Archaeology and contemporary death: Using the past to provoke, challenge and engage

While death is universal, reactions to death and ways of dealing with the dead body are hugely diverse, and archaeological research reveals numerous ways of dealing with the dead through time and across the world. In this paper, findings are presented which not only demonstrate the power of archaeology to promote and aid discussion around this difficult and challenging topic, but also how our approach resulted in personal growth and professional development impacts for participants. In this interdisciplinary pilot study, archaeological case studies were used in 31 structured workshops with 187 participants from health and social care backgrounds in the UK, to explore their reactions to a diverse range of materials which documented wide and varied approaches to death and the dead. Our study supports the hypothesis that the past is a powerful instigator of conversation around challenging aspects of death, and after death care and practices: 93% of participants agreed with this. That exposure to archaeological case studies and artefacts stimulates multifaceted discourse, some of it difficult, is a theme that also emerges in our data from pre, post and follow-up questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The material prompted participants to reflect on their biases, expectations and norms around both treatment of the dead, and of bereavement, impacting on their values, attitudes and beliefs. Moreover, 87% of participants believed the workshop would have a personal effect through thinking differently about death and bereavement, and 57% thought it would impact on how they approached death and bereavement in their professional practice. This has huge implications today, where talk of death remains troublesome, and for some, has a near-taboo status–‘taboo’ being a theme evident in some participants’ own words. The findings have an important role to play in facilitating and normalising discussions around dying and bereavement and in equipping professionals in their work with people with advanced illness

Etiquette in the context of death and dying: communication and conversation

Death, bereavement, and grief are experiences suffused with conflict and disenfranchisement. Intricately connected is 'etiquette' - the sense of 'should' 'must' 'right' 'wrong' 'appropriate' and 'inappropriate' individuals feel in death and bereavement situations. This paper is the first of two answering the question, 'where does etiquette arise in death and bereavement situations and what does this 'look like?'' The theme The etiquette of communication and conversation is described, highlighting the importance of early communication for resolving conflict, what is considered 'appropriate' communication and support, and the social values underpinning these. Data highlighted how the CBT concept of 'shoulding and musting' manifests in death and bereavement situations, gave insight into etiquette's role in disenfranchising grief through shaping conversations, and offered suggestions for bereavement support. Though the term 'etiquette' may be misleading out of context, the concept resonated with the bereaved community and provided language to discuss the nuances of their experiences

From plastered skulls to palliative care: what the past can teach us about dealing with death.

Modern, advanced healthcare detects and monitors long-term and life-limiting illness more comprehensively than ever before. However, death is now often considered medical failure, and is a virtually taboo topic of conversation in daily life. At a time when the societal relevance of archaeology is under scrutiny more than ever before, the AHRC-funded Continuing Bonds Project – a collaboration between archaeology and palliative care – explores the potential of the past to promote discussion. Not only does archaeology illuminate the diversity of practice surrounding death, the past provides a safe, distanced platform for considering death, dying and bereavement today. Through archaeological and ethnographic case studies, health and social care professionals and students consider topics such as place, choice and identity, in both personal and professional life. This article examines participant responses to a variety of archaeological material and presents post-workshop reflections which demonstrate the success of archaeology in opening up conversations and increasing confidence in discussing this most enduring and problematic of life events

Archaeology and modern reflections on death

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“Not too sure on how that would be defined, to be honest”: Exploring students’ understandings of the health effects of lifetime stress

Lifetime stress is stress which accumulates over the lifespan, with high levels linked with poorer health. How we understand the risks to our health affects how we respond to them, both in terms of our mindset (e.g., how much stress is perceived and whether that stress is interpreted positively or negatively) and our behaviour. Understanding how individuals perceive lifetime stress is important to mitigate its potential negative health effects. This is resonant for university students, who have reported an increased amount of stress over the past two decades. In a method made unique by the accessibility needs of a partially deaf researcher, this study explored ten university students’ understandings of the health effects of lifetime stress through online questionnaires and text-based interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis created three themes: “unfamiliarity”; “stress is damaging”; and ‘individuals are agents’, which spoke to lacking understanding of lifetime stress despite knowing stress could be damaging to health, and the importance of viewing stress as under one’s control. Considering that understanding a health threat increases the likelihood of changing behaviour, and that perceptions and experiences of stress influence each other, education could improve the effects of lifetime stress. Participants’ coping methods could be defined as pro-active or re-active, an easily understood model which fits well with cognitive behavioural therapy as a way for clients to create personalised coping strategies. Future research could address how individuals develop understandings of the personal implications of stress (including lifetime stress), and their understanding of control over its development and management

Biological Response of Positron Emission Tomography Scan Exposure and Adaptive Response in Humans

The biological effects of exposure to radioactive fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) were investigated in the lymphocytes of patients undergoing positron emission tomography (PET) procedures. Low-dose, radiation-induced cellular responses were measured using 3 different end points: (1) apoptosis; (2) chromosome aberrations; and (3) γH2AX foci formation. The results showed no significant change in lymphocyte apoptosis, or chromosome aberrations, as a result of in vivo 18 F-FDG exposure, and there was no evidence the PET scan modified the apoptotic response of lymphocytes to a subsequent 2 Gy in vitro challenge irradiation. However, lymphocytes sampled from patients following a PET scan showed an average of 22.86% fewer chromosome breaks and 39.16% fewer dicentrics after a subsequent 2 Gy in vitro challenge irradiation. The effect of 18 F-FDG exposure on phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γH2AX) in lymphocytes of patients showed a varied response between individuals. The relationship between γH2AX foci formation and increasing activity of 18 F-FDG was not directly proportional to dose. This variation is most likely attributed to differences in the factors that combine to constitute an individual’s radiation response. In summary, the results of this study indicate 18 F-FDG PET scans may not be detrimental but can elicit variable responses between individuals and can modify cellular response to subsequent radiation exposures