Narrative Quilts and Quilted Narratives: The Art of Faith Ringgold and Alice Walker

There have been two main streams of influence on Chicano artists aside from the obvious one that is the result of their artistic training, education and development in the United States. The primary influence came from Mexico, first during the colonial period in the form of New Spanish art and architecture, and then in modem times provided by the Mexican muralists through their work and their use of pre-Columbian art. The New Spanish materials formed the nucleus for the second stream of influence composed of the various manifestations of religious folk art found primarily in the Southwest

Competing realities, diverse needs : an inter-disciplinary approach to religious engagement with HIV prevention and care

The World Health Organisation/ UNAIDS and the UK's HIV-related public health policies are premised on universal access to information, treatment and care. With a focus on wider determinants of health, such rights-based approaches and their associated commitment to consistent HIV prevention messages and effective care include also a requirement to be respectful of and sensitive to religio-cultural beliefs and practices. There is evidence that access to HIV information and care can be restricted by the moral codes, beliefs and teachings which determine some religious responses to HIV, those, for example, which address issues of sexuality and gender, identity and belonging, authority and power. With a particular interest in a UK context of religio-cultural diversity, this study asks whether existing strategic public health responses to HIV prevention and care are adequate to the multiplicity of psychosocial realities and needs of a diverse community. The study follows comparative interpretative approaches and draws on a range of theoretical perspectives, primarily those of sociology, anthropology and psychology. It identifies the potential for dialogical compatabilities between public health practice and practical theology. Gathering and analysing data and discourse this interdisciplinary, qualitative investigation examines religion-informed responses to HIV prevention and care. With a small-scale localised study positioning the content and authority of religious belief on responses to HIV prevention and care in a UK Midlands city of high religio- cultural diversity, the primary and secondary data are 'grounded' in the experience of a local community. In its tracing of the multiple realities of HIV in contexts of global and local religio - cultural diversity, the study finds that global dimensions of HIV touch the local in unavoidable and diverse ways Religion-defined identity and belonging are valued by people affected by HIV and the communities of which they are part, but the stigmatizing impact of HIV, often reinforced by religious beliefs and teachings, generates anxieties about the disclosure of a diagnosis, the initiation of open discussion and access to HIV information and care. Constraints on the access of sexual minorities, young people and women can raise particular concern. In situations of diverse need and contested reality quests for coherent meaning, identity and belonging confront a public health preference for consistent HIV health messages and for accessible and effective programmes of HIV information, support and care. The study evidences diverse and often competing perspectives on HIV and highlights the need for health and social care services and religious groups to have greater awareness of the extensive complexities which the realities of diversity bring to HIV prevention policy design and service delivery. Complexity theory and practical theology inform a new and integrative model for theological, epidemiological and public health partnering through which the inadequacies in both religion-informed responses to HIV and public health HIV prevention and care policy and service delivery can be addressed.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Assessment of dynamic and long-term performance of an innovative multi-story timber building via structural monitoring and dynamic testing

Peer reviewedPostprin

How do grandparents experience the death of a grandchild following a life limiting condition?

Introduction: Traditionally, bereavement support for families extends to parents and siblings of children who have died following a life limiting condition (LLC). Few research studies have focused on the needs of bereaved grandparents, who are playing an increased role on the care of children with LLCs and their families. This study aimed to explore how grandparents experience the death of a grandchild from a LLC. Methods: A purposive sample of seven participants, who identified themselves as fulfilling a grandparenting role, participated in a semi-structured, in depth face-to-face interview. Transcribed data was analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Ethical approval: Ethical approval was sought and granted by Lancaster University in October 2013. NHS NRES approval was not required as the participants were not the primary carers of NHS patients. Results: Emerging themes indicated a number of contextual factors that affect the experience of bereaved grandparents, including intergenerational bonds, identity and perceived changes in role following the death of their grandchild. Bearing witness to the suffering of their child (the deceased child's parent) and an inability to 'make things better' was a recurrent stressor. The essence of grandparents' experiences was interpreted as being driven by and focused on fulfilling a parenting role. Conclusion and implications: The study identified that the primary motivation of grandparental support stems from their role as a parent, and not as a grandparent. The findings from this study should assist the development of practice to better understand, and therefore support, grandparents of children with a LSC, in addition to bereavement support

Randomised controlled trials of physical activity promotion in free living populations: a review

This article was first published in:Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 1995:49:448-453OBJECTIVES--To review evidence on the effectiveness of trials of physical activity promotion in healthy, free living adults. To identify the more effective intervention programmes. METHODS--Computerised databases and references were searched. Experts were contacted and asked for information about existing work. INCLUSION CRITERIA--Randomised controlled trials of healthy, free living adult subjects, where exercise behaviour was the dependent variable were included. CONCLUSIONS--Ten trials were identified. The small number of trials limits the strength of any conclusions and highlights the need for more research. No UK based studies were found. Previously sedentary adults can increase activity levels and sustain them. Promotion of these changes requires personal instruction, continued support, and exercise of moderate intensity which does not depend on attendance at a facility. The exercise should be easily included into an existing lifestyle and should be enjoyable. Walking is the exercise most likely to fulfil these criteria.Financial assistance was provided by the Health Gain Project which is funded by North Thames(West)Regional Health Authority and the Health Education Authority