ANU Philippines Institute’s Post

LANUGUAGE MATTERS! Anyone who knows me know I am passionate (pedantic to some!) about inclusive language. Creating the People First Charter, and working with an amazing group of people (Yvonne Gilleece, Matthew Hodson, Angelina Namiba, Jo Josh, Bakita Kasadha) to promote Person Frist language, is something I am incredibly proud of!! If you've not seen it, please have a look: www.peoplefirstcharter.org We will be updating and expanding the guidance in the New Year - what would you like to see? Are there any terms used in BBV or STI care & research that you would like to change? I also love hearing about the promotion of inclusive language in other fields. I watched a brilliant The Lancet and Cell Press webinar (thank you Paula Rochon & Desmond O'Neill) on language in scientific publishing related to age & ageing: https://lnkd.in/eJSWw_w9. Avoiding the term 'elderly' (older people/populations/participants preferred), focusing on the positive, not just negative, cognitive changes with age (altruism, wisdom, strategic thinking), taking care to not frame caring for old people as a 'burden' (which happens much more frequently than when discussing caring for children). And older drivers are the best drivers (I'm not sure I'll share that with my 82 year old mum, I'll never hear the end of it!). The British Geriatrics Society has some great guidance on the topic: https://lnkd.in/esCyyxP2 Language evolves and I certainly have authored papers or given talks with titles that make me cringe now. But by talking about how important the words we use are, by asking the people we describe in our research & guidelines what their preferred terminology is, by recognising that stigmatising vocabulary can cause harm and by maintaining dialogue on the topic we can ALL do better!

The dehumanising language often used to refer to those of us who live with HIV increases stigma (and thereby helps perpetuate the epidemic). It is a privilege to be part of group of extraordinary activists, including powerful voices within HIV care, promoting Person First language and challenging terminology that stigmatises. I know how disruptive it can be to the way that people often think about HIV if we just substitute ‘acquired’ for ‘infected’ where it fits, and how powerful it is, when applicable, to use first person language (I / we / us) when referring to people who live with HIV. It’s been great to see a growing army of organisations commit to people first language, in HIV and other disease areas. Check out the guidance and let us know what you think.

May 31, at 13:00h, Gido Metz will defend his PhD thesis titled "Cyclic evaluation of web-based public health interventions" at Universiteit Maastricht. 💻 Watch the video of the PhD defence ceremony here: https://lnkd.in/ggwkFsJf 📘 Link to thesis: https://lnkd.in/gsczbkp5 **𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬** The randomized controlled trial (RCT) is not always appropriate for the evaluation of web-based behavior change interventions. This dissertation therefore introduces the Cyclic Evaluation Process, which consists of different research methods. This evaluation process was used to evaluate Sense.info: a website for young people between 12 and 25 years old and part of the Dutch eHealth strategy for sexual health. The website serves as a first entry point: young people can visit the page for information and ask questions to a counsellor via a chat or make an appointment for an STI test at the Sense consultation hour. In collaboration with developer Soa Aids Nederland, the impact of the website on end users was examined: what influence does it have on perceptions and behavior, and how can we increase the impact? The evaluation of Sense.info using the Cyclic Evaluation Process led to rich insights into the impact of Sense.info and to an optimized website. The use of the Cyclic Evaluation Process is now being further rolled out to other domains and media. For example, it is now also being used to develop and evaluate TikTok content. Promotor: Prof. dr. Rik Crutzen Co-promotores: Dr. Sarah Stutterheim #Evaluatie #eHealth #CyclischEvaluatieproces

This is a webinar you should attend.

Such programmes are insightful and play a significant role in addressing health and social challenges that continue to negativity impact our #AGYW.

Update! Recent articles from Arts & Health Journal published online in May & June. Topics include: Indian classical dance, theatre & infertility, theatre & disability, online art for anxiety, arts interventions for marginalised populations & narratives of HIV in Malawi. Am I Broken?: A mixed-method analysis of an ethnotheatrical performance about women’s experiences with infertility and friendship. https://lnkd.in/ecNKTskq Testing the potential therapeutic effects of an online creative arts-based intervention for people with anxiety https://lnkd.in/e6RKn633 An Indian classical dance form, Kathak in maintaining handgrip strength symmetry and reducing the risk of hypertension https://lnkd.in/e6v2Mfu8 Exploring uses of visual arts-based interventions for mental health of marginalized populations: a scoping review https://lnkd.in/e3dMAYNH Decolonising research and folk media: a methodology for Exploring narratives of HIV and AIDS in rural Malawi https://lnkd.in/e4T_m5QG Theatre, disability and wellbeing: addressing best practice and creative outcomes across disabled and non-disabled communities through an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis https://lnkd.in/eqfEDRJU Art work - current issue's cover art by Connor O'Neill, a Glasgow-based artist. Of this image he says: when I was very sick, I created a blue doodle painting to depict my chaotic state of mind. Art was an outlet for me and helped me channel my feelings and ultimately make sense of human experience. I am sensitive to and receptive of material held within the collective unconscious and this finds its way into my artwork

The National Bioethics Committee of Italy has recommended that puberty blockers be restricted to independent clinical trials, expressing doubt about the capacity of minors to give informed consent and stressing the role of psychological methods as first-line treatment. https://lnkd.in/gJrxcP-C

ASCO Publications' recent study reveals only 8.8% of 15,878 clinical trial participants are Hispanic. This data calls for urgent action to increase Hispanic participation in clinical research. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) emphasizes the critical need for diversity in clinical trials for various reasons: -Environmental Conditions - Life Experiences - Genetic Variation - Geographic Ancestry Educating the Latino community and medical professionals about the importance of diverse representation is essential for comprehensive research and better health outcomes. #LatinoRepresentation #DiversityInResearch #HealthEquity

A recent Science piece by Drs. Alex Keuroghlian & Asa Radix, MD, MPhil, PhD argues for increased funding for transgender health research, especially since the mischaracterization of transgender health science perpetuated by the Cass Review. For instance, the authors highlight that transgender youth who have access to gender-affirming care report better mental health outcomes, though more studies are needed to optimize interventions including hormone therapy and surgeries. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Y4y80Q

Did you know that you are part of the 2.4 million people who have low health literacy? . . Yes, you! . Well, if you don’t believe me, let’s put you to the test. ⁉️Did you know there were at least 10 health campaigns in the month of June? Including: -Cataract Awareness -Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness -Sickle Cell Awareness - Hernia Awareness -Blood Donation Day Awareness -National HIV Testing Day Awareness -PTSD Awareness -Vitiligo Day Awareness -Men’s Health Awareness -Men’s Mental Health Awareness 📌Which of the following health campaigns did you hear/know about? Let me get my stars to start sharing🥳 Your health is your power. Your health is your wealth. Stay informed! #health #awarenesscampaigns #doctor #healthedducation #linkedingrowth