Deirdre Heenan

Bio: Deirdre Heenan is an academic researcher from Ulster University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Social work & Devolution. The author has an hindex of 13, co-authored 37 publications receiving 552 citations.

Art as therapy: an effective way of promoting positive mental health?

Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the contribution that creative arts can play in promoting positive mental health and well‐being. The research is based on a case study of an innovative art therapy programme delivered by a community‐based mental health organisation in Northern Ireland, as part of a supported recovery programme. The study reported here explored the experiences and perceptions of the service users through in‐depth interviews and focus groups. The art as therapy course was credited with improvements in self‐esteem and self‐confidence. It provided a safe space for reflection on mental health issues. Participants described the programme as cathartic and a springboard for engagement in a wide range of further projects. It is concluded that this type of project which addresses mental health issues in a supportive, positive, non‐clinical environment can encourage and facilitate empowerment and recovery through accessible creative programmes. However, to date these programmes are time‐limited, ...

The Integration of Health and Social Care: The Lessons from Northern Ireland

Abstract: Mechanisms for the integration of social services with health have come to dominate the debate on providing a more seamless provision of health and social care. Working together at the health and social care interface has been strongly promoted and endorsed in government documents since the late 1990s. Moves towards integration have been treated with suspicion and scepticism in the academic literature, with many authors highlighting the many barriers and challenges presented by this method of working. Yet these proposals do not represent a paradigm shift in culture in all parts of the United Kingdom, as Northern Ireland has had an integrated health and social care system for over thirty years. Based on an empirical study of senior health care professionals in Northern Ireland, this study identifies and discusses the key issues associated with integration. It concludes that the experiences in Northern Ireland have to date been overlooked or misrepresented and could prove extremely valuable in gaining an understanding of the challenges and benefits of integrated arrangements.

A partnership approach to health promotion: a case study from Northern Ireland.

Abstract: SUMMARY In recent years there has been a renewal of interest in community development and partnership approaches in the delivery of health and social services in Northern Ireland. The general thrust of these approaches is that local communities can be organized to address health and social needs and to work with government agencies, voluntary bodies and local authorities in delivering services and local solutions to problems. Since the Ottawa Charter was launched in 1986, government in Northern Ireland has stressed that community development should no longer simply be added on to key aspects of Health and Social Services, but should instead be at the core of their work. There is increasing consensus that traditional approaches to improving health and well-being, which have focused on the individual, are paternalistic and have failed to tackle inequalities effectively. Partnerships within a community development setting have been heralded as a means to facilitate participation and empowerment. This paper outlines the policy background to community development approaches in health promotion and delivery in Northern Ireland. Drawing on evidence from a case study of a community health project it highlights the benefits and difficulties with this approach. The findings suggest that partnerships can positively influence a community’s health status, but in order to be effective they require effective planning and long-term commitment from both the state and the local community.

The factors influencing access to health and social care in the farming communities of County Down, Northern Ireland

Abstract: Against a background of limited previous research, this paper examines the access to health and social care among older people in the farming communities of County Down, Northern Ireland. In-depth interviews were conducted with 45 people aged 60 or more years living on family farms to collect information about health care needs and service use and adequacy. In addition, interviews with service providers provided information on their perceptions of the farming communities' needs. The findings indicate that there are specific rural dimensions of access to services and that among the respondents there was substantial unmet need. For many farming families, using services is determined by much more than being able to reach them physically. The lack of reliable information, the culture of stoicism and the absence of appropriate services impeded obtaining effective support. Recent health care policies and strategies have stressed the importance of developing local services that are responsive to need in consultation with service users, but there is worryingly little evidence that this has occurred. It is concluded that if effective outcomes are to be achieved, policies must recognise the specific characteristics of rural populations and be sensitive to the needs, attitudes and expectations of farming families. The current lack of understanding about the distinct needs of these communities at present exacerbates the isolation and marginalisation of already vulnerable older people.

The Concept of Employability

Abstract: The concept of 'employability' plays a crucial role in informing labour market policy in the UK, the EU and beyond. This paper analyses current and previous applications of the term and discusses its value as an exploratory concept and a framework for policy analysis. It then traces the development of the concept, discusses its role in current labour market and training strategies (with particular reference to the UK) and seeks to identify an approach to defining employability that can better inform labour market policy, by transcending explanations of employment and unemployment that focus solely on either supply-side or demand-side factors. Although the literature offers a range of definitions of 'employability', many policy-makers have recently used the term as shorthand for 'the individual's employability skills and attributes'. It is argued that this 'narrow' usage can lead to a 'hollowing out' of the concept of employability. The paper concludes by presenting a broad framework for analysing employability built around individual factors, personal circumstances and external factors, which acknowledges the importance of both supply- and demand-side factors.

Oral Ondansetron for Gastroenteritis in a Pediatric Emergency Department

Abstract: BACKGROUND Vomiting limits the success of oral rehydration in children with gastroenteritis We conducted a double-blind trial to determine whether a single oral dose of ondansetron, an antiemetic, would improve outcomes in children with gastroenteritis METHODS We enrolled 215 children 6 months through 10 years of age who were treated in a pediatric emergency department for gastroenteritis and dehydration After being randomly assigned to treatment with orally disintegrating ondansetron tablets or placebo, the children received oral-rehydration therapy according to a standardized protocol The primary outcome was the proportion who vomited while receiving oral rehydration The secondary outcomes were the number of episodes of vomiting and the proportions who were treated with intravenous rehydration or hospitalized RESULTS As compared with children who received placebo, children who received ondansetron were less likely to vomit (14 percent vs 35 percent; relative risk, 040; 95 percent confidence interval, 026 to 061), vomited less often (mean number of episodes per child, 018 vs 065; P<0001), had greater oral intake (239 ml vs 196 ml, P=0001), and were less likely to be treated by intravenous rehydration (14 percent vs 31 percent; relative risk, 046; 95 percent confidence interval, 026 to 079) Although the mean length of stay in the emergency department was reduced by 12 percent in the ondansetron group, as compared with the placebo group (P=002), the rates of hospitalization (4 percent and 5 percent, respectively; P=100) and of return visits to the emergency department (19 percent and 22 percent, P=073) did not differ significantly between groups CONCLUSIONS In children with gastroenteritis and dehydration, a single dose of oral ondansetron reduces vomiting and facilitates oral rehydration and may thus be well suited for use in the emergency department