Eva Magnus

Everyday Occupations and the Process of Redefinition: A Study of How Meaning in Occupation Influences Redefinition of Identity in Women with a Disability

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how debilitating diseases or accidents can influence occupation and identity. Ten women facing disabilities as adults were interviewed. Data are analysed with a phenomenologic-hermeneutic approach, and indicate that changed or reduced everyday occupations influence their interaction and presentation of self, which again has consequences to their identity. Early in the process of redefinition, a variety of occupational strategies help keep the identity as disabled at a distance. The women are keeping their jobs as long as possible, they hold on to their usual routines, they avoid places where they have to struggle doing, they barely talk about their occupational problems, avoid technical aids and membership in an interest organization for people with a disability. After some time the strategies change, making it possible to invest time and energy in meaningful occupations, to join interest organisations for disabled people, and engage in occupations tied to their role as women as well as leisure activities. Involvement in meaningful occupations tended to influence the way in which the women viewed themselves and brought about a redefinition of the meaning of disability.

Time Geographic Method: Application to Studying Patterns of Occupation in Different Contexts

Abstract This article highlights a time‐geographic approach to understanding the temporal patterns of peoples occupations and their relationship to health and illness. It outlines the use of diaries to gather data and proposes that this method makes it possible to study the everyday life context of individuals, capturing i) Activity contexts (everyday context and project context) ii) Geographic context iii) Social context and iv) Experiential context. The method has been used to gather information about activity patterns in everyday life, and further developed to identify health risks in a population and as a foundation for intervention in rehabilitation. Examples described are application of the method to promote change processes in a workplace and in a rehabilitation setting.

Negotiating individual accommodation in higher education

This article discusses ways of understanding the processes involved when disabled students negotiate accessibility in higher education. Despite legislation for universal design and political aims to increase the number of disabled students, individuals themselves have to take initiatives to obtain needed reasonable adjustments. Findings are drawn from a study of everyday lives of disabled students. Research methods employed were: time geographic diaries, in-depth interviews and focus groups. Findings include issues of disclosure and stigma management, supports provided with a twist of ambiguity, and experiences of combatting for individual accommodation. The process of negotiation is discussed in terms of traditions in higher education, the burden individual accommodation in practice place upon disabled students, and the need for changes based on universal design.

Everyday Occupations of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Students in Scandinavia

Abstract This study explored the repertoire of everyday occupations of Scandinavian occupational and physiotherapy students. A time geographic method was used, whereby students in different countries were asked to keep diaries for the same period. Diaries from 22 students were analysed, from which three main time consuming occupational projects were identified: 1) Professional training, 2) Care of oneself, and 3) Recreation. These projects are presented and discussed in the context of everyday life faced by todays generation of young adults, who have grown up in a global context and a rapidly changing world: A situation that might have consequences for the way students live their everyday occupational lives. The results show that identity related issues may be inherent in their most time‐consuming occupations, and that their daily pattern of occupation is repetitive. The students arrange their everyday lives to ensure that social interaction with other students is incorporated. They spend time in few places and perform a limited repertoire of occupations, and their occupational patterns reflect the contemporary values for young adults in Scandinavia.

Facilitators for the development and implementation of health promoting policy and programs – a scoping review at the local community level

BackgroundHealth promotion, with a focus on multidimensional upstream factors and an ecological, life-course approach, is establishing itself as the guiding philosophy for addressing public health. Action at the political and programmatic level on the Social Determinants of Health has proven effective for promoting and building public health at all levels but has been particularly evident at the national and international levels – due in large part to available documents and guidelines. Although research and experience establish that health promotion is most effective when settings-based, the development of health promoting policies and programs at the local level is still difficult. This study intended to investigate available knowledge on the development and implementation of health promoting policies and programs at the local level and identify factors most important for facilitating capacity building and outcome achievement.MethodsWe used a scoping review in order to review the current literature on local policy development and program implementation. Keywords were chosen based on results of a previous literature review. A total of 53 articles were divided into two categories: policy and implementation. Critical analysis was conducted for each article and a summary assembled. Data was charted with specific focus on the aims of the study, data acquisition, key theories/concepts/frameworks used, outcome measures, results, and conclusions.ResultsThe articles included in this study primarily focused on discussing factors that facilitate the development of health promoting policy and the implementation of health promotion programs. Most significant facilitators included: collaborative decision-making, agreement of objectives and goals, local planning and action, effective leadership, building and maintaining trust, availability of resources, a dynamic approach, a realistic time-frame, and trained and knowledgeable staff. Within each of these important facilitating factors, various elements supporting implementation were discussed and highlighted in this study.ConclusionOur results indicate that clear and consistent facilitators exist for supporting health promoting policy development and program implementation at the local level. These results offer a starting point for local action on the Social Determinants of Health and have the potential to contribute to the development of a framework for improving action at the local level.

Occupational Pattern: A Renewed Definition of the Concept

Abstract Patterns are regular ways of acting or doing something. The literature provides definitions at three levels; Action patterns at the level of bodily and anatomical function, activity patterns at the level of the ability to perform activities, and occupational patterns at the level of participation in social life. This article draws on insights arising from a time geographical study of Scandinavian bachelor students which presents a broader definition. Regular ways of acting or doing are conceptualised from the perspective of parallel activities, where two or more activities or occupations are performed simultaneously. The proposed reconceptualisation of occupational patterns also acknowledges that human beings relate occupations and occupational patterns to occupational projects, where an assembly of activities and occupations are interconnected and have a unifying goal that is given value by the individual and by the social environment.

The Meaning of Rehabilitation of Multi-Storey Housing for the Residents

Abstract The rehabilitation of blocks of flats can be planned and executed in very different ways. This article describes two case studies of rehabilitation processes, focusing on what can be learned from the organizational processes and the meaning of the rehabilitation for the residents. Residents, initiators, architects and contractors have all been interviewed. One of the case studies involved two blocks of flats with municipal apartments for substance abusers ,where the residents participated in the planning of the housing rehabilitation. The other case study reviewed a housing cooperative where the residents, through an elected board and chairman, took on an initiative to undertake a complete rehabilitation. In both case studies most residents were very pleased with the results, and had a feeling of ownership towards the project and their houses. The rehabilitation process and architectural changes positively affected their social status and personal pride. The common criteria for success seems not necessarily to be the degree of involvement in the decision-making process, but rather the leaders’ respect for their needs, the level of information provided and the follow-up. The leaders of both projects were enthusiastic, and were in close contact with the residents while guiding the rehabilitation process.

‘We are just ordinary people working hard to reach our goals!’ Disabled students’ participation in Norwegian higher education

Abstract In this article we shed light on the experiences of disabled students attending professional courses in higher education in Norway. The findings from this empirical study are based on interviews with 14 students with diverse impairments, ranging from the visible to the invisible. They faced barriers that they resolved to address on their own, using their capabilities and working ‘in silence’ to meet the expectations of normal students in academia as strong and independent. In addition to their own motivation and self-determination, what facilitated their progress in their studies was that some of the staff and fellow students met them respectfully as ordinary students, while recognizing their strain and providing support without calling attention to it. Leaning on the Nordic Relational Model of Disability, we call for greater awareness of the complex interactional processes between the disabled students and people in their social environment.

Involving citizens’ occupation-based knowledge in public health planning: Why and how

ABSTRACT Health promotion has generally relied on traditional forms of community planning without including citizens, despite their occupation-based experiences and knowledge about the society in which they live. Acknowledging that it is a challenge for stakeholders to involve citizens in public health planning, this study explores why and how stakeholders might facilitate the involvement of citizens in public health planning as a part of a municipalitys health promotion work. Data were obtained through interviews with six key stakeholders (f=4, m=2) working in the local community. Qualitative analysis generated two themes and six subthemes: I) Involving whom and why, with four subthemes of i) Addressing justice, ii) Generating ownership, iii) Developing trust and a feeling of togetherness, and iv) Concretizing the history, values, uniqueness, and identity of the city; as well as II) Considering differences, with two subthemes of i) Accommodating creativity and ii) Building confidence. The discussion highlights how occupation-based knowledge from citizens can strengthen the quality of public health planning and the successful local implementation of health promotion policy.

Physical Activity Patterns in Older Men

ABSTRACT Introduction: There is mounting evidence to support the benefits of physical activity for older adults. Physical inactivity has become a growing challenge. Experience shows that older men participate less in community exercise programs; thus, there is a growing need to encourage active living. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe mens physical activity patterns in everyday routines. Methods: A time-geographic diary gathered data on activities during the day. Codes for metabolic equivalents (METS) were calculated by using diary data above 3 METS, moderate physical activity. Nine retired men were included in the study and wrote diaries for seven consecutive days. Results: The main result was that some of the men that did not formally exercise as recommended expended equal or a larger METS in daily activities. Conclusions: The participants demonstrated ways of obtaining the recommended physical activity quotient by performing physical activities during their daily routine. These findings can have implications for clinicians who encourage active living in senior men and for the development of new physical activity programs.