bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EVALUATION OF ABG PARAMETERS IN PRE-TERM NEONATES IN NICUA SINGLE INSTITUTION STUDY
Authors: Rao Aarathi , Shetty Disha , T Soans Santosh
Published: July 2023

Aim: To investigate the relationship between common acid-base parameters and blood lactate concentrations and their
prognostic importance in sick pre-term neonates. Seventy ve serial simultaneous Methods: measurements of arterial
acid-base status and serum lactate concentrations were carried out in 30 neonates admitted to NICU with indwelling arterial catheters (gestational
age and birthweight, range 27-32 weeks, and 1250-2080 g, respectively. There was a correlat Results: ion that was statistically signicant between
arterial blood lactate and pH. (p <0.001). There was no correlation between peak lactate concentration (PLC) and base excess. Lactate
concentrations were insensitively indicated by a negative base excess. At all levels, elevated lactate concentrations were associated with increased
mortality. In six infants, an increase in blood lactate that was clinically signicant preceded the development of clinical markers of deterioration
and complications. pH or base excess cannot be used as surrogate measureme Conclusions: nts for blood lactate concentration; instead,
independent measurements of blood lactate concentration are required. In sick neonates, blood lactate concentrations may provide an early
warning signal and vital prognostic information. In this regard, serial blood lactate measurements are superior to a single value.
QUALITATIVE STUDY: DERMATOGLYPHIC PATTERN IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE II DIABETES MELLITUS
Authors: Kumar Raj , Srivastava Sudha
Published: July 2023

Aims and objectives: To study the dermatoglyphic patterns in healthy and Type II diabetes mellitus subjects. To study thearches, Ulnar loop, Radial loop and Whorl patterns The present study was conducted i Methods: n the Department of Anatomy, Index Medical College, Indore (M.P.), India. Subjects of the age group 35-65 years was chosen from North Indian Population. Patients and controls were selected randomly from Index Medical College and Hospital, Indore (M.P.) India. The bilateral rolled nger and palm prints of 100 Diabetes Mellitus II patients were compared to 100 controls. Results: Shows that the comparison of right ulnar loop, right whorl, left ulnar loop, left radial loop, and left whorl in male between healthy subjects and type II diabetes mellitus patients, which are statistically signicant. (p <0.001). whereas right arch, right radial loop, and left arch is not statistically signicant. Fingertip ridge count of right ulnar loop, Conclusions: right radial loop and left ulnar loop, is increased in healthy male subjects as compared to type II diabetes mellitus. While right arch, right whorl, left arch, left radial loop, and left whorl is decreased
EFFECTIVENESS OF MINCED SKIN GRAFTING AS A ONE DAY PROCEDURE IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC NONHEALING ULCERS
Authors: G MS Rajalakshmi , C Laxmikantha , Mohammad Arif
Published: July 2023

chronic non-healing ulcers are those that don't seem to heal after three months of proper care or are still not totally healed at one year. The treatment of these ulcers continues to be difcult because they are a common cause of morbidity. In India, there are 4.5 chronic ulcers for every 1000 people (7). Skin grafts are frequently required for the treatment of chronic ulcers, and there is a readily available, quick, easy, and standardized process to lessen the pain (1). For many years, efforts have been attempted to create skin substitutes that could perform as a normal, healthy integument in the treatment of burns, surgical wounds, cutaneous ulcers, and several skin abnormalities (3). Chronic nonhealing ulcers can be treated using minced skin grafting as an outpatient procedure.
A STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF PREGNANCY BEHAVIOUR AND OBSTETRIC DANGER SIGNS IN PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE
Authors: Saraf Divya , Jain Ranu , Guin Gita
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Antenatal care is the systematic supervision given to a pregnant woman in order to achieve a healthy mother and baby. An antenatal woman can encounter danger signs such as vaginal bleeding, convulsions, fever, abdominal pain, leaking per vaginum etc. Regular antenatal visits lead to their early detection and management with a reduction in morbidity and mortality. To identify knowledge, attitude and practice of pregnant women regarding pre Aims & Objectives: gnancy behavior and also to assess their knowledge regarding danger signs of pregnancy. To assess prevalence of antenatal care amongst them. A cross sectional Methods: observational study was carried out on 300 pregnant women attending antenatal care at survey sites, under Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, N.S.C.B.M.C.H., Jabalpur (M.P.) from 1 March 2021 to 31 August 2022. Pregnant females visiting these sites were asked to ll a well-structured questionnaire and data was analysed thereafter. The prevalenc Results: e of antenatal care was found to be 98%, but WHO recommended minimum 4 ANC visits were only 26.99%. The score for positive attitude, good practice and knowledge were found to be 75.9%,84.46% and 67.55% respectively. On evaluating the knowledge score for danger signs, it was 40.58% which is reection of poor awareness among pregnant women. Early identication of danger signs, timely refe Conclusion: rrals and management of complications is needed. A collective approach by healthcare providers, pregnant women and their families will lead to a healthy nation. Awareness regarding antenatal care and danger signs is pivotal in reducing obstetric complications and there is an urgent need to reinforce these practices as an integral part of rural India.
NVASIVE VERSUS NON INVASIVE POSITIVE PRESSURE VENTILATION IN ACUTE LUNG
INJURY AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME: A COMPARATIVE COHORT STUDY
Authors: Singh Ravi , Roat Geetika , Kumar Bilonia Shailendra , Meena Madhuri
Published: July 2023

Background: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) for acute respiratory failure in the intensive care unit
(ICU) is associated with a marked reduction in intubation rate, complications, hospital length of stay and mortality.
Multiple studies have indicated that patients failing NPPV have worse outcomes compared with patients with successful
NPPV treatment; however limited data is available on risks associated with NPPV failure resulting in (delayed) intubation
and outcomes compared with initial intubation. Aim of our study to determine mortality rate and length of hospital stay
for ARDS AND ALI patients who received NIPPV and its comparison with ARDS patients on IMV and to determine the
predicting factors for NIPPV failure and IMV use. This study was an analytical study. This was Method and study design:
a comparative cohort study in which 68 patients were included prospectively. Patients with age >6 Results: 0 years had
poor outcomes as they needed IMV & NIPPV followed by IMV more than patients with age <60 years. Patients on IMV & NIPPV followed by IMV had a high mortality rate as compared to patients on NIPPV. Our study stat Conclusions: es that patients who were on NIPPV & got success they were having good outcomes in terms of mortality & those who failed NIPPV & required IMV got poorer outcomes.
ASSOCIATION OF HYPOCALCEMIA WITH MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY IN PATIENTS
WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Authors: Joshi Harsh , Sharma Vinod , L. Bairwa B. , Chopra Sanjeev , Gupta Ashok , Kumar Choudhary Suresh
Published: July 2023

Background : The present study has been conducted to assess whether hypocalcemia can be used as a prognostic factor in the outcome of traumatic brain injury. Materials And Methods : This prospective study was done on 100 patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Serum calcium levels of patients had a Glasgow coma scale of 3–13 points following traumatic brain injury, with demonstrable intracranial lesions in cranial computed tomography were included. Student's t test, chi square test and Fisher's exact test were used for comparative analysis. Logistic regression and receiving operative curves analysis analysis were also done to assess the risk factors. Results: Statistically significant difference were found in the Ca2+levels on the 3rd day of admission between the patients with GOS ≤3 and the patients with GOS>3 (P=0.029).The best level of higher sensitivity (86.27%) and specificity (68.66%) of hypocalcaemia on 3rd 2+ day was the Ca2+ value of 1.14 mmol/L. Conclusion: The serum Ca levels on day 3 could be useful for the prediction of mortality and disability in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.
SAFETY OF PREGNANCY DURING BREASTFEEDING
Authors: Mukhi Gupta Chandra , Singh Bhawana , Goel Ashish
Published: July 2023

As more women breastfeed for longer,it is increasingly likely that women may be still breastfeeding when they become
pregnant again. The Society of Perinatal Medicine (SPM) Working Group on Breastfeeding has reviewed the medical
compatibility of pregnancy and breastfeeding.We found no evidence indicating that healthy women are at higher risk of
miscarriage or preterm delivery if they breastfeed while pregnant. No evidence indicates that the
pregnancy–breastfeeding overlap might cause intrauterine growth restriction, particularly in women from developed
countries. Little information is available on the composition of human milk of pregnant women, and only few data are
available on the growth of infants nursed by a pregnant woman. SPM supports breastfeeding during pregnancy in the
first 2 trimesters,and we believe it to be sustainable in the third trimester.Based on the hypothetical risk,caution may be
warranted for women at risk of premature delivery, although no evidence exists that breastfeeding could trigger labor
inducing uterine contractions. In conclusion, currently available data do not support routine discouragement of
breastfeeding during pregnancy. Further studies are certainly needed to explore the consequences of breastfeeding
during pregnancy on maternal health,on the breastfed infant,on the embryo/fetus,and, subsequently,on the growth of
the newborn.
COMPARISON OF VAGINAL MISOPROSTOL VERSUS SUBLINGUAL MISOPROSTOL IN FIRST
TRIMESTER MEDICAL TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
Authors: Mittal Shivika , Arora Rhythm , Mittal Rita
Published: July 2023

Medical termination of pregnancy for various indications was legalized in India in 1971.The NHM guidelines issued in the MMA handbook in 2016 recommends mifepristone 200mg and misoprostol 800 g for medical termination of pregnancy before 49 days from the last menstrual period. Misoprostol can be administered by oral, buccal, ublingual or vaginal route, with each route having its own advantages and disadvantages. We have conducted this study on 200 women desiring MTP to compare efficacy of vaginal and sublingual routes of administration of misoprostol. Our study concluded that sublingual misoprostol was more effective for early first trimester MTP compared to vaginal misoprostol.
A Deep Analysis of Blockchain Technology from Socio-Economic and Technological Perspectives: Intrinsic Barriers and Potential Impact
Authors: Buldas Ahto , Draheim Dirk , Nagumo Takehiko , Vedeshin Anton
Published: July 2023

Our aim is to understand technological and socio-economic barriers to blockchain solutions that are intrinsic in the blockchain technology stack itself (permissionless as well as permissioned). On the basis of that, we want to understand the future potentioal impact of blockchain technology. We provide an argumentation against the theoretical background of Williamson's instutional analysis framework, and triangulate the insights with results from four design science research efforts. We (i) characterize cryptocurrency as one-tiered collateralized money. We (ii) review potential blockchain solutions against defined essential modes of communications. We review (iii) well-known scalability issues and potential denial-of-service attacks through a new probabilistic model. We (iv) characterize a typical neglection of physical network infrastructure in blockchain technology discussions. We (v) describe four successful blockchain solutions and explain their design. There is (vi) no evidence that the proclaimed ``blockchain revolution'' can disrupt our institutional stack; instead, it can only happen in the boundaries of the current institutional stack. Nevertheless, it is possible to (vii) design useful blockchain solutions. The findings of this research enable policy makers, decision makers and information systems architects alike to make informed decisions about blockchain technology and its application. Given its theoretic foundation in new institutional economics, triangulated with comprehensive results from design science efforts, this study is the first of its kind in the area of blockchain technology research.
Automated Multi-Modal Pipeline for Generating Football Game Summaries
Authors: Khanal Bibek , Budha Ashok , Chapain Aashish , Shrestha Kapil , Ghimire Umesh Kanta
Published: July 2023

The project involves generation of football game summaries from multiple game modalities that includes game audio, metadata and captions. Three different types of summaries will be generated from three modalities so as to capture maximum amount of information involved within the game. 
Cascade Control Applied to a Single-Component Single-Stage Vaporizer. Modeling and Simulation
Authors: Campos Jose , Lecaros Pablo , Sandoval Rodrigo
Published: July 2023

A single-component single-stage vaporizer is studied in this work. It is modeled by obtaining a set of coupled nonlinear equations. From this nonlinear model, a linearization is carried out by deriving a linear model of multivariable nature in the form of state space. From the multivariable linear model, a control system is designed, using a single compensator structure and a structure in which two compensators are connected in a cascade. Finally, the process is simulated, verifying the feasibility of the operation with the designed control system.
Fast Phase Recognition of Mechanical Helical Phased Array Antenna Element Based on Line-Scan Machine Vision
Authors: Guo Chang , Qiu Song , Ni Tailai , Wang Bangji , Liu Qingxiang
Published: July 2023

Mechanical helical phased array antenna (HPAA) realizes microwave beam directing by mechanically rotating the helical antenna element. Measuring and calibrating the phase of the HPAA, which can be simplified to measure and calibrate the phase of each helical antenna element, is significant important to evaluate the antenna performance. To realise fast phase measurement and calibration of element antenna, this paper proposed a line-scan machine vision (MV) strategy. A prototype MV system combining a line-scan camera and a guide rail structure to acquire the image of helical antenna element is designed and proposed. Phase recognition algorithm based on deep-learning You Only Look Once v8 (YOLOv8) and Pixel Difference Networks (PiDiNet) with Field of View Error (FOVE) minimization, is proposed to conduct element detection and edge detection, and further to determine of the angular state, which quantifies the phase of the helical antenna element. Statistical analysis of experimental results on a 5×8 test antenna array shows that ±1° phase recognition accuracy can be achieved within 43 seconds to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of our proposed method. Moreover, measurement uncertainty of the proposed approach is analyzed that can be quantified with a normal distribution to show 83% of recognised result errors falls with 1° to demonstrate its stability and reliability.
Understanding sexual violence as a form of caste violence
Authors: Patil Prachi
Published: July 2023

The paper attempts to understand narratives of sexual violence anchored within the dynamics of social location of caste and gender. Apparent caste-patriarchy and gender hierarchies which are at play in cases of sexual violence against lower-caste and dalit women speak about differential experiences of rape and sexual abuse that women have in India. The paper endeavours to establish that sexual violence is also a form of caste violence by rereading the unfortunate cases of Bhanwari Devi, Khairlanji, Lalasa Devi and Delta Meghwal
The Cost of Disability for Indigenous People: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lakhani Ali , Cullen Jennifer , Townsend Clare
Published: July 2023

It is expected that Indigenous people experience asymmetric disability costs compared to non-Indigenous people. No systematic review has investigated the cost of disability for Indigenous people. A systematic review can contribute to the evidence base and inform the health and social care services that Indigenous people with disability receive. Thus, this systematic review aimed to: (i) provide insight into the distinct cost of disability for Indigenous people and (ii) summarise the current state of knowledge concerning the cost of disability for Indigenous people. The PRISMA approach was applied and four databases - MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, CINAHL and ProQuest Social Sciences - were searched for peer-reviewed literature published before January 2017. After a removal of duplicates, the titles of 193 sources were reviewed against the inclusion criteria. Of these, eight sources were considered for a full-text review. After a full-text review, zero sources met the entire inclusion criteria. While these eight studies did not entirely meet search criteria, findings from two studies closely met the review criteria and provided insight into service considerations that may contribute to distinct costs of disability for Indigenous people. These considerations include: i) providing culturally appropriate assessments and psychometric tools for the identification and monitoring of disability, (ii) ensuring healthcare and service provider cultural training, (iii) raising community awareness around disability services, (iv) delivering holistic integrated health-care models offered locally, and (v) building relationships with families. Irrespective of these considerations, the paucity of research in the area makes it impossible clarify the cost of disability for Indigenous people. Consequently, the need for research in this area is paramount. It is imperative that future research considers the distinct costs of providing health and social care services for Indigenous people with disability. This research will favourably inform health and social care services offered to Indigenous people with disability, and furthermore contribute towards positive health and wellbeing outcomes.
Disability and social inclusion ‘Down Under’: A systematic literature review
Authors: Gooding Piers , Anderson Julie , McVilly Keith
Published: July 2023

This article provides a systematic literature review investigating how the social inclusion of adults with disability is conceptualised in research concerned with policy and service provision in Australia. The review will summarise this literature, and clarify its relative strengths and weaknesses. The findings from the literature review are grouped into recurring themes, namely: deinstitutionalisation; the changing nature of paid support; different forms of ‘community engagement’; and socially valued roles, particularly in the realms of employment, volunteering, and consumer transactions. The literature mostly concerns people with intellectual and cognitive disability, more so than persons with sensory, psychosocial (mental health) and physical disabilities. Several gaps emerge in the literature, such as the experiences of Indigenous people with disabilities, both in terms of exclusion they may face, and solutions being developed by Indigenous communities; ambiguous understandings of social inclusion; and a lack of acknowledgement of prominent critiques of social inclusion. The review builds on these findings to make recommendations for policy, practice, and further research.
The experiences of second generation Samoans in Australia
Authors: Stanley Glenda , Kearney Judith
Published: July 2023

Australia is a culturally diverse country with increasing numbers of people with Samoan heritage immigrating in search of better educational and employment opportunities. Indicators such as under-representation in university courses and employment outcomes point to adaptation difficulties for many second generation Australians with Samoan heritage, setting them apart from some other immigrant groups in Australia. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the experiences of this Samoan cohort of young people and to suggest ways or pathways to better opportunities and outcomes. This is achieved through content analysis of eleven in-depth interviews. The findings reveal two key themes: protective factors for strong cultural identity and social connectedness; and constraints on educational opportunities. Findings also showed that some interactions with churches, friends and parents constrain educational opportunities. The paper concludes by reflecting on a suggestion that parents of Samoan young people reconsider traditional practices that might limit communicative interactions with their children. It also recommends a collaborative response from parents, families and church groups to help resolve competing demands on young people of Samoan heritage in Australia.
The influence of social support on health and wellbeing among women with and without children
Authors: Graham Melissa
Published: July 2023

Social support is a significant determinant of health and well-being, with poorer social support leading to poorer health outcomes. Despite this, little is known about the impact of social support on health and wellbeing among women without children, or how this compares to women with children. Drawing on data from 683 women, who participated in both Wave 1 (1997) and Wave 4 (2006) of the Negotiating the Life Course study, and were aged 28 to 66 years (at Wave 4), regression models were used to examine the relationship between health and wellbeing and social support by motherhood status (mother or childless). Dissatisfaction with the number of close friends was associated with poorer general health (rho = -0.23, p < 0.001). Women without children reported poorer general health than mothers even after controlling for potentially confounding variables (Exp(B) = 1.11, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.22). Not mothering has implications for women’s health. Further investigation of the type, role and quality of social support within kin and non-kin relationships is required to better understand the role of social support on health, and if this differs between women with and without children.
Social play amongst preschool-aged children from an inner and an outer metropolitan suburb
Authors: Andrews Fiona Jane , Stagnitti Karen , Robertson Narelle
Published: July 2023

Play is essential for healthy child development. While, the relationship between neighbourhood and young children’s physical activity is well reported in the literature, less is known about preschool children’s social play in different suburban settings. This study took a mixed methods approach. Seventy-two parents from an inner-suburb and 26 parents from an outer-suburb in a metropolitan city in Australia returned a survey on: who their preschool age children played with and where their children played. Twenty parents also consented to a follow up open-ended interview. Children from the inner-suburb played more with non-related children (p < 0.05) and in a wider range of formal and informal settings than children from the outer-suburbs. Neighbourhood, family and planning policy contributed to the differences in child socialisation and these were mapped using Bronfenbrenner’s Social Ecology model. Findings have implications for both service providers and policy makers in suburban settings.
‘Where to now?’ Understanding the landscape of health and social services for homeless women in London, Ontario, Canada
Authors: Van Berkum Amy , Oudshoorn Abe
Published: July 2023

Homelessness is an ongoing social challenge effecting women in unique ways. The purpose of this research study was to understand a network of health and social services accessed by women experiencing homelessness, and how individuals successfully or unsuccessfully navigated these services. Data were collected utilizing a participatory application of the PhotoVoice method, grounded in a critical feminist intersectional perspective. Six women with lived experience of homelessness were recruited from a drop-in centre to participate in the six-week project. Through photo-taking, group discussions, arts-based dialogue, and individual interviews, themes were developed around women’s navigation of services and experiences of homelessness. A constant comparative method of thematic analysis was utilized so that themes could evolve iteratively and collaboratively with both the research team reflecting independently on qualitative data, and the women reflecting collaboratively on the data. Themes generated included: On the Margins; Feeling at Home; Mighty Women; Safety; Creating Home; and Whenever, Wherever. It is recommended that: 1) Communities keep developing more safe and affordable housing; 2) Government investments in homelessness include a general gender lens; 3) Women have access to 24-hour safe spaces; 4) Participatory research methodologies add valuable knowledge for women experiencing homelessness; and 5) Service providers be trained in trauma and violenceinformed care.
Our lives, our say: Street and working children talk about their rights in Delhi
Authors: Couch Jen
Published: July 2023

Recently a “new sociology of childhood” has been proposed arguing that childhood must be seen as a social construct and considered like race, class and gender as an important analytical variable. It is asserted that children and their life worlds are topics worthy of study and that children must be seen as active agents in creating their own social worlds and society at large. The main implication of such a conceptualization is that childhood takes a multiplicity of forms over time and across cultures. Essentially these approaches privilege the perspectives of children and reject the representation of them as passive vessels into which the rules of society are poured as merely adults in training. This paper examines this new discourse by drawing upon the experiences of Butterflies, a non-government organization working for the empowerment of street and working children in Delhi. In particular the paper will explore Butterflies’ rights-based approach to working with street and working children and give space to children’s own experiences and perceptions in regards to this approach. The article focuses on four key areas: the right to participation; the right to freedom of assembly; the right to protection from economic exploitation and the right to work.
Civic Participation of Haitian Immigrants in the Dominican Republic: An Urban-Rural Comparison
Authors: Peralta Karie Jo , Arps Shahna
Published: July 2023

Using data on 91 respondents from a 2017 household survey, this studyexamines the civic participation of Haitian immigrants in the DominicanRepublic. We analysed self-reported attendance at voluntary associationmeetings (labour, community improvement, sports/recreation, religious, andparent-teacher). The purpose was to identify the extent to which respondentsengaged in civic life and to determine whether there were significant urbanrural/peri-urban differences in attendance, in order to shed light on if the locationof residence may or may not shape participant involvement. The resultsrevealed that participation was highest in parent-teacher meetings (78%) andlowest in labour meetings (18%). Across all five meeting types, there was ahigher percentage of attendance by rural/peri-urban than urban participants.The differences between urban and rural/peri-urban participant attendancewere significant for all of the association meeting types, except for parentteachermeetings. This research is important for appreciating the previouslyunder-examined issue of civic engagement of Haitian immigrants in theDominican Republic with special attention given to geographic variation.
Young, Brummie and Muslim in the Problematised City: Investigating Identity and Belonging Among Muslim Youth in Birmingham, England
Authors: Allen Chris
Published: July 2023

This article investigates how the identity and sense of belonging evident among young Muslims in Birmingham, England are effected by the city’s ‘problematisation’. To do so, this article presents the findings from new empirical data gathered from 125 respondents aged between 18 and 25 all of whom identified as Muslim and were resident in Birmingham. Having contextualised the city’s problematisation, British Muslim identity and the ‘politics of belonging’, this article adopts a threefold approach. First, in relation to how young Muslims in the city identify with it as something of an abstract entity, unproblematically identifying as ‘Brummie’. Second, in relation to how young Muslims identify ‘home’ and belonging to the city’s ‘Muslim areas’. Third, in relation to the perceived risk of victimisation due to their Muslim identity in the multicultural spaces of the city centre. In conclusion, this article suggests that while the city’s problematisation has little detrimental impact on young Muslim identity, the internalisation of that problematisation necessitates changes in the performance of Muslim identity.
Foreword: In-focus special on place-based issues and approaches
Authors: O'Brien Linda
Published: July 2023

This ‘in focus’ edition of JOSI was inspired by the first Changefest, a gathering of diverse peoples intent on making a change within their communities (in Australia). Hosted by Logan Together, Collaboration for Impact, Opportunity Child and Griffith University in the city of Logan 2018, this event was born from a shared belief in the power of bringing together local people with the institutions that serve them to collectively take ownership of a problem, shared priorities and to tackle local issues using local knowledge and experience to create long term positive change.
I have Cultural Pride in a Western Space: University Cultural Clubs
Authors: Enari Dion
Published: July 2023

Tertiary institutions perpetuate colonial legacies, teaching Eurocentric  curriculums and using English as the language of instruction with little regard  for non-European pedagogy. Many students from non-Western backgrounds  have felt they needed to neglect their cultural ways of being and knowing to  assimilate in university classes. University cultural clubs aim to be a safe space for different ethnic groups to  gather on campus. As a former member of a university cultural club – the Griffith  Pasifika Association, I tell our story and provide an analysis of our experience.  I feel much of my cultural and academic success is attributed to this group, and  for many of its members, this association is a family, where we can learn about  our cultural heritage. This club was not only a space for supporting students  from the Pacific Islands, but also for solidifying member’s cultural pride. This  association has caused necessary disruption to the traditional Eurocentrism of  tertiary education, but, through this process, the University itself has now  become a new domain for cultural pride for Pasifika students.
The Lived Experience of Disability Rights in Ghana: A Case Study from the Eastern Region
Authors: Grischow Jeff , Mfoafo-M'Carthy Magnus
Published: July 2023

This article analyses the struggle for disability rights in Ghana by offering a window into the lived experience of physically disabled Ghanaians in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area of Ghana’s Eastern Region. Utilizing grassroots narratives of sixteen participants, the article focuses on the themes of financial and social support to illuminate the challenges facing disabled individuals in a peri-urban area of Southern Ghana. The analysis engages with the concept of Ubuntu, which focuses a lens on traditional African community as a natural and inherently good vehicle for social inclusion. Using the idea of community as a frame of reference, we present a brief historical overview, followed by data from sixteen interviews to explore the connection between socio-economic change, community dynamics and disability rights. We conclude by arguing that the data raises questions about the revival of traditional communal bonds as a solution to social exclusion produced by disability.
A new way home: Refugee young people and homelessness in Australia
Authors: Couch Jen
Published: July 2023

This article gives voice to refugee young people experiencing homelessness. It is based on a project that conducted interviews with refugee young people and consultations with service providers. The research reveals that the profoundly under-recognised phenomenon of homelessness experienced by young people of refugee background is often hidden and does not match commonly held beliefs about homeless young people. The article examines the nexus between migration and homelessness in young people and how culture and ethnicity impact on young people accessing services. The stereotype of the homeless young person has been in place for many years and has dominated the research literature and the development of services. The study finds that this stereotype is alive and well in the perceptions of refugee young people and the agencies. Young people of refugee background often feel unable to access or attend these services. All the young people interviewed showed a capacity to negotiate new spaces of hope and belonging, despite dwelling in a ‘landscape of exclusion’ (Sibley 1995)—a testament to their strength, resilience and sense of agency. Sibley, D. (1995), Geographies of Exclusion: Society and Difference in the West, London: Routledge.
Lockdowns, Exclusion and Resilience: Our first Pandemic Related Studies
Authors: Sleep Lyndal , Harris Paul
Published: July 2023

It’s hard to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has been with us for more than a year. While vaccine rollouts and the impacts of emerging strains of the virus vary markedly around the world, in Australia our borders remain closed (for most of us), keeping loved ones and family members apart. Even returning Olympians are in extended quarantine as they pass through the Covid ‘red zones’ to their home-towns around Australia (2021, ABC news).  Concerns about double standards arise as famous actors and other celebrities enter and leave Australia, while family members are denied permission to cross boarders to see dying loved ones. ‘Fortress Australia’ is riven with inequalities and vulnerabilities that have always existed in our society, but are experienced during the pandemic in ways never before realised or imagined.
Trends in social activism across Australian minority communities
Authors: Scott David Malcolm Robert
Published: July 2023

This article explores trends in social activism across Australian ethnic minority communities over a ten year period (1999-2009) and its relationship to indicators of social cohesion. It explores the impact of social modernisation in enabling the facilitation of effective grassroots campaigns on issues relevant the communities’, and how they may influence public policy. Consideration is afforded to the impact on community participation with the rise of security policy on the national agenda, and significant events on domestic and global scales over a period which encompassed extraordinary acts of terrorism, irregular arrivals of asylum seekers, and unparalleled political and community confutation. It is asserted that participation in social activism is an important indicator of political empowerment within the dominant political structure, and could suitably enrich research into social cohesion in Australia.
Engaging children at-risk through World Vision Australia’s Kids Hope Aus. Program
Authors: Larmar Stephen
Published: July 2023

This paper reports on the findings of a pilot study examining teacher perceptions of the efficacy of the Kids Hope Aus. program. Kids Hope Aus. is an early intervention and prevention program for children at risk of social and academic disengagement. The program emphasises the significance of developing a child’s social skills to build resilience and enhance the child’s social engagement and general academic achievement within the school setting. The intervention incorporates an adult/child-mentoring framework that serves to ameliorate the effects of specific risk factors that place children at greater risk of vulnerability. The evaluation involved 188 teachers drawn from rural and metropolitan districts in the State of Victoria, Australia, of children who participated in the Kids Hope Aus. program. The findings of the study provide preliminary data that identifies the Kids Hope Aus. program as a cogent intervention framework for fostering greater social inclusion and academic enhancement for young children that can be easily disseminated in regular school communities.
Neighbourhood renewal in Victoria, Australia: An effective way to address social inclusion
Authors: Shield Margaret , Graham Melissa , Taket Ann
Published: July 2023

People who live in disadvantaged communities are at increased risk of social exclusion through diminished access and quality of services, lack of opportunity and feeling powerless over decisions relating to their neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood Renewal (NR) is a Victorian State Government initiative that seeks to address this. This paper presents the findings from two individual project sites, side-by-side. Data were collected in 2004/5 and 2009 using face-to-face interviewing with convenience samples of 900 NR residents across the two NR sites at each time period. A comparison group for each NR site consisted of a sample of 150 people living in the same suburb or town but outside the NR site, data were collected by telephone. Data were analysed separately for each NR project site. Findings indicate that neighbourhood renewal strategies can be effective in improving trust in government, perceptions of community participation, influence and control over community decisions and improved services. Community level strategies are valuable in addressing area-level determinants to improve social inclusion. The successes of the NR scheme support the implementation and continuation of area-specific interventions to address disadvantage and social exclusion across Victoria, Australia.
“Whispers on the wind”: social inclusion and the media
Authors: Chamberlain Susanna
Published: July 2023

A discussion article What is the relationship between the growth and expansion of various forms of the media and chronologically coterminous social movements? This paper deliberately sets out to raise more questions than it attempts to answer. Two key ideas are examined: what is meant by social inclusion and how the term is being used in this paper to refer to the breakdown of exclusionary practices. A continuum of policies is suggested which range from recognition to inclusion. The growth of the media is explored, located in the West and Australia. The term media is not closely examined; I use it to refer to the usual suspects- print, radio, television, the new electronic media. The paper is essentially an historical overview from the 17th century to the present day, linking social movements and developments in the transmission of information through the ephemeral practices of the media.
Sufficient education attainment for a decent standard of living in modern Australia
Authors: Callander Emily J. , Schofield Deborah J. , Shrestha Rupendra N. , Kelly Simon J.
Published: July 2023

Education attainment will impact upon an individual’s capacity to engage in the labour force, their living standards and hence their poverty status. As such, education should be included in measures of poverty. However, it is not known what a sufficient level of education to have a decent standard of living is. Using the 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers different levels of education attainment were tested for their association with labour force participation and income. Based upon this, it was concluded that Year 12 or higher is a sufficient level of education attainment for 15 to 64 year olds; and Year 10 or higher for people over the age of 65 years. This is in line with current government policies to improve Year 12 completion rates. Knowing what a ‘sufficient level of education attainment’ is, allows education to be included in multidimensional measures of poverty that view education as a key dimension of disadvantage.
Promoting personal agency and social inclusion through the Clemente Australia Program
Authors: O'Gorman John , Butcher Jude , Howard Peter
Published: July 2023

A program pioneered by Earl Shorris in New York for educating the poor and marginalised in the humanities has been employed successfully in Australia under the title Clemente Australia for promoting both personal agency and social inclusion. Personal agency and social inclusion are ever present goals for societies and communities but they are particularly relevant today, at a time of increasing number of people who are unemployed, homeless, refugees or are experiencing multiple disadvantage. Students and staff involved in the program have reported upon student self improvements which are indicators of enhanced personal agency and social inclusion. A number of rationales have been advanced for these successes of the program, ranging from empowerment and engagement to changing habitus. The paper, drawing upon social cognitive theory, presents an integrative rationale and framework explaining the development of personal agency and social inclusion promoted by the program and expressed in their becoming “political”, engaged with people at every level of society. In terms of this integrative rationale, Clemente Australia builds ideas of hope, meaning, and identity into the personal narratives of participants through reflection on their personal and vicarious experiences in the program and the competencies and changed expectancies that these bring. This integrative view can illuminate participants’ reports of the program and suggest ways of making it more effective.
Scaffolding conversations using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
Authors: Remington-Gurney Jane
Published: July 2023

Non speech methods of communication, such as the use of gesture and signing along with pointing or indicating icons on a screen or display is known collectively as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). This paper is not research driven but does explore the critical role of the speaking communication partner in enabling and empowering the user of AAC to have a voice in social interactions. Transcription analysis is used to examine what communication partners do in three recorded interviews with people who have difficulty with spoken language. It is proposed that there would be more efficient and inclusive discourses if more communication partners through in-service and pre-service training, were comfortable with scaffolding techniques.
Social capital in Gellerup
Authors: Laursen Line Hille , Espvall Majen
Published: July 2023

This paper examines the characteristics of two types of social capital; bridging and bonding social capital among the residents inside and outside a marginalized local community in relation to five demographic features of age, gender, geographical origin and years of residence in the community and in Denmark. The data were collected through a questionnaire, conducted in the largest marginalized high-rise community in Denmark, Gellerup, which is about to undergo an extensive community renewal plan. The study showed that residents in Gellerup had access to bonding and bridging social capital inside and outside Gellerup. Nevertheless, the character of the social capital varied considerably depending on age, geographical origin and years lived in Gellerup. Young residents and people who had lived for many years in Gellerup had more social capital than their counterparts. Furthermore, residents from Arab countries had more bonding relations inside Gellerup, while residents from Northern Europe had more bonding relations outside Gellerup.
Livable Housing Design: The voluntary provision of inclusive housing in Australia
Authors: Ward Margaret , Franz Jill , Adkins Barbara
Published: July 2023

This paper reports on a study of the voluntary provision of inclusive housing. The impetus for the study is the Livable Housing Design initiative, an agreement among Australian housing industry and community leaders in 2010 to a national guideline and voluntary strategy with a target to provide minimum access features in all new housing by 2020. Situated in and around Brisbane, Australia, the study problematises the assumption that the housing industry will respond voluntarily; an assumption which this study concludes is unfounded. The Livable Housing Design initiative asks individual agents to consider the needs of people beyond the initial contract, to proceed with objective reasoning and to do the right thing voluntarily. Instead, the study found that interviewees focused on their immediate contractual obligations, were reluctant to change established practices and saw little reason to do more than was legally required of them. This paper argues that the highly-competitive and risk-averse nature of the industry works against a voluntary approach for inclusive housing and, if the 2020 target of the Livable Housing Design initiative is to be reached, a mandated approach through legislation will be necessary. The Livable Housing Design initiative, however, has an important role to play in preparing the Australian housing industry to accept further regulation.
Bogan bias: Addressing class-based prejudice in physician-patient interactions
Authors: Kennedy Mark , Kennedy Maeve
Published: July 2023

There is a widespread belief in the ‘classlessness’ of Australian society, despite strong evidence demonstrating the impacts of socioeconomic status (SES) on individuals’ educational attainment, health, and mortality. Disparities in health care are also prevalent. The quality of communication between physicians and patients is associated with health outcomes and patient satisfaction, and we argue that this communication can be influenced by socioeconomic bias and prejudice. The majority of medical students in Australia are from backgrounds of high SES, and this is likely to influence their communication as physicians with patients from lower SES communities. In particular, mediatised representations of the Australian working-class as ‘the bogan,’ and the acceptability of derogatory humour towards those perceived to be ‘bogans’ – in the absence of lived experience and understanding of lower SES life – can influence the attitudes, expectations, and behaviour of physicians working in low SES communities. To begin to address these biases, we recommend expanding cultural competence training to reflect a multidimensional understanding of culture that includes SES, and going beyond cultural competence to promote self-reflexivity and critical awareness of personal socio-cultural backgrounds, assumptions, and biases, in staff induction programs.