Ethical and methodological issues in research with Sami experiencing disability

Professional strategies in upper secondary school dropout management among youth in the Sami areas of Norway: a focus group study

The upper secondary school dropout rate is a challenge in many western countries, and measures have been taken to prevent dropout. The dropout rate in Norway is stable but is the highest among the northernmost counties. The aim of this study is to explore the strategies employed by upper secondary school teachers and their collaborators to prevent dropout from upper secondary school among Sami youth in northern Norway. This study is based on three focus group interviews with teachers, advisers, nurses, and counsellors in the Sami areas of northern Norway. The thematic analysis identified two main strategies, namely tracking the student and giving the student time. A transparent environments, cultural competence, and interdisciplinary collaboration were identified as prerequisites for successfully implementing the two strategies to prevent dropout from upper secondary school.

A culturally sensitive approach to Indigenous older Sámi living with memory loss- disconnected from their environment and spirituality

The aim of this article is to discuss attitudes to memory loss in old age among older Sámi people in the Arctic region of Norway. What preferences and lived experiences are expressed when older Sámi people need health and social care because of memory loss? According to the Sámi Act (§ 108), the Sámi Indigenous people in Norway have a legal right to receive equitable health and social services adapted to the Sámi language, traditional lifestyle and religious customs. However, standard services are offered that are adapted to the majority of clients in a homogenisation of needs and wishes, and older Sámi clients are treated in the same way regardless of their cultural background. Ethnographic interviews and participant observation illustrated as case studies. Older Sámis' long-term connectedness to nature and spirituality makes them sensitive to the changes in the environment. Healthcare personnel enable older Sámi to feel connected to their environment and spirituality in old age, by facilitating culturally sensitive care. This study explores a need of culturally sensitive approach to health care, aiming to increase the understanding of the preferences and lived experiences of Indigenous older people with cognitive impairment.

Reporting in the abstracts presented at the 5th AfriNEAD (African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability) Conference in Ghana

Introduction

The abstracts of a conference are important for informing the participants about the results that are communicated. However, there is poor reporting in conference abstracts in disability research. This paper aims to assess the reporting in the abstracts presented at the 5th African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability (AfriNEAD) Conference in Ghana.

Methods

This descriptive study extracted information from the abstracts presented at the 5th AfriNEAD Conference. Three reviewers independently reviewed all the included abstracts using a predefined data extraction form. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the extracted information, using Stata version 15.

Results

Of the 76 abstracts assessed, 54 met the inclusion criteria, while 22 were excluded. More than half of all the included abstracts (32/54; 59.26%) were studies conducted in Ghana. Some of the included abstracts did not report on the study design (37/54; 68.5%), the type of analysis performed (30/54; 55.56%), the sampling (27/54; 50%), and the sample size (18/54; 33.33%). Almost all the included abstracts did not report the age distribution and the gender of the participants.

Conclusion

The study findings confirm that there is poor reporting of methods and findings in conference abstracts. Future conference organizers should critically examine abstracts to ensure that these issues are adequately addressed, so that findings are effectively communicated to participants.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s41073-018-0061-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Mental health among Sami people with intellectual disabilities

The first living condition-survey among people with intellectual disability in Sami areas in Norway was conducted in 2017. The purpose of this article is to present and discuss results from the living-condition study, with a focus on the results related to mental health and bullying as a risk factor for poor mental health among people with intellectual disability and a Sami background. We have conducted a questionnaire survey among people with intellectual disability in Sami areas, with and without a Sami background (N = 93). People with intellectual disability have poorer mental health compared to the population in general and those with Sami background have the poorest mental health. Bullying is one of several factors that increase the risk of poor mental health among people with intellectual disability and Sami background. Having a Sami background makes people with intellectual disability more disposed to poor mental health.