White masculinity and the radical right in Europe : an intersectional analytical framework

This paper develops an intersectional analytical framework to examine the radical right in Europe, focusing on how white masculinity shapes the identity, ideology, and power relations of the party family and its support. Concepts pertaining to privilege, status threat, and appeals to victimhood thread these analytical levels together, linking the micro-functional behaviours and attitudes of men to more macro-sociological concepts such as hegemonic masculinity and the relationship between masculinity, technology, and capitalism. Building on “superordinate intersectionality,” this paper interrogates several overstretched concepts prevalent in radical right scholarship and critiques the discipline's persistent blind spots, particularly its failure to adequately theorise race and gender. By foregrounding white masculinity in its conceptual and analytical endeavour, this paper offers new frames for understanding the radical right

Continuity and reform: a case study analysis of assessment in Irish post-primary education through the evaluation of stakeholder perceptions

This research procures and analyses the perspectives of parents and students, regarding post-primary assessments. Two specific events prompted this research: 1. The reform of Junior Cycle Assessment in 2015 involving systematic reform to include the assessment of skills and competencies required for 21st century living (DES, 2012a; NCCA, 2017). 2. An Inspectorate report following a Whole School Evaluation, recommending summative data from the school entrance assessments be utilised to ‘provide a more realistic perspective on student performance.’ (DES, 2016e, p.3). The two events highlighted reform of assessment towards the formative at Junior Cycle with a simultaneous focus on summative student performance within the post-primary system. The researcher was keen to establish parent and student perspectives to assessment in post-primary education to ascertain how they as primary stakeholders experienced all aspects of the system. Subsequent to an extensive literature review, the following research questions were identified: • What is the perception of post-primary assessment among students and parents in a case study school in Ireland during a period of simultaneous continuity and reform? • What are the benefits of assessment within a post-primary school? • What are the challenges of assessment within a post-primary school? Thematic analysis of the qualitative data resulted in the emergence of three interlinked themes: • Stakeholders perceive assessment through the purpose of the assessment • Stakeholders perceive assessment through the culture of assessment • Stakeholders perceive post-primary assessment has an impact on student wellbeing. Each of the three themes are discussed in relation to the research questions and conclusions and recommendations for the case study school, for national policymakers and for future research in the area are identified

Assessing the determinants of stillbirths and early neonatal deaths using routinely collected data in an inner city area

Abstract Background Within the UK there is considerable variation in the perinatal mortality rate. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with stillbirths and early neonatal deaths (ENND) and the suitability of the available databases in a health authority with one of the highest rates in the country. Methods Two case-control studies were carried out in three hospital trusts in the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Authority, London, using routinely collected information. In one study, 342 stillbirths and 1,368 controls were included, and in the other study, 205 ENND and 820 controls were included. In the two studies cases and controls were matched for hospital trust. Results A birthweight below 1.5 kg was found in 54% and 48% of the stillbirths and ENND, respectively. More than 50% of the cases, stillbirths and ENND, had a length of gestation below 32 weeks. Length of gestation, birthweight, emergency caesarean section and age of the mother were associated with stillbirths. Birthweight and Apgar score at 1 minute as a categorical variable were associated with ENND. There was no direct evidence of an effect of social deprivation on the outcomes of interest. Conclusion Birthweight and length of gestation are the most influential factors on an unfavourable outcome. Conception at an older age has a serious impact on stillbirth rates. In our health authority social disadvantage did not have a direct impact on stillbirth and ENND. Maternity information systems should collect routine data on fewer variables, but their quality in terms of value, standardization and completion rates must improve.</p

Towards reducing variations in infant mortality and morbidity : a population-based approach

Background: Our aims were (1) to improve understanding of regional variation in early-life mortality rates and the UK’s poor performance in international comparisons; and (2) to identify the extent to which late and moderately preterm (LMPT) birth contributes to early childhood mortality and morbidity. Objective: To undertake a programme of linked population-based research studies to work towards reducing variations in infant mortality and morbidity rates. Design: Two interlinked streams: (1) a detailed analysis of national and regional data sets and (2) establishment of cohorts of LMPT babies and term-born control babies. Setting: Cohorts were drawn from the geographically defined areas of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, and analyses were carried out at the University of Leicester. Data sources: For stream 1, national data were obtained from four sources: the Office for National Statistics, NHS Numbers for Babies, Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries and East Midlands and South Yorkshire Congenital Anomalies Register. For stream 2, prospective data were collected for 1130 LMPT babies and 1255 term-born control babies. Main outcome measures: Detailed analysis of stillbirth and early childhood mortality rates with a particular focus on factors leading to biased or unfair comparison; review of clinical, health economic and developmental outcomes over the first 2 years of life for LMPT and term-born babies. Results: The deprivation gap in neonatal mortality has widened over time, despite government efforts to reduce it. Stillbirth rates are twice as high in the most deprived as in the least deprived decile. Approximately 70% of all infant deaths are the result of either preterm birth or a major congenital abnormality, and these are heavily influenced by mothers’ exposure to deprivation. Births at < 24 weeks’ gestation constitute only 1% of all births, but account for 20% of infant mortality. Classification of birth status for these babies varies widely across England. Risk of LMPT birth is greatest in the most deprived groups within society. Compared with term-born peers, LMPT babies are at an increased risk of neonatal morbidity, neonatal unit admission and poorer long-term health and developmental outcomes. Cognitive and socioemotional development problems confer the greatest long-term burden, with the risk being amplified by socioeconomic factors. During the first 24 months of life each child born LMPT generates approximately £3500 of additional health and societal costs. Conclusions: Health professionals should be cautious in reviewing unadjusted early-life mortality rates, particularly when these relate to individual trusts. When more sophisticated analysis is not possible, babies of < 24 weeks’ gestation should be excluded. Neonatal services should review the care they offer to babies born LMPT to ensure that it is appropriate to their needs. The risk of adverse outcome is low in LMPT children. However, the risk appears higher for some types of antenatal problems and when the mother is from a deprived background

Effect of socioeconomic deprivation and health service utilisation on antepartum and intrapartum stillbirth: population cohort study from rural Ghana.

BACKGROUND: No studies have examined the effect of socioeconomic deprivation on antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths in the poorest women in low income countries. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This study used data from a prospective population based surveillance system involving all women of childbearing age and their babies in rural Ghana. The primary objective was to evaluate associations between household wealth and risk of antepartum and intrapartum stillbirth. The secondary objective was to assess whether any differences in risk were mediated by utilisation of health services during pregnancy. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Random effect models adjusted for clustering of women who delivered more than one infant. There were 80267 babies delivered from 1 July 2003 to 30 September 2008: 77666 live births and 2601 stillbirths. Of the stillbirths 1367 (52.6%) were antepartum, 989 (38.0%) were intrapartum and 245 (9.4%) had no data on the timing of death. 94.8% of the babies born in the study (76129/80267) had complete data on all covariates and outcomes. 36 878 (48.4%) of babies were born to women in the two poorest quintiles and 3697 (4.9%) had no pregnancy care. There was no association between wealth and antepartum stillbirths. There was a marked 'dose response' of increasing risk of intrapartum stillbirth with increasing levels of socioeconomic deprivation (adjOR 1.09 [1.03-1.16] p value 0.002). Women in the poorest two quintiles had greater risk of intrapartum stillbirth (adjOR 1.19 [1.02-1.38] p value 0.023) compared to the richest women. Adjusting for heath service utilisation and other variables did not alter results. CONCLUSIONS/ SIGNIFICANCE: Poor women had a high risk of intrapartum stillbirth and this risk was not influenced by health service utilisation. Health system strengthening is required to meet the needs of poor women in our study population

The Health Status Questionnaire: achieving concordance with published disability criteria

Aim: To compare the Health Status Questionnaire with established methods of assessing disability in preterm and very low birthweight infants. Method: All survivors of gestational age <31 weeks or birth weight <1500 g, born in 1994 to women resident in Wales were identified. Assessments were by a single observer at a median corrected age of 28.3 months and included the Health Status Questionnaire and a Griffiths developmental test. Outcome was also described according to criteria for disability used in three published studies. Results: There were 297 survivors of which 279 (94%) were assessed. Using the Health Status Questionnaire, severe disability was found in 12.9% of cases compared to 8.2%, 2.9%, and 3.6% using the Northern, Victorian, and Mersey outcome criteria respectively. Following the simple modifications of removing the growth criteria from the Health Status Questionnaire and reclassifying the severe disability group in the Victorian and Mersey criteria, comparable severe disability rates ranging from 7.9% to 9.3% were found. Conclusion: The Health Status Questionnaire requires no formal training, is rapid to perform, and with simple modifications provides comparable results to established methods of assessing disability. Its use in the follow up of preterm and very low birthweight infants should be encouraged