Healing in the Sámi North

There is a special emphasis today on integrating traditional healing within health services. However, most areas in which there is a system of traditional healing have undergone colonization and a number of pressures suppressing tradition for hundreds of years. The question arises as to how one can understand today’s tradition in light of earlier traditions. This article is based on material collected in Sámi areas of Finnmark and Nord-Troms Norway; it compares local healing traditions with what is known of earlier shamanic traditions in the area. The study is based on 27 interviews among healers and their patients. The findings suggest that although local healing traditions among the Sámi in northern Norway have undergone major transformations during the last several hundred years, they may be considered an extension of a long-standing tradition with deep roots in the region. Of special interest are also the new forms tradition may take in today’s changing global society

Sick leave and work disability in patients with early arthritis

We studied the occurrence of sick leave and work disability, the presence of workplace adaptations and the usage of professional guidance related to working problems in patients with early arthritis. Inclusion criteria were arthritis symptoms of less than 2 years duration and a paid job at the time of diagnosis. Assessments were done in connection with an early arthritis clinic (EAC) at entry into the cohort and 12 months thereafter by means of a questionnaire comprising questions on sick leave (absenteeism from work reported to the employer), work disability (receiving a full or partial work disability pension), unemployment, work adaptations and professional guidance related to working problems. Fifty-seven of the 69 participants (83%) had an arthritis symptom duration of <6 months. The number of patients with sick leave due to arthritis in the past 12 months decreased from 28 (41%) at study entry to 18 (26%) after 12 months of follow-up. The number of patients receiving a work disability pension increased from 5 (7%) at study entry to 13 (19%) after 12 months of follow-up (10 partial and 3 full). Sick leave in the 12 months before study entry appeared to be the most important predictor of the institution or increase in a work disability pension (odds ratio, 16.1; 95%CI, 1.8–142.8). Between study entry and follow-up, the number of patients with workplace adaptations increased from 20 (29%) to 28 (42%), whereas the number of patients receiving vocational guidance decreased from 48 (70%) to 36 (52%). In patients with early arthritis and a paid job, arthritis-related sick leave was common and occurred in part before patients entered the EAC and a diagnosis was made. About 20% of the patients became permanently work disabled, with partial work disability being more common than full work disability. Considerable proportions of patients received workplace adaptations and professional guidance with working problems

Newly arrived children with special educational needs in preschool : Preschool teachers’experiences

The purpose of this study is to generate further knowledge about preschool teachers' work with newly arrived children who are in need of special support. Presently, there is a small amount of research in this subject and therefore I think it is a relevant topic to study. The study is conducted with semi structured interviews as a qualitative method for accessing the preschool teachers’ description of their work with newly arrived children in need of special support due to disabilities. It appears that it is a challenge for preschool staff to know what the need for special support is based on, whether due to disability or of being a refugee and the difficulties it contains. In order for preschool teachers’ to have the opportunity to use appropriate support, they need to have knowledge of the child's background and they also need to have well function communication with the parents. It is usually the staff at the preschool who first notice when a child needs supplementary support. With the preschool teachers' descriptions this study examines what perspective preschool teachers’ have on their work with newly arrived children in need of special support. This is done with help of four different special educational perspectives. This study shows that it is important to have good cooperation between preschool and parents, the parties are then dependent on well-functioning interpretive opportunities for the cooperation to function, which turns out to be varied

Materialspill i byggnadsproduktionen : Waste of Material in the Construction Industry

This report deals with issues related to construction waste. Building material that has not been built into the project is defined as construction waste. Cost of construction waste amounts to 4-12 % of the total cost of the project. Moreover, cost of construction waste is 1-3 % of the production cost. The aim of this study is to increase knowledge about the main causes of waste within the construction industry. Measures in order to reduce material waste are analyzed. Contractors of building projects and construction workers should be able to apply methods and measures in order to reduce waste. Commissioners of building projects (the client) should be aware of amounts of waste and how this is affecting the price. Three research questions are investigated in this report: 1. What are the causes of material waste during production? 2. What material is generating the largest amounts of waste, and which type of construction waste is most costly? 3. What are the measures of minimizing material waste? Methods used to investigate research questions include analysis of literature, interviews and four case studies. Three out of four case studies are performed on construction sites, where site managers are interviewed. The fourth case study is executed on a factory at Myresjöhus AB. Manufacturing of prefabricated modules is investigated. A prefabricated wall section with a circular window during line production is analyzed in-depth. The time taken to produce a single prefabricated wall unit is measured. In addition, amounts of material waste are collected and measured. Results showed that cost of waste amounts to 2, 4 % of production cost. Moreover, profit was 40 % of the selling price. Construction companies lack economic incentive to reduce waste costs because it is added to the selling price. Thus time becomes more important than reducing waste during production. The main cause of construction waste is lack of economic incentives to reduce levels of waste among construction companies. Secondary causes of waste are related to the efficiency of the production process. Common material waste during site-built construction is gypsum boards, façade panels, studs, joists, insulation, and concrete molds. Waste of studs and joists amounts to 5-6 %, and concrete waste is about 2 % for each truckload of concrete. During manufacturing of prefabricated housing, the largest amounts of waste are from paneling, lining board, insulation and gypsum. Changes have to be made to increase construction companies’ motivation to reduce construction waste within their production. The cost of waste must be visible. The client needs to be aware of costs of waste and waste management. Moreover conflicts concerning orders and material handling between contractors and subcontractors need to be solved. Moreover, construction companies need to increase the use of custom made and prefabricated modules. In conclusion the main reason why waste levels are not decreasing is because clients are not pressuring contractors to reduce levels of waste. The most common types of waste derive from materials that have low waste fees i.e. wood. Clients need to demand information about waste charges in order to motivate contractors to reduce their construction waste

The right to the highest attainable standard of health

This chapter introduces the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which is enshrined in several international treaties, as well as numerous national constitutions, giving rise to legally binding obligations on States. It outlines the complementary relationship between public health and the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and provides a framework for analysing this human right. This analytical framework, which deepens understanding of, and helps to identify appropriate responses to, public health issues, is then applied, by way of illustration, to neglected diseases, mental disability, sexual and reproductive health, and water and sanitation. The conclusion identifies the key features of a health system from the perspective of the right to the highest attainable standard of health

The right to the highest attainable standard of health

This chapter introduces the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which is enshrined in several legally binding international treaties, as well as numerous national constitutions. It outlines the complementary relationship between public health and the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and provides a framework for analysing this human right. This analytical framework is then applied, by way of illustration, to neglected diseases, mental disability, sexual and reproductive health, and water and sanitation. The conclusion identifies the key features of a health system from the perspective of the right to the highest attainable standard of health