Thursday, February 28, 2008

Women and hair removal research project seeking participants

SMOOTH TALKING
HAIR, HAIR, HAIR

ARE YOU A WOMAN AGED 15-50?
WE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR OPINION ON HAIR REMOVAL

Lenore Riddell (Nurse Practitioner, BC Women's Hospital & Member, WHRI) and Hannah Varto (Clinical Practice Leader & Family Practice Nurse Practitioner for Child & Youth Programs for VCH) are conducting research that is aimed towards enhancing our understanding of this relatively new phenomenon of widespread pubic hair removal from the women's perspectives.

They are conducting a widespread survey of women ages 15 to 50 in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. The ultimate goal of this research will be to develop best practice guidelines for health care professionals about healthy hair removal (or not) for women.

For more information and to fill in the survey:
http://www.whri.org/smoothtalking.htm

Monday, February 18, 2008

On February 27th Wear Pink - End Bullying

From Christy Clark:

"Bullying is a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes, and over the Internet. Over the next few weeks on The Christy Clark Show, I will be helping raise awareness on these issues and my guests will hopefully give us all the tools needed to stand up against bullies and step in when we see it happening.

Then on February 27th I encourage all of you to wear a pink T-shirt to symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere. I wish I could take credit for this idea but it comes from two incredible Nova Scotia high school students. ..."
[continued...]

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Gabor Maté discusses his new book, "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts"


Time sensitive

Gabor Maté discusses his new book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction

Wednesday March 12 2008
7:30 PM Saint Andrew's Wesley
1012 Nelson at Burrard Street in Vancouver
Minimum Donation: $5

Hear the wonderful Dr. Gabor Maté discuss his latest and highly anticipated book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, with host: Dr. Bruce Alexander, Professor Emeritus (Psychology), Simon Fraser University, Author, The Globalization of Addiction.

This is a fundraising event for the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre and the Aboriginal Mother Centre.

Help raise more funds by pre-ordering Dr. Maté's new book through NVS to pick up at the event and before, by arrangement. Simply email necessaryvoices@gmail.com

Information: http://www.necessaryvoices.org and necessaryvoices@gmail.com

About this Book
In this timely and profoundly original new book, bestselling writer and physician Gabor Maté looks at the epidemic of addictions in our society, tells us why we are so prone to them and what is needed to liberate ourselves from their hold on our emotions and behaviours.

For over seven years Gabor Maté has been the staff physician at the Portland Hotel, a residence and harm reduction facility in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. His patients are challenged by life-threatening drug addictions, mental illness, Hepatitis C or HIV and, in many cases, all four. But if Dr. Maté's patients are at the far end of the spectrum, there are many others among us who are also struggling with addictions. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, work, food, sex, gambling and excessive inappropriate spending: what is amiss with our lives that we seek such self-destructive ways to comfort ourselves? And why is it so difficult to stop these habits, even as they threaten our health, jeopardize our relationships and corrode our lives?

Beginning with a dramatically close view of his drug addicted patients, Dr. Maté looks at his own history of compulsive behaviour. He weaves the stories of real people who have struggled with addiction with the latest research on addiction and the brain. Providing a bold synthesis of clinical experience, insight and cutting edge scientific findings, Dr. Maté sheds light on this most puzzling of human frailties. He proposes a compassionate approach to helping drug addicts and, for the many behaviour addicts among us, to addressing the void addiction is meant to fill.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Creative Methodologies in Tobacco and Health Behaviour: Photography & Theatre

Time sensitive
Event: March 12, 2008
RSVP: Marhc 8, 2008

Do you like the theatre? How about photography? Want to know how these creative pursuits are being used in tobacco and health research? To find out, join us for a free public lecture and exhibit.

Creative Methodologies in Tobacco and Health Behaviour Research: Using Photography & Theatre to Foster Deeper Understandings

Health behaviour research aims to understand individual health behaviour and develop practices and policies to better support people in making positive health choices. Capturing the voices of research participants is thus a crucial aspect of health research. In addition, to communicate research in a meaningful way it is essential to engage with individuals involved in making those
choices about their health. Individual motivation and the other social and structural influences can be revealed in many different ways.

Creative methodologies - such as participant photography (photovoice) and participatory theatre (forum theatre) - allow researchers to be more inclusive of participant "voices" to explore and translate knowledge about certain health behaviours.

  • Hear what researchers and participants have to say about these methodologies
  • View the images created by participants about their smoking experience
  • Participate in a mini-forum theatre production
Tobacco use is a particularly sensitive and personal topic which requires creative approaches to foster deeper understandings. This panel discussion, photo exhibit & screening will explore the challenges and benefits of using photovoice and forum theatre in three research projects: "Smoke, In My Eyes," "Families Controlling & Eliminating Tobacco" (FACET 2), and "Cultivating Awareness of the Context of Tobacco Use (CACTUS).

Date: Wednesday, March 12th
Time: 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Location: UBC Robson Square 800 Robson Street Vancouver, B.C.
For directions: http://www.robsonsquare.ubc.ca/
RSVP by March 8th: nexus@ubc.ca

For more information contact Ariadna
E-mail: nexus@nursing.ubc.ca
Phone: 604-822-7933
W: http://nexus.ubc.ca/

Participants needed: Farm Family Health Research Project

The British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health is recruiting farmers and ranchers in British Columbia who would be interested in participating in a Farm Family Health Research Project

This large cross-Canada study wants to look at the health impact of Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis (BSE) on individuals, families, and communities. We are looking for men and women over the age of 18 who live or work on a farm.

Who can participate?
We would like to hear from dairy and beef farmers and ranchers, feedlot owners, and small and big operations from across the province.

What do you have to do?
You will be asked to fill in a questionnaire that will be mailed to you. We are hoping to be in touch again one or two more times in the next six years. We would like to track how BSE, or "mad cow disease", and related prion diseases have affected you and what you have done to respond and to promote your well-being.

Who is conducting the study and why?
A team of researchers across Canada funded by PRIONET Canada (www.prionetcanada.ca). Little research has been directed at the health impact of BSE on individuals, families, and communities. We need to understand these effects to form and evaluate programs and policies to promote the health of Canadian farm families.

For more information visit:
http://www.bccewh.bc.ca/news-events/default.htm (poster available)
http://fchnet.ucalgary.ca/

If you would like to help with recruitment please contact:
Marie Dussault
mdussault@cw.bc.ca
604.875.2424 /1.888.300.3088 ext.6487

To participate please contact:
Madhu Sindhwani
ruralfamilyhealth@ucalgary.ca
Toll free 1-877-422-4358
Fax: 403-270-7307

Presentation: Going home alone: Managing chronic illness following short term hospitalization

Time sensitive
EVENT:
February 27, 2008
RSVP: RSVP by February 22nd, with an indication of how you plan to participate (location or WebEx).

The NEXUS Research Unit and the BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network are pleased to present - "Going home alone: Managing chronic illness following short term hospitalization" by Sandra Lauck (NEXUS Trainee).

This presentation will be video-conferenced to UBC-Okanagan. If there is sufficient interest it will also be video-conferenced to the BC Cancer Agency and BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (BCCEWH).

You can also participate from your own office via WebEx which allows you use your own computer and phone. Full details about how to participate are below.

Date: February 27, 2008 (Wednesday)

Time: 4:00 to 5:00 PM

UBC Vancouver (Live!): UBC Telestudios (Room# 0110) 2329 West Mall

BCCA: 4th floor Boardroom (Room 4218) at the Vancouver Centre, 600 W. 10th.

BCCEWH: 4500 Oak Street (Room K0-156)

UBC-Okanagan: Fine arts and health building - 3rd floor (Room 351B)

WebEx connection instructions:
1. Go to https://msfhr.webex.com/msfhr/j.php?ED=98625977&UID=0
2. Enter your name and email address.
3. Enter the meeting password: ruralhealth
4. Click "Join".
5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.

Teleconference Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 866-469-3239
Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 650-429-3300

RSVP: nexus@nursing.ubc.ca by February 22nd

Description:
In spite of progress in prevention and treatment, heart disease remains a significant cause of debilitating illness and death of Canadian men and women. This chronic and terminal illness requires patients and their families to self-manage much of their care, including the modification of health behaviours to reduce their risk for further cardiac events, to work in partnership with their primary care provider, and to access acute medical services as needed in the trajectory of their disease. In BC, all patients who require an invasive cardiac intervention, such as balloon, angioplasty or cardiac surgery, must travel to a cardiac referral centre in the Vancouver or Victoria regions. Following discharge, patients return home to be cared for by their local care provider, with few resources available to transition from acute to community services. This study aimed at describing self-care behaviours of patients who had undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention for the management of coronary artery disease, following admission and discharge the day of the procedure. In addition, we studied factors associated with cardiac self-efficacy and self-care agency in the two to five days following hospital discharge to identify patients at higher risk for a difficult recovery upon return to their community.

If you plan to attend the seminar, please RSVP by February 22nd, with an indication of how you plan to participate (location or WebEx).


Ariadna Fernandez, MA
Research Manager, NEXUS
University of British Columbia
School of Nursing
302 - 6190 Agronomy Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

E-mail: ariadna.fernandez@nursing.ubc.ca
Phone: 604-822-7933 Fax: 604-822-7869
W: http://nexus.ubc.ca/

Reader friendly diabetes information

"Learning About Diabetes, Inc., is a non-profit, charitable, educational corporation dedicated to providing patients, caregivers, and health care professionals with:

  • Easy-to-read, low literacy, and very low literacy health education programs
  • Culturally sensitive foreign-language programs for those in need of health care information in their native language
  • Research on the role of art and design in creating effective health care communications."
Materials available include: booklets, handouts and visual aids, picture stories, colouring books, & comic books

Visit the website at: http://www.learningaboutdiabetes.org

"Wall Street Journal" article on informed consent

"The Informed Patient" by Laura Landro
The Wall Street Journal Feb 6, 2008 page D1

"Informed consent may be the biggest misnomer in medicine: Studies show that most patients don't read the forms they sign before undergoing surgery or medical treatment. More than half of those who do read the forms don't understand them, and only a quarter of forms include all of the data patients need to make an informed decision."
Continued at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120224055435844931.html?mod=todays_us_nonsub_pj

Patient to Patient Kidney Care in BC DVD


Patient to Patient Kidney Care in BC is a new DVD from the BC Renal Agency which plays in 5 different languages - English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, and Tagalog. The DVD aims to support those who have just been diagnosed with kidney disease and those who have the disease and would like to know more about different aspects of its care and treatment.

It is available free to anyone who requests a copy on a first-come, first-served basis. To request a copy of the DVD, email bcpra@bcpra.ca noting Patient to Patient in the subject line, or call 604.875.7340.

Monday, February 04, 2008

COURSE FULL Feb. 11/08: Online course: evaluating health info on the Internet

Time sensitive
This course is full as of Feb 5/08--watch for announcements of future sessions.

Begins Monday February 11th


From the US National Network of Libraries of Medicine--Pacific Northwest Region website

"From Snake Oil to Penicillin: Evaluating Consumer Health Information on the Internet

Where do you turn for trusted health information? This course will provide you with tools to determine whether health information web sites are trustworthy and reliable or whether to look elsewhere. Criteria for evaluating health information web sites will be provided and interactive assignments will reinforce concepts.

Objectives:

  • Become familiar with unique issues surrounding health information on the internet.
  • Understand the nature of web-based resources and why people post information to the internet.
  • Evaluate health information web sites using a set of criteria provided so that you can determine whether or not the sites are trustworthy sources of health information."
http://nnlm.gov/pnr/training/snakeoil.html

Note: announcement from a February 2008 email -- disregard 2007 date on website.

Cooking For Your Life! Classes -- Canadian Diabetes Assoc.

Time sensitive

From: Diabetes Current (Pacific Edition)
February 2008

Cooking For Your Life!
Date: Friday, February 01, 2008
Details: Learn to select healthy foods, menu plan, take an interactive shopping tour, prepare nutritious meals and achieve better health in this hands-on cooking and nutrition program. Cost: $75.

Location: Surrey
Dates: Tuesdays , February 5, 12, 19 & 26, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Guildford Park Secondary School
Registration: Call (604) 589-2221 or online at www.ce.sd36.bc.ca

Saanich
Dates: Tuesdays, February 5, 12, 19 & 26, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Colquitz Middle School
Registration: Call (250) 475-5400 or contact any Saanich Recreation Centre or online at www.Saanich.ca

Saanich Peninsula
Dates: Wednesdays, February 6, 13, 20 & 27, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Location: Bayside Middle School
1101 Newton Place, Saanich Peninsula
Registration: Call (250) 382-5454, ext.222, or visit Victoria & District Branch office
#276-2950 Douglas Street, Victoria

Richmond (program offered in Cantonese)
Dates: Saturdays, February 16, 23, March 1 & 8, 10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.
Location: Garrett Wellness Centre
Registration: Call the Chinese Diabetes Information & Support Centre at (604) 732-8187

Vancouver
Dates: Tuesdays, February 19, 26, March 4 & 11, 6:30 p,m. - 9:30 p.m.
Lacation: Gladstone School
Registration: Call (604) 713-4550 or online at www.continuinged.ca

Get the latest event listings from your regional office [http://www.diabetes.ca/section_regional/bc_yk.asp] .