Storyhouse Winter 2024 Finale

One night. One stage. Fifteen stories about research at ��ҹ��վ.

Join us for an evening unlike any other, as ��ҹ��վ's Storyhouse presents live narrative performances that explore new research through storytelling

Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 7PM in (UC 3110)

This showcase of research from the Faculty of Health Sciences is presented by this term's Storyhouse cohort. The Storyhouse is a professional development opportunity for students and staff, as well as a faculty support for researchers, that integrates knowledge mobilization, science communication, narrative theory, and performance studies.

Our mission is to use creative storytelling to connect people with knowledge they can put into action.

Questions? Email story@uwo.ca

The Storyhouse is a pilot collaboration between ��ҹ��վ Research and the Faculty of Health Sciences.

This article explores the social experiences and outcomes associated with precarious work, which refers to unstable employment arrangements. While previous research has focused on the physical and mental health effects of precarious work, this study examines the social implications, such as the increased risk of social isolation. Through a scoping review of 24 interdisciplinary articles, the researchers identified various physical and virtual "third places" outside of home and work that help precarious workers maintain social connections and reduce social isolation. These third places are created by workers who face spatial exclusion and seek alternative spaces to gather and interact. While these places may come with social risks and exclusions, they also fulfill important social needs, including a sense of belonging, relief from precarious conditions, visibility, and the exchange of resources and care. The findings emphasize the importance of considering the types of spaces that can serve as third places in societies where precarious employment is prevalent.

Storyteller: Xiaohan Yan, 4400Y Scholar's Elective Capstone CEL student
Inspired by the research of Debbie Laliberte Rudman

This article explores how older adults who have immigrated to a foreign country in their later years engage with their new environment through their daily activities. The researchers conducted interviews with 10 Sinhalese immigrants who moved to Canada within the last decade. They found that these individuals faced challenges in adjusting to their new surroundings, such as surrendering their previous roles and occupations, feeling like outsiders, and struggling to establish a sense of continuity. However, they also discovered that engaging in new occupations helped the immigrants integrate into their new community. The study emphasizes the importance of occupation in the process of adapting to a new place and highlights the complex connections between individuals, their environment, and the activities they engage in.

Storyteller: Nada Khalifa, 4400Y Scholar's Elective Capstone CEL student
Inspired by the research of Sachindri Wijekoon, Debbie Laliberte Rudman, Carri Hand and Jan Polgar

This article investigates how individuals with osteoporosis incorporate advice on managing their condition into their everyday lives. The study involved conducting in-depth interviews with 13 Canadian participants who were aware of their osteoporosis diagnosis. The participants discussed topics such as exercise, nutrition, and fall prevention. The findings highlighted several themes, including understanding the risks associated with fragility fractures and falls, acquiring knowledge through personal and vicarious experiences, awareness of environmental risks and opportunities, understanding the impact of exercise on bone health and overall well-being, challenges in managing exercise expectations, and attitudes towards non-pharmacological management. While participants recognized the benefits of non-pharmacological approaches for managing osteoporosis, they sometimes faced difficulties integrating them into their daily routines due to factors such as lack of time or knowledge. Additionally, participants expressed uncertainty about which aspect of their osteoporosis management should be prioritized.

Storyteller: Nikhita Ramputty, 3240B Environmental Health Promotion CEL student
Inspired by the research of Christina Ziebart, Joy MacDermid, Rochelle Furtado and Mike Szekeres

This article explores the concept of reflexivity in the sociology of sport, specifically focusing on its potential for critical engagement and self-reflection. The authors examine how reflexivity has been used in previous research and propose a framework called reflexivities of discomfort, which encourages a skeptical and messy approach to reflexivity. They also introduce the concept of "critical friends" as a method for engaging in reflexive dialogue. The authors draw on their own research experiences and analyze the ways in which their racial identities have influenced their work. Additionally, they discuss the implications of reflexivity for early career researchers. Overall, this article aims to contribute to the understanding of reflexivity in sport sociology and its potential to advance critical sport studies.

Storyteller: Kareemat Adeola Oshoala, 3240B Environmental Health Promotion CEL student
Inspired by the research of Adam Ali

This article explores how religion is used to cope with the challenges of immigrating later in life. The researchers conducted a study with Sri Lankan-born individuals who immigrated late in life. They analyzed their beliefs and practices of Buddhism and how these helped them cope with the stress of immigration. The study found that religious engagement served as a source of purpose, helped individuals make meaning of their suffering, provided hope, promoted non-attachment, and connected them to their past and their ethnic and religious community. These findings emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive environments and services that support religious coping. The researchers interpreted the findings in relation to Pargament's theory of religious coping.

Storyteller: Jackie Lac, 4920 Seminar in Biology CEL student
Inspired by the research of Sachindri Wijekoon, Debbie Laliberte Rudman, and Carri Hand

This article explores the concept of resilience in the context of gender-based violence in rural Ontario. The researchers interviewed women who have experienced gender-based violence and service providers in the gender-based violence sector to understand how structural violence affects their resilience. The study found that there are several structural conditions in rural communities that undermine resilience for women experiencing gender-based violence. These conditions include issues related to housing, income, safety, and access to resources. The findings highlight the importance of addressing these structural conditions in order to support women in building resilience.

Storyteller: Marina Matti, 3201G International Law CEL student
Inspired by the research of Tara Mantler, Julia Yates, Katie Shillington, Penny Tryphonopoulos and Kim Jackson

This article examines the relationship between cannabis use and suicidal thoughts among young people. The researchers used a digital citizen science approach, which involved engaging 818 youth and 27 educators as citizen scientists through their smartphones. The participants were asked to complete surveys and assessments about their health behaviors and outcomes. The study found that cannabis use, along with factors like bullying and other illicit drug use, was associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts among youth. However, the study did not find evidence that school policies and programs for substance misuse prevention influenced the relationship between cannabis use and suicidal thoughts. The researchers suggest that in the digital age, it is important to rethink the role of schools in health policy interventions, and that digital citizen science can be a valuable tool for involving young people in the policymaking process and giving them a voice.

Storyteller: Lara El Saheb, 3240B Environmental Health Promotion CEL student
Inspired by the research of Tarun Katapally

This article discusses how nurses perceive the distribution of take-home naloxone, which is a harm reduction strategy for opioid overdose prevention, within the context of neoliberalism. Neoliberalism emphasizes individual responsibility for health, which can conflict with harm reduction approaches. The research literature supports the provision of take-home naloxone, but neoliberal discourses about limited healthcare resources pose a challenge. However, nurses have an ethical duty to support broad availability of naloxone, regardless of the costs involved. This distribution not only reduces harm from substance use but also empowers the public to have control over public health resources.

Storyteller: Claire Liu, 3201G International Law CEL student
Inspired by the research of Sibel Kusdemir and Abe Oudshoorn

In this article, the researchers conducted a review to understand how much physical rehabilitation individuals with neurological conditions receive in the community. They looked at studies that measured the amount of rehabilitation received by adults with neurological conditions in outpatient or community settings. They found 18 relevant studies and estimated the mean annual hours of rehabilitation based on the data from these studies. The amount of rehabilitation varied greatly, with individuals with spinal cord injury and stroke receiving the most hours. Participants generally received more physical therapy than occupational therapy. Interestingly, only one study included individuals with progressive neurological conditions, indicating a research gap in this area. The researchers suggest that the amount of rehabilitation received by individuals in the community is likely insufficient to improve their function and quality of life, and more research is needed to understand barriers to accessing rehabilitation resources and determine how much rehabilitation is necessary for functional improvements.

Storyteller: Athavan Kalai, HS4996B Practicum Placement student
Inspired by the research of Janelle Unger

This article reviews existing studies on rehabilitation interventions for patients with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) to determine their impact on physical capacity and quality of life. The researchers conducted a thorough search of relevant studies and included randomized clinical trials that compared respiratory training and exercise-based rehabilitation interventions with other forms of care for patients with PCC. They evaluated various outcomes such as functional exercise capacity, fatigue, muscle function, dyspnea, respiratory function, and quality of life. The analysis found that rehabilitation interventions were associated with improvements in functional exercise capacity, dyspnea, and quality of life compared to standard care. However, there was significant uncertainty regarding the likelihood of exercise-induced adverse events. The findings suggest the need for additional trials to better understand the safety outcomes of these interventions.

Storyteller: Sarah Tribe, 4400Y Scholar's Elective Capstone CEL student
Inspired by the research of Joy MacDermid, Sue Peters, Laura Brunton, Erin Miller and Pavlos Bobos

In this article, the authors discuss the concept of pain catastrophizing and its impact on individuals with chronic pain. They critique recent literature that highlights negative effects of the term and argue that the problem lies not in the language itself, but rather in the inadequate understanding of the concept by clinicians outside of psychology. The authors suggest that improving training in areas such as psychology, gender equity, and anti-racism for non-psychologists is essential. They emphasize the importance of education, but also acknowledge that language plays a role in shaping perceptions and experiences. While they recognize that changing the term may not solve all the problems, they maintain that language does matter.

Storyteller: Jake Pridham, 3201G International Law CEL student
Inspired by the research of Laura Connoy and Fiona Webster

This article discusses the importance of digital health dashboards in addressing public health crises, using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. The researchers aimed to develop replicable and scalable digital health dashboards that can be customized for specific regions. They created a progressive web application (PWA) that allowed citizens to access various services related to COVID-19 risk management, food security, and accessibility of public services. The data generated from the use of these services was anonymized and aggregated, then displayed on the digital health dashboard for decision-makers to inform rapid decision-making. The dashboard also included features such as a community alert system, bidirectional engagement with citizens, and enhanced security. Overall, the study highlights the potential of digital health dashboards to transform public health policy by prioritizing the needs of citizens and promoting equitable decision-making.

Storyteller: Ariana Heidari, 4920 Seminar in Biology CEL student
Inspired by the research of Tarun Katapally

This article discusses the benefits of land-and art-based Peer Leader Retreats for Indigenous and Northern young people in Canada. The authors conducted retreats between 2017 and 2019, involving 286 participants aged 12 to 19, with the majority being Indigenous. The retreats aimed to foster empowerment, leadership, and well-being among the participants. The study found that both quantitative and qualitative measures showed positive results. Quantitatively, there were statistically significant increases in leadership and empowerment after the retreats. Qualitatively, participants reported improved confidence, leadership skills, and social connectedness. These findings suggest that land-and art-based approaches can effectively support the empowerment and well-being of Indigenous and Northern young people.

Storyteller: Khushi Kumari, 3201G International Law CEL student
Inspired by the research of Lesley Gittings

This article explores how people with osteoporosis gather information about managing their condition. The researchers conducted interviews with 13 participants who had osteoporosis or osteopenia. They found that individuals relied on doctors for advice on medication, while other healthcare professionals provided guidance on exercise, nutrition, and falls prevention. Participants also valued the opinions of family and friends who had either osteoporosis or not, as they could discuss and validate the advice given by professionals. The paper suggests that training patients to have better conversations with healthcare providers could improve communication and adherence to recommended osteoporosis management practices.

Storyteller: Sean Charles Doughty, 3240B Environmental Health Promotion CEL student
Inspired by the research of Christina Ziebart, Joy MacDermid, Rochelle Furtado and Mike Szekeres

This article explores the concept of reflection in the practice of experienced physiotherapists. Reflection is considered important in physiotherapy practice, but there is limited research on how experienced physiotherapists engage in reflective practices. The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of data from a study on the qualities and practices of a "good" physiotherapist, specifically focusing on the theme of reflection. They identified six themes related to being reflective in a good physiotherapist, including learning from experience, integrating multiple perspectives, and questioning assumptions. The findings suggest that being reflective contributes to wise judgment in physiotherapy practice. This knowledge can be used to inform educational initiatives and enhance attention to reflective processes in professional life. By reflecting on their assumptions, physiotherapists can navigate uncertain situations more effectively.

Storyteller: Emma Louise Hoffman, 3201G International Law CEL student
Inspired by the research of Michelle Kleiner, Gail Teachman, David Walton

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Research