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1 – 10 of over 8000Advocacy is an important tool for translating population health objectives and research findings into policy and practice, as well as for enhancing stakeholder support for…
Abstract
Advocacy is an important tool for translating population health objectives and research findings into policy and practice, as well as for enhancing stakeholder support for programmes and activities with a potential to improve the health of populations. At the inception of modern prisons, health advocacy approaches focused on appealing to humanitarian and religious sentiments of stakeholders to improve the well‐being of prisoners. This approach achieved limited results, not least because of persistent apathy of custodial authorities and the public to prisoners’ wellbeing. From the mid twentieth century onwards, a constitutional and human rights approach evolved, with courts becoming actively involved in mandating minimum health standards in prisons. Penal populism eroded public support for a judicial recourse to improving prison health services, and encouraged governments to institute procedural barriers to prisoner‐initiated litigation. The author proposes an approach premised on public health principles as an appropriate platform to advocate for improvements in prison health services in this era. Such an advocacy platform combines the altruistic goals of the humanitarian and constitutional rights approaches with an appeal to community’s self‐interest by alerting the public to the social, financial and health implications inherent in released prisoners suffering from major communicable and chronic diseases re‐entering the community.
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Julie Ridley, Karen Newbigging and Cathy Street
The purpose of this paper is to address a knowledge gap on advocacy outcomes from mental health service users’ perspective, and the implications for evaluating advocacy impact…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address a knowledge gap on advocacy outcomes from mental health service users’ perspective, and the implications for evaluating advocacy impact. The studies discussed highlight challenges for measuring the outcomes of advocacy, but underline the importance of doing so, and of involving service users alongside other stakeholders in co-designing evaluation systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses findings from three qualitative studies of independent advocacy involving focus groups and interviews with: 30 African and African Caribbean men who were mental health service users; 90 “qualifying patients” in a study of Independent Mental Health Advocate services; and nine young women in children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
Findings
A comparative analysis and synthesis of findings from three studies identifies four common dimensions: how mental health advocacy is conceptualised and understood; how service users define advocacy outcomes; wider impacts; and, user involvement in evaluating advocacy outcomes. Advocacy outcomes were conceptualised as increasing involvement, changing care and treatment and supporting personal development. There was evidence of advocacy acting to empower mental health service users, and of broader impacts on service regimes and policies. However, there was limited evidence of transformational impact. Evaluating advocacy outcomes is increasingly seen as important.
Originality/value
Few researchers have focused primarily on the perspectives of people using independent mental health advocacy, or on the experience of “advocacy as empowerment”, and none have done so across diverse groups. This analysis adds insight into the impact of independent advocacy. Data from empirical studies attest to the important role independent advocacy plays in modern mental health systems.
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This paper aims to show the particular difference Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCA) can make towards specific decisions which some acquired brain injury clients, who…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to show the particular difference Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCA) can make towards specific decisions which some acquired brain injury clients, who are eligible for the IMCA service, experience.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study is highlighted in which the role of the IMCA is described against the background of a selective literature review on the history of advocacy in relation to its emergence as a profession. This analysis references issues of spirituality and culture.
Findings
Themes raised in the case are discussed with reference to ongoing research and these are related to the best interests of clients, and to reflexivity as a basis for the professionalisation of advocacy.
Research limitations/implications
IMCA practitioners are instructed in well‐defined “best interests” situations, where an individual has no capacity, support or representation, or requires safeguarding measures in relation to certain decisions. In these cases, social, cultural, emotional, religious or spiritual factors can contribute to the decisions which need to be made.
Practical implications
The emerging role of the IMCA in the “best interests” process is outlined, including how health and social care professionals, or decision‐makers, may relate to, benefit from, or respond to challenges by the IMCA in supporting clients in decisions made on their behalf.
Originality/value
Healthcare professionals and those advocating, including IMCA, could more intentionally weigh up the values and beliefs of clients using, for example, the “best interests checklist” or by referring to “spiritual assessment”, as used increasingly by mental health ward staff and chaplains.
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This article reports the outcomes of a study on communication support, commissioned to develop a borough‐wide strategy in 2003 by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The research…
Abstract
This article reports the outcomes of a study on communication support, commissioned to develop a borough‐wide strategy in 2003 by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The research stems from a recognition of communication as a key to successful delivery of public services and enhancement of a multicultural community.The focus is on ‘communication’ (rather than ‘language’), since it captures issues beyond the exchange of information through words: interpersonal interactions and relationships, techniques and modes of organising information exchange. Language is a key component within the broad ambit of communication mechanism and skills. Hence interpretation and translation are perceived as models of communications support alongside advocacy, integrated team, multilingual professional team, family/friends and minors, supported language, symbols and signs, and Plain English.While engaging in the debate and highlighting some of the broader issues concerning communication support services, the focus is on the following main issues:• policy frameworks and guiding principles in communication support• methods and techniques for needs assessment, monitoring and evaluation of communication support• communication support provision in Tower Hamlets including quantifying need, actual state of provision and users' perceptions.Probably among the first of its kind, the strategy draws on existing knowledge and good practice to develop a common framework for public services in Tower Hamlets. It is believed that it will serve a pioneering role in co‐ordinated existing and developing coherent approaches to communication support.
Shafik Dharamsi, Robert Woollard, Paul Kendal, Isaac Okullo and Andrew J. Macnab
Although medical schools do well in preparing the next generation of practitioners to diagnose and clinically treat illness, they struggle in preparing them with capabilities in…
Abstract
Purpose
Although medical schools do well in preparing the next generation of practitioners to diagnose and clinically treat illness, they struggle in preparing them with capabilities in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention. Similarly, health promoting schools (HPS) face challenges in working to enhance the health and educational outcomes of children. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw from their local and international collaborative work as practitioners and medical educators to examine how health professions schools can work in partnership with HPS for mutual benefit.
Findings
Health advocacy is a core competency in medical education. A primary focus is on health promotion and disease prevention. However, providing practical, experiential opportunities – “learning-by-doing” – is a challenge. To overcome this difficulty, medical schools may be well served by partnering with HPS. This can provide mutually beneficial learning opportunities that will enable emerging physicians to develop health promotion-related knowledge and advocacy skills while the emerging generation of citizens (the children) are enabled to live healthier and more productive lives.
Originality/value
The parallel development of Health Promoting Schools and the teaching of health advocacy to health professionals has proceeded to the point where convergence of the gathered knowledge and experience can provide a powerful and synergistic model to advance both initiatives. This conceptual paper focuses outlines the actions that might achieve this.
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This article looks at the legal and policy context for the development of advocacy services and considers the legal issues which arise when developing standards and codes of…
Abstract
This article looks at the legal and policy context for the development of advocacy services and considers the legal issues which arise when developing standards and codes of practice for advocacy services, in particular capacity, consent and confidentiality.
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The creation of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) was part of a range of measures to make the NHS more patient‐centred. The purpose of this paper is to present a…
Abstract
Purpose
The creation of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) was part of a range of measures to make the NHS more patient‐centred. The purpose of this paper is to present a critical analysis of PALS through examining the impact on major stakeholder groups.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper starts by examining the drivers for reform and the significance of PALS in the wider policy context. Key issues for implementation are then discussed including access to information, independence, cultural change in the health service and relationships with the voluntary sector. Research literature on the provision of advice in health care settings is drawn on.
Findings
Taking a critical perspective, the paper argues that the current model of PALS can never succeed in bridging the gap between users and the health service and will end up merely defending service interests. It concludes by arguing for an alternative model of development based on fostering strong partnerships with the community and voluntary sector.
Practical implications
This paper highlights critical issues for service development and delivery, including examining the impact on service users and the voluntary sector.
Originality/value
PALS is a very significant development in the health care provision, operating at the interface between the service and the public and yet its development has attracted little critical comment. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the new service and proposes an alternative model of development.
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Aluisius Hery Pratono, Firman Rosjadi Djoemadi, Christina Avanti, Nur Flora Nita Taruli Basa Sinaga and Asri Maharani
The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of religiosity on civic engagement in the health sector through giving advocacy for people with AIDs, mental health, cancer…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of religiosity on civic engagement in the health sector through giving advocacy for people with AIDs, mental health, cancer and disability.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors achieve this aim by proposing a structural equation model, which was derived based on literature. The data collection involved an on-line purposive sampling survey, which targeted young people who intend to work in the health sector. The survey asked about the experience and perception of 610 respondents in Indonesia.
Findings
The results indicate that the respondents with high religiosity were identified to be more caring towards those who suffer from mental health, AIDs, cancer and disability. However, the highly religious were less motivated by empathy in conducting civic engagement in the health sector. In this study, the impact of religiosity on civic engagement was found to be stronger for those who identified with low materialism.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the discussion on altruistic theory by challenging the widespread assumption that feelings of empathy drive civic engagement. The results extend the discussion on how to promote civic engagement in the health sector for young people with high materialism attitude.
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Clarissa Mendonça Corradi-Webster, Graziela Reis, Elizabeth B.V. Brisola, Cristiana Nelise de Paula Araujo, Éllen Cristina Ricci, Lívia Sicaroni Rufato, Cristina Andrade Sampaio, Mário César Rezende Andrade, José Alberto Orsi, Rosa Alba Sarno Oliveira, Ana Lúcia Cidade, Políbio Campos and Mark N. Costa
The purpose of this paper is to describe six recovery-oriented peer support experiences and strategies implemented in different regions of Brazil in the past 12 years, and explore…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe six recovery-oriented peer support experiences and strategies implemented in different regions of Brazil in the past 12 years, and explore challenges to their development and potential for empowerment and citizenship.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a group of stakeholders in mental health services involving people with lived experience of severe mental illness describe their experiences with services of peer support. These were all conducted in Brazil and in partnership with the International Recovery and Citizenship Collective (IRCC) and The Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health. The authors met monthly to exchange experiences, studies and practices, and six experiences were selected, described, analyzed and compared. A discussion of these experiences, their challenges, impact and potential followed.
Findings
The explored experiences emphasize that peer support, lived experience leadership and advocacy are feasible in the Brazilian mental health system and can help advance the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to the experience of researchers already engaged in peer support work in six cities in Brazil. Although they represent several different regions in Brazil, there are areas it has not reached. Further research should address and provide a broader view of peer support and recovery strategies spreading in the country.
Social implications
These experiences demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of the recovering citizenship approach to reduce stigma, promote empowerment, autonomy, activism and advocacy, and increase a sense of belonging for those in recovery and marginalized by society. The Brazilian psychiatric reform can benefit from including peer supporters as mental health treatment providers.
Originality/value
This paper provides a novel view of the state of the art of peer support initiatives in Brazil and can inspire individuals, government and communities as they see and understand the breadth, depth and meanings of these peer support experiences.
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