The epidemiology of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, health and wellbeing

This thesis is a compilation of applied epidemiological studies undertaken throughout the course of the Master of Philosophy in Applied Epidemiology (MAE) program. The focus of this thesis is on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing and uses a strengths based, mixed methods approach. Community based participatory research methodologies were utilized in these studies. An outbreak investigation was also undertaken as part of the MAE competencies. This thesis includes the following studies: - The data analysis and major epidemiological studies explore the association between caring for country, through participation in a Ranger program, and wellbeing. A cross sectional analysis of data collected in Central Australia in 2017, comparing health and wellbeing (life satisfaction, general health, psychological wellbeing and family wellbeing) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people employed as Rangers (n=43) versus not employed as Rangers (n=160). - The Stronger Communities for Children (SCfC) program was evaluated through collection of cultural participation data (a key program outcome). Community based participatory research was utilised and community researchers were trained in delivering the survey through partnership with the Palngun Wurnangat Aboriginal Corporation, the Kardu Lurruth Ngala Purrungime Committee and the National Centre of Epidemiology and Population Health. - An outbreak investigation was undertaken of a cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium with a unique MLVA pattern in Canberra, ACT. Descriptive epidemiology and an environmental investigation was undertaken to identify the source of the pathogen, and implement public health measures to mitigate risk to the public of further infection. This thesis outlines additional activities undertaken during the MAE. Peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, lesson plans and study proposals are included throughout

The Production and Planning Process of the Book of Kells

In describing manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, it is often noted that they were copied from pre-existing documents, suggesting that the task of making such manuscripts was easy. While the scribes did use pre-existing manuscripts as an exemplar, the layout of the manuscript had to be carefully planned before ink or pigment could be placed on the page because the nature of the materials they used--the ink, pigments, and vellum--were often scarce and expensive. Scribes did not have the luxury of having an endless supply of materials at their disposal. Preparation of the material took time. Once the scribes had the appropriate materials, they had to ensure that they used them judiciously to avoid any mistakes so that nothing went to waste. From the perspective of manuscript production, this thesis examines specific sections of the Book of Kells to demonstrate how manuscripts were made and the importance of planning the work before placing ink and pigment on the vellum. It shows that there was much more work involved than simply copying the text from one manuscript to another

Discovering Boundaries for Mobile Awareness: An Analysis of Relevant Design Factors

Mobile awareness applications connect you with the activities of friends, colleagues, and communication partners. The development of awareness applications for mobile devices is a top priority for HCI researchers. In discovering boundaries for mobile awareness systems, it is important to consider how these devices will be used. Factors relevant to design include boundaries drawn by technical, functional, privacy and complexity issues. This paper presents a literature review and introduces a Mobile Awareness Conceptual Framework that defines relevant boundaries for mobile awareness applications. The Framework includes information awareness, people-centered awareness, and context awareness. The paper concludes with an application of the Framework to inform the design of mobile awareness systems

Technology Overload: Is There a Technological Panacea?

While developments in technology have made computing and electronics ubiquitous and wearable, they have also given rise to a plethora of devices each delivering a special functionality. Numerous appliances and gadgets may overwhelm us, leading to Technology Overload, the cognitive and physical burden placed on human beings due to usage of multiple devices for everyday activities. While research into the design of devices has concentrated on making each separate feature/ functionality of a device more efficient and effective, (such as enhancing the resolution of cameras or improving the portability of a mobile phone) or integrating a few functionalities at a time (such as PDA-phones, cell phone-cameras etc), little work has been done to systematically determine which features and functionalities should be placed in which device/s in order to reduce technology overload. This paper discusses technology overload and explores the implications of current and proposed solutions to help ease it

Biodiversity comparison among phylogenetic diversity metrics and between three North American prairies

Protection of Earth’s ecosystems requires identification of geographical areas of greatest biodiversity. Assessment of biodiversity begins with knowledge of the evolutionary histories of species in a geographic area. Multiple phylogenetic diversity (PD) metrics have been developed to describe biodiversity beyond species counts, but sufficient empirical studies, particularly at fine phylogenetic scales, have not been conducted to provide conservation planners with evidence for incorporating PD metrics into selection of priority regions. We review notable studies that are contributing to a growing database of empirical results, we report on the effect of using high-throughput sequencing to estimate the phylogenies used to calculate PD metrics, and we discuss difficulties in selecting appropriate diversity indices. We focused on two of the most speciose angiosperm families in prairies—Asteraceae and Fabaceae—and compared 12 PD metrics and four traditional measures of biodiversity between three North American prairie sites. The varying results from the literature and from the current data reveal the wide range of applications of PD metrics and the necessity for many more empirical studies. The accumulation of results from further investigations will eventually lead to a scientific understanding upon which conservation planners can make informed decisions about where to apply limited preservation funds

The most difficult ‘job’ there is” – characteristics and challenges of unpaid caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s and related dementias in Texas

Objective: To understand the conditions and impact on caregivers providing unpaid care to persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias in Texas. Methods: A cross-sectional survey consisting of 29 questions (n = 358) was distributed to unpaid caregivers (UCs) using snowball sampling. Results: Respondents were predominantly female (81.7%), age 55+ (83.6%), retired (55.2%), white (83.9%), and were the primary care provider to the care recipient (CR). Caregivers averaged 68 hours/week of care. Numerous challenges were reported, including increased emotional stress (62.3%), negative impact on work (61.7%), declining physical health (62.0%), and increased financial stress (34.1%). Respondents were asked to provide open-ended feedback regarding their caregiver experiences. Topics include emotional and physical health, caregiving’s impact on their professional and personal lives, and the availability of resources. Discussion: Caregiving can be extremely burdensome to a caregiver’s health, work, and finances. Future studies focusing on the challenges and needs among UCs in Texas are warranted

Representations of child sexual abuse in Jamaica:A corpus-assisted discourse study of popular new media.

News media shape public opinion on social issues such as child sexual abuse (CSA), using particular language to foreground, marginalize or legitimize certain viewpoints. Given the prevalence of CSA and the impact of violence against children in Jamaica, there is a need to examine the representation of children and their experience of violence in the news media, which remain the main source of information about such abuse for much of the population. The study aims to analyze accounts of CSA in Jamaican newspapers in order to show how different representations impact public understanding of CSA. This study offers a new perspective around child abuse by using an eight-million word corpus from articles over a three-year period (2018- 2020). The study argues that media reports often fail to conceptualise and represent accurately children who have experienced abuse. Representations of children are generic, their experiences often reduced to statistical summaries. Corpus analysis uncovered the use of terms which normalize sexual abuse. From the reader’s perspective, there was little emotional connection to the child or the child’s experience. The newspapers rarely report first-hand survivors’ experience of abuse, depriving these children of a voice. Instead, a marked preference is given to institutional voices. An issue of concern is a tendency to sensationalism with disproportionate attention given to cases involving celebrities. By exposing these problems, the authors hope that news media in Jamaica can play a more positive role in heightening awareness around child abuse and allowing the voices of victims/ survivors to be heard