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Violence Against Women and Girls Summit Held at Bournemouth University
On the 6th March 2024, Bournemouth University hosted a Violence Against Women and Girls Summit.
Background: Drs Louise Oliver and Orlanda Harvey (Senior Lecturers in Social Work, Bournemouth University) in partnership with Soroptimist International Bournemouth and the BCP Community Safety Partnership ran a conference last year on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). A reoccurring conversation at the conference was: what next? How do we stop VAWG happening again?
A full report of the outcomes can be found in the report by Dr Oliver and Dr Harvey [https://sigbi.org/bournemouth/joint-report-on-vawg-conference/]
The need to challenge culture led to the team getting together with the addition of Dorset Womens CIC and the charity Acts Fast, to organise the Summit with the intention of bringing together a range of key decision makers form across all those organisations that are on the frontline, working to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls.
The Summit:
The keynote speakers were Superintendent Emma Sweetzer and Dr Kari Davies. Emma emphasized that her role “involves challenging stereotypes and changing a culture from within the force out to the wider public” and her speech was a call to action and Kari presented her research in this area focusing on the barriers and challenges to police and Crown Prosecution Services joint working on rape and serious sexual offence cases.
The summit delegates were regional professionals who work in different areas, under the umbrella of Violence Against Women and Girls, including police, social services, policy makers and managers of charities and researchers. The summit conversations focused on finding solutions to challenging the culture surrounding violence and abuse, and through bringing people together, to think together, and start to develop new suggestions and challenge the issue head on. How to change culture, with a focus on the need to start early and focus on education was at the heart of the discussions.
For further information about the summit, please see the BBC news article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-68484626
Following this summit, Dr Harvey and Dr Oliver were also interviewed on BBC Dorset and BBC Solent radio, to further talk about VAWG and why this summit was so important. You can listen to the interviews on https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hct37f?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
And
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hct465?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
Our next steps will be published in our next report which will be available on the Bournemouth Soroptimists website.
Appreciative Inquiry Resource
Today we received a copy of the book Appreciating Health and Care in the post. This book has a sub-title ‘A practical appreciative inquiry resource for the health and social care sector’ and refers to the work led by Bournemouth University’s Dr. Rachel Arnold. Appreciative Inquiry values people’s expertise and vision and can motivate people to see the world differently and instigate positive change. Rachel been the lead author on several publications around Appreciative Inquiry [1-3].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)
References:
- Arnold, R. (2024) Learning to use Appreciative Inquiry, i2Insights, 16th January.
- Arnold, R., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024) “I might have cried in the changing room, but I still went to work”. Maternity staff managing roles, responsibilities, and emotions of work and home during COVID-19: an Appreciative Inquiry, Women & Birth 37: 128-136.
- Arnold, R., Gordon, C., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Why use Appreciative Inquiry? Lessons learned during COVID-19 in a UK maternity service, European Journal of Midwifery 6 (May): 1-7.
BU collaborates with BCP Council and Cambridge University on congestion modelling
Bournemouth University (BU) collaborates with the Bournemouth Christchurch Poole (BCP) Council and Cambridge University on modeling traffic congestion propagation. The work, conducted by Dr. Wei Koong Chai and Ph.D. Candidate Assemgul Kozhabek from BU advocates the use of epidemic theory to model the spreading of traffic congestion in cities.
The team proposes a modified Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model that considers the road network structure for a more accurate representation of congestion spreading. Through an N-intertwined modeling framework and analysis using real-world traffic datasets from California and Los Angeles, the study demonstrates improved agreement with actual congestion conditions. The findings offer valuable insights for developing effective traffic congestion mitigation strategies.
Reference:
A. Kozhabek, W. K. Chai and G. Zheng, “Modeling Traffic Congestion Spreading Using a Topology-Based SIR Epidemic Model,” in IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 35813-35826, 2024, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3370474.
Congratulations to Prof. Sara Ashencaen Crabtree
This book employs both ethnographic and secondary, archival data, drawing on a rich, fascinating trove of original material from the pre-1940s to the present day. It offers a unique historiographic study of twentieth century Methodist missionary work and women’s active expression of faith, practised at the critical confluence of historical and global changes. The study focuses on two English Methodist missionary nursing Sisters and siblings, Audrey and Muriel Chalkely, whose words and experiences are captured in detail, foregrounding tumultuous socio-political changes of the end of Empire and post-Independence in twentieth century Kenya and South India.
This work presents a timely revision to prevailing postcolonial critiques in placing the fundamental importance of human relationships centre stage. Offering a detailed (auto)biographical and reflective narrative, this ‘herstory’ pivots on three main thematic strands relating to people, place and passion, where socio-cultural details are vividly explored.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’ Health (CMWH)
NERC Pushing the Frontiers Call
NERC Pushing the Frontiers Call – internal competition
NERC introduced demand management measures in 2012. These were revised in 2015 to reduce the number and size of applications from research organisations for NERC’s discovery science standard grant scheme. As the standard grant scheme has been superseded, demand management measures will be applied to the Pushing the Frontiers scheme only. Full details can be found in the BU policy document for NERC demand management measures.
BU has been capped at one application per Pushing the Frontiers round. An application counts towards an organisation, where the organisation is applying as the grant holding organisation (of the lead or component grant). This will be the organisation of the Principal Investigator of the lead or component grant.
BU process
BU has a process for determining which application will be submitted to each NERC Pushing the Frontiers round. This takes the form of an internal competition, which will include peer review. The next available round is estimated to be in July 2024. The deadline for internal Expressions of Interest (EoI) which will be used to determine which application will be submitted is 15 March 2024. The EoI form, BU policy for NERC Demand Management Measures and process for selecting an application can be found here: I:\RDS\Public\NERC Demand Management\NERC Demand Management 2024.
Following the internal competition, the Principal Investigator will have access to support from RDS and will work closely with Research Facilitators and Funding Development Officers to develop the application. Applicants will be expected to make use of External Application Reviewers.
RDS Contacts
Please contact Kate Percival, RDS Research Facilitator – kpercival@bournemouth.ac.uk if you wish to submit an expression of interest.
Writing some blurb
Publisher Routledge announced the forthcoming edited volume Menstruation in Nepal: Dignity Without Danger, which is edited by Sara Parker, Madhusudan Subedi and Kay Standing. This book examines the complexities of menstrual beliefs and practices in Nepal. Taking an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach, it explores and promotes the rights of women, girls and people who menstruate, to a dignified and healthy menstruation. I had the honour of being asked to write some of the blurb for this exciting book. Partly, because of our wide-range of health services and health promotion research in the country and partly because of our previous paper on reusable sanitary towels in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal [1].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
Reference:
- Budhathoki, S.S., Bhattachan, M., Pokharel, P.K., Bhadra, M., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Reusable sanitary towels: Promoting menstrual hygiene in post-earthquake Nepal. Journal of Family Planning & Reproductive Health Care 43(2): 157-159.
Final Call to submit your abstracts- Digital Marketing Colloquium 2024
With the extended deadline (29/02/2024), this is the final call to submit your abstract for our inaugural digital marketing colloquium – Exploring Artificial Intelligence, Metaverse and Web3taking place on Tuesday 19th – Wednesday 20th March 2024 at the Bournemouth University Business School.
This colloquium will bring together leading researchers and practitioners to discuss and visualise the future of strategic and operational marketing. Both technology advancements and marketing developments will be explored, co-creating future innovations for collaboration and solutions. The aim is to draw in forward-thinking research on crucial subjects that have an impact on consumers, businesses, and society as a whole. Participants will be encouraged to stimulate fresh perspectives and explore uncharted territories.
This is an multi and inter-disciplinary event, scope of which covers variety of areas. We welcome submissions in the form of abstracts (300 words) for presentations, posters and workshop proposals. These can be submitted via https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=dmc2024
Save the date 😊
Digital Marketing Colloquium 2024 Organising Committee
“Seeking meaning in diagnosis”: Exhibition by BU MSc Student Sarah Clark
Explore the concept of diagnosis through the lens of BU MSc student, Sarah Clark, in her photo exhibition titled “Seeking Meaning in Diagnosis.”
The exhibition will be in the Atrium Gallery, Poole House, running throughout March.
Sarah, currently pursuing a Masters in Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology at BU, delves into the theme of understanding diagnosis, as well as a sub-theme of utilizing creativity and time in nature to enhance well-being.
Diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in February 2020, a rare genetic connective tissue disorder, Sarah’s journey took an unexpected turn when she discovered her Autism spectrum condition diagnosis in May 2022 during autism lectures on the Neurodevelopmental Diversity Unit of her MSc course.
Sarah’s lived-experience qualitative MSc Research Project, supervised by Dr Emily Arden-Close, explored the daily experiences of individuals living with both autism and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and her dissertation is currently being written up for journal submission.
Acknowledging the transformative impact of formal diagnosis on her life, Sarah has embraced lifestyle changes and effective self-management strategies for her hEDS and various co-morbidities, including mast cell activation syndrome, autonomic dysfunction, and Median arcuate ligament syndrome alongside mental health challenges of Complex PTSD and OCD and managing the interactions with Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
In constant pain with every inhaled breath hurting and studying for her Masters whilst being on a liquid-only diet due to MALS, Sarah is now on a year-long waiting list for MALS surgery. She hopes her exhibition and sharing her diagnostic journey will provide inspiration to show what can be achieved even with extreme barriers.
Sarah sits as a patient expert in the EDS International Consortium, Psychiatric and Psychological Aspects Working Group, and Sarah presented her BMJ paper, “Help me trust you after my misdiagnosis,” at The EDS Global Learning Conference in Dublin last August.
Alongside being a student here, Sarah also works at BU as a Student Ambassador, Digitial Marketing Ambassador and a member of BU PIER (as a member of the public).
Passionate about medical education and raising awareness of rare health conditions, Sarah regularly engages in public awareness, volunteering, and charity fundraising.
Sarah recently facilitated a workshop on EDS for BU PIER for second-year nursing students and gave part of a lived-experience lecture on EDS to some of the MSc Health Psychology students.
As well as being a patient expert, photographer and blogger Sarah is also a keen yogi and she was featured in Hotpod Yoga’s Move with Purpose Campaign, discussing her late-autism diagnosis.
Influenced by her own health journey and navigating the complexities of the healthcare system, coupled with Complex PTSD from childhood trauma, Sarah has developed a keen interest in various aspects of the diagnostic journey.
Her exhibition, “Seeking Meaning in Diagnosis,” coincides with the ten-year anniversary of her March 2014 exhibition “Almost Beautiful” at Harbour Lights Cinema, Southampton.
Sarah’s exhibition aims to be thought-provoking, shedding light on the challenges of being diagnosed with rare conditions, inspiring creativity, and encouraging a connection with nature.
Expressing immense gratitude to the BU Community for the support and encouragement Sarah’s received here at BU, has not only improved her health and well-being but has also led to various amazing opportunities.
To learn more about Sarah’s interest in “diagnosis” – visit her website.
Interdisciplinary Research Teams/ Interdisciplinarist
The Interdisciplinary Research Team not the Interdisciplinarist
Worldwide there is a growing interest in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. This overview paper addresses some of the pitfalls and barriers to being an interdisciplinary researcher. Being involved in interdisciplinary research is not an easy option for an individual discipline expert. It requires individual skills, ability to see beyond one’s discipline and perhaps personality characteristics such as a great team player. Interdisciplinary research may involve a mixed-methods approach underpinned by conflicting, and according to some incommensurable, research philosophies. The paper uses some examples from our own experiences of working in interdisciplinary teams to illustrate its potential.
On Valentine’s Day we received a message from ResearchGate that our paper ‘The Interdisciplinary Research Team not the Interdisciplinarist’ has received 2,000 reads.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Reference:
Shanker S, Wasti SP, Ireland J, Regmi PR, Simkhada PP, van Teijlingen E. (2021) The Interdisciplinary Research Team not the Interdisciplinarist. Europasian J Med Sci.;3(2):111-5. Available from: https://www.europasianjournals.org/ejms/index.php/ejms/article/view/317
How does sustainable travel impact economic development?
A panel discussion at the Royal Geographical Society on 20th February will debate sustainable travel’s ability to impact economic development. The event at RGS’s headquarters in London (and also live streamed) will focus on tourism in developing countries, their current situation and the role that sustianable travel can have in leading recovery and future economic development. The panel includes Professor Adam Blake from BU’s International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research who will talk about his experience in analysing tourism’s impact on development and poverty reduction in developing countries.
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/how-does-sustainable-travel-impact-economic-development
FHSS PhD Student Hina Tariq featured in the Frontline Magazine of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
FHSS PhD student Hina Tariq has been featured in the frontline magazine of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy with her clinical supervisor, Joel Dunn in an article “Addressing the cost of contractures” . The article highlights her PhD research on the development and validation of a contracture risk assessment tool (ORACLE). Joint contracture is a debilitating condition characterised by the shortening and stiffening of muscles, pose significant challenges for individuals’ mobility and quality of life. A valid and reliable contracture risk assessment tool might have the potential to trigger timely and appropriate referrals and may aid in prompt escalation of early interventions by the specialists aiming to reduce the risk of contracture development or progression of existing contractures.The article also highlights her contribution to a contracture awareness video developed as part of a QI-driven project with Dorset Healthcare. The evidence behind the content of the video has been generated by her PhD research. The awareness video is developed for carers to highlight the risks associated with the development of joint contractures and the practical preventative steps. This video was co-created as a collaboration between Dorset HealthCare’s clinical staff, the quality improvement team and with support from staff at Encore Care Homes.
New BU Public Health publication
Yesterday we received the proofs of the recently accepted paper ‘Improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Facilities at School and their Effect on Educational Achievement in Basic Level Students in Nepal’ [1]. Luckily these are only the proof pages as my family name is misspelt, and the paper still lists the old name of our Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health, which was, of course, the correct name at the time of submission.
The last time I published a paper on hygiene was also with colleagues in Nepal seven years ago, this time it was on menstrual hygiene [2].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
References:
- Sharma, M., Adhikari, R., van Teijlingen, E., Devkota, B., Khanal, S. (2024) Improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Facilities at School and their Effect on Educational Achievement in Basic Level Students in Nepal, International Journal of Health Promotion & Education (accepted). https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2024.2314459.
- Budhathoki, S.S., Bhattachan, M., Pokharel, P.K., Bhadra, M., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Reusable sanitary towels: Promoting menstrual hygiene in post-earthquake Nepal. Journal of Family Planning & Reproductive Health Care 43(2): 157-159.
Research process seminar: “When you’re stuck, just narrate”: 10 + 1 tips on how to boost your productivity. 13th Feb at 3pm on Zoom
You are warmly welcomed to our next research process seminar.
“When you’re stuck, just narrate”: 10 + 1 tips on how to boost your productivity
Description
After years of trial and error, Roman will share some thoughts and tips on how to boost your productivity, focusing on the main challenges of staying focused and motivated. He will demonstrate some of the tools and routines he uses to organise tasks, readings, notes and writing, as well as a few mental strategies on overcoming sticking points. He will also demonstrate the ‘typing pool’ method of kickstarting your writing and overcoming ‘writer’s block’. Please feel free to bring a piece of writing that you’re currently working on or need to get started/done. The aim is to leave the session with a toolkit of practical techniques that can help boost your productivity, confidence and self-esteem. Everyone is welcome but this session may be particularly appropriate for Early Career Researchers (ECRs), Postgraduate Research Students (PGRs) and staff who are juggling fragmented diaries/workloads.
Roman Gerodimos is Professor of Global Current Affairs at Bournemouth University and a faculty member at the Salzburg Academy on Media and Global Change. His research, writing, filmmaking and outreach/impact work focus on the challenges facing democracy due to globalization, digitization and extremism, the ways 21st century citizens engage with the world around them, the psychological drivers of violence, threats to global security, and the role of urban public space, art, media literacy and shame awareness in bridging divides. His latest book is Interdisciplinary Applications of Shame/Violence Theory: Breaking the Cycle (Palgrave Macmillan 2022) and he recently completed his fifth short film (Fellows Hall). https://staffprofiles.bournemouth.ac.uk/display/rgerodimos
About the research process seminar series:
The purpose of this research seminar series is different to your typical research seminar and conference presentation. Instead of presenting the results and outcomes of research, we want to share good practices around the process of doing research. This might often involve a focus on research methods but it also includes aspects of publishing, writing, time management, career management etc.
The idea here is that the speaker takes us through the anatomy of the project or approach focussing particularly on the process – the challenges, the successes, and the failures. For the audience, we walk away with a practical application of a method or approach we may not be familiar with or may not have applied in this way before. Our ambition is to make us all better researchers as a result.
All welcome
13 Feb at 3pm on Zoom
https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/87405070443?pwd=NzJlUk4xWGZDZ0R4blQ4VEhqVTA0QT09
Meeting ID: 874 0507 0443
Passcode: p?6MPyDd
You can also register for the event here: https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpd-yoqTsuHtcYQHIoQWkRTHCCO01Wo_mq
Paper by BU MSc student accepted for publication
Congratulations to Mr. Musa Lewis Nhlabatsi whose paper ‘Clinicians’ barriers to screening and diagnosing diabetes distress in patients with type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a systematic review’ has just been accepted by the African Journal of Health Sciences [1].This systematic review’s initial search identified 1,579 studies, but only four primary studies from three countries met the inclusion criteria. The studies reported five barriers: (1) lack of knowledge, (2) lack of time, (3) lack of accessibility to mental health services, (4) lack of motivation and (5) patients’ denial of their diabetes distress. The two most reported barriers were lack of knowledge and time. In conclusion this review identifies critical barriers to the underdiagnosis of diabetes distress by clinicians and highlights the need for policymakers and organisations to conduct pragmatic research to understand clinicians’ experiences in assessing diabetes distress in various healthcare settings to improve diabetes management.
The paper developed from his work on the Systematic Review Module for Masters student. Earlier Musa won The Department of Medical Science and Public Health Award in July 2023 and he graduated in November 2023.
Congratulations!
Profs. Vanora Hundley and Edwin van Teijlingen
Reference:
- Nhlabatsi, M.L., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V. (2024) Clinicians’ barriers to screening and diagnosing diabetes distress in patients with type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a systematic review’, African Journal of Health Sciences (forthcoming)
Notification of publication on Feb 1st & start of LGBTQ+ History Month
This paper (Trans women and/in sport: Exploring sport feminisms to understand exclusions) was published on-line first on Feb 1st, which is a nice coincidence given it is the start of LGBTQ+ History Month. The aim of the paper is to explore past and present developments in sport feminism to highlight the value of its dynamism to explain, critique, and challenge the current treatment of trans women athletes. The paper highlights the need to further develop, within sport sociology, a de-colonial transfeminism. De-colonial in this context involves post-colonial feminism, black feminism and queer of color critical approaches. It is the 24th peer-reviewed journal article in 24 years by Jayne Caudwell in the Department of Social Sciences and Social Work.
New Nepalese migrant health paper published
New paper on migrant workers from Nepal was published this week in KMC Journal. The paper ‘Risk Perception and Protective Health Measure Regarding COVID-19 among Nepali Labour Migrants’ Returnee from India’ has Shanti Khanal as lead author [1]. The journal is Open Access, hence freely available online across the globe. The paper examines the association between risk perception and protective behaviour regarding COVID-19 in returnee migrant workers. A total of 384 returnee migrants, based in a quarantine centre on return from India, participated in the study. Using the health belief model (HBM) as a theoretical framework, a structured interview questionnaire was designed and administered. A further three health workers were interviewed face-to-face.
The study showed that the perceived risk of COVID-19 among participants was medium to low. Participants perceived few barriers and had low self-efficacy levels compared to other constructs. This study further showed that participants were more likely to follow a range of protective health behaviours, but not found all. The study revealed a significant association between all risk perception constructs and protective behaviours (p=< 0.05). This study accordingly highlighted a significant relationship between the respondents’ risk perception level and protective health behaviours. The study envisaged that public awareness of risk to the people who returned from India is essential to increase risk perception during the outbreak.
The study works towards fulfilling SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), especially ‘Good health and well-being’ (SDG 3) and Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)
Reference:
- Khanal, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Sharma, M., Acharya, J., Sharma, C., Kharel, S., Gaulee, U., Bhattarai, K., Pasa, R.B., Bohora, P. (2024) Risk Perception and Protective Health Measure Regarding COVID-19 among Nepali Labour Migrants’ Returnee from India. KMC Journal, 6(1): 313–330. https://doi.org/10.3126/kmcj.v6i1.62364
Participants Needed for COVID-19 Research
Are you continuing to struggle with COVID-19 symptoms or have been diagnosed with Long COVID-19? Are you interested in understanding how Long COVID-19 impacts the ability to conduct daily activities?
If so please see the below poster and contact us for further information – marmstrong@bournemouth.ac.uk