SYMBOLIC POLICY AND ALCOHOL ABUSE PREVENTION IN YOUTH

In Canada, the prevalence of alcohol use among school-age students has emerged as a leading public health issue. Though governments at all levels have called for inter-organizational collaboration to address the issue, the representation of youth interests by key community groups is critical to the efficacy of those initiatives. This article describes the case of a community project supported by provincial and local governments in which an integrated community centre (ICC) was combined with a new high school. The ICC included a soccer centre, a track, and a licensed beverage room on the premises that opened on a daily basis. Government support for the ICC policy and related values is examined from the perspective of symbolic policy. The point is argued that the best interests of youth (the main interest group associated with the ICC) must be defined, represented and mobilized materially and symbolically in policy related to their well-being.

High school students’ perceptions of alcohol prevention programs

The purpose of this study was to explore Grade 11 students’ perceptions of programs related to the prevention of alcohol use in high school settings through an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data elicited from student questionnaires (n=452) and focus groups. It was found that students felt a need for increased information on alcohol education at the high school level. They identified content and preferred methods of delivery to improve cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement. Several metapolicy implications arose. At a broader policy level, provincial ministries may consider systematic collection of data to monitor youth alcohol use, as well as to inform educational programs and evaluate their efficacy.Keywords: Prevention of alcohol use in youth, students’ perceptions, high school alcohol prevention programs, alcohol educationLe but de cette étude était d'explorer les perceptions des élèves de 11e année des programmes liés à la prévention de la consommation d'alcool en milieu scolaire grâce à une analyse de données quantitatives et qualitatives recueillies au travers de questionnaires complétés par les étudiants (n = 452), et de groupes de discussion. Il a été constaté que les étudiants ressentent un besoin accrue d'information sur l'alcool et ses dangers au niveau de l'école secondaire. Ils ont identifié des contenus et des méthodes privilégiées de prestation pour améliorer l'engagement cognitif, comportemental et émotionnel. Différentes implications méta-politiques ont émergé. Sur un plan politique plus large, les ministères provinciaux devraient envisager une collecte systématique de données afin de surveiller la consommation d'alcool des jeunes et d'informer les programmes éducatifs et évaluer leur efficacité.Mots-clés: Prévention de la consommation d'alcool chez les jeunes, perceptions des élèves, programmes scolaires de prévention sur l'alcool, information sur l'alcool

Alcohol prevention programs : an exploration of grade 11 students' perceptions

The purpose of this study was to explore Grade 11 students’ perceptions of programs related to the prevention of alcohol use in four Saskatchewan high schools through an analysis of data elicited from student questionnaires and focus groups. Utilizing a case study design, information regarding current prevention policies in the schools was obtained by interviewing school principals. Interviews were then conducted with teachers and counsellors to determine the context in which the students were learning and included collecting data about the programs that were being delivered. In the final phase, 452 student questionnaires were administered and four focus groups were undertaken to explore students’ perceptions of alcohol prevention programs. It was found that formal and informal school programs to prevent alcohol use were influenced by a number of factors. Time was an essential factor in allowing information to be conveyed to students. Although the topic of alcohol prevention was included within the health curriculum, there was limited time allotted to present this information in an effective manner. In fact, senior high school students did not receive any formal health education. With regard to alcohol prevention, the students identified that practicing resistance skills, the delivery of developmentally appropriate accurate information, and personal stories would contribute to their engagement in prevention programs and improve program efficacy. Methods of program delivery including peer interaction should be considered at all levels including the Grade 9 level when a large proportion of students reported that they started using alcohol. For the students in this study, the location and methods for student referrals to support services should be more transparent and accessible. The findings of this study generated several implications for practice, policy, and research. First, systematic monitoring of students’ alcohol use would be useful in informing policy and program development. In adjunct to programs, teacher professional development should be implemented and informed by evidence-based practice to ensure consistency in the program goals and objectives. To support a comprehensive program with clear and consistent messages, policy needs to include the educative approach, professional development, strategies for student infractions, referral processes, parental information and guidelines, and evaluative measures. Implications for research underline the need for further exploration of students’ perceptions of zero tolerance policy, the nature of engaging prevention-related content, and efficacy of methods of information delivery to students on the risk continuum. Questions concerning how to actively involve parents at the school level need to be pursued

Peer mentorship and transformational learning: PhD student experiences

The purpose of the paper is to describe our peer mentorship experiences and explain how these experiences fostered transformational learning during our PhD graduate program in educational administration. As a literature backdrop, we discuss characteristics of traditional forms of mentorship and depict how our experiences of peer mentorship was unique. Through narrative inquiry, we present personal data and apply concepts of transformational learning theory to analyze our experiences. Our key finding was that it was the ambiguous boundaries combined with the formal structure of our graduate program that created an environment where peer mentorship thrived. We conclude that peer mentorship has great capacity to foster human and social capital within graduate programs for both local and international students.  Le but de cet article est de décrire nos expériences de mentorat par les pairs et d’expliquer comment ces expériences ont favorisé l’apprentissage transformationnel au cours de notre programme d’études supérieures de doctorat. Avec la littérature comme toile de fond, nous discutons des caractéristiques des formes traditionnelles de mentorat et décrivons comment notre mentorat par les pairs est unique. Grâce à l’analyse narrative, nous présentons des données personnelles et appliquons les concepts de la théorie de l’apprentissage transformationnel pour analyser nos expériences. L’élément clé de l’étude démontre clairement que les frontières ambiguës, combinées à la structure formelle de notre programme d’études supérieures, créent un environnement favorable au mentorat par les pairs. À la lumière de notre étude, nous concluons que, tant pour les étudiants locaux qu’internationaux, le mentorat par les pairs rehausse le développement humain et social dans les programmes d’études supérieures. &nbsp

Enhancing Nursing Students’ Understanding of Oral Health: An Educational Intervention with an Interprofessional Component

Oral health is integral to general health and essential for well-being, and therefore, should be prioritized in pediatric nursing education. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine if an oral health education intervention with an Interprofessional Education (IPE) component delivered to third-year baccalaureate nursing students would improve their knowledge of pediatric oral health care. Nursing students (n=99) from a Bachelor of Nursing program in a mid-Western Canadian university completed a survey before and after receiving the educational intervention which included a two-hour lecture from a Dentistry faculty member and a one-hour clinical lab in which nursing students learned how to conduct a comprehensive oral health assessment in practice. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted to compare pre-and post-intervention survey scores. Findings indicate a statistically significant (p \u3c .001) increase in knowledge from pre-test (67%) to post-test (86%) and contribute to a new understanding of the importance of pediatric oral health care in nursing education. The outcome of this intervention is that registered nurses can be prepared with the knowledge necessary to address the disparate oral health challenges experienced by children globally. These findings will provide the foundation for the refinement and implementation of the educational intervention on an international, multi-site scale. Résumé La santé buccodentaire, essentielle au bien-être, fait partie intégrante de la santé générale. Elle devrait donc constituer une priorité dans la formation infirmière en soins pédiatriques. Cette étude pilote vise à évaluer si une intervention pédagogique appuyée d’un volet interprofessionnel, donnée à des étudiantes de troisième année au baccalauréat en sciences infirmières, améliorerait leurs connaissances au sujet des soins pédiatriques relatifs à la santé buccodentaire. Les étudiantes (n = 99) au baccalauréat en sciences infirmières d’une université du Centre-Ouest du Canada ont rempli un sondage avant et après avoir suivi une intervention pédagogique qui comprenait une conférence de deux heures présentée par un membre de la Faculté de médecine dentaire, ainsi qu’un laboratoire clinique d’une heure où elles ont appris à effectuer une évaluation complète de la santé buccodentaire en situation de pratique. Des tests t pour échantillons appariés ont été réalisés pour comparer les résultats du sondage avant et après l’intervention. Les résultats démontrent une augmentation statistiquement significative (p \u3c 0,001) des connaissances de l’examen préintervention (67 %) à l’examen postintervention (86 %), et offrent une nouvelle compréhension de l’importance des soins pédiatriques relatifs à la santé buccodentaire dans la formation infirmière. Cette intervention procure ainsi le savoir nécessaire aux infirmières autorisées pour régler les différents problèmes de santé buccodentaire touchant les enfants du monde. Ces résultats permettront de perfectionner l’intervention pédagogique et de la mettre en œuvre à l’échelle internationale, en plusieurs endroits

A Smile: pahpêwihkwêwin

SHRFNon-Peer ReviewedAn informative book for caregivers on pediatric oral health care; created in partnership with Thunderchild First Nation (Health Services), University of Saskatchewan and the Colleges of Nursing, Dentistry, and Medicine. Written in English and Cre

A Smile

SHRFNon-Peer ReviewedAn informative booklet for caregivers on pediatric oral health care; created in partnership with the community of La Loche, University of Saskatchewan and the Colleges of Nursing, Dentistry, and Medicine. Written in English and Dënësųłinë́. Documents include the "Informative booklet with attached audio". To listen, download and open using a PDF viewer (eg. Adobe or Kofax

"I can't live like that": the experience of caregiver stress of caring for a relative with substance use disorder.

BACKGROUND: The impact of addiction extends beyond the individual using a substance. Caring for an individual with addiction creates persistent stressful circumstances that cause worry, anger, depression, shame, guilt, anxiety, and behavioral problems within the family unit. The paper aims to explore the experiences of caring for a relative with a substance use disorder (SUD) and self-care strategies caregivers employ. METHODS: The study adopted an exploratory qualitative design. To be included in the study, participants were required to have a relative with a (SUD) disorder and not be actively using the substance themselves. Individual interviews were conducted to gather their experiences, meanings, and how they made sense of caring for a relative with a SUD. RESULTS: Twenty one participants were involved in the study, of which 17 were women, and four were men of which there had a sister, four had a brother, eight had a parent, six had a dependent, and one participant had a grandparent with a SUD. Four themes, whose overarching focus is the pains of living and caring for a family with a SUD, caused the participants and how the participants mitigated these experiences CONCLUSION: The stress associated with caring for individuals with a SUD impacts the caregiver's physical and mental health. Specific care modalities targeting caregivers need to be developed to address the health impact and to support self-care