Recent High School Graduate Focus Groups. Market Analysis 00-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clagett, Craig A.

This report summarizes findings of focus groups of recent high school graduates conducted during new student orientation at Carroll Community College (CCC) in fall 1999. Students were invited to participate in focus groups at the conclusion of the all-day orientation. Three focus groups were held, two with six participants and one with five…

Views of academic and community partners regarding participant protections and research integrity: a pilot focus group study.

PubMed

Anderson, Emily E

2013-02-01

When community partners have direct interaction with human research participants, it is important to consider potential threats to participant protections and research integrity. Few studies have directly compared the views of academic and community partners. This pilot focus group study explores the views of academic partners (APs) and community partners (CPs) regarding challenges to the protection of research participants and research integrity in community-engaged research (CEnR). Data are analyzed to understand how APs and CPs define and think about ethical problems and how meaning and analysis may differ between the two groups. Findings have implications for the development of research ethics training materials for academic-community research partnerships and IRBs; best practices for CEnR; and future research on ethical issues in CEnR.

Focus groups: examining a community-based group intervention for depressed Puerto Rican women.

PubMed

Stacciarini, Jeanne-Marie R

2008-07-01

Puerto Ricans manifest high rates of depression but avoid seeking treatment. The purpose of this pilot was to learn directly from Puerto Rican women how culturally appropriate they would consider a proposed community-based intervention for treating depression. Interactive activities were reviewed by two focus groups of women (N = 16), all working in community-based health programs. All activities (e.g., writing, role playing, and music) except individual drawing were deemed appropriate. Categories that emerged were family/community values, mainland/non-mainland cultural variances, communication style, religion, education/occupational variances, health beliefs, Puerto Rican traditions/customs, emotions, and coping skills. Categories provided guidance for refining a community-based intervention for treating depression in Puerto Rican women.

The mountains hold things in: the use of community research review work groups to address cancer disparities in Appalachia.

PubMed

Hutson, Sadie P; Dorgan, Kelly A; Phillips, Amber N; Behringer, Bruce

2007-11-01

To review regional findings about cancer disparities with grass roots community leaders in Appalachia and to identify perspectives about what makes the cancer experience unique in Appalachia. A community-based participatory approach that includes focus-group methodology. Work groups gathered in well-known community locations in northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. 22 lay adult community members (12 in Tennessee and 10 in Virginia), all of whom had a personal and community interest in cancer and were reputed as informal community leaders. Work groups engaged in a series of five sequential sessions designed to (a) review regional data about cancer disparities and identify perspectives about what makes the cancer experience unique in Appalachia, (b) promote dialogue between the work group members and healthcare providers to identify methods for improved collaboration, and (c) integrate the work group with regional efforts of the states' comprehensive cancer control plans. Four major themes emerged from the focus group sessions with each work group: cancer storytelling, cancer collectivism, healthcare challenges, and cancer expectations. The community research review work groups proved to be a successful method to disseminate information about regional cancer disparities. Study findings provide a unique foundation so that healthcare providers and researchers can begin to address cancer disparities in the Appalachian region. Nurses are in key positions to partner with trusted community leaders to address disparities across the cancer continuum in Appalachia.

Dialogical action: moving from community-based to community-driven participatory research.

PubMed

Montoya, Michael J; Kent, Erin E

2011-07-01

Proponents of community-based research advocate for the active involvement and engagement of community members, citing improved construct validity, intervention efficacy, and accountability. However, to create the conditions in which expertise is mutually constructed and in which no one is the object of research, a reconsideration of the fundamental ethos of community involvement and engagement is required. In this article, we seek to accomplish two goals: (a) to briefly assess the definitions of community health, focus groups, and dissemination that are often used in community-based research; and (b) to introduce an application of dialogical action that goes beyond traditional focus group methodology to promote the creation of an evolving and dynamic dialogue among campus and community stakeholders. An urban case study is presented.

Developing Written Information for Cancer Survivors from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds: Lessons Learnt.

PubMed

Wiley, Georgina; Piper, Amanda; Phyllis Butow, A M; Schofield, Penny; Douglas, Fiona; Roy, Jane; Nolte, Linda; Jefford, Michael

2018-01-01

Australia is a multicultural nation with a large migrant population. Migrants with cancer report inferior quality of life and the need for more information in their own language. This paper describes lessons learnt from developing culturally appropriate written information resources with and for Arabic, Italian, and Vietnamese cancer survivors and carers. The information needs of survivors from these language groups as well as guidelines for the development of written resources for culturally diverse populations were identified through literature review. Community consultation was undertaken with focus groups. The content was developed and tested with health professionals who spoke the appropriate language and focus group participants, ensuring relevance and appropriateness. Resource design and dissemination were informed through community consultation. A number of key tasks for developing resources were identified as follows: (1) community engagement and consultation; (2) culturally sensitive data collection; (3) focus group facilitators (recruitment and training); (4) content development; (5) translation and review process; (6) design; and (7) sustainability. This project reinforced literature review findings on the importance of cultural sensitivity in the development of resources. Engaging with community groups and incorporating culturally appropriate recruitment strategies optimises recruitment to focus groups and facilitates content development. Stakeholders and lay persons from the intended ethnic-minority communities should be involved in the development and formative evaluation of resources to ensure appropriateness and relevance and in the dissemination strategy to optimize penetration. We believe the lessons we have learnt will be relevant to any group intending to develop health information for culturally and linguistic diverse groups.

Developing Written Information for Cancer Survivors from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds: Lessons Learnt

PubMed Central

Wiley, Georgina; Piper, Amanda; Phyllis Butow, AM; Schofield, Penny; Douglas, Fiona; Roy, Jane; Nolte, Linda; Jefford, Michael

2018-01-01

Australia is a multicultural nation with a large migrant population. Migrants with cancer report inferior quality of life and the need for more information in their own language. This paper describes lessons learnt from developing culturally appropriate written information resources with and for Arabic, Italian, and Vietnamese cancer survivors and carers. The information needs of survivors from these language groups as well as guidelines for the development of written resources for culturally diverse populations were identified through literature review. Community consultation was undertaken with focus groups. The content was developed and tested with health professionals who spoke the appropriate language and focus group participants, ensuring relevance and appropriateness. Resource design and dissemination were informed through community consultation. A number of key tasks for developing resources were identified as follows: (1) community engagement and consultation; (2) culturally sensitive data collection; (3) focus group facilitators (recruitment and training); (4) content development; (5) translation and review process; (6) design; and (7) sustainability. This project reinforced literature review findings on the importance of cultural sensitivity in the development of resources. Engaging with community groups and incorporating culturally appropriate recruitment strategies optimises recruitment to focus groups and facilitates content development. Stakeholders and lay persons from the intended ethnic-minority communities should be involved in the development and formative evaluation of resources to ensure appropriateness and relevance and in the dissemination strategy to optimize penetration. We believe the lessons we have learnt will be relevant to any group intending to develop health information for culturally and linguistic diverse groups. PMID:29379844

Sex Education Targeting African Communities in the United Kingdom: Is It Fit for Purpose?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, E.; Olomo, F.; Corcoran, N.

2012-01-01

This study addresses the issue of the sexual needs of ethnic minority groups in the UK. Using focus group discussions with health service users and third-sector providers, it explores the perception of sex education by Black African communities living in a culturally diverse area in East London, focusing specifically on participants' understanding…

Focus Group Evaluation of Customized Family Health History Education Materials in a North Carolina Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Karen; Edelson, Vaughn; O'Leary, James; Christianson, Carol; Henrich, Vincent

2011-01-01

The "Does It Run In The Family?" booklets provide educational materials about family health history (FHH) and basic genetics to readers of all levels and are customizable for local communities. Purpose: The booklets were customized and provided to focus groups to evaluate their usefulness in conveying health information at a low reading…

Developing Relationships with Employers Means Considering the Competitive Business Environment and the Risks It Produces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stensrud, Robert

2007-01-01

This study describes a series of focus groups conducted with employers. A series of 10 focus groups was conducted in 10 different communities in a midwestern state, with small, medium, and large communities represented. A total of 67 participants, representing human resources offices and direct supervisors, responded to questions regarding…

College Renewal through the Self-Study Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrow, Alvin J.; Reed, Ron

In May 1989, as part of a college renewal and self-study process, Hazard Community College conducted a 2-day retreat involving all segments of the college community. Focus groups were established to examine and define the values that best represented the institution. At the end of the second day, each of the 11 focus groups presented a consensus…

Exploring the Life Course Perspective in Maternal and Child Health through Community-Based Participatory Focus Groups: Social Risks Assessment.

PubMed

Salinas-Miranda, Abraham A; King, Lindsey M; Salihu, Hamisu M; Berry, Estrellita; Austin, Deborah; Nash, Susan; Scarborough, Kenneth; Best, Evangeline; Cox, Lillian; King, Georgette; Hepburn, Carrie; Burpee, Conchita; Richardson, Eugene; Ducket, Marlo; Briscoe, Richard; Baldwin, Julie

2017-01-01

Little is known about the patterns of risk factors experienced by communities of color and how diverse community contexts shape the health trajectory of women from the early childhood period to the time of their pregnancies. Thus, we conducted a focus group study to identify social risks over the life course that contribute to maternal and child health from the perspective of community members residing in low income urban areas. Ten community-based participatory focus groups were conducted with residents from selected communities in Tampa, Florida, from September to November 2013. We used the life course perspective to illuminate and explain the experiences reported by the interviewees. A total of 78 residents participated in the focus groups. Children and adolescents' health risks were childhood obesity, lack of physical activity, and low self-esteem. Women's health risks were low self-esteem, low educational level, low health literacy, inadequate parenting skills, and financial problems. Risks during pregnancy included stress, low self-esteem, inadequate eating patterns, lack of physical activity, healthcare issues, lack of social support, and lack of father involvement during pregnancy. Multiple risk factors contribute to maternal and child health in low income communities in Tampa Bay. The intersection of risk factors in different life periods suggest possible pathways, cumulative, and latent effects, which must be considered in future longitudinal studies and when developing effective maternal and child health programs and policies.

Use of formative research and social network theory to develop a group walking intervention: Sumter County on the Move!

PubMed

Forthofer, Melinda; Burroughs-Girardi, Ericka; Stoisor-Olsson, Liliana; Wilcox, Sara; Sharpe, Patricia A; Pekuri, Linda M

2016-10-01

Although social support is a frequently cited enabler of physical activity, few studies have examined how to harness social support in interventions. This paper describes community-based formative research to design a walking program for mobilizing naturally occurring social networks to support increases in walking behavior. Focus group methods were used to engage community members in discussions about desired walking program features. The research was conducted with underserved communities in Sumter County, South Carolina. The majority of focus group participants were women (76%) and African American (92%). Several important themes emerged from the focus group results regarding attitudes toward walking, facilitators of and barriers to walking, ideal walking program characteristics, and strategies for encouraging community members to walk. Most noteably, the role of existing social networks as a supportive influence on physical activity was a recurring theme in our formative research and a gap in the existing evidence base. The resulting walking program focused on strategies for mobilizing, supporting and reinforcing existing social networks as mechanisms for increasing walking. Our approach to linking theory, empirical evidence and community-based formative research for the development of a walking intervention offers an example for practitioners developing intervention strategies for a wide range of behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Views of Academic and Community Partners Regarding Participant Protections and Research Integrity: A Pilot Focus Group Study

PubMed Central

Anderson, Emily E.

2013-01-01

When community partners have direct interaction with human research participants, it is important to consider potential threats to participant protections and research integrity. Few studies have directly compared the views of academic and community partners. This pilot focus group study explores the views of academic partners (APs) and community partners (CPs) regarding challenges to the protection of research participants and research integrity in community-engaged research (CEnR). Data are analyzed to understand how APs and CPs define and think about ethical problems and how meaning and analysis may differ between the two groups. Findings have implications for the development of research ethics training materials for academic-community research partnerships and IRBs; best practices for CEnR; and future research on ethical issues in CEnR. PMID:23485668

Planning for Technology Integration in a Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thoma, Jennifer; Hutchison, Amy; Johnson, Debra; Johnson, Kurt; Stromer, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Barriers to technology integration in instruction include a lack of time, resources, and professional development. One potential approach to overcoming these barriers is through collaborative work, or professional learning communities. This article focuses on one group of teachers who leveraged their professional learning community to focus on…

Mixed Methods in Prostate Cancer Prevention and Service Utilization Planning: Combining Focus Groups, Survey Research, and Community Engagement.

PubMed

Tataw, David Besong; Ekúndayò, Olúgbémiga T

2017-01-01

This article reports on the use of sequential and integrated mixed-methods approach in a focused population and small-area analysis. The study framework integrates focus groups, survey research, and community engagement strategies in a search for evidence related to prostate cancer screening services utilization as a component of cancer prevention planning in a marginalized African American community in the United States. Research and data analysis methods are synthesized by aggregation, configuration, and interpretive analysis. The results of synthesis show that qualitative and quantitative data validate and complement each other in advancing our knowledge of population characteristics, variable associations, the complex context in which variables exist, and the best options for prevention and service planning. Synthesis of findings and interpretive analysis provided two important explanations which seemed inexplicable in regression outputs: (a) Focus group data on the limitations of the church as an educational source explain the negative association between preferred educational channels and screening behavior found in quantitative analysis. (b) Focus group data on unwelcoming provider environments explain the inconsistent relationship between knowledge of local sites and screening services utilization found in quantitative analysis. The findings suggest that planners, evaluators, and scientists should grow their planning and evaluation evidence from the community they serve.

Barriers to cancer screening among Orthodox Jewish women.

PubMed

Tkatch, Rifky; Hudson, Janella; Katz, Anne; Berry-Bobovski, Lisa; Vichich, Jennifer; Eggly, Susan; Penner, Louis A; Albrecht, Terrance L

2014-12-01

The increased risk of genetic cancer mutations for Ashkenazi Jews is well known. However, little is known about the cancer-related health behaviors of a subset of Ashkenazi Jews, Orthodox Jews, who are a very religious and insular group. This study partnered with Rabbinical leadership and community members in an Orthodox Jewish community to investigate barriers to cancer screening in this community. Orthodox Jewish women were recruited to participate in focus groups designed to elicit their perspectives on barriers to cancer screening. A total of five focus groups were conducted, consisting of 3-5 members per group, stratified by age and family history of cancer. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were coded using conventional content analysis. The resulting themes identified as barriers to cancer screening were: preservation of hidden miracles, fate, cost, competing priorities, lack of culturally relevant programming, lack of information, and fear. These results provide a unique perspective on barriers to cancer screening in a high risk but understudied population. Findings from this study may serve to inform culturally appropriate cancer education programs to overcome barriers to screening in this and other similar communities.

Asthma Prevention and Management for Aboriginal People: Lessons From Mi’kmaq Communities, Unama’ki, Canada, 2012

PubMed Central

Watson, Robert; Bennett, Ella; Masuda, Jeffrey; King, Malcolm; Stewart, Miriam

2016-01-01

Background Asthma affects at least 10% of Aboriginal children (aged 11 or younger) in Canada, making it the second most common chronic disease suffered by this demographic group; yet asthma support strategies specific to Aboriginal peoples have only begun to be identified. Community Context This research builds on earlier phases of a recent study focused on identifying the support needs and intervention preferences of Aboriginal children with asthma and their parents or caregivers. Here, we seek to identify the implications of our initial findings for asthma programs, policies, and practices in an Aboriginal context and to determine strategies for implementing prevention programs in Aboriginal communities. Methods Five focus groups were conducted with 22 recruited community health care professionals and school personnel in 5 Mi’kmaq communities in Unama’ki (Cape Breton), Nova Scotia, Canada, through a community-based participatory research design. Each focus group was first introduced to findings from a local “social support for asthma” intervention, and then the groups explored issues associated with implementing social support from their respective professional positions. Outcome Thematic analysis revealed 3 key areas of opportunity and challenges for implementing asthma prevention and management initiatives in Mi’kmaq communities in terms of 1) professional awareness, 2) local school issues, and 3) community health centers. Interpretation Culturally relevant support initiatives are feasible and effective community-driven ways of improving asthma support in Mi’kmaq communities; however, ongoing assistance from the local leadership (ie, chief and council), community health directors, and school administrators, in addition to partnerships with respiratory health service organizations, is needed. PMID:26766847

Community Organizations' Programming and the Development of Community Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varelas, Maria; Morales-Doyle, Daniel; Raza, Syeda; Segura, David; Canales, Karen; Mitchener, Carole

2018-01-01

In this study, we explored how science teacher candidates construct ideas about science teaching and learning in the context of partnerships with urban community-based organizations. We used a case study design focusing on a group of 10 preservice teachers' participation in educational programming that focused on environmental racism and connected…

Leadership Program Planning: Assessing the Needs and Interests of the Agricultural Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Eric K.; Rateau, Richard J.; Ellis, Keyana C.; Kasperbauer, Holly Jo; Stacklin, Laura R.

2010-01-01

Needs assessment is the first step in developing a leadership education program. During the spring of 2008 researchers and program planners conducted focus groups sessions with representatives from Virginia's agricultural community with the goal of assessing the leadership development interests and needs of that community. As one focus group…

A mixed methods inquiry into the determinants of traditional food consumption among three Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee from an ecological perspective.

PubMed

Gaudin, Véronique Laberge; Receveur, Olivier; Walz, Leah; Girard, Félix; Potvin, Louise

2014-01-01

The Aboriginal nations of Canada have higher incidences of chronic diseases, coinciding with profound changes in their environment, lifestyle and diet. Traditional foods can protect against the risks of chronic disease. However, their consumption is in decline, and little is known about the complex mechanisms underlying this trend. To identify the factors involved in traditional food consumption by Cree Aboriginal people living in 3 communities in northern Quebec, Canada. Design. A mixed methods explanatory design, including focus group interviews to interpret the results of logistic regression. This study includes a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey of 3 Cree communities (n=374) and 4 focus group interviews (n=23). In the first, quantitative phase of the study, data were collected using a food-frequency questionnaire along with a structured questionnaire. Subsequently, the focus group interviews helped explain and build on the results of logistic regressions. People who consume traditional food 3 days or more weekly were more likely to be 40 years old and over, to walk 30 minutes or more per day, not to have completed their schooling, to live in Mistissini and to be a hunter (p<0.05 for all comparisons). The focus group participants provided explanations for the quantitative analysis results or completed them. For example, although no statistical association was found, focus group participants believed that employment acts as both a facilitator and a barrier to traditional food consumption, rendering the effect undetectable. In addition, focus group participants suggested that traditional food consumption is the result of multiple interconnected influences, including individual, family, community and environmental influences, rather than a single factor. This study sheds light on a number of factors that are unique to traditional foods, factors that have been understudied to date. Efforts to promote and maintain traditional food consumption could improve the overall health and wellbeing of Cree communities.

Sexual assault support services and community systems: understanding critical issues and needs in the LGBTQ community.

PubMed

Todahl, Jeffrey L; Linville, Deanna; Bustin, Amy; Wheeler, Jenna; Gau, Jeff

2009-08-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals encounter social conditions that create important considerations for LGBTQ sexual assault victims. This exploratory, mixed-methods study examines the relationship between community attitudes toward LGBTQ persons and associated community responses to LGBTQ sexual assault victims. An online and paper-and-pencil survey (n = 130) and four focus group interviews (n = 14) are analyzed using frequency distributions and grounded theory methods. The central theme that emerged in focus group interviews, titled "low community awareness and support for sexual violence in the LGBTQ community," was corroborated by survey participants. Participants' views of unique considerations for LGBTQ sexual assault victims are presented, including causal factors, consequences, and recommended strategies.

Exploring community resilience in workforce communities of first responders serving Katrina survivors.

PubMed

Wyche, Karen Fraser; Pfefferbaum, Rose L; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Norris, Fran H; Wisnieski, Deborah; Younger, Hayden

2011-01-01

Community resilience activities were assessed in workplace teams that became first responders for Hurricane Katrina survivors. Community resilience was assessed by a survey, focus groups, and key informant interviews. On the survey, 90 first responders ranked their team's disaster response performance as high on community resilience activities. The same participants, interviewed in 11 focus groups and 3 key informant interviews, discussed how their teams engaged in community resilience activities to strengthen their ability to deliver services. Specifically, their resilient behaviors were characterized by: shared organizational identity, purpose, and values; mutual support and trust; role flexibility; active problem solving; self-reflection; shared leadership; and skill building. The implications for research, policy, practice, and education of professionals are discussed. © 2011 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Acceptance in the domestic environment: the experience of senior housing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender seniors.

PubMed

Sullivan, Kathleen M

2014-01-01

The social environment impacts the ability of older adults to interact successfully with their community and age-in-place. This study asked, for the first time, residents of existing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) senior living communities to explain why they chose to live in those communities and what, if any, benefit the community afforded them. Focus groups were conducted at 3 retirement communities. Analysis found common categories across focus groups that explain the phenomenon of LGBT senior housing. Acceptance is paramount for LGBT seniors and social networks expanded, contrary to socioemotional selectivity theory. Providers are encouraged to develop safe spaces for LGBT seniors.

Aspirations, Barriers, and Community Strengths: A Qualitative Survey of Urban Chicano Youth and Families. Occasional Paper No. 38. Latino Studies Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vera, Elizabeth M.

To initiate a primary prevention program in a Midwestern urban community consisting primarily of Chicanos, needs were assessed by conducting focus group meetings with school administrators, teachers, parents, and children in a public school setting. In each student focus group, 8-10 children were selected from a seventh-grade classroom, an…

Content and cultural validity in the development of the Indigenous Play Partner Scale.

PubMed

Dender, Alma M; Stagnitti, Karen E

2017-08-01

Culturally relevant assessments of Australian Indigenous children's social pretend play do not exist. This study investigated the content validity and cultural validity of the Indigenous Play Partner Scale (I-PPS). Six pairs of children (i.e. 12 children) aged four-six years from a remote Australian town were videoed playing in pairs, and 14 community elders and mothers participated across three focus groups. The social interactions between the children were transcribed from the videos. Nineteen verbs, grouped into five categories of social interaction, described the social interactions between the pairs of children. The descriptions of the social interaction verbs were presented to the community elders and mothers in a focus group. The themes from the focus groups were 'background of Indigenous understanding of play' and 'proposed social interaction verbs'. The first theme reflected community collaboration, children playing in multi-aged groups and the role of older children within the play. Guided by the focus group discussion, the videos were re-analysed and 20 social interaction verbs were described that reflected the cultural context of play. The content and cultural validity of the I-PPS was established through community consultation. Twenty social interaction verbs, which form the basis of the items of the I-PPS, reflected Indigenous cultural values of being non-judgemental of Indigenous children's social interactions during pretend play. Culturally relevant assessments for Australian Indigenous children do not disadvantage this population group and are essential for practice in occupational therapy. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Therapist, Parent, and Youth Perspectives of Treatment Barriers to Family-Focused Community Outpatient Mental Health Services

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Melissa M.; Haine-Schlagel, Rachel

2012-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study describes treatment barriers to receiving family-focused child mental health services for youths with disruptive behavior problems from multiple perspectives. Data were collected during a series of focus groups and interviews, including: 4 therapist focus groups, 3 parent focus groups, and 10 youth semi-structured interviews. Therapist, parent, and youth stakeholder participants discussed perceived barriers to effective treatment, the problems with current child outpatient therapy, and desired changes (i.e., policy, intervention, etc.) to improve mental health services. Results indicate similar themes around treatment barriers and dissatisfaction with services within and across multiple stakeholder groups, including inadequate support and lack of family involvement; however, parents and therapists, in particular, identified different contributing factors to these barriers. Overall, stakeholders reported much frustration and dissatisfaction with current community-based outpatient child therapy services. Study findings can inform service provision, intervention development, and future research. PMID:24019737

Engaging Canadian First Nations Women in Cervical Screening through Education.

PubMed

Zehbe, Ingeborg; Wakewich, Pamela; Wood, Brianne; Sameshima, Pauline; Banning, Yvonne; Little, Julian

2016-01-01

Recognition of the need to decrease cervical cancer rates in Indigenous populations has been ongoing-yet few successful interventions have been reported. In addition, literature addressing the challenges and barriers associated with designing screening programs aimed to specifically reach Indigenous women is limited. Here, we report findings from a mixed methods cervical cancer research project conducted in partnership with 10 First Nations communities in northwest Ontario, Canada. Individual interviews with community health professionals (the majority of whom identified as First Nations) stressed that awareness of cervical screening benefits is lacking. In contrast, focus group participants (women with no formal health education) emphasized the desire to learn more about the science of human papillomavirus (HPV), and that a positive HPV or abnormal Papanicolaou test need not mean a woman will undoubtedly develop cervical cancer. Both the health professionals and the focus group participants highlighted that sexual health education must start early, in schools, preferably before girls are sexually active and that it has to continue throughout life to create a screening culture with a focus on women's wellbeing. Both interview and focus group participants highlighted that sexual health education must start early, in schools, preferably before girls are sexually active and that it has to continue throughout life to create a screening culture with a focus on women's wellbeing. Health professionals elaborated mainly on special events for community women whereas focus group participants also recognized the need to include community men in health education particularly for de-stigmatizing the sexually-transmitted HPV infection.

Use of Stakeholder Focus Groups to Define the Mission and Scope of a new Department of Population Health.

PubMed

Tierney, William M

2018-04-09

The focus and funding of US healthcare is evolving from volume to value-based, and healthcare leaders, managers, payers, and researchers are increasingly focusing on managing populations of patients. Simultaneously, there is increasing interest in getting "upstream" from disease management to promote health and prevent disease. Hence, the term "population health" has both clinical and community-based connotations relevant to the tripartite mission of US medical schools. To seek broad input for the strategic development of the Department of Population Health in a new medical school at a tier 1 research university. Focus groups with facilitated consensus development. Eighty-one persons representing the Dell Medical School and other schools at the University of Texas at Austin, city/county government, community nonprofit organizations, and faculty from other local university schools along with selected national academic leaders. Focus groups with subsequent consensus development of emphases identified premeeting by participants by e-mail exchanges. The resulting departmental strategic plan included scope of work, desired characteristics of leaders, and early impact activities in seven areas of interest: community engagement and health equity, primary care and value-based health, occupational and environment medicine, medical education, health services and community-based research, health informatics and data analysis, and global health. Medical schools should have a primary focus in population, most effectively at the departmental level. Engaging relevant academic and community stakeholders is an effective model for developing this emerging discipline in US medical schools.

Community stress and social and technological change: a framework for interpreting the behavior of social movements and community action groups

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perry, R.W.; Schuller, C.R.; Lindell, M.K.

1980-06-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive examination of existing research on community organizations and community political systems. These findings will be integrated into a framework for understanding the variety of social and political responses which may be manifest in small communities facing the prospect of hosting a major nuclear facility. The principal focus is on the formation and behavior of social groups in communities, particularly politically oriented social movements or community action groups. This analysis is set on the context of a community experiencing social stress. Most of the discussion which follows is based on anmore » extrapolation from the large body of reseach literature on the topics in sociology, political science, and psychology. Chapter I examines the community political systems which are the arena in which local action groups will operate. Chapter II focuses on the internal conditions necessary for the formation and maintenance of community action groups. Chapter III reviews the research literature on the social environment of organizations in communities and the external conditions which are necessary to maintain organizations over time. Chapter IV develops a logic whereby the community consensus model can be adopted to particular social movement organizations and community actions groups. Chapter V examines changes in aspects of the environment which can be a function of the operation of movement organizations, and changes in the structure and tactics of movement organizations which appear to be a response to the environment.« less

Discussions with Adults and Youth to Inform the Development of a Community-Based Tobacco Control Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arora, Monika; Tewari, Abha; Dhavan, Poonam; Nazar, Gaurang P.; Stigler, Melissa H.; Juneja, Neeru S.; Perry, Cheryl L.; Reddy, K. Srinath

2013-01-01

Project Advancing Cessation of Tobacco in Vulnerable Indian Tobacco Consuming Youth (ACTIVITY) is a community-based group randomized intervention trial focused on disadvantaged youth (aged 10-19 years) residing in 14 low-income communities (slums and resettlement colonies) in Delhi, India. This article discusses the findings of Focus Group…

Strategies for achieving healthy energy balance among African Americans in the Mississippi Delta.

PubMed

Parham, Groesbeck P; Scarinci, Isabel C

2007-10-01

Low-income African Americans who live in rural areas of the Deep South are particularly vulnerable to diseases associated with unhealthy energy imbalance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested various physical activity strategies to achieve healthy energy balance. Our objective was to conduct formal, open-ended discussions with low-income African Americans in the Mississippi Delta to determine 1) their dietary habits and physical activity levels, 2) their attitudes toward CDC's suggested physical activity strategies, and 3) their suggestions on how to achieve CDC's strategies within their own environment. A qualitative method (focus groups) was used to conduct the study during 2005. Prestudy meetings were held with African American lay health workers to formulate a focus group topic guide, establish inclusion criteria for focus group participants, select meeting sites and times, and determine group segmentation guidelines. Focus groups were divided into two phases. All discussions and focus group meetings were held in community centers within African American neighborhoods in the Mississippi Delta and were led by trained African American moderators. Phase I focus groups identified the following themes: overeating, low self-esteem, low income, lack of physical exercise, unhealthy methods of food preparation, a poor working definition of healthy energy balance, and superficial knowledge of strategies for achieving healthy energy balance. Phase 2 focus groups identified a preference for social support-based strategies for increasing physical activity levels. Energy balance strategies targeting low-income, rural African Americans in the Deep South may be more effective if they emphasize social interaction at the community and family levels and incorporate the concept of community volunteerism.

Attitudes and beliefs about exercise among elderly African Americans in an urban community.

PubMed Central

Lavizzo-Mourey, R.; Cox, C.; Strumpf, N.; Edwards, W. F.; Lavizzo-Mourey, R.; Stinemon, M.; Grisso, J. A.

2001-01-01

Older African Americans are less likely to exercise compared with their white counterparts. Few studies have examined the facilitating factors and barriers to exercise among older African Americans living in urban communities. This study represented the first phase of a program to develop an exercise intervention in an urban community. Qualitative research was conducted to identify culturally determined attitudes that could be useful in designing an effective exercise program. Five focus groups involving 38 persons from a variety of settings were facilitated by trained professionals. Transcripts were analyzed to identify themes and contrasts among group participants. Contrary to the expectations of the investigative team, focus-group participants: (1) uniformly preferred group exercises compared with exercising at home, (2) rejected walking as a feasible option because of safety concerns, and (3) expressed limited interest in using weights or Eastern exercises such as Tai Chi. Concepts and goals of exercise differed according to the physical capabilities of the participants. The analysis of these focus-group discussions provided valuable insights with regard to the development of our community-based exercise-intervention protocol. These findings may be important in designing effective exercise programs for older African Americans in urban settings. PMID:11800276

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) in South Africa: engaging multiple constituents to shape the research question.

PubMed

Mosavel, Maghboeba; Simon, Christian; van Stade, Debbie; Buchbinder, Mara

2005-12-01

Community engagement is an on-going, arduous, and necessary process for developing effective health promotion programs. The challenges are amplified when the particular health issue or research question is not prominent in the consciousness of the targeted community. In this paper, we explore the community-based participatory research (CBPR) model as a means to negotiate a mutual agenda between communities and researchers. The paper is focused on the (perceived) need for cervical cancer screening in an under-resourced community in Cape Town, South Africa. Cervical cancer is a significant health problem in this community and elsewhere in South Africa. Unlike HIV-AIDS, however, many Black South Africans have not been educated about cervical cancer and the importance of obtaining screening. Many may not consider screening a priority in their lives. Our research included extensive consultations and informal interviews with diverse community and regional stakeholders. Following these, we conducted 27 focus groups and 106 demographic surveys with randomly selected youth, parents, local health care personnel, educators and school staff. Focus group data were summarized and analyzed cross-sectionally. Community stakeholders were involved throughout this research. Our consultations, interviews, and focus group data were key in identifying the concerns and priorities of the community. By engaging community stakeholders, we developed a research framework that incorporated the community's concerns and priorities, and stressed the intersecting roles of poverty, violence, and other cultural forces in shaping community members' health and wellbeing. Community members helped to refocus our research from cervical cancer to 'cervical health,' a concept that acknowledged the impact on women's bodies and lives of HIV-AIDS and STDs, sexual violence, poverty, and multiple social problems. We conclude that the research agenda and questions in community-based health research should not be considered immutable. They need to be open to negotiation, creativity, and constant reinvention.

Improving implementation of mental health services for trauma in multicultural elementary schools: stakeholder perspectives on parent and educator engagement.

PubMed

Langley, Audra; Santiago, Catherine DeCarlo; Rodríguez, Adriana; Zelaya, Jennifer

2013-07-01

Although more schools are offering mental health programs, few studies have involved the school community in research to improve their successful implementation. In this community-partnered study, focus groups were conducted with school staff and parents to explore issues related to community engagement and feasibility of a mental health intervention for elementary school students exposed to trauma. Four educator focus groups, including 23 participants, and 2 parent focus groups, consisting of 9 Spanish-speaking and 7 English-speaking parents were conducted. Participants discussed facilitators and barriers to successful implementation of the program. Participants identified the importance of pre-implementation parent education, raising awareness of the impact of student mental health among educators, maintaining ongoing communication during the intervention, and addressing logistical concerns. Participants described clear considerations for parent and educator engagement, both at the pre-implementation phase and during implementation of the program. Implications for next steps of this community-partnered approach are described.

Improving Implementation of Mental Health Services for Trauma in Multicultural Elementary Schools: Stakeholder Perspectives on Parent and Educator Engagement

PubMed Central

Santiago, Catherine DeCarlo; Rodríguez, Adriana; Zelaya, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Although more schools are offering mental health programs, few studies have involved the school community in research to improve their successful implementation. In this community partnered study, focus groups were conducted with school staff and parents to explore issues related to community engagement and feasibility of a mental health intervention for elementary school students exposed to trauma. Four educator focus groups, including 23 participants, and 2 parent focus groups, consisting of 9 Spanish-speaking and 7 English-speaking parents were conducted. Participants discussed facilitators and barriers to successful implementation of the program. Participants identified the importance of pre-implementation parent education, raising awareness of the impact of student mental health among educators, maintaining ongoing communication during the intervention, and addressing logistical concerns. Participants described clear considerations for parent and educator engagement both at the pre implementation phase and during implementation of the program. Implications for next steps of this community partnered approach are described. PMID:23576136

Focus Groups with Working Parents of School-Aged Children: What's Needed to Improve Family Meals?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulkerson, Jayne A.; Kubik, Martha Y.; Rydell, Sarah; Boutelle, Kerri N.; Garwick, Ann; Story, Mary; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Dudovitz, Bonnie

2011-01-01

Objective: To conduct focus groups to identify parents' perceptions of barriers to family meals and elucidate ideas to guide the development of interventions to overcome barriers. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of 27 working parents in urban community settings. Results: Parents reported enjoying the sharing/bonding…

What Young Adolescents Want and Need from Out-of-School Programs: A Focus Group Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris (S. W.) & Company, Inc., Bethesda, MD.

The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development undertook a 2-year project to assess non-school programs offered by various community-based youth organizations. This project included focus group interviews with youth about their current activities and preferences for after-school activities. Sixteen focus groups were conducted in the metropolitan…

JCCC's Environmental Scan: Results of Focus Groups Conducted with Johnson County Residents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conklin, Karen A.

This report presents questions and typical responses from focus group discussions conducted at Johnson County Community College (JCCC, Kansas) in March 1999. A total of 23 individuals of varying ages from all geographic regions in Johnson County participated in three focus groups, designed as a follow-up to a phone survey about constituency…

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) in South Africa: Engaging multiple constituents to shape the research question

PubMed Central

Mosavel, Maghboeba; Simon, Christian; van Stade, Debbie; Buchbinder, Mara

2011-01-01

Community engagement is an on-going, arduous, and necessary process for developing effective health promotion programs. The challenges are amplified when the particular health issue or research question is not prominent in the consciousness of the targeted community. In this paper, we explore the community-based participatory research (CBPR) model as a means to negotiate a mutual agenda between communities and researchers. The paper is focused on the (perceived) need for cervical cancer screening in an under-resourced community in Cape Town, South Africa. Cervical cancer is a significant health problem in this community and elsewhere in South Africa. Unlike HIV-AIDS, however, many Black South Africans have not been educated about cervical cancer and the importance of obtaining screening. Many may not consider screening a priority in their lives. Our research included extensive consultations and informal interviews with diverse community and regional stakeholders. Following these, we conducted 27 focus groups and 106 demographic surveys with randomly selected youth, parents, local health care personnel, educators and school staff. Focus group data were summarized and analyzed cross-sectionally. Community stakeholders were involved throughout this research. Our consultations, interviews, and focus group data were key in identifying the concerns and priorities of the community. By engaging community stakeholders, we developed a research framework that incorporated the community’s concerns and priorities, and stressed the intersecting roles of poverty, violence, and other cultural forces in shaping community members’ health and wellbeing. Community members helped to refocus our research from cervical cancer to ‘cervical health,’ a concept that acknowledged the impact on women’s bodies and lives of HIV-AIDS and STDs, sexual violence, poverty, and multiple social problems. We conclude that the research agenda and questions in community-based health research should not be considered immutable. They need to be open to negotiation, creativity, and constant reinvention. PMID:15955605

Practitioners' perspectives on community-based breast cancer survivorship care in Singapore: A focus group study.

PubMed

Chan, Alexandre; Ngai, Guo Hui; Chung, Wing Lam; Yeo, Angie; Ng, Terence; Loh, Kiley Wei-Jen; Farid, Mohamad; Soong, Yoke Lim; Fok, Rose

2018-05-01

With the long-term goal of optimising the delivery of breast cancer survivorship care in Singapore, we conducted a qualitative study to gather in-depth descriptions from community practitioners (general practitioners and community pharmacists) about their perceptions of community-based cancer survivorship care in Singapore. Sixteen participants (11 general practitioners and five community pharmacists) participated in four structured focus group discussions between August and November 2016. The focus group discussions were analysed using deductive content analysis. The majority of community practitioners do not encounter breast cancer survivors in their clinical practices. Perceived barriers to community-based survivorship care include patients' lack of confidence in primary care, financial constraints and lack of empanelment. Most community practitioners concur that the success of community-based survivorship care largely depends on the co-operation and participation of survivors. Survivorship management via standardised care pathways is not fully advocated by practitioners. Survivorship care plans are identified as useful, but they should also incorporate a non-cancer-related medical history and medication list. Community practitioners in Singapore are eager to participate in the delivery of cancer survivorship care. Future studies should develop a community-based care model that involves community practitioners and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of such a care model. The current model of cancer survivorship in Singapore is not sustainable. Differences in healthcare ecosystems, cultures and resources available in an Asian context should be taken into consideration before designing a community-based cancer survivorship program in Singapore. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Value of a regional family practice residency training program site: perceptions of residents, nurses, and physicians.

PubMed

Fletcher, Sarah; Mullett, Jennifer; Beerman, Steve

2014-09-01

To examine the perceptions of residents, nurses, and physicians about the effect of a regional family practice residency site on the delivery of health services in the community, as well as on the community health care providers. Interviews and focus groups were conducted. Nanaimo, BC. A total of 16 residents, 15 nurses, and 20 physicians involved with the family practice residency training program at the Nanaimo site. A series of semistructured interviews and focus groups was conducted. Transcripts of interviews and focus groups were analyzed thematically by the research team. Overall, participants agreed that having a family practice residency training site in the community contributed to community life and to the delivery of health services in the following ways: increased community capacity and social capital; motivated positive relationships and attitudes in the hospital and community settings; improved communication and teamwork, as well as accessibility and understanding of the health care system; increased the standard of care; and facilitated the recruitment and retention of family physicians. This family practice residency training site was beneficial for the community it served. Future planning for distributed medical education sites should take into account the effects of these sites on the health care community and ensure that they continue to be positive influences. Further research in this area could focus on patients' perceptions of how residency programs affect their care, as well as on the effect of residency programs on wait times and workload for physicians and nurses. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Value of a regional family practice residency training program site

PubMed Central

Fletcher, Sarah; Mullett, Jennifer; Beerman, Steve

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine the perceptions of residents, nurses, and physicians about the effect of a regional family practice residency site on the delivery of health services in the community, as well as on the community health care providers. Design Interviews and focus groups were conducted. Setting Nanaimo, BC. Participants A total of 16 residents, 15 nurses, and 20 physicians involved with the family practice residency training program at the Nanaimo site. Methods A series of semistructured interviews and focus groups was conducted. Transcripts of interviews and focus groups were analyzed thematically by the research team. Main findings Overall, participants agreed that having a family practice residency training site in the community contributed to community life and to the delivery of health services in the following ways: increased community capacity and social capital; motivated positive relationships and attitudes in the hospital and community settings; improved communication and teamwork, as well as accessibility and understanding of the health care system; increased the standard of care; and facilitated the recruitment and retention of family physicians. Conclusion This family practice residency training site was beneficial for the community it served. Future planning for distributed medical education sites should take into account the effects of these sites on the health care community and ensure that they continue to be positive influences. Further research in this area could focus on patients’ perceptions of how residency programs affect their care, as well as on the effect of residency programs on wait times and workload for physicians and nurses. PMID:25217693

African American women's perceptions of cancer clinical trials

PubMed Central

Haynes-Maslow, Lindsey; Godley, Paul; Dimartino, Lisa; White, Brandolyn; Odom, Janice; Richmond, Alan; Carpenter, William

2014-01-01

Cancer clinical trials are important for resolving cancer health disparities for several reasons; however, clinical trial participation among African Americans is significantly lower than Caucasians. This study engaged focus groups of 82 female African American cancer survivors or cancer caregivers, including those in better resourced, more urban areas and less resourced, more rural areas. Informed by an integrated conceptual model, the focus groups examined perceptions of cancer clinical trials and identified leverage points that future interventions may use to improve enrollment rates. Study findings highlight variation in community knowledge regarding cancer clinical trials, and the importance of community education regarding clinical trials and overcoming historical stigma associated with clinical research specifically and the health care system more generally. Study participants commented on the centrality of churches in their communities, and thus the promise of the church as loci of such education. Findings also suggested the value of informed community leaders as community information sources, including community members who have a previous diagnosis of cancer and clinical trial experience. The sample size and location of the focus groups may limit the generalizability of the results. Since the women in the focus groups were either cancer survivors or caregivers, they may have different experiences than nonparticipants who lack the close connection with cancer. Trust in the health system and in one's physician was seen as important factors associated with patient willingness to enroll in clinical trials, and participants suggested that physicians who were compassionate and who engaged and educated their patients would build important trust requisite for patient participation in clinical trials. PMID:24905181

Promoting Optimal Native Outcomes (PONO) by Understanding Women's Stress Experiences.

PubMed

Okihiro, May; Duke, Lisa; Goebert, Deborah; Ampolos, Lauren; Camacho, Casandra; Shanahan, Natasha; Hishinuma, Earl; Kaholokula, J Keawe

2017-04-01

A growing body of evidence links stress with mental illness and chronic disease. Existing scales of women's stress fail to capture the daily stressors of low-income, rural women. We explored the psychosocial stressors of local women residing in a rural Hawaii community with a large Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population. We recruited women, aged 18-35 years, at a community health center. We convened four focus groups to elicit information about women's stress. We identified key themes from the focus group data to generate questions that target concerns raised by participants. These were corroborated by additional focus groups. Thirty-six women participated in the study. Seven stressor themes emerged: intimate relationships-limited partner assistance, gender stereotype; family and home life-feeling like an outsider, lack of respect; childrearing-quality and affordable childcare, conflicting discipline styles; time for self-never-ending duties, being too tired to relax; neighborhood environment-safety concerns, not feeling part of the community; workplace-workload and transportation obstacles; and finances-making ends meet and arguments about money. Women in this study articulated a broad range of daily stressors. Sociocultural factors leading to feeling like an outsider within their own family, intercultural marriage conflicts, and perceptions of community discrimination are not included in other published scales. Our focus group investigations thus provided critical knowledge for developing a community-relevant scale. This is a prerequisite for developing and testing innovative intervention strategies designed to reduce stress in this population. We believe that reducing stress is necessary to mitigate the negative effects of stressors on physical and mental health among women in this rural community.

Community Consultation and Communication for a Population-Based DNA Biobank: the Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project

PubMed Central

McCarty, Catherine A.; Chapman-Stone, Donna; Derfus, Teresa; Giampietro, Philip F.; Fost, Norman

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe community consultation and communication efforts for the Personalized Medicine Research Project (PMRP), a population-based biobank. A series of focus group discussions was held in the year preceding initial recruitment efforts with potentially eligible community residents and slightly less than a year after initial recruitment with eligible residents who had declined participation in PMRP. A Community Advisory Group, with 19 members reflecting the demographics of the eligible community, was formed and meets twice yearly to provide advice and feedback to the PMRP Principal Investigator and the local IRB. Ongoing communication with study subjects, who consent on the condition that personal genetic results will not be disclosed, takes place through a newsletter that is distributed twice yearly, community talks and media coverage. Most focus group participants were concerned about the confidentiality of both their medical and genetic data. Focus group discussions with eligible residents who elected not to participate in PMRP revealed that many knew very little about the project, but thought that too much information had been provided, leading them to believe that it would take too long for them to understand and enroll in the study. In conclusion, an engaged community advisory group can provide a sounding board to study investigators for many study issues and can provide guidance for broader communication activities. Researchers need to balance the provision of information for potential subjects to make informed decisions about study participation, with respect for individuals’ time to read and interpret study materials. PMID:19006210

Achieving health for a lifetime: a community engagement assessment focusing on school-age children to decrease obesity in Durham, North Carolina.

PubMed

Corsino, Leonor; McDuffie, Jennifer R; Kotch, Jonathan; Coeytaux, Remy; Fuemmeler, Bernard F; Murphy, Gwen; Miranda, Marie Lynn; Poirier, Brenda; Morton, Janet; Reese, David; Baker, Sharon; Carter, Heidi; Freeman, Rebecca; Blue, Colleen; Yancy, William S

2013-01-01

Obesity is a prominent problem in the United States and in North Carolina. One way of combating it is with community-engaged interventions that foster collaboration between health-oriented organizations and community residents. Our purpose was to assemble a multifaceted group in Durham, North Carolina, to identify factors affecting obesity-related lifestyle behaviors; assess policies, resources, and the population's perception of the problem of obesity; and develop plans to improve health outcomes related to obesity. A team consisting of more than 2 dozen partners was assembled to form Achieving Health for a Lifetime (AHL) in order to study and address obesity in the community, initially focusing on elementary school-age children. The team developed a resource guide by collecting information by telephone interviews of provider organizations; geospatial resource maps were created using high-resolution geographic information systems, Duke's Data Support Repository, and county and city records; and focus groups were conducted using the nominal group technique. The AHL team, in collaboration with 2 other teams focused on diabetes and cardiovascular disease, identified 32 resources for diabetes, 20 for obesity, and 13 for cardiovascular disease. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the team identified an area of Durham that had only 1 supermarket, but 34 fast-food restaurants and 84 convenience stores. The focus on particular neighborhoods means that the information obtained might not pertain to all neighborhoods. The AHL team was able to assemble a large community partnership in Durham that will allow the members of the community to continue to work toward making residents healthier. Communities facing similar challenges can learn from this experience.

Tangible evidence, trust and power: public perceptions of community environmental health studies.

PubMed

Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen; Senier, Laura; Darrah-Okike, Jennifer; Brown, Phil; Santos, Susan

2009-01-01

Communities with environmental health concerns in the USA frequently request studies from their local or state departments of public health. This paper presents findings from three focus groups conducted in communities north of Boston that have been the subject of two different environmental health studies. The focus groups were designed to elicit residents' perceptions of environmental health, and of the particular studies conducted in their communities. In all focus groups, participants had difficulty accepting the findings of health studies that contradicted their own experiences of environmental exposures and illness. Our results suggest that lay knowledge, informed in varying degrees by the experience of what we term "tangible evidence," creates a lens through which communities interpret a health study's findings. The differences in reliance on tangible evidence were related to participants' sense of trust in public officials, and the institutions responsible for conducting health studies. Participants from the wealthier, predominantly white communities discussed trust in study design and methodologies used. In contrast, participants from the lower-income, higher-minority communities assessed health studies with reference to their trust (or lack thereof) in study sponsors and public health institutions. Participants' experience of tangible evidence, trust or distrust in health agencies and research institutions, and a sense of relative community power, influence how they assess the findings of environmental health studies and may have implications for pubic health.

Tangible Evidence, Trust and Power: Public Perceptions of Community Environmental Health Studies

PubMed Central

Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen; Senier, Laura; Darrah-Okike, Jennifer; Brown, Phil; Santos, Susan

2009-01-01

Communities with environmental health concerns in the USA frequently request studies from their local or state departments of public health. This paper presents findings from three focus groups conducted in communities north of Boston that have been the subject of two different environmental health studies. The focus groups were designed to elicit residents’ perceptions of environmental health, and of the particular studies conducted in their communities. In all focus groups, participants had difficulty accepting the findings of health studies that contradicted their own experiences of environmental exposures and illness. Our results suggest that lay knowledge, informed in varying degrees by the experience of what we term “tangible evidence,” creates a lens through which communities interpret a health study’s findings. The differences in reliance on tangible evidence were related to participants’ sense of trust in public officials, and the institutions responsible for conducting health studies. Participants from the wealthier, predominantly white communities discussed trust in study design and methodologies used. In contrast, participants from the lower income, higher minority communities assessed health studies with reference to their trust (or lack thereof) in study sponsors and public health institutions. Participants’ experience of tangible evidence, trust or distrust in health agencies and research institutions, and a sense of relative community power, influence how they assess the findings of environmental health studies and may have implications for pubic health. PMID:18995942

Attitudes and beliefs about deceased organ donation in the Arabic-speaking community in Australia: a focus group study.

PubMed

Ralph, Angelique F; Alyami, Ali; Allen, Richard D M; Howard, Kirsten; Craig, Jonathan C; Chadban, Steve J; Irving, Michelle; Tong, Allison

2016-01-19

To describe the beliefs and attitudes to organ donation in the Arabic-speaking community. Arabic-speaking participants were purposively recruited to participate in 6 focus groups. Transcripts were analysed thematically. 53 participants, aged 19-77 years, and originating from 8 countries, participated in 1 of 6 focus groups. Participants identified as Christian (73%), Islam (26%), Buddhist (2%) or did not identify with any religion (2%). 6 themes (with subthemes) were identified; religious conviction; invisibility of organ donation; medical suspicion; owning the decision; and reciprocal benefit. Although organ donation is considered a generous life-saving 'gift', representative members of the Arabic-speaking community in Australia were unfamiliar with, unnerved by and sceptical about the donation process. Making positive decisions about organ donation would likely require resolving tensions between respecting family, community and religious values versus their individual autonomy. Providing targeted education about the process and benefits of organ donation within the Arabic community may clarify ambiguities surrounding cultural and religious-based views on organ donation, reduce taboos and suspicion towards donation, and in turn, lead to increased organ donation rates. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Use of focus groups in multi-site, multi-ethnic research projects for women's health: a Study of Women Across the Nation (swan) example.

PubMed

Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Adler, Shelley R; Mouton, Charles E; Ory, Marcia; Underwood, Lynne G

2009-01-01

To outline the lessons learned about the use of focus groups for the multisite, multi-ethnic longitudinal Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN). Focus groups were designed to identify potential cultural differences in the incidence of symptoms and the meaning of transmenopause among women of diverse cultures, and to identify effective recruitment and retention strategies. Inductive and deductive focus groups for a multi-ethnic study. Seven community research sites across the United States conducted focus groups with six ethnic populations: African American, Chinese American, Japanese American, Mexican American, non-Hispanic white, and Puerto Rican. Community women from each ethnic group of color. A set of four/five focus groups in each ethnic group as the formative stage of the deductive, quantitative SWAN survey. Identification of methodological advantages and challenges to the successful implementation of formative focus groups in a multi-ethnic, multi-site population-based epidemiologic study. We provide recommendations from our lessons learned to improve the use of focus groups in future studies with multi-ethnic populations. Mixed methods using inductive and deductive approaches require the scientific integrity of both research paradigms. Adequate resources and time must be budgeted as essential parts of the overall strategy from the outset of study. Inductive cross-cultural researchers should be key team members, beginning with inception through each subsequent design phase to increase the scientific validity, generalizability, and comparability of the results across diverse ethnic groups, to assure the relevance, validity and applicability of the findings to the multicultural population of focus.

Health care access and quality for persons with disability: Patient and provider recommendations.

PubMed

McClintock, Heather F; Kurichi, Jibby E; Barg, Frances K; Krueger, Alice; Colletti, Patrice M; Wearing, Krizia A; Bogner, Hillary R

2018-07-01

Significant disparities in health care access and quality persist between persons with disabilities (PWD) and persons without disabilities (PWOD). Little research has examined recommendations of patients and providers to improve health care for PWD. We sought to explore patient and health care provider recommendations to improve health care access and quality for PWD through focus groups in the physical world in a community center and in the virtual world in an online community. In all, 17 PWD, 4 PWOD, and 6 health care providers participated in 1 of 5 focus groups. Focus groups were conducted in the virtual world in Second Life ® with Virtual Ability, an online community, and in the physical world at Agape Community Center in Milwaukee, WI. Focus group data were analyzed using a grounded theory methodology. Themes that emerged in focus groups among PWD and PWOD as well as health care providers to improve health care access and quality for PWD were: promoting advocacy, increasing awareness and knowledge, improving communication, addressing assumptions, as well as modifying and creating policy. Many participants discussed political empowerment and engagement as central to health care reform. Both PWD and PWOD as well as health care providers identified common themes potentially important for improving health care for PWD. Patient and health care provider recommendations highlight a need for modification of current paradigms, practices, and approaches to improve the quality of health care provision for PWD. Participants emphasized the need for greater advocacy and political engagement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Doctor is in the House: Stakeholder Focus Groups About Expanded Scope of Practice of Community Psychiatrists.

PubMed

Mangurian, Christina; Modlin, Chelsea; Williams, Lindsey; Essock, Susan; Riano, Nicholas S; Shumway, Martha; Newcomer, John W; Dilley, James W; Schillinger, Dean

2017-11-28

We sought to understand stakeholder perspectives on barriers to metabolic screening for people with severe mental illness. We additionally assessed the feasibility of expanding psychiatrists' scope of practice to include treatment of cardiometabolic abnormalities. We conducted four focus groups among patients with severe mental illness, community psychiatrists, primary care providers, and public health administrators. Focus group transcripts were thematically analyzed. Three domains emerged: challenges with patient navigation of the complex health care system, problem list prioritization difficulties, and concern that treatment of cardiometabolic abnormalities were beyond the scope of practice of psychiatrists. Stakeholders agreed that navigating the health care system was challenging for this population and led to undertreatment of cardiometabolic risk factors. Expansion of psychiatrists' scope of practice within community mental health appears acceptable to patients and may be a mechanism to improve cardiometabolic care among people with severe mental illness.

A Community Art Therapy Group for Adults with Chronic Pain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Aimee; Moss, Hilary

2015-01-01

This paper describes a community art therapy group for people living with chronic pain. Nine adults were offered 12 weekly group art therapy sessions that included art therapy activities such as guided imagery focusing on body scans followed by art responses and artistic expressions of the pain experience. This pilot group art therapy program is…

76 FR 7856 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-11

... study methodology in selected AI/AN communities that currently use the Eagle Books as well as the DETS... discussion (focus) groups with children: One group with younger children (grades K-1) and one group with older children (grades 2-4); (v) Two discussion (focus) groups with parents: One group with parents of...

Differences in nativity, age and gender may impact health behavior and perspectives among Asian Indians.

PubMed

Dhar, Sohini; Gor, Beverly; Banerjee, Deborah; Krishnan, Sunil; Dorai, V K; Jones, Lovell; Kabad, Kanchan; Naik, Lakshmi Rai; Legha, Sewa S; Pande, Mala

2017-07-03

Identify health perspectives among Asian Indians in greater Houston area, to guide a tailored community wide survey. Four focus groups of different ages, gender, and nativity were conducted at which participants were asked for their opinions about specific health topics. Key informant interviews were conducted with ten community leaders to validate focus group responses. Recordings from focus groups and key informant interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Diabetes, cancer, and hypertension were primary health concerns. Common themes were sedentary lifestyle and poor health literacy. Older participants were more accepting of having familial hypertension and high cholesterol. Women were more concerned about health of family members and dietary habits. Perspectives differed on eating habits, physical activity, use of Western medicine, and smoking based on nativity. Responses from key informant interviews validated focus group findings. Perspectives on health may differ among Asian Indians depending on gender, age, and nativity.

Community-Based Nursing Education Research Study from the NLN Vision for Nursing Education--Hawai'i/Phase II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoultz, Jan; Kooker, Barbara Molina; Sloat, Ann R.

1998-01-01

In Hawaii, one of four national "vision for nursing education" projects focused on identifying themes for a community-based curriculum. Focus groups selected nursing history, culture, identity, knowledge, and practice as well as cross-disciplinary themes. (SK)

Cable Television in the Cities: Community Control, Public Access, and Minority Ownership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tate, Charles, Ed.

This report is aimed at urban groups, particularly minority groups, who want to participate in cable television (CATV) planning and ownership in their communities. The first section of the report describes the growth of CATV and the potential of CATV to help or hurt minority communities. Part two states "although this chapter focuses on…

Perceptions community residents have about partner institutions and clinical research.

PubMed

Kennedy, Betty M; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Johnson, William D; Griffin, Willene P; Kennedy, Kathleen B; Cefalu, William T; Ryan, Donna H

2013-12-01

Engaging community residents to obtain their feedback in conducting clinical research, and including them as leaders in implementing applicable health advances is crucial for success and sustaining large center awards. Forty-four adult men and women participated in one of four focus groups. Two groups each (one African American and one Caucasian) were conducted in Baton Rouge and in New Orleans. In an effort to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs Louisiana residents have about the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science (LA CaTS) Center concept, four main themes emerged from focus group participants concerning the state's research institutions, and what it means to have these institutions operating under one umbrella to improve the quality of health of its people: (1) academic/research institutions of the State are uniformly widely recognized and held in high regard; (2) increasing awareness of clinical research is a necessity; (3) establishing the LA CaTS Center is an excellent idea; and (4) effective communication including delivery style is crucial to partnerships and especially to the community. Focus group discussions can provide insight into community residents' perceptions, beliefs, motivations, and patterns of behavior for strategically planning for large center awards. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Healthy Aging in Community for Older Lesbians.

PubMed

Bradford, Judith B; Putney, Jennifer M; Shepard, Bonnie L; Sass, Samantha E; Rudicel, Sally; Ladd, Holly; Cahill, Sean

2016-04-01

In Boston and Outer Cape, Massachusetts, we explored the expectations of lesbians 60 years and older regarding healthy aging and community importance. Focus groups were conducted with participants after completing an anonymous demographic questionnaire. Thematic analysis was used to generate themes and identify how they varied by urban versus rural settings. Group discussions focused on community, finances, housing, and healthcare. Primary concerns included continued access to supportive and lesbian communities as a source of resilience during aging. Concerns about discrimination and isolation mirror themes found in national research. The study findings suggest a need for more research into the housing and transportation needs of lesbians approaching later life, with a focus on how those needs relate to affordability, accessibility, and proximity to social support and healthcare. These findings also suggest the need for substantial investments in strengthening the LGBT-related cultural competence of providers of services for the elderly.

Attitudes and beliefs about deceased organ donation in the Arabic-speaking community in Australia: a focus group study

PubMed Central

Ralph, Angelique F; Alyami, Ali; Allen, Richard D M; Howard, Kirsten; Craig, Jonathan C; Chadban, Steve J; Irving, Michelle; Tong, Allison

2016-01-01

Objectives To describe the beliefs and attitudes to organ donation in the Arabic-speaking community. Design Arabic-speaking participants were purposively recruited to participate in 6 focus groups. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Participants 53 participants, aged 19–77 years, and originating from 8 countries, participated in 1 of 6 focus groups. Participants identified as Christian (73%), Islam (26%), Buddhist (2%) or did not identify with any religion (2%). Results 6 themes (with subthemes) were identified; religious conviction; invisibility of organ donation; medical suspicion; owning the decision; and reciprocal benefit. Conclusions Although organ donation is considered a generous life-saving ‘gift’, representative members of the Arabic-speaking community in Australia were unfamiliar with, unnerved by and sceptical about the donation process. Making positive decisions about organ donation would likely require resolving tensions between respecting family, community and religious values versus their individual autonomy. Providing targeted education about the process and benefits of organ donation within the Arabic community may clarify ambiguities surrounding cultural and religious-based views on organ donation, reduce taboos and suspicion towards donation, and in turn, lead to increased organ donation rates. PMID:26787253

Special action groups for policy change and infrastructure support to foster healthier communities on the Arizona-Mexico border.

PubMed Central

Cohen, Stuart J.; Meister, Joel S.; deZapien, Jill G.

2004-01-01

As part of efforts to help stem the rising tide of diabetes among Hispanic Americans living in Arizona-Mexico border communities, the Border Health Strategic Initiative was launched to foster community-based approaches to diabetes prevention and control. A major thrust of the initiative was establishment of special community action groups (SAGs) to help stimulate policy change and sustain interventions designed to reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications. The SAGs met regularly for more than two years, focusing primarily on policies that encourage development of an infrastructure to support physical activity and healthier nutrition. Through involvement with planning commissions, parks and recreation, and private companies, two community development block grants were obtained to support new walking trails. The SAGs also encouraged elementary schools to improve physical education and change vending machine products, and grocery store owners and managers to allow the demonstration and promotion of healthier foods. These groups, focused on policy and infrastructure change within their communities, may be the glue needed to hold comprehensive community health promotion efforts together. PMID:15147648

Online Professional and Academic Learning Communities: Faculty Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Hilda R.; Breslin, Mary; Wanstreet, Constance E.

2013-01-01

This study examines faculty perceptions of creating learning communities at a virtual university. Through online focus groups with 18 participants, 3 themes emerged: institutional-level community building as creating a learning culture; instructor-level community building as creating respectful interaction; and learner-level community building as…

The Effects of Virtual Communities on Group Identity in Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Tu-Kuang; Lin, Yu-Tzeng

2016-01-01

Group identity is a critical component in developing effective classroom management. While there have been numerous studies on group identity, they have primarily focused on its effects on the physical classroom entity. Advances in information technology, however, have enabled the creation of virtual communities, which have become a vital channel…

Using a SWOT analysis to inform healthy eating and physical activity strategies for a remote First Nations community in Canada.

PubMed

Skinner, Kelly; Hanning, Rhona M; Sutherland, Celine; Edwards-Wheesk, Ruby; Tsuji, Leonard J S

2012-01-01

To plan community-driven health promotion strategies based on a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the healthy eating and physical activity patterns of First Nation (FN) youth. Cross-sectional qualitative and quantitative data used to develop SWOT themes and strategies. Remote, subarctic FN community of Fort Albany, Ontario, Canada. Adult (n  =  25) and youth (n  =  66, grades 6-11) community members. Qualitative data were collected using five focus groups with adults (two focus groups) and youth (three focus groups), seven individual interviews with adults, and an environmental scan of 13 direct observations of events/locations (e.g., the grocery store). Quantitative data on food/physical activity behaviors were collected using a validated Web-based survey with youth. Themes were identified from qualitative and quantitative data and were analyzed and interpreted within a SWOT matrix. Thirty-two SWOT themes were identified (e.g., accessibility of existing facilities, such as the gymnasium). The SWOT analysis showed how these themes could be combined and transformed into 12 strategies (e.g., expanding and enhancing the school snack/breakfast program) while integrating suggestions from the community. SWOT analysis was a beneficial tool that facilitated the combination of local data and community ideas in the development of targeted health promotion strategies for the FN community of Fort Albany.

Individual and community determinants of calling 911 for stroke among African Americans in an urban community.

PubMed

Skolarus, Lesli E; Murphy, Jillian B; Zimmerman, Marc A; Bailey, Sarah; Fowlkes, Sophronia; Brown, Devin L; Lisabeth, Lynda D; Greenberg, Emily; Morgenstern, Lewis B

2013-05-01

African Americans receive acute stroke treatment less often than non-Hispanic whites. Interventions to increase stroke preparedness (recognizing stroke warning signs and calling 911) may decrease the devastating effects of stroke by allowing more patients to be candidates for acute stroke therapy. In preparation for such an intervention, we used a community-based participatory research approach to conduct a qualitative study exploring perceptions of emergency medical care and stroke among urban African American youth and adults. Community partners, church health teams, and church leaders identified and recruited focus group participants from 3 black churches in Flint, MI. We conducted 5 youth (11-16 years) and 4 adult focus groups from November 2011 to March 2012. A content analysis approach was taken for analysis. Thirty-nine youth and 38 adults participated. Women comprised 64% of youth and 90% of adult focus group participants. All participants were black. Three themes emerged from the adult and youth data: (1) recognition that stroke is a medical emergency; (2) perceptions of difficulties within the medical system in an under-resourced community, and; (3) need for greater stroke education in the community. Black adults and youth have a strong interest in stroke preparedness. Designs of behavioral interventions to increase stroke preparedness should be sensitive to both individual and community factors contributing to the likelihood of seeking emergency care for stroke.

Promoting Optimal Native Outcomes (PONO) by Understanding Women's Stress Experiences

PubMed Central

Duke, Lisa; Goebert, Deborah; Ampolos, Lauren; Camacho, Casandra; Shanahan, Natasha; Hishinuma, Earl; Kaholokula, J. Keawe

2017-01-01

A growing body of evidence links stress with mental illness and chronic disease. Existing scales of women's stress fail to capture the daily stressors of low-income, rural women. We explored the psychosocial stressors of local women residing in a rural Hawaii community with a large Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population. We recruited women, aged 18–35 years, at a community health center. We convened four focus groups to elicit information about women's stress. We identified key themes from the focus group data to generate questions that target concerns raised by participants. These were corroborated by additional focus groups. Thirty-six women participated in the study. Seven stressor themes emerged: intimate relationships—limited partner assistance, gender stereotype; family and home life—feeling like an outsider, lack of respect; childrearing—quality and affordable childcare, conflicting discipline styles; time for self—never-ending duties, being too tired to relax; neighborhood environment—safety concerns, not feeling part of the community; workplace—workload and transportation obstacles; and finances—making ends meet and arguments about money. Women in this study articulated a broad range of daily stressors. Sociocultural factors leading to feeling like an outsider within their own family, intercultural marriage conflicts, and perceptions of community discrimination are not included in other published scales. Our focus group investigations thus provided critical knowledge for developing a community-relevant scale. This is a prerequisite for developing and testing innovative intervention strategies designed to reduce stress in this population. We believe that reducing stress is necessary to mitigate the negative effects of stressors on physical and mental health among women in this rural community. PMID:27995538

Where Are the Adults? The Attitudes of Parents, Teachers, Clergy, Coaches, and Youth Workers on Teen Pregnancy. A Focus Group Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Washington, DC.

In 1997, the National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy convened nine focus groups of parents of teens and other adults who work with teens such as teachers, clergy, coaches, youth recreation specialists, youth-serving organization staff, and community outreach workers. This report publishes the results of these focus groups, which involved 57…

Data Nomads: Find Your Way with the Atlas of Organizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hills, D. J.; Diggs, S. C.

2016-12-01

Data science is of increasing importance to scientists as well as the greater community. A multitude of efforts are improving data access, interoperability, stewardship, and management across a variety of groups. These groups include those with a data science/informatics focus, (such as DataONE, the Research Data Alliance (RDA), the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)), as well as government agencies (e.g., NASA, NOAA, USGS), funders (e.g., NSF, DOE) and academic researchers. Every group or organization (hereafter called communities) has their own specific focus and strengths, but they are often attempting to tackle similar or overlapping issues. This has led to (often unknown) duplication of effort, overextension of resources, and imperfect collaboration. To address these unclear connections between these numerous groups, some communities have begun efforts to "map the landscape" of their group. This helps the coordination within a particular community, but has not completely solved the wider issue of coordination between these communities. We propose an "Atlas of Organizations" - a collection of these mapping the landscape efforts to better highlight the interconnectedness of various labors. This atlas is intended to make those communities more agile and able to address the needs or issues that each community is best suited to solve. The atlas would also be a resource for anyone looking for communities to join or with which to collaborate. Communities themselves will benefit by being able to apply their limited resources towards efforts where they excel while building relationships with others to leverage their excellence.

Collaborative leadership and the implementation of community-based fall prevention initiatives: a multiple case study of public health practice within community groups.

PubMed

Markle-Reid, Maureen; Dykeman, Cathy; Ploeg, Jenny; Kelly Stradiotto, Caralyn; Andrews, Angela; Bonomo, Susan; Orr-Shaw, Sarah; Salker, Niyati

2017-02-16

Falls among community-dwelling older adults are a serious public health concern. While evidence-based fall prevention strategies are available, their effective implementation requires broad cross-sector coordination that is beyond the capacity of any single institution or organization. Community groups comprised of diverse stakeholders that include public health, care providers from the public and private sectors and citizen volunteers are working to deliver locally-based fall prevention. These groups are examples of collective impact and are important venues for public health professionals (PHPs) to deliver their mandate to work collaboratively towards achieving improved health outcomes. This study explores the process of community-based group work directed towards fall prevention, and it focuses particular attention on the collaborative leadership practices of PHPs, in order to advance understanding of the competencies required for collective impact. Four community groups, located in Ontario, Canada, were studied using an exploratory, retrospective, multiple case study design. The criteria for inclusion were presence of a PHP, a diverse membership and the completion of an initiative that fit within the scope of the World Health Organization Fall Prevention Model. Data were collected using interviews (n = 26), focus groups (n = 4), and documents. Cross-case synthesis was conducted by a collaborative team of researchers. The community groups differed by membership, the role of the PHP and the type of fall prevention initiatives. Seven practice themes emerged: (1) tailoring to address context; (2) making connections; (3) enabling communication; (4) shaping a vision; (5) skill-building to mobilize and take action; (6) orchestrating people and projects; and (7) contributing information and experience. The value of recognized leadership competencies was underscored and the vital role of institutional supports was highlighted. To align stakeholders working towards fall prevention for community-dwelling older adults and establish a foundation for collective impact, public health professionals employed practices that reflected a collaborative leadership style. Looking ahead, public health professionals will want to shift their focus to evaluating the effectiveness of their group work within communities. They will also need to assess outcomes and evaluate whether the anticipated reductions in fall rates among community-dwelling older adults is being achieved.

Asthma patient education opportunities in predominantly minority urban communities.

PubMed

Zayas, Luis E; McLean, Don

2007-12-01

Disenfranchised ethnic minority communities in the urban United States experience a high burden of asthma. Conventional office-based patient education often is insufficient to promote proper asthma management and coping practices responsive to minority patients' environments. This paper explores existing and alternative asthma information and education sources in three urban minority communities in western New York State to help design other practical educational interventions. Four focus groups (n = 59) and four town hall meetings (n = 109) were conducted in one Hispanic and two black communities. Focus groups included adult asthmatics or caretakers of asthmatics, and town meetings were open to all residents. A critical theory perspective informed the study. Asthma information and education sources, perceptions of asthma and ways of coping were elicited through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis followed a theory-driven immersion-crystallization approach. Several asthma education and information resources from the health care system, media, public institutions and communities were identified. Intervention recommendations highlighted asthma workshops that recognize participants as teachers and learners, offer social support, promote advocacy, are culturally appropriate and community-based and include health care professionals. Community-based, group health education couched on people's experiences and societal conditions offers unique opportunities for patient asthma care empowerment in minority urban communities.

The Tie that Binds: Building Discourse Communities and Group Cohesion through Computer-Based Conferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selfe, Cynthia L.; Eilola, J. Daniel

1988-01-01

Discussion of the use of electronic conferencing to form a discourse community focuses on a case study of student consultants working in a microcomputer lab supporting writing courses at Michigan Technological University. The formulation of a group identity, as well as group values, goals, and expectations are discussed. (16 references) (LRW)

Methodological challenges in the use of focus groups with people with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Onocko-Campos, Rosana Teresa; Díaz, Alberto Rodolfo Giovanello; Dahl, Catarina Magalhães; Leal, Erotildes Maria; Serpa, Octavio Domont de

2017-07-13

This study addresses the practical, methodological and ethical challenges that were found in three studies that used focus groups with people with severe mental illness, in the context of community mental health services in Brazil. Focus groups are a powerful tool in health research that need to be better discussed in research with people with severe mental illness, in the context of community mental health facilities. This study is based on the authors' experience of conducting and analyzing focus groups in three different cities - Campinas, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador - between 2006-2010. The implementation of focus groups with people with severe mental illness is discussed in the following categories; planning, group design, sampling, recruitment, group interview guides, and conduction. The importance of connecting mental healthcare providers as part of the research context is emphasized. Ethical issues and challenges are highlighted, as well as the establishment of a sensitive and empathic group atmosphere, wherein mutual respect can facilitate interpersonal relations and enable people diagnosed with severe mental illness to make sense of the experience. We emphasize the relevance of the interaction between clinical and research teams in order to create collaborative work, achieve inquiry aims, and elicit narratives of mental health users and professionals.

Engendering Hope: Women's (Dis)engagement in Change in Afghanistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sehin, Oleksandra; Coryell, Joellen; Stewart, Trae

2017-01-01

Afghan women's human rights are a crucial concern for the international community and the government in Afghanistan. Framed by hope theory, this study captured Afghan women's understandings of recent realities, particularly those focused on expanding women's roles in Afghan life and community. Based on focus groups with 107 women conducted in 10…

Creating a Ninth-Grade Community of Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellerbrock, Cheryl R.; Kiefer, Sarah M.

2010-01-01

This qualitative case study analyzed how one large high school created a community of care for ninth-grade students. Data were collected during the 2006-2007 school year, including observations, individual interviews, and focus group interviews of 1 female teacher and 9 of her students. Findings suggest the Freshman Focus teachers and program…

Why We Belong - Exploring Membership of Healthcare Professionals in an Intensive Care Virtual Community Via Online Focus Groups: Rationale and Protocol.

PubMed

Rolls, Kaye; Hansen, Margaret; Jackson, Debra; Elliott, Doug

2016-06-13

Many current challenges of evidence-based practice are related to ineffective social networks among health care professionals. Opportunities exist for multidisciplinary virtual communities to transcend professional and organizational boundaries and facilitate important knowledge transfer. Although health care professionals have been using the Internet to form virtual communities for many years, little is known regarding "why" they join, as most research has focused on the perspective of "posters," who form a minority of members. Our aim was to develop a comprehensive understanding of why health care professionals belong to a virtual community (VC). A qualitative approach will be used to explore why health care professionals belong to an intensive care practice-based VC, established since 2003. Three asynchronous online focus groups will be convened using a closed secure discussion forum. Participants will be recruited directly by sending emails to the VC and a Google form used to collect consent and participant demographics. Participants will be stratified by their online posting behaviors between September 1, 2012, and August 31, 2014: (1) more than 5 posts, (2) 1-5 posts, or (3) no posts. A question guide will be used to guide participant discussion. A moderation approach based on the principles of focus group method and e-moderation has been developed. The main source of data will be discussion threads, supported by a research diary and field notes. Data analysis will be undertaken using a thematic approach and framed by the Diffusion of Innovation theory. NVivo software will be used to support analyses. At the time of writing, 29 participants agreed to participate (Focus Group 1: n=4; Focus Group 2: n=16; Focus Group 3: n=9) and data collection was complete. This study will contribute to a growing body of research on the use of social media in professional health care settings. Specifically, we hope results will demonstrate an enhancement of health care professionals' social networks and how VCs may improve knowledge distribution and patient care outcomes. Additionally, the study will contribute to research methods development in this area by detailing approaches to understand the effectiveness of online focus groups as a data collection method for qualitative research methods.

Why We Belong - Exploring Membership of Healthcare Professionals in an Intensive Care Virtual Community Via Online Focus Groups: Rationale and Protocol

PubMed Central

Hansen, Margaret; Jackson, Debra; Elliott, Doug

2016-01-01

Background Many current challenges of evidence-based practice are related to ineffective social networks among health care professionals. Opportunities exist for multidisciplinary virtual communities to transcend professional and organizational boundaries and facilitate important knowledge transfer. Although health care professionals have been using the Internet to form virtual communities for many years, little is known regarding “why” they join, as most research has focused on the perspective of “posters,” who form a minority of members. Objective Our aim was to develop a comprehensive understanding of why health care professionals belong to a virtual community (VC). Methods A qualitative approach will be used to explore why health care professionals belong to an intensive care practice-based VC, established since 2003. Three asynchronous online focus groups will be convened using a closed secure discussion forum. Participants will be recruited directly by sending emails to the VC and a Google form used to collect consent and participant demographics. Participants will be stratified by their online posting behaviors between September 1, 2012, and August 31, 2014: (1) more than 5 posts, (2) 1-5 posts, or (3) no posts. A question guide will be used to guide participant discussion. A moderation approach based on the principles of focus group method and e-moderation has been developed. The main source of data will be discussion threads, supported by a research diary and field notes. Data analysis will be undertaken using a thematic approach and framed by the Diffusion of Innovation theory. NVivo software will be used to support analyses. Results At the time of writing, 29 participants agreed to participate (Focus Group 1: n=4; Focus Group 2: n=16; Focus Group 3: n=9) and data collection was complete. Conclusions This study will contribute to a growing body of research on the use of social media in professional health care settings. Specifically, we hope results will demonstrate an enhancement of health care professionals’ social networks and how VCs may improve knowledge distribution and patient care outcomes. Additionally, the study will contribute to research methods development in this area by detailing approaches to understand the effectiveness of online focus groups as a data collection method for qualitative research methods. PMID:27296929

Keeping "Community" in a Community Land Trust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Karen A.; Galande, Mugdha

2011-01-01

This instrumental case study examined the role of grassroots community organizing in a community land trust (CLT) in a southern U.S. city. Twenty-nine homeowners, renters, board members, community members, and current and former CLT employees were interviewed. In addition, two focus groups of 11 and six participants composed of CLT residents and…

The Impact of Integrating Community Advocacy Into Community Health Worker Roles on Health-Focused Organizations and Community Health Workers in Southern Arizona.

PubMed

Reinschmidt, Kerstin M; Ingram, Maia; Schachter, Kenneth; Sabo, Samantha; Verdugo, Lorena; Carvajal, Scott

2015-01-01

Organizational environments may encourage community health workers (CHWs) to engage community members in improving their communities. We conducted open-ended interviews and focus groups to explore how participation in the Acción intervention, which trained CHWs in community advocacy, affected organizational capacity to support their CHWs. Supervisors described improved organizational recognition and trust of CHWs. Organizational leaders reported organizational benefits and increased appreciation of CHW leadership. Both expressed increased interest in future advocacy trainings. Limiting factors included organizational mission, CHW position descriptions, and funding. Findings indicate that, with training and funding, CHW community advocacy can be integrated into organizations with congruent missions.

What are the health needs, familial and social problems of Thai migrants in a local community in Australia? A focus group study.

PubMed

Vatcharavongvan, Pasitpon; Hepworth, Julie; Lim, Joanne; Marley, John

2014-02-01

This study explored the health needs, familial and social problems of Thai migrants in a local community in Brisbane, Australia. Five focus groups with Thai migrants were conducted. The qualitative data were examined using thematic content analysis that is specifically designed for focus group analysis. Four themes were identified: (1) positive experiences in Australia, (2) physical health problems, (3) mental health problems, and (4) familial and social health problems. This study revealed key health needs related to chronic disease and mental health, major barriers to health service use, such as language skills, and facilitating factors, such as the Thai Temple. We concluded that because the health needs, familial and social problems of Thai migrants were complex and culture bound, the development of health and community services for Thai migrants needs to take account of the ways in which Thai culture both negatively impacts health and offer positive solutions to problems.

Knowledge, perceptions, and decision-making about human papillomavirus vaccination among Korean American women: A focus group study

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyounghae; Kim, Boyoung; Choi, Eunsuk; Song, Youngshin; Han, Hae-Ra

2014-01-01

Objective As one of the fastest growing ethnic minority groups in the United States, Korean American (KA) women experience a heightened cervical cancer burden. The advent of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine offers an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer disparities in KA women. Yet, the uptake of HPV vaccine among KA adolescents remains suboptimal. Hence, we set out to explore knowledge, perceptions, and decision-making about HPV vaccination among KA women. Methods We conducted four focus groups of 26 KA women who participated in a community-based randomized controlled trial to promote breast and cervical cancer screening. Focus group data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Four main themes emerged from the focus groups: (1) limited awareness and knowledge of HPV vaccine, (2) perceptions and beliefs about HPV vaccination (acceptance, negative perceptions, ambivalence), (3) patterns of decision-making about HPV vaccination (hierarchical, peer-influenced, autonomous, and collaborative), and (4) promoting HPV education and information-sharing in the Korean community. Conclusion KA women are generally favorable toward HPV vaccination but lack awareness and knowledge about HPV. Culturally tailored HPV education programs based on KA women’s decision-making patterns and effective information-sharing by trustworthy sources in comfortable environments are suggested strategies to promote HPV vaccination in the KA community. The findings point to the need for a multi-level approach to addressing linguistic, cultural, and system barriers that the recent immigrant community faces in promoting HPV vaccinations. In the development of targeted interventions for KA women, educational strategies and patterns of decision-making need to be considered. PMID:25747518

Making the transition from lead poisoning prevention to healthy homes: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Maring, Elisabeth F; Singer, Barbara Jones; Shenassa, Edmond D

2010-01-01

The goal of this study was to create a guide for programs considering transition from Lead Poisoning Prevention to Healthy Homes. Healthy Homes programs are comprehensive, focusing on multiple residential housing hazards. This study focused on the Baltimore City Healthy Homes Division, which was selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pilot the transition process. For this qualitative study, data were collected through interviews with program staff from the Baltimore City Healthy Homes Division and followed up by focus groups with community members who received its services. Grounded theory procedures were used for data analysis. Interviews and focus groups were conducted in Baltimore City near the Health Department. Seventeen interviews were conducted with Baltimore City Healthy Homes Division staff. Three focus groups were held with 3 to 6 community participants in each group. Findings for the study are arranged around an organizational framework for which transition from Lead Poisoning Prevention to Healthy Homes is the central phenomenon. Three general themes emerged: (1) programmatic changes; (2) policy changes; and (3) partnerships. Quotations from participating staff and community members provide supporting evidence for the results. Findings provide insight into the strengths and challenges of transition for 1 program. The study has implications for change on a national level as programs around the country transition to provide families with comprehensive Healthy Homes services.

Using participatory action research in a community-based initiative addressing complex mental health needs.

PubMed

Knightbridge, Stephen M; King, Robert; Rolfe, Timothy J

2006-04-01

This paper describes the first phase of a larger project that utilizes participatory action research to examine complex mental health needs across an extensive group of stakeholders in the community. Within an objective qualitative analysis of focus group discussions the social ecological model is utilized to explore how integrative activities can be informed, planned and implemented across multiple elements and levels of a system. Seventy-one primary care workers, managers, policy-makers, consumers and carers from across the southern metropolitan and Gippsland regions of Victoria, Australia took part in seven focus groups. All groups responded to an identical set of focusing questions. Participants produced an explanatory model describing the service system, as it relates to people with complex needs, across the levels of social ecological analysis. Qualitative themes analysis identified four priority areas to be addressed in order to improve the system's capacity for working with complexity. These included: (i) system fragmentation; (ii) integrative case management practices; (iii) community attitudes; and (iv) money and resources. The emergent themes provide clues as to how complexity is constructed and interpreted across the system of involved agencies and interest groups. The implications these findings have for the development and evaluation of this community capacity-building project were examined from the perspective of constructing interventions that address both top-down and bottom-up processes.

Barriers and Facilitators for Information Exchange during Over-The-Counter Consultations in Community Pharmacy: A Focus Group Study

PubMed Central

Seubert, Liza J; Boeni, Fabienne; Hattingh, Laetitia; Clifford, Rhonda M

2017-01-01

Consumers are confident managing minor ailments through self-care, often self-medicating from a range of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines available from community pharmacies. To minimise risks, pharmacy personnel endeavour to engage in a consultation when consumers present with OTC enquiries however they find consumers resistant. The aim was to determine stakeholder perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators for information exchange during OTC consultations in community pharmacies and to understand the elicited themes in behavioural terms. Focus groups were undertaken with community pharmacist, pharmacy assistant and consumer participants. Independent duplicate analysis of transcription data was conducted using inductive and framework methods. Eight focus groups involving 60 participants were conducted. Themes that emerged indicated consumers did not understand pharmacists’ professional role, they were less likely to exchange information if asking for a specific product than if asking about symptom treatment, and they wanted privacy. Consumers were confident to self-diagnose and did not understand OTC medicine risks. Pharmacy personnel felt a duty of care to ensure consumer safety, and that with experience communication skills developed to better engage consumers in consultations. They also identified the need for privacy. Consumers need education about community pharmacists’ role and responsibilities to motivate them to engage in OTC consultations. They also require privacy when doing so. PMID:29211054

Management of Communication Channels for Health Information in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanvatanakul, Vasuton; Amado, Joao; Saowakontha, Sastri

2007-01-01

Object: To investigate channels for communication of health information to various groups in the community. Design: An exploratory cross sectional design was used, followed by focus groups of selected participants to confirm and clarify the findings. Setting: Five levels of sub-district administration organizations were selected from different…

Using Storytelling to Address Oral Health Knowledge in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities.

PubMed

Heaton, Brenda; Gebel, Christina; Crawford, Andrew; Barker, Judith C; Henshaw, Michelle; Garcia, Raul I; Riedy, Christine; Wimsatt, Maureen A

2018-05-24

We conducted a qualitative analysis to evaluate the acceptability of using storytelling as a way to communicate oral health messages regarding early childhood caries (ECC) prevention in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) population. A traditional story was developed and pilot tested among AIAN mothers residing in 3 tribal locations in northern California. Evaluations of the story content and acceptability followed a multistep process consisting of initial feedback from 4 key informants, a focus group of 7 AIAN mothers, and feedback from the Community Advisory Board. Upon story approval, 9 additional focus group sessions (N = 53 participants) were held with AIAN mothers following an oral telling of the story. Participants reported that the story was culturally appropriate and used relatable characters. Messages about oral health were considered to be valuable. Concerns arose about the oral-only delivery of the story, story content, length, story messages that conflicted with normative community values, and the intent to target audiences. Feedback by focus group participants raised some doubts about the relevance and frequency of storytelling in AIAN communities today. AIAN communities value the need for oral health messaging for community members. However, the acceptability of storytelling as a method for the messaging raises concerns, because the influence of modern technology and digital communications may weaken the acceptability of the oral tradition. Careful attention must be made to the delivery mode, content, and targeting with continual iterative feedback from community members to make these messages engaging, appropriate, relatable, and inclusive.

'They treat you like you are not a human being': maltreatment during labour and delivery in rural northern Ghana.

PubMed

Moyer, Cheryl A; Adongo, Philip B; Aborigo, Raymond A; Hodgson, Abraham; Engmann, Cyril M

2014-02-01

to explore community and health-care provider attitudes towards maltreatment during delivery in rural northern Ghana, and compare findings against The White Ribbon Alliance's seven fundamental rights of childbearing women. a cross-sectional qualitative study using in-depth interviews and focus groups. the Kassena-Nankana District of rural northern Ghana between July and October 2010. 128 community members, including mothers with newborn infants, grandmothers, household heads, compound heads, traditional healers, traditional birth attendants, and community leaders, as well as 13 formally trained health-care providers. 7 focus groups and 43 individual interviews were conducted with community members, and 13 individual interviews were conducted with health-care providers. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and entered into NVivo 9.0 for analysis. Despite the majority of respondents reporting positive experiences, unprompted, maltreatment was brought up in 6 of 7 community focus groups, 14 of 43 community interviews, and 8 of 13 interviews with health-care providers. Respondents reported physical abuse, verbal abuse, neglect, and discrimination. One additional category of maltreatment identified was denial of traditional practices. maltreatment was spontaneously described by all types of interview respondents in this community, suggesting that the problem is not uncommon and may dissuade some women from seeking facility delivery. provider outreach in rural northern Ghana is necessary to address and correct the problem, ensuring that all women who arrive at a facility receive timely, professional, non-judgmental, high-quality delivery care. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Individual and community determinants of calling 911 for stroke among African Americans in an urban community

PubMed Central

Skolarus, Lesli E.; Murphy, Jillian B.; Zimmerman, Marc A.; Bailey, Sarah; Fowlkes, Sophronia; Brown, Devin L.; Lisabeth, Lynda D.; Greenberg, Emily; Morgenstern, Lewis B.

2013-01-01

Background African Americans receive acute stroke treatment less often than non-Hispanic Whites. Interventions to increase stroke preparedness (recognizing stroke warning signs and calling 911) may decrease the devastating effects of stroke by allowing more patients to be candidates for acute stroke therapy. In preparation for such an intervention, we used a community-based participatory research approach to conduct a qualitative study exploring perceptions of emergency medical care and stroke among urban African American youth and adults. Methods and Results Community partners, church health teams, and church leaders identified and recruited focus group participants from 3 African American churches in Flint, Michigan. We conducted 5 youth (11-16 years) and 4 adult focus groups from November 2011 to March 2012. A content analysis approach was taken for analysis. Thirty nine youth and 38 adults participated. Women comprised 64% of youth and 90% of adult focus group participants. All participants were African American. Three themes emerged from the adult and youth data: 1) recognition that stroke is a medical emergency; 2) perceptions of difficulties within the medical system in an under resourced community and; 3) need for greater stroke education in the community. Conclusions African American adults and youth have a strong interest in stroke preparedness. Designing behavioral interventions to increase stroke preparedness should be sensitive to both individual and community factors contributing to the likelihood of seeking emergency care for stroke. PMID:23674311

Safeguarding older adults from inappropriate over-the-counter medications: the role of community pharmacists.

PubMed

Chui, Michelle A; Stone, Jamie A; Martin, Beth A; Croes, Kenneth D; Thorpe, Joshua M

2014-12-01

To elicit the thought process or mental model that community pharmacists use when making recommendations on over-the-counter (OTC) medications to older adults and to elicit the current practices of community pharmacists in providing information, advice, and counseling to older adults about potentially inappropriate OTC medications. Three separate focus groups with pharmacists were conducted with 5 to 8 pharmacists per group. A vignette about an elderly woman seeking an OTC sleep aid was used to elicit information that pharmacists seek to establish when making a recommendation. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes using the initial and focused coding methods of grounded theory. Community pharmacists' mental models were characterized by 2 similarities: a similarity in what community pharmacists seek to establish about patients and a similarity in when community pharmacists seek to establish it--the sequence in which they try to learn key details about patients. It was identified that pharmacists gather specific information about the patient's medication profile, health conditions, characteristics of the problem, and past treatments in order to make a recommendation. Community pharmacists recommended behavioral modifications and seeing their physician prior to recommending an OTC sleep aid, primarily due to medication safety concerns. Pharmacists can play a key role in assisting older adults to select and use OTC medications. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities for Somali Immigrants Through Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Led by Community Health Workers.

PubMed

Pratt, Rebekah; Ahmed, Nimo; Noor, Sahra; Sharif, Hiba; Raymond, Nancy; Williams, Chris

2017-02-01

To test the feasibility and acceptability of implementing an evidence-based, peer-delivered mental health intervention for Somali women in Minnesota, and to assess the impact of the intervention on the mental health of those who received the training. In a feasibility study, 11 Somali female community health workers were trained to deliver an 8-session cognitive behavioral therapy intervention. Each of the trainers recruited 5 participants through community outreach, resulting in 55 participants in the intervention. Self-assessed measures of mood were collected from study participants throughout the intervention, and focus groups were conducted. The 55 Somali women who participated recorded significant improvements in mood, with self-reported decreases in anxiety and increases in happiness. Focus group data showed the intervention was well received, particularly because it was delivered by a fellow community member. Participants reported gaining skills in problem solving, stress reduction, and anger management. Participants also felt that the intervention helped to address some of the stigma around mental health in their community. Delivery of cognitive behavioral therapy by a community health workers offered an acceptable way to build positive mental health in the Somali community.

Regular group exercise contributes to balanced health in older adults in Japan: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Komatsu, Hiroko; Yagasaki, Kaori; Saito, Yoshinobu; Oguma, Yuko

2017-08-22

While community-wide interventions to promote physical activity have been encouraged in older adults, evidence of their effectiveness remains limited. We conducted a qualitative study among older adults participating in regular group exercise to understand their perceptions of the physical, mental, and social changes they underwent as a result of the physical activity. We conducted a qualitative study with purposeful sampling to explore the experiences of older adults who participated in regular group exercise as part of a community-wide physical activity intervention. Four focus group interviews were conducted between April and June of 2016 at community halls in Fujisawa City. The participants in the focus group interviews were 26 older adults with a mean age of 74.69 years (range: 66-86). The interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method in the grounded theory approach. We used qualitative research software NVivo10® to track the coding and manage the data. The finding 'regular group exercise contributes to balanced health in older adults' emerged as an overarching theme with seven categories (regular group exercise, functional health, active mind, enjoyment, social connectedness, mutual support, and expanding communities). Although the participants perceived that they were aging physically and cognitively, the regular group exercise helped them to improve or maintain their functional health and enjoy their lives. They felt socially connected and experienced a sense of security in the community through caring for others and supporting each other. As the older adults began to seek value beyond individuals, they gradually expanded their communities beyond geographical and generational boundaries. The participants achieved balanced health in the physical, mental, and social domains through regular group exercise as part of a community-wide physical activity intervention and contributed to expanding communities through social connectedness and mutual support. Health promotion through physical activity is being increasingly emphasized. The study results can help to develop effective physical activity programs for older adults in the community.

Oral Histories as Critical Qualitative Inquiry in Community Health Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez, Sarah Gabriella; Genkova, Ana; Castañeda, Yvette; Alexander, Simone; Hebert-Beirne, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Qualitative methods such as focus groups and interviews are common methodologies employed in participatory approaches to community health assessment to develop effective community health improvement plans. Oral histories are a rarely used form of qualitative inquiry that can enhance community health assessment in multiple ways. Oral histories…

Critical Issues Facing America's Community Colleges: A Summary of the Community College Futures Assembly 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.; Mendoza, Pilar

2008-01-01

Three focus groups consisting of board of trustee members, community college presidents, senior administrators, administrators, and faculty members developed critical issues facing community colleges with respect to instructional planning and services; planning, governance, and finance; and workforce development. Thereafter, the delegation of more…

Responding to rural social care needs: older people empowering themselves, others and their community.

PubMed

Walsh, Kieran; O'Shea, Eamon

2008-12-01

Older adult active retirement groups encompass health promotion, social and community psychological potential. However, little is known about the internal dynamics of these groups or their contribution to individual well-being and the community. This paper examines the Third Age Foundation as an example of one such group operating in a rural area in Ireland and explores the various relationships at work internally and externally. Methodology included: structured and semi-structured interviews, focus groups and a postal survey. A substantial contribution to members' well-being and community competence and cohesion was found. Findings are discussed in reference to the importance of individual and community empowerment, sustainability, social entrepreneurship/leadership and the potential of such models to support community-based living in older age.

Exploring Culturally Specific Drug Resistance Strategies of Hawaiian Youth in Rural Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okamoto, Scott K.; Po'a-Kekuawela, Ka'ohinani; Chin, Coralee I. H.; Nebre, La Risa H.; Helm, Susana

2010-01-01

This qualitative study examined the drug resistance strategies of Hawaiian youth residing in rural communities in Hawai'i. Forty seven youth participated in 14 focus groups which focused on the social and environmental context of drug use for these youth. The findings indicated that there were 47 references to resistance strategies used in drug…

Identity Safety and Relational Health in Youth Spaces: A Needs Assessment with LGBTQ Youth of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamarel, Kristi E.; Walker, Ja'Nina J.; Rivera, Lillian; Golub, Sarit A.

2014-01-01

This article focuses on the function of youth organizations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities of color. LGBTQ young people (N = 29) participated in a series of focus groups, completed a brief demographic survey, and created individual community maps. The youth organization was described as providing LGBTQ youth…

Effective heart disease prevention: lessons from a qualitative study of user perspectives in Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani communities.

PubMed

Netto, G; McCloughan, L; Bhatnagar, A

2007-03-01

Coronary heart disease (CHD) has a high mortality, incidence and prevalence among Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities in the UK, indicating the need for effective heart disease prevention initiatives for these communities. This paper considers how service user perspectives can be used to develop effective, culturally focused CHD prevention interventions for these target groups by addressing identified barriers, including deeply held cultural beliefs. A qualitative research study, using a longitudinal action research approach. This was a community-based study in Edinburgh. Six focus group discussions--two for each community--were organized with participants from these communities at the beginning of the project. A further six focus group discussions for the same communities were organized six months later. Over the period examined, participants reported varying changes in levels of knowledge relating to the nature, causes and symptoms of CHD. Some participants reported taking slight to significant steps to reduce or prevent heart disease, while others did not. The project was viewed as helpful in increasing knowledge about CHD and preventive measures and encouraging healthier lifestyles. However, persistent barriers to change were also identified, requiring changes to the project that involved not only matching intervention materials and messages to observable, superficial characteristics of the target population, but more fundamental changes that address the cultural, social, historical, environmental and psychological forces that influence health behaviour. CHD prevention initiatives need to identify and respond to deep-rooted influences on health-behaviour in 'at-risk' groups, in addition to superficial characteristics of the target populations. It is important for specific prevention initiatives to be linked into wider CHD frameworks to ensure transferability of learning and integration within wider service provision.

Identifying environmental health priorities in underserved populations: a study of rural versus urban communities

PubMed Central

Bernhard, M.C.; Evans, M.B.; Kent, S.T.; Johnson, E.; Threadgill, S.L.; Tyson, S.; Becker, S.M.; Gohlke, J.M.

2013-01-01

Objectives Understanding and effectively addressing persistent health disparities in minority communities requires a clear picture of members’ concerns and priorities. This study was intended to engage residents in urban and rural communities in order to identify environmental health priorities. Specific emphasis was placed on how the communities defined the term environment, their perceptions of environmental exposures as affecting their health, specific priorities in their communities, and differences in urban versus rural populations. Study design A community-engaged approach was used to develop and implement focus groups and compare environmental health priorities in urban versus rural communities. Methods A total of eight focus groups were conducted: four in rural and four in urban communities. Topics included defining the term environment, how the environment may affect health, and environmental priorities within their communities, using both open discussion and a predefined list. Data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively to identify patterns and trends. Results There were important areas of overlap in priorities between urban and rural communities; both emphasized the importance of the social environment and shared a concern over air pollution from industrial sources. In contrast, for urban focus groups, abandoned houses and their social and physical sequelae were a high priority while concerns about adequate sewer and water services and road maintenance were high priorities in rural communities. Conclusions This study was able to identify environmental health priorities in urban versus rural minority communities. In contrast to some previous risk perception research, the results of this study suggest prioritization of tangible, known risks in everyday life instead of rare, disaster-related events, even in communities that have recently experienced devastating damage from tornadoes. The findings can help inform future efforts to study, understand and effectively address environmental issues, and are particularly relevant to developing effective community-based strategies in vulnerable populations. PMID:24239281

Increasing access to healthful foods: a qualitative study with residents of low-income communities

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Inadequate access to healthful foods has been identified as a significant barrier to healthful dietary behaviors among individuals who live in low-income communities. The purpose of this study was to gather low-income community members’ opinions about their food purchasing choices and their perceptions of the most effective ways to increase access to healthful foods in their communities. Methods Spanish and English focus groups were conducted in low-income, ethnically-diverse communities. Participants were asked about their knowledge, factors influencing their food purchasing decisions, and their perceptions regarding solutions to increase access to healthful foods. Results A total of 148 people participated in 13 focus groups. The majority of participants were female and ethnically diverse (63% Hispanic, 17% African American, 16% Caucasian, and 4% “other”). More than 75% of the participants reported making less than $1999 USD per month. Participants reported high levels of knowledge and preference for healthful foods. The most important barriers influencing healthful shopping behaviors included high price of healthful food, inadequate geographical access to healthful food, poor quality of available healthful food, and lack of overall quality of the proximate retail stores. Suggested solutions to inadequate access included placement of new chain supermarkets in their communities. Strategies implemented in convenience stores were not seen as effective. Farmers’ markets, with specific stipulations, and community gardens were regarded as beneficial supplementary solutions. Conclusion The results from the focus groups provide important input from a needs assessment perspective from the community, identify gaps in access, and offer potential effective solutions to provide direction for the future. PMID:26222910

The Vitality of Latino Communities in Rural Minnesota = La vitalidad de las comunidades latinas en Minnesota rural.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushway, Deborah, Comp.

In response to the growing Latino population, a project examined barriers and supports for community development for Latinos in seven rural Minnesota communities. In each community, bilingual facilitators conducted two Latino and one non-Latino focus groups. Findings revealed much strength in these communities. Residents appreciated the economic…

Validation of the Activities of Community Transportation model for individuals with cognitive impairments.

PubMed

Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Fickas, Stephen; Lemoncello, Rik; Hung, Pei-Fang

2009-01-01

To develop a theoretical, functional model of community navigation for individuals with cognitive impairments: the Activities of Community Transportation (ACTs). Iterative design using qualitative methods (i.e. document review, focus groups and observations). Four agencies providing travel training to adults with cognitive impairments in the USA participated in the validation study. A thorough document review and series of focus groups led to the development of a comprehensive model (ACTs Wheels) delineating the requisite steps and skills for community navigation. The model was validated and updated based on observations of 395 actual trips by travellers with navigational challenges from the four participating agencies. Results revealed that the 'ACTs Wheel' models were complete and comprehensive. The 'ACTs Wheels' represent a comprehensive model of the steps needed to navigate to destinations using paratransit and fixed-route public transportation systems for travellers with cognitive impairments. Suggestions are made for future investigations of community transportation for this population.

Community perspectives on the ethical issues surrounding adolescent HIV vaccine trials in South Africa.

PubMed

Jaspan, Heather B; Soka, Nosiphiwo F; Strode, Ann E; Mathews, Catherine; Mark, Daniella; Flisher, Alan J; Wood, Robin; Bekker, Linda-Gail

2008-10-23

Adolescents globally are at high risk for HIV acquisition and are the targets of HIV prevention interventions such as HIV vaccines. In order to understand stakeholders' attitudes towards the ethical issues of adolescent involvement in HIV vaccine trials, we conducted focus group discussions with key members of a semi-urban, informal Cape Town community with high HIV prevalence in which HIV vaccine trials are taking place. Themes were identified from focus group transcripts by four researchers, and included necessity of guardian consent, age of independent consent, and confidentiality of in-trial medical results. In general, ethical adolescent HIV vaccine trials will be feasible in this community.

A Student-Centered Mental Health Virtual Community Needs and Features: A Focus Group Study.

PubMed

El Morr, Christo; Maule, Catherine; Ashfaq, Iqra; Ritvo, Paul; Ahmad, Farah

2017-01-01

Mental health is a pervasive challenge in the population and especially for university/college students on campuses across North America. Anxiety, stress and depression are on the rise and a scalable, economically sound innovation is essential to address these mental health challenges. The research team has conducted 8 focus groups in April to May 2016 in order to elicit perspectives of students at York University about their online activities and the development of an online mindfulness based Mental Health Virtual Community. This paper explains the main results of the qualitative analysis pertaining to the challenges and benefits of an online mindfulness based Mental Health Virtual Community.

Cultural Accommodation of Substance Abuse Treatment for Latino Adolescents

PubMed Central

Burrow-Sanchez, Jason; Martinez, Charles; Hops, Hyman; Wrona, Megan

2011-01-01

Collaborating with community stakeholders is an often suggested step when integrating cultural variables into psychological treatments for members of ethnic minority groups. However, there is a dearth of literature describing how to accomplish this process within the context of substance abuse treatment studies. This paper describes a qualitative study conducted through a series of focus groups with stakeholders in the Latino community. Data from focus groups were used by researchers to guide the integration of cultural variables into an empirically-supported substance abuse treatment for Latino adolescents currently being evaluated for efficacy. A model for culturally accommodating empirically-supported treatments for ethnic minority participants is also described. PMID:21888499

Using Multimedia Technology to Build a Community of Practice: Pre-Service Teachers' and Digital Storytelling in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chigona, Agnes

2013-01-01

Employing the theory of Community of Practice (CoP), this paper shows how the use of multimedia led a group of pre-service teachers to build a community of practice in the process of completing their individual digital stories for assessment. The paper is focused on a group of diverse pre-service teachers doing their final year at a teacher…

Reducing diabetes health disparities through community-based participatory action research: the Chicago Southeast Diabetes Community Action Coalition.

PubMed Central

Giachello, Aida L.; Arrom, Jose O.; Davis, Margaret; Sayad, Judith V.; Ramirez, Dinah; Nandi, Chandana; Ramos, Catalina

2003-01-01

To address disproportionately high rates of diabetes morbidity and mortality in some of Chicago's medically underserved minority neighborhoods, a group of community residents, medical and social service providers, and a local university founded the Chicago Southeast Diabetes Community Action Coalition, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention REACH 2010 Initiative. A community-based participatory action research model guided coalition activities from conceptualization through implementation. Capacity building activities included training on: diabetes, coalition building, research methods, and action planning. Other activities sought to increase coalition members' understanding of the social causes and potential solutions for health disparities related to diabetes. Trained coalition members conducted epidemiologic analyses, focus groups, a telephone survey, and a community inventory. All coalition members participated in decisions. The participatory process led to increased awareness of the complexities of diabetes in the community and to a state of readiness for social action. Data documented disparities in diabetes. The participatory action research approach (a) encouraged key stakeholders outside of the health care sector to participate (e.g., business sector, church groups); (b) permitted an examination of the sociopolitical context affecting the health of the community; (c) provided an opportunity to focus on preventing the onset of diabetes and its complications; (d) increased understanding of the importance of community research in catalyzing social action aimed at community and systems change and change among change agents. PMID:12815078

Chagas Disease, Migration and Community Settlement Patterns in Arequipa, Peru

PubMed Central

Gilman, Robert H.; Cornejo del Carpio, Juan G.; Naquira, Cesar; Bern, Caryn; Levy, Michael Z.

2009-01-01

Background Chagas disease is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases in the Americas. Vectorborne transmission of Chagas disease has been historically rare in urban settings. However, in marginal communities near the city of Arequipa, Peru, urban transmission cycles have become established. We examined the history of migration and settlement patterns in these communities, and their connections to Chagas disease transmission. Methodology/Principal Findings This was a qualitative study that employed focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Five focus groups and 50 in-depth interviews were carried out with 94 community members from three shantytowns and two traditional towns near Arequipa, Peru. Focus groups utilized participatory methodologies to explore the community's mobility patterns and the historical and current presence of triatomine vectors. In-depth interviews based on event history calendars explored participants' migration patterns and experience with Chagas disease and vectors. Focus group data were analyzed using participatory analysis methodologies, and interview data were coded and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Entomologic data were provided by an ongoing vector control campaign. We found that migrants to shantytowns in Arequipa were unlikely to have brought triatomines to the city upon arrival. Frequent seasonal moves, however, took shantytown residents to valleys surrounding Arequipa where vectors are prevalent. In addition, the pattern of settlement of shantytowns and the practice of raising domestic animals by residents creates a favorable environment for vector proliferation and dispersal. Finally, we uncovered a phenomenon of population loss and replacement by low-income migrants in one traditional town, which created the human settlement pattern of a new shantytown within this traditional community. Conclusions/Significance The pattern of human migration is therefore an important underlying determinant of Chagas disease risk in and around Arequipa. Frequent seasonal migration by residents of peri-urban shantytowns provides a path of entry of vectors into these communities. Changing demographic dynamics of traditional towns are also leading to favorable conditions for Chagas disease transmission. Control programs must include surveillance for infestation in communities assumed to be free of vectors. PMID:20016830

Desired mental health resources for urban, ethnically diverse, impoverished women struggling with anxiety and depression.

PubMed

Doornbos, Mary Molewyk; Zandee, Gail Landheer; DeGroot, Joleen; Warpinski, Mary

2013-01-01

Depression and anxiety are mental health issues that disproportionately affect women-particularly when access to culturally sensitive care is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify mental health concerns in three urban, ethnically diverse, underserved, and impoverished neighborhoods using the ideological perspective of community-based participatory research. In the context of long-term partnerships between a department of nursing and these neighborhoods, we recruited 61 women aged 18 to 69 years and collected data via homogeneous focus groups comprised of Black, Hispanic, and White women, respectively. We conducted five of the focus groups in English and one in Spanish. The women perceived anxiety and depression as significant concerns for themselves, their families, and their communities. They used unique community resources to manage mental health issues and desired new resources, including support groups and education.

Developing a Physics Expert Identity in a Biophysics Research Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Idaykis; Goertzen, Renee Michelle; Brewe, Eric; Kramer, Laird H.

2015-01-01

We investigate the development of expert identities through the use of the sociocultural perspective of learning as participating in a community of practice. An ethnographic case study of biophysics graduate students focuses on the experiences the students have in their research group meetings. The analysis illustrates how the communities of…

The Role of Community, Family, Peer, and School Factors in Group Bullying: Implications for School-Based Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Michael J.; Kristjansson, Alfgeir L.; Sigfusdottir, Inga Dora; Smith, Megan L.

2015-01-01

Background: Although an ecological perspective suggests the importance of multiple levels of intervention, most bullying research has emphasized individual- and school-focused strategies. This study investigated community and family factors that influence school efforts to reduce odds of group bullying behavior and victimization. Methods: We used…

Improving Problem-Based Learning in Creative Communities through Effective Group Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Richard E.; Williams, Greg; Williams, David

2013-01-01

In this case study, we researched one cohort from the Center for Animation, a higher education teaching environment that has successfully fostered group creativity and learning outcomes through problem-based learning. Through live and videotaped observations of the interactions of this community over 18 months, in addition to focused interviews…

Latina Student Mothers' "Trenzas de Identidades" in the Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiménez, Hortencia; Oliva, Nereida

2017-01-01

Latinx are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the country and their growth is visible in higher education. Using focus groups with student mothers, we examine the narratives of four Latina student mothers pursuing higher education at the community college. Using Chicana Feminist Theory as our theoretical framework, we apply…

Youth-Led Decision Making in Community Development Grants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchet-Cohen, Natasha; Manolson, Sarah; Shaw, Katie

2014-01-01

This study examines youth-led decision making (YLDM) among groups of youth who are providers or recipients of community development grants. Focus groups, interviews, and participant observation with 14- to 20-year-olds and supporting adults showed youth have a preference for consensus-based decisions. Youth used due process to reach decisions…

Anticipated responses to a fee program: The key is trust

Treesearch

Patricia L. Winter; Laura J. Palucki; Rachel L. Burkhardt

1999-01-01

Anticipated responses to a proposed recreation fee program were examined through the use of focus groups and self-administered questionnaires. Varied communities of interest (based on ethnicity and recreation activity groups) and communities of place (based on residency within a National Forest boundary and greater geographic proximity) were targeted for the study....

NASA Explorer Institutes: Exploring the Possibilities for Collaboration with the Informal Education Community. Report of the NASA Explorer Institutes--Focus Groups and Pilot Workshops, September 2004-March 2005; Planning and Evaluation Meeting, March 14-17, 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallaway, Debbie; Freeman, Jason; Walker, Gretchen; Davis, Hilarie

2005-01-01

This report contains summary information and conclusions from the pilot workshops, focus groups, and the NEI (NASA Explorer Institutes) Planning and Evaluation Conference which united representatives of the workshops, focus groups, and NASA education. The culmination of these NEI pilot initiatives resulted in the identification of strategies that…

Perceptions of Service Providers and Community Members on Intimate Partner Violence within a Latino Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, M. Jane; West, Bernadette; Bautista, Leyna; Greenberg, Alexandra M.; Done-Perez, Iris

2005-01-01

This study examined perceptions regarding intimate partner abuse (IPV) in a largely Latino community in New Jersey through focus groups with Latino community members and key informant interviews with providers of services to this population. Questions examined definitions of partner abuse; perceptions of factors contributing to, or protecting…

Stop the Presses! Using the Journalism Field as a Case Study to Help Community College Administrators Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.; Garcia, Emmanual

2010-01-01

A focus group consisting of board of trustee members, community college presidents, senior administrators, administrators, and faculty members from community colleges around the United States developed the top six critical issues facing community colleges with respect to instructional planning and services; planning, governance, and finance; and…

Critical Issues Facing America's Community Colleges: A Summary of the Community Colleges Futures Assembly 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Dale F.; Basham, Matthew J.

2007-01-01

Three focus groups consisting of 42 board of trustee members, community college presidents, senior administrators, and faculty members developed critical issues facing community colleges with respect to instructional planning and services; planning, governance, finance; and workforce development. Thereafter, the delegation of more than 200 voted…

The Impact of Resort Development on an Hawaiian Island: Implications for Community Preservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsuoka, Jon K.; Shera, Wes J.

1991-01-01

The impact of resort development on Lana'i island (Hawaii) was investigated through community and island assessments, surveys of households and high school students, and focus groups. Assessment results relate to economic impacts, community services, community satisfaction, quality of life, and social impacts. Recommendations are included for…

Using community-based participatory research to identify potential interventions to overcome barriers to adolescents’ healthy eating and physical activity

PubMed Central

Goh, Ying-Ying; Sipple-Asher, Bessie Ko; Uyeda, Kimberly; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Olarita-Dhungana, Josephina; Ryan, Gery W.; Schuster, Mark A.

2010-01-01

Using a community-based participatory research approach, we explored adolescent, parent, and community stakeholder perspectives on barriers to healthy eating and physical activity, and intervention ideas to address adolescent obesity. We conducted 14 adolescent focus groups (n = 119), 8 parent focus groups (n = 63), and 28 interviews with community members (i.e., local experts knowledgeable about youth nutrition and physical activity). Participants described ecological and psychosocial barriers in neighborhoods (e.g., lack of accessible nutritious food), in schools (e.g., poor quality of physical education), at home (e.g., sedentary lifestyle), and at the individual level (e.g., lack of nutrition knowledge). Participants proposed interventions such as nutrition classes for families, addition of healthy school food options that appeal to students, and non-competitive physical education activities. Participants supported health education delivered by students. Findings demonstrate that community-based participatory research is useful for revealing potentially feasible interventions that are acceptable to community members. PMID:19544091

Focusing the Sun: State Considerations for Designing Community Solar Policy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, Jeffrey J; Shah, Monisha R

This report summarizes outcomes from the National Community Solar Partnership State Best Practices working group by identifying key differences in state policies that enable community solar and illustrating how various policy design approaches may impact the market. For the latter question, it is too early to quantify a relationship between policy design and market impacts, because most state programs have not been fully implemented. So, the authors conducted interviews with 19 subject matter experts, including project developers, regulators, and utilities to better understand how various policy design approaches may impact community solar markets. These perspectives, along with those gleaned frommore » the working group and relevant literature were synthesized to identify key considerations for policymakers designing community solar programs. Though state community solar policies vary in numerous ways, the report focuses on the following critical elements: program cap, project size cap, subscriber location requirements, subscriber eligibility requirements, low- and moderate-income stipulations, and subscriber compensation.« less

Formative research to identify community partnerships and foster relationships for health promotion research in South Mississippi.

PubMed

Lemacks, J; Landry, A; Wenzler, P

2018-06-01

The purpose of this short communication is to describe the trust building and collaboration, fostering phases of a community-academic partnership between churches and academic researchers using a community-based participatory research approach. An academic-community partnership with church leaders was initiated using survey administration and was further developed using focus groups. A coalition was developed, and it guided a subsequent focus group with church members. Most churches surveyed did not have a health ministry in place but were agreeable that a variety of health topics were appropriate for the church setting. Church leaders felt that church members were key to engage in health programs in the church, whereas church members viewed pastoral support as important. Church leaders felt that working with a university brings credibility to their own health programs. This early work provides a valuable example of how community collaborations may be initiated and developed using formative research methods, serving both community and research agendas. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Feasibility of a low-cost hearing screening in rural Indiana.

PubMed

Khan, Khalid M; Bielko, Sylvanna L; Barnes, Priscilla A; Evans, Sydney S; Main, Anna L K

2017-09-18

Hearing loss remains a neglected public health issue in the rural and agricultural communities in the United States and therefore, promotion of a low-cost hearing screening may be important for these underserved populations. The major objectives of our study were to assess feasibility of a low-cost telephone-administered hearing test in rural Indiana and to identify the challenges, barriers and viable implementation strategies associated with this test. Also, we evaluated whether a focus group session could change the hearing health attitude of rural residents. We recruited 126 adults from six rural Indiana counties who participated in study activities in the following order: 1) a pre-focus group demographic, knowledge and attitude survey, 2) a focus group for discussing the feasibility of a telephone-administered hearing screening, 3) a post focus group attitude survey and 4) hearing was screened using an audiometer and self-assessment scale. These activities generated both qualitative and quantitative data, which were subsequently analyzed. Hearing impairment was perceived as an important public health issue. Many participants expressed interests to try the low-cost National Hearing Test (NHT). However, participants recommended NHT to be facilitated by community organizations to provide access to landline phones. The focus group turned out to be an excellent awareness building activity producing significant improvement in hearing health attitudes. Comparison of self and audiometric evaluations indicated underestimation of hearing handicap in our rural study population. The study results underscore the urgent need for an effective strategy to promote low-cost hearing screening in rural US communities.

Igniting interest in prevention: using firefighter focus groups to inform implementation and enhancement of an urban canvassing program.

PubMed

Frattaroli, Shannon; McDonald, Eileen M; Tran, Nhan T; Trump, Alison R; OʼBrocki, Raymond C; Gielen, Andrea C

2012-01-01

Smoke alarm canvassing is recognized as an empirically based, effective intervention for increasing access to and the presence of smoke alarms in homes. We sought to inform the implementation of an intervention designed to enhance an existing fire department smoke alarm canvassing program through an empirically grounded, participatory process. We conducted a series of focus groups with fire union leaders and firefighters involved with the canvassing program in 1 US city, shared the results with the participants, and presented the resulting recommendations to fire department leadership. This research occurred in Baltimore, Maryland. Focus group participants included firefighters who participate in the Fire Department's smoke alarm canvassing program and representatives from the local firefighters' union. The focus groups sought to capture firefighters' experiences with and opinions about the canvassing program and how to improve it as well as challenges to canvassing work. We conducted 10 focus groups with 65 participants. Firefighters' perspectives on the canvassing program and their recommendations for improving it were expressed through 3 categories of themes concerning program management, canvassing challenges, and attitudes about the program and the community. We also discuss the process of presenting these findings and recommendations to the participants and the fire department leadership, and describe how implementation of some of the recommendations has progressed. Both the process and outcomes of this formative work inform how to develop and implement community-based public health interventions in real-world settings through academic-community partnerships. The findings also have implications for how canvassing programs are being implemented.

Parent-adolescent communication about sex in Filipino American families: a demonstration of community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Chung, Paul J; Borneo, Hena; Kilpatrick, Shelley D; Lopez, Donna M; Travis, Raphael; Lui, Camillia; Khandwala, Shefali; Schuster, Mark A

2005-01-01

Pregnancy rates among Filipino American adolescents exceed those of other Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents. Strong parent-adolescent communication may promote healthy sexual development and protect against adolescent sexual risk behaviors. We explored communication barriers between Filipino American parents and adolescents. Using community-based participatory research (CBPR), we collaborated with Filipino American community leaders, parents, and adolescents to design a focus-group study. Trained bilingual moderators conducted focus groups with 85 Filipino Americans (41 parents and grandparents and 44 adolescents aged 14-18 years) from various neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes. Focus-group participants appeared to divide sex information into 3 categories, which we termed facts, feelings, and values. Adolescents emphasized facts and feelings. Parents and grandparents emphasized facts and values. In general, facts were obtained through school, feelings through friends, and values through parents. The focus groups identified large barriers to value transmission, stemming from adolescent acculturation to the United States. Parents and grandparents felt that values were transmitted best through traditional Filipino respect for parents who often eschewed open discussion. Adolescents believed that open discussion was necessary for value transmission to occur. The result was bilateral withdrawal from family communication about sex. Our focus groups found that parent-child communication about sex, especially regarding values, was limited. Potential causes included conflicts between Filipino and US beliefs regarding respect for parents and open discussion. Our results raise important questions about the effect of acculturation on sex education for Filipino American adolescents and demonstrate potential advantages of CBPR.

First-Year Student Experiences in Community College: Making Transitions, Forming Connections, and Developing Perceptions of Student Learning. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jalomo, Romero Espinoza, Jr.

This paper provides theoretical background and methodology for a focus group study of influences on first-time Latino community college students. The first chapter identifies the need for research on Latino students, citing high attrition rates and focusing on three critical dynamics: making the transition to college, making connections on campus…

What Should Autism Research Focus Upon? Community Views and Priorities from the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellicano, Elizabeth; Dinsmore, Adam; Charman, Tony

2014-01-01

The rise in the measured prevalence of autism has been accompanied by much new research and research investment internationally. This study sought to establish whether the pattern of current UK autism research funding maps on to the concerns of the autism community. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with autistic adults, family members,…

Knowledge, perceptions, and decision making about human papillomavirus vaccination among Korean American women: a focus group study.

PubMed

Kim, Kyounghae; Kim, Boyoung; Choi, Eunsuk; Song, Youngshin; Han, Hae-Ra

2015-01-01

As one of the fastest growing ethnic minority groups in the United States, Korean American (KA) women experience a heightened cervical cancer burden. The advent of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine offers an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer disparities in KA women. However, the uptake of HPV vaccine among KA adolescents remains suboptimal. Hence, we set out to explore knowledge, perceptions, and decision making about HPV vaccination among KA women. We conducted four focus groups of 26 KA women who participated in a community-based, randomized, controlled trial to promote breast and cervical cancer screening. Focus group data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four main themes emerged from the focus groups: 1) limited awareness and knowledge of HPV vaccine, 2) perceptions and beliefs about HPV vaccination (acceptance, negative perceptions, ambivalence), 3) patterns of decision making about HPV vaccination (hierarchical, peer influenced, autonomous, and collaborative), and 4) promoting HPV education and information sharing in the Korean community. KA women are generally positive toward HPV vaccination, but lack awareness and knowledge about HPV. Culturally tailored HPV education programs based on KA women's decision-making patterns and effective information sharing by trustworthy sources in comfortable environments are suggested strategies to promote HPV vaccination in the KA community. The findings point to the need for a multilevel approach to addressing linguistic, cultural, and system barriers that the recent immigrant community faces in promoting HPV vaccinations. In the development of targeted interventions for KA women, educational strategies and patterns of decision making need to be considered. Copyright © 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experiences of a Community-Based Lymphedema Management Program for Lymphatic Filariasis in Odisha State, India: An Analysis of Focus Group Discussions with Patients, Families, Community Members and Program Volunteers.

PubMed

Cassidy, Tali; Worrell, Caitlin M; Little, Kristen; Prakash, Aishya; Patra, Inakhi; Rout, Jonathan; Fox, LeAnne M

2016-02-01

Globally 68 million people are infected with lymphatic filariasis (LF), 17 million of whom have lymphedema. This study explores the effects of a lymphedema management program in Odisha State, India on morbidity and psychosocial effects associated with lymphedema. Focus groups were held with patients (eight groups, separated by gender), their family members (eight groups), community members (four groups) and program volunteers (four groups) who had participated in a lymphedema management program for the past three years. Significant social, physical, and economic difficulties were described by patients and family members, including marriageability, social stigma, and lost workdays. However, the positive impact of the lymphedema management program was also emphasized, and many family and community members indicated that community members were accepting of patients and had some improved understanding of the etiology of the disease. Program volunteers and community members stressed the role that the program had played in educating people, though interestingly, local explanations and treatments appear to coexist with knowledge of biomedical treatments and the mosquito vector. Local and biomedical understandings of disease can co-exist and do not preclude individuals from participating in biomedical interventions, specifically lymphedema management for those with lymphatic filariasis. There is a continued need for gender-specific psychosocial support groups to address issues particular to men and women as well as a continued need for improved economic opportunities for LF-affected patients. There is an urgent need to scale up LF-related morbidity management programs to reduce the suffering of people affected by LF.

“Why We Stay”: Immigrants’ motivations for remaining in communities impacted by anti-immigration policy

PubMed Central

Valdez, Carmen R.; Valentine, Jessa L.; Padilla, Brian

2013-01-01

Although restrictive immigration policy reduces incentives for unauthorized immigrants to remain in the United States, many immigrants remain in their U.S. community in spite of the anti-immigration climate surrounding them. This study explores motivations shaping immigrants’ intentions to stay in Arizona after passage of Senate Bill 1070 in 2010, one of the most restrictive immigration policies in recent decades. We conducted three focus groups in a large metropolitan city in Arizona with Mexican immigrant parents (N = 25). Themes emerging from the focus groups described multiple and interlocking personal, family and community, and contemporary sociopolitical motivations to stay in their community, and suggest that some important motivating factors have evolved as a result of immigrants’ changing environment. Implications for research and social policy reform are discussed. PMID:23875853

Women's perceptions about abortion in their communities: perspectives from western Kenya.

PubMed

Marlow, Heather M; Wamugi, Sylvia; Yegon, Erick; Fetters, Tamara; Wanaswa, Leah; Msipa-Ndebele, Sinikiwe

2014-05-01

Unsafe abortion in Kenya is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. In October 2012, we sought to understand the methods married women aged 24-49 and young, unmarried women aged ≤ 20 used to induce abortion, the providers they utilized and the social, economic and cultural norms that influenced women's access to safe abortion services in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties in western Kenya. We conducted five focus groups with young women and five with married women in rural and urban communities in each county. We trained local facilitators to conduct the focus groups in Swahili or English. All focus groups were audiotaped, transcribed, translated, computerized, and coded for analysis. Abortion outside public health facilities was mentioned frequently. Because of the need for secrecy to avoid condemnation, uncertainty about the law, and perceived higher cost of safer abortion methods, women sought unsafe abortions from community midwives, drug sellers and/or untrained providers at lower cost. Many groups believed that abortion was safer at higher gestational ages, but that there was no such thing as a safe abortion method. Our aim was to inform the design of a community-based intervention on safe abortion for women. Barriers to seeking safe services such as high cost, perceived illegality, and fear of insults and abuse at public facilities among both age groups must be addressed. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Storytelling to Address Oral Health Knowledge in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

PubMed Central

Gebel, Christina; Crawford, Andrew; Barker, Judith C.; Henshaw, Michelle; Garcia, Raul I.; Riedy, Christine; Wimsatt, Maureen A.

2018-01-01

Introduction We conducted a qualitative analysis to evaluate the acceptability of using storytelling as a way to communicate oral health messages regarding early childhood caries (ECC) prevention in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) population. Methods A traditional story was developed and pilot tested among AIAN mothers residing in 3 tribal locations in northern California. Evaluations of the story content and acceptability followed a multistep process consisting of initial feedback from 4 key informants, a focus group of 7 AIAN mothers, and feedback from the Community Advisory Board. Upon story approval, 9 additional focus group sessions (N = 53 participants) were held with AIAN mothers following an oral telling of the story. Results Participants reported that the story was culturally appropriate and used relatable characters. Messages about oral health were considered to be valuable. Concerns arose about the oral-only delivery of the story, story content, length, story messages that conflicted with normative community values, and the intent to target audiences. Feedback by focus group participants raised some doubts about the relevance and frequency of storytelling in AIAN communities today. Conclusion AIAN communities value the need for oral health messaging for community members. However, the acceptability of storytelling as a method for the messaging raises concerns, because the influence of modern technology and digital communications may weaken the acceptability of the oral tradition. Careful attention must be made to the delivery mode, content, and targeting with continual iterative feedback from community members to make these messages engaging, appropriate, relatable, and inclusive. PMID:29806581

Medical care of hepatitis B among Asian American populations: perspectives from three provider groups.

PubMed

Hwang, Jessica P; Roundtree, Aimee K; Engebretson, Joan C; Suarez-Almazor, Maria E

2010-03-01

Physicians can play a significant role in helping to decrease the hepatitis B virus (HBV) burden among Asian Americans. Few studies have described knowledge and practice patterns in the medical community among different provider types regarding HBV and liver cancer. Our study explores the HBV beliefs, attitudes and practice patterns of medical providers serving Asian American communities. We conducted three focus groups with primary care providers, liver specialists, and other providers predominantly serving Asian American community. We asked about practices and barriers to appropriate medical care and outreach. We moderated three focus groups with 23 participants, 18 of whom completed and returned demographic surveys. Twelve were of Asian ethnicity and 13 spoke English as a second language. Only eight screened at least half of their patients, most (72%) using the hepatitis B surface antigen test. We used grounded theory methods to analyze focus group transcripts. Participants frequently discussed cultural and financial barriers to hepatitis care. They admitted reluctance to screen for HBV because patients might be unwilling or unable to afford treatment. Cultural differences were discussed most by primary care providers; best methods of outreach were discussed most by liver specialists; and alternative medicine was discussed most by acupuncturists and other providers. More resources are needed to lower financial barriers complicating HBV care and encourage providing guideline-recommended screenings. Other providers can help promote HBV screening and increase community and cultural awareness.

Perception of Policy and Environmental Action to Promote Healthy Behaviors in African American Communities

PubMed Central

Addison, Clifton; Jenkins, Brenda W. Campbell; White, Monique; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy J.; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna; Payton, Marinelle

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the perceptions of African American communities regarding the involvement of political leaders in facilitating policy and environmental change promoting healthy eating and physical activity. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups were asked to respond to one question to assess political leaders’ involvement in healthy living: “When you think about your political leaders that you have in the Jackson, Mississippi area, do any of them promote healthy eating and physical activity?” Focus groups consisted of six to 12 participants and were asked to comment on their participation in physical activity. The focus group interviews were digitally recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed by a professional transcriptionist. Community members could not recollect much participation from political leaders in the health prevention/intervention efforts. In each of the counties, there was evidence that there was some involvement by local politicians in health promotion issues, but not on a large scale. In conclusion, making healthy foods and products available in neighborhood stores has long been associated with healthy behaviors and positive health outcomes. This can make a difference in the Mississippi communities where supermarkets are not accessible and health disparities abound. PMID:28272378

Perception of Policy and Environmental Action to Promote Healthy Behaviors in African American Communities.

PubMed

Addison, Clifton; Jenkins, Brenda W Campbell; White, Monique; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy J; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna; Payton, Marinelle

2017-03-07

The present study aimed to examine the perceptions of African American communities regarding the involvement of political leaders in facilitating policy and environmental change promoting healthy eating and physical activity. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups were asked to respond to one question to assess political leaders' involvement in healthy living: "When you think about your political leaders that you have in the Jackson, Mississippi area, do any of them promote healthy eating and physical activity?" Focus groups consisted of six to 12 participants and were asked to comment on their participation in physical activity. The focus group interviews were digitally recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed by a professional transcriptionist. Community members could not recollect much participation from political leaders in the health prevention/intervention efforts. In each of the counties, there was evidence that there was some involvement by local politicians in health promotion issues, but not on a large scale. In conclusion, making healthy foods and products available in neighborhood stores has long been associated with healthy behaviors and positive health outcomes. This can make a difference in the Mississippi communities where supermarkets are not accessible and health disparities abound.

Child Sexual Abuse: Community Concerns in Urban Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisanga, Felix; Nystrom, Lennarth; Hogan, Nora; Emmelin, Maria

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore community perceptions about child sexual abuse in Tanzania. Thirteen focus group discussions were conducted with adult community members. The core category, "children's rights challenged by lack of agency", was supported by eight categories. "Aware but distressed" portrayed feelings of…

Using community-based participatory research to assess the asthma needs of Vietnamese American children.

PubMed

Ngo, Gilda; Kilgore, David B; Tran, Jacqueline H; Galant, Stanley P

2014-01-01

Very little is known about the burden of asthma in Vietnamese American children. Prior data have suggested that the burden of childhood asthma is significant for this population, although they seem to underutilize Western healthcare for unclear reasons. To gain insight into the perceptions of the burden, health needs, and traditional health beliefs regarding childhood asthma in the Vietnamese American community in Orange County, CA. Additionally, to foster and build sustainable relationships with the community and to ensure that our research process is mutually rewarding for all stakeholders. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, we initiated the formation of the Vietnamese Children's Asthma Project (VCAP) and used focus groups of various community stakeholders as a platform to gather information, give basic asthma education, and build relationships. A total of 66 people participated in the focus groups: 26 parents, 20 Vietnamese American physicians, 12 school nurses, and 8 school-community liaisons (SCLs). Overall, all participants believe that asthma is a significant problem and that language is a barrier to healthcare access for the Vietnamese community. We learned that academic achievement is a high priority for Vietnamese parents and associating better asthma control with improved academic performance may be a way to improve asthma education and adherence with therapy. We also found that although healthcare providers believe that parental traditional beliefs contribute to non-adherence to Western therapies, Vietnamese American parents report that they prefer to use Western medications to treat their children's asthma. Through the use of CBPR and the development of VCAP, we successfully conducted focus groups to assess the Vietnamese American perception of the burden of childhood asthma in their community and to gauge their receptivity to participate in further studies about childhood asthma and receptivity to subsequent interventions.

The implications of community responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Seyed-Raeisy, Iran; Burgess, Rochelle; Campbell, Catherine

2018-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has significant impacts on mental health. Community-focused interventions have shown promising results for addressing IPV in low-income countries, however, little is known about the implications of these interventions for women’s mental wellbeing. This paper analyses data from a community-focused policy intervention in Rwanda collected in 2013–14, including focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members (n = 59). Our findings point to three ways in which these community members responded to IPV: (1) reconciling couples experiencing violence, (2) engaging community support through raising cases of IPV during community discussions, (3) navigating resources for women experiencing IPV, including police, social services and legal support. These community responses support women experiencing violence by helping them access available resources and by engaging in community discussions. However, assistance is largely only offered to married women and responses tend to focus exclusively on physical rather than psychological or emotional forms of violence. Drawing on Campbell and Burgess’s (2012) framework for ‘community mental health competence’, we interrogate the potential implications of these responses for the mental wellbeing of women affected by violence. We conclude by drawing attention to the gendered nature of community responses to IPV and the potential impacts this may have for the mental health of women experiencing IPV. PMID:29718961

The implications of community responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda.

PubMed

Mannell, Jenevieve; Seyed-Raeisy, Iran; Burgess, Rochelle; Campbell, Catherine

2018-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has significant impacts on mental health. Community-focused interventions have shown promising results for addressing IPV in low-income countries, however, little is known about the implications of these interventions for women's mental wellbeing. This paper analyses data from a community-focused policy intervention in Rwanda collected in 2013-14, including focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members (n = 59). Our findings point to three ways in which these community members responded to IPV: (1) reconciling couples experiencing violence, (2) engaging community support through raising cases of IPV during community discussions, (3) navigating resources for women experiencing IPV, including police, social services and legal support. These community responses support women experiencing violence by helping them access available resources and by engaging in community discussions. However, assistance is largely only offered to married women and responses tend to focus exclusively on physical rather than psychological or emotional forms of violence. Drawing on Campbell and Burgess's (2012) framework for 'community mental health competence', we interrogate the potential implications of these responses for the mental wellbeing of women affected by violence. We conclude by drawing attention to the gendered nature of community responses to IPV and the potential impacts this may have for the mental health of women experiencing IPV.

“They Don’t Look at What Affects Us”: The Role of Ecodevelopmental Factors on Alcohol and Drug Use among Latinos with Physical Disabilities

PubMed Central

Cordova, David; Parra-Cardona, J. Ruben; Blow, Adrian; Johnson, Deborah J.; Prado, Guillermo; Fitzgerald, Hiram E.

2014-01-01

Objectives Latinos with disabilities disproportionately report substance use, including binge drinking and drug use. Ecodevelopmental factors, including socioeconomic patterning of poverty, social exclusion and post-colonial racism, have been shown to impact alcohol and drug use. However, this line of research remains under-developed among Latinos with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to obtain rich descriptions of the role of ecodevelopmental factors, including family and community, on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities. Methods We utilized a community-based participatory research design, in conjunction with an innovative methodology referred to as photovoice. Three rounds of photography and focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 17 focus groups. Reflections in each focus group interview were aloud and digitally audiotaped. A total of 28 participants 19–35 years of age (mean age= 27.65, SD= 5.48) participated in each round of photography and focus group interviews. Data analyses followed the tenets of descriptive phenomenology. Results Findings highlight ecodevelopmental family and community risk and protective factors. At the family level, participants reflected on the ways in which family functioning, including family support, communication and cohesion, can serve as risk and promotive factors for alcohol and drug use. Additionally, participants described in detail how experiences of poverty, stigma and discrimination, violence, accessibility to alcohol and drugs, accessibility for persons with disabilities, transportation, community support and cohesion, and access to health and mental health services constitute risk and promotive factors at the community level. Conclusion Findings are suggestive of how ecodevelopmental family and community factors might increase the risk for alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities. From this qualitative research, we derive a series of testable hypotheses. For example, future studies should examine the impact of family functioning on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities over time. Study findings may have great utility to inform the development of preventive interventions for this at-risk group. PMID:24571535

'They don't look at what affects us': the role of ecodevelopmental factors on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities.

PubMed

Cordova, David; Parra-Cardona, Jose Ruben; Blow, Adrian; Johnson, Deborah J; Prado, Guillermo; Fitzgerald, Hiram E

2015-01-01

Objectives. Latinos with disabilities disproportionately report substance use, including binge drinking and drug use. Ecodevelopmental factors, including socioeconomic patterning of poverty, social exclusion, and post-colonial racism, have been shown to impact alcohol and drug use. However, this line of research remains underdeveloped among Latinos with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to obtain rich descriptions of the role of ecodevelopmental factors, including family and community, on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities. Methods. We utilized a community-based participatory research design, in conjunction with an innovative methodology referred to as photovoice. Three rounds of photography and focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 17 focus groups. Reflections in each focus group interview were aloud and digitally audiotaped. A total of 28 participants 19-35 years of age (mean age = 27.65, SD = 5.48) participated in each round of photography and focus group interviews. Data analyses followed the tenets of descriptive phenomenology. Results. Findings highlight ecodevelopmental family and community risk and protective factors. At the family level, participants reflected on the ways in which family functioning, including family support, communication, and cohesion, can serve as risk and promotive factors for alcohol and drug use. Additionally, participants described in detail how experiences of poverty, stigma and discrimination, violence, accessibility to alcohol and drugs, accessibility for persons with disabilities, transportation, community support and cohesion, and access to health and mental health services constitute risk and promotive factors at the community level. Conclusion. Findings are suggestive of how ecodevelopmental family and community factors might increase the risk of alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities. From this qualitative research, we derive a series of testable hypotheses. For example, future studies should examine the impact of family functioning on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities over time. Study findings may have great utility to inform the development of preventive interventions for this at-risk group.

'Be gentle and be sincere about it': a story about community-based primary care research.

PubMed

Sussman, Andrew L; Rivera, Marino

2008-01-01

Practice-based researchers in primary care have increasingly recognized the need to include community members in research efforts. In this reflective vignette, the importance of community engagement is realized through the researcher's ability to elicit and interpret an alternative story told by a respected local resident in a focus group. The focus group was part of a study examining communication between patients and clinicians about traditional medicine in New Mexico. During this session, yerba mansa, a plant used in traditional medicine, became a powerful cultural metaphor for expressing concerns about the intentions of outside researchers. This story shows how creating opportunities for sustained engagement with the people we serve can lead to more sensitive ways to establish research partnerships.

Acceptance of the HPV vaccine among women, parents, community leaders, and healthcare providers in Ohio Appalachia.

PubMed

Katz, Mira L; Reiter, Paul L; Heaner, Sarah; Ruffin, Mack T; Post, Douglas M; Paskett, Electra D

2009-06-19

To assess HPV vaccine acceptability, focus groups of women (18-26 years), parents, community leaders, and healthcare providers were conducted throughout Ohio Appalachia. Themes that emerged among the 23 focus groups (n=114) about the HPV vaccine were: barriers (general health and vaccine specific), lack of knowledge (cervical cancer and HPV), cultural attitudes, and suggestions for educational materials and programs. Important Appalachian attitudes included strong family ties, privacy, conservative views, and lack of trust of outsiders to the region. There are differences in HPV vaccine acceptability among different types of community members highlighting the need for a range of HPV vaccine educational materials/programs to be developed that are inclusive of the Appalachian culture.

Southeastern Virtual Institute for Health Equity and Wellness (SEVIEW) Phase II

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

level intervention has been tested using community focus groups , following the CBPR approach • A Community Oral Health Promoter (COHP) has been hired...questionnaire immediately prior to their primary care visit and receive a summary printout for their physician; (B) The control group will take the...interactive tablet-based questionnaire, will show more improvement in the above outcomes than participants in the control group after 12 months of

Critical Friends Groups: The Possibilities and Limitations Embedded in Teacher Professional Communities Aimed at Instructional Improvement and School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Marnie Willis

2008-01-01

Background/Context: This study builds upon research on teacher professional communities and high school restructuring reforms. It employs a conceptual framework that draws upon theories of "community of practice" and "community of learners." Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study analyzes how teachers' professional inquiry…

Tlokoeng Valley Community's Conceptions of Wetlands: Prospects for More Sustainable Water Resources Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokuku, Tšepo; Taylor, Jim

2015-01-01

This article explores prospects for community-based water resources management in Tlokoeng Valley, in the northern district of Lesotho. A qualitative survey was conducted to establish the pre-knowledge of the valley community. This provided a basis for a community education programme on wetlands conservation. Fifteen focus group interviews (FGIs)…

Sharing the Dream: How Faculty, Families and Community Leaders Respond to Community College Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Immerwahr, John; Friedman, Will

2005-01-01

In an effort to gauge receptiveness to Achieving the Dream, a major initiative to close achievement gaps at the nation's community colleges, the authors chose three participating colleges for an exploratory study. In each of the three communities, they conducted focus groups with relatively understudied stakeholders: full-time and adjunct faculty…

Experiences of a Rail Yard Community: Life Is Hard

PubMed Central

Spencer-Hwang, Rhonda; Montgomery, Susanne; Dougherty, Molly; Valladares, Johanny; Rangel, Sany; Gleason, Peter; Soret, Sam

2015-01-01

Community groups and local air pollution control agencies have identified the San Bernardino Railyard (SBR) as a significant public health and environmental justice issue. In response, the authors conducted a comprehensive study with community members living in close proximity to the rail yard. The purpose of this article is to share the community's perceptions about the rail yard and ideas on sustainable change. A qualitative study using key informant interviews and focus group discussions was conducted and resulted in four emerging themes. Themes emerged as follows: “health as an unattainable value,” “air quality challenges,” “rail yard pros and cons,” and “violence and unemployment ripple effect.” Community participants expressed concern for poor air quality, but other challenges took priority. The authors' findings suggest that future mitigation work to reduce air pollution exposure should not only focus on reducing risk from air pollution but address significant cooccurring community challenges. A “Health in All Policies” approach is warranted in addressing impacted communities in close proximity to the goods movement industry. PMID:25226779

Classified Staff Focus Groups on a Property Tax Increase for the College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spicer, Scot L.; Karpp, Edward

To gather data on attitudes related to the advisability of proposing a property tax increase to provide additional college support, Glendale Community College (GCC), in California, held four focus group meetings with classified employees. Following letters and electronic mail messages sent to all classified employees inviting them to participate,…

Virtual Focus Groups in Extension: A Useful Approach to Audience Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Laura A.

2014-01-01

As change agents, Extension educators may begin their program planning by identifying the audience's perceived barriers and benefits to adopting some behavior that will benefit the community. Extension professionals and researchers have used in-person focus groups to understand an audience, and they can also administer them as…

Assessing Regional and Community Needs through the Use of Focus Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Mark; Brenton, Angela

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) and Little Rock's Pulaski Technical College (PTC) have both used the focus group process with key constituents to understand institutional needs and priorities and public expectations of their institutions. The model followed by both institutions consists of the following three phases: forming the…

Consequences of Moral Distress in the Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Henrich, Natalie J; Dodek, Peter M; Gladstone, Emilie; Alden, Lynn; Keenan, Sean P; Reynolds, Steven; Rodney, Patricia

2017-07-01

Moral distress is common among personnel in the intensive care unit, but the consequences of this distress are not well characterized. To examine the consequences of moral distress in personnel in community and tertiary intensive care units in Vancouver, Canada. Data for this study were obtained from focus groups and analysis of transcripts by themes and sub-themes in 2 tertiary care intensive care units and 1 community intensive care unit. According to input from 19 staff nurses (3 focus groups), 4 clinical nurse leaders (1 focus group), 13 physicians (3 focus groups), and 20 other health professionals (3 focus groups), the most commonly reported emotion associated with moral distress was frustration. Negative impact on patient care due to moral distress was reported 26 times, whereas positive impact on patient care was reported 11 times and no impact on patient care was reported 10 times. Having thoughts about quitting working in the ICU was reported 16 times, and having no thoughts about quitting was reported 14 times. In response to moral distress, health care providers experience negative emotional consequences, patient care is perceived to be negatively affected, and nurses and other health care professionals are prone to consider quitting working in the intensive care unit. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Facilitators and Barriers to Dental Care Among Mexican Migrant Women and Their Families in North San Diego County.

PubMed

Velez, Diane; Palomo-Zerfas, Ana; Nunez-Alvarez, Arcela; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Finlayson, Tracy L

2017-10-01

To qualitatively examine facilitators and barriers to dental care access and quality services among Mexican migrant women and their families living in North San Diego County, California. Six focus groups were conducted, with 52 participants. Three focus groups were with community residents (average group size of 10), and three were with community health workers/leaders (called Lideres; average group size of 7). The behavioral model for vulnerable populations theoretical framework guided qualitative data analyses. Predisposing factors to dental care access varied and included immigration status, language, and dental care experiences. Barriers to accessing quality dental services included high cost, lack of insurance coverage, dissatisfaction with providers, long wait times and discrimination. Participants expressed a desire for health policy changes, including affordable coverage for immigrants and their families. This study provided insights into how dental care providers, community health centers, and policymakers can improve dental care access and services to migrant populations.

A Five-Year University/Community College Collaboration to Build STEM Pipeline Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strawn, Clare; Livelybrooks, Dean

2012-01-01

This article investigates the mechanisms through which undergraduate research experiences for community college students can have second-order and multiplier effects on other students and home community college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments and thus build STEM pipeline capacity. Focus groups with the science…

Veterans Education: Coming Home to the Community College Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Persky, Karen Rae

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the needs of veterans who are community college students and to examine community college programs and services essential to meeting their needs. A qualitative case study design using interviews, observations, field notes, document reviews, a focus group, and a preinterview demographic questionnaire…

Conversations around the Large Table: Building Community in a Portuguese Public Kindergarten.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasconcelos, Teresa; Walsh, Daniel J.

2001-01-01

Analyzes how one teacher builds community in the daily life of her Portuguese public kindergarten classroom. Focuses on six themes: membership, awareness, negotiation, responsibility, ritual, and group memory. Concludes with a discussion of the teacher's practice and commitment to the community of the classroom. (Author/SD)

Knowledge Collisions: Perspectives from CED Practitioners Working with Women. NALL Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratton, Mary; Jackson, Ted

A study explored the ways that front-line community development workers across Canada gained information needed to work with women participants in community economic development initiatives. Data were gathered through focus groups, a preliminary study with 15 key informants employed in community development organizations, and structured telephone…

Evaluating practice-based learning specific to the community matron role.

PubMed

Banning, Maggi

2009-02-01

Since the inception of the community matron role in 2004 there has been much debate about the exact nature of the role in primary and secondary care. How to effectively skill-up and educate a diverse group of clinicians has been a hot topic. This study involved a small focus group of community matrons in training. The qualitative themes extracted from this work are reported on and suggest that practice-based learning is both valuable and efficacious.

Willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials among men who have sex with men in Chennai and Mumbai, India: a social ecological approach.

PubMed

Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Newman, Peter A; Singhal, Neeti; Jerajani, Jhalak; Shunmugam, Murali

2012-01-01

Recruitment of low- and middle-income country volunteers from most-at-risk populations in HIV vaccine trials is essential to vaccine development. In India, men who have sex with men (MSM) are at disproportionately high risk for HIV infection and an important population for trial recruitment. Investigations of willingness to participate (WTP) in HIV vaccine trials have focused predominantly on individual-level determinants. We explored multi-level factors associated with WTP among MSM in India. We conducted 12 focus groups (n = 68) with low socioeconomic MSM in Chennai and Mumbai, and 14 key informant interviews with MSM community leaders and service providers. Focus groups/interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Two bilingual investigators conducted thematic analysis using line-by-line coding and a constant comparative method, with member-checking by community representatives. Factors associated with WTP were evidenced across the social ecology of MSM-social-structural: poverty, HIV-, sexual- and gender non-conformity stigma, institutionalized discrimination and government sponsorship of trials; community-level: endorsement by MSM community leaders and organizations, and fear of within-group discrimination; interpersonal: anticipated family discord, partner rejection, having financially-dependent family members and disclosure of same-sex sexuality; and individual-level: HIV vaccine trial knowledge and misconceptions, safety concerns, altruism and preventive misconception. Pervasive familial, community and social-structural factors characteristic of the Indian sociocultural context may complicate individual-focused approaches to WTP and thereby constrain the effectiveness of interventions to support recruitment and retention in HIV vaccine trials. Interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination against MSM and people living with HIV, capacity-building of MSM community organizations and transparent communications tailored to the knowledge and educational level of local communities may support meaningful engagement of MSM in HIV vaccine trials. Vigilance in providing fair but not excessive compensation and healthcare benefits and in mitigating preventive misconception are warranted to support ethical conduct of trials among MSM in India.

Using peer support groups to enhance community integration of veterans in transition.

PubMed

Drebing, Charles E; Reilly, Erin; Henze, Kevin T; Kelly, Megan; Russo, Anthony; Smolinsky, John; Gorman, Jay; Penk, Walter E

2018-05-01

Peer support groups, also known as "self-help groups," provide a unique tool for helping veterans working through the military-to-civilian transition to achieve higher levels of social support and community integration. The number and variety of community-based peer support groups has grown to the point that there are now more visits to these groups each year than to mental health professionals. The focus of these groups on the provision of social support, the number and variety of groups, the lack of cost, and their availability in the community make them a natural transition tool for building community-based social support. A growing literature suggests that these groups are associated with measurable improvements in social support, clinical symptoms, self-efficacy and coping. For clinical populations, the combination of peer support groups and clinical care results in better outcomes than either alone. Given this evidence, we suggest clinical services use active referral strategies to help veterans engage in peer support groups as a means of improving community reintegration and clinical outcomes. Finally, suggestions for identifying appropriate peer support groups and assisting with active referrals are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Healthy Migrant Families Initiative: development of a culturally competent obesity prevention intervention for African migrants.

PubMed

Renzaho, Andre M N; Halliday, Jennifer A; Mellor, David; Green, Julie

2015-03-19

Although obesity among immigrants remains an important area of study given the increasing migrant population in Australia and other developed countries, research on factors amenable to intervention is sparse. The aim of the study was to develop a culturally-competent obesity prevention program for sub-Saharan African (SSA) families with children aged 12-17 years using a community-partnered participatory approach. A community-partnered participatory approach that allowed the intervention to be developed in collaborative partnership with communities was used. Three pilot studies were carried out in 2008 and 2009 which included focus groups, interviews, and workshops with SSA parents, teenagers and health professionals, and emerging themes were used to inform the intervention content. A cultural competence framework containing 10 strategies was developed to inform the development of the program. Using findings from our scoping research, together with community consultations through the African Review Panel, a draft program outline (skeleton) was developed and presented in two separate community forums with SSA community members and health professionals working with SSA communities in Melbourne. The 'Healthy Migrant Families Initiative (HMFI): Challenges and Choices' program was developed and designed to assist African families in their transition to life in a new country. The program consists of nine sessions, each approximately 1 1/2 hours in length, which are divided into two modules based on the topic. The first module 'Healthy lifestyles in a new culture' (5 sessions) focuses on healthy eating, active living and healthy body weight. The second module 'Healthy families in a new culture' (4 sessions) focuses on parenting, communication and problem solving. The sessions are designed for a group setting (6-12 people per group), as many of the program activities are discussion-based, supported by session materials and program resources. Strong partnerships and participation by SSA migrant communities enabled the design of a culturally competent and evidence-based intervention that addresses obesity prevention through a focus on healthy lifestyles and healthy families. Program implementation and evaluation will further inform obesity prevention interventions for ethnic minorities and disadvantaged communities.

An innovative community organizing campaign to improve mental health and wellbeing among Pacific Island youth in South Auckland, New Zealand.

PubMed

Han, Hahrie; Nicholas, Alexandra; Aimer, Margaret; Gray, Jonathon

2015-12-01

To examine whether being an organizer in a community organizing program improves personal agency and self-reported mental health outcomes among low-income Pacific Island youth in Auckland, New Zealand. Counties Manukau Health initiated a community organizing campaign led and run by Pacific Island youth. We used interviews, focus groups and pre- and post-campaign surveys to examine changes among 30 youths as a result of the campaign. Ten youths completed both pre- and post-campaign surveys. Eleven youths participated in focus groups, and four in interviews. Overall, youths reported an increased sense of agency and improvements to their mental health. Community organizing has potential as a preventive approach to improving mental health and developing agency over health among disempowered populations. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Stress and the social determinants of maternal health among Puerto Rican women: a CBPR approach.

PubMed

Bermúdez-Millán, Angela; Damio, Grace; Cruz, Joan; D'Angelo, Karen; Segura-Pérez, Sofia; Hromi-Fiedler, Amber; Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael

2011-11-01

This qualitative research project explores how poverty, the built environment, education, working conditions, health care access, food insecurity and perceived discrimination are experienced by Puerto Rican Latinas through the course of their lives. Five focus groups were conducted with the primary objective of documenting community experiences and perspectives regarding: 1) stress, including perceived discrimination based on race/ethnicity (racism); 2) the impact of stress on Puerto Rican women of reproductive age, their families, and/or their community; and 3) stressors that affect maternal health. Focus groups were conducted in English and Spanish in the two cities with the highest rates of premature birth and low infant birthweight in the state of Connecticut. Focus group findings indicate that participants perceived poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to quality education, and unsafe environments as significant life stressors affecting maternal and child health.

Stress and the Social Determinants of Maternal Health among Puerto Rican Women: A CBPR Approach

PubMed Central

Bermúdez-Millán, Angela; Damio, Grace; Cruz, Joan; D’Angelo, Karen; Segura-Pérez, Sofia; Hromi-Fiedler, Amber; Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael

2013-01-01

This qualitative research project explores how poverty, the built environment, education, working conditions, health care access, food insecurity and perceived discrimination are experienced by Puerto Rican Latinas through the course of their lives. Five focus groups were conducted with the primary objective of documenting community experiences and perspectives regarding: 1) stress, including perceived discrimination based on race/ethnicity (racism); 2) the impact of stress on Puerto Rican women of reproductive age, their families, and/or their community; and 3) stressors that affect maternal health. Focus groups were conducted in English and Spanish in the two cities with the highest rates of premature birth and low infant birthweight in the state of Connecticut. Focus group findings indicate that participants perceived poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to quality education, and unsafe environments as significant life stressors affecting maternal and child health. PMID:22080712

Acceptability of the Fetzer/NIA Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in a sample of community-dwelling Black adults.

PubMed

Mokel, Melissa J; Shellman, Juliette M

2014-01-01

To examine the acceptability of the National Institute on Aging/Fetzer Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in a sample of Black, community-dwelling, older adults using focus group inquiry (N =15). Focus group methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Three focus groups (N = 15) were conducted in two different urban settings in the northeastern part of the United States. Key findings were that (a) self-rating on religiousness was uncomfortable for many participants, (b) selfless was a word many participants confused with selfish, and (c) spirituality was an important concept. Overall, the Measure was found to be culturally acceptable and required little modification. Religious health beliefs such as "rebuking" or "not claiming" medical diagnoses are important considerations to bear in mind in seeking to understand the impact of religiousness on health in this population.

Exploring Winter Community Participation Among Wheelchair Users: An Online Focus Group

PubMed Central

Ripat, Jacquie; Colatruglio, Angela

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The aim of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of what people who use wheeled mobility devices (WMDs; e.g., manual and power wheelchairs, and scooters) identify as environmental barriers to community participation in cold weather climates, and to explore recommendations to overcome environmental barriers to community participation. Researchers conducted an online asynchronous focus group that spanned seven days, with eight individuals who use WMDs. Each day, participants were asked to respond to a moderator-provided question, and to engage with one another around the topic area. The researchers analyzed the verbatim data using an inductive content-analysis approach. Four categories emerged from the data: (1) winter barriers to community participation; (2) life resumes in spring and summer; (3) change requires awareness, education, and advocacy; and (4) winter participation is a right. Participants confirmed that it is a collective responsibility to ensure that WMD users are able to participate in the community throughout the seasons. PMID:26295488

Single-site community consultation for emergency research in a community hospital setting.

PubMed

Galbraith, Kyle L; Keck, Anna-Sigrid; Little, Charletta

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate community member feedback from community consultation and public disclosure activities performed for a clinical investigation involving a device designed to treat traumatic brain injury in prehospital contexts. The clinical investigation of that device was to be performed under the federal regulations providing an exception from prospective informed consent requirements in emergency settings. Secondarily, we sought to assess the community consultation process by measuring the levels of outreach provided by the different communication methods used in these activities, with special attention to the effectiveness of social media for community outreach. The medical device investigation consists of a single-site pilot study based at a 345-bed community hospital in east central Illinois, which also serves as the area's only level I trauma center. Investigators, in collaboration with the local institutional review board, fulfilled community consultation and public disclosure requirements through four public town hall meetings, seven targeted focus groups, targeted mailings to 884 community leaders and researchers, a press conference and press release, internal and external websites, and multiple postings to the hospital's Facebook and Twitter accounts. Community members provided feedback by completing paper or electronic comment cards. A total of 428 community members attended the four town hall meetings and seven focus group sessions. Attendance at each meeting ranged from 4 to 20 attendees for the town hall meetings and 8 to 140 attendees for the focus groups. The investigation's external website received 626 unique visitors and the intranet website received 528 unique visits. Social media postings on Facebook and Twitter received six comments and eight "likes" to indicate that an individual read the posting. In total, attendees completed 175 comment cards to provide their feedback. Community member attitudes regarding the research were very positive, with 173 (98.8%) comment card respondents viewing the research as beneficial and 162 (92.6%) indicating that they would allow themselves or their family members to participate in the research. The internal and external websites provided the most effective means for sharing research-related information to community members. While cost-effective, social media outreach was very limited and did not foster communication with community members.

Practicing preventive health: the underlying culture among low-income rural populations.

PubMed

Murimi, Mary W; Harpel, Tammy

2010-01-01

Health disparities on the basis of geographic location, social economic factors and education levels are well documented. However, even when health care services are available, there is no guarantee that all persons will take preventive health measures. Understanding the cultural beliefs, practices, and lifestyle choices that determine utilization of health services is an important factor in combating chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate personal, cultural, and external barriers that interfered with participating in a community-based preventive outreach program that included health screening for obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, and hypertension when cost and transportation factors were addressed. Six focus groups were conducted in a rural community of Louisiana. Focus groups were divided into 2 categories: participants and nonparticipants. Three focus groups were completed with Dubach Health Outreach Project (DUHOP) participants and 3 were completed with nonparticipants. The focus group interviews were moderated by a researcher experienced in focus group interviews; a graduate student assisted with recording and note-taking during the sessions. Four main themes associated with barriers to participation in preventive services emerged from the discussions: (1) time, (2) low priority, (3) fear of the unknown, and (4) lack of companionship or support. Health concerns, free services, enjoyment, and free food were identified as motivators for participation. The findings of this study indicated that the resulting synergy between low-income status and a lack of motivation regarding health care prevention created a complicated practice of health care procrastination, which resulted in unnecessary emergency care and disease progression. To change this practice to proactive disease prevention and self care, a concerted effort will need to be implemented by policy makers, funding agents, health care providers, and community leaders and members.

Agency, access, and Anopheles: neighborhood health perceptions and the implications for community health interventions in Accra, Ghana

PubMed Central

Jankowska, Marta M.; Stoler, Justin; Ofiesh, Caetlin; Rain, David; Weeks, John R.

2015-01-01

Background Social and environmental factors are increasingly recognized for their ability to influence health outcomes at both individual and neighborhood scales in the developing urban world. Yet issues of spatial heterogeneity in these complex environments may obscure unique elements of neighborhood life that may be protective or harmful to human health. Resident perceptions of neighborhood effects on health may help to fill gaps in our interpretation of household survey results and better inform how to plan and execute neighborhood-level health interventions. Objective We evaluate differences in housing and socioeconomic indicators and health, environment, and neighborhood perceptions derived from the analysis of a household survey and a series of focus groups in Accra, Ghana. We then explore how neighborhood perceptions can inform survey results and ultimately neighborhood-level health interventions. Design Eleven focus groups were conducted across a socioeconomically stratified sample of neighborhoods in Accra, Ghana. General inductive themes from the focus groups were analyzed in tandem with data collected in a 2009 household survey of 2,814 women. In-depth vignettes expand upon the three most salient emergent themes. Results Household and socioeconomic characteristics derived from the focus groups corroborated findings from the survey data. Focus group and survey results diverged for three complex health issues: malaria, health-care access, and sense of personal agency in promoting good health. Conclusion Three vignettes reflecting community views about malaria, health-care access, and sense of personal agency in promoting good health highlight the challenges facing community health interventions in Accra and exemplify how qualitatively derived neighborhood-level health effects can help shape health interventions. PMID:25997424

Experiences of a Community-Based Lymphedema Management Program for Lymphatic Filariasis in Odisha State, India: An Analysis of Focus Group Discussions with Patients, Families, Community Members and Program Volunteers

PubMed Central

Cassidy, Tali; Worrell, Caitlin M.; Little, Kristen; Prakash, Aishya; Patra, Inakhi; Rout, Jonathan; Fox, LeAnne M.

2016-01-01

Background Globally 68 million people are infected with lymphatic filariasis (LF), 17 million of whom have lymphedema. This study explores the effects of a lymphedema management program in Odisha State, India on morbidity and psychosocial effects associated with lymphedema. Methodology/Principal Findings Focus groups were held with patients (eight groups, separated by gender), their family members (eight groups), community members (four groups) and program volunteers (four groups) who had participated in a lymphedema management program for the past three years. Significant social, physical, and economic difficulties were described by patients and family members, including marriageability, social stigma, and lost workdays. However, the positive impact of the lymphedema management program was also emphasized, and many family and community members indicated that community members were accepting of patients and had some improved understanding of the etiology of the disease. Program volunteers and community members stressed the role that the program had played in educating people, though interestingly, local explanations and treatments appear to coexist with knowledge of biomedical treatments and the mosquito vector. Conclusions/Significance Local and biomedical understandings of disease can co-exist and do not preclude individuals from participating in biomedical interventions, specifically lymphedema management for those with lymphatic filariasis. There is a continued need for gender-specific psychosocial support groups to address issues particular to men and women as well as a continued need for improved economic opportunities for LF-affected patients. There is an urgent need to scale up LF-related morbidity management programs to reduce the suffering of people affected by LF. PMID:26849126

How Do Communities Use a Participatory Public Health Approach to Build Resilience? The Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project.

PubMed

Bromley, Elizabeth; Eisenman, David P; Magana, Aizita; Williams, Malcolm; Kim, Biblia; McCreary, Michael; Chandra, Anita; Wells, Kenneth B

2017-10-21

Community resilience is a key concept in the National Health Security Strategy that emphasizes development of multi-sector partnerships and equity through community engagement. Here, we describe the advancement of CR principles through community participatory methods in the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience (LACCDR) initiative. LACCDR, an initiative led by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health with academic partners, randomized 16 community coalitions to implement either an Enhanced Standard Preparedness or Community Resilience approach over 24 months. Facilitated by a public health nurse or community educator, coalitions comprised government agencies, community-focused organizations and community members. We used thematic analysis of data from focus groups ( n = 5) and interviews ( n = 6 coalition members; n = 16 facilitators) to compare coalitions' strategies for operationalizing community resilience levers of change (engagement, partnership, self-sufficiency, education). We find that strategies that included bidirectional learning helped coalitions understand and adopt resilience principles. Strategies that operationalized community resilience levers in mutually reinforcing ways (e.g., disseminating information while strengthening partnerships) also secured commitment to resilience principles. We review additional challenges and successes in achieving cross-sector collaboration and engaging at-risk groups in the resilience versus preparedness coalitions. The LACCDR example can inform strategies for uptake and implementation of community resilience and uptake of the resilience concept and methods.

How Do Communities Use a Participatory Public Health Approach to Build Resilience? The Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project

PubMed Central

Bromley, Elizabeth; Eisenman, David P.; Magana, Aizita; Williams, Malcolm; Kim, Biblia; McCreary, Michael; Chandra, Anita; Wells, Kenneth B.

2017-01-01

Community resilience is a key concept in the National Health Security Strategy that emphasizes development of multi-sector partnerships and equity through community engagement. Here, we describe the advancement of CR principles through community participatory methods in the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience (LACCDR) initiative. LACCDR, an initiative led by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health with academic partners, randomized 16 community coalitions to implement either an Enhanced Standard Preparedness or Community Resilience approach over 24 months. Facilitated by a public health nurse or community educator, coalitions comprised government agencies, community-focused organizations and community members. We used thematic analysis of data from focus groups (n = 5) and interviews (n = 6 coalition members; n = 16 facilitators) to compare coalitions’ strategies for operationalizing community resilience levers of change (engagement, partnership, self-sufficiency, education). We find that strategies that included bidirectional learning helped coalitions understand and adopt resilience principles. Strategies that operationalized community resilience levers in mutually reinforcing ways (e.g., disseminating information while strengthening partnerships) also secured commitment to resilience principles. We review additional challenges and successes in achieving cross-sector collaboration and engaging at-risk groups in the resilience versus preparedness coalitions. The LACCDR example can inform strategies for uptake and implementation of community resilience and uptake of the resilience concept and methods. PMID:29065491

Parent and Community Involvement in Education. Volume I: Findings and Conclusions. Studies of Education Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Barry; And Others

Genuine educational reform depends on developing relationships with the home, community groups, politicians, and the business community (Seeley, 1981). This volume is the first of three volumes that are products of a 3.5 year study of education reform, with a focus on the role of parent, family, and community involvement in the middle grades. The…

Parent and Community Involvement in Education. Volume II: Case Studies. Studies of Education Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Barry; And Others

Genuine educational reform depends on developing relationships with the home, community groups, politicians, and the business community (Seeley, 1981). This volume is the second of three reports that are products of a 3.5 year study of education reform, with a focus on the role of parent, family, and community involvement in the middle grades. The…

A qualitative study of recruitment barriers, motivators, and community-based strategies for increasing clinical trials participation among rural and urban populations.

PubMed

Friedman, Daniela B; Foster, Caroline; Bergeron, Caroline D; Tanner, Andrea; Kim, Sei-Hill

2015-01-01

Participation in clinical trials (CTs) is low among rural communities. Investigators report difficulty recruiting rural individuals for CTs. The study purpose was to identify recruitment barriers, motivators, and strategies to help increase access to and participation in CTs in rural and urban communities. Qualitative focus groups/interviews. Rural and urban counties in one southeastern state. Two hundred twelve African-American and white men and women ages 21+. Nineteen focus groups and nine interviews were conducted. Audio files were transcribed and organized into NVivo10. Recurring themes were examined by geographic location. Although similar barriers, motivators, and strategies were reported by urban and rural groups, perceptions regarding their importance varied. Recruitment barriers mentioned in both rural and urban groups included fear, side effects, limited understanding, limited time, and mistrust. Rural groups were more mindful of time commitment involved. Both rural and urban participants reported financial incentives as the top motivator to CT participation, followed by personal illness (urban groups) and benefits to family (rural groups). Recruitment strategies suggested by rural participants involved working with schools/churches and using word of mouth, whereas partnering with schools, word of mouth, and media were recommended most by urban groups. Perceived recruitment barriers, motivators, and strategies did not differ considerably between rural and urban groups. Major barriers identified by participants should be addressed in future CT recruitment and education efforts. Findings can inform recruitment and communication strategies for reaching both urban and rural communities.

Differential Therapeutic Outcomes of Community-Based Group Interventions for Women and Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWhirter, Paula T.

2011-01-01

Two community-based group therapies, emotion focused versus goal oriented, are compared among women exposed to intimate partner violence (n = 46) and their children (n = 48) aged between 6 and 12 years. A series of repeated measures analyses are employed to evaluate the effects of time from baseline to postintervention following random assignment.…

Attitudes of Rural Middle-School Youth toward Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs, and Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Kathleen J.; Comello, Maria Leonora G.; Edwards, Ruth W.

2004-01-01

Since 1996, our research team has conducted 15 focus groups with 169 middle-school youth in small communities as formative research for campaigns against alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and violence. Some key findings of a synthesis of focus-group results are that girls and boys perceive different risks to alcohol and tobacco use; peer relationships are…

Healthful Eating and Physical Activity in the Home Environment: Results from Multifamily Focus Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berge, Jerica M.; Arikian, Aimee; Doherty, William J.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2012-01-01

Objective: To explore multiple family members' perceptions of risk and protective factors for healthful eating and physical activity in the home. Design: Ten multifamily focus groups were conducted with 26 families. Setting and Participants: Community setting with primarily black and white families. Family members (n = 103) were aged 8 to 61…

The Animadora Project: Identifying factors related to the promotion of physical activity among Mexican Americans with diabetes

PubMed Central

Ingram, Maia; Ruis, Maricruz; Mayorga, Maria Theresa; Rosales, Cecilia

2015-01-01

Purpose There is a dearth of information about factors related to physical activity among Mexican Americans with diabetes. Self efficacy and social support are associated with physical activity, however little is known about their role within different cultural groups. Design Focus groups were used to identify factors that motivate walking. Setting Two Mexican American communities located in Tucson, Arizona. Subjects Individuals who attended diabetes education. Intervention A community-based provider organized walking groups with people who previously attended diabetes classes. Walkers participated in focus groups exploring themes related to their experience. Measures Self efficacy, social support, and collective efficacy. Grounded theory was used to analyze focus group results using two rounds of analysis; the first identifying references to self efficacy and social support and the second adding collective efficacy as a theoretical basis for walking. Results Among 43 eligible participants, 20 participated in focus groups. Social support was expressed as commitment and companionship. Walkers demonstrated a high level of self efficacy for walking. Development of group identity/social cohesion was also a motivator to walk. Collective efficacy emerged as an applicable theoretical model encompassing these themes and their interrelationship. Conclusion Collective efficacy, or the belief that the group can improve their lives through collective effort, is a viable theoretical construct in the development of physical activity interventions targeting Mexican Americans with diabetes. PMID:19601479

Community-led cancer action councils in Queens, New York: process evaluation of an innovative partnership with the Queens library system.

PubMed

Basu Roy, Upal; Michel, Tamara; Carpenter, Alison; Lounsbury, David W; Sabino, Eilleen; Stevenson, Alexis Jurow; Combs, Sarah; Jacobs, Jasmine; Padgett, Deborah; Rapkin, Bruce D

2014-02-06

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has great potential to address cancer disparities, particularly in racially and ethnically diverse and underserved neighborhoods. The objective of this study was to conduct a process evaluation of an innovative academic-community partnership, Queens Library HealthLink, which aimed to reduce cancer disparities through neighborhood groups (Cancer Action Councils) that convened in public libraries in Queens, New York. We used a mixed-methods approach to conduct 69 telephone survey interviews and 4 focus groups (15 participants) with Cancer Action Council members. We used 4 performance criteria to inform data collection: action or attention to sustainability, library support for the council, social cohesion and group leadership, and activity level. Focus group transcripts were independently coded and cross-checked for consensus until saturation was achieved. Members reported benefits and barriers to participation. Thirty-three original focus group transcript codes were organized into 8 main themes related to member experiences: 1) library as a needed resource, 2) library as a reputable and nondenominational institution, 3) value of library staff, 4) need for a HealthLink specialist, 5) generation of ideas and coordination of tasks, 6) participation challenges, 7) use of community connections, and 8) collaboration for sustainability. In response to the process evaluation, Cancer Action Council members and HealthLink staff incorporated member suggestions to improve council sustainability. The councils merged to increase intercouncil collaboration, and institutional changes were made in funding to sustain a HealthLink specialist beyond the grant period.

What Have We Learned about Preventing Child Abuse? An Overview of the "Community and Minority Group Action to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect" Program. Prevention Focus Working Paper No. 009.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Ellen

Results from the evaluation of 11 demonstration programs designed to prevent child abuse are summarized in this working paper. The programs were of three types: perinatal programs; community-wide education, information, and referral projects; and culturally relevant parent education efforts. The four perinatal programs focused on extended…

Barriers and Opportunities: A Community-Based Participatory Research Study of Health Beliefs Related to Diabetes in a US Marshallese Community

PubMed Central

Hallgren, Emily Ann; McElfish, Pearl Anna; Rubon-Chutaro, Jellesen

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs and perceptions related to type 2 diabetes (diabetes) that influence diabetes self-management behaviors for Marshallese in the U.S. Utilizing the Health Belief Model as a theoretical framework, researchers seek to better understand the underlying beliefs that motivate or impede diabetes self-management behaviors. Methods The community-based participatory research (CBPR) collaborative engaged in 14 months of preliminary fieldwork and conducted two tiers of focus groups for this project as part of our long-term commitment to reducing health inequalities in the Marshallese community. The CBPR team conducted an initial round of two exploratory focus groups (n=15). Based on the knowledge gained, researchers held a second round of focus groups (n=13) focused on health beliefs regarding diabetes. All participants were Marshallese, aged 18 and older, and included men and women. Participants either had a diagnosis of diabetes or were a caretaker of someone with diabetes. Results The findings elucidate the structural and non-structural barriers to successful diabetes self-management for Marshallese in the US. Barriers include: eating differently than the rest of the family, social stigma of diabetes, transportation, cost, lack of access to healthcare, as well as cultural and language barriers. Conclusions While there are significant barriers to improving diabetes self-management, there are also areas of opportunity including family and peer reinforcement to encourage proper diabetes management behaviors and a growing community desire to lift the stigma of diabetes. The CBPR team offers recommendations to make diabetes management interventions more culturally appropriate and effective for the Marshallese population. PMID:25398722

Community pharmacists' beliefs regarding improvement of Star Ratings scores using the Theory of Planned Behavior.

PubMed

George, David L; Smith, Michael J; Draugalis, JoLaine R; Tolma, Eleni L; Keast, Shellie L; Wilson, Justin B

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving toward a value-based model, which includes the Five-Star Quality Rating System (Star Ratings). Prescription Drug Plans include multiple pharmacy measures associated with adherence and patient safety that contribute to CMS Star Ratings scores. This study, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), explored factors associated with community pharmacists' beliefs to improve Star Ratings scores. Exploratory, qualitative, use of focus groups, and the TPB. Focus groups were performed in conference rooms at the College of Pharmacy main and satellite campuses. Participants were community retail pharmacists with an active Oklahoma license and 1 year of work experience. Each focus group was audio recorded and the recording transcribed to documents and analyzed with the use of a hybrid deductive and inductive qualitative approach rooted in a constant comparative framework. Coding of the data back to the TPB constitutes a deductive approach. The generation of themes and subthemes from other coded nodes constitutes an inductive approach. Analysts agreed on common themes, differences in findings, and saturation of the data gathered. Four focus groups were conducted with 26 participants in 2 categories: pharmacists with and without experience improving Star Ratings. Pharmacists shared and contrasted in salient, normative, and control beliefs about patient outcomes, data, financial implications, staff, technology, and other stakeholders associated with performance of improving Star Ratings. Themes regarding medication adherence, patient safety, and intention were also found. The TPB was used to explore beliefs of community pharmacists about improving Star Ratings scores. Themes that were identified will assist in future research for measuring intention to improve CMS Star Ratings scores and the development of training and education programs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Attitudes of community pharmacists to antibiotic dispensing and microbial resistance: a qualitative study in Portugal.

PubMed

Roque, Fátima; Soares, Sara; Breitenfeld, Luiza; López-Durán, Ana; Figueiras, Adolfo; Herdeiro, Maria Teresa

2013-06-01

The inappropriate use of antibiotics is considered a main cause of microbial resistance. This is an important public health problem. Community pharmacists have an important role in the management of drugs for outpatients. Our study sought to explore pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and dispensing habits insofar as to antibiotics and microbial resistance. The study was developed with community pharmacists in the North of Portugal. Qualitative research in the form of focus groups (FG). Focus groups were conducted with 4-7 pharmacists, using a moderator. A topic guide was developed to lead the discussions, which were audio-recorded and transcribed. The study was carried out between December 2010 and March 2011 in the five districts of the Northern Health Region of Portugal (ARS-N). Pharmacists from different regions of each district were invited to participate in the study by an investigator responsible for the study. Participants were informed about the study and that sessions were audio-recorded to facilitate data interpretation. They signed an informed consent form before taking part in the focus groups. The Ethical Committee of ARS-N was informed of this study. Pharmacists' knowledge and perceptions on antibiotic use and microbial resistance, attitudes related to antibiotic dispensing habits, and pharmacists' suggestions to improve antibiotic use. A total of 6 focus groups were conducted with community pharmacists (n = 32). Attitudes related to the problem of resistance were attributed external responsibility, to patients, to physicians, to other pharmacies, and to veterinary consumption. Some attitudes were identified that could lead to antibiotic dispensing without a prescription. These attitudes are complacency, precaution and external complacency. Portuguese pharmacists perceive that antibiotic use and bacterial resistance could be improved, showing a behavioural intention to improve antibiotic dispensing habits.

Combining Photovoice and focus groups: engaging Latina teens in community assessment.

PubMed

Hannay, Jayme; Dudley, Robert; Milan, Stephanie; Leibovitz, Paula K

2013-03-01

Latino adolescents, especially girls, experience higher obesity rates and are more likely to be physically unfit than non-Latino white peers. Out-of-school programs to increase physical activity and fitness in older Latino teens are critical, but sustained engagement is challenging. This study combined a community-based participatory research methodology, Photovoice, with focus groups to engage Latina teens and their parents in identifying barriers to physical activity and initiating policy change actions to address them. The study investigates the effectiveness of applying Photovoice as both an evaluation tool and a leadership/advocacy intervention in a community-based obesity prevention program. Focus group data were collected between July 2009 and October 2010 and analyzed between November 2010 and July 2011. Five focus groups were held with adults (n = 41: 95% Latino) and four with teens (n = 36: 81% Latino, 10% non-Hispanic white, 9% African-American). All participants (19 teens, six adults) were Latino. Spanish-speaking staff of a community-based agency, program staff, high school guidance counselors, and a job development agency recruited participants. Teens aged 14-19 years enrolled in New Britain CT, high schools, and their parents were eligible. Data from Photovoice workshops (three with teens, two with parent-teen dyads) were collected and concurrently analyzed between July 2009 and August 2011. Teens criticized school-based physical exercise programs in favor of out-of-school exercise and career advice. Parental restrictions and work, transportation, and safety issues were cited as barriers to afterschool physical activity programs. Photovoice can empower teens and parents to address exercise barriers by promoting advocacy that leads to policy change (e.g., an out-of-school physical education option). Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Ontological Perspective on the Development of Home-School Partnership Relationships with Indigenous Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hindle, Rawiri; Hynds, Anne; Averill, Robin; Meyer, Luanna; Faircloth, Susan

2017-01-01

We propose the use of an ontological perspective to shift current thinking about the phenomenon of home/school partnerships, particularly through an examination of school leaders (leadership team)--community relationships that seek to better serve Indigenous students and their communities. We reanalysed focus group interviews of indigenous Maori…

Complex Ecologies of Indigenous Education at the Native American Community Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tiffany S.

2010-01-01

The Native American Community Academy (NACA) is demonstrating an example of Indigenous philosophies and practices in education through its holistic, student-centered approach to education. NACA was one school in a large statewide study on Indian education in New Mexico. Focus groups with students, teachers, and community members illustrate the…

A Qualitative Investigation of Student Outcomes in a Residential Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackhurst, Anne E.; Akey, Lynn D.; Bobilya, Andrew J.

2003-01-01

Researchers conducted a qualitative study of students' in- and out-of-class experiences in a residential learning community at a mid-sized public institution. Focus group interviews were conducted to explore (a) the outcomes of learning community membership from participants' point of view and (b) the connections between participants' reported…

Serving New Populations. New Directions for Community Colleges, Number 27.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Patricia Ann, Ed.

1979-01-01

Improving the reponsiveness of community colleges to the needs of non-traditional students is the topic of 14 essays, grouped into sections focusing on older adults, the handicapped, and women. David Demko describes a program designed to integrate older adults into a community college's service population. Jared Sharon provides guidelines for…

Learning Communities, Academic Performance, Attrition, and Retention: A Four-Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popiolek, Gene; Fine, Ricka; Eilman, Valerie

2013-01-01

This study extends and makes unique methodological contributions to research on the impact of learning communities (LCs) on community college students. Much of the previous research was short-term, lacked adequate comparison groups, and focused on four-year college students. This four-year study controlled for instructor-related variables by…

Leveraging Their Family Capital: How Latino Males Successfully Navigate the Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sáenz, Victor B.; García-Louis, Claudia; Drake, Anna Peterson; Guida, Tonia

2018-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study is to apply Yosso's community cultural wealth framework to the experiences of Latino male community college students to understand how they balance family obligations, work, and academics while also navigating their educational pathways. Method: The research team conducted 23 semistructured focus groups with…

Perceptions of the Environment for Eating and Exercise in a Rural Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maley, Mary Maly; Warren, Barbour S.; Devine, Carol M.

2010-01-01

Objective: To understand how members of a rural community perceive the effect of the built, natural, and social environments on their food choice and physical activity behaviors. Methods: A constructivist community environmental assessment was conducted including 17 individual qualitative interviews, 2 focus groups, and photo elicitation (n = 27)…

Missions, Values, and "Flying Monkeys": Critical Issues for Community Colleges Today and in 2019

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza, Pilar; Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.; O'Daniels, Tina M.; Malcolm, Zaria; Felton, Shawn; Lebesch, Anna; Douma, Deborah

2009-01-01

A focus group (N = 36) consisting of board of trustee members, community college presidents, senior administrators, administrators, and faculty members from community colleges around the United States developed the top six critical issues faced with respect to instructional planning and services; planning, governance, and finance; and workforce…

Older Patient, Physician and Pharmacist Perspectives about Community Pharmacists’ Roles

PubMed Central

Paterniti, Debora A.; Wenger, Neil S.; Williams, Bradley R.; Chewning, Betty A.

2012-01-01

Objectives To investigate older patient, physician and pharmacist perspectives about the pharmacists’ role in pharmacist-patient interactions. Methods Design Eight focus group discussions. Settings Senior centers, community pharmacies, primary care physician offices. Participants Forty-two patients aged 63 and older, 17 primary care physicians, and 13 community pharmacists. Measurements Qualitative analysis of focus group discussions. Results Participants in all focus groups indicated that pharmacists are a good resource for basic information about medications. Physicians appreciated pharmacists’ ability to identify drug interactions, yet did not comment on other specific aspects related to patient education and care. Physicians noted that pharmacists often were hindered by time constraints that impede patient counseling. Both patient and pharmacist participants indicated that patients often asked pharmacists to expand upon, reinforce, and explain physician-patient conversations about medications, as well as to evaluate medication appropriateness and physician treatment plans. These groups also noted that patients confided in pharmacists about medication-related problems before contacting physicians. Pharmacists identified several barriers to patient counseling, including lack of knowledge about medication indications and physician treatment plans. Conclusions Community-based pharmacists may often be presented with opportunities to address questions that can affect patient medication use. Older patients, physicians and pharmacists all value greater pharmacist participation in patient care. Suboptimal information flow between physicians and pharmacists may hinder pharmacist interactions with patients and detract from patient medication management. Interventions to integrate pharmacists into the patient healthcare team could improve patient medication management. PMID:22953767

Older patient, physician and pharmacist perspectives about community pharmacists' roles.

PubMed

Tarn, Derjung M; Paterniti, Debora A; Wenger, Neil S; Williams, Bradley R; Chewning, Betty A

2012-10-01

To investigate older patient, physician and pharmacist perspectives about the role of pharmacists in pharmacist-patient interactions. Eight focus-group discussions were held in senior centres, community pharmacies and primary care physician offices. Participants were 42 patients aged 63 years and older, 17 primary care physicians and 13 community pharmacists. Qualitative analysis of the focus-group discussions was performed. Participants in all focus groups indicated that pharmacists are a good resource for basic information about medications. Physicians appreciated pharmacists' ability to identify drug interactions, yet did not comment on other specific aspects related to patient education and care. Physicians noted that pharmacists often were hindered by time constraints that impeded patient counselling. Both patient and pharmacist participants indicated that patients often asked pharmacists to expand upon, reinforce and explain physician-patient conversations about medications, as well as to evaluate medication appropriateness and physician treatment plans. These groups also noted that patients confided in pharmacists about medication-related problems before contacting physicians. Pharmacists identified several barriers to patient counselling, including lack of knowledge about medication indications and physician treatment plans. Community-based pharmacists may often be presented with opportunities to address questions that can affect patient medication use. Older patients, physicians and pharmacists all value greater pharmacist participation in patient care. Suboptimal information flow between physicians and pharmacists may hinder pharmacist interactions with patients and detract from patient medication management. Interventions to integrate pharmacists into the patient healthcare team could improve patient medication management. © 2012 The Authors. IJPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Cultural stereotypes of women from South Asian communities: mental health care professionals' explanations for patterns of suicide and depression.

PubMed

Burr, J

2002-09-01

Low rates of treated depression and high rates of suicide in women from some South Asian communities are evident in epidemiological studies in the UK. It is argued here that explanations for these apparent differences are likely to be located in stereotypes of repressive South Asian cultures. This small scale study, utilising focus groups and individual interviews, sought to explore the construction of cultural stereotypes within mental health discourse with specific reference to stereotypes of women from South Asian communities. Mental health carers from a UK inner city area of relatively high social deprivation were targeted. Focus groups were conducted with a range of mental health care professionals who worked in both inpatient and outpatient mental health care services. In addition, individual interviews were conducted with consultant psychiatrists and General Practitioners. Extensive reference is made in this paper to the content of focus groups and interviews and how health carer's knowledge about and experience of South Asian cultures and caring for women from these communities was contextualised. Mental health care professionals constructed cultural difference in terms of fixed and immutable categories which operated to inferiorise Britain's South Asian communities. It is argued that their knowledge is constructed upon stereotypes of western culture as superior to a construction of eastern cultures as repressive, patriarchal and inferior to a western cultural ideal. Ultimately, it is argued that these stereotypes become incorporated as 'fact' and have the potential to misdirect diagnosis and therefore, also misdirect treatment pathways.

Community Preferences for the Allocation & Donation of Organs--the PAraDOx Study.

PubMed

Howard, Kirsten; Jan, Stephen; Rose, John; Chadban, Steven; Allen, Richard D M; Irving, Michelle; Tong, Allison; Wong, Germaine; Craig, Jonathan C; Cass, Alan

2011-05-25

Transplantation is the treatment of choice for people with severe organ failure. However, demand substantially exceeds supply of suitable organs; consequently many people wait months, or years to receive an organ. Reasons for the chronic shortage of deceased organ donations are unclear; there appears to be no lack of 'in principle' public support for organ donation. The PAraDOx Study examines community preferences for organ donation policy in Australia. The aims are to 1) determine which factors influence decisions by individuals to offer their organs for donation and 2) determine the criteria by which the community deems the allocation of donor organs to be fair and equitable. Qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to assess community preferences for organ donation and allocation.Focus group participants from the general community, aged between 18-80, will be purposively sampled to ensure a variety of cultural backgrounds and views on organ donation. Each focus group will include a ranking exercise using a modified nominal group technique. Focus groups of organ recipients, their families, and individuals on a transplant waiting list will also be conducted.Using the qualitative work, a discrete choice study will be designed to quantitatively assess community preferences. Discrete choice methods are based on the premise that goods and services can be described in terms of a number of separate attributes. Respondents are presented with a series of choices where levels of attributes are varied, and a mathematical function is estimated to describe numerically the value respondents attach to different options. Two community surveys will be conducted in approximately 1000 respondents each to assess community preferences for organ donation and allocation. A mixed logit model will be used; model results will be expressed as parameter estimates (β) and the odds of choosing one option over an alternative. Trade-offs between attributes will also be calculated. By providing a better understanding of current community preferences in relation to organ donation and allocation, the PAraDOx study will highlight options for firstly, increasing the rate of organ donation and secondly, allow for more transparent and equitable policies in relation to organ allocation.

A Literature Review of Health Risks in the Bear Community, a Gay Subculture

PubMed Central

Quidley-Rodriguez, Narciso; De Santis, Joseph P.

2015-01-01

Gay men’s subcultural identifications may help explain why certain groups of gay men are more at risk than other groups. One such subculture is the Bear community, a group that espouses that large-framed, hirsute men are attractive. To understand current health risks among the Bear community, a literature search was conducted using Medline, Psychinfo, CINAHL, and LGBT Life. A total of eight articles were found addressing health risks in the Bear community. There is a dearth of literature that focuses on the Bear community, but the current literature indicates that Bears are more likely to have a higher body mass index, lower self-esteem, and engage in risky sexual behaviors than other gay men. Suggestions for engaging and conducting research with the Bear community are provided. Last, clinical implications offer guidance for health care providers working with the Bear community to ensure that appropriate care is delivered to these men. PMID:26718773

Recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults through community sites for focus group discussions.

PubMed

Northridge, Mary E; Shedlin, Michele; Schrimshaw, Eric W; Estrada, Ivette; De La Cruz, Leydis; Peralta, Rogelina; Birdsall, Stacia; Metcalf, Sara S; Chakraborty, Bibhas; Kunzel, Carol

2017-06-09

Despite a body of evidence on racial/ethnic minority enrollment and retention in research, literature specifically focused on recruiting racially/ethnically diverse older adults for social science studies is limited. There is a need for more rigorous research on methodological issues and the efficacy of recruitment methods. Cultural obstacles to recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults include language barriers, lack of cultural sensitivity of target communities on the part of researchers, and culturally inappropriate assessment tools. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), this study critically appraised the recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults for focus groups. The initial approach involved using the physical and social infrastructure of the ElderSmile network, a community-based initiative to promote oral and general health and conduct health screenings in places where older adults gather, to recruit racial/ethnic minority adults for a social science component of an interdisciplinary initiative. The process involved planning a recruitment strategy, engaging the individuals involved in its implementation (opinion leaders in senior centers, program staff as implementation leaders, senior community-based colleagues as champions, and motivated center directors as change agents), executing the recruitment plan, and reflecting on the process of implementation. While the recruitment phase of the study was delayed by 6 months to allow for ongoing recruitment and filling of focus group slots, the flexibility of the recruitment plan, the expertise of the research team members, the perseverance of the recruitment staff, and the cultivation of change agents ultimately resulted in meeting the study targets for enrollment in terms of both numbers of focus group discussions (n = 24) and numbers of participants (n = 194). This study adds to the literature in two important ways. First, we leveraged the social and physical infrastructure of an existing program to recruit participants through community sites where older adults gather. Second, we used the CFIR to guide the appraisal of the recruitment process, which underscored important considerations for both reaching and engaging this underserved population. This was especially true in terms of understanding the disparate roles of the individuals involved in implementing and facilitating the recruitment plan.

Building capacity in disadvantaged communities: development of the community advocacy and leadership program.

PubMed

Sharpe, Patricia A; Flint, Sylvia; Burroughs-Girardi, Ericka L; Pekuri, Linda; Wilcox, Sara; Forthofer, Melinda

2015-01-01

Successful community groups have the capacity to mobilize community assets to address needs. Capacity-building education is integral to building competent communities. A community-university team developed and pilot tested an education program for community advocates from disadvantaged neighborhoods with high chronic disease burden. The Community Advocacy and Leadership Program (CALP) included eight monthly workshops, a mini-grant opportunity, and technical assistance. A nominal group with community health practitioners, focus group with community advocates, and a literature search comprised a triangulated educational needs assessment. A participating pretest with 35 community health practitioners guided curriculum refinement. Seven representatives from three community groups in a medically underserved South Carolina county participated in pilot implementation and evaluation. Qualitative and quantitative data informed the process and impact evaluation. The mean knowledge score at 1 month after the program was 77% (range, 52%-96%). The mean score on post-program self-assessment of skills improvement was 3.8 out of a possible 4.0 (range, 3.6-4.0). Two groups submitted successful community mini-grant applications for playground improvements, and the third group successfully advocated for public funding of neighborhood park improvements. Participants reported favorable impressions and both personal and community benefits from participation. A community-university partnership successfully conducted a local educational needs assessment and developed and pilot tested a capacity development program within a CBPR partnership. Successes, challenges, and lessons learned will guide program refinement, replication, and dissemination.

Factors limiting deceased organ donation: focus groups' perspective from culturally diverse community.

PubMed

Wong, L P

2010-06-01

In-depth understanding of cultural and religious factors limiting organ donation of three ethnic populations (Malay, Chinese, and Indian) in Southeast Asia is lacking. Identification of factors limiting organ donation among these three ethnic groups will provide insights into culturally appropriate strategies to promote acceptance of organ donation in a multiethnic Asian community. A total of 17 focus group discussions (105 participants) were conducted between September and December 2008. Participants were members of the general public aged 18 to 60 years, recruited through convenient sampling around the Klang Valley area of Malaysia. Although the majority had favorable attitudes toward deceased organ donation and transplantation, a diversity of myths and misinformation were unearthed from the discussions across the ethnic groups. These include perceived religious prohibition, cultural myths and misperceptions, fear of disfigurement, fear of surgery, distrust of the medical system, and family disapproval. Culture and religious beliefs played important prohibitive roles among those opposed to organ donations. There were distinctive ethnic differences in cultural and religious concerns regarding organ donation. Less-educated and rural groups appeared to have more misconceptions than the well-educated and the urban groups. Our findings may assist organ donation and transplantation organizations to reach diverse sociodemographic and ethnic communities with culture-specific information about organ donation. The involvement of community and religious leaders is critical in organ donation requests.

Empirically Derived Lessons Learned about What Makes Peer-Led Exercise Groups Flourish.

PubMed

Fletcher, Kathlyn E; Ertl, Kristyn; Ruffalo, Leslie; Harris, LaTamba; Whittle, Jeff

2017-01-01

Physical exercise confers many health benefits, but it is difficult to motivate people to exercise. Although community exercise groups may facilitate initiation and persistence in an exercise program, reports regarding factors that allow such groups to flourish are limited. We performed a prospective qualitative evaluation of our experience starting a program of community-based, peer-led exercise groups for military veterans to identify important lessons learned. We synthesized data from structured observations, post-observation debriefings, and focus groups. Our participants were trained peer leaders and exercise group members. Our main outcomes consisted of empirically derived lessons learned during the implementation of a peer-led group exercise program for veterans at multiple community sites. We collected and analyzed data from 40 observation visits (covering 14 sites), 7 transcribed debriefings, and 5 focus groups. We identified five lessons learned. (1) The camaraderie and social aspect of the exercise groups provided motivation for people to stay involved. (2) Shared responsibility and commitment to each other by the group members was instrumental to success. (3) Regular meeting times encouraged participation. (4) Variety, especially getting outdoors, was very popular for some groups. (5) Modest involvement of professionals encouraged ongoing engagement with the program. Both social and programmatic issues influence implementation of group exercise programs for older, predominantly male, veterans. These results should be confirmed in other settings.

Working with Toronto neighbourhoods toward developing indicators of community capacity.

PubMed

Jackson, Suzanne F; Cleverly, Shelley; Poland, Blake; Burman, David; Edwards, Richard; Robertson, Ann

2003-12-01

Often the goal of health and social development agencies is to assess communities and work with them to improve community capacity. Particularly for health promoters working in community settings and to ensure consistency in the definition of health promotion, the evaluation of health promotion programmes should be based on strengths and assets, yet existing information for planning and evaluation purposes usually focuses on problems and deficits. A model and definition of community capacity, grounded in community experience and focusing on strengths and assets, was developed following a 4-year, multi-site, qualitative, action research project in four Toronto neighbourhoods. There was significant community involvement in the four Community Advisory Committees, one for each study site. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews and focus groups were conducted with 161 residents and agency workers identified by the Community Advisory Committees. The data were analyzed with the assistance of NUDIST software. Thematic analysis was undertaken in two stages: (i) within each site and (ii) across sites, with the latter serving as the basis for the development of indicators of community capacity. This paper presents a summary of the research, the model and the proposed indicators. The model locates talents and skills of community members in a larger context of socioenvironmental conditions, both inside and outside the community, which can act to enable or constrain the expression of these talents and skills. The significance of the indicators of community capacity proposed in the study is that they focus on identifying and measuring the facilitating and constraining socioenvironmental conditions.

Parent and Community Involvement in Education. Volume III: Technical Appendix--Research Design and Methodology. Studies of Education Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Beckie; And Others

Genuine educational reform depends on developing relationships with the home, community groups, politicians, and the business community (Seeley, 1981). This report is the third of three volumes that are products of a 3.5 year study of education reform, with a focus on the role of parent, family, and community involvement in the middle grades. The…

Community Resilience and the Fulfilment of Child Rights in the Family, School and Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tintor, Arijana Mataga

2013-01-01

The present paper presents the experience of researching the resilience of the local community and the fulfilment of the rights of the child. The aim of research was to place the assessment of the rights of the child in the function of local community resilience, focusing on one particular group of rights: the right to participate. This concept is…

Resilience-based Diabetes Self-management Education: Perspectives From African American Participants, Community Leaders, and Healthcare Providers.

PubMed

Lehrer, H Matthew; Dubois, Susan K; Brown, Sharon A; Steinhardt, Mary A

2017-08-01

Purpose The purpose of this qualitative, focus group study was to further refine the Resilience-based Diabetes Self-management Education (RB-DSME) recruitment process and intervention, build greater trust in the community, and identify strategies to enhance its sustainability as a community-based intervention in African American church settings. Methods Six 2-hour focus groups (N = 55; 10 men and 45 women) were led by a trained moderator with a written guide to facilitate discussion. Two sessions were conducted with individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who participated in previous RB-DSME pilot interventions and their family members, two sessions with local church leaders, and two sessions with community healthcare providers who care for patients with T2DM. Two independent reviewers performed content analysis to identify major themes using a grounded theory approach. The validity of core themes was enhanced by external review and subsequent discussions with two qualitative methods consultants. Results There was expressed interest and acceptability of the RB-DSME program. Church connection and pastor support were noted as key factors in building trust and enhancing recruitment, retention, and sustainability of the program. Core themes across all groups included the value of incentives, the need for foundational knowledge shared with genuine concern, teaching with visuals, dealing with denial, balancing the reality of adverse consequences with hope, the importance of social support, and addressing healthcare delivery barriers. Conclusion Focus groups documented the feasibility and potential effectiveness of RB-DSME interventions to enhance diabetes care in the African American community. In clinical practice, inclusion of these core themes may enhance T2DM self-care and treatment outcomes.

Interpretive policy analysis: Marshallese COFA migrants and the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

McElfish, Pearl Anna; Purvis, Rachel S; Maskarinec, Gregory G; Bing, Williamina Ioanna; Jacob, Christopher J; Ritok-Lakien, Mandy; Rubon-Chutaro, Jellesen; Lang, Sharlynn; Mamis, Sammie; Riklon, Sheldon

2016-06-11

Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the rate of uninsured in the United States has declined significantly. However, not all legal residents have benefited equally. As part of a community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership with the Marshallese community, an interpretative policy analysis research project was conducted to document Marshallese Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants' understanding and experiences regarding the ACA and related health policies. This article is structured to allow the voice of Marshallese COFA migrants to explain their understanding and interpretation of the ACA and related polices on their health in their own words. Qualitative data was collected from 48 participants in five focus groups conducted at the local community center and three individual interviews for those unable to attend the focus groups. Marshallese community co-investigators participated throughout the research and writing process to ensure that cultural context and nuances in meaning were accurately captured and presented. Community co-investigators assisted with the development of the semi-structured interview guide, facilitated focus groups, and participated in qualitative data analysis. Content analysis revealed six consistent themes across all focus groups and individual interviews that include: understanding, experiences, effect on health, relational/historical lenses, economic contribution, and pleas. Working with Marshallese community co-investigators, we selected quotations that most represented the participants' collective experiences. The Marshallese view the ACA and their lack of coverage as part of the broader relationship between the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the United States. The Marshallese state that they have honored the COFA relationship, and they believe the United States is failing to meet its obligations of care and support outlined in the COFA. While the ACA and Medicaid Expansion have reduced the national uninsured rate, Marshallese COFA migrants have not benefited equally from this policy. The lack of healthcare coverage for the Marshallese COFA migrants exacerbates the health disparities this underserved population faces. This article is an important contribution to researchers because it presents the Marshallese's interpretation of the policy, which will help inform policy makers that are working to improve Marshallese COFA migrant health.

An Initiative Toward Reliable Long-Duration Operation of Diode Lasers in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tratt, David M.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Stephen, Mark A.; Shapiro, Andrew A.

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the workings of the Laser Diode Arrays (LDA) working group. The group facilitates focused interaction between the LDA user and provider communities and it will author standards document for the specification and qualification of LDA's for operation in the space environment. It also reviews the NASA test and evaluation facilities that are available to the community.

Meanings of 'Tuberculosis' in Rural Indigenous Communities from a Municipality in the Colombian Amazon.

PubMed

Muñoz Sánchez, Alba Idaly; Rubiano Mesa, Yurian Lida

2017-05-01

The purpose herein was to describe the meanings on tuberculosis (TB) in rural indigenous communities from a municipality in the Colombian Amazon. This was an ethnographic study with theoretical reference of dialectical hermeneutics, which created focus groups, one for each rural community of Puerto Nariño, for a total of 15 focus groups. The participants were community leaders and health referents. Seventy-nine subjects participated, mostly midwives, kurakas, traditional physicians, and shamans. The analysis yielded four categories: knowledge of TB, attitudes regarding TB, community practices of TB, and the intervention proposal on TB by the participants. It was found that community leaders recognize TB as a disease that can cause death, but which can be cured if timely care is secured. The study also identified the need to conjugate western medicine with traditional medicine. It is recognized that meanings may impact upon knowledge, attitudes, and practices that affect early detection and treatment of the disease. In addition, this work corroborates the need to strengthen and develop educational programs on tuberculosis supported by the real needs of the communities to enhance their knowledge, attitudes, and practices on the disease. Copyright© by the Universidad de Antioquia.

Community perceptions of risk factors for interpersonal violence in townships in Cape Town, South Africa: A focus group study.

PubMed

Makanga, Prestige Tatenda; Schuurman, Nadine; Randall, Ellen

2017-10-01

Interpersonal violence is a major contributor to the burden of disease globally, and in South Africa, it is the leading cause of injury. There is an emerging consensus that the development of actionable policy and effective prevention strategies for interpersonal violence requires an understanding of the contextual matters that elevate risk for interpersonal violence. The objective of this study was to explore community perceptions of risks for interpersonal violence in five townships in Cape Town, South Africa, with high rates of violence. Focus group discussions were conducted with community members to identify key factors in that contributed to being either a perpetrator or victim of interpersonal violence. The ecological framework was used to classify the risk factors as occurring at individual, relationship, community or society levels. Some of the risk factors identified included alcohol abuse, poverty, informality of settlements and cultural norms. Differences in how each of these risk factors are expressed and experienced in the five communities are also elucidated. This approach enabled the collection of contextual community-based data that can complement conventional surveillance data in the development of relevant community-level strategies for interpersonal violence prevention.

Malczyce, Poland: a multifaceted community action project in eastern Europe in a time of rapid economic change.

PubMed

Moskalewicz, J; Swiatktewicz, G

2000-01-01

The major focus of this paper is the sustainability of a one-year demonstration project on drug misuse prevention, which was implemented in a local community affected by acute economic crisis and high unemployment. The project was initiated by the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, and supported by the European Commission. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate that community-based prevention is possible and feasible within the context of current transitions in Poland. Its major outcome was a community prevention package consisting of a number of booklets and videos to assist other communities in their prevention efforts. Experiences from this study suggest that factors contributing to the sustainability of a community prevention project can be identified and emphasized through simple analysis of community surveys, as well as focus group discussion.

Linking social and built environmental factors to the health of public housing residents: a focus group study.

PubMed

Hayward, Erin; Ibe, Chidinma; Young, Jeffery Hunter; Potti, Karthya; Jones, Paul; Pollack, Craig Evan; Gudzune, Kimberly A

2015-04-10

Public housing residents have a high risk of chronic disease, which may be related to neighborhood environmental factors. Our objective was to understand how public housing residents perceive that the social and built environments might influence their health and wellbeing. We conducted focus groups of residents from a low-income public housing community in Baltimore, MD to assess their perceptions of health and neighborhood attributes, resources, and social structure. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two investigators independently coded transcripts for thematic content using editing style analysis technique. Twenty-eight residents participated in six focus groups. All were African American and the majority were women. Most had lived in public housing for more than 5 years. We identified four themes: public housing's unhealthy physical environment limits health and wellbeing, the city environment limits opportunities for healthy lifestyle choices, lack of trust in relationships contributes to social isolation, and increased neighborhood social capital could improve wellbeing. Changes in housing and city policies might lead to improved environmental health conditions for public housing residents. Policymakers and researchers may consider promoting community cohesiveness to attempt to empower residents in facilitating neighborhood change.

Communities of practice in support of collaborative multi-disciplinary learning and action in response to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heimlich, J. E.; Stylinski, C.; Palmquist, S.; Wasserman, D.

2017-12-01

Collaborative efforts reaching across interdisciplinary boundaries to address controversial issues such as climate change present significant complexities, including developing shared language, agreeing on common outcomes, and even establishing habits of regular dialogue. Such collaborative efforts should include museums, aquariums, zoos, parks, and youth groups as each of these informal education institutions provides a critical avenue for supporting learning about and responding to climate change. The community of practice framework offers a potential effective approach to support learning and action of diverse groups with a shared interest. Our study applied this framework to the NSF-funded Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Assessment and Education (MADE-CLEAR) project, facilitating informal educators across these two states to advance their climate change education practices, and could provide insight for a building a citywide multi-sector collaborative effort. We found strategies that center on the process of group evolution; support different perspectives, levels of participation, and community spaces; focus on value as defined by members; and balance familiarity and fun produced a dynamic and functional community with a shared practice where none had existed before. Also important was expanding the community-of-practice focus on relationship building to include structured professional development and spin-off opportunities for small-group team-based endeavors. Our findings suggest that this collaborative professional learning approach is well suited to diverse groups seeking creative solutions to complex and even divisive challenges.

Community resilience and Chagas disease in a rural region of Mexico

PubMed Central

Rangel, José Antonio Santana; Monreal, Luz Arenas; Ramsey, Janine M

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To explore the pillars of community resilience in a region where Chagas disease is endemic, with the aim of promoting participatory processes to deal with this condition from the resilience of the population. METHODS Qualitative study using ethnographic record and six interviews of focus groups with young people, women and men. The research was carried out in a rural area of the state of Morelos, Mexico, between 2006 and 2007. We carried out educational sessions with the population in general, so that residents could identify the relationship between the vector Triatoma pallidipennis, the parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi), symptoms, and preventive actions for Chagas disease. The ethnographic record and groups were analyzed based on Taylor and Bogdan’s modification, and the focus was to understand the socio-cultural meanings that guide the speeches and activities of residents in relation to the pillars of community resilience. RESULTS The population felt proud of belonging to that location and three pillars of community resilience were clearly identified: collective self-esteem, cultural identity, and social honesty. Having these pillars as bases, we promoted the participation of the population concerning Chagas disease, and a Community Action Group was formed with young people, adult men and women, and social leaders. This Group initiated actions of epidemiological and entomological surveillance in the community to deal with this problem. CONCLUSIONS It is necessary to create more experiences that deepen the understanding of the pillars of community resilience, and how they contribute to enhance participation in health to deal with Chagas disease. PMID:27509012

Qualitative developmental research among low income African American adults to inform a social marketing campaign for walking.

PubMed

Wilson, Dawn K; St George, Sara M; Trumpeter, Nevelyn N; Coulon, Sandra M; Griffin, Sarah F; Wandersman, Abe; Forthofer, Melinda; Gadson, Barney; Brown, Porschia V

2013-03-05

This study describes the development of a social marketing campaign for increasing walking in a low income, high crime community as part of the Positive Action for Today's Health (PATH) trial. Focus groups were conducted with 52 African American adults (ages 18 to 65 yrs), from two underserved communities to develop themes for a social marketing campaign to promote walking. Participants responded to questions concerning social marketing principles related to product, price, place, promotion, and positioning for increasing neighbourhood walking. Focus group data informed the development of the campaign objectives that were derived from the "5 Ps" to promote physical and mental health, social connectedness, safety, and confidence in walking regularly. Focus group themes indicated that physical and mental health benefits of walking were important motivators. Walking for social reasons was also important for overcoming barriers to walking. Police support from trusted officers while walking was also essential to promoting safety for walking. Print materials were developed by the steering committee, with a 12-month calendar and door hangers delivered to residents' homes to invite them to walk. Pride Stride walks empowered community walkers to serve as peer leaders for special walking events to engage new walkers. Essential elements for developing culturally tailored social marketing interventions for promoting walking in underserved communities are outlined for future researchers.

Qualitative developmental research among low income African American adults to inform a social marketing campaign for walking

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background This study describes the development of a social marketing campaign for increasing walking in a low income, high crime community as part of the Positive Action for Today’s Health (PATH) trial. Methods Focus groups were conducted with 52 African American adults (ages 18 to 65 yrs), from two underserved communities to develop themes for a social marketing campaign to promote walking. Participants responded to questions concerning social marketing principles related to product, price, place, promotion, and positioning for increasing neighbourhood walking. Results Focus group data informed the development of the campaign objectives that were derived from the “5 Ps” to promote physical and mental health, social connectedness, safety, and confidence in walking regularly. Focus group themes indicated that physical and mental health benefits of walking were important motivators. Walking for social reasons was also important for overcoming barriers to walking. Police support from trusted officers while walking was also essential to promoting safety for walking. Print materials were developed by the steering committee, with a 12-month calendar and door hangers delivered to residents’ homes to invite them to walk. Pride Stride walks empowered community walkers to serve as peer leaders for special walking events to engage new walkers. Conclusions Essential elements for developing culturally tailored social marketing interventions for promoting walking in underserved communities are outlined for future researchers. PMID:23497164

Preventing sight loss in older people. A qualitative study exploring barriers to the uptake of regular sight tests of older people living in socially deprived communities in South Wales.

PubMed

Biddyr, S; Jones, A

2015-02-01

This paper describes research findings that try to understand some of the reasons that prevent older people in deprived communities in South Wales from accessing NHS funded sight tests and leads to a discussion of suitable interventions that seek to improve access to primary eye care services and prevent avoidable sight loss. Data were collected from eight focus groups (n = 63) of mixed gender and ages (60-80+ years), of white origin living in deprived communities in South Wales. Individuals were recruited for the focus groups by extensively publicizing the project, with a range of health and older people's community services and groups such as sheltered housing complexes, stroke support groups and coffee morning groups. The study included people who attended optometry services and people not engaged with services. A purposive sampling technique summarizes the sampling approach taken, an approach which the team utilized to recruit 'information rich' cases, namely individuals, groups and organizations that provided the greatest insight into the research question. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data underwent thematic content analysis and subsequent interpretations were corroborated by expert advisors and a project steering group. Cost was perceived as a significant barrier to accessing sight tests, particularly in relation to purchasing glasses. Other barriers included the perceived pressure to buy glasses associated with visits to the optometrists; poor understanding of the purpose of a sight test in a health prevention context and acceptance of deteriorating sight loss due to the ageing process. Areas of improvement for the delivery of preventative eye health services to older people are identified, as are areas for reflection on the part of those who work within the eye health industry. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

African American and Latina(o) Community College Students' Social Capital and Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandoval-Lucero, Elena; Maes, Johanna B.; Klingsmith, Libby

2014-01-01

Using a framework of social and cultural capital, this study examined successful African American and Latina/o community college students. Based on focus group interviews with twenty two African American and Latina/o undergraduates at an urban community college, the authors reveal how social and cultural capital gained from students' relationships…

Factors Limiting Youth Participation in 4-H and Other Youth Development Programs in Underserved Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avent, Martellis D.; Jayaratne, K. S. U.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study described here was to identify factors limiting children's participation in youth development programs in underserved communities and ways to overcome those limitations. Findings are based on focus group interviews conducted with members of two underserved communities in North Carolina. Lack of awareness about the 4-H…

Documentary Photography: Cognitive Dimensionality of Selected Photographs and Community Perceptions in a Coorientation Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, James W.; Foushee, Richard E.

This paper discusses a proposed term project for a course in documentary photography that centered on photographically documenting a rural community and measuring its symbolic sociodramas. The paper describes the focus of the project, which was to determine how various community groups interpreted a given set of photographs designed to express a…

Using Communities of Practice to Foster Faculty Development in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teeter, Christopher; Fenton, Nancy; Nicholson, Karen; Flynn, Terry; Kim, Joseph; McKay, Muriel; O'Shaughnessy, Bridget; Vajoczki, Sue

2011-01-01

Communities of practice are becoming more widespread within higher education, yet little research has explored how these social learning networks can enhance faculty development. The focus of this paper is to describe the first-year experience of a community of practice initiative at McMaster University that was designed to engage groups of…

Student Leadership Distribution: Effects of a Student-Led Leadership Program on School Climate and Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedersen, Jeff; Yager, Stuart; Yager, Robert

2012-01-01

This study focuses on the understandings educators developed from two schools concerning how distributed leadership involving a select group of students affected the climate and community of their schools. Findings suggest that student-led leadership roles within the school community have an impact on creating a positive school-wide climate; a…

An Innovative Child CBT Training Model for Community Mental Health Practitioners in Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manassis, Katharina; Ickowicz, Abel; Picard, Erin; Antle, Beverley; McNeill, Ted; Chahauver, Anu; Mendlowitz, Sandra; Monga, Suneeta; Adler-Nevo, Gili

2009-01-01

Objective: Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for children has been shown efficacious, but community access to it is often limited by the lack of trained therapists. This study evaluated a child, CBT-focused, 20-session weekly group supervision seminar with a didactic component which was provided to community mental health practitioners by…

Models of Technology Management at the Community College: The Role of the Chief Information Officer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Scott; Simer, Lauren; Spaniol, Lee

2011-01-01

Community colleges provide a wide range of educational services to very diverse groups of students. For that reason, the variety and flexibility of services provided can be critical. In addition, quickly changing needs result in quickly changing system requirements. In this chapter, community college CIOs speak to their roles, focusing on the…

Age-Friendly Rural Communities: Conceptualizing 'Best-Fit'.

PubMed

Keating, Norah; Eales, Jacquie; Phillips, Judith E

2013-12-01

The literature on age-friendly communities is predominantly focused on a model of urban aging, thereby failing to reflect the diversity of rural communities. In this article, we address that gap by focusing on the concept of community in a rural context and asking what makes a good fi t between older people and their environment. We do this through (a) autobiographical and biographical accounts of two very different geographical living environments: bucolic and bypassed communities; and through (b) analysis of the different needs and resources of two groups of people: marginalized and community-active older adults, who live in those two different rural communities. We argue that the original 2007 Health Organization definition of age friendly should be reconceptualized to explicitly accommodate different community needs and resources, to be more inclusive as well as more interactive and dynamic, incorporating changes that have occurred over time in people and place.

Developing a mHealth intervention to promote uptake of HIV testing among African communities in the UK: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Evans, C; Turner, K; Suggs, L S; Occa, A; Juma, A; Blake, H

2016-07-28

HIV-related mHealth interventions have demonstrable efficacy in supporting treatment adherence, although the evidence base for promoting HIV testing is inconclusive. Progress is constrained by a limited understanding of processes used to develop interventions and weak theoretical underpinnings. This paper describes a research project that informed the development of a theory-based mHealth intervention to promote HIV testing amongst city-dwelling African communities in the conditions. A community-based participatory social marketing design was adopted. Six focus groups (48 participants in total) were undertaken and analysed using a thematic framework approach, guided by constructs from the Health Belief Model. Key themes were incorporated into a set of text messages, which were pre-tested and refined. The focus groups identified a relatively low perception of HIV risk, especially amongst men, and a range of social and structural barriers to HIV testing. In terms of self-efficacy around HIV testing, respondents highlighted a need for communities and professionals to work together to build a context of trust through co-location in, and co-involvement of, local communities which would in turn enhance confidence in, and support for, HIV testing activities of health professionals. Findings suggested that messages should: avoid an exclusive focus on HIV, be tailored and personalised, come from a trusted source, allay fears and focus on support and health benefits. HIV remains a stigmatized and de-prioritized issue within African migrant communities in the UK, posing barriers to HIV testing initiatives. A community-based participatory social marketing design can be successfully used to develop a culturally appropriate text messaging HIV intervention. Key challenges involved turning community research recommendations into brief text messages of only 160 characters. The intervention needs to be evaluated in a randomized control trial. Future research should explore the application of the processes and methodologies described in this paper within other communities.

Training Paraprofessional Group Counseling Leaders in the Federal Prison System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Ronald C.; Meyer, Robert L.

1981-01-01

Reports a program in which in-service training in rational-behavioral group counseling was delivered to "front-line" Bureau of Prisons staff by institution psychologists and consultants from the local community. Training focused on conducting time-limited, structured groups. (Author)

Feasibility of community neonatal death audits in rural Uttar Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Patel, Z; Kumar, V; Singh, P; Singh, V; Yadav, R; Baqui, A H; Santosham, M; Awasthi, S; Singh, J V; Darmstadt, G L

2007-09-01

Medical audit is a widely promoted strategy in hospitals, but experience within community settings is scant. Community neonatal death audit is a form of audit, which involves a systematic analysis of the quality of care provided in the home, danger sign recognition and care seeking decision making for neonatal illness. This research was conducted in Uttar Pradesh, India, to investigate the feasibility and cultural acceptability of community neonatal death audits. During November-December 2004, we conducted three in-depth interviews with family members of deceased neonates, and six focus group discussions with family and community members. Three approaches were evaluated: in-depth interview with the family before engaging them in an audit with the community; preliminary meeting to build rapport with the family and community before conducting an audit; and audit with the family and community in a single focus group. Approaches were interactive processes, involving the community, to identify avoidable factors in a particular death and discuss solutions. Carried out in a culturally sensitive and non-punitive manner, community neonatal death audit was found to be acceptable and feasible. All approaches provoked formal investigation by community members, and stimulated sharing of views, leading to the self-discovery that community perception was a cumulatively amplified effect of individual perceptions. Presence of an educated/experienced community member or health worker served as a catalyst. No one optimal approach was identified. Community neonatal audit is an acceptable approach that shows promise as an effective intervention for improving neonatal health outcomes.

A qualitative exploration of asthma self-management beliefs and practices in Puerto Rican families.

PubMed

Martin, Molly; Beebe, Jessie; Lopez, Lolita; Faux, Sandra

2010-05-01

Puerto Rican children suffer higher asthma morbidity than children of any other racial/ethnic group in the U.S. This study was intended to describe asthma self-management behaviors in Puerto Rican youth. Key informant interviews (n=5) and focus groups (n=4) were conducted. Informants were community pediatricians and community-based organization employees. The focus groups included Puerto Rican parents of children with asthma, children with asthma in grades 4-8, and adolescents with asthma in grades 9-12 (32 participants total). Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated. Two separate analysts performed theme extraction using naturalistic inquiry. Children were assuming asthma self-management responsibilities at very young ages. The adolescents felt they needed more parental assistance with their asthma. Asthma management techniques that involved manipulation of the environment or emotions were the most popular. Fear of asthma, need for more general education and smoking cessation resources, and community supports for asthma were discussed. These findings have important implications for future interventions.

Needs and preferences for the prevention of intimate partner violence among Hispanics: a community's perspective.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Guarda, R M; Cummings, A M; Becerra, M; Fernandez, M C; Mesa, I

2013-08-01

Research suggest that Hispanics in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by the consequences of intimate partner violence. Nevertheless, few intimate partner violence prevention interventions have been developed to address the unique needs and preferences of this population. The Partnership for Domestic Violence Prevention is a community-based participatory research project that assessed the needs and preferences for prevention programs for Hispanics in Miami-Dade County. Nine focus groups with domestic violence service providers, victims and general community members were conducted (N = 76). Four major themes emerged from the focus groups. These included immigrants and teens as the highest priority groups to target in prevention efforts, culture as a double-edged sword, the system that helps and hurts the victim, and the need for wide-scale prevention programs that would reach Hispanics systematically. The results from this study have important implications for the development of intimate violence prevention interventions targeting Hispanics in the U.S.

"If you know you exist, it's just marketing poison": meanings of tobacco industry targeting in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

PubMed

Smith, Elizabeth A; Thomson, Katherine; Offen, Naphtali; Malone, Ruth E

2008-06-01

In the public health literature, it is generally assumed that the perception of "targeting" as positive or negative by the targeted audience depends on the product or message being promoted. Smoking prevalence rates are high among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, but little is known about how they perceive tobacco industry targeting. We conducted focus groups with LGBT individuals in 4 US cities to explore their perceptions. Our findings indicated that focus group participants often responded positively to tobacco company targeting. Targeting connoted community visibility, legitimacy, and economic viability. Participants did not view tobacco as a gay health issue. Targeting is a key aspect of corporate-community interaction. A better understanding of targeting may aid public health efforts to counter corporate disease promotion.

First-Person Perspectives on Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA): A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Roush, Sean; Monica, Corbett; Carpenter-Song, Elizabeth; Drake, Robert E

2015-01-01

People with dually diagnosed substance abuse and mental illnesses often feel alienated at traditional 12-step meetings, yet they need the peer support provided by such groups. Dual Diagnosis Anonymous (DDA) is a peer-support program specifically for people with co-occurring disorders, which addresses many of the factors that members find alienating about traditional 12-step groups. This study aimed to elicit first-person perspectives on DDA. Occupational therapy students conducted 13 focus groups with 106 DDA members in three settings: the community (6 groups, n = 36), correctional facilities (5 groups, n = 53), and the state psychiatric hospital (2 groups, n = 17). Researchers inductively analyzed focus group transcripts to identify prominent themes. The vast majority of participants were between the ages of 18 and 49 (n = 87, 82.1%) and were non-Hispanic/White (n = 82, 77.4%). Most participants had been using substances for more than 10 years and had a diagnosed mental illness for more than 10 years. The most common substance of choice among those in the community and corrections setting was multiple substances, while those in the state hospital identified alcohol most often. Bipolar disorder was the most common mental illness diagnosis among participants in the state hospital, but depression and anxiety were the two most common diagnoses in the community and corrections participants. Four primary themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) feeling accepted by others in the group, (2) understanding the interactive nature of dual disorders, (3) the open discussions in DDA meetings, and (4) a focus on hope and recovery from both illnesses. DDA provides a helpful alternative for individuals who do not feel comfortable at traditional 12-step groups due to their mental illness. Members value the acceptance, understanding, discussion, and hope in DDA meetings.

Perceived impact of human subjects protection training on community partners in community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Hawley, Nancy C; Wieland, Mark L; Weis, Jennifer A; Sia, Irene G

2014-01-01

Human subjects protection training (HSPT) is a requirement of institutional review boards (IRBs) for individuals who engage in research. The lack of HSPT among community partners may contribute to power imbalance between community and academic members of community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships. The Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP) is an established CBPR partnership in Minnesota that works primarily with immigrant and refugee populations. We sought to describe the implementation and evaluation of HSPT among community members of a CBPR partnership. Seven community partners participated in HSPT through adaptation of an existing institutional program. Evaluation of program acceptability was measured through a 5-item survey (5-point Likert scales). A focus group with all seven participants was conducted to evaluate the impact of training on perceptions of research, characteristics of a successful program, and potential value of training to CBPR partnerships. Coding and inductive analysis were done on the transcript with NVIVO-9 software. The HSPT program was highly acceptable (mean score, 4.5 ± 0.2). Focus groups revealed that training implementation should be done as a cohesive group with the opportunity to discuss concepts as they pertain to partnership projects. Training fostered an encouraging and safe environment, accommodated diverse learning styles, and promoted interaction. Participants reported improved trust in research as a result of the training. Perceived impact of the training on the CBPR partnership included improved transparency and enhanced camaraderie while establishing essential knowledge required for community leaders. HSPT is feasible among community members of a CBPR partnership, and may improve perceptions of research while strengthening capacity of partnerships to impact community health.

[Community interventions among tobacco control strategies: coping with their definition and evaluation].

PubMed

D'Elia, Paolo; Coppo, Alessandro; Di Stefano, Francesca; Charrier, Lorena; Piccinelli, Cristiano; Molinar, Roberta; Senore, Carlo; Giordano, Livia; Segnan, Nereo

2008-01-01

Community interventions represent a key component of the current anti-smoking strategies. We propose a conceptual framework for classifying these interventions, based on the concept of community utilised in different studies. We identified 5 different focuses: geographical areas (i.e. city, county, region); targets (sub-group of a population); settings (school, workplace); culture and individual attitudes; multilevel networks. These two latter views refer to functional rather than to structural aspects of a community and they represent the most promising approaches to design intervention strategies. Communities are represented as a group of organizations, systems and social networks investigating individual, environmental and cultural factors that can strongly influence behavioural changes. The great heterogeneity in what the authors mean as community interventions has in our opinion affected the evaluation of their impact. To facilitate their evaluation and to contribute to the detection of determinants, as well as of barriers, it is necessary to compare community interventions sharing similar theoretical approaches and focuses. Also, studies aimed at assessing the steps of the implementation process of community programmes may allow to identify those components related to specific levels of intervention, thus enabling the generalisation of results. To reach this goal it may be helpful to combine study designs allowing for both quantitative and qualitative assessments, such as action research and participatory evaluation research.

Context matters: where would you be the least worse off in the US if you were uninsured?

PubMed

Garcia, Carolyn; Pagán, José A; Hardeman, Rachel

2010-01-01

We examined the health care access, quality, and cost experienced by uninsured Latino mothers in two communities in Minnesota and Texas. These communities differ substantially by the size of the local population without health insurance coverage. Four focus groups were conducted with uninsured Latino mothers who were caring for at least one child in their household. Seventeen mothers participated in each community. All focus groups were conducted by the same trained staff from a non-profit, community-based research organization. Uninsured Latino mothers in Minnesota rated the quality of health care services in their community to be much higher than their Texas counterparts, but were more likely to emphasize the high costs of care and health insurance coverage. Participants in Texas also described having to go to Mexico to obtain health care services. Policies making provision for health care services to the uninsured are likely to be more effective when they take into account the context or composition of each specific local health care system as well as the financial and non-financial spillovers that these uninsurance-related contexts generate.

African American Perspectives and Experiences of Domestic Violence in a Rural Community.

PubMed

Valandra; Murphy-Erby, Yvette; Higgins, Brandon M; Brown, Lucy M

2016-09-01

Relatively few studies have explored domestic violence from a multiplicity of African American perspectives, experiences, and socio-demographic backgrounds within rural African American communities. Community-based participatory action research methods were used to explore domestic violence perceptions of African Americans with heterogeneous backgrounds and experiences of violence. Ten focus groups were held throughout the community with 52 diverse women ( n = 33) and men ( n = 19) living in the northwest region of Arkansas. Demographic data were collected from 47 women ( n = 28) and men ( n = 19) participating in focus groups regarding their perceptions and experiences of domestic violence, media messages, help-seeking behaviors, and services. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Three major themes emerged, including (a) a heightened awareness of race, gender, and class differences; (b) imbalanced and mixed messages from media; and (c) multi-systemic dynamics influencing abusive behavior and relationships. Results indicate that study participants' perspectives and experiences with domestic violence reflect a complex interrelated gamut of societal, community, familial, and individual dynamics. Participant recommendations related to interpersonal dynamics, media messages, and societal influences are reported with implications for practice, policy, and future research.

Using Community Partnerships to Better Understand the Barriers to Using an Evidence-Based, Parent-Mediated Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Medicaid System.

PubMed

Pickard, Katherine E; Kilgore, Amanda N; Ingersoll, Brooke R

2016-06-01

Service use disparities have been noted to impede under-resourced families' ability to access high-quality services for their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These disparities are particularly relevant for parent-mediated interventions and may suggest a lack of fit between these interventions and the needs of under-resourced community settings. This study used Roger's Diffusion of Innovations theory to guide community partnerships aimed at understanding the perceived compatibility, complexity, and relative advantage of using an evidence-based, parent-mediated intervention (Project ImPACT) within a Medicaid system. Three focus groups were conducted with 16 Medicaid-eligible parents, and three focus groups were conducted with 16 ASD providers operating within a Medicaid system. Across all groups, parents and providers reported general interest in using Project ImPACT. However, primary themes emerged regarding the need to (a) reduce the complexity of written materials; (b) allow for a more flexible program delivery; (c) ensure a strong parent-therapist alliance; (d) involve the extended family; and (e) help families practice the intervention within their preexisting routines. Results are discussed as they relate to the design and fit of evidence-based, parent-mediated interventions for under-resourced community settings. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

Unmet health needs identified by Haitian women as priorities for attention: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Peragallo Urrutia, Rachel; Merisier, Delson; Small, Maria; Urrutia, Eugene; Tinfo, Nicole; Walmer, David K

2012-06-01

This 2009 qualitative study investigated Haitian women's most pressing health needs, barriers to meeting those needs and proposed solutions, and how they thought the community and outside organizations should be involved in addressing their needs. The impetus for the study was to get community input into the development of a Family Health Centre in Leogane, Haiti. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 52 adult women in six communities surrounding Leogane. The most pressing health needs named by the women were accessible, available and affordable health care, potable water, enough food to eat, improved economy, employment, sanitation and education, including health education. Institutional corruption, lack of infrastructure and social organization, the cost of health care, distance from services and lack of transport as barriers to care were also important themes. The involvement of foreign organizations and local community groups, including grassroots women's groups who would work in the best interests of other women, were identified as the most effective solutions. Organizations seeking to improve women's health care in Haiti should develop services and interventions that prioritize community partnership and leadership, foster partnerships with government, and focus on public health needs. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementing Professional Learning Communities in Small High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eichelkraut, Jeff P.

2017-01-01

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are collaborative teacher groups that focus on learning and continual improvement. Establishing PLCs can be a challenging endeavor, especially in smaller schools. Smaller schools employ fewer staff members, limiting opportunities for collaboration. This dissertation examined the implementation of PLCs in…

Qualitative Methods in Field Research: An Indonesian Experience in Community Based Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lysack, Catherine L.; Krefting, Laura

1994-01-01

Cross-cultural evaluation of a community-based rehabilitation project in Indonesia used three methods: focus groups, questionnaires, and key informant interviews. A continuous cyclical approach to data collection and concern for cultural sensitivity increased the rigor of the research. (SK)

Turkish University Students' Motivation to Learn English: Integration into International Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bektas-Cetinkaya, Yesim

2012-01-01

This article explores Turkish university students' motivation and orientations toward learning English in a globalizing world. The study utilizes questionnaire responses and a focus group interview. Factor analysis of questionnaire data revealed three independent orientations, namely, "Integration into International Community,"…

Components of a Comprehensive Market Research Program for Commuter Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clagett, Cragi

1999-01-01

Describes and evaluates eight elements of a comprehensive market-research program for commuter colleges: secondary research with formal environmental scanning, local business community-needs assessment; adult community-member telephone survey, classroom survey, new student survey, focus groups, brainstorming sessions, and survey of college…

A qualitative evaluation of a faith-based breast and cervical cancer screening intervention for African American women.

PubMed

Matthews, Alicia K; Berrios, Nerida; Darnell, Julie S; Calhoun, Elizabeth

2006-10-01

This article presents a formative evaluation of a CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 faith-based breast and cervical cancer early detection and prevention intervention for African American women living in urban communities. Focus groups were conducted with a sample of women (N=94) recruited from each church participating in the intervention. One focus group was conducted in each of the nine participating churches following completion of the 6-month REACH 2010 intervention. Transcribed data were coded to identify relevant themes. Key findings included (a) the acceptability of receiving cancer education within the context of a faith community, (b) the importance of pastoral input, (c) the effectiveness of personal testimonies and lay health advocates, (d) the saliency of biblical scripture in reinforcing health messages, (e) the effectiveness of multimodal learning aids, and (f) the relationship between cervical cancer and social stigma. Study findings have implications for enhancing faith-based breast and cervical cancer prevention efforts in African American communities.

"The stress will kill you": prisoner reentry as experienced by family members and the urgent need for support services.

PubMed

Grieb, Suzanne M; Crawford, Amelia; Fields, Julie; Smith, Horace; Harris, Richard; Matson, Pamela

2014-08-01

The role of incarceration and community reentry after incarceration has been studied extensively for individual and community health; however, little attention has been given to the experiences of individuals who provide support to those in reentry. Through a community-academic partnership, seven focus groups were conducted with 39 individuals supporting a family member in reentry in the summer of 2012. The primary objectives of the focus groups were to explore community experiences and perspectives regarding providing support during a family member's reentry from a period of incarceration and any desired support for themselves during this time. Five themes emerged under a metatheme of stress, indicating that family members experience acute stress as a result of family reentry that adds to the chronic stress they already endure. Programs that acknowledge the difficult role of family members as supporters during an individual's reentry and provide support to them are desperately needed.

What is the Future of Pediatric Neurology in Canada? Resident and Faculty Perceptions of Training and Workforce Issues.

PubMed

Doja, Asif; Clarkin, Chantalle; Whiting, Sharon; Moharir, Mahendranath

2016-07-01

Pediatric neurology trainee numbers have grown considerably in Canada; recent research, however, has shown that the number of pediatric neurology graduates is outpacing the need for future pediatric neurologists. The purpose of this study was to seek the opinion of pediatric neurology program directors and trainees regarding possible solutions for this issue. Two focus groups were convened during the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation annual congress in June 2012; one consisted of current and former program directors, and the other of current pediatric neurology trainees. Groups were asked for their perceptions regarding child neurology manpower issues in Canada as well as possible solutions. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis. Theme-based qualitative analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Major themes emerging from both focus groups included the emphasis on community pediatric neurology as a viable option for trainees, including the need for community mentors; recognizing the needs of underserviced areas; and establishing academic positions for community preceptors. The need for career mentoring and support structures during residency training was another major theme which arose. Program directors and trainees also gave examples of ways to reduce the current oversupply of trainees in Canada, including limiting the number of trainees entering programs, as well as creating a long-term vision of child neurology in Canada. A nationwide dialogue to discuss the supply and demand of manpower in academic and community pediatric neurology is essential. Career guidance options for pediatric neurology trainees across the country merit further strengthening.

Community pharmacists require additional support to develop capacity in delivering alcohol-related health information to older adults.

PubMed

Dare, Julie; Wilkinson, Celia; Garlepp, Michael; Lo, Johnny; Allsop, Steve

2017-08-01

This qualitative study explored the barriers and enablers influencing Western Australian (WA) community pharmacists' knowledge, confidence, willingness and practice in engaging older clients (>60 years) in alcohol-related health discussions. Two focus groups were conducted with a total of 14 community pharmacists who had previously completed a formative quantitative survey (n = 63), and indicated willingness to participate in a follow-up focus group. Focus group questions, informed by the survey results, explored participants' perceptions about barriers and enablers to delivering health information and advice about alcohol to older clients (60+ years). Shaw and colleagues' theoretical framework was used to understand barriers and enablers in relation to role legitimacy, role adequacy and role support. Participants acknowledged that providing health information about alcohol to older clients is a legitimate part of a community pharmacist's role, and most were confident performing this role in situations perceived as core to their professional practice, such as while dispensing medicines. However, many participants identified limited knowledge, skills and confidence in assisting older clients who may have alcohol issues, beyond advising them on medication and alcohol use. Structural barriers such as time and financial barriers were also identified. Routine professional practice including dispensing medicine and home medicine reviews may provide valuable opportunities to engage older clients in alcohol-related discussions. However, limited knowledge concerning appropriate strategies to assist older clients reduce their alcohol consumption, coupled with limited skills and confidence among community pharmacists in raising sensitive alcohol-related issues with clients, suggest the need for specific alcohol-related training and support. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Evolving a NASA Digital Object Identifiers System with Community Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanchoo, L.; James, N.

2016-12-01

In 2010, NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project began investigating the assignment of unique identifiers to its suite of data products being stewarded at data centers distributed across the country. This process led to the use of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) and the development of an automated system for the registration of these DOIs. Since that time, the ESDIS DOI registration system has evolved to be fully functional with over 3000 publicly accessible DOIs and over 1000 being held in reserve status until the information required for registration is obtained. The goal is to assign DOIs to the entire 7000+ data collections under ESDIS management via its network of discipline-oriented data centers. A key factor in the successful evolution of the DOI registration system has been the incorporation of community input. Over the last 3 years, ESDIS has solicited community input for making the DOI registration process more efficient through three focus groups under NASA's Earth Science Data System Working Group (ESDSWG). These groups were largely composed of DOI submitters and data curators from the 12 data centers serving user communities of various science disciplines. The suggestions from these groups were formulated into recommendations for ESDIS consideration and implementation. This poster will describe the process and the activities of each focus group, their recommendations, and how these recommendations were implemented.

Some Reasons Why Rural Workers Do Not Find Work in Tight Labor Markets: Results from Focus Groups Meetings in Rural Michigan. Staff Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moser, Colletta H.; Begashaw, Getachew W.

A study examined barriers to employment for rural Michigan residents, especially during an economic boom. Four focus groups conducted in four nonmetropolitan growth counties in Michigan indicated that educated, skilled workers were seeking to enter the labor force or to work more hours, even though community leaders, newspapers, and job developers…

Fostering supportive community connections through mothers' groups and playgroups.

PubMed

Strange, Cecily; Fisher, Colleen; Howat, Peter; Wood, Lisa

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to explore the ways that mothers' groups and playgroups support families with children aged 0-5 years and foster community connectedness in newer residential communities in Perth, Western Australia. The transition to parenthood is a time of increased support need. Changing community demography has resulted in a loss of traditional support structures and an increased need for local community initiatives to support families with young children. A qualitative descriptive design was used for this initial phase of a mixed methods sequential exploratory study. Data were collected between December 2011-August 2012. Interviews and focus groups conducted with 39 mothers provided insights from 16 mothers' groups and 13 playgroups. In addition, interviews were undertaken with three child health nurses and four local government early childhood staff. For the participants in this study, mothers' groups and playgroups provided opportunities to learn about parenting, to build a supportive network, to forge friendships and a connectedness to the local community. The families who relocated often experienced isolation until new groups and social networks were found. In general, where participation in mothers' groups and playgroups facilitated relationships with others from the local community, connectedness to that community was reported by participants to be enhanced. Mothers' groups and playgroups provide important community development opportunities and appear to help reduce potential isolation for mothers with young children. The findings are of interest to nurses and other health professionals working with families with young children. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Online Discovery and Mapping of Great Lakes Climate Change Education and Scientific Research Activities: Building an Online Collaborative Learning Community of Scientists and Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuddenham, P.; Bishop, K.; Walters, H.; Carley, S.

2011-12-01

The Great Lakes Climate Change Science and Education Systemic Network (GLCCSESN) project is an NSF-funded CCEP program awarded to Eastern Michigan University in 2010. The College of Exploration is one of the project partners and has conducted a series of online surveys, workshop and focus group to identify a wide range of organizations, individuals, resources and needs related to climate change education and research activities in and about the Great Lakes Region and to provide information about climate change science to the education community. One of the first steps taken to build this community was to build a web site that features a dynamic online map of individuals and organizations concerned about climate change as well as interested in resources and activities specific to the Great Lakes. Individuals and organizations have been, and are still, invited to put themselves on the map at http://greatlakesclimate.org This map of the Great Lakes region provides both a visual representation of activities and resources as well as a database of climate change activities. This map will grow over time as more people and organizations put themselves on the map. The use of online technologies has helped broaden the participation and representation in the GLCCSESN from all states/provinces in the Great Lakes region, encouraging diverse audiences and stakeholders, including scientists, educators, and journalists, etc.to engage with the project. In the fall of 2011 a combined online professional development workshop and focus group is planned. Educators and scientists working on climate change studies and issues related to the Great Lakes will be sharing their work and expertise in an online workshop and focus group. Following the professional development activity a focus group will be conducted online using a model developed as part of a NSF funded COSEE project. The focus group purpose is to review current educational resources and to identify gaps and needs for further educational programs, materials and resources. The online format will encourage and support widespread participation across the Great Lakes region. Data from the needs assessment surveys will provide a foundation for online focus group discussion questions.

Willingness to Participate in HIV Vaccine Trials among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Chennai and Mumbai, India: A Social Ecological Approach

PubMed Central

Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Newman, Peter A.; Singhal, Neeti; Jerajani, Jhalak; Shunmugam, Murali

2012-01-01

Background Recruitment of low- and middle-income country volunteers from most-at-risk populations in HIV vaccine trials is essential to vaccine development. In India, men who have sex with men (MSM) are at disproportionately high risk for HIV infection and an important population for trial recruitment. Investigations of willingness to participate (WTP) in HIV vaccine trials have focused predominantly on individual-level determinants. We explored multi-level factors associated with WTP among MSM in India. Methods We conducted 12 focus groups (n = 68) with low socioeconomic MSM in Chennai and Mumbai, and 14 key informant interviews with MSM community leaders and service providers. Focus groups/interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Two bilingual investigators conducted thematic analysis using line-by-line coding and a constant comparative method, with member-checking by community representatives. Results Factors associated with WTP were evidenced across the social ecology of MSM–social-structural: poverty, HIV-, sexual- and gender non-conformity stigma, institutionalized discrimination and government sponsorship of trials; community-level: endorsement by MSM community leaders and organizations, and fear of within-group discrimination; interpersonal: anticipated family discord, partner rejection, having financially-dependent family members and disclosure of same-sex sexuality; and individual-level: HIV vaccine trial knowledge and misconceptions, safety concerns, altruism and preventive misconception. Conclusion Pervasive familial, community and social-structural factors characteristic of the Indian sociocultural context may complicate individual-focused approaches to WTP and thereby constrain the effectiveness of interventions to support recruitment and retention in HIV vaccine trials. Interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination against MSM and people living with HIV, capacity-building of MSM community organizations and transparent communications tailored to the knowledge and educational level of local communities may support meaningful engagement of MSM in HIV vaccine trials. Vigilance in providing fair but not excessive compensation and healthcare benefits and in mitigating preventive misconception are warranted to support ethical conduct of trials among MSM in India. PMID:23226560

'No one agrees except for those of us who have it': endometriosis patients as an epistemological community.

PubMed

Whelan, Emma

2007-11-01

This paper contributes to the literature on patients' claims-making work by analysing the epistemological strategies and standards used by members of an endometriosis patient community. It draws upon focus group research with members of a support group for endometriosis sufferers, and an open-ended survey of an e-mail list for women with the disease. Lynn Hankinson Nelson's (1993) concept of epistemological community is used to examine standards and practices for developing and evaluating knowledge used by women with endometriosis. Particular attention is paid to the use and centrality of the notion of experience within this community.

A Study of Primary Teachers Participating in Professional Learning Communities with a Focus on Brain Compatible Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachman, Karen S.

2012-01-01

This dissertation is the result of research which examined the implementation of professional learning communities in a primary school. Professional learning communities or PLCs are groups of educators coming together collaboratively in a process of inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. While there were…

PlainTalk Starter Kit: A Practical Guide to Community-Based Programming To Reduce Teen Pregnancy, STDs and HIV/AIDS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Elaine

Plain Talk is a community-based initiative designed to assist neighborhood groups and residents in creating and implementing locally acceptable and effective strategies to protect sexually active youth from pregnancy. Plain Talk aims to affect individual, neighborhood, and community behavior through a process that focuses on helping adults develop…

Documentary Photography: Cognitive Dimensionality of Selected Photographs and Community Perceptions in a Coorientation Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, James W.; Foushee, Richard E.

A term project for a journalism course in documentary photography (the proposal for which is cited in ED 177 560) centered on photographically documenting a rural community and measuring its symbolic sociodramas. The focus of the project was to determine how various community groups interpreted a given set of photographs selected to represent a…

Community and family perspectives on addressing overweight in urban, African-American youth.

PubMed

Burnet, Deborah L; Plaut, Andrea J; Ossowski, Kathryn; Ahmad, Afshan; Quinn, Michael T; Radovick, Sally; Gorawara-Bhat, Rita; Chin, Marshall H

2008-02-01

To assess weight-related beliefs and concerns of overweight urban, African-American children, their parents, and community leaders before developing a family-based intervention to reduce childhood overweight and diabetes risk. We conducted 13 focus groups with overweight children and their parents and eight semistructured interviews with community leaders. Focus group participants (N = 67) from Chicago's South Side were recruited through flyers in community sites. Interview participants (N = 9) were recruited to sample perspectives from health, fitness, education, civics, and faith leaders. Community leaders felt awareness was higher for acute health conditions than for obesity. Parents were concerned about their children's health, but felt stressed by competing priorities and constrained by lack of knowledge, parenting skills, time, and financial resources. Parents defined overweight in functional terms, whereas children relied upon physical appearances. Children perceived negative social consequences of overweight. Parents and children expressed interest in family-based interventions to improve nutrition and physical activity and offered suggestions for making programs interesting. This study provides insights into the perspectives of urban, African-American overweight children, their parents, and community leaders regarding nutrition and physical activity. The specific beliefs of these respondents can become potential leverage points in interventions.

PCBs in schools--where communities and science come together.

PubMed

Osterberg, David; Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen

2016-02-01

A novel aspect of the 8th International PCB Workshop at Woods Hole, MA, was the interaction between scientists and activists. While earlier workshops in this series had mentioned policy making, this Workshop focused on the problem of PCBs in schools. Focus on a problem brought an activist to give a plenary talk and facilitated a 1-day registration for other non-scientists to attend. The workshop was cohosted by the Superfund Research Programs at University of Iowa and Boston University and included active participation of each Program's Research Translation and Community Engagement Cores. A mandate of each National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS)-funded Superfund Research Program is bidirectional communication between scientists and community groups. The authors describe the events leading up to community involvement in the Workshop and the substance of the community engagement aspects of the workshop, in particular the participation by a parent-teacher group, Malibu Unites. The authors also discuss the value of such communication in terms of making important research accessible to those who are most affected by the results and poised to use it and the value of making scientists aware of the important role they play in society in addressing difficult questions that originate in community settings.

Perceptions of Cancer Care and Clinical Trials in the Black Community: Implications for Care Coordination Between Oncology and Primary Care Teams.

PubMed

Sprague Martinez, Linda; Freeman, Elmer R; Winkfield, Karen M

2017-09-01

Despite efforts to ameliorate disparities in cancer care and clinical trials, barriers persist. As part of a multiphase community-engaged assessment, an exploratory community-engaged research partnership, forged between an academic hospital and a community-based organization, set out to explore perceptions of cancer care and cancer clinical trials by black Bostonians. Key informant interviews with health care providers and patient advocates in community health centers (CHCs), organizers from grassroots coalitions focused on cancer, informed the development of a focus group protocol. Six focus groups were conducted with black residents in Boston, including groups of cancer survivors and family members. Transcripts were coded thematically and a code-based report was generated and analyzed by community and academic stakeholders. While some participants identified clinical trials as beneficial, overall perceptions conjured feelings of fear and exploitation. Participants describe barriers to clinical trial participation in the context of cancer care experiences, which included negative interactions with providers and mistrust. Primary care physicians (PCPs) reported being levied as a trusted resource for patients undergoing care, but lamented the absence of a mechanism by which to gain information about cancer care and clinical trials. Confusion about cancer care and clinical trials persists, even among individuals who have undergone treatment for cancer. Greater coordination between PCPs and CHC care teams and oncology care teams may improve patient experiences with cancer care, while also serving as a mechanism to disseminate information about treatment options and clinical trials. Inequities in cancer care and clinical trial participation persist. The findings of this study indicate that greater coordination with primary care physicians (PCPs) and community health center (CHC) providers may be an important step for both improving the quality of cancer care in communities and increasing awareness of clinical trials. However, PCPs and CHCs are often stretched to capacity with caring for their communities. This leaves the oncology community well positioned to create programs to bridge the communication gaps and provide resources necessary to support oncologic care along the cancer continuum, from prevention through survivorship. © AlphaMed Press 2017.

Identifying Children with Intellectual Disabilities in the Tribal Population of Barwani District in State of Madhya Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Lakhan, Ram; Mawson, Anthony R

2016-05-01

Low-and middle-income countries (LAMI) lack an integrated and systematic approach to identify people with intellectual disabilities. Screening surveys are considered resource-intensive; therefore, alternative approaches are needed. This study attempted to identify children up to age 18 years with intellectual disabilities through a mixed-method approach involving focus group interviews (FGIs) and door-to-door surveys. Focus groups were conducted with the assistance and involvement of local leaders in four villages of Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh with a 99% tribal population in all four villages. A formal survey of the community was then conducted to determine the prevalence of intellectual disabilities based on a standardized screening instrument (NIMH-DDS). Thirty focus group interviews were conducted involving 387 participants (males 284, females 103) over a period of 13 days. The entire adult population (N = 8797) was then surveyed for intellectual disabilities using a standardized screening instrument. The data revealed a close similarity in the prevalence rates of intellectual disabilities, as determined by the two approaches (Focus Group Interviews, 5.22/1000 versus Survey, 5.57/1000). A qualitative method using FGIs successfully identified people with intellectual disabilities in an economically deprived tribal area, showing that a community-based approach provides a close estimate of intellectual disabilities based on a formal survey using standard diagnostic criteria. These data suggest that FGI, along with other qualitative data, could be helpful in designing and in serving as an entree for community-based interventions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Utility of the Memorable Messages Framework as an Intermediary Evaluation Tool for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in a Nutrition Education Program.

PubMed

Davis, LaShara A; Morgan, Susan E; Mobley, Amy R

2016-06-01

Additional strategies to evaluate the impact of community nutrition education programs on low-income individuals are needed. The objective of this qualitative study was to examine the use of the Memorable Messages Framework as an intermediary nutrition education program evaluation tool to determine what fruit and vegetable messages were reported as memorable and the characteristics of those memorable messages. A convenience sample of low-income, primarily African American adults (N = 58) who previously completed a series of community nutrition education lessons within an urban area of Indiana participated in a focus group (N = 8 focus groups). A lead moderator using a semistructured script conducted the focus groups to determine what information about fruits and vegetables was most memorable from the participants' nutrition lessons and why this information was memorable. All focus group audiotapes were transcribed verbatim and ATLAS.ti software was used to code and identify themes within the data. Participants cited quantity, variety, and the positive nutritional impact of eating fruits and vegetables as most memorable. Information given in the form of recipes was also cited as most memorable. For example, participants referred to the recipe demonstrations as not only fun but also key components of the program that helped with message retention and memorability. Key characteristics of memorable messages included personal relevance and message vividness. These findings indicated that the Memorable Messages Framework may serve as an intermediary program evaluation tool to identify what information and messages are most influential to participants in community nutrition education programs. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Community Engagement to Optimize the Use of Web-Based and Wearable Technology in a Cardiovascular Health and Needs Assessment Study: A Mixed Methods Approach.

PubMed

Yingling, Leah R; Brooks, Alyssa T; Wallen, Gwenyth R; Peters-Lawrence, Marlene; McClurkin, Michael; Cooper-McCann, Rebecca; Wiley, Kenneth L; Mitchell, Valerie; Saygbe, Johnetta N; Johnson, Twanda D; Curry, Rev Kendrick E; Johnson, Allan A; Graham, Avis P; Graham, Lennox A; Powell-Wiley, Tiffany M

2016-04-25

Resource-limited communities in Washington, D.C. have high rates of obesity-related cardiovascular disease in addition to inadequate physical activity (PA) facilities and limited Internet access. Engaging community members in the design and implementation of studies to address these health disparities is essential to the success of community-based PA interventions. The objective of the study was to use qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of PA-monitoring wristbands and Web-based technology by predominantly African American, church-based populations in resource-limited Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. To address cardiovascular health in at-risk populations in Washington, D.C., we joined community leaders to establish a community advisory board, the D.C. Cardiovascular Health and Obesity Collaborative (D.C. CHOC). As their first initiative, the Washington, D.C. Cardiovascular Health and Needs Assessment intends to evaluate cardiovascular health, social determinants of health, and PA-monitoring technologies. At the recommendation of D.C. CHOC members, we conducted a focus group and piloted the proposed PA-monitoring system with community members representing churches that would be targeted by the Cardiovascular Health and Needs Assessment. Participants (n=8) agreed to wear a PA-monitoring wristband for two weeks and to log cardiovascular health factors on a secure Internet account. Wristbands collected accelerometer-based data that participants uploaded to a wireless hub at their church. Participants agreed to return after two weeks to participate in a moderated focus group to share experiences using this technology. Feasibility was measured by Internet account usage, wristband utilization, and objective PA data. Acceptability was evaluated through thematic analysis of verbatim focus group transcripts. Study participants (5 males, 3 females) were African American and age 28-70 years. Participant wristbands recorded data on 10.1±1.6 days. Two participants logged cardiovascular health factors on the website. Focus group transcripts revealed that participants felt positively about incorporating the device into their church-based populations, given improvements were made to device training, hub accessibility, and device feedback. PA-monitoring wristbands for objectively measuring PA appear to be a feasible and acceptable technology in Washington, D.C., resource-limited communities. User preferences include immediate device feedback, hands-on device training, explicit instructions, improved central hub accessibility, and designation of a church member as a trained point-of-contact. When implementing technology-based interventions in resource-limited communities, engaging the targeted community may aid in early identification of issues, suggestions, and preferences. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01927783; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01927783 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6f8wL117u).

Barriers, Motivations, and Preferences for Physical Activity Among Female African American Older Adults.

PubMed

Gothe, Neha P; Kendall, Bradley J

2016-01-01

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 11% of adults more than the age of 65 meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Among minority populations, only 5% of non-Hispanic Black older adults met the guidelines. Given our limited understanding of psychosocial and environmental factors that affect physical activity participation in these groups, the purpose of our focus groups was to investigate barriers, motivators, and preferences of physical activity for community-dwelling African American older adults. Three focus groups were conducted with female African American older adults ( N = 20). Questions posed to each focus group targeted motivations and barriers toward physical activity as well as their preferences for physical activity. The motivations included perceived health benefits of physical activity, social support, and enjoyment associated with engagement in physical activity. Prominent barriers included time and physical limitations, peer pressure and family responsibilities, and weather and poor neighborhood conditions. Group activities involving a dance component and novel exercises such as tai-chi or yoga were preferred choices. These findings should be taken into consideration when designing and implementing research or community physical activity programs for female African American older adults.

Professional Learning Communities: The Emergence of Vulnerability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Jennifer

2013-01-01

This case study focuses on 11 individual teachers who participate in three distinct professional learning communities (PLCs) within one school. A PLC is "a group of people who take an active, reflective, collaborative, learning-orientated, and growth promoting approach toward the mysteries, problems, and perplexities of teaching and…

Development and evaluation of a Chinese-language newborn feeding hotline: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Janssen, Patricia A; Livingstone, Verity H; Chang, Bruce; Klein, Michael C

2009-01-29

Preference for formula versus breast feeding among women of Chinese descent remains a concern in North America. The goal of this study was to develop an intervention targeting Chinese immigrant mothers to increase their rates of exclusive breastfeeding. We convened a focus group of immigrant women of Chinese descent in Vancouver, British Columbia to explore preferences for method of infant feeding. We subsequently surveyed 250 women of Chinese descent to validate focus group findings. Using a participatory approach, our focus group participants reviewed survey findings and developed a priority list for attributes of a community-based intervention to support exclusive breastfeeding in the Chinese community. The authors and focus group participants worked as a team to plan, implement and evaluate a Chinese language newborn feeding information telephone service staffed by registered nurses fluent in Chinese languages. Participants in the focus group reported a strong preference for formula feeding. Telephone survey results revealed that while pregnant Chinese women understood the benefits of breastfeeding, only 20.8% planned to breastfeed exclusively. Only 15.6% were breastfeeding exclusively at two months postpartum. After implementation of the feeding hotline, 20% of new Chinese mothers in Vancouver indicated that they had used the hotline. Among these women, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was 44.1%; OR 3.02, (95% CI 1.78-5.09) compared to women in our survey. Initiation of a language-specific newborn feeding telephone hotline reached a previously underserved population and may have contributed to improved rates of exclusive breastfeeding.

Sing Your Lungs Out: a qualitative study of a community singing group for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

PubMed Central

McNaughton, Amanda; Aldington, Sarah; Williams, Gayle; Levack, William M M

2016-01-01

Objective To explore the ways in which participation in a community singing group contributed to the health and well-being of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design Qualitative description, based on transcripts from individual interviews and a focus group meeting with people with COPD participating in the singing group, regarding their experience. Setting Urban community, Wellington, New Zealand. Participants 23 people (13 women and 10 men), 51–91 years with COPD (21) or interstitial lung disease (2). Results The weekly singing group was a well-attended activity, with self-reported benefits to health and well-being. 4 key themes were identified: being in the ‘right space’, connection, purpose and growth, and participation in a meaningful physical activity. Conclusions This study helps us to better understand how participation in a community singing group can benefit the health and well-being of patients with COPD. Trial registration number ACTRN12615000736549; Results. PMID:27650768

Yeast Communities of Diverse Drosophila Species: Comparison of Two Symbiont Groups in the Same Hosts

PubMed Central

Eisen, Jonathan A.; Kopp, Artyom

2012-01-01

The combination of ecological diversity with genetic and experimental tractability makes Drosophila a powerful model for the study of animal-associated microbial communities. Despite the known importance of yeasts in Drosophila physiology, behavior, and fitness, most recent work has focused on Drosophila-bacterial interactions. In order to get a more complete understanding of the Drosophila microbiome, we characterized the yeast communities associated with different Drosophila species collected around the world. We focused on the phylum Ascomycota because it constitutes the vast majority of the Drosophila-associated yeasts. Our sampling strategy allowed us to compare the distribution and structure of the yeast and bacterial communities in the same host populations. We show that yeast communities are dominated by a small number of abundant taxa, that the same yeast lineages are associated with different host species and populations, and that host diet has a greater effect than host species on yeast community composition. These patterns closely parallel those observed in Drosophila bacterial communities. However, we do not detect a significant correlation between the yeast and bacterial communities of the same host populations. Comparative analysis of different symbiont groups provides a more comprehensive picture of host-microbe interactions. Future work on the role of symbiont communities in animal physiology, ecological adaptation, and evolution would benefit from a similarly holistic approach. PMID:22885750

Bringing Bike Share to a Low-Income Community: Lessons Learned Through Community Engagement, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011

PubMed Central

Johnson, David C.; Smith, William P.

2013-01-01

Background High prevalence of physical inactivity contributes to adverse health outcomes. Active transportation (cycling or walking) is associated with better health outcomes, and bike-sharing programs can help communities increase use of active transportation. Community Context The Minneapolis Health Department funded the Nice Ride Minnesota bike share system to expand to the Near North community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Near North is a diverse, low-income area of the city where residents experience health disparities, including disparities in physical activity levels. Methods The installation of new bike share kiosks in Near North resulted in an environmental change to support physical activity. Community engagement was conducted pre-intervention only and consisted of focus groups, community meetings, and interviews. Postintervention data on bike share trips and subscribers were collected to assess intervention effectiveness. Outcome Focus group participants offered insights on facilitators and barriers to bike share and suggested system improvements. Community engagement efforts showed that Near North residents were positive about Nice Ride and wanted to use the system; however, the numbers of trips and subscriptions in Near North were low. Interpretation Results show that the first season of the expansion was moderately successful in improving outreach efforts and adapting bike share to meet the needs of low-income populations. However, environmental change without adequate, ongoing community engagement may not be sufficient to result in behavior change. PMID:23948339

A Comparative Analysis between Researchers, Innovative Practitioners, and Department Chairs of Critical Issues for Turnaround Leadership in Community College Instructional Programs and Services 2010 and beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basham, Matthew J.; Campbell, Dale F.

2011-01-01

The Community College Futures Assembly has met annually in Orlando, Florida since 1995 to serve as a showcase for best practices in community colleges as well as a think tank for research into the critical issues facing community colleges. Select conference attendees would have the opportunity to participate in focus groups with respect to…

Preparing nursing students for the future: Development and implementation of an Australian Bachelor of Nursing programme with a community health focus.

PubMed

Cooper, Simon; Cant, Robyn; Browning, Mark; Robinson, Eddie

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on changes in the educational preparation of undergraduate nurses in line with contemporary primary and preventative healthcare models. We evaluated a new Australian nursing and community care degree programme using focus groups with 38 students in their first years of study, and quantitative performance data (regarding entry, performance and course attrition). Four main themes were identified related to students' course experience: 'I think community health should be an elective'; 'Focus on relevance to practice'; 'Teaching by non-nursing academics' and 'Access to support during transition to university.' Overall pass rates were 94% (first year) and 97% (second year) with a low 11% attrition rate. We conclude that based on prior experiences and stereotypical views, students may be ambivalent about the inclusion of primary and preventative care models which nevertheless are essential to enhance practice and to prepare the future nursing workforce.

Using CBPR for Health Research in American Muslim Mosque Communities: Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Killawi, Amal; Heisler, Michele; Hamid, Hamada; Padela, Aasim I.

2015-01-01

Background American Muslims are understudied in health research, and there are few studies documenting community-based participatory research (CBPR) efforts among American Muslim mosque communities. Objectives We highlight lessons learned from a CBPR partnership that explored the health care beliefs, behaviors, and challenges of American Muslims. Methods We established a collaboration between the University of Michigan and four Muslim-focused community organizations in Michigan. Our collaborative team designed and implemented a two-phase study involving interviews with community stakeholders and focus groups and surveys with mosque congregants. Lessons Learned Although we were successful in meeting our research goals, maintaining community partner involvement and sustaining the project partnership proved challenging. Conclusions CBPR initiatives within mosque communities have the potential for improving community health. Our experience suggests that successful research partnerships with American Muslims will utilize social networks and cultural insiders, culturally adapt research methods, and develop a research platform within the organizational infrastructures of the American Muslim community. PMID:25981426

Community-Level Social Support Responses in a Slow-Motion Technological Disaster: The Case of Libby, Montana

PubMed Central

Orom, Heather; Berry-Bobovski, Lisa; Hernandez, Tanis; Black, C. Brad; Schwartz, Ann G.; Ruckdeschel, John C.

2013-01-01

Social support is an important resource for communities experiencing disasters. However, a disaster's nature (rapid- versus slow-onset, natural versus technological) may influence community-level responses. Disaster research on social support focuses primarily on rapid-onset natural disasters and, to a lesser extent, rapid-onset technological disasters. Little research has addressed slow-onset disasters. This study explores social support processes in Libby, MT, a community experiencing a “slow-motion technological disaster” due to widespread amphibole asbestos exposure. A comprehensive social support coding system was applied to focus-group and in-depth-interview transcripts. Results reveal that, although the community has a history of normative supportiveness during community and individual crises, that norm has been violated in the asbestos disaster context. Results are interpreted as a failure to achieve an “emergent altruistic community.” Specifically, community-level conflict appears to interfere with previously established social support patterns. The observed phenomenon can be understood as the deterioration of a previously supportive community. PMID:20526664

Community-level social support responses in a slow-motion technological disaster: the case of Libby, Montana.

PubMed

Cline, Rebecca J W; Orom, Heather; Berry-Bobovski, Lisa; Hernandez, Tanis; Black, C Brad; Schwartz, Ann G; Ruckdeschel, John C

2010-09-01

Social support is an important resource for communities experiencing disasters. However, a disaster's nature (rapid- versus slow-onset, natural versus technological) may influence community-level responses. Disaster research on social support focuses primarily on rapid-onset natural disasters and, to a lesser extent, rapid-onset technological disasters. Little research has addressed slow-onset disasters. This study explores social support processes in Libby, MT, a community experiencing a "slow-motion technological disaster" due to widespread amphibole asbestos exposure. A comprehensive social support coding system was applied to focus-group and in-depth-interview transcripts. Results reveal that, although the community has a history of normative supportiveness during community and individual crises, that norm has been violated in the asbestos disaster context. Results are interpreted as a failure to achieve an "emergent altruistic community." Specifically, community-level conflict appears to interfere with previously established social support patterns. The observed phenomenon can be understood as the deterioration of a previously supportive community.

Profiles, perceptions and motivations of Community Health Workers of NGOs in a border city of US-Mexico.

PubMed

Alfaro-Trujillo, Beatriz; Valles-Medina, Ana M; Vargas-Ojeda, Adriana C

2012-06-01

To analyze the profile, perceptions and motivations of Community Health Workers (CHWs) from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the border city of US-Mexico and to describe the type of community interventions they perform. we surveyed 121 CHWs from 9 NGOs participating in a monthly meeting between May and July of 2009. Each participating CHW answered a structured questionnaire. Furthermore, two focus groups were held, in which 10 and 8 CHWs participated, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out on the data obtained. 70% of the CHWs had 9 years or less of formal education. With respect to community work, 61% volunteered between 1 and 5 h weekly; only 40% received some form of economic support. The most commonly reported activities were distribution of informational materials (59.5%) and promotion of health fairs (52.9%). Analysis of focus group discussions lead to the development of four conceptual categories: personal development, motivation, perception of their community participation and institutional relationship, some of the testimonies are "…just because the people do not respond does not mean we give up. No, we must work, persist, promote and raise awareness of the people…", "…when they compensate us, it is not really a payment. We are there because we get results, we do it happily… It is voluntary…" CHWs are an important human resource for communities. Institutions focusing on primary care should view these community players as social capital, which could improve the effectiveness of prevention strategies and achieve greater coverage of health services.

A qualitative evaluation of strategies to increase colorectal cancer screening uptake

PubMed Central

Tinmouth, Jill; Ritvo, Paul; McGregor, S. Elizabeth; Claus, Danielle; Pasut, George; Myers, Ronald E.; Guglietti, Crissa; Paszat, Lawrence F.; Hilsden, Robert J.; Rabeneck, Linda

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective To obtain data that could be used to optimize the content and design of the targeted, mailed invitations that Ontario’s provincewide colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program plans to use to increase screening uptake; to identify other strategies to increase CRC screening uptake; and to describe the effects of this qualitative work on a subsequent quantitative pilot study. Design Qualitative study using semistructured focus groups. Setting Four different Ontario communities. Participants Six focus groups comprising a total of 62 participants. Methods Six focus groups were conducted in 4 different Ontario communities. For 3 of the communities, participants were recruited from the general population by a private marketing firm, using random-digit dialing, and received a small honorarium for participating. In Sault Ste Marie, participants were convenience samples recruited from a large primary care practice and were not offered compensation. Responses were elicited regarding various strategies for promoting CRC screening. Findings represent all responses observed as well as recommendations to program planners based on focus groups observations. Main findings Key themes identified included the importance of receiving a CRC screening invitation from one’s family physician; a desire for personalized, brief communications; and a preference for succinct information in mailed materials. Strong support was indicated for direct mailing of the CRC screening kit (fecal occult blood test). Our findings substantially influenced the final design and content of the envelope and letter to be mailed in the subsequent quantitative pilot study. Conclusion We report strong support from our focus groups for a succinct, personalized invitation for CRC screening from one’s own family physician. We have also shown that qualitative evaluation can be used to provide decision makers with pertinent and timely knowledge. Our study is highly relevant to other public health programs, particularly other Canadian jurisdictions planning organized CRC screening programs. PMID:21322288

The $5 Man: The Underground Economic Response to a Large Cigarette Tax Increase in New York City

PubMed Central

Shelley, Donna; Cantrell, M. Jennifer; Moon-Howard, Joyce; Ramjohn, Destiny Q.; VanDevanter, Nancy

2007-01-01

Objectives. We examined the mechanisms by which living in a disadvantaged minority community influences smoking and illegal cigarette sale and purchasing behaviors after a large cigarette tax increase. Methods. Data were collected from 14 focus groups (n=104) that were conducted during the spring of 2003 among Blacks aged 18 years and older living in New York City. Results. A large tax increase led to what focus group participants described as a pervasive illegal cigarette market in a low-income minority community. Perceived pro-smoking community norms, a stressful social and economic environment, and the availability of illegal cigarettes worked together to reinforce smoking and undermine cessation. Conclusions. Although interest in quitting was high, bootleggers created an environment in which reduced-price cigarettes were easier to access than cessation services. This activity continues to undermine the public health goals of the tax increase. PMID:17600270

The role of public schools in HIV prevention: perspectives from African Americans in the rural South.

PubMed

Lloyd, Stacey W; Ferguson, Yvonne Owens; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Ellison, Arlinda; Blumenthal, Connie; Council, Barbara J; Youmans, Selena; Muhammad, Melvin R; Wynn, Mysha; Adimora, Adaora; Akers, Aletha

2012-02-01

Though African-American youth in the South are at high risk for HIV infection, abstinence until marriage education continues to be the only option in some public schools. Using community-based participatory research methods, we conducted 11 focus groups with African-American adults and youth in a rural community in North Carolina with high rates of HIV infection with marked racial disparities. Focus group discussions explored participant views on contributors to the elevated rates of HIV and resources available to reduce transmission. Participants consistently identified the public schools' sex education policies and practices as major barriers toward preventing HIV infection among youth in their community. Ideas for decreasing youth's risk of HIV included public schools providing access to health services and sex education. Policymakers, school administrators, and other stakeholders should consider the public school setting as a place to provide HIV prevention education for youth in rural areas.

Planting Seeds to Grow Healthy Children: Strategic Community Partnerships.

PubMed

Alicea-Planas, Jessica; Sullivan, Kelly; Tran, Hang; Cruz, Anna

2018-02-01

More than one third of U.S adults are considered obese, and childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Food security can influence obesity, in particular, within inner cities where access to healthy food is often limited. The use of a mobile food truck program (with refrigeration) was implemented in two large inner cities in Connecticut as part of an initiative aimed at helping low-income families with young children gain access to healthy food and nutrition education. Collaborating with community child care centers was used. The experiences of the families who participated in the program were assessed via focus groups. Main ideas derived from the focus groups were participant satisfaction with money saving suggestions, ideas for how to make healthier choices, and excitement about opportunities to receive foods that they would not normally buy. This innovative mobile food truck program demonstrated the value of strategic community partnerships to influence health.

“If You Know You Exist, It’s Just Marketing Poison”: Meanings of Tobacco Industry Targeting in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community

PubMed Central

Smith, Elizabeth A.; Thomson, Katherine; Offen, Naphtali; Malone, Ruth E.

2008-01-01

In the public health literature, it is generally assumed that the perception of “targeting” as positive or negative by the targeted audience depends on the product or message being promoted. Smoking prevalence rates are high among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, but little is known about how they perceive tobacco industry targeting. We conducted focus groups with LGBT individuals in 4 US cities to explore their perceptions. Our findings indicated that focus group participants often responded positively to tobacco company targeting. Targeting connoted community visibility, legitimacy, and economic viability. Participants did not view tobacco as a gay health issue. Targeting is a key aspect of corporate–community interaction. A better understanding of targeting may aid public health efforts to counter corporate disease promotion. PMID:18445800

The Fungal Biome of the Oral Cavity.

PubMed

Chandra, Jyotsna; Retuerto, Mauricio; Mukherjee, Pranab K; Ghannoum, Mahmoud

2016-01-01

Organisms residing in the oral cavity (oral microbiota) contribute to health and disease, and influence diseases like gingivitis, periodontitis, and oral candidiasis (the most common oral complication of HIV-infection). These organisms are also associated with cancer and other systemic diseases including upper respiratory infections. There is limited knowledge regarding how oral microbes interact together and influence the host immune system. Characterizing the oral microbial community (oral microbiota) in health and disease represents a critical step in gaining insight into various members of this community. While most of the studies characterizing oral microbiota have focused on bacterial community, there are few encouraging studies characterizing the oral mycobiome (the fungal component of the oral microbiota). Our group recently characterized the oral mycobiome in health and disease focusing on HIV. In this chapter we will describe the methods used by our group for characterization of the oral mycobiome.

Interventional Audiology to Address Hearing Health Care Disparities: Oyendo Bien Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Marrone, Nicole; Ingram, Maia; Somoza, Maria; Jacob, Daisey Sánchez; Sanchez, Adriana; Adamovich, Stephanie; Harris, Frances P.

2017-01-01

Interventional audiology, specifically community-based outreach, can connect people with the hearing health care system. Community-based participatory research methods were applied in two phases of research to: (1) investigate the needs of families affected by hearing loss in a rural Arizona community on the U.S.–Mexico border; and (2) evaluate an outreach program on hearing health. The needs assessment included interviews with persons with hearing loss and focus groups with family members and the greater community. The needs assessment revealed that despite perceived severity of hearing loss, help-seeking for audiologic care was limited due to barriers, stigma, and low self-efficacy. Results informed development of a community-based pilot study conducted as part of an academic-community partnership between audiology, public health, and community health workers of a federally qualified health center. An outreach program, Oyendo Bien (hearing wellness), a 5-week, Spanish-language health education program for older adults (n = 21) incorporated communication strategies and behavioral change techniques. Postprogram focus groups revealed increased self-efficacy and decreased stigma. After 1 year, 7 of 9 participants with hearing loss contacted for follow-up had sought some form of hearing-related health care. Future research should further investigate interventional audiology approaches to address health disparities. PMID:28522894

Community member and faith leader perspectives on the process of building trusting relationships between communities and researchers.

PubMed

Lakes, Kimberley D; Vaughan, Elaine; Pham, Jennifer; Tran, Tuyet; Jones, Marissa; Baker, Dean; Swanson, James M; Olshansky, Ellen

2014-02-01

In the first phase of this research, we conducted, audio-recorded, and transcribed seven focus groups with more than 50 English- or Spanish-speaking women of childbearing age. Qualitative analysis revealed the following themes: (1) expectation that participation would involve relationships based on trust that is built over time and impacted by cultural factors; (2) perceived characteristics of research staff that would help facilitate the development of trusting relationships; (3) perceptions about the location of the visits that may affect trust; (4) perceptions of a research study and trust for the institution conducting the study may affect trust; (5) connecting the study to larger communities, including faith communities, could affect trust and willingness to participate. In the second phase of this research, we conducted, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed interviews with leaders from diverse faith communities to explore the potential for research partnerships between researchers and faith communities. In addition to confirming themes identified in focus groups, faith leaders described an openness to research partnerships between the university and faith communities and considerations for the formation of these partnerships. Faith leaders noted the importance of finding common ground with researchers, establishing and maintaining trusting relationships, and committing to open, bidirectional communication. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Community Member and Faith Leader Perspectives on the Process of Building Trusting Relationships between Communities and Researchers

PubMed Central

Vaughan, Elaine; Pham, Jennifer; Tran, Tuyet; Jones, Marissa; Baker, Dean; Swanson, James M.; Olshansky, Ellen

2014-01-01

Abstract In the first phase of this research, we conducted, audio‐recorded, and transcribed seven focus groups with more than 50 English‐ or Spanish‐speaking women of childbearing age. Qualitative analysis revealed the following themes: (1) expectation that participation would involve relationships based on trust that is built over time and impacted by cultural factors; (2) perceived characteristics of research staff that would help facilitate the development of trusting relationships; (3) perceptions about the location of the visits that may affect trust; (4) perceptions of a research study and trust for the institution conducting the study may affect trust; (5) connecting the study to larger communities, including faith communities, could affect trust and willingness to participate. In the second phase of this research, we conducted, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed interviews with leaders from diverse faith communities to explore the potential for research partnerships between researchers and faith communities. In addition to confirming themes identified in focus groups, faith leaders described an openness to research partnerships between the university and faith communities and considerations for the formation of these partnerships. Faith leaders noted the importance of finding common ground with researchers, establishing and maintaining trusting relationships, and committing to open, bidirectional communication. PMID:24405695

Recovering disrupted social capital: insights from Lao DPR rural villagers' perceptions of local leadership.

PubMed

Kim, Jinho; Kim, Ji-Hye; Sychareun, Vanphanom; Kang, Minah

2016-11-25

Social capital is often believed to be one of the key prerequisites for successful implementation of community-based health programs. In less-developed countries, local leaders are positioned as major players in broad community health strategies and interventions, and their capacities and roles are expected to increase in prominence in future community-health-care promotions. In this study, we examined how local leaders' capacities could be related to social capital in rural villages in Lao PDR, and thus to villagers' willingness to participate in community-based health efforts. We adopted a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews for both individuals and focus groups. In 2012, 103 people from six villages in the Khoun and Phoukoud districts participated in the interviews. For the individual interviews, we interviewed 22 mothers who had given birth in the past 5 years. For the focus groups, we interviewed 30 women (six groups), 30 men (six groups), and 21 senior villagers (five groups). First, we noted large variations in the levels of community social capital across villages: four out of six study villages showed a high level of social capital, while two villages suffered greatly from a low level of social capital. In search of the reasons for the disrupted social capital in the latter two villages, interviews revealed that failed leadership, especially in regard to local resource allocations-lack of transparency and corrupt practices-were commonly cited reasons for disrupted social capital. The data also showed that the villagers' mistrust of these failed local leaders critically reduced their willingness to participate in community-based health efforts, and especially in those that involved resource mobilization and risk-sharing for healthcare. Finally, we found that good communication skills and participatory decision-making styles were attributes that rural villagers in Lao PDR expected of their local leaders. This study suggests that failed local leadership is detrimental to community participation, resource mobilization, and building communities' social capital. To achieve intended health care goals through community-based interventions, there is a need to first support local leadership at all levels through capacity-building and improved communication within communities.

Underreporting Discrimination among Arab American and Muslim American Community College Students: Using Focus Groups to Unravel the Ambiguities within the Survey Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shammas, Diane

2017-01-01

Using a mixed methods approach, the researcher gathered a set of narrative responses from focus groups that supported the claim of underreporting campus discrimination on a survey. Multiple studies have shown that underrepresented minority students are likely to bond with same-ethnic peers in a racially tense campus climate. This mixed method is a…

Using CBPR to Assess Client Needs at a Social Service Agency.

PubMed

Amendola, Mary Grace; Nazario, Noelia; Sanchez, Veronica

2016-01-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has become an important research approach for universities to partner with social service agencies by uniting them in project design, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This study involved FOCUS, an urban social service agency, and Rutgers College of Nursing (RUCON) collaboratively conducting a needs assessment to compare the health needs of its clients and their employees' perception of their clients health needs, utilizing CBPR. Qualitative data was collected using the focus group method, field notes, photographs, and observation. The employees of FOCUS facilitated focus groups, participant recruitment, and transcribed and translated data. Three themes emerged: Health Education, Cost of Health Care, and Barriers to Health Care. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge of integrating the CBPR approach when conducting a community needs assessment with a social service agency. The CBPR approach closely reflects the identified health needs of its clients resulting in interventions that will meet their specific health needs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Buying and Selling “Loosies” in Baltimore: The Informal Exchange of Cigarettes in the Community Context

PubMed Central

Stillman, Frances; Bone, Lee; Yancey, Norman; Price, Emmanuel; Belin, Precilla; Kromm, Elizabeth Edsall

2007-01-01

Since the release of the first Surgeon General’s report, the proportion of adult smokers in the U.S. has been reduced by half (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2004). This success has not, however, been equally felt across all social strata. Recent survey data from Baltimore show considerably elevated smoking rates within urban, African-American communities. Of particular concern was that in some communities, over half of the young adults (18–24 years old) smoke cigarettes. As yet, there has been little focus on understanding or preventing cigarette smoking among young adults, particularly for those seeking entry into the workforce rather than being engaged in higher education. In this paper, we explore community factors contributing to high young adult smoking prevalence. Our analysis is based on data from four focus groups conducted in 2004 as part of a community-based participatory research project with two urban education and job training organizations. The focus group data reflect the experiences and opinions of 28 young adult program participants (23 smokers and 5 nonsmokers). The data highlight a normalized practice of buying and selling single cigarettes (“loosies”) within the community, with participants describing buying loose cigarettes as a preferred acquisition practice. We apply theories of informal economy and suggest that this alternative purchasing option may influence the smoking behavior of these young adults. We argue that public health efforts need to more closely consider the impact of community structures on program implementation. Overlooking key community characteristics such as the availability of single cigarettes may serve to intensify health disparities. PMID:17431795

At the intersection of HIV/AIDS and cancer: a qualitative needs assessment of community-based HIV/AIDS service organizations.

PubMed

Burkhalter, Jack E; Cahill, Sean; Shuk, Elyse; Guidry, John; Corner, Geoffrey; Berk, Alexandra; Candelario, Norman; Kornegay, Mark; Lubetkin, Erica I

2013-08-01

Due to advances in treatment, persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are living longer, but with aging, immune deficits, and lifestyle factors, they are at increased risk for cancer. This challenges community-based AIDS service organizations (ASOs) to address the growing cancer needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Community-based participatory research was applied to engage ASOs in exploring their capacities and needs for integrating cancer-focused programming into their services. Focus groups were conducted with a community advisory board (CAB) representing 10 community-based organizations serving PLWHA. Three 90-minute, serial focus groups were conducted with a mean number of seven participants. Topics explored CAB members' organizational capacities and needs in cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship. Transcript analyses identified six themes: (a) agencies have limited experience with cancer-focused programs, which were not framed as cancer specific; (b) agencies need resources and collaborative partnerships to effectively incorporate cancer services; (c) staff and clients must be educated about the relevance of cancer to HIV/AIDS; (d) agencies want to know about linkages between HIV/AIDS and cancer; (e) cancer care providers should be culturally competent; and (f) agencies see opportunities to improve their services through research participation but are wary. Agency capacities were strong in relationships with clients and cultural competency, a holistic view of PLWHA health, expertise in prevention activities, and eagerness to be on the cutting edge of knowledge. Cancer education and prevention were of greatest interest and considered most feasible, suggesting that future projects develop accordingly. These findings suggest a high level of receptivity to expanding or initiating cancer-focused activities but with a clear need for education and awareness building. Qualitative findings will inform a large quantitative survey to validate identified themes, which will be applied in developing interventions to assist ASOs in adopting or expanding cancer-focused activities.

Australian Adult Consumers' Beliefs about Plant Foods: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lea, Emma; Worsley, Anthony; Crawford, David

2005-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study examined consumers' perceived barriers and benefits of plant food (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) consumption and views on the promotion of these foods. Ten focus groups were conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Groups consisted of employees of various workplaces, community group members,…

Imagined Community of Education: Voices from Refugees and Immigrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Ye; Bettez, Silvia Cristina; Levin, Barbara B.

2017-01-01

To challenge deficit thinking concerning immigrants and refugees in urban schools, we engaged members of local immigrant and refugee communities from China, Mexico, Liberia, and Sudan in focus group discussions about their prior educational experiences, their hopes and aspirations for education, and the supports and challenges they encountered in…

Teaching Portfolios, Community, and Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wray, Susan

2007-01-01

This article describes the findings of a qualitative study examining the extent to which participation in a portfolio-focused teacher learning community impacts pre-service teachers' understanding and development of a teaching portfolio. Additionally, the author was interested in understanding how, whether, and in what ways the group's…

"Y Nosotros, Que?": Moving beyond the Margins in a Community Change Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinones, Sandra; Ares, Nancy; Padela, Maryam Razvi; Hopper, Mindy; Webster, Stephanie

2011-01-01

Our ethnography focuses on an urban community change organization within a predominantly African American and Latino population. Latino Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Theory help us understand the Spanish speakers' positioning and how particularities of Latinas/os' experience challenged power relations and group cohesion. Our findings…

Professional Learning Communities: Keeping the Focus on Instructional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Elizabeth J.

2016-01-01

The inclusion of professional learning community (PLC) groups is now a common initiative in many districts across the country. While this step supports the professional development of teachers, an effective PLC program must go beyond just bringing colleagues together during a common time. The author recommends organizational structures for schools…

Mid-America Group: A Foundation for Renewal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo, Albert L.; Blanzy, James J.

Drawing from a review of the literature and on-site observations, this paper sets forth a comprehensive framework for organizational renewal within the community college. Part 1 focuses on the adaptation of organizational life cycle theory to community colleges. Building upon a broadened definition of human development and the related hierarchy of…

Image: Reflecting the National Face of Community Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Norma

1996-01-01

Suggests that there is a "low-to-no-profile syndrome" afflicting community colleges at the national level that must be rectified, highlighting the importance of a national image campaign. Describes results from focus groups indicating doubt over the colleges' quality. Reviews strategies for financing an image campaign and presents potential…

Prevention of HIV/AIDS Education in Rural Communities III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torabi, Mohammad R., Ed.

1998-01-01

This third special issue of the Health Education Monograph Series on HIV/AIDS Prevention in Rural Communities presents 9 articles on: "Rural Adolescent Views of HIV Prevention: Focus Groups at Two Indiana Rural 4-H Clubs" (William L. Yarber and Stephanie A. Sanders); "Implementing HIV Education: Beyond Curriculum" (Susan…

Leadership Practices for Social Justice, Democratic Community, and Learning: School Principals' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasonga, Teresa A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover leadership practices that integrate social justice and democratic community for student learning. Data were gathered through focus group discussions with school principals. The responses were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes. Leadership practices that were…

Resourceful masculinities: exploring heterosexual Black men's vulnerability to HIV in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Husbands, Winston; Oakes, Wesley; Mbulaheni, Tola; Ongoïba, Fanta; Pierre-Pierre, Valérie; Luyombya, Henry

2017-10-29

Heterosexually active Black men are alleged to endorse masculine norms that increase their and their female partners' vulnerability to HIV. These norms include Black men's inability or reluctance to productively engage their own health-related personal and interpersonal vulnerabilities. We draw on data from the iSpeak research study in Ontario, Canada, to assess whether and how heterosexual Black men cope with personal and inter-personal vulnerability, namely that heterosexual Black men: avoid emotionally supportive relationships with other men (and women), which diminishes their capacity to productively acknowledge and resolve their health-related challenges; are reticent to productively acknowledge and address HIV and health on a personal level; and are pathologically secretive about their health, which compounds their vulnerability and precipitates poor health outcomes. iSpeak was implemented in 2011 to 2013, and included two focus groups with HIV-positive and HIV-negative self-identified heterosexual men (N = 14) in Toronto and London, a focus group with community-based health promotion practitioners who provide HIV-related services to Black communities in Ontario (N = 6), and one-on-one interviews with four researchers distinguished for their scholarship with/among Black communities in Toronto. Participants in the men's focus group were recruited discretely through word-of-mouth. Focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Team members independently read the transcripts, and then met to identify, discuss and agree on the emerging themes. We demonstrate that iSpeak participants (a) engage their personal and interpersonal vulnerabilities creatively and strategically, (b) complicate and challenge familiar interpretations of Black men's allegedly transgressive masculinity through their emotional and practical investment in their health, and (c) demonstrate a form of resourceful masculinity that ambiguously aligns with patriarchy. We conclude with a range of actionable recommendations to strengthen the discursive framework for understanding heterosexual Black men in relation to HIV and health, and substantively engaging them in community responses to HIV.

Patients’ perceived value of pharmacy quality measures: a mixed-methods study

PubMed Central

Shiyanbola, Olayinka O; Mort, Jane R

2015-01-01

Objective To describe patients’ perceived value and use of quality measures in evaluating and choosing community pharmacies. Design Focus group methodology was combined with a survey tool. During the focus groups, participants assessed the value of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance's quality measures in evaluating and choosing a pharmacy. Also, participants completed questionnaires rating their perceived value of quality measures in evaluating a pharmacy (1 being low value and 5 being high) or choosing a pharmacy (yes/no). Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the focus groups and surveys, respectively. Setting Semistructured focus groups were conducted in a private meeting space of an urban and a rural area of a Mid-western State in the USA. Participants Thirty-four adults who filled prescription medications in community pharmacies for a chronic illness were recruited in community pharmacies, senior centres and public libraries. Results While comments indicated that all measures were important, medication safety measures (eg, drug-drug interactions) were valued more highly than others. Rating of quality measure utility in evaluating a pharmacy ranged from a mean of 4.88 (‘drug-drug interactions’) to a mean of 4.0 (‘absence of controller therapy for patients with asthma’). Patients were hesitant to use quality information in choosing a pharmacy (depending on the participant's location) but might consider if moving to a new area or having had a negative pharmacy experience. Use of select quality measures to choose a pharmacy ranged from 97.1% of participants using ‘drug-drug interactions’ (medication safety measure) to 55.9% using ‘absence of controller therapy for patients with asthma’. Conclusions The study participants valued quality measures in evaluating and selecting a community pharmacy, with medication safety measures valued highest. The participants reported that the quality measures would not typically cause a switch in pharmacy but might influence their selection in certain situations. PMID:25600253

Birth preparedness and complication readiness - a qualitative study among community members in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

August, Furaha; Pembe, Andrea B; Kayombo, Edmund; Mbekenga, Columba; Axemo, Pia; Darj, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) strategies are aimed at reducing delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving care. Counselling on birth preparedness is provided during antenatal care visits. However, it is not clear why birth preparedness messages do not translate to utilisation of facility delivery. This study explores the perceptions, experiences, and challenges the community faces on BP/CR. A qualitative study design using Focused Group Discussions was conducted. Twelve focus group discussions were held with four separate groups: young men and women and older men and women in a rural community in Tanzania. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. The community members expressed a perceived need to prepare for childbirth. They were aware of the importance to attend the antenatal clinics, relied on family support for practical and financial preparations such as saving money for costs related to delivery, moving closer to the nearest hospital, and also to use traditional herbs, in favour of a positive outcome. Community recognised that pregnancy and childbirth complications are preferably treated at hospital. Facility delivery was preferred; however, certain factors including stigma on unmarried women and transportation were identified as hindering birth preparedness and hence utilisation of skilled care. Challenges were related to the consequences of poverty, though the maternal health care should be free, they perceived difficulties due to informal user fees. This study revealed community perceptions that were in favour of using skilled care in BP/CR. However, issues related to inability to prepare in advance hinder the realisation of the intention to use skilled care. It is important to innovate how the community reinforces BP/CR, such as using insurance schemes, using community health funds, and providing information on other birth preparedness messages via community health workers.

Engaging communities in post-fire restoration: forest treatments and community-agency relations after the Cerro Grande fire

Treesearch

Robert L. Ryan; Elisabeth M. Hamin

2006-01-01

Our research provides advice to managers in their work in post-fire forest rehabilitation based on focus groups and interviews in the Los Alamos, New Mexico, community after the Cerro Grande fire of 2000. We address two key issues: how different restoration efforts compare to natural revegetation from the public?s perspective, and how to effectively communicate with...

Towards a Science of Community Stakeholder Engagement in Biomedical HIV Prevention Trials: An Embedded Four-Country Case Study.

PubMed

Newman, Peter A; Rubincam, Clara; Slack, Catherine; Essack, Zaynab; Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Chuang, Deng-Min; Tepjan, Suchon; Shunmugam, Murali; Roungprakhon, Surachet; Logie, Carmen; Koen, Jennifer; Lindegger, Graham

2015-01-01

Broad international guidelines and studies in the context of individual clinical trials highlight the centrality of community stakeholder engagement in conducting ethically rigorous HIV prevention trials. We explored and identified challenges and facilitators for community stakeholder engagement in biomedical HIV prevention trials in diverse global settings. Our aim was to assess and deepen the empirical foundation for priorities included in the GPP guidelines and to highlight challenges in implementation that may merit further attention in subsequent GPP iterations. From 2008-2012 we conducted an embedded, multiple case study centered in Thailand, India, South Africa and Canada. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with respondents from different trial-related subsystems: civil society organization representatives, community advocates, service providers, clinical trialists/researchers, former trial participants, and key HIV risk populations. Interviews/focus groups were recorded, and coded using thematic content analysis. After intra-case analyses, we conducted cross-case analysis to contrast and synthesize themes and sub-themes across cases. Lastly, we applied the case study findings to explore and assess UNAIDS/AVAC GPP guidelines and the GPP Blueprint for Stakeholder Engagement. Across settings, we identified three cross-cutting themes as essential to community stakeholder engagement: trial literacy, including lexicon challenges and misconceptions that imperil sound communication; mistrust due to historical exploitation; and participatory processes: engaging early; considering the breadth of "community"; and, developing appropriate stakeholder roles. Site-specific challenges arose in resource-limited settings and settings where trials were halted. This multiple case study revealed common themes underlying community stakeholder engagement across four country settings that largely mirror GPP goals and the GPP Blueprint, as well as highlighting challenges in the implementation of important guidelines. GPP guidance documents could be strengthened through greater focus on: identifying and addressing the community-specific roots of mistrust and its impact on trial literacy activities; achieving and evaluating representativeness in community stakeholder groups; and addressing the impact of power and funding streams on meaningful engagement and independent decision-making.

Partnership for Healthier Asians: Disseminating Evidence-Based Practices in Asian-American Communities Using a Market-Oriented and Multilevel Approach.

PubMed

Kim, Karen; Quinn, Michael; Chandrasekar, Edwin; Patel, Reena; Lam, Helen

2016-06-16

One of the greatest challenges facing health promotion and disease prevention is translating research findings into evidence-based practices (EBP). There is currently a limited research base to inform the design of dissemination action plans, especially within medically underserved communities. The objective of this paper is to describe an innovative study protocol to disseminate colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines in seven Asian subgroups. This study integrated a market-oriented Push-Pull-Infrastructure Model, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, and community-based participatory research approach to create a community-centered dissemination framework. Consumer research, through focus groups and community-wide surveys, was centered on the adopters to ensure a multilevel intervention was well designed and effective. Collaboration took place between an academic institution and eight community-based organizations. These groups worked together to conduct thorough consumer research. A sample of 72 Asian Americans participated in 8 focus groups, and differences were noted across ethnic groups. Furthermore, 464 community members participated in an Individual Client Survey. Most participants agreed that early detection of cancer was important (434/464, 93.5%), cancer could happen to anyone (403/464, 86.9%), CRC could be prevented (344/464, 74.1%), and everyone should screen for CRC (389/464, 83.8%). However, 35.8% (166/464) of participants also felt that people were better off not knowing it they had cancer, and 45.5% (211/464) would screen only when they had symptoms. Most participants indicated that they would screen upon their doctor's recommendation, but half reported that they only saw a doctor when they were sick. Data collection currently is underway for a multilevel intervention (community health advisor and social marketing campaign) and will conclude March 2016. We expect that analysis and results will be available by June 2016. This study outlines a complementary role for researchers and community organizations in disseminating EBP, and incorporates social interactions and influences to move individuals from simple awareness to decisions towards positive action.

The State as Community in Community-based Participatory Research

PubMed Central

Goold, Susan Dorr; Rowe, Zachary; Szymecko, Lisa; Coombe, Chris; Danis, Marion; Hammad, Adnan; Calhoun, Karen; Salman, Cengiz

2017-01-01

Background Community-based participatory research (CBPR) typically defines communities by geography, ethnicity, shared health needs, or some combination. Objectives We describe a CBPR project aiming to engage diverse minority and underserved communities throughout Michigan in deliberations about health research priorities. Methods A Steering Committee (SC) with 15 members from minority and underserved communities, and 4 members from research organizations led the project, with the help of regional advisory groups (RAGs) formed at the SC’s request. Evaluation of the SC used questionnaires, focused group discussion, and review of SC meetings to describe engagement, partnership, and communication. Lessons Learned An academic-community partnership with a diverse, dispersed and broadly defined community found value in RAGs, dedicated academic staff, face-to-face meetings, varied communication modalities, capacity building tailored to varying levels of CBPR experience, and ongoing evaluation. Conclusions A geographically and culturally diverse partnership presents challenges and opportunities in representativeness, relationship building, capacity building, and communication. PMID:28569676

Exploring Community Stakeholders' Perceptions of the Enhancing Family Well-being Project in Hong Kong: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Chu, Joanna T W; Chan, Sophia S; Stewart, Sunita M; Zhou, Qianling; Leung, Charles Sai-Cheong; Wan, Alice; Lam, Tai Hing

2017-01-01

Community engagement is a powerful tool in bringing about positive social and community change. Community stakeholders possess critical experience and knowledge that are needed to inform the development of community-based projects. However, limited literature is available on the practical experience involved with planning and implementing community-based family programs. Even less has been published documenting efforts in Chinese communities. This paper explores community stakeholders' experiences with the enhancing family well-being project-part of a citywide project entitled the "FAMILY Project," aimed at promoting family health, happiness, and harmony in Hong Kong. This qualitative evaluation examined the perspectives of community stakeholders. Four focus groups with social workers ( n  = 24) and six in-depth interviews with steering committee members were conducted from December 2012 to May 2013 in Hong Kong. Focus groups and in-depths interview were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Rich accounts were given by our respondents on various aspects of the project. Main themes and subthemes were identified and grouped into four categories (project conception, project implementation, project consolidation, and the overall impact of the project). Respondents described the practical challenges associated with the project (e.g., recruitment, balancing scientific research, and lack of resources) and identified the elements that are important to the success of the project. These included the commitment to a shared goal, multi-agency collaboration, and a platform for knowledge exchange. Finally, respondents perceived benefits of the project at both the individual and community level. Our project sheds light on many of the practical considerations and challenges associated with a designing and implementing a community-based family intervention project. Community stakeholders input provided important information on their perceived benefits and barriers and can inform and improve future development of community-based family intervention programs.

An exploration of facilitators and challenges in the scale-up of a national, public sector community health worker cadre in Zambia: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Phiri, Sydney Chauwa; Prust, Margaret Lippitt; Chibawe, Caroline Phiri; Misapa, Ronald; van den Broek, Jan Willem; Wilmink, Nikhil

2017-06-24

In 2010 a public sector cadre of community health workers called Community Health Assistants (CHAs) was created in Zambia through the National Community Health Worker Strategy to expand access to health services. This cadre continues to be scaled up to meet the growing demands of Zambia's rural population. We summarize factors that have facilitated the scale-up of the CHA program into a nationwide CHW cadre and the challenges of introducing and institutionalizing the cadre within the Zambian health system. Semi-structured, individual interviews were held across 5 districts with 16 CHAs and 6 CHA supervisors, and 10 focus group discussions were held with 93 community members. Audio recordings of interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed and thematically coded using Dedoose web-based software. The study showed that the CHAs play a critical role in providing a wide range of services at the community level, as described by supervisors and community members. Some challenges still remain, that may inhibit the CHAs ability to provide health services effectively. In particular, the respondents highlighted infrequent supervision, lack of medical and non-medical supplies for outreach services, and challenges with the mobile data reporting system. The study shows that in order to optimize the impact of CHAs or other community health workers, key health-system support structures need to be functioning effectively, such as supervision, community surveillance systems, supplies, and reporting. The Ministry of Health with support from partners are currently addressing these challenges through nationwide supervisor and community data trainings, as well as advocating for adding primary health care as a specific focus area in the new National Health Strategy Plan 2017-2021. This study contributes to the evidence base on the introduction of formalized community health worker cadres in developing countries.

Community Engagement in Liberia: Routine Immunization Post-Ebola.

PubMed

Bedford, Juliet; Chitnis, Ketan; Webber, Nance; Dixon, Phil; Limwame, Ken; Elessawi, Rania; Obregon, Rafael

2017-01-01

A national integrated polio, measles, and deworming campaign was implemented across Liberia May 8-14, 2015. The community engagement and social mobilization component of the campaign was based on structures that had been invested in during the Ebola response. This article provides an overview of the community engagement and social mobilization activities that were conducted and reports the key findings of a rapid qualitative assessment conducted immediately after the campaign that focused on community perceptions of routine immunization in the post-Ebola context. Focus group discussions and interviews were conducted across four counties in Liberia (Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, and Margibi). Thematic analysis identified the barriers preventing and drivers leading to the utilization of routine immunization. Community members also made recommendations and forwarded community-based solutions to encourage engagement with future health interventions, including uptake in vaccination campaigns. These should be incorporated in the development and implementation of future interventions and programs.

Identifying consumer's needs of health information technology through an innovative participatory design approach among English- and Spanish-speaking urban older adults.

PubMed

Lucero, R; Sheehan, B; Yen, P; Velez, O; Nobile-Hernandez, D; Tiase, V

2014-01-01

We describe an innovative community-centered participatory design approach, Consumer-centered Participatory Design (C2PD), and the results of applying C2PD to design and develop a web-based fall prevention system. We conducted focus groups and design sessions with English- and Spanish-speaking community-dwelling older adults. Focus group data were summarized and used to inform the context of the design sessions. Descriptive content analysis methods were used to develop categorical descriptions of design session informant's needs related to information technology. The C2PD approach enabled the assessment and identification of informant's needs of health information technology (HIT) that informed the development of a falls prevention system. We learned that our informants needed a system that provides variation in functions/content; differentiates between actionable/non-actionable information/structures; and contains sensory cues that support wide-ranging and complex tasks in a varied, simple, and clear interface to facilitate self-management. The C2PD approach provides community-based organizations, academic researchers, and commercial entities with a systematic theoretically informed approach to develop HIT innovations. Our community-centered participatory design approach focuses on consumer's technology needs while taking into account core public health functions.

Identifying Consumer’s Needs of Health Information Technology through an Innovative Participatory Design Approach among English- and Spanish-speaking Urban Older Adults

PubMed Central

Sheehan, B.; Yen, P.; Velez, O.; Nobile-Hernandez, D.; Tiase, V.

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives We describe an innovative community-centered participatory design approach, Consumer-centered Participatory Design (C2PD), and the results of applying C2PD to design and develop a web-based fall prevention system. Methods We conducted focus groups and design sessions with English- and Spanish-speaking community-dwelling older adults. Focus group data were summarized and used to inform the context of the design sessions. Descriptive content analysis methods were used to develop categorical descriptions of design session informant’s needs related to information technology. Results The C2PD approach enabled the assessment and identification of informant’s needs of health information technology (HIT) that informed the development of a falls prevention system. We learned that our informants needed a system that provides variation in functions/content; differentiates between actionable/non-actionable information/structures; and contains sensory cues that support wide-ranging and complex tasks in a varied, simple, and clear interface to facilitate self-management. Conclusions The C2PD approach provides community-based organizations, academic researchers, and commercial entities with a systematic theoretically informed approach to develop HIT innovations. Our community-centered participatory design approach focuses on consumer’s technology needs while taking into account core public health functions. PMID:25589909

Teaching wilderness first aid in a remote First Nations community: the story of the Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative.

PubMed

Born, Karen; Orkin, Aaron; VanderBurgh, David; Beardy, Jackson

2012-01-01

To understand how community members of a remote First Nations community respond to an emergency first aid education programme. A qualitative study involving focus groups and participant observation as part of a community-based participatory research project, which involved the development and implementation of a wilderness first aid course in collaboration with the community. Twenty community members participated in the course and agreed to be part of the research focus groups. Three community research partners validated and reviewed the data collected from this process. These data were coded and analysed using open coding. Community members responded to the course in ways related to their past experiences with injury and first aid, both as individuals and as members of the community. Feelings of confidence and self-efficacy related access to care and treatment of injury surfaced during the course. Findings also highlighted how the context of the remote First Nations community influenced the delivery and development of course materials. Developing and delivering a first aid course in a remote community requires sensitivity towards the response of participants to the course, as well as the context in which it is being delivered. Employing collaborative approaches to teaching first aid can aim to address these unique needs. Though delivery of a first response training programme in a small remote community will probably not impact the morbidity and mortality associated with injury, it has the potential to impact community self-efficacy and confidence when responding to an emergency situation.

Oral histories of HIV/AIDS support group members, NGO workers and home-based carers in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Denis, Philippe

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to bring to the attention of the AIDS research community the existence of an oral history project known as the Memories of AIDS Project. The project focused on HIV/AIDS support group members, non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers and home-based carers in the Umgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg) District Municipality, South Africa. The project was carried out by the Sinomlando Centre for Oral History and Memory Work, a research and community development centre of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, over a period of three years (2011-2013). Sixty-five individual oral history interviews of 1 to 4 hours duration and 11 focus group sessions were recorded, transcribed and translated from isiZulu into English when necessary. The life stories of community workers and support group members documented in the interviews show, on the part of the informants, a remarkable degree of agency and assertiveness in matters of sexuality, gender relations and religious beliefs. They found innovative ways of navigating through the conflicting claims of biomedicine, Christianity and African traditional religion. As much as the epidemic caused grief and suffering, it opened the door to new knowledge and new opportunities.

Community for Data Integration 2016 annual report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langseth, Madison L.; Hsu, Leslie; Amberg, Jon J.; Bliss, Norman; Bock, Andrew R.; Bolus, Rachel T.; Bristol, R. Sky; Chase, Katherine J.; Crimmins, Theresa M.; Earle, Paul S.; Erickson, Richard; Everette, A. Lance; Falgout, Jeff T.; Faundeen, John L.; Fienen, Michael N.; Griffin, Rusty; Guy, Michelle R.; Henry, Kevin D.; Hoebelheinrich, Nancy J.; Hunt, Randall; Hutchison, Vivian B.; Ignizio, Drew A.; Infante, Dana M.; Jarnevich, Catherine; Jones, Jeanne M.; Kern, Tim; Leibowitz, Scott; Lightsom, Francis L.; Marsh, R. Lee; McCalla, S. Grace; McNiff, Marcia; Morisette, Jeffrey T.; Nelson, John C.; Norkin, Tamar; Preston, Todd M.; Rosemartin, Alyssa; Sando, Roy; Sherba, Jason T.; Signell, Richard P.; Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Sundquist, Eric T.; Talbert, Colin B.; Viger, Roland J.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Waltman, Sharon; Weber, Marc; Wieferich, Daniel J.; Williams, Brad; Windham-Myers, Lisamarie

2017-05-19

The Community for Data Integration (CDI) represents a dynamic community of practice focused on advancing science data and information management and integration capabilities across the U.S. Geological Survey and the CDI community. This annual report describes the various presentations, activities, and outcomes of the CDI monthly forums, working groups, virtual training series, and other CDI-sponsored events in fiscal year 2016. The report also describes the objectives and accomplishments of the 13 CDI-funded projects in fiscal year 2016.

Implementation of evidence-based practice by nurses working in community settings and their strategies to mentor student nurses to develop evidence-based practice: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Brooke, Joanne Mary; Mallion, Jaimee

2016-08-01

The aim of the study was to explore how community nurses apply the best available evidence to their practice, and how they mentor student nurses to conceptualize and implement evidence-based practice in community settings. In the UK, the expansion of health-care provision in the community has supported the development of highly skilled community nurses. However, there is limited literature regarding the strategies used by community nurses to implement evidence-based practice and mentor student nurses to conceptualize evidence-based practice in community placements. An exploratory qualitative approach applying inductive reasoning to focus group data was used. As a result, nurses working for a community NHS Foundation Trust in South England with a mentor qualification were invited to participate in one of the seven focus groups, 33 nurses participated. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis. The themes discussed in this paper are: 'our practice is evidence-based' as guidelines and policies provided structure, but occasionally stifled autonomous clinical decision-making, and 'time' as a barrier and facilitator to mentoring student nurses in community settings. In conclusion, nurses need to develop the ability to incorporate patients' needs and wishes within evidence-based care. Time was a facilitator for some community mentors, but protected time is required to complete the necessary practice documentation of student nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Bringing bike share to a low-income community: lessons learned through community engagement, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011.

PubMed

Kretman Stewart, Sarah; Johnson, David C; Smith, William P

2013-08-15

High prevalence of physical inactivity contributes to adverse health outcomes. Active transportation (cycling or walking) is associated with better health outcomes, and bike-sharing programs can help communities increase use of active transportation. The Minneapolis Health Department funded the Nice Ride Minnesota bike share system to expand to the Near North community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Near North is a diverse, low-income area of the city where residents experience health disparities, including disparities in physical activity levels. The installation of new bike share kiosks in Near North resulted in an environmental change to support physical activity. Community engagement was conducted pre-intervention only and consisted of focus groups, community meetings, and interviews. Postintervention data on bike share trips and subscribers were collected to assess intervention effectiveness. Focus group participants offered insights on facilitators and barriers to bike share and suggested system improvements. Community engagement efforts showed that Near North residents were positive about Nice Ride and wanted to use the system; however, the numbers of trips and subscriptions in Near North were low. Results show that the first season of the expansion was moderately successful in improving outreach efforts and adapting bike share to meet the needs of low-income populations. However, environmental change without adequate, ongoing community engagement may not be sufficient to result in behavior change.

Social Justice, Disability, and Rehabilitation Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelsey, Daniel; Smart, Julie F.

2012-01-01

The academic field and the professional practice of rehabilitation counseling focuses on one aspect of social justice, assisting individuals with disabilities to attain full community inclusion. Nonetheless, social justice focuses on many marginalized groups and in the related fields of counseling and psychology, those with disabilities are rarely…

Pregnancy discovery and acceptance among low-income primiparous women: a multicultural exploration.

PubMed

Peacock, N R; Kelley, M A; Carpenter, C; Davis, M; Burnett, G; Chavez, N; Aranda, V

2001-06-01

As part of a larger study exploring psychosocial factors that influence self-care and use of health care services during pregnancy, we investigated the process of pregnancy discovery and acceptance among a culturally diverse group of women who had given birth to their first child in the year preceding data collection. Eighty-seven low-income women from four cultural groups (African American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and white) participated in eight focus groups held in their communities. The focus groups were ethnically homogenous and stratified by early and late entry into prenatal care. A social influence model guided the development of focus group questions, and the study followed a participatory action research model, with community members involved in all phases of the research. Issues that emerged from the focus groups as possible influences on timing of pregnancy recognition include the role of pregnancy signs and symptoms and pregnancy risk perception in the discovery process, the role of social network members in labeling and affirming the pregnancy, concerns about disclosure, "planning" status of the pregnancy, and perceived availability of choices for resolving an unintended pregnancy. The pregnancy discovery process is complex, and when protracted, can potentially result in delayed initiation of both prenatal care and healthful pregnancy behaviors. Enhancing our understanding of pregnancy discovery and acceptance has clear implications for primary and secondary prevention. Future research is needed to further explain the trajectory of pregnancy discovery and acceptance and its influence on health behaviors and pregnancy outcome.

Community perceptions of rape and child sexual abuse: a qualitative study in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

Abeid, Muzdalifat; Muganyizi, Projestine; Olsson, Pia; Darj, Elisabeth; Axemo, Pia

2014-08-18

Rape of women and children is recognized as a health and human rights issue in Tanzania and internationally. Exploration of the prevailing perceptions in rural areas is needed in order to expand the understanding of sexual violence in the diversity of Tanzania's contexts. The aim of this study therefore was to explore and understand perceptions of rape of women and children at the community level in a rural district in Tanzania with the added objective of exploring those perceptions that may contribute to perpetuating and/or hindering the disclosure of rape incidences. A qualitative design was employed using focus group discussions with male and female community members including religious leaders, professionals, and other community members. The discussions centered on causes of rape, survivors of rape, help-seeking and reporting, and gathered suggestions on measures for improvement. Six focus group discussions (four of single gender and two of mixed gender) were conducted. The focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using manifest qualitative content analysis. The participants perceived rape of women and children to be a frequent and hidden phenomenon. A number of factors were singled out as contributing to rape, such as erosion of social norms, globalization, poverty, vulnerability of children, alcohol/drug abuse and poor parental care. Participants perceived the need for educating the community to raise their knowledge of sexual violence and its consequences, and their roles as preventive agents. In this rural context, social norms reinforce sexual violence against women and children, and hinder them from seeking help from support services. Addressing the identified challenges may promote help-seeking behavior and improve care of survivors of sexual violence, while changes in social and cultural norms are needed for the prevention of sexual violence.

Community perceptions of rape and child sexual abuse: a qualitative study in rural Tanzania

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Rape of women and children is recognized as a health and human rights issue in Tanzania and internationally. Exploration of the prevailing perceptions in rural areas is needed in order to expand the understanding of sexual violence in the diversity of Tanzania’s contexts. The aim of this study therefore was to explore and understand perceptions of rape of women and children at the community level in a rural district in Tanzania with the added objective of exploring those perceptions that may contribute to perpetuating and/or hindering the disclosure of rape incidences. Methods A qualitative design was employed using focus group discussions with male and female community members including religious leaders, professionals, and other community members. The discussions centered on causes of rape, survivors of rape, help-seeking and reporting, and gathered suggestions on measures for improvement. Six focus group discussions (four of single gender and two of mixed gender) were conducted. The focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using manifest qualitative content analysis. Results The participants perceived rape of women and children to be a frequent and hidden phenomenon. A number of factors were singled out as contributing to rape, such as erosion of social norms, globalization, poverty, vulnerability of children, alcohol/drug abuse and poor parental care. Participants perceived the need for educating the community to raise their knowledge of sexual violence and its consequences, and their roles as preventive agents. Conclusions In this rural context, social norms reinforce sexual violence against women and children, and hinder them from seeking help from support services. Addressing the identified challenges may promote help-seeking behavior and improve care of survivors of sexual violence, while changes in social and cultural norms are needed for the prevention of sexual violence. PMID:25132543

Developing cessation interventions for the social and community service setting: a qualitative study of barriers to quitting among disadvantaged Australian smokers.

PubMed

Bryant, Jamie; Bonevski, Billie; Paul, Christine; O'Brien, Jon; Oakes, Wendy

2011-06-24

Smoking rates remain unacceptably high among individuals who are socially disadvantaged. Social and community service organisations (SCSO) are increasingly interested in providing smoking cessation support to clients, however little is known about the best way to assist disadvantaged smokers to quit in this setting. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to quitting within the conceptual framework of the PRECEDE model to identify possible interventions appropriate to the social and community service setting. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with clients attending five community welfare organisations located in New South Wales, Australia. Thirty-two clients participated in six focus groups. A discussion guide was used to explore the barriers and facilitators to smoking and smoking cessation including: current smoking behaviour, motivation to quit, past quit attempts, barriers to quitting and preferences for cessation support. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis techniques. Participants were current smokers and most expressed a desire to quit. Factors predisposing continued smoking included perceived benefits of smoking for stress relief, doubting of ability to quit, fear of gaining weight, and poor knowledge and scepticism about available quit support. The high cost of nicotine replacement therapy was a barrier to its use. Continual exposure to smoking in personal relationships and in the community reinforced smoking. Participants expressed a strong preference for personalised quit support. Disadvantaged smokers in Australia express a desire to quit smoking, but find quitting difficult for a number of reasons. SCSOs may have a role in providing information about the availability of quit support, engaging disadvantaged smokers with available quit support, and providing personalised, ongoing support.

Protected area staff and local community viewpoints: A qualitative assessment of conservation relationships in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Mutanga, Chiedza Ngonidzashe; Muboko, Never; Gandiwa, Edson

2017-01-01

With the increase in illegal resource harvesting in most protected areas (PAs), the need to understand the determinants and relationships between PAs and local communities to enhance wildlife conservation is increasingly becoming important. Using focus group discussions and interviews, we established the determinants of PA staff-community relationship from both PA staff and local communities' viewpoints, and assessedperceptions of their relationship with each other. The study was guided by the following main research question, 'What is the nature of the relationship between PA staff and local communities and what are the main factors influencing the relationship?' Data were collected through focus group discussions and interviews from four PAs and their adjacent communities in Zimbabwe between July 2013 and February 2014. Our results showed that a total of seven determinants were identified as influencing PA staff-community relationship, i.e., benefit-sharing, human-wildlife conflict, compensation for losses from wildlife attacks, communication between PA staff and local communities, community participation in the management of CAMPFIRE projects, lack of community participation in tourism in PAs, and community perceptions of PA staff or PA staff perceptions of the community. Of the seven, only one determinant, benefit-sharing, was recorded as the main factor that differentially influencesthe perceptions of community and PA staff on their relationship. Furthermore, both the communities and PA staff reported mixed perceptions on their relationship with each other. We conclude that both communities' and PA staff's views on determinants are largely similar in all studied PAs irrespective of PA ownership, management and/or land use. Our findings could be relevant in policy making especially in developing countries in developing PA-community relationship framework in natural resource conservation.

A qualitative exploration of opinions on the community pharmacists' role amongst the general public in Scotland.

PubMed

Gidman, Wendy; Cowley, Joseph

2013-10-01

To understand members of the public's opinions and experiences of pharmacy services. This exploratory study employed qualitative methods. Five focus groups were conducted with 26 members of the public resident in Scotland in March 2010. The groups comprised those perceived to be users and non-users of community pharmacy. A topic guide was developed to prompt discussion. Each focus group was recorded, transcribed, anonymised and analysed using thematic analysis. Participants made positive comments about pharmacy services although many preferred to see a general practitioner (GP). Participants discussed using pharmacies for convenience, often because they were unable to access GPs. Pharmacists were perceived principally to be suppliers of medicine, although there was some recognition of roles in dealing with minor ailments and providing advice. For those with serious and long-standing health matters GPs were usually the professional of choice for most health needs. Community pharmacy was seen to offer incomplete services which did not co-ordinate well with other primary-care services. The pharmacy environment and retail setting were not considered to be ideal for private healthcare consultations. This study suggests that despite recent initiatives to extend the role of community pharmacists many members of the general public continue to prefer a GP-led service. Importantly GPs inspire public confidence as well as offering comprehensive services and private consultation facilities. Improved communication and information sharing between community pharmacists and general practice could support community pharmacist-role expansion. © 2012 The Authors. IJPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

The role of community health workers (CHWs) in health promotion research: ethical challenges and practical solutions.

PubMed

Terpstra, Jennifer; Coleman, Karen J; Simon, Gayle; Nebeker, Camille

2011-01-01

This article aims to describe the role of community health workers (CHWs) in health promotion research and address the challenges and ethical concerns associated with this research approach. A series of six focus groups are conducted with project managers and investigators (n = 5 to 11 per session) who have worked with CHWs in health promotion research. These focus groups are part of a larger study funded by the National Institutes of Health titled "Training in Research Ethics and Standards" (Project TRES). Participants are asked to describe their training needs for CHWs with respect to human subject protections as well as to identify associated challenges regarding research practice (i.e., recruitment, random assignment, protocol implementation, etc.). Findings reveal a number of challenges that investigators and project managers encounter when working with CHWs on research projects involving the community. These include characteristics inherent to CHWs such as education level and personal beliefs about their own community and its needs, institutional regulations regarding research practice, and problems inherent to research studies such as training materials and protocols that cannot account for the complexity of conducting research in community settings. Investigators should carefully consider the role that CHWs have in their communities before creating research programs that depend on the CHWs' existing social networks and their propensity to be natural helpers. These strengths could lead to compromises in research requirements for random assignment, control groups, and fully informed consent.

Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program for Northern Plains Indian Youth Through Community-Based Participatory Research Methods

PubMed Central

Brown, Blakely D.; Harris, Kari Jo; Harris, Jeri Lyn; Parker, Martin; Ricci, Christiana; Noonan, Curtis

2012-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to translate the original Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to be age and culturally specific for American Indian (AI) youth. Methods Tribally enrolled members on 2 Montana Indian reservations conducted focus groups and interviews to discuss community members’ perspectives of factors that encouraged or were barriers to healthy diet and exercise behaviors in AI youth. In total, 31 community members, aged 10 to 68 years old, participated in 4 focus groups and 14 individual interviews. Participants were self-identified as elder, cultural expert, tribal health worker, educator, parent/guardian, youth, or school food service worker. Researchers analyzed transcripts based on inductive methods of grounded theory. Results Data analysis revealed translating the DPP to youth was contingent on the lessons incorporating cultural strategies for healthy behaviors in youth such as berry picking, gardening, horseback riding, and dancing; improving knowledge and access to healthy foods and physical activity for youth and their parents; having interactive, hands-on learning activities for healthy lifestyles in the DPP lessons; using a group format and tribal members to deliver the DPP lessons; and having tribal elders talk to youth about the importance of adopting healthy behaviors when they are young. Conclusions A CBPR approach engaged community members to identify strategies inherent in their culture, tradition, and environment that could effectively translate the DPP to Montana Indian youth living in rural reservation communities. PMID:20944056

Learning about population-health through a community practice learning project: An evaluation study.

PubMed

Davenport, Maggie; Ooms, Ann; Marks-Maran, Di

2016-03-01

Increasing student nurse numbers requiring community placement learning opportunities has led to insufficient numbers of community nurses being available to support student nurses in the community. Although the study presented in the article is based in the UK this issue is reported widely in the literature across the globe. Universities in many countries have had to find innovative ways of providing community health learning opportunities for student nurses. This article reports on how one university in the UK has approached this challenge through students engaging in a population-based study in the community through group work. A research study was undertaken into this innovation which found that the student nurses engaged well with the project and with their groups and undertaking the project had positive value and impact on them and their understanding of population-health. Issues that arose for them largely focused on unequal participation in the group work by some with many participants perceiving that they had done more work on the group project and presentation than others in their group. However, working in this way was perceived to be a good learning experience for the majority of participants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Empirically Supported Interventions for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth.

PubMed

Austin, Ashley; Craig, Shelley L

2015-01-01

When empirically supported treatments (ESTs) are effectively adapted for use with minority populations, they may be more efficacious. As such, there is a need to adapt existing ESTs for use with diverse sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). The unique bias-based challenges faced by SGMY require the integration of affirmative practices into ESTs to effectively address the specific needs of this underserved group of youth. The primary purpose of the authors in this article is to present a clearly articulated stakeholder driven model for developing an affirmative adapted version of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for use with diverse SGMY. The authors' approach to adaptation follows the "adapt and evaluate" framework for enhancing cultural congruence of interventions for minority groups. A community based participatory research approach, consistent with a stakeholder driven process, is utilized to develop the intervention from the ground up through the voices of the target community. Researchers conducted 3 focus groups with culturally diverse SGMY to explore salient aspects of youths' cultural and SGM identities in order to inform the intervention and ensure its applicability to a wide range of SGMY. Focus group data is analyzed and integrated into an existing group-based CBT intervention. The following themes emerge as critical to affirmative work with diverse SGMY: (1) the interplay between cultural norms, gender norms, sexual orientation, and gender identity; (2) the complex role of religious community within the lives of SGMY; and (3) consideration of extended family and cultural community as youth navigate their SGM identities.

Economic models for prevention: making a system work for patients

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe alternative means of providing patient centered, preventive based, services using an alternative non-profit, economic model. Hard to reach, vulnerable groups, including children, adults and elders, often have difficulties accessing traditional dental services for a number of reasons, including economic barriers. By partnering with community organizations that serve these groups, collaborative services and new opportunities for access are provided. The concept of a dental home is well accepted as a means of providing care, and, for these groups, provision of such services within community settings provides a sustainable means of delivery. Dental homes provided through community partnerships can deliver evidence based dental care, focused on a preventive model to achieve and maintain oral health. By using a non-profit model, the entire dental team is provided with incentives to deliver measurable quality improvements in care, rather than a more traditional focus on volume of activity alone. Examples are provided that demonstrate how integrated oral health services can deliver improved health outcomes with the potential to reduce total costs while improving quality. PMID:26391814

A qualitative study exploring public perceptions on the role of community pharmacists in Dubai

PubMed Central

Rayes, Ibrahim Khalid; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Abduelkarem, Abduelmula R.

Background The role of community pharmacists is very important due to their access to primary care patients and expertise. For this reason, the interaction level between pharmacists and patients should be optimized to ensure enhanced delivery of pharmacy services. Objective To gauge perceptions and expectations of the public on the role of community pharmacists in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods Twenty five individuals were invited to participate in 4 separate focus group discussions. Individuals came from different racial groups and socio-economic backgrounds. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Using thematic analysis, two reviewers coded all transcripts to identify emerging themes. Appropriate measures were taken to ensure study rigor and validity. Results All facilitators and barriers that were identified were grouped into 5 distinct themes. The pharmacist as a healthcare professional in the public mind was the most prominent theme that was discussed in all 4 focus groups. Other themes identified were, in decreasing order of prevalence, psychological perceptions towards pharmacists, important determinants of a pharmacist, the pharmacy as a unique healthcare provider, and control over pharmacies by health authorities. Conclusions This study provided insight into the way that the public looks at the role of community pharmacists in Dubai. Determinants that influence their perception are the media, health authorities, pharmacist’s knowledge level, attire, nationality, age, and pharmacy location. PMID:24644519

Students' Perceptions of Terrascope, A Project-Based Freshman Learning Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipson, Alberta; Epstein, Ari W.; Bras, Rafael; Hodges, Kip

2007-08-01

We present a descriptive case study of Terrascope, an innovative, year-long, project-based learning community at MIT. Each year, Terrascope students study a particular environmental or Earth-system problem from a multidisciplinary perspective. Terrascope includes both academic and non-academic components; this paper focuses on the academic components. The objectives of the academic subjects, and of the program as a whole, involve helping students develop their team-building, communication, problem-solving, and self-regulatory learning skills. This study focuses on cohorts of students from the first and second years of the program (2002-2003 and 2003-2004); it is based on end-of-semester surveys and focus groups, and on additional focus groups conducted when these students were upperclassmen. Students felt Terrascope helped them make significant improvements in their ability to work in teams and to take on complex, multidisciplinary problems. They felt that the program's two-semester structure gave them an opportunity to develop and nurture these skills, and that the program prepared them well for their later work at MIT. They also felt that being engaged, as freshmen, in a distinct learning community, significantly eased their transition into MIT. We describe lessons learned in the development of Terrascope and offer suggestions for other institutions planning to develop similar programs.

Sing Your Lungs Out: a qualitative study of a community singing group for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PubMed

McNaughton, Amanda; Aldington, Sarah; Williams, Gayle; Levack, William M M

2016-09-20

To explore the ways in which participation in a community singing group contributed to the health and well-being of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Qualitative description, based on transcripts from individual interviews and a focus group meeting with people with COPD participating in the singing group, regarding their experience. Urban community, Wellington, New Zealand. 23 people (13 women and 10 men), 51-91 years with COPD (21) or interstitial lung disease (2). The weekly singing group was a well-attended activity, with self-reported benefits to health and well-being. 4 key themes were identified: being in the 'right space', connection, purpose and growth, and participation in a meaningful physical activity. This study helps us to better understand how participation in a community singing group can benefit the health and well-being of patients with COPD. ACTRN12615000736549; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Perspectives of HIV-related stigma in a community in Vietnam: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Gaudine, Alice; Gien, Lan; Thuan, Tran T; Dung, Do V

2010-01-01

While HIV/AIDS is increasing in Vietnam, very few published studies focus on HIV-related stigma in Vietnam. This study reports on findings from a community development project to reduce HIV-related stigma within one community in Vietnam. The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe HIV-related stigma from the perspective of three groups within one community in Vietnam: people living with HIV, their family members, and community members and leaders, including health care professionals. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Fifty-eight individuals from a poor, industrial district on the outskirts of a large city participated in the study and were asked to describe HIV-related stigma. Interviews were conducted with 10 people living with HIV, 10 family members of a person living with HIV, and 10 community members and 5 community leaders including health care professionals. We also conducted three focus groups, one with people living with HIV (n=8), one with family members of people living with HIV (n=8), and one with community leaders including health care professionals (n=7). Stigma across the three groups is characterized by four dimensions of HIV-related stigma: feeling shamed and scorned, behaving differently, stigma due to association, and fear of transmission. The manifestation of these dimensions differs for each group. Four themes of HIV-related stigma as described by people living with HIV are: being avoided, experiencing anger and rejection, being viewed as a social ill, and hiding the illness. Seven themes of HIV-related stigma as described by family members are: shunned by neighbors, viewed as poor parents, discriminated by health professionals, overhearing discussions about people with HIV, maintaining the secret, financial hardship for family, and fear of contracting HIV. Four themes of HIV-related stigma as described by community members and leaders including health professionals are: stigma as a fair reward, avoidance and shunning by neighbors, ruined family reputation, and fear of contracting HIV. HIV-related stigma is experienced in a different manner by each of these groups, a finding that should help in developing culturally sensitive strategies to reduce HIV-related stigma in Vietnam.

For My Children: Mexican American Women, Work, and Welfare. Focus Study Report #2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quiroz, Julia Teresa; Tosca, Regina

This is the final report of the National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) Focus Study examining the opinions, attitudes, and needs of Mexican American single women, relating to implementation of national welfare reform legislation. Over a 2-year period NCLR staff held focus groups with Mexican American women in four communities: Phoenix, Arizona; Mora,…

"We actually care and we want to make the parks better": A qualitative study of youth experiences and perceptions after conducting park audits.

PubMed

Gallerani, David G; Besenyi, Gina M; Wilhelm Stanis, Sonja A; Kaczynski, Andrew T

2017-02-01

This study explored youths' experiences and perceptions about community engagement as a result of participating in a community-based data collection project using paper and mobile technology park environmental audit tools. In July 2014, youth (ages 11-18, n=50) were recruited to participate in nine focus groups after auditing two parks each using paper, electronic, or both versions of the Community Park Audit Tool in Greenville County, SC. The focus groups explored the youths' experiences participating in the project, changes as a result of participation, suggested uses of park audit data collected, and who should use the tools. Four themes emerged related to youths' project participation experiences: two positive (fun and new experiences) and two negative (uncomfortable/unsafe and travel issues). Changes described as a result of participating in the project fell into four themes: increased awareness, motivation for further action, physical activity benefits, and no change. Additionally, youth had numerous suggestions for utilizing the data collected that were coded into six themes: maintenance & aesthetics, feature/amenity addition, online park information, park rating/review system, fundraising, and organizing community projects. Finally, six themes emerged regarding who the youth felt could use the tools: frequent park visitors, community groups/organizations, parks and recreation professionals, adults, youth, and everyone. This study revealed a wealth of information about youth experiences conducting park audits for community health promotion. Understanding youth attitudes and preferences can help advance youth empowerment and civic engagement efforts to promote individual and community health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rape myth attitudes in rural Kenya: toward the development of a culturally relevant attitude scale and "blame index".

PubMed

Tavrow, Paula; Withers, Mellissa; Obbuyi, Albert; Omollo, Vidalyne; Wu, Elizabeth

2013-07-01

Rape myth attitudes (RMAs) can excuse men for rape, placing blame on female victims. This study identified and classified RMAs in rural western Kenya through 31 focus group discussions with youths and adults. We found that about half of the participants were likely to blame victims unconditionally. Stereotypes about rape victims and perpetrators were rife. Five of seven standardly used RMA categories emerged spontaneously in focus groups, along with a new category: "she owed him." Based on the data, we developed a "blame index" to assess the likelihood of community victim blaming in Kenya. To reduce victim blaming and bring about more prosecutions for rape, community education, teacher training, and reforms of rape laws are highly recommended.

Beliefs and experiences regarding smoking cessation among American Indians.

PubMed

Burgess, Diana; Fu, Steven S; Joseph, Anne M; Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Solomon, Jody; van Ryn, Michelle

2007-01-01

A dearth of information exists about American Indians' views about smoking and cessation. We present results from six focus groups conducted among current and former smokers from American Indian communities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, as part of a larger qualitative study. Findings indicate that, although smoking is common and acceptable among this population, many would like to quit. The majority of focus group participants attempted cessation without the aid of counseling and pharmacotherapy. Many held negative attitudes toward pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, including worries about side effects, skepticism about effectiveness, and dislike of medications in general. Negative attitudes were grounded partly in a lack of trust in conventional medicine and, for some, were related to historic and continuing racism. Participants also reported a lack of information about tobacco dependence treatment from health care providers, including information about the functional benefits of such treatment. Nonetheless, participants thought smokers might try pharmacotherapy if it was made more accessible in their community and if community members could offer word-of-mouth testimonials regarding its effectiveness. Results point to the need for community- and peer-based smoking cessation treatment in the American Indian community, including accurate information from trusted sources.

Reflections on a boom: Perceptions of energy development impacts in the Bakken oil patch inform environmental science & policy priorities.

PubMed

McGranahan, Devan Allen; Fernando, Felix N; Kirkwood, Meghan L E

2017-12-01

Ecosystems worldwide have been subject to new or intensified energy development facilitated by technologies such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, activity that has generated concern for air, water, biotic, and social resources. Application of these technologies in the development of the Bakken oil patch has made it one of the most productive petroleum plays in North America, causing unprecedented landscape industrialization of otherwise rural, agricultural counties in western North Dakota. The region is isolated, and development impacts have not been well-studied. To identify concerns of citizens of the Bakken and determine how research and policy might support them, we conducted a two-part study: First, we held focus groups with resource management and community leaders in three major oil-producing counties. Second, we used an outline of the major concerns expressed by focus group members as a survey for landowners and farm/ranch operators. We found little relationship between survey respondents' reported categorization of energy impacts and actual land area impacted, suggesting factors such as attitude towards development, degree of compensation, and level of disturbance are relevant. Landowners agreed with focus groups on the nature of relationships between energy companies and locals and development impacts on infrastructure and communities; those reporting greater impacts tended to agree more strongly. But many specific problems described in focus groups were not widely reported in the survey, suggesting energy-community relationships can be improved through state-level public policy and respect from energy companies for locals and their way of life. Consideration of these concerns in future energy policy-both in the Bakken and worldwide-could reduce social tension, lessen environmental impact, and increase overall social, economic, and environmental efficiency in energy development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A qualitative study of pharmacists' perceptions of, and recommendations for improvement of antibiotic use in Qatar.

PubMed

Black, Emily; Cartwright, Andrea; Bakharaiba, Sumaia; Al-Mekaty, Eman; Alsahan, Dima

2014-08-01

Use of antibiotics has been correlated with increasing rates of resistance. Pharmacists are ideally positioned as front line health care providers to limit indiscriminate antibiotic use and promote the safe and effective administration of these medications. The aim of this project was to assess pharmacists' opinions relating to antibiotic utilization in the community setting. Doha, Qatar. Community and primary care pharmacists were invited to participate in one of three focus groups or a semi-structured interview at Qatar University or at their site of employment. A total of 22 community and primary care pharmacists participated in this study. Interviews were facilitated using a focus group guide, were recorded, and later transcribed. Transcripts were reviewed for recurring themes and coded using Nvivo software for qualitative research. Pharmacists' perceptions. Five major themes emerged from a series of focus groups and interviews. Themes which recurred across interview groups included: misconceptions and inappropriate practices by patients and healthcare providers, currently implemented strategies, perceived barriers, ways to overcome perceived barriers, and targets for improvement of antibiotic use in Qatar. The greatest need, as identified by pharmacists in this study was increased knowledge of the general population about appropriate antibiotic use through various educational interventions. Pharmacists report a number of misconceptions and inappropriate practices relating to antibiotic use in Qatar by patients and healthcare providers. Education to improve knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use is needed. Despite recognition of these issues, barriers are preventing pharmacists from implementing strategies to improve antibiotic use in Qatar.

Evaluation of a Spiritually Focused Intervention with Older Trauma Survivors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowland, Sharon; Edmond, Tonya; Fallot, Roger D.

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 11-session, spiritually focused group intervention with older women survivors (age 55 years and older) of interpersonal trauma (child abuse, sexual assault, or domestic violence) in reducing trauma-related depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress, and anxiety. Forty-three community-dwelling women…

A Qualitative Assessment of Weight Control among Rural Kansas Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ely, Andrea C.; Befort, Christie; Banitt, Angela; Gibson, Cheryl; Sullivan, Debra

2009-01-01

Objective: To explore weight control beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and practices among rural Kansas women, and to characterize the relationship of these women with their primary-care providers around weight control. Design: Qualitative research using focus groups. Setting: Three separate communities of rural Kansas. Participants: Six focus groups…

What constitutes an effective community pharmacy?--development of a preliminary model of organizational effectiveness through concept mapping with multiple stakeholders.

PubMed

Scahill, S L; Harrison, J; Carswell, P

2010-08-01

To develop a multi-constituent model of organizational effectiveness for community pharmacy. Using Concept Systems software, a project with 14 stakeholders included a three stage process: (i) face to face brainstorming to generate statements describing what constitutes an effective community pharmacy, followed by (ii) statement reduction and approval by participants, followed by (iii) sorting of the statements into themes with rating of each statement for importance. Primary care in a government-funded, national health care system. A multi-constituent group representing policy-makers and health care providers including; community pharmacy, professional pharmacy organizations, primary health care funders and policy-makers, general practitioners and general practice support organizations. Statement clusters included: 'has safe and effective workflows', 'contributes to the safe use of medicines', 'manages human resources and has leadership', 'has a community focus', 'is integrated within primary care', 'is a respected innovator', 'provides health promotion and preventative care', 'communicates and advocates'. These clusters fit into a quadrant model setting stakeholder focus against role development. The poles of stakeholder focus are 'internal capacity' and 'social utility'. The poles of role development are labelled 'traditional safety roles' and 'integration and innovation'. Organizational effectiveness in community pharmacy includes the internal and external focus of the organization and role development. Our preliminary model describes an effective community pharmacy and provides a platform for investigation of the factors that may influence the organizational effectiveness of individual community pharmacies now and into the future.

The evaluation of a strength and balance exercise program for falls prevention in community primary care.

PubMed

Hawley-Hague, Helen; Roden, Amy; Abbott, Jo

2017-08-01

We aimed to evaluate a strength and balance program delivered in the community. There is little evidence of implementation of evidence-based exercise in practice. The program was a step-down model, designed to encourage long-term exercise in community classes. The program consisted of a fully funded referral only evidence-based 12-week strength and balance (Community Otago) class, followed by an evidence-based continuous open-access community strength and balance class (Active Always). The program was offered to patients: 1) after formal falls rehabilitation (falls and fracture service); 2) after falls rehabilitation in intermediate care; and 3) referred by a GP who were not eligible for rehabilitation (preventative measure). Outcome evaluation used descriptive statistics to report changes in function, confidence in balance, hospital attendance/admission for falls/fractures and transition to community classes. Focus groups established participant experience/satisfaction. Seventy-nine participants were included, aged 56-96, and 53 (67%) were women. About 63.3% of patients transitioned to Active Always classes, demonstrating improvement in maintenance. Follow-up scores from baseline attendance at falls and fracture service to 12-weeks follow-up (24 weeks) in Community Otago showed the majority of patients improved their function (Timed up and Go), confidence (ConfBal) and lowered their falls risk (Tinetti). Follow-up of participants from Community Otago baseline to the end of 12-weeks showed improvement in function and confidence, but only a third of participants lowered their falls risk. Focus groups data suggest that continuity of delivery, the role of the instructor, health professional, and social and physical outcomes were essential for maintenance. A supportive environment can be created which encourages older adults' continued participation in group-based strength and balance, helping the delivery of evidence-based practice.

Ethical and Epistemic Dilemmas in Empirically-Engaged Philosophy of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Anne; Glass, Ronald David

2015-01-01

This essay examines several ethical and epistemological issues that arise when philosophers conduct empirical research focused on, or in collaboration with, community groups seeking to bring about systemic change. This type of research can yield important policy lessons about effective community-driven reform and how to incorporate the voices of…

Infant Feeding Practices: Perceptions of Native American Mothers and Health Paraprofessionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horodynski, Mildred A; Calcatera, Mary; Carpenter, Amanda

2012-01-01

Objective: To ascertain infant feeding practices and to explore the feasibility of an in-home feeding intervention with Native American Indian (NAI) mothers in six Native American communities in the United States (US). Design: Qualitative focus group study. Setting: Six Native American communities in the Midwest region of the United States.…

Leisure preferences and open space needs in an

Treesearch

Tingwei Zhang; Paul H. Gobster

1998-01-01

Leisure preferences and open space needs were explored within a discrete, homogeneous ethnic community: the Chinese Americans of Chicago's Chinatown. Face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions were used to identify outdoor leisure patterns and preferences, in general, and with respect to new park development being planned for the community. Findings show...

Intelligence Studies in Higher Education: Integrating a Community of Practice Pedagogical Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westbrooks, Dennis A., II

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored faculty members' and senior level administrators' views of intelligence studies, communities of practice, and learning approaches. A focus group interview, individual interviews, and a review of documents were the sources of data for the study. Themes emerging from the investigation were strategies to connect…

Case Studies of Student Mentoring in Three New York City Community-Based Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truitt, Brett J.

2012-01-01

This researcher examined three selected New York City community-based organizations' roles in student mentoring and the building of social capital. The methodology included focus group interviews, individual interviews, shadowing, and the collection of archival materials. The data were analyzed through pattern, theme and discrepancy analysis to…

The Identities of the Ethiopian Community in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baratz, Lea; Kalnisky, Esther

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the linkage of identity of new and veteran immigrant students of the Ethiopian community in Israel, by examining their attitudes to children's literature books written simultaneously in Hebrew and Amharic. The data were collected using focus groups of Ethiopian students attending a teacher training college.…

Food Security in Older Adults: Community Service Provider Perceptions of Their Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Heather H.; Dwyer, John J. M.; Edwards, Vicki; Senson, Christine; Edward, H. Gayle

2007-01-01

Food insecurity in older adults is influenced by financial constraints, functional disability, and isolation. Twenty-eight social- and community-service providers participated in four focus groups to report (a) perceptions and experiences with food insecurity in their older clients, (b) beliefs about their potential role(s) in promoting food…

Opening Doors: Students' Perspectives on Juggling Work, Family, and College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matus-Grossman, Lisa; Gooden, Susan

Information gathered in focus groups of current, former, and potential students at six community colleges was used to explore institutional and personal access and retention issues faced by students seeking a workable balance of their college, work, and family responsibilities. The six community colleges were as follows: Cabrillo College (Aptos,…

Sustaining Teaching Careers: Perceptions of Veteran Teachers in a Rural Mid-Atlantic School Division

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, DeJuanna M.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored rural veteran teachers' perceptions of career longevity attainment. Interviews, focus group interviews, and a review of documents were the sources of data for the study. The study produced four emergent themes from interview data: Respect and Recognition in the Community, Involvement with the Community, Intrinsic…

Community Conversations with Parents to Improve Perinatal Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Joanne

2007-01-01

The state of Indiana took a unique approach to developing a statewide plan to improve perinatal health outcomes by engaging parents in a series of focus groups, called Community Conversations in Perinatal Care (CCPC), to hear directly from consumers about their health care experiences and needs. Recognizing that disparities exist among different…

Pathways to Engineering: The Validation Experiences of Transfer Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yi; Ozuna, Taryn

2015-01-01

Community college engineering transfer students are a critical student population of engineering degree recipients and technical workforce in the United States. Focusing on this group of students, we adopted Rendón's (1994) validation theory to explore the students' experiences in community colleges prior to transferring to a four-year…

The Cultural and Social Context of Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Risk and Control among Hispanics in New York

PubMed Central

Cruz, Gustavo D.; Shulman, Lawrence C.; Kumar, Jayanth V.; Salazar, Christian R.

2007-01-01

New York City (NYC) has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) for Hispanics of any major U.S. city. This qualitative assessment explores OPC awareness, attitudes, and screening practices among at-risk Hispanics, health care providers, and community leaders in a Hispanic neighborhood of NYC. Four focus groups (N=39) were conducted with at-risk Hispanics. Structured interviews were conducted with ten health care providers (four physicians, four dentists, two dental hygienists) and three key community leaders. Results showed major gaps in OPC awareness across all key stakeholders. Focus group participants expressed difficulty in accessing appropriate health care. Health care providers were not familiar with OPC prevention and early detection practices. Community leaders lacked the knowledge and resources necessary for advocating prevention and early detection for their constituencies. All participants reported cultural, social, and structural barriers to prevention. There is a need for developing a comprehensive, culturally competent health communication program that targets all key stakeholders in the at-risk Hispanic community of NYC. PMID:17982210

Understanding Genomic Knowledge in Rural Appalachia: The West Virginia Genome Community Project.

PubMed

Mallow, Jennifer A; Theeke, Laurie A; Crawford, Patricia; Prendergast, Elizabeth; Conner, Chuck; Richards, Tony; McKown, Barbara; Bush, Donna; Reed, Donald; Stabler, Meagan E; Zhang, Jianjun; Dino, Geri; Barr, Taura L

Rural communities have limited knowledge about genetics and genomics and are also underrepresented in genomic education initiatives. The purpose of this project was to assess genomic and epigenetic knowledge and beliefs in rural West Virginia. A total of 93 participants from three communities participated in focus groups and 68 participants completed a demographic survey. The age of the respondents ranged from 21 to 81 years. Most respondents had a household income of less than $40,000, were female and most were married, completed at least a HS/GED or some college education working either part-time or full-time. A Community Based Participatory Research process with focus groups and demographic questionnaires was used. Most participants had a basic understanding of genetics and epigenetics, but not genomics. Participants reported not knowing much of their family history and that their elders did not discuss such information. If the conversations occurred, it was only during times of crisis or an illness event. Mental health and substance abuse are topics that are not discussed with family in this rural population. Most of the efforts surrounding genetic/genomic understanding have focused on urban populations. This project is the first of its kind in West Virginia and has begun to lay the much needed infrastructure for developing educational initiatives and extending genomic research projects into our rural Appalachian communities. By empowering the public with education, regarding the influential role genetics, genomics, and epigenetics have on their health, we can begin to tackle the complex task of initiating behavior changes that will promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities.

Pharmacists’ views on involvement in pharmacy practice research: Strategies for facilitating participation

PubMed Central

Armour, Carol; Brillant, Martha; Krass, Ines

In order for community pharmacy practice to continue to evolve, pharmacy practice research on potential new services is essential. This requires the active participation of community pharmacists. At present the level of involvement of community pharmacists in pharmacy practice research is minimal. Objectives To ascertain the attitudes of a group of research-experienced community pharmacists towards participating in research; to investigate the barriers and facilitators to participation; to identify potential strategies to increase the involvement of community pharmacists in research. Methods A focus group was conducted with a purposive sample of 11 research-experienced community pharmacists. A pharmacist academic moderated the focus group using a semi-structured interview guide. The participants were asked about their attitudes towards research, previous involvement in research, barriers to their involvement and strategies to overcome these barriers. The session was audio-taped and notes were taken by an observer. Thematic analysis of the notes and audio-tape transcripts was conducted. Results Three themes emerged around pharmacists’ attitudes towards research: pharmacists’ perception of the purpose of research, pharmacists’ motivation for involvement in research, and pharmacists’ desired role in research. Barriers to research participation were grouped into four themes: pharmacists’ mindset, communication, infrastructure (time, money and staff), and skills/knowledge. Strategies to address each of these barriers were suggested. Conclusions Participants recognised the importance of research towards advancing their profession and this was a motivating factor for involvement in research. They perceived their role in research primarily as data collection. A series of practical strategies to overcome the barriers to participation were offered that researchers may wish to consider when promoting research outcomes and designing research projects. PMID:25214919

Australian rural, remote and urban community nurses' health promotion role and function.

PubMed

Roden, Janet; Jarvis, Lynda; Campbell-Crofts, Sandra; Whitehead, Dean

2016-09-01

Community nurses have often been 'touted' as potential major contributors to health promotion. Critical literature, however, often states that this has not been the case. Furthermore, most studies examining nurses' role and function have occurred mainly in hospital settings. This is a sequential mixed-methods study of two groups of community nurses from a Sydney urban area (n = 100) and from rural and remote areas (n = 49) within New South Wales, Australia. A piloted questionnaire survey was developed based on the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Following this, 10 qualitative interviews were conducted for both groups, plus a focus group to support or refute survey results. Findings showed that rural and remote nurses had more positive attitudes towards health promotion and its clinical implementation. Survey and interview data confirmed that urban community nurses had a narrower focus on caring for individuals rather than groups, agreeing that time constraints impacted on their limited health promotion role. There was agreement about lack of resources (material and people) to update health promotion knowledge and skills. Rural and remote nurses were more likely to have limited educational opportunities. All nurses undertook more development of personal skills (DPS, health education) than any other action area. The findings highlight the need for more education and resources for community nurses to assist their understanding of health promotion concepts. It is hoped that community nurse leaders will collectively become more effective health promoters and contribute to healthy reform in primary health care sectors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Snails in bottles and language cuckoos: an evaluation of patient information resources for South Asians with osteomalacia.

PubMed

Samanta, A; Johnson, M R D; Guo, F; Adebajo, A

2009-03-01

To assess the acceptability for use of information on osteomalacia for South Asian patients. Ten focus groups of South Asian persons speaking Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu (one male and one female group for each language) were used to evaluate the written (leaflets) and spoken information (CD) on osteomalacia for South Asian patients produced by the Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC). Focus group discussion was facilitated by community-based workers using the Social Action Research Method. A subsidiary evaluation of the information was conducted by a questionnaire-based survey sent to British Society of Rheumatology/British Health Professionals in Rheumatology (BSR/BHPR) members and others who had requested such materials from ARC in the past. Evaluation by focus groups revealed that there were potential difficulties relating to the understanding of the information leaflets and CDs and problematic issues regarding the quality of translation and pronunciation. Evaluation by BSR/BHPR members and others who had requested such material was that although the information was culturally appropriate, there were some weak areas such as mispronunciation, the quality of translation and specific customs. Healthcare information resources for minority ethnic groups has traditionally been developed depending upon the needs of the community, the language spoken and cultural norms. Such information is regarded as 'culturally sensitive'. However, an additional dimension is required. Information should be evaluated by the community and also specific users in order to determine its acceptability. This test of 'cultural competence' can ensure that such information has real practical value. An iterative evaluation process with feedback and refinement of information resources for minority ethnic groups is essential.

Relative solidarity: Conceptualising communal participation in genomic research among potential research participants in a developing Sub-Saharan African setting.

PubMed

Ogunrin, Olubunmi; Woolfall, Kerry; Gabbay, Mark; Frith, Lucy

2018-01-01

As genomic research gathers momentum in sub-Saharan Africa, it has become increasingly important to understand the reasons why individuals wish to participate in this kind of medical research. Against the background of communitarianism conceived as typical of African communities, it is often suggested that individuals consent to participate on the grounds of solidarity and to further the common good. In this paper, we seek to explore this contention by presenting data from focus groups with potential research participants about what would influence their decisions to participate in genomic research. These focus groups were conducted as part of a larger qualitative study with a purposively selected group of participants from a community situated in south west Nigeria. We conducted fifteen focus group sessions comprising 50 participants organized by age and sex, namely: 1) adult (>30 years) males, 2) adult females, 3) youth (18-30 years) males, and 4) youth females. A mixed age-group was conducted to probe different views between the age groups. There was discordance and clear division between the adults and youths regarding the decision to participate in genomic research based on commitment to communal values. Adults based their decision to participate on altruism and furthering the common good while youths based their decisions on personal benefits and preferences and also took into account the views and welfare of family members and neighbours. This discordance suggests a 'generational shift' and we advance a model of 'relative solidarity' among the youths, which is different from the communal solidarity model typical of African communitarianism. Our findings suggest the need for a closer look at strategies for implementation of community engagement and informed consent in genomic research in this region, and we recommend further studies to explore this emerging trend.

Interruption of Transmission of Onchocerca volvulus in the Southern Chiapas Focus, México

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Pérez, Mario A.; Domínguez-Vázquez, Alfredo; Unnasch, Thomas R.; Hassan, Hassan K.; Arredondo-Jiménez, Juan I.; Orozco-Algarra, María Eugenia; Rodríguez-Morales, Kristel B.; Rodríguez-Luna, Isabel C.; Prado-Velasco, Francisco Gibert

2013-01-01

Background The Southern Chiapas focus of onchocerciasis in Southern Mexico represents one of the major onchocerciasis foci in Latin America. All 559 endemic communities of this focus have undergone semi-annual mass treatment with ivermectin since 1998. In 50 communities of this focus, ivermectin frequency shifted from twice to four times a year in 2003; an additional 113 communities were added to the quarterly treatment regimen in 2009 to achieve a rapid suppression of transmission. Methodology/Principal findings In-depth epidemiologic and entomologic assessments were performed in six sentinel communities (which had undergone 2 rounds of ivermectin treatment per year) and three extra-sentinel communities (which had undergone 4 rounds of ivermectin treatment per year). None of the 67,924 Simulium ochraceum s.l. collected from this focus during the dry season of 2011 were found to contain parasite DNA when tested by polymerase chain reaction-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PCR-ELISA), resulting in an upper bound of the 95% confidence interval (95%-ULCI) of the infective rate in the vectors of 0.06/2,000 flies examined. Serological assays testing for Onchocerca volvulus exposure conducted on 4,230 children 5 years of age and under (of a total population of 10,280 in this age group) revealed that 2/4,230 individuals were exposed to O. volvulus (0.05%; one sided 95% confidence interval = 0.08%). Conclusions/Significance The in-depth epidemiological and entomological findings from the Southern Chiapas focus meet the criteria for interruption of transmission developed by the international community. PMID:23556018

Development and evaluation of a Chinese-language newborn feeding hotline: A prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Janssen, Patricia A; Livingstone, Verity H; Chang, Bruce; Klein, Michael C

2009-01-01

Background Preference for formula versus breast feeding among women of Chinese descent remains a concern in North America. The goal of this study was to develop an intervention targeting Chinese immigrant mothers to increase their rates of exclusive breastfeeding. Methods We convened a focus group of immigrant women of Chinese descent in Vancouver, British Columbia to explore preferences for method of infant feeding. We subsequently surveyed 250 women of Chinese descent to validate focus group findings. Using a participatory approach, our focus group participants reviewed survey findings and developed a priority list for attributes of a community-based intervention to support exclusive breastfeeding in the Chinese community. The authors and focus group participants worked as a team to plan, implement and evaluate a Chinese language newborn feeding information telephone service staffed by registered nurses fluent in Chinese languages. Results Participants in the focus group reported a strong preference for formula feeding. Telephone survey results revealed that while pregnant Chinese women understood the benefits of breastfeeding, only 20.8% planned to breastfeed exclusively. Only 15.6% were breastfeeding exclusively at two months postpartum. After implementation of the feeding hotline, 20% of new Chinese mothers in Vancouver indicated that they had used the hotline. Among these women, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was 44.1%; OR 3.02, (95% CI 1.78–5.09) compared to women in our survey. Conclusion Initiation of a language-specific newborn feeding telephone hotline reached a previously underserved population and may have contributed to improved rates of exclusive breastfeeding. PMID:19178746

Self-Efficacy and Nutrition Education: A Study of the Effect of an Intervention with Faith Community Nurses.

PubMed

Gotwals, Beth

2018-02-01

The faith community provides an important access point for practice focused on population health at a time when health issues such as obesity and overweight are affecting large number of Americans. The purpose of this study was to examine faith community nurses' self-efficacy perceptions following a nutrition educational intervention. A convenience sample of 92 faith community nurses were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The t-distribution analysis revealed significant differences between the nutrition knowledge self-efficacy (p = .016) and nutrition counseling self-efficacy (p = .010) post-test scores for the experimental and control groups. This type of educational intervention provides a model to be used with faith community nurses as they integrate faith and health in this setting.

Towards a Science of Community Stakeholder Engagement in Biomedical HIV Prevention Trials: An Embedded Four-Country Case Study

PubMed Central

Newman, Peter A.; Rubincam, Clara; Slack, Catherine; Essack, Zaynab; Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Chuang, Deng-Min; Tepjan, Suchon; Shunmugam, Murali; Roungprakhon, Surachet; Logie, Carmen; Koen, Jennifer; Lindegger, Graham

2015-01-01

Objectives Broad international guidelines and studies in the context of individual clinical trials highlight the centrality of community stakeholder engagement in conducting ethically rigorous HIV prevention trials. We explored and identified challenges and facilitators for community stakeholder engagement in biomedical HIV prevention trials in diverse global settings. Our aim was to assess and deepen the empirical foundation for priorities included in the GPP guidelines and to highlight challenges in implementation that may merit further attention in subsequent GPP iterations. Methods From 2008–2012 we conducted an embedded, multiple case study centered in Thailand, India, South Africa and Canada. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with respondents from different trial-related subsystems: civil society organization representatives, community advocates, service providers, clinical trialists/researchers, former trial participants, and key HIV risk populations. Interviews/focus groups were recorded, and coded using thematic content analysis. After intra-case analyses, we conducted cross-case analysis to contrast and synthesize themes and sub-themes across cases. Lastly, we applied the case study findings to explore and assess UNAIDS/AVAC GPP guidelines and the GPP Blueprint for Stakeholder Engagement. Results Across settings, we identified three cross-cutting themes as essential to community stakeholder engagement: trial literacy, including lexicon challenges and misconceptions that imperil sound communication; mistrust due to historical exploitation; and participatory processes: engaging early; considering the breadth of “community”; and, developing appropriate stakeholder roles. Site-specific challenges arose in resource-limited settings and settings where trials were halted. Conclusions This multiple case study revealed common themes underlying community stakeholder engagement across four country settings that largely mirror GPP goals and the GPP Blueprint, as well as highlighting challenges in the implementation of important guidelines. GPP guidance documents could be strengthened through greater focus on: identifying and addressing the community-specific roots of mistrust and its impact on trial literacy activities; achieving and evaluating representativeness in community stakeholder groups; and addressing the impact of power and funding streams on meaningful engagement and independent decision-making. PMID:26295159

Protected area staff and local community viewpoints: A qualitative assessment of conservation relationships in Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Mutanga, Chiedza Ngonidzashe; Muboko, Never; Gandiwa, Edson

2017-01-01

With the increase in illegal resource harvesting in most protected areas (PAs), the need to understand the determinants and relationships between PAs and local communities to enhance wildlife conservation is increasingly becoming important. Using focus group discussions and interviews, we established the determinants of PA staff-community relationship from both PA staff and local communities’ viewpoints, and assessedperceptions of their relationship with each other. The study was guided by the following main research question, ‘What is the nature of the relationship between PA staff and local communities and what are the main factors influencing the relationship?’ Data were collected through focus group discussions and interviews from four PAs and their adjacent communities in Zimbabwe between July 2013 and February 2014. Our results showed that a total of seven determinants were identified as influencing PA staff-community relationship, i.e., benefit-sharing, human-wildlife conflict, compensation for losses from wildlife attacks, communication between PA staff and local communities, community participation in the management of CAMPFIRE projects, lack of community participation in tourism in PAs, and community perceptions of PA staff or PA staff perceptions of the community. Of the seven, only one determinant, benefit-sharing, was recorded as the main factor that differentially influencesthe perceptions of community and PA staff on their relationship. Furthermore, both the communities and PA staff reported mixed perceptions on their relationship with each other. We conclude that both communities’ and PA staff’s views on determinants are largely similar in all studied PAs irrespective of PA ownership, management and/or land use. Our findings could be relevant in policy making especially in developing countries in developing PA-community relationship framework in natural resource conservation. PMID:28542185

Remote Sensing Information Sciences Research Group: Santa Barbara Information Sciences Research Group, year 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, John E.; Smith, Terence; Star, Jeffrey L.

1987-01-01

Information Sciences Research Group (ISRG) research continues to focus on improving the type, quantity, and quality of information which can be derived from remotely sensed data. Particular focus in on the needs of the remote sensing research and application science community which will be served by the Earth Observing System (EOS) and Space Station, including associated polar and co-orbiting platforms. The areas of georeferenced information systems, machine assisted information extraction from image data, artificial intelligence and both natural and cultural vegetation analysis and modeling research will be expanded.

From hypothetical scenario to tragic reality: A salutary lesson in risk communication and the Victorian 2009 bushfires.

PubMed

Burns, Robin; Robinson, Priscilla; Smith, Penelope

2010-02-01

To investigate the ways that the risk of a bushfire emergency and communication strategies are perceived by different community segments. A brief questionnaire preceded focus group discussion of a bushfire scenario with four communications from different sources. Groups were recruited to represent different community segments within a bushfire-prone peri-urban Shire in Victoria. Four groups (28 participants) were recruited. Bushfire experience was highest in the over 40-year-olds, who would use a variety of information sources, preferred to receive information from trusted local sources, such as emergency services and the council, and were more likely to be a member of a local organisation than the under 40s. Younger people used television, local papers, and friends, family and neighbours as information sources. Young parents felt disempowered through lack of local knowledge, and trusted government departments less than older residents. All wanted clear, current, specific local information about ground conditions and actions to be taken during a fire outbreak. Knowledge of and preparedness for bushfire is unequally spread throughout a bushfire community. There is a need in public health risk and emergency situations to focus on community development, information and consultation. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 Public Health Association of Australia.

Engaging Study Participants in Research Dissemination at a Center for Population Health and Health Disparities.

PubMed

Knerr, Sarah; Hohl, Sarah D; Molina, Yamile; Neuhouser, Marian L; Li, Christopher I; Coronado, Gloria D; Fullerton, Stephanie M; Thompson, Beti

Research dissemination is a priority for The Partnership for Understanding and Eliminating Disparate Outcomes (PUEDO) for Latinas, a Center for Population Health and Health Disparities located at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC). We aimed to identify types of PUEDO research findings our participants wanted and why, dissemination audiences beyond PUEDO participants, and strategies to communicate diverse findings about breast cancer and breast cancer disparities. Five focus groups with PUEDO study participants (N = 25) were transcribed for qualitative content analysis (average participants per focus group, 5; range, 2-11). Participants reported wanting to learn aggregate and personal results and were influenced by their life experiences, their experiences as study participants, and the relevance they believed specific results would have for their lives. Women advocated for broad dissemination and inclusive communication using a simple paper-based strategy that would be accessible to diverse audiences (e.g., study participants, policymakers, recent immigrants). Focus groups informed PUEDO's dissemination strategy, which concentrates on study participants and the regional Latino community. This approach to dissemination should maximize information uptake and community benefit.

Community groups as ‘critical enablers’ of the HIV response in Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The Investment Framework for a more effective HIV response has become integral to discussions on how best to respond to the HIV epidemic. The Framework calls for greater synergy and attention to factors that serve as ‘critical enablers’ and optimise HIV programmes. In this paper we argue for recognition of informal and indigenous community groups as ‘critical enablers’ of the HIV response. Methods This qualitative study was conducted in Matobo district of the Matabeleland South province in Zimbabwe. It draws on 19 individual in-depth interviews and 9 focus group discussions conducted by local researchers in September and October 2011. Data was thematically analysed. Results Four core themes highlight the possibilities and limitations of community groups in the HIV response: (i) Membership of indigenous community groups and group-based dialogue were found to encourage group members to engage with HIV prevention, mitigation and care efforts; (ii) local networks and partnerships between groups and NGOs were said to play an important role in accessing much needed resources to aid indigenous coping with AIDS; (iii) community strengths and resources were recognised and drawn upon in the community group response; (iv) frequent droughts, poverty and stigma served as obstacles to an effective HIV response. Conclusions In this context, social groups, although to varying degrees and in direct or indirect ways, play a key role in the HIV response. This suggest that community groups and networks can indeed act as ‘critical enablers’ to the HIV response, and that efforts need to be made to facilitate the contributions of already existing indigenous responses. Local community groups are developing local and collective solutions to structural problems, often independently of external NGO or health service efforts, and begging for synergy and collaboration between local community groups and networks, the health services and other external HIV service delivery sectors. PMID:23705939

Trust Building in Virtual Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezgár, István

By using different types of communication networks various groups of people can come together according to their private or business interest forming a Virtual Community. In these communities cooperation and collaboration plays an important role. As trust is the base of all human interactions this fact is even more valid in case of virtual communities. According to different experiments the level of trust in virtual communities is highly influenced by the way/mode of communication and by the duration of contact. The paper discusses the ways of trust building focusing on communication technologies and security aspects in virtual communities.

Silent Endurance and Profound Loneliness: Socioemotional Suffering in African Americans Living With HIV in the Rural South

PubMed Central

Miles, Margaret Shandor; Isler, Malika Roman; Banks, Bahby B.; Sengupta, Sohini; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

2011-01-01

We explored how community responses to HIV contribute to distress in African Americans living with HIV in the rural South of the United States. We listened to the voices of community members through focus groups and African Americans with HIV through interviews. Community avoidance of HIV, negative views of HIV, and discriminatory behavior powerfully affected the distress of people living with HIV (PLWH). Ongoing distress, coupled with limited support, led to a life in which many PLWH endured their pain in silence and experienced profound loneliness. We conceptualized their experiences as socioemotional suffering—the hidden emotional burden and inner distress of not only living with HIV, a complex serious illness, but also with the societal attitudes and behaviors that are imposed on the illness and on PLWH. To improve the quality of life and health of PLWH, we cannot focus solely on the individual, but must also focus on the local community and society as a whole. PMID:21041516

Factors Affecting Dietary Practices in a Mississippi African American Community

PubMed Central

White, Monique; Jenkins, Brenda W. Campbell; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy; Payton, Marinelle; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna

2017-01-01

This study examined the practices, personal motivation, and barriers of African American communities in Mississippi regarding their dietary practices. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups responded to six questions to assess practices, personal motivation, and barriers to dietary practices: (1) Where in your community can you access fresh fruits and vegetables? (2) How many meals a day should a person eat? (3) What would you consider to be a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner? (4) What would you consider to be a healthy snack? (5) What do you consider to be your motivations for eating healthy? (6) What do you consider to be your barriers to eating healthy? Each of the seven focus groups consisted of 6 to 12 participants and provided details of their dietary practices. The focus group interviews were digitally-recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed. The majority of the participants stated that there is a limited availability of fresh fruits/vegetables in rural areas because of a shortage of grocery stores. When they do find fruits, they are priced very high and are unaffordable. Even though health conditions dictate food frequency and portion size, community members feel that individuals should eat three good balanced meals per day with snacks, and they should adhere to small portion sizes. While the desire to attain overall good health and eliminate associative risks for heart disease (e.g., diabetes, obesity) are personal motivations, the cost of food, transportation, age, and time required for food preparation were seen as barriers to healthy eating. Decisions regarding meal choice and meal frequency can have an impact on long-term health outcomes. Health promotion programs should become an integral part of academic- community collaborative agreements. PMID:28671637

Factors Affecting Dietary Practices in a Mississippi African American Community.

PubMed

White, Monique; Addison, Clifton; Jenkins, Brenda W Campbell; Henderson, Frances; McGill, Dorothy; Payton, Marinelle; Antoine-LaVigne, Donna

2017-07-03

This study examined the practices, personal motivation, and barriers of African American communities in Mississippi regarding their dietary practices. We selected the Metro Jackson Area comprised of Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties because it is a combination of urban and rural communities. The sample consisted of 70 participants from seven sites. A total of seven focus groups responded to six questions to assess practices, personal motivation, and barriers to dietary practices: (1) Where in your community can you access fresh fruits and vegetables? (2) How many meals a day should a person eat? (3) What would you consider to be a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner? (4) What would you consider to be a healthy snack? (5) What do you consider to be your motivations for eating healthy? (6) What do you consider to be your barriers to eating healthy? Each of the seven focus groups consisted of 6 to 12 participants and provided details of their dietary practices. The focus group interviews were digitally-recorded. The recorded interviews were transcribed. The majority of the participants stated that there is a limited availability of fresh fruits/vegetables in rural areas because of a shortage of grocery stores. When they do find fruits, they are priced very high and are unaffordable. Even though health conditions dictate food frequency and portion size, community members feel that individuals should eat three good balanced meals per day with snacks, and they should adhere to small portion sizes. While the desire to attain overall good health and eliminate associative risks for heart disease (e.g., diabetes, obesity) are personal motivations, the cost of food, transportation, age, and time required for food preparation were seen as barriers to healthy eating. Decisions regarding meal choice and meal frequency can have an impact on long-term health outcomes. Health promotion programs should become an integral part of academic- community collaborative agreements.

Ethics reflection groups in community health services: an evaluation study.

PubMed

Lillemoen, Lillian; Pedersen, Reidar

2015-04-17

Systematic ethics support in community health services in Norway is in the initial phase. There are few evaluation studies about the significance of ethics reflection on care. The aim of this study was to evaluate systematic ethics reflection in groups in community health (including nursing homes and residency), - from the perspectives of employees participating in the groups, the group facilitators and the service managers. The reflection groups were implemented as part of a research and development project. A mixed-methods design with qualitative focus group interviews, observations and written reports were used to evaluate. The study was conducted at two nursing homes, two home care districts and a residence for people with learning disabilities. Participants were employees, facilitators and service managers. The study was guided by ethical standard principles and was approved by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services. We found support for ethics reflection as a valuable measure to strengthen clinical practice. New and improved solutions, more cooperation between employees, and improved collaboration with patients and their families are some of the results. No negative experiences were found. Instead, the ethics reflection based on experiences and challenges in the workplace, was described as a win-win situation. The evaluation also revealed what is needed to succeed and useful tips for further development of ethics support in community health services. Ethics reflection groups focusing on ethical challenges from the participants' daily work were found to be significant for improved practice, collegial support and cooperation, personal and professional development among staff, facilitators and managers. Resources needed to succeed were managerial support, and anchoring ethics sessions in the routine of daily work.

A self-management intervention for African Americans with comorbid diabetes and hypertension: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lynch, Elizabeth B; Liebman, Rebecca; Ventrelle, Jennifer; Avery, Elizabeth F; Richardson, DeJuran

2014-05-29

The objective of this pilot 6-month randomized controlled trial was to determine the effectiveness of an intensive, community-based, group intervention that focused on diet, physical activity, and peer support for reducing weight among urban-dwelling African Americans with comorbid type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Sixty-one participants were randomized into an intervention or control group. The 6-month intervention consisted of 18 group sessions led by a dietitian in a community setting and weekly telephone calls from a peer supporter. The intervention featured culturally tailored nutrition education, behavioral skills training, and social support focused on changes to diet and physical activity. The control group consisted of two 3-hour group sessions of diabetes self-management education taught by a community health worker. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome was achievement of a 5% weight reduction at 6 months. A secondary outcome was achievement of a 0.5 percentage-point reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Groups did not differ in achievement of the weight-loss goal. Intervention participants lost a mean of 2.8 kg (P = .01); control participants did not lose a significant amount of weight. A greater proportion of intervention (50.0%) than control (21.4%) participants reduced HbA1c by 0.5 percentage points or more at 6 months (P = .03). The intervention was more effective than usual care (short-term diabetes education) at improving glycemic control, but not weight, in low-income African Americans with comorbid diabetes and hypertension. A community-based 6-month group class with culturally tailored education, behavioral skills training, and peer support can lead to a clinically significant reduction in HbA1c.

Adventure Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, John C., Ed.; Priest, Simon, Ed.

Adventure programming is the deliberate use of adventurous experiences to create learning in individuals or groups, often with the goal of improving society or communities. Adventure programming may focus on recreation, education, individual or group development, or therapy, or on a combination of these. This second edition contains 61 chapters by…

Healthy Children, Strong Families 2: A randomized controlled trial of a healthy lifestyle intervention for American Indian families designed using community-based approaches.

PubMed

Tomayko, Emily J; Prince, Ronald J; Cronin, Kate A; Parker, Tassy; Kim, Kyungmann; Grant, Vernon M; Sheche, Judith N; Adams, Alexandra K

2017-04-01

Background/Aims Few obesity prevention trials have focused on young children and their families in the home environment, particularly in underserved communities. Healthy Children, Strong Families 2 is a randomized controlled trial of a healthy lifestyle intervention for American Indian children and their families, a group at very high risk of obesity. The study design resulted from our long-standing engagement with American Indian communities, and few collaborations of this type resulting in the development and implementation of a randomized clinical trial have been described. Methods Healthy Children, Strong Families 2 is a lifestyle intervention targeting increased fruit and vegetable intake, decreased sugar intake, increased physical activity, decreased TV/screen time, and two less-studied risk factors: stress and sleep. Families with young children from five American Indian communities nationwide were randomly assigned to a healthy lifestyle intervention ( Wellness Journey) augmented with social support (Facebook and text messaging) or a child safety control group ( Safety Journey) for 1 year. After Year 1, families in the Safety Journey receive the Wellness Journey, and families in the Wellness Journey start the Safety Journey with continued wellness-focused social support based on communities' request that all families receive the intervention. Primary (adult body mass index and child body mass index z-score) and secondary (health behaviors) outcomes are assessed after Year 1 with additional analyses planned after Year 2. Results To date, 450 adult/child dyads have been enrolled (100% target enrollment). Statistical analyses await trial completion in 2017. Lessons learned Conducting a community-partnered randomized controlled trial requires significant formative work, relationship building, and ongoing flexibility. At the communities' request, the study involved minimal exclusion criteria, focused on wellness rather than obesity, and included an active control group and a design allowing all families to receive the intervention. This collective effort took additional time but was critical to secure community engagement. Hiring and retaining qualified local site coordinators was a challenge but was strongly related to successful recruitment and retention of study families. Local infrastructure has also been critical to project success. Other challenges included geographic dispersion of study communities and providing appropriate incentives to retain families in a 2-year study. Conclusion This multisite intervention addresses key gaps regarding family/home-based approaches for obesity prevention in American Indian communities. Healthy Children, Strong Families 2's innovative aspects include substantial community input, inclusion of both traditional (diet/activity) and less-studied obesity risk factors (stress/sleep), measurement of both adult and child outcomes, social networking support for geographically dispersed households, and a community selected active control group. Our data will address a literature gap regarding multiple risk factors and their relationship to health outcomes in American Indian families.

Community Engagement in a complex intervention to improve access to primary mental health care for hard-to-reach groups.

PubMed

Lamb, Jonathan; Dowrick, Christopher; Burroughs, Heather; Beatty, Susan; Edwards, Suzanne; Bristow, Kate; Clarke, Pam; Hammond, Jonathan; Waheed, Waquas; Gabbay, Mark; Gask, Linda

2015-12-01

Despite the availability of effective evidence-based treatments for depression and anxiety, many 'harder-to-reach' social and patient groups experience difficulties accessing treatment. We developed a complex intervention, the AMP (Improving Access to Mental Health in Primary Care) programme, which combined community engagement (CE), tailored (individual and group) psychosocial interventions and primary care involvement. To develop and evaluate a model for community engagement component of the complex intervention. This paper focuses on the development of relationships between stakeholders, their engagement with the issue of access to mental health and with the programme through the CE model. Our evaluation draws on process data, qualitative interviews and focus groups, brought together through framework analysis to evaluate the issues and challenges encountered. A case study of the South Asian community project carried out in Longsight in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. Complex problems require multiple local stakeholders to work in concert. Assets based approaches implicitly make demands on scarce time and resources. Community development approaches have many benefits, but perceptions of open-ended investment are a barrier. The time-limited nature of a CE intervention provides an impetus to 'do it now', allowing stakeholders to negotiate their investment over time and accommodating their wider commitments. Both tangible outcomes and recognition of process benefits were vital in maintaining involvement. CE interventions can play a key role in improving accessibility and acceptability by engaging patients, the public and practitioners in research and in the local service ecology. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Visual Culture Learning Communities: How and What Students Come to Know in Informal Art Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedman, Kerry; Heijnen, Emiel; Kallio-Tavin, Mira; Karpati, Andrea; Papp, Laszlo

2013-01-01

This article is the report of a large-scale, international research project involving focus group interviews of adolescent and young adult members of a variety of self-initiated visual culture groups in five urban areas (Amsterdam, Budapest, Chicago, Helsinki, and Hong Kong). Each group was established by young people around their interests in the…

Patient and Provider Perspectives on a Mind-Body Program for Grieving Older Adults.

PubMed

Bui, Eric; Chad-Friedman, Emma; Wieman, Sarah; Grasfield, Rachel H; Rolfe, Allison; Dong, Melissa; Park, Elyse R; Denninger, John W

2018-06-01

Spousal bereavement in older age is a major stressor associated with an increase in both mental and physical problems. The Stress Management and Resiliency Training: Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (SMART-3RP) is an 8-week multimodal mind-body program that targets stress and has been found efficacious in decreasing the mental and physical manifestations of stress in varied populations. This qualitative study sought to investigate the relevance, credibility, and feasibility of the SMART-3RP in the community. Focus groups were conducted among both older widowed adults and providers who support them in the community (eg, chaplains, hospice bereavement coordinators). Transcripts were coded independently by coders trained in qualitative research. Codebooks were created based on both general themes and detailed subthemes present in the transcripts. Findings from 4 focus groups revealed a general convergence between the needs of recently widowed older adults reported by widow(er)s and community providers alike and needs identified in the literature. Several components of the SMART-3RP target many of these needs (eg, social support, stress awareness, coping skills), making both community providers and widow(er)s report that the SMART-3RP is logical (89%) and would be helpful (100%) and successful in reducing symptoms (78%). Additionally, all widow(er)s reported a willingness to participate (100%). Feedback from the focus groups was used to adapt the SMART-3RP to improve its relevance to grief-related stress. Our findings suggest that the SMART-3RP may be helpful in decreasing somatic and psychological distress in older adults who have lost a spouse.

Support needs of breast-feeding women: views of Australian midwives and health nurses.

PubMed

McLelland, Gayle; Hall, Helen; Gilmour, Carole; Cant, Robyn

2015-01-01

to explore the views of midwives and maternal-child health nurses regarding factors that influence breast feeding initiation and continuation, focusing on how support for women could be improved to increase breast feeding duration. a focus group study. hospital or domiciliary (home-visiting) midwives and community-based maternal and child health (MCH) nurses in one region of Victoria, Australia. twelve MCH nurses and five midwives who provided supportive services to women in the immediate postnatal period attended one of three audio-recorded focus groups. Thematic findings were identified. four key themes were: 'Guiding women over breast-feeding hurdles', 'Timing, and time to care'; 'Continuity of women's care' and 'Imparting professional knowledge'. Given the a pattern of hospital discharge of mother and infant on day one or day two after birth, participants thought the timing of immediate postnatal breast-feeding support was critical to enable women to initiate and continue breast feeding. Community-based MCH nurses reported time gaps in uptake of new mother referrals and time-pressured face-to-face consultations. Both groups perceived barriers to continuity of women's care. health services subscribe to the Baby Friendly Health Initiative and government policies which support breast feeding, however providers described time pressures and a lack of continuity of women's care, including during transition from hospital to community services. there is a need to examine administration of service delivery and how domiciliary and community nurses can collaborate to establish and maintain supportive relationships with breast feeding women. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Black women, work, stress, and perceived discrimination: the focused support group model as an intervention for stress reduction.

PubMed

Mays, V M

1995-01-01

This exploratory study examined the use of two components (small and large groups) of a community-based intervention, the Focused Support Group (FSG) model, to alleviate employment-related stressors in Black women. Participants were assigned to small groups based on occupational status. Groups met for five weekly 3-hr sessions in didactic or small- and large-group formats. Two evaluations following the didactic session and the small and large group sessions elicited information on satisfaction with each of the formats, self-reported change in stress, awareness of interpersonal and sociopolitical issues affecting Black women in the labor force, assessing support networks, and usefulness of specific discussion topics to stress reduction. Results indicated the usefulness of the small- and large-group formats in reduction of self-reported stress and increases in personal and professional sources of support. Discussions on race and sex discrimination in the workplace were effective in overall stress reduction. The study highlights labor force participation as a potential source of stress for Black women, and supports the development of culture- and gender-appropriate community interventions as viable and cost-effective methods for stress reduction.

Black Women, Work, Stress, and Perceived Discrimination: The Focused Support Group Model as an Intervention for Stress Reduction

PubMed Central

MAYS, VICKIE M.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined the use of two components (small and large groups) of a community-based intervention, the Focused Support Group (FSG) model, to alleviate employment-related stressors in Black women. Participants were assigned to small groups based on occupational status. Groups met for five weekly 3-hr sessions in didactic or small- and large-group formats. Two evaluations following the didactic session and the small and large group sessions elicited information on satisfaction with each of the formats, self-reported change in stress, awareness of interpersonal and sociopolitical issues affecting Black women in the labor force, assessing support networks, and usefulness of specific discussion topics to stress reduction. Results indicated the usefulness of the small- and large-group formats in reduction of self-reported stress and increases in personal and professional sources of support. Discussions on race and sex discrimination in the workplace were effective in overall stress reduction. The study highlights labor force participation as a potential source of stress for Black women, and supports the development of culture- and gender-appropriate community interventions as viable and cost-effective methods for stress reduction. PMID:9225548

Parasitological indicators of onchocerciasis relevant to ivermectin control programmes in the Amazonian focus of Southern Venezuela.

PubMed

Vivas-Martínez, S; Basáñez, M G; Botto, C; Villegas, L; García, M; Curtis, C F

2000-11-01

In the previous paper it was concluded that those aged > or = 15 years of both sexes could comprise the indicator group for rapid epidemiological assessment (REA) of onchocerciasis in the Amazonian focus. This paper explores relationships between community microfilarial (mf) prevalence, intensity, and nodule prevalence in 20 Yanomami communities, that would allow identification of REA methods in the region. The mean nodule ratio (prevalence of nodules/prevalence of mf) was 0.54 when onchocercomata in the indicator group were considered. The Spearman correlation coefficient between mf and nodule prevalence was 0.686 (P = 0.001). Palpation of nodules had 92 % specificity and 32 % sensitivity when compared to skin-snipping for the diagnosis of onchocerciasis. The predictive value positive increased from 75 % to 81 % when the indicator group was used. A microfilarial prevalence > 75 % in this group would be indicative of hyperendemic status in the village, between 30 and 75 % of mesoendemicity, and < 30 % of hypoendemicity. For the assessment of infection intensity, biopsies may be taken from the iliac crest for all endemicity levels. Five of the hyperendemic villages surveyed in this work had a community microfilarial load (CMFL) greater than 10 mf/skin snip; the remaining 5 had a CMFL between 5 and 9. These levels of infection merit high priority ivermectin treatment. In Latin America, communities at both moderate and severe risk are included in mass chemotherapy programmes (i.e. when mf prevalence is over 20 %). Roughly, a nodule prevalence in the indicator group > 10 % would suggest a community mf prevalence > 20 % with a sensitivity of 85 % and a specificity of 71 %. A multiple linear regression model of the arc-sine transformed mf prevalence in the village (all ages) on nodule prevalence in those aged > or = 15 years and altitude of the village explained 72 % of the variance. The model combining nodule and altitudinal information had a sensitivity of 92 % and a specificity of 71 % in comparison to an estimated mf prevalence of 21 % or more. It is suggested that the usefulness of the REA methods proposed be assessed in other areas of the Amazonian onchocerciasis focus.

Community Evolution in International Migration Top1 Networks.

PubMed

Peres, Mihaela; Xu, Helian; Wu, Gang

2016-01-01

Focusing on each country's topmost destination/origin migration relation with other countries, this study builds top1 destination networks and top1 origin networks in order to understand their skeletal construction and community dynamics. Each top1 network covers approximately 50% of the complete migrant network stock for each decade between 1960 and 2000. We investigate the community structure by implementing the Girvan-Newman algorithm and compare the number of components and communities to illustrate their differences. We find that (i) both top1 networks (origin and destination) exhibited communities with a clear structure and a surprising evolution, although 80% edges persist between each decade; (ii) top1 destination networks focused on developed countries exhibiting shorter paths and preferring more advance countries, while top1 origin networks focused both on developed as well as more substantial developing nations that presented a longer path and more stable groups; (iii) only few countries have a decisive influence on community evolution of both top1 networks. USA took the leading position as a destination country in top1 destination networks, while China and India were the main Asian emigration countries in top1 origin networks; European countries and the Russian Federation played an important role in both.

Community Evolution in International Migration Top1 Networks

PubMed Central

Xu, Helian

2016-01-01

Focusing on each country’s topmost destination/origin migration relation with other countries, this study builds top1 destination networks and top1 origin networks in order to understand their skeletal construction and community dynamics. Each top1 network covers approximately 50% of the complete migrant network stock for each decade between 1960 and 2000. We investigate the community structure by implementing the Girvan-Newman algorithm and compare the number of components and communities to illustrate their differences. We find that (i) both top1 networks (origin and destination) exhibited communities with a clear structure and a surprising evolution, although 80% edges persist between each decade; (ii) top1 destination networks focused on developed countries exhibiting shorter paths and preferring more advance countries, while top1 origin networks focused both on developed as well as more substantial developing nations that presented a longer path and more stable groups; (iii) only few countries have a decisive influence on community evolution of both top1 networks. USA took the leading position as a destination country in top1 destination networks, while China and India were the main Asian emigration countries in top1 origin networks; European countries and the Russian Federation played an important role in both. PMID:26859406

'Gotta be sit down and worked out together': views of Aboriginal caregivers and service providers on ways to improve dementia care for Aboriginal Australians.

PubMed

Smith, Kate; Flicker, Leon; Shadforth, Geraldine; Carroll, Emily; Ralph, Naomi; Atkinson, David; Lindeman, Melissa; Schaper, Frank; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; LoGiudice, Dina

2011-01-01

Dementia is five-fold more prevalent among Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal Australians. Despite this, the quality of care available to people living with dementia in remote Aboriginal communities is poor. The objective of this study was to determine ways to overcome factors affecting the successful delivery of services to Aboriginal people with dementia living in remote communities, and to their families and communities. This qualitative research took place in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. Data collection occurred in three stages: (1) interviews with service providers to identify the services available; (2) interviews with the caregivers of Aboriginal people living with dementia and community-based care workers; and (3) focus groups with community representatives and community care staff. Each stage was concluded when no new themes emerged. At each stage the transcribed information was analysed and joint interpretation identified common themes. In total, 42 service providers, 31 caregivers and community-based care workers were interviewed and 3 focus groups were conducted. Obstacles to accessing quality care were mentioned and recommendations on ways to improve care were made. The key themes that emerged were caregiver role, perspectives of dementia, community and culturally-appropriate care, workforce, education and training, issues affecting remote communities and service issues. Detailed information on how each theme affects the successful delivery of dementia care is provided. These research findings indicate that people living with dementia and their caregivers in remote Aboriginal communities are struggling to cope. They are requesting and require better community care. Implementing a culturally safe model of dementia care for remote Aboriginal communities that encompasses the recommendations made and builds on the strengths of the communities could potentially deliver the required improvements to dementia care for this population.

Perspectives on Healthy Eating Among Appalachian Residents

PubMed Central

Schoenberg, Nancy E.; Howell, Britteny M.; Swanson, Mark; Grosh, Christopher; Bardach, Shoshana

2013-01-01

Purpose Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such focus is warranted due to increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and other dietary-related disease. To address suboptimal dietary intake requires an improved, contextualized understanding of the multiple and intersecting influences on healthy eating, particularly among those populations at greatest risk of and from poor diet, including rural residents. Methods During 8 focus groups (N=99) and 6 group key informant interviews (N=20), diverse Appalachian rural residents were queried about their perceptions of healthy eating, determinants of healthy food intake, and recommendations for improving the dietary intake of people in their communities. Participants included church members and other laypeople, public health officials, social service providers, health care professionals, and others. Findings Participants offered insights on healthy eating consistent with the categories of individual, interpersonal, community, physical, environmental and society-level influences described in the socioecological model. Although many participants identified gaps in dietary knowledge as a persistent problem, informants also identified extra-individual factors, including the influence of family, fellow church members, and schools, policy, advertising and media, and general societal trends, as challenges to healthy dietary intake. We highlight Appalachian residents’ recommendations for promoting healthier diets, including support groups, educational workshops, cooking classes, and community gardening. Conclusions We discuss the implications of these findings for programmatic development in the Appalachian context. PMID:23944277

Developing the IDEFICS community-based intervention program to enhance eating behaviors in 2- to 8-year-old children: findings from focus groups with children and parents.

PubMed

Haerens, L; De Bourdeaudhuij, I; Barba, G; Eiben, G; Fernandez, J; Hebestreit, A; Kovács, E; Lasn, H; Regber, S; Shiakou, M; De Henauw, S

2009-06-01

One purpose of 'identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants' (IDEFICS) is to implement a standardized community-based multi-component healthy eating intervention for younger children in eight different countries. The present study describes important influencing factors for dietary behaviors among children aged 2-8 years old in order to determine the best approaches for developing the dietary components of the standardized intervention. Twenty focus groups with children (74 boys, 81 girls) and 36 focus groups with 189 parents (28 men, 161 women) were conducted. Only in two countries, children mentioned receiving nutrition education at school. Rules at home and at school ranged from not allowing the consumption of unhealthy products to allowing everything. The same diversity was found for availability of (un)healthy products at home and school. Parents mentioned personal (lack of time, financial constraints, preferences), socio-environmental (family, peer influences), institutional (school policies) and physical-environmental (availability of unhealthy products, price, season) barriers for healthy eating. This focus group research provided valuable information to guide the first phase in the IDEFICS intervention development. There was a large variability in findings within countries. Interventions should be tailored at the personal and environmental level to increase the likelihood of behavioral change.

North Charleston Police Department: A Strategic Plan for the Community Policing Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-17

individual interest groups (e.g. businesses , churches, politicians, the rich, etc...) from promoti:ng their own priorities over those of the... business disputes, make sure homes and yard- were up to everyone else’s expectations, etc. He speculated that polic~r would return to this community focus in...services, the business community and neighborhood associations by the police department. The other outcome was the productive relationship between the

Encouraging smoking cessation among disadvantaged groups: a qualitative study of the financial aspects of cessation.

PubMed

Bonevski, Billie; Bryant, Jamie; Paul, Christine

2011-07-01

This study aimed to explore perceptions about financial aspects of smoking cessation among a group of disadvantaged welfare agency clients and their carers. Qualitative focus groups and in-depth interviews were supplemented with participant exit surveys about preferred smoking cessation strategies. Each discussion was audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using a thematic analysis. The setting was six non-government community welfare service organisations operating in New South Wales, Australia. Eleven social services offered by these organisations participated. Thirty two clients participated in six client focus groups, 35 staff participated in six staff focus groups and eight manager telephone interviews were conducted. Clients indicated that the cost of nicotine replacement therapy was a barrier to its use and that financial incentives were acceptable. Of the 16 possible strategies listed in the exit survey, the three selected as the most preferred by clients incorporated financial or non-financial assistance. By contrast, staff and managers selected financial and non-financial incentives as the least preferred and least feasible strategies. The study found high acceptance of incentives as a smoking cessation strategy among a disadvantaged group of non-government welfare service clients. The comparatively low level of desirability and feasibility from the perspective of service staff and managers suggests implementation of such an approach within the community service setting requires careful further testing. © 2010 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

76 FR 2198 - Agency Information Collection: Emergency Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-12

...(j)(1)). An emergency focus group clearance is being requested in regards to the Veterans' Suicide... are experiencing mental health crises and provide confident and trustworthy counseling. To be... groups with Veterans and their families, community organizations, and other important and influential...

Adult Service Clubs and Their Programs for Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Ann K.; Collins, Ann

A study described youth programs sponsored by 17 major national adult service organizations, including the traditionally male groups, mainline women's groups, and minority service organizations. Specific focus was on developmentally appropriate, community-based services for at-risk adolescents, aged 10 to 15. Information was collected through…

Community narratives about women and HIV risk in 21 high-burden communities in Zambia and South Africa.

PubMed

Viljoen, Lario; Ndubani, Rhoda; Bond, Virginia; Seeley, Janet; Reynolds, Lindsey; Hoddinott, Graeme

2017-01-01

Public health researchers repeatedly represent women as a group vulnerable to ill health. This has been particularly true in the field of HIV research, where women are disproportionately affected by HIV in terms of disease burden and the social effects of the epidemic. Although women have been the focus of many prevention and treatment programs, structural barriers to implementation of these targeted programs persist. In this article we explore how high HIV-burden communities in South Africa and Zambia engage with the concepts of "woman" and "HIV risk". The data are drawn from participatory storytelling activities completed with 604 participants across 78 group discussions between December 2012 and May 2013. During discussions we found that participants made use of the core archetypal caricatures of "goodness," "badness," and "vulnerability" when describing women's HIV risk. Community members shifted between these categories in their characterizations of women, as they acknowledged the multiple roles women play, internalized different stories about women, and sometimes shifted register in the same stories. Findings suggest that health implementers, in consultation with community members, should consider the multiple positions women occupy and how this impacts the wider community's understandings of women and "risk". This approach of taking on board community understandings of the complexity of HIV risk can inform the design and implementation of HIV prevention and care programs by rendering programs more focused and in-line with community needs.

An assessment of implementation of Community-Oriented Primary Care in Kenyan family medicine postgraduate medical education programmes

PubMed Central

Shabani, Jacob; Taché, Stephanie; Mohamoud, Gulnaz; Mahoney, Megan

2016-01-01

Background and objectives Family medicine postgraduate programmes in Kenya are examining the benefits of Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) curriculum, as a method to train residents in population-based approaches to health care delivery. Whilst COPC is an established part of family medicine training in the United States, little is known about its application in Kenya. We sought to conduct a qualitative study to explore the development and implementation of COPC curriculum in the first two family medicine postgraduate programmes in Kenya. Method Semi-structured interviews of COPC educators, practitioners, and academic stakeholders and focus groups of postgraduate students were conducted with COPC educators, practitioners and academic stakeholders in two family medicine postgraduate programmes in Kenya. Discussions were transcribed, inductively coded and thematically analysed. Results Two focus groups with eight family medicine postgraduate students and interviews with five faculty members at two universities were conducted. Two broad themes emerged from the analysis: expected learning outcomes and important community-based enablers. Three learning outcomes were (1) making a community diagnosis, (2) understanding social determinants of health and (3) training in participatory research. Three community-based enablers for sustainability of COPC were (1) partnerships with community health workers, (2) community empowerment and engagement and (3) institutional financial support. Conclusions Our findings illustrate the expected learning outcomes and important community-based enablers associated with the successful implementation of COPC projects in Kenya and will help to inform future curriculum development in Kenya. PMID:28155322

Family and Community Influences on Diabetes-Related Dietary Change in a Low-Income Urban Neighborhood.

PubMed

Pollard, Suzanne L; Zachary, Drew A; Wingert, Katherine; Booker, Sara S; Surkan, Pamela J

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of the social environment, including family and community relationships, on diabetes-related dietary change behaviors in a low-income, predominantly African American community with limited access to healthy foods. Study methods included interviews and focus groups with adults with diabetes and family members of individuals with diabetes in a low-income African American community. In this analysis, interview participants included 11 participants with diabetes, one with prediabetes, and 8 family members or close friends with diabetes. Information from 4 participants with diabetes and 6 with family members with diabetes was included from 6 focus groups. Transcripts were analyzed via thematic iterative coding influenced by social cognitive theory to understand the influence of family and community relationships on dietary change. Participants' social environments strongly influenced diet-related behavioral change. Family members without diabetes provided reinforcements for dietary change for those with diabetes by preparing healthy food and monitoring intake, as well as by adopting dietary changes made by those with diabetes. Family and community members served as sources of observational learning about the potential impacts of diabetes and enhanced behavioral capability for dietary change among people with diabetes by providing dietary advice and strategies for making healthy choices. This study demonstrates the ways in which family and community members can influence dietary change in people with diabetes. Interventions targeting diabetes management should incorporate families and communities as sources of information, learning, and support. © 2014 The Author(s).

Characteristics of community health organizations and decision-makers considering the adoption of motivational interviewing.

PubMed

Williams, Jessica Roberts; Dusablon, Tracy; Williams, Weston O; Blais, Marissa Puckett; Hennessy, Kevin D

2014-07-01

Research related to the adoption of comparative effectiveness research (CER) in mental health practice is limited. This study explores the factors that influence decisions to adopt motivational interviewing (MI)-an evidence-based practice (EBP) grounded in CER-among decision-makers (n = 311) in community health organizations (n = 92). Descriptive analyses focus on organization and decision-maker characteristics and processes that may influence the decision to adopt an EBP, including demographics, structure and operations, readiness, attitudes, barriers, and facilitators. Within-group agreement is examined to determine the degree to which participants within each organization gave similar responses. Results show characteristics differed according to type of organization (community health versus community behavioral health) and position (directors versus staff). Within-group agreement was also influenced by position. These findings indicate different strategies may be needed to best disseminate CER to the two groups.

Eliminating Health Disparities Among Minority Women: A Report on Conference Workshop Process and Outcomes

PubMed Central

Kritek, Phyllis Beck; Hargraves, Martha; Cuellar, Ernestine H.; Dallo, Florence; Gauthier, Donna M.; Holland, Christi A.; Ilkiw, Connie; Swanson, Jane W.; Swanson, Reid

2002-01-01

A national conference convened in May 2001 explored health disparities among minority women. It included 5 one-hour workshops that randomly assigned each participant to 1 of 4 groups. Groups generated recommendations on conference topics and from these identified priority recommendations. Trained facilitators guided groups through brainstorming and weighted voting processes; individual recommendations were submitted in writing. Participants generated 598 recommendations, 71 of them voted as priorities; these were analyzed to capture participants' “messages.” Central themes focused on access issues and cultural incompetence as deterrents to the elimination of health disparities and on education, funding, and community-based, community-driven research as mechanisms for change. Strategies for change included reinventing or expanding the role of minority communities and changing health care itself and “how” it does its work. The essential element in all recommendations was community leadership and control. PMID:11919057

HIV, Gender, Race, Sexual Orientation, and Sex Work: A Qualitative Study of Intersectional Stigma Experienced by HIV-Positive Women in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Logie, Carmen H.; James, LLana; Tharao, Wangari; Loutfy, Mona R.

2011-01-01

Background HIV infection rates are increasing among marginalized women in Ontario, Canada. HIV-related stigma, a principal factor contributing to the global HIV epidemic, interacts with structural inequities such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. The study objective was to explore experiences of stigma and coping strategies among HIV-positive women in Ontario, Canada. Methods and Findings We conducted a community-based qualitative investigation using focus groups to understand experiences of stigma and discrimination and coping methods among HIV-positive women from marginalized communities. We conducted 15 focus groups with HIV-positive women in five cities across Ontario, Canada. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to enhance understanding of the lived experiences of diverse HIV-positive women. Focus group participants (n = 104; mean age = 38 years; 69% ethnic minority; 23% lesbian/bisexual; 22% transgender) described stigma/discrimination and coping across micro (intra/interpersonal), meso (social/community), and macro (organizational/political) realms. Participants across focus groups attributed experiences of stigma and discrimination to: HIV-related stigma, sexism and gender discrimination, racism, homophobia and transphobia, and involvement in sex work. Coping strategies included resilience (micro), social networks and support groups (meso), and challenging stigma (macro). Conclusions HIV-positive women described interdependent and mutually constitutive relationships between marginalized social identities and inequities such as HIV-related stigma, sexism, racism, and homo/transphobia. These overlapping, multilevel forms of stigma and discrimination are representative of an intersectional model of stigma and discrimination. The present findings also suggest that micro, meso, and macro level factors simultaneously present barriers to health and well being—as well as opportunities for coping—in HIV-positive women's lives. Understanding the deleterious effects of stigma and discrimination on HIV risk, mental health, and access to care among HIV-positive women can inform health care provision, stigma reduction interventions, and public health policy. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:22131907

HIV, gender, race, sexual orientation, and sex work: a qualitative study of intersectional stigma experienced by HIV-positive women in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Logie, Carmen H; James, Llana; Tharao, Wangari; Loutfy, Mona R

2011-11-01

HIV infection rates are increasing among marginalized women in Ontario, Canada. HIV-related stigma, a principal factor contributing to the global HIV epidemic, interacts with structural inequities such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. The study objective was to explore experiences of stigma and coping strategies among HIV-positive women in Ontario, Canada. We conducted a community-based qualitative investigation using focus groups to understand experiences of stigma and discrimination and coping methods among HIV-positive women from marginalized communities. We conducted 15 focus groups with HIV-positive women in five cities across Ontario, Canada. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to enhance understanding of the lived experiences of diverse HIV-positive women. Focus group participants (n = 104; mean age = 38 years; 69% ethnic minority; 23% lesbian/bisexual; 22% transgender) described stigma/discrimination and coping across micro (intra/interpersonal), meso (social/community), and macro (organizational/political) realms. Participants across focus groups attributed experiences of stigma and discrimination to: HIV-related stigma, sexism and gender discrimination, racism, homophobia and transphobia, and involvement in sex work. Coping strategies included resilience (micro), social networks and support groups (meso), and challenging stigma (macro). HIV-positive women described interdependent and mutually constitutive relationships between marginalized social identities and inequities such as HIV-related stigma, sexism, racism, and homo/transphobia. These overlapping, multilevel forms of stigma and discrimination are representative of an intersectional model of stigma and discrimination. The present findings also suggest that micro, meso, and macro level factors simultaneously present barriers to health and well being--as well as opportunities for coping--in HIV-positive women's lives. Understanding the deleterious effects of stigma and discrimination on HIV risk, mental health, and access to care among HIV-positive women can inform health care provision, stigma reduction interventions, and public health policy.

Childhood pneumonia diagnostics: community health workers' and national stakeholders' differing perspectives of new and existing aids.

PubMed

Spence, Hollie; Baker, Kevin; Wharton-Smith, Alexandra; Mucunguzi, Akasiima; Matata, Lena; Habte, Tedila; Nanyumba, Diana; Sebsibe, Anteneh; Thany, Thol; Källander, Karin

2017-01-01

Pneumonia heavily contributes to global under-five mortality. Many countries use community case management to detect and treat childhood pneumonia. Community health workers (CHWs) have limited tools to help them assess signs of pneumonia. New respiratory rate (RR) counting devices and pulse oximeters are being considered for this purpose. To explore perspectives of CHWs and national stakeholders regarding the potential usability and scalability of seven devices to aid community assessment of pneumonia signs. Pile sorting was conducted to rate the usability and scalability of 7 different RR counting aids and pulse oximeters amongst 16 groups of participants. Following each pile-sorting session, a focus group discussion (FGD) explored participants' sorting rationale. Purposive sampling was used to select CHWs and national stakeholders with experience in childhood pneumonia and integrated community case management (iCCM) in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan. Pile-sorting data were aggregated for countries and participant groups. FGDs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Translated FGDs transcripts were coded in NVivo 10 and analysed using thematic content analysis. Comparative analysis was performed between countries and groups to identify thematic patterns. CHWs and national stakeholders across the four countries perceived the acute respiratory infection (ARI) timer and fingertip pulse oximeter as highly scalable and easy for CHWs to use. National stakeholders were less receptive to new technologies. CHWs placed greater priority on device acceptability to caregivers and children. Both groups felt that heavy reliance on electricity reduced potential scalability and usability in rural areas. Device simplicity, affordability and sustainability were universally valued. CHWs and national stakeholders prioritise different device characteristics according to their specific focus of work. The views of all relevant stakeholders, including health workers, policy makers, children and parents, should be considered in future policy decisions, research and development regarding suitable pneumonia diagnostic aids for community use.

A mass mediated intervention on Hispanic live kidney donation.

PubMed

Alvaro, Eusebio M; Siegel, Jason T; Crano, William D; Dominick, Alexander

2010-06-01

This research examines the impact of a Spanish language mass media campaign on living organ donation attitudes and behavioral intentions among Spanish dominant Hispanics in Tucson, Arizona. Impact was assessed via a pretest/posttest control group quasiexperimental design with Tucson, Arizona, as the intervention community and Phoenix, Arizona, as the control. Preintervention focus groups provided qualitative data to guide intervention development, while telephone surveys in both communities provided quantitative data to assess campaign impact. Analyses reveal pretest/posttest differences in the intervention community such that posttest intentions regarding living organ donation behaviors increased from pretest. No such differences were observed in the control community. Subsequent analyses revealed differences between respondents in the intervention community exposed to the campaign vs. those in the same community not exposed to the campaign. Exposed respondents reported more positive living organ donation behavioral intentions than nonexposed respondents. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Neighbourhood influences on mental health in master planned estates: a qualitative study of resident perspectives.

PubMed

Francis, Jacinta; Giles-Corti, Billie; Wood, Lisa; Knuiman, Matthew

2014-12-01

Neighbourhood characteristics have been linked to a range of health outcomes, including mental health. Despite the growth of master planned estates (MPEs) within Australia, few studies have investigated the physical and social correlates of mental health in residents of new housing developments. Methods This study aimed to identify the facilitators of, and barriers to, mentally healthy neighbourhoods using focus groups with residents of MPEs in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Focus group interviews were analysed using qualitative research software package QSR NVivo. Results and Conclusions Results suggest that mental health is strongly influenced by a sense of community and security, as well as an aesthetically pleasing environment. Residents of MPEs may experience a strong sense of community due to similarities in life-stage and the community building efforts of property developers. Expanding population size, social exclusion, and insufficient services may negatively affect the mental health of residents in MPEs. SO WHAT?: Identifying correlates of mentally healthy neighbourhoods may help urban planners design residential areas that promote healthy living.

Research and Engagement Strategies for Young Adult Immigrants Without Documentation: Lessons Learned Through Community Partnership.

PubMed

Raymond-Flesch, Marissa; Siemons, Rachel; Brindis, Claire D

2016-01-01

Limited research has focused on undocumented immigrants' health and access to care. This paper describes participant engagement strategies used to investigate the health needs of immigrants eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Community-based strategies engaged advocates and undocumented Californians in study design and recruitment. Outreach in diverse settings, social media, and participant-driven sampling recruited 61 DACA-eligible focus group participants. Social media, community-based organizations (CBOs), family members, advocacy groups, and participant-driven sampling were the most successful recruitment strategies. Participants felt engaging in research was instrumental for sharing their concerns with health care providers and policymakers, noteworthy in light of their previously identified fears and mistrust of government officials. Using multiple culturally responsive strategies including participant-driven sampling, engagement with CBOs, and use of social media, those eligible for DACA eagerly engage as research participants. Educating researchers and institutional review boards (IRBs) about legal and safety concerns can improve research engagement.

Consequences of Arizona's Immigration Policy on Social Capital among Mexican Mothers with Unauthorized Immigration Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdez, Carmen R.; Padilla, Brian; Valentine, Jessa Lewis

2013-01-01

This study explores the consequences of increasingly restrictive immigration policies on social capital among Mexican mothers with unauthorized immigrant status in Arizona. Three focus groups conducted in Arizona explore how mothers' experiences with immigration policies have affected their neighborhood, community, and family ties. Focus group…

Putting a Face on Hunger: A Community-Academic Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffey, Nancy; Canales, Mary K.; Moore, Emily; Gullickson, Melissa; Kaczmarski, Brenda

2014-01-01

Food insecurity is a growing concern for Eau Claire County residents in Western Wisconsin. A community-academic partnership studied food insecurity through the voices of families struggling to access food and institutions that assist with hunger related problems. Data were collected through focus groups held in urban and rural parts of the county.…

Social Embeddedness and Late-Life Parenthood: Community Activity, Close Ties, and Support Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenger, G. Clare; Dykstra, Pearl A.; Melkas, Tuula; Knipscheer, Kees C. P. M.

2007-01-01

This article focuses on the ways in which patterns of marriage and fertility shape older people's involvement in community groups and their support networks. The data are from Australia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Findings show that childless older adults, regardless of…

A Situative Perspective on Developing Writing Pedagogy in a Teacher Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pella, Shannon

2011-01-01

The bulk of current research on teacher professional development is focused on teacher learning in the context of teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). In teacher PLCs, groups of teachers meet regularly to increase their own learning and the learning of their students. Teacher PLCs offer a learning model in which, "new ideas and…

Definitions of Suicide and Self-Harm Behavior in an Australian Aboriginal Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrelly, Terri; Francis, Karen

2009-01-01

In this small qualitative grounded theory study (21 interviews and focus groups with a total of 26 participants) investigating the understandings of and attitudes toward suicide and self-harm of Aboriginal peoples in a coastal region of New South Wales, Australia, we found that cultural factors particular to these communities influence the way…

The Professional Learning Community as Subversive Activity: Countering the Culture of Conventional Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nehring, James; Fitzsimons, Gray

2011-01-01

As the professional learning community (PLC) as a desired cultural norm gains popularity within K-12 state schools, greater knowledge of the PLC implementation process is warranted. This study reports findings from semi-structured focus group interviews with teachers in an urban/suburban high school after one year of schoolwide professional…

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: New Governance Issues in America's Rural Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garkovich, Lori; Irby, Jon

Control over a broad range of programs is being shifted back to state and local jurisdictions. Based on focus groups, interviews, and surveys of those who live in or represent organizations with a strong interest in rural America, this report highlights the concerns of rural communities towards these changing intergovernmental relations.…

The Influence and Outcomes of a STEM Education Research Faculty Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadelson, Louis S.

2016-01-01

To address the need to increase STEM faculty member expertise in STEM education research I developed a faculty community of practice (FCP) focused on increasing knowledge and experience in STEM education research. The STEM Education Research Scholars Group (SERSG) met every other week during the academic year to study and engage in education…

Children's Rough and Tumble Play: Perspectives of Teachers in Northern Canadian Indigenous Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Shelley Stagg; Madsen, Audrey; San Miguel, Jayson; Jang, Soon Young

2018-01-01

Ten teachers in kindergarten and grade one classrooms in remote northern Canadian Ojibway communities, and two consultants from a First Nations Student Success Program participated in focus group discussions about the place of rough and tumble and superhero play, and teachers' roles in preventing relational and physically aggressive play in…

The Connotations of "Botho Philosophy" and Its Potential Contribution towards Environmental Conservation: The Case of Tlokoeng Community in Lesotho

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokuku, Tšepo

2017-01-01

This paper explores innovative environmental education strategies to conserve biodiversity in a rural-based context, in Lesotho. A case study approach was employed to investigate the community's conception of botho philosophy and how it might promote nature conservation. Focus Group Interviews were conducted with 105 participants. The responses…

Advancement Staff and Alumni Advocates: Cultivating LGBTQ Alumni by Promoting Individual and Community Uplift

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garvey, Jason C.; Drezner, Noah D.

2013-01-01

Using a constructivist case-study analysis, we explore philanthropy toward higher education among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) alumni, examining the role of advancement staff and alumni advocates in engaging LGBTQ alumni to promote individual and community uplift. Data come from focus groups with 37 advancement staff and…

An Oasis in This Desert: Parents Talk about the New York City Beacons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevarez, Nancy

This report presents the findings of focus groups convened to determine what the parents of youth participants in the New York City Beacons think about the program. The Beacons initiative is a comprehensive model of school-community-family partnerships undertaken by New York City in 1991. The initiative originally enabled 10 community-based…

Identity and Spatial Experience of Community Youth in Relation to Career Guidance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yong; Han, Minghua

2010-01-01

In order to investigate the self identity and vocational identity among community youth in Shanghai and their associated spatial experience, 4 focus groups, made up of 14 individuals were interviewed. We assigned numbers to indicate each interviewee as well as the general theme of each transcription of the interview. Results are as follows:…

Getting "Tillerized": Traits and Outcomes of Students in a Rural Community Field Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Averett, Paige; Carawan, Lena; Burroughs, Courtney

2012-01-01

This qualitative study sought to reveal the traits and outcomes of students who completed a rural community organizing field placement. All stakeholders involved in the placement of students took part in a focus group and follow-up individual interviews. Findings suggest that students need to be open, flexible, self-directed, and maverick in…

Barriers to Adjustment: Needs of International Students within a Semi-Urban Campus Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poyrazli, Senel; Grahame, Kamini Maraj

2007-01-01

Following an ecological framework, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the adjustment needs of international students within their academic and social communities. Focus group interviews revealed that students are more in need during their initial transition after arrival to the U.S. and that they experience a number of barriers in…

Accessing the Food Systems in Urban and Rural Minnesotan Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Chery; Miller, Hannah

2011-01-01

Objective: Explore how urban and rural Minnesotans access the food system and to investigate whether community infrastructure supports a healthful food system. Design: Eight (4 urban and 4 rural) focus groups were conducted. Setting and Participants: Eight counties with urban influence codes of 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10. Fifty-nine (urban, n = 27;…

Critical Resilience, Schooling Processes, and the Academic Success of Mexican Americans in a Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campa, Blanca

2010-01-01

This qualitative study adds new dimensions to the traditional paradigm of resilience through the lives of five Mexican American community college students. The term "critical resilience" emerges as a result of using ideology from a feminist critical perspective. In-depth interviews, classroom observations, and focus groups were used to learn how…

ORCID Uptake in the Astronomical Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmquist, Jane

2015-08-01

The IAU General Assembly provides librarians with a unique opportunity to interact with astronomers from all over the world. From the perspective of an ORCID Ambassador, the Focus Group Meeting on "Scholarly Publication in Astronomy" also provides an opportunity to demonstrate the cooperation and collaboration needed by individual astronomers, societies, librarians, publishers and bibliographic database providers to achieve universal adoption of ORCID, a standard unique identifier for authors, just as the DOI (digital object identifier) has been adopted for each journal article published.I propose to 1) present at the Focus Group Meeting an update on the uptake of ORCID by members of the astronomical community and 2) set up a small station (TBA) near the IAU registration area where librarians can show researchers how to register for an ORCID in 30 seconds.

Research as an event: a novel approach to promote patient-focused drug development.

PubMed

Tsai, Jui-Hua; Janssen, Ellen; Bridges, John Fp

2018-01-01

Patient groups are increasingly engaging in research to understand patients' preferences and incorporate their perspectives into drug development and regulation. Several models of patient engagement have emerged, but there is little guidance on how to partner with patient groups to engage the disease community. Our group has been using an approach to engage patient groups that we call research as an event. Research as an event is a method for researchers to use a community-centered event to engage patients in their own environment at modest incremental cost. It is a pragmatic solution to address the challenges of engaging patients in research to minimize patients' frustration, decrease the time burden, and limit the overall cost. The community, the event, and the research are the three components that constitute the research as an event framework. The community represents a disease-specific community. The event is a meeting of common interest for patients and other stakeholders, such as a patient advocacy conference. The research describes activities in engaging the community for the purpose of research. Research as an event follows a six-step approach. A case study is used to demonstrate the six steps followed by recommendations for future implementation.

"When you got nothing to do, you do somebody": A community's perceptions of neighborhood effects on adolescent sexual behaviors.

PubMed

Akers, Aletha Y; Muhammad, Melvin R; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

2011-01-01

This study explores community members' perspectives regarding the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and adolescent sexual behaviors in two rural, African American communities. The data were collected as part of a community needs assessment to inform the development of HIV prevention interventions in two contiguous counties in northeastern North Carolina, USA. We conducted eleven focus groups with three population groups: adolescents and young adults aged 16-24 (N = 38), adults over age 25 (N = 42), and formerly incarcerated individuals (N = 13). All focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using a grounded theory approach to content analysis and a constant comparison method. Six major themes emerged from the discussions linking neighborhood context and adolescents sexual behavior: the overwhelming absence of recreational options for community members; lack of diverse leisure-time activities for adolescents; lack of recreational options for adolescents who are dating; adolescent access to inappropriate leisure time activities that promote multiple risk behaviors; limited safe environments for socializing; and cost-barriers to recreational activities for adolescents. In addition, lack of adequate parental supervision of adolescents' time alone and with friends of the opposite sex, as well as ineffective community monitoring of adolescent social activities, were thought to create situations that promoted sexual and other risk behaviors. These findings allowed us to develop a conceptual model linking neighborhood structural and social organization factors to adolescent sexual behaviors and provided insights for developing interventions tailored to address local socioeconomic realities. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring participant appreciation of group-based principles for action in community-based physical activity programs for socially vulnerable groups in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Herens, Marion; Wagemakers, Annemarie; Vaandrager, Lenneke; Koelen, Maria

2015-11-25

Physical inactivity is a core risk factor for non-communicable diseases. In the Netherlands, socially vulnerable groups are relatively less active than groups with higher socio-economic status. Community-based health-enhancing physical activity (CBHEPA) programs aim to empower socially vulnerable groups by improving participants' health and wellbeing through physical activity. CBHEPA programs often revolve around group-based principles for action, such as active participation, enjoyment, and fostering group processes. As such principles are rarely made explicit, our study aims to identify which of the group-based principles for action are considered important by participants. Respondents (n = 76) from ten focus groups scored their individual appreciation of group-based principles for action - active participation, enjoyment, and fostering group processes - on a three-point, statement-based scale. Opinions were further discussed in the focus group. Focus group discussions were transcribed and analysed by a team of investigators. The coding procedures, identifying elements appreciated in group-based principles for action, were thematic and data driven. Statements about participatory programming generated much less consensus in appreciation among respondents than statements about enjoyment and fostering group processes. To some extent, group members participated in the development of program content. Participation in group formation or community initiatives was less frequently perceived as something within group members' control. Enjoyment, expressed as physical and emotional experiences, was found to be an individual driver of group exercise. Fostering group processes, expressed as social support, was found to contribute to enjoyment and learning achievements. Responsive leadership, ensuring responsive guidance, by an enthusiastic exercise trainer acting as a role model, were identified as additional necessary principles for action. Group-based principles for action in CBHEPA programs are not clearly demarcated. Fostering group processes is an overarching principle, conditional for the spin-off in terms of enjoyment and active participation. This, in turn, leads to a sense of ownership among participants, who take up responsibility for the exercise group as well as their individual activity behaviour. CBHEPA programs thrive on participants having fun together and exercise trainers' leadership skills. A professional, competent, responsive exercise trainer plays a key role in the organisation and maintenance of CBHEPA programs.

Developing a physics expert identity in a biophysics research group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Idaykis; Goertzen, Renee Michelle; Brewe, Eric; Kramer, Laird H.

2015-06-01

We investigate the development of expert identities through the use of the sociocultural perspective of learning as participating in a community of practice. An ethnographic case study of biophysics graduate students focuses on the experiences the students have in their research group meetings. The analysis illustrates how the communities of practice-based identity constructs of competencies characterize student expert membership. A microanalysis of speech, sound, tones, and gestures in video data characterize students' social competencies in the physics community of practice. Results provide evidence that students at different stages of their individual projects have opportunities to develop social competencies such as mutual engagement, negotiability of the repertoire, and accountability to the enterprises as they interact with group members. The biophysics research group purposefully designed a learning trajectory including conducting research and writing it for publication in the larger community of practice as a pathway to expertise. The students of the research group learn to become socially competent as specific experts of their project topic and methodology, ensuring acceptance, agency, and membership in their community of practice. This work expands research on physics expertise beyond the cognitive realm and has implications for how to design graduate learning experiences to promote expert identity development.

An Australian Indigenous community-led suicide intervention skills training program: community consultation findings.

PubMed

Nasir, Bushra; Kisely, Steve; Hides, Leanne; Ranmuthugala, Geetha; Brennan-Olsen, Sharon; Nicholson, Geoffrey C; Gill, Neeraj S; Hayman, Noel; Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas; Toombs, Maree

2017-06-13

Little is known of the appropriateness of existing gatekeeper suicide prevention programs for Indigenous communities. Despite the high rates of Indigenous suicide in Australia, especially among Indigenous youth, it is unclear how effective existing suicide prevention programs are in providing appropriate management of Indigenous people at risk of suicide. In-depth, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with Indigenous communities in rural and regional areas of Southern Queensland. Thematic analysis was performed on the gathered information. Existing programs were time-intensive and included content irrelevant to Indigenous people. There was inconsistency in the content and delivery of gatekeeper training. Programs were also not sustainable for rural and regional Indigenous communities. Appropriate programs should be practical, relevant, and sustainable across all Indigenous communities, with a focus on the social, emotional, cultural and spiritual underpinnings of community wellbeing. Programs need to be developed in thorough consultation with Indigenous communities. Indigenous-led suicide intervention training programs are needed to mitigate the increasing rates of suicide experienced by Indigenous peoples living in rural and remote locations.

Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum.

PubMed

Vilakazi, S S; Chabeli, M M; Roos, S D

2000-12-01

The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994: 155). Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

Using group model building to understand factors that influence childhood obesity in an urban environment.

PubMed

Nelson, David A; Simenz, Christopher J; OʼConnor, Sarah P; Greer, Yvonne D; Bachrach, Ann L; Shields, Tony; Fuller, Brett A; Horrigan, Katie; Pritchard, Kathleen; Springer, Judy B; Meurer, John R

2015-01-01

Despite increased attention, conventional views of obesity are based upon individual behaviors, and children and parents living with obesity are assumed to be the primary problem solvers. Instead of focusing exclusively on individual reduction behaviors for childhood obesity, greater focus should be placed on better understanding existing community systems and their effects on obesity. The Milwaukee Childhood Obesity Prevention Project is a community-based coalition established to develop policy and environmental change strategies to impact childhood obesity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The coalition conducted a Group Model Building exercise to better understand root causes of childhood obesity in its community. Group Model Building is a process by which a group systematically engages in model construction to better understand the systems that are in place. It helps participants make their mental models explicit through a careful and consistent process to test assumptions. This process has 3 main components: (1) assembling a team of participants; (2) conducting a behavior-over-time graphs exercise; and (3) drawing the causal loop diagram exercise. The behavior-over-time graph portion produced 61 graphs in 10 categories. The causal loop diagram yielded 5 major themes and 7 subthemes. Factors that influence childhood obesity are varied, and it is important to recognize that no single solution exists. The perspectives from this exercise provided a means to create a process for dialogue and commitment by stakeholders and partnerships to build capacity for change within the community.

“When you got nothing to do, you do somebody”: A Community’s perceptions of neighborhood effects on adolescent sexual behaviors

PubMed Central

Muhammad, Melvin R; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

2010-01-01

This study explores community members’ perspectives regarding the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and adolescent sexual behaviors in two rural, African American communities. The data were collected as part of a community needs assessment to inform the development of HIV prevention interventions in two contiguous counties in northeastern North Carolina, USA. We conducted eleven focus groups with three population groups: adolescents and young adults aged 16–24 (N=38), adults over age 25 (N=42), and formerly incarcerated individuals (N=13). All focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using a grounded theory approach to content analysis and a constant comparison method. Six major themes emerged from the discussions linking neighborhood context and adolescents sexual behavior: the overwhelming absence of recreational options for community members; lack of diverse leisure-time activities for adolescents; lack of recreational options for adolescents who are dating; adolescent access to inappropriate leisure time activities that promote multiple risk behaviors; limited safe environments for socializing; and cost-barriers to recreational activities for adolescents. In addition, lack of adequate parental supervision of adolescents’ time alone and with friends of the opposite sex, as well as ineffective community monitoring of adolescent social activities, were thought to create situations that promoted sexual and other risk behaviors. These findings allowed us to develop a conceptual model linking neighborhood structural and social organization factors to adolescent sexual behaviors and provided insights for developed interventions tailored to the local socioeconomic realities. PMID:21129833

Qualitative research on dementia in ethnically diverse communities: fieldwork challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Shanley, Chris; Leone, Desiree; Santalucia, Yvonne; Adams, Jon; Ferrerosa-Rojas, Jorge Enrique; Kourouche, Fatima; Gava, Silvana; Wu, Ying

2013-05-01

Australia, like other ethnically diverse societies, needs to provide culturally appropriate health care to all its citizens. One way of facilitating this is to ensure that health services research adequately reflects the circumstances and needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities within the population. This article discusses the fieldwork phase of a qualitative research project on dementia caregiving in 4 CALD communities in south west Sydney, Australia. Rather than focusing on the study results-which have been published elsewhere-this article presents and discusses crucial fieldwork issues that arose in the conduct of the project, particularly regarding participant recruitment and facilitation of focus groups. In being transparent about some of the difficulties encountered and how these were managed, we offer suggestions for other researchers wanting to include CALD communities in a meaningful way in their research projects.

Tobacco control recommendations identified by LGBT Atlantans in a community-based participatory research project.

PubMed

Bryant, Lawrence; Damarin, Amanda K; Marshall, Zack

2014-01-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are increasingly aware that disproportionately high smoking rates severely impact the health of their communities. Motivated to make a change, a group of LGBT community members, policymakers, and researchers from Atlanta carried out a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project. This formative research study sought to identify recommendations for culturally relevant smoking prevention and cessation interventions that could improve the health of Atlanta's LGBT communities. Data presented here come from four focus groups with 36 participants and a community meeting with 30 participants. Among study participants, the most favored interventions were providing LGBT-specific cessation programs, raising awareness about LGBT smoking rates, and getting community venues to go smoke-free. Participants also suggested providing reduced-cost cessation products for low-income individuals, using LGBT "role models" to promote cessation, and ensuring that interventions reach all parts of the community. Findings reinforce insights from community-based research with other marginalized groups. Similarities include the importance of tailoring cessation programs for specific communities, the need to acknowledge differences within communities, and the significance of community spaces in shaping discussions of cessation. Further, this study highlights the need for heightened awareness. The Atlanta LGBT community is largely unaware that high smoking rates affect its health, and is unlikely to take collective action to address this problem until it is understood.

Qualitative evaluation of the Saleema campaign to eliminate female genital mutilation and cutting in Sudan.

PubMed

Johnson, Andrea C; Douglas Evans, W; Barrett, Nicole; Badri, Howida; Abdalla, Tamador; Donahue, Cody

2018-02-17

Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C, herein FGM) is a widespread and harmful practice. The Government developed a national campaign in Sudan, called Saleema, to change social norms discouraging FGM. Saleema translates to being "whole", healthy in body and mind, unharmed, intact, pristine, and untouched, in a God-given condition. An interim evaluation was conducted using focus groups among Sudanese adults. The primary aim was to explore perceptions of the Saleema poster exemplars and to assess if the desired themes were being communicated. Secondary aims were to understand more about participants' information sources, values, and suggestions for the campaign broadly. The Saleema campaign evaluation included four focus groups from each of the 18 states in Sudan (72 total). Participants were presented with three poster stimuli from the Saleema campaign and asked about the content and their reactions. Themes were coded inductively by concepts that arose through content in the transcripts. Codes were also reviewed in conjunction with themes from the broader Saleema evaluation framework. Participants reported the most common source of information or admiration was from local leaders who are responsive to a community, media-based outlets, and discussions among community members. Participants held high value for education, community solidarity, and/or religious devotion. Participants had positive opinions of Saleema and responded positively to the branding elements in the posters and the campaign as a whole. The most common suggestion was continued awareness. Advocacy, training, and posters were suggested to highlight the harms of FGM through leaders or in community settings. Individuals suggested that these activities target older women and individuals in rural villages. There was also a burgeoning theme of targeting youth for support of the campaign. The results of this focus group analysis demonstrate support for future Saleema campaign efforts promoting awareness and community engagement. The campaign could capitalize on partnerships with young people and those who are respected in the community (e.g., religious leaders) or continue promoting common values aligning with the support of education and community solidarity. Continuing campaign efforts have promise to decrease the harms of FGM in Sudan.

Factors Influencing Latino Participation in Community-Based Diabetes Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Sarah L.; Noterman, Amber; Litchfield, Ruth

2014-01-01

An Extension diabetes program (DP) was revised for Latinos; however, participation was limited. Factors influencing low participation rates were examined. Five Latinos interested in the DP participated in a focus group discussion. Transcripts were analyzed for themes. Preferred education programs were multi-session, local, group classes led by an…

Depression in Aboriginal men in central Australia: adaptation of the Patient Health Questionnaire 9

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background While Indigenous Australians are believed to be at a high risk of psychological illness, few screening instruments have been designed to accurately measure this burden. Rather than simply transposing western labels of symptoms, this paper describes the process by which a screening tool for depression was specifically adapted for use across multiple Indigenous Australian communities. Method Potential depression screening instruments were identified and interrogated according to a set of pre-defined criteria. A structured process was then developed which relied on the expertise of five focus groups comprising of members from primary Indigenous language groups in central Australia. First, focus group participants were asked to review and select a screening measure for adaptation. Bi-lingual experts then translated and back translated the language within the selected measure. Focus group participants re-visited the difficult items, explored their meaning and identified potential ways to achieve equivalence of meaning. Results All five focus groups independently selected the Primary Health Questionnaire 9, several key conceptual differences were exposed, largely related to the construction of hopelessness. Together with translated versions of each instrument for each of the five languages, a single, simplified English version for use across heterogeneous settings was negotiated. Importantly, the ‘code’ and specific conceptually equivalent words that could be used for other Indigenous language groups were also developed. Conclusions The extensive process of adaptation used in this study has demonstrated that within the context of Indigenous Australian communities, across multiple language groups, where English is often a third or fourth language, conceptual and linguistic equivalence of psychological constructs can be negotiated. A validation study is now required to assess the adapted instrument’s potential for measuring the burden of disease across all Indigenous Australian populations. PMID:24139186

'Bringing back respect': the role of participatory action research in transferring knowledge from an Aboriginal men's group to youth programs.

PubMed

McCalman, Janya; Tsey, Komla; Baird, Bradley; Connolly, Brian; Baird, Leslie; Jackson, Rita

2009-08-01

This case study describes the efforts of an Aboriginal men's group to facilitate and support the empowerment of young people in their community. It is part of a broader participatory action research (PAR) study of men's groups. Data was derived from quarterly reflective PAR sessions with men's and youth workers and steering committee members, interviews with workers, and focus groups with young people. The data was coded and categorized, with five themes identified. Key opportunities and challenges related to building staff capacity, engaging young people, giving voice to young people and reconciling diverse community views. Emerging outcomes included young people's definition of vision and values, social cohesion, personal achievements and recognition. The youth projects also resulted in local employment, improvements in workforce capacity and proposals to extend the empowerment model in Yarrabah and transfer it to another community. PAR frameworks provide a useful tool for facilitating and sustaining empowerment outcomes. They can be used to support the transfer of knowledge and skills from one Aboriginal community group to another.

Understanding Genomic Knowledge in Rural Appalachia: The West Virginia Genome Community Project

PubMed Central

Mallow, Jennifer A.; Theeke, Laurie A.; Crawford, Patricia; Prendergast, Elizabeth; Conner, Chuck; Richards, Tony; McKown, Barbara; Bush, Donna; Reed, Donald; Stabler, Meagan E.; Zhang, Jianjun; Dino, Geri; Barr, Taura L.

2016-01-01

Purpose Rural communities have limited knowledge about genetics and genomics and are also underrepresented in genomic education initiatives. The purpose of this project was to assess genomic and epigenetic knowledge and beliefs in rural West Virginia. Sample A total of 93 participants from three communities participated in focus groups and 68 participants completed a demographic survey. The age of the respondents ranged from 21 to 81 years. Most respondents had a household income of less than $40,000, were female and most were married, completed at least a HS/GED or some college education working either part-time or full-time. Method A Community Based Participatory Research process with focus groups and demographic questionnaires was used. Findings Most participants had a basic understanding of genetics and epigenetics, but not genomics. Participants reported not knowing much of their family history and that their elders did not discuss such information. If the conversations occurred, it was only during times of crisis or an illness event. Mental health and substance abuse are topics that are not discussed with family in this rural population. Conclusions Most of the efforts surrounding genetic/genomic understanding have focused on urban populations. This project is the first of its kind in West Virginia and has begun to lay the much needed infrastructure for developing educational initiatives and extending genomic research projects into our rural Appalachian communities. By empowering the public with education, regarding the influential role genetics, genomics, and epigenetics have on their health, we can begin to tackle the complex task of initiating behavior changes that will promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities. PMID:27212895

Understanding Barriers to and Facilitators of Diabetes Control and Prevention in the New York City Bangladeshi Community: A Mixed-Methods Approach

PubMed Central

Tandon, Darius; Mukherji, Runi; Tanner, Michael; Ghosh, Krittika; Alam, Gulnahar; Haq, Mamnunal; Rey, Mariano Jose; Trinh-Shevrin, Chau

2012-01-01

We have reported results from the formative stage of a community health worker intervention designed to improve diabetes management among Bangladeshi patients in New York City. Trained community health workers conducted focus groups (n = 47) and surveys (n = 169) with Bangladeshi individuals recruited from community locations. Results indicated that participants faced numerous barriers to care, had high rates of limited English proficiency, and had low levels of knowledge about diabetes. Most participants expressed interest in participating in a community health worker intervention. PMID:22390512

Partnership for Healthier Asians: Disseminating Evidence-Based Practices in Asian-American Communities Using a Market-Oriented and Multilevel Approach

PubMed Central

Kim, Karen; Quinn, Michael; Chandrasekar, Edwin; Patel, Reena

2016-01-01

Background One of the greatest challenges facing health promotion and disease prevention is translating research findings into evidence-based practices (EBP). There is currently a limited research base to inform the design of dissemination action plans, especially within medically underserved communities. Objective The objective of this paper is to describe an innovative study protocol to disseminate colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines in seven Asian subgroups. Methods This study integrated a market-oriented Push-Pull-Infrastructure Model, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, and community-based participatory research approach to create a community-centered dissemination framework. Consumer research, through focus groups and community-wide surveys, was centered on the adopters to ensure a multilevel intervention was well designed and effective. Results Collaboration took place between an academic institution and eight community-based organizations. These groups worked together to conduct thorough consumer research. A sample of 72 Asian Americans participated in 8 focus groups, and differences were noted across ethnic groups. Furthermore, 464 community members participated in an Individual Client Survey. Most participants agreed that early detection of cancer was important (434/464, 93.5%), cancer could happen to anyone (403/464, 86.9%), CRC could be prevented (344/464, 74.1%), and everyone should screen for CRC (389/464, 83.8%). However, 35.8% (166/464) of participants also felt that people were better off not knowing it they had cancer, and 45.5% (211/464) would screen only when they had symptoms. Most participants indicated that they would screen upon their doctor’s recommendation, but half reported that they only saw a doctor when they were sick. Data collection currently is underway for a multilevel intervention (community health advisor and social marketing campaign) and will conclude March 2016. We expect that analysis and results will be available by June 2016. Conclusions This study outlines a complementary role for researchers and community organizations in disseminating EBP, and incorporates social interactions and influences to move individuals from simple awareness to decisions towards positive action. PMID:27312079

A community and culture-centered approach to developing effective cardiovascular health messages.

PubMed

Kandula, Namratha R; Khurana, Neerja R; Makoul, Gregory; Glass, Sara; Baker, David W

2012-10-01

Little is known about how best to target cardiovascular health promotion messages to minorities. This study describes key lessons that emerged from a community and culture-centered approach to developing a multimedia, coronary heart disease (CHD) patient education program (PEP) for medically underserved South Asian immigrants. The prototype PEP integrated the surface structures (e.g. language) and deeper structures (e.g. explanatory models (EMs), values) of South Asians' socio-cultural context. Seven focus groups and 13 individual interviews were used to investigate South Asians' reactions and obtain qualitative feedback after viewing the culturally targeted PEP. Qualitative data were organized into emergent thematic constructs. Participants (n=56) mean age was 51 years and 48 % were Hindi speakers. Community members had a strong, negative reaction to some of the targeted messages, "This statement is a bold attack. You are pin-pointing one community." Other important themes emerged from focus groups and interviews about the PEP: 1) it did not capture the community's heterogeneity; 2) did not sufficiently incorporate South Asians' EMs of CHD; and 3) did not address economic barriers to CHD prevention. Feedback was used to revise the PEP. A community and culture-centered approach to developing cardiovascular health promotion messages revealed tensions between the researcher's vantage point of "cultural targeting" and the community's perceptions and reactions to these messages. Engaging communities in every phase of message design, incorporating their EMs, recognizing community heterogeneity, and addressing economic and structural barriers, are critical steps to ensuring that health promotion messages reach their intended audience and achieve true cultural appropriateness.

Enhancing Themes and Strengths Assessment: Leveraging Academic-Led Qualitative Inquiry in Community Health Assessment to Uncover Roots of Community Health Inequities.

PubMed

Hebert-Beirne, Jennifer; Felner, Jennifer K; Castañeda, Yvette; Cohen, Sheri

Rigorous qualitative research can enhance local health departments' efforts to gain a deeper insight into residents' perceived community health inequities necessary for productive community health assessments (CHAs) and community health improvement plans (CHIPs). The Chicago Department of Public Health and the Partnership for Healthy Chicago used the National Association of County & City Health Officials' Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) model to conduct its CHA/CHIP, Healthy Chicago 2.0 (HC 2.0). Public health graduate students conducted qualitative research for part of the Community Themes and Strengths Assessment (CTSA), one of the 4 MAPP assessments. Using a health equity lens, this qualitative component included focus groups and oral histories with residents in Chicago Community Areas with the highest social and economic hardship to better understand how residents perceive health inequities in their respective neighborhoods. Community-based organizations in 6 Chicago neighborhoods with the highest quartile of social and economic hardship. Forty-eight Chicago residents from 5 community areas participated in focus groups, and 6 residents of a Mexican ethnic enclave shared oral histories. Residents' perceptions of community needs and assets. Needs identified include inaccessible resources and opportunities, economic instability, and safety. Assets include the efficacy and agency of resilient residents, as well as faith and spirituality. Systemic and institutional discrimination was identified at the roots of community health inequities. Through qualitative inquiry, the more nuanced understanding of how residents perceive health inequities better positioned HC 2.0 to develop upstream strategies in line with advanced health equity practice. Engaging qualitative academic researchers in CTSA brings academic expertise to enrich the CHA while providing real-time learning experiences to prepare future public health practitioners to work on upstream structural determinants of health.

Assessing tribal youth physical activity and programming using a community-based participatory research approach.

PubMed

Perry, Cynthia; Hoffman, Barbara

2010-01-01

American Indian youth experience a greater prevalence of obesity compared with the general U.S. population. One avenue to reverse the trend toward increasing obesity prevalence is through promoting physical activity. The goal of this project was to understand tribal youths' current patterns of physical activity behavior and their beliefs and preferences about physical activity. This assessment used a community-based participatory research approach. Sample included 35 Native youth aged 8-18. A Community Advisory Board was created that specifically developed an exercise survey for this assessment to explore physical activity patterns, preferences, and determinants. Twenty-six youth completed the survey. Descriptive statistics were analyzed, exploring differences by age group. Nine youth participated in 2 focus groups. Qualitative data were analyzed with thematic analysis. Youth distinguished between sports and exercise, with each possessing different determinants. Common motivators were friends, coach, and school, and barriers were lack of programs and school or work. None of the youth reported meeting the recommended 60 min of strenuous exercise daily. This tribal academic partnership responded to a tribal concern by developing an exercise survey and conducting focus groups that addressed tribal-specific questions. The results are informing program development.

Evaluating a dignity care intervention for palliative care in the community setting: community nurses' perspectives.

PubMed

McIlfatrick, Sonja; Connolly, Michael; Collins, Rita; Murphy, Tara; Johnston, Bridget; Larkin, Philip

2017-12-01

To evaluate a dignity care intervention provided by community nurses seeking to address dignity concerns for people with advanced and life-limiting conditions. Evidence would suggest that dying people fear a loss of dignity and a central focus of palliative care is to assist people to die with dignity. Whilst community nurses have a key role to play in the delivery of palliative care, specific interventions for dignity are lacking. A mixed methods study using online survey and focus group interviews and thematic analysis to examine data. Twenty four community nurses implemented the dignity care intervention for people with advanced and life-limiting conditions were recruited from four pilot sites across Ireland. Four focus group interviews and on line survey were conducted between March-June 2015. The community nurses found the dignity care intervention useful. It helped the nurses to provide holistic end-of-life care and assisted in the overall assessment of palliative care patients, identifying areas that might not otherwise have been noted. Whilst it was a useful tool for communication, they noted that it stimulated some emotionally sensitive conversations for which they felt unprepared. Implementing the dignity care intervention in practice was challenging. However, the dignity care intervention facilitated holistic assessment and identified patient dignity-related concerns that may not have been otherwise identified. Further support is required to overcome barriers and enable dignity-conserving care. Ensuring dignity is a key aspect of palliative and end-of-life care; however, community nurses may not feel equipped to address this aspect of care. Implementing a dignity care intervention can assist in identifying patient dignity-related concerns and provision of holistic care. Community nurses need more training to assist in difficult conversations relating to dignity and end-of-life care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social audit of provincial health services: building the community voice into planning in South Africa.

PubMed

Andersson, Neil; Matthis, Judith; Paredes, Sergio; Ngxowa, Ncumisa

2004-11-01

Social audits of health services in three South African provinces (Limpopo 2001, Gauteng 2003 and Eastern Cape 2001) demonstrated a fusion of participatory research, qualitative data collection, epidemiological surveys and analysis, and socialising of evidence for action. The social audit in each province involved the community in covering eight principles of service delivery. In the particular case of Gauteng province, householders answered a questionnaire on public perceptions of government health services. In each sentinel community, the results were returned for discussion in focus groups, made up of a sample that had answered the household questionnaire. Institutional reviews of health facilities and interviews with health workers in those facilities gave the government side of the story. Five actions came from the community-based focus groups, all accepted by the provincial government. Firstly, redesigned communication strategies will aim to reach those with lower levels of education. The second set of actions involves rebuilding the culture of care. Thirdly, the public knowledge of ways to complain was closely related to levels of public satisfaction. Leadership in the health services turned out to be a fourth area for development. And finally, related to this, is the longer-term challenge of establishing and reinforcing community consultation mechanisms.

If you come from a well-known organisation, I will trust you: Exploring and understanding the community's attitudes towards healthcare research in Cambodia.

PubMed

Pol, Sreymom; Fox-Lewis, Shivani; Neou, Leakhena; Parker, Michael; Kingori, Patricia; Turner, Claudia

2018-01-01

To explore Cambodian community members' understanding of and attitudes towards healthcare research. This qualitative study generated data from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. This study was conducted at a non-governmental paediatric hospital and in nearby villages in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. A total of ten semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted, involving 27 participants. Iterative data collection and analysis were performed concurrently. Data were analysed by thematic content analysis and the coding structure was developed using relevant literature. Participants did not have a clear understanding of what activities related to research compared with those for routine healthcare. Key attitudes towards research were responsibility and trust: personal (trust of the researcher directly) and institutional (trust of the institution as a whole). Villagers believe the village headman holds responsibility for community activities, while the village headman believes that this responsibility should be shared across all levels of the government system. It is essential for researchers to understand the structure and relationship within the community they wish to work with in order to develop trust among community participants. This aids effective communication and understanding among all parties, enabling high quality ethical research to be conducted.

“If It’s Not Working, Why Would They Be Testing It?”: mental models of HIV vaccine trials and preventive misconception among men who have sex with men in India

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Informed consent based on comprehension of potential risks and benefits is fundamental to the ethical conduct of clinical research. We explored mental models of candidate HIV vaccines and clinical trials that may impact on the feasibility and ethics of biomedical HIV prevention trials among men who have sex with men (MSM) in India. Methods A community-based research project was designed and implemented in partnership with community-based organizations serving MSM in Chennai and Mumbai. We conducted 12 focus groups (n = 68) with diverse MSM and 14 key informant interviews with MSM community leaders/service providers using a semi-structured interview guide to explore knowledge and beliefs about HIV vaccines and clinical trials. Focus groups (60–90 minutes) and interviews (45–60 minutes) were conducted in participants’ native language (Tamil in Chennai; Marathi or Hindi in Mumbai), audio-taped, transcribed and translated into English. We explored focus group and interview data using thematic analysis and a constant comparative method, with a focus on mental models of HIV vaccines and clinical trials. Results A mental model of HIV vaccine-induced seropositivity as “having HIV” resulted in fears of vaccine-induced infection and HIV stigma. Some participants feared inactivated vaccines might “drink blood” and “come alive”. Pervasive preventive misconception was based on a mental model of prevention trials as interventions, overestimation of likely efficacy of candidate vaccines and likelihood of being assigned to the experimental group, with expectations of protective benefits and decreased condom use. Widespread misunderstanding and lack of acceptance of placebo and random assignment supported perceptions of clinical trials as “cheating”. Key informants expressed concerns that volunteers from vulnerable Indian communities were being used as “experimental rats” to benefit high-income countries. Conclusions Evidence-informed interventions that engage with shared mental models among potential trial volunteers, along with policies and funding mechanisms that ensure local access to products that demonstrate efficacy in trials, may support the safe and ethical implementation of HIV vaccine trials in India. PMID:23919283

Intimate partner, familial and community violence among men who have sex with men in Namibia

PubMed Central

Stephenson, Rob; Hast, Marisa; Finneran, Catherine; Sineath, Craig R.

2015-01-01

Men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa are known to experience high levels of violence, yet little research has focused on their perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV). This study examines the perceived typologies and sources of multiple forms of violence, including IPV, family/community violence and discrimination from healthcare workers, among men who have sex with men in Namibia. Focus-group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with a 52 men residing in five cities across Namibia. Results indicate that violence, in varying forms, is commonplace in the lives of men who have sex with men in this community, and may be associated with HIV testing patterns. PMID:24735113

Community leader support for tobacco control activities & policies on Guam.

PubMed

Ehlert, Michael B; Gumataotao, AnneMarie P; Workman, Randall L; Albright, Cheryl L; David, Annette M

2006-09-01

Guam has the highest smoking rate in the United States. This study examined Guam community leaders' attitudes toward cigarette smoking and their interest in changing local tobacco control policies. Cross-sectional survey. Guam community leaders completed surveys while attending local professional conferences or meetings. Seventy-three percent of the respondents were female; the mean age was 46 years (SD = 15), and over 86% were from ethnic minority groups (47% Filipino, 28% Chamorro, 10% Asian, 2% other Pacific Island groups). About 30% reported being native Guamanian, and of those who immigrated to Guam had lived on Guam a mean of 17 years (SD = 11). Tobacco use was rated as a serious problem for Guam by 73% of the leaders surveyed, and a majority agreed that stricter tobacco control policies were needed on Guam. When asked to rate their preferences for tobacco control efforts on Guam, most (63%) preferred to focus on cessation efforts and 55% wanted to focus on smoke-free public places. This study provided critical insight about community leader support for stronger tobacco control measures on Guam, especially with respect to smoking cessation and smoke-free environments. Such a consensus of opinions could become a catalyst to promote community-wide tobacco control policies and programs. In addition, this study may provide a platform for future research on the structure and effectiveness of community leader support in a multicultural environment.

Developing rural palliative care: validating a conceptual model.

PubMed

Kelley, Mary Lou; Williams, Allison; DeMiglio, Lily; Mettam, Hilary

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research was to validate a conceptual model for developing palliative care in rural communities. This model articulates how local rural healthcare providers develop palliative care services according to four sequential phases. The model has roots in concepts of community capacity development, evolves from collaborative, generalist rural practice, and utilizes existing health services infrastructure. It addresses how rural providers manage challenges, specifically those related to: lack of resources, minimal community understanding of palliative care, health professionals' resistance, the bureaucracy of the health system, and the obstacles of providing services in rural environments. Seven semi-structured focus groups were conducted with interdisciplinary health providers in 7 rural communities in two Canadian provinces. Using a constant comparative analysis approach, focus group data were analyzed by examining participants' statements in relation to the model and comparing emerging themes in the development of rural palliative care to the elements of the model. The data validated the conceptual model as the model was able to theoretically predict and explain the experiences of the 7 rural communities that participated in the study. New emerging themes from the data elaborated existing elements in the model and informed the requirement for minor revisions. The model was validated and slightly revised, as suggested by the data. The model was confirmed as being a useful theoretical tool for conceptualizing the development of rural palliative care that is applicable in diverse rural communities.

Reaching the poor with health interventions: programme-incidence analysis of seven randomised trials of women's groups to reduce newborn mortality in Asia and Africa

PubMed Central

Houweling, Tanja A J; Morrison, Joanna; Alcock, Glyn; Azad, Kishwar; Das, Sushmita; Hossen, Munir; Kuddus, Abdul; Lewycka, Sonia; Looman, Caspar W; Magar, Bharat Budhathoki; Manandhar, Dharma S; Akter, Mahfuza; Dube, Albert Lazarous Nkhata; Rath, Shibanand; Saville, Naomi; Sen, Aman; Tripathy, Prasanta; Costello, Anthony

2016-01-01

Background Efforts to end preventable newborn deaths will fail if the poor are not reached with effective interventions. To understand what works to reach vulnerable groups, we describe and explain the uptake of a highly effective community-based newborn health intervention across social strata in Asia and Africa. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of seven randomised trials of participatory women's groups to reduce newborn mortality in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malawi. We analysed data on 70 574 pregnancies. Socioeconomic and sociodemographic differences in group attendance were tested using logistic regression. Qualitative data were collected at each trial site (225 focus groups, 20 interviews) to understand our results. Results Socioeconomic differences in women's group attendance were small, except for occasional lower attendance by elites. Sociodemographic differences were large, with lower attendance by young primigravid women in African as well as in South Asian sites. The intervention was considered relevant and interesting to all socioeconomic groups. Local facilitators ensured inclusion of poorer women. Embarrassment and family constraints on movement outside the home restricted attendance among primigravid women. Reproductive health discussions were perceived as inappropriate for them. Conclusions Community-based women's groups can help to reach every newborn with effective interventions. Equitable intervention uptake is enhanced when facilitators actively encourage all women to attend, organise meetings at the participants’ convenience and use approaches that are easily understandable for the less educated. Focused efforts to include primigravid women are necessary, working with families and communities to decrease social taboos. PMID:26246540

Birth preparedness and complication readiness – a qualitative study among community members in rural Tanzania

PubMed Central

August, Furaha; Pembe, Andrea B.; Kayombo, Edmund; Mbekenga, Columba; Axemo, Pia; Darj, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Background Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) strategies are aimed at reducing delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving care. Counselling on birth preparedness is provided during antenatal care visits. However, it is not clear why birth preparedness messages do not translate to utilisation of facility delivery. This study explores the perceptions, experiences, and challenges the community faces on BP/CR. Design A qualitative study design using Focused Group Discussions was conducted. Twelve focus group discussions were held with four separate groups: young men and women and older men and women in a rural community in Tanzania. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Results The community members expressed a perceived need to prepare for childbirth. They were aware of the importance to attend the antenatal clinics, relied on family support for practical and financial preparations such as saving money for costs related to delivery, moving closer to the nearest hospital, and also to use traditional herbs, in favour of a positive outcome. Community recognised that pregnancy and childbirth complications are preferably treated at hospital. Facility delivery was preferred; however, certain factors including stigma on unmarried women and transportation were identified as hindering birth preparedness and hence utilisation of skilled care. Challenges were related to the consequences of poverty, though the maternal health care should be free, they perceived difficulties due to informal user fees. Conclusions This study revealed community perceptions that were in favour of using skilled care in BP/CR. However, issues related to inability to prepare in advance hinder the realisation of the intention to use skilled care. It is important to innovate how the community reinforces BP/CR, such as using insurance schemes, using community health funds, and providing information on other birth preparedness messages via community health workers. PMID:26077145

Review of the nutritional implications of farmers' markets and community gardens: a call for evaluation and research efforts.

PubMed

McCormack, Lacey Arneson; Laska, Melissa Nelson; Larson, Nicole I; Story, Mary

2010-03-01

The development and promotion of farmers' markets and community gardens is growing in popularity as a strategy to increase community-wide fruit and vegetable consumption. Despite large numbers of farmers' markets and community gardens in the United States, as well as widespread enthusiasm for their use as a health promotion tool, little is known about their influence on dietary intake. This review examines the current scientific literature on the implications of farmers' market programs and community gardens on nutrition-related outcomes in adults. Studies published between January 1980 and January 2009 were identified via PubMed and Agricola database searches and by examining reference lists from relevant studies. Studies were included in this review if they took place in the United States and qualitatively or quantitatively examined nutrition-related outcomes, including dietary intake; attitudes and beliefs regarding buying, preparing, or eating fruits and vegetables; and behaviors and perceptions related to obtaining produce from a farmers' market or community garden. Studies focusing on garden-based youth programs were excluded. In total, 16 studies were identified for inclusion in this review. Seven studies focused on the impact of farmers' market nutrition programs for Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children participants, five focused on the influence of farmers' market programs for seniors, and four focused on community gardens. Findings from this review reveal that few well-designed research studies (eg, those incorporating control groups) utilizing valid and reliable dietary assessment methods to evaluate the influence of farmers' markets and community gardens on nutrition-related outcomes have been completed. Recommendations for future research on the dietary influences of farmers' markets and community gardens are provided. Copyright 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Community Wise: paving the way for empowerment in community reentry.

PubMed

Windsor, Liliane Cambraia; Jemal, Alexis; Benoit, Ellen

2014-01-01

Theoretical approaches traditionally applied in mental health and criminal justice interventions fail to address the historical and structural context that partially explains health disparities. Community Wise was developed to address this gap. It is a 12week group intervention informed by Critical Consciousness Theory and designed to prevent substance abuse, related health risk behaviors, psychological distress, and reoffending among individuals with a history of incarceration and substance abuse. This paper reports findings from the first implementation and pilot evaluation of Community Wise in two community-based organizations. This pre-posttest evaluation pilot-tested Community Wise and used findings to improve the intervention. Twenty-six participants completed a phone and clinical screening, baseline, 6- and 12-week follow-ups, and a focus group at the end of the intervention. Measures assessed participants' demographic information, psychological distress, substance use, criminal offending, HIV risk behaviors, community cohesion, community support, civic engagement, critical consciousness, ethnic identification, group cohesion, client satisfaction, and acquired treatment skills. Research methods were found to be feasible and useful in assessing the intervention. Results indicated that while Community Wise is a promising intervention, several changes need to be made in order to enhance the intervention. Community Wise is a new approach where oppressed individuals join in critical dialogue, tap into existing community resources, and devise, implement and evaluate their own community solutions to structural barriers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engaging women from South Asian communities in cardiac rehabilitation.

PubMed

Vishram, S; Crosland, A; Unsworth, J; Long, S

2007-01-01

This study sought to describe experiences and perceptions of cardiac rehabilitation among a sample of women from South Asian communities. Data were collected via eight semi-structured interviews with staff and a focus group discussion with nine clients from a community-based, culturally sensitive cardiac rehabilitation service. A number of individual, cultural and practical barriers to participation were identified. Facilitators centred on whether the format and content of the sessions could be considered "appropriate". For example, a women's dance group proved to be successful through the selection of a familiar local venue, supportive session leader, and activity that was felt to be both enjoyable and beneficial. This study has shown that it is possible to engage hard-to-reach groups in cardiac rehabilitation and physical activity. Further work is needed to explore whether this research is applicable in other ethnic groups and whether the lessons learned could be successfully incorporated into mainstream health services.

Designing an Intervention for Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus from Medically Underserved Areas to Improve Care: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Feldman, Candace H; Bermas, Bonnie L; Zibit, Melanie; Fraser, Patricia; Todd, Derrick J; Fortin, Paul R; Massarotti, Elena; Costenbader, Karen H

2013-01-01

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) disproportionately affects women, racial/ethnic minorities and low-income populations. We held focus groups for women from medically underserved communities to discuss interventions to improve care. Methods From our Lupus Registry, we invited 282 women, > 18 years, residing in urban, medically underserved areas. Hospital-based clinics and support groups also recruited participants. Women were randomly assigned to 3 focus groups. 75-minute sessions were recorded, transcribed and coded thematically using interpretative phenomenologic analysis and single counting methods. We categorized interventions by benefits, limitations, target populations and implementation questions. Results 29 women with lupus participated in 3 focus groups, (n=9, 9, 11). 80% were African American and 83% were from medically underserved zip codes. Themes included the desire for lupus education, isolation at the time of diagnosis, emotional and physical barriers to care, and the need for assistance navigating the healthcare system. 20 of 29 participants (69%) favored a peer support intervention; 17 (59%) also supported a lupus health passport. Newly diagnosed women were optimal intervention targets. Improvements in quality of life and mental health were proposed outcome measures. Conclusion Women with lupus from medically underserved areas have unique needs best addressed with an intervention designed through collaboration between community members and researchers. PMID:23087258

Economic empowerment and AIDS-related stigma in rural Kenya: a double-edged sword?

PubMed

Gnauck, Katherine; Ruiz, Jamie; Kellett, Nicole; Sussman, Andrew; Sullivan, Mary Ann; Montoya, Maria; Levin, Nick; Tomedi, Angelo; Mwanthi, Mutuku A

2013-01-01

Economic empowerment, HIV risk and AIDS-related stigma appear intricately intertwined for women in Kenya. Their interaction must be understood in order to implement effective economic interventions that also decrease HIV risk and stigma. We conducted a qualitative study amongst women in a rural Kamba-speaking community of southeastern Kenya to pursue whether engagement in an economic empowerment initiative (a basket weaving cooperative) influences women's perspectives and experiences with HIV risk and AIDS-related stigma. We conducted seven women's focus groups: participants in the local basket-weaving cooperative comprised four focus groups and non-participants comprised the remaining three groups. The HIV status of the women was not known. Three dominant themes emerged from the focus groups: empowerment, pervasive vulnerability and unanticipated social paradoxes. Contradictions found in these themes suggest that economic empowerment can become a double-edged sword. Economic empowerment enhanced perceived individual, domestic and social community status. However, this enhancement was not protective of domestic violence and perceived HIV risk. Social perceptions may have paradoxically contributed barriers to HIV testing and treatment putting women at greater HIV risk. In conclusion, economic empowerment initiatives for women in developing countries in the context of the HIV epidemic should be coupled with peer mediated support and HIV-risk education.

Attitudes about Aging Well among a Diverse Group of Older Americans: Implications for Promoting Cognitive Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laditka, Sarah B.; Corwin, Sara J.; Laditka, James N.; Liu, Rui; Tseng, Winston; Wu, Bei; Beard, Renee L.; Sharkey, Joseph R.; Ivey, Susan L.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To examine perceptions about aging well in the context of cognitive health among a large and diverse group of older adults. Design and Methods: Forty-two focus groups were conducted with older adults living in the community ( N = 396; White, African American, American Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hispanic). Participant descriptions …

Healthy Children, Strong Families 2: a randomized controlled trial of a healthy lifestyle intervention for American Indian families designed using community-based approaches

PubMed Central

Tomayko, Emily J; Prince, Ronald J; Cronin, Kate A; Parker, Tassy; Kim, KyungMann; Grant, Vernon M; Sheche, Judith N; Adams, Alexandra K

2017-01-01

Background/Aims Few obesity prevention trials have focused on young children and their families in the home environment, particularly in underserved communities. Healthy Children, Strong Families 2 (HCSF2) is a randomized controlled trial of a healthy lifestyle intervention for American Indian children and their families, a group at very high risk of obesity. The study design resulted from our long-standing engagement with American Indian communities, and few collaborations of this type resulting in the development and implementation of an RCT have been described. Methods HCSF2 is a lifestyle intervention targeting increased fruit and vegetable intake, decreased sugar intake, increased physical activity, decreased TV/screen time, and two lesser-studied risk factors: stress and sleep. Families with young children from five American Indian communities nationwide were randomly assigned to a healthy lifestyles intervention (Wellness Journey) augmented with social support (Facebook and text messaging) or a child safety control group (Safety Journey) for one year. After Year 1, families in the Safety Journey receive the Wellness Journey, and families in the Wellness Journey start the Safety Journey with continued wellness-focused social support based on communities’ request that all families receive the intervention. Primary (adult body mass index and child body mass index z-score) and secondary (health behaviors) outcomes are assessed after Year 1 with additional analyses planned after Year 2. Results To date, 450 adult/child dyads have been enrolled (100% target enrollment). Statistical analyses await trial completion in 2017. Lessons Learned Conducting a community-partnered randomized controlled trial requires significant formative work, relationship building, and ongoing flexibility. At the communities’ request, the study involved minimal exclusion criteria, focused on wellness rather than obesity, and included an active control group and a design allowing all families to receive the intervention. This collective effort took additional time but was critical to secure community engagement. Hiring and retaining qualified local site coordinators was a challenge but was strongly related to successful recruitment and retention of study families. Local infrastructure has also been critical to project success. Other challenges included geographic dispersion of study communities and providing appropriate incentives to retain families in a two-year study. Conclusions This multi-site intervention addresses key gaps regarding family/home-based approaches for obesity prevention in American Indian communities. HCSF2’s innovative aspects include substantial community input, inclusion of both traditional (diet/activity) and lesser-studied obesity risk factors (stress/sleep), measurement of both adult and child outcomes, social networking support for geographically dispersed households, and a community selected active control group. Our data will address a literature gap regarding multiple risk factors and their relationship to health outcomes in American Indian families. PMID:28064525

Reducing inequalities in health and access to health care in a rural Indian community: an India-Canada collaborative action research project.

PubMed

Haddad, Slim; Narayana, Delampady; Mohindra, Ks

2011-11-08

Inadequate public action in vulnerable communities is a major constraint for the health of poor and marginalized groups in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The south Indian state of Kerala, known for relatively equitable provision of public resources, is no exception to the marginalization of vulnerable communities. In Kerala, women's lives are constrained by gender-based inequalities and certain indigenous groups are marginalized such that their health and welfare lag behind other social groups. The goal of this socially-engaged, action-research initiative was to reduce social inequalities in access to health care in a rural community. Specific objectives were: 1) design and implement a community-based health insurance scheme to reduce financial barriers to health care, 2) strengthen local governance in monitoring and evidence-based decision-making, and 3) develop an evidence base for appropriate health interventions. Health and social inequities have been masked by Kerala's overall progress. Key findings illustrated large inequalities between different social groups. Particularly disadvantaged are lower-caste women and Paniyas (a marginalized indigenous group), for whom inequalities exist across education, employment status, landholdings, and health. The most vulnerable populations are the least likely to receive state support, which has broader implications for the entire country. A community based health solidarity scheme (SNEHA), under the leadership of local women, was developed and implemented yielding some benefits to health equity in the community-although inclusion of the Paniyas has been a challenge. The Canadian-Indian action research team has worked collaboratively for over a decade. An initial focus on surveys and data analysis has transformed into a focus on socially engaged, participatory action research. Adapting to unanticipated external forces, maintaining a strong team in the rural village, retaining human resources capable of analyzing the data, and encouraging Paniya participation in the health insurance scheme were challenges. Successes were at least partially enabled by the length of the funding (this was a two-phase project over an eight year period).

How Community Organizing Promotes Health Equity, And How Health Equity Affects Organizing.

PubMed

Pastor, Manuel; Terriquez, Veronica; Lin, May

2018-03-01

Public health scholarship increasingly recognizes community organizing as a vehicle for unleashing the collective power necessary to uproot socioeconomic inequities at the core of health disparities. In this article we reverse the analytical focus from how organizing can affect health equity, and we consider how the frame of health equity has shaped grassroots organizing. Using evidence from a range of cases in California, we suggest that the health equity frame can guide and justify grassroots groups' efforts to improve the health outcomes of marginalized populations; connect issues such as housing and school discipline to health; and provide a rationale for community organizing groups to directly address the trauma experienced by their own members and staff, who often come from communities at risk for poor health outcomes.

Exploring impacts of multi-year, community-based care programs for orphans and vulnerable children: a case study from Kenya.

PubMed

Larson, Bruce A; Wambua, Nancy; Masila, Juliana; Wangai, Susan; Rohr, Julia; Brooks, Mohamad; Bryant, Malcolm

2013-01-01

The Community-Based Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CBCO) program operated in Kenya during 2006-2010. In Eastern Province, the program provided support to approximately 3000 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) living in 1500 households. A primary focus of the program was to support savings and loan associations composed of OVC caregivers (typically elderly women) to improve household and OVC welfare. Cross-sectional data were collected in 2011 from 1500 randomly selected households from 3 populations: program participants (CBCO group, n=500), households in the same villages as program participants but not in the program (the local-community-group = Group L, n=300), and households living in nearby villages where the program did not operate (the adjacent-community-group, Group A, n=700). Primary welfare outcomes evaluated are household food security, as measured by the Household Food Insecurity Access instrument, and OVC educational attainment. We compared outcomes between the CBCO and the subset of Group L not meeting program eligibility criteria (L-N) to investigate disparities within local communities. We compared outcomes between the CBCO group and the subset of Group A meeting eligibility criteria (A-E) to consider program impact. We compared outcomes between households not eligible for the program in the local and adjacent community groups (L-N and A-N) to consider if the adjacent communities are similar to the local communities. In May-June 2011, at the end of the OVC program, the majority of CBCO households continued to be severely food insecure, with rates similar to other households living in nearby communities. Participation rates in primary school are high, reflecting free primary education. Among the 18-22 year olds who were "children" during the program years, relatively few children completed secondary school across all study groups. Although the CBCO program likely provided useful services and benefits to program participants, disparities continued to exist in food security and educational outcomes between program participants and their non-OVC peers in the local community. Outcomes for CBCO households were similar to those observed for OVC households in adjacent communities.

Exploring impacts of multi-year, community-based care programs for orphans and vulnerable children: A case study from Kenya

PubMed Central

Larson, Bruce A.; Wambua, Nancy; Masila, Juliana; Wangai, Susan; Rohr, Julia; Brooks, Mohamad; Bryant, Malcolm

2013-01-01

The Community-Based Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CBCO) program operated in Kenya during 2006–2010. In Eastern Province, the program provided support to approximately 3000 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) living in 1500 households. A primary focus of the program was to support savings and loan associations composed of OVC caregivers (typically elderly women) to improve household and OVC welfare. Cross-sectional data were collected in 2011 from 1500 randomly selected households from 3 populations: program participants (CBCO group, n = 500), households in the same villages as program participants but not in the program (the local-community-group = Group L, n = 300), and households living in nearby villages where the program did not operate (the adjacent-community-group, Group A, n = 700). Primary welfare outcomes evaluated are household food security, as measured by the Household Food Insecurity Access instrument, and OVC educational attainment. We compared outcomes between the CBCO and the subset of Group L not meeting program eligibility criteria (L-N) to investigate disparities within local communities. We compared outcomes between the CBCO group and the subset of Group A meeting eligibility criteria (A-E) to consider program impact. We compared outcomes between households not eligible for the program in the local and adjacent community groups (L-N and A-N) to consider if the adjacent communities are similar to the local communities. In May-June 2011, at the end of the OVC program, the majority of CBCO households continued to be severely food insecure, with rates similar to other households living in nearby communities. Participation rates in primary school are high, reflecting free primary education. Among the 18–22 year olds who were “children” during the program years, relatively few children completed secondary school across all study groups. Although the CBCO program likely provided useful services and benefits to program participants, disparities continued to exist in food security and educational outcomes between program participants and their non-OVC peers in the local community. Outcomes for CBCO households were similar to those observed for OVC households in adjacent communities. PMID:23745629

An environmental intervention aimed at increasing physical activity levels in low-income women.

PubMed

Speck, Barbara J; Hines-Martin, Vicki; Stetson, Barbara A; Looney, Stephen W

2007-01-01

Regular physical activity is a health promotion and disease prevention behavior. Of all demographic groups, low-income women report the lowest levels of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to test an intervention aimed at reducing community environmental barriers to physical activity in low-income women. The research design was mixed methodology: (1) quantitative (quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, cohort design in which no treatment partitioning was possible) and (2) qualitative (focus groups). The setting was a church-sponsored community center centrally located in a low-income urban neighborhood. The comparison group was recruited first followed by the intervention group to control for setting. The sample consisted of 104 women (comparison group, n = 53; intervention group, n = 51) between the ages of 18 and 63 years who were residents of neighborhoods served by the community center. No between-group differences were found for physical activity behavior. Significant between-group differences in cholesterol (P = .007) and perception of physical activity (P = .033) were observed. Significant intervention group increases from pretest to posttest were found related to advanced registered nurse practitioner support, friend support, and more positive physical activity environment at the community center. Qualitative data supported and enriched the quantitative data. Physical activity levels were not significantly different between the groups. In a sample of low-income women who have multiple barriers, improving attitudes, expanding their knowledge of community resources, and providing physical activity opportunities in their neighborhoods are important intermediate steps toward initiation and maintenance of regular physical activity.

An Institutional Community-Driven effort to Curate and Preserve Geospatial Data using GeoBlacklight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petters, J.; Coleman, S.; Andrea, O.

2016-12-01

A variety of geospatial data is produced or collected by both academic researchers and non-academic groups in the Virginia Tech community. In an effort to preserve, curate and make this geospatial data discoverable, the University Libraries have been building a local implementation of GeoBlacklight, a multi-institutional open-source collaborative project to improve the discoverability and sharing of geospatial data. We will discuss the local implementation of Geoblacklight at Virginia Tech, focusing on the efforts necessary to make it a sustainable resource for the institution and local community going forward. This includes technical challenges such as the development of uniform workflows for geospatial data produced within and outside the course of research, but organizational and economic barriers must be overcome as well. In spearheading this GeoBlacklight effort the Libraries have partnered with University Facilities and University IT. The IT group manages the storage and backup of geospatial data, allowing our group to focus on geospatial data collection and curation. Both IT and University Facilities are in possession of localized geospatial data of interest to Viriginia Tech researchers that all parties agreed should be made discoverable and accessible. The interest and involvement of these and other university stakeholders is key to establishing the sustainability of the infrastructure and the capabilities it can provide to the Virginia Tech community and beyond.

Acceptability of delivering and accessing health information through text messaging among community health advisors.

PubMed

Schoenberger, Yu-Mei; Phillips, Janice; Mohiuddin, Mohammed Omar; McNees, Patrick; Scarinci, Isabel

2013-09-09

Communication technologies can play a significant role in decreasing communication inequalities and cancer disparities by promoting cancer control and enhancing population and individual health. Studies have shown that technology, such as the mobile phone short message service (SMS) or text messaging, can be an effective health communication strategy that influences individuals' health-related decisions, behaviors, and outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore usage of communication technologies, assess the acceptability of mobile technology for delivery and access of health information, and identify cancer and health information needs among Deep South Network for Cancer Control trained Community Health Advisors as Research Partners (CHARPs). A mixed-method design was used, and a triangulation protocol was followed to combine quantitative and qualitative data. Focus groups (4 focus groups; n=37) and self-administered surveys (n=77) were conducted to determine CHARPs mobile phone and text message usage. The objective was to include identification of barriers and facilitators to a mobile phone intervention. All participants were African American (37/37, 100%), 11/37 (89%) were women, and the mean age was 53.4 (SD 13.9; focus groups) and 59.9 (SD 8.7; survey). Nearly all (33/37, 89%) of focus group participants reported owning a mobile phone. Of those, 8/33 (24%) owned a smartphone, 22/33 (67%) had a text messaging plan, and 18/33 (55%) and 11/33 (33%) received and sent text messages several times a week or day, respectively. Similar responses were seen among the survey participants, with 75/77 (97%) reporting owning a mobile phone, and of those, 22/75 (30%) owned a smartphone, 39/75 (53%) had a text messaging plan, and 37/75 (50%) received and 27/75 (37%) sent text messages several times a week or day. The benefits of a text messaging system mentioned by focus group participants included alternative form of communication, quick method for disseminating information, and privacy of communication. The main barriers reported by both groups to using mobile technology to receive health information were cost and not knowing how to text message. Ways to overcome barriers were explored with focus group participants, and education was the most proposed solution. Majority of CHARPs were in favor of receiving a weekly text message that would provide cancer/health information. The findings from this study indicate that CHARPs are receptive to receiving text messages focusing on cancer/health information and would be likely to engage in mobile health research. These findings represent the first step in the development of an interactive mobile health program designed to provide cancer/health information and a support network for the Deep South Network Community Health Advisors as Research Partners (DSN CHARPs).

Using qualitative insights to change practice: exploring the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption for urinary tract infections

PubMed Central

Duane, Sinead; Domegan, Christine; Callan, Aoife; Galvin, Sandra; Cormican, Martin; Bennett, Kathleen; Murphy, Andrew W

2016-01-01

Objectives The aim of this paper is to explore the culture of antibiotic prescribing and consumption in the community for urinary tract infections (UTI) from the perspective of the general practitioners (GPs) and community member. Design Indepth interviews were conducted with GPs, and focus groups were held with community members. Setting General practice and community setting. Participants 15 GPs practising in rural and urban locations in Ireland participated in the indepth interviews. 6 focus groups (n=42) with participants who had direct or indirect experiences with UTI were also undertaken. Results The decision to prescribe or consume an antibiotic for a UTI is a set of complex processes including need recognition, information search and evaluation processes governed by the relationship and interactions between the GP and the patient. Different GP and patient decision-making profiles emerged emphasising the diversity and variety of general practice in real-life settings. The GP findings showed a requirement for more microbiological information on antibiotic resistance patterns to inform prescribing decisions. Focus group participants wanted a conversation with the GP about their illness and the treatment options available. Conclusions Collectively, this research identified the consultation as a priority intervention environment for stimulating change in relation to antibiotics. This paper demonstrates how qualitative research can identify the interacting processes which are instrumental to the decision to prescribe or consume an antibiotic for a suspected UTI. Qualitative research empowers researchers to investigate the what, how and why of interventions in real-life setting. Qualitative research can play a critical and instrumental role in designing behavioural change strategies with high impact on practice. The results of this research were used to design a complex intervention informed by social marketing. Trial registration number NCT01913860; Pre-results. PMID:26754175

Native Americans' Interest in Horticulture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Mary Hockenberry

1999-01-01

Focus groups arranged by local Native American Master Gardeners on two Minnesota reservations determined community interest in extension-horticulture programs. Topics of interest included food preservation and historical Native-American uses of plants. (SK)

A Qualitative Evaluation of a Faith-Based Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Intervention for African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Alicia K.; Berrios, Nerida; Darnell, Julie S.; Calhoun, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

This article presents a formative evaluation of a CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 faith-based breast and cervical cancer early detection and prevention intervention for African American women living in urban communities. Focus groups were conducted with a sample of women (N = 94) recruited from each church…

Socio-Cultural Norms and Roles in the Use and Abuse of Alcohol among Members of a Rural Community in Southeast Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nwagu, E. N.; Dibia, S. I. C.; Odo, A. N.

2017-01-01

Social influences together with local cultural norms are central factors that can influence the use of alcohol. The study, therefore, identified socio-cultural norms and roles capable of influencing alcohol use among young people in an alcohol producing community, in Nigeria. We used qualitative technique--focused group discussions among selected…

Read with Me! Examining the Effects of a Community Volunteer Reading Program on Preschoolers' Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Cynthia J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a difference between mean measures of preliteracy skills of preschool children who participated in Creating Young Readers, a volunteer based reading program, and a control group who had not. Unpaid community volunteers were trained in a modified dialogic reading technique, focusing on…

Guide to a Student-Family-School-Community Partnership: Using a Student & Data Driven Process to Improve School Environments & Promote Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgoa, Carol; Izu, Jo Ann

2010-01-01

This guide presents a data-driven, research-based process--referred to as the "school-community forum process"--for increasing youth voice, promoting resilience, strengthening adult-youth connections, and ultimately, for improving schools. It uses a "student listening circle"--a special type of focus group involving eight to…

A Case Study on the Personal Constructs of How Stakeholders of a Regional Alternative Day School Facility Make Meaning of the Physical Plant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Penny D.

2011-01-01

This case study involved an examination of stakeholders' (parents, community members, staff members, students) perceptions of how they made meaning of a regional alternative day school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Individual interviews were conducted with the parents, community members, and students. One focus group interview was…

Community-Based Organisations and How to Support Their Use of Systematic Reviews: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Michael G.; Lavis, John N.

2011-01-01

Unlike for other health system stakeholders, there have been few visible efforts to support the use of research evidence in community-based organisations (CBOs). To begin to address this gap, we conducted focus groups and interviews with executive directors and programme managers of CBOs from the HIV/AIDS, diabetes and mental health and addictions…

A Case Study of How Professional Learning Communities Influence Morale and Rigor in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonough, Jessica S.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how professional learning communities influence teacher morale and rigor in the classroom. Participants of the study consisted of six to eight core subject teachers from two 4-A high school campuses in southeast Texas. Two focus group interviews were conducted, one at each school, and…

Water Quality and Fecal-Indicator Detection in Response to an Impaired Urban Watershed: Turkey Creek "Gulf of Mexico Initiative Focus"; and a "Making a Visible Difference" Program

EPA Science Inventory

The historical communities of Turkey Creek originated in 1866, when a group of emancipated African-Americans purchased land in Harrison County, MS, along the Turkey Creek watershed. Many of the current members of this community are descendants from the original settlers. This wa...

PACT Manual: Parent and Community Teams for School Success. ABC Dropout Prevention and Intervention Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Katherine; Rumberger, Russell

This manual describes the PACT (Parent and Community Team) for School Success concept, which was developed from insights and techniques gained from three dropout and intervention projects with high-risk junior high school youth and families. PACT focuses on ways to initiate and maintain a group that meets frequently to create ongoing cohesive…

Connection and Commitment: How Sense of Belonging and Classroom Community Influence Degree Persistence for African American Undergraduate Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booker, Keonya

2016-01-01

In this study, six African American female college students were interviewed to explore perceptions about their college learning environment and the beliefs they have about their own competence and value with regard to others in the college community. Focus group and individual interviews were conducted over the course of the academic year to…

Modelling and Close Observation: Ways of Teaching and Learning between Third-Generation Bangladeshi British Children and Their Grandparents in London

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Eve; Ruby, Mahera; Kenner, Charmian

2010-01-01

Studies on child development in cross-cultural contexts generally contrast child-rearing practices in traditional or non-Western with those of Western societies. Thus, they show how non-Western communities tend to emphasise the importance of interdependence and collectivism between family and group members; Western communities focus rather on the…

Integrative Research and Intervention To Facilitate Child and Family Development, Education, Readiness for Head Start, and Family Self-Sufficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lapidus, Leah Blumberg

This paper describes a project designed to facilitate and evaluate child and family mental health in the community, inside and outside of Head Start programs. Also detailed is a study of the effects of "Community Impact" programs and 6-week, focused, group interventions for children and families in programs predicted to increase…

Mapping a Strategic Plan for Health: Community-Based Participatory Research with Underserved, Low-Income, Urban Neighborhoods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zandee, Gail

2012-01-01

Since 2002, community-based participatory research methods have been used by the Calvin College Nursing Department to map out a strategic health plan for three urban, low-income, underserved neighborhoods. Nine focus groups and 449 door-to-door health surveys were completed across the three urban neighborhoods between 2002 and 2004. Neighborhood…

Agents of Change: Examining the Role of Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Coordinators in California Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Greg, Ed.; Buechner, Marybeth, Ed.

2007-01-01

Formally stating and assessing student learning outcomes (SLOs) is a new focus for California community colleges required by the 2002 Accreditation Standards. This paper, the first in a series, explores one aspect of this sea change across the state: the emergence of a new group of faculty leaders, Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment…

The Role of Public Schools in HIV Prevention: Perspectives from African Americans in the Rural South

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Stacey W.; Ferguson, Yvonne Owens; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Ellison, Arlinda; Blumenthal, Connie; Council, Barbara J.; Youmans, Selena; Muhammad, Melvin R.; Wynn, Mysha; Adimora, Adaora; Akers, Aletha

2012-01-01

Though African-American youth in the South are at high risk for HIV infection, abstinence until marriage education continues to be the only option in some public schools. Using community-based participatory research methods, we conducted 11 focus groups with African-American adults and youth in a rural community in North Carolina with high rates…

Revised Community of Inquiry Framework: Examining Learning Presence in a Blended Mode of Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pool, Jessica; Reitsma, Gerda; van den Berg, Dirk

2017-01-01

This paper presents a study grounded in the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework using qualitative content analysis and focus group interviews in an effort to identify aspects of learning presence in a blended learning course. Research has suggested that the CoI framework may need additional emphasis based on the roles of strategic learners in…

Community College Transfer Rates to 4-Year Institutions Using Alternative Definitions of Transfer. Research and Development Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradburn, Ellen M.; Hurst, David G.; Peng, Samuel

This report uses the 1990-1994 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:1990/1994) to examine several ways of estimating the transfer rate from public two-year to four-year institutions. The report focuses on different approaches to defining the pool of potential transfer students or the group of community college students who…