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Magister Curationis - MCur / The legislation of abortion in many countries, allowing women the right to decide to terminate pregnancy, has introduced an unfamiliar situation to the medical professionals, especially nurses and doctors who are the implementers of the legislation.

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Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / Adult learners’ perception of factors that are internal to their perceived control of their lives can be challenging to overcome when making a decision to participate in learning. There are complex relationships between psychological, and social barriers to participation in adult learning. Psychosocial barriers can deter adults’ participation in learning programmes. Understanding the nature of such barriers can enable policymakers, educators and adult learners create strategies to reduce such barriers in order to increase adults’ participation in adult learning. This study investigated the research question: What are adult learners’ perceptions of psycho-social factors that undermine participation in adult education and learning? The psycho-social interaction model adopted as a conceptual framework allowed the study to contextualise and analyse the effects of socio-economic status on the adult learner’s decision and readiness to participate. The model provided the broad segments of the adult learners’ pre-adulthood and adulthood learning years and through a thematic analysis attempted to analyse psychosocial factors that emerged as barriers to participatory behaviour in learning. An interview guide was used during a semi-structured interview. The study investigated a group of adult learners attending a non-formal learning programme in Central Johannesburg, South Africa. The selection of participants included 6 males and 4 females between 21 years to 49 years of age. The study findings showed that the adult learners’ perceptions of family support as well as the learning environment support are key enabling factors, which assist the adult learner to develop learning capabilities. Negative experiences with prior schooling was also described as a psychosocial barrier to participation. Age was a socio-economic variable that influenced the type of stimuli participants identified as a psycho-social factor which influenced their decision to take up further learning. Adult learners felt confident to successfully complete their current and future studies however perceived their learning press as a motivating factor that impacted their decision to participate. Findings also suggested that experiences of adult learners are unique to their specific context and educational planning can integrate ways to address enhancement of learning experiences for a diverse learner audience in non-formal learning programmes. The study concluded that while adult learners acquire social competencies through accessing non-formal programmes, further learning support is necessary to overcome the social and psychological complexities needed to develop basic academic learning capabilities.

This thesis responds to the lack of psychiatric and infrastructural support during the transition from inpatient to outpatient care, and proposes a supportive housing model for patient recovery. It establishes an architecture to support a new model for mental health care using the bio-psycho-social perspective outlined in the psychological research section. Research into different methods of treatment, perception, and current patient infrastructure reveal that the existing framework does not suit the needs of patients caught between the secure levels of care in forensic institutions and those recovered enough to sustain themselves. The psychiatric program is based on the bio-psycho-social perspective outlined in the psychology chapter of the thesis, which will be used to treat patients with schizophrenia, mood disorders and anxiety disorders. The architecture is designed to support this perspective, and is based on the research into perception and the architectural strategies needed in the design of a healing environment: community, security and privacy, patient control including spatial intelligibility, haptic and basic orientation, light, sound and positive distraction. The design is proposed for the Moss Park area in Toronto: where the actual site itself stretches from Dalhousie Street and Queen Street East to Mutual Street and Shuter Street. Its history and current amenities make it an ideal location for a design proposal, though multiple locations are envisioned across the GTA. The design presented in this thesis is envisaged as part of a network of varying care levels: follow-up care, supportive care and comprehensive care. The program for the site will consist of the supportive care programming, which is the middle level of care.

Sexuality is a sensitive topic in health care and is often interpreted through a natural scientific lens as just corresponding to sexual dysfunction and fertility problems. The purpose of this thesis was to describe sexuality and its outcomes in two cancer populations. Women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer in all stages were invited to participate. In this thesis, these two populations are restricted to age groups between 45 and 65 years, since there are reasons to believe that younger people are more vulnerable to sexuality changes. Lifeworld, gender, and sexuality are three concepts of importance in this thesis and they are used from the viewpoint of nursing care. Phenomenological interviews (I, III) and focus group interviews (II, IV) were carried out with a total number of 46 informants. The EPP-method (Empirical Phenomenological Psychological) was used (I, III) in order to grasp the lived experience, and qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the seven focus groups (II, IV). The lifeworld experiences of those women and men were comparable. The changes brought by the cancer and its treatment were a threat to their very existence, their existential base of knowledge had gone and alienation occurred (I, III). For the women, this was illustrated through the metaphor of a bird which is pinioned and unable to fly anymore. For the men it was expressed in the essential meaning “to lose the elixir of life”. Both women and men suffered, sexuality changed from one day to another and they handled it individually. Changed body appearance, and feeling old and unattractive were, for the women, the dominating features, whilst for the men changed desire and erection problems were their main concerns. The findings from the group discussions (II, IV) elucidate the gendered differences in these two contexts. The aim of the women was to look healthy and attractive and for the men the ability to have an erection was important. Neither of these two groups of people was able to meet their aims. On the other hand, being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease they were not in a position to claim preserved sexuality. This opens up existential questions that need to be confirmed in health care. To succeed in this, a change of perspective is required in health care. It should be possible to use human science to the same extent as natural science in health care.

This thesis responds to the lack of psychiatric and infrastructural support during the transition from inpatient to outpatient care, and proposes a supportive housing model for patient recovery. It establishes an architecture to support a new model for mental health care using the bio-psycho-social perspective outlined in the psychological research section. Research into different methods of treatment, perception, and current patient infrastructure reveal that the existing framework does not suit the needs of patients caught between the secure levels of care in forensic institutions and those recovered enough to sustain themselves. The psychiatric program is based on the bio-psycho-social perspective outlined in the psychology chapter of the thesis, which will be used to treat patients with schizophrenia, mood disorders and anxiety disorders. The architecture is designed to support this perspective, and is based on the research into perception and the architectural strategies needed in the design of a healing environment: community, security and privacy, patient control including spatial intelligibility, haptic and basic orientation, light, sound and positive distraction. The design is proposed for the Moss Park area in Toronto: where the actual site itself stretches from Dalhousie Street and Queen Street East to Mutual Street and Shuter Street. Its history and current amenities make it an ideal location for a design proposal, though multiple locations are envisioned across the GTA. The design presented in this thesis is envisaged as part of a network of varying care levels: follow-up care, supportive care and comprehensive care. The program for the site will consist of the supportive care programming, which is the middle level of care.

This study explores how sustainability practitioners understand and engage with the subjective psychological dimensions of `social mobilization'. At this particular moment, there exists scant research into precisely how these dimensions are being theorized and incorporated into the practice of social mobilization, despite a growing recognition that environmental engagement necessarily involves the `inner life' of people--the complex and interconnected psycho-social influences on who we are and how we understand our world. Using a narrative methodology, I interviewed seven sustainability facilitators about how they are currently making meaning of social change and how subjectivity is represented within this. The analysis presents four distinct ways that psycho-social dimensions are being negotiated and related to in engagement work. This research indicates that being able to engage with subjectivity is not so much a technical skill that can be learned, but rather a new way of making meaning of the world, others, and oneself.

The purpose of the study is to provide a descriptive analysis of food insecurity within the adult First Nations population in Manitoba. A bivariate analysis is used to determine strength of relationships between food insecurity and socio-demographic variables as well as self-reported general health and psycho-social health. This research study also includes a gender-based analysis (GBA), which allows for possible food insecurity prevalence differences between women and men The data obtained for this research study is from the second wave of the Manitoba First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (MFNRLHS, 2002/2003). Select socio-demographic variables as well as self-reported general health status, ‘life balance,’ and elements of psycho-social health, including self-reported health, ‘life balance,’ depression, intense anxiety, stress level, and domestic dispute were included. A P-value of 0.05 was used to identify significant differences. Significant results from this study include elevated food insecurity in Manitoba First Nations (37.2%). The bivariate analysis reveals that food insecurity is marginally associated with age group, with the highest food insecurity among young and middle-aged women; middle-aged men, and those with lone-parent status. Food insecurity is also significantly associated with total household income, the number of incomes per household, as well as employment versus government support over a two-year period. Food insecurity is elevated in both southern (29.4%) and northern (51.4%) regions of the province.

The purpose of the study is to provide a descriptive analysis of food insecurity within the adult First Nations population in Manitoba. A bivariate analysis is used to determine strength of relationships between food insecurity and socio-demographic variables as well as self-reported general health and psycho-social health. This research study also includes a gender-based analysis (GBA), which allows for possible food insecurity prevalence differences between women and men The data obtained for this research study is from the second wave of the Manitoba First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (MFNRLHS, 2002/2003). Select socio-demographic variables as well as self-reported general health status, ‘life balance,’ and elements of psycho-social health, including self-reported health, ‘life balance,’ depression, intense anxiety, stress level, and domestic dispute were included. A P-value of 0.05 was used to identify significant differences. Significant results from this study include elevated food insecurity in Manitoba First Nations (37.2%). The bivariate analysis reveals that food insecurity is marginally associated with age group, with the highest food insecurity among young and middle-aged women; middle-aged men, and those with lone-parent status. Food insecurity is also significantly associated with total household income, the number of incomes per household, as well as employment versus government support over a two-year period. Food insecurity is elevated in both southern (29.4%) and northern (51.4%) regions of the province.