HLTA02 - Week 2

what is a theory

Idea or explanation to make sense of something based on observation, reasoning, and evidence

what is Methodologies

Way or approach used to conduct research

How does disciplinary knowledge influence problem-solving approaches?

Each expert's disciplinary knowledge and methodological tools shape their approach to solving problems.

example of Understanding Disciplinarity in Health Studies

Approaches to obesity from different perspectives—geography (environmental factors), psychology (stress, coping behaviors), and sociology (workplace lifestyle)

Disciplinary Approaches in health studies

Social sciences

Humanities


Conceptually based fields (fields that kind of overlap other disciplines)

Professional practice

Disciplinary Approaches - social science (psychology)

Studies the link between mental processes and health behaviors, linking mind and body.

Key studies include connections between optimism, stress, and physical health (Scheier & Carver, DeLongis et al., Antonovsky).

Aims to develop psychological tools to encourage health-promoting behaviors.

Disciplinary Approaches - conceptual fields

contributions from conceptual fields have drawn attention to the relationship between broader social structures and individual or local experiences,

Disciplinary Approaches - conceptual fields (Caring Studies)

Analyzes caregiving dynamics, especially around family roles and women's care responsibilities.

Disciplinary Approaches - conceptual fields (Social Gerontology)

Investigates social perspectives on aging and emerging concerns in fields like cultural gerontology.

Iatrogenic effects of care

Medicalization:

problem/behaviour becomes a medical issue and is treated in a medical way

Disciplinary Approaches - professional domain

Relates to organizational practices and the relationships between professionals and theirclient

Contributions from nursing, social work, and rehabilitation science range across macro to micro levels, focusing on how health systems and individual care practices intersect.

Meso level:

focusing on small groups/organizations (you can think of it as a level in between individual and local levels)
eg. organization practices and relationships between professionals and clients/patients

common disciplinary bounderies

Much of what is written and taught in health studies takesplace through the lens of a particular discipline such as:

o Sociology
▪ The study of institutions and the "subject"

o Health psychology
▪ Explores how people think and behave in relation to health and illness

o Geography
▪ Focuses on how space and place affect people's wellbeing

Multidisciplinary - result

Results are fragmented with limited interaction, limiting insight due to a lack of integration among disciplines.

Transdisciplinarity requires..

Requires open communication among team members, fostering a comprehensive approach that considers overarching concepts.

collabrative approaches - bounderies

multi - normal bounderies are in place
inter - blurs bounderies between disciplines but the traditions are maintained
trans - trancends bounderies between disciplines and traditions are little focus

collabrative approaches - result

multi - multiple knowledge producedn
inter - knowledge synthesis produced
trans -new knwoledge fields produces

Health Definition (Wills, Watson & Scott-Samuel)

Health is a condition in which people achieve control over their lives due to the equitable distribution of power and resources. Health is thus a collective value; my health cannot be at the expense of others, nor through the excessive use of natural resource

Health studies ask the following: (central questions)

How are health and health care socially and culturally constructed (i.e., what constitutes health, illness, and health care to different people in different times and places)?

What are the ideologies, principles, and powers underpinning health care and public health systems?

What health challenges are facing individuals now?

What will they face in the future?
How do we experience these challenges?

Concerns and Criticisms regarding Critical research

Becoming conventional:

Formulaic approach:

Over-theorization:

Naturalizing social situations:

Lack of a movement:

Academics as poor activists:

what is a discipline

specific branch of knowledge or area of study

- chracterized by theories and methodologies

- defined bounderies and scholarly standards

what is health and ilness shaped by

Health and illness are shaped by social, political, cultural, and economic factors, extending beyond purely biomedical viewpoints.

what do critical aproches seek to understand

these critical approaches seek to understand the meanings of health and illness across cultures and history

Key questions in health studies include (brief)

Key questions in health studies include understanding the societal meanings of health, the impact of political and economic ideologies, equitable healthcare access, and the assumptions behind healthcare funding.

What is disciplinarity?

Disciplinarity refers to the idea that different disciplines have unique approaches to a subject.

Understanding Disciplinarity in Health Studies

Health studies draw on various disciplines to understand the multifaceted nature of health and illness.

example of professional practices

Eg. nursing, medicine, social workers

Disciplinary Approaches - social science (geography )

Geographers have focused on the ways in which space and place affect people's wellbeing.

studies both natural and artificial environment and how they influence ones health

Key themes: proximity to health services, disease sources, globalization, migration, and health inequalities (e.g., Mitchell & Popham; Curtis & Rees-Jones).

Disciplinary Approaches - conceptual fields (Cultural Studies)

Highlights how cultural identity influences health perceptions and criticizes public health for enforcing certain moral standards

Iatrogenic:

harm that accidentally happens because of medical treatments

Disciplinary Boundaries

The concept of health cannot be defined in biomedical terms alone: culture,politics, economics, and other social factors all affect our understanding ofwhat it means to be healthy

Approaching health solely through one discipline cannot fully address itscomplexity.


• Increasingly, in both health care settings and the field of critical healthstudies, researchers are choosing to adopt perspectives that transcendindividual disciplines. 37

Interdisciplinarity

Involves collaborative integration across disciplines, combining methodologies to approach a topic more holistically.

Transdisciplinarity

Focuses on creating a shared framework that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries for a holistic view.

Transdisciplinarity example

A transdisciplinary study on frailty might analyze biomedical and socio-cultural factors, challenging conventional medical constructs by examining frailty as a social and cultural phenomenon.

Challenges of Collaborative Approaches

• Any particular phenomenon introduces complex dynamics thatinfluence the research question, type of collaboration, and theresearch methods used.

• Researchers and students must consider issues such as powerand structures that facilitate and block access to collaboration andquestions of what is possible within a particular context

universal criteria for a good research question

There is no universal set of criteria for a good research question•

Different disciplines have different priorities and requirements

• For example, a good research question for a history paper will differ from a good researchquestion for a biology pape

general a good research question should be..

- not too broad or narrow
- clear and foccused
- not to easy to answer but not too hard either
- researchabel
- analytical rather than descriptive

critical health studies

An approach to health that involves questioning social and political practices and current norms and ideologies.

Health Definition (WHO)

health is not merely the absence of disease but a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing.

Wellbeing

defined as a state where individuals and groups feel content, healthy, and fulfilled.


Health studies pay attention to this

Has the basic needs and at a "meaningful state of life"

Recent research explores wellbeing as a momentary experience, not just a long-term state

Health sciences disciplines

Occupational categories: Nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy.

Medical categories and basic sciences: Anaesthesiology, genetics, microbiology

Clinical specialties: Geriatrics, paediatrics, family practice, mental health care.

health sociology

studies the interactions between individuals, communities, and institutions related to health.

what type of research methods does health study reserach use

Qualitative and Quantitative

which do reserachers prefer more qualitative or quantative

Data derived from this methods is better suited to central questions of health studies
Provides more of a person-sensitive perspective

Why Health Studies?

Health and illness have social, political, cultural, and economic dimensions that extend beyond the biomedical perspective

Our socio-cultural practices influence our definitions of health and our responses to illness

It is important to challenge knowledge and practices that are taken for granted, while exploring different frameworks of health and illness

What can happen when experts from different disciplines analyze complex problems?

Experts from different disciplines may reach separate conclusions regarding the primary cause of complex problems.

example of social sciences

Eg. sociology, psychology, geography, political science, anthro

example of humanities

Eg. English, history, arts

examples of Conceptually based fields

Eg. cultural studies, women's studies

Disciplinary Approaches - social science (Sociology)

what do they focus on

Examines social structures, institutions, and the power dynamics within health-related settings.

Key figures: Goffman, Foucault, Bourdieu.

Focuses on how institutional roles (e.g., hospital staff vs. patients) impact individual experiences.

Disciplinary Approaches - social science (Ethics):

Focuses on moral considerations in healthcare, such as informed consent, end-of-life choices, and the doctor-patient relationship.

Central issues include equity, autonomy, and dignity in healthcare practices and policies.

Types of Collaboration in Health Studies

• Multidisciplinary
• Interdisciplinary
• Transdisciplinary

Multidisciplinary

o Involves several disciplines
o Little interaction between researchers who work independently.

Multidisciplinary - example

A multidisciplinary study on frailty in older women might include diverse professionals (e.g., doctors, occupational therapists, sociologists) working independently on different aspects.

Interdisciplinarity - example

An interdisciplinary study on frailty might combine historical perspectives with social policy approaches to explore the evolution and current status of aging policies.

Interdisciplinarity - strenghth and weakness

Strengths include collaborative insight and problem-solving across disciplines, though it may risk some depth

collabrative approaches - how researchers work

multi - independent
inter - use theories and methods of each discipline
trans - go beyond the limits of disciplines

collabrative approaches - goal

multi - seperate goals
inter - shared goals
trans - shared goals with overarching framework

Health geography

the study of how space and place affect and represent health and health care

Medical anthropology

the study of the bio-cultural and ecological aspects of health and health care

Health studies

explores the following 3 concepts: Health, illness, and medicine through a social sciense, humanities or interdisciplinary lens

They each have personal, collective, cultural, social, political, and economic dimensions.

Health Definition (Huber and colleagues)

The capacity to adapt and self-manage in the face of physical, mental, and social challenges

Health sciences vs health studies

health sciences discliplines that contribute to medicine

health studies are viewed through a social science lens

Health studies's social science sub-disciplines

health sociology
Health geography
Medical anthropology
Health psychology

Health psychology

the study of the cognitive and behavioural aspects of health and health care

Qualitative examples

interviews, focus groups, observation techniques, document analysis

Being "Critical"

Stems from Marxism (social justice, class struggle and general society inequality)

Karl Marx says that there are 2 groups in society: one group owns/controls resources and the other group is the workers

Seeks to analyze and question existing social structures, norms, ideologies, and power relations

Quantitative examples

health records, statistics, census data, survey questionnaires

Characterization of a critical approach:

Challenging norms and power structures:

Questioning underlying ideas

Advocating for marginalized groups:

Addressing social and health issues:

Using philosophy and social theory:

Involving communities in research:

Thinking outside the box:

Understanding global-local connections:

Envisioning societal aspirations

Being humble and reflexive:

Expressing solidarity:

Questioning the nature of evidence: