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Research in the area of collaboration between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and biomedical practitioners often describes their relationships as fraught with power struggles. This paper explores communication among the various stakeholders at an integrative health clinic for artists located in a university hospital. Qualitative research methods were used, in-depth interviews and semi-structured focus groups, to facilitate the gathering of information about patterns of communication among stakeholders involved at the clinic. The findings describe the challenges to communication and integration at the clinic. The lack of communication is described as a scheduling issue, or lack of consistent presence of CAM practitioners, and a lack of formal methods of communication (patient charting). The consequences of these gaps were felt mostly by the CAM practitioners, as their scope of practice was not well understood by other practitioners. CAM practitioners stated that this had a direct effect on their confidence levels. CAM practitioners were relegated to the periphery of the hospital in their role as part-time, contract employees. Their lack of consistent presence at the clinic lead to a lack of understanding of their scope of practice, hence, a lack of referrals from other health-care practitioners, particularly those who were biomedically-oriented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares experiences of social isolation and perceptions of belonging between lower-income and higher-income people. We conducted individual interviews with 60 higher-income and 59 lower-income study participants and six group interviews with 34 low-income participants from two Canadian cities. Subsequently, a representative sample of 1,671 lower- and higher-income participants was surveyed by telephone. Income was a consistent predictor of measures of isolation and sense of belonging to the community: lower-income people experienced greater isolation and a lower sense of belonging than did higher-income people. Poverty shaped low-income people's perceptions and experiences of stigmatization and isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to explore the experiences of exclusion and inclusion of both low and higher-income people within a 'social determinants of health framework'. In the first phase of this research, individual interviews with 60 high-income and 59 low-income participants, and group interviews with 34 low-income participants were conducted. During the second phase, 1671 higher and low-income participants were surveyed by telephone. The findings revealed that inadequate financial resources, ill-health, and unwelcoming behaviours inhibited participation in community activities among low-income respondents. Higher-income earners were more likely to engage in social and group civic activities. Participants in the low-income category were less able to participate in desired activities due to user fees and poor health. Data revealed significant relationships between self-rated health and measures of exclusion and inclusion. Based on the responses of participants, the paper concludes that structural rather than interpersonal change contributes significantly to increased levels of social inclusion, and ultimately, improvements in health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]