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BackgroundColorectal cancer is a significant issue internationally, with over 1.3 million people diagnosed annually. Survival rates are increasing as treatments improve, although physical symptoms can persist despite eradication of the tumour. In order to optimize survivorship care, further research is warranted in relation to symptom burden. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to (i) investigate frequency of physical symptoms in colorectal cancer survivors (ii) identify which symptoms occur together (iii) examine the associations between demographic and clinical variables, and symptoms.MethodsParticipants nine months to three years post diagnosis were identified from the population-based National Cancer Registry Ireland. Respondents completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR29. Reported physical symptom frequencies were transformed into continuous scale variables, which were then analysed using one way analysis of variance, general linear modelling and Spearman rank correlations.ResultsThere were 496 participants. Fatigue, insomnia and flatulence were the most frequent symptoms, with ≥20% of respondents reporting these to be often present in the previous week. Eight other symptoms were experienced often by 10–20% of respondents. At least one of these eleven most common symptoms was experienced frequently by almost every respondent (99%). 66% of respondents experienced at least two of these symptoms together, and 16% experienced five or more together. Current stoma was the single most common variable associated with increased symptom scores, although statistically significant relationships (p ≤ 0.05) between symptom frequency scores and clinical/demographic variables were generally weak (R-sq value ≤0.08).ConclusionFindings may inform targeted interventions during the nine month to three year post diagnosis timeframe, which would enable supported self-management of symptoms.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4923-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This paper explores the tensions between civility and sectarianism in contemporary Belfast. Drawing on interviews with mothers engaged in raising young children in the largely working‐class and divided inner city, the paper offers a situated account of the dynamics of social reproduction and change. This is pursued through an analysis of the interplay between expectations of civility and sectarianism in three situations: walking, shopping and playing. The tensions and dilemmas of maternal action as the divided inner city is navigated indicate the gendered character of civility, an important emerging norm facilitating social change in the post‐conflict era. The situation of motherhood itself, both at the centre of ethno‐national reproduction and at the interface of public and private life, is not insignificant in routinely drawing mothers into the everyday dynamics of post‐conflict continuity and change.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to present young people's attitudes to peace-walls in Belfast and whether they feel that these peace-walls should be temporary or permanent structures. Design/methodology/approach -The methodology is based on questionnaire responses from 125 young people between the ages of 14 and 15 from six schools located in areas in Belfast where Catholics and Protestants live side by side yet apart. The paper is also based on their responses to photo prompts, focus group discussions and images of peace-walls drawn by some of the young people. Findings -The young people produced six discourses on peace-walls in Belfast and these are outlined in the paper.Research limitations/implications -The paper endorses the necessity of incorporating young people's views of peace-walls in Belfast as a prelude to finding ways in which to challenge taken-for-granted assumptions about the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Originality/value -The paper is original in that it addresses the neglect of young people's views on peace-walls in Belfast and contributes to further understanding of the importance of capturing young people's spatial strategies in divided cities.

According to data in the UK Census of Population, the number of young carers aged between 5 and 17 years old increased substantially between 2001 and 2011. By 2011, 2.1% of young people aged 5 to 17 years in England and Wales were young carers (ONS, 2013). The comparative figure for Scotland was 2% (NRS, 2011), while for Northern Ireland it was 2.8% (NISRA, 2011). Prevalence estimates for young carers vary widely across different surveys, however, for several reasons. The first main issue relates to question wording, such as, 'is the question easy to understand?' and 'does the question use child-friendly language?'. Secondly, survey design and implementation is important, as different modes of administration (online, paper, face-to-face), as well as who completes the questionnaire, will impact on responses. It is also important to consider attitudes and norms among young people and their family members. Some young people may consider their activities and responsibilities to be 'caring', while others see them as a normal part of family life. In particular, these attitudes can be affected by a fear of intervention by the state if the child's or young person's caring role is identified. Nevertheless, despite these limitations, where standard questions and administration are used, surveys can successfully capture real variations, such as those between different age groups or in different regions. One possible epistemological issue, and the subject of this paper, is that questions in different surveys are not all capturing the same thing. In other words, they reflect different conceptualisations of what it means to be a young carer. Thus, prevalence estimates across different surveys are often not comparing like with like. The aim of this paper is to explore the association between prevalence estimates and question wording. We do this by identifying survey instruments that provide prevalence estimates in the United Kingdom, and further afield, and comparing their definitions, question wording, and prevalence estimates. We then report on a small, qualitative, study in Northern Ireland, based on the Young Life and Times survey of 16 year olds, and the Kids' Life and Times survey of 10-11 year olds, which focused on the difficulties involved in estimating young carer prevalence rates, and the wide variations in these rates arising from the method of data collection. The particular methodological challenges the study faced, and the approach taken to confront these complexities, are set out. The outcome is used to inform future plans for research in this area. Definitions of a 'young carer' Within the UK, definitions of who is a young carer have changed over the past 20 years, mostly as a consequence of specialist practitioner efforts to improve how young carers are identified, and in response to new legislation in England which imposes statutory duties on local authorities to provide support for young carers (Wayman et al, 2016). Definitions have latterly become more inclusive and specific, incorporating greater coverage ...