Expanding Engagement
Religion and Spirituality: Implications for Social Work Practice in Johannesburg, South Africa View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Thobeka Sweetness Nkomo
Religious or spiritual beliefs may influence service provision among healthcare providers. This paper is part of my PhD thesis on the role of patients’ religious or spiritual beliefs in a healthcare. Using an exploratory investigation, 30 participants, comprising 15 male and 15 female patients receiving treatment in the hospital at the time of the study, were interviewed. In addition, two focus-group discussions were conducted with the patients. Tesch and Braun and Clarke approaches were employed for data analysis. African traditional and cultural beliefs were considered affordable and enabled people to connect with their ancestral spirits. The study recommends that social workers approach patient care holistically.
A Design Method to Enhance Human Energy: Protection Against Harmful Radiation View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mohamed Mowafy
The study objective is to find a method to protect humans against natural and manmade electromagnetic radiation. Where humans have an invisible, but measurable body energy, and live within places crowded by invisible, but measurable energies. Some of these energies originated naturally from earth, while others are manmade. Unfortunately, radiation affects humans physiologically and psychologically. From a literature review, there is evidence that the science of BioGeometry design principles can deal with that energy radiation. This study is based on a consideration of the science of BioGeometry along with sacred geometry to provide a method to enhance human bioenergy and protect against harmful radiation. Many studies demonstrate the effects of both natural and manmade electromagnetic radiations on the human body. Some researchers and practitioners propose tools and methods to avoid negative energies, using certain design principles. The author believes in the effectiveness of using the research proposed method, to improve human bioenergy, as well as protect against harmful natural and artificial radiations. Further application and measurements should take place to ensure the validity of the proposed method.
Alarming or Encouraging?: Workers Engaging in Safety Behaviours for Managing Respirable Crystalline Silica “Most of the Time” View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Rebecca Langdon
Respirable crystalline silica poses a major health concern, particularly in the construction industry where many dust-generating practices exist. Risks are often managed by implementing various control measures using the hierarchy of control to reduce hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica. However, some control measures often rely on human behaviour to keep workers free from harm. This study recruited N = 204 construction workers in Australia/New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States of America to assess their safety behaviours towards control measures implemented for managing respirable crystalline silica. This study found that for all activities involving respirable crystalline silica across the control measure types (engineering, administrative, PPE) more than half rely on human behaviour to activate a control measure designed for health safety. Further, employees were only engaging in safety behaviours towards control measure adoption about half the time or most of the time, particularly when it came to activating engineering and administrative-related measures. This has implications for workplaces who are relying on these controls to prevent against silicosis in their workforce.
