More Than Words: Using Photovoice in Multi-Disciplinary Settings to Illustrate Client and Student Experiences

Author Abstract: Photovoice is a participatory action research strategy that places the lens in the hands of the participant. Participants submit photos with accompanying narratives that illustrate their personal experiences regarding the assigned topic. This strategy can be used in individual, group, family, classroom, and youth group settings, with any age, or in qualitative research studies, to help participants share perspectives that are sometimes difficult to verbalize, and assist in creating change based on perceived experiences. Presenters will introduce photovoice, offer examples of implementation, and give attenders opportunities to practice assessing photovoice submissions

Consumer attitudes towards sustainability attributes on food labels

With current concerns about climate change and the general status of the environment, there is an increasing expectation that products have sustainability credentials, and that these can be verified. Labelling is a common method of communicating certain product attributes to consumers that may influence their choices. There are different types of labels with several functions. The aim of this study is to investigate consumers‟ purchase decisions towards certain sustainability claims on food products, particularly by displaying the reduction of carbon emissions. Choice outcomes will be evaluated using Discrete Choice Modelling (DCM). Data for the study is obtained by a web-based consumer survey undertaken in the United Kingdom (UK). Results provide information on different attributes effects on consumers‟ purchase decisions, particularly their willingness to pay. This study provides information on consumers‟ attitudes that will assist industries and firms to benefit from market opportunities, in particular assessing the methods by which carbon footprinting measures can be incorporated alongside information on other sustainability criteria in product marketing.food labeling, carbon footprint, discrete choice modeling, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy,

Snapshots from the Fringe: Utilizing Photovoice to Discover Commuter Experiences at ONU

Abstract Commuter students can make up about 75% of the student population on university campuses, but researchers have shown that retention is a great challenge among this population. This qualitative research study utilized photovoice to discover the experiences of the commuter population at ONU. Photovoice is a strategy used in participatory action research. Participants submitted photos that reflected their own lived experiences as a commuter student from their perspectives. These photographs, accompanying narratives, and a follow-up focus group led to the discovery of themes and proposed action plans that might improve their experiences. This workshop describes Photovoice and the results of this study

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with an increased rate of diabetes.

ObjectiveChronic infections could be contributing to the socioeconomic gradient in chronic diseases. Although chronic infections have been associated with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and cardiovascular disease, there is limited evidence on how infections affect risk of diabetes.Research design and methodsWe examined the association between serological evidence of chronic viral and bacterial infections and incident diabetes in a prospective cohort of Latino elderly. We analyzed data on 782 individuals aged >60 years and diabetes-free in 1998-1999, whose blood was tested for antibodies to herpes simplex virus 1, varicella virus, cytomegalovirus, Helicobacter pylori, and Toxoplasma gondii and who were followed until June 2008. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the relative incidence rate of diabetes by serostatus, with adjustment for age, sex, education, cardiovascular disease, smoking, and cholesterol levels.ResultsIndividuals seropositive for herpes simplex virus 1, varicella virus, cytomegalovirus, and T. gondii did not show an increased rate of diabetes, whereas those who were seropositive for H. pylori at enrollment were 2.7 times more likely at any given time to develop diabetes than seronegative individuals (hazard ratio 2.69 [95% CI 1.10-6.60]). Controlling for insulin resistance, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 did not attenuate the effect of H. pylori infection.ConclusionsWe demonstrated for the first time that H. pylori infection leads to an increased rate of incident diabetes in a prospective cohort study. Our findings implicate a potential role for antibiotic and gastrointestinal treatment in preventing diabetes

Consumer Attitudes towards Sustainability Attributes on Food Labels

Concerns about climate change and the general status of the environment have increased expectation that food products have sustainability credentials, and that these can be verified. There are significant and increasing pressures in key export markets for information on Greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of products throughout its life-cycle. How this information is conveyed to consumers is a key issue. Labelling is a common method of communicating certain product attributes to consumers that may influence their choices. In a choice experiment concerning fruit purchase decisions, this study estimates willingness to pay for sustainability attributes by consumers in Japan and the UK. The role of label presentation format is investigated: text only, text and graphical, and graphical only. Results indicate that sustainability attributes influence consumers’ fruit purchase decisions. Reduction of carbon in fruit production is shown to be the least valued out of sustainability attributes considered. Differences are evident between presentation formats and between countries, with increased nutrient content being the most sensitive to format and country while carbon reduction is the most insensitive and almost always valued the least.Willingness to pay, Choice experiment, Food labelling, Sustainability, Cross-country comparison, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Q18, Q51, Q56,

New Zealand food and beverage consumer preferences for product attributes and alternative retailers, and in-market use of digital media and smart technology

While much of New Zealand’s primary products are exported, it is still important to understand how domestic consumers value the attributes of food and beverage products, including willingness-to-pay (WTP) for particular product attributes, and use digital media and smart technologies to access information and purchasing food and beverage products. In response to this, firstly a literature review of New Zealand consumer preferences, WTP and technology use was carried out. Secondly, a survey of approximately 1,400 New Zealand consumers was undertaken examining preferences and WTP for credence attributes and their associated factors, attitudes to and use of alternative retailers, and digital media and smart technology use in relation to food and beverages. These results are compared with an overseas study to gain relative insight into the New Zealand market. A distinct difference between New Zealand and international consumers is observed across all factors examined. These results imply that a New Zealand-centric view of international consumers may lead to an underestimation of the potential value that could be captured in international markets

Microbial community analysis of Acropora palamata mucus swabs, water and sediment samples from Hawksnest Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Colonies of the scleractinian coral Acropora palmata, listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in 2006, have been monitored in Hawksnest Bay, within Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, from 2004 through 2010 by scientists with the US Geological Survey, National Park Service, and the University of the Virgin Islands. The focus has been on documenting the prevalence of disease, including white band, white pox (also called patchy necrosis and white patches), and unidentified diseases (Rogers et al., 2008; Muller et al., 2008). In an effort to learn more about the pathologies that might be involved with the diseases that were observed, samples were collected from apparently healthy and diseased colonies in July 2009 for analysis. Two different microbial assays were performed on Epicentre Biotechnologies DNA swabs containing A. palmata coral mucus, and on water and sediment samples collected in Hawksnest Bay. Both assays are based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of portions of the small rRNA gene (16S). The objectives were to determine 1) if known coral bacterial pathogens Serratia marcescens (Acroporid Serratiosis), Vibrio coralliilyticus (temperature-dependent bleaching, White Syndrome), Vibrio shiloi (bleaching, necrosis), and Aurantimonas coralicida (White Plague Type II) were present in any samples, and 2) if there were any differences in microbial community profiles of each healthy, unaffected or diseased coral mucus swab. In addition to coral mucus, water and sediment samples were included to show ambient microbial populations. In the first test, PCR was used to separately amplify the unique and diagnostic region of the 16S rRNA gene for each of the coral pathogens being screened. Each pathogen test was designed so that an amplified DNA fragment could be seen only if the specific pathogen was present in a sample. A positive result was indicated by bands of DNA of the appropriate size on an agarose gel, which separates DNA fragments based on the size of the molecule. DNA from pure cultures of each of the pathogens was used as a positive control for each assay

Labour Progression in Obese Women: Are Women With Increased Body Mass Index Having Unnecessary Cesarean Sections?

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether obese pregnant women undergo cesarean sections without an adequate trial of labour. This may affect future birth and pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on 526 parturients at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario. Women were categorized according to parity and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI; normal weight, BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m RESULTS: Obese class II and III primiparous women required an additional 1.62 and 2.67 hours (P = 0.012), respectively, to reach a dilation of 10 cm compared with their normal weight counterparts; obese class II and III multiparous women required an additional 1.25 and 2.05 hours (P = 0.003), respectively. A higher BMI was associated with increased oxytocin use and infant birth weight in primiparous women. Obese women had less gestational weight gain and required more cervical examinations. Cesarean section rates were low for obese parturients (primiparous, 19%; multiparous, 0.8%) and not significantly different among BMI categories. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed published results that labour progresses more slowly as maternal BMI increases. The study was performed in a centre with a specialized BMI pregnancy clinic; thus weight gain adherence, awareness of labour differences, and patient counselling may have contributed to low cesarean section rates. Obstetric care providers should consider differences in maternal BMI in labour progression before undertaking a potentially premature cesarean birth, especially in primiparous women

Consumer attitudes towards sustainability attributes on food labels

Concerns about climate change and the general status of the environment have increased expectation that food products have sustainability credentials, and that these can be verified. There are significant and increasing pressures in key export markets for information on Greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of products throughout its life-cycle. How this information is conveyed to consumers is a key issue. Labelling is a common method of communicating certain product attributes to consumers that may influence their choices. In a choice experiment concerning fruit purchase decisions, this study estimates willingness to pay for sustainability attributes by consumers in Japan and the UK. The role of label presentation format is investigated: text only, text and graphical, and graphical only. Results indicate that sustainability attributes influence consumers’ fruit purchase decisions. Reduction of carbon in fruit production is shown to be the least valued out of sustainability attributes considered. Differences are evident between presentation formats and between countries, with increased nutrient content being the most sensitive to format and country while carbon reduction is the most insensitive and almost always valued the least