Papers by Pranee Liamputtong
In this paper, I examine the lived experience of motherhood among Cambodian, Lao and Vietnamese i... more In this paper, I examine the lived experience of motherhood among Cambodian, Lao and Vietnamese immigrant women in Australia. The women in this study felt a profound change through the process of becoming a mother; they experience the " transformation of self. " The results reveal several discourses of good motherhood. Becoming a mother was experienced as a moral transformation of self and women were urged to perform their moral career. The representation of mothers as the " keepers of morality " is prominent. Women's moral career is influenced by an ethic of care and responsibility for others, particularly their children. The paradoxical discourse of motherhood is profound in the women's narratives of their lived experiences of motherhood. It is clear that motherhood is not an easy task. When this is combined with difficulties resulting from migration, motherhood becomes double burdens. Lack of sufficient English, financial difficulties and support network in a homeland make the task of good motherhood difficult to achieve. Social and health care services need to take women's experiences into account if sensitive care for immigrant women is to be achieved.
A B S T R A C T There is a growing awareness that undertaking qualitative research is an embodied... more A B S T R A C T There is a growing awareness that undertaking qualitative research is an embodied experience and that researchers may be emotionally affected by the work that they do. Despite the interest in the emotional nature of qualitative research, there is very little empirical evidence about the researchers' experiences of undertaking qualitative research. A grounded theory analysis of one-on-one interviews with thirty public health researchers working on a qualitative project provided both theoretical and empirical evidence that qualitative researchers undertake emotion work throughout their research projects. The findings provide examples of researchers doing emotion work in their research projects; highlight some of the consequences of emotion work and offer some suggestions for researcher self-care. K E Y W O R D S : embodied research, emotions, emotion work, qualitative research
Breast cancer is an “emotionally debilitating disease” that affects the lives of women of all age... more Breast cancer is an “emotionally debilitating disease” that affects the lives of women of all ages. In this
paper, we discuss the lived experience of breast cancer among women in southern Thailand and situate
our discussions within the concept of therapeutic landscapes. We adopted a feminist framework as our
research methodology and employed qualitative and innovative methods. The therapeutic landscapes of
healing involved multiple levels of landscape changes including body, home, neighbourhood, health care
and cultural contexts. Our findings offer a particular insight into the role of emotions, cultural beliefs, and
practices in forming therapeutic landscapes among women living with breast cancer in Thailand. It is
crucial that health care providers understand the emotional experiences of women with breast cancer
and their particular cultural needs for emotional healing landscapes. Our findings could be used as evidence
for developing culturally appropriate therapeutic strategies and interventions for women with
breast cancer in Thailand and elsewhere.
Social science & medicine (1982), 2015
Breast cancer is an "emotionally debilitating disease" that affects the lives of women ... more Breast cancer is an "emotionally debilitating disease" that affects the lives of women of all ages. In this paper, we discuss the lived experience of breast cancer among women in southern Thailand and situate our discussions within the concept of therapeutic landscapes. We adopted a feminist framework as our research methodology and employed qualitative and innovative methods. The therapeutic landscapes of healing involved multiple levels of landscape changes including body, home, neighbourhood, health care and cultural contexts. Our findings offer a particular insight into the role of emotions, cultural beliefs, and practices in forming therapeutic landscapes among women living with breast cancer in Thailand. It is crucial that health care providers understand the emotional experiences of women with breast cancer and their particular cultural needs for emotional healing landscapes. Our findings could be used as evidence for developing culturally appropriate therapeutic st...
Cancer nursing, Jan 15, 2015
Women with breast cancer receive different forms of treatment. Although treatment can save the li... more Women with breast cancer receive different forms of treatment. Although treatment can save the lives of women, they can result in adverse physical, psychological, and social effects that can impact the women's quality of life. The objective of this study was to describe the experiences of breast cancer treatment among Thai women in southern Thailand. This study used qualitative methods (in-depth interviewing and drawings) with 20 Thai women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis methods. Three themes emerged: (a) being a breast cancer patient: visible signs and adverse effects of therapy, (b) experiencing emotional chaos, and (c) experiencing social dysfunction. The women had to deal with physical body changes, emotional burden, treatment-related social stigma, and being marginalized within their own social context. Women experienced changes including social stigma after receiving breast cancer treatments. They had to manage stigma ...
Managing Boundaries, Emotions and Risks, 2008
European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2014
Sociology of health & illness, 2015
In this article we draw on Bury's theory of biographical disruption to discuss the meanings o... more In this article we draw on Bury's theory of biographical disruption to discuss the meanings of, and emotional experiences related to, being diagnosed with breast cancer among southern Thai women. Qualitative methods, including in-depth interviewing and drawing methods, were used to collect data from 20 women with breast cancer. The women perceived breast cancer to be a rhok raai; an evil or dread disease. They believed that breast cancer would lead to death. The disruption in their biography occurred when they detected abnormalities indicating breast cancer. The women's narratives revealed their chaotic lives upon this diagnosis and the news precipitated in them shock, fear, anxiety and loss of hope. Although they experienced chaos and disruption, the women cultivated strategies that helped them cope with their experiences by accepting their fate and adhering to Buddhist beliefs and practices. Through their narratives of biographical disruption, the women in our study offer ...
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society, 2014
Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, Jan 3, 2015
To examine how mental health is portrayed as a holistic construct in three major Australian daily... more To examine how mental health is portrayed as a holistic construct in three major Australian daily newspapers. Using an unobtrusive, mixed methods approach incorporating content and thematic analyses, data were collected from hard copies of The Age, The Australian and Herald Sun newspapers and their weekend counterparts over 12 weeks in 2012. Newspaper coverage of mental health favoured stories about illness over wellbeing. While the issue was typically reported responsibly, psychotic disorders were overrepresented in discussions of illness and were often discussed in relation to deviance. Our analysis suggested that positive mental health messages are commonly presented, particularly in tabloid coverage, which appears to place greater emphasis on wellbeing. However, improvements in the representation of psychotic disorders appear to be less progressive than other disorders. This suggests mental health professionals and organisations need to continue building relationships with and p...
Health promotion international, Jan 17, 2014
HIV disclosure is a complex phenomenon. The choice of disclosure or non-disclosure is a reflectio... more HIV disclosure is a complex phenomenon. The choice of disclosure or non-disclosure is a reflection of how each HIV-positive person experiences and deals with HIV/AIDS in their everyday life. In this study, we qualitatively explore the experiences of disclosing HIV status to family members and children among HIV-positive women living in Thailand. Due to fear of stigma and discrimination, the women decided to tell only a few people, usually their significant others including parents and children. Although most women received good support from their family members, some were rejected and discriminated against by their family members. This stems from lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among family members. Women found disclosure to their children a difficult decision to make. Only some women told their children about their HIV status. They wished to protect their children from emotional burden. This protection also appeared in their attempts to prepare their children for dealing with HIV/...
Health promotion journal of Australia: official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals
Health promotion international, Jan 23, 2015
In this article, we discuss qualitative findings basing on the experiences of refugee women livin... more In this article, we discuss qualitative findings basing on the experiences of refugee women living in Melbourne, Australia, who participated in a peer support training programme and received a free mobile phone. We pay attention to social support as a health enhancing strategy and empowerment that occurred among the participants. Participation in peer support groups and access to a mobile phone were beneficial for the women. Peer support functioned as social support among group members. The programme allowed the women to be connected to their families and the wider communities and assisted them to access health care and other settlement aspects with greater ease. It also increased personal empowerment among the women. Our programme shows that by tapping on community resources to ameliorate personal or resettlement issues, the burden on service providers can be reduced. Our findings also offer a model for future research and programmes regarding refugee people elsewhere.
Female bodybuilding is a sport where competitors often make considerable alterations to their die... more Female bodybuilding is a sport where competitors often make considerable alterations to their diets, physical activities, and social lives to successfully prepare for competition. No study had specifically examined the perceived impact of participating in the Figure class of female bodybuilding, which places less emphasis on muscularity and more on feminine presentation. The purpose of this research was to examine the perceived social and psychological effects of participating in the Figure class. Semistructured interviews, ranging from 45 to 90 minutes, were conducted with 11 female Figure competitors. These women experienced many positive consequences as a result of participating, such as a sense of empowerment. However, results revealed that women in the sport of bodybuilding do not need to be "male like" in appearance to experience negative social reactions. Results demonstrated that women competing in the Figure class, with the greater emphasis on feminine presentation and considerably less emphasis on muscularity, also experienced widespread stigma and social isolation.
Health promotion international, 2015
Understanding children's perceptions of health and illness is important for health promotion ... more Understanding children's perceptions of health and illness is important for health promotion so that age-appropriate health care services and preventative health programs can be developed. In this article, we discuss the perceptions and experiences of health and illness among refugee children, their health knowledge and ways they regain their health when ill. In-depth interviewing and the drawing methods were employed. Twelve Burmese refugee children, aged between 8 and 12 years, were interviewed individually. The children were knowledgeable about what keeps them healthy and what makes them ill, yet they had difficulties in providing appropriate explanations. The children employed more of the professional model in their attempt to understand health and illness. This may be due to the acculturation process that the children have absorbed in their new homeland. This article contributes to limited literature on the health of refugee children. Our results may be used for the impleme...
Australasian journal of early childhood
Qualitative health research, 2015
Antiretrovirals (ARVs) have been seen as life-saving for HIV-positive people. However, ARVs have ... more Antiretrovirals (ARVs) have been seen as life-saving for HIV-positive people. However, ARVs have a darker side. Since 2000, many HIV-positive people in Thailand have received ARV treatments, but the understanding of ARVs and practices of medication-taking among HIV-positive women have not received much attention. We discuss local discourses employed by HIV-positive women and health work by these individuals in their attempts to adhere to ARVs restrictions. The local discourse of ARVs was ya tan rok AIDS "medications that could resist HIV/AIDS." ARVs provided hope for the women. Although the women were affected by the side effects of ARVs, they continued to take their medication to be able to live longer and perform their duties as mothers and carers. They were more concerned about the practice of medication-taking. Understanding why these women were adherent to their ARVs offers insights into the social impact of these ARVs on their lives.
This article synthesises findings from qualitative studies which have explored the lived experien... more This article synthesises findings from qualitative studies which have explored the lived experiences of transgender persons, using Noblit and Hare's (1998) meta-ethnography method. Thirty-one qualitative studies related to the lived experiences of transgender individuals, published between 1998 and 2013, met the inclusion criteria. A literature search was conducted between November 2012 and September 2013 using computerized searches from nine databases as well as online manual searches of key journals. Results from these individual studies revealed five major themes: (a) crossing gender and physical problems in life, (b) experiencing psychological distress, (c) encountering discrimination and social exclusion, (d) having relationships does matter, and (e) dealing with difficulties in life. Yet, despite these negative experiences, transgender people have tried to find ways to help them deal with their difficulties. We conclude that there is a need for health care providers, social workers, and health promoters to support transgender individuals, for their health and well-being. This meta-synthesis provides a clear account of what transgender individuals experience in their lives, to support the development of sympathetic health and social care services to assist them with their difficulties, and enhance their health and well-being.
Health & Social Care in the Community, 2014
What is known about this topic • Social connectedness at individual (social support) and societal... more What is known about this topic • Social connectedness at individual (social support) and societal levels (acculturation) is a key social determinant of health.
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Papers by Pranee Liamputtong
paper, we discuss the lived experience of breast cancer among women in southern Thailand and situate
our discussions within the concept of therapeutic landscapes. We adopted a feminist framework as our
research methodology and employed qualitative and innovative methods. The therapeutic landscapes of
healing involved multiple levels of landscape changes including body, home, neighbourhood, health care
and cultural contexts. Our findings offer a particular insight into the role of emotions, cultural beliefs, and
practices in forming therapeutic landscapes among women living with breast cancer in Thailand. It is
crucial that health care providers understand the emotional experiences of women with breast cancer
and their particular cultural needs for emotional healing landscapes. Our findings could be used as evidence
for developing culturally appropriate therapeutic strategies and interventions for women with
breast cancer in Thailand and elsewhere.
paper, we discuss the lived experience of breast cancer among women in southern Thailand and situate
our discussions within the concept of therapeutic landscapes. We adopted a feminist framework as our
research methodology and employed qualitative and innovative methods. The therapeutic landscapes of
healing involved multiple levels of landscape changes including body, home, neighbourhood, health care
and cultural contexts. Our findings offer a particular insight into the role of emotions, cultural beliefs, and
practices in forming therapeutic landscapes among women living with breast cancer in Thailand. It is
crucial that health care providers understand the emotional experiences of women with breast cancer
and their particular cultural needs for emotional healing landscapes. Our findings could be used as evidence
for developing culturally appropriate therapeutic strategies and interventions for women with
breast cancer in Thailand and elsewhere.