Harmonious Journey: Understandings of the Healthy Body and Body Image for First Nations Girls in the Battlefords Tribal Council Region through Photovoice

First Nations peoples in Canada are increasingly referred to as an ‘at risk’ population for the development of poor health outcomes. While these health inequalities are well established in the literature, there is a lack of understanding of how health is both defined by First Nations peoples. This thesis describes a community-based participatory research project with First Nations girls in the Battlefords Tribal Council region. The purpose of this project was to explore the ways in which these girls negotiate different meanings of health and the body, as guided by their words and stories. The project design incorporated various methods including individual interviews, sharing circles, photovoice, and art collages. The participants were given cameras with which to take photographs that represented their understandings of health in their communities; they also completed art collages that further explored the healthy body and body image. Following the completion of the photovoice and art projects, the girls discussed their photographs and their understandings of the healthy body and body image in further detail in both individual interviews and sharing circles. This research has been informed by feminist and sociological theories of the body, which acknowledge social and historical influences on health and the body and the agency of individuals. The thesis is organized in a manuscript style format and, as such, contains three analysis chapters comprised of manuscripts either published in or submitted to academic journals. The findings of this study reveal that the girls have both insightful and holistic definitions of both the healthy body and body image. The first manuscript discusses findings of the girls’ perceptions of health as a holistic concept. The second manuscript details findings of the girls’ personal resilience showcased in their narratives of the healthy body and body image. The third and final manuscript discusses in detail the undertaking of this community-based participatory project, focusing on the strengths and challenges of this particular research project. The discussions and knowledge created by the girls make a valuable contribution to the literature by increasing our collective understanding of how the healthy body and body image are defined by First Nations girls living on-reserve. In this thesis, I argue, as guided by the words of the girls, that health needs to be understood in a more holistic manner, particularly in the design of health promotion materials, programs, and services designed for First Nations youth. This compliments recent literature that views health in a holistic manner. I also discuss the empowering potential that a community-based participatory project presents when working with First Nations youth

Latinos in Massachusetts: A Mid-Decade Status Report

This research report provides an updated socioeconomic profile of Latinos in Massachusetts. Using data from the 2000 Census, the 2004 American Community Survey, and the 2002 Economic Census and Survey of Business Owners, it provides a comprehensive, comparative overview of a variety of statistical indicators – including population, national origin, age, gender, education, employment, poverty, income, and household composition. This information should prove useful to a range of individuals and organizations concerned with issues that impact the Latino community: policy-makers, advocates, community-based organizations, businesses, and the media. The report focuses primarily on Latinos as a group in Massachusetts, though where information is available, it also contains information on Latino subpopulations as well as the geographic areas in which they are concentrated. Some comparative historical figures are also provided. The report illustrates that the state’s Latino population is growing and is becoming more diverse. At the same time, Latinos in general and those from particular countries of origin tend to be concentrated in a few geographic areas. While the economic situation for Latinos appears to be improving, it still lags behind the population as a whole

School Improvement Grants: Take 2

Outlines lessons from the FY 2009 funding process and failed strategies to turn around failing schools, including the importance of accountability for student achievement and innovative partnerships. Offers advice on application design and implementation

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: An International Update on the Comparative Performance of American Health Care

Using data from patient and physician surveys, finds that the U.S. healthcare system ranks last or next-to-last when comparing healthcare performance against that of five other nations -- Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom

Feasibility of Focused Cardiac Ultrasound in Pre-participation Screening

Objective: Current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for pre-participation athletic screening recommend a 12-point history and exam to minimize the risk of sudden cardiac death. We tested the hypothesis that focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) performed and simultaneously interpreted by a cardiologist using a handheld ultrasound device would be a feasible addition. Methods: We performed pre-participation screening according to AHA recommendations on high school athletes in a multi-purpose room at their school. In addition to the standard 12-point assessment, a cardiologist simultaneously performed and interpreted a FCU on each athlete using a handheld ultrasound. Results: The mean age of the athletes was 16.6 ± 3.4 years; 68% were male. No evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, bicuspid aortic valve, or aortopathy was identified. Coronary ostia could not be visualized. Echocardiography added 1.35 ± 0.51 minutes to the standard exam. Conclusion: This feasibility study suggests that the addition of handheld echocardiography with real-time interpretation performed by a cardiologist to a standard AHA pre-participation screening adds less than two minutes of time to the assessment. While the study is not as comprehensive as an office based echocardiogram, it can provide valuable information which may be useful in ruling out some of the most common causes of sudden cardiac death in the young athlete or in selecting those who would benefit from further testing

Latino Business Owners In East Boston

The main objective of this research was to investigative the contribution of Latino immigrant business owners (or entrepreneurs) in East Boston. Twelve Latino business owners in East Boston were interviewed and supplementary interviews with public officials and other key informants served to further document the contribution of Latino entrepreneurs. The main finding of the report is that Latino business owners have made, and continue, to make extremely important contributions to East Boston’s economy and neighborhoods

The Sensory and the Sacred: Modernist Crucifixions

Simone Weil defined the Crucifixion as “this supreme tearing apart, this incomparable agony, this marvel of love” suggesting that “nothing can be further from God than that which has been made accursed.” Its paradoxical nature makes the Sacrifice a persuasive literary trope to investigate the relationship between materiality and spirituality. Twentieth century literature revisits this concept by emphasising the physicality of the body to demystify its sinful connotations and idealised representations. It is the modernist martyred body, represented in its tensions and vulnerability, which this session addresses. Three papers by young scholars working in different countries aim at showing how the creation of Christ-substitutes in twentieth century prose and poetry helps transatlantic authors present the potential for both bodily pleasure and violence against cultural and social conventions. These representations shed light on the often ambiguous response to faith in modernism and beyond