Service users' beliefs about the partner notification process in a young person's sexual health clinic

The recent sharp rises in the rates of diagnosis of chlamydia and gonorrhoea are a prime public health concern (House of Commons Health Committee Report on Sexual Health, June 2003). The evidence seems to indicate that it is young heterosexual men and women, and young men who have sex with men who are most at risk of contracting these infections. One of the tools used by sexual health services to break the chain of transmission of these infections is partner notification. However, there is little data about the consequences of this process for the person who may disclose their infection to their sexual partner(s). This study uses a qualitative approach (interpretative phenomenological analysis; Smith, 1996) to gain a deeper understanding of the partner notification process. Two higher order domains emerged from the fifteen participants' transcripts; (1) Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that are perceived as easy to cure are also seen as less threatening and stigmatising. This may encourage clinic attendance and notification to partners, but may reduce vigilance concerning infection risk, and (2) Diagnosis of an STI produces emotional reactions that affect the form, and possibly the effectiveness of partner notification. Most participants were able to inform their partners about their diagnosis, and described feeling a social responsibility to do so These results are related to the wider body of knowledge represented by traditional health psychology research, and discussed in terms of the wider literature. In the final section, the method used to gather and analyse the data are critiqued, and research opportunities and clinical implications from this study are outlined

The emergency and constitutional change in India

This study is concerned with the effect of India's state of emergency 1975-77, on the operation of the Indian Constitution. Although the state of emergency of June 26, 1975 was invoked under Article 352 of the Constitution, it represented an important break in India's constitutional and political development since 1947. Prior to 1975, India was referred to both at home and abroad as the "world's largest democracy." Her political and constitutional stability were often contrasted with other Asian and African countries where constitutional governments collapsed. During the state of emergency the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi proposed and passed certain amendments to the Indian Constitution. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the reasons for this constitutional revision and the nature of the amendments. The constitutional and political implications of the amendments are analyzed for political parties, government-opposition relations, executive, legislative and judicial powers, individual rights, economic and social reform and federalism. A detailed account is given of the constitutional revision debate within the Congress Party and between the government and opposition parties. In particular, the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee are analyzed. In examining the viability of constitutional government in India it is hypothesized that the Indian Constitution, as adopted on January 26, 1950, contained contradictions between its liberal democratic provisions and its emergency powers. These broad emergency powers proved antithetical to constitutional government. It is further hypothesized that the maintenance of constitutional government requires a consensus between the government and the opposition parties as to the rules of the constitutional and political system. In developing these hypotheses Kothari's model of one-party dominance and the Marxist model of class conflict are utilized. Finally, the hypotheses of the paper and the two models are reexamined in the light of the emergency period and of the constitutional and political changes that occurred under it.Arts, Faculty ofPolitical Science, Department ofGraduat

Nurse perspectives on the practical, emotional, and professional impacts of living and working in post-earthquake Canterbury, New Zealand

INTRODUCTION: This report explores nurses' perspectives following the Canterbury (New Zealand) 2010-2011 earthquake sequence and the subsequent recovery process. Problem Little is known about the experiences of health care professionals during a disaster recovery process, and this research generates insights about the challenges faced.METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 11 nurses from the Christchurch (New Zealand) area to explore the challenges faced by the nurses during and following the earthquakes. The interviews took place three years after the start of the earthquake experience to enable exploration of longer term aspects of the recovery process. The interview transcripts were analyzed and coded using a grounded theory approach.RESULTS: The data analysis identified that the nurses had faced a number of challenges and these were characterized as practical, emotional, and professional. While some of the challenges were short-lived in the aftermath of the earthquakes, some were long-lasting due to the extended nature of the recovery process. Dealing with house damage, insurance negotiations, and working in damaged environments had a negative impact on the nurses. The nurses experienced a range of emotions, both negative and positive, after the disaster, though many had needed time to elapse before feeling able to reflect on their experiences. Discussion The findings suggest that secondary stressors have a negative impact on the psychosocial recovery process. The nurses recognized that they received support from others and were also required to focus on others. Keeping busy appeared to be the most common coping strategy. This lack of reflection on their experiences may have resulted in delayed emotional responses. Some of the nurses changed their work role, hours, and responsibilities suggesting that working in this environment was having a detrimental impact.CONCLUSION: The research indicates the challenges faced by nurses in the initial impact of the earthquakes and during the longer term recovery process. There is a need to consider the psychosocial impact of working and living in a post-disaster context and to develop support packages to ensure the health and well-being of nurses in this environment