Introduction In the framework of the EU-Erasmus+, the European Alliance for Sport and Mental Health (EASMH) project has been funded, aiming to promote the improvement of good clinical practice for sport-based psychosocial interventions throughout Europe. A specific training programme tailoring professional sport coaches has been developed in order to improve their skills in engaging and involving patients with severe mental disorders in sport-based rehabilitation activities. Objectives to evaluate the perceived quality and utility of the EASMH training programme by sport coaches from different European countries (including Italy, UK, Romania, and Finland). Methods As part of the EASMH project, the University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli” has coordinated the development of training materials for professional sport coaches. The training programme has been tested in a pilot training programme. An ad-hoc questionnaire has been developed and administered at the end of the training, during a meeting held in Brussels in July 2022. Results The EASMH training programme consists of six modules, dealing with the following topics: definition of mental health/mental disorders; classification systems; essential clinical features of severe mental disorders; personal and social burden associated with severe mental disorders; how to build a therapeutic relationship with a patient with severe mental disorders; verbal and non-verbal communication; evaluation of patient’s preference in selecting sport activities; definition of a personalized plan; motivational interview/problem-solving strategy. A total of eight professional coaches involved in different sport coming from Italy, Romania, United Kingdom and Finland participated in the entire training, consisting of six 4hr training modules. Seven out the eight coaches compiled the questionnaire. The overall feedback has been extremely positive. Overall, coaches have judged the modules as very clear, useful and of high standing. Each question has been rated with an average of 4.35 related to the overall content. Conclusions The present survey confirms that a short online training programme focused on professional sport coaches is well received by participants and can provide them with useful information on how to engage patients with severe mental disorders. The next step of the EASMH project foresees the implementation of several local pilot actions with the active involvement of patients with severe mental disorders. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
Introduction Among psychosocial interventions, recent studies have highlighted that sport-based interventions can positively impact on the long-term outcomes of patients with severe mental disorders, in terms of improving their quality of life and promoting social inclusion. Although sport-based interventions should be considered an effective strategy for promoting patients’ recovery, few data are available on their dissemination in the clinical routine care in Europe. Objectives to evaluate the availability of sport-based psychosocial interventions in European countries. Methods In the framework of the EU-Erasmus+, the European Alliance for Sport and Mental Health (EASMH) project has been funded. In order to evaluate the availability of sport-based interventions, an ad-hoc online survey, sent to national mental health centres, has been developed. Results 103 responses were obtained (49 from Italy, 31 from UK, 17 from Finland and 12 from Romania). The respondents were mainly psychiatrists working in community mental health centers. Sport-based interventions were frequently provided by mental health services, in particular in Italy, UK and Finland. While in UK and Finland sport-based interventions are commonly offered to all patients, in the other countries these are provided only by patient’s request. The most frequent types of sport practised were: running, football, volleyball, tennis and table tennis and basketball. Almost all respondents reported to not use a dedicated monitoring tool for evaluating the efficacy of those interventions. Conclusions Sport-based interventions are not frequently provided in the routine clinical settings, although no monitoring tools are routinely adopted. The EASMHaims to fill this gap by disseminating good clinical practice related to sport-based interventions. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Inspired by previous protest movements, climate activists began taking to the streets in the fall of 2018, revitalizing and reshaping the three-decade-old climate activist movement. This metamorphosis in climate activism, which has led millions around the world to participate in climate strikes and protests, is reflected in the composition of the activists themselves, who the media frequently portray as primarily young and female. In order to better understand this new and evolving landscape, we surveyed self-identifying climate activists, obtaining results from 367 individuals across 66 countries. Our survey, augmented by seven individual interviews, provides an overview of current climate activists, their attitudes, priorities, and actions. Here we map our findings, delineating differences based on gender, age, and geography. Our results indicate that the media’s focus on young female activists is warranted—at least in Europe and North America. We find that while activists share a commitment toward rapid and substantial reduction of greenhouse gases, their attitudes and actions taken to address climate change can significantly differ by demographic group. Despite its limitations, this study provides a glimpse into the demographics, behaviors, and attitudes of climate activists across the globe.
Sixty leading members of the scientific, engineering, regulatory, and legal communities assembled for the PFAS Experts Symposium in Arlington, Virginia on May 20 and 21, 2019 to discuss issues related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on the quickly evolving developments of PFAS regulations, chemistry and analytics, transport and fate concepts, toxicology, and remediation technologies. The Symposium created a venue for experts with various specialized skills to provide opinions and trade perspectives on existing and new approaches to PFAS assessment and remediation in light of lessons learned managing other contaminants encountered over the past four decades. The following summarizes several consensus points developed as an outcome of the Symposium: Regulatory and policy issues: The response by many states and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to media exposure and public pressure related to PFAS contamination is to relatively quickly initiate programs to regulate PFAS sites. This includes the USEPA establishing relatively low lifetime health advisory levels for PFAS in drinking water and even more stringent guidance and standards in several states. In addition, if PFAS are designated as hazardous substances at the federal level, as proposed by several Congressional bills, there could be wide-reaching effects including listing of new Superfund sites solely for PFAS, application of stringent state standards, additional characterization and remediation at existing sites, reopening of closed sites, and cost renegotiation among PRPs. Chemistry and analytics: PFAS analysis is confounded by the lack of regulatory-approved methods for most PFAS in water and all PFAS in solid media and air, interference with current water-based analytical methods if samples contain high levels of suspended solids, and sample collection and analytical interference due to the presence of PFAS in common consumer products, sampling equipment, and laboratory materials. Toxicology and risk: Uncertainties remain related to human health and ecological effects for most PFAS; however, regulatory standards and guidance are being established incorporating safety factors that result in part per trillion (ppt) cleanup objectives. Given the thousands of PFAS that may be present in the environment, a more appropriate paradigm may be to develop toxicity criteria for groups of PFAS rather than individual PFAS. Transport and fate: The recalcitrance of many perfluoroalkyl compounds and the capability of some fluorotelomers to transform into perfluoroalkyl compounds complicate conceptual site models at many PFAS sites, particularly those involving complex mixtures, such as firefighting foams. Research is warranted to better understand the physicochemical properties and corresponding transport and fate of most PFAS, of branched and linear isomers of the same compounds, and of the interactions of PFAS with other co-contaminants such as nonaqueous phase liquids. Many PFAS exhibit complex transport mechanisms, particularly at the air/water interface, and it is uncertain whether traditional transport principles apply to the ppt levels important to PFAS projects. Existing analytical methods are sufficient when combined with the many advances in site characterization techniques to move rapidly forward at selected sites to develop and test process-based conceptual site models. Existing remediation technologies and research: Current technologies largely focus on separation (sorption, ion exchange, or sequestration). Due to diversity in PFAS properties, effective treatment will likely require treatment trains. Monitored natural attenuation will not likely involve destructive reactions, but be driven by processes such as matrix diffusion, sorption, dispersion, and dilution. The consensus message from the Symposium participants is that PFAS present far more complex challenges to the environmental community than prior contaminants. This is because, in contrast to chlorinated solvents, PFAS are severely complicated by their mobility, persistence, toxicological uncertainties, and technical obstacles to remediation-all under the backdrop of stringent regulatory and policy developments that vary by state and will be further driven by USEPA. Concern was expressed about the time, expense, and complexity required to remediate PFAS sites and whether the challenges of PFAS warrant alternative approaches to site cleanups, including the notion that adaptive management and technical impracticability waivers may be warranted at sites with expansive PFAS plumes. A paradigm shift towards receptor protection rather than broad scale groundwater/aquifer remediation may be appropriate.
In this essay I will relate the challenges associated with deep sea ocean exploration as well as the advantages and disadvantages of today’s ocean technologies based on experience with most of these systems. After nearly five decades using robotic vehicles (Remotely Operated Vehicles = ROVs and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles = AUVs) and manned submarines for fish research, I thought it would be appropriate to briefly describe a career spent using these technologies as they were developed. Deep sea ichthyologists cannot effectively catch a swimming fish with a robot even 40 years after the development of the first ROV for deep ocean science investigation, nor can most currently-available manned submarines. There is a continuing debate on the advantages of using robotic machines (cheaper, safer) versus manned machines (more expensive, dangerous) for ocean research. Appropriately designed and operated manned submarines can accomplish considerable ocean exploration that robotic vehicles cannot. Robotic vehicles have their own advantages and science missions that manned vehicles cannot accomplish, but there is a loss in capturing mobile specimens for study and recording important behaviors and ecologies that simply cannot be accomplished with robots. I have written this retrospective on deep ocean research capabilities as my profession, ichthyology, and the world, have lost a major technological asset that can easily be brought back once its value is realized.
