Cees van Woerkum

Dealing with Ambivalence: Farmers' and Consumers' Perceptions of Animal Welfare in Livestock Breeding

The results of an empirical study intoperceptions of the treatment of farm animals inthe Netherlands are presented. A qualitativeapproach, based on in-depth interviews withmeat livestock farmers and consumers was chosenin order to assess motivations behindperceptions and to gain insight into the waypeople deal with possible discrepancies betweentheir perceptions and their daily practices.Perceptions are analyzed with the help of aframe of reference, which consists ofvalues, norms, convictions, interests, andknowledge.The perceptions of the interviewed farmersare quite consistent and without exceptionpositive: according to them, nothing is wrongwith animal welfare in livestock breeding. Theperceptions of the consumers we interviewed aremore divergent, but generally negative. Bothgroups show ambivalence as a result ofdiscrepancies between perceptions and behavior.Although the consumers share the impressionthat the living conditions of livestock animalsare far from optimal, most of them still buyand eat meat from the meat industry. Thefarmers believe the welfare of their animals isgood, but, as frequent defensive utterancesshow, they feel uncomfortable with expressed orunexpressed accusations of mistreating animals.The ways the respondents deal with thisambivalence were analysed by drawing ontheories of dissonance reduction and distancing devices.Catherine and Raphaël Larrère(Larrère and Larrère, 2000) argue thatanimal rearing is a hierarchical relationshipwhose rules are to be found in the fiction of adomestic contract. We argue that the questionis not whether there should be a domesticcontract, because such a contract seems alreadyaccepted. However, since values and normsdiffer widely, not only among meat livestockfarmers and consumers, but also amongconsumers, the question remains as to whosevalues and norms should form the basis of thedomestic contract.

Disentangling approaches to framing in conflict and negotiation research: A meta-paradigmatic perspective

Divergent theoretical approaches to the construct of framing have resulted in conceptual confusion in conflict research. We disentangle these approaches by analyzing their assumptions about 1) the nature of frames — that is, cognitive representations or interactional co-constructions, and 2) what is getting framed — that is, issues, identities and relationships, or interaction process. Using a meta-paradigmatic perspective, we delineate the ontological, theoretical and methodological assumptions among six approaches to framing to reduce conceptual confusion and identify research opportunities within and across these approaches.

Understanding nutrition communication between health professionals and consumers: development of a model for nutrition awareness based on qualitative consumer research

BACKGROUND Consumers have been exposed to nutrition information from a variety of sources, including the family doctor. They are often not aware of their own risk behavior regarding nutrition. OBJECTIVE This study sought to assess food associations, conversation topics, interest in food topics, and use of information sources by means of qualitative consumer research. Another aim was to provide a hypothetical model for nutrition awareness that could be tested in a quantitative survey. DESIGN Three focus groups with 30 Dutch consumers altogether were carried out. Qualitative data were analyzed with the computer software program NUD*IST (QSR, Melbourne) by sorting text blocks into categories, and new themes emerged. In addition, a hypothetical model for nutrition awareness was developed. RESULTS Consumers associated food most often with safe food, and food safety was the topic most often discussed. Tasty food was the most important food conversation topic. The family doctor was the information source most talked about. Furthermore, consumers possibly lacked some nutrition awareness. CONCLUSIONS Careful analysis revealed new themes (new in the past 10 y), such as concerns about food safety and reconsideration of the roles of family doctors and dietitians. Based on these themes, recommendations for nutrition communication were composed.

Driving Forces for and Barriers to Nutrition Guidance Practices of Dutch Primary Care Physicians

Abstract Determinants of the nutrition guidance practices of primary care physicians (PCPs) were studied using a mail questionnaire developed on the basis of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and literature review. The questionnaire was sent to a nationwide random sample of 1000 PCPs (in practice for between 5 and 15 years).The net response rate was 64%. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify determinants of nutrition guidance practices. The independent variables studied were the perceived barriers to nutrition guidance practices, characteristics of the respondents, and nutrition attitudes and beliefs of PCPs. As determinants of nutrition guidance practices, we identified both perceived barriers (which exert a negative influence) and driving forces (which exert a positive influence).The driving forces observed in PCPs were an active interest in the effect of nutrition on health and disease, a basic level of nutrition knowledge, and positive attitudes towards nutrition guidance practices. Although perceived barriers can be strong, negative determinants of being involved in nutrition guidance practices, in future, it may become more important to stress the driving forces that positively determine the involvement of PCPs in nutrition guidance practices.

Policy and planning in the dutch countryside: The role of regional innovation networks

Abstract This paper presents the results of a study on the functioning of regional innovation networks (RINs) in the Netherlands. RINs are designed to achieve sustainable and socially acceptable regional economic development. By focusing on inter-human processes, the study aimed to gain more and deeper insights into the nature, the workings, the potential and the limitations of RINs in processes of innovation. An important insight from the study concerns the role of governments in RINs. Although the intention of the central government was to experiment with a fully bottom-up process, all RINs were eager to involve the government at different levels, at different times and for different purposes.

Quitting is not an option: An analysis of online diet talk between celiac disease patients

This is an empirical study of the way in which celiac disease patients manage the risk of gluten intake in their everyday life.The article examines naturally occurring conversational data in order to study how patients cope interactionally with constantly being at risk in their day-to-day living. They reject quitting the diet as a valid option, and instead construct a ‘diet world’ in which dietary transgression is presented as an integrated part of everyday life. In this way, patients can manage occasional diet lapses without putting the validity of the diet itself at stake. By examining how the gluten-free diet is treated in interaction, we find out more about the pre-existing everyday strategies that have to be taken into account when new therapies are being introduced.

Improving the Entrepreneurial Competencies of Dutch Dairy Farmers through the Use of Study Groups

Abstract The objective of this paper is to describe and analyse the role that study groups might play in improving the entrepreneurial competencies of farmers. The most important competencies are described. Emphasis is placed on group learning processes and participatory approaches. Theories of adult learning and extension paradigms in relation to our experiences in the ‘Innovative Entrepreneurship’ study are addressed. We conclude that in our research, participatory approaches and using study groups are an aid to gaining explicit and implicit knowledge. Consequently, they are effective methods for training entrepreneurial competencies and creating an environment in which participants are able to learn effectively.

Stressors and resources mediate the association of socioeconomic position with health behaviours

BackgroundVariability in health behaviours is an important cause of socioeconomic health disparities. Socioeconomic differences in health behaviours are poorly understood. Previous studies have examined whether (single) stressors or psychosocial resources mediate the relationship between socioeconomic position and health or mortality. This study examined: 1) whether the presence of stressors and the absence of resources can be represented by a single underlying factor, and co-occur among those with lower education, 2) whether stressors and resources mediated the relation between education and health behaviours, and 3) addressed the question whether an aggregate measure of stressors and resources has an added effect over the use of individual measures.MethodsQuestionnaire data on sociodemographic variables, stressors, resources, and health behaviours were collected cross-sectionally among inhabitants (n = 3050) of a medium-sized Dutch city (Utrecht). Descriptive statistics and bootstrap analyses for multiple-mediator effects were used to examine the role of stressors and resources in mediating educational associations with health behaviours.ResultsHigher levels of stressors and lower levels of resources could be represented by a single underlying factor, and co-occurred among those with lower educational levels. Stressors and resources partially mediated the relationship between education and four health- behaviours (exercise, breakfast frequency, vegetable consumption and smoking). Financial stress and poor perceived health status were mediating stressors, and social support a strong mediating resource. An aggregate measure of the stressors and resources showed similar associations with health behaviours compared to the summed individual measures.ConclusionsLower educated groups are simultaneously affected by the presence of various stressors and absence of multiple resources, which partially explain socioeconomic differences in health behaviours. Compared to the direct associations of stressors and resources with health behaviours, the association with socioeconomic status was modest. Therefore, besides addressing structural inequalities, interventions promoting financial management, coping with chronic disease, and social skills training have the potential to benefit large parts of the population, most notably the lower educated. Further research is needed to clarify how stressors and resources impact health behaviours, why this differs between behaviours and how these disparities could be alleviated.

Cost effectiveness of medication adherence-enhancing interventions: a systematic review of trial-based economic evaluations.

BackgroundIn light of the pressure to reduce unnecessary healthcare expenditure in the current economic climate, a systematic review that assesses evidence of cost effectiveness of adherence-enhancing interventions would be timely.ObjectiveOur objective was to examine the cost effectiveness of adherence-enhancing interventions compared with care as usual in randomised controlled trials, and to assess the methodological quality of economic evaluations.MethodsMEDLINE, PsycInfo, EconLit and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases were searched for randomised controlled trials reporting full economic evaluations of adherence-enhancing interventions (published up to June 2013). Information was collected on study characteristics, cost effectiveness of treatment alternatives, and methodological quality.ResultsA total of 14 randomised controlled trials were included. The quality of economic evaluations and the risk of bias varied considerably between trials. Four studies showed incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) below the willingness-to-pay threshold. Few studies seemed to evaluate interventions that successfully changed adherence.ConclusionsOnly 14 randomised controlled trials examined the cost effectiveness of adherence interventions. Despite that some studies showe favourable ICERs, the overall quality of studies was modest and the economic perspectives applied were frequently narrow. To demonstrate that adherence interventions can be cost effective, we recommend that proven-effective adherence programmes are subjected to comprehensive economic evaluations.

Trust and Monitoring in Governance Processes: Lessons From Landscape Management by Farmers in a Dutch Municipality

An increasing number of scholars have recognized trust as an important factor in governance processes. However, theoretical and empirical analyses of process trust, or trust in the course and outcome of policy processes, are scarce. This paper builds a theoretical framework to further the understanding of process trust. Four elements of process trust are elaborated upon: (1) set-up of the process; (2) institutional trust; (3) organizational trust; (4) individual trust. The way that monitoring can help or hinder the formation of trust is explored. It is argued that monitoring enhances process trust provided that actors perceive monitoring as a collaborative effort. This argument is underpinned by the analysis of a governance process on landscape management in a Dutch municipality, where a local co-operative and the municipality agreed on the members of a monitoring team and the way of monitoring.