Cecilia Vindrola-Padros - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Cecilia Vindrola-Padros

Collaborative Anthropologies, 2014

BMJ open, 2015

The field of health research appears increasingly open to qualitative approaches. We celebrate th... more The field of health research appears increasingly open to qualitative approaches. We celebrate the rise in qualitative and mixed methods publications and the marked presence of qualitative researchers in academic centres of health research. However, we note enduring tensions between the conceptual and methodological approaches of qualitative research and those of a quantitative paradigm, generally more familiar to health practitioners, policymakers and often other researchers. In some instances, qualitatively-oriented investigations continue to conflict with the expectations within health research to provide concrete and timely findings and recommendations. These concerns foreground questions to be explored around the applicability, value, contribution, legitimacy and limitations of qualitative inquiry within the prevailing research culture. In recognition of these questions, we curated a day long symposium around abstracts submitted in response to an open, internationally dissemina...

International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2015

Qualitative Health Research, 2014

Storytellers shape the world according to the narratives they tell. In health services research, ... more Storytellers shape the world according to the narratives they tell. In health services research, these stories describe the complex constellations of beliefs, values, emotions, intentions, identities, attitudes, and motivations that research participants use to express themselves as individuals and embed themselves within the illness narratives they enact and tell. The research we present here is based on narrative data collected from pediatric oncology patients and their families in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We analyzed the interviews by identifying the primary actors within the illness narrative (i.e., characters) and dominant scenes of activity, organized thematically, based on treatment trajectories.

Visual Anthropology Review, 2012

ABSTRACT Children have largely been overlooked as research participants in anthropological work. ... more ABSTRACT Children have largely been overlooked as research participants in anthropological work. The anthropology of childhood has played an instrumental role in bringing attention to this fact, and it has highlighted important contributions children's viewpoints can make to our discipline. In this article, we present three case studies that involved children as active participants through the use of visual methodology: Vindrola‐Padros's research in Argentina used drawing techniques to document children's experiences of oncology treatment; Johnson's work in Kenya used photovoice with children living in orphanages to understand their coping strategies; and Pfister's study in Mexico City looked at how combining dance and drama encouraged participation among deaf and hearing children.

Technology & Innovation, 2012

Many of the discussions related to technology in academia focus on the processes of innovation an... more Many of the discussions related to technology in academia focus on the processes of innovation and the adaptation of technologies to suit the needs of users, rather than issues of access to technology and inequalities in its distribution. Medical travel, the process through which individuals leave their place of origin in search of medical services, is one of the strategies used to surmount obstacles and gain access to medical technologies. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the importance of taking into consideration the social, cultural, and economic factors, as well as those of structural violence, that play a role in patients' decisions to undertake medical travel. The article uses data collected from Bolivian and Paraguayan families who traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina to request pediatric oncology treatment for their ill children to highlight the different ways in which the experience of medical travel is shaped by constraints in the country of origin, policies in the host country, and the characteristics of the individuals who are migrating. The experiences of these families point to the fact that medical travel is not only used by economically comfortable patients searching for quicker, cheaper, or more private services, but can also be a strategy used by economically challenged patients who see travel as the only way to save their lives.

Singer/A Companion to Medical Anthropology, 2011

Physiology & Behavior, 2012

The early development of novel nicotinic drugs for Tourette's and... more The early development of novel nicotinic drugs for Tourette's and depression was a very long journey in discovery, which began with basic behavioral neuroscience studies aimed at understanding how cholinergic and dopaminergic systems interact in the basal ganglia to control goal directed movement. These early rodent studies with nicotine and dopamine antagonists formed the basis for investigating a potentially improved treatment for children suffering from Tourette's syndrome (TS). Clinically, the research trajectory first focused on studies employing the use of nicotine gum to potentiate the therapeutic effect of the dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol, in patients with TS. These projects led to the discovery of a new use for a decades-old blood pressure medication, mecamylamine, a nicotine antagonist, which also appeared to provide symptomatic relief in some TS patients when used clinically and was found to reduce symptoms of mood instability and depression. This unexpected discovery led to a new hypothesis regarding the mechanism of action of antidepressants as well as a series of successful independent trials employing mecamylamine, and its active enantiomer, TC5214, as an augmenting agent in the treatment of major depression. This article is a chronological mini review of these basic and clinical translational studies on nicotinic therapeutics for Tourette's syndrome and depression over the past 25 years.

Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 2014

This article has 3 goals: To describe the attitudes and experiences of staff on end-of-life care ... more This article has 3 goals: To describe the attitudes and experiences of staff on end-of-life care treatment of dying persons, to examine how the staff view their terminally ill patients, and to gather professionals' opinions on how their experiences impact their daily lives. It is a qualitative research inquiry based on a constructivist-grounded theory design. The study subjects were professionals who were part of palliative care services in Buenos Aires city during 2012. A purposive sample of 30 personnel answered an open-ended questionnaire assessing attitudes and perceptions concerning end-of-life. The results showed the following: (a) ''Good'' deaths were considered those in which physical symptoms were dealt with, where the patient was surrounded or on good terms with family members, and where they were at peace with themselves, any unfinished business, or God. ''Bad'' deaths were believed to be those where the patient was physically uncomfortable, were within a conspiracy-silence atmosphere, and died alone. (b) The factors in common that staff members identified regarding deaths were the need for spiritual comfort, peace, and acceptance and the need for attaining a deep connection with others. (c) The unexpected issues identified among end-of-life trajectories were the varying attitudes that patients had regarding death. (d) The personal life of the staff was affected by being in charge of end-of-life care decision making.

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2013

In a chronic risk environment such as a community near an active volcano, uncertainty intertwines... more In a chronic risk environment such as a community near an active volcano, uncertainty intertwines with fear and can seriously damage people's physical and emotional health, and stress family interpersonal conditions. In the case described here, we present information about families' responses to living around an active volcano in Ecuador, South America. This information was obtained through open-ended focus groups with men and women. We found that adults' perceptions of risk and evacuation preparedness strategies change once they have children. Parents expressed concern over the places designated as shelters in the case of an evacuation and the suitability of preplanned evacuation routes. Civil and public health authorities need to take these issues into consideration while planning evacuations and helping people cope with the uncertainly of living in chronic risk conditions.

Children's Geographies, 2014

ABSTRACT Previous studies produced on the movement of individuals with HIV/AIDS for the obtainmen... more ABSTRACT Previous studies produced on the movement of individuals with HIV/AIDS for the obtainment of medical services have rarely been conducted in the Global South and have neglected the experiences of child patients. This article presents a new type of travel for medical care, where HIV+ children in Kenya are being placed or choose to be placed in orphanages in order to obtain constant access to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, proper nutrition, and education. Through participant observation and photo-elicitation interviews with children in orphanages and their immediate family members in the surrounding Njabini community, this study focused on documenting children's agency in influencing movement decisions to orphanages for better health outcomes. Photo-elicitation interviews in particular allowed for greater insight into children's lives, their motivations for moving to an orphanage, and as a tool to facilitate discussion. Qualitative methods utilized with family members similarly privileged their interpretations of how child movement out of the house would help achieve the ‘best’ possible future for their children, particularly those living with HIV. Study findings shed light on the active role played by children in decisions to move to orphanages, the visualization of these facilities as the best place to secure access to ARV therapy and ensure proper child health, and the interaction that continues to take place between children and their family members once they enter these spaces.

Cell Transplantation, 2011

The following commentary provides a discussion of the articles published in Technology and Innova... more The following commentary provides a discussion of the articles published in Technology and Innovation in 2010 and where possible places them into context with those reported in Cell Transplantation. These articles can be divided into the following topics: a) models for innovation and technological commercialization, b) the ethical and legal consequences of the emergence of new technologies, c) research on novel technologies and methods, and d) the difficulties involved in peer review and scientific assessment. The articles shed light on the effects of technological innovation and commercialization on scientific ethical regulation, the establishment of legal standards for the protection of intellectual property, and the development of financial models.

Applied Geography, 2011

... Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author , Linda M. Whiteford b , E-mail ... more ... Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author , Linda M. Whiteford b , E-mail The Corresponding Author , Eric C. Jones c ... natural hazards are directly linked to the amount of information they have acquired such as through educational programs ([Carlino et al ...

The fluid and changing nature of “family” the wide diversity of family arrangements, and families... more The fluid and changing nature of “family” the wide diversity of family arrangements, and families’ movement across space (e.g., migration) and time (e.g., life-course) demand constant reconfiguration of services. As the articles presented in this special
issue demonstrate, the skills of anthropologists have resulted in reflection upon, and often restructuring of, family services. Anthropology is also involved in the design, implementation,
and evaluation of programs
within agencies tasked with providing these services. The authors featured in this special issue outline the contributions and limitations of anthropological practice, the ways in which anthropologists grapple with applied work, and future areas the discipline is well suited to address. The authors provide vivid examples of the application of anthropological perspectives and ethnographic methods for a wide range of purposes (from program design to evaluation), in a myriad of contexts (within health clinics, schools, public service agencies,
community centers, homes, and nongovernmental organizations), and with a variety of outcomes (by informing
policy, facilitating changes in practice, and improving the quality of life of participants). We hope this collection of articles inspires a critical examination of the concepts and discourses
guiding the design of policies and the development of strategies for bringing together multiple stakeholders
to make policies and services aimed at children and families multidimensional, inclusive, and evidence based.

Collaborative Anthropologies, 2014

BMJ open, 2015

The field of health research appears increasingly open to qualitative approaches. We celebrate th... more The field of health research appears increasingly open to qualitative approaches. We celebrate the rise in qualitative and mixed methods publications and the marked presence of qualitative researchers in academic centres of health research. However, we note enduring tensions between the conceptual and methodological approaches of qualitative research and those of a quantitative paradigm, generally more familiar to health practitioners, policymakers and often other researchers. In some instances, qualitatively-oriented investigations continue to conflict with the expectations within health research to provide concrete and timely findings and recommendations. These concerns foreground questions to be explored around the applicability, value, contribution, legitimacy and limitations of qualitative inquiry within the prevailing research culture. In recognition of these questions, we curated a day long symposium around abstracts submitted in response to an open, internationally dissemina...

International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2015

Qualitative Health Research, 2014

Storytellers shape the world according to the narratives they tell. In health services research, ... more Storytellers shape the world according to the narratives they tell. In health services research, these stories describe the complex constellations of beliefs, values, emotions, intentions, identities, attitudes, and motivations that research participants use to express themselves as individuals and embed themselves within the illness narratives they enact and tell. The research we present here is based on narrative data collected from pediatric oncology patients and their families in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We analyzed the interviews by identifying the primary actors within the illness narrative (i.e., characters) and dominant scenes of activity, organized thematically, based on treatment trajectories.

Visual Anthropology Review, 2012

ABSTRACT Children have largely been overlooked as research participants in anthropological work. ... more ABSTRACT Children have largely been overlooked as research participants in anthropological work. The anthropology of childhood has played an instrumental role in bringing attention to this fact, and it has highlighted important contributions children's viewpoints can make to our discipline. In this article, we present three case studies that involved children as active participants through the use of visual methodology: Vindrola‐Padros's research in Argentina used drawing techniques to document children's experiences of oncology treatment; Johnson's work in Kenya used photovoice with children living in orphanages to understand their coping strategies; and Pfister's study in Mexico City looked at how combining dance and drama encouraged participation among deaf and hearing children.

Technology & Innovation, 2012

Many of the discussions related to technology in academia focus on the processes of innovation an... more Many of the discussions related to technology in academia focus on the processes of innovation and the adaptation of technologies to suit the needs of users, rather than issues of access to technology and inequalities in its distribution. Medical travel, the process through which individuals leave their place of origin in search of medical services, is one of the strategies used to surmount obstacles and gain access to medical technologies. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the importance of taking into consideration the social, cultural, and economic factors, as well as those of structural violence, that play a role in patients' decisions to undertake medical travel. The article uses data collected from Bolivian and Paraguayan families who traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina to request pediatric oncology treatment for their ill children to highlight the different ways in which the experience of medical travel is shaped by constraints in the country of origin, policies in the host country, and the characteristics of the individuals who are migrating. The experiences of these families point to the fact that medical travel is not only used by economically comfortable patients searching for quicker, cheaper, or more private services, but can also be a strategy used by economically challenged patients who see travel as the only way to save their lives.

Singer/A Companion to Medical Anthropology, 2011

Physiology & Behavior, 2012

The early development of novel nicotinic drugs for Tourette's and... more The early development of novel nicotinic drugs for Tourette's and depression was a very long journey in discovery, which began with basic behavioral neuroscience studies aimed at understanding how cholinergic and dopaminergic systems interact in the basal ganglia to control goal directed movement. These early rodent studies with nicotine and dopamine antagonists formed the basis for investigating a potentially improved treatment for children suffering from Tourette's syndrome (TS). Clinically, the research trajectory first focused on studies employing the use of nicotine gum to potentiate the therapeutic effect of the dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol, in patients with TS. These projects led to the discovery of a new use for a decades-old blood pressure medication, mecamylamine, a nicotine antagonist, which also appeared to provide symptomatic relief in some TS patients when used clinically and was found to reduce symptoms of mood instability and depression. This unexpected discovery led to a new hypothesis regarding the mechanism of action of antidepressants as well as a series of successful independent trials employing mecamylamine, and its active enantiomer, TC5214, as an augmenting agent in the treatment of major depression. This article is a chronological mini review of these basic and clinical translational studies on nicotinic therapeutics for Tourette's syndrome and depression over the past 25 years.

Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 2014

This article has 3 goals: To describe the attitudes and experiences of staff on end-of-life care ... more This article has 3 goals: To describe the attitudes and experiences of staff on end-of-life care treatment of dying persons, to examine how the staff view their terminally ill patients, and to gather professionals' opinions on how their experiences impact their daily lives. It is a qualitative research inquiry based on a constructivist-grounded theory design. The study subjects were professionals who were part of palliative care services in Buenos Aires city during 2012. A purposive sample of 30 personnel answered an open-ended questionnaire assessing attitudes and perceptions concerning end-of-life. The results showed the following: (a) ''Good'' deaths were considered those in which physical symptoms were dealt with, where the patient was surrounded or on good terms with family members, and where they were at peace with themselves, any unfinished business, or God. ''Bad'' deaths were believed to be those where the patient was physically uncomfortable, were within a conspiracy-silence atmosphere, and died alone. (b) The factors in common that staff members identified regarding deaths were the need for spiritual comfort, peace, and acceptance and the need for attaining a deep connection with others. (c) The unexpected issues identified among end-of-life trajectories were the varying attitudes that patients had regarding death. (d) The personal life of the staff was affected by being in charge of end-of-life care decision making.

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2013

In a chronic risk environment such as a community near an active volcano, uncertainty intertwines... more In a chronic risk environment such as a community near an active volcano, uncertainty intertwines with fear and can seriously damage people's physical and emotional health, and stress family interpersonal conditions. In the case described here, we present information about families' responses to living around an active volcano in Ecuador, South America. This information was obtained through open-ended focus groups with men and women. We found that adults' perceptions of risk and evacuation preparedness strategies change once they have children. Parents expressed concern over the places designated as shelters in the case of an evacuation and the suitability of preplanned evacuation routes. Civil and public health authorities need to take these issues into consideration while planning evacuations and helping people cope with the uncertainly of living in chronic risk conditions.

Children's Geographies, 2014

ABSTRACT Previous studies produced on the movement of individuals with HIV/AIDS for the obtainmen... more ABSTRACT Previous studies produced on the movement of individuals with HIV/AIDS for the obtainment of medical services have rarely been conducted in the Global South and have neglected the experiences of child patients. This article presents a new type of travel for medical care, where HIV+ children in Kenya are being placed or choose to be placed in orphanages in order to obtain constant access to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, proper nutrition, and education. Through participant observation and photo-elicitation interviews with children in orphanages and their immediate family members in the surrounding Njabini community, this study focused on documenting children's agency in influencing movement decisions to orphanages for better health outcomes. Photo-elicitation interviews in particular allowed for greater insight into children's lives, their motivations for moving to an orphanage, and as a tool to facilitate discussion. Qualitative methods utilized with family members similarly privileged their interpretations of how child movement out of the house would help achieve the ‘best’ possible future for their children, particularly those living with HIV. Study findings shed light on the active role played by children in decisions to move to orphanages, the visualization of these facilities as the best place to secure access to ARV therapy and ensure proper child health, and the interaction that continues to take place between children and their family members once they enter these spaces.

Cell Transplantation, 2011

The following commentary provides a discussion of the articles published in Technology and Innova... more The following commentary provides a discussion of the articles published in Technology and Innovation in 2010 and where possible places them into context with those reported in Cell Transplantation. These articles can be divided into the following topics: a) models for innovation and technological commercialization, b) the ethical and legal consequences of the emergence of new technologies, c) research on novel technologies and methods, and d) the difficulties involved in peer review and scientific assessment. The articles shed light on the effects of technological innovation and commercialization on scientific ethical regulation, the establishment of legal standards for the protection of intellectual property, and the development of financial models.

Applied Geography, 2011

... Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author , Linda M. Whiteford b , E-mail ... more ... Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author , Linda M. Whiteford b , E-mail The Corresponding Author , Eric C. Jones c ... natural hazards are directly linked to the amount of information they have acquired such as through educational programs ([Carlino et al ...

The fluid and changing nature of “family” the wide diversity of family arrangements, and families... more The fluid and changing nature of “family” the wide diversity of family arrangements, and families’ movement across space (e.g., migration) and time (e.g., life-course) demand constant reconfiguration of services. As the articles presented in this special
issue demonstrate, the skills of anthropologists have resulted in reflection upon, and often restructuring of, family services. Anthropology is also involved in the design, implementation,
and evaluation of programs
within agencies tasked with providing these services. The authors featured in this special issue outline the contributions and limitations of anthropological practice, the ways in which anthropologists grapple with applied work, and future areas the discipline is well suited to address. The authors provide vivid examples of the application of anthropological perspectives and ethnographic methods for a wide range of purposes (from program design to evaluation), in a myriad of contexts (within health clinics, schools, public service agencies,
community centers, homes, and nongovernmental organizations), and with a variety of outcomes (by informing
policy, facilitating changes in practice, and improving the quality of life of participants). We hope this collection of articles inspires a critical examination of the concepts and discourses
guiding the design of policies and the development of strategies for bringing together multiple stakeholders
to make policies and services aimed at children and families multidimensional, inclusive, and evidence based.