Choose Life not Economic Growth: Critical Social Theory for People, Planet and Flourishing in the ‘Age of Nature’

Choose a fucking big television Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers... Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing sprit-crushing game shows Stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose your future. Choose life. (Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, 1996) Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist (Kenneth Boulding)

'Truth, Ethics and Efficacy in the Training of Actors for Role Play'

Krysia M. Yardley-Matwiejczuk has addressed the clinical and psychological implications of role-play (Role Play: Theory and Practice, Sage Publications, 1997) and Judith Ackroyd has thoroughly reassessed the place of roleplay in education (Role Reconsidered, Trentham Books, 2004). But there has been no systematic analysis of the implications for actor training of this growing area of employment. This paper interrogates some of the implications of role-play for actor trainers, particularly in relation to the need for a clear ethical framework governing spontaneous performance in non-theatrical environments. The paper also suggests guidelines on ‘distancing’ and ‘presencing’ techniques to equip actors to cope with the unpredictability of role play-based performance.

Response shift in the assessment of quality of life among people attending cardiac rehabilitation

Objectives: To examine whether any response shift in quality of life assessment over the course of a cardiac rehabilitation programme could be explained by changes in individuals’ internal standards (recalibration), values (reprioritization) and/or conceptualization of quality of life and the extent to which any response shift could be explained by health locus of control, optimism and coping strategy. Design: Longitudinal survey design. Methods: The SEIQoL-DW was administered at the beginning and end of a cardiac rehabilitation programme. At the end of the programme, the SEIQoL-DW then-test was also administered to measure response shift. A total of 57 participants completed these measures and other measures to assess health locus of control, optimism and coping. Results: Response shift effects were observed in this population mainly due to recalibration. When response shift was incorporated into the analysis of QoL a larger treatment effect was observed. Active coping as a mechanism in the response shift model was found to have a significant positive correlation with response shift. Conclusion: This study showed that response shift occurs during cardiac rehabilitation. The occurrence of response shift in QoL ratings over time for this population could have implications for the estimation of the effectiveness of the intervention.

Does additional support by nurses enhance the effect of a brief smoking cessation intervention in people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? A randomised controlled trial

Background: Smoking cessation is the primary disease modifying intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

(From) The Mill for Grinding Old People Young

Chapter one of novel in progress

Perceptions of exercise among people who have not attended cardiac rehabilitation following myocardial infarction.

Perceptions of exercise among nonattenders of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) were explored using semistructured interviews. Analysis indicated that participants did not recognize the cardiovascular benefits of exercise, and perceived keeping
active through daily activities as sufficient for health. Health professionals were perceived to downplay the importance of exercise and CR, and medication was viewed as being more important than exercise for promoting health. The content of CR programmes and the benefits of exercise need to be further explained to patients post-MI, and in a manner that communicates to patients that these programmes are valued by significant others, particularly health professionals.