title: Coping Strategies that New Zealand Dairy Farmers use to combat stress

authors: Kuriger, Chloe Rose

subjects: Coping

abstract: New Zealand dairy farmers work in an industry which is associated with high levels of stress and increasing rates of suicide. Occupational issues such as economic factors, changes in the industry, time pressures and poor weather have been found to cause strain in farmers (Botha, 2012), however research examining coping strategies for farmers in New Zealand is lacking. This was an exploratory study which aimed to identify coping strategies that New Zealand dairy farmers engage in to eliminate or reduce the effects of stress due to their job.

Eleven dairy farmers based in the Waikato region of New Zealand, participated in this study by completing an interview and two questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Brief COPE. It was found that the participants reported using a wide range of coping strategies. Thematic analysis identified major themes including work related coping, social related coping, maladaptive coping and personal health. The work related theme included both active coping and constructive thinking as means of coping. The social related coping included leisure activities and social support as coping behaviours. 

Analysis of the questionnaires found that the participants in this study reported high use of planning, active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, selfdistraction, humour and instrumental support as strategies to cope with stress. The similar results from the questionnaires add support for the themes found in this study.

The knowledge of the adaptive coping strategies reportedly used by participants in this study, could help to minimise the negative effects of stress and reduce the high suicide rate in dairy farmers. This study also increases the knowledge of coping strategies used by individuals in high stress occupations such as farming. Further implications of this study, and directions for future research are discussed in the final chapter.

text: Coping Strategies that New Zealand Dairy Farmers use to combat stress New Zealand dairy farmers work in an industry which is associated with high levels of stress and increasing rates of suicide. Occupational issues such as economic factors, changes in the industry, time pressures and poor weather have been found to cause strain in farmers (Botha, 2012), however research examining coping strategies for farmers in New Zealand is lacking. This was an exploratory study which aimed to identify coping strategies that New Zealand dairy farmers engage in to eliminate or reduce the effects of stress due to their job.

Eleven dairy farmers based in the Waikato region of New Zealand, participated in this study by completing an interview and two questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Brief COPE. It was found that the participants reported using a wide range of coping strategies. Thematic analysis identified major themes including work related coping, social related coping, maladaptive coping and personal health. The work related theme included both active coping and constructive thinking as means of coping. The social related coping included leisure activities and social support as coping behaviours. 

Analysis of the questionnaires found that the participants in this study reported high use of planning, active coping, acceptance, positive reframing, selfdistraction, humour and instrumental support as strategies to cope with stress. The similar results from the questionnaires add support for the themes found in this study.

The knowledge of the adaptive coping strategies reportedly used by participants in this study, could help to minimise the negative effects of stress and reduce the high suicide rate in dairy farmers. This study also increases the knowledge of coping strategies used by individuals in high stress occupations such as farming. Further implications of this study, and directions for future research are discussed in the final chapter.

year: 2016

title: Special Issue: Novel Advances and Approaches in Biomedical Materials Based on Calcium Phosphates [Editorial]

authors: Mucalo, Michael R.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Research on calcium phosphate use in the development and clinical application of biomedical materials is a diverse activity and is genuinely interdisciplinary, with much work leading to innovative solutions for improvement of health outcomes. This Special Issue aimed to summarize current advances in this area. The nine papers published cover a wide spectrum of topical areas, such as (1) remineralisation pastes for decalcified teeth, (2) use of statins to enhance bone formation, (3) how dolomitic marble and seashells can be processed into bioceramic materials, (4) relationships between the roughness of calcium phosphate surfaces and surface charge with the effect on human MRC osteogenic differentiation and maturation being investigated, (5) rheological and mechanical properties of a novel injectable bone substitute, (6) improving strength of bone cements by incorporating reinforcing chemically modified fibres, (7) using adipose stem cells to stimulate osteogenesis, osteoinduction, and angiogenesis on calcium phosphates, (8) using glow discharge treatments to remove surface contaminants from biomedical materials to enhance cell attachment and improve bone generation, and (9) a review on how classically brittle hydroxyapatite based scaffolds can be improved by making fibre-hydroxyapatite composites, with detailed analysis of ceramic crack propagation mechanisms and its prevention via fibre incorporation in the hydroxyapatite.

text: Special Issue: Novel Advances and Approaches in Biomedical Materials Based on Calcium Phosphates [Editorial] Research on calcium phosphate use in the development and clinical application of biomedical materials is a diverse activity and is genuinely interdisciplinary, with much work leading to innovative solutions for improvement of health outcomes. This Special Issue aimed to summarize current advances in this area. The nine papers published cover a wide spectrum of topical areas, such as (1) remineralisation pastes for decalcified teeth, (2) use of statins to enhance bone formation, (3) how dolomitic marble and seashells can be processed into bioceramic materials, (4) relationships between the roughness of calcium phosphate surfaces and surface charge with the effect on human MRC osteogenic differentiation and maturation being investigated, (5) rheological and mechanical properties of a novel injectable bone substitute, (6) improving strength of bone cements by incorporating reinforcing chemically modified fibres, (7) using adipose stem cells to stimulate osteogenesis, osteoinduction, and angiogenesis on calcium phosphates, (8) using glow discharge treatments to remove surface contaminants from biomedical materials to enhance cell attachment and improve bone generation, and (9) a review on how classically brittle hydroxyapatite based scaffolds can be improved by making fibre-hydroxyapatite composites, with detailed analysis of ceramic crack propagation mechanisms and its prevention via fibre incorporation in the hydroxyapatite.

year: 2019

title: Using inclusive research with participants with learning (intellectual) disability to better inform adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Newcombe, Nicolina

abstract: Western ideas about disability and literacy were developed in tandem during the Industrial Revolution and subsequently brought to Aotearoa New Zealand via colonisation. These ideas inform and reinforce educator attitudes, which are the leading factor impeding adults with learning [intellectual] disability from their educational pathways of choice. People without learning disability need to hear the voices of people with learning disability to counteract these attitudes and move towards transformational equality.

There is a paucity of information about the access to and accessibility of adult literacy education for people with learning disability in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, anecdotal evidence reports their exclusion, even from foundational adult learning. There was a gap in knowledge where collaborative research that conveys the experiences of adults with learning disability was needed to gain greater insight to these issues in our bicultural context. My original contribution to knowledge is to present the voices of adults with learning disability as they discuss and demonstrate their literacy practices, and to use their perspectives to make recommendations for adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I undertook a thematic analysis of current adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand and found that they target “most” adult learners, while positioning disabled people as needing specialised, and by inference optional to provide, education and resources. These policies also prescribe a linear and progressive andragogy that may not meet the needs of all adults with learning disability, while measuring literacy skills in a way that does not foreground their strengths or value their purposes for engagement.

Then, I conducted Inclusive Participatory Action Research with five adults with learning disability to gather information about their literacy practices and perspectives. Participants in this research decided to call themselves the Passioners. We met for 10 research meetings, preceded by at least two home visits, and interspersed by reflective meetings with individual participants. All research information was presented in easy read and key information was distributed audiovisually.

The Passioners added value to this research by providing unique opportunities that are only available through doing inclusive research with them, prompting research improvements, innovation, and my efforts towards acculturation in their worlds. I evaluated my inclusive approach in this research to learn more about how people with learning disability do research as people with learning disability, and what dispositions, resources, and skills people without learning disability need to do research with them.

Using reflexive thematic analysis, I constructed six themes from our research meetings data: learning disability cultural literacies, Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) cultural literacies, Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) cultural literacies, encoding, decoding, and social media, which extends the narrow definition of literacy in our adult literacy policies. These findings, and those from my policy analysis, were used to inform policy recommendations. Policy recommendations in this research may support implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly access to lifelong learning on an equal basis with others.

text: Using inclusive research with participants with learning (intellectual) disability to better inform adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand Western ideas about disability and literacy were developed in tandem during the Industrial Revolution and subsequently brought to Aotearoa New Zealand via colonisation. These ideas inform and reinforce educator attitudes, which are the leading factor impeding adults with learning [intellectual] disability from their educational pathways of choice. People without learning disability need to hear the voices of people with learning disability to counteract these attitudes and move towards transformational equality.

There is a paucity of information about the access to and accessibility of adult literacy education for people with learning disability in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, anecdotal evidence reports their exclusion, even from foundational adult learning. There was a gap in knowledge where collaborative research that conveys the experiences of adults with learning disability was needed to gain greater insight to these issues in our bicultural context. My original contribution to knowledge is to present the voices of adults with learning disability as they discuss and demonstrate their literacy practices, and to use their perspectives to make recommendations for adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I undertook a thematic analysis of current adult literacy policies in Aotearoa New Zealand and found that they target “most” adult learners, while positioning disabled people as needing specialised, and by inference optional to provide, education and resources. These policies also prescribe a linear and progressive andragogy that may not meet the needs of all adults with learning disability, while measuring literacy skills in a way that does not foreground their strengths or value their purposes for engagement.

Then, I conducted Inclusive Participatory Action Research with five adults with learning disability to gather information about their literacy practices and perspectives. Participants in this research decided to call themselves the Passioners. We met for 10 research meetings, preceded by at least two home visits, and interspersed by reflective meetings with individual participants. All research information was presented in easy read and key information was distributed audiovisually.

The Passioners added value to this research by providing unique opportunities that are only available through doing inclusive research with them, prompting research improvements, innovation, and my efforts towards acculturation in their worlds. I evaluated my inclusive approach in this research to learn more about how people with learning disability do research as people with learning disability, and what dispositions, resources, and skills people without learning disability need to do research with them.

Using reflexive thematic analysis, I constructed six themes from our research meetings data: learning disability cultural literacies, Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) cultural literacies, Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) cultural literacies, encoding, decoding, and social media, which extends the narrow definition of literacy in our adult literacy policies. These findings, and those from my policy analysis, were used to inform policy recommendations. Policy recommendations in this research may support implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly access to lifelong learning on an equal basis with others.

year: 2024-09