Peer reviewed resources

This is a database of resources from open-access peer reviewed journals.

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Gendered experiences : marriage and the stigma of leprosy

TRY, Leonie
2006

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Stigma is rife in many areas of health and healthcare and it has implicit impacts that are often overlooked. Due to the continued social construction of the stigma of leprosy, it is clear that a greater understanding is needed of how stigma is experienced. This study considers the experiences of marriage of those vulnerable to stigmatisation due to leprosy and more specifically identifies different experiences of leprosy-affected women and men and the possible implications.

How can we achieve and maintain high-quality performance of health workers in low-resource settings?

ROWE, Alexander K
SAVIGNY, Don de
LANATA, Claudio F
VICTORA, Cesar G
August 2005

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A review is presented of the performance of health-workers In low and middle income countries and of strategies for improving their performances. An overview of issues and evidence about the determinants of performance is given. Health-worker practices are complex behaviours that have many potential influences. Reviews of intervention studies in low and middle income countries suggest that the simple dissemination of written guidelines is often ineffective, that supervision and audit with feedback is generally effective, and that multifaceted interventions might be more effective than single interventions. It is reported that few interventions have been evaluated with rigorous cost-effectiveness trials. 

The Lancet, Volume 366, No. 9490, p1026–1035, 17 September 2005

The global threat of counterfeit drugs : why industry and governments must communicate the dangers

COCKBURN, Robert
NEWTON, Paul N
KYEREMATENG AGYARKO, E.
AKUNYILI, Dora
WHITE, Nicholas J
March 2005

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This article suggests that many pharmaceutical companies and governments are reluctant to publicise the problem of counterfeit medicines to health staff and the public. It recommends mandatory reporting to governmental authorities, which should have a legal duty to investigate, issue appropriate public warnings, and share information across borders

HIV and childhood disability : a case-controlled study at a paediatric antiretroviral therapy centre in Lilongwe, Malawi

DEVENDRA, Akash
MAKAWA, Atupele
KAZEMBE, Peter N
CALLES, Nancy R
KUPE, Hannah
December 2003

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This article presents a case-controlled study that estimated the prevalence of disabilities in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children in Lilongwe, Malawi, examines types of disability and associated clinical and socio-demographic factors and identifies needs, opportunities and barriers for rehabilitation in Malawi. This study reveals the magnitude of disability among HIV-infected children and the large unmet need for rehabilitation services. It recommends that this expanding issue is investigated further to provide an evidence base for holistic care for disabled children living with HIV

PLoS ONE, Vol 8, No 12

Sex, disability and motherhood : access to sexuality for disabled mothers

O’TOOLE, Corbett Joan
2002

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There is limited research into the sexual lives of mothers, particularly mothers with disabilities. This article examines the barriers to sexuality facing mothers with disabilities. These barriers include: stereotypes that disabled mothers are not sexual, lack of resources for essential aspects of parenting, and difficulty in creating time for personal and private adult activities. Recommendations are presented based on the experiences of disabled mothers.

Doing the wild thing : supporting an ordinary sexual life for people with intellectual disabilities

HAMILTON, Carol
2002

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For many people who are called disabled, having this label means to be excluded from the experience of 'an ordinary sexual life'. For those who are called intellectually disabled exclusion from experiences of any kind of positive sexual life is almost universal. This article explores how some people with intellectual disabilities have sought to open up pathways towards accessing experiences of sexual expression as a way to move forward towards being able to integrate a concept of sexuality into their lives. Two support workers are interviewed. Both are employed by a Human Services organization in Aotearoa, New Zealand, which provides long term support for people with intellectual disabilities. Their comments reveal that access to successful instances of sexual expression for people in this group are currently only available those who are articulate enough and persistent enough to keep trying until they succeed. Barriers to success are isolated and some wider issues surrounding what changes might positively affect this group are discussed.

The value of advocacy in promoting social change : implementing the new Domestic Violence Act in South Africa

USDIN, Shereen
CHRISTOFIDES, Nicola
MALEPE, Lebo
MAKER, Aadielah
November 2000

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This paper describes an advocacy campaign to ensure the effective implementation of South Africa's Domestic Violence Act. Lessons from the campaign stress the importance of coalition building to draw on diverse strengths, and the use of a combination of advocacy tools, including lobbying, media advocacy and social mobilisation to achieve campaign goals. While many advocacy efforts focus on the development of policy and legislation, ongoing efforts are needed to ensure effective implementation, the commitment of adequate resources and monitoring to identify gaps and propose new solutions. The experience presented highlights the important role of policy advocates in connecting the multiple streams at play in the policy and legislative arena

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