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Patients who discharge themselves against medical advice comprise 1%–2% of hospital admissions. Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is defined as when a hospitalised patient chooses to leave the hospital before the treating medical team recommends discharge. The act of DAMA impacts on both the patient, the staff and their ongoing care. Specifically, this means that the patient's medical problems maybe inadequately assessed or treated. Patients who decide to DAMA tend to be young males, from a lower socioeconomic background and with a history of mental health or substance misuse disorder. DAMA has an associated increased risk of morbidity and mortality. In this review of studies across Western healthcare settings, specifically adult medical inpatients, we will review the evidence and seek to address the causes, consequences and possible corrective measures in this common scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Leaving hospital care prematurely could threaten the healthy survival of and expose children to a risk of harmful alternatives. It is also a concern and a challenge to healthcare providers and the health system. A better understanding of itscharacteristic could help mitigate the impact on children. Objective: To determine the prevalence, types of, and reasons for premature hospital discharge amongst children. Methods: We carried out a threeyear retrospective review of case notes of children who were taken away from hospital admission by their parents/caregivers before they were due for discharge. Socio-demographic, clinical and discharge information were collected and data was entered into Microsoft® Excel® for Mac 2011 (Version 14.1.0), cleaned and analysed. Results were presented as percentages, statistical means and standard deviations, tables and charts. Results: There were 56 cases of premature discharge out of 2858 admissions, giving a prevalence of 2.0%. Under-five children constituted 65.4%, with a male: female ratio of 2.3:1. Thirty-one (55.3%) children were absconded with while 25 (44.7%) were taken away by caregivers against medical advice. The commonest diagnoses were protein-energy malnutritionand pneumonia and majority were from poor socio-economic family background. The commonest reasons for discharge AMA were unaffordable costs and perception of improvement of child’s medical condition. Conclusion: Socio-economic factors were significant determinants of utilization of in-patient hospital services for the children studied. There is a need for provision of affordable health care as well as efficient discharge policy to protect children from potential risksassociated with premature hospital discharge.

The study was conducted to evaluate the socio-economic aspects of the traditional and the modern beekeeping methods comparing costs, returns, productivity, profitability, and identifying key constraints for both approaches. Ninety-six beekeepers, with equal representation from both modern and traditional beekeeping practices, were selected randomly from Resunga Municipality-10 and Musikot Municipality-6. Primary data were gathered through questionnaire surveys, key informant surveys, and focal group discussion. Secondary information was obtained from publications of relevant institutions. The collected data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. The results show that modern beehives have 2.3 times higher honey productivity (6.49 kg/hive) compared to traditional hives (2.77 kg/hive). Despite higher total production costs for modern beekeepers (NRs. 2526.70) than traditional beekeepers (NRs. 1373.74), modern beekeeping generates greater income per hive (NRs. 7825.32 vs. NRs. 3025.73). Modern beekeepers also exhibit higher gross margin, net margin, and benefit-cost ratio (NRs. 6156.13/hive, NRs. 5298.61, and 3.09) than their traditional counterparts (NRs. 2012.90, NRs. 1651.99, and 2.21). Analysis of production constraints reveals that the modern beekeepers face issues of unavailability and inaccessibility of modern input materials (index value 0.77) and inadequate technical knowledge (index value 0.74). In contrast, traditional beekeepers encounter challenges of absconding and swarming (index value 0.89) and infestation of disease/pests (index value 0.83). Modern beekeeping in Gulmi, Nepal, exhibited greater productivity and profitability than traditional methods. The study highlights the necessity of addressing distinct challenges within each group to promote sustainable beekeeping practices in the region.

Social insects face many threats from predators and parasites, and so have evolved a diversity of behavioral defense strategies to evade and combat enemies. Previous research has focused extensively on the evolution of front-line defense strategies that allow social groups to successfully avoid detection by enemies, defeat them during an attack, or mitigate fitness losses upon successful invasion. However, in the case of social insects, we must also consider how colonies have evolved to alter their behavior when they survive attacks. During an attack, colony fitness can be negatively affected while the colony itself survives. There may be selective pressure for surviving individuals to respond strategically to decrease the risks of future attacks by the same enemy. In this study, we tested whether colonies of Temnothorax longispinosus acorn ants emigrate when they experience a raid by the obligate social parasite T. americanus. We found that T. longispinosus colonies that experienced a raid moved to a different nest of equal quality significantly more than genetically matched colonies that had not experienced a raid event. We also found that raided colonies moved significantly more than we would expect by random chance. This result suggests that emigration may be an induced defense against re-raiding in this host-parasite system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the public sphere in Europe has become increasingly ‘culturalised’. Ideas about European heritage and culture have been used as a way to exclude people, notably migrants. My intention is to understand how at this time the cultural, political and economic are articulated together in Europe. I do so by examining the trope of ‘migrants absconding’ which is a prominent concern of the European Commission, as reflected in legal innovations and in media and far-right generated moral panics. By focusing on the social, political and legal relations around ‘migrants absconding’, I read from the ground up value regimes that animate and organize the European social formation at this conjuncture. This social formation is made up of articulations along political, economic and cultural grounds, which allow for incorporating the themes of populist far right groups into the very core of the European Commission. This fosters and legitimizes value regimes bent on culturally cheapening migrants as incompatible, deviant or dangerous outsiders with a very limited right to social and political participation, much less an independent social reproduction. This then allows for their labour power to be also cheapened, super exploited and disposable. This type of value regime centring on culturally cheapening people deemed outsiders, controlling their social reproduction, and making them available as cheap labour was also a key feature of the colonial social formations of the mid 19th to mid 20th centuries, where concerns about ‘natives’ absconding tended to also be prominent. That there is something colonial about the contemporary conjuncture may be seen in the cultural-political-economic articulations dominant in Europe and their cultural and economic cheapening strategies. To abscond is to leave value regimes. Absconding is transgressive, it is to deliberately step out of place, and to attempt to pursue an independent social reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short leave is an integral part of forensic addiction treatment in Germany. Individuals with addiction problems who have offended can be admitted to forensic addiction treatment institutions to receive treatment for their addiction disorder and reduce their risk of reoffending. During this treatment, short leave is implemented to allow the practising of an abstinent lifestyle, enhance treatment motivation, and enable the individual to stay connected with the community. A critical step is the unsupervised short leave, which comes with benefits but also risks for the individual and the community. Short leave (especially unsupervised short leave) bears the risk of incidents such as new offences, drug relapses or absconding. This study examines the influence of unsupervised short leave on treatment progress. It builds on the methodology from a previous study of patients in forensic psychiatric hospitals and uses a pre-post design with follow-up. Furthermore, the impact of incidents during short leave on treatment progress is analysed. The sample consists of 157 patients in forensic addiction treatment in Germany. The results suggest that unsupervised short leave can enhance the treatment progress of patients in forensic addiction treatment. However, incidents during short leave can have a negative effect on treatment progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the prediction of incidents during short leave (ISLs) for inmates in the German prison system using static risk and protective factors that had been assessed at the start of the incarceration. Data from the personal files of inmates in Lower Saxony were analysed to examine the prevalence of ISLs and to assess the ability of the Offender Group Reconviction Scale – Version 3 (OGRS 3) to predict ISLs. In addition, random forest models were used to identify potential predictors that could further improve the prediction performance. The results showed that the OGRS 3 had significant predictive validity for drug abuse, late return, and any ISL but not for new offences during short leave. However, the OGRS 3 exhibited problems with false positive rates in its prediction of ISLs. The random forest models did not substantially improve the prediction of any ISL, but they did improve the prediction of drug abuse during short leave. This study highlights the importance of considering dynamic factors and using a more comprehensive approach in risk assessment for ISLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of least restrictive care and recovery‐focused practice are promoted as contemporary practice in the care of individuals with mental ill health, underpinning legislation concerning mental health and illness in many jurisdictions worldwide. Inpatient mental health units with locked doors are incompatible with this style of care and throwback to a time where care for mental illness was primarily custodial. The aim of this scoping review is to determine whether evidence exists for locking mental health unit doors, whether this practice is compatible with recovery‐focused care and to determine whether door locking has changed since a review conducted by Van Der Merwe et al. (Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 16, 2009, 293) found that door locking was not the preferred practice in the management of acute mental health units. We used Arksey and O'Malley's (International Journal of Social Research Methodology: Theory and Practice, 8, 2005, 19) framework for scoping reviews, with our initial search locating 1377 studies, with screening narrowing final papers for inclusion to 20. Methodologies for papers included 12 using quantitative methodology, 5 qualitative and 3 that used mixed methods designs. Poor evidence was found for door locking to mitigate risks such as absconding, aggression or illicit substance importation. Furthermore, locked doors had a detrimental impact on the therapeutic relationship, nurse job satisfaction and intention to leave the profession. This scoping review indicates that research is urgently needed to address a mental healthcare culture where door locking is an entrenched practice. Studies of alternative approaches to risk management are required to ensure inpatient mental health units are truly least‐restrictive, therapeutic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Hospitalization is often necessary for individuals with Bipolar affective Disorder (BAD) during severe manic or depressive episodes, as well as for stabilizing treatment regimens. However, a significant proportion of patients admitted for treatment of BAD abscond or leave the hospital without permission during their stay. In addition, patients managed for BAD may have unique characteristics that might force them into absconding. For example, the high prevalence of co-morbid substance use disorder – craving to use substances, suicidal behaviors – attempts to die by suicide, and cluster B personality disorders – characterized by impulsive acts. It is, therefore, essential to understand the factors contributing to absconding among patients with BAD, to facilitate designing strategies for preventing and managing this behavior. Method This study was based on a retrospective chart review of the inpatients diagnosed with BAD at a tertiary psychiatry facility in Uganda from January 2018 to December 2021. Results Approximately 7.8% of those with BAD absconded from the hospital. The likelihood of absconding among those with BAD increased with the use of cannabis [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22–13.09, p-value = 0.022] and having mood lability [aOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.10–4.21, p-value = 0.025]. However, receiving psychotherapy during the admission (aOR = 0.44, 95 CI = 0.26–0.74, p-value = 0.002) and treatment with haloperidol (aOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.18–0.83, p-value = 0.014) reduced the likelihood of absconding. Conclusion Absconding among patients with BAD is common in Uganda. Those with symptoms of affective lability and those with comorbid cannabis use tend to abscond more, while those who receive haloperidol and psychotherapy are less likely to abscond.

We studied an aggregation of Apis laboriosa colonies in northern Vietnam where the species is sympatric with Apis dorsata. We video-recorded four colonies on 2 days to quantify drone flights and other colony behaviors. We observed > 90% of drones between 16:10 and 18:10 h ICT, with the maximum numbers between ~ 17:10 and 18:00 h. Drone flight timing did not differ between days or between colonies. Aggressive worker behavior toward some arriving drones suggests considerable drifting of drones between nests. Massed flight activity, a colony behavior in which a high proportion of bees temporarily leaves the comb, occurred in several colonies between 14:00 and 16:40 h. We also documented absconding by one colony. A. laboriosa drones ended their mating flights before the typical mating flight time of Apis dorsata at evening twilight. We conclude that allochrony of mating is a likely reproductive isolating mechanism between these two species of giant honey bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany, short leave is an integral part of treatment in forensic psychiatric hospitals. It is believed that the practice has many benefits for patients' well-being and their treatment progress. However, the risk of an incident in the form of absconding or new offenses may be especially heightened during unsupervised short leave. This study analyzes the impact of unsupervised short leave on treatment progress using a pre-post design with follow-up and a sample of 298 forensic psychiatric patients. Furthermore, incidents on short leave were considered in the analysis. The results of the study suggest that unsupervised short leave can foster treatment progress. However, they also reveal that incidents during leave can disrupt the progress of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitalization is often necessary for individuals with Bipolar affective Disorder (BAD) during severe manic or depressive episodes, as well as for stabilizing treatment regimens. However, a significant proportion of patients admitted for treatment of BAD abscond or leave the hospital without permission during their stay. In addition, patients managed for BAD may have unique characteristics that might force them into absconding. For example, the high prevalence of co-morbid substance use disorder – craving to use substances, suicidal behaviors – attempts to die by suicide, and cluster B personality disorders – characterized by impulsive acts. It is, therefore, essential to understand the factors contributing to absconding among patients with BAD, to facilitate designing strategies for preventing and managing this behavior. Method: This study was based on a retrospective chart review of the inpatients diagnosed with BAD at a tertiary psychiatry facility in Uganda from January 2018 to December 2021. Results: Approximately 7.8% of those with BAD absconded from the hospital. The likelihood of absconding among those with BAD increased with the use of cannabis [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22–13.09, p-value = 0.022] and having mood lability [aOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.10–4.21, p-value = 0.025]. However, receiving psychotherapy during the admission (aOR = 0.44, 95 CI = 0.26–0.74, p-value = 0.002) and treatment with haloperidol (aOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.18–0.83, p-value = 0.014) reduced the likelihood of absconding. Conclusion: Absconding among patients with BAD is common in Uganda. Those with symptoms of affective lability and those with comorbid cannabis use tend to abscond more, while those who receive haloperidol and psychotherapy are less likely to abscond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Honeybee colonies differ in performance due to variations in their traits in terms of production, productivity and behaviour. The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the performance of honey bee race at their geographical location. Methods A total of 20 honey bee colonies from traditional hives were transferred into frame hives and arranged randomly with enough space between the colonies. Colonies were evaluated for aggressiveness, hygienic behaviour, brood area, pollen and nectar stores, absconding and honey yield. Results The results indicated that colonies were generally aggressive, and the majority of colonies at 2.3‐m away from the entrance reacted to the external body. They removed 95.7% ± 0.75% of the pin‐killed pupae in 24 h, and there was significant (p < 0.05) variation among the different observations. The average population of the brood was 24.925 ± 7.714 unit area of brood/hive during the honey flow period. Similarly, the area allocated for storing pollen grains could reach up to 11.46 ± 3.96‐unit area of pollen/hive. The swarming and absconding behaviour of the race was on average 3.39 ± 0.6, and 25% queen cells were found during the breeding season and dearth period, respectively. On average, the 8.85 ± 0.54 kg honey yield per colony per harvest on one honey chamber box was nearly similar to the national average (19.4 kg/hive/year) when harvested two times per year. Conclusion In general, the Apis mellifera secutellata race is good in hygienic tendency and also performs well for honey yield under optimal management practices. The absconding and aggressive behaviour was high; the main reasons were extreme weather condition, and different pest and disease, seasonality of bee flora were the major ones. So, based on the current findings A. m. scutellata was predominantly available in the area and highly productive if well‐managed. On the other hand, we are recommended on dearth period management and on the height of shade bee colonies.

Abstract Background Psychiatric wards treating involuntarily admitted patients are traditionally locked to prevent absconding. However, on the basis of observational evidence, the necessity for locked units in psychiatric hospitals has increasingly been questioned. Updated Mental Health Laws in several Federal States of Germany legitimate involuntary commitment without generally locked doors. Methods We examined the effects of an open-door policy in a quasi-experimental, prospective design. For the first time, at each of two locations, two identical wards serving as control and intervention could be compared. After a baseline period of three months, one ward at each location started the 12 month intervention period with the implementation of an open-door policy, while the respective control ward, as before, used open doors only facultatively. Primary outcomes were average opening times of the four wards between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and the number of involuntary treatment days with the doors open. Secondary outcomes were adverse events including aggressive incidents, absconding, suicide attempts and coercive measures. Results Overall, door-opening times increased significantly at both sites´ intervention wards. The number of adverse events did not increase during intervention period. Frequencies of coercive measures decreased in Friedrichshafen and remained unchanged in Tuebingen. In case of the intervention ward in Friedrichshafen, doors were open in up to 91% of all involuntary treatment days, whereas in the control ward, this was only the case in 67% of all involuntary treatment days (p

At present, there are few validated tools to assist clinicians in assessing absconding risk and formulating viable risk management plans. In this article, we review existing literature on instrument validity and reliability in relation to absconding among patients in forensic care. We examine the predictive validity of a new risk assessment scale for absconding, the Waypoint Elopement Risk Scale-Historical (WERS-H), and assess its incremental utility against a general violence risk assessment instrument (HCR-20V3). Results from all active inpatients in our service (N = 139) revealed 73 individuals who were responsible for 261 absconding events from 2014 to 2020, representing a similar event frequency from a previous census conducted in 2012, but also reflecting considerable annual fluctuations in rate. Confirming results of earlier studies, the presence of substance use and lengthy durations of forensic supervision emerged as key variables associated with absconding. The WERS-H was found to be a significant predictor of future absconding events (incident rate ratio = 1.21, 95% CI [1.07, 1.38], p =.002) and contributed incrementally over the HCR-20V3 Historical scale, suggesting that the use of an absconding-specific risk tool may yield better predictive accuracy compared to assessment instruments in the domain of general violence or offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Honeybee colonies differ in performance due to variations in their traits in terms of production, productivity and behaviour. The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the performance of honey bee race at their geographical location. Methods: A total of 20 honey bee colonies from traditional hives were transferred into frame hives and arranged randomly with enough space between the colonies. Colonies were evaluated for aggressiveness, hygienic behaviour, brood area, pollen and nectar stores, absconding and honey yield. Results: The results indicated that colonies were generally aggressive, and the majority of colonies at 2.3‐m away from the entrance reacted to the external body. They removed 95.7% ± 0.75% of the pin‐killed pupae in 24 h, and there was significant (p < 0.05) variation among the different observations. The average population of the brood was 24.925 ± 7.714 unit area of brood/hive during the honey flow period. Similarly, the area allocated for storing pollen grains could reach up to 11.46 ± 3.96‐unit area of pollen/hive. The swarming and absconding behaviour of the race was on average 3.39 ± 0.6, and 25% queen cells were found during the breeding season and dearth period, respectively. On average, the 8.85 ± 0.54 kg honey yield per colony per harvest on one honey chamber box was nearly similar to the national average (19.4 kg/hive/year) when harvested two times per year. Conclusion: In general, the Apis mellifera secutellata race is good in hygienic tendency and also performs well for honey yield under optimal management practices. The absconding and aggressive behaviour was high; the main reasons were extreme weather condition, and different pest and disease, seasonality of bee flora were the major ones. So, based on the current findings A. m. scutellata was predominantly available in the area and highly productive if well‐managed. On the other hand, we are recommended on dearth period management and on the height of shade bee colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe study was conducted in Kafa and Benchi-Sheko zones with an intention to identify types of pesticides, their utilization, and impacts on beekeeping. Purposive sampling was used for study sites selection. Accordingly, a total of four districts from two zones: Debub Benchi and Guraferda from Benchi Sheko Zone; Chena and Gimbo districts from Kafa zone were selected. Three peasant associations (PAs) were purposively selected from each district based on their pesticide utilization and agro-ecologies. Available data were collected through conducting questionnaire survey with farmers and key informants’ interviews (KII). In addition, focus group discussions (FGDs) and field observations were undertaken to exploit the necessary information on the types of pesticides, their supplies or marketing, and overall cares taken during utilization. However, to assess the utilization status among vast users (farmers) and comparing the general utilization status of two farmer groups: beekeepers and non-beekeepers, a formative survey data was collected from both groups (containing 180 respondents each). In the areas, a total of 12-types of pesticides: Roundup (Isopropylamine salt of glyphosate), 2,4-D (2.4-Dichloro-phenoxy acetic acid), Malathion (Carbaryl 0.3%, malathion 6%, Captan-12%), Diazinon (Phosphorothiota-48%), Ridomil (Metalaxyl-M40g/kg, Mancozeb 640%g/kg), Mancozeb (Mn2+15%, Zn 2+2%, C4H6N2S4-58%), Profit (Tricyclazole-75%),Agrolambacin (Profenos 30%, Lambda-Cyhalothrin-2%),Matico (Fluoxastrobin-18%,Tebuconazole-25%), Sevin (Carbaryl-22.5%), Imidacloprid (Imidacloprid 2.5%, Imidazolidi nimine-75%), and Karate (Lambda-Cyhalothrin 1.22%) were found to be used in the areas for controlling various crops’ and animals’ pests and diseases. Of which, 2,4-D and Roundups are widely used for controlling various weeds. About 68.9% of the respondents, use pesticide with significantly higher number of non-beekeepers (73.9%) using pesticides than beekeepers (63.9%) at p

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in short-term strategy shifts by criminal justice agencies, including population reductions and early release in institutional settings and restricting in-person check-ins in community corrections, among many others. Years into the pandemic, the impact of how local criminal justice agencies navigated these changes in practice is still coming into focus. This paper models shifts in community corrections populations in a Midwest US metropolitan community corrections agency following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using monthly population data from early 2017 to mid-2022, we employ Bayesian interrupted time-series models to describe changes in probation, parole, and supervision absconder populations over this period. The results suggest that both probation and parole populations, as well as absconders, were in decline leading up to March 2020, but then exhibited varying trends following the pandemic. Probation populations decreased markedly, while parole absconding increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychiatric wards treating involuntarily admitted patients are traditionally locked to prevent absconding. However, on the basis of observational evidence, the necessity for locked units in psychiatric hospitals has increasingly been questioned. Updated Mental Health Laws in several Federal States of Germany legitimate involuntary commitment without generally locked doors.Methods: We examined the effects of an open-door policy in a quasi-experimental, prospective design. For the first time, at each of two locations, two identical wards serving as control and intervention could be compared. After a baseline period of three months, one ward at each location started the 12 month intervention period with the implementation of an open-door policy, while the respective control ward, as before, used open doors only facultatively. Primary outcomes were average opening times of the four wards between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and the number of involuntary treatment days with the doors open. Secondary outcomes were adverse events including aggressive incidents, absconding, suicide attempts and coercive measures.Results: Overall, door-opening times increased significantly at both sites´ intervention wards. The number of adverse events did not increase during intervention period. Frequencies of coercive measures decreased in Friedrichshafen and remained unchanged in Tuebingen. In case of the intervention ward in Friedrichshafen, doors were open in up to 91% of all involuntary treatment days, whereas in the control ward, this was only the case in 67% of all involuntary treatment days (p < .001). In case of the intervention ward in Tuebingen, 45% of involuntary treatment days had open doors, compared to 30% in the control ward (p < .001).Conclusions: It is possible to manage psychiatric wards with open doors without taking inappropriate risks. The extent to which open-door policies are achievable is be dependent on staffing and patient characteristics. Further research is necessary to explore the role of staff attitudes.Trial Registration: Our trial "Open Doors by Fair Means" is retrospectively registered with DRKS ( DRKS00015154 ) on Sept. 10th 2018 and displayed on the public web site. It is searchable via its meta-registry ( http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/ ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey bee colonies exhibit a wide range of behavioral variations depending on genetic origin and environmental factors. Therefore, the performance evaluation of honey bee races is critical to laying a foundation for future selection and improvement in Ethiopia. Thirty colonies of Apis mellifera scutellata (A. m. scutellata) similar in resources contained in the hive were kept in improved box hives and evaluated through various behaviors (i.e. Reproductive swarming tendency, foraging activity, defensive behavior, hygienic behavior, brood population, honey production, and absconding behavior) during the active season and dearth season. In the study area, the A. m. scutellata race has a higher swarming tendency in the active season, with up to 3.42 queen caps per hive prepared per year. Defensive behavior during the active season takes an average of 25.41 seconds after disturbances and follows up to a 212.20-meter distance. But during the dearth season, the colony slightly took a long time to reach aggressiveness after disturbance (31.28 seconds) and followed the observer for a short distance (45.58 meters). The closed brood production is higher (149 units per hive) during the active season and nectar production units per hive are reduced by 50% as compared to the dearth season. The yielding performance of the race per frame ranged from 1.3 kg to 1.5 kg, and an average of 14 kg of honey per harvest. The A. m. scutellata exhibited an absconding tendency of 34.5% if there was any disruption. A. m. scutellata showed good performance in hygienic behaviors (>95%), but undesirable behaviors in defensive behavior, and swarming tendencies make it difficult to manage honey bees. However, the race has good performance in foraging and hygienic behaviors. Further, studies of the honey bee race through selection and breeding could be conducted to reduce the higher defensive and swarming tendency of A. m. scutellata to improve production performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Absconding (i.e., escaping) is common among patients with mental illness admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Patients use various strategies to make absconding successful due to the experiences faced during admission. We conducted a study to identify patients’ perspectives on the experience of absconding from the psychiatry facility. Methods We conducted 10 in-depth interviews with patients with a history of absconding from the hospital who were accessing care at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in Mbarara city Uganda. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated when required, transcribed into English, and analyzed thematically to identify relevant themes. Results Participants ranged in age from 18 to 55 and the majority (n = 9) were male. Most had absconded at least twice from a psychiatric facility. We identified different experiences that influenced patients’ engagement in absconding from the psychiatry hospital ward. These included: (1) stigma, (2) experiences with caregivers: mixed emotions, (3) poor resources and services, and (4) the influence of mental illness symptoms. The loneliness of stigma, negative emotions associated with the loss of important roles given the nature and framework of caregiving on the psychiatric ward, as well as the stress of limited resources were a salient part of the patient experience as it relates to absconding. Conclusion Our findings indicate that absconding is a symptom of a larger problem with a mental health system that perpetuates stigma in its design, isolates patients and makes them feel lonely, and forces patients to rely on caregivers who infantilize them and take away all their freedom in a facility with no basic services. For many patients, this makes absconding the only option. Within such a system, all stakeholders (policymakers, health-care providers, caregivers, and patients) should be involved in rethinking how psychiatric facilities should be operated to make the journey of patient recovery more positive.

Abstract Background Escape and absconding, especially in forensic settings, can have serious consequences for patients, staff and institutions. Several characteristics of affected patients could be identified so far, albeit based on heterogeneous patient populations, a limited number of possible factors and basal statistical analyses. The aim of this study was to determine the most important characteristics among a large number of possible variables and to describe the best statistical model using machine learning in a homogeneous group of offender patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Methods A database of 370 offender patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorder and 507 possible predictor variables was explored by machine learning. To counteract overfitting, the database was divided into training and validation set and a nested validation procedure was used on the training set. The best model was tested on the validation set and the most important variables were extracted. Results The final model resulted in a balanced accuracy of 71.1% (95% CI = [58.5, 83.1]) and an AUC of 0.75 (95% CI = [0.63, 0.87]). The variables identified as relevant and related to absconding/ escape listed from most important to least important were: more frequent forbidden intake of drugs during current hospitalization, more index offences, higher neuroleptic medication, more frequent rule breaking behavior during current hospitalization, higher PANSS Score at discharge, lower age at admission, more frequent dissocial behavior during current hospitalization, shorter time spent in current hospitalization and higher PANSS Score at admission. Conclusions For the first time a detailed statistical model could be built for this topic. The results indicate the presence of a particularly problematic subgroup within the group of offenders with schizophrenic spectrum disorder who also tend to escape or abscond. Early identification and tailored treatment of these patients could be of clinical benefit.

Absconding from inpatient psychiatric care is a complex problem with significant and broad ranging effects for patients, staff, family/carers, and the broader community. Absconding includes leaving the ward without permission and failing to return from leave at an agreed time. This study is a retrospective chart audit of a data set of absconding events from 11 psychiatric wards in a metropolitan Australian city. The data set included both quantitative and qualitative data. The focus of this study is analysis of the qualitative data documenting what happened during events, with quantitative data provided to contextualize the qualitative analysis. A total of 995 absconding events by 488 patients were reported between January 2016 and June 2018, representing a rate of 1.6 per 100 admissions. Two themes were identified in the qualitative analysis. 'Having things to do' encompassed opportunistic absconding and volitional absconding. 'Something changed' represented predisposing events that affected the absconding behaviour, such as being stepped down in care (moving from a more acute to a less acute psychiatric unit), receiving bad news, or interpersonal conflict either between patients or between nursing staff and patients. Results highlight the importance of harm minimization strategies to reduce the incidence of absconding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Absconding (i.e., escaping) is common among patients with mental illness admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Patients use various strategies to make absconding successful due to the experiences faced during admission. We conducted a study to identify patients' perspectives on the experience of absconding from the psychiatry facility. Methods: We conducted 10 in-depth interviews with patients with a history of absconding from the hospital who were accessing care at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in Mbarara city Uganda. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated when required, transcribed into English, and analyzed thematically to identify relevant themes. Results: Participants ranged in age from 18 to 55 and the majority (n = 9) were male. Most had absconded at least twice from a psychiatric facility. We identified different experiences that influenced patients' engagement in absconding from the psychiatry hospital ward. These included: (1) stigma, (2) experiences with caregivers: mixed emotions, (3) poor resources and services, and (4) the influence of mental illness symptoms. The loneliness of stigma, negative emotions associated with the loss of important roles given the nature and framework of caregiving on the psychiatric ward, as well as the stress of limited resources were a salient part of the patient experience as it relates to absconding. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that absconding is a symptom of a larger problem with a mental health system that perpetuates stigma in its design, isolates patients and makes them feel lonely, and forces patients to rely on caregivers who infantilize them and take away all their freedom in a facility with no basic services. For many patients, this makes absconding the only option. Within such a system, all stakeholders (policymakers, health-care providers, caregivers, and patients) should be involved in rethinking how psychiatric facilities should be operated to make the journey of patient recovery more positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a long standing tradition of stingless bee, Meliponula beccarii (M. beccarii), honey hunting in Ethiopian farming communities. However, attempt has not been made to domesticate and manage stingless bees for sustainable harvest of the products. Domestication trial of M. beccarii in different hives types were conducted for colony adaptation. For this purpose, a total of 33 stingless bee colonies excavated from wild nests were transferred into five UTOB, 10 rectangular box and 18 pot hives. All of the colonies transferred to UTOB and rectangular box hives were absconded within six months of their establishment, indicating a 100% failure of M. beccarii domestication in wooden box hives set above the ground. However, among 18 stingless bee colonies transferred into pot hives and placed under the ground, 16 (88.9%) were adapted and successfully domesticated. Two season honey yield was harvested from pot hived colonies using disposable syringe and the average honey yield/colony/year was 1.10 ± 0.20 L that ranges from 90 ml – 3 L/colony. Moreover, the average volume of honey/honey pot was estimated to be 6.26 ± 1.08 ml. Furthermore, the nests of M. beccarii were protected with an average of 6.87 ± 0.65 guard bees/nest. Therefore, this study demonstrated for the first time that the possibility of M. beccarii domestication using pot hives for the sustainable honey production and conservation of this native bee species in Ethiopia. Although the current results highlighted the possibility of M. beccarii domestication for sustainable honey production, more research is needed on how to manage, multiply them, on the best way of honey harvesting technique and use of these bees for pollination services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Acute psychiatric wards in Germany are often locked due to the assumption that opening could endanger patients and society. On the contrary, some findings suggest that aversive events such as absconding and attempted suicides do not occur more often on wards with an open-door policy. However, these data are probably biased with regard to differing patient populations on open and locked wards. To our best knowledge, the present study is the first prospective controlled study with a quasi-experimental design dealing with this issue. Methods This study investigates whether indicators of an open-door policy, as measured by a priori determined outcomes, can be improved by a defined complex intervention on two intervention wards in two psychiatric hospitals, compared to two control wards with otherwise very similar conditions. Both hospitals contain two wards identical in structure and patient admittance policies, so that a similar study protocol can be followed with similar patient populations. Both hospitals have a defined catchment area and receive voluntary and involuntary admissions. In a baseline phase, wards will be opened facultatively (i.e., if it seems possible to staff). In the following intervention period, one ward per hospital will establish an enhanced open-door policy by applying additional strategic and personnel support. As a control group, the control ward will continue to be opened facultatively. After one year, control wards will be opened according to the open-door policy as well. Interventions will include the continuous identification of patients at risk as well as the development of individual care concepts and additional staffing. For this purpose, nursing and medical staff will be methodically supported on an ongoing basis by study staff. Outcomes variables will be the percentage of door opening on each ward between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., the percentage of all treatment days with the door opened and the number of involuntary treatment days with open doors. Data on frequencies of aggressive incidents, absconding, police searches, and seclusion or restraint will be used as control variables. Additional costs will be calculated. Discussion Treating mentally ill patients on locked wards is a highly relevant and critically discussed topic. In particular, it is controversially discussed whether changes in door policy can be established without increasing risks to patients and others. This study aims to gain robust data on this issue, going beyond beliefs and questionable retrospective observational studies. Trial registration Our trial “Open Doors By Fair Means” is retrospectively registered with DRKS (DRKS00015154) on Sept. 10th 2018 and displayed on the public web site. It is searchable via its Meta-registry (http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/).

Background: Patients absconding from psychiatric hospitals pose a serious concern for the safety of patients and public alike. Absconding is associated with an increased risk of suicide, self-harm, homicide, and becoming “missing” from society. There are only scarce data on profile and outcome of the absconding patients in India. Aims: To study the prevalence and describe the clinical and coercion characteristics of patients who abscond during inpatient care from an open ward. Methodology: “Absconding” was defined as patients being absent from the hospital for a period of more than 24 h. This is an analysis of absconding patients out of the 200 admitted patients at a tertiary psychiatric hospital. Descriptive statistic was used to analyze the demographic, clinical, and perceived coercion profile and outcome. Results: The absconding rate was 4.5 incidents per 100 admissions. Most of these patients were males, from a nuclear family, admitted involuntarily, belonging to lower socio-economic status, diagnosed with schizophrenia or mood disorder with comorbid substance use disorder and had absent insight. The MacArthur Perceived Coercion Scale score was 4.58 (±1.44), and 80% of the absconded patients felt subjective coercive experiences in most domains at admission. Out of the 9 absconded patients, 2 patients had completed suicides and one continued to remain untraceable. Conclusion: The absconded patients were males; admitted involuntarily; diagnosed with schizophrenia, mood disorder, and comorbid substance use disorder; and had absent insight and high perceived coercion. Absconding patients had the tendency to harm themselves and wander away from home.

Receiving passes and privileges to leave secure hospital settings has important therapeutic value for forensic patients. However, events involving patient unauthorized leave of absence (ULOA) prompt public safety concerns. To better understand how to address ULOA, we reviewed literature on patient leave and ULOA from forensic mental health settings, and technological monitoring of forensic patients. We systematically searched the following databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Searches were not restricted by language, study type, or time period. While the literature lacks a consistent convention to calculate ULOA rates, it suggests that forensic ULOA events are generally infrequent and benign. Common motivations for absconding include boredom and frustration. Structured professional guidelines may enhance transparency and confidence in decision-making about patient leave, but there is a need for validation of tools specific to ULOA risk. More research on interventions designed to reduce forensic ULOA, including use of electronic monitoring, is also needed. The therapeutic risk of forensic patient absconding will never be fully eliminated. Literature to date suggests promising avenues for future research and efforts to address ULOA, such as increasing opportunities for therapeutic and recreational activities, and evaluation of existing and development of new interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the defining features of U.S. correctional facilities is their physical security. The perimeter fences, high walls, and locked doors meant to both protect society from convicted offenders and keep those inside the facility safe. Although some research suggests physical security features are salient correlates of correctional order, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. This knowledge gap is problematic, because disorder in correctional facilities is both frequent and costly. To estimate the effect of physical security features on two measures of facility disorder – interpersonal violence and absconding – this study utilized six waves of data from the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement and the Juvenile Residential Facility Census and multivariate logistic regression. The mixed findings are discussed along with directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Escape and absconding, especially in forensic settings, can have serious consequences for patients, staff and institutions. Several characteristics of affected patients could be identified so far, albeit based on heterogeneous patient populations, a limited number of possible factors and basal statistical analyses. The aim of this study was to determine the most important characteristics among a large number of possible variables and to describe the best statistical model using machine learning in a homogeneous group of offender patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Methods: A database of 370 offender patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorder and 507 possible predictor variables was explored by machine learning. To counteract overfitting, the database was divided into training and validation set and a nested validation procedure was used on the training set. The best model was tested on the validation set and the most important variables were extracted. Results: The final model resulted in a balanced accuracy of 71.1% (95% CI = [58.5, 83.1]) and an AUC of 0.75 (95% CI = [0.63, 0.87]). The variables identified as relevant and related to absconding/ escape listed from most important to least important were: more frequent forbidden intake of drugs during current hospitalization, more index offences, higher neuroleptic medication, more frequent rule breaking behavior during current hospitalization, higher PANSS Score at discharge, lower age at admission, more frequent dissocial behavior during current hospitalization, shorter time spent in current hospitalization and higher PANSS Score at admission. Conclusions: For the first time a detailed statistical model could be built for this topic. The results indicate the presence of a particularly problematic subgroup within the group of offenders with schizophrenic spectrum disorder who also tend to escape or abscond. Early identification and tailored treatment of these patients could be of clinical benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients who abscond from acute inpatient psychiatric wards put themselves and others at risks of variable nature and severity. There is a limited understanding of what motivates them to do so. The research in this area is limited and predominantly outdated. To better understand the characteristics, patterns and predictors of people who abscond from hospital, this study compared absconding and non-absconding patients in a tertiary public hospital. Demographic and clinical characteristics were audited for patients who absconded (n = 159) and who did not abscond (n = 100) throughout a 2-year period. Patients who absconded in the public settings were more likely to be male, have suffered from a psychotic illness, had an increased number of psychiatric comorbidities, had a history of aggression, and used greater numbers of substances. They also had experienced homelessness, were case managed, and were managed as involuntary patients. Predictors were similar, and included involuntary legal status, greater number of substances used, greater numbers of comorbid psychiatric illnesses, polysubstance use, an absence of self-harm history, shorter duration of admission and male sex. This study has implications for the identification of those who are at greater risk of absconding from an inpatient unit. Through enhanced understanding, greater measures can be taken to minimise absconding and its associated risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we are showing that the logical interpretation of art. 493 alin. (1) lit. a) C.pr.pen. leads to the conclusion that the preventive meassure cannot be applied during insolvency procedures, because there is no absconding. Therefore, the Courts cannot, pursuant to art. 493 alin. (1) lit. a) C.pr.pen., prohibit the start of the insolvency proceedings or suspend them, even as far as prohibiting the dissolution or liquidation that takes place in this legal framework. The High Court of Cassation and Justice decided in this respect through the decision no. 18/2020.

The devastating effects of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman on Western honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera L.) have been well documented. Not only do these mites cause physical damage to parasitized individuals when they feed on them, but they also transmit viruses and other pathogens, weaken colonies and ultimately may cause their death. Unlike the subspecies of European origin, the honeybees of African origin suffer less from mite infestations. Absconding is one of the factors contributing to low V. destructor population in honeybee colonies as it creates a brood-free period. For a long time, researchers hypothesized that absconding was the main mechanism to control the parasite. The effects of V. destructor are well documented under temperate climatic conditions with a break during winter. Therefore, our study aimed at investigating the impact of V. destructor population growth on colony size, absconding and productivity under natural infestation levels of a tropical/subtropical climate with continuous brood production. We measured several characteristics related to the mite populations, the bee colonies and the resources of the bee colonies for a period of 8 months. The seven colonies that absconded during the study period were not influenced by densities of V. destructor. Absconding of the colonies occurred as a result of low numbers of capped brood. Mite densities were generally low throughout the study period (ranged between 26.9 and 59.8 mites per month) but were positively associated with adult bee densities. The amount of open and capped brood was positively associated with densities of V. destructor in the brood and negatively associated with denisities of V. destructor on screen boards, which appeared as extremely important factors that should be monitored regularly alongside colony stores and availability of pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Absconding from psychiatric hospitals is of great concern for patients and caregivers. Absconding affects not only the treatment and safety of these patients but also patient's caregivers and the community. Further investigation is needed to examine the pattern of this event and the characteristics of patients who abscond. Hence, our study was aimed to examine the sociodemographic and clinical profiles of inpatients who absconded from a psychiatric hospital in five years and to compare them with matched controls. Methods: A retrospective chart review of inpatients who absconded and matched control inpatients during the specified period of five years from January 2014 to December 2018 was done at a psychiatric hospital. Each control was matched with a corresponding absconding case on the following order: (a) admission ward, (b) admission period, (c) diagnosis, and (d) age. Results: Among 20,052 adult admissions during the specified period, 38 patients absconded, with a rate of 1.8 per 1,000 admissions. Most of them were male, from a younger age group, diagnosed with schizophrenia or mood disorder, and having comorbid substance use disorder, irritable affect, impaired judgment, and absent insight. Most of the events occurred within the first two weeks of admission. About 11% of them had a history of prior absconding from the hospital. Conclusion: Knowledge about the associated sociodemographic and clinical profile would help clinicians and mental health care professionals to prevent absconding. Further risk assessment using a patient's profile would help to reduce absconding events from psychiatric hospitals in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we aim to prove that insolvency (bankruptcy) procedures are meant to protect the debtor and its creditors alike, including the ones that participate in criminal proceedings. Insolvency procedures are carried out under the supervision and control of the bankruptcy judge. It also implies completion of certain steps, expressly provided by the law, characterised by continuity and expeditiousness. At the same time, the notions of "dissolution" and "liquidation" are not bankruptcy-specific, but rather common in the life of legal persons. The aim of preventive measures in criminal proceedings against legal persons is to prevent absconding. The notion of "absconding" is intrinsically tied to a fraudulent attempt to elude criminal prosecution. The logical interpretation of Article 493 para. (1) letter a) from the Code of Criminal Procedure leads to the conclusion that the preventive measure cannot be applied during insolvency procedures, because there is no absconding. The procedure is defined by law and supervised by a specialised judge. It is impossible for the legislator to have envisioned a conflict of powers between two judges from different sections of the courts. De lege lata, there are cases in which a transfer of criminal responsibility operates. Also, the fate of civil damages in the criminal proceedings is prescribed by law, even if the deletion of the legal person occurs before the end of the criminal trial. Lastly, the effects of the preventive measure found in Article 493 para. (1) letter a) from the Code of Criminal Procedure over insolvency proceedings would be negative for all parties involved, including creditors from the criminal proceedings. Therefore, the Courts cannot, pursuant to Article 493 para. (1) letter a) from the Code of Criminal Procedure prohibit the start of the insolvency proceedings or suspend them, even as far as prohibiting the dissolution or liquidation that takes place in this legal framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research related to absconding and its associated risks is limited in relation to inpatients from private psychiatric units. This study aimed to compare patients who abscond from public and private psychiatric inpatient settings. Demographic data was collated on the subjects (n = 214) who all had a history of absconding. Public absconders (n = 159) were more likely to have a psychotic illness, increased number of psychiatric diagnoses, history of aggression, substance use and homelessness, when compared to private absconders. Predictors identified for private absconders (n = 55) were female gender and fewer drugs used. This study has implications for the different profiles of absconders between the public and private settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Absconding refers to patients leaving psychiatric hospitals in an unexpected and/or unauthorized way and is often recognized as a form of challenging behaviour.There is some research about the rates of absconding, risks associated with it and interventions to try and reduce it; however, relatively little is known about the experience from the perspective of patients and this evidence has not previously been systematically reviewed. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: Patients abscond to find relief, to regain power and control over their lives and/or to address unmet needs.Absconding can therefore be viewed as a means of seeking freedom. What are the implications for practice?: Nurses need to be aware that absconding is a positive act from the patient perspective and work collaboratively with them to reduce factors which motivate this behaviour.From the point of admission, nurses have an important role to play in reducing the sense of fear, isolation and powerlessness which motivates patients to abscond.Practical interventions such as giving patients the time and information necessary to be involved in decision‐making, or asking about their responsibilities and commitments outside of hospital, may have a significant impact on the experience of admission and reduce the risk of absconding. Introduction: Absconding from psychiatric hospitals is associated with significant risks, but is difficult to assess. It is often considered a form of challenging behaviour for mental health nurses, yet there is little evidence considering the behaviour from the patient perspective. Aim: To identify and review evidence pertaining to the experience of patients who abscond from hospital, paying particular attention to their reasons for doing so. Method: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of eight peer‐reviewed studies. Results: The meaning patients associated with absconding is best characterized as an act of seeking freedom. Within this, four sub‐themes were identified: 1) seeking freedom to find relief, 2) to regain power and control over their lives, 3) to address unmet needs and 4) opportunistically. Discussion: Perspectives on absconding are markedly different between nurses and patients. Nurses may view absconding as challenging or deviant behaviour, whilst patients understand it as a positive experience. This is because the hospital environment is not meeting their needs. Implications for practice: Patients decide to abscond from hospital for valid and rational reasons. Mental health nurses are in a position to understand and address the issues underpinning them with a view to reducing absconding. Further research on absconding from hospital, taking the patient's perspective, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elopement jeopardizes patient safety, affects the hospital's reputation, and results in financial ramifications. In an academic community hospital, executive leadership approached a team of nurse leaders for expertise following the elopement of a vulnerable patient., Aim of the Initiative: The team's goal was to identify evidence-based strategies to mitigate future elopement events. Following an extensive literature review and gap analysis, the organization recognized opportunities pertaining to elopement management, including patient assessment, prevention strategies, and facility-wide response when events occur. The nurse leader team thoroughly searched current literature to answer the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (i.e., PICO) questions of interest. Following a critical appraisal of 55 articles, 26 were utilized to make practice change recommendations. The body of evidence included a variety of age groups and diagnoses., Implementation Plan: After the synthesis of the literature, the team provided recommendations to the organization. These recommendations included the assessment of patient-specific risks and the implementation of elopement prevention measures as fundamental elements for incidence reduction. The team partnered with multidisciplinary stakeholders for the revision of policies, processes, and electronic medical record documentation., Outcomes: The organization monitored elopement events and the duration of each event throughout the phases of implementation. Pre-implementation data, collected from January to June 2021, demonstrated 34 individual elopement cases lasting an average of 118 min each. In comparison, post-implementation data collected during the same time frame in 2022 found only 12 events lasting an average of 24 min each., Implications for Practice: The organization implemented evidence-based recommendations to standardize the facility's approach to elopement. With structured assessment, precautions, and response, the organization demonstrated a notable decline in the number and duration of elopement events. Hardwiring processes, analyzing data, and adjusting expectations within an evidence-based framework should assist the organization's drive to further enhance patient safety surrounding elopement events., (© 2023 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

There has been a shift towards provision of mental health care in community‐based settings in Australia. However, hospitals continue to care for people in acute mental health wards. An increasing proportion of the people in wards are admitted involuntarily, subject to restrictions of movement to minimize risk of harm to self and others. In response to concerns about the safety of people absconding from care, Queensland Health introduced a policy requiring all acute mental health wards in the State to be locked. In response, the Queensland Mental Health Commission funded a project to understand the impact of this policy and develop evidence‐based recommendations regarding provision of least restrictive, recovery‐oriented practices in acute wards. Facilitated forums were conducted with 35 purposively selected participants who identified as consumers, carers, or staff of acute mental health hospital wards, to test the acceptability, feasibility, and face validity of a set of evidence‐informed recommendations for providing least restrictive, recovery‐oriented practices. Participant responses were recorded, and data were analysed through an inductive, thematic approach. A recovery‐oriented approach was supported by all stakeholders. Reducing boredom and increasing availability of peer support workers were considered key to achieving this. Focusing less on risk aversion was reported as central to enabling true Recovery Orientation. This project enabled recognition of the perspectives of consumers, carers, and staff in the consideration of evidence‐informed recommendations that could be implemented to provide least restrictive care in the context of locked doors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These primarily Australasian ants possess charismatic and striking morphology: their extremely gracile features and elongated legs led to their common name of "spider ants." Absconding, animal behavior, ants, brood care, collective animal behavior, honeypot ants, larvae, Leptomyrmex, nesting habits, social systems, spider ant In the face of nest disruption or predation by army ants, many ant species exhibit extreme escape responses, with workers fleeing while carrying immobile brood (Dejean et al. 2014). Keywords: absconding; animal behavior; ants; brood care; collective animal behavior; honeypot ants; larvae; Leptomyrmex; nesting habits; social systems; spider ant EN absconding animal behavior ants brood care collective animal behavior honeypot ants larvae Leptomyrmex nesting habits social systems spider ant 1 3 3 04/03/21 20210401 NES 210401 Many animals live in nests with a complex three-dimensional structure that may significantly influence their behavior. [Extracted from the article]

Background Patients’ escape from hospital imposes a significant cost to patients as well as the health system. Besides, for these patients, exposure to adverse events (such as suicide, self-harm, violence and harm to hospital reputation) are more likely to occur compared to others. The present study aimed to determine the characteristics of the absconding patients in a general hospital through a case-control design in Shiraz, Iran. Methods This case-control study was conducted on 413 absconded patients as case and 413 patients as control in a large general hospital in Shiraz, southern Iran. In this study, data on the case and control patients was collected from the medical records using a standard checklist in the period of 2011–3. Then, the data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics, through SPSS 16. Results The finding showed that 413 patients absconded (0.50%) and mean of age in case group was 40.98 ± 16.31 years. In univariate analysis, variables of gender [Odds Ratio (OR)= 2], ward (OR= 1.22), insurance status (OR= 0.41), job status (OR= 0.34) and residence expenditure were significant. However, in multivariate analysis significant variables were age (ORadj= 0.13), gender (ORadj= 2.15), self-employment/unemployed (ORadj= 0.47), emergency/admission (ORadj= 2.14), internal/admission (ORadj= 3.16), insurance status (ORadj= 4.49) and residence expenditure (ORadj= 1.15). Conclusion Characteristics such as middle age, male gender, no insurance coverage, inability to afford hospital expenditures and admission in emergency department make patients more likely abscond from the hospital. Therefore, it may be necessary to focus efforts on high-risk groups and increase insurance coverage in the country to prevent absconding from hospital.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the factors related to absconding and consequences of absconding in a psychiatric hospital in a developing country within 3 years., Methods: This was a retrograde descriptive cross-sectional study from a psychiatry hospital in a developing country, Iran. The registered data of absconding between March 2018 and February 2021 were extracted. Furthermore, a retrograde follow-up by telephone on what happened after the absconding and the remembered motives was done. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software for Windows Version 23 by descriptive statistics. The chi-square test, Fisher exact test, Student t test, or Mann-Whitney U tests were used for data analysis. P ˂ .05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Out of 7069 admitted patients during a 36-month period, 51 (39 men and 12 women) had absconded. The total absconding rate was 0.72%. The mean ± (SD) age of the patients was 29.7 ± (10.46) years, with a range of 10 to 54 years. No statistical difference between men and women emerged in terms of age (P = 0.89). Most of the absconders were men (76%), young (mean age, 29.7 years), single (70.6%), and involuntarily hospitalized (78.4%) in an urban area (90.2%), and absconded in the evening shift (58.8%) via the route of the main gate (58.8%) in the early days of admission (5 days). In terms of psychiatric diagnosis, the highest rank belonged to bipolar disorder (33.33%) and substance-related disorders (33.33%). About one-third of absconders had a current substance-related problem and most of them had experienced withdrawal symptoms or cravings days before absconding (75%). Absconders mentioned that "no need for admission" (45.1%), "economic problems" (23.5%), and "substance craving" (13.7%) were the most common reasons for leaving the hospital. Most of the absconders were hospitalized later (70.5%). The risk for self-harm (21%) or harm to others (2%) after absconding was low., Conclusion: The general profile of absconders was concordant with previous studies. It was highlighted that economic problems in recent years had an evident impact on patients and it could be postulated that consideration of substance withdrawal may decrease absconding. It is advised to adhere to the policies that support community-based psychiatry and place an emphasis on early discharge and continuity of outpatient care., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)

Absconding is a potentially risky event that has wide reaching consequences both for the institution and greater community; however, few studies have examined the characteristics of clients who abscond, their motivations, and details about their absconding event, especially within a forensic context. The purpose of this research was to determine if risk factors could be identified that might predict absconding behavior. A retrospective chart review was conducted of all reported absconding events between 1 January 2012 and 31 August 2015 by clients on forensic units in a public psychiatric hospital in Ontario, Canada. In addition, these clients were matched with a comparison group. Categories of motivations for absconding including goal-directed, frustration/boredom, symptomatic/disorganized, and impulsive/opportunistic were identified. The best indicator of a client’s risk for absconding was having experienced a stressful, significant event in the two weeks prior to the absconding event. Additionally, total scores on the HCR-20 and the presence of a co-occurring substance use disorder differentiated the absconders from the comparison group. This research contributes to our knowledge base regarding absconding events by forensic psychiatric patients and highlights specific targets for clinical staff in assessing risk for absconding and managing privileges leading to more effective care planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine deaths of Australian nursing home (NH) residents following an unexplained absence.Methods: Population based cross-sectional study was conducted using coronial data from the National Coronial Information System. Participants are residents of accredited NHs if death followed an unexplained absence and was reported to the Coroner between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2013. Individual, organisational, environmental, and unexplained absence event factors were extracted from coronial records. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: Of 21 672 NH deaths, 24 (0.1%) followed an unexplained absence. This comprised 17 unintentional external (injury-related) causes and 7 natural cause deaths. Drowning was the most frequent external cause of death (59%, n = 10). Deaths occurred more frequently in males (83.3%, n = 20), and in the age group 85-94 years (37.5%, n = 9). The majority of NH residents, for whom data were available (n = 15), had a diagnosis of dementia (86.7%, n = 13). Most residents were found in waterways (41.7%, n = 10). Median distance travelled was 0.5 km (IQR: 0.25-2.4 km), with almost 70% of residents found within 1.0 km of their NH. Most residents left the NH by foot (88.2%, n = 15). Half of the residents were found within 6 hours of time last seen (median: 6 hours, 40 minutes; IQR: 6.0-11.45 hours).Conclusion: Unexplained absences in elderly NH residents are a relatively common event. This study provides valuable information for aged care providers, governments, and search and rescue teams, and should contribute to debates about balancing issues of safety with independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is the leading honey producer in Africa and one of the ten largest honey producing countries in the world. However, low productivity and poor quality of honey and other bee products are the major constraints faced by honey producers. The exact number of people engaged in honey production and the challenges they face are not well known. Lack of documented information on honey production and challenges hinders extension supports. Therefore, a survey was conducted in Chiro district (woreda) in 2013/2014 with the objective of eliciting information on practices of honey production, beekeeping management systems and associated challenges faced by honey producing farmers in the study area. Six representative peasant associations were selected using a purposive sampling method. A total of 120 beekeepers were interviewed on major beekeeping management practice and challenges they were facing. The results were subjected to descriptive statistics using SPSS. Of all the respondents, only 8 (6.7%) were women. A total of 863, 818 traditional beehives and 45 modern beehives were owned by the respondents. The average numbers of traditional and modern beehives owned per respondent were 6.87 and 0.38 respectively. Only 58.8% of the traditional beehives and 46.7% of the modern beehives were colonized by bees while the remaining ones were empty. Most (53.4%) of the respondents kept the beehives under the roof of their houses where as 30.7% kept them in the garden; 15.1% inside the house, and the 0.8% on trees. The main sources of the foundation colony were three, i.e., catching bee swarms, gift from family, and buying. The major challenges were shortage of bee colonies, escalating prices of modern hives and their accessories as well as low level of extension services. It is concluded that honey production in the study area is dominated by traditional practices, and constrained by shortage of bee colonies, inadequate farmers' technical know-how and practical skills, high prices of modern hives and their accessories, lack of practically supported extension services on modern beekeeping technologies, incidences of pests, low participation of women, and lack of year-round availability bee forage. The results imply that the sector needs tangible supports from the extension system in terms of improved technologies as well as in building knowledge of farmers for better management of honey bees to increase productivity and income of households through honey production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a long-standing interest in developing approaches to maximize honey production by Kenyan beekeepers. Since honey bees in Kenya are passively managed, the main decision beekeepers make is which hive type to use: traditional Log hives, Langstroth hives, and Kenyan top-bar hives. We found Langstroth hives to be the most attractive to migrating swarms, followed by Log hives, while Kenyan top-bar hives were the least preferred. Pathogen and parasite loads correlated only with colony age and absconding rates were associated only with colony size and weight. We recommend additional studies to understand the factors that drive swarm attraction to hive bodies and highlight practical concerns about Kenyan top-bar hives that need to be addressed to improve their utility to beekeepers. Also, placing apiaries in areas with floral resources may reduce absconding rates; however, periodic breaks in brood production may serve as a mechanism to reduce parasite and pathogen loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]