A co/autoethnography of peer support and PhDs: being, doing, and sharing in academia

As doctoral students, we were well aware of the social, cultural, and economic isolation experienced by many students working towards a PhD. In this paper, we provide an account of an informal peer support model that assisted us to successfully complete our PhDs. We used co/autoethnography to write into each other’s story, seeking to improve our research practice through creative reflection. Data included over 215 emails generated through our “weekly check-ins” during our PhDs, for a period of over 18 months. Following the iterative nature of co/autoethnography, we generated further data through collaborative analysis and reflexive, creative writing. Analysis involved each of us conducting inductive analysis of the data separately, followed by a collaborative process of checking and co-identifying themes, and collaborative writing of the co/ autoethnography. We identified three major themes in the data: Being an Academic, Doing Academia, and Sharing in Academia. We continue to transform through the co/autoethnography and lay bare our experience of peer support for the purpose of supporting others undertaking a PhD, including ways to approach writing (or support writing), and ways to navigate the corporate university setting

A Co/Autoethnography of Peer Support and PhDs: Being, Doing, and Sharing in Academia

As doctoral students, we were well aware of the social, cultural, and economic isolation experienced by many students working towards a PhD. In this paper, we provide an account of an informal peer support model that assisted us to successfully complete our PhDs. We used co/autoethnography to write into each other’s story, seeking to improve our research practice through creative reflection. Data included over 215 emails generated through our “weekly check-ins” during our PhDs, for a period of over 18 months. Following the iterative nature of co/autoethnography, we generated further data through collaborative analysis and reflexive, creative writing. Analysis involved each of us conducting inductive analysis of the data separately, followed by a collaborative process of checking and co-identifying themes, and collaborative writing of the co/autoethnography. We identified three major themes in the data: Being an Academic, Doing Academia, and Sharing in Academia. We continue to transform through the co/autoethnography and lay bare our experience of peer support for the purpose of supporting others undertaking a PhD, including ways to approach writing (or support writing), and ways to navigate the corporate university setting

Family planning in Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs): a scoping review

The use of contraceptives for family planning improves women’s lives and may prevent maternal deaths. However, many women in low and middle-income countries, including the Pacific region, still die from pregnancy-related complications. While most health centres offer family planning services with some basic contraceptive methods, many people do not access these services. More than 60% of women who would like to avoid or delay their pregnancies are unable to do so. This scoping review identifies and analyses evidence about family planning service provision in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), with the aim of better informing family planning services for improved maternal health outcomes in the Pacific. We used Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review guidelines, supported by Levac, Colquhoun and O’Brien to identify gaps in family planning service provision. Selected studies included peer-reviewed publications and grey literature that provided information about family planning services from 1994 to 2019. Publication data was charted in MS Excel. Data were thematically analysed and key issues and themes identified. A total of 45 papers (15 peer-reviewed and 30 grey literature publications) were critically reviewed. Five themes were identified: i) family planning services in the Pacific; ii) education, knowledge and attitudes; iii) geographical isolation and access; iv) socio-cultural beliefs, practices and influences; and v) potential enabling factors for improved family planning, such as appropriate family planning awareness by health care providers and services tailored to meet individual needs. While culture and religion were considered as the main barriers to accessing family planning services, evidence showed health services were also responsible for limiting access. Family planning services do not reach everyone. Making relevant and sustainable improvements in service delivery requires generation of local evidence. Further research is needed to understand availability, accessibility and acceptability of current family planning services for different age groups, genders, social and marital status to better inform family planning services in the Pacific

Community first responders: a missing key to reducing disability and death in low and middle income countries in the Western Pacific?

This perspective article discusses the potential role community first responders could play in reducing death and disability in low- and middle-income countries in the Western Pacific. Community first responders are reportedly making a difference in low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa in reducing death and disability, and disease surveillance and reporting. Efforts must be made to explore the appropriate and effective introduction of locally tailored community first responder programs in the Western Pacific

Staff Capacity Development Initiatives That Support the Well-being of Indigenous Children in Their Transitions to Boarding Schools: A Systematic Scoping Review

Background: Secondary education for Indigenous children from remote communities requires separation from their communities and families. As these students transition to boarding schools, they face several challenges that are additional to those faced by their non-Indigenous peers. In response, adequate academic and emotional well-being support needs to be provided by school and residential staff. This systematic review reports on international and Australian capacity development initiatives for education and boarding staff that support these students. \ud Methods: Five databases were searched using database-specific search strings, considering peer-reviewed articles and gray literature, published between 2001 and 2016. The resultant publications were screened to identify (a) their nature and quality and (b) their characteristics in terms of aims, strategies, and outputs. \ud Results: Seven hundred thirty-six citations were identified; 51 full text publications met inclusion criteria for assessment. Seven publications were eligible for review. Staff capacity building initiatives encompassed a range of approaches, including training, feedback, reflective practice, mentoring, networking, and supervision. Only one publication focused specifically on the support of education staff, others were centred on improving educational, behavioral, and emotional outcomes for Indigenous boarding school students. All of the research was descriptive, with only two original research publications. \ud Conclusion: Despite a variety of approaches being described in brief, we found no high quality research that focused exclusively on staff capacity building approaches in the Indigenous boarding school context. The few publications available to review were exclusively descriptive in nature, highlighting a clear need for well-executed evaluation research

Reframing health promotion research and practice in Australia and the Pacific: the value of arts-based practices

In health promotion research, the arts can take many forms: as the focus of the research or evaluation; as a tool of inquiry; as an avenue of dissemination; or as a combination of each of these. Each art form occurs within a place-based or social and spatial context, and it is the interdependence of form and context that gives rise to ethical and methodological tensions. In this chapter, we argue that arts-based research (ABR) is an aesthetic, iterative, and organic research process and health promotion practice that brings to the fore ethical and methodological tensions inherent in participatory research. The value of ABR lies in how it advances and enhances scientific practices and methodologies. However, there are also tensions inherent in designing studies that respond to community-led research priorities because ABR provides opportunities for ethical and methodological development/advancement

Sexual health and wellbeing training with women in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: a scoping review

Background: Women who are spouses of students at a faith-based university in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are afforded proximal power. These women are perceived as leaders and regularly approached by members in their communities to provide advice on sexual and reproductive health matters. Women leaders therefore need access to sexual health information and training to provide appropriate advice. Objective: The aim of this paper is to review the characteristics of community-based sexual health training in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), as reported in published literature. This is evidence to inform the development of sexual health training programs for women in PNG. Methods: A systematic search of databases, repositories and websites identified peer-reviewed studies. Grey literature was also sourced from government and non-government organisations and PNG health professionals. Six published papers, one report, one health worker practice manual and one health worker training package were identified for inclusion. Selected papers were assessed against the Canadian Hierarchy of Evidence to determine quality of evidence for practice. Themes were identified using a thematic analysis approach. Results: Three themes became apparent from the literature synthesis: i) program development; ii) mode of delivery, and iii) evaluation. Social and cultural context influenced all elements of sexual health training in PICTs. Few studies reported evidence of comprehensive evaluation. Conclusions: Successful sexual health training programs in PICT communities are designed and delivered accounting for local contexts. Programs that engage participants with diverse abilities inspire change to achieve desired outcomes. Key findings from this study can be used to assist women leaders to contextualise and operationalise sexual health training to promote the wellbeing of members in their communities

Barriers and enablers to young people accessing sexual and reproductive health services in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A scoping review

Background The number of young people utilising sexual and reproductive health services in Pacific Island Countries and Territories remains poor despite the availability and the existence of the fundamental rights to access these services. Adolescents and youth need accurate information and timely access to contraceptives to prevent adverse consequences associated with unintended pregnancies, abortion, childbirth and untreated sexually transmitted infections. This scoping review identifies and analyses factors contributing to young people’s low access to sexual and reproductive health information and services in this region. Methods Guided by the PRISMA Scoping review guidelines, we searched three databases (Medline Ovid, Scopus and CINAHL Complete) for peer-reviewed articles published between 1st January 2000 and 31st August 2020 that reported on factors, including barriers and enablers, affecting access to sexual and reproductive health information and services by young people living in Pacific Island Countries and Territories. We assessed the quality of each study according to the study designs, methods of data collection, data analysis and ethical considerations. All information was sorted and organised using an Excel Spreadsheet. Text data from published articles were charted inductively using thematic analysis with no predetermined codes and themes. Findings Five hundred eighty-nine articles were screened, and only eight met the inclusion criteria outlined in this scoping review protocol. These eight articles reported studies conducted in four Pacific Island Countries and Territories: Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. Factors such as lack of accurate sexual and reproductive health knowledge and social stigma were the leading causes of young people’s limited access to sexual and reproductive health services. Cultural and religious beliefs also invoked stigmatising behaviours in some family and community members. Conclusion This scoping review revealed that social stigma and judgemental attitudes imposed by family and community members, including healthcare providers, hinder young unmarried individuals in Pacific Island Countries and Territories from accessing sexual and reproductive health information and contraceptives. Alternatively, a non-judgmental healthcare provider is perceived as an enabler in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services. Moreover, given that only a few studies have actually focused on young people’s sexual and reproductive health needs in the region, more research is required to fully understand the health-seeking behaviours of young people in their specific contexts

Barriers and enablers to using contraceptives for family planning at Atoifi Hospital, East Kwaio, Solomon Islands

Background: The use of family planning contraceptives helps improve women’s lives and prevent maternal deaths. Globally, maternal mortality has been significantly reduced between 1990 and 2015. However, the gains have not been evenly spread with the majority of deaths still occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Solomon Islands, a low-income nation in the Pacific, faces the continued challenge of low contraceptive use and unmet needs for family planning. There is also still a gap between knowledge about contraceptives and their actual use. This study explores the barriers and enablers to family planning, including contraceptive use at Atoifi Hospital, Solomon Islands and presents strategies that may increase contraceptive use. Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured face-to-face interviews were facilitated with family planning nurses, contraceptive users and non-users to explore the barriers and enablers for women and men accessing family planning, including contraceptive use. A total of nine interviews were conducted. Results showed a link between delivery of family planning service with contraceptive use, as represented by four themes: availability and accessibility of contraceptives; knowledge and beliefs; socio-cultural expectation of women; and fear. Conclusion: Context is a key factor to incorporate successful strategies to fulfill unmet family planning needs and increase usage. This small study revealed significant barriers to contraceptive use were linked to where and how family planning service is delivered. The service would benefit from greater attention to the cultural context, gender and privacy issues. Services in Pacific Island countries may also benefit from the lessons learnt in Solomon Islands

Socio‑cultural implications for women’s menstrual health in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs): a scoping review

Background: Globally, experiences of menarche and subsequent menstruation are embedded in social and cultural beliefs, norms and practices. Menarche is an important developmental milestone in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) for females. Menarche is intertwined with socio‑cultural norms, beliefs and practices, which can impact on women’s ability to manage menstruation with dignity. This paper reviews the social and cultural factors that affect women’s ability to effectively manage their menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA scoping review guidelines and inclusion/exclusion criteria. An online search was conducted for peer‑reviewed publications in Medline/OVID; Medline/PubMED; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Scopus and JSTOR, and Google Scholar. A search for grey literature was conducted in Google Scholar and websites of international and local organizations. Experts in the field also contributed additional references. Extracted data were summarised in an Excel spreadsheet. Searches were conducted between May and June, 2019, and then repeated in July, 2020. Results: A total of 11 studies were included; 10 qualitative and one mixed methods study. Studies were conducted in Melanesian (n=9), Polynesian (n=1) and Micronesian (n=1) PICTs. All 11 studies reported elements of societal and personal factors; ten studies reported evidence relating to interpersonal factors; nine studies reported elements relating to environmental factors; and two studies presented evidence linked to biological factors. Managing menstrual health with dignity is challenging for many women and girls because menstruation is associated with menstrual taboos and shame. Conclusion: This review found that the MHH experiences of women in PICTs are affected by social and cultural beliefs, norms and practices. Beliefs, norms and practices about menarche need to be incorporated in SRH planning, programs and education in order to be relevant to diverse village and urban settings