Browsing by Author "Thurston, Wilfreda"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    A benchmarking study of animal care practices related to cattle pain and stress in cow-calf operations in Western Canada
    (2016) Moggy, Melissa Ann; Windeyer, Claire; Pajor, Ed; Thurston, Wilfreda; Campbell, John
    Pain and stress are two major concerns in terms of animal welfare. The “Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle” (COPB) is a Canadian set of guidelines that promotes optimal husbandry practices. Cow-calf producers in western Canada were sent a questionnaire to identify current management practices associated with cattle pain and stress. Fifteen respondents were interviewed on-farm to explore producers’ perceptions of pain in cattle and their rationale for the acceptance or rejection of pain and stress mitigation strategies. The majority of producers did not use pain mitigation at processing, but processed calves at an early age. The majority of respondents did not properly confirm death following on-farm euthanasia, did not use a non-abrupt weaning method, and had not read the COPB. Qualitative results of this study may provide direction for policy-making, research, and extension efforts to encourage the adoption of pain and stress mitigation practices.
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    Development and formative evaluation of a decision-management health promotion program on healthy weights for women
    (1991) Thurston, Wilfreda; Larsen, Donald E.
    This project involved the development and formative evaluation of a health promotion program which incorporated the healthy weights concept into a three stage decision management model. The objectives of the program were to have women examine their issues around body weight in a health promotion context and to set individualized, clear and specific goals around these issues. The formative evaluation focused on Rutman's (1977) criteria for an evaluable program, namely, program articulation, causal assumptions, and expected effects, plus consumer satisfaction. The project was conducted in two parts: first, the content of the program was developed, produced and then evaluated for adequacy as to adaptation of Egan's ( 1990a) model, accuracy of information provided, and appropriate use of the delivery mechanisms. Second, the program was field tested to assess how the program was used, what effects it had, and consumer satisfaction with the program. The issue of how well the decision-management model was adapted was also studied in the second phase. The first stage of the decision-management model program was delivered through an interactive computer program. Stages two and three were incorporated into a workbook format. Three people with expertise in the decision-management model were asked to review the program to assess how well the model had been adapted. There was agreement that stage one was well adapted in the computer program but that the workbook was a weak adaptation of stages two and three. The workbook was revised and returned for a second review which was uniformly positive. Three reviewers with expertise in weight management were asked to review the content of the program. No major changes were recommended by these reviewers. Finally, two reviewers assessed the computer program in terms of adherence to principles of computer assisted instruction. No major changes were recommended by these reviewers. A ninth reviewer edited the computer screens in hard copy for clarity and typographical errors. Five volunteers used the program to ensure that the computer program ran properly, and that the workbook was clear and functional. The changes recommended by reviewers and volunteers were incorporated, where possible, before the field test. The findings of the first part of the study can be summarized as follows: the model had been adequately adapted; the program content was thorough and correct; the delivery mechanisms functioned well and were useful; and the program appeared likely to achieve its objectives. Volunteers for the field test were solicited through a Calgary corporation. The field test was conducted on site and the participants were excused from work for this purpose. Sixteen out of the 20 volunteers solicited for the field test used the computer program; four did not use the program for various administrative and personal reasons. The volunteers represented a variety of weights, Body Mass Index zones, ethnic backgrounds, and had a variety of concerns. Of the 16, 14 received follow-up interviews three weeks later. Eight of the 14 participants had completed all or some of the workbook at follow-up. The workbooks were copied for analysis. Data were collected using the computer program on what sections were used and the time taken by each individual. The results of the field test can be summarized as follows: the computer program worked well and was well received by consumers, although several modifications were recommended. The workbook did not work well and requires major revision: users did not formulate clear and specific goals. Interviews and computer data provided many recommendations for modifying the program. These should be implemented and another evaluation conducted before proceeding to an outcome or efficacy evaluation.
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    Residents’ Interpretation of Their Experience of Care in Relation to Particular Workplace Culture Social Interaction Patterns
    (2015-12-22) Taylor, Deanne, Catherine; Wolbring, Gregor; Hirst, Sandra; Thurston, Wilfreda
    Social and professional relationships are an integral component of the daily care and work experience within residential care (long-term care), yet little is known about how these relationships influence residents’ perceptions of care and quality of life. The purpose of this two phased, mixed method study was to explore residents’ perspectives of workers’ peer interactions and identify if workers’ peer social interactions had an influence on residents’ experience of care and if so, how. Drawing upon workplace culture theory and using narrative reality methods, residents’ perspectives of workers’ peer relationships within four residential care facilities located in a large health authority in British Columbia, Canada were examined. In phase one, contextual data was gathered by administering a worker survey and collecting field observations focused on workers’ peer social interactions and residents’ behaviours in public areas (e.g., dining rooms, lounges). In phase two, lengthier field observations were conducted and interviews with residents who were asked about their observations of how workers interacted with peers and if, and how, this affected their care experiences. The final analysis resulted in producing three themes characterizing workers’ peer social interactions: shaming, blaming, and collegiality. Shaming and blaming peer interactions impacted negatively on residents’ quality of care by reducing workers’ team interactions, work capacity, and care coordination; and on residents’ quality of life by producing an oppressed environment, reduced resident social engagement, and emphasized resident vulnerability. Conversely, collegial workers’ peer social interactions impacted positively on residents’ quality of care through increased communication, seamless teamwork, and improved safety practices; and on quality of life by residents’ increased enjoyment and security, and creation of positive environments. The results underscore the quality of workers’ peer relationships as influential to residents’ perceptions of quality of care and life, and add to the literature about the relational features of residential care. Recommendations arising from this study include promoting common collegial language and practices, fostering relational leadership, formalizing workplace relational processes and engaging in more research about residential care at a daily level, including residents with dementia and family perspectives of workers’ peer interactions on quality of care and the care environment.
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    Services and Indigenous Healing Practices to Address Intimate Partner Violence Against Indigenous Women in the Canadian Prairie Provinces
    (2022-01-26) Ogden, Cindy Lynn; Tutty, Leslie; Este, David; McLaughlin, Anne-Marie; Thurston, Wilfreda
    This mixed method study used qualitative secondary analysis to explore the experiences of 40 Indigenous women from the Canadian prairie provinces who were abused by their intimate partners. It focuses on the services that they accessed, including violence against women shelters, second stage shelters, community counselling agencies, and traditional healing practices. The original research was a four-year longitudinal tri-provincial study exploring intimate partner abuse in 665 women, 91 of whom completed in-depth interviews. Of the 40 Indigenous women, 35 were heterosexual, and 5 were LGBTQ Two-Spirit, thus two of the abusive intimate partners were female. Consistent with the literature the male partners (55% of whom were Indigenous, and 45% were White) physically assaulted the respondents so severely that the women were injured and could, perhaps, have died. Almost half of the men (47.4%) used sexually coercive strategies and/or sexually assaulted the women. A considerable amount of background information placed the women’s use of IPV services in context: 90% had experienced childhood maltreatment; the 10 women who lived on reserves all raised concerns regarding community violence, while 40% of the women from urban areas also noted this. In contrast to the literature, the women were not, on average, experiencing severe mental health distress. The women’s resilience is highlighted: they were committed to improving their lives through accessing multiple sources of assistance. Across counselling services, the women found the support helpful, although their critiques emphasize issues related to colonialism and systemic oppression. Of concern is that it was not clear whether mainstream counsellors were educated in or had any understanding of Indigenous history or cultures. The critiques of Indigenous programs/services indicate the legacy of colonialism through instances of internalized oppression. Nor is it clear whether community counsellors had any training/understanding of IPV. The importance of traditional healing and cultural practices is highlighted.