Purpose Social innovation education aims to equip students with the skills and mindsets to pursue sustainable and just solutions to complex challenges, yet many programs fail to address the power dynamics underlying unjust social structures. This paper aims to examine a social innovation course that integrates equity, diversity and inclusion principles through critical service-learning. Design/methodology/approach Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews of 25 students and 5 key informants in a qualitative, single case design to understand multiple perspectives on significant factors in transformative learning. Document review and auto-ethnographic insights provide additional case background. Findings Students identified the service experience as unique and high impact. Significant factors included the atypical service structure, the EDI framework, and the partner organization as an exemplar in the field. Students displayed a spectrum of learning, from recall and comprehension to critical evaluation, new worldviews, and behavior change. Research limitations/implications The findings of this qualitative study pertain to one partnership but are generalizable to theories. These findings are plausibly transferable to other experiential social innovation courses embedded in elite, private, predominately white research universities. Originality/value This empirical case examines a unique pedagogical and curricular innovation. By seeking to understand factors and outcomes of experiential learning, this study contributes to the literature on social innovation education and critical service-learning. The analysis produced novel insights for faculty and institutions aiming to integrate equity, diversity, and inclusion goals into social innovation programs.
Although awareness of folic acid is high among women of child-bearing age in Ireland only approximately one-quarter of women report taking folic acid peri-conceptually (1). The current research aimed to explore the barriers and motivators to taking folic acid supplements among women aged 18-30 years across socioeconomic status. Data were collected in six focus groups that included a total of thirty-five women and were held in the city and suburban areas of Cork in the Republic of Ireland, three in areas designated as disadvantaged (n 18) and three in non-disadvantaged areas (n 17). The data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. Five major themes were identified in relation to barriers and facilitators to taking folic acid across all groups (Table). The most pertinent social-class difference that was evident was scepticism and a fatalistic view of spina bifida that existed among participants in disadvantaged areas. Table. Major themes that emerged during focus groups and illustrative quotes Theme Illustrative quotations from focus group discussions Association of folic acid with pregnancy 'You wouldn't take it like if you weren't planning on getting pregnant. It's like half admitting you might get' Perception of harm 'If you took it, for no reason for six years and you didn't have a baby, would you get an overload of it?' Attitudes of significant others 'I even know my own mother you know, you mentioned she'd like I had five children and didn't do this didn't do that and ye were all grand' Perceived importance of the folic acid 'A lot of people still don't know so they should really make it talked about like everywhere' Cost v. benefit analysis 'It's passing through you like if you're not pregnant and doesn't do anything for you what's the point in taking it'
Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI) have high prevalence rates of Neural Tube Defects (NTD's) and evidence suggest these increased in recent years (1) . Folic acid supplementation prevents 72 % of NTDs and it is recommended that women of childbearing age take a 400μg daily folic acid supplement for 12 weeks pre conception until the end of the first trimester (2) . Although women know folic acid's function in relation to preventing NTDs, approximately 1 in 5 on the island of Ireland (IOI) report taking folic acid before pregnancy (3) . These low consumption figures appear to be as a result of the misconceptions women have in relation to folic acid,which create barriers for behavioural change.To address the increasing rates of NTDs and the behavioural barriers to taking folic acid supplements, safefood launched a campaign in July, 2015. The campaign entitled 'Babies Know the Facts about Folic' was carried out via digital and social media marketing, but also included public relations and stakeholder engagement. Michie et al.'s (2011) taxonomy of behavioural change was used to identify a number of techniques deemed appropriate for this campaign (5) .With approximately 50 % of pregnancies unplanned, this campaign targeted all women of a childbearing age who are sexually active and could become pregnant, irrespective of whether they were planning a pregnancy or not.To assess behavioural change an online survey was conducted pre campaign (n = 656) and post campaign (n = 738) in women aged 18-50. The data was statistically analysed using SPSS using a chi-square test for independence. In home face-to-face interviews were also carried out among a nationally representative sample of females (n = 424) three months after the campaign. Behavioural change was also measured using sales figures from participating pharmacies, retailers and manufacturers.The online research indicated that prior to the campaign 26·4 % of women believed that all sexually active women who could potentially become pregnant should ensure they are taking folic acid supplements. This increased to 74·8 % post campaign (p = ·000). The proportion of women who routinely took folic acid even though they weren't planning a pregnancy rose over the course of the campaign from 7·3 % to 14·2 % indicating an increase of 6·9 % (p = ·000). Results from the in home interviews also indicated an increase, rising from 30 % in 2014 to 36 % in 2016 in the number of females who take folic acid supplements. Folic acid supplement sales increases by 26 % on average from the same period in 2014.These results indicate that the campaign was successful in changing individual's knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in relation to folic acid supplements and highlight the effectiveness of using social and digital media for health behavioural change.
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