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1 – 10 of 51

Abstract

Purpose

The 3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA) content in ecstasy tablets has increased enormously throughout Europe across the past decade. This study aims to determine whether this is caused by the production of “stronger” tablets (more mg MDMA per mg of tablet), or if tablets have simply been getting larger and heavier (more mg of tablet in total).

Design/methodology/approach

A data set of 31,716 ecstasy tablets obtained in 2012–2021 by 10 members of the Trans European Drug Information (TEDI) network was analysed.

Findings

The MDMA mass fraction in ecstasy tablets has remained virtually unchanged over the past 10 years, with increased MDMA contents being attributed almost exclusively to increased tablet weight. These trends seem to be uniform across Europe, despite varying sampling and analytical techniques being used by the TEDI participants. The study also shows that while tablet weight correlates perfectly with MDMA content on a yearly basis, wide variations in the MDMA mass fraction make such relations irrelevant for determining the MDMA content of individual tablets.

Research limitations/implications

These results provide new opportunities for harm reduction, given that size is a tangible and apparently accurate characteristic to emphasise that one tablet does not simply equate to one dose. This is particularly useful for harm reduction services without the resources for in-house quantification of large numbers of ecstasy tablets, although the results of this study also show that chemical analysis remains crucial for accurate personalised harm reduction.

Originality/value

The findings are both new and pertinent, providing a novel insight into the market dynamics of ecstasy tablet production at a transnational level.

Details

Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-6739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2009

Clair Doloriert and Sally Sambrook

This paper aims to draw attention to a unique paradox concerning doing an autoethnography as a PhD. On the one hand, a student may feel a pull towards revealing a vulnerable…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to draw attention to a unique paradox concerning doing an autoethnography as a PhD. On the one hand, a student may feel a pull towards revealing a vulnerable, intimate, autoethnographic self, yet on the other hand she may be pushed away from this because the oral/viva voce examination process may deny the student anonymity. Through the telling of this tale the complexities concerning self‐disclosure and student autoethnography reveal are explored.

Design/methodology/approach

The tale is autoethnographic: a fictionalised account based on real events and co‐constructed from substantial field notes, personal diaries, e‐mails, and reports.

Findings

This paper contributes to relational ethics concerned with self‐disclosure and the “I” of a reveal, and highlight the possibilities for developing Medford's notion of mindful slippage as a strategy for removing highly personal and possibly harmful elements within student autoethnography.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provides a preliminary theoretical framework that has not been empirically tested and is situated within “introspective” autoethnographic research.

Originality/value

The paper takes an innovative approach to autoethnography, addressing ethical value systems specifically within a PhD context.

Details

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5648

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

Josephine Tetley, Lorna Haynes, Maud Hawthorne, Joe Odeyemi, Jeanne Skinner, Dora Smith and Vanlis Wilson

Increasing consumer consultation is a priority for those involved in health and social care research and practice, with promoting greater public participation being widely…

Abstract

Increasing consumer consultation is a priority for those involved in health and social care research and practice, with promoting greater public participation being widely accepted as ‘a good thing’ (Reason, 1994: 3). However, whilst such consultation may improve the quality of research and practice, there is a need to recognise the considerable investment of time and energy that is required for success (Baxter et al., 2001). Given the extra resources needed, it is important to understand how consultation and user involvement can work to benefit all parties.This paper describes our experiences of working together on a research project exploring people's involvement in decision‐making processes when using care services in later life. When we started the project in March 2001 each of us could draw on a range of experiences that we hoped would make a valuable contribution. We have now worked together for over two years and this paper describes how our combined efforts have not only enhanced the overall quality of the research but also had personal benefits that we did not anticipate when we started out.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 10 June 2015

Kathy L. Look Howery

This chapter presents an exploration of the phenomenon of speaking with, or perhaps better stated “through,” a device. Autobiographical works and other published accounts of…

Abstract

This chapter presents an exploration of the phenomenon of speaking with, or perhaps better stated “through,” a device. Autobiographical works and other published accounts of perceptions of Speech-Generating Devices (SGDs) by persons who have used them are reviewed. The bulk of the chapter focuses on insights gathered from research into the lived experiences of young people who use SGDs. Emerging themes focus on what is “said” by a person who cannot speak, how SGDs announce one’s being in the word, the challenge of one’s words not being one’s own, and the constant sense of being out of time. Reflections on these themes provide insights for practice in the fields of speech language pathology, education, and rehabilitation engineering. The importance of further qualitative inquiry as a method to gather and listen to the voices and experiences of these often unheard individuals is stressed.

Details

Efficacy of Assistive Technology Interventions
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-641-6

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 July 2023

Josephine G. Schuman and Dan Reynolds

Research has documented how white teachers often fall short of their anti-racist intentions. However, much of this research is done with preservice teachers or teachers across…

Abstract

Purpose

Research has documented how white teachers often fall short of their anti-racist intentions. However, much of this research is done with preservice teachers or teachers across disciplines. The authors investigate stories in which white English teachers who teach substantial proportions of black students and who self-reported anti-racist goals nevertheless fell short of those goals. The purpose of the study is to understand the tensions between racial liberalism and racial literacy in their pedagogy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors snowball sampled 12 veteran white high school English teachers (3–27 years’ experience) who taught in schools with substantial proportions of black students. The authors used a two-stage interview process to narrow the sample to 7 teachers who confirmed their anti-racist intentions and who wrote narratives of moments when they tried to be anti-racist, but the lesson failed in some way. The authors used a three-stage narrative analysis to analyze how racial liberalism and racial literacy were reflected in the narratives.

Findings

The veteran English teachers, despite their anti-racist intentions, told narratives that reflected racial liberalism, portraying racism as an individual and interpersonal phenomenon. Some narratives showed teachers who had taken steps toward racial literacy, but no narratives showed a fully developed sense of racial literacy, portraying the layers of institutional and structural racism in English education.

Originality/value

The sample suggests that veteran white English teachers are subject to similar limited racial literacies as novice teachers. While the authors found glimmers of racial literacy, they still note the work necessary to equip veteran English teachers with the racial literacies necessary for anti-racist instruction. The authors propose directions for teacher education, systemic support and professional development.

Details

English Teaching: Practice & Critique, vol. 22 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1175-8708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2023

Sarah Parker, Tony Ward and Amelia Baldwin

This research aimed to explore individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) experiences of the therapeutic relationship.

Abstract

Purpose

This research aimed to explore individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) experiences of the therapeutic relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Six individuals with ID were recruited who were currently having 1:1 therapy. Semi-structured interviews focused on their experiences of the therapeutic relationship.

Findings

Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, six personal experiential themes were identified. These were labelled as a person-centred experience, the importance of adaptions, “I feel like I know you”, a secure base is offered, change does occur and an overlap of subjective experience. The results indicate that participants’ accounts of their experiences indicated that the relationship was important to them. This research also demonstrated that the benefits and value of involving individuals with ID in qualitative research.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, exploring the therapeutic relationship from the perspective of individuals with ID has not been previously explored in the literature. This research highlights considerations for therapists working with this population to help them facilitate positive therapeutic outcomes.

Details

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 17 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1282

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2021

Emily Hellmich, Jill Castek, Blaine E. Smith, Rachel Floyd and Wen Wen

Multimodal composing is often romanticized as a flexible approach suitable for all learners. There is a lack of research that critically examines students’ perspectives and the…

Abstract

Purpose

Multimodal composing is often romanticized as a flexible approach suitable for all learners. There is a lack of research that critically examines students’ perspectives and the constraints of multimodal composing across academic contexts. This study aims to address this need by exploring high school learners’ perspectives and experiences enacting multimodal learning in an L2 classroom. More specifically, this study presents key tensions between students’ experiences of multimodal composing and teacher/researchers’ use of multimodal composition in an L2 classroom setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper focuses on two multimodal composing projects developed within a design-based implementation research approach and implemented in a high school French class. Multiple data sources were used: observations; interviews; written reflections; and multimodal compositions. Data were analyzed using the critical incident technique (CIT). A critical incident is one that is unplanned and that stimulates reflection on teaching and learning. Methodologically, CIT was enacted through iterative coding to identify critical incidents and collaborative analysis.

Findings

Using illustrative examples from multiple data sources, this study discusses four tensions between students’ experiences of multimodal composing and teacher/researchers’ use of multimodal composition in a classroom setting: the primary audience of student projects, the media leveraged in student projects, expectations of learning in school and the role of a public viewing of student work.

Originality/value

This paper problematizes basic assumptions and benefits of multimodal composing and offers ideas on how to re-center multimodal composing on student voices.

Details

English Teaching: Practice & Critique, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1175-8708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2004

This paper considers firstly whether EVA® meets the objectives of benefit sharing and secondly, whether it can assist in achieving integration within the decentralised…

Abstract

This paper considers firstly whether EVA® meets the objectives of benefit sharing and secondly, whether it can assist in achieving integration within the decentralised organisation. The empirical evidence presented is based on case study investigation of three New Zealand organisations, one quoted firm and two state‐owned enterprises, from a management accounting perspective. The results demonstrate firstly that EVA® can help to promote the benefit sharing philosophy through the use of value drivers, although benefit sharing was not the sole motivation for EVA® implementation. Secondly, integration is not necessarily achieved within the organisation. The use of EVA® can actually hinder vertical linkages within the firm, if decentralised units demonstrate a high degree of economic dependence. Integration between ex ante and ex post measures of EVA® is inhibited by a lack of understanding of the measure. Furthermore, integration between shareholder and managerial objectives is hindered by managerial selfinterest and action may be necessary to eliminate goal incongruence. Finally, the case study methodology is ideal for the study of EVA®, as it provides finer quality information than external analysis at the firm level, leading to more robust conclusions concerning the range of acceptable approaches to the philosophy of EVA®, and its evolution over time.

Details

Pacific Accounting Review, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0114-0582

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2019

Josie Evans, Karen Methven and Nicola Cunningham

As part of a pilot studyassessing the feasibility of record-linking health and social care data, the purpose of this paper is to examine patterns of non-delivery of home care…

Abstract

Purpose

As part of a pilot studyassessing the feasibility of record-linking health and social care data, the purpose of this paper is to examine patterns of non-delivery of home care among older clients (>65 years) of a social home care provider in Glasgow, Scotland. The paper also assesses whether non-delivery is associated with subsequent emergency hospital admission.

Design/methodology/approach

After obtaining appropriate permissions, the electronic records of all home care clients were linked to a hospital inpatient database and anonymised. Data on home care plans were collated for 4,815 older non-hospitalised clients, and non-delivered visits were examined. Using case-control methodology, those who had an emergency hospital admission in the next calendar month were identified (n=586), along with age and sex-matched controls, to determine whether non-delivery was a risk factor for hospital admission.

Findings

There were 4,170 instances of “No Access” non-delivery among 1,411 people, and 960 instances of “Service Refusal” non-delivery among 427 people. The median number of undelivered visits was two among the one-third of clients who did not receive all their planned care. There were independent associations between being male and living alone, and non-delivery, while increasing age was associated with a decreased likelihood of non-delivery. Having any undelivered home care was associated with an increased risk of emergency hospital admission, but this could be due to uncontrolled confounding.

Research limitations/implications

This study demonstrates untapped potential for innovative research into the quality of social care and effects on health outcomes.

Originality/value

Non-delivery of planned home care, for whatever reason, is associated with emergency hospital admission; this could be a useful indicator of vulnerable clients needing increased surveillance.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 October 2018

Shahid Islam, Neil Small, Maria Bryant, Tiffany Yang, Anna Cronin de Chavez, Fiona Saville and Josie Dickerson

Participation in community programmes by the Roma community is low, whilst this community presents with high risk of poor health and low levels of wellbeing. To improve rates of…

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Abstract

Purpose

Participation in community programmes by the Roma community is low, whilst this community presents with high risk of poor health and low levels of wellbeing. To improve rates of participation in programmes, compatibility must be achieved between implementation efforts and levels of readiness in the community. The Community Readiness Model (CRM) is a widely used toolkit which provides an indication of how prepared and willing a community is to take action on specific issues. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a CRM assessment for the Eastern European Roma community in Bradford, UK, on issues related to nutrition and obesity.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors interviewed key respondents identified as knowledgeable about the Roma community using the CRM. This approach applies a mixed methodology incorporating readiness scores and qualitative data. A mean community readiness score was calculated enabling researchers to place the community in one of nine possible stages of readiness. Interview transcripts were analysed using a qualitative framework analysis to generate the contextual information.

Findings

An overall score consistent with vague awareness was achieved, which indicates a low level of community readiness. This score suggests that there will be a low likelihood of participation in currently available nutrition and obesity programmes.

Originality/value

To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply the CRM in the Roma community for any issue. The authors present the findings for each of the six dimensions that make up the CRM together with salient qualitative findings.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. 12 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

Keywords

1 – 10 of 51