scholarly journals “We Don’t Assume That Everyone Has the Same Idea About Health, Do We?” Explorative Study of Citizens’ Perceptions of Health and Participation to Improve Their Health in a Low Socioeconomic City District

Author(s):  
Marja A. J. G. de Jong ◽  
Annemarie Wagemakers ◽  
Maria A. Koelen

In community health promotion programs that aim to reduce health inequities, citizen participation is recommended, as it strengthens citizens’ active involvement and has a positive impact on health. A prerequisite for citizen participation is recognizing and incorporating citizens’ perceptions of health. Therefore, this study aimed to explore these perceptions and actions needed to improve the health of citizens living in a low socioeconomic city district. Concept mapping was used to actively engage community members as part of the action research method. Eleven community groups (n = 89 citizens) together with community workers participated in the study. Participants in all groups agreed that health entails more than the absence of disease, and therefore it is a multidimensional concept. Social relations, physical activity, positive life attitude, healthy eating, and being in control were important perceptions about health. Although the participants were aware of the relation between lifestyle and health, actions to improve health included doing things together, collaboration, self-confidence, focusing on possibilities, and socially shared meanings. Creating a supportive environment to address health behavior appeared to be the most important action for citizens to facilitate behavior change. Concept mapping helped to involve citizens and provided community workers with valuable information to shape the program together with citizens.

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1287.1-1287
Author(s):  
P. Wegscheider

Background:Assistance dogs support humans with different physical disabilities: 1. Service dogs for people with diverse mobility impairments 2. signaling dogs for humans diagnosed with diabetes, hearing impairments, seizure, or posttraumatic stress disorder 3. guide dogs for people with visual impairments. Definitions and terms are not consistent over Europe; Austrian terminology is used in the following. These specially trained dogs support people in their everyday lives and make it possible that less help is required from personal assistants or caregivers. Diverse studies show this positive impact of assistance dogs on the quality of life of disabled people. There are just a few case reports from United States about service dogs for people diagnosed with any inflammatory rheumatic disorder. Dogs are trained individually for about 1.5 years before team training and the concluding team assessment through Austrian authorities take place. Since 2015, there has been an adapted legislation for service dogs in Austria which brings significant improvements in many areas. In comparison to the model set by Austria, there is no corresponding legal basis at EU level or in other European countries.Objectives:Case-report about my own situation diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in 2001 and my service dog May. May supports my every day live in private and business affairs since 2019Methods:May was trained for less than two years before team assessment. May is able to pick up things I dropped. These include coins, my key, my mobile phone, clothes, towels and lots of other things I want her to pick it up for me. May opens and closes doors, empties the washing machine, pulls the laundry basket and even helps me put on and take off clothes. In general, she carries many things which I instruct her to carry. I am able to learn her more new things in a short time. Furthermore May acts safe on public transport and even airplanes. Due to special training May is allowed to move without dog leash or muzzle. A muzzle or leash would handicap the dog’s work. As a result of May’s help I need less personal assistance.Results:May’s physical and psychological support gives me greater independence and increases my self-confidence. She was trained to specifically meet the needs of my disability. Beside her skills, May helps to reduce pain and burden of arthritis.Conclusion:My aim is to spotlight the great support of service dogs to severely affected arthritis patients. Austria had realized legislation for assistance dogs to guarantee certain permissions the owner’s needs (e.g. access to working place, hospital). I would love to raise awareness about assistance dogs to improve the knowledge about those animals to implement European legislation.References:[1]Arbeitskreis für Hygiene in Gesundheitseinrichtungen des Magistrats der Stadt Wien, MA 15, Richtlinie für den Umgang mit Assistenzhunden und Therapiehunden in Gesundheitseinrichtungen, 29.3.2017; access 1.10.2019[2]AK Krankenhaushygiene OÖ, Umgang mit Assistenzhunden in Gesundheitseinrichtungen, Version 1; access 1.2019[3]Bremhorst, A et al, Spotlight on Assistance Dogs- Legislation, Welfare and Research, Animals 2018, 8, 129; doi:10.3390/ani8080129[4]Deutsche Gesellschaft für Krankenhaushygiene (DGKH), Empfehlungen zum hygienegerechten Umgang mit Therapiehunden in Krankenhäusern und vergleichbaren Einrichtungen, Hyg Med 2017; 42-10[5]Glenk, LM et al, Perceptions on Helath Benefits of Guide Dog Ownership in an Austrian Population of Blind People with and without a Guide Dog, Animals 2019, 9, 428; doi:10.3390/ani9070428[6]Lundqvist, M et al, Certified service dogs- A cost- effectiveness analysis appraisal, Plos ones 12.9.2019, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219911[7]Sozialministeriumservice, Richtlinie Therapiehunde des Bundesministers für Arbeit, Soziales und Konsumentenschutz, 01.01.2015; access 1.10.2019Acknowledgments:I am very grateful to Kati Kohoutek, May’s trainer and the efforts of Austrian’s long lasting dog trainers and Karl Weissenbacher, the leader of Messerli Institute/ department of Veterinary University Vienna.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


Author(s):  
Wanlin Zhang ◽  
Stuart Walker ◽  
Martyn Evans ◽  
Julia Bennett

AbstractThrough active involvement in UNESCO’s ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage) programme, China has developed its own framework to support traditional making practices. To examine the ‘characteristics’ of heritage crafts preservation in China, we undertook empirical research in the Yellow River basin. Our research involved in-depth observations and key informant interviews with a range of highly accomplished craftspeople who have inherited their particular expertise from their family and have been officially designated ICH Inheritors. Through our qualitative research with inheritors, a businessperson and a government official, we identified various support mechanisms employed by the Chinese government that aim to protect traditional culture while also recognising outstanding individuals. We also found that ICH Inheritors play an important role in raising cultural awareness and enhancing cultural confidence through their creative activities and making practices, craft businesses and transfer of expertise. Based on the findings, potential areas where designers may collaborate with inheritors were identified.


2021 ◽  
pp. 095624782110240
Author(s):  
Zlata Vuksanović-Macura ◽  
Igor Miščević

Citizen participation in the planning and decision-making process in the European post-socialist context is much debated. Still, the involvement of excluded communities in the urban planning process remains understudied. This paper presents and discusses the application of an innovative participatory approach designed to ensure active involvement of an excluded ethnic minority, the Roma community, in the process of formulating and adopting land-use plans for informal settlements in Serbia. By analysing the development of land-use plans in 11 municipalities, we observe that the applied participatory approach enhanced the inhabitants’ active participation and helped build consensus on the planned solution between the key actors. Findings also suggested that further work with citizens, capacity building of planners and administration, and secured financial mechanisms are needed to move citizen participation in urban planning beyond the limited statutory requirements.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Wretlind ◽  
M Magnusson ◽  
M Hallmyr

Abstract The aim was to, in an oral health promoting setting in low socioeconomic areas, implement a method aiming at improving quality of work by assessing both formative and summative results. The overall aim is to decrease health inequity. Methods Five teams of dental hygienists (n = 5) and dental nurses (n = 3), who operated in socioeconomic low-status areas, participated. The teams were performing health promoting activities on arenas as for example family-centrals. These teams were introduced on how to report health promoting activities according to the Health Equilibrium Methodology (HEM), which is based on Social Cognitive Theory. Following questions were put and answered in every report: Which health determinants were targeted? Did any person seem to perceive him-/herself excluded? Did anything unexpected happen? What to think about next time? Quantitative data were also documented: Almost six-hundred individuals were included in a total of 36 reports. Of these 50% were adults/parents and the rest children, most of them between 1-6 years old. The reports were written directly into a database after every activity and then processed by a facilitator and later discussed with the teams in workshops every third month. Results Analysis of the reports shows that the implementation of health promoting activities according to HEM included the following: -Identification of important health determinants. - Attention on how to get everyone involved and if anything unexpected happened. - Suggestions for change for the next time. Throughout the workshops the team-members exchanged experiences. Conclusions The HEM-method facilitates depicting and discussing the process of health promotion with focus on health equity. Thereby the method has a potential to support development of high-quality health-promoting activities in populations with low socioeconomic status. It may also lead to a better professional self-confidence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 6069-6072 ◽  

The article deals with the peculiarities of the interaction of such legal phenomena as legal nihilism and amnesty. Based on a comprehensive analysis of these phenomena, the authors substantiate the opinion that the issue of an amnesty act can have both positive and negative social consequences, which reflect the dual nature of legal nihilism: the combination of both destructive manifestations and a positive impact on social relations.


ZARCH ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
David Arredondo Garrido

En ciudades con un importante patrimonio histórico son cada vez más frecuentes los procesos de homogeneización del paisaje urbano. Una dinámica que conduce a la transformación de determinados entornos históricos en espacios en donde apenas queda lugar para la singularidad, las actividades no reguladas o la participación ciudadana. Este estudio propone analizar una serie de iniciativas desarrolladas en la última década en centros de cuatro ciudades españolas, concretamente en Sevilla, Barcelona, Madrid y Zaragoza. Proyectos que se apoyan en la agricultura y la jardinería urbanas para sortear la banalización imperante, creando espacios para la cultura, las relaciones sociales y la imaginación. Pese a las dificultades en su gestión y su repercusión minoritaria, estas intervenciones ejemplifican un modo de reconfigurar el paisaje urbano, planteando esquemas de activación, percepción activa y participación en lugares centrales de la ciudad en proceso de abandono, donde las actividades agrícolas y jardineras adquieren un peso importante.PALABRAS CLAVE: paisaje urbano, acupuntura urbana, agricultura urbana, participación ciudadana, derecho a la ciudad.Processes of homogenization of the urban landscape are becoming more frequent in cities with an important historical heritage. A dynamic that leads to the transformation of certain historical environments in spaces where there is hardly any room for uniqueness, unregulated activities or public participation. This study aims to analyse a number of initiatives developed in the last decade in four Spanish city centres, particularly in Seville, Barcelona, Madrid and Zaragoza. Projects that are using urban agriculture and gardening to escape form current banality, creating spaces for culture, social relations and imagination. Despite the difficulties in its management and its minor impact, these interventions exemplify a way to reshape urban landscape, through schemes of activation, active perception and participation in abandoned places in the city, where agricultural activities and gardening are now playing an important role.KEYWORDS: urban landscape, urban acupuncture, urban agriculture, citizen participation, right to the city.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Imam Makruf

This study aimed to analyze various ICT-based media and learning resources used in learning Arabic, the selection or development process, the process of using it in learning, and the learning outcomes. Research data collected from observations, documentation, and interviews were validated with FGD and analyzed with interactive models. The results of this study show that; (1) the most widely used media in learning Arabic is powerpoint presentations with LCD and language laboratories, then video, audio and games, (2) the process of selecting developing media and learning resources is done by design and by utilization, (3) the process of utilizing media and learning resources is done more for the delivery of material at the core activities in addition to enrichment and assignment, and (4) media and learning resources for Arabic-based ICT that use material from native speakers have a positive impact on improving the motivation, self confidence, and Arabic competence of students.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Siti Urbayatun ◽  
Erlina Listyanti Widuri ◽  
Ani Muttaqiyatun ◽  
Dewi Eskawati

Indonesia is a region that is frequently hit by disasters, especially the earthquake because of geological factors. Earthquake in 2006 in the region of Yogyakarta and Central Java still has problems to this day, the basics of the economy has not fully recovered , disabled people coud not work as usual, people experience a variety of stressors such as income and material stress and emotional stress. The aimed of this study was to find out the effect of cognitive and religious intervention to cope with stress of disaster. The subjects of this study were people in Bantul who exposed to stress due to disasters such as disability and individuals who have low self-confidence because of disabilty. The method of the study was a responsive action research. Data were collected through observation, interviews, focus group discussions, psychoeducation and training. The study found that cognitive and religious intervention has positive impact on recovery of the subject, for example increase on self-confidence of individual and decrease in the mean of SUD (subjective unit disturbances) score of familie’s subject member. The interventions were usefull to improve the future intervention of disabled persons and people who experience stress of family member’s disability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M A J G de Jong ◽  
A E Wagemakers

Abstract Background Health promotion programs (HPPs) have not yet succeeded in substantially reducing the health gap between higher and lower socioeconomic groups. It is thus a challenge to develop more effective strategies, based on an ecological perspective. To develop such strategies and activate citizens, this study explores citizens’ perceptions of health and what they need to improve it. Methods Setting Community HPP Voorstad on the Move (VoM) (July 2016-Jan 2020) in a district (+-11,000 inhabitants) in Deventer. Inhabitants’ socioeconomic status (SES), perceived health status and lifestyle are low relative to other city districts. Study design: A qualitative study of 11 community groups (n = 89) participating in two focus groups. Concept mapping was used to cluster and prioritize health perceptions. Social Practice Theory (SPT) guided the analysis of needs to change health-related behavior. Results “We don’t assume that everyone has the same idea about health, do we?” (citizen) Participants differed in age (16-82), cultural background (17% non-Dutch origin) and type of group activity. High-ranking dimensions of health are social relations, physical activity, a positive life attitude, healthy eating and empowerment. To improve health, social support from family and friends and self-confidence were the main needs. Physical impediments, (chronic) illness and financial aspects were also mentioned as barriers. The focus groups contributed to new activities as part of the VoM program facilitated by a health broker: e.g. a swimming group, biking buddies, social meetings. Conclusions Citizens perceive health as multidimensional, encompassing the physical and social environment, lifestyle behaviors, positive attitudes and being in control. Using SPT to unravel these needs in terms of meanings and competences helped to facilitate citizens’ active involvement in health-promoting activities. Key messages Low SES citizens perceive social relations, physical activity and a positive life attitude as important dimensions of health. Insight into citizens’ meanings and competences about health behaviors facilitates the development of health-promoting activities.


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