“Health is a means to get to the end.”
To one, health can be bread on the table.
To one, health can be being able to pay for monthly bills.
To one, health can be strength to studying overnight.
To one, health can be strength to work.
To one, health can be strength for pleasures and fun.
To one, health can be being able to think rationally.
To one, health can be being able to dream.
There isn’t really definite meaning to it, isn’t it? Health is rather relative than absolute.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Friday, May 04, 2007
Education = Knowledge + Exposures
As my mind linger on education, my mind was brought back to the scene in Koh-Hlau.
There was another tiny island that I visited in that trip. Because the whole island was totally wiped off by Tsunami, it appeared to be clean while compare with Koh-Hlau. A washed away freshness, the village was newly built. The attap houses were fairly new. No rubbish on the sand, or under the house. Not many men left in that village. Most died in Tsunami, some died in the sea. The remaining few went out for fishing in the deep sea, and will not return for a month or two.
The children were inactive, with their bounced out stomach which I afraid that would be mostly the work of parasites, their eyes were curious. When you make a funny face, they will giggle, and turn away.
There was a child, wandering in her naked body. Sometimes she screamed, sometimes she was violent, sometimes she was just a doll. She spit. She looked so tiny, I thought she was only seven.
The villagers told us about her story. They believed that she was demon possessed. Both her parents died. That was one night, she disappeared. When the villagers found her, she was on the mountain, and she was crying. Her mom tried to kill her too, she dug a hole, and buried her alive. Because of the limited of languages, (they speak Moken, and our interpreter was Thai worked with Mokens) we could not get the sequence right.
Hmm... supernatural agencies. There was a lot of hatred in her eyes. She was thirteen. She was insane. What had driven her to this madness? What had happened to her? Demonic or consequences of wrong human doing?
People's explanations for their health and illness are complex. We are able to think about health using the language of scientific medicine because that is part of our cultural heritage. Our common sense could be very different with what other societies and cultures believe.
Treatments would be so different under different perceptions. Ways of thinking about health and disease reflect the basic preoccupations of society, and dominant views of society and the world.
I believe, in this situation, education is a measure that will bring light and hope to these people. Education will work! Plus a clinic to provide basic care for the people. Proper wound treatment will prevent loss of lives in these people.
I felt strange, things that are most common to us, things which we didn't even care, became the most precious things in other societies and cultures. Simple medications like Iodine, was not even available in that place. I was like a stranger, evaluating, learning as I observed.
Knowledge of the existence of "other" society had never caused such impact in me. But the exposure to it did create a strong impact in all of us who participated.
The knowledge did not change our behavior or attitude, but exposure did change us. I think it was same with the Sea-gypsies and the Thai people that we worked with. The knowledge about some strangers coming in to the village would not make a change. But the exposure of being loved and cared did make a change in their lives.
Education, is Knowledge + Exposure.
There was another tiny island that I visited in that trip. Because the whole island was totally wiped off by Tsunami, it appeared to be clean while compare with Koh-Hlau. A washed away freshness, the village was newly built. The attap houses were fairly new. No rubbish on the sand, or under the house. Not many men left in that village. Most died in Tsunami, some died in the sea. The remaining few went out for fishing in the deep sea, and will not return for a month or two.
The children were inactive, with their bounced out stomach which I afraid that would be mostly the work of parasites, their eyes were curious. When you make a funny face, they will giggle, and turn away.
There was a child, wandering in her naked body. Sometimes she screamed, sometimes she was violent, sometimes she was just a doll. She spit. She looked so tiny, I thought she was only seven.
The villagers told us about her story. They believed that she was demon possessed. Both her parents died. That was one night, she disappeared. When the villagers found her, she was on the mountain, and she was crying. Her mom tried to kill her too, she dug a hole, and buried her alive. Because of the limited of languages, (they speak Moken, and our interpreter was Thai worked with Mokens) we could not get the sequence right.
Hmm... supernatural agencies. There was a lot of hatred in her eyes. She was thirteen. She was insane. What had driven her to this madness? What had happened to her? Demonic or consequences of wrong human doing?
People's explanations for their health and illness are complex. We are able to think about health using the language of scientific medicine because that is part of our cultural heritage. Our common sense could be very different with what other societies and cultures believe.
Treatments would be so different under different perceptions. Ways of thinking about health and disease reflect the basic preoccupations of society, and dominant views of society and the world.
I believe, in this situation, education is a measure that will bring light and hope to these people. Education will work! Plus a clinic to provide basic care for the people. Proper wound treatment will prevent loss of lives in these people.
I felt strange, things that are most common to us, things which we didn't even care, became the most precious things in other societies and cultures. Simple medications like Iodine, was not even available in that place. I was like a stranger, evaluating, learning as I observed.
Knowledge of the existence of "other" society had never caused such impact in me. But the exposure to it did create a strong impact in all of us who participated.
The knowledge did not change our behavior or attitude, but exposure did change us. I think it was same with the Sea-gypsies and the Thai people that we worked with. The knowledge about some strangers coming in to the village would not make a change. But the exposure of being loved and cared did make a change in their lives.
Education, is Knowledge + Exposure.
Debate
I think the main debate for the Public Health Promotion is whether or not Education brings changes to Behavior, in promoting Health.
Harry: I think Education is indeed the foundation of promoting health in relative poor regions! Because it takes effect at the root cause in that region. That is the bottom-up effect!
Roseline: Yeah, I think so.
Harry: Legislation is the fastest way to see a cause-relation effect in promotion of public health, but the basic needs of the people should be met. They should have the fundamental education, free of worries of daily needs in life. Legislation is an up-down approach. Neither one should be set aside.
Roseline: Do you mean that both approaches should be implemented simultaneously?
Harry: That's right! But it seems to me that the government only concentrate in one type of approach.
Roseline: Maybe so, maybe not. It depends on how they look at the problems, and how much budget that they are ready to set aside to promote health, or make a change. But why do you have that impression that the government can only focus on one, do you mean "education without legislation" and "legislation without education"?
Harry: I think it is relative. Relative "focused" or relative "ignored".
Roseline: ???
Harry: It's hard to explain though...... I think no government would say that they will completely focus on one, and ignore another. So, I term it "relative". You know? There are some health education courses in school, primary or secondary, but always there would be such phenomena, where the teachers prefer to fill the time with preparing the students towards exam rather than utilize the time to install public health knowledge to the students, presuming that these are not important, for health is viewed to be 2nd, or 4th or 5th important. I know it is weird in saying so, but it seems to me that is the problem.
Roseline: Hmm... I remember that in secondary school, the Education Ministry did implemented a public health time slot into our weekly schedule. Only 45minutes a week. But we had always use that as a revision slot, or play at the field. Honestly, I had never viewed that as important. I didn't even know what it exist? To me, it was perhaps for leisure. It was a useless class to me. I didn't remember anything that I learned from it.
So, education if it was not properly introduced, and not properly being implemented, it's a waste of effort.
Harry: So, what's the problem here? Why the teachers do that?
Roseline: Well, I think they themselves do not know why the system needs to be implemented! Perhaps they just don't know what does it mean public health! And perhaps when it comes to weighting science subjects, mathematics classes with public health classes, they think public health is a much easy subject, and the students should grab by themselves.
Harry: Easy? Do they think that public health is an easy subject? I think it is just that they have not see the what tragics can be brought by disease! And the major problem is, many people think that they have health when they have not! Many people think that disease will not "catch" them.
So, how can we change this opinion? Should we have another SARS? How? How can we change?
Roseline: So, it is about the naive of people. I remembered the tragic of SARS in the hospital was caused by poor hygiene awareness among the hospital staffs. I am aware that the more knowledge that we have about hygiene, the more ignorance we become.
Harry: Well, many hospitals have the legislation or rules for certain procedures. However not many people follow procedures in terms of hygiene or health care methods. That is because of convenience and laziness.
Roseline: So, knowledge does not really bring changes to behavior, isn't it?
Notes: Harry worked for the Center for Disease Prevention and Control ( CDC).
A Tale:
While I was doing my undergraduate course, my secondary school friends invited me out for supper. We used to sit at the mamak store (Indian stores at the road side, with tables and stools on the road, normally with poor hygiene manner). As I sat down and ordered my meal, I found them looking at me suspiciously. Of course then I was uneasy, what happened to you guys? I asked. One smiled, seemed embarrassed," I thought you will never sit and eat with us in the mamak again. You are studying microbiology, aren't you?"
Harry: I think Education is indeed the foundation of promoting health in relative poor regions! Because it takes effect at the root cause in that region. That is the bottom-up effect!
Roseline: Yeah, I think so.
Harry: Legislation is the fastest way to see a cause-relation effect in promotion of public health, but the basic needs of the people should be met. They should have the fundamental education, free of worries of daily needs in life. Legislation is an up-down approach. Neither one should be set aside.
Roseline: Do you mean that both approaches should be implemented simultaneously?
Harry: That's right! But it seems to me that the government only concentrate in one type of approach.
Roseline: Maybe so, maybe not. It depends on how they look at the problems, and how much budget that they are ready to set aside to promote health, or make a change. But why do you have that impression that the government can only focus on one, do you mean "education without legislation" and "legislation without education"?
Harry: I think it is relative. Relative "focused" or relative "ignored".
Roseline: ???
Harry: It's hard to explain though...... I think no government would say that they will completely focus on one, and ignore another. So, I term it "relative". You know? There are some health education courses in school, primary or secondary, but always there would be such phenomena, where the teachers prefer to fill the time with preparing the students towards exam rather than utilize the time to install public health knowledge to the students, presuming that these are not important, for health is viewed to be 2nd, or 4th or 5th important. I know it is weird in saying so, but it seems to me that is the problem.
Roseline: Hmm... I remember that in secondary school, the Education Ministry did implemented a public health time slot into our weekly schedule. Only 45minutes a week. But we had always use that as a revision slot, or play at the field. Honestly, I had never viewed that as important. I didn't even know what it exist? To me, it was perhaps for leisure. It was a useless class to me. I didn't remember anything that I learned from it.
So, education if it was not properly introduced, and not properly being implemented, it's a waste of effort.
Harry: So, what's the problem here? Why the teachers do that?
Roseline: Well, I think they themselves do not know why the system needs to be implemented! Perhaps they just don't know what does it mean public health! And perhaps when it comes to weighting science subjects, mathematics classes with public health classes, they think public health is a much easy subject, and the students should grab by themselves.
Harry: Easy? Do they think that public health is an easy subject? I think it is just that they have not see the what tragics can be brought by disease! And the major problem is, many people think that they have health when they have not! Many people think that disease will not "catch" them.
So, how can we change this opinion? Should we have another SARS? How? How can we change?
Roseline: So, it is about the naive of people. I remembered the tragic of SARS in the hospital was caused by poor hygiene awareness among the hospital staffs. I am aware that the more knowledge that we have about hygiene, the more ignorance we become.
Harry: Well, many hospitals have the legislation or rules for certain procedures. However not many people follow procedures in terms of hygiene or health care methods. That is because of convenience and laziness.
Roseline: So, knowledge does not really bring changes to behavior, isn't it?
Notes: Harry worked for the Center for Disease Prevention and Control ( CDC).
A Tale:
While I was doing my undergraduate course, my secondary school friends invited me out for supper. We used to sit at the mamak store (Indian stores at the road side, with tables and stools on the road, normally with poor hygiene manner). As I sat down and ordered my meal, I found them looking at me suspiciously. Of course then I was uneasy, what happened to you guys? I asked. One smiled, seemed embarrassed," I thought you will never sit and eat with us in the mamak again. You are studying microbiology, aren't you?"
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Confusion of Hikikomori and NEETs
Hikikomori or NEET are often being confused altogether in terms of their nature or interpretation.
Ishikawa Ryoko tried to help us to gain a clearer picture in this confusion. She interviewed people who regard themselves as "hikikomori," and point out the negative effects, especially for such individuals, caused by the confusion of the concepts of "hikikomori" with "NEETs."
"Hikikomori," which refers to youth in a state of social withdrawal, has been noted since the latter half of the 1990s in Japan. In recent years, the concept of "NEETs" has also come to attract attention. "NEETs" refers to young people who are "not in education, employment, or training."
The concept of "hikikomori" has been partly incorporated into discussions about "NEETs," and it is commonly said that the two can be discussed in the same context.
It seems to be some organizations dealing with "hikikomori" have started to support "NEETs."
According to the author, this confusion has a direct effect on individuals who consider themselves to be "hikikomori." Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish the two concepts.
In her interviews, what was revealed was that,
Ryoko felt that the current measures for "NEETs," and "hikikomori" are very different. Confusing two concepts will :
1)deprive people suffering from "hikikomori" of the opportunity for recovery
2)lead them to abandon their own efforts voluntarily.
Re: Confusion of the Concepts of "Hikikomori" and "NEETs : Seen from the Perspective of People Who Regard Themselves as "Hikikomori". Ishikawa Ryoko. Tokyo Metropolis University.
The article is in Japanese. Perhpas is good to screen through? And get some idea on how people perceive themselves as "HIkikomori" and "NEET"?
I guess I have to read it before I can comment......
Ishikawa Ryoko tried to help us to gain a clearer picture in this confusion. She interviewed people who regard themselves as "hikikomori," and point out the negative effects, especially for such individuals, caused by the confusion of the concepts of "hikikomori" with "NEETs."
"Hikikomori," which refers to youth in a state of social withdrawal, has been noted since the latter half of the 1990s in Japan. In recent years, the concept of "NEETs" has also come to attract attention. "NEETs" refers to young people who are "not in education, employment, or training."
The concept of "hikikomori" has been partly incorporated into discussions about "NEETs," and it is commonly said that the two can be discussed in the same context.
It seems to be some organizations dealing with "hikikomori" have started to support "NEETs."
According to the author, this confusion has a direct effect on individuals who consider themselves to be "hikikomori." Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish the two concepts.
In her interviews, what was revealed was that,
people who consider themselves to be "hikikomori" see themselves as inferior and withdraw from relationships with others because though they have difficulty working, they worry excessively that "working is the natural state for an adult." Their self-esteem cannot be restored immediately even if they participate in a self-help group. Informants re-construct stories about themselves and their lives and come to see the norm of life-courses in relative terms, and regain self-esteem from this. However, this can lead to a decline in their motivation to start working. Moreover, informants cannot overcome their distrust and fear of society. Therefore, sufferers of "hikikomori" seek a new way of life as they again ask themselves various questions, such as, "why must we work?" "What do I want to do?" "Who am I?" and so on. As they think through these questions, they resolve to make a fresh start. This process of struggle is in essence the process of recovery from "hikikomori."
Ryoko felt that the current measures for "NEETs," and "hikikomori" are very different. Confusing two concepts will :
1)deprive people suffering from "hikikomori" of the opportunity for recovery
2)lead them to abandon their own efforts voluntarily.
Re: Confusion of the Concepts of "Hikikomori" and "NEETs : Seen from the Perspective of People Who Regard Themselves as "Hikikomori". Ishikawa Ryoko. Tokyo Metropolis University.
The article is in Japanese. Perhpas is good to screen through? And get some idea on how people perceive themselves as "HIkikomori" and "NEET"?
I guess I have to read it before I can comment......
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Blank......
In Anselm Strauss and Juliet Corbin, at the section of Axial Coding, it was stressed that " If one studies structure only, then one learns why but not how certain events occur. If one studies process only, then one understands how persons act/interact but not why.
I find myself had started to reject what comes across my mind, after some extensive research or working on the materials of how to do a "qualitative study"? My mind went "blank". The phrases became "empty" to me.
Perhaps this is because I was trying to digest the teaching materials in the book that stuffs with ideas that I couldn't really comprehend. I can only do this much. I really don't understand what and how to code the data? I need a supervisor on this! I need a teacher to teach me and guide me on my way! How could I possible complete my own research without proper exercise?
Reassembling the data is almost frustrating to me!I don't know a single thing in this, I don't even know how to do it!
HELP!
Therefore, one must study both structure and process to capture the dynamic and evolving nature of events.
I find myself had started to reject what comes across my mind, after some extensive research or working on the materials of how to do a "qualitative study"? My mind went "blank". The phrases became "empty" to me.
Perhaps this is because I was trying to digest the teaching materials in the book that stuffs with ideas that I couldn't really comprehend. I can only do this much. I really don't understand what and how to code the data? I need a supervisor on this! I need a teacher to teach me and guide me on my way! How could I possible complete my own research without proper exercise?
Reassembling the data is almost frustrating to me!I don't know a single thing in this, I don't even know how to do it!
HELP!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
What does it mean by "health"?
In the book "Concept of Heath", it was written, "Seedhouse suggests that the perceptions of health can be combined in a unified theory of health as the foundation for human achievement. Health is thus a means to an end rather than a fix state that a person should aspire to. "
Provided certain central conditions are met, people can be enabled to achieve their potential. Working for health is to create these conditions:
- basic needs of food, drink, shelter, warmth
- access to information about the factors influencing health
- skills and confidence to use that information
People should be able to have health, whatever their circumstances are. However, it doesn't seem to be that easy. "By health I mean the power to live a full, adult, living, breathing life in close contact with what I love... I want to be all that I am capable of becoming." (Mansfield 1977)
Within this context, I don't think many people are healthy in this world.
Perhaps health is a state of mind. Many people have no disabling disease, illness or handicap, but they don't seem to live a happy life. Or the goal in life was to after wealth that had made them unable to "live and breathe life in close contact with what they love." But what if wealth is the only subject that one loves? Possible, but I do see many elderly suicide was a cause of social isolation and chronic illness. Will the definition of wealth change when one catches up with age? Possible.
In the case of Nic Vijucic, I think health is a personal strength and ability. Nic was born handicap, no medical reasons were established for his handicap. He was born in a Christian family, his father was a pastor, I guess. Religion and believes were questionable in his upbringing. He tempted suicide, and I'm not surprised. However, as he realized of his own values and potentials, he discovered God, and he discovered himself, and then he achieved. Then, he scores! What he did and he does, had surpassed many of us which are in the healthy state. He appeared more healthy than we are. Physically, mentally, both.
I was introduced to Nic by my deaf friends. The deaf circle was tremendously excited about him.
Are my death friends healthy? Many of them are Christians, for we know each other in church. Some of them are not Christians. Some of them have poor health, some of them stay good! Some of them single, some of them married. My desire while I was with them was to promote awareness the needs of social support and social capital for hard of hearing. Health promotion does not help the disadvantage group of people, if the surrounding is ignorance about them. Legislation is needed to protect them from being ill-paid and mistreat in their working environment. Support is needed to provide funds for those who are uneducated and lack of family support. Support is needed to create equal opportunity in employment. The effectiveness of health promotion lies in the community! How well do they accept these people, and how willing is the society to come in to help in promoting changes? To be effective, these are fundamental questions!
Provided certain central conditions are met, people can be enabled to achieve their potential. Working for health is to create these conditions:
- basic needs of food, drink, shelter, warmth
- access to information about the factors influencing health
- skills and confidence to use that information
People should be able to have health, whatever their circumstances are. However, it doesn't seem to be that easy. "By health I mean the power to live a full, adult, living, breathing life in close contact with what I love... I want to be all that I am capable of becoming." (Mansfield 1977)
Within this context, I don't think many people are healthy in this world.
Perhaps health is a state of mind. Many people have no disabling disease, illness or handicap, but they don't seem to live a happy life. Or the goal in life was to after wealth that had made them unable to "live and breathe life in close contact with what they love." But what if wealth is the only subject that one loves? Possible, but I do see many elderly suicide was a cause of social isolation and chronic illness. Will the definition of wealth change when one catches up with age? Possible.
In the case of Nic Vijucic, I think health is a personal strength and ability. Nic was born handicap, no medical reasons were established for his handicap. He was born in a Christian family, his father was a pastor, I guess. Religion and believes were questionable in his upbringing. He tempted suicide, and I'm not surprised. However, as he realized of his own values and potentials, he discovered God, and he discovered himself, and then he achieved. Then, he scores! What he did and he does, had surpassed many of us which are in the healthy state. He appeared more healthy than we are. Physically, mentally, both.
I was introduced to Nic by my deaf friends. The deaf circle was tremendously excited about him.
Are my death friends healthy? Many of them are Christians, for we know each other in church. Some of them are not Christians. Some of them have poor health, some of them stay good! Some of them single, some of them married. My desire while I was with them was to promote awareness the needs of social support and social capital for hard of hearing. Health promotion does not help the disadvantage group of people, if the surrounding is ignorance about them. Legislation is needed to protect them from being ill-paid and mistreat in their working environment. Support is needed to provide funds for those who are uneducated and lack of family support. Support is needed to create equal opportunity in employment. The effectiveness of health promotion lies in the community! How well do they accept these people, and how willing is the society to come in to help in promoting changes? To be effective, these are fundamental questions!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
