Maria Bissett
Email: m.bissett.1@research.gla.ac.uk
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2136-3532
Research title: Development of a transcultural arts-based participatory approach to exploring the drivers of noncommunicable diseases among Black communities in Scotland and Malawi.
Research Summary
High blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are two diseases that disproportionately affect African communities in Scotland and in Malawi. Researchers are trying to find new ways to understand how local communities experience these diseases.
Arts-based participatory methods involve researchers and community members working together and using creative activities to ask about and understand local experiences. They can incorporate any kind of art: song, dance, drawing and can be used in any number of ways: as a tool for collecting data, the data itself or even to share findings. Importantly, arts-based activities can support the communication of experiences that might be difficult to express through words alone and create a space where everyone might feel more comfortable getting involved. Something more difficult to achieve using traditional methods like focus groups.
This PhD project aims to develop a transcultural arts-based participatory approach to explore experiences of high blood pressure and diabetes among African communities in Scotland and in Malawi. It will use creative qualitative methods, including walking interviews and arts-based participatory workshops and be conducted in partnership with local organisations, community members, artists, and local leaders.
The findings from the research will help to create new ways to prevent diabetes and high blood pressure that communities will want to engage in.
Supervisors
Conference
S. Mtenga, M. Bissett and C.M. Gray (2020) " 'Symbolizing diabetes': perceptions and experience of diabetes risk factors and prevention among communities in Bagamoyo Tanzania" Tanzania 2nd National Non-Communicable Disase Conference 2020, Dar es Salam
M. Bissett, S. Mtenga, A. Dillip, O. Mtema, C. Bunn, A. Crampin, S. Kalima, H. Todd, C. Kalinga, J. Lwanda, Z. Strachan, M. Perry and C. M. Gray (2021). "Using arts-based methods as enquiry for non-communicable disease prevention in Tanzania and Malawi." International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 28(SUPPL 1): S134-S134.
Additional Information
Affiliate of Arts Lab Theme Spheres of Singing