SDHI was represented at the 2015 Dundee Science Festival with a stand to illustrate its applied interdisciplinary work. Dr Fred Comerford, SDHI Institute Manager invited displays related to the topic ‘perceptions’. Using visual illusions Fred demonstrated to visitors that what we see and hold for being ‘real’ or ‘true’ may be deceptive. The theme was also reflected in the display by Kirsty Miller, PhD student in psychology who presented a very timely topic considering for example the refugee crisis in Europe: perceived in-group vs out-group differences that may impact on how likely we act to help others. Jean Cathro of the social enterprise, ‘Crossing countries, challenging boundaries, changing lives‘ engaged children and adults through art work, craft and video presentation. SDHI has repeatedly reported on this innovative social enterprise on this blog. Crossing truly challenges mis-perceptions about disability, ethnicity, gender, age and other characteristics that so often create unnecessary and hurtful divisions. Finally, Dr Ed Hall, Geography challenged in his display concepts of place-based vulnerabilities of communities that experience prolonged electricity failures. Simple categorisations of ‘vulnerable people’ are not useful or informative as ‘vulnerability’ is always contextual and relational. The event at the Dundee Menzieshill Community Centre was very well attended with some families spending several hours there to explore the many exciting displays and presentations.
Tag Archives: Working with communities
Providing Health Care to Diverse Communities in Brazil Recorded Lifestream
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Camila Biazus Dalcin, a final year nursing student from the Franciscan University Centre (UNIFRA) who visits Dundee as a scholar in the Brazilian ‘Science Without Borders’ Programme (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ) presented a seminar on the 27th June. In her presentation she focused on nursing education and community development and research work in socially and economically diverse communities. Brazil is undergoing profound changes, economically, politically and socially. In 1988 a new healthcare system ‘Unified Health System’ or SUS was formed on the basis of the Brazilian constitution. The new system aims to provide fair and equitable health care to all citizens and introduces a shift in emphasis from treatment towards prevention. Health and wellbeing are regarded as community, not individual issues. The focus on delivering care in the community requires involving the population in the health promotion and is supported by a diverse group of health professionals.
The presentation was also a trial run of SDHI’s new lifestream (‘SDHI TV’). A sequence of the presentation is available here as a recording provided by UStream. For a better quality recording, please stay tuned, we are working on it.
Social Dimensions of Health Institute 