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    Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards vitamin D and sun exposure of parents of infants and young children and health professionals in New Zealand.
    (SAGE Publications, 2023-07-02) Von Hurst P; Mazahery H; Reynolds E; Thomson A; Franklin M; Conlon C
    BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency may result in adverse long-term health consequences in adulthood if it occurs during fetal development, infancy and childhood. To effectively improve vitamin D status of infants/toddlers, there needs to be knowledge and awareness of vitamin D among parents and health professionals. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate parents' and health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards vitamin D and sun exposure over two timepoints. METHODS: The study was an ecological study over two timepoints (Parents 2009 and 2021; Health professionals 2010 and 2019) and used an online questionnaire. RESULTS: The analysis included 9834 parents (2009 n = 8032; 2021 n = 1802) and 283 health professionals (2010 n = 193; 2019 n = 90). Parents and health professionals had good knowledge of vitamin D sources, roles and risk factors for deficiency over two timepoints. There were however some confusions regarding the vitamin D content of breast milk, exclusive breastfeeding as a risk factor for deficiency, and ineffectiveness of sun exposure through glass windows in relation to vitamin D synthesis. In 2019, only 37% of health professionals indicated giving advice on supplements for infants/toddlers. Most parents and health professionals believed there was not enough information available to parents regarding vitamin D (>90%) and that skin cancer prevention messages make it difficult to get information about vitamin D across (>70%). CONCLUSION: Although parents and health professionals had good knowledge in most areas, knowledge of some specific sources and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency was poor.
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    Supporting whānau through child cancer : an evaluation of the child cancer counselling network : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Bell, Esther Joy
    Purpose Child cancer can be considered to be a chronic traumatic event that challenges the functioning of the entire family unit. Whilst families may be well supported by medical teams and support services in hospital, there is often a lack of appropriate psychological support available in the community for those who prefer external support or whose child is not undergoing active treatment. In addition, research investigating the impact of counselling on child cancer parents is scarce. The purpose of this study was to contribute to an evaluation of the innovative Child Cancer Counselling Network (CCCN). In partnership with the Child Cancer Foundation, the CCCN provides free specialised counselling support across Aotearoa New Zealand either in-person or online, available to whānau at any point during their cancer journey. Method To evaluate the CCCN from parents’ perspectives, seven semi-structured interviews were carried out with child cancer mothers who had accessed the counselling. The resulting qualitative data was thematically analysed. Results Five major themes were found. ‘The Educated Outsider’ and ‘A Safe Space’, described qualities of ideal social support for child cancer families and what counselling was able to provide that their social networks and treatment centre could not. ‘Breaking Stigmas’ and ‘Optimising Access’ outlined ways that access to support services could be improved, including what did and didn’t work about the CCCN approach for the participants. Finally, Future Focus Areas identified potential improvements including Māori support, palliative support and investigations into other child conditions that don’t receive the same support as child cancer. Conclusion The qualitative accounts of participants illustrated a range of benefits they experienced from access to the CCCN service. Potential areas for development include enhanced palliative focus and ensuring best practice support for Māori. Provision of a short-term, flexible delivery, specialised counselling support service for child cancer families appears valuable to address gaps in support and shows potential as a translatable model for supporting other child conditions.
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    How do youth, parents, and educators use discursive sexual scripts to make sense of youth engagement with internet pornography?
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2022-12) Healy-Cullen S; Morison T; Ross K; Taylor JE
    In this article, we explore how culturally available sexual scripts are drawn on to make meaning of young people’s engagement with internet pornography (IP). We draw on a version of sexual scripting theory developed by feminist discursive scholars to perform a critical thematic analysis of 24 interviews with parents, educators, and young people. We identify three main scripts commonly drawn on by participants to make sense of youth engagement with IP, namely: a script of harm, a heterosexual script, and a developmentalist script. These scripts, often interweaving with one another, were deployed in various ways, firstly, as ‘risk talk’ and, secondly, as ‘resistant talk’. While both adults and youth engaged with dominant (‘risk’) and alternative (‘resistant’) talk, adults primarily positioned youth within ‘risk talk’. We show how alternative ‘resistant talk’ disrupts common, scripted ways of accounting for youth engagement with IP in a way that demonstrates more nuanced sexual subjectivities – particularly among youth – than the traditional media effects paradigm acknowledges. Importantly, our findings show how, within discursive restraints, essentialized gender constructions can be resisted to position youth as agentic sexual subjects.
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    Changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards vitamin D and sun exposure of parents of infants and young children in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Reynolds, Esme
    Background: Vitamin D deficiency can have serious health implications in early life, with severe deficiency resulting in rickets. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to extra-skeletal conditions during pregnancy, infancy and childhood. Vitamin D is synthesised following exposure to ultraviolet radiation; with factors impacting synthesis increasing the risk of deficiency. Therefore, parents’ knowledge about vitamin D is important for optimal vitamin D status in early life. In 2012 and 2013, the Ministry of Health (MoH) released a Consensus Statement on Vitamin D and Sun Exposure, followed by a Companion Statement for Pregnancy and Infancy with subsequent public health messaging. However, there is limited information on parents’ vitamin D knowledge in New Zealand. Aim: To determine the impact of these statements on vitamin D and sun exposure knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of parents of infants and young children in New Zealand. Methods: This ecological study utilised a cross-sectional questionnaire to collect data at two time points - 2009 and 2021 to compare knowledge, attitudes and behaviours and assess the impact of the MoH statements. Inclusion criteria included: youngest child <5 years, living in New Zealand, and understanding written English. Results: The analysis included 9,834 parents (2009 N=8,032, 2021 N=1,802). Knowledge of vitamin D roles was similar; however, a higher proportion of parents (48.2%) in 2021 correctly identified the role of vitamin D in immunity compared to 2009 (29.1%). Most parents lacked knowledge of high-risk factors for deficiency, including exclusive breastfeeding (98.1%, 95.1%) and darker skin colour (92.9%, 77.5%). Health professionals were not the main source of information (15.8%, 24.8%), and low advice rates on supplementation and sun exposure were reported. In 2021, 60.2% of parents reported health professionals or the MoH, and 24.5% reported the media or social media as their preferred source of information on vitamin D. Safe sun exposure practices were performed frequently in children during the summer in 2009 and 2021. Most parents (86.9%) in 2021 did not know current vitamin D and sun exposure recommendations. Conclusion: Overall, the impact of the MoH statements and subsequent public health messaging on parents’ knowledge has been minimal. To improve parents’ knowledge, the MoH could utilise social media to communicate public health information more effectively.
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    A cross country analysis of social justice in assessment
    (2017-11-27) Poskitt JM; Adie L; Hayward L
    Social justice is an international concern and evident in education and assessment policies, but is less evident in the enactment of reporting policy and practices. We explore these ruptures in assessment policy through analysis of the assessment documents of three countries, Australia, New Zealand and Scotland. Specifically, we address the social and cultural assumptions that limit opportunities for student and parent voice in reporting processes. Robinson and Taylor’s (2007) four core values of student voice form the conceptual framework. In order to better align assessment, reporting and social justice practices, we draw on notions of spirit and letter of assessment, feedback to create dialogic spaces, and the relationship between formative and summative assessment. Lundy’s (2007) conceptualisation of voice is used to propose ways forward to create a more socially just reporting system. To transform reporting practices, we recommend reconceptualising reporting as communicating, and assessment as progressing learning.