This thesis project explores and investigates the potential benefits of implementing AR as an educational support tool for dyslexic students in higher education. This was conducted through three design explorations which investigate if the characteristic of AR holds any potential benefits for the participants while reading academic papers. These design explorations were created in the form of prototypes which explore and investigate how well AR could increase the readability in comparison to already existing technology, applications, and physical tools which is currently being used by dyslexic students. Main findings from the user-testings, indicate that augmented reality could allow the students to maneuver easily through multiple papers, increase readability of different texts, and that AR holds multiple benefits compared to traditional more commonly used educational support tools.

This thesis is about clients who are in treatment in therapeutic communities for drug addicts and suffer with a mental illness alongside drug addiction. The theoretical part summarizes the definition and description of dual diagnosis, the prevalence of people with dual diagnosis and discusses the possibilities of therapeutic approaches to clients with these specific demands. Finally, attention is paid to the theory of self-medication for symptoms of mental illness through addictive substances which supports the theoretical model of addiction as a result of reactions to psychiatric illness. The research was carried out at the research group, which was formed by all clients currently in treatment in two therapeutic communities for drug addicts in July 2015. The research was conducted as a quantitative design through non-standardized questionnaire. This research shows that from the total number of respondents, 79% had a psychiatric diagnosis in addition to substance abuse. Most often these were methamphetamine users and multiple substance users. From psychiatric disorders were most strongly represented personality disorders, depressive disorders and disorders from psychotic spectrum. With respondents who reported substance abuse to suppress psychopathological symptoms occurred reduction of most of...

Esse estudo teve como objetivos identificar os diagnósticos de enfermagem presentes em pacientes em pós-operatório imediato de colecistectomia, submetidos à anestesia geral com base na Taxonomia II da North American Nursing Diagnoses Association (NANDA) e no Modelo Conceitual de Horta; analisar os diagnósticos de enfermagem presentes nesses pacientes em relação aos fatores relacionados, características definidoras e fatores de risco e em relação ao seu estabelecimento e resolução no pós-operatório imediato; dentre os pacientes estudados que apresentaram o Diagnóstico de Enfermagem de Dor aguda, identificar as manifestações de dor apresentadas no pós-operatório imediato e compará-las com as características definidoras apresentadas pela NANDA e por outras literaturas. Para a etapa de coleta de dados, foi elaborado e validado um instrumento de coleta de dados com base no Modelo Conceitual de Wanda Horta. Foram avaliados 15 pacientes adultos no período pós-operatório imediato de colecistectomia laparoscópica, durante o período de setembro de 2004 a janeiro de 2005, no Centro de Recuperação Pós-anestésica do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo. Para o estabelecimento dos diagnósticos de enfermagem, utilizou-se um modelo de processo raciocínio diagnóstico, sendo esses nomeados de acordo com a Taxonomia II da NANDA. Foram identificados nove diferentes diagnósticos de enfermagem: Integridade tissular prejudicada (100%), Risco para infecção (100%), Percepção sensorial perturbada (100%), Risco para aspiração (100%), Risco para função respiratória alterada (80%), Hipotermia (60%), Risco para temperatura corporal desequilibrada (40%), Nutrição desequilibrada: mais do que as necessidades corporais (33,3%) e Dor aguda (26,7%). Para cada diagnóstico foram identificados e discutidos os fatores relacionados e características definidoras. Os pacientes que manifestaram o diagnóstico de enfermagem de Dor aguda apresentaram as seguintes características definidoras: relato verbal, evidência observada, expressão facial e comportamento de defesa. Observamos que todas essas manifestações são características definidoras apresentadas pela NANDA (2002) para esse diagnóstico. Em relação ao seu estabelecimento e resolução no pós-operatório imediato, os diagnósticos de enfermagem Risco para aspiração, Percepção sensorial perturbada e Hipotermia foram resolvidos em 50 minutos após a sua identificação. Para os diagnósticos de Risco para função respiratória alterada, Risco para temperatura corporal desequilibrada e Dor aguda, o tempo médio de resolução foi de 63,7, 77,5 e 36 minutos, respectivamente. Destacamos que os diagnósticos de Integridade tissular prejudicada, Risco para infecção e Nutrição desequilibrada: mais do que as necessidades corporais estiveram presentes desde a admissão do paciente no Centro de recuperação pós-anestésica até o momento da alta do paciente. / This study aimed to identify what nursing diagnoses are present in patients who had been submitted to general anesthesia during the immediate post-operative period after cholecystectomy, based on North American Nursing Diagnoses Association (NANDA) Taxonomy II and on Horta?s Conceptual Model; to analyze the nursing diagnoses that were present in these patients in terms of related factors, defining characteristics and risk factors, as well as with respect to their development and solution in the immediate post-operative period; to identify, among those study participants who presented the Nursing Diagnosis of Acute pain, the pain manifestations they presented during the immediate post-operative period and to compare them with the defining characteristics presented by NANDA and other literature sources. With a view to data collection, we elaborated and validated a data collection instrument on the basis of Wanda Horta?s Conceptual Model. 15 adult patients were evaluated in the immediate post-operative period after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, between September 2004 and January 2005, at the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Center of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto Medical School Hospital das Clínicas. The nursing diagnoses were established by means of a diagnostic reasoning process model, and were named in accordance with NANDA Taxonomy II. We identified nine different nursing diagnoses: Impaired tissue integrity (100%), Risk for infection (100%), Sensory perception alterations (100%), Risk for aspiration (100%), Risk for altered respiratory function (80%), Hypothermia (60%), Risk for imbalanced body temperature (40%), Altered nutrition: more than body needs (33,3%) and Acute pain (26,7%). For each diagnosis, we identified and discussed the related factors and defining characteristics. Patients with the nursing diagnosis of Acute pain presented the following defining characteristics: verbal report, observed evidence, facial expression and defense behavior. We observe that all of these manifestations are defining characteristics NANDA (2002) presented for this diagnosis. With respect to their development and solution during the immediate post-operative period, the nursing diagnoses Risk for aspiration, Sensorial perception alterations and Hypothermia were solved within 50 minutes after their identification. For the diagnoses Risk for altered respiratory function, Risk for imbalanced body temperature and Acute pain, average solution time was 63.7, 77.5 and 36 minutes, respectively. We highlight that diagnoses of Impaired skin integrity, Risk for infection and Unbalanced nutrition: more than body requirements were present from the patient admission on Post anesthesia Care Unit until the patient?s discharge.

Esse estudo teve como objetivos identificar os diagnósticos de enfermagem presentes em pacientes em pós-operatório imediato de colecistectomia, submetidos à anestesia geral com base na Taxonomia II da North American Nursing Diagnoses Association (NANDA) e no Modelo Conceitual de Horta; analisar os diagnósticos de enfermagem presentes nesses pacientes em relação aos fatores relacionados, características definidoras e fatores de risco e em relação ao seu estabelecimento e resolução no pós-operatório imediato; dentre os pacientes estudados que apresentaram o Diagnóstico de Enfermagem de Dor aguda, identificar as manifestações de dor apresentadas no pós-operatório imediato e compará-las com as características definidoras apresentadas pela NANDA e por outras literaturas. Para a etapa de coleta de dados, foi elaborado e validado um instrumento de coleta de dados com base no Modelo Conceitual de Wanda Horta. Foram avaliados 15 pacientes adultos no período pós-operatório imediato de colecistectomia laparoscópica, durante o período de setembro de 2004 a janeiro de 2005, no Centro de Recuperação Pós-anestésica do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo. Para o estabelecimento dos diagnósticos de enfermagem, utilizou-se um modelo de processo raciocínio diagnóstico, sendo esses nomeados de acordo com a Taxonomia II da NANDA. Foram identificados nove diferentes diagnósticos de enfermagem: Integridade tissular prejudicada (100%), Risco para infecção (100%), Percepção sensorial perturbada (100%), Risco para aspiração (100%), Risco para função respiratória alterada (80%), Hipotermia (60%), Risco para temperatura corporal desequilibrada (40%), Nutrição desequilibrada: mais do que as necessidades corporais (33,3%) e Dor aguda (26,7%). Para cada diagnóstico foram identificados e discutidos os fatores relacionados e características definidoras. Os pacientes que manifestaram o diagnóstico de enfermagem de Dor aguda apresentaram as seguintes características definidoras: relato verbal, evidência observada, expressão facial e comportamento de defesa. Observamos que todas essas manifestações são características definidoras apresentadas pela NANDA (2002) para esse diagnóstico. Em relação ao seu estabelecimento e resolução no pós-operatório imediato, os diagnósticos de enfermagem Risco para aspiração, Percepção sensorial perturbada e Hipotermia foram resolvidos em 50 minutos após a sua identificação. Para os diagnósticos de Risco para função respiratória alterada, Risco para temperatura corporal desequilibrada e Dor aguda, o tempo médio de resolução foi de 63,7, 77,5 e 36 minutos, respectivamente. Destacamos que os diagnósticos de Integridade tissular prejudicada, Risco para infecção e Nutrição desequilibrada: mais do que as necessidades corporais estiveram presentes desde a admissão do paciente no Centro de recuperação pós-anestésica até o momento da alta do paciente. / This study aimed to identify what nursing diagnoses are present in patients who had been submitted to general anesthesia during the immediate post-operative period after cholecystectomy, based on North American Nursing Diagnoses Association (NANDA) Taxonomy II and on Horta?s Conceptual Model; to analyze the nursing diagnoses that were present in these patients in terms of related factors, defining characteristics and risk factors, as well as with respect to their development and solution in the immediate post-operative period; to identify, among those study participants who presented the Nursing Diagnosis of Acute pain, the pain manifestations they presented during the immediate post-operative period and to compare them with the defining characteristics presented by NANDA and other literature sources. With a view to data collection, we elaborated and validated a data collection instrument on the basis of Wanda Horta?s Conceptual Model. 15 adult patients were evaluated in the immediate post-operative period after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, between September 2004 and January 2005, at the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Center of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto Medical School Hospital das Clínicas. The nursing diagnoses were established by means of a diagnostic reasoning process model, and were named in accordance with NANDA Taxonomy II. We identified nine different nursing diagnoses: Impaired tissue integrity (100%), Risk for infection (100%), Sensory perception alterations (100%), Risk for aspiration (100%), Risk for altered respiratory function (80%), Hypothermia (60%), Risk for imbalanced body temperature (40%), Altered nutrition: more than body needs (33,3%) and Acute pain (26,7%). For each diagnosis, we identified and discussed the related factors and defining characteristics. Patients with the nursing diagnosis of Acute pain presented the following defining characteristics: verbal report, observed evidence, facial expression and defense behavior. We observe that all of these manifestations are defining characteristics NANDA (2002) presented for this diagnosis. With respect to their development and solution during the immediate post-operative period, the nursing diagnoses Risk for aspiration, Sensorial perception alterations and Hypothermia were solved within 50 minutes after their identification. For the diagnoses Risk for altered respiratory function, Risk for imbalanced body temperature and Acute pain, average solution time was 63.7, 77.5 and 36 minutes, respectively. We highlight that diagnoses of Impaired skin integrity, Risk for infection and Unbalanced nutrition: more than body requirements were present from the patient admission on Post anesthesia Care Unit until the patient?s discharge.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2017-07-17T16:39:50Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Claudia Nascimento de Sousa - 2017.pdf: 3306075 bytes, checksum: 76a3aca10e72c17305ca0b586d730d66 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-07-18T10:58:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Claudia Nascimento de Sousa - 2017.pdf: 3306075 bytes, checksum: 76a3aca10e72c17305ca0b586d730d66 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-18T10:58:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Ana Claudia Nascimento de Sousa - 2017.pdf: 3306075 bytes, checksum: 76a3aca10e72c17305ca0b586d730d66 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-04 / INTRODUCTION: The Home Care Service (HCS), linked to the Better at Home Program, was created as a strategy to take care of the population with Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases in addition to meet HumanizaSUS’ recommendations. In order to instrumentalize and qualify nursing assistance, there is the Nursing Process, which is guided by the Basic Human Needs Theory (BHNT), developed by Wanda de Aguiar Horta. It enables professionals to fully assist HSC’s users. Due to the scarcity of description about this population in the literature, identifying nursing diagnosis may help directing interventions. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the Home Care Service users’ profile in Aparecida de Goiânia – GO as well as the nursing diagnoses. METHODOLOGY: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and exploratory study based on a quantitative approach that was developed among HCS’s users in Aparecida de Goiânia – GO. To collect the data it was used the handbook and tools structured according to the Basic Human Needs Theory. The Nursing Diagnosis (ND) Survey was conducted through the Developing Nurse’s Thinking model and through the NANDA-I taxonomy. RESULTS: Most participants were elderly, with an average of 70 years old. From those 35% had previously had a Stroke, 22% presented Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and 10% showed Head Trauma. Type AD2 clinical method was present in 72,5% of the cases. The nursing diagnoses categories analysis resulted in 120 categories present in the NANDA-I taxonomy (2015). From those, 60.8% were classified under the focusing on the problem diagnosis category, 34.2% were under the nursing risk diagnosis category and only 5% were classified as nursing promotion. These results show that is necessary to invest more in prevention and in methods to promote health. CONCLUSION: The Nursing Diagnoses identified show the complexities involving HSC and its multi-tensional demands. It puts the nurse professional as the main actor in the process and also shows challenges to user assistance, family caregivers or not as well as to the Health Care Network dynamic. / INTRODUÇÃO: O Serviço de Atenção Domiciliar (SAD), vinculado ao Programa Melhor em Casa, surgiu como uma das estratégias para atender a população com Doenças Crônicas Não Transmissíveis, além de integrar as recomendações do HumanizaSUS. Para instrumentalizar e qualificar a assistência de enfermagem, tem-se o Processo de Enfermagem, que direcionado pela Teoria das Necessidades Humanas Básicas (TNHB), de Wanda de Aguiar Horta, possibilita um olhar integral na assistência ao usuário do SAD. Mediante a escassez de descrição dessa população na literatura, identificar diagnósticos de enfermagem pode auxiliar no direcionamento das intervenções. OBJETIVO: Analisar o perfil e os diagnósticos de enfermagem dos usuários do Serviço de Atenção Domiciliar do município de Aparecida de Goiânia – GO. METODOLOGIA: Estudo descritivo, transversal, exploratório de abordagem quantitativa, realizado com os usuários do SAD do município de Aparecida de Goiânia – GO. Para a coleta de dados, utilizou-se manual e instrumento estruturado na Teoria das Necessidades Humanas Básicas. O levantamento dos Diagnósticos de Enfermagem (DE) foi realizado por meio do modelo Developing Nurse’s Thinking e da taxonomia NANDA-I. RESULTADOS: Houve o predomínio de idosos entre os participantes, com mediana de 70 anos de idade, representados por 35% com Acidente Vascular Encefálico, 22% com Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica e 10% com Traumatismo Craniano. A modalidade clínica do tipo AD2 prevaleceu com 72,5%. A análise das categorias diagnósticas de enfermagem resultou em 120 categorias presentes na taxonomia NANDA-I (2015). Destas, 60,8% com destaque de categoria diagnóstica com foco no problema, 34,2% categorias diagnósticas de enfermagem de risco e apenas 5% representaram as categorias diagnósticas de enfermagem de promoção. Isso retrata a necessidade de melhor investimento no contexto preventivo e com metodologias de promoção da saúde. CONCLUSÃO: Os Diagnósticos de Enfermagem identificados evidenciam a complexidade do atendimento do SAD, com demandas multidimensionais, as quais apontam para o protagonismo do enfermeiro neste atendimento, além de configurarem desafios à assistência ao usuário, cuidadores familiares ou não, e à dinâmica da Rede de Atenção à Saúde.

O Brasil é um dos principais produtores mundiais de Eucalyptus spp., mas a produção dessa cultura tem sido comprometida por perdas causadas pelo fungo Puccinia psidii Winter, agente causal da ferrugem do eucalipto. Compreender os mecanismos moleculares da patogenicidade desse fungo, conhecer a composição química de variedades de Eucalyptus spp. resistentes e suscetíveis ao fitopatógeno e ter em mãos uma ferramenta de diagnóstico precoce da doença são conhecimentos de fundamental importância para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de controle do fitopatógeno. Uma das principais barreiras que limitam o estudo molecular de P. psidii é o fato dessa espécie ser biotrófica obrigatória, tendo seu desenvolvimento in vitro limitado. Estudos de investigação a respeito de fungos biotróficos obrigatórios são realizados principalmente in planta e em estágios tardios da doença, deixando grande parte do conhecimento dos processos iniciais de infecção desconhecidos. Informações a respeito dos estágios iniciais da infecção, nos quais diversas estruturas típicas são formadas e podem indicar importantes características sobre fungos biotróficos, são de difícil acesso em estudos in planta em função da grande quantidade de material vegetal em relação à quantidade de material do fitopatógeno, que não é passível de ser removido completamente das amostras analisadas. Dessa forma, o presente projeto de pesquisa foi realizado com os objetivos de desenvolver um protocolo para induzir a germinação e a morfogênese estrutural in vitro de P. psidii, identificar genes candidatos relacionados à diferenciação das estruturas de infecção e de fatores de virulência, caracterizar os metabólitos presentes nas ceras cuticulares de folhas de Eucalyptus grandis resistentes e suscetíveis à ferrugem do eucalipto e desenvolver uma metodologia sensível e eficaz para detectar, quantificar e monitorar a presença de P. psidii em folhas de Eucalyptus grandis assintomáticas. Os dados obtidos no presente trabalho podem auxiliar a compreensão da interação planta-patógeno durante os estágios iniciais de infecção da ferrugem e colaboram para o entendimento da biologia do fitopatógeno para que no futuro sejam desenvolvidas melhores estratégias de controle de P. psidii em plantios de eucalipto. / Brazilian production of Eucalyptus spp. is one of the greatest in the world but it has been affected by Puccinia psidii Winter, the causal agent of eucalyptus rust. The comprehension of molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and chemical composition of resistant and susceptible eucalyptus plants as well as having a molecular tool for early detection of the disease in field can be used for the development of improved control strategies against this phytopathogen. Molecular studies of P. psidii is limited because it is an obligate biotrophic fungus with limited in vitro development. Biotrophic fungi investigations are made mainly in planta at late developmental stages of the disease. This way, most information of early stages of infection as the development of specialized structures of biotrophic fungi are little understood. The study of early stages of the infection process of biotrophic fungi in planta is hampered by the high amount of plant material in relation to fungi material which is difficult to be obtained in an isolated form for analysis. In this work we developed a protocol to increase in vitro germination and structural differentiation of P. psidii and used this protocol to obtain isolated fungi material for the identification of candidate genes related with virulence factors and initial structural morphogenesis. Moreover, we analyzed the composition of metabolites present in the cuticular wax of leaves from resistant and susceptible E. grandis plants and developed a methodology for the detection of P. psidii in asymptomatic leaves of Eucalyptus grandis. Data obtained in this work help the comprehension of E. grandis-P.psidii interaction at early stages of the infection process and can be used for the development of improved control strategies of eucalyptus rust.

Studiens syfte är att belysa begreppet barn i behov av särskilt stöd. Detta har vi granskat genom att undersöka förskolepersonalens uppfattningar om vilka barn som kan tänkas vara i behov av särskilt stöd och hur arbetet med dessa barn i förskolan ser ut, samt vilket stöd dessa barn kan få. Vi har använt oss av en kvalitativ metod och använt oss utav semi-strukturerade intervjuer och de respondenterna som deltog representerades av verksamma pedagoger i förskolan. Vi har sedan analyserat intervjustudien och studiens resultat tyder på att begreppet barn i behov av särskilt stöd är svårdefinierat och otydlig. Resultatet visade även att en diagnos i många fall kan underlätta arbetet för pedagogerna och de barn som är i behov av särskilt stöd, eftersom de lättare kan få tillgång till det stöd som behövs, exempelvis en resurs. Vår studie visade även på att pedagogernas bemötande, kunskap och kompetens om de barn som är i behov av särskilt stöd är viktigt för att kunna stötta barnen. Slutsatsen av vår intervjustudie blir att barn i behov av särskilt stöd är ett komplext område att förhålla sig till samt att, det krävs fördjupade kunskaper inom de olika områden som finns gällande barn i behov av särskilt stöd. Exempelvis fördjupade kunskaper om diagnoser, funktionsnedsättningar, språksvårigheter samt verktygens användningsområden. Slutsatsen blir även att tillgången till resurser är begränsad hos de förskolor som vi har besökt och det krävs oftast en diagnos eller uttalad funktionsnedsättning, för att pedagogerna i förskolans verksamhet ska få in resurser till ett barn som är i behov av särskilt stöd.

<p>The essay's aim was to see which attitudes county council's and municipality representatives had about themes like: collaboration and competence in the work around double diagnosed persons. Its objective was to zero in on the attitudes of the representatives regarding a coallocated collaboration project in Stockholm. Also, it sought to find out what attitudes the representatives had about the other representatives attitudes concerning the above mentioned themes. A number of attitudes were presented during the qualitative interviews with the representatives, highlighting which attitudes seemed strongest. Then the interviews were analyzed using meaning condensation and then set against the theory of social representations.</p><p>The analysis showed that before work with the target group starts, there’s a need for synchronization of the different representatives involved in the collaboration project. It would help bridge those organisations existing cultural differences, which otherwise, creates conflicts within the personnel group. Lastly, the analysis also indicated that the majority of the county council's representatives were in a weak position vis-à-vis the municipality representatives. However, when it comes to the double diagnosed group, it came to the attention of everyone involved in the project that collaboration is critically important.</p>

Background: In Sweden, as well as in most Western countries, sickness absence is a major public health problem that has increased in recent years. This is a complex phenomenon related not only to ill health factors, but also to other factors on the levels of the individual, the family, the workplace, and the society. Most studies of sickness absence are cross sectional, which makes it difficult to investigate aetiological factors. A longitudinal study design is preferable, because sick-leave spells can have a long duration and are often due to chronic or recurrent disorders. Objectives: The aim of the present research was to conduct a pilot study to gain further information about factors associated with sickness absence and disability pension, perceptions of contacts with rehabilitation professionals, and self-rated health over time among younger persons initially on sick leave with low-back, neck, or shoulder diagnoses. Material and methods: An eleven-year prospective cohort study of all individuals who, in 1985, were aged 25–34 years, lived in the municipality of Linköping, Sweden, and had a sick-leave spell ≥ 28 days with low-back, neck, or shoulder diagnoses (n = 213, 61% women). The following information was obtained from registers: number of sick-leave days and spells in 1982–1984; diagnosis and demographical data in 1985 (age, sex, occupation, citizenship, marital status, and income); data on each sick-leave period (date, full/part time), disability pension (date, diagnoses, temporary/permanent, full/part time); emigration (date), and death (date, cause) from 1985 to 1 September 1996. In 1996, a questionnaire was sent to members of the cohort (response rate 73%). Different measures were used to analyse sickness absence and disability pension over the eleven-year period, possible risk factors for disability pension were tested by Cox regression, and possible factors predicting future low levels of sickness absence were tested by logistic regression. Based on the questionnaire perceptions of encounters with rehabilitation professionals were analysed with factor analyses and linear regression, and the so called health-line (a method to collect data on self-rated health over time) was tested, and the results were compared with data on sickness absence and disability ension. Results: The members of the cohort turned out to be a high-risk group for disability pension. After 11 years, 26% of the women and 14% of the men had been granted such benefits, mainly due to musculoskeletal diagnoses, but also with psychiatric diagnoses for half of the men and 17% of the women. Full-time pension was granted more often to men than to women. The women had higher levels of sickness absence. An extended Cox regression model proved suitable for prediction of disability pension. Taking citizenship and long-term sickness absence into consideration, the women had a 1.9 times higher risk of being granted disability pension than the men. Predictors for future low levels of sickness absence were a history of low sickness absence, having a white-collar job, and being married. These associations were not discerned when a pathogenic approach was used, which implies that factors other than the opposite risk factor for disability pension are associated with future low sickness absence. Three dimensions of the individuals’ contacts with professionals were identified: supportive treatment, distant treatment, and empowering treatment. Women perceived both social insurance officers and health care professionals as more supportive than the men did. Contact with social insurance officers was experienced as more supportive and empowering by persons on disability pension than by those not receiving such benefits. Data collected using the health-line (i.e., self-rated health from 1985 to 1995) was correlated with data on annual mean number of sick-leave days and days on disability pension. No tendency to recall bias was noted. Conclusions: Additional research is needed to elucidate the situation of women on sick leave with low-back, neck, and shoulder diagnoses. Further testing and practical application of statistical and epidemiological models for analysing sickness absence and disability pension data should be carried out to ascertain the validity and usefulness of such models. / On the day of the public defence the status of the article I was: Submitted; article III was: Accepted; article IV was: Submitted and article V was: In press.

In Sweden, an increasing number of pupils are defined as having some form of difficulties in school. In order to receive special support measures in school, these difficulties must have been subject to a pedagogical examination that state that the pupil is in need of special support measures. This work of identifying and defining difficulties implies that questions about normality and deviance inevitably come into play in school. There has been an increasing demand in school politics to identify these difficulties as early as possible, and this demand has placed further pressure on school personnel in this issue. Furthermore, the personnel’s perspective on the difficulties is also important, i.e., in terms of their origin, because this has importance for the design and content of the special support measures. The overall aim of this thesis is to analyse the tension between normality and deviance that is manifested in the school’s work procedures for pupils with special educational needs. Related to the overall aim, four overarching research questions are addressed. How have pupils with special educational needs and special education been articulated in national policy documents during recent decades? What perspective on school difficulties are being portrayed in schools’ individual educational plans for pupils with special educational needs? How do school personnel identify and differentiate pupils with special educational needs from “normal” pupils? How do pupils with special educational needs and their parents experience the special support measures that they receive in school and what seems to be the main concern of such support measures? The thesis consists of four studies that are based on different empirical materials such as policy documents, individual educational plans (IEPs) and qualitative interviews with school personnel, pupils and parents. The methods that are used for analysing the material are policy analysis, content analysis and grounded theory. The results show that the target group for special support measures has been ascribed with different meanings (over time) in policy documents, something that has affected the recommendations of the support measures and the choice of actors who are assigned to provide such support. Furthermore, the IEPs, as well as the interviews, reveal that an individual perspective on school difficulties seems to be deeply rooted in school.  The identification process of special educational needs followed three models: a pedagogical model, a social model, and a medical/health model.  However, the process of sorting out and defining these pupils invoked ambivalent feelings in the school personnel and the school class usually became the frame of reference for normal or deviant behaviour. Finally, the pupils’ and parent’ main concern of special support measures in school were described as a struggle for recognition and inclusion. The results are discussed with theoretical perspectives on school difficulties and special education. In the concluding discussion, it is argued that pupils with special educational needs have to balance between normality and deviance in school, but also between a pedagogical and a medical discourse by means of having a medical diagnosis in school.