GB 0120 GC/210 - Bristol ethnic minorities health investigation

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0120 GC/210

Title

Bristol ethnic minorities health investigation

Date(s)

  • 1985-1988 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 box

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

This project was entitled 'GP consultations and concepts of illness: Asian women in Bristol', and the questionnaires covered place of origin, diet, exercise and social conditions as well as relations with general practitioner, hospital treatment and factors affecting mental health such as attitudes towards life in Britain. It was originally planned to interview 100 Punjabi-speaking women who had arrived in Bristol as brides from India or Pakistan in the 1960s, asking standard questions to examine concepts of illness in general within the group, testing the received idea that ethnic minority communities look after their own and do not need help from statutory services. The terms in which the women described health and illness were examined, and an attempt was made to determine what part terminology played in their contact with general practitioners. Interviewees were mainly women in their 20s and 30s, interview by Kamaljit Poonia in doctors' waiting rooms and ante-natal clinics. The interviewees' co-operation encouraged the researchers to undertake more searching interviews than originally planned, which made it impossible to undertake a large number, and eventually only 34 women were asked to fill out the standard questionnaire. In-depth interviews involving home visits were undertaken with 12 of these women and with 2 who had not filled out the questionnaire, 6 resulting in tape recordings of over 10 hours per person. These led to a further study concentrating on experiences of depression.

Archival history

GB 0120 GC/210 1985-1988 Collection (fonds) 1 box Depositor

This project was entitled 'GP consultations and concepts of illness: Asian women in Bristol', and the questionnaires covered place of origin, diet, exercise and social conditions as well as relations with general practitioner, hospital treatment and factors affecting mental health such as attitudes towards life in Britain. It was originally planned to interview 100 Punjabi-speaking women who had arrived in Bristol as brides from India or Pakistan in the 1960s, asking standard questions to examine concepts of illness in general within the group, testing the received idea that ethnic minority communities look after their own and do not need help from statutory services. The terms in which the women described health and illness were examined, and an attempt was made to determine what part terminology played in their contact with general practitioners. Interviewees were mainly women in their 20s and 30s, interview by Kamaljit Poonia in doctors' waiting rooms and ante-natal clinics. The interviewees' co-operation encouraged the researchers to undertake more searching interviews than originally planned, which made it impossible to undertake a large number, and eventually only 34 women were asked to fill out the standard questionnaire. In-depth interviews involving home visits were undertaken with 12 of these women and with 2 who had not filled out the questionnaire, 6 resulting in tape recordings of over 10 hours per person. These led to a further study concentrating on experiences of depression.

This material was given to the Contemporary Medical Archives Centre by Steve Fenton, University of Bristol, December 1996, at the suggestion of Qualidata. An additional 13 tape recordings were received from Dr Fenton in September 2000.

Records of the Bristol ethnic minorities health investigation including questionnaires, interview transcripts, cassette tapes, and published results of survey of concepts of illness, use of health services, etc, among Punjabi-speaking women in Bristol, 1986-1987.

Further study concentrating on experiences of depression not yet put in repository.

Access restricted to tapes.

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

English

Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.

In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Feb 2009 Ethnic groups Government Public administration Health services administration Patient care management Delivery of health care Medical sciences Specialties, medical Family practice Computer science Cybernetics Feedback Health services Patients Field work Research work Bristol Avon England UK Western Europe Europe London

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

This material was given to the Contemporary Medical Archives Centre by Steve Fenton, University of Bristol, December 1996, at the suggestion of Qualidata. An additional 13 tape recordings were received from Dr Fenton in September 2000.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Bristol ethnic minorities health investigation including questionnaires, interview transcripts, cassette tapes, and published results of survey of concepts of illness, use of health services, etc, among Punjabi-speaking women in Bristol, 1986-1987.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further study concentrating on experiences of depression not yet put in repository.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access restricted to tapes.

Conditions governing reproduction

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Wellcome Library

Rules and/or conventions used

In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area