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BackgroundIn conflict-affected settings, women and girls are vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV). GBV is associated with poor long-term mental health such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding the interaction between current violence and past conflict-related violence with ongoing mental health is essential for improving mental health service provision in refugee camps.MethodsUsing data collected from 209 women attending GBV case management centres in the Dadaab refugee camps, Kenya, we grouped women by recent experience of GBV using latent class analysis and modelled the relationship between the groups and symptomatic scores for anxiety, depression and PTSD using linear regression.ResultsWomen with past-year experience of intimate partner violence alone may have a higher risk of depression than women with past-year experience of non-partner violence alone (Coef. 1.68, 95% CI 0.25 to 3.11). Conflict-related violence was an important risk factor for poor mental health among women who accessed GBV services, despite time since occurrence (average time in camp was 11.5 years) and even for those with a past-year experience of GBV (Anxiety: 3.48, 1.85–5.10; Depression: 2.26, 0.51–4.02; PTSD: 6.83, 4.21–9.44).ConclusionRefugee women who experienced past-year intimate partner violence or conflict-related violence may be at increased risk of depression, anxiety or PTSD. Service providers should be aware that compared to the general refugee population, women who have experienced violence may require additional psychological support and recognise the enduring impact of violence that occurred before, during and after periods of conflict and tailor outreach and treatment services accordingly.

Warmer temperatures and lower energy prices have contributed to a reduction in EIA's current forecast average heating expenditures this winter compared with the forecast in the October 2015 Winter Fuels [...]

The water footprint concept has been used by agricultural, commercial, and industrial water users to measure and report their water consumption, assess the magnitude of potential environmental impacts arising from this consumption, and identify opportunities for risk mitigation strategies that promote sustainable water use. However, water and wastewater utilities have not studied and documented the application of this concept in the same manner that other industries have. This article summarizes the growing body of information on the water footprint concept and the opportunities for integrating the concept into water utility planning efforts as a broader means of achieving and maintaining sustainable communities. The application of the water footprint concept for capital improvement planning, water resources decision-making, operational benchmarking, and stakeholder communications is discussed, as is how the methodology, developed by the International Organization for Standardization, can be used for a water utility.

Crop simulation models (CSMs) are mathematical, computer-based representations of crop growth and interaction with the environment. They play an important role in scientific research and resource management, and have been used to help students understand, observe, and experiment with crop systems. At the start of a new decade, it is timely that an assessment of these experiences in education is made. This paper synthesizes the positive and negative experiences in education to provide guidelines for using CSMs in computer laboratories and the classroom. Peer-reviewed literature, electronic media, personal experience and communications, and student perceptions were used to assess CSMs impact in education. Advantages for students are numerous. Advantages also exist for educational institutions. However, there are also disadvantages for students and educational institutions may struggle to use CSMs effectively. In general, CSMs should be used as an adjunct to, rather than as a substitute for other teaching methods. Instructors should maintain sufficient dialogue with students. Exercises developed for use with CSMs should encourage cognitive advances by the student. Visual appeal and clarity of CSMs should be ensured with standardized interfaces and graphical, dynamic representation of results. Input and output values should be in units appropriate to the topic of study or the country of use. Default values for parameters and online help, explaining the science behind the CSMs are important. The CSMs are valuable tools in education. However, they must be properly integrated into the teaching program and appropriately used by instructors.

Data from the Woburn Erosion Reference Experiment (Bedfordshire, UK) were used to test the hypothesis that losses of phosphorus (P) in small erosion events are as great as those in infrequent large events, and to examine the effect of storm characteristics on the selective enrichment of P in eroded sediment. For almost every plot event in the period 1988 to 1994, the clay‐sized fraction of the sediment was enriched compared with the soil of the plots. There was more variation in clay enrichment for smaller erosion events than for larger ones. The clay and P contents of the sediment were strongly correlated (p< 0.01), and there was a wider range of P concentrations in the sediment derived from small events than in that from large events. However, individual events resulting in small soil losses (<100 kg) did not account for greater P losses than larger events (>100 kg). The greater frequency of smaller events, combined with the likelihood of higher P concentrations in the sediment, therefore accounted for a greater proportion of the P lost over the 6‐yr period than the infrequent large events. Phosphorus concentrations generally increased with increasing peak discharge and decreased with increasing event duration. For the same return period, P losses were generally greater from plots cultivated up and down the slope than from those cultivated across the slope. Overall, our results suggest that small erosion events should be controlled to prevent P contamination of surface waters and that the most effective means of doing this are by the introduction of minimal tillage techniques and across‐slope cultivations.

ABSTRACTThis article presents a case study of research in Dadaab, Kenya to highlight some of the relevant challenges encountered while conducting gender-based violence research in humanitarian settings. A longitudinal mixed-methods design was used to evaluate a comprehensive case-management intervention in the refugee complex near the border of Kenya and Somalia. We present an overview of both expected and unexpected challenges during preparation and implementation of the research, adaptations made to the research design, and lessons learned for future research in similar contexts. Some of the key challenges were attributed to the highly securitized and remote environment of Dadaab refugee camp, like many refugee camp settings, which created limitations for sampling designs, interview locations, and also created particular burdens for the research team members conducting interviews. In addition to the camp environment, the dynamic nature of events and trends in the camp setting created barriers to follow-up with longitudinal cohort participants as well as uncertainty on how to plan for future implementation of research design phases in response to camp changes. Conducting research in humanitarian settings requires a flexible approach to accommodate the challenges that can impact both service delivery and research activities. The discussion presented in this article contributes to the evolving practical guidance on conducting research in humanitarian settings.