Text message-based diabetes self-management support (SMS4BG): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Addressing the increasing prevalence, and associated disease burden, of diabetes is a priority of health services internationally. Interventions to support patients to effectively self-manage their condition have the potential to reduce the risk of costly and debilitating complications. The utilisation of mobile phones to deliver self-management support allows for patient-centred care at the frequency and intensity that patients desire from outside the clinic environment. Self-Management Support for Blood Glucose (SMS4BG) is a novel text message-based intervention for supporting people with diabetes to improve self-management behaviours and achieve better glycaemic control and is tailored to individual patient preferences, demographics, clinical characteristics, and culture. This study aims to assess whether SMS4BG can improve glycaemic control in adults with poorly controlled diabetes. This paper outlines the rationale and methods of the trial. METHODS/DESIGN: A two-arm, parallel, randomised controlled trial will be conducted across New Zealand health districts. One thousand participants will be randomised at a 1:1 ratio to receive SMS4BG, a theoretically based and individually tailored automated text message-based diabetes self-management support programme (intervention) in addition to usual care, or usual care alone (control). The primary outcome is change in glycaemic control (HbA1c) at 9 months. Secondary outcomes include glycaemic control at 3 and 6 months, self-efficacy, self-care behaviours, diabetes distress, health-related quality of life, perceived social support, and illness perceptions. Cost information and healthcare utilisation will also be collected as well as intervention satisfaction and interaction. DISCUSSION: This study will provide information on the effectiveness of a text message-based self-management support tool for people with diabetes. If found to be effective it has the potential to provide individualised support to people with diabetes across New Zealand (and internationally), thus extending care outside the clinic environment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12614001232628 .

Victoria's new homicide laws: provocative reforms or more stories of women 'asking for it'

The controversial partial defence of provocation has now been abolished in three Australian jurisdictions, including Victoria. Recent developments in Victorian case law would appear to suggest a continuation of ‘excuses’ for male anger and violence towards women that position the woman victim as to blame for her own death. This article considers that the 2005 abolition of provocation was only in part designed to redress the problem of victim-blame. The decision was accompanied by other key changes introduced into the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) to make it easier for women who kill in the context of family violence to successfully claim self-defence and ‘excessive self-defence’ (defensive homicide). Drawing on recent developments in Victorian case law since the 2005 amendments, this article argues that the claim that provocation’s victim-blaming narratives are being mobilised in the guise of other defences merits closer analysis. It also argues that provocation’s critics must continue to expose the gendered (and raced) assumptions underlying the other defences to homicide, such as self-defence including manslaughter and the new offence of defensive homicide. Otherwise there is a risk that provocation’s victim-blaming narratives could end up rewritten in such a way that support an argument for a reduction in culpability in cases where there is a history of violence against the woman victim, which is likely to result in claims that little has changed.

Digital credentialing: does it offer a meaningful response to initial teacher education reform?

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight key features of the disruptive technological innovation identified as digital credentialing and also known as digital badging or Open Badges. The chapter discusses the current policy reform landscape in Australia for the initial teacher education (1TB) context and then offers the possibility of how digital credentialing may create opportunities to meaningfully address policy recommendations, particularly in relation to the concepts of graduates being 'classroom ready'. While not an extensive review of the literature about digital credentialing, the chapter discusses the disruptive innovation and emerging understandings and design frameworks that can support new ways of approaching initial teacher education.

Identifying destination distances that support walking trips in local neighborhoods

When examining associations between local destinations and walking it is common to count local destinations using street network buffers measured at various distances to mitigate spatial data aggregation issues caused by scale and the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem. However, it remains unclear whether a particular buffer size is preferred since large buffers may mask important effects whilst small buffers may not accurately represent a neighborhood area. Furthermore, the use of various buffer distances in measuring destination counts does not yield specific information on distances where destinations could be placed in order to increase levels of walking. This paper extends current methods to address these issues by using a new method to define network buffers to identify threshold distances for walking to seven destination types using multilevel models. Donut-buffers are introduced as a method of counting destinations between distances of 401. m-800. m and 801. m-1200. m which are compared to standard network buffers at distances of 400. m, 800. m and 1200. m respectively. We found that destinations within 401. m-800. m could be responsible for associations found at a network buffer of 1200. m. Specifically, the odds of walking increased when local food outlets including supermarkets, cafés/takeaway stores, and small food stores, were located within 401. m-800. m but not 801. m-1200. m, suggesting that these destinations encourage walking when placed at 401. m-800. m away. Consequently we argue that donut-buffers offer greater specificity than standard network buffers for geographic measurement of destinations. This warrants further investigation to inform urban policy guidelines for designing walkable environments.

Role of microfinance to support agricultural climate change adaptations in Indonesia: Encouraging private sector participation in climate finance

The demands of mitigation and adaptation policies are important to understanding a country’s climate change preparation by providing microfinance in the agricultural sector. This could be seen as a strategy to fight against the challenges of future food security. In 2014, Indonesia established climate change adaptation policies. This legislation aims to pave the way for making actions on climate change adaptation mainstream in national and local development planning. Public and private finance have supported the implementation of the climate actions. However, most funding is still used for mitigation. Adaptation finance needs support, especially in agriculture. This research paper studies opportunities for microfinance to play a role together with existing resources in supporting climate change adaptation in Indonesia. The data was acquired and analysed through a literature review, analysis of case studies and interviews with stakeholders in the climate change-related financial sector. The central findings regarding the opportunity for microfinance to contribute to the existing schemes in Indonesian climate change adaptation finance for agriculture are worthy of the result. This study found that adaptation finance is mostly used for indirect activities. Meanwhile, local communities, and farmers in particular, need directly targeted measures to adapt to climate change. An alternative approach is providing microfinance, insurance and capacity development for farmers to produce high quality agricultural products. This would contribute to optimizing the agri-food value chain, which supports socio-economic development of stakeholders, especially farmers. Hence, microfinance appears to be one potential solution to support direct climate change adaptation actions for the agricultural sector. However, this may not be strong enough to finance the entire needs for agricultural climate actions. Adaptation is contextual, so it has to be grounded in the needs of local communities. Microfinance needs public sectors support as well as other resources from the private sector. In the case of rapid response to disasters, which often destroy the agricultural sector, microfinance should be advantageous in supporting adaptation. However, in reality, it does not work, as it is prevented by regulations. So, this can be an area the public sector can support as a risk-taker as well as by providing initial funds and resources for scaling up efforts.

Parent sensitive support by paediatric nurses

Introduction The hospitalization of a child causes big changes in child and his family life. Parents often suffer from stress and anxiety. This can affect their relationship with the child. Because of the closeness to the parents, nurses have an important role in giving parents support so they can have more energy to support and take care of their children and in the inclusion of the family in the process of care Objectives: To define what family-centered care is, the needs of hospitalized children's parents and to identify the strategies and methods that the nurses use to give parental support adapted to the parent's needs and to identify the differences between parental support given by nurses in Belgium and Portugal. Methods and procedures The study exists out of two parts. First is an integrative review of literature. The search was performed using the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL , PubMed and Science Direct. 18 Articles were selected based on inclusion criteria. Second part is a focus group. The participants were pediatric nurses from Portugal and Belgium. Results family-centered care can be considered as a partnership between family and nurses. It has some general principles: information sharing, respect differences, negotiation and care in the context of the family. Parents have different needs: knowledge and communication, support, comfort, proximity and assurance. Parents cope with stress in different ways and nurses can support them while they are in the hospital. It is a nurse task to identify the stressors and know methods of emotional support, so she can protect the family structure. Nurses should always see the family as a path to the child, with whom the nurses should worry about taking care and meeting their needs. Conclusion Nurses should collect information which includes family relationships, cultural and religious habits and familiar dynamic. Parents need interpersonal emotional support. It is important for parents to be close to their children and take care of themselves. Nurses must create an environment where parents feel safe and have privacy. To create a therapeutic and professional relationship efficient communication is needed. Parents will experience less stress and anxiety.

Parent sensitive support by paediatric nurses

Introduction The hospitalization of a child causes big changes in child and his family life. Parents often suffer from stress and anxiety. This can affect their relationship with the child. Because of the closeness to the parents, nurses have an important role in giving parents support so they can have more energy to support and take care of their children and in the inclusion of the family in the process of care Objectives: To define what family-centered care is, the needs of hospitalized children's parents and to identify the strategies and methods that the nurses use to give parental support adapted to the parent's needs and to identify the differences between parental support given by nurses in Belgium and Portugal. Methods and procedures The study exists out of two parts. First is an integrative review of literature. The search was performed using the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL , PubMed and Science Direct. 18 Articles were selected based on inclusion criteria. Second part is a focus group. The participants were pediatric nurses from Portugal and Belgium. Results family-centered care can be considered as a partnership between family and nurses. It has some general principles: information sharing, respect differences, negotiation and care in the context of the family. Parents have different needs: knowledge and communication, support, comfort, proximity and assurance. Parents cope with stress in different ways and nurses can support them while they are in the hospital. It is a nurse task to identify the stressors and know methods of emotional support, so she can protect the family structure. Nurses should always see the family as a path to the child, with whom the nurses should worry about taking care and meeting their needs. Conclusion Nurses should collect information which includes family relationships, cultural and religious habits and familiar dynamic. Parents need interpersonal emotional support. It is important for parents to be close to their children and take care of themselves. Nurses must create an environment where parents feel safe and have privacy. To create a therapeutic and professional relationship efficient communication is needed. Parents will experience less stress and anxiety.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN PERSPECTIVE OF WOMEN WHO LIVED IT

Introduction: Knowing the experience of abuse, contextual determinants that led to the rupture of the situation and attempts to build a more harmonious future, it is essential to work sensitivities and better understand victims of domestic violence. Objectives: To understand the suffering of women victims of violence. Methods: This is an intentional sample of 21 women who were at shelter home or in the community. The data were collected by in- Documento descargado de http://www.elsevier.es el 13-10-2016 3rd World Congress of Health Research 21 terviews, guided by a script organized into four themes. The interviews were conducted with audio record, the permission of the participants were fully passed the text and analyzed as two different corpuses, depending on the context in which they occurred. The analysis was conducted using the ALCESTE computer program. The study obtained a favorable opinion of the Committee on Health and Welfare of the University of Évora. Results: From the irst sample analysis emerged ive classes. The association of the words gave the meaning of each class that we have appointed as Class 1 - Precipitating Events; Class 2 - Experience of abuse; Class 3 - Two feet in the present and looking into the future; Class 4 - The present and learning from the experience of abuse; and Class 5 - Violence in general. From the analysis of the sample in the community four classes emerged that we have appointed as Class 1 - Violence in general; Class 2 - Precipitating Events; Class 3 - abuse of experience; and class 4 - Support in the process. Conclusions: Women who are at shelter home have this experience of violence and its entire context a lot are very focused on their experiences and the future is distant and unclear. Women in the community have a more comprehensive view of the phenomenon of violence as a whole, they can decentralize to their personal experiences and recognize the importance of support in the future construction process.

SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF BASICS LIFE SUPPORT

Victims of cardiac arrest need immediate Basic Life Support, in order to preserve as much as possible, the flow of blood to the brain and heart and other vital organs, it is essential to gain time pending differentiated help, performing simple acts and practical (BLS) to save lives. Learn how to perform RPC is an interactive process that requires knowledge and skills, but at the same time an act of solidarity, social responsibility, civic consciousness, and a duty of citizenship. Because no one revives alone, it requires a coordinated work of a team, all citizens must join forces in a single goal: Save Lives, the massification of the BLS (RPC, 2014). We conducted an exploratory study that aimed to identify the social representations of basic life support in the general population. We used the technique of free association of words through a short questionnaire, we obtained a sample of 45 participants. The results show that participants were mostly female and 27 that fashion of age was in the age group 40 to 59 years. With regard to social representations, we find an organized structure follows the core: help, help to revive, and save is giving life, are in fact structural and consensual elements in basic life support. In more peripheral elements we find extremely important elements, which can be worked in a way so that the core is more efficient such as to act coordinately as a team in face of an accident, it can thus be successful in practice. The social representation of basic life support does not differ from that referred in the literature on the subject, but it is common knowledge that these skills can only be acquired if they are systematically trained, because they obey an algorithm that if it is not settled theoretical and instrumentally it is not effective in practice.