Rachel Muir - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Books, articles and policy reports by Rachel Muir

The SAGE Handbook of Visual Research Methods. 2nd Edition., 2019

In 1997 Wang and Burris published a seminal paper in which they elucidated a visual research meth... more In 1997 Wang and Burris published a seminal paper in which they elucidated a visual research methodology, which has become widely known as ‘photovoice’. The qualitative method they outlined proposed that cameras should be given to people so that they could document their realities, engage in critical reflection, and advocate for change (Wang, 1999; Wang and Redwood-Jones, 2001). In their initial project with women in the Yunnan counties of Chenjang and Luliang in China, Wang and Burris argued that photographs could become powerful tools ‘to furnish evidence and to promote an effective, participatory means of sharing expertise and knowledge’ which could be utilised as potential catalysts for change within communities (1997:369). They distinguished this method from ‘photo novella’ and ‘photonovel’, which they had previously used to describe processes of using photographs or images in storytelling and educational literacy, and instead defined photovoice by its orientation to social change and critical dialogue with policymakers or those in positions of power (Wang et al., 1996; Wang and Burris, 1994). Photovoice, they suggested, was significantly different from ‘photo novella’ and enabled people to ‘identify, represent, and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique’ (Wang and Burris, 1997:369). In the article, they outlined the three main goals of photovoice: 1) to enable people to record and reflect their community’s strengths and concerns, 2) to promote critical dialogue and knowledge about important community issues through large and small group discussion of photographs, 3) to reach policymakers (Wang and Burris, 1997:370).
Since Wang and Burris’ original paper (1997), photovoice has been adapted and evolved, and a considerable amount of researchers and practitioners have sought to make use of photovoice’s specific potential to develop insights into the everyday lives and experiences of people sometimes described as ‘seldom heard’, ‘hard to reach’, and ‘marginalised’. This is with the intention of ‘giving voice’ to people and specific communities, challenging prevailing representations, and exploring ‘hidden’ lives. A rather smaller literature explores and critiques the inherent promise of emancipation within photovoice, whilst raising concern about the latent potential for its use in surveillance and embedding negative representations of particular people and communities (Prins, 2010).
In this chapter, we outline the theoretical underpinnings of photovoice before outlining how to undertake a photovoice project, contextualising this within a broader discussion of how photovoice has been used and applied by researchers, practitioners and communities. We also highlight key strengths, challenges, limitations and debates by drawing together discussions in the literature, as well as revisiting Wang and Burris’s detailed explanations of photovoice and the contemporary literature from a range of disciplinary traditions. This chapter is written from the perspective that a researcher will be involved in facilitating the photovoice project, rather than the project being led by a practitioner or community facilitator.

Papers by Rachel Muir

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Feb 1, 2016

Emergency Medicine Journal, 2016

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

There is growing recognition internationally of the importance of involving consumers, patients, ... more There is growing recognition internationally of the importance of involving consumers, patients, and the public in research. This is being driven by political mandates for policies, funding, and governance that demand genuine and meaningful engagement with consumers. There are many potential benefits to involving consumers in research, including an increased relevance to patient needs, improved quality and outcomes, and enhanced public confidence in research. However, the current literature highlights that efforts to incorporate their contributions are often tokenistic and there is a limited understanding of the psychological factors that can impact researcher attitudes, intentions, and behaviours when working with consumers in research. To address this gap, this study conducted 25 semi-structured interviews with health researchers in Australia using the qualitative case study method. The study aim was to explore the underlying influences on researcher behaviour when involving consu...

Intensive and Critical Care Nursing

Journal of Advanced Nursing

Aim: The aim of this paper is critically to review both theoretical and empirical propositions re... more Aim: The aim of this paper is critically to review both theoretical and empirical propositions regarding visual analogue scale (VAS) valuations of health states and their use in Cost Utility Analysis. An oft-repeated conclusion in the economic evaluation literature is the inferiority, on theoretical grounds, of VAS valuations. Common criticisms are that VAS lacks a theoretical foundation; that VAS values are not ‘choice based’; that VAS values are not consistent with utility-under-uncertainty requirements; and that context and range effects observed in VAS valuation data mean that they cannot even be considered to represent measurable value functions. Methods: We address each of the above points, critically reviewing the economic and psychometric literature relating to theories of utility and theories of utility measurement, and the welfarist and non-welfarist literature relating to social choices and QALYs. Conclusions: We conclude that there are strong grounds, both theoretical an...

The SAGE Handbook of Visual Research Methods, 2020

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2017

Background: Repeated low-dose grass pollen intradermal allergen injection suppresses allergen-ind... more Background: Repeated low-dose grass pollen intradermal allergen injection suppresses allergen-induced cutaneous latephase responses comparably with conventional subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy. Objective: We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of grass pollen intradermal immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Methods: We randomly assigned 93 adults with grass polleninduced allergic rhinitis to receive 7 preseasonal intradermal allergen injections (containing 7 ng of Phl p 5 major allergen) or a histamine control. The primary end point was daily combined symptom-medication scores during the 2013 pollen season (area under the curve). Analysis was by intention to treat. Skin biopsy specimens were collected after intradermal allergen challenges, and late-phase responses were measured 4 and 7, 10, or 13 months after treatment. Results: There was no significant difference in the primary end point between treatment arms (active, n 5 46; control, n 5 47; median difference, 14; 95% CI, 2172.5 to 215.1; P 5 .80). Among secondary end points, nasal symptoms were worse in the intradermal treatment group, as measured based on daily (median difference, 35; 95% CI, 4.0-67.5; P 5 .03) and visual analog scale (median difference, 53; 95% CI, 211.6 to 125.2; P 5 .05) scores. In a per-protocol analysis intradermal immunotherapy was further associated with worse asthma symptoms and fewer symptom-free days. Intradermal immunotherapy increased serum Phleum pratense-specific IgE levels (P 5 .001) compared with those in the control arm. T cells cultured from biopsy specimens of subjects undergoing intradermal immunotherapy had higher expression of the T H 2 surface marker CRTH2 (P 5 .04) and lower expression of the T H 1 marker CXCR3 (P 5 .01), respectively. Late-phase responses remained inhibited 7 months after treatment (P 5 .03). Conclusion: Intradermal allergen immunotherapy suppressed skin late-phase responses but was not clinically effective and resulted in worsening of respiratory allergic symptoms. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2016;nnn:nnn-nnn.)

Clinical and translational allergy, Jan 21, 2013

Subcutaneous immunotherapy with high dose grass pollen (typically microgram quantities) was first... more Subcutaneous immunotherapy with high dose grass pollen (typically microgram quantities) was first described over 100 years ago. This treatment suppresses allergen-induced cutaneous late responses, with lesser effects on early responses. We previously reported that repeated 2-weekly intradermal injections of grass pollen - containing approximately 7 ng of major allergen Phl p 5 - led to a progressive suppression of the allergen-induced cutaneous response, and that by the sixth injection, this was inhibited by over 90%. The purpose of this trial is to investigate the clinical efficacy of intradermal desensitisation with low doses (i.e. nanogram quantities) of grass pollen allergen for seasonal allergic rhinitis. The Pollen Low dose Intradermal therapy Evaluation (PollenLITE) is a single centre double-blind randomised parallel group controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of intradermal grass pollen injections plus standard treatment, versus histamine injections plus standard treat...

Journal of Renal Care, 2021

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease is a serious health condition and is increasing globally. Effec... more BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease is a serious health condition and is increasing globally. Effective self-management could slow disease progression and improve health outcomes, although the contribution of health literacy and knowledge for self-management is not well known. AIM To investigate the recent evidence of health literacy and the relationship between health literacy, knowledge and self-management of chronic kidney disease. METHODS Arksey and O'Malley's framework informed this scoping review. Eligible studies involving adults with any grade of chronic kidney disease, measuring all dimensions of health literacy (i.e., functional, communicative, and critical), disease-specific knowledge and self-management, published in English between January 2005 and March 2020, were included. RESULTS The scoping review found 12 eligible studies, with 11 assessing all dimensions of health literacy. No study examined health literacy, knowledge and self-management. When individuals had greater health literacy, this was associated with greater knowledge about the disease. Communicative health literacy was a significant predictor of medication, diet and fluid adherence, and overall self-management behaviours. CONCLUSION This scoping review shows that disease-specific knowledge is important for health literacy and that health literacy is essential for effective self-management of chronic kidney disease. The implications of these relationships can inform strategies for the development of evidence-based patient education to support increased self-management. There is also a need for further research to explore these associations.

Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation

BackgroundWe previously reported that repeated low-dose grass pollen intradermal allergen injecti... more BackgroundWe previously reported that repeated low-dose grass pollen intradermal allergen injection suppresses allergen-induced cutaneous late-phase responses, comparable with conventional high-dose subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy.ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of grass pollen intradermal immunotherapy for treatment of allergic rhinitis.DesignA Phase II, double-blind, randomised controlled parallel-group trial.SettingSingle-centre UK study.ParticipantsAdults aged 18–65 years, with grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.InterventionsSeven 2-weekly intradermal injections were given into the forearm, containing eitherPhleum pratensesoluble grass pollen extract (7 ng of the major allergen Phl p 5) or histamine control.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was a combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) during the 2013 grass pollen season. Secondary clinical outcomes were overall symptom scores; individual symptoms scores for nose, mouth, eyes ...