SFU Library Digital Publishing (Simon Fraser University, Vancouver)
Not a member yet
4841 research outputs found
Sort by
Health disparities: Diabetes prevalence in Indigenous Populations
Get PDFThe prevalence of diabetes is on the rise across Canada and has reached epidemic levels in Indigenous communities. Socio-economic inequities and historical factors may be contributors to the higher burden of diabetes in Indigenous populations. This literature review outlines the relationship between Indigenous ancestry and the likelihood of developing type 2 and gestational diabetes in women. This review also focuses on the effects of colonization, specifically the intergenerational impact of residential school attendance and the passing of gestational diabetes from mother to child. The objective of this review was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes within Indigenous female populations and reveal factors that may be amplifying its burden. To better understand this issue, bibliographic research was conducted using PubMed and EBSCOhost databases. From the eight studies selected, results revealed that in women of Indigenous ancestry, diabetes was more prevalent than in women of non-Indigenous background. Results also suggest that the effects of colonization have transcended time and place as Indigenous ancestry was found to be related to a higher risk of developing diabetes. Programs aiming to decrease the prevalence of type 2 and gestational diabetes among Indigenous women must consider the historical, economic, and social factors faced by Indigenous communities and incorporate traditional health and wellness practices
Just or Injust: Scholarly Attitudes on the Moral Legacy of British Response to the Mau Mau Rebellion
Get PDFThis paper was originally written for Dr. Sarah Walshaw’s History 344 course Themes in Modern East Africa. The assignment asked students to write a literature review on the historiography of an important event in East African history. The literature review was not intended to be exhaustive of all scholarly works written about a selected topic but rather to explore the historiography in a limited way by framing a specific question or theme. The paper uses Chicago citation style
Sisyphus 4.0
Get PDFThis paper was originally written for Dr. Evan Tiffany’s Philosophy 221 course Ethical Theory. The assignment asked students to articulate Richard Taylor's view regarding what makes a life meaningful as presented in his paper “The Meaning of Life.” The paper uses MLA citation style
Can the arm-lock putting grip benefit golfers with focal dystonia or tremor?
No full textFocal dystonia is an acquired, often progressive neurological condition that affects wrist and hand muscles in many golfers, causing involuntary jerks (“yips”) that disrupt smooth movement execution and ruin the resulting shot. Treatments for yips include psychomotor training, Botox injections, and adopting modified grips that may reduce unwanted participation of hand and wrist muscles.
Our research explores the use of a novel arm-lock putting method for golfers suffering from focal dystonia, intention tremor or other neurological tremors. We are testing the hypothesis that golfers who use a standard putter (SP) and tend to yip or have tremors may benefit from using a novel ‘arm-lock’ putter grip (ALP).
The experiments were carried out in a lab-based putting green with hole lengths ranging from 5-15ft. Participants of both sexes, aged 19-83, included experienced golfers with and without focal dystonia or tremors, as well as non-golfers. Each putted four 18-hole rounds: two rounds with the SP and two with the ALP. Putter and ball motions were tracked with 6 video cameras (Lorex). A putter-mounted sensor (Blast Motion) recorded 11 biomechanical variables of each stroke, including backstroke length and duration, changes in three putter face angles and impact speed.
We are currently analyzing biomechanical factors that may explain the putting performance differences using the SP vs. ALP. The next phase of the project, which will constitute my honors thesis, involves video image analysis using DeepLabCut, a markerless pose estimation software, to reveal individual characteristics in putting motions using the SP vs. ALP.
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Andy Hoffer, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University
Research Team Members:Aaron Siebenga, Aryan Sotoodeh, Pawel Kudzia, Simon Fraser Universit
The Portrayal of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Men and Boys in News Media
No full textIndigenous men and boys are murdered at a higher rate than any other group of individuals Canada. Yet there is little public concern surrounding this issue. Prior research on missing Indigenous women and girls indicates that media portrayals can affect cultural narratives through a lack of media coverage and by enforcing dehumanizing and colonialist narratives. However, minimal research has examined the portrayal of missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys (MMIMB) in news media. As such, the current study involves a content analysis of Canadian news media to explore how MMIMB are portrayed by the Canadian news media. Findings, limitations, and recommendations for future research and policy will be discussed.
Faculty Supervisor:Dr. Danielle Murdoch, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser Universit
Exploring Physicians’ Experience with Advance Care Planning with South Asian Older Adults
Get PDFPhysicians and patients report multiple barriers with Advance care planning (ACP) engagement, including communication barriers, patients' cultural and religious beliefs, and the physicians' approach. In this project interviews with primary care physicians (PC) and hospitalists were conducted at two points in time: Jan-Apr 2020 (n=12) and May-Oct 2021 (n=10). Transcripts were thematically analyzed and comparisons drawn between PC and hospitalists and between physicians interviewed in 2020 and 2021. Nine themes emerged indicating physicians felt burdened with responsibility of introducing the concept of ACP and initiating discussion with the South Asian (SA) population. Cultural and communication barriers, physician specialty, SAs’ lack of ACP awareness, and deference of decision-making onto family and physicians surfaced as key barriers to engagement in ACP discussion. While impacting physician practice, most reported no change in engagement/ acceptance of ACP discussion due to the pandemic. Findings suggest ACP discussions are received best during regular consultations with PCs working with the SA population; however, only 55% of PC interviewed had ACP training and only 64% had used available tools. Education targeted to physicians serving the SA population is needed. For those lacking cultural congruence, training should be directed towards understanding patients’ culture. While cultural congruence is an asset, all physicians serving the SA population should strive to understand and consider the patients’ values, cultural and religious norms. Training in ACP facilitation and concerning suitable tools to use/adapt for this population is also recommended as is training in patient-physician communication– the latter for both physicians and their SA patients.
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Dawn Mackey, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser Universit
Cooperative Consumerism : The Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association and Alaskan Economic Dependence, 1953–1959
No full textHistorical scholarship on American Alaska has largely framed its colonization as settlers chasing the American West’s final mythic promise to independently create a new and better society on the frontier. Alaska’s self-appointed pioneers built their identities around economic sovereignty and self-determination, resisting federal intervention and absentee investment. Paradoxically, they depended on those same forces to realize their quest to bring American life to frigid Northwest. But where do Native Alaskans fit into this narrative? This presentation rethinks Alaska’s independence and development narratives by unearthing Native Alaskans’ complex relationships with development and self-reliance by examining the Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association (ANICA) between 1953–1959. ANICA was an influential US government-sponsored but Indigenous-centered retail cooperative that attempted to shake Indigenous Alaskan development loose of its dependence on federal and absentee capital. Yet a detailed analysis of ANICA’s heretofore unstudied company newspapers and correspondence between 1953 and 1956 suggests that while a ruthless power struggle with the US Department of the Interior kept ANICA entangled in external capital, its day-to-day operations fostered a contradictory sense of Native identity and independence that remains unresolved in Alaska today. This narrative opens the door to new historical interpretations that critically re-examine cooperatives as keys to economic sovereignty in communities whose development has been historically reliant on external capital. Equally, it presents a new perspective on American economic dependence and federalism at a time when these tensions are creeping to the forefront of American politics.
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Joseph Taylor, Department of History, Simon Fraser Universit
Learning to Identify Deal Breakers, Relationship Needs, Conditions for Healthy Relationships, and Needs Conflicts in a Relationship Education Workshop
Get PDFTeaching romantic competence knowledge and skills sets people up for successful relationships. We delivered a Relationship Education workshop to young adults and evaluated participants’ memory of skills over six months. Participants (N = 75) learned romantic competence skills (emotion regulation, mutuality, insight), conditions for healthy relationships, to identify relationship needs and deal breakers, and to define a needs conflict. Most participants were women (77%) and fewer than half were White (39%). Participants completed questionnaires before and after the workshop and three and six months later to assess skills and knowledge. Data collection is complete; coding and analyses will be complete prior to the symposium. Preliminary results suggest that most (75%) participants correctly identify all three conditions for healthy relationships immediately following the workshop, but retention fades three (46%) and six months (39%) later. Similarly, many (76%) identify all romantic competence skills following the workshop and this declines to 43% at three months and 31% at six months. Participants were less able to define a needs conflict following the workshop (51%), but do not show the same erosion of knowledge over three (50%) and six months (59%). Common relationship needs were feeling cared for and trust. Common deal breakers were infidelity and abuse. Results suggest that participants do learn targeted skills but knowledge fades with time. The exception is that participants who understood the complex concept of a needs conflict maintained that knowledge at follow-up. Thus, the workshop was successful in developing knowledge to have healthy relationships.
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Rebecca Cobb, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser Universit
You Can Do Something
No full textLike roses, small actions can bloom and produce beautiful results.
Currently, our world is in a way melting due to climate change. This drawing represents that no matter how little an action seems, you can do something to stop climate change, or any problem you might face. The girl in the drawing is holding a melting earth, and as her hands touch the earth roses bloom. The roses symbolizes the actions we can take to make our world more beautiful place