatting. Results Students from Spain and Ukraine reported spending the most time together with their families in almost all kinds of joint activities, whereas students from Greenland and Finland reported spending the least of this time. Boys were more likely than girls to be spending time together with family. Joint family activity goes into decline in age from 13 to 15 years. Variability of family time in a cross-national perspective was relatively small and related to children age category. Considering national, gender and age differences of studied population groups, we found that the distribution of joint family activities tends to be dispersed significantly by family structure (intact/restructured family and family wealth. Conclusion Our study compares children and parent joint activities in European countries and reveals differences and similarities in these patterns between countries. The findings

Family joint activities in a cross-national perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaborskis, Apolinaras; Zemaitiene, Nida; Borup, Ina; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Moreno, Carmen

2007-05-30

Parents and children joint activities are considered to be an important factor on healthy lifestyle development throughout adolescence. This study is a part of the Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in School-aged Children--World Health Organization Collaborative Study (HBSC). It aims to describe family time in joint activities and to clarify the role of social and structural family profile in a cross-national perspective. The research was carried out according to the methodology of the HBSC study using the anonymous standardized questionnaire. In total, 17,761 students (8,649 boys and 9,112 girls) aged 13 and 15 years from 6 European countries (Czech Republic, Finland, Greenland, Lithuania, Spain, and Ukraine) were surveyed in the 2001-2002 school-year. The evaluation of joint family activity is based on 8 items: (1) watching TV or a video, (2) playing indoor games, (3) eating meals, (4) going for a walk, (5) going places, (6) visiting friends or relatives, (7) playing sports, (8) sitting and talking about things (chatting). Students from Spain and Ukraine reported spending the most time together with their families in almost all kinds of joint activities, whereas students from Greenland and Finland reported spending the least of this time. Boys were more likely than girls to be spending time together with family. Joint family activity goes into decline in age from 13 to 15 years. Variability of family time in a cross-national perspective was relatively small and related to children age category. Considering national, gender and age differences of studied population groups, we found that the distribution of joint family activities tends to be dispersed significantly by family structure (intact/restructured family) and family wealth. Our study compares children and parent joint activities in European countries and reveals differences and similarities in these patterns between countries. The findings underline the role of family structure (intact

Voluntary agreements, implementation and efficiency. European relevance of case study results. Reflections on transferability to voluntary agreement schemes at the European level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helby, Peter

2000-04-01

As a policy instrument, voluntary agreements often fascinate policy-makers.This is fuelled by a number of assumed advantages, such as the opportunity for co-operation rather than confrontation, speed and flexibility and the cost-effectiveness. Some advantages might even be accentuated at the European level: Co-operation has added advantage at the European level where the culture of consensus decision is strong. Flexibility is extra attractive for policy makers dealing with an economy less homogeneous than the average national economy. Speed is certainly welcomed by policy-makers otherwise faced with the slow-winding European legislative process. Cost-effectiveness is eagerly sought by European policy makers facing tight administrative budgets and staff limits. This report examines lessons from the VAIE case studies that may be useful to policy makers engaged in the development of voluntary approaches at the European level. These case studies are about voluntary agreement schemes for industrial energy efficiency deployed in Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden. For a summary of these case studies, please refer to the the VAIE final report. More detailed information is available in the VAIE national reports. It needs to be emphasised that the empirical base is very narrow. The 'lessons' presented can only be hypotheses, based on an inductive leap from a very narrow experience. The reader will need to check these hypotheses against her own broader experience and personal judgement. According to the principle of subsidiarity, voluntary agreements should be implemented at the European level only if that would have significant advantage over national action. Action at the European level, rather than the national level, would have these potential advantages: Being more consistent with the development of the single market; Allowing higher demands on energy efficiency without negative effect on competitiveness and employment; Stimulating company

Access of children with cerebral palsy to the physical, social and attitudinal environment they need: a cross-sectional European study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colver, Allan F; Dickinson, Heather O; Parkinson, Kathryn

2011-01-01

for disabled children in Europe. Method. One thousand one-hundred and seventy-four children aged 8-12 years were randomly selected from population-based registers of children with cerebral palsy in eight European regions. 743 children joined the study; one further region recruited 75 children from multiple...... sources. Researchers visited these 818 children and administered the European Child Environment Questionnaire, which records parents' perceptions of availability of the physical, social and attitudinal environment needed in home, school and community. Multilevel, multivariable regression related child...... access on these domains to their impairments and socio-demographic characteristics. Results. Children with more impaired walking ability had less access to the physical environment, transport and social support they needed than other children. They also experienced less favourable attitudes from family...

Association of "ADAM10" and "CAMK2A" Polymorphisms with Conduct Disorder: Evidence from Family-Based Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Jian, Xue-Qiu; Wang, Ke-Sheng; Wu, Tie-Jian; Hillhouse, Joel J.; Mullersman, Jerald E.

2011-01-01

Twin and family studies have shown that genetic factors play a role in the development of conduct disorder (CD). The purpose of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with CD using a family-based association study. We used 4,720 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Illumina Panel and 11,120 SNPs from the Affymetrix 10K…

A European collaboration research programme to study and test large scale base isolated structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renda, V.; Verzeletti, G.; Papa, L.

1995-01-01

The improvement of the technology of innovative anti-seismic mechanisms, as those for base isolation and energy dissipation, needs of testing capability for large scale models of structures integrated with these mechanisms. These kind experimental tests are of primary importance for the validation of design rules and the setting up of an advanced earthquake engineering for civil constructions of relevant interest. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission offers the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment located at Ispra - Italy, as a focal point for an international european collaboration research programme to test large scale models of structure making use of innovative anti-seismic mechanisms. A collaboration contract, opened to other future contributions, has been signed with the national italian working group on seismic isolation (Gruppo di Lavoro sull's Isolamento Sismico GLIS) which includes the national research centre ENEA, the national electricity board ENEL, the industrial research centre ISMES and producer of isolators ALGA. (author). 3 figs

Emotion-driven impulsiveness and snack food consumption of European adolescents: Results from the I.Family study.

Science.gov (United States)

Coumans, Juul M J; Danner, Unna N; Intemann, Timm; De Decker, Annelies; Hadjigeorgiou, Charalambos; Hunsberger, Monica; Moreno, Luis A; Russo, Paola; Stomfai, Sarolta; Veidebaum, Toomas; Adan, Roger A H; Hebestreit, Antje

2018-04-01

We aimed to investigate the association between emotion-driven impulsiveness and snack food consumption in 1039 European adolescents aged 12-18 years. During the cross-sectional examination in 2013/2014, complete information was collected on: emotion-driven impulsiveness (using the negative urgency subscale from the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation seeking, and Positive urgency (UPPS-P) Impulsive Behaviour Scale) and snacking behaviour operationalised as 1) consumption frequency of daily snacks, 2) consumption frequency of energy-dense snacks (both measured using Food Frequency Questionnaire) and 3) usual energy intake of food consumed per snacking occasion in calories. The latter was measured using online self-administered 24-h dietary recalls and was estimated based on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Method. Anthropometric variables were measured and BMI z-score (zBMI) calculated. Age, sex, highest education level of the family and country of residence were assessed using a questionnaire. Mixed-effect regression analyses were separately conducted for each snacking behaviour outcome with emotion-driven impulsiveness as the exposure. After controlling for zBMI, age, sex, country and socioeconomic status, emotion-driven impulsiveness was positively associated with daily consumption frequency of snacks (β = 0.07, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [0.02, 0.12]) and consumption frequency of energy-dense snacks (β = 0.25, 95% CI [0.19, 0.31]), but not with usual energy intake of food per snacking (β = 2.52, 95% CI [-0.55, 5.59]). Adolescents with a stronger emotion-driven impulsiveness tendency reported a higher snacking frequency and specifically more energy-dense snacks, whereas the energy intake of snack food seemed less important. These findings have implications for obesity prevention and treatment as they indicate the importance of targeting emotion-driven impulsiveness as a strategy to avoid excessive snacking. Copyright © 2018

Are there common familial influences for major depressive disorder and an overeating-binge eating dimension in both European American and African American female twins?

Science.gov (United States)

Munn-Chernoff, Melissa A; Grant, Julia D; Agrawal, Arpana; Koren, Rachel; Glowinski, Anne L; Bucholz, Kathleen K; Madden, Pamela A F; Heath, Andrew C; Duncan, Alexis E

2015-05-01

Although prior studies have demonstrated that depression is associated with an overeating-binge eating dimension (OE-BE) phenotypically, little research has investigated whether familial factors contribute to the co-occurrence of these phenotypes, especially in community samples with multiple racial/ethnic groups. We examined the extent to which familial (i.e., genetic and shared environmental) influences overlapped between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and OE-BE in a population-based sample and whether these influences were similar across racial/ethnic groups. Participants included 3,226 European American (EA) and 550 African American (AA) young adult women from the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study. An adaptation of the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA) was administered to assess lifetime DSM-IV MDD and OE-BE. Quantitative genetic modeling was used to estimate familial influences between both phenotypes; all models controlled for age. The best-fitting model, which combined racial/ethnic groups, found that additive genetic influences accounted for 44% (95% CI: 34%, 53%) of the MDD variance and 40% (25%, 54%) for OE-BE, with the remaining variances due to non-shared environmental influences. Genetic overlap was substantial (rg  = .61 [.39, .85]); non-shared environmental influences on MDD and OE-BE overlapped weakly (re  = .26 [.09, .42]). Results suggest that common familial influences underlie MDD and OE-BE, and the magnitude of familial influences contributing to the comorbidity between MDD and OE-BE is similar between EA and AA women. If racial/ethnic differences truly exist, then larger sample sizes may be needed to fully elucidate familial risk for comorbid MDD and OE-BE across these groups. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Familial Risks of Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders. A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mataix-Cols, David; Isomura, Kayoko; Pérez-Vigil, Ana; Chang, Zheng; Rück, Christian; Larsson, K Johan; Leckman, James F; Serlachius, Eva; Larsson, Henrik; Lichtenstein, Paul

2015-08-01

Tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorders (CTDs), are assumed to be strongly familial and heritable. Although gene-searching efforts are well under way, precise estimates of familial risk and heritability are lacking. Previous controlled family studies were small and typically conducted within specialist clinics, resulting in potential ascertainment biases. They were also underpowered to disentangle genetic from environmental factors that contribute to the observed familiality. Twin studies have been either very small or based on parent-reported tics in population-based (nonclinical) twin samples. To provide unbiased estimates of familial risk and heritability of tic disorders at the population level. In this population cohort, multigenerational family study, we used a validated algorithm to identify 4826 individuals diagnosed as having TS or CTDs (76.2% male) in the Swedish National Patient Register from January 1, 1969, through December 31, 2009. We studied risks for TS or CTDs in all biological relatives of probands compared with relatives of unaffected individuals (matched on a 1:10 ratio) from the general population. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the heritability of tic disorders. The risk for tic disorders among relatives of probands with tic disorders increased proportionally to the degree of genetic relatedness. The risks for first-degree relatives (odds ratio [OR], 18.69; 95% CI, 14.53-24.05) were significantly higher than for second-degree relatives (OR, 4.58; 95% CI, 3.22-6.52) and third-degree relatives (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.08-4.51). First-degree relatives at similar genetic distances (eg, parents, siblings, and offspring) had similar risks for tic disorders despite different degrees of shared environment. The risks for full siblings (50% genetic similarity; OR, 17.68; 95% CI, 12.90-24.23) were significantly higher than those for maternal half siblings (25% genetic similarity; OR, 4.41; 95

Internet-based data inclusion in a population-based European collaborative follow-up study of inflammatory bowel disease patients: description of methods used and analysis of factors influencing response rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolters, Frank L; van Zeijl, Gilbert; Sijbrandij, Jildou; Wessels, Frederik; O'Morain, Colm; Limonard, Charles; Russel, Maurice G; Stockbrugger, Reinhold W

2005-12-07

To describe an Internet-based data acquisition facility for a European 10-year clinical follow-up study project of a population-based cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and to investigate the influence of demographic and disease related patient characteristics on response rates. Thirteen years ago, the European Collaborative study group of IBD (EC-IBD) initiated a population-based prospective inception cohort of 2 201 uniformly diagnosed IBD patients within 20 well-described geographical areas in 11 European countries and Israel. For the 10-year follow-up of this cohort, an electronic patient questionnaire (ePQ) and electronic physician per patient follow-up form (ePpPFU) were designed as two separate data collecting instruments and made available through an Internet-based website. Independent demographic and clinical determinants of ePQ participation were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. In 958 (316 CD and 642 UC) out of a total number of 1 505 (64%) available IBD patients, originating from 13 participating centers from nine different countries, both ePQ and ePpPFU were completed. Patients older than 40 years at ePQ completion (OR: 1.53 (95%CI: 1.14-2.05)) and those with active disease during the 3 mo previous to ePQ completion (OR: 3.32 (95%CI: 1.57-7.03)) were significantly more likely to respond. An Internet-based data acquisition tool appeared successful in sustaining a unique Western-European and Israelian multi-center 10-year clinical follow-up study project in patients afflicted with IBD.

Gender and family stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2001-02-01

Full Text Available The increasing trend of partnership disruption among families with children in recent decades has been accompanied by substantial changes in traditional gender roles in industrialized countries. Yet, relatively little is known about the effects of changing gender relations on family stability in the European context. In this paper, we study such gender influences at the familial and societal level in Sweden and Hungary between the mid-1960s and the early 1990s. We focus on the disruption of the first parental union (i.e. the union in which a couple's first child was born. Our analysis is based on data extracted from the Swedish and Hungarian Fertility and Family Surveys of 1992/93. We use the method of hazard regression. The results suggest (i that the establishment of the dual-earner family model influences family stability only if it is accompanied by some changes in traditional gender relations within the family, and (ii that women's and men's labor-market behavior have different effects in spite of the relatively long history of women's (also mothers' labor-force participation in both Sweden and Hungary.

Comparing Chinese and European American mental health decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shanshan; Corrigan, Patrick W; Qin, Sang; Nieweglowski, Katherine

2017-12-20

Shared decision making (SDM) tends to reflect more Western values of individualism and empowerment, values that may be foreign to East Asian healthcare preferences for collectivism and family involvement: family centered decision making (FCDM). To show that Chinese will be more likely to believe FCDM would be more pleasing for them if they were the patient. Conversely, European Americans will respond more favorably to SDM. To examine effects of Western acculturation on FCDM compared to SDM. In this study, preferences for FCDM versus SDM and doctor-led decision making (DrDM) were examined in a vignette study completed online by European Americans (n = 298) and Chinese (n = 327). Research participants read a vignette about Lily (a depression patient) presenting with symptoms of depression. After reading the vignette, participants completed items representing two sets of outcomes: three perceptions of impact on Lily and how participants might respond for themselves in a similar decision making situation. Chinese rated FCDM greater than European and Chinese Americans. Chinese Americans mostly responded similar to European Americans and not Chinese. European Americans prefer SDM more for mental health services. Chinese value FCDM more than European Americans. Preferences of Chinese living in America seem to parallel European Americans.

Variants in estrogen-biosynthesis genes CYP17 and CYP19 and breast cancer risk: a family-based genetic association study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahsan, Habibul; Whittemore, Alice S; Chen, Yu; Senie, Ruby T; Hamilton, Steven P; Wang, Qiao; Gurvich, Irina; Santella, Regina M

2005-01-01

Case-control studies have reported inconsistent results concerning breast cancer risk and polymorphisms in genes that control endogenous estrogen biosynthesis. We report findings from the first family-based association study examining associations between female breast cancer risk and polymorphisms in two key estrogen-biosynthesis genes CYP17 (T→C promoter polymorphism) and CYP19 (TTTA repeat polymorphism). We conducted the study among 278 nuclear families containing one or more daughters with breast cancer, with a total of 1123 family members (702 with available constitutional DNA and questionnaire data and 421 without them). These nuclear families were selected from breast cancer families participating in the Metropolitan New York Registry, one of the six centers of the National Cancer Institute's Breast Cancer Family Registry. We used likelihood-based statistical methods to examine allelic associations. We found the CYP19 allele with 11 TTTA repeats to be associated with breast cancer risk in these families. We also found that maternal (but not paternal) carrier status of CYP19 alleles with 11 repeats tended to be associated with breast cancer risk in daughters (independently of the daughters' own genotype), suggesting a possible in utero effect of CYP19. We found no association of a woman's breast cancer risk either with her own or with her mother's CYP17 genotype. This family-based study indicates that a woman's personal and maternal carrier status of CYP19 11 TTTA repeat allele might be related to increased breast cancer risk. However, because this is the first study to report an association between CYP19 11 TTTA repeat allele and breast cancer, and because multiple comparisons have been made, the associations should be interpreted with caution and need confirmation in future family-based studies

Patterns of Family Life Courses in Europe – between Standardisation and Diversity. A Cross-national Comparison of Family Trajectories and Life Course Norms in European Countries

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hofäcker, D.; Chaloupková, Jana

2014-01-01

Roč. 39, č. 3 (2014), s. 559-586 ISSN 1869-8980 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP404/11/0145; GA AV ČR(CZ) KJB700280802 Institutional support: RVO:68378025 Keywords : cross-national comparison * European social survey * family trajectories Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography http://www.comparativepopulationstudies.de/index.php/CPoS/article/view/163/187

Familial dysautonomia

Science.gov (United States)

... condition. FD occurs most often in people of Eastern European Jewish ancestry (Ashkenazi Jews). It is caused ... also be used for prenatal diagnosis. People of Eastern European Jewish background and families with a history ...

European energy balance research to prevent excessive weight gain among youth (ENERGY) project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stralen, Maartje M. van; Velde, Saskia J. te; Singh, Amika S.

2011-01-01

. Method: A school-based cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2010 in seven different European countries; Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain. The survey included measurements of anthropometrics, child, parent and school-staff questionnaires, and school observations...... as assessing a range of EBRBs and their potential correlates at the personal, family and school level, among 10-12 year old children in seven European countries. This study will result in a unique dataset, enabling cross country comparisons in overweight, obesity, risk behaviours for these conditions as well...

The Europeanization of Love. The Marriage of Convenience in European Migration Law.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Hart, B.

2017-01-01

The tension between the right to family reunification as laid down in European Directives and Member States’ concern to protect their sovereignty in regulating migration has resulted in growing attention to and concern about fraudulent family relationships (especially marriages of convenience). This

The study of the European Union from outside: European integration studies in Norway and Iceland 1990-2010

OpenAIRE

Eliassen, Kjell; Marino, Marit Sjøvaag; Bergmann, Eirikur

2012-01-01

This is a working paper version of a paper written for SENT - The Network of European Studies. The aim of this chapter is to map the research on European integration carried out by Norwegian and Icelandic researchers and research institutions in the period 1990–2010. This study covers research of central aspects of the European Union itself: institutions, decision-making processes, policies, actors and the relationship to other countries, global and regional institutions and local and regiona...

Congenital Anomalies Associated with Trisomy 18 or Trisomy 13 : A Registry-Based Study in 16 European Countries, 2000-2011

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Springett, Anna; Wellesley, Diana; Greenlees, Ruth; Loane, Maria; Addor, Marie-Claude; Arriola, Larraitz; Bergman, Jorieke; Cavero-Carbonell, Clara; Csaky-Szunyogh, Melinda; Draper, Elizabeth S.; Garne, Ester; Gatt, Miriam; Haeusler, Martin; Khoshnood, Babak; Klungsoyr, Kari; Lynch, Catherine; Dias, Carlos Matias; McDonnell, Robert; Nelen, Vera; O'Mahony, Mary; Pierini, Anna; Queisser-Luft, Annette; Rankin, Judith; Rissmann, Anke; Rounding, Catherine; Stoianova, Sylvia; Tuckerz, David; Zymak-Zakutnia, Natalya; Morris, Joan K.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of trisomies 18 and 13 in Europe and the prevalence of associated anomalies. Twenty-five population-based registries in 16 European countries provided data from 2000-2011. Cases included live births, fetal deaths (20+ weeks' gestation), and

Using the noninformative families in family-based association tests : A powerful new testing strategy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lange, C; DeMeo, D; Silverman, EK; Weiss, ST; Laird, NM

2003-01-01

For genetic association studies with multiple phenotypes, we propose a new strategy for multiple testing with family-based association tests (FBATs). The strategy increases the power by both using all available family data and reducing the number of hypotheses tested while being robust against

Performance assessment of food safety management systems in animal-based food companies in view of their context characteristics: A European study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luning, P.A.; Kirezieva, K.; Hagelaar, G.; Rovira, J.; Uyttendaele, M.; Jacxsens, L.

2015-01-01

Recurrently the question arises if efforts in food safety management system (FSMS) have resulted in effective systems in animal-based food production systems. The aim of this study was to gain an insight in the performance of FSMS in European animal-based food production companies in view of their

Kahwà:tsire : Indigenous Families in a Family Therapy Practice with the Indigenous Worldview as the Foundation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Derrick, J.M.

2017-01-01

This study creates new knowledge regarding the impact of European colonization on Indigenous (Aboriginal, First Nations, Inuit, Metis) families in Canada. It particularly focuses on the issues in families whose children were forcibly removed by the government to institutions called residential

Family-based behavioural intervention for obese children.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, L H

1996-02-01

The family environment can contribute to the development of obesity. Parenting styles may influence the development of food preferences and the ability of a child to regulate intake. Parents and other family members arrange a common, shared environment that may be conducive to overeating or a sedentary lifestyle. Family members serve as models, and reinforce and support the acquisition and maintenance of eating and exercise behaviours. Family-based interventions are needed to modify these variables in treating obese children. We have made significant progress in developing interventions that target obese 8-12 year-old children, completing four 10-year follow-up studies that provide support for two factors that are useful in childhood obesity treatment. First, our research suggests that the direct involvement of at least one parent as an active participant in the weight loss process improves short- and long-term weight regulation. Second, our research suggests that increasing activity is important for maintenance of long-term weight control. Correlational analyses on the 10-year database suggest that family and friend support for behaviour change are related to long-term outcome. Family-based obesity treatment provides interventions for both children and their parents, but children benefit more from treatment than their parents. These positive results provide an encouraging basis for optimism that further development of interventions, based on newer research on family processes and behaviour changes, can be useful in treating childhood obesity.

Patients' intention to consume prescribed and non-prescribed medicines: A study based on the theory of planned behaviour in selected European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamekis, A; Bertsias, A; Moschandreas, J; Petelos, E; Papadakaki, M; Tsiantou, V; Saridaki, A; Symvoulakis, E K; Souliotis, K; Papadakis, N; Faresjö, T; Faresjö, A; Martinez, L; Agius, D; Uncu, Y; Sengezer, T; Samoutis, G; Vlcek, J; Abasaeed, A; Merkouris, B; Lionis, C

2018-02-01

Polypharmacy has a significant impact on patients' health with overall expenditure on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines representing a substantial burden in terms of cost of treatment. The aim of this study, which was conducted within the framework of a European Project funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme and was entitled OTC-SOCIOMED, was to report on possible determinants of patient behaviour regarding the consumption of medicines, and particularly OTCs, in the context of primary care. A multicentre, cross-sectional study was designed and implemented in well-defined primary healthcare settings in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Malta and Turkey. Patients completed a questionnaire constructed on the basis of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), which was administered via face-to-face interviews. The percentage of patients who had consumed prescribed medicines over a 6-month period was consistently high, ranging from 79% in the Czech Republic and 82% in Turkey to 97% in Malta and 100% in Cyprus. Reported non-prescribed medicine consumption ranged from 33% in Turkey to 92% in the Czech Republic and 97% in Cyprus. TPB behavioural antecedents explained 43% of the variability of patients' intention to consume medicines in Malta and 24% in Greece, but only 3% in Turkey. Subjective norm was a significant predictor of the intention to consume medicines in all three countries (Greece, Malta and Turkey), whereas attitude towards consumption was a significant predictor of the expectation to consume medicines, if needed. This study shows that parameters such as patients' beliefs and influence from family and friends could be determining factors in explaining the high rates of medicine consumption. Factors that affect patients' behavioural intention towards medicine consumption may assist in the formulation of evidence-based policy proposals and inform initiatives and interventions aimed at increasing the appropriate use of medicines

Culture, ethnicity, and children's facial expressions: a study of European American, Mainland Chinese, Chinese American, and adopted Chinese girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Camras, Linda A; Bakeman, Roger; Chen, Yinghe; Norris, Katherine; Cain, Thomas R

2006-02-01

This investigation extends previous research documenting differences in Chinese and European American infants' facial expressivity. Chinese girls adopted by European American families, nonadopted Mainland Chinese girls, nonadopted Chinese American girls, and nonadopted European American girls responded to emotionally evocative slides and an odor stimulus. European American girls smiled more than Mainland Chinese and Chinese American girls and scored higher than Mainland Chinese girls for disgust-related expressions and overall expressivity. Adopted Chinese girls produced more disgust-related expressions than Mainland Chinese girls. Self-reported maternal strictness, aggravation, positive expressiveness, and cultural identification correlated with children's facial responses, as did number of siblings and adults in the home. Results suggest that culture and family environment influences facial expressivity, creating differences among children of the same ethnicity.

Developing product families based on architectures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harlou, Ulf

2006-01-01

family master plan (PFMP). The PFMP aims at modelling product families and especially variety of product families. The results of this thesis build on research literature and experiences from the industrial partners. Extensive verifications of the theory contributions, models and tools have been carried......The subject of this PhD thesis is development of product families based on architectures. Companies are introducing more and more product variants to fulfil the market demands. These new variants add complexity to many of the processes and systems in the companies. Reuse of standard designs (i.......e. design entities) and re-use of the way new products are developed can simplify the processes and systems. Case studies show that reuse can lead to reduction of cost and time-to-market of new products. One of the means for managing reuse of standard designs within product families are architectures...

The provision of accredited higher education on dementia in six European countries: An exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hvalič-Touzery, Simona; Skela-Savič, Brigita; Macrae, Rhoda; Jack-Waugh, Anna; Tolson, Debbie; Hellström, Amanda; de Abreu, Wilson; Pesjak, Katja

2018-01-01

The World Health Organization has identified developing the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals who are involved in dementia care as a priority. Most healthcare professionals lack the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to provide high quality dementia care. While dementia education amongst most UK university health and social care programmes is inconsistent, we know little about the provision of dementia education in European universities. To examine the provision of accredited higher education on dementia in European countries, to illustrate that it is highly variable despite universities being the major provider of education for healthcare professionals internationally. An exploratory research design was used. The providers of higher education undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the Czech Republic, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. Higher Education Institutions who provide undergraduate and postgraduate education in the fields of nursing, medicine, psychology, social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and gerontology in six European countries. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Researchers in each country conducted an internet-based search using the websites of Higher Education Institutions to identify existing accredited dementia education. These searches revealed a lack of dementia education in undergraduate health and social care study programmes. Three of the six countries offered postgraduate study programmes on dementia. There was a significant variation amongst the countries in relation to the provision of dementia education at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels. Dementia is a global challenge and educating and upskilling the workforce is a policy imperative. To deliver the best dementia care, investment in interprofessional evidence-based education is required if we are to respond effectively and compassionately to the needs of people living with dementia and their

Changes in human gut flora with age: an Indian familial study.

Science.gov (United States)

Marathe, Nachiket; Shetty, Sudarshan; Lanjekar, Vikram; Ranade, Dilip; Shouche, Yogesh

2012-09-26

The gut micro flora plays vital role in health status of the host. The majority of microbes residing in the gut have a profound influence on human physiology and nutrition. Different human ethnic groups vary in genetic makeup as well as the environmental conditions they live in. The gut flora changes with genetic makeup and environmental factors and hence it is necessary to understand the composition of gut flora of different ethnic groups. Indian population is different in physiology from western population (YY paradox) and thus the gut flora in Indian population is likely to differ from the extensively studied gut flora in western population. In this study we have investigated the gut flora of two Indian families, each with three individuals belonging to successive generations and living under the same roof. Denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed age-dependant variation in gut microflora amongst the individuals within a family. Different bacterial genera were dominant in the individual of varying age in clone library analysis. Obligate anaerobes isolated from individuals within a family showed age related differences in isolation pattern, with 27% (6 out of 22) of the isolates being potential novel species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. In qPCR a consistent decrease in Firmicutes number and increase in Bacteroidetes number with increasing age was observed in our subjects, this pattern of change in Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratio with age is different than previously reported in European population. There is change in gut flora with age amongst the individuals within a family. The isolation of high percent of novel bacterial species and the pattern of change in Firmicutes /Bacteroidetes ratio with age suggests that the composition of gut flora in Indian individuals may be different than the western population. Thus, further extensive study is needed to define the gut flora in Indian population.

Evidence-based medicine in primary care: qualitative study of family physicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dantas Guilherme

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The objectives of this study were: a to examine physician attitudes to and experience of the practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM in primary care; b to investigate the influence of patient preferences on clinical decision-making; and c to explore the role of intuition in family practice. Method Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews of 15 family physicians purposively selected from respondents to a national survey on EBM mailed to a random sample of Canadian family physicians. Results Participants mainly welcomed the promotion of EBM in the primary care setting. A significant number of barriers and limitations to the implementation of EBM were identified. EBM is perceived by some physicians as a devaluation of the 'art of medicine' and a threat to their professional/clinical autonomy. Issues regarding the trustworthiness and credibility of evidence were of great concern, especially with respect to the influence of the pharmaceutical industry. Attempts to become more evidence-based often result in the experience of conflicts. Patient factors exert a powerful influence on clinical decision-making and can serve as trumps to research evidence. A widespread belief that intuition plays a vital role in primary care reinforced views that research evidence must be considered alongside other factors such as patient preferences and the clinical judgement and experience of the physician. Discussion Primary care physicians are increasingly keen to consider research evidence in clinical decision-making, but there are significant concerns about the current model of EBM. Our findings support the proposed revisions to EBM wherein greater emphasis is placed on clinical expertise and patient preferences, both of which remain powerful influences on physician behaviour.

Evidence-based medicine in primary care: qualitative study of family physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Tracy, C Shawn; Dantas, Guilherme Coelho; Upshur, Ross E G

2003-05-09

The objectives of this study were: a) to examine physician attitudes to and experience of the practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM) in primary care; b) to investigate the influence of patient preferences on clinical decision-making; and c) to explore the role of intuition in family practice. Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews of 15 family physicians purposively selected from respondents to a national survey on EBM mailed to a random sample of Canadian family physicians. Participants mainly welcomed the promotion of EBM in the primary care setting. A significant number of barriers and limitations to the implementation of EBM were identified. EBM is perceived by some physicians as a devaluation of the 'art of medicine' and a threat to their professional/clinical autonomy. Issues regarding the trustworthiness and credibility of evidence were of great concern, especially with respect to the influence of the pharmaceutical industry. Attempts to become more evidence-based often result in the experience of conflicts. Patient factors exert a powerful influence on clinical decision-making and can serve as trumps to research evidence. A widespread belief that intuition plays a vital role in primary care reinforced views that research evidence must be considered alongside other factors such as patient preferences and the clinical judgement and experience of the physician. Primary care physicians are increasingly keen to consider research evidence in clinical decision-making, but there are significant concerns about the current model of EBM. Our findings support the proposed revisions to EBM wherein greater emphasis is placed on clinical expertise and patient preferences, both of which remain powerful influences on physician behaviour.

Efficacy of family mediation and the role of family violence: study protocol

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Family law reforms in Australia require separated parents in dispute to attempt mandatory family dispute resolution (FDR) in community-based family services before court attendance. However, there are concerns about such services when clients present with a history of high conflict and family violence. This study protocol describes a longitudinal study of couples presenting for family mediation services. The study aims to describe the profile of family mediation clients, including type of family violence, and determine the impact of violence profiles on FDR processes and outcomes, such as the type and durability of shared parenting arrangements and clients’ satisfaction with mediated agreements. Methods A mixed method, naturalistic longitudinal design is used. The sampling frame is clients presenting at nine family mediation centres across metropolitan, outer suburban, and regional/rural sites in Victoria, Australia. Data are collected at pre-test, completion of mediation, and six months later. Self-administered surveys are administered at the three time points, and a telephone interview at the final post-test. The key study variable is family violence. Key outcome measures are changes in the type and level of acrimony and violent behaviours, the relationship between violence and mediated agreements, the durability of agreements over six months, and client satisfaction with mediation. Discussion Family violence is a major risk to the physical and mental health of women and children. This study will inform debates about the role of family violence and how to manage it in the family mediation context. It will also inform decision-making about mediation practices by better understanding how mediation impacts on parenting agreements, and the implications for children, especially in the context of family violence. PMID:24443936

Efficacy of family mediation and the role of family violence: study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleak, Helen; Schofield, Margot; Bickerdike, Andrew

2014-01-21

Family law reforms in Australia require separated parents in dispute to attempt mandatory family dispute resolution (FDR) in community-based family services before court attendance. However, there are concerns about such services when clients present with a history of high conflict and family violence. This study protocol describes a longitudinal study of couples presenting for family mediation services. The study aims to describe the profile of family mediation clients, including type of family violence, and determine the impact of violence profiles on FDR processes and outcomes, such as the type and durability of shared parenting arrangements and clients' satisfaction with mediated agreements. A mixed method, naturalistic longitudinal design is used. The sampling frame is clients presenting at nine family mediation centres across metropolitan, outer suburban, and regional/rural sites in Victoria, Australia. Data are collected at pre-test, completion of mediation, and six months later. Self-administered surveys are administered at the three time points, and a telephone interview at the final post-test. The key study variable is family violence. Key outcome measures are changes in the type and level of acrimony and violent behaviours, the relationship between violence and mediated agreements, the durability of agreements over six months, and client satisfaction with mediation. Family violence is a major risk to the physical and mental health of women and children. This study will inform debates about the role of family violence and how to manage it in the family mediation context. It will also inform decision-making about mediation practices by better understanding how mediation impacts on parenting agreements, and the implications for children, especially in the context of family violence.

How to study the history of European law?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Morten

This paper has a double purpose. On the one hand, it offers a new history, based on recently discovered primary sources, of the driving forces behind the so-called ‘constitutionalisation’ of European law taking place in 1963-64. On the other hand, it uses the lessons of this new history to reflect...... on how a general history of European law should be written and in particular how to avoid the pitfalls that characterises mainstream research on European law. In the first part it is argued that the ‘constitutionalisation’ of European law was promoted by a broad coalition beyond the Court of Justice...... the ‘constitutionalisation’ of European law in the 1960s. This is in particular the case with the ‘integration-through-law’ paradigm that permeates most of the writing on European law even today. Concluding, it is argued that a general history of European law should avoid the adoption of mainstream conceptualisations...

Working Mothers in Finland: A Cross-Country Comparison of Work to Family Interference, Work Characteristics and Satisfaction with Life

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Sirpa Weckström

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In this study it was examined whether work-related experiences of Finnish mothers are different from work-related experiences of mothers in 11 other European countries. The data was based on European Social Survey, round 2, conducted in the years 2004-2005. Descriptive statistics and ordinal regression analysis were used to assess the outcomes. Work to home interference was not especially frequent among mothers in Finland. However, interference that comprised other family members was more common than in the other countries investigated. With regard to work characteristics, Finnish mothers differed both negatively and positively from mothers in the other countries. Long working hours increased time-based interference from work to family members. Time pressure at work increased both time- and strain-based interferences. Social support from co-workers decreased strain-based interference. Work to family member interferences, especially strain-based interference, were negatively connected to life satisfaction. Both working and non-working mothers in Finland appeared to be satisfied with their life.

Parental guided self-help family based treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa: A feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lock, James; Darcy, Alison; Fitzpatrick, Kathleen Kara; Vierhile, Molly; Sadeh-Sharvit, Shiri

2017-09-01

Family-based treatment (FBT) is an evidence-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN), but many families cannot access it. This study evaluated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary treatment effects of a parental guided self-help (GSH) version of FBT for adolescent AN. This was a case-series design. Parents of medically stable adolescents (11-18 years) with DSM-5 AN were recruited over 12 months. Parents received online training in parental GSH FBT and 12 20-30 min GSH sessions by phone or online over 6 months. Recruitment, dropout, changes in weight, and eating-related psychopathology were assessed. Analyses used mixed modeling that included all data for all participants. Of the 19 families that participated, most were white (94%) and from intact families (88%). Baseline median BMI (mBMI) percent was 85.01% (SD = 4.31). Participants' mBMI percent increased to 97.31% (SD ± 7.48) at the end of treatment (EOT) (ES = 2.06; CI= 0.13-3.99). Eating-related psychopathology improved by EOT (ES = 0.58; CI=.04-1.21). Dropout rate was 21% during treatment and 33% during follow-up. Parental GSH-FBT is feasible and acceptable to families willing to undertake online treatment. Follow-up data was only available for nine families (47%); thus further systematic evaluation is required before reaching conclusions about the efficacy of this approach. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Building a framework for theory-based ethnographies for studying intergenerational family food practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Visser, Sanne Siete; Hutter, Inge; Haisma, Hinke

2016-02-01

The growing rates of (childhood) obesity worldwide are a source concern for health professionals, policy-makers, and researchers. The increasing prevalence of associated diseases-such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and psychological problems-shows the impact of obesity on people's health, already from a young age. In turn, these problems have obvious consequences for the health care system, including higher costs. However, the treatment of obesity has proven to be difficult, which makes prevention an important goal. In this study, we focus on food practices, one of the determinants of obesity. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that interventions designed to encourage healthy eating of children and their families are not having the desired impact, especially among groups with a lower socioeconomic background (SEB). To understand why interventions fail to have an impact, we need to study the embedded social and cultural constructions of families. We argue that we need more than just decision-making theories to understand this cultural embeddedness, and to determine what cultural and social factors influence the decision-making process. By allowing families to explain their cultural background, their capabilities, and their opportunities, we will gain new insights into how families choose what they eat from a complex set of food choices. We have thus chosen to build a framework based on Sen's capability approach and the theory of cultural schemas. This framework, together with a holistic ethnographic research approach, can help us better understand what drives the food choices made in families. The framework is built to serve as a starting point for ethnographic research on food choice in families, and could contribute to the development of interventions that are embedded in the cultural realities of the targeted groups. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Exploring the potential of a family-based prevention intervention to reduce alcohol use and violence within HIV-affected families in Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhury, Sumona; Brown, Felicity L; Kirk, Catherine M; Mukunzi, Sylvere; Nyirandagijimana, Beatha; Mukandanga, Josee; Ukundineza, Christian; Godfrey, Kalisa; Ng, Lauren C; Brennan, Robert T; Betancourt, Theresa S

2016-03-01

HIV-affected families report higher rates of harmful alcohol use, intimate partner violence (IPV) and family conflict, which can have detrimental effects on children. Few evidence-based interventions exist to address these complex issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. This mixed methods study explores the potential of a family-based intervention to reduce IPV, family conflict and problems related to alcohol use to promote child mental health and family functioning within HIV-affected families in post-genocide Rwanda. A family home-visiting, evidence-based intervention designed to identify and enhance resilience and communication in families to promote mental health in children was adapted and developed for use in this context for families affected by caregiver HIV in Rwanda. The intervention was adapted and developed through a series of pilot study phases prior to being tested in open and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Rwanda for families affected by caregiver HIV. Quantitative and qualitative data from the RCT are explored here using a mixed methods approach to integrate findings. Reductions in alcohol use and IPV among caregivers are supported by qualitative reports of improved family functioning, lower levels of violence and problem drinking as well as improved child mental health, among the intervention group. This mixed methods analysis supports the potential of family-based interventions to reduce adverse caregiver behaviors as a major mechanism for improving child well-being. Further studies to examine these mechanisms in well-powered trials are needed to extend the evidence-base on the promise of family-based intervention for use in low- and middle-income countries.

Engaging Mexican Origin Families in a School-Based Preventive Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Mauricio, Anne M.; Gonzales, Nancy A.; Millsap, Roger E.; Meza, Connie M.; Dumka, Larry E.; Germán, Miguelina; Genalo, M. Toni

2009-01-01

This study describes a culturally sensitive approach to engage Mexican origin families in a school-based, family-focused preventive intervention trial. The approach was evaluated via assessing study enrollment and intervention program participation, as well as examining predictors of engagement at each stage. Incorporating traditional cultural values into all aspects of engagement resulted in participation rates higher than reported rates of minority-focused trials not emphasizing cultural sensitivity. Family preferred language (English or Spanish) or acculturation status predicted engagement at all levels, with less acculturated families participating at higher rates. Spanish-language families with less acculturated adolescents participated at higher rates than Spanish-language families with more acculturated adolescents. Other findings included two-way interactions between family language and the target child’s familism values, family single- vs. dual-parent status, and number of hours the primary parent worked in predicting intervention participation. Editors’ Strategic Implications: The authors present a promising approach—which requires replication—to engaging and retaining Mexican American families in a school-based prevention program. The research also highlights the importance of considering acculturation status when implementing and studying culturally tailored aspects of prevention models. PMID:18004659

Factors associated with different smoking status in European adolescents: results of the SEYLE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Banzer, Raphaela; Haring, C; Buchheim, A; Oehler, S; Carli, V; Wasserman, C; Kaess, M; Apter, A; Balazs, J; Bobes, J; Brunner, R; Corcoran, P; Cosman, D; Hoven, C W; Kahn, J P; Keeley, H S; Postuvan, V; Podlogar, T; Sisask, M; Värnik, A; Sarchiapone, M; Wasserman, D

2017-11-01

Early onset and long-term smoking are associated with physical and psychological health problems. The aim of the presented analysis was to investigate risk and influencing factors for different smoking status in a big sample of European adolescents. In the context of the "saving and empowering young lives in Europe" (SEYLE) study we surveyed 12,328 adolescents at the age of 13-17 from 11 countries. The survey took place in a school-based context using a questionnaire. Overall 58% reported the onset of ever-smoking under the age of 14 and 30.9% smoke on a daily basis. Multinomial logistic regression model showed significant positive associations between adolescent smoking and internalizing problems (suicidal behavior, direct self-injurious behavior, anxiety), externalizing problems (conduct problems, hyperactivity, substance consumption) and family problems (parental substance consumption, broken home). Our data show that smoking among adolescents is still a major public health problem and adolescents who smoke are at higher risk for mental problems. Further, adolescent smoking is associated with broken home families and parental behaviors. Therefore, early preventive measures are necessary not only for adolescents, but also for their parents.

From Conciliation to Mediation in Family Disputes-Harmonization of Croatian Family Legislation on Peaceful Resolution of Family Disputes with EU law

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Paula Poretti

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The reform process of family law was initiated with one aim to promote protection of family and children and harmonize Croatian law with European and international standards in this field. In this respect, the intervention institute governed by Croatian family law with the purpose to facilitate reconciliation or in cases where reconciliation between spouses is not achieved, to provide information regarding legal consequences of divorce and possibly to achieve agreement between spouses as for their relationship in future was deemed inadequate in regards to the approach provided by European documents on regulation of peaceful resolution of family disputes. Under the influence thereof, new family legislation redefines intervention and introduces mandatory counselling and family mediation as foundations of the system of alternative dispute resolution of all family disputes in Croatian law.

Study of a family that overcomes poverty issues: family resilience?

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María Ángela Mattar Yunes

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Generally, researches with families focus the difficulties and the negative aspects of family life by bringing up their maladjustments and failures. The interest in family resilience contributes to change this logic by demonstrating the healthy aspects of the family world. Nevertheless, the term resilience presents ideological controversies which are more severe when the discussion is about families and poverty. In order to diminish these contradictions this study adopted a systemic concept of resilience which refers to “those processes that make possible to overcome adversities”. A case study was realized with a low income family who lived in a “very poor” neighborhood in the deep south of Brazil. The methodological strategies to the formal investigation of the family were: life history of the family using the principles of reflexive interview, genograms and data analyses through the approach of the grounded theory. The results showed that the family lived a number of risk experiences such as adoption, privation of basic needs, migration and diseases. Among the indicators of their abilities of “overcoming adversities”, emerged the belief system as the core of the discourses. The family showed that they value the interpersonal relationships through intra and extra familiar interactions based in the patterns of help, learning, affection and solidarity. During the crisis the family gives meaning to the difficulties in order to maintaining the situation controlled through cohesion, open communication, mutual respect and getting support of the extended family/ social network. The pos-adversity period is perceived as benefic and transforming as the family feels stronger and with feelings of solidarity, which is a mark of this family. Their attitude in relation to the neighborhood is active in the sense of promoting the welfare of other families who live in the same social address. Would those above identified processes be adequate to

Family-based hip-hop to health: outcome results.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzgibbon, Marian L; Stolley, Melinda R; Schiffer, Linda; Kong, Angela; Braunschweig, Carol L; Gomez-Perez, Sandra L; Odoms-Young, Angela; Van Horn, Linda; Christoffel, Katherine Kaufer; Dyer, Alan R

2013-02-01

This pilot study tested the feasibility of Family-Based Hip-Hop to Health, a school-based obesity prevention intervention for 3-5-year-old Latino children and their parents, and estimated its effectiveness in producing smaller average changes in BMI at 1-year follow-up. Four Head Start preschools administered through the Chicago Public Schools were randomly assigned to receive a Family-Based Intervention (FBI) or a General Health Intervention (GHI). Parents signed consent forms for 147 of the 157 children enrolled. Both the school-based and family-based components of the intervention were feasible, but attendance for the parent intervention sessions was low. Contrary to expectations, a downtrend in BMI Z-score was observed in both the intervention and control groups. While the data reflect a downward trend in obesity among these young Hispanic children, obesity rates remained higher at 1-year follow-up (15%) than those reported by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009-2010) for 2-5-year-old children (12.1%). Developing evidence-based strategies for obesity prevention among Hispanic families remains a challenge. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Familial resemblance in religiousness in a secular society

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvidtjørn, Dorte; Petersen, Inge; Hjelmborg, Jacob

2013-01-01

generally considered more religious than the very secular northern European countries. Comparisons of the results are complicated by diverse definitions of religiousness, but several studies indicate that the influence of the family environment is most predominant in early life, whereas genetic influences...... increase with age. We performed a population-based twin study of religiousness in a secular society using data from a Web-based survey sent to 6,707 Danish twins born 1970-1989, who were identified in the Danish Twin Registry. We applied Fishman's three conceptual dimensions of religiousness: cognition...

Interventions for promoting physical activity among European teenagers: a systematic review

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Lien Nanna

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although physical activity is considered to yield substantial health benefits, the level of physical activity among European teenagers is not sufficient. Adolescence is characterized by a decline in physical activity level. Many studies investigated the effectiveness of interventions promoting physical activity among young people, but none dealt with the available evidence specific for Europe. This review was conducted to summarize the effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity among European teenagers. Methods A systematic review was conducted to identify European intervention studies published in the scientific literature since 1995. Four databases were searched, reference lists were scanned and the publication lists of the authors of the retrieved articles were checked. The ANGELO framework was used to categorise the included studies by setting and by intervention components. Results The literature search identified 20 relevant studies. Fifteen interventions were delivered through the school setting, of which three included a family component and another three a family and community component. One intervention was conducted within a community setting, three were delivered in primary care and one was delivered through the internet. Ten interventions included only an individual component, whereas the other ten used a multi-component approach. None of the interventions included only an environmental component. Main findings of the review were: (1 school-based interventions generally lead to short term improvements in physical activity levels; (2 improvements in physical activity levels by school-based interventions were limited to school related physical activity with no conclusive transfer to leisure time physical activity; (3 including parents appeared to enhance school-based interventions; (4 the support of peers and the influence of direct environmental changes increased the physical activity level of

Study Protocol: A randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of family-based behavioral treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity?The FABO-study

OpenAIRE

Skj?k?deg?rd, Hanna F.; Danielsen, Yngvild S.; Morken, Mette; Linde, Sara-Rebekka F.; Kolko, Rachel P.; Balantekin, Katherine N.; Wilfley, Denise E.; J?l?usson, P?tur B.

2016-01-01

Background The purpose of the FABO-study is to evaluate the effect of family-based behavioral social facilitation treatment (FBSFT), designed to target children?s family and social support networks to enhance weight loss outcomes, compared to the standard treatment (treatment as usual, TAU) given to children and adolescents with obesity in a routine clinical practice. Methods Randomized controlled trial (RCT), in which families (n?=?120) are recruited from the children and adolescents (ages 6...

Arbeid og familie: Betydningen av krav og ressurser i arbeid for norske arbeidstakeres opplevelse av å kombinere arbeid og familie

OpenAIRE

Henanger, Marit Østhus

2015-01-01

Background: Work-family conflict is related to poor psychological and physical health, absence and deterioration of relationship quality at home. Work-life balance is related to improved well-being, motivation and productivity. Objectives: To examine the relation of demands and resources at work and work-family conflict and work-family balance based on the job demands-resources model. Material and method: The analyses were conducted on the basis of data from European Social Survey Round 5 201...

The experiences of working carers of older people regarding access to a web-based family care support network offered by a municipality.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Stefan; Erlingsson, Christen; Magnusson, Lennart; Hanson, Elizabeth

2017-09-01

Policy makers in Sweden and other European Member States pay increasing attention as to how best support working carers; carers juggling providing unpaid family care for older family members while performing paid work. Exploring perceived benefits and challenges with web-based information and communication technologies as a means of supporting working carers' in their caregiving role, this paper draws on findings from a qualitative study. The study aimed to describe working carers' experiences of having access to the web-based family care support network 'A good place' (AGP) provided by the municipality to support those caring for an older family member. Content analysis of interviews with nine working carers revealed three themes: A support hub, connections to peers, personnel and knowledge; Experiencing ICT support as relevant in changing life circumstances; and Upholding one's personal firewall. Findings indicate that the web-based family care support network AGP is an accessible, complementary means of support. Utilising support while balancing caregiving, work obligations and responsibilities was made easier with access to AGP; enabling working carers to access information, psychosocial support and learning opportunities. In particular, it provided channels for carers to share experiences with others, to be informed, and to gain insights into medical and care issues. This reinforced working carers' sense of competence, helping them meet caregiving demands and see positive aspects in their situation. Carers' low levels of digital skills and anxieties about using computer-based support were barriers to utilising web-based support and could lead to deprioritising of this support. However, to help carers overcome these barriers and to better match web-based support to working carers' preferences and situations, web-based support must be introduced in a timely manner and must more accurately meet each working carer's unique caregiving needs. © 2016 Nordic College

Student mobility and European identity: Erasmus study as a civic experience?

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Kristine Mitchell

2012-12-01

Full Text Available From its inception, the Erasmus student exchange programme has been promoted by the European Commission as a “civic experience” that instils or enhances a European consciousness among participants. Recent scholarship on European identity has made similar claims about the civic significance of foreign study, yet the empirical basis for these claims remains a subject of debate. This article unpacks the logic of the civic view of Erasmus and submits the individual assumptions to empirical investigation. Based on a survey of more than 2000 respondents from 25 EU countries, this study has the advantage of being both larger and more multinational in composition than the major previous studies. The data largely support the logic of the civic view of Erasmus, demonstrating the intercultural nature of the sojourn abroad, providing compelling evidence that the Erasmus experience contributes to attitudinal changes about Europe among participants, and highlighting significant differences between the Erasmus students and those who do not study abroad when it comes to levels of support for the EU and extent of identifying as European.

Population-based family case-control proband study on familial aggregation of metabolic syndrome: finding from Taiwanese people involved in Keelung community-based integrated screening (KCIS no. 5).

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Yueh-Hsia; Lin, Wen-Yuan; Wang, Po-En; Chen, Yao-Der; Wang, Ting-Ting; Warwick, Jane; Chen, Tony Hsiu-Hsi

2007-03-01

A population-based case-control proband study was undertaken to elucidate familial aggregation, independent environmental factors, and the interaction between them. A total of 7308 metabolic syndrome (MET-S) cases were identified from the Keelung community-based integrated screening programme between 1999 and 2002. The study has a case-control/family sampling design. A total of 1417 case probands were randomly selected from 3225 metabolic syndrome cases and the corresponding 2458 controls selected from 16,519 subjects without metabolic syndrome by matching on sex, age (+/-3 years) and place of residence. The generalized estimation equation model was used to estimate odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. The risk for having metabolic syndrome among family members for cases versus control probands was 1.56-fold (1.29-1.89) after controlling for significant environmental factors. Higher risk of metabolic syndrome was found in parents than spouse. Low education against high education had 2.06-fold (1.36-3.13) risk for metabolic syndrome. Betel quid chewing was positively associated with the risk of MET-S, with 1.99-fold (1.13-3.53) risk for 1-9 pieces and 1.76-fold (0.96-3.23) risk for >or=10 pieces compared with non-chewer. Moderate and high intensity of non-occupational exercise led to 21.0% (OR=0.79 (0.63-0.98)) and 26.0% (OR=0.74 (0.59-0.94)) reduction in the risk for metabolic syndrome, respectively. The frequent consumption of vegetable reduced 24.0% (OR=0.76 (0.62-0.92)) risk for MET-S. The frequent consumption of coffee was associated the increased risk for metabolic syndrome (OR=1.32 (1.07-1.64)). The present study confirmed the risk of metabolic syndrome not only has the tendency towards familial aggregation but is affected by independent effect of environmental or individual correlates.

European Strategy for Accelerator-Based Neutrino Physics

CERN Document Server

Bertolucci, Sergio; Cervera, Anselmo; Donini, Andrea; Dracos, Marcos; Duchesneau, Dominique; Dufour, Fanny; Edgecock, Rob; Efthymiopoulos, Ilias; Gschwendtner, Edda; Kudenko, Yury; Long, Ken; Maalampi, Jukka; Mezzetto, Mauro; Pascoli, Silvia; Palladino, Vittorio; Rondio, Ewa; Rubbia, Andre; Rubbia, Carlo; Stahl, Achim; Stanco, Luca; Thomas, Jenny; Wark, David; Wildner, Elena; Zito, Marco

2012-01-01

Massive neutrinos reveal physics beyond the Standard Model, which could have deep consequences for our understanding of the Universe. Their study should therefore receive the highest level of priority in the European Strategy. The discovery and study of leptonic CP violation and precision studies of the transitions between neutrino flavours require high intensity, high precision, long baseline accelerator neutrino experiments. The community of European neutrino physicists involved in oscillation experiments is strong enough to support a major neutrino long baseline project in Europe, and has an ambitious, competitive and coherent vision to propose. Following the 2006 European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) recommendations, two complementary design studies have been carried out: LAGUNA/LBNO, focused on deep underground detector sites, and EUROnu, focused on high intensity neutrino facilities. LAGUNA LBNO recommends, as first step, a conventional neutrino beam CN2PY from a CERN SPS North Area Neutrino Fac...

Individual and family environmental correlates of television and computer time in 10-to 12-year-old European children: the ENERGY-project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verloigne, M.; Van Lippevelde, W.; Bere, E.; Manios, Y.; Kovacs, E.; Grillenberger, M.; Maes, L.; Brug, J.; de Bourdeaudhuij, I.

2015-01-01

Background: The aim was to investigate which individual and family environmental factors are related to television and computer time separately in 10- to-12-year-old children within and across five European countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Norway). Methods: Data were used from the

The Europeanization of Politics: Building a Terminology for European Studies

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Damir Grubiša

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the problem of Europeanisation, one of the key concepts developed within the European Studies in the last ten years or so, since the adoption and entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty. The fi rst part of the article deals with various models of Europeanisation in a context extending beyond the conceptual framework of the European Union, within which the phenomenon of Europeanisation arises. Therefore, the author attempts to develop a typology of broader approaches to the identifi cation of the phenomenon and process of Europeanisation, which includes six conceptions thereof: the fi rst approach is a geographical-political one, where Europeanisation is seen as a change in outer borders of Europe, from the reduction of Europe to the countries of Western Europe and Central Europe, to the extension of the concept of Europe to marginal countries; the second approach links the concept of Europeanisation with the development of political institutions on the European level. The third defi nition identifi es Europeanisation as an export of various forms of political organisation, a process which proceeds from the experience of European colonisation to the diff usion of European values as a role model for other continents; the fourth model of Europeanisation is the identifi cation with the project of European unifi cation, i. e. the process of integration which ends up in a federal, unifi ed Europe; the fi fth subtype is the penetration of national systems of governance by the European model of multilevel governance, which becomes manifest in the adaptation, convergence and harmonisation of the political and legal systems of member nations. The author elaborates on this classic typology by adding the sixth approach, which he calls “retrospective Europeanisation”. It involves Europeanisation as identifi cation with traditional European values that existed before EC and EU, primarily with the preintegration traditional

Decomposing European bond and equity volatility

OpenAIRE

Christiansen, Charlotte

2004-01-01

The paper investigates volatility spillover from US and aggregate European asset markets into European national asset markets. A main contribution is that bond and equity volatilities are analyzed simultaneously. A new model belonging to the "volatilityspillover" family is suggested: The conditional variance of e.g. the unexpected German stock return is divided into separate effects from the contemporaneous idiosyncratic variance of US bonds, US stocks, European bonds, European stocks, German...

A new powerful non-parametric two-stage approach for testing multiple phenotypes in family-based association studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lange, C; Lyon, H; DeMeo, D; Raby, B; Silverman, EK; Weiss, ST

2003-01-01

We introduce a new powerful nonparametric testing strategy for family-based association studies in which multiple quantitative traits are recorded and the phenotype with the strongest genetic component is not known prior to the analysis. In the first stage, using a population-based test based on the

A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong

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Chen Shen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available BackgroundFamily communication is important to maintain family relationships and family well-being. To enhance family communication and family well-being, a community-based “Learning Families Project,” based on the social ecological model was developed in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong, a district with high prevalence of family problems.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study included two nearby government subsidized low-rent housing estates separated by busy main roads, as the intervention [Tsui Ping (South Estate] and control (Shun Tin Estate estate. The main intervention was resident training programs, such as talks, day camps, and thematic activities. No program was implemented in the control estate. Participants in the intervention group received assessments before the intervention (T1, immediately after the intervention (T2, and 6 weeks after the intervention (T3. Control group participants were assessed at baseline (March to April 2011 and follow-up (December 2011 to March 2012. Assessments of family communication (time and perceived adequacy and family well-being (harmony, happiness, and health at T1 and T3 were obtained in the intervention group to examine within-group changes. In addition, these differences in outcomes in the intervention group were compared with those in the control group to examine the effectiveness of the intervention.ResultsFamily communication time and perceived communication adequacy increased significantly in the intervention group (n = 515 with a small effect size (Cohen effect d: 0.10 and 0.24, respectively. Compared with the control group (n = 476, the improvements in family communication time and perceived communication adequacy (Cohen effect d: 0.13 and 0.14, respectively, and perceived family harmony and happiness (Cohen effect d: 0.12 and 0.12, respectively were significantly greater in the intervention group, adjusting for age and education, suggesting the intervention was effective in improving

A Community-Based Intervention Program to Enhance Family Communication and Family Well-being: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Chen; Wan, Alice; Kwok, Lit Tung; Pang, Sally; Wang, Xin; Stewart, Sunita M; Lam, Tai Hing; Chan, Sophia Siu Chee

2017-01-01

Family communication is important to maintain family relationships and family well-being. To enhance family communication and family well-being, a community-based "Learning Families Project," based on the social ecological model was developed in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong, a district with high prevalence of family problems. This quasi-experimental study included two nearby government subsidized low-rent housing estates separated by busy main roads, as the intervention [Tsui Ping (South) Estate] and control (Shun Tin Estate) estate. The main intervention was resident training programs, such as talks, day camps, and thematic activities. No program was implemented in the control estate. Participants in the intervention group received assessments before the intervention (T1), immediately after the intervention (T2), and 6 weeks after the intervention (T3). Control group participants were assessed at baseline (March to April 2011) and follow-up (December 2011 to March 2012). Assessments of family communication (time and perceived adequacy) and family well-being (harmony, happiness, and health) at T1 and T3 were obtained in the intervention group to examine within-group changes. In addition, these differences in outcomes in the intervention group were compared with those in the control group to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. Family communication time and perceived communication adequacy increased significantly in the intervention group ( n  = 515) with a small effect size (Cohen effect d : 0.10 and 0.24, respectively). Compared with the control group ( n  = 476), the improvements in family communication time and perceived communication adequacy (Cohen effect d : 0.13 and 0.14, respectively), and perceived family harmony and happiness (Cohen effect d : 0.12 and 0.12, respectively) were significantly greater in the intervention group, adjusting for age and education, suggesting the intervention was effective in improving family communication and

Factors affecting public dissatisfaction with urban family physician plan: A general population based study in Fars Province.

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Imanieh, Mohammad Hadi; Mirahmadizadeh, Alireza; Imani, Bahareh

2017-11-01

Understanding the level of public satisfaction with a family physician plan as well as the relevant factors in this respect, can be employed as valuable tools in identifying quality of services. To determine the factors affecting public dissatisfaction with an urban family physician plan in Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2014 through June 2015 on Fars Province residents in Iran, selected based on cluster sampling method. The data collection instrument was comprised of a two-part checklist including demographic information and items related to dissatisfaction with the family physician plan, specialists, para-clinic services, pharmacy, physicians on shift work, emergency services, and family physician assistants. Data were described by SPSS 20. In this study, 1,020 individuals (524 males, 496 females) were investigated. Based on the results, the most frequent factor affecting dissatisfaction with physicians was their single work shifts and unavailability (53%). In terms of dissatisfaction with family physicians' specialist colleagues and para-clinic services, the most common factors were related to difficulty in obtaining a referral form (41.5%) and making appointments (21.6%), respectively. Given the level of dissatisfaction with pharmacies, the significant factor was reported to be excessive delay in medication delivery (31.6%); and in terms of physicians on shift work and emergency services, the most important factor was lower work hours for family physicians (9.2%). It seems that, the most common causes of dissatisfaction with the urban family physician plan are due to the short duration of services, obtaining a referral form and making appointments, and providing prescribed medications.

A Bayesian phylogenetic study of the Dravidian language family

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Kolipakam, Vishnupriya

2018-01-01

The Dravidian language family consists of about 80 varieties (Hammarström H. 2016 Glottolog 2.7) spoken by 220 million people across southern and central India and surrounding countries (Steever SB. 1998 In The Dravidian languages (ed. SB Steever), pp. 1–39: 1). Neither the geographical origin of the Dravidian language homeland nor its exact dispersal through time are known. The history of these languages is crucial for understanding prehistory in Eurasia, because despite their current restricted range, these languages played a significant role in influencing other language groups including Indo-Aryan (Indo-European) and Munda (Austroasiatic) speakers. Here, we report the results of a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of cognate-coded lexical data, elicited first hand from native speakers, to investigate the subgrouping of the Dravidian language family, and provide dates for the major points of diversification. Our results indicate that the Dravidian language family is approximately 4500 years old, a finding that corresponds well with earlier linguistic and archaeological studies. The main branches of the Dravidian language family (North, Central, South I, South II) are recovered, although the placement of languages within these main branches diverges from previous classifications. We find considerable uncertainty with regard to the relationships between the main branches. PMID:29657761

Recruitment of Yoruba families from Nigeria for genetic research: experience from a multisite keloid study.

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Olaitan, Peter B; Odesina, Victoria; Ademola, Samuel; Fadiora, Solomon O; Oluwatosin, Odunayo M; Reichenberger, Ernst J

2014-09-02

More involvement of sub-Saharan African countries in biomedical studies, specifically in genetic research, is needed to advance individualized medicine that will benefit non-European populations. Missing infrastructure, cultural and religious beliefs as well as lack of understanding of research benefits can pose a challenge to recruitment. Here we describe recruitment efforts for a large genetic study requiring three-generation pedigrees within the Yoruba homelands of Nigeria. The aim of the study was to identify genes responsible for keloids, a wound healing disorder. We also discuss ethical and logistical considerations that we encountered in preparation for this research endeavor. Protocols for this bi-national intercultural study were approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) in the US and the ethics committees of the Nigerian institutions for consideration of cultural differences. Principles of community based participatory research were employed throughout the recruitment process. Keloid patients (patient advisors), community leaders, kings/chiefs and medical directors were engaged to assist the research teams with recruitment strategies. Community meetings, church forums, and media outlets (study flyers, radio and TV announcements) were utilized to promote the study in Nigeria. Recruitment of research participants was conducted by trained staff from the local communities. Pedigree structures were re-analyzed on a regular basis as new family members were recruited and recruitment challenges were documented. Total recruitment surpassed 4200 study participants over a 7-year period including 79 families with complete three-generation pedigrees. In 9 families more than 20 family members participated, however, in 5 of these families, we encountered issues with pedigree structure as members from different branches presented inconsistent family histories. These issues were due to the traditional open family structure amongst the Yoruba and by beliefs in

Risk-based decision making and risk management of European Union regional programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michalopoulos Evangelos

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a generalized method for management decision making incorporating risk assessment techniques. The risk based decision making methodology is applied to European Union expenditure programs used to implement its regional policy, such as the community support framework, community initiatives, special initiatives and other European policies. An example is presented for the development of an audit (inspection program in the region of West Macedonia, Greece, during the implementation of the 3rd Community Structural Support Framework Operational Program. The generic nature of the method permits its use in the management of similar European regional programs in Greece and other European countries. It is also applicable to many other industries interested in applying risk-based management decisions to physical or process based systems. .

Family-based association study of DRD4 gene in methylphenidate-responded Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick Wing-Leung Leung

Full Text Available The 48-basepair (48-bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR polymorphism in exon 3 of the dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4 is implicated in the etiology of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. In particular, ADHD in European-ancestry population is associated with an increased prevalence of the 7-repeat (7R allele of the exon 3 VNTR. However, it is intriguing to note that the 7R allele has been found to be of very low prevalence in the Chinese general population. In a previous case-control study, our research team had found that the 7R allele was similarly absent in Chinese ADHD children in Hong Kong. Instead, there was an increased prevalence of the 2R allele in Chinese ADHD children. Interestingly, in Asian samples, the 2R allele had been found to be an evolutionary derivative of the 7R allele with equivalent biochemical functionality. So, the finding of an association between ADHD and 2R allele in Chinese population does not exactly contradict the original 7R allele finding in European-ancestry population. However, given the potential pitfall of population stratification in the previous case-control design, this current study tested the 2R allele and ADHD association using a methodologically more rigorous family-based approach on 33 Chinese ADHD probands who had favorable clinical responses to stimulant medication (methylphenidate. Haplotype Relative Risk (HRR analysis and Transmission Disequilibrium Test (TDT both showed a significant preferential transmission of the 2R allele from the biological parents to ADHD probands (pone-tailed = 0.038, OR = 2.04; pone-tailed = 0.048, OR = 2.29, respectively. A second hypothesis speculates that it is the deviation, including 7R and 2R alleles, from the conserved ancestral 4R allele which confers risk to ADHD. Thus, a preferential transmission of non-4R alleles, against the 4R allele, from biological parents to their ADHD probands is predicted. Both HRR analysis and TDT confirmed such

Work-family conflict and sleep disturbance: the Malaysian working women study

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AAZAMI, Sanaz; MOZAFARI, Mosayeb; SHAMSUDDIN, Khadijah; AKMAL, Syaqirah

2015-01-01

This study aimed at assessing effect of the four dimensions of work-family conflicts (strain and time-based work interference into family and family interference into work) on sleep disturbance in Malaysian working women. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 325 Malaysian married working women. Multiple-stage simple random sampling method was used to recruit women from public service departments of Malaysia. Self-administrated questionnaires were used to measure the study variables and data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. We found that high level of the four dimensions of work-family conflicts significantly increase sleep disturbance. Our analyses also revealed an age-dependent effect of the work-family conflict on sleep disturbance. Women in their 20 to 30 yr old suffer from sleep disturbance due to high level of time-based and strain-based work-interference into family. However, the quality of sleep among women aged 30–39 were affected by strain-based family-interference into work. Finally, women older than 40 yr had significantly disturbed sleep due to strain-based work-interference into family as well as time-based family interference into work. Our findings showed that sleep quality of working women might be disturbed by experiencing high level of work-family conflict. However, the effects of inter-role conflicts on sleep varied among different age groups. PMID:26423332

Work-family conflict and sleep disturbance: the Malaysian working women study.

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Aazami, Sanaz; Mozafari, Mosayeb; Shamsuddin, Khadijah; Akmal, Syaqirah

2016-01-01

This study aimed at assessing effect of the four dimensions of work-family conflicts (strain and time-based work interference into family and family interference into work) on sleep disturbance in Malaysian working women. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 325 Malaysian married working women. Multiple-stage simple random sampling method was used to recruit women from public service departments of Malaysia. Self-administrated questionnaires were used to measure the study variables and data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. We found that high level of the four dimensions of work-family conflicts significantly increase sleep disturbance. Our analyses also revealed an age-dependent effect of the work-family conflict on sleep disturbance. Women in their 20 to 30 yr old suffer from sleep disturbance due to high level of time-based and strain-based work-interference into family. However, the quality of sleep among women aged 30-39 were affected by strain-based family-interference into work. Finally, women older than 40 yr had significantly disturbed sleep due to strain-based work-interference into family as well as time-based family interference into work. Our findings showed that sleep quality of working women might be disturbed by experiencing high level of work-family conflict. However, the effects of inter-role conflicts on sleep varied among different age groups.

Ethical issues in human genome epidemiology: a case study based on the Japanese American Family Study in Seattle, Washington.

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Austin, Melissa A

2002-04-01

Recent completion of the draft sequence of the human genome has been greeted with both excitement and skepticism, and the potential of this accomplishment for advancing public health has been tempered by ethical concerns about the protection of human subjects. This commentary explores ethical issues arising in human genome epidemiology by using a case study approach based on the ongoing Japanese American Family Study at the University of Washington in Seattle (1994-2003). Ethical issues encountered in designing the study, collecting the data, and reporting the study results are considered. When developing studies, investigators must consider whether to restrict the study to specific racial or ethnic groups and whether community involvement is appropriate. Once the study design is in place, further ethical issues emerge, including obtaining informed consent for DNA banking and protecting the privacy and confidentiality of family members. Finally, investigators must carefully consider whether to report genotype results to study participants and whether pedigrees illustrating the results of the study will be published. Overall, the promise of genomics for improving public health must be pursued based on the fundamental ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

Daily Patterns of Preschoolers' Objectively Measured Step Counts in Six European Countries: Cross-Sectional Results from the ToyBox-Study.

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Van Stappen, Vicky; Van Dyck, Delfien; Latomme, Julie; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Moreno, Luis; Socha, Piotr; Iotova, Violeta; Koletzko, Berthold; Manios, Yannis; Androutsos, Odysseas; Cardon, Greet; De Craemer, Marieke

2018-02-07

This study is part of the ToyBox-study, which is conducted in six European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain), aiming to develop a cost-effective kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention to prevent overweight and obesity in four- to six-year-old preschool children. In the current study, we aimed to examine and compare preschoolers' step count patterns, across the six European countries. A sample of 3578 preschoolers (mean age: 4.8 ± 0.4) was included. Multilevel analyses were performed to take clustering of measurements into account. Based on the average hourly steps, step count patterns for the six European countries were created for weekdays and weekend days. The step count patterns during weekdays were related to the daily kindergarten schedules. Step count patterns during weekdays showed several significant peaks and troughs ( p steps were observed during afternoon naptimes and high numbers of steps during recess. In Germany, step count patterns did not show clear peaks and troughs, which can be explained by a less structured kindergarten schedule. On weekend days, differences in step count patterns were observed in the absolute number of steps in the afternoon trough and the period in which the evening peak occurred. Differences in step count patterns across the countries can be explained by differences in (school) policy, lifestyle habits, and culture. Therefore, it might be important to respond to these step count patterns and more specifically to tackle the inactive periods during interventions to promote physical activity in preschoolers.

European studies on occupational radiation exposure - ESOREX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrova, K.; Frasch, G.

2005-01-01

Full text: The ESOREX project was initiated by the European Commission in 1997. The objectives of this European study are: to provide the European Commission and the national competent radiation protection authorities with reliable information on how personal radiation monitoring, reporting and recording of dosimetric results is organized in European countries; to collect reliable and directly comparable data on individual and collective radiation exposure in all occupational sectors where radiation workers are employed. The information about the monitoring of occupational radiation exposure, the levels of individual personal doses of workers in the different work sectors, the changes and trends of these doses over a period of several years and the international comparison of these data are useful information for many stakeholders. The survey consists of two parts. Part I surveys how radiation protection monitoring, recording and reporting is arranged within each of the 30 European countries. Part II collects doses from occupational exposure of classified workers in the participating countries. For each country, information is provided on the number of workers in defined work categories and how annual individual personal doses are distributed. The summary and the conclusions provide tentative recommendations for harmonizing modifications of some of the national monitoring, reporting and recording arrangements. In all ESOREX studies a beneficial, effective and extensive information base about thirty European states has been created. The studies resulted in country reports describing the legislative, administrative, organizational and technical aspects of the national dose monitoring and recording systems for occupationally radiation exposed workers. These reports are standardized, i.e. they have as far as possible an internationally comparable structure. The dose distributions of the radiation workers and the annual average and collective doses in the various work

Family-Based Approaches to Cardiovascular Health Promotion.

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Vedanthan, Rajesh; Bansilal, Sameer; Soto, Ana Victoria; Kovacic, Jason C; Latina, Jacqueline; Jaslow, Risa; Santana, Maribel; Gorga, Elio; Kasarskis, Andrew; Hajjar, Roger; Schadt, Eric E; Björkegren, Johan L; Fayad, Zahi A; Fuster, Valentin

2016-04-12

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the world, and the increasing burden is largely a consequence of modifiable behavioral risk factors that interact with genomics and the environment. Continuous cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention throughout the lifespan is critical, and the family is a central entity in this process. In this review, we describe the potential rationale and mechanisms that contribute to the importance of family for cardiovascular health promotion, focusing on: 1) mutual interdependence of the family system; 2) shared environment; 3) parenting style; 4) caregiver perceptions; and 5) genomics. We conclude that family-based approaches that target both caregivers and children, encourage communication among the family unit, and address the structural and environmental conditions in which families live and operate are likely to be the most effective approach to promote cardiovascular health. We describe lessons learned, future implications, and applications to ongoing and planned studies. Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Family Climate, Parental Partner Relationships and Symptom Formation in Children - Mentalisation- Based Family Therapy for Childhood Headache].

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Hantel-Quitmann, Wolfgang; Weidtmann, Katja

2016-01-01

The emotional family climate is considered both an effective risk and protective factor for child development. Factors such as negative experiences parents made during their childhood or adolescence, which can reoccur as intergenerational transmission, a low partnership quality and a high level of conflict seem to be particularly relevant for the quality of the emotional family climate. Consequently, the relationship between partners, as the core relation within families, is particularly important for the family climate and subsequently for the development of the child. For this reason, problems in parent relationships should receive special attention in family therapeutic interventions. Mentalisation-based family therapy (MBF-T) offers promising approaches in this context. The key principles of mentalisation are introduced and the links between family and mentalisation are presented, followed by information on the history, objectives and the procedures of MBF-T. A case study of a family therapy, in which a child suffers from chronic headache, illustrates the connection and interrelation between family climate, family conflicts and the parental relationship, and it will further show the importance of mentalisation-based elements for therapeutic treatments.

Decomposing European bond and equity volatility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Charlotte

The paper investigates volatility spillover from US and aggregate European asset markets into European national asset markets. A main contribution is that bond and equity volatilities are analyzed simultaneously. A new model belonging to the "volatilityspillover" family is suggested: The conditio...

Use of social media by Western European hospitals: longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Van de Belt, Tom H; Berben, Sivera A A; Samsom, Melvin; Engelen, Lucien J L P G; Schoonhoven, Lisette

2012-05-01

Patients increasingly use social media to communicate. Their stories could support quality improvements in participatory health care and could support patient-centered care. Active use of social media by health care institutions could also speed up communication and information provision to patients and their families, thus increasing quality even more. Hospitals seem to be becoming aware of the benefits social media could offer. Data from the United States show that hospitals increasingly use social media, but it is unknown whether and how Western European hospitals use social media. To identify to what extent Western European hospitals use social media. In this longitudinal study, we explored the use of social media by hospitals in 12 Western European countries through an Internet search. We collected data for each country during the following three time periods: April to August 2009, August to December 2010, and April to July 2011. We included 873 hospitals from 12 Western European countries, of which 732 were general hospitals and 141 were university hospitals. The number of included hospitals per country ranged from 6 in Luxembourg to 347 in Germany. We found hospitals using social media in all countries. The use of social media increased significantly over time, especially for YouTube (n = 19, 2% to n = 172, 19.7%), LinkedIn (n =179, 20.5% to n = 278, 31.8%), and Facebook (n = 85, 10% to n = 585, 67.0%). Differences in social media usage between the included countries were significant. Social media awareness in Western European hospitals is growing, as well as its use. Social media usage differs significantly between countries. Except for the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the group of hospitals that is using social media remains small. Usage of LinkedIn for recruitment shows the awareness of the potential of social media. Future research is needed to investigate how social media lead to improved health care.

Pesticide exposure and risk of Parkinson's disease: A family-based case-control study

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Scott Burton L

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pesticides and correlated lifestyle factors (e.g., exposure to well-water and farming are repeatedly reported risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD, but few family-based studies have examined these relationships. Methods Using 319 cases and 296 relative and other controls, associations of direct pesticide application, well-water consumption, and farming residences/occupations with PD were examined using generalized estimating equations while controlling for age-at-examination, sex, cigarette smoking, and caffeine consumption. Results Overall, individuals with PD were significantly more likely to report direct pesticide application than their unaffected relatives (odds ratio = 1.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–2.29. Frequency, duration, and cumulative exposure were also significantly associated with PD in a dose-response pattern (p ≤ 0.013. Associations of direct pesticide application did not vary by sex but were modified by family history of PD, as significant associations were restricted to individuals with no family history. When classifying pesticides by functional type, both insecticides and herbicides were found to significantly increase risk of PD. Two specific insecticide classes, organochlorines and organophosphorus compounds, were significantly associated with PD. Consuming well-water and living/working on a farm were not associated with PD. Conclusion These data corroborate positive associations of broadly defined pesticide exposure with PD in families, particularly for sporadic PD. These data also implicate a few specific classes of pesticides in PD and thus emphasize the need to consider a more narrow definition of pesticides in future studies.

Is a practice-based rural research network feasible in Europe?

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Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Kurpas, Donata; Tsiligianni, Ioanna; Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando; Jacquet, Jean-Pierre; Buono, Nicola; Lopez-Abuin, Jose; Lionis, Christos

2015-01-01

Research in family medicine is a well-established entity nationally and internationally, covering all aspects of primary care including remote and isolated practices. However, due to limited capacity and resources in rural family medicine, its potential is not fully exploited yet. An idea to foster European rural primary care research by establishing a practice-based research network has been recently put forward by several members of the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA) and the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN). Two workshops on why, and how to design a practice-based research network among rural family practices in Europe were conducted at two international meetings. This paper revisits the definition of practice-based research in family medicine, reflects on the current situation in Europe regarding the research in rural family practice, and discusses a rationale for practice-based research in rural family medicine. A SWOT analysis was used as the main tool to analyse the current situation in Europe regarding the research in rural family practice at both meetings. The key messages gained from these meetings may be employed by the Wonca Working Party on research, the International Federation of Primary Care Research Network and the EGPRN that seek to introduce a practice-based research approach. The cooperation and collaboration between EURIPA and EGPRN creates a fertile ground to discuss further the prospect of a European practice-based rural family medicine research network, and to draw on the joint experience.

Direct and indirect associations between the family physical activity environment and sports participation among 10-12 year-old European children: testing the EnRG framework in the ENERGY project.

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Timperio, Anna F; van Stralen, Maartje M; Brug, Johannes; Bere, Elling; Chinapaw, Mai J M; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Jan, Nataša; Maes, Lea; Manios, Yannis; Moreno, Luis A; Salmon, Jo; Te Velde, Saskia J

2013-02-03

Sport participation makes an important contribution to children's overall physical activity. Understanding influences on sports participation is important and the family environment is considered key, however few studies have explored the mechanisms by which the family environment influences children's sport participation. The purpose of this study was to examine whether attitude, perceived behavioural control, health belief and enjoyment mediate associations between the family environment and 10-12 year-old children's sports participation. Children aged 10-12 years ( = 7,234) and one of their parents (n = 6,002) were recruited from 175 schools in seven European countries in 2010. Children self-reported their weekly duration of sports participation, physical activity equipment items at home and the four potential mediator variables. Parents responded to items on financial, logistic and emotional support, reinforcement, modelling and co-participation in physical activity. Cross-sectional single and multiple mediation analyses were performed for 4952 children with complete data using multi-level regression analyses. Availability of equipment (OR = 1.16), financial (OR = 1.53), logistic (OR = 1.47) and emotional (OR = 1.51) support, and parental modelling (OR = 1.07) were positively associated with participation in ≥  30 mins/wk of sport. Attitude, beliefs, perceived behavioural control and enjoyment mediated and explained between 21-34% of these associations. Perceived behavioural control contributed the most to the mediated effect for each aspect of the family environment. Both direct (unmediated) and indirect (mediated) associations were found between most family environment variables and children's sports participation. Thus, family-based physical activity interventions that focus on enhancing the family environment to support children's sport participation are warranted.

Composition, labelling, and safety of food supplements based on bee products in the legislative framework of the European Union - Croatian experiences.

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Vujić, Mario; Pollak, Lea

2015-12-01

The European Union market is overflown by food supplements and an increasing number of consumers prefer those where bee products play an important part in their composition. This paper deals with complex European Union legislation concerning food supplements based on bee products, placing a special emphasis on their composition, labelling, and safety. Correct labelling of food supplements also represents a great challenge since, in spite of legal regulations in force, there are still open issues regarding the statements on the amount of propolis, which is not clearly defined by the legal framework. One of the key issues are the labels containing health claims from the EU positive list approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Emphasis will also be placed on informing consumers about food, as statements which imply the healing properties of food supplements and their capacity to cure diseases are forbidden. One of the key elements of product safety is HACCP based on the EU Regulations EC 178/02 and 852/2004. Health safety analyses of food supplements with bee products used as raw materials, which are standardised by legal regulations will also be discussed. In the future, attention should also be paid to establishing the European Union "nutrivigilance" system. Croatian experiences in addressing challenges faced by producers, supervisory entities, and regulatory and inspection bodies may serve as an example to countries aspiring to become part of the large European family.

A Business Analysis of a SKYLON-based European Launch Service Operator

Science.gov (United States)

Hempsell, Mark; Aprea, Julio; Gallagher, Ben; Sadlier, Greg

2016-04-01

Between 2012 and 2014 an industrial consortium led by Reaction Engines conducted a feasibility study for the European Space Agency with the objective to explore the feasibility of SKYLON as the basis for a launcher that meets the requirements established for the Next Generation European Launcher. SKYLON is a fully reusable single stage to orbit launch system that is enabled by the unique performance characteristic of the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine and is under active development. The purpose of the study which was called ;SKYLON-based European Launch Service Operator (S-ELSO); was to support ESA decision making on launch service strategy by exploring the potential implications of this new launch system on future European launch capability and the European industry that supports it. The study explored both a SKYLON operator (S-ELSO) and SKYLON manufacturer as separate business ventures. In keeping with previous studies, the only strategy that was found that kept the purchase price of the SKYLON low enough for a viable operator business was to follow an ;airline; business model where the manufacturer sells SKYLONs to other operators in addition to S-ELSO. With the assumptions made in the study it was found that the SKYLON manufacturer with a total production run of between 30 and 100 SKYLONs could expect an Internal Rate of Return of around 10%. This was judged too low for all the funding to come from commercial funding sources, but is sufficiently high for a Public Private Partnership. The S-ELSO business model showed that the Internal Rate of Return would be high enough to consider operating without public support (i.e. commercial in operation, irrespective of any public funding of development), even when the average launch price is lowered to match the lowest currently quoted price for expendable systems.

Age assessment based on third molar mineralisation : An epidemiological-radiological study on a Central-European population.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Elisabeth; Robold, Matthias; Proff, Peter; Kirschneck, Christian

2017-03-01

The method published in 1973 by Demirjian et al. to assess age based on the mineralisation stage of permanent teeth is standard practice in forensic and orthodontic diagnostics. From age 14 onwards, however, this method is only applicable to third molars. No current epidemiological data on third molar mineralisation are available for Caucasian Central-Europeans. Thus, a method for assessing age in this population based on third molar mineralisation is presented, taking into account possible topographic and gender-specific differences. The study included 486 Caucasian Central-European orthodontic patients (9-24 years) with unaffected dental development. In an anonymized, randomized, and blinded manner, one orthopantomogram of each patient at either start, mid or end of treatment was visually analysed regarding the mineralisation stage of the third molars according to the method by Demirjian et al. Corresponding topographic and gender-specific point scores were determined and added to form a dental maturity score. Prediction equations for age assessment were derived by linear regression analysis with chronological age and checked for reliability within the study population. Mineralisation of the lower third molars was slower than mineralisation of the upper third molars, whereas no jaw-side-specific differences were detected. Gender-specific differences were relatively small, but girls reached mineralisation stage C earlier than boys, whereas boys showed an accelerated mineralisation between the ages of 15 and 16. The global equation generated by regression analysis (age = -1.103 + 0.268 × dental maturity score 18 + 28 + 38 + 48) is sufficiently accurate and reliable for clinical use. Age assessment only based on either maxilla or mandible also shows good prognostic reliability.

European Studies and Public Engagement: A Conceptual Toolbox

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Müllerleile

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Journal of Contemporary European Research User Username Password Remember me Subscribe... Sign up for issue alerts Follow JCER on Twitter Font Size Make font size smaller Make font size default Make font size larger Journal Content Search Search Scope Browse By Issue By Author By Title Information For Readers For Authors For Librarians Journal Help Keywords CFSP Communication ESDP EU EU enlargement EU trade policy Energy, EU, External Policy Europe European Commission European Parliament European Union European integration Europeanisation First Enlargement Germany Liberty Lisbon Treaty Poland Russia Security teaching European studies The UACES Blog The Commission after the 2014 EP... Power shift? The EU’s pivot to Asia 100 Books on Europe to be Remembered For a Global European Studies? EU Member State Building in the... Open Journal Systems Home About Login Register Search Current Archives Announcements UACES Home > Vol 10, No 4 (2014 > Müllerleile European Studies and Public Engagement: A Conceptual Toolbox Andreas Müllerleile Abstract This article examines public engagement strategies for academics working in the field of European Studies. Should academics engage with the public? What are the most effective outreach strategies? And what are the implications for universities and departments? The article argues that engaging with the public should be considered an integral part for academics working on topics that relate to the European Union or European politics. The article has a theoretical and a practical dimension. The first part of the paper deals with the nature of public engagement, explaining why it is an important issue and how it differs from the mainstream understanding of public engagement. The practical part of the paper presents the idea of building an online presence through which academics can engage with the public debate both during periods of low issue salience and high issue salience. The final section includes a toolbox

Which family--what therapy: Maori culture, families and family therapy in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Shailesh; Dean, Peter; Smith, Barry; Mellsop, Graham W

2012-04-01

New Zealand is a relatively young and small country which has seen steady migration for nearly seven centuries. Despite a long history of rivalry and hostility between Maori and European values, the country has also seen some significant synergism between the two cultures. For the last three decades Asians have also migrated at a significant pace. The country faces the challenge of delivering quality mental health services to such cultures which are bifurcated in being socio-centric (Maori, Pacific Islanders and Asian total 32% combined) or ego-centric (European total 68%). Significant progress has been made in including families of the mentally ill in their treatment and care planning. Legislative requirements have been introduced for the family to be consulted in the treatment of those who are being compelled to receive psychiatric care under the Mental Health Act. Models of family therapy developed through innovation meeting the unique local needs or adaptation of existing models from overseas are being used. An overview of such family therapy modalities is presented.

Exceptional memory performance in the Long Life Family Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barral, Sandra; Cosentino, Stephanie; Costa, Rosann

2013-01-01

Research to understand variability at the highest end of the cognitive performance distribution has been scarce. Our aim was to define a cognitive endophenotype based on exceptional episodic memory (EM) performance and to investigate familial aggregation of EM in families from the Long Life Family...... Study (LLFS). Using a sample of 1911 nondemented offspring of long-lived probands, we created a quantitative phenotype, EM (memory z ≥ 1.5), and classified LLFS families as EM and non-EM families based on the number of EM offspring. We then assessed differences in memory performance between LLFS...... = 1.4 × 10(-4)). We demonstrated that there is a familial correlation of the EM endophenotype, suggesting that genetic variants might influence memory performance in long-lived families....

Family based dispatching with batch availability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Zee, D.J.

2013-01-01

Family based dispatching rules seek to lower set-up frequencies by grouping (batching) similar types of jobs for joint processing. Hence shop flow times may be improved, as less time is spent on set-ups. Motivated by an industrial project we study the control of machines with batch availability,

Effectiveness of Family, Child, and Family-Child Based Intervention on ADHD Symptoms of Students with Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Malekpour, Mokhtar; Aghababaei, Sara; Hadi, Samira

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the effectiveness of family, child, and family-child based intervention on the rate of ADHD symptoms in third grade students. The population for this study was all of students with ADHD diagnoses in the city of Isfahan, Iran. The multistage random sampling method was used to select the 60…

Evaluation of a population-based approach to familial colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Parfrey, P S; Dicks, E; Parfrey, O; McNicholas, P J; Noseworthy, H; Woods, M O; Negriin, C; Green, J

2017-05-01

As Newfoundland has the highest rate of familial colorectal cancer (CRC) in the world, we started a population-based clinic to provide colonoscopic and Lynch syndrome (LS) screening recommendations to families of CRC patients based on family risk. Of 1091 incident patients 51% provided a family history. Seventy-two percent of families were at low or intermediate-low risk of CRC and colonoscopic screening recommendations were provided by letter. Twenty-eight percent were at high and intermediate-high risk and were referred to the genetic counsellor, but only 30% (N = 48) were interviewed by study end. Colonoscopy was recommended more frequently than every 5 years in 35% of families. Lower family risk was associated with older age of proband but the frequency of screening colonoscopy recommendations varied across all age groups, driven by variability in family history. Twenty-four percent had a high MMR predict score for a Lynch syndrome mutation, and 23% fulfilled the Provincial Program criteria for LS screening. A population-based approach in the provision of colonoscopic screening recommendations to families at risk of CRC was limited by the relatively low response rate. A family history first approach to the identification of LS families was inefficient. © 2016 The Authors. Clinical Genetics published by John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Emotional Interactions in European American Mother-Infant Firstborn and Secondborn Dyads: A Within-Family Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bornstein, Marc H.; Putnick, Diane L.; Suwalsky, Joan T. D.

2016-01-01

The developmental science literature is riven with respect to (a) parental similar versus different treatment of siblings and (b) sibling similarities and differences. Most methodologies in the field are flawed or confounded. To address these issues, this study employed a within-family longitudinal design to examine developmental processes of…

Prostate cancer risk prediction based on complete prostate cancer family history

OpenAIRE

Albright, Frederick; Stephenson, Robert A; Agarwal, Neeraj; Teerlink, Craig C; Lowrance, William T; Farnham, James M; Albright, Lisa A Cannon

2014-01-01

Background Prostate cancer (PC) relative risks (RRs) are typically estimated based on status of close relatives or presence of any affected relatives. This study provides RR estimates using extensive and specific PC family history. Methods A retrospective population-based study was undertaken to estimate RRs for PC based on complete family history of PC. A total of 635,443 males, all with ancestral genealogy data, were analyzed. RRs for PC were determined based upon PC rates estimated from ma...

THE RIGHTS OF A PERSON DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY OF MAINTAINING FAMILY TIES IN 5 EUROPEAN COUNTRY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iulia POPESCU

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A prisoner's life can often be a scary way of life for many people, which is why many individuals don’t want to be close to people who have been imprisoned, for obvious reasons. But the reality is that those who execute prison sentences, sooner or later, are liberated from prison and re-enter en society. Resocialization is a hard and difficult process to be fulfilled, but obviously not impossible. In trying to redress the behaviours of those who have chosen the wrong way of life, family involvement is essential, especially in terms of maintaining mental health, and in the hope that at the end of the punishment, at the exit of the penitentiary there will be someone waiting there for them. The present paper aims to analyze the rights of inmates to keep in touch with their families, stipulated in the legislation of 5 European countries, the similarities and possible differences of their approach in the desire to identify the best regulations in this field, with best results in re-socialization. However, it is known that permanent contact with the family increases the confidence in the person self-esteem so that he / she overcomes the bad moments of life, as well as in the case of the prisoners the existence of more rights to maintain contact with the family is a desire

Work, Family and Community Support as Predictors of Work-Family Conflict: A Study of Low-Income Workers

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Griggs, Tracy Lambert; Casper, Wendy J.; Eby, Lillian T.

2013-01-01

This study examines relationships between support from work, family and community domains with time- and strain-based work-family conflict in a sample of low-income workers. Results reveal significant within-domain and cross-domain relationships between support from all three life domains with work--family conflict. With respect to family support,…

Fatty acid binding protein 3 (fabp3) is associated with insulin, lipids and cardiovascular phenotypes of the metabolic syndrome through epigenetic modifications in a Northern European family population.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Kent, Jack W; Lee, Adam; Cerjak, Diana; Ali, Omar; Diasio, Robert; Olivier, Michael; Blangero, John; Carless, Melanie A; Kissebah, Ahmed H

2013-03-19

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) play regulatory roles at the nexus of lipid metabolism and signaling. Dyslipidemia in clinical manifestation frequently co-occurs with obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension in the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Animal studies have suggested FABPs play regulatory roles in expressing MetS phenotypes. In our family cohort of Northern European descent, transcript levels in peripheral white blood cells (PWBCs) of a key FABPs, FABP3, is correlated with the MetS leading components. However, evidence supporting the functions of FABPs in humans using genetic approaches has been scarce, suggesting FABPs may be under epigenetic regulation. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that CpG methylation status of a key regulator of lipid homeostasis, FABP3, is a quantitative trait associated with status of MetS phenotypes in humans. We used a mass-spec based quantitative method, EpiTYPER®, to profile a CpG island that extends from the promoter to the first exon of the FABP3 gene in our family-based cohort of Northern European descent (n=517). We then conducted statistical analysis of the quantitative relationship of CpG methylation and MetS measures following the variance-component association model. Heritability of each methylation and the effect of age and sex on CpG methylation were also assessed in our families. We find that methylation levels of individual CpG units and the regional average are heritable and significantly influenced by age and sex. Regional methylation was strongly associated with plasma total cholesterol (p=0.00028) and suggestively associated with LDL-cholesterol (p=0.00495). Methylation at individual units was significantly associated with insulin sensitivity, lipid particle sizing and diastolic blood pressure (pmetabolism (βWHR=-0.72; βLDL-c=-0.53) while positively correlated with plasma adiponectin (β=0.24). Further, we show that differential methylation of FABP3 affects binding activity with

Does Students' Financial Behaviour Differ Based on Their Family Income?

OpenAIRE

Dorjana Nano; Teuta Llukani

2015-01-01

This study investigates the differences on Financial Behaviour among Albanian university students based on their family income. The main objectives of this study are: i) firstly, to assess the level of financial behaviour of Albanian university students; ii) to examine whether the financial behaviour differs based on the level of students family income; and ii) finally, , to provide some conclusions and policy implications with regard to financial behaviour. An instrument comprised of specifi...

Cluster analysis of European Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes using the discrete Laplace method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mikkel Meyer; Eriksen, Poul Svante; Morling, Niels

2014-01-01

The European Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) haplotype distribution has previously been analysed in various ways. Here, we introduce a new way of analysing population substructure using a new method based on clustering within the discrete Laplace exponential family that models the probabi......The European Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) haplotype distribution has previously been analysed in various ways. Here, we introduce a new way of analysing population substructure using a new method based on clustering within the discrete Laplace exponential family that models...... the probability distribution of the Y-STR haplotypes. Creating a consistent statistical model of the haplotypes enables us to perform a wide range of analyses. Previously, haplotype frequency estimation using the discrete Laplace method has been validated. In this paper we investigate how the discrete Laplace...... method can be used for cluster analysis to further validate the discrete Laplace method. A very important practical fact is that the calculations can be performed on a normal computer. We identified two sub-clusters of the Eastern and Western European Y-STR haplotypes similar to results of previous...

A Review of Technology-Based Youth and Family-Focused Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonell, Kathleen Watson; Prinz, Ronald J

2017-06-01

In the past 10 years, mental and behavioral health has seen a proliferation of technology-based interventions in the form of online and other computer-delivered programs. This paper focuses on technology-based treatment and preventive interventions aimed at benefitting children and adolescents via either involving the parents and families, or only the youth. The review considered only technology-based interventions that had at least one published study with a randomized controlled trial design. Questions being addressed included: (1) What are the technology-based interventions in the mental/behavioral health area that have been systematically evaluated in published studies? (2) What are the common and unique characteristics of these interventions and their application with respect to sample characteristics, target problems, and technology characteristics (platforms, structures, elements, and communication formats)? and (3) Which intervention approaches and strategies have accrued the greatest evidence? The review identified 30 technology-based psychosocial interventions for children and families, 19 of which were parent or family-focused (32 studies) and 11 of which were youth-focused (in 13 studies). For the parent/family-focused interventions, greatest promise was found in those that addressed either youth behavioral problems or depressive/anxious symptoms, as well as more general bolstering of parenting efficacy. The youth-focused interventions showed some promise in reducing depressive/anxious symptoms. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology-based approaches were considered, and areas for future research and development were discussed.

Research Methods in European Union Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lynggaard, Kennet; Manners, Ian; Löfgren, Karl

Research on the European Union over the past few years has been strongly implicated in the crises that currently grip Europe with a failure to ask the pertinent questions as well as a perceived weakness in the methods and evidence used by researchers providing the basis for these allegations....... This volume moves the study of EU research strategies beyond the dichotomies of the past towards a new agenda for research on Europe through a rich diversity of problem-solving based research. This new agenda acknowledges the weaknesses of the past and moves beyond them towards greater openness and awareness...

Effect of occurrence of vitiligo in children over quality of life of their families: A hospital-based study using family dermatology life quality index

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Pratik Gahalaut

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Vitiligo in an adult patient has a profound effect on the quality of life (QoL of that particular patient. Although it is known that vitiligo in adult patient affects QoL in their family, very little information is available regarding QoL in a family having children suffering from vitiligo. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study to ascertain the effect children suffering from vitiligo have on the QoL of their respective families. Study participants were fifty healthy parent/immediate caregivers of fifty corresponding children suffering from vitiligo. The QoL in the family of these vitiliginous children was assessed with the help of Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI. Results: There was significantly more impairment of FDLQI among respondents if vitiliginous child was female compared to male. The total FDLQI showed a significant negative correlation with duration of vitiligo in children. Analysis of individual items in FDLQI revealed emotional distress as the most impaired facet of FDLQI and housework as the least affected item. Conclusion: Presence of vitiligo in children affects the QoL of that particular child and his/her family. This impairment of FDLQI is more if the child suffering from vitiligo is female. Treatment of vitiligo in pediatric age group should include psychological counseling and support for the child as well as their parents/caregivers.

Damage estimates for European and U.S.sites using the U.S. high-cycle fatigue data base

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, H J [Wind Energy Technology, Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1996-09-01

This paper uses two high-cycle fatigue data bases, one for typical U.S. blade materials and one for European materials, to analyze the service lifetime of a wind turbine blade subjected to the WISPER load spectrum for northern European sites and the WISPER protocol load spectrum for U.S. wind farm sites. The U.S. data base contains over 2200 data points that were obtained using coupon testing procedures. These data are used to construct a Goodman diagram that is suitable for analyzing wind turbine blades. This result is compared to the Goodman diagram derived from the European fatigue data base FACT. The LIFE2 fatigue analysis code for wind turbines is then used to predict the service lifetime of a turbine blade subjected to the two loading histories. The results of this study indicate that the WISPER load spectrum from northern European sites significantly underestimates the WISPER protocol load spectrum from a U.S. wind farm site, i.e., the WISPER load spectrum significantly underestimates the number and magnitude of the loads observed at a U.S. wind farm site. Further, the analysis demonstrate that the European and the U.S. fatigue material data bases are in general agreement for the prediction of tensile failures. However, for compressive failures, the two data bases are significantly different, with the U.S. data base predicting significantly shorter service lifetimes than the European data base. (au) 14 refs.

Are single-parent families different from two-parent families in the treatment of adolescent bulimia nervosa using family-based treatment?

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Angela Celio; McLean, Carmen; Washington, Blaine N; Hoste, Renee Rienecke; le Grange, Daniel

2009-03-01

To examine whether family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescent bulimia nervosa (BN), which emphasizes family involvement in helping to reduce binge eating and purging behaviors, is differentially efficacious in single-parent families versus two-parent families. Forty-one adolescents (97.6% female; 16.0 +/- 1.7 years old) with either BN (n = 18) or subthreshold BN (n = 23) were randomized to FBT as part of a larger randomized controlled trial studying treatments for adolescent BN. Two-parent (n = 27; 65.9%) and single-parent (n = 14; 34.2%) families were compared on demographic variables, presence of comorbid psychiatric illnesses, and symptoms of BN at baseline, post, and 6-month follow-up. ANOVA and chi-square analyses revealed no statistically significant differences between two-parent and single-parent families on any variables with the exception of ethnicity, for which a greater proportion of Caucasians and Hispanic families had two- parent families compared with African-American families (chi(2) = 8.68, p = .01). These findings suggest that FBT may be an appropriate and efficacious treatment for single-parent families as well as two-parent families, despite the reliance on parental intervention to reduce bulimic symptoms and normalize eating patterns.

Mineral metabolism in European children living with a renal transplant: a European society for paediatric nephrology/european renal association-European dialysis and transplant association registry study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bonthuis, Marjolein; Busutti, Marco; van Stralen, Karlijn J.; Jager, Kitty J.; Baiko, Sergey; Bakkaloğlu, Sevcan; Battelino, Nina; Gaydarova, Maria; Gianoglio, Bruno; Parvex, Paloma; Gomes, Clara; Heaf, James G.; Podracka, Ludmila; Kuzmanovska, Dafina; Molchanova, Maria S.; Pankratenko, Tatiana E.; Papachristou, Fotios; Reusz, György; Sanahuja, Maria José; Shroff, Rukshana; Groothoff, Jaap W.; Schaefer, Franz; Verrina, Enrico

2015-01-01

Data on mineral metabolism in pediatric renal transplant recipients largely arise from small single-center studies. In adult patients, abnormal mineral levels are related to a higher risk of graft failure. This study used data from the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology/European Renal

Daily Patterns of Preschoolers’ Objectively Measured Step Counts in Six European Countries: Cross-Sectional Results from the ToyBox-Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicky Van Stappen

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study is part of the ToyBox-study, which is conducted in six European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain, aiming to develop a cost-effective kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention to prevent overweight and obesity in four- to six-year-old preschool children. In the current study, we aimed to examine and compare preschoolers’ step count patterns, across the six European countries. A sample of 3578 preschoolers (mean age: 4.8 ± 0.4 was included. Multilevel analyses were performed to take clustering of measurements into account. Based on the average hourly steps, step count patterns for the six European countries were created for weekdays and weekend days. The step count patterns during weekdays were related to the daily kindergarten schedules. Step count patterns during weekdays showed several significant peaks and troughs (p < 0.01 and clearly reflected the kindergartens’ daily schedules, except for Germany. For example, low numbers of steps were observed during afternoon naptimes and high numbers of steps during recess. In Germany, step count patterns did not show clear peaks and troughs, which can be explained by a less structured kindergarten schedule. On weekend days, differences in step count patterns were observed in the absolute number of steps in the afternoon trough and the period in which the evening peak occurred. Differences in step count patterns across the countries can be explained by differences in (school policy, lifestyle habits, and culture. Therefore, it might be important to respond to these step count patterns and more specifically to tackle the inactive periods during interventions to promote physical activity in preschoolers.

On the analysis of genome-wide association studies in family-based designs: a universal, robust analysis approach and an application to four genome-wide association studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungho Won

2009-11-01

Full Text Available For genome-wide association studies in family-based designs, we propose a new, universally applicable approach. The new test statistic exploits all available information about the association, while, by virtue of its design, it maintains the same robustness against population admixture as traditional family-based approaches that are based exclusively on the within-family information. The approach is suitable for the analysis of almost any trait type, e.g. binary, continuous, time-to-onset, multivariate, etc., and combinations of those. We use simulation studies to verify all theoretically derived properties of the approach, estimate its power, and compare it with other standard approaches. We illustrate the practical implications of the new analysis method by an application to a lung-function phenotype, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 in 4 genome-wide association studies.

A population-based survey on family intentions and fertility awareness in women and men in the United Kingdom and Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vassard, Ditte; Lallemant, Camille; Nyboe Andersen, Anders

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Across several European countries family formation is increasingly postponed. The aims of the study were to investigate the desire for family building and fertility awareness in the UK and Denmark. METHODS: A population-based internet survey was used among women (n = 1,000) and men (n...... starts to decline around 25-30 years. Men had significantly lower fertility awareness. Women who underestimated the impact of age on female fertility were significantly more likely to have a desire or attempted their first child at a higher age. CONCLUSION: Even though the majority were aware of the age......-related decrease in female fertility, most desired having children at an age when female fertility has declined. Women who were not sufficiently aware of the impact of advanced age were significantly more likely to have their first child at a higher age. There is a need for developing educational programs...

Family vs Village-Based: Intangible View on the Sustainable of Seaweed Farming

Science.gov (United States)

Teniwut, Wellem A.; Teniwut, Yuliana K.; Teniwut, Roberto M. K.; Hasyim, Cawalinya L.

2017-10-01

Compare to other fishery activities for instance fish mariculture and catching fisheries, seaweed farming is considered easier. Also, the market for seaweed is wider and will keep growing. Thus, makes seaweed farming as one of the fastest commodity to improve the welfare of a coastal community. There are technical and non-technical factors in seaweed farming management, for non-technical on this intangible factors vary between family-based and village-based management, therefore aimed of this study was to simulate farmers decision to choose between family-based and village-based on seaweed managing system trigger by intangible factors. We conducted our study in Southeast Maluku, data collecting conducted from October to December 2016 by depth interview and questionnaires on seaweed farmers. We used logistic regression to compare each intangible factors on family and village-based seaweed farming management. The result showed that for family-based management farmers were willing to transfer their knowledge among each member in the household. For village-based revealed that farmers with higher education background tend to work on village-based, also, the result also stated that in village-based management member were those who have better capability and skill, at the same time village-based management had a small probability for conflict to occur compared to family-based.

Family studies to find rare high risk variants in migraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Rikke Dyhr; Christensen, Anne Francke; Olesen, Jes

2017-12-01

Migraine has long been known as a common complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. The pathophysiology and the specific genetic susceptibility are poorly understood. Common variants only explain a small part of the heritability of migraine. It is thought that rare genetic variants with bigger effect size may be involved in the disease. Since migraine has a tendency to cluster in families, a family approach might be the way to find these variants. This is also indicated by identification of migraine-associated loci in classical linkage-analyses in migraine families. A single migraine study using a candidate-gene approach was performed in 2010 identifying a rare mutation in the TRESK potassium channel segregating in a large family with migraine with aura, but this finding has later become questioned. The technologies of next-generation sequencing (NGS) now provides an affordable tool to investigate the genetic variation in the entire exome or genome. The family-based study design using NGS is described in this paper. We also review family studies using NGS that have been successful in finding rare variants in other common complex diseases in order to argue the promising application of a family approach to migraine. PubMed was searched to find studies that looked for rare genetic variants in common complex diseases through a family-based design using NGS, excluding studies looking for de-novo mutations, or using a candidate-gene approach and studies on cancer. All issues from Nature Genetics and PLOS genetics 2014, 2015 and 2016 (UTAI June) were screened for relevant papers. Reference lists from included and other relevant papers were also searched. For the description of the family-based study design using NGS an in-house protocol was used. Thirty-two successful studies, which covered 16 different common complex diseases, were included in this paper. We also found a single migraine study. Twenty-three studies found one or a few family specific

[Family-Based Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Three Siblings of a Refugee Family].

Science.gov (United States)

Bohnacker, Isabelle; Goldbeck, Lutz

2017-10-01

Family-Based Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Three Siblings of a Refugee Family The possibility and relevance of a joint trauma-therapy with siblings has yet received little attention in research and clinical practice. The following case study presents a joint family-based trauma-focused therapy process with a refugee family. All three siblings suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before treatment. The treatment followed the manual of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen, Mannarino, Deblinger, 2009). Measures were the short version of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS 7-17), as well as the Teacher's Report Form (TRF). After 18 treatment sessions together with the mother, all three children did no longer meet PTSD criteria. Benefits of the joint therapy were for all three siblings to be sharing and imitating each other's coping strategies. Furthermore, the protective factor of social support after experiencing a traumatic event became evident. The apprehension of the therapist not being sufficiently neutral towards all three siblings was not observed.

Towards the implementation of an integrated ecosystem fleet-based management of European fisheries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gascuel, D.; Merino, G.; Döring, R.D.; Druon, D.N.; Goti, L.; Guénette, S.; Macher, C.; Soma, K.; Travers-Trolet, M.; Mackinson, S.

2012-01-01

Using the Celtic Sea and the North Sea as case studies, the fleet-based approach is shown to be the pathway to implement an effective ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) in European seas. First, a diagnostic on the health of each ecosystem is proposed based on the reconstruction of

Exploring Acceptability and Feasibility of Evidence-Based Practice in Child Welfare Settings: A Pilot Study with Attachment-Based Family Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tara Santens

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The Flemish Child Welfare System (CWS is in great need of a shared empirically informed clinical strategy for working with depressed adolescents and their families. Many evidence-based practices (EBP exist, but little is known as to whether they can be successfully imported in the CWS. Therefore, the current study explores the implementation of a particular EBP, Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT, in home-based services of the Flemish CWS in Belgium. Specifically, the study focused on (1 the acceptability of ABFT by counselors and whether negative attitudes about EBP can be changed ('n' = 73 counselors, and (2 the feasibility of implementing ABFT ('n' = 43 adolescents, 11–17 years old, 72% female by exploring initial effectiveness. The results suggest that (1 initial negative attitudes of counselors towards ABFT were significantly more positive after attending training and discussions about ABFT, and that (2 ABFT could be used by counselors to successfully reduce adolescent depressive symptoms. Future research should include a control group to draw stronger causal conclusions. Strengths and limitations of the study’s design and implications for further dissemination are discussed.

A Cross-Cultural Study of Family and Peer Correlates of Adolescent Misconduct.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chuansheng; Greenberger, Ellen; Lester, Julia; Dong, Qi; Guo, Miaw-Sheue

1998-01-01

Groups of early adolescents (European Americans, Chinese Americans, Chinese from Taiwan, Chinese from Beijing) completed questionnaires about their involvement in misconduct and about family and peer characteristics. Mothers completed questionnaire about their relationships with their adolescents. Groups reported significantly different mean…

A European perspective on GIS-based walkability and active modes of transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Grasser, Gerlinde; van Dyck, Delfien; Titze, Sylvia; Stronegger, Willibald J

2017-02-01

The association between GIS-based walkability and walking for transport is considered to be well established in USA and in Australia. Research on the association between walkability and cycling for transport in European cities is lacking. The aim of this study was to test the predictive validity of established walkability measures and to explore alternative walkability measures associated with walking and cycling for transport in a European context. Outcome data were derived from the representative cross-sectional survey ( n  = 843) ‘Radfreundliche Stadt’ of adults in the city of Graz (Austria). GIS-based walkability was measured using both established measures (e.g. gross population density, household unit density, entropy index, three-way intersection density, IPEN walkability index) and alternative measures (e.g. proportion of mixed land use, four-way intersection density, Graz walkability index). ANCOVAs were conducted to examine the adjusted association between walkability measures and outcomes. Household unit density, proportion of mixed land use, three-way intersection density and IPEN walkability index were positively associated with walking for transport, but the other measures were not. All walkability measures were positively associated with cycling for transport. The established walkability measures were applicable to a European city such as Graz. The alternative walkability measures performed well in a European context. Due to measurement issues the association between these walkability measures and walking for transport needs to be investigated further. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Family Physician Readiness for Value-Based Payments: Does Ownership Status Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson-Cooper, Heidy; Neaderhiser, Bradley; Happe, Laura E; Beveridge, Roy A

2017-10-01

Value-based payments are rapidly replacing fee-for-service arrangements, necessitating advancements in physician practice capabilities and functions. The objective of this study was to examine potential differences among family physicians who are owners versus employed with respect to their readiness for value-based payment models. The authors surveyed more than 550 family physicians from the American Academy of Family Physician's membership; nearly 75% had made changes to participate in value-based payments. However, owners were significantly more likely to report that their practices had made no changes in value-based payment capabilities than employed physicians (owners 35.2% vs. employed 18.1%, P value-based practice capabilities were not as advanced as the employed physician group: (1) quality improvement strategies, (2) human capital investment, and (3) identification of high-risk patients. Specifically, the employed physician group reported more quality improvement strategies, including quality measures, Plan-Do-Study-Act, root cause analysis, and Lean Six Sigma (P value-based payments, consideration of different population health management needs according to ownership status has the potential to support the adoption of value-based care delivery for family physicians.

A germ for young European scientists: Drawing-based modelling.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Joolingen, Wouter

2017-01-01

An important movement in European science education is that learning should be inquiry-based and represents realistic scientific practice. The inquiry-based nature of science education is essential to interest more young people for a career in science and technology. Creating models is broadly seen

The Implications of Diagnosis of Small for Gestational Age Fetuses Using European and South Asian Growth Charts: An Outcome-Based Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianpaolo Maso

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The antenatal condition of small for gestational age (SGA is significantly associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality and it is known that there are significant differences in birth weight and fetal size among different populations. The aim of our study was to assess the impact on outcomes of the diagnosis of SGA according to Bangladeshi and European antenatal growth charts in Sri Lankan population. The estimated fetal weight before delivery was retrospectively reviewed according to Bangladeshi and European growth references. Three groups were identified: Group 1-SGA according to Bangladeshi growth chart; Group 2-SGA according to European growth chart but not having SGA according to Bangladeshi growth chart; Group 3-No SGA according to both charts. There was a difference in prevalence of SGA between Bangladeshi and European growth charts: 12.7% and 51.7%, respectively. There were statistically significant higher rates in emergency cesarean section, fetal distress in labour, and intrauterine death (P<0.001 in Group 1 compared with Group, 2 and 3. No differences of outcomes occurred between Groups 2 and 3. Our study demonstrated that only cases diagnosed as SGA according to population-based growth charts are at risk of adverse outcome. The use of inappropriate prenatal growth charts might lead to misdiagnosis and potential unnecessary interventions.

Treating Emotionally Disturbed Youth: Home-Based Family Focused Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Anders-Cibik, Pamela; And Others

Home-based intervention services for emotionally disturbed youth are also commonly known as in-home services, family-centered services, family-based services, intensive family services, or family preservation services. They have developed as a way to deal with serious family problems that often result in the removal of a child or adolescent from…

European trauma guideline compliance assessment: the ETRAUSS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamada, Sophie Rym; Gauss, Tobias; Pann, Jakob; Dünser, Martin; Leone, Marc; Duranteau, Jacques

2015-12-08

Haemorrhagic shock is the leading cause of preventable death in trauma patients. The 2013 European trauma guidelines emphasise a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, protocol-based approach to trauma care. The aim of the present Europe-wide survey was to compare 2015 practice with the 2013 guidelines. A group of members of the Trauma and Emergency Medicine section of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine developed a 50-item questionnaire based upon the core recommendations of the 2013 guidelines, employing a multistep approach. The questionnaire covered five fields: care structure and organisation, haemodynamic resuscitation targets, fluid management, transfusion and coagulopathy, and haemorrhage control. The sampling used a two-step approach comprising initial purposive sampling of eminent trauma care providers in each European country, followed by snowball sampling of a maximum number of trauma care providers. A total of 296 responses were collected, 243 (81 %) from European countries. Those from outside the European Union were excluded from the analysis. Approximately three-fourths (74 %) of responders were working in a designated trauma centre. Blunt trauma predominated, accounting for more than 90 % of trauma cases. Considerable heterogeneity was observed in all five core aspects of trauma care, along with frequent deviations from the 2013 guidelines. Only 92 (38 %) of responders claimed to comply with the recommended systolic blood pressure target, and only 81 (33 %) responded that they complied with the target pressure in patients with traumatic brain injury. Crystalloid use was predominant (n = 209; 86 %), and vasopressor use was frequent (n = 171, 76 %) but remained controversial. Only 160 respondents (66 %) declared that they used tranexamic acid always or often. This is the first European trauma survey, to our knowledge. Heterogeneity is significant across centres with regard to the clinical protocols for trauma patients and as to locally

Implementation of preventive mental health services for children of physically ill parents: experiences in seven European countries and health care systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kühne, Franziska; Haagen, Miriam; Baldus, Christiane; Diareme, Stavroula; Grether, Andrea; Schmitt, Florence; Stanescu, Dan; Stöckl, Margit; Thastum, Mikael; Möller, Birgit; Romer, Georg

2013-01-01

Parental physical disease is a family issue, but families' minor children are seldom considered. The current study analyzed experiences with implementation of counseling for families with physically ill parents and minor children during a European multisite pilot project. Implementation protocols of seven European partner centers collaborating in a joint research project were analyzed by Mayring's qualitative content analysis. Both an inductive approach and a deductive approach were chosen. Satisfaction of families and therapists was considered based on information from three partner centers. Satisfaction with counseling was rather high. Mentioned problems referred to aspects related to liaison partners, family-related aspects and physicians' concerns. Recommendations related to contacting families, liaising with other professions, implementing counseling together with a research project, and training. Results are integrated in the current dissemination literature. Successful implementation was mostly determined by aspects of interdisciplinary cooperation and communication, perceived relative advantage and organizational premises. With regard to this kind of innovative child-centered family mental health services, top-down and bottom-up implementation strategies should be combined, and strategies of maintenance and sustainability should be considered from the very beginning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effectiveness of Role Theory Based Group Counseling on Family Function of Families With Slow-Learning Children

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فرناز حوله کیان

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of group counseling based on the role theory on function of families with slow-learningchildren. The present study is a Quasi - experimental research with pre-test and post - test, and with experimental and control groups. Statistical population in cludes all mothers of slow - learning children in thecity of Hamadan. A sample of 30 subjects selected through available sampling method from high schools with equal numbers of both genders. Based on cloning features were allocated in experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 10 group counseling and control group was placed in the waiting list. Data collection instrument is family function questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, covariance analysis and t-test were applied to analyze data. It was found that there is a significant difference between post-test of experimental and control group (p<0/001. t-test showed significant difference in effectiveness of role theory group counseling for mothers with slow-learning girl and boy (p<0/001. So we can conclude that group counseling based on the role theory is effective on improving the function of families with slow-learning children. In addition, this effectivenessis different for families of slow-learning children based on the gender of child.

The European Public on Social Media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarta, Ancuta-Gabriela

This study explorers the European public on social media by discussing the case of communicative interactions taking place on the official Facebook page of the European Parliament. Based on the theoretical framework conceptualizing the public and the public sphere on social network sites, the study...... examines the European social media public from two perspectives. The first is a top-down, institutional perspective of European Parliament, based on a case-study approach to the way this European institution constructs and addresses the public through its social media communication. The second is a bottom......-up perspective of the public of social media users, informed by a content analysis of Facebook comments and a discourse analysis of live chat interactions with Members of the European Parliament. Results confirm a discursive potential of the Facebook public of users. In the case of the Facebook comment threads...

COPING SKILLS OF IRANIAN FAMILY CAREGIVERS' IN CARETAKING OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSIS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY.

Science.gov (United States)

Eslami, Ahmad Ali; Rabiei, Leili; Abedi, Heidar Ali; Shirani, Majid; Masoudi, Reza

2016-09-01

Coping skills enable caregivers to establish and maintain supportive relationships with the haemodialysis patients they care for. These skills are very important in terms of social support, promotion of mental health and social and family relations. The aim of this study is to investigate the coping skills of Iranian family caregivers as they take care of patients undergoing haemodialysis. Twenty participants were selected for the study through purposive sampling. The data gathering techniques used for the research were in-depth and unstructured interviews. The researchers used an inductive thematic analysis approach to analyse the data generated from the interviews. Four main themes emerged from the data: help-seeking skills, self-nurturing skills, time management skills and stress management skills. The focus of attention was on the stress management coping skills of the caregivers of haemodialysis patients together with their ability to cope with complex problems. Healthcare providers, by taking into account these skills and strategies of empowerment, can help other caregivers of haemodialysis patients cope with their heavy care conditions and better define their purposes in caretaking. © 2016 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

Exposure to psychosocial work factors in 31 European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Niedhammer, I; Sultan-Taïeb, H; Chastang, J-F; Vermeylen, G; Parent-Thirion, A

2012-04-01

Although psychosocial work factors are recognized as major occupational risk factors, little information is available regarding the prevalence of exposure to these factors and the differences in exposure between countries. To explore the differences in various psychosocial work exposures between 31 European countries. The study was based on a sample of 14,881 male and 14,799 female workers from the 2005 European Working Conditions Survey. Eighteen psychosocial work factors were studied: low decision latitude (skill discretion and decision authority), high psychological demands, job strain, low social support, iso-strain, physical violence, sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, work-family imbalance, long working hours, high effort, job insecurity, low job promotion, low reward and effort-reward imbalance. Covariates were age, number of workers in household, occupation, economic activity, self-employed/employee, public/private sector and part/full time work. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel logistic regression analysis. Significant differences in all psychosocial work factors were observed between countries. The rank of the countries varied according to the exposure considered. However, some countries, especially Denmark, Netherlands and Norway, displayed a significantly lower prevalence of exposure to four factors or more, while some Southern and Eastern countries, especially Czech Republic, Greece, Lithuania and Turkey, had a higher prevalence. Differences in psychosocial work exposures were found between countries. This study is the first to compare a large set of psychosocial work exposures between 31 European countries. These findings may be useful to guide prevention policies at European level.

Transsexuals and families: Between discrimination and inclusion

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Mršević Zorica

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The text comprises analysis of family relations of transsexual persons. Its aim is to present the legal solutions of international courts as the way of solving their legal status in family relations. The author presents sentences of the European Court of Human Rights and European Court of Justice as well as the whole range of international treaties, resolutions and other documents of international law, aiming to promote legal importance of the newly gained sex of the transsexuals who passed the genital reassignment process. This is important for the regulation of their marriage and family relations and other rights based on legally recognized status. In general perceptions of transsexuals have changed dramatically while the Serbian public still present some obsolete “moral” understandings that should be avoided if we want to avoid spending decades in discussions that have already been globally completed. The contemporary approach to transsexuals is based mainly on their unalienable human rights followed by duty of states to prevent violation of their rights as well as discrimination based on their transsexuality. There are still open questions regarding the legal status of transsexuals. The common answer is to enable changes in legal status to follow changes of their sex as logical consequence in completion of the sex reassignment process. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije: Društvene transformacije u procesu evropskih integracija - multidisciplinarni pristup

Family Involvement in School-Based Dysphagia Management

Science.gov (United States)

Angell, Maureen E.; Bailey, Rita L.; Nicholson, Joanna K.; Stoner, Julia B.

2009-01-01

This article provides a practitioner-friendly synthesis of existing literature on family involvement in the management of dysphagia for school-age. Research reviewed includes family perspectives on programs, therapists, and characteristics that comprise effective family involvement in school-based dysphagia management programs. Also included are…

A community-based, mixed-methods study of the attitudes and behaviors of men regarding modern family planning in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Akaba, Godwin; Ketare, Nathaniel; Tile, Wilfred

2016-10-01

To investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and extent of involvement of men in family planning in Nigeria, and to evaluate spousal communication regarding family planning. A community-based, mixed-methods study enrolled participants in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria between January 11 and June 30, 2012. Quantitative surveys including semi-structured interviews were used to collect information from married men regarding their knowledge and attitudes to modern family planning. The qualitative components constituted focus group discussion sessions and in-depth interviews that included married men, married women, religious leaders, community leaders, and family-planning providers. Quantitative surveys were completed by 152 men; 99 (65.1%) reported that they would accompany their wives to family-planning clinics in the future, 116 (76.3%) reported approving of the use of modern contraception by their wives, and 132 (86.8%) reported wanting to know more about family planning. Both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study indicated that husbands were the major decision makers regarding family size, choice of contraceptive, and pregnancy timing. In terms of fertility goals and family planning, men were the primary decision makers; consequently, obtaining their support and commitment to family planning is of crucial importance in Nigeria. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Konference European Studies: between Globalisation and Regionalism

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Laštovková, Jitka

2006-01-01

Roč. 42, č. 5 (2006), s. 1009-1010 ISSN 0038-0288. [European Studies: between Globalisation and Regionalism. Šiauliai, 12.05.2006-03.05.2006] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70280505 Keywords : conference * European identitiy * globalization Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography Impact factor: 0.128, year: 2006

Impact of a community gardening project on vegetable intake, food security and family relationships: a community-based participatory research study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carney, Patricia A; Hamada, Janet L; Rdesinski, Rebecca; Sprager, Lorena; Nichols, Katelyn R; Liu, Betty Y; Pelayo, Joel; Sanchez, Maria Antonia; Shannon, Jacklien

2012-08-01

This community-based participatory research project used popular education techniques to support and educate Hispanic farmworker families in planting and maintaining organic gardens. Measures included a pre- post gardening survey, key informant interviews and observations made at community-based gardening meetings to assess food security, safety and family relationships. Thirty-eight families enrolled in the study during the pre-garden time period, and four more families enrolled in the study during the post-garden period, for a total of 42 families enrolled in the 2009 gardening season. Of the families enrolled during the pre-gardening time period there were 163 household members. The mean age of the interviewee was 44.0, ranging from 21 to 78 years of age. The median number of occupants in a household was 4.0 (range: 2-8), Frequency of adult vegetable intake of "Several time a day" increased from 18.2 to 84.8%, (P gardening season, the sum of the frequencies of "Sometimes" and "Frequently" worrying in the past month that food would run out before money was available to buy more was 31.2% and the sum of these frequencies dropped to 3.1% during the post garden period, (P = 0.006). The frequency of skipping meals due to lack of money was not statistically significantly different before and after the gardening season for either adults or children. Analysis of text responses and key informant interviews revealed that physical and mental health benefits were reported as well as economic and family health benefits from the gardening study, primarily because the families often worked in their gardens together. A community gardening program can reduce food insecurity, improve dietary intake and strengthen family relationships.

Linking Public Administration and Law Studies within European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihaela V. Cărăuşan

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The year 1987 represented for us, scholars, the turning point for the Europeanization of highdegree studies. The European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS isa European Union student exchange program which has proved its utility in the last two decade. The publicadministration and law studies are two of the fields of studies which have benefited from the ERASMUSProgramme. In this respect we will try to learn the lesson of internationalization from the European contactthrough ERASMUS programme. The ‘win win’ for students is not just in the increase of knowledge in thearea of administrative sciences and law, but also in the share of cultures. The ERASMUS gives students abetter sense of what it means to be a European citizen. In addition, many employers highly value such aperiod abroad, which increases the students’ employability and job prospects.

How campaigns enhance European issues voting during European Parliament elections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beach, Derek; Møller Hansen, Kasper; Larsen, Martin Vinæs

2017-01-01

Based on findings from the literature on campaign effects on the one hand, and the literature on European Parliament elections on the other, we propose a model of European Parliamentary elections in which the campaign shift the calculus of electoral support, making differences in national political...... allegiances less important and attitudes about the European project more important by informing voters of and getting them interested in European politics. In effect, we argue that the political campaign leading up to the election makes European Parliament elections less second-order. While previous studies...... have demonstrated that EU attitudes can matter for voting behavior in European Parliament elections, existing research has drawn on post-election surveys that do not enable us to capture campaign effects. Our contribution is to assess the impact of a campaign by utilizing a rolling cross sectional...

Teaming up for Literacy: Examining Participants' Contributions to a Collaborative Family-Based Program

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Tracey

2016-01-01

This study of participants' contributions to a university-based family literacy program was informed by both "funds of knowledge" (Moll, 1992) and "multiple literacies" (Auerbach, 1995). The study examined participants' contributions to the design, implementation, and evaluation of a university-based family literacy program. In…

ROMANIAN FAMILY BETWEEN TRADITIONS AND MODERNISM

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Raluca MARDARE

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Families and living arrangements have changed dramatically since the 1960s in the majority of European countries. Family life and the meaning of family have undergone a profound change. Relationships between partners or spouses, but also the relationships between parents and their children, have moved away from the realm of normative control and institutional canons, into the ideal of reflexive ‘pure relationships’ based on mutual consent and the recognition of individual autonomy. Following the collapse of communism, Romania has experienced dramatic changes in family formation. Common patterns include delays and/or declines in marriage and fertility, increasing rates of cohabitation and non-marital childbearing, rising rates of divorce. This paper aims to document the main stages of the evolution of marital behaviours in Romania from the traditional family of the 19th century to present days.

Occurrence of Anaemia in the First Year of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a European Population-based Inception Cohort-An ECCO-EpiCom Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burisch, Johan; Vegh, Zsuzsanna; Katsanos, Konstantinnos H.

2017-01-01

Background and aims: Anaemia is an important complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia and the practice of anaemia screening during the first year following diagnosis in a European prospective population-based inception coho...

Evolution of the european data base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnefous, S.; Despres, A.

1991-01-01

Works connected with the data base on the European grid are carried on following several ways: 1. Enrichment of the data base, with the inclusion of new data (milk products, agricultural products). Progress along this line is depending on the progress made within EUROSTAT. 2. Elaboration of the data base on a finer grid (10 km * 10 km), for the meshes that are estimated more critical (because they include important potential sources of pollution), or for very non-homogeneous meshes (costal areas). 3. Development and/or acquisition of softwares allowing an exploitation and an easy consultation of the data base. At the present state, installation of the data base with 10 000 km 2 meshes on the PARADOX system is in progress. (PARADOX is a software for data base maintenance). A graphical representation software (cartography) completes the system, allowing the visualization of the data. The paper presents the current state of development of this work

Reconciling Work and Family Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holt, Helle

The problems of balancing work and family life have within the last years been heavily debated in the countries of the European Union. This anthology deals with the question of how to obtain a better balance between work and family life. Focus is set on the role of companies. The anthology tries...... to shed some light on questions such as: How can compagnies become more family friendly? What are the barriers and how can they be overcome? What is the social outcome when companies are playing an active role in employees’ possiblities for combining family life and work life? How are the solutions...... on work/ family unbalance/ problems related to the growing social problems related to unemployment? The anthology is the result of a reseach-network on ”Work-place Contributions ro Reconcile Work and Family Life” funded by the European Commission, DG V, and co-coordinated by the editors....

Heinrich Schütz as European cultural agent at the Danish courts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moe, Bjarke

2011-01-01

that Schütz in his Danish engagement was far more than an esteemed composer. As cultural agent with contacts throughout Europe he played an important role in providing the Danish courts with desirable musicians and music. While staying in the Danish capital he extended his European network in a way so that he......Based on recent studies of sources linked to the musical milieus at the Danish courts, this article argues that Heinrich Schütz acted as European cultural agent in musical affairs while staying in Copenhagen. As Kapelmester at the Danish Court (1633-35 and 1642-44) he built up the chapel...... by engaging musicians from his own circles, e.g. members of the Saxon Hofkapelle as well as members of his own family. Both Danish Courts, the King's and the Prince-elect's, enjoyed his contacts with several European musical centres, from where he among other things purchased new music. The paper shows...

Anger Suppression, Interdependent Self-Construal, and Depression among Asian American and European American College Students

OpenAIRE

Cheung, Rebecca Y. M.; Park, Irene J. K.

2010-01-01

The present study tested a theoretical model of emotion regulation (Yap, Sheeber, & Allen, 2007) in a sample of Asian American and European American college students (N = 365). Specifically, the mediating role of anger suppression in the effect of temperament and family processes on depressive symptoms was tested across race and levels of interdependent self-construal (a culturally based self orientation emphasizing connectedness with others). Next, the moderation of the suppression—depressio...

A Typology of Work-Family Arrangements among Dual-Earner Couples in Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Kitterod, Ragni Hege; Lappegard, Trude

2012-01-01

A symmetrical family model of two workers or caregivers is a political goal in many western European countries. We explore how common this family type is in Norway, a country with high gender-equality ambitions, by using a multinomial latent class model to develop a typology of dual-earner couples with children based on the partners' allocations…

DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES IN LATVIA:EXPLORATION OF OBSTRUCTIVE AND FACILITATIVE FACTORS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viola Korpa

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Development of family-friendly workplaces is an important aspect within thecontext of social inclusion and sustainability of society. Its importance is alsorecognized at European Union level in relation to European Union strategic aims.In order to promote development of family-friendlyworking environment it isimportant to identify and evaluate obstructive andfacilitative factors.The aim ofthe paper is the clarification of what hinders andwhat facilitates formation offamily-friendly workplaces in Latvia. The researchis based on 20 semi-structuredin-depth interviews with experts and 36 semi-structured interviews withemployers of different business organizations in Latvia.The research results reveal that development of family-friendly workingenvironment is a multidimensional process and the several participants (socialagents must get involved. During the research process acquired data discoverproblematic issues related to allocation of responsibility between state, localmunicipalities and private sector in the context ofempowerment of the requiredinfrastructure for work-family reconciliation. Theresearch shows that at presentthere is a lack of information, knowledge and studies of the real benefits gainedby all the parties involved, when organizations implement different initiatives,provisions, programs or strategies with the goal ofpromoting workers’ work andfamily reconciliation possibilities.

Increasing School Success through Partnership-Based Family Competency Training: Experimental Study of Long-Term Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Spoth, Richard; Randall, G. Kevin; Shin, Chungyeol

2008-01-01

An expanding body of research suggests an important role for parent or family competency training in children's social-emotional learning and related school success. This article summarizes a test of a longitudinal model examining partnership-based family competency training effects on academic success in a general population. Specifically, it…

INVESTIGATION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF EUROPEAN SPRUCE ROOTS (LAT. PICEA ABIES H. KARST, PINACEAE FAMILY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. K. Guljaev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the study of essential oil extracted from the roots of European Spruce (Lat. Picea abies.The aim is to establish the component composition of the essential oil and the peculiarities of its localization in the roots of European Spruce.Materials and methods. The objects of the study are the roots of European Spruce not longer than two centimeters in diameter, peeled and dried. The study of their anatomical signs was carried out according to the methodology of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (the XIII-th edition with the”Biomed-6” microscope using the DCN 510 nozzle. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation of European Spruce roots using the device of Clevenger by Method 2 of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation (the XIII-th edition. The component composition of the essential oil was determined by an Agilent 7890A gas-liquid chromatograph with an Agilent 5975C mass-selective detector.Results and discussion. As a result of the microscopic examination of the roots of European Spruce, it was established that the essential oil is localized mainly in resinous courses located in the wood of the root. In the central part of the root, resin moves are of a larger diameter. More than 18 components were found in the essential oil of European Spruce roots, 14 of them were identifi ed. The main component of the essential oil is sesquiterpene lactone – tanbergol.Conclusion. The essential oil of European Spruce roots has a unique component composition that includes components not characteristic for the essential oil of spruce greenery. The difference in the component composition indicates the difference in properties and pharmacological activity. Further studies are of interest for determining the prospects of using European Spruce roots.

Familial resemblance in religiousness in a secular society: a twin study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hvidtjørn, Dorte; Petersen, Inge; Hjelmborg, Jacob; Skytthe, Axel; Christensen, Kaare; Hvidt, Niels C

2013-04-01

It is well known that human behavior and individual psychological traits are moderately to substantially heritable. Over the past decade, an increasing number of studies have explored the genetic and environmental influence on religiousness. These studies originate predominantly from countries generally considered more religious than the very secular northern European countries. Comparisons of the results are complicated by diverse definitions of religiousness, but several studies indicate that the influence of the family environment is most predominant in early life, whereas genetic influences increase with age. We performed a population-based twin study of religiousness in a secular society using data from a Web-based survey sent to 6,707 Danish twins born 1970-1989, who were identified in the Danish Twin Registry. We applied Fishman's three conceptual dimensions of religiousness: cognition, practice, and importance. In all polygenic models and biometric analyses, we controlled for gender and age. The study sample comprised 2,237 same sex twins, a response rate of 45%. We found high correlations within both monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs in most items of religiousness, indicating a large influence from shared environmental factors. Personal religiousness such as praying to God, believing in God, and finding strength and comfort in religion were more influenced by genetic factors than were social forms of religiousness such as church attendance. We found a small tendency for increasing genetic influence with increasing age for some religious items, but not for all.

The Roots of Low European Employment : Family Culture?

OpenAIRE

Yann Algan; Pierre Cahuc

2005-01-01

OECD countries faced largely divergent employment rates during the last decades. But the whole bulk of the cross-national and cross-temporal heterogeneity relies on specific demographic groups: prime-age women and younger and older individuals. This paper argues that family labour supply interactions and cross-country heterogeneity in family culture are key for explaining these stylized facts. First we provide a simple labour supply model in which heterogeneity in family preferences can accou...

Awareness of dementia by family carers of nursing home residents dying with dementia: A post-death study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Penders, Y.W.H.; Albers, G.; Deliens, L.; van der Stichele, R.; Block, L.

2015-01-01

Background: High-quality palliative care for people with dementia should be patient-centered, family-focused, and include well-informed and shared decision-making, as affirmed in a recent white paper on dementia from the European Association for Palliative Care. Aim: To describe how often family

Gender and cultural differences in the association between family roles, social stratification, and alcohol use: a European cross-cultural analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuntsche, Sandra; Gmel, Gerhard; Knibbe, Ronald A; Kuendig, Hervé; Bloomfield, Kim; Kramer, Stephanie; Grittner, Ulrike

2006-01-01

First, this paper investigates (i) gender differences in associations of social stratification, family roles, and heavy drinking, and (ii) country differences in these associations. Second, it seeks to explain country differences in the associations of social stratification and family roles with alcohol consumption by societal level variables. Survey data of 25 to 49-years-old from eight European countries were used. Logistic regressions were used to analyse gender differences in the association between family roles (marriage, having children), social stratification (education, employment), and heavy drinking (>20 g/day for women; 30 g/day for men). Gender differences were tested by means of interactions between gender and social stratification/family roles. Structural measures of work desirability, social welfare, and gender equity were used to explain differences in associations across countries. The associations between social stratification, family roles, and heavy drinking varied across gender and countries. A country's social welfare system was associated with heavy drinking only among women. Women in countries with a strong social welfare system, such as Nordic countries, tended to drink more heavily if employed, having lower formal education, and a non-traditional family role. In countries with weak social welfare systems or work desirability, heavy drinking was associated with high education, while effects of family roles and employment were small. It appeared that the social welfare system and gender equity of a country determines to a large extent how education, employment, and family roles are associated with heavy drinking.

The perspective of European researchers of national occupational safety and health institutes for contributing to a European research agenda: a modified Delphi study

Science.gov (United States)

Gagliardi, Diana; Rondinone, Bruna M; Mirabile, Marco; Buresti, Giuliana; Ellwood, Peter; Hery, Michel; Paszkiewicz, Peter; Valenti, Antonio; Iavicoli, Sergio

2017-01-01

Objectives This study, developed within the frame of the Partnership for European Research on Occupational Safety and Health joint research activities and based on the frame designed by the 2013 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) study, is the first example of using the points of view of European occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers. The objective is to identify priorities for OSH research that may contribute to the achievement of present and future sustainable growth objectives set by the European strategies. Methods The study was carried out using a modified Delphi method with a two-round survey. Each round involved a panel of about 110 researchers representing the network member institutes was selected according to specific criteria, including the ownership of research expertise in at least one of the four macroareas identified by the reference report developed by EU-OSHA in 2013. Results The study identified some innovative research topics (for example, ‘Emerging technological devices’ and ‘OSH consequences of markets integration’) and research priorities (ie, crowdsourcing, e-work, zero-hours contracts) that are not reflected in previous studies of this nature. The absence of any reference to violence and harassment at work among the researchers’ proposals is a major difference from previous similar studies, while topics related to gender issues and electromagnetic fields show a lower importance. Conclusions The innovative design of a research priorities identification process, which takes advantage of a large, representative and qualified panel of European researchers allowed the definition of a number of research priorities able to support the inclusion of innovative OSH research issues in the scope of the next European research agenda. PMID:28645965

Enantiomeric profiling of chiral illicit drugs in a pan-European study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castrignanò, Erika; Yang, Zhugen; Bade, Richard

2018-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present the first study on spatial and temporal variation in the enantiomeric profile of chiral drugs in eight European cities. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) and enantioselective analysis were combined to evaluate trends in illicit drug use in the context....... High loads of racemic methamphetamine were detected in Oslo (EF = 0.49 ± 0.02). This is in contrast to other European cities where S-(+)-methamphetamine was the predominant enantiomer. This indicates different methods of methamphetamine synthesis and/or trafficking routes in Oslo, compared...... with the other cities tested. An enrichment of MDMA with the R-(−)-enantiomer was observed in European wastewaters indicating MDMA consumption rather than disposal of unused drug. MDA's chiral signature indicated its enrichment with the S-(+)-enantiomer, which confirms its origin from MDMA metabolism in humans...

Family history of psychiatric illness as a risk factor for schizoaffective disorder: a Danish register-based cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Thomas Munk; Labouriau, Rodrigo; Licht, Rasmus W

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: Schizoaffective disorder may be related to both schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, but no population-based studies, to our knowledge, have investigated this association in families. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a psychiatric history of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder......, or schizophrenia among parents and siblings is a risk factor for developing a schizoaffective disorder, and whether a specific pattern of family history of psychiatric illness exists in persons with schizoaffective disorder compared with persons with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. DESIGN: Register-based cohort...... study. SETTING: Denmark. COHORT: The 2.4 million persons born in Denmark after 1952. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative risks of the 3 illnesses estimated by Poisson regression. RESULTS: In total, 1925 persons had a schizoaffective disorder, 3721 had a bipolar disorder, and 12 501 had schizophrenia...

The EMBARC European Bronchiectasis Registry: protocol for an international observational study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James D. Chalmers

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Bronchiectasis is one of the most neglected diseases in respiratory medicine. There are no approved therapies and few large-scale, representative epidemiological studies. The EMBARC (European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration registry is a prospective, pan-European observational study of patients with bronchiectasis. The inclusion criterion is a primary clinical diagnosis of bronchiectasis consisting of: 1 a clinical history consistent with bronchiectasis; and 2 computed tomography demonstrating bronchiectasis. Core exclusion criteria are: 1 bronchiectasis due to known cystic fibrosis; 2 age <18 years; and 3 patients who are unable or unwilling to provide informed consent. The study aims to enrol 1000 patients by April 2016 across at least 20 European countries, and 10 000 patients by March 2020. Patients will undergo a comprehensive baseline assessment and will be followed up annually for up to 5 years with the goal of providing high-quality longitudinal data on outcomes, treatment patterns and quality of life. Data from the registry will be available in the form of annual reports. and will be disseminated in conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. The European Bronchiectasis Registry aims to make a major contribution to understanding the natural history of the disease, as well as guiding evidence-based decision making and facilitating large randomised controlled trials.

Food culture in the home environment: family meal practices and values can support healthy eating and self-regulation in young people in four European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

de Wit, John B F; Stok, F Marijn; Smolenski, Derek J; de Ridder, Denise D T; de Vet, Emely; Gaspar, Tania; Johnson, Fiona; Nureeva, Lyliya; Luszczynska, Aleksandra

2015-03-01

Overweight epidemics, including among children and adolescents, are fuelled by contemporary obesogenic environments. Recent research and theory highlight the importance of socio-cultural factors in mitigating adverse impacts of the abundance of food in high-income countries. The current study examines whether family meal culture shapes young people's eating behaviors and self-regulation. Young people aged 10-17 years were recruited through schools in four European countries: the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and the United Kingdom. A total of 2,764 participants (mean age 13.2 years; 49.1% girls) completed a self-report questionnaire in class, providing information on healthy and unhealthy eating, joint family meals and communal meal values and use of eating-related self-regulation strategies. Path analysis found that family meal culture variables were significantly associated with young people's eating behaviors, as was self-regulation. Significant indirect effects of family meal culture were also found, through self-regulation. Results confirm that family meal culture, encompassing values as well as practices, shapes young people's eating behaviors. Findings extend and link previously separate lines of enquiry by showing how food cultures can play out in the home environment. Importantly, the study contributes novel evidence suggesting that self-regulation is shaped by the home environment and mediates its influence. © 2014 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

A confirmative clinimetric analysis of the 36-item Family Assessment Device.

Science.gov (United States)

Timmerby, Nina; Cosci, Fiammetta; Watson, Maggie; Csillag, Claudio; Schmitt, Florence; Steck, Barbara; Bech, Per; Thastum, Mikael

2018-02-07

The Family Assessment Device (FAD) is a 60-item questionnaire widely used to evaluate self-reported family functioning. However, the factor structure as well as the number of items has been questioned. A shorter and more user-friendly version of the original FAD-scale, the 36-item FAD, has therefore previously been proposed, based on findings in a nonclinical population of adults. We aimed in this study to evaluate the brief 36-item version of the FAD in a clinical population. Data from a European multinational study, examining factors associated with levels of family functioning in adult cancer patients' families, were used. Both healthy and ill parents completed the 60-item version FAD. The psychometric analyses conducted were Principal Component Analysis and Mokken-analysis. A total of 564 participants were included. Based on the psychometric analysis we confirmed that the 36-item version of the FAD has robust psychometric properties and can be used in clinical populations. The present analysis confirmed that the 36-item version of the FAD (18 items assessing 'well-being' and 18 items assessing 'dysfunctional' family function) is a brief scale where the summed total score is a valid measure of the dimensions of family functioning. This shorter version of the FAD is, in accordance with the concept of 'measurement-based care', an easy to use scale that could be considered when the aim is to evaluate self-reported family functioning.

Familial risk of epilepsy: a population-based study

Science.gov (United States)

Peljto, Anna L.; Barker-Cummings, Christie; Vasoli, Vincent M.; Leibson, Cynthia L.; Hauser, W. Allen; Buchhalter, Jeffrey R.

2014-01-01

Almost all previous studies of familial risk of epilepsy have had potentially serious methodological limitations. Our goal was to address these limitations and provide more rigorous estimates of familial risk in a population-based study. We used the unique resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify all 660 Rochester, Minnesota residents born in 1920 or later with incidence of epilepsy from 1935–94 (probands) and their 2439 first-degree relatives who resided in Olmsted County. We assessed incidence of epilepsy in relatives by comprehensive review of the relatives’ medical records, and estimated age-specific cumulative incidence and standardized incidence ratios for epilepsy in relatives compared with the general population, according to proband and relative characteristics. Among relatives of all probands, cumulative incidence of epilepsy to age 40 was 4.7%, and risk was increased 3.3-fold (95% confidence interval 2.75–5.99) compared with population incidence. Risk was increased to the greatest extent in relatives of probands with idiopathic generalized epilepsies (standardized incidence ratio 6.0) and epilepsies associated with intellectual or motor disability presumed present from birth, which we denoted ‘prenatal/developmental cause’ (standardized incidence ratio 4.3). Among relatives of probands with epilepsy without identified cause (including epilepsies classified as ‘idiopathic’ or ‘unknown cause’), risk was significantly increased for epilepsy of prenatal/developmental cause (standardized incidence ratio 4.1). Similarly, among relatives of probands with prenatal/developmental cause, risk was significantly increased for epilepsies without identified cause (standardized incidence ratio 3.8). In relatives of probands with generalized epilepsy, standardized incidence ratios were 8.3 (95% confidence interval 2.93–15.31) for generalized epilepsy and 2.5 (95% confidence interval 0.92–4.00) for focal epilepsy. In relatives of

Facility Service Market an European Overview based on EU Statistics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Redlein

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The macro-economic impact of facility management and facility services in special was not scientifically analysed by now. Some studies analysed single countries but were mainly lacking solid data. Especially a Pan European comparison is lacking. This paper presents the results of an in depth analysis of the Eurostat figures. It compares the facility service industry with other industries in particular the construction industry. It also compares the largest European economies (Germany, France and Italy. The study concentrates on the outsourced services only, as these are listed in the European Statistics. The results show big differences between the European countries. It also highlights that the facility service industry is the third largest regarding number of employees and the fourth largest regarding value added.

Invasive mucormycosis in children: an epidemiologic study in European and non-European countries based on two registries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoi Dorothea Pana

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mucormycosis has emerged as a rare but frequently fatal invasive fungal disease. Current knowledge on paediatric mucormycosis is based on case reports and small series reported over several decades. Contemporary data on a large cohort of patients is lacking. Methods Two large international registries (Zygomyco.net and FungiScope™ were searched for mucormycosis cases in ≤19 year-old patients. Cases enrolled between 2005 and 2014 were extracted, and dual entries in the two databases merged. Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostic procedures, therapeutic management and final outcome were recorded and analysed with SPSS v.12. Results Sixty-three unique cases (44 proven and 19 probable were enrolled from 15 countries (54 in European and 9 in non-European countries. Median age was 13 years [Interquartile Range (IQR 7.7] with a slight predominance (54.1 % of females. Underlying conditions were haematological malignancies (46 %, other malignancies (6.3 %, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (15.9 %, solid organ transplantation, trauma/surgery and diabetes mellitus (4.8 % each and a variety of other diseases (7.9 %; in 9.5%, no underlying medical condition was found. Neutropenia was recorded in 46 % of the patients. The main sites of infection were lungs (19 %, skin and soft tissues (19 %, paranasal sinus/sino-orbital region (15.8 % and rhino-cerebral region (7.9 %. Disseminated infection was present in 38.1 %. Mucormycosis diagnosis was based on several combinations of methods; culture combined with histology was performed in 31 cases (49.2 %. Fungal isolates included Rhizopus spp. (39.7 %, Lichtheimia spp. (17.5 %, Mucor spp. (12.7 %, Cunninghamella bertholletiae (6.3 % and unspecified (23.8 %. Treatment comprised amphotericin B (AmB monotherapy in 31.7 % or AmB in combination with other antifungals in 47.7 % of the cases, while 14.3 % received no antifungals. Surgery alone was performed in 6.3 %, and combined

Possible ways of corporate tax base harmonization in the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danuše Nerudová

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The possible ways of corporate tax base harmonization in the European Union are presented in the paper. Present situation when there are 27 different taxation systems used in the EU increases compliance costs of taxation to the companies and therefore decreases their competitiveness. It was proved, that there is negative correlation between the size of the company and the size of the compliance costs of taxation. Based on that, the European Commission has decided for twin-track strategy – to introduce home state taxation in the short term and common consolidated corporate tax base in the long term. In respect to the fact, that the pilot project in the frame of home state taxation system has not started yet, the attention has been turned to the common consolidated corporate tax base. The paper discusses the possible attitudes and methods of consolidated tax base allocation. Based on mentioned arguments the formulary apportionment with factors which generate the taxable income of the group (assets, payroll, turnover, etc. seems to be the best solution. Factors and their weight should become the subject of further discussion in the European Union. The aim of the paper is to present the possible harmonization models and further to discuss the methods which could be used for allocation of the consolidated tax base under CCCTB.

A community-based qualitative study of intergenerational resilience with Palestinian refugee families facing structural violence and historical trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Atallah, Devin G

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore resilience processes in Palestinian refugee families living under Israeli occupation for multiple generations. Qualitative methods, critical postcolonial theories, and community-based research approaches were used to examine intergenerational protective practices and to contribute to reconceptualizations of resilience from indigenous perspectives. First, the researcher developed a collaborative partnership with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) in a UN refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Then, with the support of this NGO, semistructured group and individual interviews were completed with a total of 30 participants ( N = 30) ranging in age from 18 to 90 years old coming from 5 distinct extended family networks. Using grounded theory situational analysis, the findings were organized in a representation entitled Palestinian Refugee Family Trees of Resilience (PRFTR). These findings explain resilience in terms of three interrelated themes: (a) Muqawama/resistance to military siege and occupation; (b) Awda/return to cultural roots despite historical and ongoing settler colonialism; and (c) Sumoud/perseverance through daily adversities and accumulation of trauma. The study findings shed light on how Palestinian families cultivate positive adaptation across generations and highlight how incorporating community-based perspectives on the historical trauma and violent social conditions of everyday life under occupation may be critical for promoting resilience. Results may be relevant to understanding the transgenerational transmission of trauma and resilience within other displaced communities internationally.

New flux based dose–response relationships for ozone for European forest tree species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Büker, P.; Feng, Z.; Uddling, J.; Briolat, A.; Alonso, R.; Braun, S.; Elvira, S.; Gerosa, G.; Karlsson, P.E.; Le Thiec, D.

2015-01-01

To derive O 3 dose–response relationships (DRR) for five European forest trees species and broadleaf deciduous and needleleaf tree plant functional types (PFTs), phytotoxic O 3 doses (PODy) were related to biomass reductions. PODy was calculated using a stomatal flux model with a range of cut-off thresholds (y) indicative of varying detoxification capacities. Linear regression analysis showed that DRR for PFT and individual tree species differed in their robustness. A simplified parameterisation of the flux model was tested and showed that for most non-Mediterranean tree species, this simplified model led to similarly robust DRR as compared to a species- and climate region-specific parameterisation. Experimentally induced soil water stress was not found to substantially reduce PODy, mainly due to the short duration of soil water stress periods. This study validates the stomatal O 3 flux concept and represents a step forward in predicting O 3 damage to forests in a spatially and temporally varying climate. - Highlights: • We present new ozone flux based dose–response relationships for European trees. • The model-based study accounted for the soil water effect on stomatal flux. • Different statistically derived ozone flux thresholds were applied. • Climate region specific parameterisation often outperformed simplified parameterisation. • Findings could help redefining critical levels for ozone effects on trees. - New stomatal flux based ozone dose–response relationships for tree species are derived for the regional risk assessment of ozone effects on European forest ecosystems.

The Impact on Family Functioning of Social Media Use by Depressed Adolescents: A Qualitative Analysis of the Family Options Study

OpenAIRE

Lewis, Andrew J.; Knight, Tess; Germanov, Galit; Benstead, Michelle Lisa; Joseph, Claire Ingrid; Poole, Lucinda

2015-01-01

Background: Adolescent depression is a prevalent mental health problem, which can have a major impact on family cohesion. In such circumstances, excessive use of the Internet by adolescents may exacerbate family conflict and lack of cohesion. The current study aims to explore these patterns within an intervention study for depressed adolescents.Method: The current study draws upon data collected within the Family Options randomized controlled trial that examined family-based interventions for...

Invitation strategies and coverage in the population-based cancer screening programmes in the European Union.

Science.gov (United States)

Vale, Diama B; Anttila, Ahti; Ponti, Antonio; Senore, Carlo; Sankaranaryanan, Rengaswamy; Ronco, Guglielmo; Segnan, Nereo; Tomatis, Mariano; Žakelj, Maja P; Elfström, Klara M; Lönnberg, Stefan; Dillner, Joakim; Basu, Partha

2018-03-21

The aim of this study was to describe the compliance of the population-based cancer screening programmes in the European Union Member States to the invitation strategies enumerated in the European Guidelines and the impact of such strategies on the invitational coverage. Experts in screening programme monitoring from the respective countries provided data. Coverage by invitation was calculated as the proportion of individuals in the target age range receiving a screening invitation over the total number of annualized eligible population. The invitation strategies of 30 breasts, 25 cervical and 27 colorectal national or regional population-based screening programmes are described. Individual mail invitations are sent by 28 breasts, 20 cervical and 25 colorectal screening programmes. Faecal occult blood test kits are sent by post in 17 of the colorectal cancer screening programmes. The majority of programmes claimed to have a population registry, although some use health insurance data as the database for sending invitations. At least 95% invitation coverage was reached by 16 breast, six cervical and five colorectal screening programmes. Majority of the programmes comply with the invitation strategies enumerated in the European guidelines, although there is still scope for improvements. Coverage by invitation is below the desirable level in many population-based cancer screening programmes in European Union.

Effects of the total replacement of fish-based diet with plant-based diet on the hepatic transcriptome of two European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax half-sibfamilies showing different growth rates with the plant-based diet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geay Florian

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Efforts towards utilisation of diets without fish meal (FM or fish oil (FO in finfish aquaculture have been being made for more than two decades. Metabolic responses to substitution of fishery products have been shown to impact growth performance and immune system of fish as well as their subsequent nutritional value, particularly in marine fish species, which exhibit low capacity for biosynthesis of long-chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA. The main objective of the present study was to analyse the effects of a plant-based diet on the hepatic transcriptome of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax. Results We report the first results obtained using a transcriptomic approach on the liver of two half-sibfamilies of the European sea bass that exhibit similar growth rates when fed a fish-based diet (FD, but significantly different growth rates when fed an all-plant diet (VD. Overall gene expression was analysed using oligo DNA microarrays (GPL9663. Statistical analysis identified 582 unique annotated genes differentially expressed between groups of fish fed the two diets, 199 genes regulated by genetic factors, and 72 genes that exhibited diet-family interactions. The expression of several genes involved in the LC-PUFA and cholesterol biosynthetic pathways was found to be up-regulated in fish fed VD, suggesting a stimulation of the lipogenic pathways. No significant diet-family interaction for the regulation of LC-PUFA biosynthesis pathways could be detected by microarray analysis. This result was in agreement with LC-PUFA profiles, which were found to be similar in the flesh of the two half-sibfamilies. In addition, the combination of our transcriptomic data with an analysis of plasmatic immune parameters revealed a stimulation of complement activity associated with an immunodeficiency in the fish fed VD, and different inflammatory status between the two half-sibfamilies. Biological processes related to protein

Physically active families - de-bunking the myth? A qualitative study of family participation in physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Janice L; Jago, R; Brockman, R; Cartwright, K; Page, A S; Fox, K R

2010-03-01

The benefits of physical activity for reducing obesity and related chronic diseases are well known. The need for more family-based interventions to increase physical activity is frequently cited in the literature; however, little is known about if and how families are physically active together, and what factors might influence family-based participation in regular physical activity. This study examined the types of activities (physical and sedentary) engaged in as a family and explored parents' perceptions of the importance, frequency, nature and barriers to family physical activity. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 30 parents (26 female, four male) of 10- to 11-year-old schoolchildren who attended either low, middle or high socio-economic status schools in Bristol, UK. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymized and analysed using conventional content analysis. The majority of parents rated family engagement in physical activity as important, and identified benefits such as increased parent-child communication, spending time together, enjoyment, enhanced mental health, weight control and physical fitness. Despite these benefits most parents reported their families did little or no physical activity together as a family unit during the week, and any activities performed together were usually sedentary in nature. They reported increased family physical activity on the weekends but rarely including the full family unit simultaneously. Parents in two-parent households commonly paired off with one or more children because of complexities of schedules. Commonly reported barriers were busy lifestyles, diverse ages and interests of children and adults, bad weather, and lack of access to facilities, transportation and money to support activities. Family-based interventions might be more effective if they are designed to accommodate the complex demands and needs of two-parent and single-parent families and provide affordable, diverse activities

Analysis of the European Food Industry

OpenAIRE

Banse, Martin; McDonald, Scott; Joint Research Centre; Institute for Prospective Technological Studies; Kaditi, Eleni

2008-01-01

This report is based on a study assigned to the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) by the European Commission¿s Joint Research Centre, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (JRC-IPTS) to investigate recent developments in the European food industry and the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade flows on the food industry in the EU-25. The report illustrates trends in and the structure of the European food industry. Past and possible future developments are ana...

CFSC (Community and Family Study Center) study finds birth rates falling everywhere - family planning (family planning) is a factor.

Science.gov (United States)

1978-08-01

The findings of the Community and Family Study Center study, based on estimated crude birthrates and total fertility rates for 1968 and 1975, indicate that there has been a significant reduction in fertility levels of both developed and developing countries. Despite regional variations, the estimates show an average proportional decline of 8.5% in total fertility rates between 1968 and 1975. Of the 148 nations studied, 113 were in developing regions and 35 in the developed regions. Information on important social and economic development factors, such as life expectancy, literacy, percent of labor force in agriculture, per capita income, and family planning program strength were gathered for each country. Analyses of these data are reported in "The Public Interest" (to be published) "Population Reference Bulletin," October 1978, and a paper presented at the 1978 Population Association of America Meetings in Atlanta, Georgia. The recent change in fertility affected 81% of the world's population, primarily the peoples of Asia, Latin America, and North America. The total fertility rate in the world in 1968 was 4635 and declined to 4068 in 1975. More substantial declines occurred in Asia and Latin America, where the number of fewer births 1000 women would bear under a given fertility schedule declined by 845 births and 617 births, respectively. As more research is conducted to investigate the underlying causes of this decline, it is likely to confirm the important role that family planning programs have had in developing nations. Although major improvements in the socioeconomic well-being of the developing areas continue as an essential goal, the need to maintain the organized provision of family planning services should not be understated.

The New European and/or EU Studies Curriculum

OpenAIRE

Brie, Mircea; Dolghi, Dorin; Pantea, Dana

2011-01-01

In this part we will present turn by turn the evolution of the curriculum in four domains which are developing in the area of European and/or EU Studies: EU Intercultural Dialogue Studies, EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies, EU Communication and Information Studies, EU and Comparative Regionalism, from several points of view. First, we will take into consideration the perspective that each curriculum from the four domains has in the ensemble of European and/or EU Studies, t...

Enantiomeric profiling of chiral illicit drugs in a pan-European study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Castrignanò, E.; Yang, Z.; Bade, R.; Baz-Lomba, J.A.; Castiglioni, S.; Causanilles, A.; Covaci, A.; Gracia-Lor, E.; Hernández, F.; Kinyua, J.; McCall, A.-K.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.; Ort, C.; Plósz, B.G.; Ramin, P.; Rousis, N.I.; Ryu, Y.; Thomas, K.V.; de Voogt, P.; Zuccato, E.; Kasprzyk-Hordern, B.

2018-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present the first study on spatial and temporal variation in the enantiomeric profile of chiral drugs in eight European cities. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) and enantioselective analysis were combined to evaluate trends in illicit drug use in the context of their

Evidence-Based Family-School Interventions with Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Stacey L.

2005-01-01

Fifteen studies of family-school interventions with preschool children conducted between 1980 and 2002, and published in peer-reviewed journals, were reviewed and evaluated according to the criteria developed by the Task Force on Evidence-Based Intervention in School Psychology (Division 16 and Society for the Study of School Psychology Task…

Family-based clusters of cognitive test performance in familial schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Partonen Timo

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cognitive traits derived from neuropsychological test data are considered to be potential endophenotypes of schizophrenia. Previously, these traits have been found to form a valid basis for clustering samples of schizophrenia patients into homogeneous subgroups. We set out to identify such clusters, but apart from previous studies, we included both schizophrenia patients and family members into the cluster analysis. The aim of the study was to detect family clusters with similar cognitive test performance. Methods Test scores from 54 randomly selected families comprising at least two siblings with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and at least two unaffected family members were included in a complete-linkage cluster analysis with interactive data visualization. Results A well-performing, an impaired, and an intermediate family cluster emerged from the analysis. While the neuropsychological test scores differed significantly between the clusters, only minor differences were observed in the clinical variables. Conclusions The visually aided clustering algorithm was successful in identifying family clusters comprising both schizophrenia patients and their relatives. The present classification method may serve as a basis for selecting phenotypically more homogeneous groups of families in subsequent genetic analyses.

Molecular evidence on the evolutionary and biogeographical patterns of European cyprinids.

Science.gov (United States)

Zardoya, R; Doadrio, I

1999-08-01

The phylogenetic relationships of 106 European cyprinid taxa were determined based on the complete nucleotide sequence (1140 bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The molecular phylogeny was used (1) to revise the current systematics of European cyprinids, (2) to establish the phylogenetic utility of traditional morphological characters that are widely used in Cyprinidae systematics, and (3) to discuss alternative hypotheses on the biogeography of the family in Europe. The age of the major lineages within European cyprinids was tentatively estimated with a molecular clock and showed full agreement with the fossil record of the group. Moreover, the results provided unambiguous evidence for a close phylogenetic affinity of some Caucasian and Greek endemic cyprinid taxa (e.g., B. capito and B. brachycephalus and Leuciscus keadicus, Barbus graecus, and B. albanicus, respectively) to Iberian and North African, but not Central European, cyprinids. The existence of such unexpected phylogenetic relationships refutes the classical hypothesis on the biogeography of European cyprinids, which assumes a dispersal of the cyprinid fauna from central Europe to southern Europe and northern Africa during the Miocene (and, hence, predicts a close phylogenetic relationship of all Caucasian, Greek, Iberian, and North African cyprinids to central European taxa). Instead, the existence of a Mediterranean realm independent of the central European route seems plausible based on the molecular evidence. It is likely that the new biogeographical scenario proposed here might apply to other primary freshwater European animals with low dispersal abilities, including fish, amphibians, and invertebrates.

Environmental impacts of rare earth mining and separation based on Eudialyte. A new European way

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schreiber, Andrea; Marx, Josefine; Zapp, Petra; Hake, Juergen Friedrich [Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany). Inst. of Energy and Climate Research - Systems Analysis and Technology Evaluation (IKE-STE); Vossenkaul, Daniel; Friedrich, Bernd [RWTH Aachen (Germany). Inst. of Process Metallurgy and Metal Recycling

2016-07-01

Neodymium and dysprosium are two rare earth elements (REEs), out of a group of 17 elements with similar chemical properties. Due to their unique properties, REEs gained increasing importance in many new technologies like wind turbines, batteries, lighting, and medical technique. However, the production of REEs requires high material and energy consumption and is associated with considerably environmental burdens e.g. radioactive loaded dust and tailings. Due to the Chinese hegemony regarding REE production and the strong dependency of European industry on Chinese REE exports this paper presents a possible European production chain of REEs based on the mineral Eudialyte found in Norra Karr (Sweden). Because almost 90% of the total mines production of 109,000 t REO equivalents in 2013 [USGS, 2013] occurred in China, the European production is compared to the Chinese route. Bayan Obo is the largest REE deposit in China located near Baotou in Inner Mongolia. Using the Life Cycle Assessment method (LCA), the environmental impacts of both production lines are assessed. Although LCA is a well-known methodology to determine environmental aspects from cradle-to-grave, there are only a few LCA studies available considering REE production, almost all based on process information gathered in the 1990s. This study presents newly estimated data of a possible European Eudialyte based production route collected in a corporate 4-year project together with Siemens AG, RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Julich. The results for the new European process route show reduced environmental burdens although the total REE content in Eudialyte is much smaller than in the Chinese deposit. Especially, the results for dysprosium from Eudialyte outreach those for Bayan Obo, due to the higher content of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs).

Environmental impacts of rare earth mining and separation based on Eudialyte. A new European way

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiber, Andrea; Marx, Josefine; Zapp, Petra; Hake, Juergen Friedrich; Vossenkaul, Daniel; Friedrich, Bernd

2016-01-01

Neodymium and dysprosium are two rare earth elements (REEs), out of a group of 17 elements with similar chemical properties. Due to their unique properties, REEs gained increasing importance in many new technologies like wind turbines, batteries, lighting, and medical technique. However, the production of REEs requires high material and energy consumption and is associated with considerably environmental burdens e.g. radioactive loaded dust and tailings. Due to the Chinese hegemony regarding REE production and the strong dependency of European industry on Chinese REE exports this paper presents a possible European production chain of REEs based on the mineral Eudialyte found in Norra Karr (Sweden). Because almost 90% of the total mines production of 109,000 t REO equivalents in 2013 [USGS, 2013] occurred in China, the European production is compared to the Chinese route. Bayan Obo is the largest REE deposit in China located near Baotou in Inner Mongolia. Using the Life Cycle Assessment method (LCA), the environmental impacts of both production lines are assessed. Although LCA is a well-known methodology to determine environmental aspects from cradle-to-grave, there are only a few LCA studies available considering REE production, almost all based on process information gathered in the 1990s. This study presents newly estimated data of a possible European Eudialyte based production route collected in a corporate 4-year project together with Siemens AG, RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Julich. The results for the new European process route show reduced environmental burdens although the total REE content in Eudialyte is much smaller than in the Chinese deposit. Especially, the results for dysprosium from Eudialyte outreach those for Bayan Obo, due to the higher content of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs).

Influence of Cushioning Variables in the Workplace and in the Family on the Probability of Suffering Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalo, David Cárdenas

2016-09-01

Stress at work and in the family is a very common issue in our society that generates many health-related problems. During recent years, numerous studies have sought to define the term stress, raising many contradictions that various authors have studied. Other authors have attempted to establish some criteria, in subjective and not very quantitative ways, in an attempt to reduce and even to eliminate stressors and their effects at work and in the family context. The purpose of this study was to quantify so-called cushioning variables, such as control, social support, home/work life conciliation, and even sports and leisure activities, with the purpose of, as much as possible, reducing the negative effects of stress, which seriously affects the health of workers. The study employs data from the Fifth European Working Conditions Survey, in which nearly 44,000 interviewees from 34 countries in the European Union participated. We constructed a probabilistic model based on a Bayesian network, using variables from both the workplace and the family, the aforementioned cushioning variables, as well as the variable stress. If action is taken on the above variables, then the probabilities of suffering high levels of stress may be reduced. Such action may improve the quality of life of people at work and in the family.

The perspective of European researchers of national occupational safety and health institutes for contributing to a European research agenda: a modified Delphi study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagliardi, Diana; Rondinone, Bruna M; Mirabile, Marco; Buresti, Giuliana; Ellwood, Peter; Hery, Michel; Paszkiewicz, Peter; Valenti, Antonio; Iavicoli, Sergio

2017-06-23

This study, developed within the frame of the Partnership for European Research on Occupational Safety and Health joint research activities and based on the frame designed by the 2013 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) study, is the first example of using the points of view of European occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers.The objective is to identify priorities for OSH research that may contribute to the achievement of present and future sustainable growth objectives set by the European strategies. The study was carried out using a modified Delphi method with a two-round survey. Each round involved a panel of about 110 researchers representing the network member institutes was selected according to specific criteria, including the ownership of research expertise in at least one of the four macroareas identified by the reference report developed by EU-OSHA in 2013. The study identified some innovative research topics (for example, 'Emerging technological devices' and 'OSH consequences of markets integration') and research priorities (ie, crowdsourcing, e-work, zero-hours contract s ) that are not reflected in previous studies of this nature.The absence of any reference to violence and harassment at work among the researchers' proposals is a major difference from previous similar studies, while topics related to gender issues and electromagnetic fields show a lower importance. The innovative design of a research priorities identification process, which takes advantage of a large, representative and qualified panel of European researchers allowed the definition of a number of research priorities able to support the inclusion of innovative OSH research issues in the scope of the next European research agenda. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Social policies and families in stress: Gender and educational differences in work-family conflict from a European perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Notten, N.J.W.R.; Grunow, D.; Verbakel, C.M.C.

2017-01-01

In modern welfare states, family policies may resolve the tension between employment and care-focused demands. However these policies sometimes have adverse consequences for distinct social groups. This study examined gender and educational differences in working parents' perceived work-family

Pilot of "Families for Health": community-based family intervention for obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, W; Friede, T; Blissett, J; Rudolf, M C J; Wallis, M; Stewart-Brown, S

2008-11-01

To develop and evaluate "Families for Health", a new community based family intervention for childhood obesity. Programme development, pilot study and evaluation using intention-to-treat analysis. Coventry, England. 27 overweight or obese children aged 7-13 years (18 girls, 9 boys) and their parents, from 21 families. Families for Health is a 12-week programme with parallel groups for parents and children, addressing parenting, lifestyle change and social and emotional development. Change in baseline BMI z score at the end of the programme (3 months) and 9-month follow-up. Attendance, drop-out, parents' perception of the programme, child's quality of life and self-esteem, parental mental health, parent-child relationships and lifestyle changes were also measured. Attendance rate was 62%, with 18 of the 27 (67%) children completing the programme. For the 22 children with follow-up data (including four who dropped out), BMI z score was reduced by -0.18 (95% CI -0.30 to -0.05) at 3 months and -0.21 (-0.35 to -0.07) at 9 months. Statistically significant improvements were observed in children's quality of life and lifestyle (reduced sedentary behaviour, increased steps and reduced exposure to unhealthy foods), child-parent relationships and parents' mental health. Fruit and vegetable consumption, participation in moderate/vigorous exercise and children's self-esteem did not change significantly. Topics on parenting skills, activity and food were rated as helpful and used with confidence by most parents. Families for Health is a promising new childhood obesity intervention. Definitive evaluation of its clinical effectiveness by randomised controlled trial is now required.

Jamaican family structure: the paradox of normalcy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dechesnay, M

1986-06-01

The relationship between basic research, theory, and clinical work with families is conceptualized during a discussion of Jamaican family structure and the application of change theory to a clinical case of depression in a Jamaican woman. It was found that three types of family structure are prevalent in Jamaica. The European ideal of a patriarchal-patrifocal structure creates problems for working-class Jamaicans. General system theory provides support for a different model. Change theory is applied to resolve the paradox created by the European model.

Raising European Citizens: Constructing European Identities in French and English Textbooks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inari Sakki

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Schools play a pivotal role in the formation of identities and in the political socialization of youth. This study explores the social representations of European integration in French and English school textbooks and shows how the social representations are discursively used to construct national and European identities. By analysing the history and civics textbooks of major educational publishers, this study aims to demonstrate how European integration is understood, made familiar and concretized in the school textbooks of the two influential but different European countries. The findings suggest some shared and some diverse patterns in the way the two European countries portray and construct the political project of European integration. These representations, constructed around French Europe in French textbooks and ambivalent Europe in English textbooks, share the images of a strong European economy and a French-led political Europe. However, they position themselves differently with respect to the United States, motivation for the European unification process and the significance of common values and heritage. In both countries textbooks draw upon memories that are important for group identity. While the French textbooks make European integration meaningful in reference to a shared post-war collective memory and to a cultural memory based on a more ancient idea of Europe, shared values and heritage, the English textbooks anchor it more strongly to domestic policy.

Promoting Sustainability Transparency in European Local Governments: An Empirical Analysis Based on Administrative Cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Navarro-Galera

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the transparency of governments with respect to the sustainability of public services is a very interesting issue for stakeholders and academics. It has led to previous research and international organisations (EU, IMF, OECD, United Nations, IFAC, G-20, World Bank to recommend promotion of the online dissemination of economic, social and environmental information. Based on previous studies about e-government and the influence of administrative cultures on governmental accountability, this paper seeks to identify political actions useful to improve the practices of transparency on economic, social and environmental sustainability in European local governments. We perform a comparative analysis of sustainability information published on the websites of 72 local governments in 10 European countries grouped into main three cultural contexts (Anglo-Saxon, Southern European and Nordic. Using international sustainability reporting guidelines, our results reveal significant differences in local government transparency in each context. The most transparent local governments are the Anglo-Saxon ones, followed by Southern European and Nordic governments. Based on individualized empirical results for each administrative style, our conclusions propose useful policy interventions to enhance sustainability transparency within each cultural tradition, such as development of legal rules on transparency and sustainability, tools to motivate local managers for online diffusion of sustainability information and analysis of information needs of stakeholders.

Work-family spillover among Japanese dual-earner couples: a large community-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Kyoko; Shimazu, Akihito; Bakker, Arnold B; Demerouti, Evangelia; Kawakami, Norito

2010-01-01

To examine the effects of multiple types of work-family spillover (work-to-family negative spillover, WFNS; family-to-work negative spillover, FWNS; and work-family positive spillover, WFPS) on psychological distress among Japanese dual-earner couples with preschool children. 2,346 parents completed questionnaires measuring work-family spillover, work- and family-specific variables (i.e., job demands and resources, family demands and resources), and psychological distress. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted by entering demographic characteristics (gender, age, age of the youngest child, and job contract) in step 1, job demands and resources in step 2, family demands and resources in step 3, work-family spillover in step 4, and three two-way interactions between types of work-family spillover and gender in the final step. Both WFNS and FWNS were positively related to psychological distress after controlling for demographic characteristics and domain specific variables (i.e. job and family demands/resources), and FWNS (β=0.26) had a stronger relation with psychological distress than WFNS (β=0.16). Although WFPS was significantly and negatively related to psychological distress, the relationship was weak (β=-0.05). In addition, two-way interactions of WFNS and FWNS with gender were found; the impact of both WFNS and FWNS on psychological distress is stronger for females than for males. No significant interaction effect was observed between WFPS and gender. In this study of Japanese dual-earner couples with preschool children, work-family negative spillover had a stronger relationship with psychological distress than positive spillover. Gender had a moderating effect on the relationship between negative spillover and psychological distress.

Meta-analysis of determinants for pet ownership in 12 European birth cohorts on asthma and allergies: a GA2LEN initiative

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eller, E; Roll, S; Chen, C-M

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Studies on pet ownership as a risk or protective factor for asthma and allergy show inconsistent results. This may be on account of insufficient adjustment of confounding factors. AIM: The objective of this study was to describe determinants of cat and dog ownership in European families...... with and without allergies. METHODS: Within the EU-funded network of excellence GA(2)LEN, we performed meta-analyses with data from 12 ongoing European birth cohort studies on asthma and allergy. Each of the birth cohort studies enrolled between 485 and 4089 children. Pet ownership, allergic status (asthma......, allergic rhinitis, eczema) of parents and siblings, parental education, access to ground floor, and number of people living at home were assessed by questionnaires. RESULTS: Among the 25 056 families from seven European countries cats (14.9%) were more common than dogs (12.0%). Allergic family history...

Children's Divorce and Parent-Child Contact: A Within-Family Analysis of Older European Parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalmijn, Matthijs

2016-03-01

Studies have shown that a parental divorce has a negative effect on parent-child relations. This study examines how adult children's divorce affects the amount of contact children have with older parents, making a distinction between the effects of being single on the one hand and the effects of divorce on the other hand. Using data on older adults in 11 European countries, I estimate within-family regression models to compare multiple adult children per parent (19,454 children aged 30-49; 10,476 parents aged 50-96). I analyze contact frequency while taking into account coresidence and distance. When comparing single divorced children and married children, no difference in contact is observed, but divorced children are more likely to live with their parents. When comparing among children who are single, divorced children have less frequent contact with parents than never-married children. This negative divorce effect exists for sons and daughters and is found in 9 of the 11 countries. The divorce of a child has a double meaning: it leads to being single, which is associated with stronger intergenerational ties, but it is also a non-normative and stressful life event, which is associated with weaker intergenerational ties. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Clinical and genetic characterization of classical forms of familial adenomatous polyposis: a Spanish population study.

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Rivera, B; González, S; Sánchez-Tomé, E; Blanco, I; Mercadillo, F; Letón, R; Benítez, J; Robledo, M; Capellá, G; Urioste, M

2011-04-01

Classical familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is characterized by the appearance of >100 colorectal adenomas. We screened the APC and MUTYH genes for mutations and evaluated the genotype-phenotype correlation in 136 Spanish classical FAP families. APC/MUTYH mutations were detected in 107 families. Sixty-four distinct APC point mutations were detected in 95 families of which all were truncating mutations. A significant proportion (39.6%) had not been previously reported. Mutations were spread over the entire coding region and great rearrangements were identified in six families. Another six families exhibited biallelic MUTYH mutations. No APC or MUTYH mutations were detected in 29 families. These APC/MUTYH-negative families showed clinical differences with the APC-positive families. A poor correlation between phenotype and mutation site was observed. Our results highlight that a broad approach in the genetic study must be considered for classical FAP due to involvement of both APC and MUTYH and the heterogeneous spectrum of APC mutations observed in this Spanish population. The scarcely consistent genotype-phenotype correlation does not allow making specific recommendations regarding screening and management. Differences observed in APC/MUTYH-negative families may reflect a genetic basis other than mutations in APC and MUTYH genes for FAP predisposition. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology.

Family adaptation to cerebral palsy in adolescents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guyard, Audrey; Michelsen, Susan I; Arnaud, Catherine

2017-01-01

modelled with structural equations. RESULTS: 31.8% of parents living with an adolescent with CP showed clinically significant high stress requiring professional assistance. The main stressors were the level of motor impairment and behavioural disorders in adolescent. A good family functioning was the best......BACKGROUND AND AIM: Factors promoting family adaptation to child's disability are poorly studied together. The aim of the study was to describe the family adaptation to disability and to identify determinants associated with using a global theoretical model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 286 families...... of teenagers [13-17 years] with cerebral palsy (CP) from 4 European disability registers were included and visited at home. Face to face interviews were performed in order to measure parental distress, perceived impact in various dimensions of family life, family resources and stressors. Relationships were...

A family systems-based model of organizational intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Shumway, Sterling T; Kimball, Thomas G; Korinek, Alan W; Arredondo, Rudy

2007-04-01

Employee assistance professionals are expected to be proficient at intervening in organizations and creating meaningful behavioral change in interpersonal functioning. Because of their training in family systems theories and concepts, marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are well suited to serve organizations as "systems consultants." Unfortunately, the authors were unable to identify any family systems-based models for organizational intervention that have been empirically tested and supported. In this article, the authors present a family systems-based model of intervention that they developed while working in an employee assistance program (EAP). They also present research that was used to refine the model and to provide initial support for its effectiveness.

MZ twin pairs or MZ singletons in population family-based GWAS? More power in pairs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Minica, C.C.; Boomsma, D.I.; Vink, J.M.; Dolan, C.V.

2014-01-01

Family-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involve testing the genetic association of (many) genetic variants with the phenotype of interest, while taking into account the relatedness among family members. Occasionally in family-based GWAS, including monozygotic (MZ) twins, the data from

Work-Family Conflict and Working Conditions in Western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Gallie, Duncan; Russell, Helen

2009-01-01

This article explores the influence of working conditions on work-family conflict (WFC) among married/cohabiting employees across seven European countries. Using data from the European Social Survey, the paper first investigates the role of working conditions relative to household level characteristics in mediating work-family conflict at the…

Family homework and school-based sex education: delaying early adolescents' sexual behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, Jennifer M; Frye, Alice; Charmaraman, Linda; Erkut, Sumru

2013-11-01

Early sexual activity can undermine adolescents' future school success and health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of a family homework component of a comprehensive sex education intervention in delaying sexual initiation for early adolescents and to explore what social and contextual factors prevent adolescents from completing these family homework activities. This mixed methods study included 6th- and 7th-grade survey responses from 706 students at 11 middle school schools receiving a sex education intervention, as well as interviews from a subset of 33, 7th-grade students from the larger sample. Adolescents who completed more family homework assignments were less likely to have vaginal intercourse in 7th grade than those who completed fewer assignments, after controlling for self-reports of having had vaginal intercourse in 6th grade and demographic variables. Participants' explanations for not completing assignments included personal, curriculum, and family-based reasons. Family homework activities designed to increase family communication about sexual issues can delay sex among early adolescents and contribute to school-based sex education programs. Successful sex education programs must identify and address barriers to family homework completion. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Relationship between symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and family functioning: a community-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cussen, Alexandra; Sciberras, Emma; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Efron, Daryl

2012-02-01

This study examined the relationship between family functioning and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in an Australian community-based sample. Children were screened for ADHD in their second year of formal schooling. Two hundred and two (202) primary caregivers completed validated measures of family quality of life (QoL), parent mental health, parenting styles and parental relationship quality. Compared with controls, parents of children screening positive for ADHD reported poorer family QoL in the domains of emotional impact (mean difference [MD] -20.1; 95% CI -38.2 to -1.9, p = 0.03) and impact on family activities (MD -17.2; 95% CI -27.9 to -6.5, p = 0.002), less parental warmth (MD -3.4; 95% CI -6.0 to -0.9, p = 0.01) and higher parental depression (MD 6.8; 95% CI 1.8 to 11.7, p = 0.009) and anxiety (MD 6.2; 95% CI 1.7 to 10.6, p = 0.008) after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and child conduct symptoms. Parents of children screening positive for ADHD reported higher stress (MD 4.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 7.1, p = 0.007) and more inconsistent (MD 3.0; 95% CI 1.2 to 4.8, p = 0.002) and hostile (MD = 2.2; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.4, p = 0.001) parenting after adjusting for socio-demographic factors only. No difference in parental relationship quality and parental inductive reasoning was identified. These findings suggest a strong association between poor family functioning and ADHD symptoms and carry implications for comprehensive ADHD management and the importance of seeing the child within the family context.

How have the Eastern European countries of the former Warsaw Pact developed since 1990? A bibliometric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozak, Marcin; Bornmann, Lutz; Leydesdorff, Loet

Did the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991 influence the scientific performance of the researchers in Eastern European countries? Did this historical event affect international collaboration by researchers from the Eastern European countries with those of Western countries? Did it also change international collaboration among researchers from the Eastern European countries? Trying to answer these questions, this study aims to shed light on international collaboration by researchers from the Eastern European countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia). The number of publications and normalized citation impact values are compared for these countries based on InCites (Thomson Reuters), from 1981 up to 2011. The international collaboration by researchers affiliated to institutions in Eastern European countries at the time points of 1990, 2000 and 2011 was studied with the help of Pajek and VOSviewer software, based on data from the Science Citation Index (Thomson Reuters). Our results show that the breakdown of the communist regime did not lead, on average, to a huge improvement in the publication performance of the Eastern European countries and that the increase in international co-authorship relations by the researchers affiliated to institutions in these countries was smaller than expected. Most of the Eastern European countries are still subject to changes and are still awaiting their boost in scientific development.

Chinese-American and European-American Mothers and Infants: Cultural Influences in the First Three Months of Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuchner, Joan F.

This study explores cultural influences in the first three months of life by comparing the daily experiences of first generation Chinese-American and European-American infants whose parents were born in the United States. The study focused on 10 Chinese-American and 10 European-American families whose mothers were recruited during the third…

A Family Longevity Selection Score: Ranking Sibships by Their Longevity, Size, and Availability for Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sebastiani, Paola; Hadley, Evan C; Province, Michael

2009-01-01

Family studies of exceptional longevity can potentially identify genetic and other factors contributing to long life and healthy aging. Although such studies seek families that are exceptionally long lived, they also need living members who can provide DNA and phenotype information. On the basis...... of these considerations, the authors developed a metric to rank families for selection into a family study of longevity. Their measure, the family longevity selection score (FLoSS), is the sum of 2 components: 1) an estimated family longevity score built from birth-, gender-, and nation-specific cohort survival...... probabilities and 2) a bonus for older living siblings. The authors examined properties of FLoSS-based family rankings by using data from 3 ongoing studies: the New England Centenarian Study, the Framingham Heart Study, and screenees for the Long Life Family Study. FLoSS-based selection yields families...

Intergenerational transfers and European families: Does the number of siblings matter?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Emery

2013-08-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Existing research on intergenerational transfers has focused on income and wealth as the predominant determinants of the provision of financial assistance to adult children (Albertini, Kohli, and Vogel 2006; Zissimopoulos and Smith 2010; Albertini and Radl 2012. Yet previous models of intergenerational transfers underestimated the effect of family size due to the effect of birth order and inappropriate research design. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to more accurately describe the relationship between family size and intergenerational financial transfers in Europe. In developing a more appropriate theoretical and empirical understanding of intergenerational behaviour by borrowing findings from other areas of family studies, this paper explores the issues involved in the complex analysis of cross generational issues such as sampling, diverse and complex family forms, and unobserved family- and individual-level heterogeneity. METHODS Using multilevel methods to nest individual children in their extended families, this paper analyses data from the Survey for Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, and concludes that family size and birth order are essential for understanding intergenerational transfers. Logit and Tobit models are used to predict transfer occurrence and amount, and therefore avoid bias estimates found with OLS in existing research. RESULTS The analysis suggests that an only child is more than four times as likely to receive financial assistance as someone in a four-child family. This means that the maximum effect of family size is more than twice that of parental income. A separate and independent effect of birth order is also identified, which suggests that the oldest in a four-child family is twice as likely to receive financial assistance as their youngest sibling. CONCLUSIONS The policy implications of this finding are significant in the context of an ageing society and demographic change, suggesting a shift in focus from

Prevalence of negative life events and chronic adversities in European pre- and primary-school children: results from the IDEFICS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanaelst, Barbara; Huybrechts, Inge; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Bammann, Karin; Hadjigeorgiou, Charalambos; Eiben, Gabriele; Konstabel, Kenn; Michels, Nathalie; Molnar, Denes; Moreno, Luis A; Pigeot, Iris; Reisch, Lucia; Siani, Alfonso; Vyncke, Krishna; De Henauw, Stefaan

2012-11-22

Children are not always recognized as being susceptible to stress, although childhood stressors may originate from multiple events in their everyday surroundings with negative effects on children's health. As there is a lack of large-scale, European prevalence data on childhood adversities, this study presents the prevalence of (1) negative life events and (2) familial and social adversities in 4637 European pre- and primary-school children (4-11 years old), using a parentally-reported questionnaire embedded in the IDEFICS project ('Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS'). The following findings were observed: (1) Certain adversities occur only rarely, while others are very regular (i.e. parental divorce); (2) A large percentage of children is shielded from stressors, while a small group of children is exposed to multiple, accumulating adversities; (3) The prevalence of childhood adversity is influenced by geographical location (e.g. north versus south), age group and sex; (4) Childhood adversities are associated and co-occur, resulting in potential cumulative childhood stress. This study demonstrated the importance of not only studying traumatic events but also of focusing on the early familial and social environment in childhood stress research and indicated the importance of recording or monitoring childhood adversities.

Divorce in families of children with Down syndrome: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Urbano, Richard C; Hodapp, Robert M

2007-07-01

In this study, we examined the nature, timing, and correlates of divorce in families of children with Down syndrome (647), other birth defects (10,283) and no identified disability (361,154). Divorce rates among families of children with Down syndrome were lower than in the other two groups. When divorce did occur in the Down syndrome group, however, a higher proportion occurred within the first 2 years after the child's birth. Mothers and fathers of children with Down syndrome were much more likely to divorce if they were younger, had not graduated from high school, and if fathers were less educated and lived in a rural area. Few effects on divorce were noted for a variety of family structure variables.

Example of the application the microsatellite DNA fragments in the study of farmed European catfish (Silurus glanis, L. broodstock

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuciñski Marcin

2015-06-01

Full Text Available European catfish, Silurus glanis L., is the second largest freshwater fish in Europe. The species is very popular among the farmers, as it is one of the most promising European aquaculture species. Despite the growing importance of European catfish in freshwater aquaculture, the genetic data available on this species are still limited. The main purpose of the present study was to develop a reliable, feasible genetic protocol for future studies on European catfish populations and broodstocks in Poland. The genetic characteristics of the tested fish group were based on genetic parameters such as the polymorphism information content (PIC, the effective population size (Ne, the inbreeding coefficient (Fis, and the Garza-Williamson index (M, among others. Additionally, the potential effects of a genetic bottleneck on the genetic variation of the broodstock were examined. The genetic analysis protocol described in this study can be used to establish genetic-based records for European catfish broodstocks, including for sperm cryobanking. This approach will be useful for elaborating the selection procedures that allow for optimal assemblages of spawning pairs in artificial reproduction. The application of the genetic analysis protocol in practice will permit maintaining high quality in European catfish broodstocks.

Inequities in energy-balance related behaviours and family environmental determinants in European children: baseline results of the prospective EPHE evaluation study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mantziki, Krystallia; Vassilopoulos, Achilleas; Radulian, Gabriella; Borys, Jean-Michel; du Plessis, Hugues; Gregório, Maria João; Graça, Pedro; de Henauw, Stefaan; Handjiev, Svetoslav; Visscher, Tommy Ls; Seidell, Jacob C

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Tackling inequalities in overweight, obesity and related determinants has become a top priority for the European research and policy agendas. Although it has been established that such inequalities accumulate from early childhood onward, they have not been studied extensively in

Family studies to find rare high risk variants in migraine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rikke Dyhr; Christensen, Anne Francke; Olesen, Jes

2017-01-01

genetic variants with bigger effect size may be involved in the disease. Since migraine has a tendency to cluster in families, a family approach might be the way to find these variants. This is also indicated by identification of migraine-associated loci in classical linkage-analyses in migraine families....... A single migraine study using a candidate-gene approach was performed in 2010 identifying a rare mutation in the TRESK potassium channel segregating in a large family with migraine with aura, but this finding has later become questioned. The technologies of next-generation sequencing (NGS) now provides...... an affordable tool to investigate the genetic variation in the entire exome or genome. The family-based study design using NGS is described in this paper. We also review family studies using NGS that have been successful in finding rare variants in other common complex diseases in order to argue the promising...

European adolescent substance use : the roles of family structure, function and gender

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McArdle, P.; Wiegersma, Auke; Gilvarry, Eilish; Kolte, Birgitta; McCarthy, Steven; Fitzgerald, Michael; Brinkley, Aoife; Blom, Maria; Stoeckel, Ingo; Pierolini, Anna; Michels, Ingo; Johnson, Rob; Quensel, Stephan

Objectives The aim or this study was, first, to explore family structure and measures of family functioning in relation to adolescent substance use and seeondly. to establish if these relationships differed according to gender or according to the city of origin of the sample. Design, setting,

ONTOLOGY MAPPING IN THE RESILIENCE STUDY: THE ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE FOR EUROPEAN UNION CASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiberiu-Tudor SALANŢIU

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The ontology mapping in resilience surveillance on organization level can found utilization in analysis of association between idiosyncrasies and structure adaptability. Starting from the data regarding the economic trends for European Union members from 2014 to 2016 the aim of the research is to analyse the European Union resilience through interpretation of the link between members behaviour and structure convergence. The members positioned in European Union was analysed after organization clusterization of the twenty-eight state members. Two different structures are included into analysis for the studied periods: a structure which incorporates just the state members, and other which also take into account the eurozone blue-chips. In order to analyse the members’ relation in structure a gravity model has been developed, the obtained results for each state members pair are contained in a skew matrix. The values are interpreted through a knowledge-base to highlight the European Union resilience degree.

Time-Based Work Interference with Family and Emotional ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the relationship between time-based work interference with family and emotional exhaustion among female teachers. 304 female secondary school teachers between the ages of 26 to 54 years (M= 40.37 and SD =4.09) with educational qualifications ranging from National Certification of Education to ...

The CCC2000 Birth Cohort Study of Register-Based Family History of Mental Disorders and Psychotic Experiences in Offspring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeppesen, Pia; Tidselbak Larsen, Janne; Clemmensen, Lars

2015-01-01

in childhood was predicted by a family history of mental disorder with psychosis rather than a family history of nonpsychotic mental disorder and whether this association differed by severity of PE. The study examined data on 1632 children from a general population birth cohort assessed at age 11-12 years...... by use of a semistructured interview covering 22 psychotic symptoms. The Danish national registers were linked to describe the complete family history of hospital-based psychiatric diagnoses. Uni- and multivariable logistic regressions were used to test whether a family history of any mental disorder...... with psychosis, or of nonpsychotic mental disorder, vs no diagnoses was associated with increased risk of PE in offspring (hierarchical exposure variable). The occurrence of PE in offspring was significantly associated with a history of psychosis among the first-degree relatives (adjusted relative risk [RR] = 3...

Preventive health services implemented by family physicians in Portugal—a cross-sectional study based on two clinical scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Carlos; Azevedo, Luís Filipe; Santos, Cristina; Sá, Luísa; Santos, Paulo; Couto, Maria; Pereira, Altamiro; Hespanhol, Alberto

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess whether Portuguese family physicians perform preventive health services in accordance with scientific evidence, based on the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Primary healthcare, Portuguese National Health Service. Participants 255 Portuguese family physicians selected by a stratified cluster sampling design were invited to participate in a computer-assisted telephone survey. Outcomes Prevalence of compliance with USPSTF recommendations for screening, given a male and female clinical scenario and a set of proposed medical interventions, including frequency of the intervention and performance in their own daily practice. Results A response rate of 95.7% was obtained (n=244). 98–100% of family physicians answered according to the USPSTF recommendations in most interventions. In the male scenario, the lowest concordance was observed in the evaluation of prostate-specific antigen with 37% of family physicians answering according to the USPSTF recommendations. In the female scenario, the lowest concordance was for cholesterol testing with 2% of family physicians complying. Family physicians younger than 50 years had significantly better compliance scores than older ones (mean 77% vs 72%; p<0.001). Conclusions We found a high degree of agreement with USPSTF recommendations among Portuguese family physicians. However, we also found results suggesting excessive use of some medical interventions, raising concerns related to possible harm associated with overdiagnosis and overtreatment. PMID:24861550

A population-based survey on family intentions and fertility awareness in women and men in the United Kingdom and Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Vassard, Ditte; Lallemant, Camille; Nyboe Andersen, Anders; Macklon, Nick; Schmidt, Lone

2016-06-27

Across several European countries family formation is increasingly postponed. The aims of the study were to investigate the desire for family building and fertility awareness in the UK and Denmark. A population-based internet survey was used among women (n = 1,000) and men (n = 237) from the UK (40%) and Denmark (60%). Data covered socio-demographics, family formation, and awareness of female age-related fertility. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis for studying associations between low fertility awareness and desired family formation. The majority of all participants desired two or three children. Two-thirds of the childless participants desired a first child at 30+ years, and one-fifth of the women and one-third of the men desired a last child at age 40. Overall, 83% of women and 73% of men were aware that female fertility starts to decline around 25-30 years. Men had significantly lower fertility awareness. Women who underestimated the impact of age on female fertility were significantly more likely to have a desire or attempted their first child at a higher age. Even though the majority were aware of the age-related decrease in female fertility, most desired having children at an age when female fertility has declined. Women who were not sufficiently aware of the impact of advanced age were significantly more likely to have their first child at a higher age. There is a need for developing educational programs for women and men in order to increase the population's knowledge of fertility and risk factors for infertility.

Women in family enterprises in Estonia

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Maret Kirsipuu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article objective is to give an overview of the women in family enterprises on the basis of theoretical sources and approaches. In order to achieve this goal, an overview of the research findings have been provided, which have analyzed a woman's role in the family business. Family firms and family entrepreneurs have been defined differently by different authors, but what all definitions have in common is the family is involvement in business activities. A family entrepreneur can be both an individual whose entrepreneurial activities involve family members and a company, which was founded by family members. In family entrepreneurships, the members have trust towards each other and they communicate frequently, which will help them to achieve a common goal. The studies reflect predominantly men as family entrepreneurs in whose business activity the family members, including wife and children participate. The European Union has not yet provided a coherent definition of the family business, while increasing the role of women in family businesses in ensuring gender equality and giving importance to the role of the woman as the family entrepreneur

Phenotypic and familial associations between childhood maltreatment and cannabis initiation and problems in young adult European-American and African-American women.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Julia D; Agrawal, Arpana; Werner, Kimberly B; McCutcheon, Vivia V; Nelson, Elliot C; Madden, Pamela A F; Bucholz, Kathleen K; Heath, Andrew C; Sartor, Carolyn E

2017-10-01

Childhood maltreatment is a known risk factor for cannabis initiation and problem use, but the extent to which this association is attributable to shared familial influences is unknown. We estimate the magnitude of associations between childhood maltreatment, timing of cannabis initiation, and cannabis-related problems, in European-American (EA) and African-American (AA) women, and parse the relative influence of additive genetic (A), shared environmental (C), and individual-specific environmental (E) factors on these constructs and their covariation. Data were from diagnostic telephone interviews conducted with 3786 participants (14.6% AA) in a population-based study of female twins. Logistic regression analyses and twin modeling were used to test for associations, and estimate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to childhood maltreatment and cannabis outcomes and their covariation. Maltreatment was significantly associated with increased likelihood of cannabis initiation before age 15 among EAs (OR=6.33) and AAs (OR=3.93), but with increased likelihood of later initiation among EAs only (OR=1.68). Maltreatment was associated with cannabis problems among both groups (EA OR=2.32; AA OR=2.03). Among EA women, the covariation between maltreatment and cannabis outcomes was primarily attributable to familial environment (rC=0.67-0.70); among AAs, only individual-specific environment contributed (rE=0.37-0.40). Childhood maltreatment is a major contributor to early initiation of cannabis as well as progression to cannabis problems in both AA and EA women. Distinctions by race/ethnicity are not in the relative contribution of genetic factors, but rather in the type of environmental influences that contribute to stages of cannabis involvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

European study of occupational radiation exposure - ESOREX -. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frasch, G.; Anatschkowa, E.

1997-11-01

The ESOREX-Project consists of several surveys executed in the Member States of the European Union, furthermore in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Its purpose is to survey in each of these countries 1. the administrative systems used to register individual occupational radiation exposure, 2. the numbers of occupationally radiation exposed persons and dose distributions for the year 1995. The study shall describe and compare the administrative structures of the various national registration systems and the quantity structures. It shall identify the differences between the states and analyze the possibilities for a European harmonization. In order to achieve the co-operation of the European states the European Commission and the BfS organized an international introductory workshop in Luxembourg in May, 1997. The proceedings reflect the presentations of the participants and the results of the discussions. (orig.) [de

Influence of Cushioning Variables in the Workplace and in the Family on the Probability of Suffering Stress

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David Cárdenas Gonzalo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Stress at work and in the family is a very common issue in our society that generates many health-related problems. During recent years, numerous studies have sought to define the term stress, raising many contradictions that various authors have studied. Other authors have attempted to establish some criteria, in subjective and not very quantitative ways, in an attempt to reduce and even to eliminate stressors and their effects at work and in the family context. The purpose of this study was to quantify so-called cushioning variables, such as control, social support, home/work life conciliation, and even sports and leisure activities, with the purpose of, as much as possible, reducing the negative effects of stress, which seriously affects the health of workers. The study employs data from the Fifth European Working Conditions Survey, in which nearly 44,000 interviewees from 34 countries in the European Union participated. We constructed a probabilistic model based on a Bayesian network, using variables from both the workplace and the family, the aforementioned cushioning variables, as well as the variable stress. If action is taken on the above variables, then the probabilities of suffering high levels of stress may be reduced. Such action may improve the quality of life of people at work and in the family.

The importance of longitudinal studies in family medicine: experiences of two practice-based research networks.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weel, C. van; Weel-Baumgarten, E.M. van; Mold, J.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: For evidence-based decision making in family practice, it is essential to know the long-term (natural) course of common diseases and their outcomes under care and treatment. This article, based on a research methodology workshop, aims to raise awareness and interest in longitudinal

What seems to matter in public policy and the health of informal caregivers? A cross-sectional study in 12 European countries.

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Calvó-Perxas, Laia; Vilalta-Franch, Joan; Litwin, Howard; Turró-Garriga, Oriol; Mira, Pedro; Garre-Olmo, Josep

2018-01-01

In Europe, informal caregiving is frequent and is expected to grow. Caregiving has an impact on caregivers' health, but its effect may vary according to the policies of support that are available to caregivers. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the policies of support to caregivers available in 12 European countries and the health of caregivers, considering separately the policies based on financial help and those based on training and other non- financial services. We used data from 13,507 caregivers from 12 European countries from the fifth wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to build a path model. Poor health among caregivers was associated with living in a family-based care country (β = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.42-0.59), and with an increased extent of caregiving (β = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.15-0.22). Non-financial support measures seem to have a larger protective impact (β = -0.33; 95% CI = -0.38 - -0.28) on the health of caregivers than do financial support measures (β = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.01-0.04), regardless of the gender of the caregiver. According to our results, the currently available policies of support associated with better health among caregivers are those that: 1) provide them with some free time, 2) help them to deal emotionally with caregiving, and 3) give them skills to both improve the care situation and to deal with it better.

Burden of Six Healthcare-Associated Infections on European Population Health: Estimating Incidence-Based Disability-Adjusted Life Years through a Population Prevalence-Based Modelling Study.

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Alessandro Cassini

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Estimating the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs compared to other communicable diseases is an ongoing challenge given the need for good quality data on the incidence of these infections and the involved comorbidities. Based on the methodology of the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE project and 2011-2012 data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC point prevalence survey (PPS of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals, we estimated the burden of six common HAIs.The included HAIs were healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP, healthcare-associated urinary tract infection (HA UTI, surgical site infection (SSI, healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA CDI, healthcare-associated neonatal sepsis, and healthcare-associated primary bloodstream infection (HA primary BSI. The burden of these HAIs was measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs. Evidence relating to the disease progression pathway of each type of HAI was collected through systematic literature reviews, in order to estimate the risks attributable to HAIs. For each of the six HAIs, gender and age group prevalence from the ECDC PPS was converted into incidence rates by applying the Rhame and Sudderth formula. We adjusted for reduced life expectancy within the hospital population using three severity groups based on McCabe score data from the ECDC PPS. We estimated that 2,609,911 new cases of HAI occur every year in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA. The cumulative burden of the six HAIs was estimated at 501 DALYs per 100,000 general population each year in EU/EEA. HAP and HA primary BSI were associated with the highest burden and represented more than 60% of the total burden, with 169 and 145 DALYs per 100,000 total population, respectively. HA UTI, SSI, HA CDI, and HA primary BSI ranked as the third to sixth syndromes in terms of burden of disease. HAP and HA primary BSI were

Burden of Six Healthcare-Associated Infections on European Population Health: Estimating Incidence-Based Disability-Adjusted Life Years through a Population Prevalence-Based Modelling Study

Science.gov (United States)

Eckmanns, Tim; Abu Sin, Muna; Ducomble, Tanja; Harder, Thomas; Sixtensson, Madlen; Velasco, Edward; Weiß, Bettina; Kramarz, Piotr; Monnet, Dominique L.; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E.; Suetens, Carl

2016-01-01

Background Estimating the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) compared to other communicable diseases is an ongoing challenge given the need for good quality data on the incidence of these infections and the involved comorbidities. Based on the methodology of the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE) project and 2011–2012 data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) point prevalence survey (PPS) of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals, we estimated the burden of six common HAIs. Methods and Findings The included HAIs were healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP), healthcare-associated urinary tract infection (HA UTI), surgical site infection (SSI), healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA CDI), healthcare-associated neonatal sepsis, and healthcare-associated primary bloodstream infection (HA primary BSI). The burden of these HAIs was measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Evidence relating to the disease progression pathway of each type of HAI was collected through systematic literature reviews, in order to estimate the risks attributable to HAIs. For each of the six HAIs, gender and age group prevalence from the ECDC PPS was converted into incidence rates by applying the Rhame and Sudderth formula. We adjusted for reduced life expectancy within the hospital population using three severity groups based on McCabe score data from the ECDC PPS. We estimated that 2,609,911 new cases of HAI occur every year in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA). The cumulative burden of the six HAIs was estimated at 501 DALYs per 100,000 general population each year in EU/EEA. HAP and HA primary BSI were associated with the highest burden and represented more than 60% of the total burden, with 169 and 145 DALYs per 100,000 total population, respectively. HA UTI, SSI, HA CDI, and HA primary BSI ranked as the third to sixth syndromes in terms of burden of disease

TRENDS IN AUTHORITARIANISM: EVIDENCE FROM 31 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

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Sabrina de Regt

2011-01-01

Full Text Available To date, few studies have been conducted on trendsin authoritarian attitudes,despite the importance of this research in our understanding of undemocraticmovements in society. Studies that have surveyed trends in authoritarianism arealready rather outdated, often based on student samples and conducted in only alimited number of countries. Furthermore, until now, no study had tested whetherthe meaning of authoritarianism is invariant acrosstime. Using theEuropeanValues Study,we examined trends in authoritarianism in 31 European countriesover the last decade (1999-2008, based on representative samples. It was foundthat in many Western European countries, with the exception of the Netherlands,authoritarianism declined significantly over the last decade. However, in some,mostly Eastern European countries, levels of authoritarianism actually increasedsignificantly during the last decade. Changing levels of authoritarianism werelinked to extreme-right and anti-democratic sentiment in European societies.

Opportunities to Learn about Europe at School. A Comparative Analysis among European Adolescents in 21 European Member States

Science.gov (United States)

Verhaegen, Soetkin; Hooghe, Marc; Meeusen, Cecil

2013-01-01

In this article, we investigate the relationship between different learning methods and the formation of European identity among adolescents. The analysis is based on the European module of the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (2009), with 70,502 respondents in 21 European member states. The results show that offering…

Multiple deprivation, income and poverty in Italy: an analysis based on European Community Household Panel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Brasini

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to examine both the diffusion and intensity of poverty in Italy by utilising two kinds of approach. The first is the usual one, which employs a threshold defined in terms of income in order to identify the poor families. The second, referring to the definition of functioning introduced by Sen, identifies the poor families on the basis of living conditions. The use of this specific approach allows us to take into account new aspects of the phenomenon that the income approach overcame. Our analyses refer to the results of the second wave of the European Community Household Panel, which was delivered in 1995. Regarding income poverty, a logistic discriminant analysis has been performed in order to detect the significantly connected variables, as for the living conditions approach. The latter approach is more effective in the detection of the family state of privation than the former.

Knowledge Transfer in Family Business Successions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boyd, Britta; Royer, Susanne; Pei, Rong

Knowledge often is the fundament for strategic competitive advantage. Thus, it is highly relevant to understand better how knowledge is transferred from one generation to the next in family businesses. Building on the contingency model of family business succession (Royer, Simons, Boyd & Rafferty......, 2008) knowledge transfer in different cultures is investigated in this paper. From a resource-oriented perspective two family businesses with a similar industry background from China and Europe are compared regarding education processes and knowledge transfer in the context of family firm succession...... taking into account the respective transaction atmosphere. For the European family business from the Danish-German border region twelve successions were investigated in a former study: Access to experiential knowledge was found to be a driver of competitive advantage with a shift towards the relevance...

Family policy instruments oriented towards single parent families in the Czech Republic and in selected European countries

OpenAIRE

Kohlová, Hana

2014-01-01

This bachelor thesis deals with family policy oriented towards single parent families. This thesis tries to define reasons why single parent families are arising. It addresses the divorce rate, birth rate, and extramarital fertility. Differences between families with both parents and single parent families are defined and the subjective views of single parents in the Czech Republic are described in this thesis. Provisions from family policy, which take into account single parent families in t...

The readiness and motivation interview for families (RMI-Family) managing pediatric obesity: study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Geoff D C; Spence, Nicholas D; Browne, Nadia E; O'Connor, Kathleen; Srikameswaran, Suja; Zelichowska, Joanna; Ho, Josephine; Gokiert, Rebecca; Mâsse, Louise C; Carson, Valerie; Morrison, Katherine M; Kuk, Jennifer L; Holt, Nicholas L; Kebbe, Maryam; Gehring, Nicole D; Cesar, Melody; Virtanen, Heidi; Geller, Josie

2017-04-11

Experts recommend that clinicians assess motivational factors before initiating care for pediatric obesity. Currently, there are no well-established clinical tools available for assessing motivation in youth with obesity or their families. This represents an important gap in knowledge since motivation-related information may shed light on which patients might fail to complete treatment programs. Our study was designed to evaluate the measurement properties and utility of the Readiness and Motivational Interview for Families (RMI-Family), a structured interview that utilizes a motivational interviewing approach to (i) assess motivational factors in youth and their parents, and (ii) examine the degree to which motivation and motivation-related concordance between youth and parents are related to making changes to lifestyle habits for managing obesity in youth. From 2016 to 2020, this prospective study will include youth with obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥97th percentile; 13-17 years old; n = 250) and their parents (n = 250). The study will be conducted at two primary-level, multidisciplinary obesity management clinics based at children's hospitals in Alberta, Canada. Participants will be recruited and enrolled after referral to these clinics, but prior to initiating clinical care. Each youth and their parent will complete the RMI-Family (~1.5 h) at baseline, and 6- and 12-months post-baseline. Individual (i.e., youth or parent) and family-level (i.e., across youth and parent) responses to interview questions will be scored, as will aspects of interview administration (e.g., fidelity to motivational interviewing tenets). The RMI-Family will also be examined for test-retest reliability. Youth data collected at each time point will include demography, anthropometry, lifestyle habits, psychosocial functioning, and health services utilization. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between individual and family-level interview scores on the RMI-Family

Familial risks of glomerulonephritis - a nationwide family study in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Akrawi, Delshad Saleh; Li, Xinjun; Sundquist, Jan; Fjellstedt, Erik; Sundquist, Kristina; Zöller, Bengt

2016-08-01

Familial risks of glomerulonephritis (acute, chronic and unspecified glomerulonephritis) have not been studied. This study aims to determine the familial risks of glomerulonephritis. Individuals born from1932 onwards diagnosed with glomerulonephritis (acute [n = 7011], chronic [n = 10,242] and unspecified glomerulonephritis [n = 5762]) were included. The familial risk (Standardized incidence ratio = SIR) was calculated for individuals whose parents/full-siblings were diagnosed with glomerulonephritis compared to those whose parents/full-siblings were not. The procedure was repeated for spouses. Familial concordant risk (same disease in proband and exposed relative) and discordant risk (different disease in proband and exposed relative) of glomerulonephritis were determined. Familial concordant risks (parents/full-sibling history) were: SIR = 3.57 (95% confidence interval, 2.77-4.53) for acute glomerulonephritis, SIR = 3.84 (3.37-4.36) for chronic glomerulonephritis and SIR = 3.75 (2.85-4.83) for unspecified glomerulonephritis. High familial risks were observed if two or more relatives were affected; the SIR was 209.83 (150.51-284.87) in individuals with at least one affected parent as well as one full-sibling. The spouse risk was only moderately increased (SIR = 1.53, 1.33-1.75). Family history of glomerulonephritis is a strong predictor for glomerulonephritis, and is a potentially useful tool in clinical risk assessment. Our data emphasize the contribution of familial factors to the glomerulonephritis burden in the community. Key Messages The familial risks (full-sibling/parent history) of glomerulonephritis (acute, chronic and unspecified glomerulonephritis) have not been determined previously. The familial risks of glomerulonephritis were increased among individuals with family history of acute, chronic or unspecified glomerulonephritis. The familial risks of glomerulonephritis were slightly increased among spouses indicating a

A family-based joint test for mean and variance heterogeneity for quantitative traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Ying; Maxwell, Taylor J; Wei, Peng

2015-01-01

Traditional quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis focuses on identifying loci associated with mean heterogeneity. Recent research has discovered loci associated with phenotype variance heterogeneity (vQTL), which is important in studying genetic association with complex traits, especially for identifying gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. While several tests have been proposed to detect vQTL for unrelated individuals, there are no tests for related individuals, commonly seen in family-based genetic studies. Here we introduce a likelihood ratio test (LRT) for identifying mean and variance heterogeneity simultaneously or for either effect alone, adjusting for covariates and family relatedness using a linear mixed effect model approach. The LRT test statistic for normally distributed quantitative traits approximately follows χ(2)-distributions. To correct for inflated Type I error for non-normally distributed quantitative traits, we propose a parametric bootstrap-based LRT that removes the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) of family random effect. Simulation studies show that our family-based test controls Type I error and has good power, while Type I error inflation is observed when family relatedness is ignored. We demonstrate the utility and efficiency gains of the proposed method using data from the Framingham Heart Study to detect loci associated with body mass index (BMI) variability. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/University College London.

Family Care Responsibilities and Employment: Exploring the Impact of Type of Family Care on Work-Family and Family-Work Conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Lisa M.

2013-01-01

This study compared work-family and family-work conflict for employed family caregivers with disability-related care responsibilities in contrast to employed family caregivers with typical care responsibilities. Using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce, a population-based survey of the U.S. workforce, formal and informal…

Association of a Family History of Atrial Fibrillation With Incidence and Outcomes of Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-Based Family Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Shang-Hung; Kuo, Chang-Fu; Chou, I-Jun; See, Lai-Chu; Yu, Kuang-Hui; Luo, Shue-Fen; Huang, Lu-Hsiang; Zhang, Weiya; Doherty, Michael; Wen, Ming-Shien; Kuo, Chi-Tai; Yeh, Yung-Hsin

2017-08-01

The heritability of atrial fibrillation (AF), the contribution of genetic and environmental factors, and the association of a family history of AF with prognosis are unclear. To measure genetic and environmental factors in the familial aggregation of AF and to estimate the association of a family history of AF with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). In this Taiwanese nationwide population-based study among more than 23 million people, a custom data set was obtained using the data of all patients having a diagnosis of AF recorded between January 1996 and December 2013 in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study population comprised all 23 422 955 individuals registered with the database in 2013, of whom 177 770 had a diagnosis of AF and were included in the heritability estimation. From the latter, a subgroup of patients having newly diagnosed AF with a first-degree relative affected by AF between 2000 and 2010 were selected and matched 1:4 to controls without a family history for estimating MACE-free survival. The dates of analysis were January 2010 to December 2013. The prevalence and relative risk of AF in relatives of patients with AF, as well as the relative contributions of heritability and shared and nonshared environmental factors to AF susceptibility. Also measured was MACE-free survival after AF was diagnosed. In total, 1510 patients (204 [13.5%] female; mean [SD] age, 57.9 [9.2] years) had newly diagnosed AF with a first-degree relative affected by AF. Individuals with a first-degree relative affected by AF had a relative risk of 1.92 (95% CI, 1.84-1.99) for AF. The accountability for the phenotypic variance of AF was 19.9% for genetic factors (heritability), 3.5% for shared environmental factors, and 76.6% for nonshared environmental factors. After matching for age, sex, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, previous stroke, and anticoagulation, incident AF patients with vs without an affected first-degree relative had

Mother-adolescent conflict in African American and European American families: the role of corporal punishment, adolescent aggression, and adolescents' hostile attributions of mothers' intent.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKinnon-Lewis, Carol; Lindsey, Eric W; Frabutt, James M; Chambers, Jessica Campbell

2014-08-01

The present study examined mothers' use of corporal punishment and adolescents' aggression as predictors of mother-youth conflict during early adolescence. Particular attention was given to the potential mediating role that adolescents' hostile attributions of intent (HAI) regarding mothers' behavior might play in connections between corporal punishment, youth aggression, and mother-adolescent conflict for European American (EA) and African American (AA) youth. Data were collected from 268 12- to 14-year-olds (154 European American; 114 African American; 133 girls; 135 boys) and their mothers over a period of 2 years. Questionnaires completed by both mothers and adolescents were used to assess maternal corporal punishment and adolescent aggression, and interviews concerning hypothetical situations were used to assess adolescent HAI in year one. In both year one and year two mother-adolescent conflict was observed in a laboratory interaction session. Data revealed that adolescent HAI mediated the link between maternal corporal punishment and mother-adolescent conflict for EA, but not AA youth. Adolescents' HAI mediated the link between adolescent aggression and mother-adolescent conflict for both EA and AA families. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Recruiting and retaining family caregivers to a randomized controlled trial on mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitebird, Robin R; Kreitzer, Mary Jo; Lewis, Beth A; Hanson, Leah R; Crain, A Lauren; Enstad, Chris J; Mehta, Adele

2011-09-01

Caregivers for a family member with dementia experience chronic long-term stress that may benefit from new complementary therapies such as mindfulness-based stress reduction. Little is known however, about the challenges of recruiting and retaining family caregivers to research on mind-body based complementary therapies. Our pilot study is the first of its kind to successfully recruit caregivers for a family member with dementia to a randomized controlled pilot study of mindfulness-based stress reduction. The study used an array of recruitment strategies and techniques that were tailored to fit the unique features of our recruitment sources and employed retention strategies that placed high value on establishing early and ongoing communication with potential participants. Innovative recruitment methods including conducting outreach to health plan members and generating press coverage were combined with standard methods of community outreach and paid advertising. We were successful in exceeding our recruitment goal and retained 92% of the study participants at post-intervention (2 months) and 90% at 6 months. Recruitment and retention for family caregiver interventions employing mind-body based complementary therapies can be successful despite many challenges. Barriers include cultural perceptions about the use and benefit of complementary therapies, cultural differences with how the role of family caregiver is perceived, the use of group-based designs requiring significant time commitment by participants, and travel and respite care needs for busy family caregivers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family-based childhood obesity prevention interventions: a systematic review and quantitative content analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ash, Tayla; Agaronov, Alen; Young, Ta'Loria; Aftosmes-Tobio, Alyssa; Davison, Kirsten K

2017-08-24

A wide range of interventions has been implemented and tested to prevent obesity in children. Given parents' influence and control over children's energy-balance behaviors, including diet, physical activity, media use, and sleep, family interventions are a key strategy in this effort. The objective of this study was to profile the field of recent family-based childhood obesity prevention interventions by employing systematic review and quantitative content analysis methods to identify gaps in the knowledge base. Using a comprehensive search strategy, we searched the PubMed, PsycIFO, and CINAHL databases to identify eligible interventions aimed at preventing childhood obesity with an active family component published between 2008 and 2015. Characteristics of study design, behavioral domains targeted, and sample demographics were extracted from eligible articles using a comprehensive codebook. More than 90% of the 119 eligible interventions were based in the United States, Europe, or Australia. Most interventions targeted children 2-5 years of age (43%) or 6-10 years of age (35%), with few studies targeting the prenatal period (8%) or children 14-17 years of age (7%). The home (28%), primary health care (27%), and community (33%) were the most common intervention settings. Diet (90%) and physical activity (82%) were more frequently targeted in interventions than media use (55%) and sleep (20%). Only 16% of interventions targeted all four behavioral domains. In addition to studies in developing countries, racial minorities and non-traditional families were also underrepresented. Hispanic/Latino and families of low socioeconomic status were highly represented. The limited number of interventions targeting diverse populations and obesity risk behaviors beyond diet and physical activity inhibit the development of comprehensive, tailored interventions. To ensure a broad evidence base, more interventions implemented in developing countries and targeting racial

Prostate cancer risk prediction based on complete prostate cancer family history.

Science.gov (United States)

Albright, Frederick; Stephenson, Robert A; Agarwal, Neeraj; Teerlink, Craig C; Lowrance, William T; Farnham, James M; Albright, Lisa A Cannon

2015-03-01

Prostate cancer (PC) relative risks (RRs) are typically estimated based on status of close relatives or presence of any affected relatives. This study provides RR estimates using extensive and specific PC family history. A retrospective population-based study was undertaken to estimate RRs for PC based on complete family history of PC. A total of 635,443 males, all with ancestral genealogy data, were analyzed. RRs for PC were determined based upon PC rates estimated from males with no PC family history (without PC in first, second, or third degree relatives). RRs were determined for a variety of constellations, for example, number of first through third degree relatives; named (grandfather, father, uncle, cousins, brothers); maternal, paternal relationships, and age of onset. In the 635,443 males analyzed, 18,105 had PC. First-degree RRs ranged from 2.46 (=1 first-degree relative affected, CI = 2.39-2.53) to 7.65 (=4 first-degree relatives affected, CI = 6.28-9.23). Second-degree RRs for probands with 0 affected first-degree relatives ranged from 1.51 (≥1 second-degree relative affected, CI = 1.47-1.56) to 3.09 (≥5 second-degree relatives affected, CI = 2.32-4.03). Third-degree RRs with 0 affected first- and 0 affected second-degree relatives ranged from 1.15 (≥1 affected third-degree relative, CI = 1.12-1.19) to 1.50 (≥5 affected third-degree relatives, CI = 1.35-1.66). RRs based on age at diagnosis were higher for earlier age at diagnoses; for example, RR = 5.54 for ≥1 first-degree relative diagnosed before age 50 years (CI = 1.12-1.19) and RR = 1.78 for >1 second-degree relative diagnosed before age 50 years, CI = 1.33, 2.33. RRs for equivalent maternal versus paternal family history were not significantly different. A more complete PC family history using close and distant relatives and age at diagnosis results in a wider range of estimates of individual RR that are potentially more accurate than RRs estimated

Families' experiences of intensive care unit quality of care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hanne Irene; Gerritsen, Rik T; Koopmans, Matty

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to adapt and provide preliminary validation for questionnaires evaluating families' experiences of quality of care for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study took place in 2 European ICUs. Based on literature...... validity. RESULTS: A total of 110 family members participated. Response rate was 87%. For all questions, a median of 97% (94%-99%) was assessed as relevant, and a median of 98% (97%-100%), as understandable. Median ceiling effect was 41% (30%-47%). There was a median of 0% missing data (0%-1%). Test......-retest reliability showed a median weighted κ of 0.69 (0.53-0.83). Validation showed significant correlation between total scores and key questions. CONCLUSIONS: The questions were assessed as relevant and understandable, providing high face and content validity. Ceiling effects were comparable to similar...

SPEAR indicates pesticide effects in streams - Comparative use of species- and family-level biomonitoring data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beketov, M.A.; Foit, K.; Schaefer, R.B.; Schriever, C.A.; Sacchi, A.; Capri, E.; Biggs, J.; Wells, C.; Liess, M.

2009-01-01

To detect effects of pesticides on non-target freshwater organisms the Species at risk (SPEAR pesticides ) bioindicator based on biological traits was previously developed and successfully validated over different biogeographical regions of Europe using species-level data on stream invertebrates. Since many freshwater biomonitoring programmes have family-level taxonomic resolution we tested the applicability of SPEAR pesticides with family-level biomonitoring data to indicate pesticide effects in streams (i.e. insecticide toxicity of pesticides). The study showed that the explanatory power of the family-level SPEAR(fm) pesticides is not significantly lower than the species-level index. The results suggest that the family-level SPEAR(fm) pesticides is a sensitive, cost-effective, and potentially European-wide bioindicator of pesticide contamination in flowing waters. Class boundaries for SPEAR pesticides according to EU Water Framework Directive are defined to contribute to the assessment of ecological status of water bodies. - We show that SPEAR pesticides can be based on family-level biomonitoring data and is applicable for large-scale monitoring programmes to detect and quantify pesticide contamination.

SPEAR indicates pesticide effects in streams - Comparative use of species- and family-level biomonitoring data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beketov, M.A., E-mail: mikhail.beketov@ufz.d [UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department System Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Foit, K.; Schaefer, R.B.; Schriever, C.A. [UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department System Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Sacchi, A.; Capri, E. [Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Chimica Agraria ed Ambientale, Piacenza (Italy); Biggs, J. [Pond Conservation, c/o Oxford Brookes University, Headington (United Kingdom); Wells, C. [Environment Agency of England and Wales, Science Department, Bristol (United Kingdom); Liess, M. [UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department System Ecotoxicology, Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany)

2009-06-15

To detect effects of pesticides on non-target freshwater organisms the Species at risk (SPEAR{sub pesticides}) bioindicator based on biological traits was previously developed and successfully validated over different biogeographical regions of Europe using species-level data on stream invertebrates. Since many freshwater biomonitoring programmes have family-level taxonomic resolution we tested the applicability of SPEAR{sub pesticides} with family-level biomonitoring data to indicate pesticide effects in streams (i.e. insecticide toxicity of pesticides). The study showed that the explanatory power of the family-level SPEAR(fm){sub pesticides} is not significantly lower than the species-level index. The results suggest that the family-level SPEAR(fm){sub pesticides} is a sensitive, cost-effective, and potentially European-wide bioindicator of pesticide contamination in flowing waters. Class boundaries for SPEAR{sub pesticides} according to EU Water Framework Directive are defined to contribute to the assessment of ecological status of water bodies. - We show that SPEAR{sub pesticides} can be based on family-level biomonitoring data and is applicable for large-scale monitoring programmes to detect and quantify pesticide contamination.

Predictors of self-esteem for Mexican American and European American youths: a reexamination of the influence of parenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Sonia Y; Roosa, Mark W; Gonzales, Nancy A

2002-03-01

Decades of research with European American middle-class families have found significant relations between parenting behavior and child self-esteem. Similar research with minority and low-income families is rare. The present study examined the relation between parenting practices and child self-esteem among 70 Mexican American and 161 European American youths. The analyses consisted of regressing child self-esteem on parenting practices (acceptance, rejection, inconsistent discipline, and hostile control), ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and the interactions between ethnicity, SES, and parenting practices. Several main effects and interactions were significant; for each interaction, behavior of low-income or Mexican American parents had less influence on children's self-esteem than did similar behavior by middle-class or European American parents.

Gene Environment Interactions and Predictors of Colorectal Cancer in Family-Based, Multi-Ethnic Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiao, S Pamela K; Grayson, James; Yu, Chong Ho; Wasek, Brandi; Bottiglieri, Teodoro

2018-02-16

For the personalization of polygenic/omics-based health care, the purpose of this study was to examine the gene-environment interactions and predictors of colorectal cancer (CRC) by including five key genes in the one-carbon metabolism pathways. In this proof-of-concept study, we included a total of 54 families and 108 participants, 54 CRC cases and 54 matched family friends representing four major racial ethnic groups in southern California (White, Asian, Hispanics, and Black). We used three phases of data analytics, including exploratory, family-based analyses adjusting for the dependence within the family for sharing genetic heritage, the ensemble method, and generalized regression models for predictive modeling with a machine learning validation procedure to validate the results for enhanced prediction and reproducibility. The results revealed that despite the family members sharing genetic heritage, the CRC group had greater combined gene polymorphism rates than the family controls ( p relation to gene-environment interactions in the prevention of CRC.

A method to prioritize quantitative traits and individuals for sequencing in family-based studies.

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Kaanan P Shah

Full Text Available Owing to recent advances in DNA sequencing, it is now technically feasible to evaluate the contribution of rare variation to complex traits and diseases. However, it is still cost prohibitive to sequence the whole genome (or exome of all individuals in each study. For quantitative traits, one strategy to reduce cost is to sequence individuals in the tails of the trait distribution. However, the next challenge becomes how to prioritize traits and individuals for sequencing since individuals are often characterized for dozens of medically relevant traits. In this article, we describe a new method, the Rare Variant Kinship Test (RVKT, which leverages relationship information in family-based studies to identify quantitative traits that are likely influenced by rare variants. Conditional on nuclear families and extended pedigrees, we evaluate the power of the RVKT via simulation. Not unexpectedly, the power of our method depends strongly on effect size, and to a lesser extent, on the frequency of the rare variant and the number and type of relationships in the sample. As an illustration, we also apply our method to data from two genetic studies in the Old Order Amish, a founder population with extensive genealogical records. Remarkably, we implicate the presence of a rare variant that lowers fasting triglyceride levels in the Heredity and Phenotype Intervention (HAPI Heart study (p = 0.044, consistent with the presence of a previously identified null mutation in the APOC3 gene that lowers fasting triglyceride levels in HAPI Heart study participants.

Determinants of family planning use among married women in bale eco-region, Southeast Ethiopia: a community based study.

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Gonie, Alemayehu; Wudneh, Alemayehu; Nigatu, Dejene; Dendir, Zelalem

2018-03-12

Family planning is the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births. Providing family planning could prevent maternal deaths by allowing women to delay motherhood, space births, avoid unintended pregnancies and abortions, and stop childbearing when they reach their desired family size. Despite the fact that family planning is advantageous for maternal and newborn health and the services and commodities are free of charge, the reason of not using modern family planning methods is unclear in Bale Eco-Region. Therefore, this study assessed the contraceptive prevalence rate and its determinants among women in Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study design (both quantitative and qualitative methods) was conducted from December 2016 to February 2017. Five hundred sixty-seven women were successfully interviewed using structured and pre-tested questionnaire. A multistage sampling technique was employed. Data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21. Logistic regression analyses were done and a significant association was declared at p-value less than 0.05. All focus group discussions and key informant interviews were recorded and analyzed thematically. The overall contraceptive prevalence rate was 41.5%. Injectable (48.1%), implants (22.6%) and pills (20.0%) were the most contraceptive methods utilized by study participants. Spousal (husband's) opposition (38.8%), religious beliefs (17.7%), concern and fear of side effects (14.8%), and distance of family planning service (5.9%) were the reasons for not using contraceptive methods. Having more than seven deliveries (AOR = 2.98, CI = 1.91-6.10, P = 0.000) and having birth interval less than 24 months between the last two children (AOR = 3.8, CI = 13.41-21.61, P = 0.003) were significantly associated with utilization of contraceptive methods. Low

Feasibility Study of Designing the family and Women’s Studies Thesaurus Using BS ISO 25964-1

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Zahra dehsaraie

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Research Objective: Feasibility study of the Family and Women’s Studies Thesaurus considering the expansion of information in the field of women and family studies, as well as the wide span of related vocabulary and the development of vocabulary lists and bibliographies, the Family and Women’s Studies Thesaurus can be a professional tool for indexing and retrieval of women’s information in databases, library collections, archives and documentation centers as well as the Internet. Using this thesaurus, an indexing system will be developed which can be used for indexing, storage and retrieval of family and women’s databases. Methodology: The research method used in this study is documentary-based and the data gathering method was through library search in printed and electronic resources as well as interviewing professionals in the field of family and Women’s Studies. Through building a concept network between the terms, first the main structure of the thesaurus was determined using the inductive method and then the detailed structure was developed. Using this concept network, terms of the field were determined in a specific system and their interrelations were clarified. Findings: By studying resources including books, theses and articles in the field of women and family studies, and using ISO 25964-1 standard, the following 13 major categories were determined for the Family and Women’s Studies Thesaurus : 1. Religion; 2. Health and Hygiene; 3. Politics; 4. Economics; 5.Social Sciences; 6. Education; 7. Psychology; 8. History; 9. Culture and Literature; 10. International Relations; 11. Law; 12. Science and Technology; 13. Sports. There exists a rich vocabulary pool in the above categories; in fact around 6000 terms were identified. Conclusion: Based upon the collected vocabulary and after building the references and scope notes, 243 keywords including 160 preferred terms, 124 related terms, 83 scope notes and 82 non-preferred terms

Design and baseline characteristics of the Food4Me study: a web-based randomised controlled trial of personalised nutrition in seven European countries.

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Celis-Morales, Carlos; Livingstone, Katherine M; Marsaux, Cyril F M; Forster, Hannah; O'Donovan, Clare B; Woolhead, Clara; Macready, Anna L; Fallaize, Rosalind; Navas-Carretero, Santiago; San-Cristobal, Rodrigo; Kolossa, Silvia; Hartwig, Kai; Tsirigoti, Lydia; Lambrinou, Christina P; Moschonis, George; Godlewska, Magdalena; Surwiłło, Agnieszka; Grimaldi, Keith; Bouwman, Jildau; Daly, E J; Akujobi, Victor; O'Riordan, Rick; Hoonhout, Jettie; Claassen, Arjan; Hoeller, Ulrich; Gundersen, Thomas E; Kaland, Siv E; Matthews, John N S; Manios, Yannis; Traczyk, Iwona; Drevon, Christian A; Gibney, Eileen R; Brennan, Lorraine; Walsh, Marianne C; Lovegrove, Julie A; Alfredo Martinez, J; Saris, Wim H M; Daniel, Hannelore; Gibney, Mike; Mathers, John C

2015-01-01

Improving lifestyle behaviours has considerable potential for reducing the global burden of non-communicable diseases, promoting better health across the life-course and increasing well-being. However, realising this potential will require the development, testing and implementation of much more effective behaviour change interventions than are used conventionally. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a multi-centre, web-based, proof-of-principle study of personalised nutrition (PN) to determine whether providing more personalised dietary advice leads to greater improvements in eating patterns and health outcomes compared to conventional population-based advice. A total of 5,562 volunteers were screened across seven European countries; the first 1,607 participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited into the trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the following intervention groups for a 6-month period: Level 0-control group-receiving conventional, non-PN advice; Level 1-receiving PN advice based on dietary intake data alone; Level 2-receiving PN advice based on dietary intake and phenotypic data; and Level 3-receiving PN advice based on dietary intake, phenotypic and genotypic data. A total of 1,607 participants had a mean age of 39.8 years (ranging from 18 to 79 years). Of these participants, 60.9 % were women and 96.7 % were from white-European background. The mean BMI for all randomised participants was 25.5 kg m(-2), and 44.8 % of the participants had a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg m(-2). Food4Me is the first large multi-centre RCT of web-based PN. The main outcomes from the Food4Me study will be submitted for publication during 2015.

Exploring subgroup effects by socioeconomic position of three effective school-based dietary interventions: the European TEENAGE project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lien, N.; Haerens, L.; te Velde, S.J.; Mercken, L.; Klepp, K.I.; Moore, L.; de Bourdeaudhuij, I.; Faggiano, F.; Lenthe, F.J.

2014-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore subgroup effects by high and low socioeconomic position (SEP) of three previously conducted, effective European interventions. Methods: Reanalyses stratified by SEP were conducted by the research groups of each study. All studies were school-based:

Family law and national culture
Arguing against the cultural constraints argument

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Masha Antokolskaia

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The ‘cultural constraints argument’, submits that family laws are embedded in unique national cultures, that this cultural and historical diversity is unbridgeable and therefore family laws are not spontaneously converging and cannot be deliberately harmonised. This article argues against the core assumption of the cultural constraints argument – the alleged embedment of family laws in unique and unchangeable national cultures. History shows that in the field of family ideology and law one cannot really talk of unique national cultures, but rather of a pan-European culture, which is not homogeneous but an amalgamation of pan-European ‘conservative’ and pan-European ‘progressive’ cultures. The relative influence of these two opposing family ‘cultures’ varies from country to country and from time to time. Examinations of history of family law suggest that there are the differences in the balance of political power between ‘progressive’ and ‘conservative’ forces, rather than national culture that determines the differences in the pertinent national family laws.

Psychological problems in children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional European study.

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Parkes, Jackie; White-Koning, Melanie; Dickinson, Heather O; Thyen, Ute; Arnaud, Catherine; Beckung, Eva; Fauconnier, Jerome; Marcelli, Marco; McManus, Vicki; Michelsen, Susan I; Parkinson, Kathryn; Colver, Allan

2008-04-01

To describe psychological symptoms in 8-12-year-old children with cerebral palsy; to investigate predictors of these symptoms and their impact on the child and family. A cross-sectional multi-centre survey. Eight hundred and eighteen children with cerebral palsy, aged 8-12 years, identified from population-based registers of cerebral palsy in eight European regions and from multiple sources in one further region. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)(P4-16) and the Total Difficulties Score (TDS) dichotomised into normal/borderline (TDS abnormal (TDS > 16). Multilevel, multivariable logistic regression to relate the presence of psychological symptoms to child and family characteristics. About a quarter of the children had TDS > 16 indicating significant psychological symptoms, most commonly in the domain Peer Problems. Better gross motor function, poorer intellect, more pain, having a disabled or ill sibling and living in a town were independently associated with TDS > 16. The risk of TDS > 16 was odds ratio (OR) = .2 (95% CI: .1 to .3) comparing children with the most and least severe functional limitations; OR = 3.2 (95%CI: 2.1 to 4.8) comparing children with IQ psychological problems, 95% said they had lasted over a year, 37% said they distressed their child and 42% said they burdened the family at least 'quite a lot'. A significant proportion of children with cerebral palsy have psychological symptoms or social impairment sufficiently severe to warrant referral to specialist services. Care must be taken in the assessment and management of children with cerebral palsy to ensure psychological problems are not overlooked and potentially preventable risk factors like pain are treated effectively. The validity of the SDQ for children with severe disability warrants further assessment.

Awareness of dementia by family carers of nursing home residents dying with dementia: a post-death study.

Science.gov (United States)

Penders, Yolanda W H; Albers, Gwenda; Deliens, Luc; Vander Stichele, Robert; Van den Block, Lieve

2015-01-01

High-quality palliative care for people with dementia should be patient-centered, family-focused, and include well-informed and shared decision-making, as affirmed in a recent white paper on dementia from the European Association for Palliative Care. To describe how often family carers of nursing home residents who died with dementia are aware that their relative has dementia, and study resident, family carer, and care characteristics associated with awareness. Post-death study using random cluster sampling. Structured questionnaires were completed by family carers, nursing staff, and general practitioners of deceased nursing home residents with dementia in Flanders, Belgium (2010). Of 190 residents who died with dementia, 53.2% of family carers responded. In 28% of cases, family carers indicated they were unaware their relative had dementia. Awareness by family carers was related to more advanced stages of dementia 1 month before death (odds ratio = 5.4), with 48% of family carers being unaware when dementia was mild and 20% unaware when dementia was advanced. The longer the onset of dementia after admission to a nursing home, the less likely family carers were aware (odds ratio = 0.94). Family carers are often unaware that their relative has dementia, that is, in one-fourth of cases of dementia and one-fifth of advanced dementia, posing considerable challenges for optimal care provision and end-of-life decision-making. Considering that family carers of residents who develop dementia later after admission to a nursing home are less likely to be aware, there is room for improving communication strategies toward family carers of nursing home residents. © The Author(s) 2014.

Equality at home - A question of career? Housework, norms, and policies in a European comparative perspective

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Susanne Fahlén

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Dual-earner families are widespread in contemporary Europe, yet the division of housework is highly gendered, with women still bearing the lion's share. However, women in dual-career couples and in other types of non-traditional couples, across and within different European countries, appear to handle the division of housework differently. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the division of housework among various couple-earner types, by determining i whether relative resources, time spent on paid work, gender attitudes, and family structure reduce variations in housework between different couple types, and ii whether the division of housework varies between countries with different work‒family policies and gender norms. Methods: The study uses data from ten countries, representing different welfare regime types, extracted from the European Social Survey (2010/11, and employs multivariate regressions and aggregated analysis of the association between the division of housework and the contextual indices. Results: The results show that dual-career couples divide housework more equally than dual-earner couples, relating more to the fact that the former group of women do less housework in general, rather than that men are doing more. The cross-national analysis shows tangible differences between dual-earner and dual-career couples; however, the difference is less marked with respect to the division of housework in countries with more institutional support for work‒family reconciliation and less traditional gender norms. Contribution: By combining conventional economic and gender-based approaches with an institutional framework, this study contributes to the research field by showing that the division of housework within different couple-earner types is contextually embedded.

Using the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children: study protocol for a quasi-experimental trial

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Tonje Holte Stea

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In light of the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, there is a need of developing effective prevention programs to address the rising prevalence and the concomitant health consequences. The main aim of the present study is to systematically develop and implement a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children, aged 6–10 years old, enhancing parental self-efficacy, family engagement and parent-child interaction. A subsidiary aim of the intervention study is to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among those participating in the intervention study. Methods/design The Intervention Mapping protocol was used to develop a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children. In order to gather information on local opportunities and barriers, interviews with key stakeholders and a 1-year pilot study was conducted. The main study has used a quasi-experimental controlled design. Locally based Healthy Life Centers and Public Health Clinics are responsible for recruiting families and conducting the intervention. The effect of the study will be measured both at completion of the 6 months intervention study and 6 and 18 months after the intervention period. An ecological approach was used as a basis for developing the intervention. The behavioral models and educational strategies include individual family counselling meetings, workshops focusing on regulation of family life, nutrition courses, and physical activity groups providing tailored information and practical learning sessions. Parents will be educated on how to use these strategies at home, to further support their children in improving their behaviors. Discussion A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for development of this family-based intervention study targeting overweight and obese children, 6–10 years old. This program, if

Using the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children: study protocol for a quasi-experimental trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Stea, Tonje Holte; Haugen, Tommy; Berntsen, Sveinung; Guttormsen, Vigdis; Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Haraldstad, Kristin; Meland, Eivind; Abildsnes, Eirik

2016-10-18

In light of the high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, there is a need of developing effective prevention programs to address the rising prevalence and the concomitant health consequences. The main aim of the present study is to systematically develop and implement a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children, aged 6-10 years old, enhancing parental self-efficacy, family engagement and parent-child interaction. A subsidiary aim of the intervention study is to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among those participating in the intervention study. The Intervention Mapping protocol was used to develop a tailored family-based intervention for improving lifestyle habits among overweight and obese children. In order to gather information on local opportunities and barriers, interviews with key stakeholders and a 1-year pilot study was conducted. The main study has used a quasi-experimental controlled design. Locally based Healthy Life Centers and Public Health Clinics are responsible for recruiting families and conducting the intervention. The effect of the study will be measured both at completion of the 6 months intervention study and 6 and 18 months after the intervention period. An ecological approach was used as a basis for developing the intervention. The behavioral models and educational strategies include individual family counselling meetings, workshops focusing on regulation of family life, nutrition courses, and physical activity groups providing tailored information and practical learning sessions. Parents will be educated on how to use these strategies at home, to further support their children in improving their behaviors. A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for development of this family-based intervention study targeting overweight and obese children, 6-10 years old. This program, if feasible and effective, may be adjusted to local contexts and

FEASIBILITY STUDY ON SETTING UP AND RUNNING A POULTRY MICRO-FARM RESPECTING THE EUROPEAN STRATEGY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OpenAIRE

Sebastian Madalin MUNTEANU; Ioana TEODORESCU

2013-01-01

Today European Union provides member countries funds for many types of business and in particular for the development of rural environment. In this sense, this paper draws the main steps of a feasibility study for accessing European funds to develop and run a microfarm respecting sustainable development principles imposed by European Union. The work theme is based on establishment poultry farms in order to achieve and to exploit the production of eggs, of meat consumption and poultry compost ...

European welfare states in motion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hemerijck, A.C.; Dräbing, V.; Vis, B.; Nelson, M.L.; Soentken, M.F.F.

2013-01-01

In this working paper, we assess to what extent European welfare states have moved in the direction of social investment in terms of spending and how well they are performing socio-economically, for instance in terms of unemployment, poverty-reduction and work-family life reconciliation. Moreover,

Eastern European Transformation and Youth Attitudes toward Violence

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Berit Haußmann

2011-12-01

Full Text Available family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">

The Family Startup Program: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a universal group-based parenting support program.

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Trillingsgaard, Tea; Maimburg, Rikke Damkjær; Simonsen, Marianne

2015-04-21

Inadequate parenting is an important public health problem with possible severe and long-term consequences related to child development. We have solid theoretical and political arguments in favor of efforts enhancing the quality of the early family environment in the population at large. However, little is known about effect of universal approaches to parenting support during the transition to parenthood. This protocol describes an experimental evaluation of group based parenting support, the Family Startup Program (FSP), currently implemented large scale in Denmark. Participants will be approximately 2500 pregnant women and partners. Inclusion criteria are parental age above 18 and the mother expecting first child. Families are recruited when attending routine pregnancy scans provided as a part of the publicly available prenatal care program at Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby. Families are randomized within four geographically defined strata to one of two conditions a) participation in FSP or b) Treatment As Usual (TAU). FSP aims to prepare new families for their roles as parents and enhance parental access to informal sources of support, i.e. social network and community resources. The program consists of twelve group sessions, with nine families in each group, continuing from pregnancy until the child is 15 months old. TAU is the publicly available pre- and postnatal care available to families in both conditions. Analyses will employ survey data, administrative data from health visitors, and administrative register based data from Statistics Denmark. All data sources will be linked via the unique Danish Civil Registration Register (CPR) identifier. Data will be obtained at four time points, during pregnancy, when the child is nine months, 18 months and seven years. The primary study outcome is measured by the Parenting Sense of Competence scale (PSOC) J Clin Child Psychol 18:167-75, 1989. Other outcomes include parenting and couple relationship quality

A comparative study of gender pay gaps in nordic countries and eastern european countries

OpenAIRE

Weng, Linling

2007-01-01

Under the compressed wage structure and generous family policies, Nordic countries have been regarded as leaders of gender equality in terms of low gender pay gaps and high rates of female labor force participation; after the fundamental restructuring of the economic system in Eastern European countries, women have experienced a remarkable change with respect to the labor market positions and economic status facing the increased wage inequality and significant declines in labor force particip...

Adaptive Strategies, Gender Ideology, and Work-Family Balance among Dutch Dual Earners

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Wierda-Boer, Hilde H.; Gerris, Jan R. M.; Vermulst, Ad A.

2008-01-01

Using questionnaire data on 149 Dutch dual-earner couples with young children participating in the European Famwork study, we examine how adaptive strategies and gender ideology relate to parents' perceived success in balancing work and family. Path analysis indicates that some adaptive strategies may harm individuals' work-family balance,…

Examination of a board game approach to children's involvement in family-based weight management vs. traditional family-based behavioral counseling in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, Merve; Uzuner, Arzu; Akman, Mehmet; Bahadir, Aliye Tugba; Borekci, Nazire Oncul; Viggiano, Emanuela

2018-05-29

The most effective intervention model for childhood obesity is known as family-based behavioral group treatments. There are also studies that investigate the effects of educational games for children to gain healthy eating and physical exercise habits. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a family-based group treatment with an educational game (Kaledo) intervention in childhood obesity. Kaledo is a board game that was designed to improve nutritional knowledge and healthy life style habits. It is played with nutrition and activity cards that players can select from, and a total score is calculated in the end of the game according to energy intake and expenditure. Obese children between 9 and 12 ages were involved in this study. Participants randomly divided into behavioral and game intervention groups. Clinical evaluation was performed in the first and second counseling in both groups. Marmara University Family Medicine Department Obese Children and Adolescents Interview Form, Physical Activity Evaluation Form, and Three-day Food Record Form were used for this purpose. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Parent Report Version and Children's Depression Inventory were used for the assessment of psychiatric symptoms. After the clinical evaluation, an education session about healthy eating and physical activity was attended by both groups. After that, for the behavioral groups, parents and children were assigned to different groups, while for the game intervention group, parents were assigned to behavioral sessions and children were assigned to game (Kaledo) sessions. A total of six sessions with 1-h duration and 2-week interval were performed in both groups. Height and weight were measured in each session and analysis was performed on the data of the children who participated in all of the sessions. Although a total of 108 children were clinically evaluated, 52 children and their parents, 26 in the behavioral group and 26 in the game intervention

European Measures of Poverty and "Social Exclusion": Material Deprivation, Consumption, and Life Satisfaction

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Gilbert, Neil

2009-01-01

The conventional view of poverty in the European Union countries is based on a relative measure, which defines all those with incomes below 60 percent of the median as poor. In the U.S., poverty is defined according to an absolute measure--the federal poverty line computed by the Census Bureau--which was $21,200 for a family of four in 2008…

Limitations and pitfalls of using family letters to communicate genetic risk: a qualitative study with patients and healthcare professionals

OpenAIRE

Dheensa, Sandeep; Lucassen, Anneke; Fenwick, Angela

2017-01-01

European genetic testing guidelines recommend that healthcare professionals (HCPs) discuss the familial implications of any test with a patient and offer written material to help them share the information with family members. Giving patients these “family letters” to alert any relatives of their risk has become part of standard practice and has gone relatively unquestioned over the years. Communication with at-risk relatives will become an increasingly pressing issue as mainstream and routin...

Selecting SNPs informative for African, American Indian and European Ancestry: application to the Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes (FIND).

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Robert C; Elston, Robert C; Kumar, Pankaj; Knowler, William C; Abboud, Hanna E; Adler, Sharon; Bowden, Donald W; Divers, Jasmin; Freedman, Barry I; Igo, Robert P; Ipp, Eli; Iyengar, Sudha K; Kimmel, Paul L; Klag, Michael J; Kohn, Orly; Langefeld, Carl D; Leehey, David J; Nelson, Robert G; Nicholas, Susanne B; Pahl, Madeleine V; Parekh, Rulan S; Rotter, Jerome I; Schelling, Jeffrey R; Sedor, John R; Shah, Vallabh O; Smith, Michael W; Taylor, Kent D; Thameem, Farook; Thornley-Brown, Denyse; Winkler, Cheryl A; Guo, Xiuqing; Zager, Phillip; Hanson, Robert L

2016-05-04

The presence of population structure in a sample may confound the search for important genetic loci associated with disease. Our four samples in the Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes (FIND), European Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, and American Indians are part of a genome- wide association study in which population structure might be particularly important. We therefore decided to study in detail one component of this, individual genetic ancestry (IGA). From SNPs present on the Affymetrix 6.0 Human SNP array, we identified 3 sets of ancestry informative markers (AIMs), each maximized for the information in one the three contrasts among ancestral populations: Europeans (HAPMAP, CEU), Africans (HAPMAP, YRI and LWK), and Native Americans (full heritage Pima Indians). We estimate IGA and present an algorithm for their standard errors, compare IGA to principal components, emphasize the importance of balancing information in the ancestry informative markers (AIMs), and test the association of IGA with diabetic nephropathy in the combined sample. A fixed parental allele maximum likelihood algorithm was applied to the FIND to estimate IGA in four samples: 869 American Indians; 1385 African Americans; 1451 Mexican Americans; and 826 European Americans. When the information in the AIMs is unbalanced, the estimates are incorrect with large error. Individual genetic admixture is highly correlated with principle components for capturing population structure. It takes ~700 SNPs to reduce the average standard error of individual admixture below 0.01. When the samples are combined, the resulting population structure creates associations between IGA and diabetic nephropathy. The identified set of AIMs, which include American Indian parental allele frequencies, may be particularly useful for estimating genetic admixture in populations from the Americas. Failure to balance information in maximum likelihood, poly-ancestry models creates biased

A family longevity selection score: ranking sibships by their longevity, size, and availability for study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebastiani, Paola; Hadley, Evan C; Province, Michael; Christensen, Kaare; Rossi, Winifred; Perls, Thomas T; Ash, Arlene S

2009-12-15

Family studies of exceptional longevity can potentially identify genetic and other factors contributing to long life and healthy aging. Although such studies seek families that are exceptionally long lived, they also need living members who can provide DNA and phenotype information. On the basis of these considerations, the authors developed a metric to rank families for selection into a family study of longevity. Their measure, the family longevity selection score (FLoSS), is the sum of 2 components: 1) an estimated family longevity score built from birth-, gender-, and nation-specific cohort survival probabilities and 2) a bonus for older living siblings. The authors examined properties of FLoSS-based family rankings by using data from 3 ongoing studies: the New England Centenarian Study, the Framingham Heart Study, and screenees for the Long Life Family Study. FLoSS-based selection yields families with exceptional longevity, satisfactory sibship sizes and numbers of living siblings, and high ages. Parameters in the FLoSS formula can be tailored for studies of specific populations or age ranges or with different conditions. The first component of the FLoSS also provides a conceptually sound survival measure to characterize exceptional longevity in individuals or families in various types of studies and correlates well with later-observed longevity.

Applying the effort-reward imbalance model to household and family work: a population-based study of German mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sperlich, Stefanie; Peter, Richard; Geyer, Siegfried

2012-01-06

This paper reports on results of a newly developed questionnaire for the assessment of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) in unpaid household and family work. Using a cross-sectional population-based survey of German mothers (n = 3129) the dimensional structure of the theoretical ERI model was validated by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Analyses of Variance were computed to examine relationships between ERI and social factors and health outcomes. CFA revealed good psychometric properties indicating that the subscale 'effort' is based on one latent factor and the subscale 'reward' is composed of four dimensions: 'intrinsic value of family and household work', 'societal esteem', 'recognition from the partner', and 'affection from the child(ren)'. About 19.3% of mothers perceived lack of reciprocity and 23.8% showed high rates of overcommitment in terms of inability to withdraw from household and family obligations. Socially disadvantaged mothers were at higher risk of ERI, in particular with respect to the perception of low societal esteem. Gender inequality in the division of household and family work and work-family conflict accounted most for ERI in household and family work. Analogous to ERI in paid work we could demonstrate that ERI affects self-rated health, somatic complaints, mental health and, to some extent, hypertension. The newly developed questionnaire demonstrates satisfied validity and promising results for extending the ERI model to household and family work.

Genome-wide and gene-based association studies of anxiety disorders in European and African American samples.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takeshi Otowa

Full Text Available Anxiety disorders (ADs are common mental disorders caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Since ADs are highly comorbid with each other, partially due to shared genetic basis, studying AD phenotypes in a coordinated manner may be a powerful strategy for identifying potential genetic loci for ADs. To detect these loci, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS of ADs. In addition, as a complementary approach to single-locus analysis, we also conducted gene- and pathway-based analyses. GWAS data were derived from the control sample of the Molecular Genetics of Schizophrenia (MGS project (2,540 European American and 849 African American subjects genotyped on the Affymetrix GeneChip 6.0 array. We applied two phenotypic approaches: (1 categorical case-control comparisons (CC based upon psychiatric diagnoses, and (2 quantitative phenotypic factor scores (FS derived from a multivariate analysis combining information across the clinical phenotypes. Linear and logistic models were used to analyse the association with ADs using FS and CC traits, respectively. At the single locus level, no genome-wide significant association was found. A trans-population gene-based meta-analysis across both ethnic subsamples using FS identified three genes (MFAP3L on 4q32.3, NDUFAB1 and PALB2 on 16p12 with genome-wide significance (false discovery rate (FDR] <5%. At the pathway level, several terms such as transcription regulation, cytokine binding, and developmental process were significantly enriched in ADs (FDR <5%. Our approaches studying ADs as quantitative traits and utilizing the full GWAS data may be useful in identifying susceptibility genes and pathways for ADs.

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire for Evaluation of Students’ Attitudes towards Family Medicine

OpenAIRE

Petek Šter, Marija; Švab, Igor; Klemenc-Ketiš, Zalika; Kersnik, Janko

2015-01-01

The development of the EURACT (European Academy of Teachers in General Practice) Educational Agenda helped many family medicine departments in development of clerkship and the aims and objectives of family medicine teaching. Our aims were to develop and validate a tool for assessment of students’ attitudes towards family medicine and to evaluate the impact of the clerkship on students’ attitudes regarding the competences of family doctor. In the pilot study, experienced family doc...

The European Parliament and the European future of Albania

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Skerdilajd Bajramaj

2015-07-01

Full Text Available On 06.24.2014 Albania was granted the status of candidate country. The foreign ministers of the 28 European Union member states decided unanimously to grant the candidate status for Albania. After receiving the status of “candidate country” for EU membership, the institutional relations with European international bodies are becoming stronger. One of these institutions, which during this time has increased its authority with Albania, is the European Parliament. In this paper will be analyzed the composition, competences and functioning of this particular institution, which is not only important for the future of the European Union and its Member States, but also for those who aim to join in. The study will be based on decisions made by this legislative body, as the only direct representative of the citizens of the European Union, and the impact they have on the performance and functioning of the Member States and the EU itself. In order to verify the validity of these claims, the analysis aims to assess the scope of the legislative function of the European Parliament post-Lisbon, examining its participation in the EU lawmaking both from the point of view of quantity and quality in over the past legislatures. Particular attention has been given to the examination of the changes that have taken place with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, and the areas most affected. We will finally look at the work and contribution of the European Parliament, through the instruments at his disposal, on behalf of Albania’s progress towards full accession in the European Union.

Critical Studies on Men in Ten European Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pringle, Keith; Hearn, Jeff (and 13 other network partners)

2002-01-01

This article is one the work of The European Research Network on Men in Europe project “The Social Problem and Societal Problematization of Men and Masculinities” (2000-2003), funded by the European Commission. The Network comprises women and men researchers with range of disciplinary backgrounds...... of statistical sources on men's practices in the ten countries, are presented. This is the second of four articles reviewing critical studies on men in the ten countries through different methods and approaches....

European Consulting Survey 2012 : The Future of European Management Consulting Firms' Business Models

OpenAIRE

Kreutzer, Markus; Menz, Markus

2012-01-01

This study report provides European management consulting firms' assessment of trends and currently prevailing business models in the industry. It depicts the different threats and opportunities that consulting firms with different business models, consulting foci, sizes, leverage ratios, international orientations, and geographical footprints face; it also reveals these firms' adaptation strategies. Based on an analysis of a survey of 311 consulting firms from 26 European countries, the repo...

Association studies using family pools of outcrossing crops based on allele-frequency estimates from DNA sequencing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ashraf, Bilal; Jensen, Just; Asp, Torben

2014-01-01

effect from F2-family pools was verified and it was shown that the underestimation of the allele effect is correctly described. The optimal design for an association study when sequencing budget would be fixed is obtained using large sample size and lower sequence depth, and using higher SNP density......F2 families are frequently used in breeding of outcrossing species, for instance to obtain trait measurements on plots. We propose to perform association studies by obtaining a matching “family genotype” from sequencing a pooled sample of the family, and to directly use allele frequencies computed...... (resulting in higher LD with causative mutations) and lower sequencing depth. Therefore, association studies using genotyping by sequencing are optimal and use low sequencing depth per sample. The developed framework for association studies using allele frequencies from sequencing can be modified for other...

Transitivizing-detransitivizing typology and language family history

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Grünthal Riho

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The transitivizing/detransitivizing typology of Nichols et al. 2004 also proves useful to historical linguistics. We focus on language families of northern Eurasia, chiefly the three oldest families (Indo-European, Uralic, Nakh-Daghestanian, some of their daughter branches aged about 2000-3000 years, and one younger family for which we have data on enough daughters to support a family phylogeny (Tungusic. We use the 18-pair wordlist of Nichols et al. 2004, which typologizes each pair of verbs depending on which of the two is derived. We make some improvements in the coding of grammatical properties and the typologization of pairs. NeighborNet trees based on this information reveal family-wide linguistic geography and areal trends. Adding minimal information about the cognacy or non-cognacy of the roots of the wordlist items produces Neighbor- Net trees which approximate well the known phylogeny of the family. Thus very small closed data sets, collected originally for typology, yield rich information about language family history - strikingly, a mere 18 verbs (9 pairs, coded for morphological type and cognacy, yield a very good genealogical tree - while historical methods have also improved the typology.

Lay perceptions of predictive testing for diabetes based on DNA test results versus family history assessment: a focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijdenes-Pijl, Miranda; Dondorp, Wybo J; Timmermans, Danielle Rm; Cornel, Martina C; Henneman, Lidewij

2011-07-05

This study assessed lay perceptions of issues related to predictive genetic testing for multifactorial diseases. These perceived issues may differ from the "classic" issues, e.g. autonomy, discrimination, and psychological harm that are considered important in predictive testing for monogenic disorders. In this study, type 2 diabetes was used as an example, and perceptions with regard to predictive testing based on DNA test results and family history assessment were compared. Eight focus group interviews were held with 45 individuals aged 35-70 years with (n = 3) and without (n = 1) a family history of diabetes, mixed groups of these two (n = 2), and diabetes patients (n = 2). All interviews were transcribed and analysed using Atlas-ti. Most participants believed in the ability of a predictive test to identify people at risk for diabetes and to motivate preventive behaviour. Different reasons underlying motivation were considered when comparing DNA test results and a family history risk assessment. A perceived drawback of DNA testing was that diabetes was considered not severe enough for this type of risk assessment. In addition, diabetes family history assessment was not considered useful by some participants, since there are also other risk factors involved, not everyone has a diabetes family history or knows their family history, and it might have a negative influence on family relations. Respect for autonomy of individuals was emphasized more with regard to DNA testing than family history assessment. Other issues such as psychological harm, discrimination, and privacy were only briefly mentioned for both tests. The results suggest that most participants believe a predictive genetic test could be used in the prevention of multifactorial disorders, such as diabetes, but indicate points to consider before both these tests are applied. These considerations differ with regard to the method of assessment (DNA test or obtaining family history) and also differ from

Relative Risks for Lethal Prostate Cancer Based on Complete Family History of Prostate Cancer Death.

Science.gov (United States)

Albright, Frederick S; Stephenson, Robert A; Agarwal, Neeraj; Cannon-Albright, Lisa A

2017-01-01

There are few published familial relative risks (RR) for lethal prostate cancer. This study estimates RRs for lethal prostate cancer based on comprehensive family history data, with the goal of improving identification of those men at highest risk of dying from prostate cancer. We used a population-based genealogical resource linked to a statewide electronic SEER cancer registry and death certificates to estimate relative risks (RR) for death from prostate cancer based upon family history. Over 600,000 male probands were analyzed, representing a variety of family history constellations of lethal prostate cancer. RR estimates were based on the ratio of the observed to the expected number of lethal prostate cancer cases using internal rates. RRs for lethal prostate cancer based on the number of affected first-degree relatives (FDR) ranged from 2.49 (95% CI: 2.27, 2.73) for exactly 1 FDR to 5.30 (2.13, 10.93) for ≥3 affected FDRs. In an absence of affected FDRs, increased risk was also significant for increasing numbers of affected second-degree or third degree relatives. Equivalent risks were observed for similar maternal and paternal family history. This study provides population-based estimates of lethal prostate cancer risk based on lethal prostate cancer family history. Many family history constellations associated with two to greater than five times increased risk for lethal prostate cancer were identified. These lethal prostate cancer risk estimates hold potential for use in identification, screening, early diagnosis, and treatment of men at high risk for death from prostate cancer. Prostate77:41-48, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The balance of intergenerational family transfers: a life-cycle perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudrazija, Stipica

2014-09-01

The aim of this study is to determine the likelihood and net amount of parent-child transfers over the adult life cycle across European welfare regimes. The study introduces an economic life-cycle model of family transfers to describe the evolution of family exchanges across generations over time, which reveals a nonlinear relationship of age and net family transfers. Furthermore, it refines the method of estimating parent-child net transfers. Data come from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, and include 36,095 parent-child dyads from 11 European countries representing social democratic, conservative, and traditional welfare-state regimes. The findings reveal net value of family intergenerational support follows a nonlinear pattern across the adult life cycle, with positive transfers from parents to adult children decreasing modestly until advanced old age when the decrease intensifies. Net family support benefits individuals and generations with larger relative need. The transition in the net family support pattern starts later and is less pronounced across social democratic welfare-regime countries while the opposite is true in traditional welfare-regime countries. These findings might be interpreted as being linked to differences in the public policies guaranteeing different levels of provision for dependent populations across different welfare regimes. They are consistent with a comparatively smaller role of family support in the intergenerational redistribution of resources in societies with larger public intergenerational support to dependent populations.

Semi-legal family life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rytter, Mikkel

2012-01-01

In 2002, the Danish government introduced new legislation on family reunification to restrict the transnational arranged marriages that were occurring among some immigrant groups. Since then, thousands of people have emigrated from Denmark to Sweden where, as citizens of the European Union, they ...... patterns and family life among Pakistani immigrants but also have long- lasting effects on the relationship between minorities and majorities in Denmark....

The Evolution of Family Studies Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Beth C.; Lloyd, Sally A.

2001-01-01

This review of methodological, theoretical, and topical trends in family studies research covers changes in definitions of family and in marriage, parent-child relationships, and family social ecology. Issues discussed include marital satisfaction, violence, social construction of gender, family-work relationship, parenting roles, socialization,…

Family-Centered Care in Juvenile Justice Institutions: A Mixed Methods Study Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Inge; Mulder, Eva; Rigter, Henk; Breuk, René; van der Vaart, Wander; Vermeiren, Robert

2016-09-12

Treatment and rehabilitation interventions in juvenile justice institutions aim to prevent criminal reoffending by adolescents and to enhance their prospects of successful social reintegration. There is evidence that these goals are best achieved when the institution adopts a family-centered approach, involving the parents of the adolescents. The Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth has developed two programs for family-centered care for youth detained in groups for short-term and long-term stay, respectively. The overall aim of our study is to evaluate the family-centered care program in the first two years after the first steps of its implementation in short-term stay groups of two juvenile justice institutions in the Netherlands. The current paper discusses our study design. Based on a quantitative pilot study, we opted for a study with an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. This pilot is considered the first stage of our study. The second stage of our study includes concurrent quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative part of our study is a pre-post quasi-experimental comparison of family-centered care with usual care in short-term stay groups. The qualitative part of our study involves in-depth interviews with adolescents, parents, and group workers to elaborate on the preceding quantitative pilot study and to help interpret the outcomes of the quasi-experimental quantitative part of the study. We believe that our study will result in the following findings. In the quantitative comparison of usual care with family-centered care, we assume that in the latter group, parents will be more involved with their child and with the institution, and that parents and adolescents will be more motivated to take part in therapy. In addition, we expect family-centered care to improve family interactions, to decrease parenting stress, and to reduce problem behavior among the adolescents. Finally, we assume that adolescents, parents, and the

The Associations Between Socioeconomic Status and Lifestyle Factors in European Adolescents: A Population-based Study

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Novak Dario

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the present study was to determine the associations between socioeconomic status (SES and lifestyle factors. In this cross-sectional study, participants were 3,072 adolescents from two European countries of Lithuania and Serbia. The dependent variable was SES, while independent variables were gender, adherence to a Mediterranean diet, body-mass index, self-rated health, psychological distress, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviour. The associations between dependent and independent variables were analysed by using logistic regression analysis. In univariate model, middle/high SES was associated with higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet (ptrend = 0.003, good self-rated health (OR 1.51; 95 % CI 1.12 to 2.05 and meeting recommendations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (OR 2.09; 95 % CI 1.45 to 3.00, yet inversely associated with psychological distress (OR 0.81; 95 % CI 0.66 to 0.99 and sedentary behaviour (OR 0.80; 95 % CI 0.68 to 0.94. No associations were found between SES and bodymass index and gender. In multivariate model, the same associations occurred between middle/high SES and lifestyle factors. In conclusion, special strategies and policies, based on more affordable nutrition and participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, should be implemented within the system.

Gene-Based Genome-Wide Association Analysis in European and Asian Populations Identified Novel Genes for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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Hong Zhu

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a complex autoimmune disease. Using a gene-based association research strategy, the present study aims to detect unknown susceptibility to RA and to address the ethnic differences in genetic susceptibility to RA between European and Asian populations.Gene-based association analyses were performed with KGG 2.5 by using publicly available large RA datasets (14,361 RA cases and 43,923 controls of European subjects, 4,873 RA cases and 17,642 controls of Asian Subjects. For the newly identified RA-associated genes, gene set enrichment analyses and protein-protein interactions analyses were carried out with DAVID and STRING version 10.0, respectively. Differential expression verification was conducted using 4 GEO datasets. The expression levels of three selected 'highly verified' genes were measured by ELISA among our in-house RA cases and controls.A total of 221 RA-associated genes were newly identified by gene-based association study, including 71'overlapped', 76 'European-specific' and 74 'Asian-specific' genes. Among them, 105 genes had significant differential expressions between RA patients and health controls at least in one dataset, especially for 20 genes including 11 'overlapped' (ABCF1, FLOT1, HLA-F, IER3, TUBB, ZKSCAN4, BTN3A3, HSP90AB1, CUTA, BRD2, HLA-DMA, 5 'European-specific' (PHTF1, RPS18, BAK1, TNFRSF14, SUOX and 4 'Asian-specific' (RNASET2, HFE, BTN2A2, MAPK13 genes whose differential expressions were significant at least in three datasets. The protein expressions of two selected genes FLOT1 (P value = 1.70E-02 and HLA-DMA (P value = 4.70E-02 in plasma were significantly different in our in-house samples.Our study identified 221 novel RA-associated genes and especially highlighted the importance of 20 candidate genes on RA. The results addressed ethnic genetic background differences for RA susceptibility between European and Asian populations and detected a long list of overlapped or ethnic specific RA

Diet quality and attention capacity in European adolescents: the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Henriksson, Pontus; Cuenca-García, Magdalena; Labayen, Idoia; Esteban-Cornejo, Irene; Henriksson, Hanna; Kersting, Mathilde; Vanhelst, Jeremy; Widhalm, Kurt; Gottrand, Frederic; Moreno, Luis A; Ortega, Francisco B

2017-06-01

Adolescence represents an important period for the development of executive functions, which are a set of important cognitive processes including attentional control. However, very little is known regarding the associations of nutrition with components of executive functions in adolescence. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate associations of dietary patterns and macronutrient composition with attention capacity in European adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 384 (165 boys and 219 girls) adolescents, aged 12·5-17·5 years, from five European countries in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study. Attention capacity was examined using the d2 Test of Attention. Dietary intake was assessed through two non-consecutive 24 h recalls using a computer-based self-administered tool. Three dietary patterns (diet quality index, ideal diet score and Mediterranean diet score) and macronutrient/fibre intakes were calculated. Linear regression analysis was conducted adjusting for age, sex, BMI, maternal education, family affluence scale, study centre and energy intake (only for Mediterranean diet score). In these adjusted regression analyses, higher diet quality index for adolescents and ideal diet score were associated with a higher attention capacity (standardised β=0·16, P=0·002 and β=0·15, P=0·005, respectively). Conversely, Mediterranean diet score or macronutrient/fibre intake were not associated with attention capacity (P>0·05). Our results suggest that healthier dietary patterns, as indicated by higher diet quality index and ideal diet score, were associated with attention capacity in adolescence. Intervention studies investigating a causal relationship between diet quality and attention are warranted.

Quality of web-based family-building information for LGBTQ individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreines, Fabiana M; Farr, Alex; Chervenak, Frank A; Grünebaum, Amos

2018-02-01

The number of patients who seek health information on the internet is increasing. Rates are particularly high among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, due to health care barriers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and inclusivity of web-based information pertaining to LGBTQ family building. The first 100 US-based websites pertaining to LGBTQ family building were identified through a terminology-based internet search. After eliminating 45 websites, 55 websites were found to be eligible. The 2016 Website Information Reliability Evaluation Instrument (of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, US Department of Health and Human Services) was used to analyse the quality of information on each website. Websites were analysed for inclusivity of important topics surrounding LGBTQ family building. A total of 46 websites (83.6%) belonged or were related to reproductive services and served as advertisements for their respective owners; nine websites (16.4%) belonged to third parties. No website met more than four of the six major reliability criteria, and 42 websites (76.4%) met only one or two of the six major reliability criteria. When inclusivity was considered, 29 websites (52.7%) mentioned options for transgender individuals and nine websites (16.4%) mentioned adoption. There is a lack of reliable web-based information for LGBTQ family building and a need for improvement in quality and scope. Improvements could lead to a shift in reproductive health care towards better inclusion of and catering to LGBTQ individuals.

Fetal growth trajectories in pregnancies of European and South Asian mothers with and without gestational diabetes, a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sletner, Line; Jenum, Anne Karen; Yajnik, Chittaranjan S; Mørkrid, Kjersti; Nakstad, Britt; Rognerud-Jensen, Odd Harald; Birkeland, Kåre I; Vangen, Siri

2017-01-01

Our aim was to examine the impact of gestational diabetes (GDM), from before the GDM-diagnosis is made, on fetal growth trajectories, and to compare it in Europeans and South Asians; two ethnic groups with dissimilar fetal growth patterns. We studied European (n = 349) and South Asian (n = 184) pregnant women, from the population-based STORK-Groruddalen cohort in Oslo, Norway. Mothers were enrolled in early pregnancy, screened for GDM in gestational week 28 ±2, and classified as "non-GDM", "mild GDM" or "moderate/severe GDM". We measured fetal head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length by ultrasound, and estimated fetal weight in gestational week 24, 32 and 37, and performed corresponding measurements at birth. In non-GDM pregnancies, South Asian fetuses (n = 156) had a slower growth from gestational week 24, compared with Europeans (n = 310). More than two thirds of the European mothers later diagnosed with GDM were overweight or obese in early pregnancy, while this was not observed in South Asians. Fetuses of GDM mothers tended to be smaller than fetuses of non-GDM mothers in week 24, but thereafter grew faster until birth. This pattern was especially pronounced in fetuses of South Asian mothers with moderate/severe GDM. In week 24 these fetuses had a -0.95 SD (95% CI: -1.53, -0.36) lower estimated fetal weight than their non-GDM counterparts. In contrast, at birth they were 0.45 SD (0.09, 0.81) larger. Offspring of GDM mothers were smaller in mid pregnancy, but subsequently grew faster until birth, compared with offspring of non-GDM mothers. This pattern was most prominent in South Asian mothers with moderate to severe GDM. However, the most remarkable characteristic of these fetuses was not a large size at birth, but the small size in mid pregnancy, before the GDM diagnosis was set.

A culturally adapted family intervention for African American families coping with parental cancer: outcomes of a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Davey, Maureen P; Kissil, Karni; Lynch, Laura; Harmon, La-Rhonda; Hodgson, Nancy

2013-07-01

The primary objective of this 2-year pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally adapted family intervention in improving family communication among African American parents coping with cancer and their school-age children. A secondary objective was to determine its impact on other symptoms of psychosocial distress (depression and anxiety). The third objective was to assess for acceptability and feasibility. Using a two-arm pre-intervention and post-intervention prospective design, 12 African American families received five bi-monthly sessions of either a culturally adapted family intervention (n=7 families) or psycho-education treatment (n=5 families). Parents and their children completed pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaires assessing perceptions of family communication, quality of their relationship, and symptoms of depression. School-age children additionally completed a questionnaire assessing their levels of anxiety. Consumer satisfaction was also evaluated at post-intervention. Parents and school-age children who completed the culturally adapted family intervention reported significantly better communication with each other and were more satisfied compared with the psycho-education control group. No changes were noted in symptoms of anxiety or depression. The culturally adapted family intervention was acceptable based on our findings, families' feedback, and rates of retention. Feasibility is uncertain because our oncology clinic approach to recruitment was slower than expected. Providing culturally adapted family intervention programs to African American families who are coping with parental cancer may result in improved family communication. This pilot study serves as the first step in the development of culturally adapted family intervention programs to help African American families cope with parental cancer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Applying the effort-reward imbalance model to household and family work: a population-based study of German mothers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sperlich Stefanie

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper reports on results of a newly developed questionnaire for the assessment of effort-reward imbalance (ERI in unpaid household and family work. Methods: Using a cross-sectional population-based survey of German mothers (n = 3129 the dimensional structure of the theoretical ERI model was validated by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA. Analyses of Variance were computed to examine relationships between ERI and social factors and health outcomes. Results CFA revealed good psychometric properties indicating that the subscale 'effort' is based on one latent factor and the subscale 'reward' is composed of four dimensions: 'intrinsic value of family and household work', 'societal esteem', 'recognition from the partner', and 'affection from the child(ren'. About 19.3% of mothers perceived lack of reciprocity and 23.8% showed high rates of overcommitment in terms of inability to withdraw from household and family obligations. Socially disadvantaged mothers were at higher risk of ERI, in particular with respect to the perception of low societal esteem. Gender inequality in the division of household and family work and work-family conflict accounted most for ERI in household and family work. Analogous to ERI in paid work we could demonstrate that ERI affects self-rated health, somatic complaints, mental health and, to some extent, hypertension. Conclusions The newly developed questionnaire demonstrates satisfied validity and promising results for extending the ERI model to household and family work.

European communion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manners, Ian James

2013-01-01

Political theory of European union, through an engagement between political concepts and theoretical understandings, provides a means of identifying the EU as a political object. It is argued that understanding the projects, processes and products of European union, based on ‘sharing’ or ‘communion......’, provides a better means of perceiving the EU as a political object rather than terms such as ‘integration’ or ‘co-operation’. The concept of ‘European communion’ is defined as the ‘subjective sharing of relationships’, understood as the extent to which individuals or groups believe themselves to be sharing...... relations (or not), and the consequences of these beliefs for European political projects, processes and products. By exploring European communion through an engagement with contemporary political theory, using very brief illustrations from the Treaty of Lisbon, the article also suggests that European...

Reflections on the Maintenance Obligations from the Perspective of the European Law Enforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela LUPŞAN

2014-08-01

Full Text Available As stated, maintaining and developing an area of freedom, security and justice by the European Union, within which it is ensured the free movement of persons, requires the adoption of, among others, the measures relating to judicial cooperation in civil matters which have cross-border implications. These measures are designed to promote the compatibility of the rules applicable in the Member States concerning the conflict of laws and of jurisdiction. Based on the mobility of persons within the European Union, from the desire to protect both debtors of the maintenance, most often children, and the interest to favor a proper administration of justice within the European Union, there were adopted a number of community instruments relating to maintenance, which has provisions on conflicts of jurisdiction, conflict of laws, recognition and enforceability, enforcement of judgments, judicial assistance and cooperation between central authorities. In the first part of the study we analyzed the rules of jurisdiction according to which it is established the jurisdiction of the court hearing a claim for maintenance, when maintenance obligations arise from a family relationship, parentage, marriage or affinity. In the second part of the study, we limited the analysis to the choice of law applicable on in the case of the obligation between parents and their children.

Evaluation of European Schizophrenia GWAS Loci in Asian Populations via Comprehensive Meta-Analyses.

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Xiao, Xiao; Luo, Xiong-Jian; Chang, Hong; Liu, Zichao; Li, Ming

2017-08-01

Schizophrenia is a severe and highly heritable neuropsychiatric disorder. Recent genetic analyses including genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated multiple genome-wide significant variants for schizophrenia among European populations. However, many of these risk variants were not largely validated in other populations of different ancestry such as Asians. To validate whether these European GWAS significant loci are associated with schizophrenia in Asian populations, we conducted a systematic literature search and meta-analyses on 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Asian populations by combining all available case-control and family-based samples, including up to 30,000 individuals. We employed classical fixed (or random) effects inverse variance weighted methods to calculate summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Among the 19 GWAS loci, we replicated the risk associations of nine markers (e.g., SNPs at VRK2, ITIH3/4, NDST3, NOTCH4) surpassing significance level (two-tailed P Asian replication samples and initial European GWAS findings, and the successful replications of these GWAS loci in a different ethnic group provide stronger evidence for their clinical associations with schizophrenia. Further studies, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of these GWAS significant loci, will become increasingly important for understanding of the pathogenesis to schizophrenia.

Korean Wife-American Husband Families in America.

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Lee, Don Chang

Many American servicemen have married Asian women and brought them to the United States. Asian wife-American husband families are unique compared to black-white or European-American marriages because they are both interracial and cross-cultural. Yet, few studies have been done to analyze their relationships and problems in adjusting to American…

The development of academic family medicine in central and eastern Europe since 1990.

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Krztoń-Królewiecka, Anna; Švab, Igor; Oleszczyk, Marek; Seifert, Bohumil; Smithson, W Henry; Windak, Adam

2013-03-19

Since the early 1990s former communist countries have been reforming their health care systems, emphasizing the key role of primary care and recognizing family medicine as a specialty and an academic discipline. This study assesses the level of academic development of the discipline characterised by education and research in central and eastern European (CEE) countries. A key informants study, using a questionnaire developed on the basis of a systematic literature review and panel discussions, conducted in 11 central and eastern European countries and Russia. Family medicine in CEE countries is now formally recognized as a medical specialty and successfully introduced into medical training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Almost all universities have FM/GP departments, but only a few of them are led by general practitioners. The specialist training programmes in all countries except Russia fulfil the recommendations of the European Parliament. Structured support for research in FM/GP is not always available. However specific scientific organisations function in almost all countries except Russia. Scientific conferences are regularly organised in all the countries, but peer-reviewed journals are published in only half of them. Family medicine has a relatively strong position in medical education in central and eastern Europe, but research in family practice is less developed. Although the position of the discipline at the universities is not very strong, most of the CEE countries can serve as an example of successful academic development for countries southern Europe, where family medicine is still not fully recognised.

Comparison of the heritability of schizophrenia and endophenotypes in the COGS-1 family study.

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Light, Gregory; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Calkins, Monica E; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D; Seidman, Larry J; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Stone, William S; Sugar, Catherine A; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Turetsky, Bruce I; Braff, David L

2014-11-01

Twin and multiplex family studies have established significant heritability for schizophrenia (SZ), often summarized as 81%. The Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) family study was designed to deconstruct the genetic architecture of SZ using neurocognitive and neurophysiological endophenotypes, for which heritability estimates ranged from 18% to 50% (mean = 30%). This study assessed the heritability of SZ in these families to determine whether there is a "heritability gap" between the diagnosis and related endophenotypes. Nuclear families (N = 296) with a SZ proband, an unaffected sibling, and both parents (n = 1366 subjects; mean family size = 4.6) underwent comprehensive endophenotype and clinical characterization. The Family Interview for Genetic Studies was administered to all participants and used to obtain convergent psychiatric symptom information for additional first-degree relatives of interviewed subjects (N = 3304 subjects; mean family size = 11.2). Heritability estimates of psychotic disorders were computed for both nuclear and extended families. The heritability of SZ was 31% and 44% for nuclear and extended families. The inclusion of bipolar disorder increased the heritability to 37% for the nuclear families. When major depression was added, heritability estimates dropped to 34% and 20% for nuclear and extended families, respectively. Endophenotypes and psychotic disorders exhibit comparable levels of heritability in the COGS-1 family sample. The ascertainment of families with discordant sibpairs to increase endophenotypic contrast may underestimate diagnostic heritability relative to other studies. However, population-based studies also report significantly lower heritability estimates for SZ. Collectively, these findings support the importance of endophenotype-based strategies and the dimensional view of psychosis. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center 2014.

Health care professionals' concerns regarding in-hospital family-witnessed cardiopulmonary resuscitation implementation into clinical practice.

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Sak-Dankosky, Natalia; Andruszkiewicz, Paweł; Sherwood, Paula R; Kvist, Tarja

2018-05-01

In-hospital, family-witnessed cardiopulmonary resuscitation of adults has been found to help patients' family members deal with the short- and long-term emotional consequences of resuscitation. Because of its benefits, many national and international nursing and medical organizations officially recommend this practice. Research, however, shows that family-witnessed resuscitation is not widely implemented in clinical practice, and health care professionals generally do not favour this recommendation. To describe and provide an initial basis for understanding health care professionals' views and perspectives regarding the implementation of an in-hospital, family-witnessed adult resuscitation practice in two European countries. An inductive qualitative approach was used in this study. Finnish (n = 93) and Polish (n = 75) emergency and intensive care nurses and physicians provided written responses to queries regarding their personal observations, concerns and comments about in-hospital, family-witnessed resuscitation of an adult. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The study analysis yielded five themes characterizing health care professionals' main concerns regarding family-witnessed resuscitation: (1) family's horror, (2) disturbed workflow (3) no support for the family, (4) staff preparation and (5) situation-based decision. Despite existing evidence revealing the positive influence of family-witnessed resuscitation on patients, relatives and cardiopulmonary resuscitation process, Finnish and Polish health care providers cited a number of personal and organizational barriers against this practice. The results of this study begin to examine reasons why family-witnessed resuscitation has not been widely implemented in practice. In order to successfully apply current evidence-based resuscitation guidelines, provider concerns need to be addressed through educational and organizational changes. This study identified important implementation

THE MUSLIM FAMILY BETWEEN MYTHS AND SOCIAL IMPACT, SEEN TROUGH THE EYES OF A NON – MUSLIM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MIRELA CRISTIANA NILĂ STRATONE

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This study is part of an extensive analysis of the social impact caused by the characteristics of the Muslim family in the Romanian and European society. Between the religious and the social demands, Muslim family manages all the harder to enroll in the course imposed by tradition. A great importance has the knowledge and the understanding of the intra and interfamilial behaviors, this one needs first to detect and to avoid the myths related to the Muslim family. Addressing and clarifying this issue lies in the center of the present study. He represents a necessity without which Muslim family life, the role of the woman and the man in this family can not be understood fully, given that their religion and their way of life tend to cover an area of increasingly greater psychosocial space both at European level and worldwide.

Using the intervention mapping protocol to reduce European preschoolers’ sedentary behavior, an application to the ToyBox-Study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background High levels of sedentary behavior are often measured in preschoolers, but only a few interventions have been developed to counteract this. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of interventions in preschoolers targeting different forms of sedentary behavior could not be located in the literature. The aim of the present paper was to describe the different steps of the Intervention Mapping Protocol used towards the development of an intervention component of the ToyBox-study focusing on decreasing preschoolers’ sedentary behavior. The ToyBox-study focuses on the prevention of overweight in 4- to 6-year-old children by implementing a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention with family involvement in six different European countries. Methods Applying the Intervention Mapping Protocol, six different steps were systematically completed for the structured planning and development of the intervention. A literature search and results from focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers were used as a guide during the development of the intervention and the intervention materials. Results The application of the different steps in the Intervention Mapping Protocol resulted in the creation of matrices of change objectives, followed by the selection of practical applications for five different intervention tools that could be used at the individual level of the preschool child, at the interpersonal level (i.e., parents/caregivers) and at the organizational level (i.e., kindergarten teachers). No cultural differences regarding preschoolers’ sedentary behavior were identified between the participating countries during the focus groups, so cultural and local adaptations of the intervention materials were not necessary to improve the adoption and implementation of the intervention. Conclusions A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for the development of this kindergarten-based family-involved intervention targeting preschoolers, with

Using the intervention mapping protocol to reduce European preschoolers' sedentary behavior, an application to the ToyBox-Study.

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De Decker, Ellen; De Craemer, Marieke; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Verbestel, Vera; Duvinage, Kristin; Iotova, Violeta; Grammatikaki, Evangelia; Wildgruber, Andreas; Mouratidou, Theodora; Manios, Yannis; Cardon, Greet

2014-02-19

High levels of sedentary behavior are often measured in preschoolers, but only a few interventions have been developed to counteract this. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of interventions in preschoolers targeting different forms of sedentary behavior could not be located in the literature. The aim of the present paper was to describe the different steps of the Intervention Mapping Protocol used towards the development of an intervention component of the ToyBox-study focusing on decreasing preschoolers' sedentary behavior. The ToyBox-study focuses on the prevention of overweight in 4- to 6-year-old children by implementing a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention with family involvement in six different European countries. Applying the Intervention Mapping Protocol, six different steps were systematically completed for the structured planning and development of the intervention. A literature search and results from focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers were used as a guide during the development of the intervention and the intervention materials. The application of the different steps in the Intervention Mapping Protocol resulted in the creation of matrices of change objectives, followed by the selection of practical applications for five different intervention tools that could be used at the individual level of the preschool child, at the interpersonal level (i.e., parents/caregivers) and at the organizational level (i.e., kindergarten teachers). No cultural differences regarding preschoolers' sedentary behavior were identified between the participating countries during the focus groups, so cultural and local adaptations of the intervention materials were not necessary to improve the adoption and implementation of the intervention. A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for the development of this kindergarten-based family-involved intervention targeting preschoolers, with the inclusion of parental involvement. The

'Time-out' with the family: the shaping of family leisure in the new urban consumption spaces of cafes, bars and restaurants

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Karsten, L.; Kamphuis, A.; Remeijnse, C.

2015-01-01

In many north-western European countries, the family practices of drinking and eating used to be largely located in the private domain of the home. This situation has recently begun to change, particularly in gentrified urban areas where middle-class families are growing in number and family outings

Attachment-based interventions for families with young children.

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Woodhouse, Susan S

2018-05-21

Given a large body of research indicating links between child attachment and later mental health outcomes, interventions that promote children's secure attachment to their caregivers have the potential to contribute to prevention of psychopathology and promotion of well-being. A number of attachment-based interventions have been developed to support parents, enhance caregiving quality, and promote children's attachment security with the aim of improving children's mental health. There is now a growing evidence base to support the efficacy of a number of these interventions. The present literature review and introduction to the special issue on attachment-based interventions for families with young children describes key aspects of attachment theory and research that form the theoretical and empirical background for attachment-based interventions, and introduces seven case studies illustrating five different attachment-based interventions. The case studies represent a variety of attachment-based models, including both group and individual treatments, and show applications across a range of caregiver contexts. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Testament – a source of family relations research. The case of Manuc Bey

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Alina Felea

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The article presents life of Manuc Bey, Dragoman of the Porte, state advisor of the Russian Empire which, was a well-known person in the early nineteenth century. Monographs, scientific and publishing articles were written with regard to his political activities. In this study, based on the testaments of Manuc Bey and his daughter Pemba, some details of relationships between Manuc family members are revealed, during the lives of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The research is based on both archival material and the published work.This testament caused several years of litigations between the heirs. At the same time, it is an important source for the mentality and daily study of the era, and for the survey of Manuc’s bloodlines. Manuc Bey’s descendants had dynastic links with known noble families not only in Russia but also abroad. Simultaneously, his descendants had been respected scientists in European academic milieu.

Familial aggregation of arthritis-related diseases in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis: a register-based case-control study in Sweden.

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Frisell, Thomas; Hellgren, Karin; Alfredsson, Lars; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Klareskog, Lars; Askling, Johan

2016-01-01

Our objective was to estimate the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with a family history of non-RA arthritis-related diseases. This familial co-aggregation is of clinical interest since it is often encountered when assessing family history of RA specifically, but also informative on the genetic overlap between these diseases. Since anticitrullinated peptide antibodies/rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive and RF-negative RA have both specific and shared genetic factors, the familial co-aggregation was assessed separately for seropositive and seronegative disease. Nested case-control study in prospectively recorded Swedish total population data. The Multi-Generation Register identified first-degree relatives. RA and arthritis-related diseases were ascertained through the nationwide patient register. RA serology was based on International Classification of Diseases tenth revision coded diagnoses, mainly reflecting RF. Familial risks were calculated using conditional logistic regression. Results were replicated using the Swedish rheumatology register. Familial co-aggregation was found between RA and every studied arthritis-related disease, but the magnitude varied widely, from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (seropositive RA OR=3.98 (3.01 to 5.26); seronegative RA OR=5.70 (3.47 to 9.36)) to osteoarthritis (seropositive RA OR=1.03 (1.00 to 1.06); seronegative RA OR=1.05 (1.00 to 1.09)). The familial co-aggregation pattern of non-RA arthritis-related diseases was overall similar for seropositive and seronegative RA. Among those with family history of RA, relatives' other arthritis-related diseases conferred little or no additional risk. Although family history of several arthritis-related diseases may be useful to predict RA (eg, lupus and JIA), others (eg, osteoarthritis and arthralgia) are less useful. Seropositive and seronegative RA had rather similar familial co-aggregation patterns with arthritis-related diseases, suggesting that the two RA

Occurrence of Anaemia in the First Year of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a European Population-based Inception Cohort-An ECCO-EpiCom Study.

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Burisch, Johan; Vegh, Zsuzsanna; Katsanos, Konstantinnos H; Christodoulou, Dimitrios K; Lazar, Daniela; Goldis, Adrian; O'Morain, Colm; Fernandez, Alberto; Pereira, Santos; Myers, Sally; Sebastian, Shaji; Pedersen, Natalia; Olse, Jóngerð; Rubek Nielsen, Kári; Schwartz, Doron; Odes, Selwyn; Almer, Sven; Halfvarson, Jonas; Turk, Niksa; Cukovic-Cavka, Silvja; Nikulina, Inna; Belousova, Elena; Duricova, Dana; Bortlik, Martin; Shonová, Olga; Salupere, Riina; Barros, Louisa; Magro, Fernando; Jonaitis, Laimas; Kupcinskas, Limas; Turcan, Svetlana; Kaimakliotis, Ioannis; Ladefoged, Karin; Kudsk, Karen; Andersen, Vibeke; Vind, Ida; Thorsgaard, Niels; Oksanen, Pia; Collin, Pekka; Dal Piaz, Giulia; Santini, Alessia; Niewiadomski, Ola; Bell, Sally; Moum, Bjørn; Arebi, Naila; Kjeldsen, Jens; Carlsen, Katrine; Langholz, Ebbe; Lakatos, Peter Laszlo; Munkholm, Pia; Gerdes, Lars Ulrik; Dahlerup, Jens Frederik

2017-10-01

Anaemia is an important complication of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia and the practice of anaemia screening during the first year following diagnosis, in a European prospective population-based inception cohort. Newly diagnosed IBD patients were included and followed prospectively for 1 year in 29 European and one Australian centre. Clinical data including demographics, medical therapy, surgery and blood samples were collected. Anaemia was defined according to the World Health Organization criteria. A total of 1871 patients (Crohn's disease [CD]: 686, 88%; ulcerative colitis [UC]: 1,021, 87%; IBD unclassified [IBDU] 164. 81%) were included in the study. The prevalence of anaemia was higher in CD than in UC patients and, overall, 49% of CD and 39% of UC patients experienced at least one instance of anaemia during the first 12 months after diagnosis. UC patients with more extensive disease and those from Eastern European countries, and CD patients with penetrating disease or colonic disease location, had higher risks of anaemia. CD and UC patients in need of none or only mild anti-inflammatory treatment had a lower risk of anaemia. In a significant proportion of patients, anaemia was not assessed until several months after diagnosis, and in almost half of all cases of anaemia a thorough work-up was not performed. Overall, 42% of patients had at least one instance of anaemia during the first year following diagnosis. Most patients were assessed for anaemia regularly; however, a full anaemia work-up was frequently neglected in this community setting. Copyright © 2017 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY ASSESSMENT IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

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Serrao, Amilcar

2001-01-01

This research work examines levels and trends in global agricultural productivity in fifteen European Union countries and four Eastern European countries that have already applied for European Union membership. The study makes use of data collected from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and covers the period 1980-1998. An approach based on Data Envelopment Analysis is used to provide information on the peers of the (inefficient) i-th country and to derive the Malmqui...

Personal and family attributes of pregnant teenagers: findings from a community-based study in Sri Lanka.

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