One of our early projects, when we first established the Critical Physiotherapy Network, was to try to write a paper collaboratively. We sent out a call for contributors who would be interested in writing about a theme we thought crossed quite a lot of territories, and seven CPN members responded: Karen Atkinson, Wenche Bjorbækmo, Barbara Gibson, Julie Latchem, Jens Olesen, Jenny Ralls and Jenny Setchell. We set up a basic structure for the paper, and each person added ideas from their own area. The pieces were then slotted into place and the whole paper was then edited to make it coherent and provide a clear narrative structure. The process was remarkably quick, taking only six months … [Read more...] about ‘Connectivity: An emerging concept for physiotherapy practice’ available online
Decolonizing health professional education
A new paper from Mershen Pillay (CPN member) and Harsha Kathard titled Decolonizing health professional education has just been published by the African Journal of Rhetoric. The paper explores how higher education practice is failing the majority population in South Africa, and offers some critical insights into the nature of 'othering' that is prevalent in many health education programmes around the world. Abstract We argue that there is an urgent need to transform how we educate health professionals in South Africa. We focus on Audiology and Speech-Language Therapy, which are health professions that manage people with communication disorders and swallowing difficulties. Our … [Read more...] about Decolonizing health professional education
Theorizing therapy: Latest research from South Africa
The latest edition of the South African Journal of Occupational Therapy includes some papers theorizing OT in ways that might be interesting for people interested in theorizing physiotherapy practice. The links connect you with full access versions of the articles. Thanks to Frank Kronenberg for the link. Guest editorial: Theorising about human occupation Ramugondo, EL; Galvaan, R; Duncan, E text in English · pdf in English Theorising social transformation in occupational science: The American Civil Rights Movement and South African struggle against apartheid as 'Occupational Reconstructions' Frank, Gelya; Muriithi, Bernard Austin Kigunda abstract in English · text in … [Read more...] about Theorizing therapy: Latest research from South Africa
The construction of professional identity by physiotherapists: a qualitative study
A new paper now available online from CPN members Ralph Hammond, Vinette Cross and Ann Moore Published Online: April 23, 2015 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2015.04.002 Abstract The UK Frances Report and increasing societal expectations of healthcare have challenged physiotherapists to reconsider professionalism. Physiotherapy has viewed identity as a fixed entity emphasising coherence, continuity and distinctiveness. Socialisation has required the acquisition of a professional identity as one necessary ‘asset’ for novices. Yet how do physiotherapists come to be the physiotherapists they are? Design Qualitative study using Collective Memory Work. Eight physiotherapists in … [Read more...] about The construction of professional identity by physiotherapists: a qualitative study
Research update: Lifelong activity, chronic pain, therapatients, children’s embodiment, prostheses and body image
A few interesting new research studies have come out this week that I thought might be of interest. Each of these has some interesting connections with critical physiotherapy. Click on the links in the title of each article for more information. Characteristics of lifelong physically active older adults Sheryl L. Chatfield Abstract Most adults in developed countries fail to accrue enough regular physical activity to prevent or decrease the impact of chronic diseases associated with aging. I conducted semistructured interviews with 16 purposely selected older adults ranging in age from 53 to 70 years to explore the practices of successful lifelong adherents to physical activity. I … [Read more...] about Research update: Lifelong activity, chronic pain, therapatients, children’s embodiment, prostheses and body image
Interviewing women: A contradiction in terms
Many years ago I read a book chapter that would have a profound effect on how I thought about my practice as a health professional, and dramatically shape the future direction for my research and the way I thought about the world generally. That chapter was titled Interviewing women: A contradiction in terms and it was written by Anne Oakley. Oakley has just published a follow up paper titled Interviewing Women Again: Power, Time and the Gift, and reading it reminded me why it had such a profound impact on me 20 years ago. In the early 1990s I was working at The Children's Hospital in Birmingham (UK) and studying a masters degree in research methodology. The degree was life-changing. … [Read more...] about Interviewing women: A contradiction in terms
Critical physiotherapy research update
Depression embodied: an ambiguous striving against fading Louise Danielsson and Susanne Rosberg Although depression is associated to physical discomfort, meanings of the body in depression are rarely addressed in clinical research. Drawing on the concept of the lived body, this study explores depression as an embodied phenomenon. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the analysis of narrative-based interviews with 11 depressed adults discloses a thematic structure of an embodied process of an ambiguous striving against fading. Five subthemes elicit different dimensions of this process, interpreted as disabling or enabling: feeling estranged, feeling confined, feeling … [Read more...] about Critical physiotherapy research update