Life Perspective Research Articles

‘I was having an anxiety attack and they pepper sprayed me': police apprehension in mental health contexts in Australia

ABSTRACT Police attendance in mental health contexts is often traumatic for the person in crisis, their family and first responders. Existing literature on police involvement in mental health responses tends to focus on police perspectives. Scholarship exploring lived experience perspectives is limited, yet is crucial for informing programmes, policies and reforms. We present findings from one of the first projects co-produced with people with lived experiences of being apprehended by police under mental health legislation. Interviews were conducted with twenty participants who had experience(s) of police apprehension across Australia. Findings highlight the social disadvantage experienced by participants prior to being apprehended and that use of force (such as tasering, pepper spraying and restraining in locked police vans) was common and over-used. Our study identified that police apprehension has lasting and wide-ranging impacts, leading to loss of employment, trauma, property damage, negative self-perceptions, discrimination, and fear of future police responses. Some participants were also apprehended by police while experiencing family violence and were misidentified as perpetrators. We argue police use of force mirrors the use of force within mental health services, with participants not experiencing a clear separation between police and mental health responses. The article shares participants’ ideas for change, including response models based on human rights, police non-attendance and peer-led initiatives. Our findings suggest the need for investment in alternatives to police responses and further research involving lived experience perspectives to inform out understanding of mental health crisis responses.

Joint association of cardiovascular health and frailty with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a prospective study.

Poor cardiovascular health (CVH) and physical frailty were reported to increase mortality risk, but their joint effects have not been fully elucidated. We aimed to explore the separate and joint effects of CVH and frailty on mortality based on two perspectives of Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and Framingham Risk Score (FRS). 21062 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2018 were involved in this study. CVH was evaluated by the LE8 and FRS, and categorized into low, moderate and high CVH groups. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to estimate the separate and joint associations of CVH and frailty index (FI) with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality. Over a median follow-up period of 87 months (95% CI: 86.0-88.0), 2036 deaths occurred. The separate linear dose-response relationships between CVH, frailty and mortality were observed (nonlinear P > .05). The combination of low CVH/frailty was negatively associated with all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) and 95%CI: low LE8*FI, 5.30 (3.74, 7.52); high FRS*FI, 4.34 (3.20, 5.88)], CVD mortality [low LE8*FI, 6.57 (3.54, 12.22); high FRS*FI, 7.29 (3.92, 13.55)] and cancer mortality [low LE8*FI, 1.99 (1.14, 3.25); high FRS*FI, 2.32 (1.30, 4.15)], with high CVH/fit group as reference. Further stratified analyses showed that the combined burden of mortality from frailty and low CVH was greater among the young and females. Low CVH and frailty were independently and jointly correlated with greater risk of all-cause, CVD and cancer deaths, especially among the young and females.

Inclusive voices, inclusive lives: Lived experiences, stigma and discrimination faced by persons with disabilities in corporate India

Lived experience is a key construct in qualitative phenomenological research. It refers to the direct or firsthand experience of a situation by the person concerned, vis a vis the knowledge gained through second hand, mediated or cognitive sources. According to an estimate by the WHO, globally, 15 percent of the population live with some form of disability, and over 80 percent them in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. India has a population of over 1.3 billion, of which 2.2 percent live with some form of severe mental or physical disability. Persons with disability experience significant marginalization because of negative stereotypes associated with disability and persons impacted by it. In the last two decades, the lived experience movement, championed by persons with disability who highlight their needs, concerns, and rights is also tangible in the Indian subcontinent. This has resulted in significant impacts in the lives of persons with disability. The role of lived experience is a powerful antidote to the culture of stigma, shame, secrecy, and silence around disability. The study is a qualitative phenomenological approach that consists of focus groups and in-depth interviews with persons with disability to explore their lived experiences and perspectives of disability. This has the potential to widen the conversation on corporate perspectives on inclusion of persons with disability in the corporate workspace. Person with lived experience of disability are “experts by experience.” The authenticity of their lived experience endows them with the potential to emerge as robust change agents who can humanize society. The study is a compelling proof of concept for the need to integrate persons with disability as pivotal stakeholders in effecting disability inclusive policies and practices in corporate workspaces in the country. Keywords: Disability, Inclusion, Lived experience, Employment, Marginalization

How Can Transitional Housing Be Improved? Insights from Residents' Experiences and Perceptions in New York City.

Homelessness, affecting over half a million Americans, significantly elevates the risks of mental and physical health issues, consequently diminishing life expectancy when compared with the general population. Homelessness is a critical public health issue, and efforts are needed to address lack of housing as a social determinant of health. Transitional housing (TH) programs emerge as vital interventions, offering a place to stay with various support services to facilitate the transition to permanent residency. Nearly half of the unhoused population in the country and over 90% in New York live in TH or shelters. Despite the high utilization rates of TH, engagement with support services and opportunities for improvement remain poorly understood. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining the factors influencing support service usage and opportunities for enhancement through semi-structured interviews with TH residents in New York City to capture their lived experiences and perspectives. Analysis of the interviews (n = 20) revealed five main factors affecting service engagement that aligned with constructs of the socioecological model: intrapersonal (self-efficacy, chronic health conditions, mental health), interpersonal (parenthood and well-being of children with special needs, individual staff interactions, and communication), institutional (bureaucratic challenges, administrative burden, and living facilities), community (social isolation and educational opportunity), and policy (challenge meeting basic needs and undocumented status). Recommendations for bridging service gaps primarily arose at the institutional and community levels, offering critical insights for administrators to tailor services more effectively to TH residents' needs, thus contributing to the broader goal of advancing health equity among the unhoused.

‘Every entry should be the last’: archiving the war and producing implicated publics in Yevgenia Belorusets’ A Wartime Diary (2022)

ABSTRACT The media discourse on Russia’s war in Ukraine heavily focuses on geopolitical and military explanations of this conflict, with Ukraine often serving as a metaphor for preserving European values. However, a discussion of what these values mean and how ‘Europeanness’ is experienced from the perspectives of everyday life on the war-torn territories is rare. This article addresses these questions through a reading of the Wartime Diary which Yevgenia Belorusets, a Ukrainian photographer and writer, started keeping on 24 February 2022. We focus on the private/public form of this diary which, while staging the author’s intimate dialogue with herself, was published in ‘foreign’ languages (German and English), and incorporates both personal and other people’s testimonies. Drawing on the diary and its remediations as installations, we suggest that these works create a ‘chronotope of immediacy’ by mediating the experiences of ‘ordinary’ people. As such, they do not only enable readers/viewers from outside of Ukraine to follow the daily rhythms of life during war but also implicate each individual (and particularly each European, given the place of the publications and exhibitions) into the events. Thus producing ‘implicated publics’, these works can help to rethink ‘Europeanness’ in the context of the war.

Russians’ attitudes regarding preparation for retirement: its content and formation factors

The article presents the results of empirical study conducted in the Yaroslavl region in April-June 2023. In its content the attitude towards the preparation for retirement is interpreted in the study in accordance with a three-component structure (cognitive, affective and behavioral components) based on the core variable «preparation for retirement». The relevance of the study of attitudes’ content, regarding preparation for retirement in various age groups of the population, is substantiated. The orientation towards the search for age-related shifts in the content of such attitudes determined the design of the study sampling. Using the logical rectangle method, four generalized attitudes regarding the preparation for retirement were identified. The attitude towards the deferred preparation for retirement, which is shared by the relative majority of the respondents, has become the dominant. The actual attitude towards the preparation for retirement, which implies that its supporters do not only consider it expedient to prepare for retirement in advance, but carry out personal planning in this direction as well, characterizes 13.18% of the respondents. The influence of the age factor and the modalities of representations about life in retirement on the content of the attitudes under this study is revealed. The approaching of the retirement date and the positive modality of life representations after the retirement contribute to the formation of the actualized attitude towards preparation for retirement. At the same time, the remoteness of retirement in the life perspective of the respondent, as well as negative representations about life in retirement, block the formation of such attitude.

Empowering Diversity: A Novice PE Teacher's Journey in Inclusive Pedagogy

This study sought to explore the lived experiences of novice physical education (PE) teachers, particularly in teaching students with disabilities or special needs. Specifically, how they navigate challenges as they teach students with disability. The study utilized a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences and perspectives of the novice PE teachers in a phenomenon. The participant of this study involves five novice PE teachers who qualified the inclusion criteria and undergone in-depth interview through in person or in virtual platform. The findings reveal the dual nature of teaching students with disabilities, with participants expressing both challenges and reward inherent in this endeavor. Key themes emerge, including the challenges in effective communication, engagement issues, creating adaptive activities, instruction, and teaching strategies. Furthermore, the study highlights the significance of continuous personal and professional development, and the ongoing support from colleagues, administrators, and parents to ensure equitable learning opportunities for the students regardless of their abilities.

“I Had Attained the Identity I Had Long Desired”: A Grounded Theory Study of Experiences of Transgender Men in Türkiye

Transgender individuals form a distinct community that often experiences marginalization within society. This marginalization is particularly pronounced in patriarchal countries, where transgender men encounter various challenges across psychological, medical, legal, and social domains during their transition. The study design to conduct a thorough analysis of the life experiences and perspectives of transgender men in Türkiye. It involved 15 participants and the collected data were subsequently analyzed using the constant comparative method, a key technique within grounded theory methodology. The coding process resulted in three main themes: “Realizing gender identity”, “Impact of social support sources”, and “The nature of being visible”, and six sub-themes were formed, the core category being “… Despite the numerous challenges encountered along the way, when I gazed into the mirror, I realized I had attained the identity I had long desired”. Transgender individuals in the study expressed encountering emotional, physical, and psychological challenges throughout their personal journeys. However, despite these difficulties, they reported experiencing a sense of satisfaction and contentment upon reaching the end of their transition process. It is recommended to implement counseling services specifically tailored for transgender individuals and their families and incorporate transgender-related content into the training programs of professionals working with transgender individuals.

Risk of cancer-related distress by age in colorectal cancer survivors: The modulatory role of unmet support needs.

To explore the modulating role of unmet support needs on the relationship between age and the prevalence of cancer-related distress in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. Two hundred and forty four participants completed the questionnaires; linear regression and odd ratios were calculated. Both the prevalence of needs and their interaction with age were predictors of cancer-related distress. The risk of significant clinically distress associated with physical and socio/family needs was high in both age subgroups. Higher risk of clinical distress was associated with life perspective, sexual, occupational and health care needs in the younger subgroup and with needs for specific support resources in the older subgroup. In reducing cancer-related distress, two key issues arise: (i) the importance of managing the persistent negative symptoms following CRC treatment in survivors of any age and (ii) the need for a differentiated attention to other care needs based on the survivor's age.

Formation in coffee production: knowledge from the Coffee Farms of Ituango

This article presents Ituango's coffee producers as knowledgeable individuals who possess a wealth of valuable insights. The research methodology employed was narrative-based, designed to capture the lived and told experiences and perspectives of the growers in a participatory and dialogic manner. The narratives were grouped according to thematic affinities into two categories: technological evolution and adaptation to change; and coffee growing, a formative path. The first category contains testimonials that highlight the history of coffee growing in Ituango and perceptions about the evolution of technology in coffee production. The second category is comprised of testimonials that emphasize coffee culture as a vocation centered around family. The skills of the coffee producers were recognized in creating support networks, promoting collective work, enabling continuous learning, promoting women's participation in coffee farming, and fostering critical thinking to adapt to technological advances in their environment. All these contributions from coffee growers are significant in the global coffee chain sustainability.

Factors Affecting the Working Class in Vietnam Today: A Study from the Perspective of Spiritual and Cultural Life

The working class stands as the primary productive force, playing an particularly significant role in Vietnam’s current industrialization and modernization endeavors. Concerning for and prioritizing the material and cultural-spiritual well-being of the working class is of priority, contributing to the enhancement of human resource quality. Like other classes and strata in society, the cultural and spiritual life of the Vietnamese working class is influenced by a multitude of factors. By grasping these factors, the Vietnamese Party-State can effectively adjust policies to foster the cultural and spiritual development of the Vietnamese working class; for the reason that it has profoundly impacts the formation of the class’s endurance, stance, ideology, ethics, and way of life, as an integral part of society. Therefore, this article focuses on analyzing the fundamental and prominent factors influencing various aspects of the working class’s life, including: the Vietnamsese traditional culture; the leadership of the Party and State; the industrialization and modernization of the country; the globalization and international integration. These factors have an impact on the cultural and spiritual life of the Vietnamese working class today.

Work-Life Balance of Female Nurses in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital: The Personal Life Perspective

This study was conducted to assess the influence of work-life balance on the performance of female nurses in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital with particular attention on the personal life domain of these nurses. The study population was 480 female nurses in the employ of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital from which a sample of 218 was selected using Taro Yamene’s formula for sample size determination. Primary data, which were collected through a structured questionnaire, was used for the study. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential techniques. Results of data analysis revealed a correlation value of R= 0.605 with a substantial standardised coefficient of β=0.600 of the studied variables. Conclusively, there exists a significant positive influence between personal life domain and the performance of female nurses in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. To prevent any adverse effects on their professional performance, female nurses in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital should pay proper attention to their personal life domain.

Identification of Prodromal Parkinson Disease: We May Be Able to But Should We?

Parkinson disease (PD) remains a progressive and incurable disease. Research over the past decade provides strong evidence of a detectible phase before the clinical diagnosis, known as the prodromal phase of PD (pPD). In this article, we review the debate about disclosure of risk of progression to PD and related disorders to individuals through the perspectives of the pillars of medical ethics: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice. There is evidence that lifestyle modification may have positive effects on onset and progression of PD, providing justification of potential benefit. From a societal perspective, a diagnosis of pPD could allow targeted recruitment to disease-modifying trials. Regarding nonmaleficence, direct evidence that catastrophic reactions are scarce is largely derived from studies of monogenic conditions, which may not be generalizable. Diagnosis of PD can be traumatic, and appropriate communication and evaluation of circumstances to weigh up disclosure is crucial. Future research should therefore examine the potential harms of early and of false-positive diagnoses and specifically examine these matters in diverse populations. Autonomy balances the right to know and the right not to know, so an individualized patient-centered approach and shared decision-making is essential, acknowledging that knowledge of being in the prodromal phase could prolong autonomy in the longer term. Distributive justice brings focus toward health care and related planning at the individual and societal level and affects the search for disease modification in PD. We must acknowledge that waiting for established disease states is likely to be too little, too late and results in failures of expensive trials and wasted participant and researcher effort. Ultimately, clinicians must arrive at a decision with the patient that solicits and integrates patients' goals, taking into account their individual life circumstances, perspectives, and philosophies, recognizing that one size cannot fit all.

The complex lived experience of schizophrenia diagnosis: a thematic analysis of online forum posts

Receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia can be a life-changing experience with both negative and positive consequences. Previous research has identified important aspects of diagnosis, such as disagreement with the label, diagnostic shifts, stigma, and communication of the diagnosis. There is, however, relatively little research from the lived experience perspective. In this study, we investigated the lived experiences of receiving a schizophrenia diagnosis utilising a popular Reddit discussion forum. We used inductive thematic analysis to consider posts from 105 unique usernames and identified five themes. These were (i) Denial and acceptance; (ii) Stigma of diagnosis and selective disclosure; (iii) The complicated process of diagnosis; (iv) Losing, maintaining, and finding a sense of self; and (v) Receiving, finding, and providing support. Diagnosis is a complex personal experience where the same person can simultaneously accept and reject the diagnostic label. Greater attention is required to the lived experience of this diagnostic journey.

Keeping Life in Perspective

Keeping Life in Perspective

Rewriting Internal Relocation from a Refugee Perspective - The Lived Experience of Refugees in Afghanistan

ABSTRACT This article is part of a broader project aimed at rewriting refugee law jurisprudence from a lived refugee perspective. The co-authors, one of whom is a refugee from Afghanistan, have chosen internal relocation as the subject of this project as it is a problematic and controversial principle of international refugee law which we believe is frequently applied without due consideration of the practical experience of refugees. Internal relocation provides that a refugee may be returned to their country of origin if they can relocate to a “safe” part of that state where they would not have a well-founded fear of persecution. This principle is somewhat tempered by the application of a “reasonableness” test in most jurisdictions. That test aims to reflect that, in some cases, it may not be possible to require a refugee to relocate to another part of their country of origin to avoid persecution. However, a “reasonableness” factor is not always considered as part of relocation. Moreover, it aims to bring an “objective” standard of reasonableness, which can be critiqued on a number of bases. In this article, the authors rewrite an Australian Refugee Review Tribunal decision dealing with an applicant from Afghanistan to reflect the lived experience of refugees better and to encourage readers to think about whether some of the assumptions made in internal relocation jurisprudence have been fully interrogated. Much of internal relocation scholarship focuses on conceptual legal issues, for instance, whether relocation is grounded in the text, context or object of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and whether relocation fits within the “well-founded fear” or “state protection” limb of the refugee definition. While these are important conceptual debates about the treaty basis for internal relocation, we believe these have been well-analysed in the existing literature. Our article seeks to add to these core debates by reconceptualising the application of relocation to authentic refugee experiences and, through this, to highlight some of the weaknesses in the current approach to this complex question.

Anúncio de uma Sociedade em Crise sem Filosofia: Repensar a Educação Angolana a partir da “Sagrada Esperança”

The present text sheds light on reflection about a society in crisis "that is announced", being the capture of how we think in relation to Philosophy and the use that is made of reason, a necessary condition for this purpose. This way of thinking is reflected in all dimensions of human life, with particular mention of how education, politics, law, and justice are viewed as conditions for achieving a more dignified humanity. Hence, in this sense of philosophizing about our reality, we have proposed the challenge of (re) thinking our (Angolan) society from the perspective of "Sacred Hope" reflected in education. The reflection starts from the question: how to rethink, philosophically, our Angolan society from the "Sacred Hope," whose content is reflected in education? It is a question that fundamentally raises the discussion about the educational possibilities for realizing the individual in the Angolan context, characterized by levels of illiteracy and widespread poverty. This situation leads us to resort to the "Sacred Hope" which, in the circumstances in which it was born, as a thought-out ideal, represented the dream of achieving a different and dignified condition of life for the Angolan person, to, as a Philosophy, understood as a new perspective of life grounded in the light of reason, and question its reach in the present. Thus, if Philosophy is a questioning of any (social) reality, then it makes sense to admit that, without Philosophy, a society enters into existential crisis and, in this sense, it becomes imperative to rethink it from the perspective of education as sacred hope

Digital Mental Health for Schizophrenia and Other Severe Mental Illnesses: An International Consensus on Current Challenges and Potential Solutions.

Digital approaches may be helpful in augmenting care to address unmet mental health needs, particularly for schizophrenia and severe mental illness (SMI). An international multidisciplinary group was convened to reach a consensus on the challenges and potential solutions regarding collecting data, delivering treatment, and the ethical challenges in digital mental health approaches for schizophrenia and SMI. The consensus development panel method was used, with an in-person meeting of 2 groups: the expert group and the panel. Membership was multidisciplinary including those with lived experience, with equal participation at all stages and coproduction of the consensus outputs and summary. Relevant literature was shared in advance of the meeting, and a systematic search of the recent literature on digital mental health interventions for schizophrenia and psychosis was completed to ensure that the panel was informed before the meeting with the expert group. Four broad areas of challenge and proposed solutions were identified: (1) user involvement for real coproduction; (2) new approaches to methodology in digital mental health, including agreed standards, data sharing, measuring harms, prevention strategies, and mechanistic research; (3) regulation and funding issues; and (4) implementation in real-world settings (including multidisciplinary collaboration, training, augmenting existing service provision, and social and population-focused approaches). Examples are provided with more detail on human-centered research design, lived experience perspectives, and biomedical ethics in digital mental health approaches for SMI. The group agreed by consensus on a number of recommendations: (1) a new and improved approach to digital mental health research (with agreed reporting standards, data sharing, and shared protocols), (2) equal emphasis on social and population research as well as biological and psychological approaches, (3) meaningful collaborations across varied disciplines that have previously not worked closely together, (4) increased focus on the business model and product with planning and new funding structures across the whole development pathway, (5) increased focus and reporting on ethical issues and potential harms, and (6) organizational changes to allow for true communication and coproduction with those with lived experience of SMI. This study approach, combining an international expert meeting with patient and public involvement and engagement throughout the process, consensus methodology, discussion, and publication, is a helpful way to identify directions for future research and clinical implementation in rapidly evolving areas and can be combined with measurements of real-world clinical impact over time. Similar initiatives will be helpful in other areas of digital mental health and similarly fast-evolving fields to focus research and organizational change and effect improved real-world clinical implementation.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ART AND DESIGN THROUGH NEW-AGE MEDIA

Culture is a broad-spectrum term commonly used to identify habits of a heterogeneous social groups which develop in a specific geographic location. It is evidently reflected through the various art practices, be it visual or performing arts, or artifacts created by the artisans. They have become an integral part of the cultural ethos. India is a country rich in such diverse treasure of cultural practices through art. Artisans have also migrated beyond their original geographical boundaries to diversify the reach of the art. It is an important cultural asset which helps to preserve the culture and heritage of a community or the skill-sets of the artisans. Our ancestors have been preserving this culture of storytelling through the art forms which show a perspective of life. They also contribute to the livelihood of the craftsmen, thus contributing to the economy of the country. There is beauty in promoting cultural diversity; people learn new skills from other cultural groups and encourage innovation through various art forms and designs. In the contemporary era of technology, modernization and globalization, the traditional art forms are fading away. Sustainability of these valuable these art forms is a concern today. Purposes and functionality of these art practices have also diversified. The study creates new objectives through cultural diversity and designing new products for sustainable development in art and design. The article discusses some aspects of technological intervention in these art practices that can help sustain these heritages. Thus diversification of media, purpose and an involvement of the young generation can help to preserve the social cultural ethos of our country.

Educational trajectories for residential care experienced young people are complex. A lived experience perspective from a PhD study in Scotland

PurposeResearch highlights that residential care experienced children and young people in Scotland have poorer educational outcomes than their peers within the wider population. Despite this, poor educational attainment is not inevitable, and further research is needed to increase the understanding of long-term trajectories. This paper aims to address a gap in contemporary literature that is of benefit to practitioners, academics and policymakers. Despite experiencing adversity, attachment, separation and loss, school attainment data on leaving care only reflects part of the educational journey.Design/methodology/approachUsing a mixed methodology and social constructionist theoretical framework, a practitioner-led PhD study gathered data from questionnaires and qualitative information from 13 semi-structured interviews with young people who had experienced residential care in Scotland. Recruitment was through a gatekeeper within a national third-sector organisation. The educational trajectories for young people with experience of residential care in Scotland are complex. A lived experience perspective from a PhD study illustrates that statistical data only captures part of the journey and the author needs to reconsider how success is measured.FindingsOf the 13 participants in the study, 12 achieved success educationally, although for the majority of those interviewed, attainment continued after leaving compulsory education. Barriers to greater success included placement uncertainty and movement, stigma, low expectations, pressure to not become a statistic, procedural obstacles and inconsistency or poor relationships.Research limitations/implicationsSupportive relationships and stable placements can create circumstances conducive to effective learning, but evidence reflects that support is necessary throughout the life course if children, young people and adults with care experience are to reach their full academic potential.Originality/valueResearch into the educational outcomes for those with experience of residential care in Scotland is limited. This paper, from a PhD, provides lived experience accounts from a practitioner-led study.