Online Program

337416
Finding Your Compass


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 12:18 p.m. - 12:27 p.m.

Fiona Geilinger, Brighton Health and Wellbeing Centre, Brighton, United Kingdom
Laura marshall-Andrews, primary care physician, Primary Care Clinic, brighton health and wellbeing centre, Brighton, United Kingdom
This project explores a creative road to management and recovery from mental health conditions. The arts are used as both a communuications tool and as a mechanism for supporting mental wellbieng. GP referred patients tell their stories through movement and drawing (supporing lateral thinking and problem solving), their reflections (providing further detail in personal narratives) and film and still images (translating these experiences into and artistic outcome). In doing so the participannts gain self-confidence, which both reinforces a sense of belonging and raises awareness within the audience.

We are a memeber of the east Sussex based Narrative Medicine Faculty. The project works with medical professionals, artis and the academic institutions to explore the impact of the projects on the health and wellbeing of the general population, but also the training of future medical professionals. 

The project works with the NHS GP surgery, Brighton Health and Wellbieng Centre, who recently won the 'Innovators of the Year' award for their Healing Arts Programme at the National General Practive Awards 2014.

The project is an example of how public health can be delivered from Primary Care. Primary care is an ideal setting for Public Health delivery. It is familiar to patients, situated within their community and not associated with an one sector of society or group of people. In the UK Public health is largely delivered through local councils and many projects are underused as a result. 

Delivering public health messages in a creative and engaging way is demonstrated in this project. The use of narrative and individual expression of illness and recovery is a powerful tool which which important Public Health information can be communicated.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe and explain learner’s personal conditions that affect their activities on a day to day basis Identify non-verbal artistic communication tools to explain individual’s health conditions Demonstrate individual’s personal history through different artistic tools Discuss and assess the impact of the use of such tools in the management of the described health conditions Formulate a plan of action to support the management of the health condition

Keyword(s): Public health or related education, Advocacy for health and health education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the co-director and co-facilitator of 'Finding Your Compass' and experienced film maker. See: fionageilinger.co.uk for full cv, examples of work and filmography.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.