PhD Annual Progress Review

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The Impact of Material Deprivation on the
Psychosocial Experience of Health
PhD Annual Progress Review Emee Vida Estacio2-3
May 2006
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Critical health psychology is concerned
with the political nature of all human existence,
admits compassion in theory and practice, values
freedom of thought and is aware of social
interdependence of human beings as actors.
Through the use of theoretical analysis,
critical thinking, social and political action,
advocacy, and leadership skills, the critical
psychologist draws attention to issues that
warrant reparation and takes action thereon to
amend the situation or at least give it a higher
profile (p.15).My PhD applies this approach to
the analysis of health experience and behaviour
in an impoverished group of people in the
PhilippinesSOURCE Marks, D.F. (2002).
Freedom, responsibility and power Contrasting
approaches to health psychology. Journal of
Health Psychology, 7, 5-19.
I am not an economist, nor a sociologist. I am
proud to be a psychology PhD student - a
critical health psychologist in training
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The Impact of Material Deprivation on the
Psychosocial Experience of Health

• Objective to examine the impact of material
  deprivation on the psychosocial experience of
  health
• Phase 1 Literature Review
• Health the concept, the responsibility, the
  human right
• Health psychology in the context of health
  inequity
• Macroeconomics and health
• Phase 2 Statistical Study
• An International Analysis of Government Health
  Expenditure and Health Outcomes at a
  Macroeconomic Level
• Phase 3 Empirical Study
• The psychosocial experience of health among
  individuals
• in the midst of material deprivation

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The experience of health in the midst of material
deprivation

• The conceptualization and initial actions taken
  to develop this study are based on recent
  discussions among critical health psychologists
  regarding the need for the field to move towards
  greater practice and action orientation (see
  Journal of Health Psychology March 2003 and May
  2006).
• These calls to action compelled me to
  contemplate on how my research can be made useful
  to communities, especially among those who are
  considered as marginalised or dispossessed
• I am a Filipino - I wanted to carry out a
  research project that is relevant to my national
  identity, society and culture
• I am using a variety of methodological approaches
  to study the impact of extreme poverty on the
  psychological experiences of health of individual
  members of one of the most impoverished peoples
  on this earth.
• This has relevance to health psychology theory
  and
• health care policy

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The experience of health in the midst of material
deprivation

• Since my research focuses on how
  macroeconomic/material forces impact upon
  peoples individual experience of health, I
  wondered whether I can work with communities and
  allow them to identify for themselves the issues
  that affect their daily lives.
• Only by letting these groups define their own
  social realities can they begin to take hold of
  it, control it, and possibly transform it.
• Is there a research approach which will allow me
  to engage in such an endeavour?
• Of course there is -

• it is called PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH

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What is participatory action research?

• Participatory action research (PAR) is a research
  approach that involves collaboration between the
  researcher and the community with a common aim to
  identify an area of concern to that community,
  generate knowledge about that issue, and plan and
  carry out actions meant to address the issue in
  some substantive way (Brydon-Miller, 2005,
  p.188).

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Participatory action research process Adapted
from Tolman Brydon-Miller (2001), as cited in
Brydon-Miller (2005)
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Lewins model of social diagnosis and action that
became known as action research Source Lewin
(1947, p. 149). In Marks, D.F. et al (2005).
Health Psychology Theory, research and practice
2nd ed. London Sage Publications.
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Key players in this project

• The Ayta Community
• Sitio Bucaran, Floridablanca, Philippines
• NGO
• Popular Education for Peoples Empowerment (PEPE)
• Socio-civic organisation
• Development Action for Grassroots Learning
  (DANGLE)
• Government Units
• Barangay Council
• Department of Education
• National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)
• Researchers me and my supervisor

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Who are the Aytas?

• The Aytas are the earliest inhabitants in the
  Philippines.
• There are about 110 tribes scattered around the
  country, comprising of about 140,591 individuals
  0.18 of the entire Filipino population.
• In recent years, the Aytas living in the
  mountainous areas of Zambales and Pampanga have
  become increasingly marginalised due to the
  destructive volcanic eruption of Mt Pinatubo in
  1991.
• Majority also lack formal education which makes
  them very vulnerable from economic exploitation.

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Stages of this project

• 1 Establishing rapport/planning
• 2 Knowledge generation
• 3 Data validation
• 4 Recommendations for action
• 5 Planning for action
• 6 Implementation
• 7 Follow-up

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Stage one Establishing rapport and research
planning

• Preparation of research proposal (Oct-Dec 05)
• Organisational meetings (Jan 11,14/ Feb 4, 6/ Mar
  2,11, 27/ Apr 17, 23)
• Email/telephone/video conference (Jan-Apr 06)
• Progress reports and reflections (Jan-Apr 06)
• Stage one community visits (1-2 Feb/ 28 Feb)
• Community workshops
• 15-16 February 2006
• Orientation on the PAR-ALS Initiative
• Please see hand-outs for details

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Overall aims of the project

• To generate knowledge with the community that
  will
• preserve the Ayta culture and way of life
• inform curriculum development for the alternative
  learning system and
• provide insight for social action
• improve the health of individuals living within
  those communities
• Key issues
• Structures of trade
• Access to government services
• Social stratification
• Land issues

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Stage 2 Generating knowledge with the community

• Community workshops
• Structures of trade Flow diagram (6 March)
• Social structure Power and wealth ranking (7
  March)
• Institutional diagramming socio-political
  structure (11 March)
• Hut-to-hut visits (20-22 March)
• Interviews/FGDs 13 out of all 15 households
• Rich qualitative data more than 700 minutes
  recording time
• Stories/experiences/concept of health ? IPA
• List of common illnesses, causes and treatment
• Survey of educational attainment
• Main sources of income and primary expenditures
• Interview
• NCIP Commissioner Pablo Santos (7 April)
• Land and ancestral domains issues
• Photo and video collection

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Stages 3-4 Data validation and recommendations
for action

• Community meeting (2 April)
• 60 individuals local residents, visitors,
  traders, teachers, volunteers, leaders
• Action matrix
• Please see hand-outs for details

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Stage 5 Planning for action implementation
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Stage 5 Planning for action implementation
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7 March 2006
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7 March 2006
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Whats next?

• In the field -
• Stage 5 Planning for action (Apr-Jun 06)
• Stage 6 Implementation (May - Oct 06)
• Stage 7 Follow-up (Nov - Dec 06)
• At my desk -
• Data analysis (IPA)
• Writing-up
• Research dissemination
• Advocacy

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For further details, please visit my website at

• http//www.student.city.ac.uk/bh777
• OR go to www.google.comSEARCH emee estacio