Browsing by Subject "interventions"
Now showing items 1-7 of 7
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(2020)Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract In this Master’s thesis I investigate Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) involvement, experiences and outcomes in Madagascar, including the limiting and enabling factors for impact of conservation interventions driven by NGOs. The focal point of the research is the lived experiences from the field, including identification of processes and forces shaping the preconditions for NGO interventions. As part of the research I explore experiences of NGOs from their interventions and from engaging with local communities, government, policy makers and other NGOs in Madagascar. Many NGOs are active in biodiversity hotspots like Madagascar, but evaluation outcomes and lessons learned tend not to be extensively shared across organizations and thematic focus areas. This in turn affects preconditions to influence outcome determinants not only in isolated interventions but also across organizational borders. This study aims to define the situation and the issues faced by NGOs in Madagascar to suggest how the landscape could be navigated to improve the preconditions for long term intervention impact. The purpose is not to evaluate specific projects, but to assess the mechanisms through which the NGO sector can make a significant contribution to conservation, as well as the challenges in doing so. As the analysis seeks to broaden and contextualize the discussion of NGO involvement in conservation interventions, the theoretical framework for the research is based on theory on Non-Governmental Organizations and grounded theory. The theoretical framework facilitates the analysis of the findings, understanding of the results, as well as structuring and highlighting new insights. The theory is complemented with a background assessment of the environmental context in Madagascar, reviewing other research on conservation and its challenges in the country. This helps to understand the dimensions of the challenges, as well as the avenues open for exploration. Insights are gathered from representatives of long-term in situ NGOs to better understand the wider playing field in which they operate. The empirical research is based on semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 representatives from 12 international and local NGOs working with biodiversity conservation in Madagascar. The data was transcribed and analyzed through thematic network analysis and constructivist grounded theory analysis. The interviews were combined with a literature review, a group interview, a field visit to a project site, and more informal conversations with academic researchers and experts in the field. As part of the study, a two-week field trip to Madagascar was undertaken. To present the findings from this research, thematic categorizations were used to illustrate factors that affect outcomes of conservation interventions driven by NGOs. The categories are related to internal organization specific factors, cooperation with other actors (including other NGOs, government and actors in the local communities), as well as the Malagasy environment and politics (including government, laws and policies). The findings reveal challenges especially with systematic coordination of NGO interventions, NGO evaluation practices, resources, as well as issues with implementing sustainable community involvement in project design and decision making. Local community involvement is considered important, but in practice is not fully scaled up and inclusive in terms of decision making and consistent involvement. Findings indicate that the cooperation between NGOs and their key stakeholders works reasonably well from the NGO perspective, but still has potential to be better utilized in order to improve long-term sustainability. Consideration of external constraints is important to assess the potential of different types of interventions and approaches, allowing NGOs to focus their efforts according to the context and their capacities. While acknowledging and navigating the diversity of viewpoints, it is essential to be aware of the impact of structural challenges, the political complexity and the often-conflicting interests between conservation, the commercial and extractive sector, as well as local livelihoods and practices. Findings indicate issues with policy implementation and harmonization, and with conservation prioritization and law enforcement by the government. Local and national ownership and leadership backing is seen as essential for biodiversity conservation, pushing for stronger leadership from within the society. My research provides insights, recommendations and conclusions from which NGOs and conservation actors can gain better understanding of factors impacting interventions, as well as on the Malagasy playing field and its dynamics. This can be helpful in order to capitalize on opportunities and counter challenges, focusing actions on areas that make a difference. The findings can also be of value to other biodiversity conservation researchers, funding agencies, associations, communities and government stakeholders specifically focused on Madagascar. The research may also benefit NGOs and conservation actors involved in other countries, which confront similar challenges concerning conservation, governance, NGO involvement and interventions.
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(2019)Households account for a significant proportion of final energy consumption in Europe. Household energy consumption has been researched intensively and intervention studies aiming at changing energy behaviour have been popular. Previous intervention studies have mainly been concentrating on individual behaviour, and research analysing the role of contextual factors has been very limited. The aim of the thesis is to study the effects of geographical and cultural, material and institutional, and socioeconomic and demographic contexts on the outcomes of household energy use interventions. The data used in this thesis was collected in a European research project “ENERGISE”, in which interventions on two energy intensive household practices, space heating and laundry washing, were carried out. The data included 306 households from eight European countries: Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Hungary, Ireland and the UK. The data was analysed using the following methods: one-way ANOVA, independent samples t-test, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression. The following independent variables were tested: country, building type, baseline consumption levels, education level, employment status, family size, and age. The analyses were conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the main effects of the independent variables were tested. In the second phase, multiple regression models were built based on the results from the first phase. The intervention outcomes differ between some of the geographical contexts. Temperatures are reduced the most in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands, and laundry cycles are reduced more in Denmark than in other countries during the interventions. Higher baseline consumption levels are connected to higher reductions in both household practices. Families with five or more persons reduce the room temperatures and laundry cycles less than smaller families. Households with contact person aged 55-64 reduce laundry cycles the least. Building type, contact person education level and contact person employment status are not connected to the intervention outcomes. The results confirm observations from previous studies, that context may significantly affect the successfulness of energy behaviour interventions and therefore it should be carefully considered in planning interventions. The results also suggest that different energy practices are likely to be affected by different sets of contextual factors. The thesis shows that conducting cross-national comparative research is challenging and it requires careful planning throughout the research process.
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(2019)Households account for a significant proportion of final energy consumption in Europe. Household energy consumption has been researched intensively and intervention studies aiming at changing energy behaviour have been popular. Previous intervention studies have mainly been concentrating on individual behaviour, and research analysing the role of contextual factors has been very limited. The aim of the thesis is to study the effects of geographical and cultural, material and institutional, and socioeconomic and demographic contexts on the outcomes of household energy use interventions. The data used in this thesis was collected in a European research project “ENERGISE”, in which interventions on two energy intensive household practices, space heating and laundry washing, were carried out. The data included 306 households from eight European countries: Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Hungary, Ireland and the UK. The data was analysed using the following methods: one-way ANOVA, independent samples t-test, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression. The following independent variables were tested: country, building type, baseline consumption levels, education level, employment status, family size, and age. The analyses were conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the main effects of the independent variables were tested. In the second phase, multiple regression models were built based on the results from the first phase. The intervention outcomes differ between some of the geographical contexts. Temperatures are reduced the most in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands, and laundry cycles are reduced more in Denmark than in other countries during the interventions. Higher baseline consumption levels are connected to higher reductions in both household practices. Families with five or more persons reduce the room temperatures and laundry cycles less than smaller families. Households with contact person aged 55-64 reduce laundry cycles the least. Building type, contact person education level and contact person employment status are not connected to the intervention outcomes. The results confirm observations from previous studies, that context may significantly affect the successfulness of energy behaviour interventions and therefore it should be carefully considered in planning interventions. The results also suggest that different energy practices are likely to be affected by different sets of contextual factors. The thesis shows that conducting cross-national comparative research is challenging and it requires careful planning throughout the research process.
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(2015)Background. The Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA) is a 7-item rating scale used to predict imminent aggression in psychiatric inpatients. DASA measures the presence of seven behaviors that predict the probability of violence within 24 hours. The purpose of this research was to validate the sensitivity of DASA in a Finnish psychiatric inpatient population, examine the risk decreasing interventions applied after identifying high-risk patients and study which interventions were the most effective in decreasing the DASA score over one day of follow-up. Examinations also took into account the number of interventions needed to decrease the perceived risk of violence. Methods. The data (n = 300) were collected in a naturalistic setting during a six-month period in an acute psychiatric admission ward. Interventions were clustered into four groups by frequency of use: (1) interventions restricted by the Finnish Mental Health Act, (2) PRN-medication, (3) discussion with nursing staff, and (4) other interventions. Associations between interventions and change in DASA scores were examined separately for each intervention and also in a single model adjusted for all other interventions. Results and conclusion. There were 44 incidents in which a patient had been mechanically restrained or secluded. Patients had been rated as potentially violent (DASA ≥ 4) in 61 % (n = 27) of the incidents and non-violent (DASA = 0) in 16 % of the incidents (n = 7). The most frequently used interventions were PRN-medication (33.5 % of all interventions), seclusion (15.8 %) and focused discussion with nurse (10.8 %). Interventions regulated by the Finnish Mental Health Act (seclusion, mechanical restraint, involuntary intramuscular medication, limitation of the freedom of movement, physical restraint, and limitation of contacts), PRN-medication, and discussion with nursing staff were not associated with DASA score the following day. Only the category of “other interventions” (e.g., daily activities) were associated with lower DASA score the following day when examined separately or when adjusted for the use of other concurrent interventions. The results showed that the total DASA score decreased if the patient received one to three interventions. Four or more interventions had no statistical relevance on DASA score the following day. DASA is an effective method to predict imminent aggression in the Finnish psychiatric patient population, even though there remains unpredictable violence that is foreseen through DASA scores. Psychiatric staff tend to use fairly restrictive and coercive methods, but DASA scores were seen to decrease only in individuals who received non-coercive interventions.
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(2014)City of Helsinki is aspiring towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Households play an important role in this matter, as their share of carbon dioxide emissions is substantial in the city-level. The energy efficiency of different household appliances is improving, but their usage is rising in tandem. Overall, it is recognized that there needs to be a change in household behaviour. In this thesis I examine what kinds of low carbon actions households are taking and what has motivated them to do so. The thesis is done in co-operation with Aalto University’s HAPPI project, which deals with carbon neutral living in Helsinki. The project studies possibilities to promote climate friendly actions on a residential level. Research was carried out in Mellunkylä, a residential area in eastern Helsinki. The contribution of this thesis is to recognize customs that advance and support low carbon actions on a residential level. The research question took shape as: “What are the low carbon actions that the households in Mellunkylä are taking and why are they taking them?” In order to answer both questions, I decided to use two methods: a survey and interviews. The survey aimed to provide quantitative information about the people living in Mellunkylä as well as a generalization on how they were acting, what they were interested in and what they saw as barriers to further behavior change. In order to better understand what these actions mean for the households and to gain information about their values and other motivations, qualitative interviews were a justified method to further assess the research problem. They aimed to specify the behavior changes that had already occurred and what kinds of motives lie behind these behaviors, as well as to assess the barriers to other behavior changes. Results from both studies indicate that most households were generally making mostly curtailment actions, such as reducing the use of lightning, household appliances and water consumption. There were also efficiency actions, which for the most part consisted of investing on new lightning and household appliances. The households were not fond of acquiring green electricity and were not generally trying to reduce their emissions through heating-related solutions. The households had a general idea of why they should reduce their energy consumption: energy use was commonly understood a societal problem and everyone’s responsibility. The interviewees mentioned altruistic values and biospheric concerns most often, which was fruitful in that these kinds of values are important in saving energy in the long run. Of the external motivators economic factors were mentioned repetitively. They were thought to have an effect on the individual as well as on the economy. It seemed that the households were hoping to be able to use energy without worries and with small expenses. This suggests that the motivations for low carbon actions lie within costs and ease of life rather than environmental concerns. Habits were often mentioned as a barrier to behavior change. Also costs and inability to follow one’s energy consumption were some of the barriers that stood out in the studies. This is in line with the fact that the participants were making more of the curtailment actions rather than efficiency actions, which can be more costly. The case study households showed interest in following their energy consumption, so some kind of feedback as well as personal recommendations for improvement could be in place. This is an important area where the city could take actions, for example, by supporting the households to commit in reducing their energy consumption. It should be noted that in reaching a low carbon lifestyle, there are various routes, of which living-related low carbon actions are only one piece. It is important to find the actions and interventions which can result in long lasting behavioral changes.
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(2015)Background. The Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA) is a 7-item rating scale used to predict imminent aggression in psychiatric inpatients. DASA measures the presence of seven behaviors that predict the probability of violence within 24 hours. The purpose of this research was to validate the sensitivity of DASA in a Finnish psychiatric inpatient population, examine the risk decreasing interventions applied after identifying high-risk patients and study which interventions were the most effective in decreasing the DASA score over one day of follow-up. Examinations also took into account the number of interventions needed to decrease the perceived risk of violence. Methods. The data (n = 300) were collected in a naturalistic setting during a six-month period in an acute psychiatric admission ward. Interventions were clustered into four groups by frequency of use: (1) interventions restricted by the Finnish Mental Health Act, (2) PRN-medication, (3) discussion with nursing staff, and (4) other interventions. Associations between interventions and change in DASA scores were examined separately for each intervention and also in a single model adjusted for all other interventions. Results and conclusions. There were 44 incidents in which a patient had been mechanically restrained or secluded. Patients had been rated as potentially violent (DASA ≥ 4) in 61 % (n = 27) of the incidents and non-violent (DASA = 0) in 16 % of the incidents (n = 7). The most frequently used interventions were PRN-medication (33.5 % of all interventions), seclusion (15.8 %) and focused discussion with nurse (10.8 %). Interventions regulated by the Finnish Mental Health Act (seclusion, mechanical restraint, involuntary intramuscular medication, limitation of the freedom of movement, physical restraint, and limitation of contacts), PRN-medication, and discussion with nursing staff were not associated with DASA score the following day. Only the category of "other interventions" (e.g., daily activities) were associated with lower DASA score the following day when examined separately or when adjusted for the use of other concurrent interventions. The results showed that the total DASA score decreased if the patient received one to three interventions. Four or more interventions had no statistical relevance on DASA score the following day. DASA is an effective method to predict imminent aggression in the Finnish psychiatric patient population, even though there remains unpredictable violence that is foreseen through DASA scores. Psychiatric staff tend to use fairly restrictive and coercive methods, but DASA scores were seen to decrease only in individuals who received non-coercive interventions.
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(2010)Objectives. School personnel who are exposed to school violence are at risk in developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In Finland there have been two such events in recent years, Jokela school shooting on 7.11.2007 and Kauhajoki school shooting about a year later. The aim of the present study was to examine the presence and change in PTSD symptoms during the first year after the Jokela school shooting. A second aim was to study how the initial exposure and treatment affects the symptom levels of PTSD. There were four hypotheses: 1) The PTSD symptoms are higher for the people who were exposed to the school shooting than for the people who did not face the stressor. 2) The PTSD symptoms increase in the follow up for the people at the school which was not attacked because of the second incident brought up the memories from the Jokela school shooting. 3) Those who have greater exposure to the shooting will have higher level of PTSD symptoms at both 4 and 11 months after the shooting than those who were not directly exposed to the shooting. 4) The PTSD symptoms are reduced more in the group that starts treatment right after the traumatic event than in other groups. Methods. A sample of 24 members of Jokela school personnel were examined four months after the incident and 16 were reassessed 11 month after the incident. To study the change and level of symptoms in other schools during the same period, a group with no exposure to the shooting was used as a control group (n=22). The assessment included Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist Specific (PCL-S) and a social and professional support questionnaire. In addition questions about timing of support and experiences of psychological debriefing were asked. Results and conclusions. Most participants in the study group experienced some symptoms of PTSD at both 4 and 11 months. In both measures three participants from the study group fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The study group and control group differed significantly in overall symptom levels. The study group had more PTSD symptoms in the first measure but in the follow-up the study group's PTSD symptoms decreased and the control group's increased. There was a significant change in the study groups PTSD symptom level for those who started treatment right after the traumatic event. The results from this study showed that an exposure to school shooting has long-term effects on school personnel. The findings suggest that it is crucial to plan a comprehensive and long-term treatment for school personnel in the aftermath of school shooting.
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