RSS 1.0Faculty of Health and Social Care
The Faculty of Health and Social Care is one of the major providers of Health and Social Care education in the North West and offers a wide range of programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Programmes are delivered at four main locations: Riverside Campus (Chester), Leighton (Crewe), Warrington Campus and Wirral (Clatterbridge).
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Attachment Theory: Developments, Debates and Recent Applications in Social Work, Social Care and EducationAttachment theory may be considered controversial given that some of its foundational principles are contested. Not only this, it is currently being developed by insights from neuroscience, another perspective that academics have subjected to critique. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the twenty-first century in England and the United Kingdom in general, there has been a renewed interest in its explanation of child development, as well as its application in schools, social care settings and the practice of professionals such as social workers and teachers. This paper outlines the core principles of attachment theory, acknowledges some of the criticisms, then traces the ways in which the theory has been developed over time. The theory is then illustrated with a description of the ways in which it is being applied in the training of foster carers, the provision of support to adoptive parents and in the school environment.
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A phenomenological exploration of nursing students’ experience of raising a care concern in clinical practiceUK pre-registration healthcare students are expected to raise a care concern about unsafe situations whilst in clinical practice. The UK’s NHS is in the midst of a change to an open, honest and transparent culture which responds to a professional’s concern about patient care, to improve safety and prevent harm. Central to this change is improving the experience of registered healthcare professionals whose decision to raise a care concern is influenced by the organisational culture; this can create a difficult moral choice. The experience of nursing students who decide to raise a care concern has received little attention, and this study sought to explore this under-researched area. A literature review was undertaken which identified that the experience of nursing students who had raised a care concern had not been previously examined. To guide this study, Clarke Moustakas’ (1994) transcendental phenomenological methodology was used to explore nursing students’ lived experience of raising a care concern. Ten nursing students with experience of raising a care concern in clinical practice voluntarily participated in the study. Open interviews conducted between December 2016 and October 2017 were audio recorded and transcribed, exposing individual narratives of raising a care concern in clinical practice. The transcripts were analysed to produce a composite description which summarises nursing students’ lived experience, reflecting four themes or essences: 1) patient centred concern; 2) deciding how to act; 3) having emotional strength; and 4) feedback and support. These typify what it is like for nursing students to raise a care concern whilst in clinical practice. The findings were critically examined and suggest that compassion may motivate nursing students to act when faced with an unsafe situation, seeking to stop patient harm and suffering. Recognising this moral motivation, students described the relevance of emotional strength when dealing with the emotionally complex experience of facing difficult situations, with feedback and support providing comfort plus moral and emotional satisfaction. This study also explores the implications for professional practice, specifically the impact upon future teaching and learning approaches to facilitate nursing students’ ability to detect and act upon unsafe situations; providing listening opportunities to support students in clinical practice; and valuing nursing students who raise a care concern as role models and local clinical leaders. Recommendations include a new national campaign to improve the likelihood of nursing students raising care concerns and updating UK professional guidance.
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Predictors of mortality and survival in type 1 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) in the Wirral PeninsulaBackground: The prevalence of T1D is rising, despite improvements in the management of this condition. It presents a risk of premature and excess mortality, which impacts survival and life expectancy. Aim: The study aim was to assess mortality, identify predicting risk factors for mortality and survival in T1D in the Wirral. A systematic review was done to establish present current evidence of all-cause and cause-specific mortality amongst T1D patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study design, 1786 patients diagnosed with T1D extracted from the Wirral Diabetes Register (WDR). The follow-up period was between 1st of January, 2000 to 31st December, 2012. The primary outcome measured was all-cause mortality. Results: 1458 participants with T1D meet the inclusion criteria, after a follow-up period of 12 years, 113(7.75%) deaths were recorded. While the incidence rate was steady over the study period, the prevalence rate continued to increase over the study period. Significant predictors of mortality in this cohort were age of diagnosis, duration of diabetes, HbA1c,systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and triglyceride levels. The predicting risk gender, age at diagnosis, duration of T1D, BMI, serum creatinine levels, SBP, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TC\HDL, and LDL\HDL showed a linear increase in mortality risk. IMD and DBP followed a U-shaped relationship with relative and absolute mortality, while HbA1c levels reveal a sinusoidal pattern with the highest risk of mortality at the levels ≤ 5.9% (41 mmol/mol). The risk of mortality for the predicting risk factors for this study ranged between 5% and 9%. Maximal risk of mortality of 9% was recorded in the predicting risks of smoking, BMI, SBP, and DBP. The risk of mortality of 8% was recorded for IMD, serum creatinine, total cholesterol, TG, LDL\HDL ratio, and TSH. The risk of mortality of 7% was recorded for the predicting variables of HbA1c, HDL, LDL, and TC\HDL ratio. The minimum risk of mortality of 5% was recorded for the predictor variable of the duration of diabetes. The significant predictors of mortality were the age at diagnosis, duration of diagnosis, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c. The burden of mortality rest disproportionately with females who had higher relative risk of mortality of 4 times that of their male counterparts, however, the burden of premature mortality as recorded by the years of potential life lost was slightly higher in males (1797[53.6%]) as compare to females (1553[46.4%]). Of the 113 deaths recorded for the cohort that indicated a proportion of 7.75% of the total T1D patients, records for only 37 participants were retrieved. The principal cause of death in this cohort was malignancy-related 8 deaths (21.6%), this was followed by cardiovascular disease and sepsis, each having 6 deaths (16.2%) respectively. Cerebrovascular disease accounted for 5 deaths (13.5%). Death from diabetes complications (hypoglycaemia) was recorded in 1 patient (2.7%). There were marked reductions in life expectancy for this cohort. Life expectancy at 40 years for females was to an average age mortality of 66.2 years as compared to males 78.3 years. There has been improved survival for T1D in this cohort, 77.185 years [95% CI: 75.191 – 79.179] in males and 76.011 years [95% CI: 73.169 – 78.000] in females. The systematic review highlighted increased mortality in those with T1D as compared to the general population, females showed greater risk of vascular complications as compared to the males with T1D. 35 studies were included. Results showed all-cause mortality RR 3.73 (95% CI 3.19, 4.36) compared to general population, with gender specific mortality RR 1.17 (95% CI 1.06, 1.29). For cause specific mortality risk (overall and gender specific): cardiovascular v disease RR 3.48 (95% CI 3.14, 3.86) and RR 1.41 (95% CI 0.92, 2.17); renal disease RR 1.06 (95% CI 0.89, 1.26) and RR 0.63 (95% CI 0.38, 1.04); neoplasms RR 1.03 (95% CI 0.92, 1.16) and RR 1.18 (95% CI 0.75, 1.86); cerebrovascular disease according to gender RR 0.99 (95% CI 0.66, 1.48), and accidents and suicides according to gender RR 2.30 (95% CI 1.31, 4.06). Conclusion In conclusion, the study highlighted significant mortality risk in females as compared to their male counterparts; there has been progress in the survival of patients with T1D. However, life expectancy remains reduced as compared to those without the condition. Prevalence of T1D continues to increase, and the complex interplay of the predictor variables support the need for an individualised approach to care.
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Queering Blackpool: An Ethnographic StudyThis research explores the notion of identity in relation to drag queens in the seaside town of Blackpool in the North West of England. What I describe is how this complex form of identity is composed not only from the appropriation and cultural manipulation of gendered tropes, in terms of behaviours, dress, and attitudes; but how identity is also composed from the socio-cultural place of Blackpool within the Northwest of England; and from specific genres of entertainment as they manifest in this sea-side town, which suffers from a high level of deprivation. The research employs qualitative data collection methods to build an understanding of how identity is created whilst exploring the ethnographic structure and representation of the town of Blackpool which is reflected in the analysis of the film through an autoethnographic lens. It becomes autoethnographic as it is my personal reaction to the research. I wanted to analyse my findings in terms of a qualitative visual ethnography and critical reportage, which takes the form of a short film which was an appropriate way to present the visual and socio-cultural representations of the data. Blackpool’s identity has been shaped by its raucous history. Early examples of dancing, drunken behaviour and prostitution at the Raikes Garden in the 1870s are documented by Walton (1998) as well as fairground style attractions and a rising number of cheap drinking establishments to cater for the influx of holidaymakers; all of which were difficult to police. Advertising the resort’s entertainment attracted more working-class visitors creating a more downmarket holiday resort which continues to this day. The working-class history of the town gives the resort a particular kind of focus. It also means that the town is vulnerable; it is vulnerable to economic market change, problems of poverty, and unemployment. Therefore, this thesis seeks to discuss the question: how is Blackpool’s social history reflected in both the town and drag performance spaces? This thesis uses the theory of Bakhtin’s Carnival (1984) to highlight certain aspects of the film in order to present the research through an appropriate theoretical lens as well as appropriate supporting literature throughout. I felt it appropriate to use Bakhtin, since even at the level of a superficial joke, Bakhtin’s work is located in celebration, freedom, holiday and the superficial preoccupations of historic and contemporary Blackpool. More significantly perhaps Bakhtin was interested in how the world, in these contexts, can be turned upside down, and what it means for order and identity to be essentially forms of performativity, a theme central to my own work around identity and place with respect to Blackpool. Due to the nature and disclosure of some participants I decided to present the data through the form of a film. Through the initial interview process, it became apparent that some identities needed to be hidden as a means of protecting both the participants and their families as sensitive details were 11 discussed, however their stories still needed to be told. To both explore and mitigate the problems that I have mentioned, visual ethnography seemed to offer both a solution and an interesting way to convey meaning that would otherwise be lost in text. By presenting the data in this way I am creating characters. This becomes unavoidable, rather like the drag queen performers who create characters, therefore I am paralleling that. By creating the characters that are heard and deliberately filming various aspects of Blackpool, I was able to join both person and place to create a visual means that represents the journey and exploration that I went through as a researcher and which further presents the data, as self and other, in the most appropriate way. When I use the word ‘trans,’ I am referring to transvestites, transsexuals and transgender people. Throughout this written part of this thesis, I will refer to the visual aspect as ‘the film.’
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‘Being different’: realities of life experiences as constructed by persons with albinism in NigeriaIn Nigeria, persons with albinism (PWA) continue to face a higher burden of health and social challenges in the society compared with the general population. PWA experience multi-faceted social injustices such as stigma, discrimination and exclusion from education, employment and social participation. These injustices are driven by the Nigerian society because of sociocultural perceptions and stereotypes associated with albinism which can be attributable to the lack of adequate understanding of the condition. This research aimed to understand how the realities of being a PWA in Nigeria could be conceptualised based on their life experiences to develop a substantive theory of their social wellbeing status. By adopting constructivist grounded theory methodology, forty-two in-depth interviews were conducted amongst eleven PWA. Analysis identified three categories each of which embodies the multiple realities of disadvantages and exclusion experienced within the home, schooling, working and social environments at different stages of life. The concept of ‘Being different’ emerged from these categories to offer a theoretical explanation of what it means to be a PWA in Nigeria. The realities of ‘being different’ constitute processual social injustices for PWA because of how the Nigerian society is socio-culturally and institutionally configured to magnify the limitations of albinism above the rights and social liberties of the individual. This research identified albinism as a disability and concluded that PWA are owed a moral and ethical obligation by the Nigerian society for them to be able to access the liberties and support necessary to secure their health and social wellbeing. The sustainable fulfilment of this moral and ethical obligation necessitates an inter-institutional collaboration and vigilance that should address the layers of injustices meted to PWA. This study adds an original contribution to knowledge by offering a theoretical concept to qualify the social status of PWA in Nigeria, and thus, could be useful to inform appropriate health and social care interventions.
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THE APPLICATION OF MASS OBSERVATION DATA IN SOCIAL RESEARCH.AbstractResponding to the opportunities and challenges of an ageing world the University of Chester established the Centre for Ageing, Mental Health and Veterans’ Studies in 2013 to provide research, consultancy and education, with the aim of promoting innovation in health and social care services for older people. This symposium brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines and career stages, to explore the utility of Mass observation data in social research in the field of gerontology. The Mass Observation Project, established in 1937, documents the lives of ordinary people living in the UK, and explores a wide range of social issues. The symposium comprises four separate papers. The Methodological Relevance of Mass Observation Data: This preliminary overview will outline the mass observation archive, highlighting challenges and issues encountered utilising the data produced in social research. Personal Narratives of Ageing: This paper presents personal narratives reflecting on the ageing process, and growing older in the UK. The Health Impact of Scams: This presentation will offer new and alternate insights into ‘scams’ and the health effects of fraud on older people, using data from the mass observation directive commissioned by the centre. Perceptions of Dementia: This paper presents a perspective on the public knowledge and understanding about dementia not previously considered, where respondents have written openly about their own experiences, and reflected on their perception of the wider public’s knowledge and understanding about dementia.
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PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF AGING.AbstractThis presentation reflects on self-written narratives from respondents to a mass observation directive, focusing on the experiences of growing older. Narrative methods are theoretically and methodologically diverse, and are helpful in social research to understand events or happenings in human lives. This data presents accounts from a heterogeneous sample in the form of self-penned responses. These experience-centred narratives bring stories of personal understanding into being by means of the first person description of past, present, future or imaginary experiences. This presentation will focus on the findings with reference to physical and mental impacts, both real and anticipated. We will also explore themes arising from the data including gender differences, age-cohort effects and stigma. The data can be used to inform Health and Social Care education and practice, particularly in co-producing appropriate person-centred services with older people.
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Educating nurses to deliver optimum care to military veterans and their families.The aim of the project was to help prepare the future nursing workforce to provide optimum care for the Armed Forces Community. Structured evidenced-based educational sessions were designed and then delivered at two Universities in England. This educational model included a flipped approach, didactic classroom teaching, blended learning, and information technology. Educational sessions were provided to 468 first year Bachelor of Nursing undergraduate students in 2017 and 2018. A mixed methods evaluation included a quasi-experiential design with pre and post-test data followed by research interviews conducted by student nurses and analysed using a modified Grounded Theory. Post session evaluation demonstrated a significant improvement in students' knowledge. 93% agreed that the training was useful, 95% felt that nurses should be aware of the healthcare needs of the Armed Forces Community, and 89% indicated that the subject matter should be included in the undergraduate curriculum. A qualitative theoretical model was built from four major clusters: the military community; student's identity, clinical engagement, and future practice. These educational sessions are being introduced into a growing number of United Kingdom Universities to create future nursing leaders with a better insight into the large and diverse Armed Forces Community. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.]
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Prophylactic Treatment in People with Severe Hemophilia B in the US: An Analysis of Real-World Healthcare System Costs and Clinical OutcomesIntroduction The treatment paradigm for people with severe hemophilia B in the US typically involves prophylaxis with factor IX (FIX) replacement therapy, the primary aim of which is to provide sufficient FIX levels to reduce the frequency of bleeding events. The clinical benefits of FIX prophylaxis are well understood, however the cost of FIX products as well as costs associated with healthcare resource utilization present a significant burden to the healthcare system. Substantive costs may also accrue in patients who continue to bleed while on prophylaxis, due to the impact on both short and long-term joint-related outcomes. In the absence of existing data in the US, the 'Cost of Hemophilia Across the USA: a Socioeconomic Survey' (CHESS US) study was conducted to establish a population-based estimate of the real-world US healthcare system burden associated with severe hemophilia. Using data drawn from the CHESS US study, this analysis examines the real-world healthcare system costs and clinical outcomes of people with severe hemophilia B on FIX prophylaxis. Methods CHESS US, a retrospective, cross-sectional dataset of adults with severe hemophilia in the USA, gathered information on patient cost via a patient record form. Data on the following parameters are included in this analysis: FIX consumption, annualized bleeding rate (ABR), the presence of one or more chronically damaged joints ("problem joint"), as well as costs associated with annual (prophylactic) factor consumption and hospitalizations (i.e., number of admissions, number of day cases, total inpatient days, and total intensive care unit [ICU] days). All variables report retrospective data of the 12 months prior to enrolment in the study. Results are presented as mean (± standard deviation) or N (%). Results In total, 132 of 576 patients profiled in the CHESS US study had severe hemophilia B. Among them, 77 patients were on FIX prophylaxis, of whom 44 patients reported FIX dosing regimen and were included in the current analyses. Among them, 20 patients were treated with conventional FIX and 24 patients with extended half-life (EHL) FIX products. The cohort has a mean age of 27.64 (± 11.05) and mean weight (kg) of 75.71 (± 13.41). In the last 12 months, the mean number of international units (IU) prescribed for FIX prophylaxis across the full cohort was 257,216 IU (± 213,591), with an associated annual cost of $610,966 (± $495,869). Among patients treated with conventional FIX, mean prescribed FIX was 287,141 IU (± 264,906) at an annual cost of $397,491 (± $359,788), while patients treated with EHL FIX reported a mean prescribed FIX of 232,278 IU (± 160,914) at an annual cost of $788,861 (± $529,258). The cohort reported a mean ABR of 1.73 (± 1.39); 8 (18%) were reported to have a target joint meeting the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) definition; and 11% were reported to have had at least one chronically damaged joint (i.e., problem joint). Healthcare resource utilization associated with bleed events were reported as follows: hospital admissions days [0.18 (± 0.62)]; inpatient days [0.34 (± 1.22)]; and ICU days [0.23 (± 0.86)]. The direct medical cost to the healthcare system was $2,885 (± $7,857; excluding FIX cost) and $614,886 (± $498,839; including FIX cost). Discussion Data from the CHESS US study showed substantial costs and resource utilization among patients with severe hemophilia B receiving FIX prophylaxis, of which the cost of FIX replacement therapy constituted most of the total cost to healthcare system. Although the ABR observed in the analysis population was low, bleed-related hospitalizations comprised a significant non-drug cost to the healthcare system. A proportion of patients also still experienced joint arthropathy. Such substantial clinical and economic burden highlights that unmet needs remain in patients with severe hemophilia B on FIX prophylaxis in the US. Disclosures Noone: HCD Economics: Employment. Pedra:HCD Economics: Employment. Asghar:HCD Economics: Employment. O'Hara:HCD Economics: Employment, Equity Ownership. Sawyer:uniQure Inc.: Employment. Li:uniQure Inc.: Employment.
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The clusters and frequencies of adverse social conditions amongst the homeless peopleAbstract Background A growing body of evidence identifies interconnected social indicators that can lead to homelessness. Several studies identify a catalogue of social disadvantages that starts from childhood and persist throughout the life course that leads to homelessness. Qualitative evidence indicates that their adverse childhood experiences(ACEs) and damage that occurred to them as children had major influences on their ability to negotiate their way through the education system, gain and sustain employment, make appropriate choices of social networks, and form and maintain healthy relationships as adults. However, very little research seeks to objectively investigate these issues. This study aims to use the cross-sectional study to document the cluster and frequency of adverse social conditions amongst the homeless people in North West England in 2019. Methods The study design was cross-sectional. We used IBM SPSS 21, with a significance level set at p < 0.05, CI 95% to analyse the data. Results The mean age was 39.12, range 21-64, 90.5% male. 52%(χ2= 33.4, df = 1, p = 0.001) described their health as poor, 90% (χ2= 61.85, df = 2, p = 0.001) smoked cigarette daily, 83.3% (χ2= 76.4, df = 3, p = 0.001) used drugs daily, 78.6% (χ2= 13.7, df = 1, p = 0.001) saw a doctor in preceding 6 months, 63.4% (χ2= 73.8, df = 3, p = 0.001) left school before age 16; 26.2% (χ2= 37.7, df = 3, p = 0.001) left school at 16, 11.9% (χ2= 33.1, df = 10, p = 0.001) encounterd criminal justice system at the age of 11, 28.6% (χ2= 60.8, df = 8, p = 0.001) had reprimand/caution or conviction at 17. ACES: 57% (χ2= 34.7, df = 3, p = 0.001) experienced humiliation by adults in their household; 54% (χ2= 30.7, df = 3, p = 0.001) threatening behaviour, 50% (χ2= 26.0, df = 3, p = 0.001) physical violence in their household. Conclusions These early stage preliminary results indicate that adverse social circumstances that occur in childhood are disproportionately represented in homeless population. Key messages Homelessness is more complex than the absence of accomodation. Adverse social circumstances that occur in childhood are disproportionately represented in homeless population.
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Being at the Bottom Rung of the Ladder in an Unequal Society: A Qualitative Analysis of Stories of People without a HomeBackground: Homelessness is rising in the United Kingdom, despite investment in measures to eradicate it made by the government and charity organisations. Aim: The aim is to examine the stories of homeless people in order to document their perceptions of their social status, the reasons that led to their homelessness, and propose a conceptual explanation. Method: We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews in three centres for homeless people in Cheshire, North West of England. Results: Three categories—education, employment, and health—emerged from the data and provided a theoretical explanation for the reasons that led to their homelessness. These are vital not only for the successful negotiation of one’s way out of homelessness, but also for achieving other social goods, including social connections, social mobility, and engaging in positive social relationships. Conclusion: Participants catalogued the adverse childhood experiences, which they believe limited their capacity to meaningfully engage with the social institution for social goods, such as education, social services, and institutions of employment. Since not all people who have misfortunes of poor education, poor health, and loss of job end up being homeless, we contend that a combination of these with multiple adverse childhood experiences may have weakened their resilience to traumatic life changes, such as loss of job and poor health.
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THE HEALTH IMPACT OF SCAMSAbstract This presentation will offer new and alternate insights into ‘scams’ and the health effects of fraud on older people. It reports data captured from a Mass Observation Project “Directive” focusing on scams and their impact on individuals. Eighty “Observers’” aged 50 and over responded to the “Directive”. Responses indicate that falling victim to a scam may have negative impacts on individuals’ mental wellbeing, self-esteem and relationships with others. Data analysis also identified that fear of victimisation can also affect individuals, resulting in worry, anxiety and maladaptive coping strategies. Offering a sociology of health perspective, we will focus is on these health impacts of scams and the legitimisation of the issue as a socio-political problem. We will also highlight additional important areas for consideration, such as the absence of a common understanding of the concept and nomenclature of ‘scam’, and the ‘vagaries of scams’ by presenting a typology of scams.
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PERCEPTIONS OF DEMENTIAAbstract This paper considers narratives of 143 respondents (“Observers”) to a Mass Observation Project Directive exploring individuals’ perceptions of dementia. Perceptions of dementia held by “Observers” with experience of dementia and those without differed sharply. “Observers” with experience of dementia offered insight into living with and caring for a person with dementia, and the impact this had on their lives and personal relationships. Whereas, “Observers” with no direct experience of dementia focused more on common disease symptoms such as memory loss and reflected idealised views of care. “Observers” often feared being diagnosed with dementia themselves. This suggests education to facilitate care planning and ameliorate fears held by the public is required.
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THE METHODOLOGICAL RELEVANCE OF MASS OBSERVATION DATAAbstract The Mass Observation Project, established in 1937, documents the lives of ordinary people living in the UK, and explores a wide range of social issues. The Project distributes a set of written questions (“Directives”) to a panel of 500 members of the British public (“Observers”) three times each year; “Observers” respond in writing. From the initial commissioning of a “Directive” to data becoming available for analysis takes between four to six months. This approach offers researchers an opportunity to capture in-depth qualitative data from individuals with a range of demographic backgrounds who live across the UK. As there are no word limits on “Observers’” responses and they remain anonymous, a “Directive” often yields rich, high-quality data. Additionally, compared with alternative methods of collecting large volumes of qualitative data from a heterogeneous population, commissioning a “Directive” is cost-effective in terms of time and resource.
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Evaluation of the Broseley Health Technology PilotThis document reports on the evaluation of a health technology pilot, which was delivered by Shropshire Council’s Public Health Team. This service evaluation explored the usability and acceptability of three consumer smart devices in a group of older adults who live within the community. The devices are the “Echo Dot”, “Echo Show” and “Fitness Tracker”. The intention of the evaluation was to identify whether these devices meet the needs of its users, their experiences using the equipment and the impact of having and using this equipment.
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“Cautiously Optimistic” Older Parent-Carers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities response to the Care Act 2014This paper discusses potential opportunities for best practice in the UK that may be brought about by the Care Act (2014). Carers in the UK were given new rights within this legislation with a focus on needs led assessment. The underpinning philosophy of the Care Act is to streamline previous legislation and offer a framework for carers and people in receipt of care, to enable a more personalised approach to care and support.
