Psychosocial analysis of ETA's violence legitimation discourse

This study analyses the fundamental components shaping the violence legitimation discourse of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askasuna). With this aim, a category system has been built, which organizes the psychosocial processes identified in previous studies related to violence legitimation. Based on the proposed category system, a content analysis was conducted on 21 statements of ETA, released between 1998 and 2011. An intraobserver and inter-observer reliability analysis reveals high level stability and replicability of the categorization. The results show, firstly, that outgroup components have a predominant presence over ingroup components. Secondly, in the components hierarchy, we observe that elements referring to identity come in first place, followed in similar frequencies by those related to violence representation and the definition of the situation.

Self reported physical activity, public health, and perceived environment: results from a comparative European study

The focus of physical activity promotion is moving from methods for increasing health enhancing physical activity on the individual level to higher level strategies including environmental and policy approaches. Scientific inquiry, traditionally related to individual-based strategies, requires adaptation and refinement when environmental and policy changes become more relevant. The objective of this study is to investigate the significance for behaviour and health of community-based environments that encourage physical activity. DESIGN AND SETTING The article presents data and results from a cross sectional comparative survey of the general population in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany (East and West), Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland). Specifically, the relation between perceived community-based opportunities for physical activity, self reported physical activity, and self rated health status is investigated. PARTICIPANTS Representative samples of general populations (adults 18 years or older). Overall response rate: 53.5%. Sample sizes realised: Belgium: n=389; Finland: n=400; Germany (East): n = 913; Germany (West): n=489; Netherlands: n=366; Spain: n=380; Switzerland: n=406. MAIN RESULTS Analyses show that best opportunities are reported by people who are lightly to moderately physically active. People's self rated health is moderately, but significantly associated with both perceived opportunities, and physical activity itself. These predictors interact in that especially for women, the health impact of physical activity is more pronounced in case of good opportunities. CONCLUSIONS The paper shows the potential of opportunities within residential and community environments with regard to physical activity, both for behaviour and health. Opportunities may enable the population, especially women, to develop an active lifestyle, and thus improve their health. Future studies with objective indicators for physical activity related environments should test the findings that are based on perceptions.

Fonctions et modes d'expression de la violence à prendre en compte à l'hôpital de jour

A partir du cas clinique d'une adolescente de 15 ans prise en charge à l'hôpital de jour, nous nous proposons d'observer certaines fonctions et modes d'expression d'une violence explosive. Repérée comme " violente " dès sa petite enfance, cette jeune fille a grandi dans un milieu peu contenant qui n'a cessé de reculer devant sa violence et qui n'a opposé que peu de limites à sa toute-puissance. Son admission à 1 'hôpital de jour fait suite à une situation familiale de crise et une recrudescence des passages à l'acte violents sur sa petite soeur. Les déterminants institutionnels ont alors suscité un redéploiement de la violence, avec des circuits complexes d'expression alternant entre l'auto et l'hétéroagressivité. A la fois répétition et repère iclentitaire, cette violence est également une forme de communication pour l'adolescente qui exprime ainsi divers indicibles, dont sa souffrance, et qui module les orientations de la prise en charge. Les réponses institutionnelles à la violence de cette adolescente, perçue comme extrêmement dangereuse et impulsive, ont la lourde tâche de s'inscrire dans une visée à la fois compréhensive (sur le plan psychopathologique) et répressive-éducative.

How important are interview methods and questionnaire designs in research on self-reported juvenile delinquency? An experimental comparison of internet vs. paper-and-pencil questionnaires and different definitions of the reference period

There has been relatively little change over recent decades in the methods used in research on self-reported delinquency. Face-to-face interviews and selfadministered interviews in the classroom are still the predominant alternatives envisaged. New methods have been brought into the picture by recent computer technology, the Internet, and an increasing availability of computer equipment and Internet access in schools. In the autumn of 2004, a controlled experiment was conducted with 1,203 students in Lausanne (Switzerland), where "paper-and-pencil" questionnaires were compared with computer-assisted interviews through the Internet. The experiment included a test of two different definitions of the (same) reference period. After the introductory question ("Did you ever..."), students were asked how many times they had done it (or experienced it), if ever, "over the last 12 months" or "since the October 2003 vacation". Few significant differences were found between the results obtained by the two methods and for the two definitions of the reference period, in the answers concerning victimisation, self-reported delinquency, drug use, failure to respond (missing data). Students were found to be more motivated to respond through the Internet, take less time for filling out the questionnaire, and were apparently more confident of privacy, while the school principals were less reluctant to allow classes to be interviewed through the Internet. The Internet method also involves considerable cost reductions, which is a critical advantage if self-reported delinquency surveys are to become a routinely applied method of evaluation, particularly so in countries with limited resources. On balance, the Internet may be instrumental in making research on self-reported delinquency far more feasible in situations where limited resources so far have prevented its implementation.

Parachlamydia acanthamoebae in domestic cats with and without corneal disease.

Corneal samples of cats with and without corneal diseases were screened with a pan-Chlamydiales PCR and specific PCRs for Parachlamydia, Protochlamydia, Chlamydophila felis, Acanthamoeba and feline herpesviruses (FHV-1). Several corneal samples tested positive for Parachlamydia and related Chlamydiales, indicating cat exposure to these intracellular bacteria.

Differing trends in the association between obesity and self-reported health in Portugal and Switzerland: data from national health surveys 1992-2007.

BACKGROUND: The escalating prevalence of obesity might prompt obese subjects to consider themselves as normal, as this condition is gradually becoming as frequent as normal weight. In this study, we aimed to assess the trends in the associations between obesity and self-rated health in two countries. METHODS: Data from the Portuguese (years 1995-6, 1998-6 and 2005-6) and Swiss (1992-3, 1997, 2002 and 2007) National Health Surveys were used, corresponding to more than 130,000 adults (64,793 for Portugal and 65,829 for Switzerland). Body mass index and self-rated health were derived from self-reported data. RESULTS: Obesity levels were higher in Portugal (17.5% in 2005-6 vs. 8.9% in 2007 in Switzerland, p < 0.001) and increased in both countries. The prevalence of participants rating their health as "bad" or "very bad" was higher in Portugal than in Switzerland (21.8% in 2005-6 vs 3.9% in 2007, p < 0.001). In both countries, obese participants rated more frequently their health as "bad" or "very bad" than participants with regular weight. In Switzerland, the prevalence of "bad" or "very bad" rates among obese participants, increased from 6.5% in 1992-3 to 9.8% in 2007, while in Portugal it decreased from 41.3% to 32.3%. After multivariate adjustment, the odds ratio (OR) of stating one self's health as "bad" or "very bad" among obese relative to normal weight participants, almost doubled in Switzerland: from 1.38 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.01-1.87) in 1992-3 to 2.64 (95% CI: 2.14-3.26) in 2007, and similar findings were obtained after sample weighting. Conversely, no such trend was found in Portugal: 1.35 (95% CI: 1.23-1.48) in 1995-6 and 1.52 (95% CI: 1.37-1.70) in 2005-6. CONCLUSION: Obesity is increasing in Switzerland and Portugal. Obesity is increasingly associated with poorer self-health ratings in Switzerland but not in Portugal.

Desigualdades de género en la salud relacionadas con lacombinación de la vida laboral y familiar en Cataluña

Objetivos: Los objetivos de este estudio fueron: 1) analizar las desigualdades de género en la salud en la población asalariada, de 25 a 64 años, casada o que vive en pareja en Cataluña y 2) examinar las desigualdades de género en la relación entre las exigencias de la esfera doméstica y familiar, las horas de trabajo remunerado y la salud.Métodos: Los datos proceden de la Encuesta de Salud de Cataluña de 2006 (ESCA 2006). La población analizada fueron hombres y mujeres entre 25 y 64 años, asalariados y que convivían en pareja (N =4.537). Las variables dependientes fueron el estado de salud percibido, la salud mental, el consumo de psicofármacos y las horas de sueño. Las variables explicativas fueron el número de horas de trabajo remunerado, número de personas en el hogar, la convivencia con menores de 12 años, la convivencia con personas entre 65 y 74 años, la convivencia con personas mayores de 74 años y, tener una persona contratada para realizar trabajo doméstico.Resultados: Convivir con menores de 12 años se asoció negativamente con mala salud y con consumo de psicofármacos en las mujeres; que el consumo de psicofármacos en mujeres estaba relacionado positivamente con la convivencia con personas entre 65 y 74 años y con la convivencia con mayores de 74 años (aOR: 2,60; 95% IC: 1,41-4,80 y aOR: 2,93; 95% IC: 1,58-5,44 respectivamente) y en los dos sexos los largos horarios de trabajo se asociaron con problemas de salud mental aunque en mayor proporción en hombres.Conclusión: La combinación de las exigencias familiares y las horas de trabajo remunerado se asocia con diversos indicadores de salud con diferentes patrones en hombres y en mujeres.