Community‐based social interventions for people with severe mental illness: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of recent evidence

People living with severe mental illness (SMI) are one of the most marginalized groups in society. Interventions which aim to improve their social and economic participation are of crucial importance to clinicians, policy‐makers and people with SMI themselves. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on social interventions for people with SMI published since 2016 and collated our findings through narrative synthesis. We found an encouragingly large amount of research in this field, and 72 papers met our inclusion criteria. Over half reported on the effectiveness of interventions delivered at the service level (supported accommodation, education or employment), while the remainder targeted individuals directly (community participation, family interventions, peer‐led/supported interventions, social skills training). We identified good evidence for the Housing First model of supported accommodation, for the Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment, and for family psychoeducation, with the caveat that a range of models are nonetheless required to meet the varied housing, employment and family‐related needs of individuals. Our findings also highlighted the importance of contextual factors and the need to make local adaptations when “importing” interventions from elsewhere. We found that augmentation strategies to enhance the effectiveness of social interventions (particularly supported employment and social skills training) by addressing cognitive impairments did not lead to transferable “real life” skills despite improvements in cognitive function. We also identified an emerging evidence base for peer‐led/supported interventions, recovery colleges and other interventions to support community participation. We concluded that social interventions have considerable benefits but are arguably the most complex in the mental health field, and require multi‐level stakeholder commitment and investment for successful implementation.     

Socio-economic and ecological consequences of the ban on adventure tourism in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, western Himalaya

Prior to 1982, the uncontrolled mountaineering activities to the Nanda Devi peak led to theheavy destruction of the biological resources of the region in the form of poaching of wild animals, treefelling by expedition parties, collection of medicinal herbs and accumulation of garbage. To curb thebiotic interference, the area was declared as Nanda Devi National Park (NDNP) and adventure tourismwas stopped in 1982. Further in 1988, an area of 2236.74km2 was designated as Nanda Devi BiosphereReserve (NDBR) with an inner core zone (NDNP) surrounded by a buffer zone. A ban on tourismactivities, followed by the designation of NDBR directly helped in a significant improvement in forestcover and density. The better status of wild animals, including rare and endangered species such as muskdeer (Moschus chrysogaster) and blue sheep (Psuedois nayaur), is an indicator of such improvements.However, from a socio-economic point of view the loss of income from adventure tourism forced localpeople to migrate from the area, a phenomenon that was reflected in the human population trends,registering 15% decline between 1981 and 1991 and another 13% between 1991 and 1996. In theabsence of alternative income sources, marginal agriculture and animal husbandry became the majorsources of income for the locals. Nonetheless, the low density of human population kept the level ofbiotic pressure under control in NDBR. Promotion of eco-tourism and natural resource based employmentgeneration schemes are suggested to compensate for the economic loss to the local people and tomaintain the biodiversity of NDBR.     

Biodiversity and stakeholder participation

Consensus building through stakeholder participation is a promising new trend that takes into account the interactive character of the communication process. There is a growing realisation that stakeholder participation has a significant role to play in the development and delivery of biodiversity policy and practice. Experience and best practice from activities such as the designation and management of Natura 2000 and Integrated Coastal Zone Management shows that problem solving and conflict management are significantly enhanced through participative processes. There is therefore the potential for a change to take place in the way that biodiversity policy is developed and implemented. This brings challenges to the biodiversity community in terms of developing new skills and processes and in engaging with new agendas and sectors.     

European Nature Conservation and Restoration Policy—Problems and Perspectives

The implementation of Natura 2000 has met with considerable resistance from farmers, fishermen, foresters, and other local residents in most European Union Member States. In response to the rural protest, the majority of governments have gradually abandoned their centralist, top-down approach and increasingly switched over to methods of participatory and interactive policy-making. However, this "democratisation" of European nature conservation policy is not without its problems and pitfalls. The inclusion of an ever-growing group of stakeholders with different and often diverging interests, ideas, views, and values will more often than not lead to conflicts over the future of nature and the landscape. The causes and consequences of these conflicts need to be examined to improve the policy process.     

WHAT SHOULD RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND TO UNDERSTAND THEY ARE PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH?

To give valid informed consent to participate in clinical research, potential participants should understand the risks, potential benefits, procedures, and alternatives. Potential participants also should understand that they are being invited to participate in research. Yet it is unclear what potential participants need to understand to satisfy this particular requirement. As a result, it is unclear what additional information investigators should disclose about the research; and it is also unclear when failures of understanding in this respect undermine the validity of potential participants' informed consent. An analysis of individuals' interests suggests that potential participants need to understand three additional facts to understand that they are being invited to participate in research: 1) research contribution : those who enroll in the study will be contributing to a project designed to gather generalizable knowledge to benefit others in the future; 2) research relationship : the investigators will rely on participants' efforts to gather the generalizable knowledge to benefit others; and 3) research impact : the extent to which participating in the study will alter what participants do and what happens to them.     

The cultural foundations of Ukrainian national identity

Using the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS), this paper investigates the impact of race and ethnicity, class and naturalization on the voter registration and subsequent assimilation of second-generation Caribbean immigrants into the USA. Drawing from both classical and contemporary models of assimilation, I conduct a comparative analysis of Afro-Caribbeans and Cuban immigrants using voter registration as the primary measure of integration. Although the assimilation literature typically characterizes Cubans as upwardly mobile, this study shows that this is not a distinguishing feature for this group because Afro-Caribbeans are gaining higher levels of upward mobility compared to Cubans with respect to political incorporation. Findings suggest that race and ethnicity, class and citizenship status are all significant factors as both Cuban and Afro-Caribbean immigrants assimilate into the USA.     

患者就医参与行为实证研究：基于成都市的调查

患者就医全过程参与是客观存在的,研究涵盖了患者就医过程中所传出的、与医疗活动相关的身心投入与努力。文章采用问卷调查方式收集数据,研究患者就医参与行为特征。结果表明,患者就医参与行为包括4个维度：患者参与患者安全行为、遵医配合行为、就医前信息搜集行为以及医患互动交流行为。同时分析了不同人口学背景下的患者在就医参与行为4个维度方面的异同。     

《生物多样性公约》企业与生物多样性全球平台的发展情况及对中国的政策建议

《生物多样性公约》(以下简称《公约》)是国际社会协力保护生物多样性最主要的公约, 也是中国参与和引领全球生态文明建设的重要平台。《公约》一直不断推动企业参与生物多样性保护的相关工作和国际体系建设。该国际体系主要包括两大支柱: 一是“企业与生物多样性全球伙伴关系”国际机制(Global Partnership on Business and Biodiversity, 以下简称GPBB机制); 二是“企业与生物多样性全球伙伴关系”资源平台(Global Platform for Business and Biodiversity, 以下简称GPBB平台)。前者是工作组织和资金机制, 后者是前者的技术支持和保障机制, 二者相辅相成, 协同增效。总体来看, 自1996年《公约》第三次缔约方大会(COP-3)以来, GPBB平台的相关概念和机制不断发展完善, 至今已形成了一个GPBB平台在线数据库, 可为我国推进相关工作提供技术支撑。通过梳理总结GPBB平台及其相关机制等的发展情况, 得出: (1)企业参与生物多样性保护的意愿及对GPBB平台的需求日益增强; (2)《公约》对企业参与的要求更加明确; (3)《公约》对如何促进企业参与生物多样性的路线图更加清晰; (4) GPBB机制已基本建立; (5) GPBB平台已基本完善。展望未来, GPBB平台发展将有望继续保持以下三大趋势: (1)平台建设力度将不断加强; (2)平台的影响将不断提升; (3)平台发展将向重点部门倾斜。目前, GPBB平台可提供相关最新研究成果、方法学、工具、自愿性标准和指引、简报、最佳实践案例等免费信息, 以及一系列项目实施过程中的企业参与机会, 以支持企业在决策和运营中纳入生物多样性, 并鼓励支持各国政府、企业、非政府组织和学术科研机构等多利益相关方共同参与、贡献与受益。中国自2015年正式加入GPBB机制后, 对各成员国的企业参与倡议开展了较为深入的研究, 为成立发起“中国企业与生物多样性伙伴关系”(CBBP)联盟倡议做出有益探索。但总体而言, 对GPBB平台的研究借鉴以及参与建设还有很多工作可做。我们建议: (1)在制度贡献方面, 应加强政策研究, 研提COP-15企业参与新决议草案; (2)在机制建设方面, 积极参与和逐渐引领GPBB机制建设, 协力支撑一带一路等中国倡议; (3)在人员保障方面, 加强人才队伍建设, 提升引领能力; (4)在GPBB平台方面, 加强研究借鉴和技术参与, 为GPBB平台建设提供技术支持。     

The long-run effects of adolescent athletic participation on women’s health

Increased athletic opportunities have been shown to improve educational and labor force outcomes, however few studies have linked athletic participation to health later in life. We use the implementation of Title IX, legislation banning gender discrimination in educational programs in the U.S., to estimate the effect of increased access to high school athletic opportunities on women’s later life health. Our results indicate that increased participation leads to fewer days in poor mental health, reduced BMI and rates of obesity, lower smoking rates, and some evidence of a reduced likelihood of a diabetes diagnosis. However, we find no impact of high school athletic participation on the number of days in poor physical health and current exercise, and a positive relationship between participation and alcohol consumption.