Food safety regulations have increased over the past decade in response to food safety scares, international trade and changing public demands. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the impacts of meat safety regulations and a subsequent amendment on food security in rural and remote communities in British Columbia. Case studies of three communities, Bella Coola Valley, Haida Gwaii and Powell River Regional District, were utilized to assess these impacts. Interviews with government officials and local farmers were combined with agricultural and socio-economic data. Though it is not possible to attribute impacts directly and solely to the change in regulatory structure, it appears that the addition of harsh safety regulations has damaged an already fragile local meat industry in these vulnerable communities. The regulation amendment solved some of these issues, but many rural regions are still struggling to maintain local self-sufficiency in food production. / Graduate

As populations in informal urban settlements continue to grow, an increasing number of people are exposed to unsafe living conditions. Children are particularly vulnerable to the environmental risks associated with this settlement type. While much is known about child morbidity and mortality in informal urban settlements, little is known about maternal perceptions of child health. This thesis explores the determinants of maternal perceptions of child health in the informal urban settlement of Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. Data utilized in this thesis come from A Kenya Free of AIDS (KeFA), a research-based, National Institute of Health-funded project. Through Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), 320 women in Kibera were recruited for interviews. Of these, 277 reported having children in their care and were accordingly selected for analysis. Questions selected for analysis were divided into four categories: child health, maternal background, social and economic support, child characteristics and maternal health. Data were analysed using Student’s t-tests, chi-squares, and multiple regression methodology. Two different response variables were used in the regressions: general child illness rating and infrequency of child illness. Analysis indicated that women in the sample were significantly more likely to report poor child health if they: had more children in their care, had younger children in their care, were involved in an intimate relationship, and had experienced a recent barrier to medical treatment for a child. Exploring maternal perceptions of child health is critical because these perceptions are the precursor to healthcare-seeking behaviour. / Graduate / 0573 / 0766 / jdrengson@gmail.com

The Jellyfish Project (JFP) is the environmental initiative that uses music as a means to engage youth, increase awareness about climate realities, and promote behaviour change. Music is an exceptional tool to captivate youths’ attention and increase their receptivity towards environmental messages. The arts also play a role in democratizing engagement and exhibit the potential to mobilize social action and change. Thus, music serves more than a leisure purpose, it can rally youth around a common purpose and create a powerful shared experience between musicians and their audiences. This community-based case study connects arts-centred movements to an ecosystems perspective and social marketing approaches, while establishing social engagement as a social determinant of health. Social engagement is the intentional and active participation in one’s community to create change and requires resources, efficacy, and opportunities for participation. Multiple data collection methods were used, including focus groups with youth, interviews with key informants, and social media analytics. Research themes include 1) The Power of Music, 2) Seeking Connections, 3) Awareness ≠ Change, and 4) Searching for Solutions. Findings showed that The JFP presentation was well-received by its audiences. Awareness, the primary goal of the organization increased, yet it was evident that for behaviour change to occur a broader community-level strategy is necessary. This strategy needs to involve active participation by students, numerous follow-up strategies, and community partnerships to address contextual issues and support sustained change. Implications for practice include developing active participation and partnerships; incorporating additional interaction with youth in the school presentation program; enhancement of online and social media strategies, and the provision of lived, multi-sensory experiences, both online and in the community. This intentionally transdisciplinary research filled gaps in the literature concerning the interconnections between social engagement, the social determinants of health, and the ecosystems perspective. It was also the first body of research to propose that social engagement is an appropriate community-level social determinant of health. Originating in real world experiences, this research advances knowledge translation and exchange immediately, informing the social engagement strategies of not-for-profit organizations as they harness the energy of the arts to effect social change. / Graduate / 0413 / 0515 / 0566 / jlansfie@uvic.ca

Background: People who use illegal drugs are disproportionately affected by HIV and hepatitis C, stigmatization and social exclusion. Health inequities are worsened by drug policy of criminalization, which thwarts health promotion efforts and hinders access to services. To address these inequities, people who use drugs are increasingly included in decisions that affect them by sitting on policy, service delivery and research committees. This study addressed a gap in understanding how power inequities are transformed in committees where people who use drugs are at the table. Methods: In partnership with the Drug Users Advocacy League and the Society of Living Illicit Drugs Users, this participatory critical emancipatory inquiry explored power relations in four committees in Ontario and BC. Data were collected in 2013 through meeting observations, interviews, demographics surveys and document reviews. Data analysis was guided by theoretical frameworks grounded in critical theory and transformative learning theory. Results: Findings confirmed striking socioeconomic inequities between people who use drugs and others at the table. Inconsistent measures were taken by committees to alleviate barriers to inclusion. Despite openness to inclusion, committee members tended to underestimate people who use drugs. The presence of local organizations of people who use drugs ensured a more democratic selection of their representatives to sit on committees. Once at the table, creating a safe space entailed building trust, authentic relationships, relational and reflective dialogue, and skilled facilitation. Democratic practices of negotiated relationships and consensus-based decision-making enhanced meaningful inclusion. A structural environment in which drug policy criminalizes people who use illegal drugs hindered capacity to transform power inequities by feeding stigma, which worsens health and social inequities. Committees were committed to inclusion of people who use drugs though capacity to do so varied due to budgetary and human resources constraints. Study limitations, practice implications and future research directions are offered. / Graduate / 0700 / 0680 / lynnebel@uvic.ca