ANTHMETHGRP1-24-25-QI-WANG

[Last modified: December, 6 2024 02:59 PM]

Based on the research project involving HIV midwives, several critical ethical considerations require careful attention. The handling of sensitive personal data from HIV midwives demands strict data protection assessment.  Including secure storage of interview recordings and transcripts, along with strict maintenance of  participant anonymity and confidentiality. A formal data management plan would be essential to address these concerns.

The power dynamics present a significant ethical challenge in this research context. The relationship between healthcare providers and HIV-positive women creates potential power imbalances that could lead to implicit coercion in the research participation process. It’s crucial to establish clear boundaries between healthcare provision and research activities, ensuring that participation remains genuinely voluntary without any impact on medical care.

This research involves particularly vulnerable participants and highly sensitive subject matter. HIV-positive women represent a vulnerable population dealing with complex health, social, and psychological challenges. The sensitive nature of their health information, combined with potential cultural stigma and mental health implications, necessitates exceptional care in research design and implementation.

For the REC review, several key aspects require special attention. The committee should carefully evaluate the recruitment process to ensure it prevents any form of direct or indirect coercion. They should examine the proposed data anonymization techniques and storage protocols, particularly focusing on how identifiable information will be protected throughout the research process. The committee should also assess the researcher’s plans for handling potential emotional distress during interviews, including having clear referral pathways to support services. Additionally, they need to review the proposed interview questions to ensure they are appropriately sensitive and non-triggering, while still meeting research objectives. The committee should also consider the researcher’s qualifications and experience in working with vulnerable populations, potentially recommending additional training or supervision if needed. Finally, they should evaluate the proposed dissemination strategy to ensure findings are shared in a way that protects participant confidentiality while maximizing research impact.

[Last modified: December, 6 2024 02:50 PM]

In the lecture on multimodal ethnography, the concept game me a sense of “everything can be anthropological.” This perspective opened my eyes to the boundless possibilities within anthropological research and the importance of expanding our imaginative horizons by utilizing all accessible resources around us. The practical demonstration of interactive theater during class served as a compelling example of this approach. Through this exercise, I gained a deeper appreciation for how the body and interpersonal physical interactions serve as crucial tools and fields of study in anthropological research. This methodology transcends mere external observation, incorporating internal sensations and lived experiences as valuable sources of anthropological knowledge.

This experience was particularly highlighted by observing how the same scenario could generate diverse interpretations among participants, sometimes diverging significantly from the performers’ intended messages. This multiplicity of perspectives highlights a critical consideration for future research: the necessity of embracing multiple viewpoints and methodological approaches. The interactive theater exercise demonstrated that anthropological understanding isn’t limited to traditional observational methods but can be enriched through embodied experiences and participatory engagement. This multi-layered approach to ethnographic research challenges us to consider not only what we see but also what we feel, experience, and interpret through our bodies and interactions with others.

This comprehensive approach to anthropological study encourages researchers to move beyond conventional boundaries, recognizing that valuable insights can emerge from unexpected sources and methods. The emphasis on bodily experience and interactive elements in ethnographic research opens up new possibilities for understanding human behavior and social dynamics. It reinforces the idea that anthropological research is not just about documenting observations but also about experiencing and interpreting the complex web of human interactions and cultural expressions through multiple lenses and methodologies.

[Last modified: November, 20 2024 10:20 PM]

I had started this late night meditation routine as a way to relax my body and mind. This practice has evolved from my realization that throughout the day, my awareness stays almost entirely in my head, leaving my body feeling like a mere container for carrying my busy thoughts. The simple act of finding a comfortable position in my chair already begins shifting my attention from mental chatter to physical presence.

I begin with three deep breaths, drawing air slowly through my nose and releasing it through my mouth. With each breath, I become increasingly aware of the subtle sensations, the cool air flowing from the tip of my nose, through my windpipe, and into my lungs. I count my breaths from one to ten, then start over. As my awareness deepens, I then feel the gentle rise and fall of my abdomen, the steady rhythm of my heartbeat, the slight pressure of my back against the chair, and the weight of my feet on the floor.

The physical experience of meditation reveals how disconnected I usually am from my body’s signals. When focusing solely on these bodily sensations, I notice how my shoulders naturally relax, how my facial muscles soften, and how my jaw unclenches. Tensions I hadn’t even realized I was holding. Sometimes I feel a slight tingling in my fingertips or a warmth spreading through my chest.

After fifteen minutes, when I open my eyes, my bedroom feels different – as if the simple act of paying attention to my body has refreshed my perception of the space around me. The familiar walls and furniture appear somehow new, viewed through a calmer, more grounded awareness. This short practice helps me rediscover that body and mind aren’t separate entities but work in harmony when given the chance. Through these moments of quiet attention to my breath and physical sensations, I find a way to feel whole again, creating a sense of peace that carries into my sleep.

[Last modified: November, 6 2024 02:41 PM]

My research topic of estrangement between patients and their general practitioners (GPs) under the Western biomedical model carries important political dimensions that are worth careful consideration. Within this topic, I think the significant political implications should be power dynamics, access to care, and the sociocultural forces shaping the patient-healer relationship.

From a critical theory perspective, the biomedical model itself reflects certain political orientations and assumptions. The dominance of this model in Western healthcare systems is tied to a history of medicalization, individualization of health, and the emphasis on technical, “objective” expertise, experiential ways of knowing. This strongly shapes the power imbalance between patients and providers, with GPs occupying a position of greater authority, and patients holding a passive role. The project’s focus on “estrangement” within this context thus somehow acknowledges these underlying political realities.

As a researcher with a cross-cultural background, my own positionality and experiences have significantly shaped my perspectives on this topic, but have also introduced inherent biases. Prior to moving to Australia at age 16, I was raised in China, where the healthcare system featured a distinction between smaller neighborhood clinics and larger public hospitals. This exposure to different healthcare environments led me to develop my own preconceptions and judgments about what constitutes “better” or “worse” doctor-patient relationships, based on my personal encounters. However, through careful reflection, I’ve come to recognize that my notions of estrangement, formed through cross-cultural comparison, may not align with the lived experiences and perspectives of the population I aim to study. Not all of my potential research participants will have had the same exposure to multiple healthcare systems, and their understandings of estrangement in the patient-GP relationship could differ significantly from my own. There is a risk that I could inadvertently impose my biases and assumptions onto the research process and findings.

The potential political implications of this research are diverse. Findings could reveal how the biomedical model’s structural features contribute to feelings of disconnection and disempowerment among patients. This may provide direction for a more patient-centered, holistic approaches to primary care that redistribute power and validate alternative ways of understanding health and illness.

The research methods could be adapted in several ways. Incorporating participatory approaches that emphasis patient narratives and perspectives would be crucial. Collaborating with community organizations, especially those serving marginalized populations, could help ensure the research aligns with their priorities and concerns. Additionally, using critical theoretical frameworks to analyze the data, such as feminist theory, critical race theory, or political economy of health would reveal the underlying power dynamics and structural forces.

[Last modified: October, 28 2024 04:45 PM]

In between Taviton street and Gorden square, there is a peaceful path, lined with tables and chairs, created a perfect spot for busy students to relax a little bit. I have twenty minutes to briefly spend with the crowd here. I pick a chair at the end of the most road and sit down, sharing a table with two other people, both of whom appear to be UCL students, one wearing headphones and using a computer, the other looking through a book. There were more people sitting at the other table, but they weren’t doing anything related to studying, and the overall atmosphere was very chill, with a man sitting on a bench with his legs crossed and a cigarette in his mouth. It didn’t look like a boxed cigarette that you could buy in a store, more like a hand-rolled cigarette, and he smiled as he smoked, surrounded by his friends who talked to him intermittently. I didn’t pay too much attention to what they were talking about. There was also a man smoking on the sidewalk nearby the school building, leaning on the railing and tilting his head back to exhale smoke into the air.

Interestingly, you don’t really see people smoking in either of the two areas adjacent to this path, referring to the school building and the park, and the school building is, of course, a mandated no-smoking place. This trail exists in a very special way, independent of a place where people are stressed and tense, and a place where people are completely relaxed and close to nature. It made me think about the reasons people would stop at this venue, take myself for example, I would stop here in between classes, partly because I didn’t want to get into the space of learning right away yet, but subtle feelings of anxiety also prevented me from going to the park and relaxing completely. Finding a seat on this trail and having a snack while flipping through the reading material I’d be using for class seemed to fit my mood best.

I didn’t get a chance to validate the idea to people this time, but the note taking experience clearly helped me to recall exactly what happened a few days later. Especially when I sketched the scene at that time, the whole structure of the space was better shown, people’s activities were recorded in an interesting way, and how people used the space and interacted with it was also displayed. I think I will continue to use drawing as a technique in my research afterward as well.

[Last modified: October, 21 2024 11:40 AM]

Week 3- positionality and reflectivity
In regard to the topic of my research topic: the impacts of estrangement between patients and GPs on patients’ experiences, my personal positionality and experience indeed provided me with a unique perspective, but inextricable bias as well.

I don’t know if I can technically be counted among the group of ‘halfies’ mentioned in Abu-lughod’s (1996) chapter. However, because I started living on my own overseas at a relatively early stage in my life, and because of my mixed domestic and overseas education, my self-identity and cultural identity have been influenced by more than one cultural milieu. Before moving to Australia at my age 16, I was living with my family in China. During my time in China, whenever I felt sick, I tended to have two options, one was to go to a clinic in the neighborhood, and the other was a public hospital in the city. The former is much smaller in size and can only treat common illnesses, but for illnesses that require specialist intervention, or surgery, or mental health-related illnesses, you have to go to a public hospital. However, the consultation process is similar in both cases. It’s similar in Australia, with a distinction between clinics and hospitals, except that patients often need to get to the clinic first, and only go to the hospital if the GP refers them to.

After careful reflection I realized that the reason I was interested in my research topic was because I had experienced the healthcare system in both cultures and made comparisons based on my own experiences. But because of this comparison, I had a preconceived judgement within me as to who was better or worse, especially because in both places I’ve been to the doctor for some stigmatized illness and it’s a completely different experience. However, I realized that my preconceptions about this topic did not match the potential population I was studying. Not all of the interviewees I could find had experienced the healthcare system in a different culture, and their conception of the disconnect between doctor and patient may have been very different from mine. My notion of estrangement came about through comparison, more specifically because I experienced doctors who were emotionally detached and somewhat critical of their patients, and then encountered caring and accommodating doctors then came cross with the idea that the less disconnect the better. Hence I thought I’d narrow down the pool of respondents a little bit and add some additional conditions that at least to make sure that they’ve all had comparable experiences, to make them aware of the role that estrangements plays in the doctor-patient experience.

[Last modified: October, 14 2024 11:44 AM]

It was raining non-stop outside, and I sat in the waiting area by the window and watched as the raindrops kept hitting the glass. There were a few leather couches in the waiting area, and the single couch I was sitting on had a floor lamp next to it, the warm yellow light contrasting with the gray sky outside the window. There were only three people also sitting in the waiting area, it didn’t look like this clinic was busy today. Two of them sat on the long couch to my left, they looked like they knew each other, I wondered which one of them was here to see the doctor. They sat close together but didn’t communicate much, the woman had her head hung low, a few strands of hair that weren’t wrapped in a scarf covered half of her face, I couldn’t read her expression, was it because she was sleepy? Or was she in a low mood. The man next to her was holding a few pieces of paper in his hand, probably checklists, but his eyes didn’t linger on them, instead he was busy scanning his phone. The other guy sitting across from me exchanged glances with me a couple times, but we didn’t end up exchanging any words. He looked to be about my age, wore a pair of dark glasses, and had his chin tucked into the collar of his jacket. The whole area was very quiet, with classical music playing in the background at a very low volume, perhaps a song chosen by the receptionist, intended to create a relaxed and elegant atmosphere. But the lilting music was interrupted from time to time by the doctor’s voice coming from the office, at which point the man across from me would look up, in that direction. It was very different from the clinics I’d visited before, without the smell of antiseptic water, the noise of the crowd, and the shrill call bell that was always ringing. It was like there was a barrier between the three groups of people sitting here, in their own sphere, suffering from an illness that was uniquely theirs, excluding me this time, of course, and I was here for a different reason than they were. I couldn’t help but start thinking about what kind of mood they would be in during this time of waiting to meet with the doctor, and this overly quiet atmosphere here is really a great space to let the emotion relax, or vice versa, expand, as there are few distractions.

 

[Last modified: October, 7 2024 11:16 AM]

Research topic: estrangement (emotional and physical distancing) between patient and healer, under western biomedicine general practice setting.

Research question: what are the impacts of estrangements between patient and their GP on patients’ experience.

Research method:

1. Participate observation: the field will be consulting rooms; the positionality of the observer will be someone isolated from the scenario of patient-doctor conversation and interaction. The duration of the observation will be the whole consulting process; 20-30 subjects will be randomly selected. Main things to observe: 1) average time patients get to meet with the doctors; 2) the flow and vibe of the conversation; 3) whether doctors pay attention to patients’ emotions; 4) whether the patient find it difficult to express all the facts about the condition when it comes to the subject of stigma.
2. Semi-structured interviews: an interview will be conducted after patients finished their consultation, the interview will follow a guided line and participants’ expanded discussion are encouraged. Main questions include: 1) how do they feel about the distancing; 2) will the distancing affects their perception of the doctor’s expertise; 3) will the distancing affect their willingness to enclose themselves; 4) do they need to do online research about their health status before visiting the doctor so that they can communicate with the doctor more professionally and efficiently; 5) does this sense of distance make it difficult for them to speak up when the condition is deeply personal or stigmatized.

Potential finding:

1. Time constraints and communication quality: patients may feel the consultations are too short and the conversations may often lack depth, leading a sense of being rushed and not enough information are being exchanged. Patients may also need to engage in extensive online research to compensate for perceived communication gaps, which might either empower them or lead to anxiety about their conditions.
2. Disclosure: GPs focus more in symptoms than on emotional or relational aspects, patient may leave feeling unheard. GPs appear detached or uninterested in patients’ emotional states, which could hinder trust and rapport, patients might struggle to discuss personal or stigmatized health issues, feeling that the emotional distance impacts their willingness to disclose critical information about their conditions.
3. Impact on doctor perception: s sense of estrangement could lead patients to question the expertise and empathy of their GPs, potentially undermining their treatment compliance.

Challenges:

1. Variability in Doctor-Patient Dynamics: the study may encounter significant variability in the communication styles of different GPs, making it difficult to draw generalized conclusions.
2. Emotional Sensitivity: discussing estrangement may evoke strong emotions in patients during interviews, which could influence their responses or willingness to participate.
3. Contextual Factors: external factors (e.g., workload pressures on GPs, clinic environment, etc.) could significantly influence interactions and patient experiences but may not be fully captured in the study.
4. Ethical Considerations: ensuring confidentiality and emotional safety for participants, especially when discussing sensitive topics, is crucial. Consent and debriefing processes must be handled carefully.

[Last modified: October, 1 2024 05:15 PM]

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