The Silences Framework: A Method for researching sensitive themes and marginalized health perspectives (English version)

Objective: To describe the experience of applying of The Silences Framework to underpin health research investigating Tuberculosis/HIV/AIDS coinfection . Method: The Silences Framework originally developed following a study exploring the decisions and silences surrounding black Caribbean men living in England, discussing the themes 'sexual health' and 'ethnicity'. Following this study a conceptual a theory for research on sensitive issues and health care of marginalized populations was developed called 'Screaming Silences' which forms the foundation of The Silences Framework. Screaming Silences define research areas and experiences that are poorly studied, little understood or silenced. Results: The Silences Framework supports researchers in revealing "silences" in the subjects they study - as such results may reflect how beliefs, values, and experiences of some groups influence their health. This framework provides the application of four complementary stages: working the silences, hearing silences, voicing silences and working with the silences. The analysis occurs cyclically and can be repeated as long as the silences inherent in a study are not revealed. Conclusion: this article presents The Silences Framework and the application of the notion of "sounds of silence", mapping an antiessentialist theoretical framework for its use in sensitive research in health and nursing areas, being a reference for other researchers in studies involving marginalized populations. KEYWORDS: Inequalities in health. Methods. Nursing. Coinfection. Research. Tuberculosis. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Social representations of AIDS and their quotidian interfaces for people living with HIV

This qualitative descriptive study, guided by the Social Representations Theory, aimed to describe the content of the social representations regarding the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) for seropositive individuals in outpatient monitoring of the public health network and to analyze the interface of the social representations of AIDS with the quotidian of the individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), especially in the adherence to treatment process Interviews were conducted with 30 seropositive individuals and the manual content analysis technique was used. From the analysis, six categories emerged that re-translated the quotidian of seropositive people permeated by the stigma, prejudice, struggle for life and the need for the continuous use of antiretrovirals. AIDS was assimilated to chronic diseases such as diabetes, showing a trend of transformation of the social representation of AIDS, substituting the idea of death, with life. It is concluded that people living with HIV are more optimistic due to effective treatments for the control of the disease.Se trata de un estudio cualitativo descriptivo orientado por la Teoría de las Representaciones Sociales, que objetivó describir el contenido de las representaciones sociales acerca de la Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida (SIDA) para los usuarios seropositivos en acompañamiento de ambulatorio en la red pública de salud y analizar la interconexión de las representaciones sociales del Sida con lo cotidiano de los individuos que viven con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (HIV), especialmente al proceso de adhesión al tratamiento. Se realizaron entrevistas con 30 individuos seropositivos. Se utilizó la técnica de análisis de contenido manual. Del análisis, emergieron seis categorías que tradujeron lo cotidiano de seropositivos impregnados por el estigma, prejuicio, lucha por la vida y la necesidad del uso continuo de antirretrovirales. El Sida fue comparado a enfermedades crónicas como la diabetes, evidenciando una tendencia de transformación de la representación social del Sida, substituyendo la idea de muerte, por la de vida. Se concluye que las personas que conviven con HIV están más optimistas debido a los tratamientos eficaces en el control de la enfermedad.Trata-se de estudo qualitativo descritivo, norteado pela teoria das representações sociais. Objetivou-se descrever o conteúdo das representações sociais acerca da síndrome de imunodeficiência adquirida (AIDS) para os usuários soropositivos, em acompanhamento ambulatorial da rede pública de saúde, e analisar a interface das representações sociais da AIDS com o cotidiano dos indivíduos que vivem com o vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), especialmente no processo de adesão ao tratamento. Realizaram-se entrevistas com 30 indivíduos soropositivos. Utilizou-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo manual. Da análise, emergiram seis categorias que retraduziram o cotidiano de soropositivos, permeados pelo estigma, preconceito, luta pela vida e a necessidade do uso contínuo de antirretrovirais. A AIDS foi assimilada a doenças crônicas como diabetes, evidenciando tendência para transformação da representação social da AIDS, substituindo a ideia de morte, por vida. Conclui-se que as pessoas que convivem com HIV estão mais otimistas devido aos tratamentos eficazes no controle da doença

Condom Negotiations among Female Sex Workers in the Philippines: Environmental Influences

BackgroundSocial and structural influences of condom negotiation among female sex workers (FSWs) remain understudied. This study assesses environmental and individual factors associated with condom negotiation among FSWs at high risk for acquiring HIV in a large urban setting of Metro Manila, Philippines.MethodsFemale bar/spa workers (N = 498), aged 18 and over, underwent interview-led surveys examining their sexual health practices in the context of their risk environments. Data were collected from April 2009-January 2010 from 54 venues. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to assess socio-behavioral factors (e.g., age, education, length of time employed as an entertainer, and alcohol/drug use) and socio-structural factors (e.g., venue-level peer/manager support, condom rule/availability, and sex trafficking) associated with condom negotiation, adjusting for individuals nested within venues.ResultsOf 142 FSWs who traded sex in the previous 6 months (included in the analysis), 24% did not typically negotiate condom use with venue patrons. Factors in the physical environment--trafficked/coerced into work (AOR = 12.92, 95% CI = 3.34-49.90), economic environment--sex without a condom to make more money (AOR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.01-2.30), policy environment--sex without a condom because none was available (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.49-4.48), and individual risk--substance use (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.28-4.35) were independently associated with FSWs' lack of condom negotiation with venue patrons.ConclusionsFactors in the physical, economic, and policy environments, over individual (excepting substance use) and social level factors, were significantly associated with these FSWs' condom negotiations in the Philippines. Drawing upon Rhodes' risk environment framework, these results highlight the need for policies that support safer sex negotiations among sex workers in the context of their risk environments. Interventions should reduce barriers to condom negotiation for FSWs trafficked/coerced into their work, substance using, and impacted by economic conditions and policies that do not support condom availability

Low-sintering PZT-ceramics for advanced actuators

Much effort has been made to reduce sintering temperature Ts of PZT powders, driven by the demands of multilayer actuator fabrication.Suppression of PbO-evaporation and usability of cost effective electrode materials have been the main reasons.We succeeded in reducing Ts of soft-PZT down to 780 degree C by creating liquid phases during sintering.Consequently, the fabrication of components with high surface to volume ratio became possible.For example, dense PZT thick films (thickness 50...150 mu m) on alumina, showing high remanent polarization (20 mu C/cm2) and high mechanical strength were prepared.In order to raise operation frequency and temperature the development of low-sintering hard-PZT has been investigated.This task turned out to be more difficult, because most eutectic additives tend to reduce Curie temperature Tc likewise.Nevertheless, a special modification has been found giving a hard-PZT (i.e.Tc equals 350 degree C) that densities already at Ts equals 1050 degree C/2 h. T he paper reports on our compositional development of low-sintering PZT-ceramics together with its impact on the design and performance of advanced actuators

Estratégias para o ensino de história a partir da literatura infanto-juvenil

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Estratégias para o ensino de história a partir da literatura infanto-juvenil

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Verwendung eines ferroelektrischen keramischen Werkstoffs für die Informationsspeicherung bei elektrostatischen Druckverfahren: Ferroelektrischer keramischer Werkstoff (A1)

A novel ferroelectric ceramic material comprises a ceramic perovskite solid soln. contg. one or more group 1 and 2 components, the group 1 components being: PbTiO3 (PT), BaTiO3 (BT), Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 (PFN) and Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZN); and the group 2 components being: Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PMN), Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PNN), Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3 (PFW) and Pb(Mn1/2Nb1/2)O3 (PMnN). The amounts of the components of the two groups in the solid soln. are given by the mathematical equation: ((j) sigma (i = 1)) xi multiplied by Tci = TcM; where Xi = molar fraction of the 'i'th component; Tci = Curie point of the 'i'th component; and TcM = Curie point of the solid soln. (50 - 100 deg.C). USE - E.g. as a printing roller surface layer for information storage in electrostatic printing processes. ADVANTAGE - The material has high remanent polarisation combined with appearance of surface charges, easy polarisability esp. at 50 Hz (Pr is greater than 13muC / cm2 at 50 Hz), an almost rectangular hysteresis loop, a h igh insulation resistance of more than 1010 ohm cm, low variation of coupling factor and a coercive field strength of less than 200 V / mm