Browsing by Person "O'Brien, Oonagh"

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Engaging 'gay' businesses in HIV prevention 'Everywhere': Findings from a qualitative study in eight European cities
(Sage Publications, 2013-01) Sherriff, N.; McDonnell, E.; Bogen-Johnston, L.; Tunstall, B.; O'Brien, Oonagh
Objective: 'Gay' businesses providing physical and virtual sex spaces for men who have sex with men (MSM) have been shown empirically to be useful sites for public health and health promotion interventions. While HIV incidence in Europe has been more or less stable in recent years, the number of infections attributed to MSM has continued to increase with new cases almost doubling in Western and Central Europe between 2000 and 2006. Set within the context of the Everywhere Project, the objective of this study was to explore the feasibility and acceptability to 'gay' businesses of developing and implementing a European model of HIV prevention focusing on MSM that provides common prevention standards across eight European countries. Design: A qualitative study Setting: 'Gay' businesses that bring men together and facilitate sex between them in 'gay' tourist destinations and other European capital cities. Method: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 54 'gay' business representatives from different European cities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using a 'framework' approach. Results: Many representatives of 'gay' businesses reported being willing to provide HIV prevention activities that target MSM in their venues and perceive this as part of improving their corporate image of being a socially responsible enterprise. However, concerns were voiced around issues such as fear of alienating customers, and inciting stigma and discrimination, safe-sex fatigue and lack of knowledge of prevention messages, as well as the need for appropriate condom and lubricant distribution networks. Businesses also reflected on the potential benefits and disadvantages of being involved in a scheme that provides a common and recognizable framework for HIV prevention across multiple European countries. Conclusions: Early conclusions from this exploratory research suggest that a European-wide model of HIV prevention is acceptable and feasible to those working in 'gay' businesses. Further investigations, however, are required to develop solutions in order to overcome identified social, cultural and practical barriers. 2011 The Author(s).
Gender and Health: The case for gender-sensitive health policy and health care delivery
(2003) O'Brien, Oonagh; White, Alan
There is growing national and international recognition that gender is an important indicator of health differences. The United Kingdom is in danger of falling behind many other countries that are beginning to recognise the crucial importance of gender to the development of effective health policy and practice. This briefing paper sets out some of the reasons why those involved in the gender and health partnership (GAHP) believe that it is time to place gender at the heart of the equalities agenda in health, and why it is important to ensure gender sensitivity in health policy, medical research and services. This briefing paper refers to the United Kingdom; however, Scotland is in the process of producing guidelines specifically on mainstreaming gender in health policy and service delivery.
Help seeking, trust and intimate partner violence: Social connections amongst displaced and non-displaced Yezidi women and men in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq
(BMC, 2020-08-28) Strang, Alison; O'Brien, Oonagh; Sandilands, Maggie; Horn, Rebecca; Funding for the study was provided by Tearfund UK
Background: Conflict and displacement impact the social fabric of communities through the disruption of social connections and the erosion of trust. Effective humanitarian assistance requires understanding the social capital that shapes patterns of help seeking in these circumstances - especially with stigmatised issues such as violence against women (VAW) and intimate partner violence (IPV).
My Voice 2: Women and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Scotland: A participatory action research project
(Waverley Care, 2017-06-30) O'Brien, Oonagh; Baldeh, Fatou; Hassan, Jamila; Baillie, Martha
This report describes findings from the second phase of My Voice, a participatory action research project on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Scotland. My Voice aims to facilitate community engagement with FGM affected populations, to enable their voices to contribute to the development of awareness raising around FGM and to ensuring culturally appropriate FGM services for Scotland. The objectives of the project are: • To establish the perceptions, attitudes and experiences on FGM in Scotland • To engage FGM affected communities in participatory research • To gather evidence from communities affected by FGM to be used as a basis for dialogue and interaction in the development of appropriate FGM services in Scotland The first phase of My Voice aimed to document perceptions, attitudes and experiences of FGM among specific groups within affected communities, including young women (under 25 years), young men and older men, as well as religious leaders. In this second phase the focus has been on women over 25, arguably the most affected group, who are mostly married or have been married, with children and in many cases dealing with the negative health impacts of FGM. My Voice presents data that has been identified and collected by affected communities. It is the story that women with FGM wanted to tell. This information is essential in order progress the understanding of the challenges and complexity of the issues facing FGM affected communities in Scotland and helping to determine ways in which community participation can be built in to the Scottish response to FGM more effectively.
MY Voice: A participatory action research project with men, women and young people on female genital mutilation (FGM) in Scotland
(Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, 2016-06-30) O'Brien, Oonagh; Baldeh, Fatou; Sivapatham, Siva; Brown, Eleanor; O'May, Fiona
MY Voice is an innovative participatory action research project with affected communities on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Scotland. The project aims are to facilitate community engagement on FGM with women, men, young people and religious leaders, to enable their voices to be heard, and to contribute to the development of awareness-raising around FGM, as well as ensuring culturally appropriate services for Scotland. There have been multiple calls for greater community participation and leadership in the work on FGM in Scotland from those directly affected (see section 1.3). The findings from MY Voice can start to identify key issues and help determine ways in which community participation can be built in to the Scottish response to FGM more effectively.
Refugee integration: local perspectives in contrasting European contexts.
(2008) Strang, Alison; O'Brien, Oonagh
The Global Fund and the re-configuration and re-emergence of 'civil society': Widening or closing the democratic deficit?
(Taylor & Francis, 2012-01-13) Kapilashrami, Anuj; O'Brien, Oonagh
The past decade has witnessed a tremendous growth in the scale and policy influence of civil society in global health governance. The AIDS 'industry' in particular opens up spaces for active mobilisation and participation of non-state actors, which further crystallise with an ever-increasing dominance of global health initiatives. While country evaluations of global initiatives call for a greater participation of 'civil society', the evidence base examining the organisation, nature and operation of 'civil society' and its claims to legitimacy is very thin. Drawing on the case of one of the most visible players in the global response to HIV epidemic, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, this article seeks to highlight the complex micropolitics of its interactions with civil society. It examines the nature of civil society actors involved in the Fund projects and the processes through which they gain credibility. We argue that the imposition of global structures and principles facilitates a reconfiguration of actors around newer forms of expertise and power centres. In this context, the notion of 'civil society' underplays differences and power dynamics between various institutions and conceals the agency of outsiders under the guise of autonomy of the state and people.