Theological Reflections on Selected Adinkra Symbols

Traditional symbols are forms in indigenous art that are usually translations of thought and ideas, expressing the values and beliefs of the people. Adinkra symbols are ideographical depictions of maxims, philosophies, beliefs, and values of the Akan of Ghana. Of the works cited by the researcher, there is no available literature on the theological reflections of the Adinkra symbol for Akan Christians. Since the focus of most of the works on the Adinkra symbol have been on how to do effective communication in a non-verbal manner, and the analysis of the philosophy behind the Adinkra, the few accessed literature does not directly show how the Bible interacts with the Adinkra symbols by way of exegesis; and how some of these symbols could be employed for ecclesiastical purposes of exhortations that allows the Akan believer to easily relate with the homily interwoven in familiar symbols. This study researched into selected Adinkra symbols (Gye Nyame, Nyame Nti, Onyankopon Adom Nti Biribiara Beye Yie, Nyame Nwu Na Mawu, Nyame Dua) so as to do a theological reflection to provide a sound Akan hermeneutical basis for homilies. It also examined its implications to the everyday life of the Akan Christian and Clergy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were employed. First, theological reflections were conducted on selected Adinkra symbols, and data were collected from 110 Christians and 20 clergy representing various denominations. The reflections revealed that the symbols were religious and that the people acknowledged God before the arrival of Christianity. Although the majority of respondents were able to explain the meanings of Gye Nyame, Nyame Dua, and Nyame Nwu Na Mawu, they generally lacked knowledge about Nyame nti and Onyankopon Adom Nti Biribiara Beye Yie. The survey revealed that some clergy incorporated Adinkra symbols into their sermons, particularly the Gye Nyame symbol, and 75% of the clergy indicated that these symbols were suitable for Christian use. The data revealed that both clergy and the congregants favored the use of the Adinkra symbols since the symbols help them in understanding the nature of Nyame (God). The outcome in terms of knowledge and resourcefulness can encourage the church to incorporate it into its liturgical art, leading to enhanced worship through the use of symbols. Theologically reflecting on the symbols will lead to an increased understanding of them in the light of God’s word and facilitate their ecclesiastical adoption. Additionally, the ideological and moral lessons integral to the Adinkra symbols will encourage their meaningful use among Christians.

This paper represents selected Adinkra symbols of the Akan and brings out the philosophical, educational, historical and moral values inherent in them. It seeks to encourage the understanding and usage of the Adinkra symbols in a more meaningful way by Ghanaians and foreigners, contemporary artists, designers, craftsmen, teachers, and all who appreciate the traditional symbols. It discusses 14 Adinkra symbols grouped into two of seven each. The first group consists of the symbols that are familiar to many Ghanaians but the philosophy, history and moral lessons behind them are not known to them and the other group also consists of symbols that are unfamiliar to many Ghanaians as well as the philosophical and historical lessons associated to them. Symbolic meanings, philosophical and historical background of these symbols have also been provided. The paper posits that the logical value of the Adinkra symbols used by Akans as a mode of communication is less important; it is their communication values that are important. The paper adds to knowledge in the disciplines of linguistics in general and semiotics in particular. Key words: Akan language, Adinkra symbols, semiotics, linguistics, Ghanaian indigenous symbolism, communication.

ABSTRACTObjective: Participation in leisure activities is beneficial for cognitive functioning of older adults, but it is less known whether it is also beneficial for those with low basic cognitive level. This study examined the reciprocal relationship between participating in leisure activities and cognitive functioning among low and higher literacy level older adults.Method: Respondents aged 60 years and older who participated in both first waves (2005–2006 and 2009–2010) of the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE-Israel) were divided into low (n = 139) and higher literacy level respondents (n = 714). They reported participation in leisure activities and completed measures of cognitive functioning at both waves.Results: Cross-lagged models showed that participation in leisure activities predicted higher cognitive functioning four years later only among older adults with low literacy level. On the other hand, cognitive functioning predicted more participation in leisure activities four years later only among higher literacy level older adults.Conclusions: Participating in leisure activities may be especially beneficial to cognitive functioning among older adults with low literacy level, as their initial low cognitive level allows more room for cognitive improvement than among higher literacy level older adults. Public efforts aimed at increasing participation in leisure activities may therefore target particularly older adults with low basic cognitive level.

Over the past years, advanced renewable technologies such as Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has transformed to become more efficient, reliable, less costly and attractive. A migration to Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) and push for Green Buildings (GB) is a major driver for the adoption of BIPVs, not only in developed countries, but also in the developing world. Fundamental issues such as cost, aesthetics, technological lock-in, awareness, and socio- economic barriers have been identified as major hindrances to the advancement of BIPVs especially in developing countries. Understandably, there have been growing concerns about the aesthetics of BIPVs especially as it directly replaces conventional building materials. It has also been established in several studies that symbolism and cultural acceptance have direct impact on architecture. For instance, in Ghana, symbols like “Adinkra” are valued as epitome of beauty, hence replicated on clothes, buildings façades, emblems etc. A hypothetical question is established here; Will replicating traditional symbols such as “Adinkra” on intended building materials such as BIPV for façade and roofing influence its adoption in Ghana and alike countries? This paper establishes and analyze the nexus between traditional design symbols and buildings with the aim of developing a viable design prototype for BIPV developers and installers by drawing from existing literature and design expertise. Here, traditional Ghanaian Adinkra symbols have been used as case study for BIPV application in futuristic buildings. A pilot illustration of a BIPV building with Ghanaian Adinkra symbols have been demonstrated using graphic design software. Traditional Adinkra symbols will have direct bearing on the acceptance and adoption of BIPVs in Ghana, considering the value and cultural attachment Ghanaians have with these symbols. This paper will serve as a resource material for BIPV developers and installers.

Introduction: Health literacy includes the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to access, understand and use information to promote good health. People with lower health literacy do less well in the NHS and are less likely to adopt health self-management strategies than people with higher levels of health literacy. There is no published research exploring the impact that lower health literacy levels have on individuals managing the consequences of musculoskeletal (MSK) disease. This study explored the impact of lower health literacy levels for people living with a MSK disease Methods: Key contacts identified potential participants from Rheumatology clinics, GP surgeries, Colleges and community groups. Participants over 18 years, with a MSK disease and either thought to have lower health literacy or self-identifying as having lower health literacy were included. Participants completed a Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and demographic questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Findings: Nine women and nine men aged 29-82 years participated. This group were predominantly white British, and most completed high school education. Ten participants had a lower level of literacy (i.e. scored Discussion: People with lower levels of health literacy and MSK disease manage complex social and co-morbid medical conditions. Information provided by health professionals is not always useful and many relied on their social networks for support. People recalled that often they had been told that there was nothing that could help their pain or arthritis; it couldn't be cured. This impacted negatively on the incentive for people with lower health literacy to recognise and engage with self-management approaches. To better support people with lower health literacy and MSK conditions to engage with self-management strategies, all agencies need to emphasise the potential benefits and use easily accessible clear messages to communicate these.

This paper introduces the ESL Information Literacy Project (ESLILP) at the University of Ballarat. It describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a library orientation course designed in a TAFE context for adult, non-academic students who speak English as a Second Language (ESL). The paper seeks to raise awareness of an apparent lack of research and information literacy programs for adult ESL speakers in a non-academic environment. It also offers a framework for developing information literacy education programs for people with very low levels of literacy. The framework may be of particular use to librarians working in this area with limited backgrounds in ESL teaching or practical resources. The paper concludes by inviting other libraries to trial the ESL Library Skills course.

Introduction. Despite the contribution of medical advances in improving the citizens’ health status, mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remains at a high level. In most cases patients seek medical assistance after the disease manifestation, which explains the need to develop and implement effective methods to promote a healthy lifestyle as a primary prevention of CVD. The effectiveness of preventive measures for cardiovascular diseases has been known long ago, and their significance is not in doubt, however, the adherence to preventive therapy in society is extremely low.Aim. To compare the effectiveness of memorization and perception of different ways of presenting the basic principles of primary prevention of CVD among the population of middle age group.Material and Methods. The study enrolled 102 people (63 women and 39 men) aged 45 to 59 years not suffering from CVD. The initial level of knowledge of the basic principles of CVD prevention was determined by a polling method. Further, all respondents were randomly divided into three groups. Depending on the group all participants were offered to get acquainted with prevention information in the form of a lecture, a booklet or a video. After getting acquainted with the information, the respondents were asked questions regarding the content, as well as the perception of the proposed material. Statistical processing was performed using Statistica 10.0 software package.Results. It was esteblished that the middle-aged population has a low level of literacy in relation to prevention of CVDs. Thus, 79 respondents (77.5%) gave wrong answers to the most of the questions. After the information was presented, all participants, depending on the group, were offered to review the information in the form of a lecture, a booklet or a video. The most effective form of information delivery among this group of population was booklets, after getting acquainted with which 97% of respondents answered the questions «correctly». Information presented in the format of a video was assimilated a little worse – 90% of correct answers. Only 79% of correct answers were given by respondents who listened to a lecture without visual support, which indicates that this form of presentation of information is not effective enough. When assessing perception of information, the group of respondents who received booklets and watched a video scored 23.5 and 23.2 points, respectively, out of a 25 possible. While the group that listened to the lecture scored only 20 points out of a 25 possible.Conclusion. The study showed that the middle-aged population has a low level of medical literacy and needs educational information on primary prevention. Booklets were the most effective form of delivering this information to this population group. Information in the form of videos was slightly inferior to booklets, but was also readily perceived by the population and demonstrated a high percentage of knowledge acquisition. The worst results were shown by the lectures without visual support.

Prospective, Multicenter Study to Assess the Effect of the Speaking Book on Patients' Understanding of Clinical Research Knowledge: The SOUND Study

The financial literacy level determines the economic condition of every social stratum. In other words, when farmers experience failure in regulating their economic activities, it is most likely due to their low financial literacy level. The study aims to identify the financial literacy level of chilli farmers in Rural Areas, analyze the factors that influence the financial literacy level, and analyze the impact of financial literacy on increasing the income of chilli farmers in Rural Areas. This study uses Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to analyze the impact of financial literacy. The results of the study provide information that (1) The majority of chilli farmers' financial literacy in Rural Areas is at a high level with 65% of the total respondent, (2) The existence of financial literacy in Rural Areas has a positive impact on increasing the income of chilli farmers with a comparison that farmers at high literacy levels have higher incomes of Rp. 65,384,503 compared to farmers who have low literacy levels, and (3) The results of the analysis of factors that influence financial literacy state that the factors of age, education level, land area, land status, farming experience, and family responsibilities have a relationship with financial literacy, but the gender factor cannot be identified statistically.

Solidarity with the marginalised is for the Church a theological task, whichis also true for a refl ection on the challenge to the Church that the HIV epidemic means. As the Church refl ects on HIV and AIDS, much can be learned from the methodology of liberation theology. Especially useful is the defi nition of theology as a critical refl ection on praxis. But also the method, the see - judge - act and model, is an important tool for this refl ection, which also should include the point of departure, the option for the poor. Applying elements from discourse analysis makes it possible to identify four discourses in the writings of Gustavo Gutierrez. For the socio-political analysis two political discourses are used, the radical and the liberal. The radical political discourse deals with justice for the poor and liberation from oppression as a condition for peace and harmony in society, which are in focus in the liberal political discourse. With the Catholic theological discourse Gutierrez sets the socio-political analysis in relation to Catholic doctrine and through the pastoral theological discourse he gives reason for hope and inspiration to action. As an advocate for a theology of life, Gutierrez urges those who read and listen to him to break the pattern of death and opt for a theology of life. Methodologically this will be useful for a theological and pastoral refl ection on HIV. With people living with HIV as the starting point and through a thorough sociopolitical analysis and a theological refl ection it will be possible to formulate a pastoral theological discourse that can serve as a pastoral plan for action, where the integral liberation is an important perspective.

Social marketing is being hailed as a key tool to help address the myriad health and overall population well-being issues facing societies. While there is considerable evidence of the success of some specific social marketing interventions, a factor often overlooked is that literacy problems within a considerable proportion of the population means that information provided as part of interventions may not be readily comprehended by all members of the target population. The substantial personal and social consequences of low functional literacy levels have been well documented, particularly within the health sector, for over 25 years, yet information material continues to be produced that is written at a level well above people’s average reading ability. The barrier is largely invisible as people with low literacy levels will go to great lengths to avoid acknowledging their problem, due to feelings of shame and the desire to avoid potential embarrassment. There is an ethical responsibility for social marketers, and others involved in designing health promotion interventions to improve information provision and comprehension. Without this, considerable numbers of people will be unable to benefit from interventions and may even be at risk due to a lack of understanding of the issues involved. A study of the readability of a range of printed and Internet UK health information sources is reported. We suggest that even though the problems associated with low levels of health literacy have been recognized for at least 25 years, UK health information material is still written at a level well beyond the ability of certain sections of the population to understand it. The results of a readability analysis conducted to verify this proposition are discussed. We conclude the paper with a recommendation for further research in the area and for immediate improvement to social marketing-related activity.

Early language delay is exacerbated by social disadvantage. Factors such as parents' low levels of literacy, confidence and self-perception can affect the capacity to act on advice received, critical to empowerment. Methods used to achieve successful health outcomes in socially disadvantaged clinical populations may need enhancing. To compare the impact of standard parent-based intervention (PBI) to enhanced PBI for young children with speech, language and communication needs (SCLN) and their families living in more socially disadvantaged populations. A multicentre clustered blind randomised controlled trial was used to compare the effect of parent-based group interventions to improve early language development with children (mean age 27.5 months) from more socially disadvantaged populations with an expressive vocabulary of 40 or less single words. Intervention sessions were delivered by a speech and language therapist, over a 20-week period. Participants received one of two interventions: (1) Standard Care - indirect group PBI - (PBI) (2) Enhanced Care: indirect group enhanced PBI - (EPBI). Both standardised and non-standardised measures were used as outcomes. Parent engagement in the intervention was captured through analysis of attendance and the Parent Activation Measure - Speech & Language Therapy (PAM-SLT) (Insignia Health, 2014). The PAM measures a person's knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their own health and well-being (NHS England, 2018). In this study, activation referred to parents' knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their child's language development. One hundred fifty-five participants were randomised at baseline. Children in both groups made significant improvements in the outcome on MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories Sentence Length, from pre-intervention to post-intervention and 6 months post-intervention (p < 0.05). Changes in vocabulary and expressive language skills were more equivocal, showing wide variation in confidence intervals for both groups. Where parents attended at least one intervention session almost all effect sizes were in favour of the EPBI intervention. Parents' activation levels significantly increased for both groups (EPBI p < 0.001, PBI p = 0.003), with a moderate effect size in favour of EPBI (Hedges' G 0.37, confidence interval -0.02 to 0.76), although wide variation was found. This trial provides some evidence of facilitating the language development of children with SLCN from more socially disadvantaged areas through supporting caregivers. However, we found variation in outcomes; some children made excellent progress, whilst others did not. Further exploration of parent engagement and its relationship to child language outcomes will be valuable to understanding more about mechanisms of change in interventions that involve parents. What is already known on the subject Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have a knock-on effect on emotional well-being, school readiness, literacy and school attainment, putting children at increased risk of long-term consequences such as poor literacy, mental health problems and unemployment. In disadvantaged areas, the prevalence of language difficulties is higher than elsewhere. Factors such as parents' low levels of literacy, confidence and self-perception can affect the capacity to act on advice received, critical to empowerment. What this paper adds to existing knowledge Children with SLCN from more socially disadvantaged areas can make improvements in their language development through parent intervention, although wide individual variation was found. There was some evidence that children achieve better outcomes with EPBI, which employed an interagency collaborative approach. Parent's engagement (activation levels) increased significantly over time with intervention, with the increase twice as big for EPBI. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This trial provides some evidence that it is possible to facilitate the language development of children from more socially disadvantaged areas through supporting their caregivers. Further research would be useful to determine whether increases in parent engagement are related to adherence to intervention and change in child outcomes.

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of patient education interventions delivered or directed by health professionals for people with musculoskeletal conditions who also have lower levels of literacy.MethodsElectronic databases were searched from 1946 to May 2012. Randomized controlled trials with primary interventions designed specifically for individuals with musculoskeletal conditions and lower levels of literacy were eligible for inclusion. The quality of the study was determined by assessing method of randomization, allocation concealment, creation and maintenance of comparable groups, blinding of patients and providers, control of confounding, and the validity and reliability of outcome measures.ResultsOf the 2,440 studies located using the search strategy, 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Three public health community studies and 3 rheumatology clinic-based studies delivered educational programs to people with musculoskeletal conditions who also had lower levels of literacy. Three moderate quality studies suggest that musculoskeletal educational interventions had a small short-term effect on knowledge and 2 moderate quality studies suggest musculoskeletal interventions had a small effect on self-efficacy (although results on self-efficacy were conflicting in 1 of these studies). Only 1 moderate quality study showed a small effect on anxiety and 1 on self-perceived health and well-being in people with lower literacy.ConclusionHigh quality evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of musculoskeletal education interventions for people with lower literacy levels. Research programs that test the effectiveness of patient education interventions for arthritis must recruit and engage people with lower levels of literacy.

There is a growing impetus across various disciplines to use photonovels to communicate information among people with low levels of health literacy. Photonovels present information in a form of an interesting story with photographs of real people. The purpose of this review is to describe the impac t of photonovel interventions among people with low levels of health literacy. Information professionals, researchers, and clinicians can use photonovels to communicate health related information. A literature review was conducted by searching records in two databases : Ovid Medline and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Using eligibility criteria, titles and abstracts of identified records were screened. Next, full-texts were reviewed and studies that met inclusion criteria were selected. Finally, a descriptive synthesis of the extracted data was performed. Of 103 records, only eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All studies reported significant positive impact of photonovels on knowledge of participants. Two trials reported positive impact on self-efficacy, intent to seek treatment, stigma towards antidepressant medication and mental health care stigma of participants. Photonovel is an effective means to communicate health-related information to promote positive outcomes among people with low levels of health literacy.

Symbols are communicative tools with performative functions in all cultures. Apart from their decorative functions, non‐Christian symbols adopted into Christianity have had a tremendous impact on Christian life since the early times, especially in liturgical practices. Through Western missionary activities, Ghana inherited Christian biblical‐liturgical art as has been developed in the home countries of the missionaries. However, since the 1960s Adinkra symbols have been incorporated into Christian worship and theology, receiving attention within secular and religious circles because of their communicative potential. On the religious level, some churches have adopted them as logos or incorporated them into architectural designs and liturgical art. This paper seeks to investigate what motivates various missions to choose particular Adinkra symbol(s) and what they hope to achieve with them. Furthermore, it attempts a theological reflection on the communicative potential of artefacts in Ghanaian Christianity as a response to the “Great Commission. “We approach the subject from a historical, contextual, and theological perspective, using selected Roman Catholic and Methodist churches in Ghana as case studies. The study employed unstructured in‐depth interviews and photo elicitations to trace the relationship between visual arts and religion, with particular emphasis on Christian visual arts and how they have informed Christianity in Ghana.