Drama and Public Health

Dr Simon Braybrook MRCGP Academic Fellowship Scheme, Cochrane Institute for Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University
ORIGINS OF THE PROJECT
India vs. primary schools: Low levels of literacy Specific health issues related to local context Low interest in talking about health Specific cultural stories and interests

MAIN CHANGES TO THE PROGRAMME: 2012-14

Inclusion of Going Public Theatre Company: Charity providing high quality TIE and DIE programmes into primary and secondary schools (e.g. mental health, sex and relationships, binge drinking) Opportunity for students to learn from high quality performances Opportunity for coaching from actors on drama skills and script writing Relationship between GP and CU, providing them with health information Inclusion of the Workshop element Allows students to have closer interaction with primary school children Develops new skill set teaching and communication, facilitation of role play Encourages time keeping and working together as a team. Involvement of Rhondda schools Exposes students to an unfamiliar community with own culture and health needs

FEEDBACK FOR SCHOOL / LOCAL GP

From most recent play: Many thanks to you and the girls for an informative and entertaining assembly and workshops last Friday. Feedback from both staff and pupils was positive. The big "test" for us will be to see a reduction in the outbreaks of nits over the coming months! -Acting Head Teacher, Hendreforgan Primary School

Don't know if your students have chosen their topic yet, but if not, have just spoken to the practice manager here who had spoken to their school nurse - apparently nits are a huge problem there at the moment, so it might be quite timely if they did a play on that !!!! -Dr Naomi Stanton, GP and member RCT LHB

PLAYS TO DATE (2012-14)

Title Handwash Gangnam style The Tooth Fairies The Fit Factor Theme Infection control / hand washing Dental care Healthy diet and activity Infection control / personal hygiene Head-lice School Hawthorn primary, Llandaf North Gabalfa Primary, Gabalfa Tref-yr-Rhyg Primary, Tonyrefail Hawthorn primary, Llandaf North Hendreforgan Primary, Gilfach Goch

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Apologies iPad removed for Security reasons. Please return later.

Klean Kidz A Lousy Play

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT

Objectives: Introductory talks on the principles of public health and existing drama based public health campaigns (viral video, radio drama, plays etc) Drama workshop with actors from Going Public Theatre Company:
Excerpts of health related plays Drama workshop to break down inhibitions, develop characterisation and plot Advice on developing Theatre in Education and Drama in Education pieces

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CONCLUSIONS

Videos of previous presentations

Using drama is an innovative teaching tool for communicating messages about health, focussing on behaviour as well as knowledge This module provides a rare opportunity for medical students to learn about the principles of public health using drama skills Offers an opportunity to collaborate and learn from professional actors and health educators involved in schools work focussing on mental and social health, as well as physical health Offers a rare opportunity to learn to communicate with children in there own community.

Explore health themes relevant to primary school pupils and develop key messages and potential plot Visit school to meet pupils and staff, and contextualise health themes. Script, rehearse and perform a 20 minute TIE play suitable for yr. R-6 assembly Plan and deliver a 40 minute DIE workshop which develops theme with 30 KS2 pupils Reflect upon experiences and learning.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT

Learning Aims: Knowledge: Understand health in the context of the community Understand the principles of public health (surveillance, promotion, prevention) Consider strategies currently used to propagate public health messages Skills Improve communication skills, with each other and with children Improve team working Improve ability to write, experiment and role play Attitudes Develop a holistic approach to medicine and health Develop empathy for those from a different culture / social background Learn by reflection

TIE VS. DIE

T H E AT R E I N E D U C AT I O N Theatre piece performed by actors to an audience Clear distinction between performers and audience May involve limited participation of audience (such as what if? scenarios, forum theatre) Audience able to emotionally connect with characters by imaging themselves in their place Key messages emphasised through plot or explicitly at the end D R A M A I N E D U C AT I O N Drama used as a classroom based learning tool Process of learning is in the experience, rather than the performance Participants encouraged to fully embody and interact with characters Allows participants to imaginatively be the characters and shape the plot Provides an opportunity for learners to rehearse various responses to a scenario

THE FUTURE
Y ear 3 SSC 8 week full time SSC to be delivered this May/ June Piloted as a self-organised SSC last year (supervised by Dr Katie Savage) 10 students (over-subscribed) with a mix of year 2 SSC participants and de novo students Plans to explore wider variety of communication media (including video), audiences (secondary school) and topics (mental health, drugs, sex) QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION

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FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPATING STUDENTS

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Incredibly inspiring to see

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what Going Public do. Extremely helpful to understand how to portray a message through drama. Helped us to let go of our preconceptions and put our all into the drama improvisations once we got to know everyone better.

the visit not only helped us to develop our workshop ideas and familiarise ourselves with the sessions the children are used to, but also put us back on the right track we had to change our plans drastically!

Student Rating of Drama and publlc health course

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 66% 91% 89% 91% 91% 84%

REFERENCES
Garro LC, Mattingly. Narrative as construct and construction. In Mattingly, Cheryl, and Linda C. Garro, eds. Narrative and the cultural construction of illness and healing. Univ of California Press, 2000. pp. 1-49 Shapiro, Johanna, and Lynn Hunt. "All the world's a stage: the use of theatrical performance in medical education." Medical education 37.10 (2003): 922-927.

87% 86%
Useful overall Time and Resources Communication skills Understanding of Pub. Health Introductory lectures Going Public workshop School visit Rehearsal time and Guidance

This SSC really helped put public health into a realistic context - what we as health professionals would be expected to deliver, rather than just learning about medical statistics

"Brilliant guidance whenever we needed it. Feedback was really useful, rehearsal time was just perfect, and it was really good that we led it ourselves.

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