Immigration and language learning are topics of interest to many people around the world; it is a daily concern for immigrants and for people who are welcoming immigrants to their country. Canada has experienced a lot of immigration for many years, and is therefore a suitable location for research on language learning and language use. Canucks English Centre (CEC) is an education centre where mostly women attend to improve their English skills, as well as take other courses that are relevant to their situation as low income parents. Through qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 13 women that have at some point taken classes at CEC, information about female English learners' subjective experiences were examined. The aim of this research project was to learn more about English learners' language use, and how social interaction in English was experienced by the individual. This study also set out to learn more about individual action and choices made by the women in an effort to learn more English. This research project describes the reality for women that are learning English and living their lives at the same time. The interviews revealed many challenges faced by women in their situation, for example lack of time, money and support to attend classes. On the other hand, the research describes active choices made by the women to improve their English skills, such as volunteering or choosing neighbourhoods where people speak English. A factor that has a big impact on the women's motivation to learn English was the desire to help their children with their school and to communicate with their children's teachers. A major finding was that almost all women were unsatisfied with their ability to use English. This finding is something that needs more attention, as every woman should feel confident and competent enough to communicate in the official language of the country in which they live.

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Bakgrund: Posttraumatiskt stressyndrom (PTSD) är en av de vanligaste psykiatriska följdsjukdomarna efter en traumatisk upplevelse. Många av de individer som har diagnostiserats med PTSD har samtidiga kroppsliga besvär och det finns forskning som tyder på att fysioterapeutiska interventioner skulle kunna vara betydelsefulla i behandlingen av PTSD. Trots att forskning på området fysioterapi vid PTSD har ökat i omfattning under de senaste åren är fysioterapeutprofessionen inte självklar i PTSD-teamet. En kvalitativ studie om hur fysioterapeuter upplever sin roll i behandlingen av patienter med PTSD skulle kunna bidra med värdefull information. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att beskriva fysioterapeuters upplevelser och erfarenheter av att arbeta med vuxna personer som har diagnostiserats med posttraumatiskt stressyndrom. Metod: Studien var en kvalitativ intervjustudie som baserades på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med fysioterapeuter från Röda Korsets behandlingscenter i Sverige. Ett ändamålsenligt urval tillämpades i studien och datan analyserades utifrån en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Analysprocessen resulterade i 14 underkategorier och fyra kategorier. De fyra kategorierna var; Ett varierat och individanpassat fysioterapeutiskt arbetssätt vid PTSD, Fysioterapeutens betydelse och unika roll i PTSD-teamet, Variationsrika framgångsfaktorer inom vården av PTSD och Utmaningar som komplicerar vården vid PTSD. Konklusion: Fysioterapeuter har, i och med sin unika kompetens, en betydelsefull roll i PTSD-teamet och kan genom kroppsliga behandlingsmetoder göra en stor skillnad för patienter med PTSD. Utmaningarna för fysioterapeuter inom vården av PTSD var många och det fanns en önskan om mer forskning och utbildning. Vidare forskning på området fysioterapi vid PTSD behövs för att fylla de kunskapsluckor som finns inom området. / Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders following a traumatic event. Many of those who have been diagnosed with PTSD have bodily symptoms and research suggests that physiotherapeutic interventions may be meaningful in the treatment of PTSD. Even though research regarding physiotherapy and PTSD has grown over the last couple of years physiotherapists are not a natural part of the PTSD-team. A qualitative study regarding physiotherapists views on their role in the treatment of PTSD could provide valuable information. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe physiotherapists' views and experiences of working with adults who have been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder.  Method: The study was a qualitative interview study which was based upon five semi-structured interviews with physiotherapists from the Red Cross treatment centers in Sweden. A purposive sampling was used and the data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis.   Results: The analysis resulted in 14 subcategories and four categories. The four categories were; A varied and personalized physiotherapeutic way of working with PTSD, The physiotherapists importance and unique role in the PTSD-team, Variating successful factors in the healthcare of PTSD and Challenges that complicates the healthcare of PTSD. Conclusion: Physiotherapists have, because of their unique competence, an important role in the PTSD-team and can make a big difference for their patients through physiotherapeutic interventions. There are many challenges in the healthcare of PTSD for physiotherapists and more research and education was requested. Further research regarding physiotherapy and PTSD is needed.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The aim of this study was to explore how HIV positive people understand and describe their experience of taking antiretroviral treatment consistently in a strictly organised regimen. Eight participants were recruited from Ikhwezi Clinic. The participants were interviewed using an in depth interview guide. A Phenomenological data analysis was employed through which six themes emerged. The themes are forgetting and memory aids, fitting treatment into daily routine, belief in effectiveness of medication, experiences of side effects, disclosure and social support and relationship with the health care provider. The health belief model and the self-efficacy theory were applied in the study. These theories helped to understand that the decision to take treatment is not only based on the individual experiences and beliefs but the interaction with the social and environmental factors as well. Family, community and health care factors are all interconnected and play a vital role in the decision to commence and continue with HAART. The study revealed that PLWHA can adhere to antiretroviral medication if they believe in the benefits of doing so. Furthermore it became clear that experiences of men and women differ when it comes to HAART. The involvement of the inlaws as experienced by the women in this study had a negative influence in the participants' adherence routine. Further studies are needed to explore the influence of culture in decision making by women with regards to their health.

This research is the result of a need within the entrepreneurial community, amongst both existing businesses as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, to pay attention to the marketing skills, abilities and activities required to navigate in the rapidly changing business environment in which they operate. It’s no longer enough that an entrepreneur only possesses the entrepreneurial will and drive to start an enterprise. In order to succeed and thrive, they require a skill set that needs to be employed from the beginning. The ability of the entrepreneur to successfully market their business, particularly in the early phases of development, is a crucial skill that can ensure the survival of the enterprise. The research comprised of sixteen in-depth interviews with existing entrepreneurs in South Africa, as well as four with experts in the fields of SMEs and Marketing. All of the interviews were conducted face-to-face, with the exception of one of the SME and Marketing experts, whose interview was conducted telephonically. The interviews followed a semi-structured discussion guide that allowed for variations in the discussion as required. A number of the entrepreneurs interviewed had not conducted any marketing planning in the start-up phase of their ventures, yet succeeded. The entrepreneurs did, however, practice ad-hoc marketing activities in the early stages of their business, as well as networking with customers, suppliers and their industry. It was also found that the respondents’ knowledge of how to market their businesses increased over time, and as their businesses matured, they allocated more significant resources towards marketing their businesses. The research project concludes that: whilst beneficial, upfront marketing planning is not essential for start-ups; networking and ad-hoc marketing is important for start-ups to practice; putting a significant allocation of resources towards marketing is valuable. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

Purpose: Some of the most significant mental health concerns among US adults are depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and intimate partner violence. These concerns represent an ever-growing portion of the primary care population, especially in rural areas. However, few studies have examined factors influencing screening and treatment of these concerns by primary care providers, particularly in Appalachia. This study explores barriers and facilitators to mental health screening and treatment among women at a rural, primary care clinic in Appalachia. Methods: Eighteen patients and 4 providers were interviewed face-to-face. Thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes. Findings: Patients identified 3 barriers (stigma, lack of support, and lack of education) and 2 facilitators (integrated care and positive experiences with providers). Providers identified 4 barriers (operational barriers, mental health competence, predicted patient reactions, and patient attitudes) and 3 facilitators (clinic characteristics, provider characteristics, and patient and provider education). Generally, patients focused more on individual and social factors influencing mental health service use, while providers were more aware of training gaps, logistical factors at the clinic, and systemic issues within the larger health care system. Both participant types emphasized specific interpersonal qualities and the importance of integrated services. Conclusions: Screening and treatment may be influenced by the availability and advertisement of integrated services, institutional support, strong patient-provider relationships, and provider training and experience. For rural south central Appalachia women, limited mental health resources may make these factors even more salient.

Context: Over a decade ago, leaders in rural medical education established the Rural Medical Educators (RME) Group, an interest group within the National Rural Health Association, to support faculty in rural medical education programs. This group has convened an annual RME conclave since 2006. In 2008, this conclave convened 15 national leaders in rural medical education at The University of Alabama. Methods: In preparation for the conclave, potential participants were e-mailed a set of questions regarding their respective medical education program's initiating motivation, support, resistance, resources, accomplishments, and continuation plans. Analysis of participants' responses resulted in a question guide that was used at a focus group conducted at the conclave. Purpose: The purpose of the focus group was to explore the experiences of established rural medical educators related to program development and maintenance. The focus group was recorded and transcribed, and then analyzed using the constant comparative method. Findings: Five essential elements for rural medical education programs emerged from the analysis. The elements were: admit the right student, include curricular elements that occur and are required in rural training sites, establish a cadre of rural physicians who are dedicated to education of their successors, secure financial and relational support for the program, and evaluate program progress. Discussion and Conclusions: Discussion about these 5 elements can provide program guidance to neophyte rural medical education programs. Five recommendations are presented in an effort to continue discussion about the essential elements and identify actions that rural medical educators can take to further assist developing programs.

Video games have long held a spotty history in their narratives regarding women. Most research has examined large budget games and identified issues of simplification, oversexualization, and a general lack of agency among female characters. The present study explores the gaming niche of “indie”—or independent game developer—video games in their representations of women in particular with Never Alone, Gone Home, and Her Story. These games were released around the time frame of the GamerGate controversy—a controversy which drew attention to the treatment of women in gaming culture—and hence, the games are used to reflect on a potential shift in games culture following the controversy. This article argues that these game narratives emphasized multilayered female characterizations, female-to-female interactions, and internal dramas as a way to potentially reach female gamers and present an alternative, humanizing narrative on women.

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This study employed the Qualitative Narrative Policy Framework (Q-NPF) and content analysis as methodological approaches in order to analyze the differences between the province of British Columbia’s New Democratic Party (NDP) and the British Columbia (BC) Liberal Party’s policy strategies towards the issues of poverty reduction and homelessness in BC. The Q-NPF is a theoretically deductive approach used to analyze narratives in public policy, and it's defining purpose is to “empirically understand the role of policy narratives in shaping public policy” (Gray & Jones, 2016, p. 22). Analyzing the policy recommendations and implementations by these political parties revealed how the parties framed poverty and homelessness issues. Three research questions guided this study: (i) Does the characterization of these issues within policy differ between the BC NDP and the BC Liberals, and if so, how? (ii) What narrative strategies did each political party use to promote their policy positions on poverty and homelessness, and how did these differ? (iii) Are there policy-related reasons for the continuation of poverty and homelessness in BC? The results of this study demonstrated that the characterization of poverty and homelessness within policy does indeed differ, which was demonstrated in the narrative strategies of both parties. While the NDP focused on their innovative, ‘landmark’ policies and programs, discredited and criticized past government efforts, and utilized themes of togetherness and community, the Liberal party’s two most dominant narrative strategies consisted of promoting past successes and strengthening economic prosperity. Finally, in regard to the third research question, assumptions were able to be made that pointed towards the notion that there are policy-related reasons for the continuation of poverty and homelessness in BC. However, evidence to sufficiently answer this question was found to be more nuanced and requires further research. / Graduate / 2021-08-17