In recent years, the school curricula in many European countries have introduced social and emotional learning (SEL). This calls for the teachers to have SEL competencies. The present study evaluates ...teachers' and their students' readiness for SEL during an intervention in five European countries. The participants were teachers (
n
= 402) in five European countries; Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Spain. The pre- and post-measuring points for both the intervention and the comparison group were at approximately the same time before and after the intervention. Comparison data consisted of 159 teachers in the same countries. The training for the intervention group lasted 16 h for the teachers and a maximum of 16 h for the principles and headmasters. An additional 9 h of further monitoring took place. There were two student groups participating in the study: the age group of 8–11 years (pre puberty) and the age group of 12–15-years (adolescents). Students, whose teachers had participated in the intervention, formed the intervention group (
n
= 2,552). Those students, whose teachers did not participate in the intervention, formed the comparison group (
n
= 1,730). The questionnaire data were collected at the beginning and at the end of the school year for both age groups. The results indicated that there was a favorable development in the intervention group in some of the measured skills among students, but the effects were different for the two age groups. This study adds to both theoretical and practical development of continuing teacher training about SEL and its possible role in reducing problem behavior among the students.
Public health advocacy plays a crucial role in promoting and protecting the health and well-being of communities. It involves the efforts of individuals, organizations, communities, and coalitions to ...influence public health policies, practices, and systems to address health disparities, improve health outcomes, and create healthier environments. Advocacy strategies used in public health include raising awareness about health issues, mobilizing communities, engaging policy- and decision-makers and media, and influencing legislation. Public health advocates utilize various communication channels, such as traditional and social media, and community forums, to disseminate information and build support for their cause. They also collaborate with stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and community leaders, to amplify their impact. Public health advocacy has been successful in achieving significant improvements in health outcomes. Examples include the adoption and implementation of smoke-free policies, the adoption of evidence-based alcohol strategy and policy, such as the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (2022-2030), and many more. However, challenges exist, such as lack of advocacy knowledge and skills among public health workforce, resistance from powerful interest groups (e.g., unhealthy industries), limited resources, and the need for sustained efforts to address complex health issues. In conclusion, public health advocacy is a vital component of efforts to improve population health. It involves advocating for policies and practices that address the social determinants of health and promote health equity. Public health advocates can create positive change and contribute to healthier communities. Continued support and investment in public health advocacy are therefore essential.
Quigg, Z., Hughes, K., Bellis, M., van Hasselt, N., Calafat, A., Košir, M., Duch, M., Juan, M., Voorham, L., & Goossens, F. (2014). Incidents of harm in European drinking environments and ...relationships with venue and customer characteristics. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(4), 269-275. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i4.180Aim: Research shows there are associations between bar environments and alcohol-related harms. However, few European studies have examined such links. Our study investigates the type of harms experienced by patrons in European bars, and their relationships with individual, social and environmental factors.Design: Unobtrusive one-hour observational visits. Characteristics of the bar environment, staff and patrons, and harms observed were recorded on structured schedules.Setting: Bars in four cities in the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom (U.K.).Participants: 238 observations across 60 bars.Measures: Analyses utilized chi-squared, analyses of variance and logistic regression.Findings: 114 incidents of harm were observed; in one-fifth of visits, at least one incident was recorded. People falling over, arguing or being so severely intoxicated that they required assistance to walk were the most common incidents observed. Bivariate analyses showed associations between a range of staffing, customer and environmental characteristics, and incidents of harm. Controlling for city and venue, only a permissive environment remained significant in multivariate analyses.Conclusions: Harms occurring in nightlife venues are typically minor. However, such incidents have the potential to escalate into more serious harms; thus, prevention is crucial. Prevention should focus on improving venue management practice and on the behavioral standards expected of customers.
Reducing harm in drinking environments is a growing priority for European alcohol policy yet few studies have explored nightlife drinking behaviours. This study examines alcohol consumption and blood ...alcohol concentration (BAC) in drinking environments in four European cities.
A short questionnaire was implemented among 838 drinkers aged 16-35 in drinking environments in four European cities, in the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the UK. Questions included self-reported alcohol use before interview and expected consumption over the remainder of the night. Breathalyser tests were used to measured breath alcohol concentration (converted to BAC) at interview.
Most participants in the Dutch (56.2%), Spanish (59.6%) and British (61.4%) samples had preloaded (cf Slovenia 34.8%). In those drinking < 3 h at interview, there were no differences in BAC by gender or nationality. In UK participants, BAC increased significantly in those who had been drinking longer, reaching 0.13% (median) in females and 0.17% in males drinking > 5 h. In other nationalities, BAC increases were less pronounced or absent. High BAC (> 0.08%) was associated with being male, aged > 19, British and having consumed spirits. In all cities most participants intended to drink enough alcohol to constitute binge drinking.
Different models of drinking behaviour are seen in different nightlife settings. Here, the UK sample was typified by continued increases in inebriation compared with steady, more moderate intoxication elsewhere. With the former being associated with higher health risks, European alcohol policy must work to deter this form of nightlife.
ABSTRACT
Aims Reducing alcohol‐related harm in young people is a major priority across Europe. Much alcohol use and associated harm in young people occurs in public drinking environments. This ...review aims to identity environmental factors in drinking establishements that are associated with increased alcohol consumption and associated harm and to understand the extent of study in this area across Europe.
Methods A systematic literature search identified studies that had explored associations between physical, staffing and social factors in drinking environments and increased alcohol use or alcohol‐related harm.
Results Fifty‐three papers were identified, covering 34 studies implemented in nine countries. Most studies had been implemented in non‐European countries and many had collected data more than a decade prior to the review. The majority had used observational research techniques. Throughout the studies, a wide range of physical, staffing and social factors had been associated with higher levels of alcohol use and related harm in drinking environments. Factors that appeared particularly important in contributing to alcohol‐related problems included a permissive environment, cheap alcohol availability, poor cleanliness, crowding, loud music, a focus on dancing and poor staff practice. However, findings were not always consistent across studies.
Conclusions Drinking establishments, their management and the behaviours of the young people who use them vary widely across Europe. While international research shows that environmental factors in drinking settings can have an important influence on alcohol‐related harm, there is currently a scarcity of knowledge on the relevance and impacts of such factors in modern European settings. Developing this knowledge will support the implementation of strategies to create drinking environments in Europe that are less conducive to risky drinking and alcohol‐related harm.
Preventing alcohol-related harm in drinking environments is a growing international priority. Factors relating to the physical, social and staffing environments in bars can contribute to increased ...alcohol consumption and harm. Understanding the relationships between such factors and intoxication in European drinking environments is critical to developing appropriate interventions. We undertook a quantitative observational study in 60 bars in four European cities, in The Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the UK (n = 237 observational visits). Using a structured observational schedule, researchers recorded characteristics of the bar environment and rated customer intoxication levels. All physical bar characteristics showed associations with intoxication before interactions between them were controlled for. Hierarchical modelling found significant independent associations between intoxication and use of plastic glassware, promotion of non-alcoholic drinks (often energy drinks), permissive environments, poor washroom facilities, the presence of a dance floor, customer sexual activity/competitiveness and later observational time. Findings suggest that prevention efforts should focus on raising and enforcing managerial standards in bars. While harm reduction measures such as plastic glassware are often promoted for high risk bars, such measures are inadequate to address public health concerns and insufficient to demonstrate social responsibility.
Party networks of young people are important for socialization, but can also influence their involvement in risk behaviours. We explored the individual-centred networks (7.360 friends) of 1.363 ...recreational nightlife users in 9 European cities in 2006, through 22 friend characteristics. As expected, deviant networks are related to violence, smoking, illegal drug use and drunkenness. However, socializing and helping networks are also associated with fighting, smoking, use of illegal drugs--except for cannabis--and getting drunk. Not having a deviant network and not having a helping/socializing network can be protective against smoking, violence and illegal drug use, as well as protecting ex-users from relapse. Closeness to friends is also a network protective factor. A possible reason why socializing networks are related to fighting, illegal drugs and drunkenness is that these behaviours are somehow desired, adaptive and prosocial in recreational contexts.
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