The aims of the dissertation were to assess: the psychological peculiarities of Lithuanian Afghanistan war veterans; the risk factors and the intensity of risk factors relations with posttraumatic reactions. A sample of 268 Lithuanian men who served in the Soviet Army in 1979–1989 was investigated on the average 17 years after the service: 174 men – study group and 94 – comparison group. The questionnaire was completed focusing on life-threatening experience, posttraumatic stress reactions, and mediating variables – social support, adaptation, sense of coherence, consumption of alcohol and drugs (HTQ, TSC-35, CSS, SOC13, structured and open questions). Lithuanian Afghanistan war veterans have more long-term psychological after-effects than the comparison group. Lithuanian Afghanistan war veterans experienced significantly more service-related and non-service-related traumatic events and conditions. Their adaptation after the service and nowadays were poorer and alcohol consumption is far more hazardous than in the comparison. Sense of coherence, adaptation after the service, violent assault, loss of the family member and alcohol consumption nowadays predict PTSD. The model of Afghanistan war veterans’ psychological after-effects is presented and discussed. / Tyrimo tikslai buvo nustatyti: 1) kokie psichologiniai ypatumai būdingi Lietuvos Afganistano karo veteranams; 2) veiksnius, susijusius su vyrų dalyvavusių Afganistano kare potrauminės simptomatikos išreikštumu ir įvertinti tų veiksnių sąsajų su potraumine simptomatika stiprumą. Tyrimo dalyviai – 268 Lietuvos vyrai atlikę privalomąją karo tarnybą Sovietų armijoje 1979-1989 metais. Tiriamoji grupė – 174 vyrai tranavę Afganistano-Sovietų Sąjungos kare, palyginamoji grupė – 94 vyrai tarnavę SSRS teritorijoje, kur karo veiksmų nebuvo. Jie buvo apklausti vidutiniškai 17 metų po sugrįžimo iš tarnybos. Klausimyną sudarė Harvardo traumos klausimynas, Traumos simptomų klausimynas, Paramos krizėje skalė, Vidinės darnos skalė ir struktūruoti bei atviri klausimai apie trauminį patyrimą, potraumines pasekmes bei tarpinius kintamuosius – prisitaikymą, socialinę paramą, vidinę darną bei alkoholio ir narkotikų vartojimą. Lietuvos Afganistano karo veteranų ilgalaikiai potrauminiai padariniai yra sunkesni, nei palyginamosios grupės. Lietuvos Afganistano karo veteranų traumininė patirtis, susijusi su tarnyba ir viso gyvenimo yra sunkesnė, adaptacija iš karto po tarnybos ir dabartiniu metu prastene bei jiems labiau būdingas žalingas alkoholio vartojimas dabartiniu metu, nei palyginamosios grupės vyrams. Potrauminio streso sutrikimo pasireiškimą geriausiai prognozavo vidinė darna, prisitaikymas po tarnybos, patirtas smurtinis užpuolimas, šeimos nario netektis ir alkoholio vartojimas dabartiniu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Univ., Diss.--Wien, 2005.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 110 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-78).

The goal of this work is to record and reflect private memories of modern Czech war veterans from the Afghanistan mission as well as to write an integrated text about a topic which has not been interpreted yet. The core of the matter is focused on situations which happened in Afghanistan, what the narrators experienced, faced or felt and what they cope with. I am dealing with these topics: preparation for mission, choice of people, leave-taking, the first moments in mission, war essence, enemy image, interpersonal relations, intimate life, financial estimation, mascots and comeback. I tried to catch their unusually common lives of army professionals and their operations in an abroad mission (lapped from leaving till returning life phase). The primary source of the diploma work is based on interviews lead by a method of oral history with modern Czech war veterans from mission in Afghanistan. The text also props upon available memoir literature of fact, study, researches, magazines, diary, Internet articles and filmography. During the reflection of mission memories of Afghanistan, the observed plane is as historical - political as military. The main benefit of this work is setting the imaginary bases for the further similarly oriented researches in the area of new age military historiography and...

Mental suffering costs the society amounts of money every year due to sick leave, suicide and general production loss. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the conditions that can affect anyone who has experienced a traumatic event.  This thesis examines the positive experiences and limitations of the treatment form Imagery rehearsal therapy for war veterans’ post-traumatic nightmares. The results show that this treatment reduces post-trauma nightmares both in frequency and in intensity. It also improves the quality of sleep and reduces PTSD- and depression symptoms. However, veterans with multiple traumas as a basis for their PTSD may need more sessions of imagery rehearsal therapy. The results also indicate that the treatment also can show positive results in the reduction of the nightmare frequency and intensity in individuals who suffer from other types of traumatic nightmares than the war veterans had. / Psykiskt lidande kostar samhället stora summor årligen genom sjukskrivningar, självmord och allmänt produktionsbortfall. Posttraumatiskt stressyndrom (PTSD) är ett av dessa sjukdomstillstånd och kan drabba vem som helst som upplevt en traumatisk händelse. Detta examensarbete undersöker de positiva erfarenheterna av och begränsningarna hos behandlingsformen imagery rehearsal therapy vid posttraumatiska mardrömmar hos krigsveteraner. Resultatet visar att denna behandlingsform minskar posttraumatiska mardrömmar både i frekvens och i intensitet. Den förbättrar även sömnkvalitén, samt minskar PTSD-och depressionssymptom. Dock, så kankrigsveteraner med flera trauman som grund för deras PTSD behöva fler sessioner av imagery rehearsal therapy. Resultaten visar också att behandlingen även kan visa positiva resultat i minskning av mardrömmars frekvens och intensitet hos individer som lider av andra typer av traumatiska mardrömmar än de krigsveteranerna hade.

As we pass the 6oth anniversary of the end of World War Two (WW2) historians are diligently collecting the memoirs of veterans to preserve for future generations. Public archives of memorabilia, letters, photos and artefacts, in the process of digitisation are complimenting the stone memorials of the past. This material culture of memory discusses human interaction. “The poor, the rich, the brave and the afraid, the hero and the deserter” (Moriarty, 1999, p 654). In contemporary museum culture this digitised information is presented in either web-based systems, or interactive kiosks. However, this approach to packaging memories and historical data often leaves out much of the depth of the topic information, skimming the surface of the knowledge conveyed. New solutions to memory and artefact display have been developed effectively in the Churchill room’s exhibit designed by Small Design (Kabat,2008) and Memory Miner (Memory Miner, 2008), a home-based memory archive programme by John Fox. Both convey the memories and artefacts upon a mapped interface, using our desire to discover and connect with memories to navigate the narrative in a self-guided format. The Storytelling Memories project seeks to build on current research to formulate an interactive platform of memory immersion and experience within a museum environment. The project utilises a touch sensitive surface as an interface between the viewer and the memories. A physical controller, when placed near the interface surface will “unlock” contained memories, enabling an open-ended storytelling experience. The design encourages the user to interact directly with the memories to create their own dialogue, with the intention of developing a more emotive, personal connection to the Veteran.

As we pass the 6oth anniversary of the end of World War Two (WW2) historians are diligently collecting the memoirs of veterans to preserve for future generations. Public archives of memorabilia, letters, photos and artefacts, in the process of digitisation are complimenting the stone memorials of the past. This material culture of memory discusses human interaction. “The poor, the rich, the brave and the afraid, the hero and the deserter” (Moriarty, 1999, p 654). In contemporary museum culture this digitised information is presented in either web-based systems, or interactive kiosks. However, this approach to packaging memories and historical data often leaves out much of the depth of the topic information, skimming the surface of the knowledge conveyed. New solutions to memory and artefact display have been developed effectively in the Churchill room’s exhibit designed by Small Design (Kabat,2008) and Memory Miner (Memory Miner, 2008), a home-based memory archive programme by John Fox. Both convey the memories and artefacts upon a mapped interface, using our desire to discover and connect with memories to navigate the narrative in a self-guided format. The Storytelling Memories project seeks to build on current research to formulate an interactive platform of memory immersion and experience within a museum environment. The project utilises a touch sensitive surface as an interface between the viewer and the memories. A physical controller, when placed near the interface surface will “unlock” contained memories, enabling an open-ended storytelling experience. The design encourages the user to interact directly with the memories to create their own dialogue, with the intention of developing a more emotive, personal connection to the Veteran.

As we pass the 6oth anniversary of the end of World War Two (WW2) historians are diligently collecting the memoirs of veterans to preserve for future generations. Public archives of memorabilia, letters, photos and artefacts, in the process of digitisation are complimenting the stone memorials of the past. This material culture of memory discusses human interaction. “The poor, the rich, the brave and the afraid, the hero and the deserter” (Moriarty, 1999, p 654). In contemporary museum culture this digitised information is presented in either web-based systems, or interactive kiosks. However, this approach to packaging memories and historical data often leaves out much of the depth of the topic information, skimming the surface of the knowledge conveyed. New solutions to memory and artefact display have been developed effectively in the Churchill room’s exhibit designed by Small Design (Kabat,2008) and Memory Miner (Memory Miner, 2008), a home-based memory archive programme by John Fox. Both convey the memories and artefacts upon a mapped interface, using our desire to discover and connect with memories to navigate the narrative in a self-guided format. The Storytelling Memories project seeks to build on current research to formulate an interactive platform of memory immersion and experience within a museum environment. The project utilises a touch sensitive surface as an interface between the viewer and the memories. A physical controller, when placed near the interface surface will “unlock” contained memories, enabling an open-ended storytelling experience. The design encourages the user to interact directly with the memories to create their own dialogue, with the intention of developing a more emotive, personal connection to the Veteran.

Abstract Becoming involved in war is an experience that has the potential to shape later-life health. The aim of the present study was to explore Finnish Second World War veterans’ health status and the determinants of self-rated health (SRH) and functional capacity, especially the ability to walk, and to identify risk factors and their combinations that predict late-life mortality among veterans. The study population comprised Finnish Second World War veterans who participated in the Veteran 1992 and Veteran 2004 Project surveys. In 1992, a postal questionnaire was sent to all 242,720 war veterans living in Finland. The follow-up survey, the Veteran 2004 Project, was conducted with a randomized sample of veterans who participated in the Veteran 1992 Project. The total number of participants in the baseline survey was 177,989 men and 48,745 women, and in the follow-up survey, 4,348 men and 651 women. The response rate was high in both surveys: 93% in 1992 and 87% in 2004. All analyses were conducted separately for men without disability, men with disability and women. In a cross-sectional study, SRH and functional capacity was found to be better among 80–84-year-old Finnish war veterans in 2004 compared with 1992, although the prevalence of many diseases increased during the follow-up. Among the 4,999 veterans who participated in both surveys, the majority rated their health as improved or unchanged during the follow-up. Walking difficulties and cardiovascular (CVD), musculoskeletal and neurological diseases were found to be predictors of declined SRH. When exploring functional capacity among veterans, neurological and musculoskeletal diseases, but especially walking difficulties, predicted veterans’ future functional impairment as many as 12 years in advance, and worsening of these conditions was associated with impaired activities of daily living. During an average 9.9-year follow-up, walking difficulties alone or together with multimorbidity and/or with a third risk factor was the most important risk factor for total and for CVD mortality among all veteran groups. In conclusion, the majority of veterans rated their SRH as improved or unchanged during the follow-up. The importance of walking difficulties as a determinant of SRH and functional capacity and as a predictor of mortality was confirmed. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli arvioida suomalaisten toisen maailmansodan veteraanien terveydentilaa ja tutkia, mitkä tekijät vaikuttavat veteraanien itsearvioituun terveyteen ja toimintakykyyn (erityisesti kävelykykyyn) sekä tunnistaa ne riskitekijät ja tekijäyhdistelmät, jotka ennustavat kuolleisuutta. Tutkimuspopulaationa käytettiin Veteraaniprojekti 1992 ja Veteraaniprojekti 2004 -tutkimuksiin osallistuneita veteraaneja. Vuonna 1992 kysely lähetettiin postitse jokaiselle Suomessa tuolloin asuneelle 242 720 veteraanille. Seurantatutkimukseen valittiin 5 750 veteraanin satunnaisotos vuoden 1992 tutkimukseen osallistuneista. Veteraaniprojekti 1992 -tutkimukseen osallistui 177 989 miestä ja 48 745 naista ja seurantatutkimukseen 4 348 miestä ja 651 naista. Osallistumisprosentti oli 93 % (1992) ja 87 % (2004). Analyysit tehtiin erikseen veteraanimiehille joilla ei ollut invaliditeettia, invalidimiehille ja naisille. Poikkileikkaustutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin 80–84-vuotiaiden veteraanien terveyttä ja toimintakykyä vuosina 1992 ja 2004. Vuonna 2004 veteraanit arvioivat terveytensä ja toimintakykynsä paremmiksi kuin samanikäiset veteraanit vuonna 1992, vaikka monet sairaudet yleistyivät seuranta-aikana. Suurin osa molempiin kyselyihin vastanneista 4 999 veteraanista arvioi terveytensä joko parantuneen tai pysyneen ennallaan seuranta-aikana. Veteraanien kokemat kävelyvaikeudet, sydän- ja verisuonisairaudet, tuki-ja liikuntaelinsairaudet sekä neurologiset sairaudet ennustivat itsearvioidun terveyden heikkenemistä. Sydän- ja verisuonisairauksia lukuun ottamatta edellä mainitut tekijät ennustivat myös toimintakyvyn laskua jopa 12 vuotta etukäteen. Myös kävelykyvyn heikkeneminen ja sairauksien paheneminen seuranta-aikana ennustivat toimintakyvyn laskua. Kävelyvaikeudet joko yksin tai yhdessä multimorbiditeetin ja/tai jonkin kolmannen riskitekijän kanssa oli tärkein sekä kokonaiskuolleisuutta että sydän- ja verisuonitautikuolleisuutta ennustava tekijä kaikissa veteraaniryhmissä keskimäärin 9,9 vuoden seuranta-aikana. Yhteenvetona voidaan todeta, että enemmistö tutkimukseen osallistuneista veteraaneista arvioi terveytensä joko parantuneen tai pysyneen ennallaan seuranta-aikana. Koetut kävelyvaikeudet ovat erittäin tärkeä itsearvioitua terveyttä, toimintakykyä ja kuolleisuutta ennustava tekijä.

The study looks at the land issue from the perspective of Missiology. It shows in what sense the land issue is an issue for mission. The pastoral cycle of Henriot and Holland is used to analyse the land issue in Zimbabwe. The analysis takes seriously the situation of the marginalized in Zimbabwe in relation to other stakeholders in the land issue. The study also looks at the ecological implications of the land issue. A comparison is drawn between South Africa and Zimbabwe as far as the land issue is concerned. A major aspect of the study is the theological question on God and land. The study concludes with a proposal on the kind of action that needs to be taken in resolving the land question. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th.(Missiology)