Dear BERG peeps,
Although Wednesday is technically a strike day, since BERG is not a part of teaching, the
salary, or the pension, I am happy to tell you that we WILL be holding the BERG seminar
this Wednesday.
This week we have PhD candidate, Jade Hooper, giving a talk on her interesting work,
entitled:
Exploring Social and Locality Variations of Dog Bites in Scotland Using Administrative
Data Sources
[when your child]
Rates of hospital admissions due to dog bite incidents have risen considerably
over the last 10 years (HSCIC, 2015). Of particular concern is the finding that
hospital admissions for dog bites are highest in the most deprived areas across England
and Wales (HSCIC 2014; 2015). However, there is a paucity of research which aims
to explore why this may be or how this issue may be addressed. Whilst there
is a public interest in these figures in Scotland, thus far there has been no
rigorous empirical investigation into social inequalities in dog related injuries.
Through an innovative and ambitious analysis of linked by-product data, the current study
hopes to address this gap. The study will use a range of data sources to examine
both individual and area-based characteristics which may help uncover some of the
reasons why these patterns may exist, and how they can be addressed. Health
data from dog bite incidents will be requested and linked with census records.
Microchip data will also be requested in a bid to account for dog populations
which in the past have not be considered when links with social disadvantage
and dog bite injuries have been found. Through this analysis, the study aims to help
inform policy for the reduction of dog bites and aid in effective identification and
targeting of interventions for areas and individuals most at risk. This presentation will
discuss some of the difficulties associated with the research area and specific challenges
related to the project. The floor will then be opened to allow for more general discussion
surrounding the subject area.
We look forward to seeing you at 5:30pm sharp. Drinks and munchies provided.
All the best,
Paxton
______________________________
Paxton D. Culpepper, BSc, MSc
PhD Candidate | Psychology
Division of Psychology
Behaviour and Evolution Research Group
Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, UK
Office: 3B134 Cottrell Building
Phone: +44 (0) 1786 466852
Fax: +44 (0) 1786 467641
Email: p.d.culpepper@stir.ac.uk<mailto:p.d.culpepper@stir.ac.uk>