title: Communicating personal amnesty: a model for health promotion in an Australian disability context.
abstract: Currently pathological and illness-centric policy surrounds the evaluation of the health status of a person experiencing disability. In this research partnerships were built between disability service providers, community development organizations and disability arts organizations to build a translational evaluative methodology prior to implementation of an arts-based workshop that was embedded in a strengths-based approach to health and well-being. The model consisted of three foci: participation in a pre-designed drama-based workshop program; individualized assessment and evaluation of changing health status; and longitudinal analysis of participants changing health status in their public lives following the culmination of the workshop series. Participants (n = 15) were recruited through disability service providers and disability arts organizations to complete a 13-week workshop series and public performance. The study developed accumulative qualitative analysis tools and member-checking methods specific to the communication systems used by individual participants. Principle findings included increased confidence for verbal and non-verbal communicators; increased personal drive, ambition and goal-setting; increased arts-based skills including professional engagements as artists; demonstrated skills in communicating perceptions of health status to private and public spheres. Tangential positive observations were evident in the changing recreational, vocational and educational activities participants engaged with pre- and post- the workshop series; participants advocating for autonomous accommodation and health provision and changes in the disability service staff's culture. The research is an example of translational health methodologies in disability studies.
authors.affiliation: Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Brisbane 4059, QLD, Australia nic.vogelpoel@sense.org.uk.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vogelpoel
authors.affiliation: Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Brisbane 4059, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gattenhof
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shakespeare-Finch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003142:Communication; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004324:Drama; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055500:Resilience, Psychological
keywords: disability; health promotion programs; participatory research; social inclusion