Quantal Risk Assessment Database: A Database for Exploring Patterns in Quantal Dose‐Response Data in Risk Assessment and its Application to Develop Priors for Bayesian Dose‐Response Analysis

Quantitative risk assessments for physical, chemical, biological, occupational, or environmental agents rely on scientific studies to support their conclusions. These studies often include relatively few observations, and, as a result, models used to characterize the risk may include large amounts of uncertainty. The motivation, development, and assessment of new methods for risk assessment is facilitated by the availability of a set of experimental studies that span a range of dose‐response patterns that are observed in practice. We describe construction of such a historical database focusing on quantal data in chemical risk assessment, and we employ this database to develop priors in Bayesian analyses. The database is assembled from a variety of existing toxicological data sources and contains 733 separate quantal dose‐response data sets. As an illustration of the database's use, prior distributions for individual model parameters in Bayesian dose‐response analysis are constructed. Results indicate that including prior information based on curated historical data in quantitative risk assessments may help stabilize eventual point estimates, producing dose‐response functions that are more stable and precisely estimated. These in turn produce potency estimates that share the same benefit. We are confident that quantitative risk analysts will find many other applications and issues to explore using this database.     

Constructions of ‘the ageless’ asylum seekers: An analysis of how age is understood among professionals working within the norwegian immigration authorities

This article explores how professionals within the Norwegian immigration authorities conceptualise age when doing non-medical age assessments. By using social constructivism, which challenges an ethnocentric quantifying understanding of age, we delve into how socially constructed perceptions of childhood and adulthood manifest in assessment practices and the implications of these. By examining how applicants’ physical appearance, body language and life experience are used as an assessment basis, we argue that the ways age is conceptualised relate to Western ideas and ideals while overlooking other social and cultural backgrounds in which age is embedded.     

The Use of Common Humanity Scenarios to Promote Compassion in Healthcare Workers

ABSTRACT

The importance of compassion in healthcare is universally acknowledged. However, the factors that enhance compassion are not well understood. The perception of common humanity has been proposed as a prosocial perspective that leads to unbiased universal compassion. There has been a lack of research into the relationship between common humanity and compassion. This study examined the use of common humanity scenarios to promote compassion in healthcare workers. Seventy-five healthcare workers were randomly assigned to two groups and shown a different common humanity scenario. The healthcare workers were asked what effect viewing the videos had on their perception of common humanity and compassion. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Four main themes emerged: (a) common bonds; (b) people have the same needs; (c) no one wants to suffer; (d) seeing strangers helping others is motivating. Healthcare workers reported feelings of care, concern, and compassion after viewing common humanity scenarios.

IMPLICATIONS

• Viewing common humanity scenarios appears to lead to enhanced feelings of connection to others and compassion in healthcare workers.

• Using common humanity scenarios may be a useful compassion training strategy in healthcare.

• Further research is necessary to gain a better understanding of how viewing common humanity material influences compassion.

     

“Helping teenagers in care flourish: What parenting research tells us about foster care”

In this article, I review a range of theoretical and practical issues that are relevant to the foster care of teenagers. I argue that topics such as the recent research evidence from neuroscience regarding brain development in adolescence, as well as control, the promotion of autonomy, and resilience, all have major implications for the provision of appropriate care for teenagers. I outline some of the key conclusions reached by researchers on these pertinent topics and then go on to consider the implications from this evidence for the training of foster carers.     

Canadian Sociological Association Outstanding Contribution Lecture: The Fading of Redistributive Politics in Canada

Are redistributive politics in Canada fading or merely in abeyance? In this essay, I examine the empirical evidence for the “fading” metaphor, examine new, neoliberal lenses that have shaped recent policy developments, and identify changes in the role of political actors and policy‐making institutions that have facilitated the redistributive weakening. Ever the optimist, however, I conclude on an upbeat note on future democratic possibilities for a fairer and more just Canada. La politique de la redistribution au Canada, est‐elle en train de s’étioler ou est‐elle tout simplement en suspens? Dans un premier temps, je pose le contexte empirique à la fois pour et contre la métaphore d’ “étiolement”, tendances concernant la disparité des revenus, la pauvreté, et la répartition du revenu. Dans un deuxième, je me concentre sur le rôle des nouvelles politiques ainsi que sur le soi‐disant virage néolibéral dans l'idéologie politique qui ont façonné nos réponses à ces développements. Finalement, je discute le caractère changeant à la fois des acteurs politiques et des institutions politiques qui ont restructuré d'une façon cumulative la politique de la redistribution des revenus au Canada.     

Definitions of Need: Can disabled people and care professionals agree?

This paper attempts to examine the ideological frames of reference that inform the definitions of need that are used by disabled and non-disabled people. The main aim of the research upon which this paper is based being to test the degree of congruence of the non-disableds view of need with that of disabled people. Central to this is an exploration of the differences that exist in the perception of disability held by disabled people and nondisabled people. It investigates this through the use of a staged vignette based around a fictitious character (Mr Arthur Angus) and his family. The paper seeks to explore the multidimensional contexts in which individuals operate based upon a deconstruction of the medical/social locus of control model.