48 CFR 209.105-1 - Obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Obtaining information. 209....105-1 Obtaining information. (1) For guidance on using the Exclusions section of the System for Award... responsibility (see FAR 9.104-1(c)). One source of information relating to contractor performance is the Past...

An exploration of how Mexican American WIC mothers obtain information about behaviors associated with childhood obesity risk

PubMed Central

Cole, Suzanne M.; McKenney-Shubert, Shannon J.; Jones, Sonya J.; Peterson, Karen E.

2016-01-01

Objective To explore how a sample of Mexican American mothers with preschool-aged children recruited from a Midwestern WIC clinic obtain information about 4 behaviors associated with childhood obesity risk: eating, physical activity, screen time and sleep. Methods One-on-1, structured interviews, in which participants were asked how they communicated with family, learned to take care of their first infant and obtained information about the 4 targeted behaviors for their preschool-aged child. Setting An urban WIC clinic in the Midwest. Participants Forty Mexican-descent WIC mothers with children ages 3–4. Phenomenon of Interest Exposure to information about the 4 targeted behaviors among Mexican-descent mothers participating in WIC. Analysis Quantitative and qualitative data were used to characterize and compare across participants. Results Participants primarily obtained information from their child’s maternal grandmother during their first child’s infancy and from health professionals for their preschool-aged child. Participants typically obtained information through interpersonal communication, television and magazines. Participants were most interested in healthy eating information and least interested in screen time information. Some participants did not seek information. Conclusions Participants engaged in different patterns of information seeking across their child’s development and the 4 behaviors, suggesting that future research should be behaviorally specific. Findings from this study suggest several hypotheses to test in future research. PMID:27876321

5 CFR 1501.12 - Obtaining further information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Obtaining further information. 1501.12 Section 1501.12 Administrative Personnel THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS EMPLOYEES LOYALTY BOARD OPERATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS EMPLOYEES LOYALTY BOARD § 1501.12 Obtaining further information...

An Exploration of How Mexican American WIC Mothers Obtain Information About Behaviors Associated With Childhood Obesity Risk.

PubMed

Davis, Rachel E; Cole, Suzanne M; McKenney-Shubert, Shannon J; Jones, Sonya J; Peterson, Karen E

2017-03-01

To explore how a sample of Mexican American mothers with preschool-aged children recruited from a Midwestern Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinic obtained information about 4 behaviors associated with childhood obesity risk: eating, physical activity, screen time, and sleep. One-on-one structured interviews in which participants were asked how they communicated with family, learned to take care of their first infant, and obtained information about the 4 targeted behaviors for their preschool-aged child. An urban WIC clinic in the Midwest. Forty Mexican-descent mothers enrolled in WIC with children aged 3-4 years. Exposure to information about the 4 targeted behaviors among Mexican-descent mothers participating in WIC. Quantitative and qualitative data were used to characterize and compare across participants. Participants primarily obtained information from their child's maternal grandmother during their first child's infancy and from health professionals for their preschool-aged child. Participants typically obtained information through interpersonal communication, television, and magazines. Participants were most interested in healthy eating information and least interested in screen time information. Some participants did not seek information. Participants engaged in different patterns of information seeking across their child's development and the 4 behaviors, which suggests that future research should be behaviorally specific. Findings from this study suggest several hypotheses to test in future research. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Women Empowerment through Health Information Seeking: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Nikbakht Nasrabadi, Alireza; Sabzevari, Sakineh; Negahban Bonabi, Tayebeh

2015-01-01

Background Today, women empowering is an important issue.  Several methods have been introduced to empower women. Health information seeking is one of the most important activities in this regard. A wide range of capabilities have been reported as outcomes of health information seeking in several studies. As health information seeking is developed within personal-social interactions and also the health system context, it seems that the qualitative paradigm is appropriate to use in studies in this regard. This study aimed to explore how women’s empowerment through health information seeking is done. Methods In this qualitative content analysis study, data collection was done with regard to inclusion criteria, through purposive sampling by semi-structured interviews with 17 women and using documentation and field notes until data saturation. Qualitative data analysis was done constantly and simultaneous with data collection. Results Four central themes were emerged to explain women’s empowerment through health information seeking that included: a) Health concerns management with three subcategories of Better coping, Stress management, Control of situation, b) Collaborative care with two subcategories of Effective interaction with health professions and Participation in health decision making c) Individual development d) Self-protection with four sub- categories of Life style modification,  Preventive behaviors promoting, Self-care promoting, and  medication adherence. Conclusion The results of this study indicate the importance of women empowerment through foraging their health information seeking rights and comprehensive health information management. PMID:26005690

5 CFR 2411.5 - Procedure for obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Procedure for obtaining information. 2411.5 Section 2411.5 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY, GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE... OFFICIAL INFORMATION § 2411.5 Procedure for obtaining information. (a) Authority/General Counsel/Panel/IG...

Implications for Application of Qualitative Methods to Library and Information Science Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grover, Robert; Glazier, Jack

1985-01-01

Presents conceptual framework for library and information science research and analyzes research methodology that has application for information science, using as example results of study conducted by authors. Rationale for use of qualitative research methods in theory building is discussed and qualitative and quantitative research methods are…

A qualitative analysis of the information needs of informal carers of terminally ill cancer patients.

PubMed

Rose, K E

1999-01-01

This article discusses issues relating to information arising from a qualitative study of the experiences of informal carers of terminally ill cancer patients. Qualitative data analysis, drawing on methods of literary criticism, revealed that information was a key area in carers' experience. The findings are presented in the context of needing to provide individualized care to every family and deal with information needs relating to the illness and prognosis. The question of who is in possession of what information is raised, and the effect that this can have on couples is discussed, together with the issue of false information which carers may receive. The discussion centres on the complexity of understanding carers' information needs and considers how these are affected by the context within which carers operate. The work of Glaser and Strauss on awareness contexts is discussed in this respect. Finally, the importance of the nurse's role as a sensitive mediator of information is considered.

An exploration of strategies used by older people to obtain information about health- and social care services in the community.

PubMed

Mc Grath, Margaret; Clancy, Kathleen; Kenny, Anne

2016-10-01

To explore the strategies used by older people living in Ireland to obtain information about community health and social services. A qualitative exploratory design was used. Focus groups (n = 3) were conducted with community dwelling older people (n = 17). A series of vignettes were used to guide discussion regarding hypothetical situations that approximated real-life scenarios for older people. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Obtaining information about community health and social services is an ongoing process that requires continuous commitment by older adults. Key strategies which emerged from the data included (i) taking a proactive stance towards accessing health information, (ii) making use of personal networks in your community and (iii) developing 'insider' knowledge. Older people in this study had a proactive approach to obtaining health information and identified the importance of taking responsibility for managing their own needs. Despite this, obtaining basic information about community health and social services was a challenging and time-consuming process. Future research should focus on developing health literacy interventions that build upon and expand the strategies currently used by older people. © 2015 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Informal and formal mental health: preliminary qualitative findings

PubMed Central

O'Neill, Linda; George, Serena; Koehn, Corinne; Shepard, Blythe

2013-01-01

Background Northern-based research on mental health support, no matter the specific profession, helps to inform instruction of new practitioners and practitioners already working in rural or isolated conditions. Understanding the complexities of northern mental health support not only benefits clients and practitioners living in the North, but also helps prepare psychologists and counsellors preparing to work in other countries with large rural and isolated populations. The qualitative phase is part of a multi-year research study on informal and formal mental health support in northern Canada involving the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Objective The main objective of the qualitative phase interviews was to document in-depth the situation of formal and informal helpers in providing mental health support in isolated northern communities in northern British Columbia, northern Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT). The intent of in-depth interviews was to collect descriptive information on the unique working conditions of northern helping practitioners for the development of a survey and subsequent community action plans for helping practitioner support. Design Twenty participants in northern BC, Yukon and NWT participated in narrative interviews. Consensual qualitative research (CQR) was used in the analysis completed by 7 researchers. The principal researcher and research associate then worked through all 7 analyses, defining common categories and themes, and using selections from each researcher in order to ensure that everyone's analysis was represented in the final consensual summary. Results The preliminary results include 7 main categories consisting of various themes. Defining elements of northern practice included the need for generalist knowledge and cultural sensitivity. The task of working with and negotiating membership in community was identified as essential for northern mental health support. The need

Informal and formal mental health: preliminary qualitative findings.

PubMed

O'Neill, Linda; George, Serena; Koehn, Corinne; Shepard, Blythe

2013-01-01

Northern-based research on mental health support, no matter the specific profession, helps to inform instruction of new practitioners and practitioners already working in rural or isolated conditions. Understanding the complexities of northern mental health support not only benefits clients and practitioners living in the North, but also helps prepare psychologists and counsellors preparing to work in other countries with large rural and isolated populations. The qualitative phase is part of a multi-year research study on informal and formal mental health support in northern Canada involving the use of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. The main objective of the qualitative phase interviews was to document in-depth the situation of formal and informal helpers in providing mental health support in isolated northern communities in northern British Columbia, northern Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT). The intent of in-depth interviews was to collect descriptive information on the unique working conditions of northern helping practitioners for the development of a survey and subsequent community action plans for helping practitioner support. Twenty participants in northern BC, Yukon and NWT participated in narrative interviews. Consensual qualitative research (CQR) was used in the analysis completed by 7 researchers. The principal researcher and research associate then worked through all 7 analyses, defining common categories and themes, and using selections from each researcher in order to ensure that everyone's analysis was represented in the final consensual summary. The preliminary results include 7 main categories consisting of various themes. Defining elements of northern practice included the need for generalist knowledge and cultural sensitivity. The task of working with and negotiating membership in community was identified as essential for northern mental health support. The need for revised codes of ethics

21 CFR 20.109 - Data and information obtained by contract.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Data and information obtained by contract. 20.109... GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION Availability of Specific Categories of Records § 20.109 Data and information obtained by contract. (a) All data and information obtained by the Food and Drug Administration by contract...

48 CFR 9.105-1 - Obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the responsibility of prospective contractors, including requesting preaward surveys when necessary..., especially when research and development is involved, the contracting officer may obtain this information... information concerning (i) the low bidder or (ii) those offerors in range for award. (2) Preaward surveys...

48 CFR 9.105-1 - Obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the responsibility of prospective contractors, including requesting preaward surveys when necessary..., especially when research and development is involved, the contracting officer may obtain this information... information concerning (i) the low bidder or (ii) those offerors in range for award. (2) Preaward surveys...

48 CFR 9.105-1 - Obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... the responsibility of prospective contractors, including requesting preaward surveys when necessary..., especially when research and development is involved, the contracting officer may obtain this information... information concerning (i) the low bidder or (ii) those offerors in range for award. (2) Preaward surveys...

Assimilation of qualitative hydrological information in water-related risk framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzoleni, Maurizio; Alfonso, Leonardo; Solomatine, Dimitri

2013-04-01

In recent years water-related risks are increasing worldwide. In particular, floods have been one of the most damaging natural disasters in Europe, in terms of economic losses. Non-structural measures such as flood risk mapping are generally used to reduce the impact of flood in important area. The increasing data availability makes it possible to develop new models which can be used to assimilate different kinds of information and reduce the uncertainty of the state of a basin. The aim of this work is to propose a methodology to assimilate uncertain, qualitative information within hydrological models in order to improve the evaluation of catchment responses. Qualitative information is defined here as the one that can be interpreted as and assimilated into a hydrological model as a fuzzy value, for instance those coming from text messages or citizen's pictures. The methodology is applied in the Brue catchment, located in the South West of England, having a drainage area of 135 km2, average annual rainfall of 867 mm and average discharge of 1.92 m3/s at Lovington considering the period among 1961 and 1990. In order to estimate the response of the catchment to a flood event with given intensity, a conceptual distributed hydrological model was implemented. First, the basin was divided in different sub-basins, then, the hydrograph at the outlet section was estimated using a Nash cascade model and the propagation of the flood wave was carried out considering the lag time in the other each sub-basins. The assimilation of the qualitative information was carried out using different techniques. The results of this work show how the spatial location and uncertainty of the qualitative information can affect the flow hydrograph in the outlet section and the consequent flood extent in the downstream area. This study is part of the FP7 European Project WeSenseIt.

48 CFR 9.105-1 - Obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... information required concerning the adequacy of prospective contractors' accounting systems and these systems... accounting systems, and these systems' suitability for use in administering the proposed type of contract. (3... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Obtaining information. 9...

19 CFR 201.9 - Methods employed in obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Methods employed in obtaining information. 201.9 Section 201.9 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION Initiation and Conduct of Investigations § 201.9 Methods employed in obtaining information. In...

19 CFR 201.9 - Methods employed in obtaining information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Methods employed in obtaining information. 201.9 Section 201.9 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES OF GENERAL APPLICATION Initiation and Conduct of Investigations § 201.9 Methods employed in obtaining information. In...

Obtaining information by dynamic (effortful) touching

PubMed Central

Turvey, M. T.; Carello, Claudia

2011-01-01

Dynamic touching is effortful touching. It entails deformation of muscles and fascia and activation of the embedded mechanoreceptors, as when an object is supported and moved by the body. It is realized as exploratory activities that can vary widely in spatial and temporal extents (a momentary heft, an extended walk). Research has revealed the potential of dynamic touching for obtaining non-visual information about the body (e.g. limb orientation), attachments to the body (e.g. an object's height and width) and the relation of the body both to attachments (e.g. hand's location on a grasped object) and surrounding surfaces (e.g. places and their distances). Invariants over the exploratory activity (e.g. moments of a wielded object's mass distribution) seem to ground this ‘information about’. The conception of a haptic medium as a nested tensegrity structure has been proposed to express the obtained information realized by myofascia deformation, by its invariants and transformations. The tensegrity proposal rationalizes the relative indifference of dynamic touch to the site of mechanical contact (hand, foot, torso or probe) and the overtness of exploratory activity. It also provides a framework for dynamic touching's fractal nature, and the finding that its degree of fractality may matter to its accomplishments. PMID:21969694

Qualitative Parameters for Evaluation Procedures of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stasiunaitiene, Egle; Kaminskiene, Lina

2009-01-01

The article introduces evaluation principles of non-formal and informal learning that determine the quality of evaluation, describes stages of the evaluation procedure, differentiates their qualitative parameters and defines their criteria and indicators. It also brings in the discussion that consideration of qualitative parameters for the…

National Practice Patterns of Obtaining Informed Consent for Stroke Thrombolysis.

PubMed

Mendelson, Scott J; Courtney, D Mark; Gordon, Elisa J; Thomas, Leena F; Holl, Jane L; Prabhakaran, Shyam

2018-03-01

No standard approach to obtaining informed consent for stroke thrombolysis with tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) currently exists. We aimed to assess current nationwide practice patterns of obtaining informed consent for tPA. An online survey was developed and distributed by e-mail to clinicians involved in acute stroke care. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine independent factors contributing to always obtaining informed consent for tPA. Among 268 respondents, 36.7% reported always obtaining informed consent and 51.8% reported the informed consent process caused treatment delays. Being an emergency medicine physician (odds ratio, 5.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.9-11.5) and practicing at a nonacademic medical center (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-4.3) were independently associated with always requiring informed consent. The most commonly cited cause of delay was waiting for a patient's family to reach consensus about treatment. Most clinicians always or often require informed consent for stroke thrombolysis. Future research should focus on standardizing content and delivery of tPA information to reduce delays. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

28 CFR 51.38 - Obtaining information from others.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Obtaining information from others. 51.38 Section 51.38 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SECTION 5 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED Processing of Submissions § 51.38 Obtaining...

28 CFR 51.38 - Obtaining information from others.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Obtaining information from others. 51.38 Section 51.38 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SECTION 5 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED Processing of Submissions § 51.38 Obtaining...

48 CFR 1809.505-4 - Obtaining access to sensitive information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Obtaining access to sensitive information. 1809.505-4 Section 1809.505-4 Federal Acquisition Regulations System NATIONAL... Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest 1809.505-4 Obtaining access to sensitive information. (b) In...

The use of qualitative methods to inform Delphi surveys in core outcome set development.

PubMed

Keeley, T; Williamson, P; Callery, P; Jones, L L; Mathers, J; Jones, J; Young, B; Calvert, M

2016-05-04

Core outcome sets (COS) help to minimise bias in trials and facilitate evidence synthesis. Delphi surveys are increasingly being used as part of a wider process to reach consensus about what outcomes should be included in a COS. Qualitative research can be used to inform the development of Delphi surveys. This is an advance in the field of COS development and one which is potentially valuable; however, little guidance exists for COS developers on how best to use qualitative methods and what the challenges are. This paper aims to provide early guidance on the potential role and contribution of qualitative research in this area. We hope the ideas we present will be challenged, critiqued and built upon by others exploring the role of qualitative research in COS development. This paper draws upon the experiences of using qualitative methods in the pre-Delphi stage of the development of three different COS. Using these studies as examples, we identify some of the ways that qualitative research might contribute to COS development, the challenges in using such methods and areas where future research is required. Qualitative research can help to identify what outcomes are important to stakeholders; facilitate understanding of why some outcomes may be more important than others, determine the scope of outcomes; identify appropriate language for use in the Delphi survey and inform comparisons between stakeholder data and other sources, such as systematic reviews. Developers need to consider a number of methodological points when using qualitative research: specifically, which stakeholders to involve, how to sample participants, which data collection methods are most appropriate, how to consider outcomes with stakeholders and how to analyse these data. A number of areas for future research are identified. Qualitative research has the potential to increase the research community's confidence in COS, although this will be dependent upon using rigorous and appropriate

12 CFR 1202.3 - What information can I obtain through FOIA?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What information can I obtain through FOIA? 1202.3 Section 1202.3 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT § 1202.3 What information can I obtain through FOIA? (a) General. FHFA...

Qualitative Examination of Children's Naming Skills through Test Adaptations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fried-Oken, Melanie

1987-01-01

The Double Administration Naming Technique assists clinicians in obtaining qualitative information about a client's visual confrontation naming skills through administration of a standard naming test; readministration of the same test; identification of single and double errors; cuing for double naming errors; and qualitative analysis of naming…

Abortion Stigma Among Low-Income Women Obtaining Abortions in Western Pennsylvania: A Qualitative Assessment.

PubMed

Gelman, Amanda; Rosenfeld, Elian A; Nikolajski, Cara; Freedman, Lori R; Steinberg, Julia R; Borrero, Sonya

2017-03-01

Abortion stigma may cause psychological distress in women who are considering having an abortion or have had one. This phenomenon has been relatively underexplored in low-income women, who may already be at an increased risk for poor abortion-related outcomes because of difficulties accessing timely and safe abortion services. A qualitative study conducted between 2010 and 2013 used semistructured interviews to explore pregnancy intentions among low-income women recruited from six reproductive health clinics in Western Pennsylvania. Transcripts from interviews with 19 participants who were planning to terminate a pregnancy or had had an abortion in the last two weeks were examined through content analysis to identify the range of attitudes they encountered that could contribute to or reflect abortion stigma, the sources of these attitudes and women's responses to them. Women commonly reported that partners, family members and they themselves held antiabortion attitudes. Such attitudes communicated that abortion is morally reprehensible, a rejection of motherhood, rare and thus potentially deviant, detrimental to future fertility and an irresponsible choice. Women reacted to external and internal negative attitudes by distinguishing themselves from other women who obtain abortions, experiencing negative emotions, and concealing or delaying their abortions. Women's reactions to antiabortion attitudes may perpetuate abortion stigma. Further research is needed to inform interventions to address abortion stigma and improve women's abortion experiences. Copyright © 2016 by the Guttmacher Institute.

Abortion Stigma Among Low-Income Women Obtaining Abortions in Western Pennsylvania: A Qualitative Assessment

PubMed Central

Gelman, Amanda; Rosenfeld, Elian A.; Nikolajski, Cara; Freedman, Lori R.; Steinberg, Julia R.; Borrero, Sonya

2017-01-01

CONTEXT Abortion stigma may cause psychological distress in women who are considering having an abortion or have had one. This phenomenon has been relatively underexplored in low-income women, who may already be at an increased risk for poor abortion-related outcomes because of difficulties accessing timely and safe abortion services. METHODS A qualitative study conducted between 2010 and 2013 used semistructured interviews to explore pregnancy intentions among low-income women recruited from six reproductive health clinics in Western Pennsylvania. Transcripts from interviews with 19 participants who were planning to terminate a pregnancy or had had an abortion in the last two weeks were examined through content analysis to identify the range of attitudes they encountered that could contribute to or reflect abortion stigma, the sources of these attitudes and women’s responses to them. RESULTS Women commonly reported that partners, family members and they themselves held antiabortion attitudes. Such attitudes communicated that abortion is morally reprehensible, a rejection of motherhood, rare and thus potentially deviant, detrimental to future fertility and an irresponsible choice. Women reacted to external and internal negative attitudes by distinguishing themselves from other women who obtain abortions, experiencing negative emotions, and concealing or delaying their abortions. CONCLUSIONS Women’s reactions to antiabortion attitudes may perpetuate abortion stigma. Further research is needed to inform interventions to address abortion stigma and improve women’s abortion experiences. PMID:27984674

The Promise of Qualitative Research to Inform Theory to Address Health Equity.

PubMed

Shelton, Rachel C; Griffith, Derek M; Kegler, Michelle C

2017-10-01

Most public health researchers and practitioners agree that we need to accelerate our efforts to eliminate health disparities and promote health equity. The past two decades of research have provided a wealth of descriptive studies, both qualitative and quantitative, that describe the size, scale, and scope of health disparities, as well as the key determinants that affect disparities. We need, however, to shift more aggressively to action informed by this research and develop deeper understandings of how to shape multilevel interventions, influenced by theories across multiple levels of the social-ecologic framework. In this article, we discuss the promising opportunities for qualitative and health equity scholars to advance research and practice through the refinement, expansion, and application of rigorous, theoretically informed qualitative research. In particular, to advance work in the area of theory to inform health equity, we encourage researchers (a) to move toward thinking about mechanisms and theory-building and refining; (b) to explicitly incorporate theories at the social, organizational, community, and policy levels and consider how factors at these levels interact synergistically with factors at the individual and interpersonal levels; (c) consider how the social dimensions that have implications for health equity intersect and interact; and (d) develop and apply more community-engaged, assets-based, and action-oriented theories and frameworks.

Strategies for obtaining unpublished drug trial data: a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Authors of systematic reviews have difficulty obtaining unpublished data for their reviews. This project aimed to provide an in-depth description of the experiences of authors in searching for and gaining access to unpublished data for their systematic reviews, and to give guidance on best practices for identifying, obtaining and using unpublished data. Methods This is a qualitative study analyzing in-depth interviews with authors of systematic reviews who have published Cochrane reviews or published systematic reviews outside of The Cochrane Library. We included participants who 1) were the first or senior author of a published systematic review of a drug intervention, 2) had expertise in conducting systematic reviews, searching for data, and assessing methodological biases, and 3) were able to participate in an interview in English. We used non-random sampling techniques to identify potential participants. Eighteen Cochrane authors were contacted and 16 agreed to be interviewed (89% response rate). Twenty-four non-Cochrane authors were contacted and 16 were interviewed (67% response rate). Results Respondents had different understandings of what was meant by unpublished data, including specific outcomes and methodological details. Contacting study authors was the most common method used to obtain unpublished data and the value of regulatory agencies as a data source was underappreciated. Using the data obtained was time consuming and labor intensive. Respondents described the collaboration with other colleagues and/or students required to organize, manage and use the data in their reviews, generally developing and using templates, spreadsheets and computer programs for data extraction and analysis. Respondents had a shared belief that data should be accessible but some had concerns about sharing their own data. Respondents believed that obtaining unpublished data for reviews has important public health implications. There was widespread support for

Qualitative Phenomenological Study of Data Management Information System Deployments: Financial Services Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerns, Dannie J.

2014-01-01

The qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of financial services industry change managers to understand the genesis of low data management information system project adoption rates. The goal of the study was to find methods to improve data management information system adoption rates. The participant pool consisted of 19…

48 CFR 1509.505-4 - Obtaining access to proprietary information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PROTECTION AGENCY ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Organizational Conflicts of Interests 1509.505-4 Obtaining access to proprietary information. Contractors gaining access to confidential business... business information. ...

21 CFR 20.109 - Data and information obtained by contract.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Data and information obtained by contract. 20.109 Section 20.109 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION Availability of Specific Categories of Records § 20.109 Data and information...

How to achieve informed consent for research from Spanish-speaking individuals with low literacy: a qualitative report.

PubMed

Cortés, Dharma E; Drainoni, Mari-Lynn; Henault, Lori E; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K

2010-01-01

Investigators have the responsibility to ensure that prospective participants are fully informed about a research protocol prior to consenting to participate, yet many researchers face challenges when obtaining consent, since the majority of the general population has limited or no familiarity with research studies. These challenges are further magnified when obtaining consent from individuals with low literacy levels and who speak languages other than English. In this article we present findings from a qualitative study conducted with Spanish-speaking individuals with low-literacy designed to refine the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Informed Consent and Authorization Toolkit for Minimal Risk Research. Findings from this study indicate that familiarity with providing informed consent and authorization for research or the experience of being a research participant appear to play key roles in an individual's ability to understand the consent and authorization process. While the text of the consent and authorization documents can be simplified using plain language principles, comprehension of several fundamental ideas such as risk and privacy need to be safeguarded with a consent process that confirms comprehension. Recommendations are provided to address the informational needs of individuals with low literacy levels and limited or no experience with research participation.

How Qualitative Research Informs Clinical and Policy Decision Making in Transplantation: A Review.

PubMed

Tong, Allison; Morton, Rachael L; Webster, Angela C

2016-09-01

Patient-centered care is no longer just a buzzword. It is now widely touted as a cornerstone in delivering quality care across all fields of medicine. However, patient-centered strategies and interventions necessitate evidence about patients' decision-making processes, values, priorities, and needs. Qualitative research is particularly well suited to understanding the experience and perspective of patients, donors, clinicians, and policy makers on a wide range of transplantation-related topics including organ donation and allocation, adherence to prescribed therapy, pretransplant and posttransplant care, implementation of clinical guidelines, and doctor-patient communication. In transplantation, evidence derived from qualitative research has been integrated into strategies for shared decision-making, patient educational resources, process evaluations of trials, clinical guidelines, and policies. The aim of this article is to outline key concepts and methods used in qualitative research, guide the appraisal of qualitative studies, and assist clinicians to understand how qualitative research may inform their practice and policy.

Quantitative Analysis of Qualitative Information from Interviews: A Systematic Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fakis, Apostolos; Hilliam, Rachel; Stoneley, Helen; Townend, Michael

2014-01-01

Background: A systematic literature review was conducted on mixed methods area. Objectives: The overall aim was to explore how qualitative information from interviews has been analyzed using quantitative methods. Methods: A contemporary review was undertaken and based on a predefined protocol. The references were identified using inclusion and…

A Qualitative Case Study Approach To Examine Information Resources Management. (Utilisation d'une Approche Qualitative par Methode de cas pour Etudier la Gestion des Ressources D'information).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergeron, Pierrette

1997-01-01

Illustrates how a qualitative approach was used to study the complex and poorly defined concept of information resources management. Explains the general approach to data collection, its advantages and limitations, and the process used to analyze the data. Presents results, along with lessons learned through using method. (Author/AEF)

Using secondary analysis of qualitative data of patient experiences of health care to inform health services research and policy.

PubMed

Ziebland, Sue; Hunt, Kate

2014-07-01

Qualitative research is recognized as an important method for including patients' voices and experiences in health services research and policy-making, yet the considerable potential to analyse existing qualitative data to inform health policy and practice has been little realized. This failure may partly be explained by: a lack of awareness amongst health policy makers of the increasing wealth of qualitative data available; and around 15 years of internal debates among qualitative researchers on the strengths, limitations and validity of re-use of qualitative data. Whilst acknowledging the challenges of qualitative secondary data analysis, we argue that there is a growing imperative to be pragmatic and to undertake analysis of existing qualitative data collections where they have the potential to contribute to health policy formulation. Time pressures are inherent in the policy-making process and in many circumstances it is not possible to seek funding, conduct and analyse new qualitative studies of patients' experiences in time to inform a specific policy. The danger then is that the patient voice, and the experiences of relatives and carers, is either excluded or included in a way that is easily dismissed as 'unrepresentative'. We argue that secondary analysis of qualitative data collections may sometimes be an effective means to enable patient experiences to inform policy decision-making. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Understanding the information needs of people with haematological cancers. A meta-ethnography of quantitative and qualitative research.

PubMed

Atherton, K; Young, B; Salmon, P

2017-11-01

Clinical practice in haematological oncology often involves difficult diagnostic and treatment decisions. In this context, understanding patients' information needs and the functions that information serves for them is particularly important. We systematically reviewed qualitative and quantitative evidence on haematological oncology patients' information needs to inform how these needs can best be addressed in clinical practice. PsycINFO, Medline and CINAHL Plus electronic databases were searched for relevant empirical papers published from January 2003 to July 2016. Synthesis of the findings drew on meta-ethnography and meta-study. Most quantitative studies used a survey design and indicated that patients are largely content with the information they receive from physicians, however much or little they actually receive, although a minority of patients are not content with information. Qualitative studies suggest that a sense of being in a caring relationship with a physician allows patients to feel content with the information they have been given, whereas patients who lack such a relationship want more information. The qualitative evidence can help explain the lack of association between the amount of information received and contentment with it in the quantitative research. Trusting relationships are integral to helping patients feel that their information needs have been met. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Coding System for Qualitative Studies of the Information-Seeking Process in Computer Science Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moral, Cristian; de Antonio, Angelica; Ferre, Xavier; Lara, Graciela

2015-01-01

Introduction: In this article we propose a qualitative analysis tool--a coding system--that can support the formalisation of the information-seeking process in a specific field: research in computer science. Method: In order to elaborate the coding system, we have conducted a set of qualitative studies, more specifically a focus group and some…

Qualitative Analysis of Information Communication Technology Use on Teaching-Learning Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akahori, Kanji

This paper describes some of the features of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and its uses in the teaching-learning process in elementary schools. In most schools, it is difficult for ICT to be used effectively in the teaching-learning process. The author observed many classes using ICT in elementary schools. Qualitative data, such as…

Iranian undergraduate nursing student perceptions of informal learning: A qualitative research.

PubMed

Seylani, Khatereh; Negarandeh, Reza; Mohammadi, Easa

2012-11-01

Nursing education is both formal and informal. Formal education represents only a small part of all the learning involved; and many students learn more effectively through informal processes. There is little information about nursing student informal education and how it affects their character and practice. This qualitative study explores undergraduate nursing student perceptions of informal learning during nursing studies. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a sample of undergraduate nursing students (n = 14). Strauss and Corbin's constant comparison analysis approach was used for data analysis. The categories that emerged included personal maturity and emotional development, social development, closeness to God, alterations in value systems, and ethical and professional commitment. Findings reveal that nursing education could take advantage of informal learning opportunities to develop students' nontechnical skills and produce more competent students. Implications for nursing education are discussed.

[Organisational challenges of community information offices for the elderly in Switzerland : A qualitative study with ethical reflections].

PubMed

Abraham, Andrea; Huber, Hildegard; Baumann-Hölzle, Ruth

2016-08-01

Current Swiss politics concerning age and ageing are orientated towards the principle "out-patient before in-patient". As part of new regulations, in 2011 all communities were required to set up information offices to answer questions about out-patient and in-patient care. The aim of this qualitative study was to analyse in which form and under which conditions such information offices are run. A qualitative study was conducted which consisted of semistructured interviews with managers of information offices. They were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis shows that on the one hand the information offices have the potential to serve an important role in the communities and that they have a highly complex, demanding and responsible function. On the other hand the results illustrate that in organisational respects the situation is highly heterogeneous and unregulated. For the running of the information offices, there is need for action such as the definition of general framework, quality standards, qualifications and values profiles, objectives, mission, responsibility and legitimation, instruments for networking and cooperations.

Core Themes in Music Therapy Clinical Improvisation: An Arts-Informed Qualitative Research Synthesis.

PubMed

Meadows, Anthony; Wimpenny, Katherine

2017-07-01

Although clinical improvisation continues to be an important focus of music therapy research and practice, less attention has been given to integrating qualitative research in this area. As a result, this knowledge base tends to be contained within specific areas of practice rather than integrated across practices and approaches. This qualitative research synthesis profiles, integrates, and re-presents qualitative research focused on the ways music therapists and clients engage in, and make meaning from, clinical improvisation. Further, as a conduit for broadening dialogues, opening up this landscape fully, and sharing our response to the analysis and interpretation process, we present an arts-informed re-presentation of this synthesis. Following an eight-step methodological sequence, 13 qualitative studies were synthesized. This included reciprocal and refutational processes associated with synthesizing the primary studies, and additional steps associated with an arts-informed representation. Three themes, professional artistry, performing self, and meaning-making, are presented. Each theme is explored and exemplified through the selected articles, and discussed within a larger theoretical framework. An artistic re-presentation of the data is also presented. Music therapists use complex frameworks through which to engage clients in, and make meaning from, improvisational experiences. Artistic representation of the findings offers an added dimension to the synthesis process, challenging our understanding of representation, and thereby advancing synthesis methodology. © the American Music Therapy Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Doctors' perspectives of informed consent for non-emergency surgical procedures: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Wood, Fiona; Martin, Sean Michael; Carson-Stevens, Andrew; Elwyn, Glyn; Precious, Elizabeth; Kinnersley, Paul

2016-06-01

The need to involve patients more in decisions about their care, the ethical imperative and concerns about ligation and complaints has highlighted the issue of informed consent and how it is obtained. In order for a patient to make an informed decision about their treatment, they need appropriate discussion of the risks and benefits of the treatment. To explore doctors' perspectives of gaining informed consent for routine surgical procedures. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews selected by purposive sampling. Data were analysed thematically. Twenty doctors in two teaching hospitals in the UK. Doctors described that while consent could be taken over a series of consultations, it was common for consent to be taken immediately prior to surgery. Juniors were often taking consent when they were unfamiliar with the procedure. Doctors used a range of communication techniques to inform patients about the procedure and its risks including quantifying risks, personalizing risk, simplification of language and use of drawings. Barriers to effective consent taking were reported to be shortage of time, clinician inexperience and patients' reluctance to be involved. Current consent processes do not appear to be ideal for many doctors. In particular, junior doctors are often not confident taking consent for surgical procedures and require more support to undertake this task. This might include written information for junior staff, observation by senior colleagues when undertaking the task and ward-based communication skills teaching on consent taking. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A qualitative approach for recovering relative depths in dynamic scenes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haynes, S. M.; Jain, R.

1987-01-01

This approach to dynamic scene analysis is a qualitative one. It computes relative depths using very general rules. The depths calculated are qualitative in the sense that the only information obtained is which object is in front of which others. The motion is qualitative in the sense that the only required motion data is whether objects are moving toward or away from the camera. Reasoning, which takes into account the temporal character of the data and the scene, is qualitative. This approach to dynamic scene analysis can tolerate imprecise data because in dynamic scenes the data are redundant.

50 CFR 23.86 - How can I obtain information on a CoP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false How can I obtain information on a CoP? 23... FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) CITES Administration § 23.86 How can I obtain information on a CoP? As we receive information on an upcoming CoP from the CITES Secretariat, we will notify the public either...

50 CFR 23.86 - How can I obtain information on a CoP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How can I obtain information on a CoP? 23... FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) CITES Administration § 23.86 How can I obtain information on a CoP? As we receive information on an upcoming CoP from the CITES Secretariat, we will notify the public either...

50 CFR 23.86 - How can I obtain information on a CoP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false How can I obtain information on a CoP? 23... FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) CITES Administration § 23.86 How can I obtain information on a CoP? As we receive information on an upcoming CoP from the CITES Secretariat, we will notify the public either...

50 CFR 23.86 - How can I obtain information on a CoP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false How can I obtain information on a CoP? 23... FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) CITES Administration § 23.86 How can I obtain information on a CoP? As we receive information on an upcoming CoP from the CITES Secretariat, we will notify the public either...

50 CFR 23.86 - How can I obtain information on a CoP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false How can I obtain information on a CoP? 23... FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) CITES Administration § 23.86 How can I obtain information on a CoP? As we receive information on an upcoming CoP from the CITES Secretariat, we will notify the public either...

12 CFR 232.3 - Financial information exception for obtaining and using medical information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... that the debt is current and that the consumer has no delinquencies in her repayment history. If the..., mental, or behavioral health, condition or history, type of treatment, or prognosis into account as part... example, to obtain and use information about: (i) The dollar amount, repayment terms, repayment history...

Evidence-based health information from the users' perspective--a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Hirschberg, Irene; Seidel, Gabriele; Strech, Daniel; Bastian, Hilda; Dierks, Marie-Luise

2013-10-10

Evidence-based information is a precondition for informed decision-making and participation in health. There are several recommendations and definitions available on the generation and assessment of so called evidence-based health information for patients and consumers (EBHI). They stress the importance of objectively informing people about benefits and harms and any uncertainties in health-related procedures. There are also studies on the comprehensibility, relevance and user-friendliness of these informational materials. But to date there has been little research on the perceptions and cognitive reactions of users or lay people towards EBHI. The aim of our study is to define the spectrum of consumers' reaction patterns to written EBHI in order to gain a deeper understanding of their comprehension and assumptions, as well as their informational needs and expectations. This study is based on an external user evaluation of EBHI produced by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), commissioned by the IQWiG. The EBHI were examined within guided group discussions, carried out with lay people. The test readers' first impressions and their appraisal of the informational content, presentation, structure, comprehensibility and effect were gathered. Then a qualitative text analysis of 25 discussion transcripts involving 94 test readers was performed. Based on the qualitative text analysis a framework for reaction patterns was developed, comprising eight main categories: (i) interest, (ii) satisfaction, (iii) reassurance and trust, (iv) activation, (v) disinterest, (vi) dissatisfaction and disappointment, (vii) anxiety and worry, (viii) doubt. Many lay people are unfamiliar with core characteristics of this special information type. Two particularly critical issues are the description of insufficient evidence and the attendant absence of clear-cut recommendations. Further research is needed to examine strategies to explain the specific

Sociotechnical factors influencing unsafe use of hospital information systems: A qualitative study in Malaysian government hospitals.

PubMed

Salahuddin, Lizawati; Ismail, Zuraini; Hashim, Ummi Rabaah; Raja Ikram, Raja Rina; Ismail, Nor Haslinda; Naim Mohayat, Mohd Hariz

2018-03-01

The objective of this study is to identify factors influencing unsafe use of hospital information systems in Malaysian government hospitals. Semi-structured interviews with 31 medical doctors in three Malaysian government hospitals implementing total hospital information systems were conducted between March and May 2015. A thematic qualitative analysis was performed on the resultant data to deduce the relevant themes. A total of five themes emerged as the factors influencing unsafe use of a hospital information system: (1) knowledge, (2) system quality, (3) task stressor, (4) organization resources, and (5) teamwork. These qualitative findings highlight that factors influencing unsafe use of a hospital information system originate from multidimensional sociotechnical aspects. Unsafe use of a hospital information system could possibly lead to the incidence of errors and thus raises safety risks to the patients. Hence, multiple interventions (e.g. technology systems and teamwork) are required in shaping high-quality hospital information system use.

40 CFR 2.311 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act. 2.311 Section 2.311 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION Confidentiality of Business Information § 2.311 Special rules governing...

Qualitative approaches to use of the RE-AIM framework: rationale and methods.

PubMed

Holtrop, Jodi Summers; Rabin, Borsika A; Glasgow, Russell E

2018-03-13

There have been over 430 publications using the RE-AIM model for planning and evaluation of health programs and policies, as well as numerous applications of the model in grant proposals and national programs. Full use of the model includes use of qualitative methods to understand why and how results were obtained on different RE-AIM dimensions, however, recent reviews have revealed that qualitative methods have been used infrequently. Having quantitative and qualitative methods and results iteratively inform each other should enhance understanding and lessons learned. Because there have been few published examples of qualitative approaches and methods using RE-AIM for planning or assessment and no guidance on how qualitative approaches can inform these processes, we provide guidance on qualitative methods to address the RE-AIM model and its various dimensions. The intended audience is researchers interested in applying RE-AIM or similar implementation models, but the methods discussed should also be relevant to those in community or clinical settings. We present directions for, examples of, and guidance on how qualitative methods can be used to address each of the five RE-AIM dimensions. Formative qualitative methods can be helpful in planning interventions and designing for dissemination. Summative qualitative methods are useful when used in an iterative, mixed methods approach for understanding how and why different patterns of results occur. In summary, qualitative and mixed methods approaches to RE-AIM help understand complex situations and results, why and how outcomes were obtained, and contextual factors not easily assessed using quantitative measures.

How Therapists Use Visualizations of Upper Limb Movement Information From Stroke Patients: A Qualitative Study With Simulated Information

PubMed Central

Fong, Justin; Klaic, Marlena; Nair, Siddharth; Vetere, Frank; Cofré Lizama, L. Eduardo; Galea, Mary Pauline

2016-01-01

Background Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with upper limb deficits affecting an estimated 30% to 60% of survivors. The effectiveness of upper limb rehabilitation relies on numerous factors, particularly patient compliance to home programs and exercises set by therapists. However, therapists lack objective information about their patients’ adherence to rehabilitation exercises as well as other uses of the affected arm and hand in everyday life outside the clinic. We developed a system that consists of wearable sensor technology to monitor a patient’s arm movement and a Web-based dashboard to visualize this information for therapists. Objective The aim of our study was to evaluate how therapists use upper limb movement information visualized on a dashboard to support the rehabilitation process. Methods An interactive dashboard prototype with simulated movement information was created and evaluated through a user-centered design process with therapists (N=8) at a rehabilitation clinic. Data were collected through observations of therapists interacting with an interactive dashboard prototype, think-aloud data, and interviews. Data were analyzed qualitatively through thematic analysis. Results Therapists use visualizations of upper limb information in the following ways: (1) to obtain objective data of patients’ activity levels, exercise, and neglect outside the clinic, (2) to engage patients in the rehabilitation process through education, motivation, and discussion of experiences with activities of daily living, and (3) to engage with other clinicians and researchers based on objective data. A major limitation is the lack of contextual data, which is needed by therapists to discern how movement data visualized on the dashboard relate to activities of daily living. Conclusions Upper limb information captured through wearable devices provides novel insights for therapists and helps to engage patients and other clinicians in therapy

Implications of involving pharmacy technicians in obtaining a best possible medication history from the perspectives of pharmaceutical, medical and nursing staff: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Niederhauser, Andrea; Zimmermann, Chantal; Fishman, Liat; Schwappach, David L B

2018-05-17

In recent years, the involvement of pharmacy technicians in medication reconciliation has increasingly been investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the implications on professional roles and collaboration when a best possible medication history (BPMH) at admission is obtained by pharmacy technicians. Qualitative study with semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using a qualitative content analysis approach. Internal medicine units in two mid-sized Swiss hospitals. 21 staff members working at the two sites (6 pharmacy technicians, 2 pharmacists, 6 nurses, 5 physician residents and 2 senior physicians). Pharmacy technicians generally appreciated their new tasks in obtaining a BPMH. However, they also experienced challenges associated with their new role. Interviewees reported unease with direct patient interaction and challenges with integrating the new BPMH tasks into their regular daily duties. We found that pharmacists played a key role in the BPMH process, since they act as coaches for pharmacy technicians, transmit information to the physicians and reconcile preadmission medication lists with admission orders. Physicians stated that they benefitted from the delegation of administrative tasks to pharmacy technicians. Regarding the interprofessional collaboration, we found that pharmacy technicians in the study acted on a preliminary administrative level and did not become part of the larger treatment team. There was no direct interaction between pharmacy technicians and physicians, but rather, the supervising pharmacists acted as intermediaries. The tasks assumed by pharmacy technicians need to be clearly defined and fully integrated into existing processes. Engaging pharmacy technicians may generate new patient safety risks and inefficiencies due to process fragmentation. Communication and information flow at the interfaces between professional groups therefore need to be well organised. More research is needed to understand if and under which

40 CFR 166.34 - EPA review of information obtained in connection with emergency exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false EPA review of information obtained in... PESTICIDES UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS Specific, Quarantine, and Public Health Exemptions § 166.34 EPA review of information obtained in connection with emergency exemptions. EPA shall review information...

Cancer-related internet information communication between oncologists and patients with breast cancer: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Shen, Megan Johnson; Dyson, Robert C.; D’Agostino, Thomas A.; Ostroff, Jamie S.; Dickler, Maura N.; Heerdt, Alexandra S.; Bylund, Carma L.

2015-01-01

Objective Many patients with cancer search out information about their cancer on the internet, thus affecting their relationship with their oncologists. An in-depth analysis of patient–physician communication about information obtained from the internet is currently lacking. Methods We audio-recorded visits of patients with breast cancer and their oncologists where internet information was expected to be discussed. Inductive thematic text analysis was used to identify qualitative themes from these conversations. Results Twenty-one patients self-reported discussing cancer-related internet information (CRII) with their oncologists; 16 audio recordings contained detectable discussions of CRII and were analyzed. Results indicated that oncologists and patients initiated CRII discussions implicitly and explicitly. Oncologists responded positively to patient-initiated CRII discussions by (1) acknowledging their limited expertise/knowledge, (2) encouraging/approving using the internet as an information resource, (3) providing information/guidance on the proper use of internet searches, (4) discussing the pros and cons of relevant treatment options, or (5) giving information. Finally, patients reacted to the CRII discussions by (1) indicating that they only used reputable sources/websites, (2) asking for further explanation of information, (3) expressing continued concern, or (4) asking for the oncologist’s opinion or recommendation. Conclusions These results indicate that the majority of patients introduce internet information implicitly, in order to guard against any threat to their self-esteem. Physicians, in turn, seem to respond in a supportive fashion to reduce any threat experienced. Future interventions may consider providing prescription-based guidance on how to navigate the internet as a health information resource and to encourage patients to bring these topics up with their oncologist. PMID:25631285

Cancer-related internet information communication between oncologists and patients with breast cancer: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Shen, Megan Johnson; Dyson, Robert C; D'Agostino, Thomas A; Ostroff, Jamie S; Dickler, Maura N; Heerdt, Alexandra S; Bylund, Carma L

2015-11-01

Many patients with cancer search out information about their cancer on the internet, thus affecting their relationship with their oncologists. An in-depth analysis of patient-physician communication about information obtained from the internet is currently lacking. We audio-recorded visits of patients with breast cancer and their oncologists where internet information was expected to be discussed. Inductive thematic text analysis was used to identify qualitative themes from these conversations. Twenty-one patients self-reported discussing cancer-related internet information (CRII) with their oncologists; 16 audio recordings contained detectable discussions of CRII and were analyzed. Results indicated that oncologists and patients initiated CRII discussions implicitly and explicitly. Oncologists responded positively to patient-initiated CRII discussions by (1) acknowledging their limited expertise/knowledge, (2) encouraging/approving using the internet as an information resource, (3) providing information/guidance on the proper use of internet searches, (4) discussing the pros and cons of relevant treatment options, or (5) giving information. Finally, patients reacted to the CRII discussions by (1) indicating that they only used reputable sources/websites, (2) asking for further explanation of information, (3) expressing continued concern, or (4) asking for the oncologist's opinion or recommendation. These results indicate that the majority of patients introduce internet information implicitly, in order to guard against any threat to their self-esteem. Physicians, in turn, seem to respond in a supportive fashion to reduce any threat experienced. Future interventions may consider providing prescription-based guidance on how to navigate the internet as a health information resource and to encourage patients to bring these topics up with their oncologist. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Patient Information Needs and Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.

PubMed

Carr, Tracey L; Groot, Gary; Cochran, David; Holtslander, Lorraine

2018-04-27

Although many women benefit from breast reconstruction after mastectomy, several studies report women's dissatisfaction with the level of information they were provided with before reconstruction. The present meta-synthesis examines the qualitative literature that explores women's experiences of breast reconstruction after mastectomy and highlights women's healthcare information needs. After a comprehensive search of 6 electronic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus), we followed the methodology for synthesizing qualitative research. The search produced 423 studies, which were assessed against 5 inclusion criteria. A meta-synthesis methodology was used to analyze the data through taxonomic classification and constant targeted comparison. Some 17 studies met the inclusion criteria, and findings from 16 studies were synthesized. The role of the healthcare practitioner is noted as a major influence on women's expectations, and in some instances, women did not feel adequately informed about the outcomes of surgery and the recovery process. In general, women's desire for normality and effective emotional coping shapes their information needs. The information needs of women are better understood after considering women's actual experiences with breast reconstruction. It is important to inform women of the immediate outcomes of reconstruction surgery and the recovery process. In an attempt to better address women's information needs, healthcare practitioners should discover women's initial expectations of reconstruction as a starting point in the consultation. In addition, the research revealed the importance of the nurse navigator in terms of assisting women through the recovery process.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work

Pennsylvania StreamStats--A web-based application for obtaining water-resource-related information

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stuckey, Marla H.; Hoffman, Scott A.

2010-01-01

StreamStats is a national web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) application, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., to provide a variety of water-resource-related information. Users can easily obtain descriptive information, basin characteristics, and streamflow statistics for USGS streamgages and ungaged stream locations throughout Pennsylvania. StreamStats also allows users to search upstream and (or) downstream from user-selected points to identify locations of and obtain information for water-resource-related activities, such as dams and streamgages.

32 CFR Appendix G to Part 275 - Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions G Appendix G to Part 275 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE... FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978 Pt. 275, App. G Appendix G to Part 275—Releasing Information Obtained From...

32 CFR Appendix G to Part 275 - Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions G Appendix G to Part 275 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE... FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978 Pt. 275, App. G Appendix G to Part 275—Releasing Information Obtained From...

32 CFR Appendix G to Part 275 - Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions G Appendix G to Part 275 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE... FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978 Pt. 275, App. G Appendix G to Part 275—Releasing Information Obtained From...

32 CFR Appendix G to Part 275 - Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions G Appendix G to Part 275 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE... FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978 Pt. 275, App. G Appendix G to Part 275—Releasing Information Obtained From...

Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities in traffic accident information management: a qualitative approach.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Maryam; Valinejadi, Ali; Goodarzi, Afshin; Safari, Ameneh; Hemmat, Morteza; Majdabadi, Hesamedin Askari; Mohammadi, Ali

2017-06-01

Traffic accidents are one of the more important national and international issues, and their consequences are important for the political, economical, and social level in a country. Management of traffic accident information requires information systems with analytical and accessibility capabilities to spatial and descriptive data. The aim of this study was to determine the capabilities of a Geographic Information System (GIS) in management of traffic accident information. This qualitative cross-sectional study was performed in 2016. In the first step, GIS capabilities were identified via literature retrieved from the Internet and based on the included criteria. Review of the literature was performed until data saturation was reached; a form was used to extract the capabilities. In the second step, study population were hospital managers, police, emergency, statisticians, and IT experts in trauma, emergency and police centers. Sampling was purposive. Data was collected using a questionnaire based on the first step data; validity and reliability were determined by content validity and Cronbach's alpha of 75%. Data was analyzed using the decision Delphi technique. GIS capabilities were identified in ten categories and 64 sub-categories. Import and process of spatial and descriptive data and so, analysis of this data were the most important capabilities of GIS in traffic accident information management. Storing and retrieving of descriptive and spatial data, providing statistical analysis in table, chart and zoning format, management of bad structure issues, determining the cost effectiveness of the decisions and prioritizing their implementation were the most important capabilities of GIS which can be efficient in the management of traffic accident information.

Traveler Information Services in Rural Tourism Areas. Appendix B: Qualitative Interviews and Focus Groups

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-06-30

Qualitative interviews were conducted with key informants and with tourists in northwest Arizona in Flagstaff and near the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, and in Branson, Missouri, in August and September 1998 (respectively). The interviews aske...

32 CFR Appendix A to Part 275 - Obtaining Basic Identifying Account Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Obtaining Basic Identifying Account Information... Information A. A DoD law enforcement office may issue a formal written request for basic identifying account... only the above specified basic identifying information concerning a customer's account. C. A format for...

48 CFR 1809.505-4 - Obtaining access to sensitive information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest 1809.505-4 Obtaining access to sensitive information. (b) In... support management activities and administrative functions. The Assistant Administrator for Procurement... require contractors and subcontractors and their employees in procurements that support management...

Traveler information services in rural tourism areas : appendix B, qualitative interviews and focus groups

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-06-30

This report documents results from surveys which were conducted for qualitatively assessing the use of traveler information services in rural areas. The focus of the surveys was to identify those factors which influence travel planning and thus impro...

Faculty Perceptions of Technology Distance Education Transactions: Qualitative Outcomes to Inform Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulte, Marthann

2010-01-01

Understanding instructors' perceptions of distance education transactions is becoming increasingly important as the mode of distance learning has become not only accepted, but preferred by many students. A need for more empirical qualitative data was evident as anecdotal information still dominates the research literature. The study focused on the…

Using Internet Search Engines to Obtain Medical Information: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Liupu; Wang, Juexin; Wang, Michael; Li, Yong; Liang, Yanchun

2012-01-01

Background The Internet has become one of the most important means to obtain health and medical information. It is often the first step in checking for basic information about a disease and its treatment. The search results are often useful to general users. Various search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com can play an important role in obtaining medical information for both medical professionals and lay people. However, the usability and effectiveness of various search engines for medical information have not been comprehensively compared and evaluated. Objective To compare major Internet search engines in their usability of obtaining medical and health information. Methods We applied usability testing as a software engineering technique and a standard industry practice to compare the four major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com) in obtaining health and medical information. For this purpose, we searched the keyword breast cancer in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com and saved the results of the top 200 links from each search engine. We combined nonredundant links from the four search engines and gave them to volunteer users in an alphabetical order. The volunteer users evaluated the websites and scored each website from 0 to 10 (lowest to highest) based on the usefulness of the content relevant to breast cancer. A medical expert identified six well-known websites related to breast cancer in advance as standards. We also used five keywords associated with breast cancer defined in the latest release of Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and analyzed their occurrence in the websites. Results Each search engine provided rich information related to breast cancer in the search results. All six standard websites were among the top 30 in search results of all four search engines. Google had the best search validity (in terms of whether a website could be opened), followed by Bing, Ask.com, and Yahoo!. The search

Using Internet search engines to obtain medical information: a comparative study.

PubMed

Wang, Liupu; Wang, Juexin; Wang, Michael; Li, Yong; Liang, Yanchun; Xu, Dong

2012-05-16

The Internet has become one of the most important means to obtain health and medical information. It is often the first step in checking for basic information about a disease and its treatment. The search results are often useful to general users. Various search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com can play an important role in obtaining medical information for both medical professionals and lay people. However, the usability and effectiveness of various search engines for medical information have not been comprehensively compared and evaluated. To compare major Internet search engines in their usability of obtaining medical and health information. We applied usability testing as a software engineering technique and a standard industry practice to compare the four major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com) in obtaining health and medical information. For this purpose, we searched the keyword breast cancer in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com and saved the results of the top 200 links from each search engine. We combined nonredundant links from the four search engines and gave them to volunteer users in an alphabetical order. The volunteer users evaluated the websites and scored each website from 0 to 10 (lowest to highest) based on the usefulness of the content relevant to breast cancer. A medical expert identified six well-known websites related to breast cancer in advance as standards. We also used five keywords associated with breast cancer defined in the latest release of Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and analyzed their occurrence in the websites. Each search engine provided rich information related to breast cancer in the search results. All six standard websites were among the top 30 in search results of all four search engines. Google had the best search validity (in terms of whether a website could be opened), followed by Bing, Ask.com, and Yahoo!. The search results highly overlapped between the

Health Information-Seeking Practices of African American Young Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, India D.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Spencer, S. Melinda; Annang, Lucy; Lindley, Lisa L.

2016-01-01

The current study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach to investigate the health information-seeking practices of African American young men who have sex with men (AAYMSM). Forty-two self-identified AAYMSM, aged 18 to 21, residing in a Southeastern U.S. city participated in a qualitative focus group or face-to-face interview to examine…

Chemometric study of Andalusian extra virgin olive oils Raman spectra: Qualitative and quantitative information.

PubMed

Sánchez-López, E; Sánchez-Rodríguez, M I; Marinas, A; Marinas, J M; Urbano, F J; Caridad, J M; Moalem, M

2016-08-15

Authentication of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an important topic for olive oil industry. The fraudulent practices in this sector are a major problem affecting both producers and consumers. This study analyzes the capability of FT-Raman combined with chemometric treatments of prediction of the fatty acid contents (quantitative information), using gas chromatography as the reference technique, and classification of diverse EVOOs as a function of the harvest year, olive variety, geographical origin and Andalusian PDO (qualitative information). The optimal number of PLS components that summarizes the spectral information was introduced progressively. For the estimation of the fatty acid composition, the lowest error (both in fitting and prediction) corresponded to MUFA, followed by SAFA and PUFA though such errors were close to zero in all cases. As regards the qualitative variables, discriminant analysis allowed a correct classification of 94.3%, 84.0%, 89.0% and 86.6% of samples for harvest year, olive variety, geographical origin and PDO, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 2.310 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Comprehensive Environmental...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... information obtained under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980... information obtained under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended. (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Comprehensive...

Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities in traffic accident information management: a qualitative approach

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Maryam; Valinejadi, Ali; Goodarzi, Afshin; Safari, Ameneh; Hemmat, Morteza; Majdabadi, Hesamedin Askari; Mohammadi, Ali

2017-01-01

Background Traffic accidents are one of the more important national and international issues, and their consequences are important for the political, economical, and social level in a country. Management of traffic accident information requires information systems with analytical and accessibility capabilities to spatial and descriptive data. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the capabilities of a Geographic Information System (GIS) in management of traffic accident information. Methods This qualitative cross-sectional study was performed in 2016. In the first step, GIS capabilities were identified via literature retrieved from the Internet and based on the included criteria. Review of the literature was performed until data saturation was reached; a form was used to extract the capabilities. In the second step, study population were hospital managers, police, emergency, statisticians, and IT experts in trauma, emergency and police centers. Sampling was purposive. Data was collected using a questionnaire based on the first step data; validity and reliability were determined by content validity and Cronbach’s alpha of 75%. Data was analyzed using the decision Delphi technique. Results GIS capabilities were identified in ten categories and 64 sub-categories. Import and process of spatial and descriptive data and so, analysis of this data were the most important capabilities of GIS in traffic accident information management. Conclusion Storing and retrieving of descriptive and spatial data, providing statistical analysis in table, chart and zoning format, management of bad structure issues, determining the cost effectiveness of the decisions and prioritizing their implementation were the most important capabilities of GIS which can be efficient in the management of traffic accident information. PMID:28848627

Qualitative analysis of MTEM response using instantaneous attributes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayemi, Olalekan; Di, Qingyun

2017-11-01

This paper introduces new technique for qualitative analysis of multi-transient electromagnetic (MTEM) earth impulse response over complex geological structures. Instantaneous phase and frequency attributes were used in place of the conventional common offset section for improved qualitative interpretation of MTEM data by obtaining more detailed information from the earth impulse response. The instantaneous attributes were used to describe the lateral variation in subsurface resistivity and the visible geological structure with respect to given offsets. Instantaneous phase attribute was obtained by converting the impulse response into a complex form using the Hilbert transform. Conversely, the polynomial phase difference (PPD) estimator was favored over the center finite difference (CFD) approximation method in calculating the instantaneous frequency attribute because it is computationally efficient and has the ability to give a smooth variation of the instantaneous frequency over a common offset section. The observed results from the instantaneous attributes were in good agreement with both the subsurface model used and the apparent resistivity section obtained from the MTEM earth impulse response. Hence, this study confirms the capability of both instantaneous phase and frequency attributes as highly effective tools for MTEM qualitative analysis.

Informal Assessment of Older Readers' Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siedow, Mary Dunn

1991-01-01

Explores the utility of an informal reading inventory for assessing the reading abilities of college students. Determines the amount and kinds of information that can be learned from an informal reading inventory. Determines whether information gained from the Advanced Reading Inventory differed qualitatively from that obtained from the Nelson…

40 CFR 712.7 - Report of readily obtainable information for subparts B and C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Report of readily obtainable... Report of readily obtainable information for subparts B and C. TSCA section 8(a) authorizes EPA to require persons to report information that is known to or reasonably ascertainable by them. For purposes...

Informal Payments for Health Care in Iran: Results of a Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

PARSA, Mojtaba; ARAMESH, Kiarash; NEDJAT, Saharnaz; KANDI, Mohammad Jafar; LARIJANI, Bagher

2015-01-01

Abstract Background Informal payments to health care providers have been reported in many African, Asian and European countries. This study aimed to investigate different aspects of these payments that are also known as under-the-table payments in Iran. Methods This is an in-depth interview-based qualitative study conducted on 12 purposively chosen clinical specialists. The interviewees answered 9 questions including the ones about, definitions of informal payments, the specialties and hospitals mostly involved with the problem, how they are paid, factors involved, motivation of patients for the payments, impact of the payments on the health care system and physician-patient relationship and the ways to face up with the problem. The findings of the study were analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. Results Six topics were extracted from the interviews including definitions, commonness, varieties, motivations, outcomes and preventive measures. It was revealed that under-the-table payments are the money taken (either in private or public portions) from patients in addition to what formally is determined. This problem is mostly seen in surgical services and the most important reason for it is unrealistic tariffs. Conclusion Regarding the soaring commonness of informal payments rooted in underpayments of health expenditures in some specialties, which deeply affect the poor, the government has to boost the capitation and to invest on health sectors through supporting the health insurance companies and actualizing the health care costs in accord with the real price of the health care delivered. PMID:26060779

28 CFR 51.37 - Obtaining information from the submitting authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Obtaining information from the submitting authority. 51.37 Section 51.37 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SECTION 5 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED Processing of Submissions § 51.37...

Legal and psychological considerations for obtaining informed consent for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.

PubMed

Blackwood, Craig; Dixon, Jen; Reilly, Peter; Emery, Roger J

2017-01-01

This paper seeks to outline recent legal developments and requirements pertinent to obtaining informed consent. We argue that this is of particular relevance to patients considering a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, due to the high complication rate associated with this procedure. By examining the cognitive processes involved in decision-making, and other clinician-related factors such as delivery of information, gender bias and conflict of interest, we explore some of the barriers that can undermine the processes of shared decision-making and obtaining genuine informed consent. We argue that these issues highlight the importance for surgeons in understanding the cognitive processes and other influential factors involved in patients' comprehension and decision-making. We recommend, based on strong evidence, that decision aids could prove useful in overcoming such challenges and could provide one way of mitigating the ethical, professional and legal consequences of failing to obtain proper informed consent. They are not widely used in orthopaedics at present, although it would be in the interests of both the surgeon and patient for such measures to be explored.

Legal and psychological considerations for obtaining informed consent for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Blackwood, Craig; Reilly, Peter; Emery, Roger J

2016-01-01

This paper seeks to outline recent legal developments and requirements pertinent to obtaining informed consent. We argue that this is of particular relevance to patients considering a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, due to the high complication rate associated with this procedure. By examining the cognitive processes involved in decision-making, and other clinician-related factors such as delivery of information, gender bias and conflict of interest, we explore some of the barriers that can undermine the processes of shared decision-making and obtaining genuine informed consent. We argue that these issues highlight the importance for surgeons in understanding the cognitive processes and other influential factors involved in patients’ comprehension and decision-making. We recommend, based on strong evidence, that decision aids could prove useful in overcoming such challenges and could provide one way of mitigating the ethical, professional and legal consequences of failing to obtain proper informed consent. They are not widely used in orthopaedics at present, although it would be in the interests of both the surgeon and patient for such measures to be explored. PMID:28572846

25 CFR 162.520 - Who owns the energy resource information obtained under the WEEL?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND WATER LEASES AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Weels § 162.520 Who owns the energy resource information obtained under the WEEL? (a) The WEEL must specify the ownership of any energy... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Who owns the energy resource information obtained under...

25 CFR 162.520 - Who owns the energy resource information obtained under the WEEL?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND WATER LEASES AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Weels § 162.520 Who owns the energy resource information obtained under the WEEL? (a) The WEEL must specify the ownership of any energy... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Who owns the energy resource information obtained under...

A Qualitative Analysis of Information Sharing in Hospice Interdisciplinary Group Meetings.

PubMed

Washington, Karla T; Demiris, George; Parker Oliver, Debra; Swarz, Jeffrey A; Lewis, Alexandria M; Backonja, Uba

2017-12-01

In the United States, hospice agencies are required to convene interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings no less frequently than every 15 days to review patients' care plans. Challenges associated with information sharing during these meetings can impede efficiency and frustrate attendees. We sought to examine information sharing in the context of hospice IDG meetings as a first step toward developing an informatics tool to support interdisciplinary collaboration in this setting. Specifically, we wanted to better understand the purpose of information sharing in IDG meetings and determine the type(s) of information required to fulfill that purpose. Methods, Setting, and Participants: In this qualitative descriptive study, we analyzed video recordings of care plan discussions (n = 57) in hospice IDG meetings and individual interviews of hospice providers (n = 24). Data indicated that sharing physical, psychosocial, and spiritual information is intended to optimize hospice teams' ability to deliver whole-person care that is aligned with patient and family goals and that satisfies regulatory requirements. Information sharing is a key function of hospice teams in IDG meetings. Informatics tools may optimize IDG meeting efficiency by succinctly presenting well-organized and required information that is relevant to all team members. Such tools should highlight patient and family goals and ensure that teams are able to satisfy regulatory requirements.

Teaching Qualitative Research: Using Theory to Inform Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sallee, Margaret W.

2010-01-01

This article considers how theories of instructional scaffolding--which call for a skilled expert to teach a novice a new task by breaking it into smaller pieces--might be employed in graduate-level qualitative methods courses. The author discusses how she used instructional scaffolding in the design and delivery of a qualitative methods course…

What, who, when, where and how to inform patients after an adverse event: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Mira, José Joaquín; Ferrús, Lena; Silvestre, Carmen; Olivera, Guadalupe

To explore suggestions and recommendations for conducting open disclosure with a patient after an adverse event in a setting without professionals' legal privileges. Qualitative study conducting focus groups/Metaplan. This study was conducted with physicians and nurses from Primary Care and Hospitals working in the public health system in Spain. Twenty-seven professionals were involved 8-30 years of experience, 15 (56%) medical and 12 (44%) nurses, 13 (48%) worked in hospitals. Consensus was obtained on: how (honesty and open and direct language), where (avoid corridors, with privacy), and when to disclose (with agility but without precipitation, once information is obtained, and after reflecting on the most suitable according to the nature of the AE). There was controversy as to what to say to the patient when the AE had serious consequences and doubts about what type of incidents must be reported; who should be required to disclose (the professional involved in the AE or other professional related to the patient, the role of the staff and the management team); and in which cases an apology can be a problem. The severity of the AE determines who should talk with the patient in both hospital and primary care. The most appropriate way to convey an apology to the patient depends of the AE. An early, direct, empathetic and proactive action accompanied by information about compensation for the harm suffered could reduce the litigation intention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[The meaning of autonomy in Chinese culture: obtaining informed consent for operation].

PubMed

Lin, Mei-Ling; Wu, Jo Yung-Wei; Huang, Mei-Chih

2008-10-01

The purpose of gaining the patient's informed consent is ethical, lying in respect for his or her autonomy, and such consent forms the foundation for the performance of clinical medical treatment. In order to respect the patient's autonomy, for example, during decisions about operations, doctors have the obligation to clearly explain that patient's medical condition to him/her. A thorough briefing should be given prior to the obtaining of the patients' consent. In fulfillment of their duties as medical professionals, both doctors and nurses should be involved in clinically informing patients as well as in obtaining their signature for operation and anesthesia. Although informing patients about their physical state is not the responsibility of nurses, it remains absolutely necessary for nurses to understand how people in Asian cultures understand autonomy. This paper begins with a discussion of autonomy in ethics, and then outlines the differences between the Eastern and Western concepts of autonomy, before discussing the obtaining of the signature of consent, a process performed by the nursing staff during clinical treatment, and resulting in the provision of such signatures by patients with the legal capacity to provide them.

A Quantitative and Qualitative Inquiry into Future Teachers' Use of Information and Communications Technology to Develop Students' Information Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simard, Stéphanie; Karsenti, Thierry

2016-01-01

This study aims to understand how preservice programs prepare future teachers to use ICT to develop students' information literacy skills. A survey was conducted from January 2014 through May 2014 with 413 future teachers in four French Canadian universities. In the spring of 2015, qualitative data were also collected from 48 students in their…

A Qualitative Study of Information Technology Students' Learning Outcomes during a Cooperative Education Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krejci, Katherine T.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the learning outcomes of the cooperative-education experience from an Information Technology student's perspective at a large Fortune 500 manufacturing/sales company located in the Midwest United States. Open-ended interview questions were developed based on the four-component model…

Compatibility of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Studying Child Sexual Abuse in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelan, Patricia

1987-01-01

Illustrates how the combined use of qualitative and quantitative methods were necessary in obtaining a clearer understanding of the process of incest in American society. Argues that the exclusive use of one methodology would have obscured important information. (FMW)

Gender Differences in the Field of Information Security Technology Management: A Qualitative, Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Marcia L.

2013-01-01

This qualitative study explored why there are so few senior women in the information security technology management field and whether gender played a part in the achievement of women in the field. Extensive interviews were performed to capture the lived experiences of successful women in the field regarding the obstacles and common denominators of…

Qualitative review of usability problems in health information systems for radiology.

PubMed

Dias, Camila Rodrigues; Pereira, Marluce Rodrigues; Freire, André Pimenta

2017-12-01

Radiology processes are commonly supported by Radiology Information System (RIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and other software for radiology. However, these information technologies can present usability problems that affect the performance of radiologists and physicians, especially considering the complexity of the tasks involved. The purpose of this study was to extract, classify and analyze qualitatively the usability problems in PACS, RIS and other software for radiology. A systematic review was performed to extract usability problems reported in empirical usability studies in the literature. The usability problems were categorized as violations of Nielsen and Molich's usability heuristics. The qualitative analysis indicated the causes and the effects of the identified usability problems. From the 431 papers initially identified, 10 met the study criteria. The analysis of the papers identified 90 instances of usability problems, classified into categories corresponding to established usability heuristics. The five heuristics with the highest number of instances of usability problems were "Flexibility and efficiency of use", "Consistency and standards", "Match between system and the real world", "Recognition rather than recall" and "Help and documentation", respectively. These problems can make the interaction time consuming, causing delays in tasks, dissatisfaction, frustration, preventing users from enjoying all the benefits and functionalities of the system, as well as leading to more errors and difficulties in carrying out clinical analyses. Furthermore, the present paper showed a lack of studies performed on systems for radiology, especially usability evaluations using formal methods of evaluation involving the final users. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Capturing the Palliative Home Care Experience From Bereaved Caregivers Through Qualitative Survey Data: Toward Informing Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Daryl; Bryant, Deanna; Seow, Hsien

2017-02-01

Measuring palliative care experience using patient-reported outcomes is becoming important for assessing and improving quality, although most validated outcome tools solely use scaled questions. We analyzed open-text survey responses from bereaved caregivers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the quality of end-of-life care services and to assess the usefulness of qualitative survey data for quality improvement. This was a retrospective observational study involving bereaved caregivers of decedents who had received palliative home care services in one of six health care regions in Ontario, Canada. Using the U.K.'s validated Views of Informal Carers-Evaluation of Services survey, respondents were asked what was good and what was bad about the services provided in the last three months of life as separate open-text questions. A qualitative constant comparison approach was used to derive themes from the responses. Among 330 caregivers who completed the survey, 271 (82%) caregivers responded to the open-text questions: 93% of those commented on something that was good about care and 55% on something that was bad. The care experiences were generally positive, with the exception of specific individuals or settings that were perceived as adverse. The qualitative data were more informative about deficiencies in care compared with the quantitative data. The qualitative survey data in this study provided key recommendations toward making care more responsive to the needs of dying patients and their families. Capturing the narrative responses of bereaved caregivers is feasible and informative for palliative care program development. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using qualitative research to inform development of a diagnostic algorithm for UTI in children.

PubMed

de Salis, Isabel; Whiting, Penny; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Hay, Alastair D

2013-06-01

Diagnostic and prognostic algorithms can help reduce clinical uncertainty. The selection of candidate symptoms and signs to be measured in case report forms (CRFs) for potential inclusion in diagnostic algorithms needs to be comprehensive, clearly formulated and relevant for end users. To investigate whether qualitative methods could assist in designing CRFs in research developing diagnostic algorithms. Specifically, the study sought to establish whether qualitative methods could have assisted in designing the CRF for the Health Technology Association funded Diagnosis of Urinary Tract infection in Young children (DUTY) study, which will develop a diagnostic algorithm to improve recognition of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children aged <5 years presenting acutely unwell to primary care. Qualitative methods were applied using semi-structured interviews of 30 UK doctors and nurses working with young children in primary care and a Children's Emergency Department. We elicited features that clinicians believed useful in diagnosing UTI and compared these for presence or absence and terminology with the DUTY CRF. Despite much agreement between clinicians' accounts and the DUTY CRFs, we identified a small number of potentially important symptoms and signs not included in the CRF and some included items that could have been reworded to improve understanding and final data analysis. This study uniquely demonstrates the role of qualitative methods in the design and content of CRFs used for developing diagnostic (and prognostic) algorithms. Research groups developing such algorithms should consider using qualitative methods to inform the selection and wording of candidate symptoms and signs.

40 CFR 2.302 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... information obtained under the Clean Water Act. 2.302 Section 2.302 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. (2)(i) Effluent data means...

Accurately Decoding Visual Information from fMRI Data Obtained in a Realistic Virtual Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-09

Center for Learning and Memory , The University of Texas at Austin, 100 E 24th Street, Stop C7000, Austin, TX 78712, USA afloren@utexas.edu Received: 18...information from fMRI data obtained in a realistic virtual environment. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 9:327. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00327 Accurately decoding...visual information from fMRI data obtained in a realistic virtual environment Andrew Floren 1*, Bruce Naylor 2, Risto Miikkulainen 3 and David Ress 4

Information seeking by parents of children with physical disabilities: An exploratory qualitative study.

PubMed

Alsem, M W; Ausems, F; Verhoef, M; Jongmans, M J; Meily-Visser, J M A; Ketelaar, M

2017-01-01

Evidence suggests that parents of children with disabilities feel that not all their information needs are being met, but it remains unclear how parents try to fill these information gaps. The aim of this study is to describe how parents of children with physical disabilities search for and evaluate information. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 parents of children with a disability, aged 1.5-21 years. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. There was much variation in information needs between parents. Parents used different sources, depending on the type of information needed, the most important being healthcare professionals, peers, and websites. Peers played an important role in information provision and were the preferred source of experience-based knowledge and support. The Internet is a widely used medium to search for information and to access various sources. There was a general preference for closed Internet communities for peer contact. Information was commonly evaluated by comparing sources. Parents use different sources for different information needs, and evaluate information by comparing them. Healthcare professionals and parents can support each other in locating and evaluating information including experience-based knowledge. Healthcare professionals should guide parents in their search for information and experience-based knowledge from peers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

32 CFR Appendix G to Part 275 - Releasing Information Obtained From Financial Institutions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978 Pt. 275, App. G Appendix G to Part 275—Releasing Information Obtained From... record was obtained pursuant to the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978, 12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq., and... transferring law enforcement office, personnel security element, or intelligence organization, or designee...

The Motivations of Iranian Patients With Cardiovascular Disease to Seek Health Information: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Gholami, Mohammad; Fallahi Khoshknab, Masoud; Khankeh, Hamid Reza; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Maddah, Sadat Seyed Bagher; Mousavi Arfaa, Nazila

2016-01-01

Background Cardiovascular patients need information to preserve and promote their health, but not all of them have the necessary motivation to seek relevant health knowledge. Objectives The present study analyzed experiences of patients, family caregivers, and healthcare providers to explore the motivating factors that cause cardiovascular patients to seek important health information. Patients and Methods This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and conventional qualitative content analysis method. Thirty-six people, including 18 cardiovascular patients, 7 family caregivers, and 11 healthcare providers (from multidisciplinary backgrounds) participated in the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and purposeful sampling and continued until data saturation. Data collection and analysis proceeded simultaneously and with constant comparison; this study was carried out from May 2012 to May 2013. Results During the analysis process, three main themes were extracted that characterized participants’ experiences, perceptions, and motivations to seek health information. The themes were “Optimizing quality of life, “Desire for personal rights to be respected,” and “Gaining confidence through consultation.” Conclusions Our findings showed that, through seeking information, patients try to achieve well-being and realize their personal rights as well as their right to security. They should also be encouraged to enhance their quality of life by using the Knowles’ learning theory to formulate their needs and learning priorities. PMID:27437128

Rapid Ethical Assessment on Informed Consent Content and Procedure in Hintalo-Wajirat, Northern Ethiopia: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Abay, Serebe; Addissie, Adamu; Davey, Gail; Farsides, Bobbie; Addissie, Thomas

2016-01-01

Informed consent is a key component of bio-medical research involving human participants. However, obtaining informed consent is challenging in low literacy and resource limited settings. Rapid Ethical Assessment (REA) can be used to contextualize and simplify consent information within a given study community. The current study aimed to explore the effects of social, cultural, and religious factors during informed consent process on a proposed HPV-serotype prevalence study. A qualitative community-based REA was conducted in Adigudom and Mynebri Kebeles, Northern Ethiopia, from July to August 2013. Data were collected by a multi-disciplinary team using open ended questions concerning informed consent components in relation to the parent study. The team conducted one-to-one In-Depth Interviews (IDI) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with key informants and community members to collect data based on the themes of the study. Tape recorded data were transcribed in Tigrigna and then translated into English. Data were categorized and thematically analyzed using open coding and content analysis based on pre-defined themes. The REA study revealed a number of socio-cultural issues relevant to the proposed study. Low community awareness about health research, participant rights and cervical cancer were documented. Giving a vaginal sample for testing was considered to be highly embarrassing, whereas giving a blood sample made participants worry that they might be given a result without the possibility of treatment. Verbal consent was preferred to written consent for the proposed study. This rapid ethical assessment disclosed important socio-cultural issues which might act as barriers to informed decision making. The findings were important for contextual modification of the Information Sheet, and to guide the best consent process for the proposed study. Both are likely to have enabled participants to understand the informed consent better and consequently to comply with the

Key Health Information Technologies and Related Issues for Iran: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Hemmat, Morteza; Ayatollahi, Haleh; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Saghafi, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Planning for the future of Health Information Technology (HIT) requires applying a systematic approach when conducting foresight studies. The aim of this study was to identify key health information technologies and related issues for Iran until 2025. This was a qualitative study and the participants included experts and policy makers in the field of health information technology. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by using framework analysis and MAXQDA software. The findings revealed that the development of national health information network, electronic health records, patient health records, a cloud-based service center, interoperability standards, patient monitoring technologies, telehealth, mhealth, clinical decision support systems, health information technology and mhealth infrastructure were found to be the key technologies for the future. These technologies could influence the economic, organizational and individual levels. To achieve them, the economic and organizational obstacles need to be overcome. In this study, a number of key technologies and related issues were identified. This approach can help to focus on the most important technologies in the future and to priorities these technologies for better resource allocation and policy making.

Key Health Information Technologies and Related Issues for Iran: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Hemmat, Morteza; Ayatollahi, Haleh; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Saghafi, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Background and Objective: Planning for the future of Health Information Technology (HIT) requires applying a systematic approach when conducting foresight studies. The aim of this study was to identify key health information technologies and related issues for Iran until 2025. Methods: This was a qualitative study and the participants included experts and policy makers in the field of health information technology. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by using framework analysis and MAXQDA software. Results: The findings revealed that the development of national health information network, electronic health records, patient health records, a cloud-based service center, interoperability standards, patient monitoring technologies, telehealth, mhealth, clinical decision support systems, health information technology and mhealth infrastructure were found to be the key technologies for the future. These technologies could influence the economic, organizational and individual levels. To achieve them, the economic and organizational obstacles need to be overcome. Conclusion: In this study, a number of key technologies and related issues were identified. This approach can help to focus on the most important technologies in the future and to priorities these technologies for better resource allocation and policy making. PMID:29854016

Does the New Digital Generation of Learners Exist? A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Jaime; Salinas, Alvaro; Contreras, David; Meyer, Eduardo

2011-01-01

This paper seeks to contribute to the discussion on the current generation of students and their relationship to technology, providing qualitative, empirical information obtained in the Chilean context. The study analyses and discusses the ideas regarding the emergence of a new generation of learners, or digital natives, as characterised by…

77 FR 37886 - Notice of Intent To Obtain Information Regarding Organizations Who Are Assisting African...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-25

... information regarding organizations active in this area, for the purpose of information sharing. SUMMARY: This notice announces that the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is seeking information about organizations, both... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Notice of Intent To Obtain Information Regarding...

76 FR 28434 - Notice of Disclosure of Confidential Business Information Obtained Under the Comprehensive...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-17

... Information Obtained Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act to EPA Contractor Toeroek Associates Inc., and Their Subcontractor, Science Applications International Corp. AGENCY... disclose confidential business information (``CBI'') submitted to EPA Region 9 pursuant to CERCLA to EPA...

The need to know: The information needs of parents of infants with an intellectual disability-a qualitative study.

PubMed

Douglas, Tracy; Redley, Bernice; Ottmann, Goetz

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to explore the information needs of parents of infants with an intellectual disability in the first year of life. Parents whose infant has an intellectual disability need access to information if they are to facilitate optimal care for their child. A lack of timely, accurate information provision by health professionals, particularly nurses and midwives, can increase parental stress and hinder access to the supports they and their infant require. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used for the study. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with parents of 11 children with intellectual disabilities in Victoria, Australia in 2014. Data were analysed using descriptive thematic analysis. Parents experienced challenges accessing quality information during the first year of their child's life. Parents required incremental information provision to build a strong knowledge base to facilitate optimal care for their infants. Three types of knowledge were identified as crucial for parents: knowledge about (1) the infant's condition; (2) the infant's specific needs and (3) available supports and services. Health professionals were the key resource to access this information. Health professionals' responsibilities include providing relevant, timely information to parents of infants with intellectual disabilities. This study conceptualises three types of information parents need to develop a strong knowledge base to guide their infant's care and provides guidance concerning the optimal timing for the delivery of information. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Information-seeking at a caregiving website: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Kernisan, Leslie P; Sudore, Rebecca L; Knight, Sara J

2010-07-28

The Internet is widely used for health information, yet little is known about the online activity of family caregivers of elders, a rapidly growing group. In order to better understand the online information-seeking activity of "e-caregivers" and other visitors at a caregiving website, we undertook a qualitative analysis of survey data from a website marketed as a comprehensive resource for adults caring for aging parents. The objectives were to better understand what types of information are sought by those visiting a website focused on elder-care issues and to identify overarching themes that might inform future development of Internet resources related to caregiving and aging. From March 2008 to March 2009, a 5-question pop-up survey was offered 9662 times and completed 2161 times. For 1838 respondents, included was a free text answer to the question "What were you looking for?" and 1467 offered relevant and detailed responses. The survey also asked about satisfaction with the site, gender of the respondent, and relationship to the individual being cared for. Content analysis was used to develop a coding dictionary, to code responses into information-seeking categories, and to identify overarching themes. Of the respondents (76% of whom were female), 50% indicated they were caring for parents, 17% for themselves only, and 31% for others. Over half (57%) reported finding what they were looking for, and 46% stated they were extremely likely to recommend the website. Frequently mentioned information-seeking categories included "health information," "practical caregiving," and "support." Respondents also requested information related to housing, legal, insurance, and financial issues. Many responses referred to multiple comorbid conditions and complex caregiving situations. Overarching themes included (1) a desire for assistance with a wide range of practical skills and information and (2) help interpreting symptoms and behavior, such as knowing what life impacts to

75 FR 76479 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; Procedure for Obtaining...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

... appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; e.g., permitting... Information Collection for Public Comment; Procedure for Obtaining Certificates of Insurance for Capital... toll-free number) or e-mail Ms. [email protected] . Persons with hearing or speech impairments...

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Nutrition and Food Safety Information in School Science Textbooks of India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subba Rao, G. M.; Vijayapushapm, T.; Venkaiah, K.; Pavarala, V.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess quantity and quality of nutrition and food safety information in science textbooks prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India for grades I through X. Design: Content analysis. Methods: A coding scheme was developed for quantitative and qualitative analyses. Two investigators independently coded the…

Qualitative Comparison of Streamflow Information Programs of the U.S. Geological Survey and Three Non-Federal Agencies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norris, J. Michael; Lewis, Michael; Dorsey, Michael; Kimbrough, Robert; Holmes, Robert R.; Staubitz, Ward

2008-01-01

A qualitative comparison was made of the streamgaging programs of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and three non-Federal agencies in terms of approximate costs and streamflow-information products produced. The three non-Federal agencies provided the USGS with detailed information on their streamgaging program and related costs, and the USGS explored, through publicly available Web sites and one-on-one discussions, the comparability of the streamflow information produced. The type and purpose of streamgages operated, the quality of streamflow record produced, and cost-accounting methods have a great effect on streamgaging costs. There are many uses of streamflow information, and the information requirements for streamgaging programs differ greatly across this range of purposes. A premise of the USGS streamgaging program is that the network must produce consistent data of sufficient quality to support the broadest range of possible uses. Other networks may have a narrower range of purposes; as a consequence, the method of operation, data-quality objectives, and information delivery may be different from those for a multipurpose network. As a result, direct comparison of the overall cost (or of the cost per streamgage) among these programs is not possible. The analysis is, nonetheless, very instructive and provides USGS program managers, agency leadership, and other agency streamgaging program managers useful insight to influence future decisions. Even though the comparison of streamgaging costs and streamflow information products was qualitative, this analysis does offer useful insights on longstanding questions of USGS streamgaging costs.

40 CFR 2.304 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... information obtained under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 2.304 Section 2.304 Protection of Environment... Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Safe Drinking Water Act. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300f et seq. (2...

40 CFR 2.304 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... information obtained under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 2.304 Section 2.304 Protection of Environment... Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Safe Drinking Water Act. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300f et seq. (2...

How do informal information sources influence women's decision-making for birth? A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Sanders, Ruth A; Crozier, Kenda

2018-01-10

Women approach birth using various methods of preparation drawing from conventional healthcare providers alongside informal information sources (IIS) outside the professional healthcare context. An investigation of the forms in which these informal information sources are accessed and negotiated by women, and how these disconnected and often conflicting elements influence women's decision-making process for birth have yet to be evaluated. The level of antenatal preparedness women feel can have significant and long lasting implications on their birth experience and transition into motherhood and beyond. The aim of this study was to provide a deeper understanding of how informal information sources influence women's preparation for birth. Seven electronic databases were searched with predetermined search terms. No limitations were imposed for year of publication. English language studies using qualitative methods exploring women's experiences of informal information sources and their impact upon women's birth preparation were included, subject to a quality appraisal framework. Searches were initiated in February 2016 and completed by March 2016. Studies were synthesised using an interpretive meta-ethnographic approach. Fourteen studies were included for the final synthesis from Great Britain, Australia, Canada and the United States. Four main themes were identified: Menu Birth; Information Heaven/Hell; Spheres of Support; and Trust. It is evident that women do not enter pregnancy as empty vessels devoid of a conceptual framework, but rather have a pre-constructed embodied knowledge base upon which other information is superimposed. Allied to this, it is clear that informal information was sought to mitigate against the widespread experience of discordant information provided by maternity professionals. Women's access to the deluge of informal information sources in mainstream media during pregnancy have significant impact on decision making for birth. These informal

49 CFR 835.11 - Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information. 835.11 Section 835.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY OF BOARD EMPLOYEES § 835.11 Obtaining Board accident reports, factual...

49 CFR 835.11 - Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information. 835.11 Section 835.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY OF BOARD EMPLOYEES § 835.11 Obtaining Board accident reports, factual...

49 CFR 835.11 - Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information. 835.11 Section 835.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY OF BOARD EMPLOYEES § 835.11 Obtaining Board accident reports, factual...

49 CFR 835.11 - Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Obtaining Board accident reports, factual accident reports, and supporting information. 835.11 Section 835.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TESTIMONY OF BOARD EMPLOYEES § 835.11 Obtaining Board accident reports, factual...

PATIENT NAVIGATION MODERATES EMOTION AND INFORMATION DEMANDS OF CANCER TREATMENT: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

PubMed Central

Rousseau, Sally J.; Humiston, Sharon G.; Yosha, Amy; Winters, Paul C.; Loader, Starlene; Luong, Vi; Schwartzbauer, Bonnie; Fiscella, Kevin

2014-01-01

Purpose Patient navigation is increasingly employed to guide patients through cancer treatment. We assessed the elements of navigation that promoted patients’ involvement in treatment among patients with breast and colorectal cancer that participated in a navigation study. Methods We conducted qualitative analysis of 28 audiotaped and transcribed semi-structured interviews of navigated and un-navigated cancer patients. Results Themes included feeling emotionally and cognitively overwhelmed and desire for a strong patient-navigator partnership. Both participants who were navigated and those who were not felt that navigation did or could help address their emotional, informational, and communicational needs. The benefits of logistical support were cited less often. Conclusions Findings underscore the salience of personal relationships between patients and navigators in meeting patients’ emotional and informational needs. PMID:24890503

Patient navigation moderates emotion and information demands of cancer treatment: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Rousseau, Sally J; Humiston, Sharon G; Yosha, Amy; Winters, Paul C; Loader, Starlene; Luong, Vi; Schwartzbauer, Bonnie; Fiscella, Kevin

2014-12-01

Patient navigation is increasingly employed to guide patients through cancer treatment. We assessed the elements of navigation that promoted patients' involvement in treatment among patients with breast and colorectal cancer that participated in a navigation study. We conducted qualitative analysis of 28 audiotaped and transcribed semi-structured interviews of navigated and unnavigated cancer patients. Themes included feeling emotionally and cognitively overwhelmed and desire for a strong patient-navigator partnership. Both participants who were navigated and those who were not felt that navigation did or could help address their emotional, informational, and communicational needs. The benefits of logistical support were cited less often. Findings underscore the salience of personal relationships between patients and navigators in meeting patients' emotional and informational needs.

41 CFR 102-192.40 - Where can we obtain more information about the classes of mail?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS 192-MAIL MANAGEMENT Introduction to this Part § 102-192.40 Where can we obtain more information... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Where can we obtain more information about the classes of mail? 102-192.40 Section 102-192.40 Public Contracts and Property Management...

Prostate Cancer Patient Perspectives on the Use of Information in Treatment Decision-Making: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Meta-synthesis

PubMed Central

Kandasamy, Sujane; Khalid, Ahmad Firas; Majid, Umair; Vanstone, Meredith

2017-01-01

Background Men with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer are typically asked to choose from a variety of treatment options, including active surveillance, radical prostatectomy, or brachytherapy. The Prolaris cell cycle progression test is intended to provide additional information on personal risk status to assist men with prostate cancer in their choice of treatment. To assist with assessing that new technology, this report synthesizes qualitative research on how men with prostate cancer use information to make decisions about treatment options. Methods We performed a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis to retrieve and synthesize findings across primary qualitative studies that report on patient perspectives during prostate cancer treatment decision-making. Results Of 8,610 titles and abstracts reviewed, 29 studies are included in this report. Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer express that their information-seeking pathway extends beyond the medical information received from their health care provider. They access other social resources to attain additional medical information, lived-experience information, and medical administrative information to help support their final treatment decision. Men value privacy, trust, honesty, control, power, organization, and open communication during interactions with their health care providers. They also emphasize the importance of gaining comfort with their treatment choice, having a chance to confirm their health care provider's recommendations (validation of treatment plan), and exercising their preferred level of independence in the treatment decision-making process. Conclusions Although each prostate cancer patient is unique, studies suggest that most patients seek extensive information to help inform their treatment decisions. This may happen before, during, and after the treatment choice is made. Given the amount of information patients may access, it is important that they also establish the

Public information needs after the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 in London: cross sectional telephone survey and qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Rubin, G James; Page, Lisa; Morgan, Oliver; Pinder, Richard J; Riley, Paul; Hatch, Stephani; Maguire, Helen; Catchpole, Mike; Simpson, John; Wessely, Simon

2007-12-01

To identify public perceptions of the risk to health after the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 (210Po) in London and to assess the impact of public health communications. Cross sectional telephone survey and qualitative interviews. London, United Kingdom. 1000 people completed the cross sectional survey and 86 potentially exposed people completed the qualitative interviews. Perception of risk to personal health after the 210Po incident. Qualitative interviews were analysed with an emphasis on information needs. 11.7% of the survey sample (n=117) perceived their health to be at risk. Aside from personal variables the main predictors of perceived risk to health were believing that the incident was related to terrorism (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 4.6) rather than to espionage, that it was targeted at the wider public rather than one person (5.9, 3.2 to 10.9), and that it could affect people who had not been in the contaminated area (3.2, 2.1 to 5.1). Participants in the qualitative interviews were generally satisfied with the information they had received, although they would have preferred more information about their individual risk of exposure, the results of their urine tests, and the health implications of the incident. Perceptions of the public that the 210Po incident in London in 2006 was related to espionage helped to reassure them that the risks to personal health were low. In the event of future incidents it is important to ensure that detailed, comprehensible information about the risks of any exposure is available.

Role of information in preparing men for transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy: a qualitative study embedded in the ProtecT trial.

PubMed

Wade, Julia; Rosario, Derek J; Howson, Joanne; Avery, Kerry N L; Salter, C Elizabeth; Goodwin, M Louise; Blazeby, Jane M; Lane, J Athene; Metcalfe, Chris; Neal, David E; Hamdy, Freddie C; Donovan, Jenny L

2015-02-28

The histological diagnosis of prostate cancer requires a prostate needle biopsy. Little is known about the relationship between information provided to prepare men for transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy (TRUS-Bx) and how men experience biopsy. The objectives were a) to understand men's experiences of biopsy as compared to their expectations; and b) to propose current evidence-based information for men undergoing TRUS-Bx. Between February 2006 and May 2008, 1,147 men undergoing a standardised 10-core transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy protocol under antibiotic cover following a PSA 3.0-19.9 ng/ml in the Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment (ProtecT) trial, completed questionnaires about biopsy symptoms. In this embedded qualitative study, in-depth interviews were undertaken with 85 men (mean age 63.6 yrs, mean PSA 4.5 ng/ml) to explore men's experiences of prostate biopsy and how the experience might be improved. Interview data were analysed thematically using qualitative research methods. Findings from the qualitative study were used to guide selection of key findings from the questionnaire study in developing a patient information leaflet preparing men for biopsy. Although most men tolerated TRUS-Bx, a quarter reported problematic side-effects and anxiety. Side effects were perceived as problematic and anxiety arose most commonly when experiences deviated from information provided. Men who were unprepared for elements of TRUS-Bx procedure or its sequelae responded by contacting health professionals for reassurance and voiced frustration that pre-biopsy information had understated the possible severity or duration of pain/discomfort and bleeding. Findings from questionnaire and interview data were combined to propose a comprehensive, evidence-based patient information leaflet for TRUS-Bx. Men reported anxiety associated with TRUS-Bx or its side-effects most commonly if they felt inadequately prepared for the procedure. Data from this qualitative study and

24 CFR 5.905 - What special authority is there to obtain access to sex offender registration information?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... obtain access to sex offender registration information? 5.905 Section 5.905 Housing and Urban Development... access to sex offender registration information? (a) PHA obligation to obtain sex offender registration... applying for admission to any federally assisted housing program is subject to a lifetime sex offender...

24 CFR 5.905 - What special authority is there to obtain access to sex offender registration information?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... obtain access to sex offender registration information? 5.905 Section 5.905 Housing and Urban Development... access to sex offender registration information? (a) PHA obligation to obtain sex offender registration... applying for admission to any federally assisted housing program is subject to a lifetime sex offender...

24 CFR 5.905 - What special authority is there to obtain access to sex offender registration information?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... obtain access to sex offender registration information? 5.905 Section 5.905 Housing and Urban Development... access to sex offender registration information? (a) PHA obligation to obtain sex offender registration... applying for admission to any federally assisted housing program is subject to a lifetime sex offender...

24 CFR 5.905 - What special authority is there to obtain access to sex offender registration information?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... obtain access to sex offender registration information? 5.905 Section 5.905 Housing and Urban Development... access to sex offender registration information? (a) PHA obligation to obtain sex offender registration... applying for admission to any federally assisted housing program is subject to a lifetime sex offender...

24 CFR 5.905 - What special authority is there to obtain access to sex offender registration information?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... obtain access to sex offender registration information? 5.905 Section 5.905 Housing and Urban Development... access to sex offender registration information? (a) PHA obligation to obtain sex offender registration... applying for admission to any federally assisted housing program is subject to a lifetime sex offender...

Informing Patients About Placebo Effects: Using Evidence, Theory, and Qualitative Methods to Develop a New Website.

PubMed

Greville-Harris, Maddy; Bostock, Jennifer; Din, Amy; Graham, Cynthia A; Lewith, George; Liossi, Christina; O'Riordan, Tim; White, Peter; Yardley, Lucy; Bishop, Felicity L

2016-06-10

According to established ethical principles and guidelines, patients in clinical trials should be fully informed about the interventions they might receive. However, information about placebo-controlled clinical trials typically focuses on the new intervention being tested and provides limited and at times misleading information about placebos. We aimed to create an informative, scientifically accurate, and engaging website that could be used to improve understanding of placebo effects among patients who might be considering taking part in a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Our approach drew on evidence-, theory-, and person-based intervention development. We used existing evidence and theory about placebo effects to develop content that was scientifically accurate. We used existing evidence and theory of health behavior to ensure our content would be communicated persuasively, to an audience who might currently be ignorant or misinformed about placebo effects. A qualitative 'think aloud' study was conducted in which 10 participants viewed prototypes of the website and spoke their thoughts out loud in the presence of a researcher. The website provides information about 10 key topics and uses text, evidence summaries, quizzes, audio clips of patients' stories, and a short film to convey key messages. Comments from participants in the think aloud study highlighted occasional misunderstandings and off-putting/confusing features. These were addressed by modifying elements of content, style, and navigation to improve participants' experiences of using the website. We have developed an evidence-based website that incorporates theory-based techniques to inform members of the public about placebos and placebo effects. Qualitative research ensured our website was engaging and convincing for our target audience who might not perceive a need to learn about placebo effects. Before using the website in clinical trials, it is necessary to test its effects on key outcomes

Informing Patients About Placebo Effects: Using Evidence, Theory, and Qualitative Methods to Develop a New Website

PubMed Central

Greville-Harris, Maddy; Bostock, Jennifer; Din, Amy; Graham, Cynthia A; Lewith, George; Liossi, Christina; O’Riordan, Tim; White, Peter; Yardley, Lucy

2016-01-01

Background According to established ethical principles and guidelines, patients in clinical trials should be fully informed about the interventions they might receive. However, information about placebo-controlled clinical trials typically focuses on the new intervention being tested and provides limited and at times misleading information about placebos. Objective We aimed to create an informative, scientifically accurate, and engaging website that could be used to improve understanding of placebo effects among patients who might be considering taking part in a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Methods Our approach drew on evidence-, theory-, and person-based intervention development. We used existing evidence and theory about placebo effects to develop content that was scientifically accurate. We used existing evidence and theory of health behavior to ensure our content would be communicated persuasively, to an audience who might currently be ignorant or misinformed about placebo effects. A qualitative ‘think aloud’ study was conducted in which 10 participants viewed prototypes of the website and spoke their thoughts out loud in the presence of a researcher. Results The website provides information about 10 key topics and uses text, evidence summaries, quizzes, audio clips of patients’ stories, and a short film to convey key messages. Comments from participants in the think aloud study highlighted occasional misunderstandings and off-putting/confusing features. These were addressed by modifying elements of content, style, and navigation to improve participants’ experiences of using the website. Conclusions We have developed an evidence-based website that incorporates theory-based techniques to inform members of the public about placebos and placebo effects. Qualitative research ensured our website was engaging and convincing for our target audience who might not perceive a need to learn about placebo effects. Before using the website in clinical trials

The Perceived Effect of Hidden Costs on the Operational Management of Information Technology Outsourcing: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Ian

2011-01-01

Information technology (IT) outsourcing is a business trend aimed at reducing costs and enabling companies to concentrate on their core competencies. This qualitative multiple case design research study explored the effects of hidden costs on the operational management of IT outsourcing. The study involved analyzing IT outsourcing agreements as…

Mixed qualitative and quantitative approach for validating an information booklet before total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Chabaud, Aurore; Eschalier, Bénédicte; Zullian, Myriam; Plan-Paquet, Anne; Aubreton, Sylvie; Saragaglia, Dominique; Descamps, Stéphane; Coudeyre, Emmanuel

2018-05-01

Providing patients with validated information before total hip arthroplasty may help lessen discrepancies between patients' expectations and the surgical result. This study sought to validate an information booklet for candidates for hip arthroplasty by using a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach based on a panel of patients and a sample of healthcare professionals. We developed a booklet in accordance with the standard methods and then conducted focus groups to collect the opinions of a sample of multidisciplinary experts involved in the care of patients with hip osteoarthritis. The number of focus groups and experts was determined according to the data saturation principle. A panel of patients awaiting hip arthroplasty or those in the immediate post-operative period assessed the booklet with self-reporting questionnaires (knowledge, beliefs, and expectations) and semi-structured interviews. All experts and both patient groups validated the booklet in terms of content and presentation. Semi-structured interviews were uninformative, especially for post-operative patients. Reading the booklet significantly (P<0.001) improved the knowledge scores in both groups, with no intergroup differences, but did not affect beliefs in either patient group. Only pre-operative patients significantly changed their expectations. Our mixed qualitative and quantitative approach allowed us to validate a booklet for patients awaiting hip arthroplasty, taking into account the opinions of both patients and healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The role of social support and social networks in health information-seeking behavior among Korean Americans: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Kim, Wonsun; Kreps, Gary L; Shin, Cha-Nam

2015-04-28

This study used social network theory to explore the role of social support and social networks in health information-seeking behavior among Korean American (KA) adults. A descriptive qualitative study using a web-based online survey was conducted from January 2013 to April 2013 in the U.S. The survey included open-ended questions about health information-seeking experiences in personal social networks and their importance in KA adults. Themes emerging from a constant comparative analysis of the narrative comments by 129 of the 202 respondents were analyzed. The sample consisted of 129 KA adults, 64.7% female, with a mean age of 33.2 (SD = 7.7). Friends, church members, and family members were the important network connections for KAs to obtain health information. KAs looked for a broad range of health information from social network members, from recommendations and reviews of hospitals/doctors to specific diseases or health conditions. These social networks were regarded as important for KAs because there were no language barriers, social network members had experiences similar to those of other KAs, they felt a sense of belonging with those in their networks, the network connections promoted increased understanding of different health care systems of the U.S. system, and communication with these network connections helped enhance feelings of being physically and mentally healthy. This study demonstrates the important role that social support and personal social networks perform in the dissemination of health information for a large ethnic population, KAs, who confront distinct cultural challenges when seeking health information in the U.S. Data from this study also illustrate the cultural factors that influence health information acquisition and access to social support for ethnic minorities. This study provides practical insights for professionals in health information services, namely, that social networks can be employed as a channel for disseminating

Use of the Blue Button Online Tool for Sharing Health Information: Qualitative Interviews With Patients and Providers.

PubMed

Klein, Dawn M; Fix, Gemmae M; Hogan, Timothy P; Simon, Steven R; Nazi, Kim M; Turvey, Carolyn L

2015-08-18

Information sharing between providers is critical for care coordination, especially in health systems such as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where many patients also receive care from other health care organizations. Patients can facilitate this sharing by using the Blue Button, an online tool that promotes patients' ability to view, print, and download their health records. The aim of this study was to characterize (1) patients' use of Blue Button, an online information-sharing tool in VA's patient portal, My HealtheVet, (2) information-sharing practices between VA and non-VA providers, and (3) how providers and patients use a printed Blue Button report during a clinical visit. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 34 VA patients, 10 VA providers, and 9 non-VA providers. Interviews focused on patients' use of Blue Button, information-sharing practices between VA and non-VA providers, and how patients and providers use a printed Blue Button report during a clinical visit. Qualitative themes were identified through iterative rounds of coding starting with an a priori schema based on technology adoption theory. Information sharing between VA and non-VA providers relied primarily on the patient. Patients most commonly used Blue Button to access and share VA laboratory results. Providers recognized the need for improved information sharing, valued the Blue Button printout, and expressed interest in a way to share information electronically across settings. Consumer-oriented technologies such as Blue Button can facilitate patients sharing health information with providers in other health care systems; however, more education is needed to inform patients of this use to facilitate care coordination. Additional research is needed to explore how personal health record documents, such as Blue Button reports, can be easily shared and incorporated into the clinical workflow of providers.

Use of the Blue Button Online Tool for Sharing Health Information: Qualitative Interviews With Patients and Providers

PubMed Central

Fix, Gemmae M; Hogan, Timothy P; Simon, Steven R; Nazi, Kim M; Turvey, Carolyn L

2015-01-01

Background Information sharing between providers is critical for care coordination, especially in health systems such as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where many patients also receive care from other health care organizations. Patients can facilitate this sharing by using the Blue Button, an online tool that promotes patients’ ability to view, print, and download their health records. Objective The aim of this study was to characterize (1) patients’ use of Blue Button, an online information-sharing tool in VA’s patient portal, My HealtheVet, (2) information-sharing practices between VA and non-VA providers, and (3) how providers and patients use a printed Blue Button report during a clinical visit. Methods Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 34 VA patients, 10 VA providers, and 9 non-VA providers. Interviews focused on patients’ use of Blue Button, information-sharing practices between VA and non-VA providers, and how patients and providers use a printed Blue Button report during a clinical visit. Qualitative themes were identified through iterative rounds of coding starting with an a priori schema based on technology adoption theory. Results Information sharing between VA and non-VA providers relied primarily on the patient. Patients most commonly used Blue Button to access and share VA laboratory results. Providers recognized the need for improved information sharing, valued the Blue Button printout, and expressed interest in a way to share information electronically across settings. Conclusions Consumer-oriented technologies such as Blue Button can facilitate patients sharing health information with providers in other health care systems; however, more education is needed to inform patients of this use to facilitate care coordination. Additional research is needed to explore how personal health record documents, such as Blue Button reports, can be easily shared and incorporated into the clinical workflow of

Humans as Sensors: Assessing the Information Value of Qualitative Farmer's Crop Condition Surveys for Crop Yield Monitoring and Forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beguería, S.

2017-12-01

While large efforts are devoted to developing crop status monitoring and yield forecasting systems trough the use of Earth observation data (mostly remotely sensed satellite imagery) and observational and modeled weather data, here we focus on the information value of qualitative data on crop status from direct observations made by humans. This kind of data has a high value as it reflects the expert opinion of individuals directly involved in the development of the crop. However, they have issues that prevent their direct use in crop monitoring and yield forecasting systems, such as their non-spatially explicit nature, or most importantly their qualitative nature. Indeed, while the human brain is good at categorizing the status of physical systems in terms of qualitative scales (`very good', `good', `fair', etcetera), it has difficulties in quantifying it in physical units. This has prevented the incorporation of this kind of data into systems that make extensive use of numerical information. Here we show an example of using qualitative crop condition data to estimate yields of the most important crops in the US early in the season. We use USDA weekly crop condition reports, which are based on a sample of thousands of reporters including mostly farmers and people in direct contact with them. These reporters provide subjective evaluations of crop conditions, in a scale including five levels ranging from `very poor' to `excellent'. The USDA report indicates, for each state, the proportion of reporters fort each condition level. We show how is it possible to model the underlying non-observed quantitative variable that reflects the crop status on each state, and how this model is consistent across states and years. Furthermore, we show how this information can be used to monitor the status of the crops and to produce yield forecasts early in the season. Finally, we discuss approaches for blending this information source with other, more classical earth data sources

Adolescent perceptions of orthodontic treatment risks and risk information: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Perry, John; Johnson, Ilona; Popat, Hashmat; Morgan, Maria Z; Gill, Paul

2018-04-24

For effective risk communication, clinicians must understand patients' values and beliefs in relation to the risks of treatment. This qualitative study aimed to explore adolescent perceptions of orthodontic treatment risks and risk information. Five focus groups were carried out with 32 school/college pupils aged 12-18 in Wales, UK. Participants were purposively selected and had all experienced orthodontic treatment. A thematic approach was used for analysis and data collection was completed at the point of data saturation. Four themes emerged from the data; (a) day-to-day risks of orthodontic treatment, (b) important orthodontic risk information, (c) engaging with orthodontic risk information and (d) managing the risks of orthodontic treatment. Day-to-day risks of orthodontic treatment that were affecting participants "here and now" were of most concern. Information about preventing the risks of treatment was deemed to be important. Participants did not actively seek risk information but engaged passively with information from convenient sources. Perceptions of risk susceptibility influenced participants' management of the risks of orthodontic treatment. This study demonstrates that adolescent patients can understand information about the nature and severity of orthodontic treatment risks. However, adolescent patients can have false perceptions if the risks are unfamiliar, perceived only to have a future impact or if seen as easy to control. Adolescent patients must be provided with timely and easily accessible risk information and with practical solutions to prevent the risks of treatment. The views and experiences gathered in this study can assist clinicians to better understand their young patients' beliefs about treatment risks, facilitate effective risk communication and contribute to improved patient-centred care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring Health Information Exchange Implementation Using Qualitative Assessments of Nursing Home Leaders

PubMed Central

Alexander, Gregory L.; Popejoy, Lori; Lyons, Vanessa; Shumate, Sue; Mueller, Jessica; Galambos, Colleen; Vogelsmeier, Amy; Rantz, Marilyn; Flesner, Marcia

2016-01-01

Objectives Limited research exists on nursing home information technologies, such as health information exchange (HIE) systems. Capturing the experiences of early HIE adopters provides vital information about how these systems are used. In this study, we conduct a secondary analysis of qualitative data captured during interviews with 15 nursing home leaders representing 14 nursing homes in the midwestern United States that are part of the Missouri Quality Improvement Initiative (MOQI) national demonstration project. Methods The interviews were conducted as part of an external evaluation of the HIE vendor contracting with the MOQI initiative with the purpose of understanding the challenges and successes of HIE implementation, with a particular focus on Direct HIE services. Results Emerging themes included (1) incorporating HIE into existing work processes, (2) participation inside and outside the facility, (3) appropriate training and retraining, (4) getting others to use the HIE, (5) getting the HIE operational, and 6) putting policies for technology into place. Discussion Three essential areas should be considered for nursing homes considering HIE adoption: readiness to adopt technology, availability of technology resources, and matching of new clinical workflows. PMID:27843423

Context Matters: Using Qualitative Inquiry to Inform Departmental Effectiveness and Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Elizabeth A.; Stassen, Martha L. A.

2017-01-01

This chapter describes efforts to gather and utilize qualitative data to maximize contextual knowledge at one university. The examples provided focus on how academic departments use qualitative evidence to enhance their students' success as well as how qualitative evidence supports the institution's broader strategic planning goals.

Public information needs after the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 in London: cross sectional telephone survey and qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Page, Lisa; Morgan, Oliver; Pinder, Richard J; Riley, Paul; Hatch, Stephani; Maguire, Helen; Catchpole, Mike; Simpson, John; Wessely, Simon

2007-01-01

Objectives To identify public perceptions of the risk to health after the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko with polonium-210 (210Po) in London and to assess the impact of public health communications. Design Cross sectional telephone survey and qualitative interviews. Setting London, United Kingdom. Participants 1000 people completed the cross sectional survey and 86 potentially exposed people completed the qualitative interviews. Main outcome measures Perception of risk to personal health after the 210Po incident. Qualitative interviews were analysed with an emphasis on information needs. Results 11.7% of the survey sample (n=117) perceived their health to be at risk. Aside from personal variables the main predictors of perceived risk to health were believing that the incident was related to terrorism (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 4.6) rather than to espionage, that it was targeted at the wider public rather than one person (5.9, 3.2 to 10.9), and that it could affect people who had not been in the contaminated area (3.2, 2.1 to 5.1). Participants in the qualitative interviews were generally satisfied with the information they had received, although they would have preferred more information about their individual risk of exposure, the results of their urine tests, and the health implications of the incident. Conclusions Perceptions of the public that the 210Po incident in London in 2006 was related to espionage helped to reassure them that the risks to personal health were low. In the event of future incidents it is important to ensure that detailed, comprehensible information about the risks of any exposure is available. PMID:17975252

40 CFR 2.303 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Noise Control Act of 1972.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... information obtained under the Noise Control Act of 1972. 2.303 Section 2.303 Protection of Environment... Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Noise Control Act of 1972. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Noise Control Act of 1972, 42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq...

40 CFR 2.303 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Noise Control Act of 1972.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... information obtained under the Noise Control Act of 1972. 2.303 Section 2.303 Protection of Environment... Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Noise Control Act of 1972. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Noise Control Act of 1972, 42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq...

A qualitative investigation of the nature of "informal supervision" among therapists in training.

PubMed

Coren, Sidney; Farber, Barry A

2017-11-29

This study investigated how, when, why, and with whom therapists in training utilize "informal supervision"-that is, engage individuals who are not their formally assigned supervisors in significant conversations about their clinical work. Participants were 16 doctoral trainees in clinical and counseling psychology programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) method. Seven domains emerged from the analysis, indicating that, in general, participants believe that informal and formal supervision offer many of the same benefits, including validation, support, and reassurance; freedom and safety to discuss doubts, anxieties, strong personal reactions to patients, clinical mistakes and challenges; and alternative approaches to clinical interventions. However, several differences also emerged between these modes of learning-for example, formal supervision is seen as more focused on didactics per se ("what to do"), whereas informal supervision is seen as providing more of a "holding environment." Overall, the findings of this study suggest that informal supervision is an important and valuable adjunctive practice by which clinical trainees augment their professional competencies. Recommendations are proposed for clinical practice and training, including the need to further specify the ethical boundaries of this unique and essentially unregulated type of supervision.

The use of information and communication technologies to support working carers of older people - a qualitative secondary analysis.

PubMed

Andersson, Stefan; Magnusson, Lennart; Hanson, Elizabeth

2016-03-01

Family care support services have mainly focused on older spousal carers of older people and have largely overlooked working carers, whom combine paid work with informal/family care responsibilities. Recently, however, information and communication technology (ICT) systems have been identified as a potentially flexible way of supporting working carers. The aim of this study was to describe nursing and support staff's experiences of using ICT for information, e-learning and support of working carers of older people. The study employed a descriptive, qualitative approach conducting a qualitative secondary analysis of two original data sets. In total, seventeen professional staff members from two municipal family carer support units in Sweden that had implemented ICTs were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide consisting of open-ended questions. Two data sets were merged using latent qualitative content analysis. Secondary analysis produced three subthemes and an overall theme, a virtual road as a carriageway for the support of working carers, consisting of both enabling and hindering aspects in family support. This theme provides access points in both directions and is based on caring instruments that enable nursing staff's support role. The staff's sustainability and ability to support is influenced by caring opportunities and barriers. The findings suggest the ICTs to be flexible structures that provided nursing staff with a means and method to support working carers of older people. To overcome barriers to its use, measures to optimise support for working carers and the older person are needed. The use of ICTs provides nurses with a means to offer support to working carers of older people and enables carers to be informed, to learn and to share their burdens with others when caring for an older family member. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A qualitative content analysis of global health engagements in Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute's stability operations lessons learned and information management system.

PubMed

Nang, Roberto N; Monahan, Felicia; Diehl, Glendon B; French, Daniel

2015-04-01

Many institutions collect reports in databases to make important lessons-learned available to their members. The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences collaborated with the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute to conduct a descriptive and qualitative analysis of global health engagements (GHEs) contained in the Stability Operations Lessons Learned and Information Management System (SOLLIMS). This study used a summative qualitative content analysis approach involving six steps: (1) a comprehensive search; (2) two-stage reading and screening process to identify first-hand, health-related records; (3) qualitative and quantitative data analysis using MAXQDA, a software program; (4) a word cloud to illustrate word frequencies and interrelationships; (5) coding of individual themes and validation of the coding scheme; and (6) identification of relationships in the data and overarching lessons-learned. The individual codes with the most number of text segments coded included: planning, personnel, interorganizational coordination, communication/information sharing, and resources/supplies. When compared to the Department of Defense's (DoD's) evolving GHE principles and capabilities, the SOLLIMS coding scheme appeared to align well with the list of GHE capabilities developed by the Department of Defense Global Health Working Group. The results of this study will inform practitioners of global health and encourage additional qualitative analysis of other lessons-learned databases. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

African American perspectives: A qualitative study of an informal science enrichment program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Jamila Rashida

The purposes of this study were to determine what program characteristics African American parents consider when they enroll their children into an informal science education enrichment program, the parents' evaluation of a program called Jordan Academy in which they enrolled their children, and the alignment of the parents' perspectives with Black Cultural Ethos (BCE). BCE refers to nine dimensions posited by Wade Boykin, a psychologist, as comprising African American culture. Participants were parents of students that attended Jordan Academy, an informal science enrichment program designed for third through sixth grade students from underserved populations. Qualitative methodologies were utilized to perform a thorough assessment of parents' perspectives. Data sources included classroom observations, student surveys, academy curriculum, photos and video-taped class sessions. Data included teachers and parents' responses to semi-structured, audio recorded interviews and students' written responses to open-ended items on the program's evaluation instrument. The data were analyzed for themes and the findings compared to Black Cultural Ethos. Findings revealed that the participants believed that informal science education offered their children opportunities not realized in the formal school setting - a means of impacting their children holistically. The parents expressed the academic, cultural, and personal development of their children in their characterizations of the ideal informal science education experience and in their evaluations of Jordan Academy. Overall, the parents' views emphasized the BCE values of harmony, affect, verve, movement, orality and communalism. The study has important implications for practices within and research on informal science education.

42 CFR 478.24 - Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information. 478.24 Section 478.24 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS...

42 CFR 478.24 - Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information. 478.24 Section 478.24 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS...

42 CFR 478.24 - Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information. 478.24 Section 478.24 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS...

42 CFR 478.24 - Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Opportunity for a party to obtain and submit information. 478.24 Section 478.24 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS...

40 CFR 2.302 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... provide the information was issued under section 309(a)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(a)(3), whether a civil action was brought under section 309(b) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(b), and whether the information... specifically does not apply to information obtained under section 310(d) or 312(g)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C...

40 CFR 2.302 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... provide the information was issued under section 309(a)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(a)(3), whether a civil action was brought under section 309(b) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(b), and whether the information... specifically does not apply to information obtained under section 310(d) or 312(g)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C...

40 CFR 2.302 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Clean Water Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... provide the information was issued under section 309(a)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(a)(3), whether a civil action was brought under section 309(b) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319(b), and whether the information... specifically does not apply to information obtained under section 310(d) or 312(g)(3) of the Act, 33 U.S.C...

Concerns, attitudes, beliefs and information seeking practices with respect to nutrition-related issues: a qualitative study in French pregnant women.

PubMed

Bianchi, Clélia M; Huneau, Jean-François; Le Goff, Gaëlle; Verger, Eric O; Mariotti, François; Gurviez, Patricia

2016-10-12

From a life course perspective, pregnancy leads to a rise in nutrition awareness and an increase in information flow in favour of adopting healthier eating behaviours. This qualitative study was designed to better understand the determinants of eating behaviours in French pregnant women by focusing on their concerns, attitudes and beliefs and their nutrition-related information seeking practices. Seven focus groups were conducted, involving a total of 40 French pregnant women. An inductive thematic approach, adapted from the grounded theory, was adopted to analyse the data. Two major themes were identified: eating behaviour and nutrition-related information behaviour. The eating behaviour theme was divided into four sub-themes using the attribution theory. Three external causes affected the eating behaviour of pregnant women (food restrictions, physiological changes and weight gain), and led to frustration and a perceived loss of control. By contrast the adoption of a healthier diet was perceived as internal by pregnant women, and resulted in self-fulfilment and empowerment regarding the health and the well-being of their baby and themselves, and their weight gain management. Greater attention was paid to nutrition-related information obtained from healthcare providers, the social environment and the mass media. Information was passively absorbed or actively sought by pregnant women, but most was perceived as contradictory, which led to confusion. Pregnancy is accompanied by a rise in nutrition awareness, substantiated by eating behaviour modifications due to external and internal causes. However, conflicts between and within information sources result in confusion that can limit the adoption of healthier eating behaviour.

"Negotiorum Gestio" in Family Medicine, Informed Consent Obtainment, and Disciplinary Responsibility.

PubMed

Birkeland, Søren

2016-01-01

Introduction. Negotiorum gestio (NG) denotes an action where a person well intendedly acts on behalf of another without obtaining the latter's prior consent. In broad terms, NG-like actions have played a considerable role in health care provision. In some settings, health care delivery with only little or presumed patients' consent has been the rule rather than the exception. However, bioethical principles regarding patient autonomy and obtainment of the patient's informed consent (IC) before intervention are now increasingly materialized in the law of many countries. Aim. To study legal consequences of NG in family medicine and IC handling options. Methods. Case law examination. Results. A disciplinary board case is described concerning a family doctor conducting unlawful NG by not coming up to legal IC requirements. Discussion and Conclusion. The practical and legal implications of IC and possible role of novel Shared Decision-Making approaches in coming up to regulation and bioethical demands are discussed. It is concluded that a doctor may run an unnecessary legal risk when conducting NG in decision-competent patients and furthermore it is suggested that novel Shared Decision-Making approaches could help in obtaining a rightful and practicable IC.

Health Information Management System for Elderly Health Sector: A Qualitative Study in Iran.

PubMed

Sadoughi, Farahnaz; Shahi, Mehraban; Ahmadi, Maryam; Davaridolatabadi, Nasrin

2016-02-01

There are increasing change and development of information in healthcare systems. Given the increase in aging population, managers are in need of true and timely information when making decision. The aim of this study was to investigate the current status of the health information management system for the elderly health sector in Iran. This qualitative study was conducted in two steps. In the first step, required documents for administrative managers were collected using the data gathering form and observed and reviewed by the researcher. In the second step, using an interview guide, the required information was gathered through interviewing experts and faculty members. The convenience, purposeful and snowball sampling methods were applied to select interviewees and the sampling continued until reaching the data saturation point. Finally, notes and interviews were transcribed and content analysis was used to analyze them. The results of the study showed that there was a health information management system for the elderly health sector in Iran. However, in all primary health care centers the documentation of data was done manually; the data flow was not automated; and the analysis and reporting of data are also manually. Eventually, decision makers are provided with delayed information. It is suggested that the steward of health in Iran, the ministry of health, develops an appropriate infrastructure and finally puts a high priority on the implementation of the health information management system for elderly health sector in Iran.

Health Information Management System for Elderly Health Sector: A Qualitative Study in Iran

PubMed Central

Sadoughi, Farahnaz; Shahi, Mehraban; Ahmadi, Maryam; Davaridolatabadi, Nasrin

2016-01-01

Background: There are increasing change and development of information in healthcare systems. Given the increase in aging population, managers are in need of true and timely information when making decision. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the current status of the health information management system for the elderly health sector in Iran. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in two steps. In the first step, required documents for administrative managers were collected using the data gathering form and observed and reviewed by the researcher. In the second step, using an interview guide, the required information was gathered through interviewing experts and faculty members. The convenience, purposeful and snowball sampling methods were applied to select interviewees and the sampling continued until reaching the data saturation point. Finally, notes and interviews were transcribed and content analysis was used to analyze them. Results: The results of the study showed that there was a health information management system for the elderly health sector in Iran. However, in all primary health care centers the documentation of data was done manually; the data flow was not automated; and the analysis and reporting of data are also manually. Eventually, decision makers are provided with delayed information. Conclusions: It is suggested that the steward of health in Iran, the ministry of health, develops an appropriate infrastructure and finally puts a high priority on the implementation of the health information management system for elderly health sector in Iran. PMID:27186383

Qualitative website analysis of information on birth after caesarean section.

PubMed

Peddie, Valerie L; Whitelaw, Natalie; Cumming, Grant P; Bhattacharya, Siladitya; Black, Mairead

2015-08-19

The United Kingdom (UK) caesarean section (CS) rate is largely determined by reluctance to augment trial of labour and vaginal birth. Choice between repeat CS and attempting vaginal birth after CS (VBAC) in the next pregnancy is challenging, with neither offering clear safety advantages. Women may access online information during the decision-making process. Such information is known to vary in its support for either mode of birth when assessed quantitatively. Therefore, we sought to explore qualitatively, the content and presentation of web-based health care information on birth after caesarean section (CS) in order to identify the dominant messages being conveyed. The search engine Google™ was used to conduct an internet search using terms relating to birth after CS. The ten most frequently returned websites meeting relevant purposive sampling criteria were analysed. Sampling criteria were based upon funding source, authorship and intended audience. Images and written textual content together with presence of links to additional media or external web content were analysed using descriptive and thematic analyses respectively. Ten websites were analysed: five funded by Government bodies or professional membership; one via charitable donations, and four funded commercially. All sites compared the advantages and disadvantages of both repeat CS and VBAC. Commercially funded websites favoured a question and answer format alongside images, 'pop-ups', social media forum links and hyperlinks to third-party sites. The relationship between the parent sites and those being linked to may not be readily apparent to users, risking perception of endorsement of either VBAC or repeat CS whether intended or otherwise. Websites affiliated with Government or health services presented referenced clinical information in a factual manner with podcasts of real life experiences. Many imply greater support for VBAC than repeat CS although this was predominantly conveyed through subtle

"There's Got to Be a Better Way to Do This": A Qualitative Investigation of Informal Learning among Instructional Designers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanchar, Stephen C.; Hawkley, Melissa

2014-01-01

This study employed a qualitative research design to investigate informal learning among practicing instructional designers. Prior research has examined how instructional designers spend their time, make decisions, use theory, solve problems, and so on, but no published research has explored the nature and role of informal learning in…

Promoting patient engagement with self-management support information: a qualitative meta-synthesis of processes influencing uptake.

PubMed

Protheroe, Joanne; Rogers, Anne; Kennedy, Anne P; Macdonald, Wendy; Lee, Victoria

2008-10-13

Patient information has been viewed as a key component of self-management. However, little attention has been given to methods of dissemination or implementation of effective information strategies. Previous problems identified with the use and implementation of patient information point to the need to explore the way in which patients engage with and use information to support self-management for chronic conditions. Four published qualitative studies from a programme of research about self-management were analysed as a group; these included studies of the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); self-help in anxiety and depression (SHADE); menorrhagia, treatment, information, and preference (MENTIP) study; and self-help for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For the analysis, we used an adapted meta-ethnographic approach to the synthesis of qualitative data in order to develop an evidence base. The ontological status and experience of the condition in everyday life was the most dominant theme to emerge from this synthesis. This, coupled with access to and experience of traditional health services responses, shaped the engagement with and use of information to support self-management. Five key elements were found which were likely to influence this: the perception and awareness of alternative self-management possibilities; the prior extent and nature of engagement with information; the extent of and ability to self-manage; opportunities for use of the information and the stage of the illness career; and congruence and synergy with the professional role. People with chronic conditions need support from providers in both supply and engagement with information, in a way which gives legitimacy to the person's own self-management strategies and possible alternatives. Thus, a link could usefully be made between information offered, as well as patients' past experiences of self-management and engagement with services for their condition. The timeliness of the

Feasibility of a patient decision aid regarding disclosure of personal health information: qualitative evaluation of the Health Care Information Directive

PubMed Central

Tracy, C Shawn; Dantas, Guilherme Coelho; Upshur, Ross EG

2004-01-01

Background Concerns regarding the privacy of health information are escalating owing both to the growing use of information technology to store and exchange data and to the increasing demand on the part of patients to control the use of their medical records. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Health Care Information Directive (HCID), a recently-developed patient decision aid that aims to delineate the level of health information an individual is willing to share. Methods We convened a series of four focus group meetings with several communities in a large Canadian city. A total of 28 men and women participated, representing health care consumer advocates, urban professionals, senior citizens, and immigrants who speak English as a second language. Data were analysed using qualitative methods. Results Participants lacked substantial knowledge regarding the fate and uses of personal health information. They expressed mistrust concerning how their information will be used and protected. Several suggestions were made towards customizing the use of data according to specific needs rather than broad and full access to their charts. Furthermore, despite concern regarding the implementation of a tool like the HCID, participants were hopeful that a refined instrument could contribute to the improved regulation of health information. Conclusion This study indicated poor knowledge concerning the uses of personal health information, distrust concerning security provisions, and cautious support for a patient decision aid such as the HCID to improve control over health data. PMID:15361257

Feasibility of a patient decision aid regarding disclosure of personal health information: qualitative evaluation of the Health Care Information Directive.

PubMed

Tracy, C Shawn; Dantas, Guilherme Coelho; Upshur, Ross E G

2004-09-10

Concerns regarding the privacy of health information are escalating owing both to the growing use of information technology to store and exchange data and to the increasing demand on the part of patients to control the use of their medical records. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Health Care Information Directive (HCID), a recently-developed patient decision aid that aims to delineate the level of health information an individual is willing to share. We convened a series of four focus group meetings with several communities in a large Canadian city. A total of 28 men and women participated, representing health care consumer advocates, urban professionals, senior citizens, and immigrants who speak English as a second language. Data were analysed using qualitative methods. Participants lacked substantial knowledge regarding the fate and uses of personal health information. They expressed mistrust concerning how their information will be used and protected. Several suggestions were made towards customizing the use of data according to specific needs rather than broad and full access to their charts. Furthermore, despite concern regarding the implementation of a tool like the HCID, participants were hopeful that a refined instrument could contribute to the improved regulation of health information. This study indicated poor knowledge concerning the uses of personal health information, distrust concerning security provisions, and cautious support for a patient decision aid such as the HCID to improve control over health data.

The perspectives of researchers on obtaining informed consent in developing countries.

PubMed

Newton, Sam K; Appiah-Poku, John

2007-04-01

The doctrine of informed consent (IC) exists to protect individuals from exploitation or harm. This study into IC was carried out to investigate how different researchers perceived the process whereby researchers obtained consent. It also examined researchers' perspectives on what constituted IC, and how different settings influenced the process. The study recorded in-depth interviews with 12 lecturers and five doctoral students, who had carried out research in developing countries, at a leading school of public health in the United Kingdom. A purposive, snowballing approach was used to identify interviewees. Although the concept and application of the doctrine of IC should have been the same, irrespective of where the research was carried out, the process of obtaining it had to be different. The setting had to be taken into consideration and the autonomy of the subject had to be respected at all times. In areas of high illiteracy, and where understanding of the subject was likely to be a problem, there was an added responsibility placed on the researcher to devise innovative ways of carrying out the study, taking into consideration the peculiarities of the environment. The ethical issues for IC were the same, irrespective of where the research was conducted. However, because the backgrounds, setting, and knowledge of populations differed, there was the need to be similarly sensitive in obtaining consent. The problems of obtaining genuine IC were not limited to developing countries.

[Expectations of relatives of critically ill patients regarding medical information. Qualitative research study].

PubMed

Alonso-Ovies, A; Álvarez, J; Velayos, C; García, M M; Luengo, M J

2014-01-01

To determine and analyse the expectations, needs and experiences of relatives of critically ill patients as regards medical information and the level of their understanding. To find keys for improving communication and to draw up best practices in clinical information. Qualitative research study through semi-structured interviews carried out in a polyvalent adult intensive care unit (ICU) in a University Hospital. relatives of patients who were admitted to the ICU and who were discharged alive from the Unit. Ten interviews were performed taking into account diversification variables such as, type of family relationship with patients, patient age, length of ICU stay, origin, and location at the time of the interview. The results of the analysis of 10 interviews focused on: the subjective position of the family in the ICU (the agonizing wait), what the ICU represents for the family (surveillance and monitoring of a situation between life and death), perceived care (complete delegation of care), and medical information (what and how they expect and what and how they receive it), as much in the first information (sincerity, hope, delicacy) as in the successive. There is divergence between what families expect and what they get as regards medical information. To know the expectations of the families will help to provide higher quality care and more humane treatment in the ICU. Copyright © 2014 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

An Early Model for Value and Sustainability in Health Information Exchanges: Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background The primary value relative to health information exchange has been seen in terms of cost savings relative to laboratory and radiology testing, emergency department expenditures, and admissions. However, models are needed to statistically quantify value and sustainability and better understand the dependent and mediating factors that contribute to value and sustainability. Objective The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for early model development for health information exchange value and sustainability. Methods A qualitative study was conducted with 21 interviews of eHealth Exchange participants across 10 organizations. Using a grounded theory approach and 3.0 as a relative frequency threshold, 5 main categories and 16 subcategories emerged. Results This study identifies 3 core current perceived value factors and 5 potential perceived value factors—how interviewees predict health information exchanges may evolve as there are more participants. These value factors were used as the foundation for early model development for sustainability of health information exchange. Conclusions Using the value factors from the interviews, the study provides the basis for early model development for health information exchange value and sustainability. This basis includes factors from the research: fostering consumer engagement; establishing a provider directory; quantifying use, cost, and clinical outcomes; ensuring data integrity through patient matching; and increasing awareness, usefulness, interoperability, and sustainability of eHealth Exchange. PMID:29712623

An Early Model for Value and Sustainability in Health Information Exchanges: Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Feldman, Sue S

2018-04-30

The primary value relative to health information exchange has been seen in terms of cost savings relative to laboratory and radiology testing, emergency department expenditures, and admissions. However, models are needed to statistically quantify value and sustainability and better understand the dependent and mediating factors that contribute to value and sustainability. The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for early model development for health information exchange value and sustainability. A qualitative study was conducted with 21 interviews of eHealth Exchange participants across 10 organizations. Using a grounded theory approach and 3.0 as a relative frequency threshold, 5 main categories and 16 subcategories emerged. This study identifies 3 core current perceived value factors and 5 potential perceived value factors-how interviewees predict health information exchanges may evolve as there are more participants. These value factors were used as the foundation for early model development for sustainability of health information exchange. Using the value factors from the interviews, the study provides the basis for early model development for health information exchange value and sustainability. This basis includes factors from the research: fostering consumer engagement; establishing a provider directory; quantifying use, cost, and clinical outcomes; ensuring data integrity through patient matching; and increasing awareness, usefulness, interoperability, and sustainability of eHealth Exchange. ©Sue S Feldman. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 30.04.2018.

40 CFR 2.305 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... information obtained under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended. 2.305 Section 2.305 Protection of... § 2.305 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended. (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as...

40 CFR 2.305 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... information obtained under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended. 2.305 Section 2.305 Protection of... § 2.305 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended. (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as...

Parents' and informal caregivers' views and experiences of communication about routine childhood vaccination: a synthesis of qualitative evidence.

PubMed

Ames, Heather Mr; Glenton, Claire; Lewin, Simon

2017-02-07

Childhood vaccination is an effective way to prevent serious childhood illnesses, but many children do not receive all the recommended vaccines. There are various reasons for this; some parents lack access because of poor quality health services, long distances or lack of money. Other parents may not trust vaccines or the healthcare workers who provide them, or they may not see the need for vaccination due to a lack of information or misinformation about how vaccinations work and the diseases they can prevent.Communication with parents about childhood vaccinations is one way of addressing these issues. Communication can take place at healthcare facilities, at home or in the community. Communication can be two-way, for example face-to-face discussions between parents and healthcare providers, or one-way, for instance via text messages, posters or radio programmes. Some types of communication enable parents to actively discuss vaccines and their benefits and harms, as well as diseases they can prevent. Other communication types simply give information about vaccination issues or when and where vaccines are available. People involved in vaccine programmes need to understand how parents experience different types of communication about vaccination and how this influences their decision to vaccinate. The specific objectives of the review were to identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative studies exploring: parents' and informal caregivers' views and experiences regarding communication about childhood vaccinations and the manner in which it is communicated; and the influence that vaccination communication has on parents' and informal caregivers' decisions regarding childhood vaccination. We searched MEDLINE (OvidSP), MEDLINE In-process and Other Non-Index Citations (Ovid SP), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EbscoHOST), and Anthropology Plus (EbscoHost) databases for eligible studies from inception to 30 August 2016. We developed search strategies for each database, using

Conceptualization and Implementation of the Central Information Portal on Rare Diseases: Protocol for a Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Hartz, Tobias; Göbel, Jens; Storf, Holger; Pauer, Frédéric; Babac, Ana; Lührs, Verena; Bruckner-Tuderman, Leena; Schauer, Franziska; Schmidtke, Jörg; Biehl, Lisa; Wagner, TOF; Graf von der Schulenburg, J-Matthias; Frank, Martin

2018-01-01

Background Recently, public and political interest has focused on people living with rare diseases and their health concerns. Due to the large number of different types of rare diseases and the sizable number of patients, taking action to improve the life of those affected is gaining importance. In 2013, the federal government of Germany adopted a national action plan for rare diseases, including the call to establish a central information portal on rare diseases (Zentrales Informationsportal über seltene Erkrankungen, ZIPSE). Objective The objective of this study, therefore, was to conduct scientific research on how such a portal must be designed to meet the needs of patients, their families, and medical professionals, and to provide high-quality information for information seekers. Methods We chose a 3-step procedure to develop a needs-based prototype of a central information portal. In the first step, we determined the information needs of patients with rare diseases, their relatives, and health care professionals by means of qualitative interviews and their content-analytical evaluation. On the basis of this, we developed the basic structure of the portal. In the second step, we identified quality criteria for websites on rare diseases to ensure that the information linked with ZIPSE meets the quality demands. Therefore, we gathered existing criteria catalogs and discussed them in an expert workshop. In the third step, we implemented and tested the developed prototypical information portal. Results A portal page was configured and made accessible on the Web. The structure of ZIPSE was based on the findings from 108 qualitative interviews with patients, their relatives, and health care professionals, through which numerous information needs were identified. We placed particularly important areas of information, such as symptoms, therapy, research, and advisory services, on the start page. Moreover, we defined 13 quality criteria, referring to factors such as

40 CFR 2.308 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 2.308 Section 2.308 Protection of... § 2.308 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic... Cosmetic Act, as amended, 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. (2) Petition means a petition for the issuance of a...

40 CFR 2.308 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 2.308 Section 2.308 Protection of... § 2.308 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic... Cosmetic Act, as amended, 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. (2) Petition means a petition for the issuance of a...

40 CFR 2.308 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 2.308 Section 2.308 Protection of... § 2.308 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic... Cosmetic Act, as amended, 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. (2) Petition means a petition for the issuance of a...

40 CFR 2.308 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 2.308 Section 2.308 Protection of... § 2.308 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic... Cosmetic Act, as amended, 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. (2) Petition means a petition for the issuance of a...

40 CFR 2.308 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 2.308 Section 2.308 Protection of... § 2.308 Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic... Cosmetic Act, as amended, 21 U.S.C. 301 et seq. (2) Petition means a petition for the issuance of a...

Patient perspectives on online health information and communication with doctors: a qualitative study of patients 50 years old and over.

PubMed

Silver, Michelle Pannor

2015-01-13

As health care systems around the world shift toward models that emphasize self-care management, there is increasing pressure for patients to obtain health information online. It is critical that patients are able to identify potential problems with using the Internet to diagnose and treat a health issue and that they feel comfortable communicating with their doctor about the health information they acquire from the Internet. Our aim was to examine patient-identified (1) problems with using the Internet to identify and treat a health issue, (2) barriers to communication with a doctor about online health information seeking, and (3) facilitators of communication with a doctor about patient searches for health information on the Internet. For this qualitative exploratory study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 56 adults age 50 years old and over. General concerns regarding use of the Internet to diagnose and treat a health issue were examined separately for participants based on whether they had ever discussed health information obtained through the Internet with a doctor. Discussions about barriers to and facilitators of communication about patient searches for health information on the Internet with a doctor were analyzed using thematic analysis. Six higher-level general concerns emerged: (1) limitations in own ability, (2) credibility/limitations of online information, (3) anxiety, (4) time consumption, (5) conflict, and (6) non-physical harm. The most prevalent concern raised by participants who communicated with a doctor about their online health information seeking related to the credibility or limitations in online information. Participants who had never communicated with a doctor about their online health information seeking most commonly reported concerns about non-physical harm. Four barriers to communication emerged: (1) concerns about embarrassment, (2) concerns that the doctor doesn't want to hear about it, (3) belief that there

Extending Engineering Practice Research with Shared Qualitative Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trevelyan, James

2016-01-01

Research on engineering practice is scarce and sharing of qualitative research data can reduce the effort required for an aspiring researcher to obtain enough data from engineering workplaces to draw generalizable conclusions, both qualitative and quantitative. This paper describes how a large shareable qualitative data set on engineering…

Further exploration of dissemination bias in qualitative research required to facilitate assessment within qualitative evidence syntheses.

PubMed

Toews, Ingrid; Booth, Andrew; Berg, Rigmor C; Lewin, Simon; Glenton, Claire; Munthe-Kaas, Heather M; Noyes, Jane; Schroter, Sara; Meerpohl, Joerg J

2017-08-01

To conceptualise and discuss dissemination bias in qualitative research. It is likely that the mechanisms leading to dissemination bias in quantitative research, including time lag, language, gray literature, and truncation bias also contribute to dissemination bias in qualitative research. These conceptual considerations have informed the development of a research agenda. Further exploration of dissemination bias in qualitative research is needed, including the extent of non-dissemination and related dissemination bias, and how to assess dissemination bias within qualitative evidence syntheses. We also need to consider the mechanisms through which dissemination bias in qualitative research could occur to explore approaches for reducing it. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Qualitative assessment of vaginal microflora during use of tampons of various compositions.

PubMed Central

Onderdonk, A B; Zamarchi, G R; Rodriguez, M L; Hirsch, M L; Muñoz, A; Kass, E H

1987-01-01

The effect of vaginal tampons on the microbial flora during menstruation has recently been studied by several investigators. However, little information regarding the qualitative effects attributable to particular tampon fibers is available. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of polyacrylate rayon tampons and cotton-viscose rayon blend tampons on the qualitative bacterial counts obtained from tampons and concomitant vaginal swabs and to determine whether either of these tampon types alters the qualitative makeup of the vaginal microflora when compared with the microflora in the same women using all-cotton tampons or external catamenial pads. Tampon and swab samples were obtained as described previously (A. B. Onderdonk, G. R. Zamarchi, M. L. Rodriguez, M. L. Hirsch, A. Muñoz, and E. H. Kass, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 53:2774-2778). The genus and species of the six dominant bacterial species in each sample were identified, if possible. A statistical evaluation of the qualitative makeup of the microflora revealed that the same numerically dominant phenotypes were present regardless of sample type, sample time, or catamenial product. Predictable changes in total numbers among the dominant species were also noted when the data were evaluated by day of menstrual cycle. The correlation between the total numbers of each dominant species present was evaluated by day of cycle, and the findings are discussed. PMID:3435143

Allegations of Failure to Obtain Informed Consent in Spinal Surgery Medical Malpractice Claims

PubMed Central

Grauberger, Jennifer; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Choudhry, Asad J.; Alvi, Mohammed Ali; Nassr, Ahmad; Currier, Bradford

2017-01-01

Importance Predictive factors associated with increased risk of medical malpractice litigation have been identified, including severity of injury, physician sex, and error in diagnosis. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating informed consent in spinal surgery malpractice. Objective To investigate the failure to obtain informed consent as an allegation in medical malpractice claims for patients undergoing a spinal procedure. Design, Setting, and Participants In this retrospective cohort study, a national medicolegal database was searched for malpractice claim cases related to spinal surgery for all years available (ie, January 1, 1980, through December 31, 2015). Main Outcomes and Measures Failure to obtain informed consent and associated medical malpractice case verdict. Results A total of 233 patients (117 [50.4%] male and 116 [49.8%] female; 80 with no informed consent allegation and 153 who cited lack of informed consent) who underwent spinal surgery and filed a malpractice claim were studied (mean [SD] age, 47.1 [13.1] years in the total group, 45.8 [12.9] years in the control group, and 47.9 [13.3] years in the informed consent group). Median interval between year of surgery and year of verdict was 5.4 years (interquartile range, 4-7 years). The most common informed consent allegations were failure to explain risks and adverse effects of surgery (52 [30.4%]) and failure to explain alternative treatment options (17 [9.9%]). In bivariate analysis, patients in the control group were more likely to require additional surgery (45 [56.3%] vs 53 [34.6%], P = .002) and have more permanent injuries compared with the informed consent group (46 [57.5%] vs 63 [42.0%], P = .03). On multivariable regression analysis, permanent injuries were more often associated with indemnity payment after a plaintiff verdict (odds ratio [OR], 3.12; 95% CI, 1.46-6.65; P = .003) or a settlement (OR, 6.26; 95% CI, 1.06-36.70; P = .04). Informed consent

Allegations of Failure to Obtain Informed Consent in Spinal Surgery Medical Malpractice Claims.

PubMed

Grauberger, Jennifer; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Choudhry, Asad J; Alvi, Mohammed Ali; Nassr, Ahmad; Currier, Bradford; Bydon, Mohamad

2017-06-21

Predictive factors associated with increased risk of medical malpractice litigation have been identified, including severity of injury, physician sex, and error in diagnosis. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating informed consent in spinal surgery malpractice. To investigate the failure to obtain informed consent as an allegation in medical malpractice claims for patients undergoing a spinal procedure. In this retrospective cohort study, a national medicolegal database was searched for malpractice claim cases related to spinal surgery for all years available (ie, January 1, 1980, through December 31, 2015). Failure to obtain informed consent and associated medical malpractice case verdict. A total of 233 patients (117 [50.4%] male and 116 [49.8%] female; 80 with no informed consent allegation and 153 who cited lack of informed consent) who underwent spinal surgery and filed a malpractice claim were studied (mean [SD] age, 47.1 [13.1] years in the total group, 45.8 [12.9] years in the control group, and 47.9 [13.3] years in the informed consent group). Median interval between year of surgery and year of verdict was 5.4 years (interquartile range, 4-7 years). The most common informed consent allegations were failure to explain risks and adverse effects of surgery (52 [30.4%]) and failure to explain alternative treatment options (17 [9.9%]). In bivariate analysis, patients in the control group were more likely to require additional surgery (45 [56.3%] vs 53 [34.6%], P = .002) and have more permanent injuries compared with the informed consent group (46 [57.5%] vs 63 [42.0%], P = .03). On multivariable regression analysis, permanent injuries were more often associated with indemnity payment after a plaintiff verdict (odds ratio [OR], 3.12; 95% CI, 1.46-6.65; P = .003) or a settlement (OR, 6.26; 95% CI, 1.06-36.70; P = .04). Informed consent allegations were significantly associated with less severe (temporary or emotional) injury (OR

Analysis of the Quality of Information Obtained About Uterine Artery Embolization From the Internet

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

Tavare, Aniket N.; Alsafi, Ali, E-mail: ali.alsafi03@imperial.ac.uk; Hamady, Mohamad S.

Purpose: The Internet is widely used by patients to source health care-related information. We sought to analyse the quality of information available on the Internet about uterine artery embolization (UAE). Materials and Methods: We searched three major search engines for the phrase 'uterine artery embolization' and compiled the top 50 results from each engine. After excluding repeated sites, scientific articles, and links to documents, the remaining 50 sites were assessed using the LIDA instrument, which scores sites across the domains of accessibility, usability, and reliability. The Fleisch reading ease score (FRES) was calculated for each of the sites. Finally, wemore » checked the country of origin and the presence of certification by the Health On the Net Foundation (HONcode) as well as their effect on LIDA and FRES scores.ResultsThe following mean scores were obtained: accessibility 48/60 (80%), usability 42/54 (77%), reliability 20/51 (39%), total LIDA 110/165 (67%), and FRES 42/100 (42%). Nine sites had HONcode certification, and this was associated with significantly greater (p < 0.05) reliability and total LIDA and FRES scores. When comparing sites between United Kingdom and United States, there was marked variation in the quality of results obtained when searching for information on UAE (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In general, sites were well designed and easy to use. However, many scored poorly on the reliability of their information either because they were produced in a non-evidence-based way or because they lacking currency. It is important that patients are guided to reputable, location-specific sources of information online, especially because prominent search engine rank does not guarantee reliability of information.« less

A Qualitative Study to Inform the Development of a Videogame for Adolescent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention

PubMed Central

Rosenthal, Marjorie S.; Camenga, Deepa R.; Edelman, E. Jennifer; Fiellin, Lynn E.

2012-01-01

Abstract We used qualitative methods to inform the development of an interactive videogame focused on behavior change to reduce risk and promote human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in young minority adolescents. Guided by community-partnered research principles, we conducted and analyzed 16 individual interviews and six focus groups with 10–15 year-old boys and girls (36 unique participants) at a neighborhood-based nonprofit organization serving youth from low-resource neighborhoods. Three recurrent themes lent themselves to translation into a videogame-based intervention. Adolescents reported protective factors and facilitators to engaging in risk behaviors, including (1) their personal ability to balance the tension between individuation and group membership, (2) the presence of stable mentor figures in their life, and (3) the neighborhood in which they live. We used these themes to inform the design of our videogame intervention with the goal that these methods may increase the intervention's efficacy at promoting HIV prevention by making them more tailored and relevant to a specific population. Our qualitative study provides a practical understanding of how important elements identified by minority youth regarding negotiating around risk behaviors can be integrated into a videogame intervention. These findings offer valuable insights to researchers whose goal is to design effective and tailored interventions to affect behavior change. PMID:24078897

Understanding of how older adults with low vision obtain, process, and understand health information and services.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Nam

2017-10-16

Twenty-five years after the Americans with Disabilities Act, there has still been a lack of advancement of accessibility in healthcare for people with visual impairments, particularly older adults with low vision. This study aims to advance understanding of how older adults with low vision obtain, process, and use health information and services, and to seek opportunities of information technology to support them. A convenience sample of 10 older adults with low vision participated in semi-structured phone interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Participants shared various concerns in accessing, understanding, and using health information, care services, and multimedia technologies. Two main themes and nine subthemes emerged from the analysis. Due to the concerns, older adults with low vision tended to fail to obtain the full range of all health information and services to meet their specific needs. Those with low vision still rely on residual vision such that multimedia-based information which can be useful, but it should still be designed to ensure its accessibility, usability, and understandability.

Processes that Inform Multicultural Supervision: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Tohidian, Nilou B; Quek, Karen Mui-Teng

2017-10-01

As the fields of counseling and psychotherapy have become more cognizant that individuals, couples, and families bring with them a myriad of diversity factors into therapy, multicultural competency has also become a crucial component in the development of clinicians during clinical supervision and training. We employed a qualitative meta-analysis to provide a detailed and comprehensive description of similar themes identified in primary qualitative studies that have investigated supervisory practices with an emphasis on diversity. Findings revealed six meta-categories, namely: (a) Supervisor's Multicultural Stances; (b) Supervisee's Multicultural Encounters; (c) Competency-Based Content in Supervision; (d) Processes Surrounding Multicultural Supervision; (e) Culturally Attuned Interventions; and (f) Multicultural Supervisory Alliance. Implications for practice are discussed. © 2017 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Critical assessment of pediatric neurosurgery patient/parent educational information obtained via the Internet.

PubMed

Garcia, Michael; Daugherty, Christopher; Ben Khallouq, Bertha; Maugans, Todd

2018-05-01

OBJECTIVE The Internet is used frequently by patients and family members to acquire information about pediatric neurosurgical conditions. The sources, nature, accuracy, and usefulness of this information have not been examined recently. The authors analyzed the results from searches of 10 common pediatric neurosurgical terms using a novel scoring test to assess the value of the educational information obtained. METHODS Google and Bing searches were performed for 10 common pediatric neurosurgical topics (concussion, craniosynostosis, hydrocephalus, pediatric brain tumor, pediatric Chiari malformation, pediatric epilepsy surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, plagiocephaly, spina bifida, and tethered spinal cord). The first 10 "hits" obtained with each search engine were analyzed using the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (CRAAP) test, which assigns a numerical score in each of 5 domains. Agreement between results was assessed for 1) concurrent searches with Google and Bing; 2) Google searches over time (6 months apart); 3) Google searches using mobile and PC platforms concurrently; and 4) searches using privacy settings. Readability was assessed with an online analytical tool. RESULTS Google and Bing searches yielded information with similar CRAAP scores (mean 72% and 75%, respectively), but with frequently differing results (58% concordance/matching results). There was a high level of agreement (72% concordance) over time for Google searches and also between searches using general and privacy settings (92% concordance). Government sources scored the best in both CRAAP score and readability. Hospitals and universities were the most prevalent sources, but these sources had the lowest CRAAP scores, due in part to an abundance of self-marketing. The CRAAP scores for mobile and desktop platforms did not differ significantly (p = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS Google and Bing searches yielded useful educational information, using either mobile or PC platforms. Most

High-Dose Benzodiazepine Dependence: A Qualitative Study of Patients’ Perceptions on Initiation, Reasons for Use, and Obtainment

PubMed Central

Liebrenz, Michael; Schneider, Marcel; Buadze, Anna; Gehring, Marie-Therese; Dube, Anish; Caflisch, Carlo

2015-01-01

Background High-dose benzodiazepine (BZD) dependence is associated with a wide variety of negative health consequences. Affected individuals are reported to suffer from severe mental disorders and are often unable to achieve long-term abstinence via recommended discontinuation strategies. Although it is increasingly understood that treatment interventions should take subjective experiences and beliefs into account, the perceptions of this group of individuals remain under-investigated. Methods We conducted an exploratory qualitative study with 41 adult subjects meeting criteria for (high-dose) BZD-dependence, as defined by ICD-10. One-on-one in-depth interviews allowed for an exploration of this group’s views on the reasons behind their initial and then continued use of BZDs, as well as their procurement strategies. Mayring’s qualitative content analysis was used to evaluate our data. Results In this sample, all participants had developed explanatory models for why they began using BZDs. We identified a multitude of reasons that we grouped into four broad categories, as explaining continued BZD use: (1) to cope with symptoms of psychological distress or mental disorder other than substance use, (2) to manage symptoms of physical or psychological discomfort associated with somatic disorder, (3) to alleviate symptoms of substance-related disorders, and (4) for recreational purposes, that is, sensation-seeking and other social reasons. Subjects often considered BZDs less dangerous than other substances and associated their use more often with harm reduction than as recreational. Specific obtainment strategies varied widely: the majority of participants oscillated between legal and illegal methods, often relying on the black market when faced with treatment termination. Conclusions Irrespective of comorbidity, participants expressed a clear preference for medically related explanatory models for their BZD use. We therefore suggest that clinicians consider patients�

Qualitative to quantitative: linked trajectory of method triangulation in a study on HIV/AIDS in Goa, India.

PubMed

Bailey, Ajay; Hutter, Inge

2008-10-01

With 3.1 million people estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in India and 39.5 million people globally, the epidemic has posed academics the challenge of identifying behaviours and their underlying beliefs in the effort to reduce the risk of HIV transmission. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is frequently used to identify risk behaviours and adherence behaviour in the field of HIV/AIDS. Risk behaviour studies that apply HBM have been largely quantitative and use of qualitative methodology is rare. The marriage of qualitative and quantitative methods has never been easy. The challenge is in triangulating the methods. Method triangulation has been largely used to combine insights from the qualitative and quantitative methods but not to link both the methods. In this paper we suggest a linked trajectory of method triangulation (LTMT). The linked trajectory aims to first gather individual level information through in-depth interviews and then to present the information as vignettes in focus group discussions. We thus validate information obtained from in-depth interviews and gather emic concepts that arise from the interaction. We thus capture both the interpretation and the interaction angles of the qualitative method. Further, using the qualitative information gained, a survey is designed. In doing so, the survey questions are grounded and contextualized. We employed this linked trajectory of method triangulation in a study on the risk assessment of HIV/AIDS among migrant and mobile men. Fieldwork was carried out in Goa, India. Data come from two waves of studies, first an explorative qualitative study (2003), second a larger study (2004-2005), including in-depth interviews (25), focus group discussions (21) and a survey (n=1259). By employing the qualitative to quantitative LTMT we can not only contextualize the existing concepts of the HBM, but also validate new concepts and identify new risk groups.

A qualitative evaluation of the crucial attributes of contextual information necessary in EHR design to support patient-centered medical home care.

PubMed

Weir, Charlene R; Staggers, Nancy; Gibson, Bryan; Doing-Harris, Kristina; Barrus, Robyn; Dunlea, Robert

2015-04-16

Effective implementation of a Primary Care Medical Home model of care (PCMH) requires integration of patients' contextual information (physical, mental, social and financial status) into an easily retrievable information source for the healthcare team and clinical decision-making. This project explored clinicians' perceptions about important attributes of contextual information for clinical decision-making, how contextual information is expressed in CPRS clinical documentation as well as how clinicians in a highly computerized environment manage information flow related to these areas. A qualitative design using Cognitive Task Analyses and a modified Critical Incident Technique were used. The study was conducted in a large VA with a fully implemented EHR located in the western United States. Seventeen providers working in a PCMH model of care in Primary Care, Home Based Care and Geriatrics reported on a recent difficult transition requiring contextual information for decision-making. The transcribed interviews were qualitatively analyzed for thematic development related to contextual information using an iterative process and multiple reviewers with ATLAS@ti software. Six overarching themes emerged as attributes of contextual information: Informativeness, goal language, temporality, source attribution, retrieval effort, and information quality. These results indicate that specific attributes are needed to in order for contextual information to fully support clinical decision-making in a Medical Home care delivery environment. Improved EHR designs are needed for ease of contextual information access, displaying linkages across time and settings, and explicit linkages to both clinician and patient goals. Implications relevant to providers' information needs, team functioning and EHR design are discussed.

Online information and support needs of women with advanced breast cancer: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Kemp, Emma; Koczwara, Bogda; Butow, Phyllis; Turner, Jane; Girgis, Afaf; Schofield, Penelope; Hulbert-Williams, Nicholas; Levesque, Janelle; Spence, Danielle; Vatandoust, Sina; Kichenadasse, Ganessan; Roy, Amitesh; Sukumaran, Shawgi; Karapetis, Christos S; Richards, Caroline; Fitzgerald, Michael; Beatty, Lisa

2018-04-24

Women with advanced breast cancer (ABC) face significant adjustment challenges, yet few resources provide them with information and support, and attendance barriers can preclude access to face-to-face psychosocial support. This paper reports on two qualitative studies examining (i) whether information and support-seeking preferences of women with ABC could be addressed in an online intervention, and (ii) how an existing intervention for patients with early stage cancer could be adapted for women with ABC. Women with ABC participated in telephone interviews about their information and support-seeking preferences (N = 21) and evaluated an online intervention focused on early-stage cancer (N = 15). Interviews were transcribed and underwent thematic analysis using the framework method to identify salient themes. Participants most commonly sought medical, lifestyle-related, and practical information/support; however, when presented with an online intervention, participants most commonly gave positive feedback on content on coping with emotional distress. Difficulty finding information and barriers to using common sources of information/support including health professionals, family and friends, and peers were reported; however, some women also reported not wanting information or support. All participants evaluating the existing intervention gave positive feedback on various components, with results suggesting an online intervention could be an effective means of providing information/support to women with ABC, given improved specificity/relevance to ABC and increased tailoring to individual circumstances and preferences. Adaptation of an existing online intervention for early stage cancer appears to be a promising avenue to address the information and support needs of women with ABC.

Transforming Legacy Systems to Obtain Information Superiority

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

is imperative that innovative technologies be developed to enable legacy weapon systems to exploit the information revolution, achieve information ... dominance , and meet the required operational tempo. This paper presents an embedded-system architecture, open system middleware services, and a software

Qualitative data collection and analysis methods: the INSTINCT trial.

PubMed

Meurer, William J; Frederiksen, Shirley M; Majersik, Jennifer J; Zhang, Lingling; Sandretto, Annette; Scott, Phillip A

2007-11-01

Patient care practices often lag behind current scientific evidence and professional guidelines. The failure of such knowledge translation (KT) efforts may reflect inadequate assessment and management of specific barriers confronting both physicians and patients at the point of treatment level. Effective KT in this setting may benefit from the use of qualitative methods to identify and overcome these barriers. Qualitative methodology allows in-depth exploration of the barriers involved in adopting practice change and has been infrequently used in emergency medicine research. The authors describe the methodology for qualitative analysis within the INcreasing Stroke Treatment through INteractive behavioral Change Tactics (INSTINCT) trial. This includes processes for valid data collection and reliable analysis of the textual data from focus group and interview transcripts. INSTINCT is a 24-hospital, randomized, controlled study that is designed to evaluate a system-based barrier assessment and interactive educational intervention to increase appropriate tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) use in ischemic stroke. Intervention hospitals undergo baseline barrier assessment using both qualitative as well as quantitative (survey) techniques. Investigators obtain data on local barriers to tPA use, as well as information on local attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs regarding acute stroke treatment. Targeted groups at each site include emergency physicians, emergency nurses, neurologists, radiologists, and hospital administrators. Transcript analysis using NVivo7 with a predefined barrier taxonomy is described. This will provide both qualitative insight on thrombolytic use and importance of specific barrier types for each site. The qualitative findings subsequently direct the form of professional education efforts and system interventions at treatment sites.

Development of a Method to Obtain More Accurate General and Oral Health Related Information Retrospectively

PubMed Central

A, Golkari; A, Sabokseir; D, Blane; A, Sheiham; RG, Watt

2017-01-01

Statement of Problem: Early childhood is a crucial period of life as it affects one’s future health. However, precise data on adverse events during this period is usually hard to access or collect, especially in developing countries. Objectives: This paper first reviews the existing methods for retrospective data collection in health and social sciences, and then introduces a new method/tool for obtaining more accurate general and oral health related information from early childhood retrospectively. Materials and Methods: The Early Childhood Events Life-Grid (ECEL) was developed to collect information on the type and time of health-related adverse events during the early years of life, by questioning the parents. The validity of ECEL and the accuracy of information obtained by this method were assessed in a pilot study and in a main study of 30 parents of 8 to 11 year old children from Shiraz (Iran). Responses obtained from parents using the final ECEL were compared with the recorded health insurance documents. Results: There was an almost perfect agreement between the health insurance and ECEL data sets (Kappa value=0.95 and p < 0.001). Interviewees remembered the important events more accurately (100% exact timing match in case of hospitalization). Conclusions: The Early Childhood Events Life-Grid method proved to be highly accurate when compared with recorded medical documents. PMID:28959773

Parents' and informal caregivers' views and experiences of communication about routine childhood vaccination: a synthesis of qualitative evidence

PubMed Central

Ames, Heather MR; Glenton, Claire; Lewin, Simon

2017-01-01

Background Childhood vaccination is an effective way to prevent serious childhood illnesses, but many children do not receive all the recommended vaccines. There are various reasons for this; some parents lack access because of poor quality health services, long distances or lack of money. Other parents may not trust vaccines or the healthcare workers who provide them, or they may not see the need for vaccination due to a lack of information or misinformation about how vaccinations work and the diseases they can prevent. Communication with parents about childhood vaccinations is one way of addressing these issues. Communication can take place at healthcare facilities, at home or in the community. Communication can be two-way, for example face-to-face discussions between parents and healthcare providers, or one-way, for instance via text messages, posters or radio programmes. Some types of communication enable parents to actively discuss vaccines and their benefits and harms, as well as diseases they can prevent. Other communication types simply give information about vaccination issues or when and where vaccines are available. People involved in vaccine programmes need to understand how parents experience different types of communication about vaccination and how this influences their decision to vaccinate. Objectives The specific objectives of the review were to identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative studies exploring: parents' and informal caregivers' views and experiences regarding communication about childhood vaccinations and the manner in which it is communicated; and the influence that vaccination communication has on parents' and informal caregivers' decisions regarding childhood vaccination. Search methods We searched MEDLINE (OvidSP), MEDLINE In-process and Other Non-Index Citations (Ovid SP), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EbscoHOST), and Anthropology Plus (EbscoHost) databases for eligible studies from inception to 30 August 2016. We developed search

206: TRACKING THE PATIENT'S RIGHT TO INFORMATION IN IRANIAN PATIENT RIGHT CHARTER FROM THE MEDICAL INFORMATION SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

PubMed Central

Samadi, Soraya; Gavgani, Vahideh Zarea

2017-01-01

Background and aims From the information science perspective making the right information accessible to patients ensures the healthcare promotion and empowers the patient to contribute and involve in his/her healthcare decision making and change. This study aimed at analyzing and visualizing the Iran's Patients Right Charter from the Medical Library and Information Sciences' viewpoints. Methods A mix method of qualitative and quantitative was used to push the study. Content Analyzing and Descriptive method were used to analyze and describe data. It was also benefited the documentary methods to review the related literature in citation databases and gray literatures. And descriptive analysis also was hired to show the share of each concept in total knowledge depiction of Patient's Right to Information. The Iranian patient right charters were reviewed to trace the concept of information/right to information in every Para and articles. The Library Congress Subject Heading (LCHS) was used to extract the equivalent/parallel concepts related to ontology of information in the concept of health and medicine as well as law. All the LCSH based terms were then converted to main categories and subcategories. Patient right charters were reviewed with the LCSH based categories to reveal does the patient right charter include the right to information parameters, and which concepts, Para or articles is supporting right to information? Conclusion Access to the right information at the right time is advocated by ethical and legal issues of clinical governance through the patients' rights. But to execute the patient's rights to information in practice it is essential to create clinical guidelines and to develop rules for information therapy service in Iran.

Advancing the Science of Qualitative Research to Promote Health Equity.

PubMed

Griffith, Derek M; Shelton, Rachel C; Kegler, Michelle

2017-10-01

Qualitative methods have long been a part of health education research, but how qualitative approaches advance health equity has not been well described. Qualitative research is an increasingly important methodologic tool to use in efforts to understand, inform, and advance health equity. Qualitative research provides critical insight into the subjective meaning and context of health that can be essential for understanding where and how to intervene to inform health equity research and practice. We describe the larger context for this special theme issue of Health Education & Behavior, provide brief overviews of the 15 articles that comprise the issue, and discuss the promise of qualitative research that seeks to contextualize and illuminate answers to research questions in efforts to promote health equity. We highlight the critical role that qualitative research can play in considering and incorporating a diverse array of contextual information that is difficult to capture in quantitative research.

Conceptualization and Implementation of the Central Information Portal on Rare Diseases: Protocol for a Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Litzkendorf, Svenja; Hartz, Tobias; Göbel, Jens; Storf, Holger; Pauer, Frédéric; Babac, Ana; Lührs, Verena; Bruckner-Tuderman, Leena; Schauer, Franziska; Schmidtke, Jörg; Biehl, Lisa; Wagner, Tof; Graf von der Schulenburg, J-Matthias; Frank, Martin

2018-05-11

Recently, public and political interest has focused on people living with rare diseases and their health concerns. Due to the large number of different types of rare diseases and the sizable number of patients, taking action to improve the life of those affected is gaining importance. In 2013, the federal government of Germany adopted a national action plan for rare diseases, including the call to establish a central information portal on rare diseases (Zentrales Informationsportal über seltene Erkrankungen, ZIPSE). The objective of this study, therefore, was to conduct scientific research on how such a portal must be designed to meet the needs of patients, their families, and medical professionals, and to provide high-quality information for information seekers. We chose a 3-step procedure to develop a needs-based prototype of a central information portal. In the first step, we determined the information needs of patients with rare diseases, their relatives, and health care professionals by means of qualitative interviews and their content-analytical evaluation. On the basis of this, we developed the basic structure of the portal. In the second step, we identified quality criteria for websites on rare diseases to ensure that the information linked with ZIPSE meets the quality demands. Therefore, we gathered existing criteria catalogs and discussed them in an expert workshop. In the third step, we implemented and tested the developed prototypical information portal. A portal page was configured and made accessible on the Web. The structure of ZIPSE was based on the findings from 108 qualitative interviews with patients, their relatives, and health care professionals, through which numerous information needs were identified. We placed particularly important areas of information, such as symptoms, therapy, research, and advisory services, on the start page. Moreover, we defined 13 quality criteria, referring to factors such as author information, creation date, and

Information needs, sources, and decision-making by hatching egg and broiler chicken producers: A qualitative study in Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Anholt, R Michele; Russell, Margaret; Inglis, Tom; Mitevski, Darko; Hall, David

2017-05-01

Understanding the sources and use of information from hatching egg and broiler chicken producers, their constraints, and unmet information needs can help define future research agendas. This report presents the results from a qualitative study using interviews of 11 hatching egg producers and 12 broiler producers in Alberta, Canada. Patterns were reported and described using thematic analysis. Producers recognized that there were numerous sources of information available to them for managing disease in their flocks. Complex disease issues such as early mortality were discussed, but many producers did not believe they had any influence over the outcomes and did not see a benefit from additional information to improve outcomes. Producers described their experience, trust in the information source, and the usefulness of the information for decision-making as necessary for information uptake.

Information needs, sources, and decision-making by hatching egg and broiler chicken producers: A qualitative study in Alberta, Canada

PubMed Central

Anholt, R. Michele; Russell, Margaret; Inglis, Tom; Mitevski, Darko; Hall, David

2017-01-01

Understanding the sources and use of information from hatching egg and broiler chicken producers, their constraints, and unmet information needs can help define future research agendas. This report presents the results from a qualitative study using interviews of 11 hatching egg producers and 12 broiler producers in Alberta, Canada. Patterns were reported and described using thematic analysis. Producers recognized that there were numerous sources of information available to them for managing disease in their flocks. Complex disease issues such as early mortality were discussed, but many producers did not believe they had any influence over the outcomes and did not see a benefit from additional information to improve outcomes. Producers described their experience, trust in the information source, and the usefulness of the information for decision-making as necessary for information uptake. PMID:28487592

[The use of automated processing of information obtained during space flights for the monitoring and evaluation of airborne pollution].

PubMed

Bagmanov, B Kh; Mikhaĭlova, A Iu; Pavlov, S V

1997-01-01

The article describes experience on use of automated processing of information obtained during spaceflights for analysis of urban air pollution. The authors present a method for processing of information obtained during spaceflights and show how to identify foci of industrial release and area of their spread within and beyond the cities.

A qualitative study to inform the development of a video game for adolescent HIV prevention.

PubMed

Hieftje, Kimberly; Rosenthal, Marjorie S; Camenga, Deepa R; Edelman, E Jennifer; Fiellin, Lynn E

2012-08-10

To inform the development of an interactive video game focused on behavior change to reduce risk and promote HIV prevention in young minority adolescents. We used qualitative methods guided by community-partnered research principles to conduct and analyze 16 individual interviews and six focus groups with 10-15 year old boys and girls (36 unique participants) at a neighborhood-based non-profit organization serving youth from low-resource neighborhoods. We identified three recurring themes. Adolescents report protective factors and facilitators to engaging in risk behaviors including: 1) their personal ability to balance the tension between individuation and group membership; 2) the presence of stable mentor figures in their life; and 3) the neighborhood in which they live. By conducting a qualitative study guided by community-partnered research principles, we identified themes from our target audience that could be translated into a video game-based intervention, including the storyline and character development. These methods may increase the intervention's efficacy at promoting HIV prevention by making them more tailored and relevant to a specific population.

Community pharmacists' perspectives of online health-related information: A qualitative insight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PubMed

See Wan, Ong; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Saleem, Fahad

2017-01-01

The Internet is a resource used by health professionals as well as the public to access health information. Within this context, little is reported on community pharmacists' (CPs') perceptions of online health-related information. The objective of this study was to explore the attitudes of Malaysian CPs towards online health-related information. A qualitative research method was adopted with face-to-face interviews, using a semi-structured interview guide. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit a convenient sample of CPs who were practising in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed by the research team using a thematic content analysis framework. Eleven CPs participated in the study. Participants reported that online health-related information was accessible, useful, fast, and in some respects, the Internet is a unique source of information. It was reported that there was a need to establish websites for trusted information. CPs also reported that training was needed in Internet searching and website evaluation skills. Most information accessed by CPs related to drugs and diseases and to knowledge-based information. Barriers to efficacy of Internet usage were related to the reliability and volume of information available on the Internet. Frequent use of online health-related information among CPs was reported. Many CPs supported the use of the Internet for health-related information but certain reservations were also reported. An analysis of the reasons for information seeking and barriers suggests that a wider range of influences on health information seeking should be investigated.

24 CFR 960.205 - Drug use by applicants: Obtaining information from drug treatment facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

.... This section addresses a PHA's authority to request and obtain information from drug abuse treatment... household member. (2) Drug abuse treatment facility. An entity: (i) That holds itself out as providing, and... consent forms signed by such household member that: (i) Requests any drug abuse treatment facility to...

24 CFR 960.205 - Drug use by applicants: Obtaining information from drug treatment facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... This section addresses a PHA's authority to request and obtain information from drug abuse treatment... household member. (2) Drug abuse treatment facility. An entity: (i) That holds itself out as providing, and... consent forms signed by such household member that: (i) Requests any drug abuse treatment facility to...

24 CFR 960.205 - Drug use by applicants: Obtaining information from drug treatment facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... This section addresses a PHA's authority to request and obtain information from drug abuse treatment... household member. (2) Drug abuse treatment facility. An entity: (i) That holds itself out as providing, and... consent forms signed by such household member that: (i) Requests any drug abuse treatment facility to...

24 CFR 960.205 - Drug use by applicants: Obtaining information from drug treatment facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

.... This section addresses a PHA's authority to request and obtain information from drug abuse treatment... household member. (2) Drug abuse treatment facility. An entity: (i) That holds itself out as providing, and... consent forms signed by such household member that: (i) Requests any drug abuse treatment facility to...

24 CFR 960.205 - Drug use by applicants: Obtaining information from drug treatment facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... This section addresses a PHA's authority to request and obtain information from drug abuse treatment... household member. (2) Drug abuse treatment facility. An entity: (i) That holds itself out as providing, and... consent forms signed by such household member that: (i) Requests any drug abuse treatment facility to...

Use of social media and internet to obtain health information by rural adolescent mothers.

PubMed

Logsdon, M Cynthia; Mittelberg, Meghan; Myers, John

2015-02-01

Adolescent mothers residing in rural areas need accurate health information to care for themselves and their babies. The purpose of this study was to determine the use of social media and Internet by adolescent mothers residing in rural areas, particularly in regard to obtaining health information. Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of adolescent mothers living in a rural county in a state located in the southern U.S. (n = 15), completed the Pew Internet Survey during home visits with nurses from a community health agency. All adolescent mothers accessed Internet using cell phones (93%) or computers (100%). Many adolescent mothers sent or received over 50 text messages per day. Thirty-three percent of adolescent mothers searched for health information on the Internet every few weeks; 27% received health information from Facebook. Communication of health information using the Internet and social media may be effective with adolescent mothers residing in rural areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Qualitative Study on Classroom Management and Classroom Discipline Problems, Reasons, and Solutions: A Case of Information Technologies Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Mehmet; Kursun, Engin; Sisman, Gulcin Tan; Saltan, Fatih; Gok, Ali; Yildiz, Ismail

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate classroom management and discipline problems that Information Technology teachers have faced, and to reveal underlying reasons and possible solutions of these problems by considering the views of parents, teachers, and administrator. This study was designed as qualitative study. Subjects of this study…

40 CFR 1515.10 - What information is available, and how can it be obtained?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... can it be obtained? 1515.10 Section 1515.10 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY... Council on Environmental Quality will permit copying of any available material but will reserve the right... the Freedom of Information Act as amended (5 U.S.C. 552(b)). (c) The legislative history of the...

Preconceptions influence women's perceptions of information on breast cancer screening: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Henriksen, Mikael Johannes Vuokko; Guassora, Ann Dorrit; Brodersen, John

2015-09-03

Screening for breast cancer has been subject to intense debate in recent decades regarding benefits and risks. Participation in breast cancer screening should be based on informed choice, and most countries approach this by sending information leaflets with invitations to attend screening. However, very little attention has been paid to the decision-making process and how the information leaflets are used and understood by women. The aim of this study is twofold. First, we use a theoretical framework to explore how the framing of information influences the intention to participate in breast cancer screening. Second, we discuss how information and attitudes held prior to receiving the invitation influence the perception of the balance between the benefits and risks harms of screening. We used a qualitative design and interviewed six women who were soon to receive their first invitation to participate in the breast screening programme in Denmark. The selected women received a copy of the official information leaflet 1 week before we interviewed them. The six women were interviewed individually using an interview guide based on the theory of planned behaviour. We used meaning condensation for our initial analysis, and further analysis was guided by the theory of cognitive dissonance. For our participants, the decision-making process was dominated by the attitudes of the women's circle of acquaintances and, to a lesser extent, by the information that accompanied the screening invitation. Information that conflicted with attitudes the women already held was actively disregarded. The risk of overdiagnosis as a potentially harmful effect of participation in mammography screening was unknown to the women in our study. An isolated framing effect was not found. Women have expectations about breast cancer screening that are formed before they receive information from the screening programme. These expectations compromise the perception of balance between screening benefits

Perspectives on trauma-informed care from mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Muzik, Maria; Ads, Menatalla; Bonham, Caroline; Lisa Rosenblum, Katherine; Broderick, Amanda; Kirk, Rosalind

2013-12-01

Women who experienced abuse or neglect as children are more likely to have health problems during pregnancy and postpartum, but can be reluctant to seek help due to a lack of trauma-informed services. As part of a larger mixed method study, this component aimed to obtain qualitative data from trauma-exposed new mothers about their health care preferences during the perinatal period with the ultimate goal to design personalized, supportive interventions. Fifty-two trauma-exposed mothers completed a semi-structured interview at seven months postpartum about health care preferences including ideas for programs that promote wellness, thoughts about the influences of being a new mother and possible names for a program serving trauma-exposed mothers. Interviews were transcribed and coded using N-Vivo. Participants described ambivalence about seeking help but also a sincere desire for healing, coupled with hope for the future. This tension was apparent in the discussions highlighting the importance of access to experienced, nonjudgmental, and knowledgeable health and social care staff and volunteers, the wish for both formal, integrated physical and mental health services, and for informal opportunities to meet other trauma-exposed mothers in a non-stigmatizing, child-friendly setting. Finally, positive relationship-building, respect, and safety were identified as key elements of services critical to counteract trauma-related shame and mistrust in others. Services for trauma-exposed mothers should acknowledge the normal ambivalence surrounding seeking help, but promote hope-affirming practices in a family-centered, safe, non-clinical setting that involves children, builds social support, and provides peer interaction. Program names should reflect optimism and healing rather than trauma. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient Perspectives on Online Health Information and Communication With Doctors: A Qualitative Study of Patients 50 Years Old and Over

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background As health care systems around the world shift toward models that emphasize self-care management, there is increasing pressure for patients to obtain health information online. It is critical that patients are able to identify potential problems with using the Internet to diagnose and treat a health issue and that they feel comfortable communicating with their doctor about the health information they acquire from the Internet. Objective Our aim was to examine patient-identified (1) problems with using the Internet to identify and treat a health issue, (2) barriers to communication with a doctor about online health information seeking, and (3) facilitators of communication with a doctor about patient searches for health information on the Internet. Methods For this qualitative exploratory study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 56 adults age 50 years old and over. General concerns regarding use of the Internet to diagnose and treat a health issue were examined separately for participants based on whether they had ever discussed health information obtained through the Internet with a doctor. Discussions about barriers to and facilitators of communication about patient searches for health information on the Internet with a doctor were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Six higher-level general concerns emerged: (1) limitations in own ability, (2) credibility/limitations of online information, (3) anxiety, (4) time consumption, (5) conflict, and (6) non-physical harm. The most prevalent concern raised by participants who communicated with a doctor about their online health information seeking related to the credibility or limitations in online information. Participants who had never communicated with a doctor about their online health information seeking most commonly reported concerns about non-physical harm. Four barriers to communication emerged: (1) concerns about embarrassment, (2) concerns that the doctor doesn’t want

Knowledge representation and qualitative simulation of salmon redd functioning. Part I: qualitative modeling and simulation.

PubMed

Guerrin, F; Dumas, J

2001-02-01

This work aims at representing empirical knowledge of freshwater ecologists on the functioning of salmon redds (spawning areas of salmon) and its impact on mortality of early stages. For this, we use Qsim, a qualitative simulator. In this first part, we provide unfamiliar readers with the underlying qualitative differential equation (QDE) ontology of Qsim: representing quantities, qualitative variables, qualitative constraints, QDE structure. Based on a very simple example taken of the salmon redd application, we show how informal biological knowledge may be represented and simulated using an approach that was first intended to analyze qualitatively ordinary differential equations systems. A companion paper (Part II) gives the full description and simulation of the salmon redd qualitative model. This work was part of a project aimed at assessing the impact of the environment on salmon populations dynamics by the use of models of processes acting at different levels: catchment, river, and redds. Only the latter level is dealt with in this paper.

25 CFR 1000.73 - Once a Tribe/Consortium has been awarded a grant, may the Tribe/Consortium obtain information...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Once a Tribe/Consortium has been awarded a grant, may the Tribe/Consortium obtain information from a non-BIA bureau? 1000.73 Section 1000.73 Indians OFFICE OF THE... § 1000.73 Once a Tribe/Consortium has been awarded a grant, may the Tribe/Consortium obtain information...

Information retrieval pathways for health information exchange in multiple care settings.

PubMed

Kierkegaard, Patrick; Kaushal, Rainu; Vest, Joshua R

2014-11-01

To determine which health information exchange (HIE) technologies and information retrieval pathways healthcare professionals relied on to meet their information needs in the context of laboratory test results, radiological images and reports, and medication histories. Primary data was collected over a 2-month period across 3 emergency departments, 7 primary care practices, and 2 public health clinics in New York state. Qualitative research methods were used to collect and analyze data from semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The study reveals that healthcare professionals used a complex combination of information retrieval pathways for HIE to obtain clinical information from external organizations. The choice for each approach was setting- and information-specific, but was also highly dynamic across users and their information needs. Our findings about the complex nature of information sharing in healthcare provide insights for informatics professionals about the usage of information; indicate the need for managerial support within each organization; and suggest approaches to improve systems for organizations and agencies working to expand HIE adoption.

Communicating Risks and Benefits in Informed Consent for Research: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Nusbaum, Lika; Douglas, Brenda; Damus, Karla; Paasche-Orlow, Michael; Estrella-Luna, Neenah

2017-01-01

Multiple studies have documented major limitations in the informed consent process for the recruitment of clinical research participants. One challenging aspect of this process is successful communication of risks and benefits to potential research participants. This study explored the opinions and attitudes of informed consent experts about conveying risks and benefits to inform the development of a survey about the perspectives of research nurses who are responsible for obtaining informed consent for clinical trials. The major themes identified were strategies for risks and benefits communication, ensuring comprehension, and preparation for the role of the consent administrator. From the experts’ perspective, inadequate education and training of the research staff responsible for informed consent process contribute to deficiencies in the informed consent process and risks and benefits communication. Inconsistencies in experts’ opinions and critique of certain widely used communication practices require further consideration and additional research. PMID:28975139

A descriptive review of qualitative studies in first episode psychosis.

PubMed

Boydell, Katherine M; Stasiulis, Elaine; Volpe, Tiziana; Gladstone, Brenda

2010-02-01

The aim of this paper is to provide a descriptive review of published qualitative research studies on first episode psychosis (FEP). A review was undertaken to describe the findings of qualitative studies in early psychosis. Keyword searches in Medline, CINAHL, ASSIA, PsychINFO databases, as well as manual searches of other relevant journals and reference lists of primary papers, were conducted. Thirty-one qualitative papers (representing 27 discrete studies) were identified. The majority reported research concerning young people based in community settings. The research studies were organized according to the following generic social processes: (i) achieving identity; (ii) acquiring perspectives; (iii) doing activity; and, (iv) experiencing relationships. The papers reviewed are based on first-person accounts obtained from individuals who have experienced FEP, their family members and service providers. This descriptive review contributes to our understanding of the complex social processes of achieving identity, acquiring perspectives, doing activities and developing relationships as experienced by young people and the significant others in their world. The cumulative findings highlight the contextually rich and detailed information made possible through qualitative studies of FEP. They begin to account for the active engagement of individuals affected by psychosis in making sense of their experience and suggest that this experience should be understood from within young people's own framework of meaning.

Informal teacher communities enhancing the professional development of medical teachers: a qualitative study.

PubMed

van Lankveld, Thea; Schoonenboom, Judith; Kusurkar, Rashmi; Beishuizen, Jos; Croiset, Gerda; Volman, Monique

2016-04-14

Informal peer learning is a particularly powerful form of learning for medical teachers, although it does not always occur automatically in the departments of medical schools. In this article, the authors explore the role of teacher communities in enhancing informal peer learning among undergraduate medical teachers. Teacher communities are groups of teachers who voluntarily gather on a regular basis to develop and share knowledge. Outside of medical education, these informal teacher communities have proved to be an effective means of enhancing peer learning of academic teachers. The processes underlying this outcome are, however, not known. This study therefore aims to explore the processes that make informal teacher communities effective in supporting peer learning of teachers. A qualitative study was performed at a Dutch medical school, where a student-centred undergraduate curriculum had recently been introduced. As part of this curriculum, tutors are segregated into separate specialty areas and thus have only limited opportunities for informal learning with other tutors. The authors followed two informal teacher communities aimed at supporting these tutors. They observed the interactions within the teacher communities and held semi-structured interviews with ten of the participants. The observation notes and interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The informal teacher communities allowed the tutors to engage in a dialogue with colleagues and share questions, solutions, and interpretations. The teacher communities also provided opportunities to explicate tacit expertise, which helped the tutors to develop an idea of their role and form a frame of reference for their own experiences. Furthermore, the communities enhanced the tutors' sense of belonging. The tutors felt more secure in their role and they felt valued by the organisation due to the teacher communities. This study shows that informal teacher communities not only support the professional

Developing written information on osteoarthritis for patients: facilitating user involvement by exposure to qualitative research

PubMed Central

Grime, Janet; Dudley, Brian

2011-01-01

Abstract Introduction  In developing a guidebook on osteoarthritis (OA), we collaborated with people who have chronic joint pain (users). But to advise, users need to be aware of and sensitive about their own state of knowledge and educationalists argue that adults sometimes lack such awareness. This paper will report on our experience of providing users with findings from qualitative research to increase awareness of their level of knowledge. Method  A summary of the results from qualitative research into people’s experiences of living with chronic pain was sent to individual members of two groups of users. It was then used to structure group meetings held to help identify information needed for the guidebook. Findings  Some users found the summary difficult to read and suggested how to simplify it. Nevertheless, it helped most users to become aware of the experiences and views of others who have OA and thus become more sensitive to their own level of knowledge. It also helped them recall experiences that stimulated practical suggestions for managing joint pain in everyday life and provided a way of gently challenging the views of users when they appeared to assume that their views were widely held. The discussions brought to light gaps in the research literature. Conclusion  We believe this way of involving users by exposing them to qualitative research findings about lay experiences of living with OA effectively facilitated the users’ contributions to the needs of those who have to live with OA, and we believe it has wider applications. PMID:22070445

Talking and Thinking about Qualitative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Carolyn; Bochner, Arthur; Denzin, Norman; Lincoln, Yvonna; Morse, Janice; Pelias, Ronald; Richardson, Laurel

2008-01-01

This script comes from an edited transcript of a session titled "Talking and Thinking About Qualitative Research," which was part of the 2006 International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on May 4-6, 2006. This special session featured scholars informally responding to questions about their…

Criteria for quantitative and qualitative data integration: mixed-methods research methodology.

PubMed

Lee, Seonah; Smith, Carrol A M

2012-05-01

Many studies have emphasized the need and importance of a mixed-methods approach for evaluation of clinical information systems. However, those studies had no criteria to guide integration of multiple data sets. Integrating different data sets serves to actualize the paradigm that a mixed-methods approach argues; thus, we require criteria that provide the right direction to integrate quantitative and qualitative data. The first author used a set of criteria organized from a literature search for integration of multiple data sets from mixed-methods research. The purpose of this article was to reorganize the identified criteria. Through critical appraisal of the reasons for designing mixed-methods research, three criteria resulted: validation, complementarity, and discrepancy. In applying the criteria to empirical data of a previous mixed methods study, integration of quantitative and qualitative data was achieved in a systematic manner. It helped us obtain a better organized understanding of the results. The criteria of this article offer the potential to produce insightful analyses of mixed-methods evaluations of health information systems.

Using quantitative risk information in decisions about statins: a qualitative study in a community setting.

PubMed

Polak, Louisa; Green, Judith

2015-04-01

A large literature informs guidance for GPs about communicating quantitative risk information so as to facilitate shared decision making. However, relatively little has been written about how patients utilise such information in practice. To understand the role of quantitative risk information in patients' accounts of decisions about taking statins. This was a qualitative study, with participants recruited and interviewed in community settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 participants aged >50 years, all of whom had been offered statins. Data were analysed thematically, using elements of the constant comparative method. Interviewees drew frequently on numerical test results to explain their decisions about preventive medication. In contrast, they seldom mentioned quantitative risk information, and never offered it as a rationale for action. Test results were spoken of as objects of concern despite an often-explicit absence of understanding, so lack of understanding seems unlikely to explain the non-use of risk estimates. Preventive medication was seen as 'necessary' either to treat test results, or because of personalised, unequivocal advice from a doctor. This study's findings call into question the assumption that people will heed and use numerical risk information once they understand it; these data highlight the need to consider the ways in which different kinds of knowledge are used in practice in everyday contexts. There was little evidence from this study that understanding probabilistic risk information was a necessary or valued condition for making decisions about statin use. © British Journal of General Practice 2015.

A qualitative analysis of Māori and Pacific smokers' views on informed choice and smoking

PubMed Central

Gifford, Heather; Tautolo, El-Shadan; Erick, Stephanie; Hoek, Janet; Gray, Rebecca; Edwards, Richard

2016-01-01

Objectives Tobacco companies frame smoking as an informed choice, a strategy that holds individuals responsible for harms they incur. Few studies have tested this argument, and even fewer have examined how informed indigenous smokers or those from minority ethnicities are when they start smoking. We explored how young adult Māori and Pacific smokers interpreted ‘informed choice’ in relation to smoking. Participants Using recruitment via advertising, existing networks and word of mouth, we recruited and undertook qualitative in-depth interviews with 20 Māori and Pacific young adults aged 18–26 years who smoked. Analyses Data were analysed using an informed-choice framework developed by Chapman and Liberman. We used a thematic analysis approach to identify themes that extended this framework. Results Few participants considered themselves well informed and none met more than the framework's initial two criteria. Most reflected on their unthinking uptake and subsequent addiction, and identified environmental factors that had facilitated uptake. Nonetheless, despite this context, most agreed that they had made an informed choice to smoke. Conclusions The discrepancy between participants' reported knowledge and understanding of smoking's risks, and their assessment of smoking as an informed choice, reflects their view of smoking as a symbol of adulthood. Policies that make tobacco more difficult to use in social settings could help change social norms around smoking and the ease with which initiation and addiction currently occur. PMID:27188813

A qualitative study on the use of personal information technology by persons with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Mattar, Andrew A G; Hitzig, Sander L; McGillivray, Colleen F

2015-01-01

Previous work has shown that information technology (IT), such as personal computers and other digital devices (e.g. tablets, laptops, etc.), software, online resources and hand-held communication tools (e.g. cellphones), has benefits for health and well-being for persons with chronic health conditions. To date, the ways that persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) use IT in their daily activities has not been fully explored. Thus, the purpose of the study was to obtain an in-depth perspective of how people with SCI regularly use IT to gain insight on ways IT can be used to support health and well-being in the community for this population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with community-dwelling persons with SCI (N = 10) who identified themselves as frequent-or-daily-users of IT. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify the ways that persons with SCI use personal IT. Ten themes related to IT use were identified: (1) Modifications allowing access to IT; (2) Convenience of IT and its perceived value; (3) IT as a scheduler/planner; (4) Challenges; (5) Contributions of IT to participation; (6) Access to information; (7) Influence of IT on well-being; (8) IT as a connector; (9) Issues of IT acquisition; and (10) Desires for future devices/technology. The findings suggest that IT use by people with SCI contributes to general health and well-being, by increasing access to SCI-related health information and opportunity for social participation. Despite the benefits offered by IT, persons with SCI have identified a degree of skepticism about the reliability and applicability of the health information they find online. Future work on developing and implementing IT for health and well-being post-SCI should take into account consumers' perspectives to facilitate uptake. Implications for Rehabilitation There is a need for a more refined understanding of how people with spinal cord injury (SCI) use information technology (IT) in their daily lives in order to

The Survey of Fires in Buildings. Third Report: The Use of Information Obtained From Fire Surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silcock, A.

1973-01-01

The previous two reports in this series gave details of the general. scope of the pilot exercise and methods by which it was carried out. In addition the nature of the information obtained was illustrated by preliminary analyses of the house and industrial fires surveyed. Some brief comments on the use of the information were made. This report indicates a method of assessing the nation wide effects of applying conclusions drawn from the results of limited numbers of surveys and considers the use of the information for specific purposes.

Help-seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support.

PubMed

Evans, Maggie A; Feder, Gene S

2016-02-01

Informal and formal support for women experiencing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) can improve safety and health outcomes. There has been little qualitative work on the role of both pathways to support and women's experiences of disclosing their experience of DVA in different contexts. This qualitative study used repeat interviews with women survivors of DVA to explore their pathways to support and their experiences of barriers and facilitators to disclosure and help-seeking. Thirty-one women seeking help from specialist DVA agencies in the UK were interviewed twice over 5 months. Women recounted long journeys of ambivalence, often only disclosing abuse after leaving the perpetrator. Access to specialist support rarely came via general practitioners, despite high levels of consulting for anxious and depressed feelings, and was more often facilitated by police or housing agencies following a crisis such as assault. Informal disclosure only led to specialist help if the family member or friend themselves had experience or knowledge of DVA. Women experiencing DVA need earlier access to specialized DVA services. Many women needed an 'enabler' to facilitate access, but once this contact was made, disclosure to other professionals or to family and friends was legitimized in the eyes of the women. Safely accessible publicity about DVA services and an appropriate response from social and health-care professionals should be promoted, including support for women disclosing DVA to take action on the information they receive about services. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evidence-informed decision-making by professionals working in addiction agencies serving women: a descriptive qualitative study.

PubMed

Jack, Susan M; Dobbins, Maureen; Sword, Wendy; Novotna, Gabriela; Brooks, Sandy; Lipman, Ellen L; Niccols, Alison

2011-11-07

Effective approaches to the prevention and treatment of substance abuse among mothers have been developed but not widely implemented. Implementation studies suggest that the adoption of evidence-based practices in the field of addictions remains low. There is a need, therefore, to better understand decision making processes in addiction agencies in order to develop more effective approaches to promote the translation of knowledge gained from addictions research into clinical practice. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted to explore: 1) the types and sources of evidence used to inform practice-related decisions within Canadian addiction agencies serving women; 2) how decision makers at different levels report using research evidence; and 3) factors that influence evidence-informed decision making. A purposeful sample of 26 decision-makers providing addiction treatment services to women completed in-depth qualitative interviews. Interview data were coded and analyzed using directed and summative content analysis strategies as well as constant comparison techniques. Across all groups, individuals reported locating and using multiple types of evidence to inform decisions. Some decision-makers rely on their experiential knowledge of addiction and recovery in decision-making. Research evidence is often used directly in decision-making at program management and senior administrative levels. Information for decision-making is accessed from a range of sources, including web-based resources and experts in the field. Individual and organizational facilitators and barriers to using research evidence in decision making were identified. There is support at administrative levels for integrating EIDM in addiction agencies. Knowledge transfer and exchange strategies should be focussed towards program managers and administrators and include capacity building for locating, appraising and using research evidence, knowledge brokering, and for partnering with universities

Evidence-informed decision-making by professionals working in addiction agencies serving women: a descriptive qualitative study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Effective approaches to the prevention and treatment of substance abuse among mothers have been developed but not widely implemented. Implementation studies suggest that the adoption of evidence-based practices in the field of addictions remains low. There is a need, therefore, to better understand decision making processes in addiction agencies in order to develop more effective approaches to promote the translation of knowledge gained from addictions research into clinical practice. Methods A descriptive qualitative study was conducted to explore: 1) the types and sources of evidence used to inform practice-related decisions within Canadian addiction agencies serving women; 2) how decision makers at different levels report using research evidence; and 3) factors that influence evidence-informed decision making. A purposeful sample of 26 decision-makers providing addiction treatment services to women completed in-depth qualitative interviews. Interview data were coded and analyzed using directed and summative content analysis strategies as well as constant comparison techniques. Results Across all groups, individuals reported locating and using multiple types of evidence to inform decisions. Some decision-makers rely on their experiential knowledge of addiction and recovery in decision-making. Research evidence is often used directly in decision-making at program management and senior administrative levels. Information for decision-making is accessed from a range of sources, including web-based resources and experts in the field. Individual and organizational facilitators and barriers to using research evidence in decision making were identified. Conclusions There is support at administrative levels for integrating EIDM in addiction agencies. Knowledge transfer and exchange strategies should be focussed towards program managers and administrators and include capacity building for locating, appraising and using research evidence, knowledge brokering, and

Building qualitative study design using nursing's disciplinary epistemology.

PubMed

Thorne, Sally; Stephens, Jennifer; Truant, Tracy

2016-02-01

To discuss the implications of drawing on core nursing knowledge as theoretical scaffolding for qualitative nursing enquiry. Although nurse scholars have been using qualitative methods for decades, much of their methodological direction derives from conventional approaches developed for answering questions in the social sciences. The quality of available knowledge to inform practice can be enhanced through the selection of study design options informed by an appreciation for the nature of nursing knowledge. Discussion paper. Drawing on the body of extant literature dealing with nursing's theoretical and qualitative research traditions, we consider contextual factors that have shaped the application of qualitative research approaches in nursing, including prior attempts to align method with the structure and form of disciplinary knowledge. On this basis, we critically reflect on design considerations that would follow logically from core features associated with a nursing epistemology. The substantive knowledge used by nurses to inform their practice includes both aspects developed at the level of the general and also that which pertains to application in the unique context of the particular. It must be contextually relevant to a fluid and dynamic healthcare environment and adaptable to distinctive patient conditions. Finally, it must align with nursing's moral mandate and action imperative. Qualitative research design components informed by nursing's disciplinary epistemology will help ensure a logical line of reasoning in our enquiries that remains true to the nature and structure of practice knowledge. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Patient information and emotional needs across the hip osteoarthritis continuum: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Brembo, Espen Andreas; Kapstad, Heidi; Eide, Tom; Månsson, Lukas; Van Dulmen, Sandra; Eide, Hilde

2016-03-12

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis worldwide, affecting a growing number of people in the ageing populations. Currently, it affects about 50 % of all people over 65 years of age. There are no disease-modifying treatments for OA; hence preference-sensitive treatment options include symptom reduction, self-management and surgical joint replacement for suitable individuals. People have both ethical and legal rights to be informed about treatment choices and to actively participate in decision-making. Individuals have different needs; they differ in their ability to understand and make use of the provided information and to sustain behaviour change-dependent treatments over time. As a part of a larger research project that aims to develop and test a web-based support tool for patients with hip OA, this paper is a qualitative in-depth study to investigate patients' need for information and their personal emotional needs. We invited 13 patients to participate in individual interviews, which were audiotaped. The audio-tapes were transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. The thematic analysis revealed a pattern of patients' information and emotional needs, captured in several key questions relevant to the different stages of the disease experience. Based on these results and research literature, we developed a model illustrating the patients' disease experience and treatment continuum. Six phases with accompanying key questions were identified, displaying how patients information and emotional needs arise and change in line with the progression of the disease experience, the clinical encounters and the decision-making process. We also identified and included in the model an alternative route that bypasses the surgical treatment option. Patients with hip OA are in great need of information both at the time of diagnosis and further throughout the disease development and care continuum. Lack of information may

78 FR 72092 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-02

... quantitative studies. Focus groups serve the narrowly defined need for direct and informal opinion on a specific topic and as a qualitative research tool have three major purposes: To obtain information that is useful for developing variables and measures for quantitative studies, To better understand people's...

Toward Obtaining Reliable Particulate Air Quality Information from Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strawa, A. W.; Chatfield, R. B.; Legg, M.; Esswein, R.; Justice, E.

2009-12-01

Air quality agencies use ground sites to monitor air quality, providing accurate information at particular points. Using measurements from satellite imagery has the potential to provide air quality information in a timely manner with better spatial resolution and at a lower cost that can also useful for model validation. While previous studies show acceptable correlations between Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) derived from MODIS and surface Particulate Matter (PM) measurements on the eastern US, the data do not correlate well in the western US (Al-Saadi et al., 2005; Engle-Cox et al., 2004) . This paper seeks to improve the AOD-PM correlations by using advanced statistical analysis techniques. Our study area is the San Joaquin Valley in California because air quality in this region has failed to meet state and federal attainment standards for PM for the past several years. A previous investigation found good correlation of the AOD values between MODIS, MISR and AERONET, but poor correlations (R2 ~ 0.02) between satellite-based AOD and surface PM2.5 measurements. PM2.5 measurements correlated somewhat better (R2 ~ 0.18) with MODIS-derived AOD using the Deep Blue surface reflectance algorithm (Hsu et al., 2006) rather than the standard MODIS algorithm. This level of correlation is not adequate for reliable air quality measurements. Pelletier et al. (2007) used generalized additive models (GAMs) and meteorological data to improve the correlation between PM and AERONET AOD in western Europe. Additive models are more flexible than linear models and the functional relationships can be plotted to give a sense of the relationship between the predictor and the response. In this paper we use GAMs to improve surface PM2.5 to MODIS-AOD correlations. For example, we achieve an R2 ~ 0.44 using a GAM that includes the Deep Blue AOD, and day of year as parameters. Including NOx observations, improves the R2 ~ 0.64. Surprisingly Ångström exponent did not prove to be a significant

Fertility-related knowledge and information-seeking behaviour among people of reproductive age: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hammarberg, Karin; Zosel, Rebecca; Comoy, Caroline; Robertson, Sarah; Holden, Carol; Deeks, Mandy; Johnson, Louise

2017-06-01

Some potentially modifiable factors adversely affect fertility and pregnancy health. To inform a fertility health promotion programme, this study investigated fertility knowledge and information-seeking behaviour among people of reproductive age. This was a qualitative study involving six focus group discussions with women and men who intended to have children in the future and eight paired interviews with couples who were actively trying to conceive. Participants (n = 74) themselves generally claimed 'low' to 'average' levels of knowledge about fertility. Most of them overestimated women's reproductive lifespan and had limited knowledge about the 'fertile window' of the menstrual cycle. The Internet was a common source of fertility-related information and social media was viewed as a potential effective avenue for dissemination of messages about fertility and how to protect it. Most participants agreed that primary health care providers, such as general practitioners (GPs), are well placed to provide information regarding fertility and pregnancy health. This study identified several gaps in knowledge among people of reproductive age about factors that influence fertility and pregnancy health negatively. Addressing these knowledge gaps in school curricula, primary care and health promotion would assist people to realize their reproductive goals and reduce the risk of infertility and adverse obstetric outcomes.

Principles of qualitative analysis in the chromatographic context.

PubMed

Valcárcel, M; Cárdenas, S; Simonet, B M; Carrillo-Carrión, C

2007-07-27

This article presents the state of the art of qualitative analysis in the framework of the chromatographic analysis. After establishing the differences between two main classes of qualitative analysis (analyte identification and sample classification/qualification) the particularities of instrumental qualitative analysis are commented on. Qualitative chromatographic analysis for sample classification/qualification through the so-called chromatographic fingerprint (for complex samples) or the volatiles profile (through the direct coupling headspace-mass spectrometry using the chromatograph as interface) is discussed. Next, more technical exposition of the qualitative chromatographic information is presented supported by a variety of representative examples.

Patients’ Need for Tailored Comparative Health Care Information: A Qualitative Study on Choosing a Hospital

PubMed Central

Zwijnenberg, Nicolien C; Bloemendal, Evelien; Damman, Olga C; de Jong, Judith D; Delnoij, Diana MJ; Rademakers, Jany JD

2016-01-01

Background The Internet is increasingly being used to provide patients with information about the quality of care of different health care providers. Although online comparative health care information is widely available internationally, and patients have been shown to be interested in this information, its effect on patients’ decision making is still limited. Objective This study aimed to explore patients’ preferences regarding information presentation and their values concerning tailored comparative health care information. Meeting patients’ information presentation needs might increase the perceived relevance and use of the information. Methods A total of 38 people participated in 4 focus groups. Comparative health care information about hip and knee replacement surgery was used as a case example. One part of the interview focused on patients’ information presentation preferences, whereas the other part focused on patients’ values of tailored information (ie, showing reviews of patients with comparable demographics). The qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Results The following themes were deduced from the transcripts: number of health care providers to be presented, order in which providers are presented, relevancy of tailoring patient reviews, and concerns about tailoring. Participants’ preferences differed concerning how many and in which order health care providers must be presented. Most participants had no interest in patient reviews that were shown for specific subgroups based on age, gender, or ethnicity. Concerns of tailoring were related to the representativeness of results and the complexity of information. A need for information about the medical specialist when choosing a hospital was stressed by several participants. Conclusions The preferences for how comparative health care information should be presented differ between people. “Information on demand” and information

A qualitative feasibility study to inform a randomised controlled trial of fluid bolus therapy in septic shock

PubMed Central

O’Hara, Caitlin B; Canter, Ruth R; Mouncey, Paul R; Carter, Anjali; Jones, Nicola; Nadel, Simon; Peters, Mark J; Lyttle, Mark D; Harrison, David A; Rowan, Kathryn M; Inwald, David; Woolfall, Kerry

2018-01-01

Objective The Fluids in Shock (FiSh) Trial proposes to evaluate whether restrictive fluid bolus therapy (10 mL/kg) is more beneficial than current recommended practice (20 mL/kg) in the resuscitation of children with septic shock in the UK. This qualitative feasibility study aimed to explore acceptability of the FiSh Trial, including research without prior consent (RWPC), potential barriers to recruitment and participant information for a pilot trial. Design Qualitative interview study involving parents of children who had presented to a UK emergency department or been admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit with severe infection in the previous 3 years. Participants Twenty-one parents (seven bereaved) were interviewed 16 (median) months since their child’s hospital admission (range: 1–41). Results All parents said they would have provided consent for the use of their child’s data in the FiSh Trial. The majority were unfamiliar with RWPC, yet supported its use. Parents were initially concerned about the change from currently recommended treatment, yet were reassured by explanations of the current evidence base, fluid bolus therapy and monitoring procedures. Parents made recommendations about the timing of the research discussion and content of participant information. Bereaved parents stated that recruiters should not discuss research immediately after a child’s death, but supported a personalised postal ‘opt-out’ approach to consent. Conclusions Findings show that parents whose child has experienced severe infection supported the proposed FiSh Trial, including the use of RWPC. Parents’ views informed the development of the pilot trial protocol and site staff training. Trial registration number ISRCTN15244462—results. PMID:28847877

Qualitative methods in environmental health research.

PubMed Central

Brown, Phil

2003-01-01

Public health researchers increasingly turn to qualitative methods either on their own or in combination with quantitative methods. Qualitative methods are especially important to community environmental health research, as they provide a way to produce community narratives that give voice to individuals and characterize the community in a full and complex fashion. This article first traces the legacy of qualitative research in environmental health, then uses a case study of the author's experiences studying the Woburn, Massachusetts, childhood leukemia cluster to provide personal and scholarly insights on qualitative approaches. That material then informs a discussion of important components of qualitative methods in environmental health research, including flexible study design, access, trust, empathy, and personal shifts in the researcher's worldview, bias, and the nature of the researcher's roles. A concluding discussion addresses issues in funding policy and research practices. PMID:14594634

"I want to know everything": a qualitative study of perspectives from patients with chronic diseases on sharing health information during hospitalization.

PubMed

Benham-Hutchins, Marge; Staggers, Nancy; Mackert, Michael; Johnson, Alisha H; deBronkart, Dave

2017-08-04

Patient-centered care promotes the inclusion of the most prominent and important member of the health care team, the patient, as an active participant in information exchange and decision making. Patient self-management of a chronic disease requires the patient to bridge the gap between multiple care settings and providers. Hospitalizations often disrupt established self-management routines. Access to medical information during hospitalization reflects patients' rights to partner in their own care and has the potential to improve self-management as well as promote informed decision making during and after hospitalization. The objectives of this study were to elicit the perspectives of patients with chronic disease about desired medical information content and access during hospitalization. This exploratory study incorporated a qualitative approach. The online survey included the research team created open and limited response survey, demographic and hospital characteristic questions, and the Patient Activation Measurement instrument (PAM®). Convenience and social media snowball sampling were used to recruit participants through patient support groups, email invitations, listservs, and blogs. The research team employed descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis techniques. The study sample (n = 34) ranged in age from 20 to 76 (μ = 48; SD = 16.87), Caucasian (91%, n = 31), female (88%, n = 30) and very highly educated (64%, n = 22 were college graduates). The PAM® survey revealed a highly activated sample. Qualitative analysis of the open-ended question responses resulted in six themes: Caring for myself; I want to know everything; Include me during handoff and rounds; What I expect; You're not listening; and Tracking my health information. This study revealed that hospitalized patients want to be included in provider discussions, such as nursing bedside handoff and medical rounds. Only a few participants had smooth transitions from

Qualitative model-based diagnosis using possibility theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joslyn, Cliff

1994-01-01

The potential for the use of possibility in the qualitative model-based diagnosis of spacecraft systems is described. The first sections of the paper briefly introduce the Model-Based Diagnostic (MBD) approach to spacecraft fault diagnosis; Qualitative Modeling (QM) methodologies; and the concepts of possibilistic modeling in the context of Generalized Information Theory (GIT). Then the necessary conditions for the applicability of possibilistic methods to qualitative MBD, and a number of potential directions for such an application, are described.

Ethical issues in public health surveillance: a systematic qualitative review.

PubMed

Klingler, Corinna; Silva, Diego Steven; Schuermann, Christopher; Reis, Andreas Alois; Saxena, Abha; Strech, Daniel

2017-04-04

Public health surveillance is not ethically neutral and yet, ethics guidance and training for surveillance programmes is sparse. Development of ethics guidance should be based on comprehensive and transparently derived overviews of ethical issues and arguments. However, existing overviews on surveillance ethics are limited in scope and in how transparently they derived their results. Our objective was accordingly to provide an overview of ethical issues in public health surveillance; in addition, to list the arguments put forward with regards to arguably the most contested issue in surveillance, that is whether to obtain informed consent. Ethical issues were defined based on principlism. We assumed an ethical issue to arise in surveillance when a relevant normative principle is not adequately considered or two principles come into conflict. We searched Pubmed and Google Books for relevant publications. We analysed and synthesized the data using qualitative content analysis. Our search strategy retrieved 525 references of which 83 were included in the analysis. We identified 86 distinct ethical issues arising in the different phases of the surveillance life-cycle. We further identified 20 distinct conditions that make it more or less justifiable to forego informed consent procedures. This is the first systematic qualitative review of ethical issues in public health surveillance resulting in a comprehensive ethics matrix that can inform guidelines, reports, strategy papers, and educational material and raise awareness among practitioners.

Improving the interface between informal carers and formal health and social services: a qualitative study.

PubMed

McPherson, K M; Kayes, N K; Moloczij, N; Cummins, C

2014-03-01

Reports about the impact of caring vary widely, but a consistent finding is that the role is influenced (for better or worse) by how formal services respond to, and work with informal carers and of course the cared for person. We aimed to explore the connection between informal and formal cares and identify how a positive connection or interface might be developed and maintained. We undertook a qualitative descriptive study with focus groups and individual interviews with informal carers, formal care service providers and representatives from carer advocacy groups. Content analysis was used to identify key factors impacting on the interface between informal and formal carers and propose specific recommendations for service development. Community setting including urban and rural areas of New Zealand. Seventy participants (the majority informal carers) took part in 13 focus groups and 22 individual interviews. Four key themes were derived: Quality of care for the care recipient; Knowledge exchange (valuing carer perspectives); One size does not fit all (creating flexible services); and A constant struggle (reducing the burden services add). An optimum interface to address these key areas was proposed. In addition to ensuring quality care for the care recipient, specific structures and processes to support a more positive interface appear warranted if informal carers and services are to work well together. An approach recognising the caring context and carer expertise may decrease the additional burden services contribute, and reduce conflicting information and resultant confusion and/or frustration many carers experience. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A qualitative analysis of Māori and Pacific smokers' views on informed choice and smoking.

PubMed

Gifford, Heather; Tautolo, El-Shadan; Erick, Stephanie; Hoek, Janet; Gray, Rebecca; Edwards, Richard

2016-05-17

Tobacco companies frame smoking as an informed choice, a strategy that holds individuals responsible for harms they incur. Few studies have tested this argument, and even fewer have examined how informed indigenous smokers or those from minority ethnicities are when they start smoking. We explored how young adult Māori and Pacific smokers interpreted 'informed choice' in relation to smoking. Using recruitment via advertising, existing networks and word of mouth, we recruited and undertook qualitative in-depth interviews with 20 Māori and Pacific young adults aged 18-26 years who smoked. Data were analysed using an informed-choice framework developed by Chapman and Liberman. We used a thematic analysis approach to identify themes that extended this framework. Few participants considered themselves well informed and none met more than the framework's initial two criteria. Most reflected on their unthinking uptake and subsequent addiction, and identified environmental factors that had facilitated uptake. Nonetheless, despite this context, most agreed that they had made an informed choice to smoke. The discrepancy between participants' reported knowledge and understanding of smoking's risks, and their assessment of smoking as an informed choice, reflects their view of smoking as a symbol of adulthood. Policies that make tobacco more difficult to use in social settings could help change social norms around smoking and the ease with which initiation and addiction currently occur. 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/

Patient and carer experience of obtaining regular prescribed medication for chronic disease in the English National Health Service: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The increasing burden of chronic disease is recognised globally. Within the English National Health Service, patients with chronic disease comprise of half of all consultations in primary care, and 70% of inpatient bed days. The cost of prescribing long-term medications for those with physical chronic diseases is rising and there is a drive to reduce medicine wastage and costs. While current policies in England are focused on the latter, there has been little previous research on patient experience of ordering and obtaining regular medication for their chronic disease. This paper presents findings from England of a qualitative study and survey of patients and their carers’ experiences of community and primary care based services for physical chronic diseases. Although not the primary focus of the study, the results highlighted particular issues around service delivery of repeat prescriptions. Methods We conducted 21 qualitative in-depth interviews with 30 patients and family carers’ in two Primary Care Trusts in England. Participants were receiving community based care for diabetes, respiratory, neurological or complex co-morbidities, and ranged in age from 39–92 years old. We used a broadly inductive approach to enable themes around patient experience to emerge from the data. Results While the study sought to gain an overview of patient experience, the findings suggested that the processes associated with ordering and obtaining regular medication – the repeat prescription, was most frequently described as a recurring hassle of managing a long-term condition. Issues for patients and carers included multiple journeys to the surgery and pharmacy, lack of synchrony and dissatisfaction with the length of prescriptions. Conclusion Much literature exists around medication waste and cost, which led to encouragement from the NHS in England to reduce dosage units to a 28-day supply. While there has been an acknowledgement that longer supplies may be

Transforming Verbal Counts in Reports of Qualitative Descriptive Studies Into Numbers

PubMed Central

Chang, YunKyung; Voils, Corrine I.; Sandelowski, Margarete; Hasselblad, Vic; Crandell, Jamie L.

2009-01-01

Reports of qualitative studies typically do not offer much information on the numbers of respondents linked to any one finding. This information may be especially useful in reports of basic, or minimally interpretive, qualitative descriptive studies focused on surveying a range of experiences in a target domain, and its lack may limit the ability to synthesize the results of such studies with quantitative results in systematic reviews. Accordingly, the authors illustrate strategies for deriving plausible ranges of respondents expressing a finding in a set of reports of basic qualitative descriptive studies on antiretroviral adherence and suggest how the results might be used. These strategies have limitations and are never appropriate for use with findings from interpretive qualitative studies. Yet they offer a temporary workaround for preserving and maximizing the value of information from basic qualitative descriptive studies for systematic reviews. They show also why quantitizing is never simply quantitative. PMID:19448052

What factors affect evidence-informed policymaking in public health? Protocol for a systematic review of qualitative evidence using thematic synthesis.

PubMed

Verboom, Ben; Montgomery, Paul; Bennett, Sara

2016-04-14

Claims of and calls for evidence-informed policymaking pervade public health journals and the literature of governments and global health agencies, yet our knowledge of the arrangements most conducive to the appropriate use of evidence is incomplete and fragmented. Designing interventions to encourage evidence use by policymakers requires an understanding of the processes through which officials access, assess and use research, including technical and political factors related to evidence uptake, and the ways in which the policymaking context can affect these processes. This review aims to systematically locate, synthesise and interpret the existing qualitative work on the process of evidence use in public health policymaking, with the aim of producing an empirically derived taxonomy of factors affecting evidence use. This review will include primary qualitative studies that examined the use of research evidence by policymakers to inform decisions about public health. To locate studies, we will search nine bibliographic databases, hand-search nine public health and policy journals and scan the websites of relevant organisations and the reference lists of previous reviews of evidence use in policymaking. Two reviewers will independently screen studies, apply inclusion criteria and appraise the quality of included studies. Data will be coded inductively and analysed using thematic synthesis. An augmented version of the CASP Qualitative Checklist will be used to appraise included studies, and the CERQual tool will be used to assess confidence in the review's findings. The review's results will be presented narratively and in tabular form. Synthesis findings will be summarised as a taxonomy of factors affecting evidence use in public health policymaking. A conceptual framework explaining the relationships between key factors will be proposed. Implications and recommendations for policy, practice and future research will be discussed. This review will be the most

Promoting and evaluating scientific rigour in qualitative research.

PubMed

Baillie, Lesley

2015-07-15

This article explores perspectives on qualitative research and the variety of views concerning rigour in the research process. Evaluating and ensuring the quality of research are essential considerations for practitioners who are appraising evidence to inform their practice or research. Several criteria and principles for evaluating quality in qualitative research are presented, recognising that their application in practice is influenced by the qualitative methodology used. The article examines a range of techniques that a qualitative researcher can use to promote rigour and apply it to practice.

7 CFR 1.641 - How may parties obtain discovery of information needed for the case?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How may parties obtain discovery of information needed for the case? 1.641 Section 1.641 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture ADMINISTRATIVE... legal theories of an attorney. (g) Experts. Unless restricted by the ALJ, a party may discover any facts...

Utility of qualitative research findings in evidence-based public health practice.

PubMed

Jack, Susan M

2006-01-01

Epidemiological data, derived from quantitative studies, provide important information about the causes, prevalence, risk correlates, treatment and prevention of diseases, and health issues at a population level. However, public health issues are complex in nature and quantitative research findings are insufficient to support practitioners and administrators in making evidence-informed decisions. Upshur's Synthetic Model of Evidence (2001) situates qualitative research findings as a credible source of evidence for public health practice. This article answers the following questions: (1) where does qualitative research fit within the paradigm of evidence-based practice and (2) how can qualitative research be used by public health professionals? Strategies for using qualitative research findings instrumentally, conceptually, and symbolically are identified by applying Estabrooks' (1999) conceptual structure of research utilization. Different research utilization strategies are illustrated through the use of research examples from the field of work on intimate partner violence against women. Recommendations for qualitative researchers disseminating findings and for public health practitioners/policy makers considering the use of qualitative findings as evidence to inform decisions are provided.

A qualitative study of health information technology in the Canadian public health system.

PubMed

Zinszer, Kate; Tamblyn, Robyn; Bates, David W; Buckeridge, David L

2013-05-25

Although the adoption of health information technology (HIT) has advanced in Canada over the past decade, considerable challenges remain in supporting the development, broad adoption, and effective use of HIT in the public health system. Policy makers and practitioners have long recognized that improvements in HIT infrastructure are necessary to support effective and efficient public health practice. The objective of this study was to identify aspects of health information technology (HIT) policy related to public health in Canada that have succeeded, to identify remaining challenges, and to suggest future directions to improve the adoption and use of HIT in the public health system. A qualitative case study was performed with 24 key stakeholders representing national and provincial organizations responsible for establishing policy and strategic direction for health information technology. Identified benefits of HIT in public health included improved communication among jurisdictions, increased awareness of the need for interoperable systems, and improvement in data standardization. Identified barriers included a lack of national vision and leadership, insufficient investment, and poor conceptualization of the priority areas for implementing HIT in public health. The application of HIT in public health should focus on automating core processes and identifying innovative applications of HIT to advance public health outcomes. The Public Health Agency of Canada should develop the expertise to lead public health HIT policy and should establish a mechanism for coordinating public health stakeholder input on HIT policy.

Qualitative Research in Group Work: Status, Synergies, and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubel, Deborah; Okech, Jane E. Atieno

2017-01-01

The article aims to advance the use of qualitative research methods to understand group work. The first part of this article situates the use of qualitative research methods in relationship to group work research. The second part examines recent qualitative group work research using a framework informed by scoping and systematic review methods and…

The qualitative orientation in medical education research.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer Anne

2017-06-01

Qualitative research is very important in educational research as it addresses the "how" and "why" research questions and enables deeper understanding of experiences, phenomena and context. Qualitative research allows you to ask questions that cannot be easily put into numbers to understand human experience. Getting at the everyday realities of some social phenomenon and studying important questions as they are really practiced helps extend knowledge and understanding. To do so, you need to understand the philosophical stance of qualitative research and work from this to develop the research question, study design, data collection methods and data analysis. In this article, I provide an overview of the assumptions underlying qualitative research and the role of the researcher in the qualitative process. I then go on to discuss the type of research objectives which are common in qualitative research, then introduce the main qualitative designs, data collection tools, and finally the basics of qualitative analysis. I introduce the criteria by which you can judge the quality of qualitative research. Many classic references are cited in this article, and I urge you to seek out some of these further reading to inform your qualitative research program.

The qualitative orientation in medical education research

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Qualitative research is very important in educational research as it addresses the “how” and “why” research questions and enables deeper understanding of experiences, phenomena and context. Qualitative research allows you to ask questions that cannot be easily put into numbers to understand human experience. Getting at the everyday realities of some social phenomenon and studying important questions as they are really practiced helps extend knowledge and understanding. To do so, you need to understand the philosophical stance of qualitative research and work from this to develop the research question, study design, data collection methods and data analysis. In this article, I provide an overview of the assumptions underlying qualitative research and the role of the researcher in the qualitative process. I then go on to discuss the type of research objectives which are common in qualitative research, then introduce the main qualitative designs, data collection tools, and finally the basics of qualitative analysis. I introduce the criteria by which you can judge the quality of qualitative research. Many classic references are cited in this article, and I urge you to seek out some of these further reading to inform your qualitative research program. PMID:28597869

76 FR 64010 - Special Rules Governing Certain Information Obtained Under the Clean Air Act: Technical Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... natural gas. 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction facilities. Petrochemical Production 32511 Ethylene.... Suppliers of Natural Gas and NGLs 221210 Natural gas distribution facilities. 211112 Natural gas liquid... Gas Reporting Rule, which are provided in the Special Rules Governing Certain Information Obtained...

Generating qualitative data by design: the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health qualitative data collection.

PubMed

Tavener, Meredith; Chojenta, Catherine; Loxton, Deborah

2016-07-15

Objectives and importance of study: The purpose of this study was to illustrate how qualitative free-text comments, collected within the context of a health survey, represent a rich data source for understanding specific phenomena. Work conducted with data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) was used to demonstrate the breadth and depth of qualitative information that can be collected. The ALSWH has been collecting data on women's health since 1996, and represents a unique opportunity for understanding lived experiences across the lifecourse. A multiple case study design was used to demonstrate the techniques that researchers have used to manage free-text qualitative comments collected by the ALSWH. Eleven projects conducted using free-text comments are discussed according to the method of analysis. These methods include coding (both inductively and deductively), longitudinal analyses and software-based analyses. This work shows that free-text comments are a data resource in their own right, and have the potential to provide rich and valuable information about a wide variety of topics.

28 CFR 115.341 - Obtaining information from residents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ACT NATIONAL STANDARDS Standards for Juvenile Facilities Screening for Risk of Sexual Victimization... use information about each resident's personal history and behavior to reduce the risk of sexual abuse... instrument. (c) At a minimum, the agency shall attempt to ascertain information about: (1) Prior sexual...

28 CFR 115.341 - Obtaining information from residents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ACT NATIONAL STANDARDS Standards for Juvenile Facilities Screening for Risk of Sexual Victimization... use information about each resident's personal history and behavior to reduce the risk of sexual abuse... instrument. (c) At a minimum, the agency shall attempt to ascertain information about: (1) Prior sexual...

28 CFR 115.341 - Obtaining information from residents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ACT NATIONAL STANDARDS Standards for Juvenile Facilities Screening for Risk of Sexual Victimization... use information about each resident's personal history and behavior to reduce the risk of sexual abuse... instrument. (c) At a minimum, the agency shall attempt to ascertain information about: (1) Prior sexual...

Understanding the state of health information in Ireland: A qualitative study using a socio-technical approach.

PubMed

Craig, Sarah; Kodate, Naonori

2018-06-01

The objective of this paper is to add to the broader literature on socio-technical theory and its value and/or relevance to health information in Ireland. The paper focuses on three factors that can impact on health information; those of policy, infrastructure and people (PIP) and examines how Ireland compares with other countries in relation to these factors. Qualitative methods (documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews) were used. Key policy and strategy documents, and original research articles from Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK and the US were analysed from a comparative perspective. The dimensions of policy, infrastructure and people were then explored through semi-structured interviews with health information experts in Ireland. Their perceptions were compared with and contrasted against the findings from the documentary analysis, and examined thematically. The views of health information experts support the findings of the review of Ireland's development in this area compared with other countries and that Ireland lags behind others in policy and practice terms. The paper concludes that the three dimensions of policy, infrastructure and people do indeed help to frame the understanding of health information in Ireland and that a socio-technical perspective, combined with a comparative approach, can also help both policy makers and practitioners in identifying the scope for improvement in health information. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

50 CFR 221.41 - How may parties obtain discovery of information needed for the case?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... materials, it must show: (i) That it has substantial need of the materials in preparing its own case; and... legal theories of an attorney. (g) Experts. Unless restricted by the ALJ, a party may discover any facts...: (i) That it has a compelling need for the information; and (ii) That it cannot practicably obtain the...

Dialog on a country path: the qualitative research journey.

PubMed

Sorrell, Jeanne M; Cangelosi, Pamela R; Dinkins, Christine S

2014-03-01

There is little information in the literature describing how students learn qualitative research. This article describes an approach to learning that is based on the pedagogical approach of Dinkins' Socratic-Hermeneutic Shared Inquiry. This approach integrates shared dialog as an essential aspect of learning. The qualitative pedagogy described in this article focused on three questions: What is knowing in qualitative research? How do we come to know qualitative research? What can we do with qualitative research? Students learned the basics of qualitative research within a context that fostered interpretive inquiry. In this way, the course framework mirrored the combination of interviewing, storytelling, and journeying toward understanding that constitute qualitative research. © 2013.

20 CFR 603.23 - What information must State UC agencies obtain from other agencies, and crossmatch with wage...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What information must State UC agencies obtain from other agencies, and crossmatch with wage information, for purposes of an IEVS? 603.23 Section 603.23 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FEDERAL-STATE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION (UC) PROGRAM;...

A qualitative study of professional and client perspectives on information flows and decision aid use.

PubMed

Stirling, Christine; Lloyd, Barbara; Scott, Jenn; Abbey, Jenny; Croft, Toby; Robinson, Andrew

2012-03-29

This paper explores the meanings given by a diverse range of stakeholders to a decision aid aimed at helping carers of people in early to moderate stages of dementia (PWD) to select community based respite services. Decision aids aim to empower clients to share decision making with health professionals. However, the match between health professionals' perspectives on decision support needs and their clients' perspective is an important and often unstudied aspect of decision aid use. A secondary analysis was undertaken of qualitative data collected as part of a larger study. The data included twelve interviews with carers of people with dementia, three interviews with expert advisors, and three focus groups with health professionals. A theoretical analysis was conducted, drawing on theories of 'positioning' and professional identity. Health professionals are seen to hold varying attitudes and beliefs about carers' decision support needs, and these appeared to be grounded in the professional identity of each group. These attitudes and beliefs shaped their attitudes towards decision aids, the information they believed should be offered to dementia carers, and the timing of its offering. Some groups understood carers as needing to be protected from realistic information and consequently saw a need to filter information to carer clients. Health professionals' beliefs may cause them to restrict information flows, which can limit carers' ability to make decisions, and limit health services' ability to improve partnering and shared decision making. In an era where information is freely available to those with the resources to access it, we question whether health professionals should filter information.

Obtaining subjects' consent to publish identifying personal information: current practices and identifying potential issues.

PubMed

Yoshida, Akiko; Dowa, Yuri; Murakami, Hiromi; Kosugi, Shinji

2013-11-25

In studies publishing identifying personal information, obtaining consent is regarded as necessary, as it is impossible to ensure complete anonymity. However, current journal practices around specific points to consider when obtaining consent, the contents of consent forms and how consent forms are managed have not yet been fully examined. This study was conducted to identify potential issues surrounding consent to publish identifying personal information. Content analysis was carried out on instructions for authors and consent forms developed by academic journals in four fields (as classified by Journal Citation Reports): medicine general and internal, genetics and heredity, pediatrics, and psychiatry. An online questionnaire survey of editors working for journals that require the submission of consent forms was also conducted. Instructions for authors were reviewed for 491 academic journals (132 for medicine general and internal, 147 for genetics and heredity, 100 for pediatrics, and 112 for psychiatry). Approximately 40% (203: 74 for medicine general and internal, 31 for genetics and heredity, 58 for pediatrics, and 40 for psychiatry) stated that subject consent was necessary. The submission of consent forms was required by 30% (154) of the journals studied, and 10% (50) provided their own consent forms for authors to use. Two journals mentioned that the possible effects of publication on subjects should be considered. Many journal consent forms mentioned the difficulties in ensuring complete anonymity of subjects, but few addressed the study objective, the subjects' right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. The main reason for requiring the submission of consent forms was to confirm that consent had been obtained. Approximately 40% of journals required subject consent to be obtained. However, differences were observed depending on the fields. Specific considerations were not always documented. There is a need to address issues around the study

Obtaining subjects’ consent to publish identifying personal information: current practices and identifying potential issues

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In studies publishing identifying personal information, obtaining consent is regarded as necessary, as it is impossible to ensure complete anonymity. However, current journal practices around specific points to consider when obtaining consent, the contents of consent forms and how consent forms are managed have not yet been fully examined. This study was conducted to identify potential issues surrounding consent to publish identifying personal information. Methods Content analysis was carried out on instructions for authors and consent forms developed by academic journals in four fields (as classified by Journal Citation Reports): medicine general and internal, genetics and heredity, pediatrics, and psychiatry. An online questionnaire survey of editors working for journals that require the submission of consent forms was also conducted. Results Instructions for authors were reviewed for 491 academic journals (132 for medicine general and internal, 147 for genetics and heredity, 100 for pediatrics, and 112 for psychiatry). Approximately 40% (203: 74 for medicine general and internal, 31 for genetics and heredity, 58 for pediatrics, and 40 for psychiatry) stated that subject consent was necessary. The submission of consent forms was required by 30% (154) of the journals studied, and 10% (50) provided their own consent forms for authors to use. Two journals mentioned that the possible effects of publication on subjects should be considered. Many journal consent forms mentioned the difficulties in ensuring complete anonymity of subjects, but few addressed the study objective, the subjects’ right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. The main reason for requiring the submission of consent forms was to confirm that consent had been obtained. Conclusion Approximately 40% of journals required subject consent to be obtained. However, differences were observed depending on the fields. Specific considerations were not always documented. There is a need

"Think different": a qualitative assessment of commercial innovation for diabetes information technology programs.

PubMed

Rupcic, Sonia; Tamrat, Tigest; Kachnowski, Stan

2012-11-01

This study reviews the state of diabetes information technology (IT) initiatives and presents a set of recommendations for improvement based on interviews with commercial IT innovators. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 technology developers, representing 12 of the most successful IT companies in the world. Average interview time was approximately 45 min. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and entered into ATLAS.ti for qualitative data analysis. Themes were identified through a process of selective and open coding by three researchers. We identified two practices, common among successful IT companies, that have allowed them to avoid or surmount the challenges that confront healthcare professionals involved in diabetes IT development: (1) employing a diverse research team of software developers and engineers, statisticians, consumers, and business people and (2) conducting rigorous research and analytics on technology use and user preferences. Because of the nature of their respective fields, healthcare professionals and commercial innovators face different constraints. With these in mind we present three recommendations, informed by practices shared by successful commercial developers, for those involved in developing diabetes IT programming: (1) include software engineers on the implementation team throughout the intervention, (2) conduct more extensive baseline testing of users and monitor the usage data derived from the technology itself, and (3) pursue Institutional Review Board-exempt research.

A qualitative and quantitative assessment for a bone marrow harvest simulator.

PubMed

Machado, Liliane S; Moraes, Ronei M

2009-01-01

Several approaches to perform assessment in training simulators based on virtual reality have been proposed. There are two kinds of assessment methods: offline and online. The main requirements related to online training assessment methodologies applied to virtual reality systems are the low computational complexity and the high accuracy. In the literature it can be found several approaches for general cases which can satisfy such requirements. An inconvenient about those approaches is related to an unsatisfactory solution for specific cases, as in some medical procedures, where there are quantitative and qualitative information available to perform the assessment. In this paper, we present an approach to online training assessment based on a Modified Naive Bayes which can manipulate qualitative and quantitative variables simultaneously. A special medical case was simulated in a bone marrow harvest simulator. The results obtained were satisfactory and evidenced the applicability of the method.

45 CFR 73.735-803 - Prohibition against involvement in financial transactions based on information obtained through...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Prohibition against involvement in financial transactions based on information obtained through Federal employment. 73.735-803 Section 73.735-803 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION STANDARDS OF CONDUCT Financial...

Combining qualitative and quantitative spatial and temporal information in a hierarchical structure: Approximate reasoning for plan execution monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoebel, Louis J.

1993-01-01

The problem of plan generation (PG) and the problem of plan execution monitoring (PEM), including updating, queries, and resource-bounded replanning, have different reasoning and representation requirements. PEM requires the integration of qualitative and quantitative information. PEM is the receiving of data about the world in which a plan or agent is executing. The problem is to quickly determine the relevance of the data, the consistency of the data with respect to the expected effects, and if execution should continue. Only spatial and temporal aspects of the plan are addressed for relevance in this work. Current temporal reasoning systems are deficient in computational aspects or expressiveness. This work presents a hybrid qualitative and quantitative system that is fully expressive in its assertion language while offering certain computational efficiencies. In order to proceed, methods incorporating approximate reasoning using hierarchies, notions of locality, constraint expansion, and absolute parameters need be used and are shown to be useful for the anytime nature of PEM.

Making sense of health information technology implementation: A qualitative study protocol.

PubMed

Kitzmiller, Rebecca R; Anderson, Ruth A; McDaniel, Reuben R

2010-11-29

Implementing new practices, such as health information technology (HIT), is often difficult due to the disruption of the highly coordinated, interdependent processes (e.g., information exchange, communication, relationships) of providing care in hospitals. Thus, HIT implementation may occur slowly as staff members observe and make sense of unexpected disruptions in care. As a critical organizational function, sensemaking, defined as the social process of searching for answers and meaning which drive action, leads to unified understanding, learning, and effective problem solving -- strategies that studies have linked to successful change. Project teamwork is a change strategy increasingly used by hospitals that facilitates sensemaking by providing a formal mechanism for team members to share ideas, construct the meaning of events, and take next actions. In this longitudinal case study, we aim to examine project teams' sensemaking and action as the team prepares to implement new information technology in a tiertiary care hospital. Based on management and healthcare literature on HIT implementation and project teamwork, we chose sensemaking as an alternative to traditional models for understanding organizational change and teamwork. Our methods choices are derived from this conceptual framework. Data on project team interactions will be prospectively collected through direct observation and organizational document review. Through qualitative methods, we will identify sensemaking patterns and explore variation in sensemaking across teams. Participant demographics will be used to explore variation in sensemaking patterns. Outcomes of this research will be new knowledge about sensemaking patterns of project teams, such as: the antecedents and consequences of the ongoing, evolutionary, social process of implementing HIT; the internal and external factors that influence the project team, including team composition, team member interaction, and interaction between the

Making sense of health information technology implementation: A qualitative study protocol

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Implementing new practices, such as health information technology (HIT), is often difficult due to the disruption of the highly coordinated, interdependent processes (e.g., information exchange, communication, relationships) of providing care in hospitals. Thus, HIT implementation may occur slowly as staff members observe and make sense of unexpected disruptions in care. As a critical organizational function, sensemaking, defined as the social process of searching for answers and meaning which drive action, leads to unified understanding, learning, and effective problem solving -- strategies that studies have linked to successful change. Project teamwork is a change strategy increasingly used by hospitals that facilitates sensemaking by providing a formal mechanism for team members to share ideas, construct the meaning of events, and take next actions. Methods In this longitudinal case study, we aim to examine project teams' sensemaking and action as the team prepares to implement new information technology in a tiertiary care hospital. Based on management and healthcare literature on HIT implementation and project teamwork, we chose sensemaking as an alternative to traditional models for understanding organizational change and teamwork. Our methods choices are derived from this conceptual framework. Data on project team interactions will be prospectively collected through direct observation and organizational document review. Through qualitative methods, we will identify sensemaking patterns and explore variation in sensemaking across teams. Participant demographics will be used to explore variation in sensemaking patterns. Discussion Outcomes of this research will be new knowledge about sensemaking patterns of project teams, such as: the antecedents and consequences of the ongoing, evolutionary, social process of implementing HIT; the internal and external factors that influence the project team, including team composition, team member interaction, and

Understanding students’ and clinicians’ experiences of informal interprofessional workplace learning: an Australian qualitative study

PubMed Central

Rees, Charlotte E; Kent, Fiona; Brown, Ted; Hood, Kerry; Leech, Michelle; Newton, Jennifer; Storr, Michael; Williams, Brett

2018-01-01

Objectives While postgraduate studies have begun to shed light on informal interprofessional workplace learning, studies with preregistration learners have typically focused on formal and structured work-based learning. The current study investigated preregistration students’ informal interprofessional workplace learning by exploring students’ and clinicians’ experiences of interprofessional student-clinician (IPSC) interactions. Design A qualitative interview study using narrative techniques was conducted. Setting Student placements across multiple clinical sites in Victoria, Australia. Participants Through maximum variation sampling, 61 participants (38 students and 23 clinicians) were recruited from six professions (medicine, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, paramedicine and physiotherapy). Methods We conducted 12 group and 10 individual semistructured interviews. Themes were identified through framework analysis, and the similarities and differences in subthemes by participant group were interrogated. Results Six themes relating to four research questions were identified: (1) conceptualisations of IPSC interactions; (2) context for interaction experiences; (3) the nature of interaction experiences; (4) factors contributing to positive or negative interactions; (5) positive or negative consequences of interactions and (6) suggested improvements for IPSC interactions. Seven noteworthy differences in subthemes between students and clinicians and across the professions were identified. Conclusions Despite the results largely supporting previous postgraduate research, the findings illustrate greater breadth and depth of understandings, experiences and suggestions for preregistration education. Educators and students are encouraged to seek opportunities for informal interprofessional learning afforded by the workplace. PMID:29666140

Employing a Qualitative Description Approach in Health Care Research.

PubMed

Bradshaw, Carmel; Atkinson, Sandra; Doody, Owen

2017-01-01

A qualitative description design is particularly relevant where information is required directly from those experiencing the phenomenon under investigation and where time and resources are limited. Nurses and midwives often have clinical questions suitable to a qualitative approach but little time to develop an exhaustive comprehension of qualitative methodological approaches. Qualitative description research is sometimes considered a less sophisticated approach for epistemological reasons. Another challenge when considering qualitative description design is differentiating qualitative description from other qualitative approaches. This article provides a systematic and robust journey through the philosophical, ontological, and epistemological perspectives, which evidences the purpose of qualitative description research. Methods and rigor issues underpinning qualitative description research are also appraised to provide the researcher with a systematic approach to conduct research utilizing this approach. The key attributes and value of qualitative description research in the health care professions will be highlighted with the aim of extending its usage.

Using social media to communicate child health information to low-income parents.

PubMed

Stroever, Stephanie J; Mackert, Michael S; McAlister, Alfred L; Hoelscher, Deanna M

2011-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine the value of using social media to communicate child health information to low-income parents. We evaluated qualitative data obtained through focus groups with low-income, predominantly Hispanic parents. Results were mixed; lack of time and credibility were the primary objections parents cited in using social media to obtain information about their children's health. Social media has value as part of an overall communication strategy, but more work is needed to determine the most effective way to use this channel in low-income populations.

Patients' Need for Tailored Comparative Health Care Information: A Qualitative Study on Choosing a Hospital.

PubMed

Zwijnenberg, Nicolien C; Hendriks, Michelle; Bloemendal, Evelien; Damman, Olga C; de Jong, Judith D; Delnoij, Diana Mj; Rademakers, Jany Jd

2016-11-28

The Internet is increasingly being used to provide patients with information about the quality of care of different health care providers. Although online comparative health care information is widely available internationally, and patients have been shown to be interested in this information, its effect on patients' decision making is still limited. This study aimed to explore patients' preferences regarding information presentation and their values concerning tailored comparative health care information. Meeting patients' information presentation needs might increase the perceived relevance and use of the information. A total of 38 people participated in 4 focus groups. Comparative health care information about hip and knee replacement surgery was used as a case example. One part of the interview focused on patients' information presentation preferences, whereas the other part focused on patients' values of tailored information (ie, showing reviews of patients with comparable demographics). The qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the constant comparative method. The following themes were deduced from the transcripts: number of health care providers to be presented, order in which providers are presented, relevancy of tailoring patient reviews, and concerns about tailoring. Participants' preferences differed concerning how many and in which order health care providers must be presented. Most participants had no interest in patient reviews that were shown for specific subgroups based on age, gender, or ethnicity. Concerns of tailoring were related to the representativeness of results and the complexity of information. A need for information about the medical specialist when choosing a hospital was stressed by several participants. The preferences for how comparative health care information should be presented differ between people. "Information on demand" and information about the medical specialist might be promising ways to increase the

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

Ways of providing the patient with a prognosis: a terminology of employed strategies based on qualitative data.

PubMed

Graugaard, Peter Kjær; Rogg, Lotte; Eide, Hilde; Uhlig, Till; Loge, Jon Håvard

2011-04-01

To identify, denote, and structure strategies applied by physicians and patients when communicating information about prognosis. A descriptive qualitative study based on audiotaped physician-patient encounters between 23 haematologists and rheumatologists, and 89 patients in Oslo. Classification of identified prognostic sequences was based on consensus. Physicians seldom initiated communication with patients explicitly to find out their overall preferences for prognostic information (metacommunication). Instead, they used sounding and implicit strategies such as invitations, implicatures, and non-specific information that might result in further disclosure of information if requested by the patients. In order to balance the obligation to promote hope and provide (true) information, they used strategies such as bad news/good news spirals, authentications, safeguardings, and softenings. Identified strategies applied by the patients to adjust the physician-initiated prognostic information to their needs were requests for specification, requests for optimism, and emotional warnings. The study presents an empirically derived terminology so that clinicians and educators involved in medical communication can increase their awareness of prognostic communication. Based on qualitative data obtained from communication excerpts, we suggest that individual clinicians and researchers evaluate the possible benefits of more frequent use of metacommunication and explicit prognostic information. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiences of Loneliness Associated with Being an Informal Caregiver: A Qualitative Investigation.

PubMed

Vasileiou, Konstantina; Barnett, Julie; Barreto, Manuela; Vines, John; Atkinson, Mark; Lawson, Shaun; Wilson, Michael

2017-01-01

Although providing care to a family member or friend may provide psychological benefits, informal (i.e., unpaid) caregivers also encounter difficulties which may negatively affect their quality of life as well as their mental and physical health. Loneliness is one important challenge that caregivers face, with this psychological state being associated with morbidity and premature mortality. Although previous research has identified loneliness as an issue associated with being an informal caregiver, there is a paucity of evidence that attempts to understand this phenomenon in depth. This study aimed to examine informal caregivers' reflections on, and accounts of, experiences of loneliness linked to their caregiving situation. As part of a cross-sectional, qualitative study, sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 spousal caregivers, 4 daughters caring for a parent, 3 mothers caring for a child (or children), and 1 woman looking after her partner. The cared-for persons were suffering from a range of mental and physical health conditions (e.g., dementia, frailty due to old age, multiple sclerosis, depression, autism). Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. Experiences of loneliness were described by reference to a context of shrunken personal space and diminished social interaction caused by the restrictions imposed by the caregiving role. Loneliness was also articulated against a background of relational deprivations and losses as well as sentiments of powerlessness, helplessness, and a sense of sole responsibility. Social encounters were also seen to generate loneliness when they were characterized by some form of distancing. Though not all sources or circumstances of loneliness in caregivers are amenable to change, more opportunities for respite care services, as well as a heightened sensibility and social appreciation of caregivers' valued contributions could help caregivers manage some forms of loneliness.

Experiences of Loneliness Associated with Being an Informal Caregiver: A Qualitative Investigation

PubMed Central

Vasileiou, Konstantina; Barnett, Julie; Barreto, Manuela; Vines, John; Atkinson, Mark; Lawson, Shaun; Wilson, Michael

2017-01-01

Although providing care to a family member or friend may provide psychological benefits, informal (i.e., unpaid) caregivers also encounter difficulties which may negatively affect their quality of life as well as their mental and physical health. Loneliness is one important challenge that caregivers face, with this psychological state being associated with morbidity and premature mortality. Although previous research has identified loneliness as an issue associated with being an informal caregiver, there is a paucity of evidence that attempts to understand this phenomenon in depth. This study aimed to examine informal caregivers' reflections on, and accounts of, experiences of loneliness linked to their caregiving situation. As part of a cross-sectional, qualitative study, sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 spousal caregivers, 4 daughters caring for a parent, 3 mothers caring for a child (or children), and 1 woman looking after her partner. The cared-for persons were suffering from a range of mental and physical health conditions (e.g., dementia, frailty due to old age, multiple sclerosis, depression, autism). Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. Experiences of loneliness were described by reference to a context of shrunken personal space and diminished social interaction caused by the restrictions imposed by the caregiving role. Loneliness was also articulated against a background of relational deprivations and losses as well as sentiments of powerlessness, helplessness, and a sense of sole responsibility. Social encounters were also seen to generate loneliness when they were characterized by some form of distancing. Though not all sources or circumstances of loneliness in caregivers are amenable to change, more opportunities for respite care services, as well as a heightened sensibility and social appreciation of caregivers' valued contributions could help caregivers manage some forms of loneliness. PMID:28469589

Sustainability of health information systems: a three-country qualitative study in southern Africa.

PubMed

Moucheraud, Corrina; Schwitters, Amee; Boudreaux, Chantelle; Giles, Denise; Kilmarx, Peter H; Ntolo, Ntolo; Bangani, Zwashe; St Louis, Michael E; Bossert, Thomas J

2017-01-10

Health information systems are central to strong health systems. They assist with patient and program management, quality improvement, disease surveillance, and strategic use of information. Many donors have worked to improve health information systems, particularly by supporting the introduction of electronic health information systems (EHIS), which are considered more responsive and more efficient than older, paper-based systems. As many donor-driven programs are increasing their focus on country ownership, sustainability of these investments is a key concern. This analysis explores the potential sustainability of EHIS investments in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, originally supported by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Using a framework based on sustainability theories from the health systems literature, this analysis employs a qualitative case study methodology to highlight factors that may increase the likelihood that donor-supported initiatives will continue after the original support is modified or ends. Findings highlight commonalities around possible determinants of sustainability. The study found that there is great optimism about the potential for EHIS, but the perceived risks may result in hesitancy to transition completely and parallel use of paper-based systems. Full stakeholder engagement is likely to be crucial for sustainability, as well as integration with other activities within the health system and those funded by development partners. The literature suggests that a sustainable system has clearly-defined goals around which stakeholders can rally, but this has not been achieved in the systems studied. The study also found that technical resource constraints - affecting system usage, maintenance, upgrades and repairs - may limit EHIS sustainability even if these other pillars were addressed. The sustainability of EHIS faces many challenges, which could be addressed through systems' technical design, stakeholder

75 FR 13548 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Focus Groups...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

...-depth understanding of individuals' attitudes, beliefs, motivations, and feelings than do quantitative... and as a qualitative research tool have three major purposes: To obtain information that is useful for developing variables and measures for quantitative studies, To better understand people's attitudes and...

'One also needs a bit of trust in the doctor ... ': a qualitative interview study with pancreatic cancer patients about their perceptions and views on information and treatment decision-making.

PubMed

Schildmann, J; Ritter, P; Salloch, S; Uhl, W; Vollmann, J

2013-09-01

Information about diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis has been emphasized as a key to empower cancer patients to make treatment decisions reflecting their values. However, surveys indicate that patients' preferences regarding information and treatment decision-making differ. In this qualitative interview study, we explored pancreatic cancer patients' perceptions and preferences on information and treatment decision-making. Qualitative in-depth interviews with patients with pancreatic cancer. Purposive sampling and qualitative analysis were carried out. We identified two stages of information and treatment decision-making. Patients initially emphasize trust in their physician and indicate rather limited interest in details about surgical and medical treatment. In the latter stage of disease, patients perceive themselves more active regarding information seeking and treatment decision-making. All patients discuss their poor prognosis. Reflecting on their own situation, all patients interviewed pointed out that hope was an important driver to undergo further treatment also in advanced stages of the disease. Interviewees unanimously emphasized the difficulty of anticipating the time at which stopping cancer treatment would be the right decision. The findings can serve as starting point for reflection on professional decision-making in pancreatic cancer and larger representative surveys on ethical issues in treatment decision-making in pancreatic cancer.

Employing a Qualitative Description Approach in Health Care Research

PubMed Central

Bradshaw, Carmel; Atkinson, Sandra; Doody, Owen

2017-01-01

A qualitative description design is particularly relevant where information is required directly from those experiencing the phenomenon under investigation and where time and resources are limited. Nurses and midwives often have clinical questions suitable to a qualitative approach but little time to develop an exhaustive comprehension of qualitative methodological approaches. Qualitative description research is sometimes considered a less sophisticated approach for epistemological reasons. Another challenge when considering qualitative description design is differentiating qualitative description from other qualitative approaches. This article provides a systematic and robust journey through the philosophical, ontological, and epistemological perspectives, which evidences the purpose of qualitative description research. Methods and rigor issues underpinning qualitative description research are also appraised to provide the researcher with a systematic approach to conduct research utilizing this approach. The key attributes and value of qualitative description research in the health care professions will be highlighted with the aim of extending its usage. PMID:29204457

Impact of Health Information Exchange on Emergency Medicine Clinical Decision Making.

PubMed

Gordon, Bradley D; Bernard, Kyle; Salzman, Josh; Whitebird, Robin R

2015-12-01

The objective of the study was to understand the immediate utility of health information exchange (HIE) on emergency department (ED) providers by interviewing them shortly after the information was retrieved. Prior studies of physician perceptions regarding HIE have only been performed outside of the care environment. Trained research assistants interviewed resident physicians, physician assistants and attending physicians using a semi-structured questionnaire within two hours of making a HIE request. The responses were recorded, then transcribed for qualitative analysis. The transcribed interviews were analyzed for emerging qualitative themes. We analyzed 40 interviews obtained from 29 providers. Primary qualitative themes discovered included the following: drivers for requests for outside information; the importance of unexpected information; historical lab values as reference points; providing context when determining whether to admit or discharge a patient; the importance of information in refining disposition; improved confidence of provider; and changes in decisions for diagnostic imaging. ED providers are driven to use HIE when they're missing a known piece of information. This study finds two additional impacts not previously reported. First, providers sometimes find additional unanticipated useful information, supporting a workflow that lowers the threshold to request external information. Second, providers sometimes report utility when no changes to their existing plan are made as their confidence is increased based on external records. Our findings are concordant with previous studies in finding exchanged information is useful to provide context for interpreting lab results, making admission decisions, and prevents repeat diagnostic imaging.

Targeted physical activity messages for parents of children with disabilities: A qualitative investigation of parents' informational needs and preferences.

PubMed

Bassett-Gunter, R L; Ruscitti, R J; Latimer-Cheung, A E; Fraser-Thomas, J L

2017-05-01

Physical activity (PA) has myriad benefits for children with disabilities (CWD). Information and messaging campaigns can promote PA among CWD. The overall purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the development of PA information and messages targeting parents of CWD. The specific objectives were to identify parents' preferences regarding PA information and messaging content and preferred methods and sources of communication. Focus groups were conducted with parents of CWD (N=28). Qualitative data were collected and transcribed. Inductive content analyses were employed to identify key themes. Three key thematic areas were identified: 1) Preferred content (e.g., targeted information, self-regulatory strategies, inclusive images), 2) Challenges (e.g., lack of information and language clarity), 3) Preferred sources (e.g., other parents, reliable organizations, central information hub). Parents' needs and preferences regarding PA information could be incorporated into campaigns to enhance parent PA support and PA among CWD. Stakeholders (e.g., PA organizations, programs and practitioners) can employ these strategies in campaigns and resources targeting parents of CWD. Research is necessary to empirically develop and evaluate PA information and messaging campaigns targeting parents of CWD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 37825 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Activities; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: U...): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery '' to OMB for...

Using Qualitative Research to Document Variations in Student Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedensen, Rachel E.; McCrae, Byron P.; Kimball, Ezekiel

2017-01-01

This chapter describes a qualitative study focused on the experiences of students with disabilities within the postsecondary learning environment. Reporting unexpected findings related to athletics, it makes the case that qualitative methods are well-suited for revealing information about minoritized student populations.

Qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative simulation of the osmoregulation system in yeast

PubMed Central

Pang, Wei; Coghill, George M.

2015-01-01

In this paper we demonstrate how Morven, a computational framework which can perform qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative simulation of dynamical systems using the same model formalism, is applied to study the osmotic stress response pathway in yeast. First the Morven framework itself is briefly introduced in terms of the model formalism employed and output format. We then built a qualitative model for the biophysical process of the osmoregulation in yeast, and a global qualitative-level picture was obtained through qualitative simulation of this model. Furthermore, we constructed a Morven model based on existing quantitative model of the osmoregulation system. This model was then simulated qualitatively, semi-quantitatively, and quantitatively. The obtained simulation results are presented with an analysis. Finally the future development of the Morven framework for modelling the dynamic biological systems is discussed. PMID:25864377

Feasibility of Obtaining Quantitative 3-Dimensional Information Using Conventional Endoscope: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Hyun, Jong Jin; Keum, Bora; Seo, Yeon Seok; Kim, Yong Sik; Jeen, Yoon Tae; Lee, Hong Sik; Um, Soon Ho; Kim, Chang Duck; Ryu, Ho Sang; Lim, Jong-Wook; Woo, Dong-Gi; Kim, Young-Joong; Lim, Myo-Taeg

2012-01-01

Background/Aims Three-dimensional (3D) imaging is gaining popularity and has been partly adopted in laparoscopic surgery or robotic surgery but has not been applied to gastrointestinal endoscopy. As a first step, we conducted an experiment to evaluate whether images obtained by conventional gastrointestinal endoscopy could be used to acquire quantitative 3D information. Methods Two endoscopes (GIF-H260) were used in a Borrmann type I tumor model made of clay. The endoscopes were calibrated by correcting the barrel distortion and perspective distortion. Obtained images were converted to gray-level image, and the characteristics of the images were obtained by edge detection. Finally, data on 3D parameters were measured by using epipolar geometry, two view geometry, and pinhole camera model. Results The focal length (f) of endoscope at 30 mm was 258.49 pixels. Two endoscopes were fixed at predetermined distance, 12 mm (d12). After matching and calculating disparity (v2-v1), which was 106 pixels, the calculated length between the camera and object (L) was 29.26 mm. The height of the object projected onto the image (h) was then applied to the pinhole camera model, and the result of H (height and width) was 38.21 mm and 41.72 mm, respectively. Measurements were conducted from 2 different locations. The measurement errors ranged from 2.98% to 7.00% with the current Borrmann type I tumor model. Conclusions It was feasible to obtain parameters necessary for 3D analysis and to apply the data to epipolar geometry with conventional gastrointestinal endoscope to calculate the size of an object. PMID:22977798

40 CFR 2.309 - Special rules governing certain information obtained under the Marine Protection, Research and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... information obtained under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. 2.309 Section 2.309... Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section: (1) Act means the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, 33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq. (2) Permit...

Perceived connections between information and communication technology use and mental symptoms among young adults - a qualitative study.

PubMed

Thomée, Sara; Dellve, Lotta; Härenstam, Annika; Hagberg, Mats

2010-02-12

Prospective associations have been found between high use of information and communication technology (ICT) and reported mental symptoms among young adult university students, but the causal mechanisms are unclear. Our aim was to explore possible explanations for associations between high ICT use and symptoms of depression, sleep disorders, and stress among young adults in order to propose a model of possible pathways to mental health effects that can be tested epidemiologically. We conducted a qualitative interview study with 16 women and 16 men (21-28 years), recruited from a cohort of university students on the basis of reporting high computer (n = 28) or mobile phone (n = 20) use at baseline and reporting mental symptoms at the one-year follow-up. Semi-structured interviews were performed, with open-ended questions about possible connections between the use of computers and mobile phones, and stress, depression, and sleep disturbances. The interview data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis and summarized in a model. Central factors appearing to explain high quantitative ICT use were personal dependency, and demands for achievement and availability originating from the domains of work, study, social life, and individual aspirations. Consequences included mental overload, neglect of other activities and personal needs, time pressure, role conflicts, guilt feelings, social isolation, physical symptoms, worry about electromagnetic radiation, and economic problems. Qualitative aspects (destructive communication and information) were also reported, with consequences including vulnerability, misunderstandings, altered values, and feelings of inadequacy. User problems were a source of frustration. Altered ICT use as an effect of mental symptoms was reported, as well as possible positive effects of ICT on mental health. The concepts and ideas of the young adults with high ICT use and mental symptoms generated a model of possible paths for associations

Perceived connections between information and communication technology use and mental symptoms among young adults - a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Prospective associations have been found between high use of information and communication technology (ICT) and reported mental symptoms among young adult university students, but the causal mechanisms are unclear. Our aim was to explore possible explanations for associations between high ICT use and symptoms of depression, sleep disorders, and stress among young adults in order to propose a model of possible pathways to mental health effects that can be tested epidemiologically. Methods We conducted a qualitative interview study with 16 women and 16 men (21-28 years), recruited from a cohort of university students on the basis of reporting high computer (n = 28) or mobile phone (n = 20) use at baseline and reporting mental symptoms at the one-year follow-up. Semi-structured interviews were performed, with open-ended questions about possible connections between the use of computers and mobile phones, and stress, depression, and sleep disturbances. The interview data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis and summarized in a model. Results Central factors appearing to explain high quantitative ICT use were personal dependency, and demands for achievement and availability originating from the domains of work, study, social life, and individual aspirations. Consequences included mental overload, neglect of other activities and personal needs, time pressure, role conflicts, guilt feelings, social isolation, physical symptoms, worry about electromagnetic radiation, and economic problems. Qualitative aspects (destructive communication and information) were also reported, with consequences including vulnerability, misunderstandings, altered values, and feelings of inadequacy. User problems were a source of frustration. Altered ICT use as an effect of mental symptoms was reported, as well as possible positive effects of ICT on mental health. Conclusions The concepts and ideas of the young adults with high ICT use and mental symptoms generated a model of

The Uses of Qualitative Research: Powerful Methods to Inform Evidence-Based Practice in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozleski, Elizabeth B.

2017-01-01

This article offers a rationale for the contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice in special education. In it, I make the argument that qualitative research encompasses the ability to study significant problems of practice, engage with practitioners in the conduct of research studies, learn and change processes during a…

A qualitative analysis of information sharing for children with medical complexity within and across health care organizations.

PubMed

Quigley, Laura; Lacombe-Duncan, Ashley; Adams, Sherri; Hepburn, Charlotte Moore; Cohen, Eyal

2014-06-30

Children with medical complexity (CMC) are characterized by substantial family-identified service needs, chronic and severe conditions, functional limitations, and high health care use. Information exchange is critically important in high quality care of complex patients at high risk for poor care coordination. Written care plans for CMC are an excellent test case for how well information sharing is currently occurring. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers to and facilitators of information sharing for CMC across providers, care settings, and families. A qualitative study design with data analysis informed by a grounded theory approach was utilized. Two independent coders conducted secondary analysis of interviews with parents of CMC and health care professionals involved in the care of CMC, collected from two studies of healthcare service delivery for this population. Additional interviews were conducted with privacy officers of associated organizations to supplement these data. Emerging themes related to barriers and facilitators to information sharing were identified by the two coders and the research team, and a theory of facilitators and barriers to information exchange evolved. Barriers to information sharing were related to one of three major themes; 1) the lack of an integrated, accessible, secure platform on which summative health care information is stored, 2) fragmentation of the current health system, and 3) the lack of consistent policies, standards, and organizational priorities across organizations for information sharing. Facilitators of information sharing were related to improving accessibility to a common document, expanding the use of technology, and improving upon a structured communication plan. Findings informed a model of how various barriers to information sharing interact to prevent optimal information sharing both within and across organizations and how the use of technology to improve communication and access to

[Qualitative research methodology in health care].

PubMed

Bedregal, Paula; Besoain, Carolina; Reinoso, Alejandro; Zubarew, Tamara

2017-03-01

Health care research requires different methodological approaches such as qualitative and quantitative analyzes to understand the phenomena under study. Qualitative research is usually the least considered. Central elements of the qualitative method are that the object of study is constituted by perceptions, emotions and beliefs, non-random sampling by purpose, circular process of knowledge construction, and methodological rigor throughout the research process, from quality design to the consistency of results. The objective of this work is to contribute to the methodological knowledge about qualitative research in health services, based on the implementation of the study, “The transition process from pediatric to adult services: perspectives from adolescents with chronic diseases, caregivers and health professionals”. The information gathered through the qualitative methodology facilitated the understanding of critical points, barriers and facilitators of the transition process of adolescents with chronic diseases, considering the perspective of users and the health team. This study allowed the design of a transition services model from pediatric to adult health services based on the needs of adolescents with chronic diseases, their caregivers and the health team.

Qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative simulation of the osmoregulation system in yeast.

PubMed

Pang, Wei; Coghill, George M

2015-05-01

In this paper we demonstrate how Morven, a computational framework which can perform qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative simulation of dynamical systems using the same model formalism, is applied to study the osmotic stress response pathway in yeast. First the Morven framework itself is briefly introduced in terms of the model formalism employed and output format. We then built a qualitative model for the biophysical process of the osmoregulation in yeast, and a global qualitative-level picture was obtained through qualitative simulation of this model. Furthermore, we constructed a Morven model based on existing quantitative model of the osmoregulation system. This model was then simulated qualitatively, semi-quantitatively, and quantitatively. The obtained simulation results are presented with an analysis. Finally the future development of the Morven framework for modelling the dynamic biological systems is discussed. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Examining Data Repository Guidelines for Qualitative Data Sharing.

PubMed

Antes, Alison L; Walsh, Heidi A; Strait, Michelle; Hudson-Vitale, Cynthia R; DuBois, James M

2018-02-01

Qualitative data provide rich information on research questions in diverse fields. Recent calls for increased transparency and openness in research emphasize data sharing. However, qualitative data sharing has yet to become the norm internationally and is particularly uncommon in the United States. Guidance for archiving and secondary use of qualitative data is required for progress in this regard. In this study, we review the benefits and concerns associated with qualitative data sharing and then describe the results of a content analysis of guidelines from international repositories that archive qualitative data. A minority of repositories provide qualitative data sharing guidelines. Of the guidelines available, there is substantial variation in whether specific topics are addressed. Some topics, such as removing direct identifiers, are consistently addressed, while others, such as providing an anonymization log, are not. We discuss the implications of our study for education, best practices, and future research.

How women with high risk pregnancies use lay information when considering place of birth: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Lee, Suzanne; Holden, Des; Ayers, Susan

2016-02-01

Where to give birth is a key decision in pregnancy. Women use information from family, friends and other sources besides healthcare professionals when contemplating this decision. This study explored women's use of lay information during high risk pregnancies in order to examine differences and similarities in the use of information in relation to planned place of birth. Half the participants were planning hospital births and half were planning to give birth at home. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews set in a hospital maternity department in South East England. Twenty-six participants with high risk pregnancies, at least 32 weeks pregnant. Results were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: approaches to research - how much information women chose to seek out and from which sources; selection of sources - how women decided which sources they considered reliable; and unhelpful research - information they considered unhelpful. Women planning homebirths undertook more research than women planning to give birth in hospital and were more likely to seek out alternative sources of information. Women from both groups referred to deliberately seeking out sources of information which reflected their own values and so did not challenge their decisions. There are similarities and differences in the use of lay information between women who plan to give birth in hospital and those who plan homebirths. Professionals working with women with high risk pregnancies should consider these factors when interacting with these women. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probabilistic self-localisation on a qualitative map based on occlusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Paulo E.; Martins, Murilo F.; Fenelon, Valquiria; Cozman, Fabio G.; Dee, Hannah M.

2016-09-01

Spatial knowledge plays an essential role in human reasoning, permitting tasks such as locating objects in the world (including oneself), reasoning about everyday actions and describing perceptual information. This is also the case in the field of mobile robotics, where one of the most basic (and essential) tasks is the autonomous determination of the pose of a robot with respect to a map, given its perception of the environment. This is the problem of robot self-localisation (or simply the localisation problem). This paper presents a probabilistic algorithm for robot self-localisation that is based on a topological map constructed from the observation of spatial occlusion. Distinct locations on the map are defined by means of a classical formalism for qualitative spatial reasoning, whose base definitions are closer to the human categorisation of space than traditional, numerical, localisation procedures. The approach herein proposed was systematically evaluated through experiments using a mobile robot equipped with a RGB-D sensor. The results obtained show that the localisation algorithm is successful in locating the robot in qualitatively distinct regions.

Seeking to understand: using generic qualitative research to explore access to medicines and pharmacy services among resettled refugees.

PubMed

Bellamy, Kim; Ostini, Remo; Martini, Nataly; Kairuz, Therese

2016-06-01

Introduction There are challenges associated with selecting a qualitative research approach. In a field abundant with terminology and theories, it may be difficult for a pharmacist to know where and how to begin a qualitative research journey. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into generic qualitative research and to describe the journey of data collection of a novice qualitative researcher in the quest to answer her research question: 'What are the barriers to accessing medicines and pharmacy services for resettled refugees in Queensland, Australia?' Methodology Generic qualitative research draws on the strengths of one or more qualitative approaches. The aim is to draw out participants' ideas about things that are 'outside themselves'; rather than focussing on their inner feelings the research seeks to understand a phenomenon, a process, or the perspectives of participants. Sampling is designed to obtain a broad range of opinions about events and experiences and data collection includes interviews, questionnaires or surveys; thematic analysis is often used to analyse data. When to use Generic qualitative research provides an opportunity to develop research designs that fit researchers' epistemological stance and discipline, with research choices, including methodology and methods, being informed by the research question. Limitations Generic qualitative research is one of many methodologies that may be used to answer a research question and there is a paucity of literature about how to do it well. There is also debate about its validity as a qualitative methodology.

Qualitative Research and Community-Based Participatory Research: Considerations for Effective Dissemination in the Peer-Reviewed Literature.

PubMed

Grieb, Suzanne Dolwick; Eder, Milton Mickey; Smith, Katherine C; Calhoun, Karen; Tandon, Darius

2015-01-01

Qualitative research is appearing with increasing frequency in the public health and medical literature. Qualitative research in combination with a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach can be powerful. However little guidance is available on how to present qualitative research within a CBPR framework for peer-review publications. This article provides a brief overview of how qualitative research can advance CBPR partnerships and outlines practical guidelines for writing for publication about qualitative research within a CBPR framework to (1) guide partners with little experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals and/or (2) facilitate effective preparation of manuscripts grounded in qualitative research for peer-reviewed journals. We provide information regarding the specific benefits of qualitative inquiry in CBPR, tips for organizing the manuscript, questions to consider in preparing the manuscript, common mistakes in the presentation of qualitative research, and examples of peer-reviewed manuscripts presenting qualitative research conducted within a CBPR framework. Qualitative research approaches have tremendous potential to integrate community and researcher perspectives to inform community health research findings. Effective dissemination of CBPR informed qualitative research findings is crucial to advancing health disparities research.

Combining qualitative and quantitative operational research methods to inform quality improvement in pathways that span multiple settings

PubMed Central

Crowe, Sonya; Brown, Katherine; Tregay, Jenifer; Wray, Jo; Knowles, Rachel; Ridout, Deborah A; Bull, Catherine; Utley, Martin

2017-01-01

Background Improving integration and continuity of care across sectors within resource constraints is a priority in many health systems. Qualitative operational research methods of problem structuring have been used to address quality improvement in services involving multiple sectors but not in combination with quantitative operational research methods that enable targeting of interventions according to patient risk. We aimed to combine these methods to augment and inform an improvement initiative concerning infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) whose complex care pathway spans multiple sectors. Methods Soft systems methodology was used to consider systematically changes to services from the perspectives of community, primary, secondary and tertiary care professionals and a patient group, incorporating relevant evidence. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis of national audit datasets was conducted along with data visualisation designed to inform service improvement within the context of limited resources. Results A ‘Rich Picture’ was developed capturing the main features of services for infants with CHD pertinent to service improvement. This was used, along with a graphical summary of the CART analysis, to guide discussions about targeting interventions at specific patient risk groups. Agreement was reached across representatives of relevant health professions and patients on a coherent set of targeted recommendations for quality improvement. These fed into national decisions about service provision and commissioning. Conclusions When tackling complex problems in service provision across multiple settings, it is important to acknowledge and work with multiple perspectives systematically and to consider targeting service improvements in response to confined resources. Our research demonstrates that applying a combination of qualitative and quantitative operational research methods is one approach to doing so that warrants further

Obtaining and providing health information in the community pharmacy setting.

PubMed

Iwanowicz, Susan L; Marciniak, Macary Weck; Zeolla, Mario M

2006-06-15

Community pharmacists are a valuable information resource for patients and other healthcare providers. The advent of new information technology, most notably the Internet, coupled with the rapid availability of new healthcare information, has fueled this demand. Pharmacy students must receive training that enables them to meet this need. Community advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) provide an excellent opportunity for students to develop and master drug information skills in a real-world setting. Preceptors must ensure that students are familiar with drug information resources and can efficiently identify the most useful resource for a given topic. Students must also be trained to assess the quality of resources and use this information to effectively respond to drug or health information inquiries. This article will discuss key aspects of providing drug information in the community pharmacy setting and can serve as a guide and resource for APPE preceptors.

Obtaining and Providing Health Information in the Community Pharmacy Setting

PubMed Central

Iwanowicz, Susan L.; Marciniak, Macary Weck; Zeolla, Mario M.

2006-01-01

Community pharmacists are a valuable information resource for patients and other healthcare providers. The advent of new information technology, most notably the Internet, coupled with the rapid availability of new healthcare information, has fueled this demand. Pharmacy students must receive training that enables them to meet this need. Community advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) provide an excellent opportunity for students to develop and master drug information skills in a real-world setting. Preceptors must ensure that students are familiar with drug information resources and can efficiently identify the most useful resource for a given topic. Students must also be trained to assess the quality of resources and use this information to effectively respond to drug or health information inquiries. This article will discuss key aspects of providing drug information in the community pharmacy setting and can serve as a guide and resource for APPE preceptors. PMID:17136178

Improving informed consent: Stakeholder views

PubMed Central

Anderson, Emily E.; Newman, Susan B.; Matthews, Alicia K.

2017-01-01

Purpose Innovation will be required to improve the informed consent process in research. We aimed to obtain input from key stakeholders—research participants and those responsible for obtaining informed consent—to inform potential development of a multimedia informed consent “app.” Methods This descriptive study used a mixed-methods approach. Five 90-minute focus groups were conducted with volunteer samples of former research participants and researchers/research staff responsible for obtaining informed consent. Participants also completed a brief survey that measured background information and knowledge and attitudes regarding research and the use of technology. Established qualitative methods were used to conduct the focus groups and data analysis. Results We conducted five focus groups with 41 total participants: three groups with former research participants (total n = 22), and two groups with researchers and research coordinators (total n = 19). Overall, individuals who had previously participated in research had positive views regarding their experiences. However, further discussion elicited that the informed consent process often did not meet its intended objectives. Findings from both groups are presented according to three primary themes: content of consent forms, experience of the informed consent process, and the potential of technology to improve the informed consent process. A fourth theme, need for lay input on informed consent, emerged from the researcher groups. Conclusions Our findings add to previous research that suggests that the use of interactive technology has the potential to improve the process of informed consent. However, our focus-group findings provide additional insight that technology cannot replace the human connection that is central to the informed consent process. More research that incorporates the views of key stakeholders is needed to ensure that multimedia consent processes do not repeat the mistakes of paper

Improving informed consent: Stakeholder views.

PubMed

Anderson, Emily E; Newman, Susan B; Matthews, Alicia K

2017-01-01

Innovation will be required to improve the informed consent process in research. We aimed to obtain input from key stakeholders-research participants and those responsible for obtaining informed consent-to inform potential development of a multimedia informed consent "app." This descriptive study used a mixed-methods approach. Five 90-minute focus groups were conducted with volunteer samples of former research participants and researchers/research staff responsible for obtaining informed consent. Participants also completed a brief survey that measured background information and knowledge and attitudes regarding research and the use of technology. Established qualitative methods were used to conduct the focus groups and data analysis. We conducted five focus groups with 41 total participants: three groups with former research participants (total n = 22), and two groups with researchers and research coordinators (total n = 19). Overall, individuals who had previously participated in research had positive views regarding their experiences. However, further discussion elicited that the informed consent process often did not meet its intended objectives. Findings from both groups are presented according to three primary themes: content of consent forms, experience of the informed consent process, and the potential of technology to improve the informed consent process. A fourth theme, need for lay input on informed consent, emerged from the researcher groups. Our findings add to previous research that suggests that the use of interactive technology has the potential to improve the process of informed consent. However, our focus-group findings provide additional insight that technology cannot replace the human connection that is central to the informed consent process. More research that incorporates the views of key stakeholders is needed to ensure that multimedia consent processes do not repeat the mistakes of paper-based consent forms.

The use of triangulation in qualitative research.

PubMed

Carter, Nancy; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; DiCenso, Alba; Blythe, Jennifer; Neville, Alan J

2014-09-01

Triangulation refers to the use of multiple methods or data sources in qualitative research to develop a comprehensive understanding of phenomena (Patton, 1999). Triangulation also has been viewed as a qualitative research strategy to test validity through the convergence of information from different sources. Denzin (1978) and Patton (1999) identified four types of triangulation: (a) method triangulation, (b) investigator triangulation, (c) theory triangulation, and (d) data source triangulation. The current article will present the four types of triangulation followed by a discussion of the use of focus groups (FGs) and in-depth individual (IDI) interviews as an example of data source triangulation in qualitative inquiry.

Voices from Michigan's Black River: obtaining information on "special places" for natural resource planning.

Treesearch

Herbert W. Schroeder

1996-01-01

An open-ended, qualitative survey was conducted to identify "special places" within the Black River area of Michigan`s Upper Peninsula, and to learn what kinds of experiences and environmental features led people to have strong feelings for these places.

The transferability of information and communication technology skills from university to the workplace: a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Bembridge, Elizabeth; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Jeong, Sarah Yeun-Sim

2011-04-01

This paper presents the findings from a study that explored whether the information and communication technology (ICT) skills nurses acquired at university are relevant and transferable to contemporary practice environments. Whilst universities have attempted to integrate information and communication technology into nursing curricula it is not known whether the skills developed for educational purposes are relevant or transferable to clinical contexts. A qualitative descriptive study was used to explore the perspectives of a small group of new graduate nurses working in a regional/semi-metropolitan healthcare facility in New South Wales, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were used and the data thematically analysed. The themes that emerged from the study are presented in accordance with the conceptual framework and structured under the three headings of pre-transfer, transition and post-transfer. The transferability of information and communication technology skills from university to the workplace is impacted by a range of educational, individual, organisational and contextual factors. Access to adequate ICT and the necessary training opportunities influences new graduates' work satisfaction and their future employment decisions. The ability to effectively use information and communication technology was viewed as essential to the provision of quality patient care. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A qualitative exploration of the perceptions and information needs of public health inspectors responsible for food safety

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In Ontario, local public health inspectors play an important frontline role in protecting the public from foodborne illness. This study was an in-depth exploration of public health inspectors' perceptions of the key food safety issues in public health, and their opinions and needs with regards to food safety information resources. Methods Four focus group discussions were conducted with public health inspectors from the Central West region of Ontario, Canada during June and July, 2008. A questioning route was used to standardize qualitative data collection. Audio recordings of sessions were transcribed verbatim and data-driven content analysis was performed. Results A total of 23 public health inspectors participated in four focus group discussions. Five themes emerged as key food safety issues: time-temperature abuse, inadequate handwashing, cross-contamination, the lack of food safety knowledge by food handlers and food premise operators, and the lack of food safety information and knowledge about specialty foods (i.e., foods from different cultures). In general, participants reported confidence with their current knowledge of food safety issues and foodborne pathogens. Participants highlighted the need for a central source for food safety information, access to up-to-date food safety information, resources in different languages, and additional food safety information on specialty foods. Conclusions The information gathered from these focus groups can provide a basis for the development of resources that will meet the specific needs of public health inspectors involved in protecting and promoting food safety. PMID:20553592

Qualitative spatial logic descriptors from 3D indoor scenes to generate explanations in natural language.

PubMed

Falomir, Zoe; Kluth, Thomas

2017-06-24

The challenge of describing 3D real scenes is tackled in this paper using qualitative spatial descriptors. A key point to study is which qualitative descriptors to use and how these qualitative descriptors must be organized to produce a suitable cognitive explanation. In order to find answers, a survey test was carried out with human participants which openly described a scene containing some pieces of furniture. The data obtained in this survey are analysed, and taking this into account, the QSn3D computational approach was developed which uses a XBox 360 Kinect to obtain 3D data from a real indoor scene. Object features are computed on these 3D data to identify objects in indoor scenes. The object orientation is computed, and qualitative spatial relations between the objects are extracted. These qualitative spatial relations are the input to a grammar which applies saliency rules obtained from the survey study and generates cognitive natural language descriptions of scenes. Moreover, these qualitative descriptors can be expressed as first-order logical facts in Prolog for further reasoning. Finally, a validation study is carried out to test whether the descriptions provided by QSn3D approach are human readable. The obtained results show that their acceptability is higher than 82%.

Understanding students' and clinicians' experiences of informal interprofessional workplace learning: an Australian qualitative study.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Crampton, Paul; Kent, Fiona; Brown, Ted; Hood, Kerry; Leech, Michelle; Newton, Jennifer; Storr, Michael; Williams, Brett

2018-04-17

While postgraduate studies have begun to shed light on informal interprofessional workplace learning, studies with preregistration learners have typically focused on formal and structured work-based learning. The current study investigated preregistration students' informal interprofessional workplace learning by exploring students' and clinicians' experiences of interprofessional student-clinician (IPSC) interactions. A qualitative interview study using narrative techniques was conducted. Student placements across multiple clinical sites in Victoria, Australia. Through maximum variation sampling, 61 participants (38 students and 23 clinicians) were recruited from six professions (medicine, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, paramedicine and physiotherapy). We conducted 12 group and 10 individual semistructured interviews. Themes were identified through framework analysis, and the similarities and differences in subthemes by participant group were interrogated. Six themes relating to four research questions were identified: (1) conceptualisations of IPSC interactions; (2) context for interaction experiences; (3) the nature of interaction experiences; (4) factors contributing to positive or negative interactions; (5) positive or negative consequences of interactions and (6) suggested improvements for IPSC interactions. Seven noteworthy differences in subthemes between students and clinicians and across the professions were identified. Despite the results largely supporting previous postgraduate research, the findings illustrate greater breadth and depth of understandings, experiences and suggestions for preregistration education. Educators and students are encouraged to seek opportunities for informal interprofessional learning afforded by the workplace. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Searching for qualitative research for inclusion in systematic reviews: a structured methodological review.

PubMed

Booth, Andrew

2016-05-04

Qualitative systematic reviews or qualitative evidence syntheses (QES) are increasingly recognised as a way to enhance the value of systematic reviews (SRs) of clinical trials. They can explain the mechanisms by which interventions, evaluated within trials, might achieve their effect. They can investigate differences in effects between different population groups. They can identify which outcomes are most important to patients, carers, health professionals and other stakeholders. QES can explore the impact of acceptance, feasibility, meaningfulness and implementation-related factors within a real world setting and thus contribute to the design and further refinement of future interventions. To produce valid, reliable and meaningful QES requires systematic identification of relevant qualitative evidence. Although the methodologies of QES, including methods for information retrieval, are well-documented, little empirical evidence exists to inform their conduct and reporting. This structured methodological overview examines papers on searching for qualitative research identified from the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group Methodology Register and from citation searches of 15 key papers. A single reviewer reviewed 1299 references. Papers reporting methodological guidance, use of innovative methodologies or empirical studies of retrieval methods were categorised under eight topical headings: overviews and methodological guidance, sampling, sources, structured questions, search procedures, search strategies and filters, supplementary strategies and standards. This structured overview presents a contemporaneous view of information retrieval for qualitative research and identifies a future research agenda. This review concludes that poor empirical evidence underpins current information practice in information retrieval of qualitative research. A trend towards improved transparency of search methods and further evaluation of key search procedures offers

Incorporating Translation in Qualitative Studies: Two Case Studies in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutrisno, Agustian; Nguyen, Nga Thanh; Tangen, Donna

2014-01-01

Cross-language qualitative research in education continues to increase. However, there has been inadequate discussion in the literature concerning the translation process that ensures research trustworthiness applicable for bilingual researchers. Informed by the literature on evaluation criteria for qualitative data translation, this paper…

Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Key Informant Interviews in Health Services Research: Enhancing a Study of Adjuvant Therapy Use in Breast Cancer Care.

PubMed

McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Walker, Daniel; Moss, Alexandra D; Bickell, Nina A

2016-04-01

Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is a methodology created to address causal complexity in social sciences research by preserving the objectivity of quantitative data analysis without losing detail inherent in qualitative research. However, its use in health services research (HSR) is limited, and questions remain about its application in this context. To explore the strengths and weaknesses of using QCA for HSR. Using data from semistructured interviews conducted as part of a multiple case study about adjuvant treatment underuse among underserved breast cancer patients, findings were compared using qualitative approaches with and without QCA to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities presented by QCA. Ninety administrative and clinical key informants interviewed across 10 NYC area safety net hospitals. Transcribed interviews were coded by 3 investigators using an iterative and interactive approach. Codes were calibrated for QCA, as well as examined using qualitative analysis without QCA. Relative to traditional qualitative analysis, QCA strengths include: (1) addressing causal complexity, (2) results presentation as pathways as opposed to a list, (3) identification of necessary conditions, (4) the option of fuzzy-set calibrations, and (5) QCA-specific parameters of fit that allow researchers to compare outcome pathways. Weaknesses include: (1) few guidelines and examples exist for calibrating interview data, (2) not designed to create predictive models, and (3) unidirectionality. Through its presentation of results as pathways, QCA can highlight factors most important for production of an outcome. This strength can yield unique benefits for HSR not available through other methods.

System diagnostics using qualitative analysis and component functional classification

DOEpatents

Reifman, J.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1993-11-23

A method for detecting and identifying faulty component candidates during off-normal operations of nuclear power plants involves the qualitative analysis of macroscopic imbalances in the conservation equations of mass, energy and momentum in thermal-hydraulic control volumes associated with one or more plant components and the functional classification of components. The qualitative analysis of mass and energy is performed through the associated equations of state, while imbalances in momentum are obtained by tracking mass flow rates which are incorporated into a first knowledge base. The plant components are functionally classified, according to their type, as sources or sinks of mass, energy and momentum, depending upon which of the three balance equations is most strongly affected by a faulty component which is incorporated into a second knowledge base. Information describing the connections among the components of the system forms a third knowledge base. The method is particularly adapted for use in a diagnostic expert system to detect and identify faulty component candidates in the presence of component failures and is not limited to use in a nuclear power plant, but may be used with virtually any type of thermal-hydraulic operating system. 5 figures.

System diagnostics using qualitative analysis and component functional classification

DOEpatents

Reifman, Jaques; Wei, Thomas Y. C.

1993-01-01

A method for detecting and identifying faulty component candidates during off-normal operations of nuclear power plants involves the qualitative analysis of macroscopic imbalances in the conservation equations of mass, energy and momentum in thermal-hydraulic control volumes associated with one or more plant components and the functional classification of components. The qualitative analysis of mass and energy is performed through the associated equations of state, while imbalances in momentum are obtained by tracking mass flow rates which are incorporated into a first knowledge base. The plant components are functionally classified, according to their type, as sources or sinks of mass, energy and momentum, depending upon which of the three balance equations is most strongly affected by a faulty component which is incorporated into a second knowledge base. Information describing the connections among the components of the system forms a third knowledge base. The method is particularly adapted for use in a diagnostic expert system to detect and identify faulty component candidates in the presence of component failures and is not limited to use in a nuclear power plant, but may be used with virtually any type of thermal-hydraulic operating system.

Acceptability of, and Information Needs Regarding, Next-Generation Sequencing in People Tested for Hereditary Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Meiser, Bettina; Storey, Ben; Quinn, Veronica; Rahman, Belinda; Andrews, Lesley

2016-04-01

Next generation sequencing (NGS) for patients at risk of hereditary cancer syndromes can also identify non-cancer related mutations, as well as variants of unknown significance. This study aimed to determine what benefits and shortcomings patients perceive in relation to NGS, as well as their interest and information preferences in regards to such testing. Eligible patients had previously received inconclusive results from clinical mutation testing for cancer susceptibility. Semi-structured telephone interviews were subjected to qualitative analysis guided by the approach developed by Miles and Huberman. The majority of the 19 participants reported they would be interested in panel/genomic testing. Advantages identified included that it would enable better preparation and allow implementation of individualized preventative strategies, with few disadvantages mentioned. Almost all participants said they would want all results, not just those related to their previous diagnosis. Participants felt that a face-to-face discussion supplemented by an information booklet would be the best way to convey information and achieve informed consent. All participants wanted their information stored and reviewed in accordance with new developments. Although the findings indicate strong interest among these individuals, it seems that the consent process, and the interpretation and communication of results will be areas that will require revision to meet the needs of patients.

Co-creation of a pedagogical space to support qualitative inquiry: An advanced qualitative collective.

PubMed

Abboud, Sarah; Kim, Su Kyung; Jacoby, Sara; Mooney-Doyle, Kim; Waite, Terease; Froh, Elizabeth; Sefcik, Justine S; Kim, Hyejin; Sowicz, Timothy Joseph; Kelly, Terri-Ann; Kagan, Sarah

2017-03-01

Situated in a research-intensive School of Nursing, the Advanced Qualitative Collective (AQC) provides an innovative educational forum for the study of qualitative research by doctoral and postdoctoral scholars. This long-standing collective is guided by a faculty facilitator using a collaborative co-learning approach to address individual and group needs, from the conception of research projects through dissemination of completed qualitative research. This article describes the dynamics of the AQC and the ways a co-created pedagogical entity supports professional development among its diverse members. The informal, participatory style, and dynamic content used by the AQC resists a course structure typical of doctoral education in health sciences, and promotes engagement and self-direction. The AQC provides opportunities for members to examine theoretical frameworks and methodologies rarely addressed within a positivism-dominant learning environment while simultaneously serving as an alternative exemplar for the pedagogy of research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Notions of quality and standards for qualitative research reporting.

PubMed

Pearson, Alan; Jordan, Zoe; Lockwood, Craig; Aromataris, Ed

2015-10-01

The utility of qualitative research findings in the health sciences has been the subject of considerable debate, particularly with the advent of qualitative systematic reviews in recent years. There has been a significant investment in the production of guidance to improve the reporting of quantitative research; however, comparatively little time has been spent on developing the same for qualitative research reporting. This paper sets out to examine the possibility of developing a framework for refereed journals to utilize when guiding authors on how to report the results of qualitative studies in the hope that this will improve the quality of reports and subsequently their inclusion in qualitative syntheses and guidelines to inform practice at the point of care. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Do informal caregivers for elderly in the community use support measures? A qualitative study in five European countries.

PubMed

Willemse, Evi; Anthierens, Sibyl; Farfan-Portet, Maria Isabel; Schmitz, Olivier; Macq, Jean; Bastiaens, Hilde; Dilles, Tinne; Remmen, Roy

2016-07-16

Informal caregivers are essential figures for maintaining frail elderly at home. Providing informal care can affect the informal caregivers' physical and psychological health and labour market participation capabilities. They need support to prevent caregiver burden. A variety of existing support measures can help the caregiver care for the elderly at home, but with some limitations. The objective of this review was to explore the experiences of informal caregivers caring for elderly in the community with the use of supportive policy measures in Belgium and compare these to the experiences in other European countries. An empirical qualitative case study research was conducted in five European countries (Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Germany). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with informal caregivers and their dependent elderly. Interview data from the different cases were analysed. In particular data from Belgium was compared to data from the cases abroad. Formal services (e.g. home care) were reported to have the largest impact on allowing the caregiver to care for the dependent elderly at home. One of the key issues in Belgium is the lack of timely access to reliable information about formal and informal services in order to proactively support the informal caregiver. Compared to the other countries, informal caregivers in Belgium expressed more difficulties in accessing support measures and navigating through the health system. In the other countries information seemed to be given more timely when home care was provided via care packages. To support the informal caregiver, who is the key person to support the frail elderly, fragmentation of information regarding supportive policy measures is an important issue of concern.

Identifying strategies to improve access to credible and relevant information for public health professionals: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

LaPelle, Nancy R; Luckmann, Roger; Simpson, E Hatheway; Martin, Elaine R

2006-01-01

Background Movement towards evidence-based practices in many fields suggests that public health (PH) challenges may be better addressed if credible information about health risks and effective PH practices is readily available. However, research has shown that many PH information needs are unmet. In addition to reviewing relevant literature, this study performed a comprehensive review of existing information resources and collected data from two representative PH groups, focusing on identifying current practices, expressed information needs, and ideal systems for information access. Methods Nineteen individual interviews were conducted among employees of two domains in a state health department – communicable disease control and community health promotion. Subsequent focus groups gathered additional data on preferences for methods of information access and delivery as well as information format and content. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes in the interview and focus group transcripts. Results Informants expressed similar needs for improved information access including single portal access with a good search engine; automatic notification regarding newly available information; access to best practice information in many areas of interest that extend beyond biomedical subject matter; improved access to grey literature as well as to more systematic reviews, summaries, and full-text articles; better methods for indexing, filtering, and searching for information; and effective ways to archive information accessed. Informants expressed a preference for improving systems with which they were already familiar such as PubMed and listservs rather than introducing new systems of information organization and delivery. A hypothetical ideal model for information organization and delivery was developed based on informants' stated information needs and preferred means of delivery. Features of the model were endorsed by the subjects who reviewed it. Conclusion

Harnessing health information to foster disadvantaged teens' community engagement, leadership skills, and career plans: a qualitative evaluation of the Teen Health Leadership Program.

PubMed

Keselman, Alla; Ahmed, Einas A; Williamson, Deborah C; Kelly, Janice E; Dutcher, Gale A

2015-04-01

This paper describes a qualitative evaluation of a small-scale program aiming to improve health information literacy, leadership skills, and interest in health careers among high school students in a low-income, primarily minority community. Graduates participated in semi-structured interviews, transcripts of which were coded with a combination of objectives-driven and data-driven categories. The program had a positive impact on the participants' health information competency, leadership skills, academic orientation, and interest in health careers. Program enablers included a supportive network of adults, novel experiences, and strong mentorship. The study suggests that health information can provide a powerful context for enabling disadvantaged students' community engagement and academic success.

Exploring Perceptions of the Mental Health of Youth in Mexico: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Lisa; Varjas, Kris; Cadenhead, Catherine; Morillas, Catalina; Morris, Ashley

2012-01-01

Limited information is available regarding the mental health of children and adolescents in Mexico (Paula, Duarte, & Bordin, 2007). The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to examine the construct of mental health of children and adolescents from the emic perspective of key informants in Mexico. Utilizing qualitative methods of…

Qualitative Health Research with Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, Lorraine; Holloway, Immy

1996-01-01

Uses a study about children's experience of asthma to show that qualitative research with children has inherent difficulties relating to access and ethical and developmental issues. Asserts that because of children's stage of development and the asymmetrical relationship between researcher and informants, adequate safeguards and awareness of these…

Combining qualitative and quantitative operational research methods to inform quality improvement in pathways that span multiple settings.

PubMed

Crowe, Sonya; Brown, Katherine; Tregay, Jenifer; Wray, Jo; Knowles, Rachel; Ridout, Deborah A; Bull, Catherine; Utley, Martin

2017-08-01

Improving integration and continuity of care across sectors within resource constraints is a priority in many health systems. Qualitative operational research methods of problem structuring have been used to address quality improvement in services involving multiple sectors but not in combination with quantitative operational research methods that enable targeting of interventions according to patient risk. We aimed to combine these methods to augment and inform an improvement initiative concerning infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) whose complex care pathway spans multiple sectors. Soft systems methodology was used to consider systematically changes to services from the perspectives of community, primary, secondary and tertiary care professionals and a patient group, incorporating relevant evidence. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis of national audit datasets was conducted along with data visualisation designed to inform service improvement within the context of limited resources. A 'Rich Picture' was developed capturing the main features of services for infants with CHD pertinent to service improvement. This was used, along with a graphical summary of the CART analysis, to guide discussions about targeting interventions at specific patient risk groups. Agreement was reached across representatives of relevant health professions and patients on a coherent set of targeted recommendations for quality improvement. These fed into national decisions about service provision and commissioning. When tackling complex problems in service provision across multiple settings, it is important to acknowledge and work with multiple perspectives systematically and to consider targeting service improvements in response to confined resources. Our research demonstrates that applying a combination of qualitative and quantitative operational research methods is one approach to doing so that warrants further consideration. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group

The role of theory in qualitative health research.

PubMed

Kelly, Moira

2010-06-01

The role of theory in qualitative research is often underplayed but it is relevant to the quality of such research in three main ways. Theory influences research design, including decisions about what to research and the development of research questions. Theory underpins methodology and has implications for how data are analyzed and interpreted. Finally, theory about a particular health issue may be developed, contributing to what is already known about the topic that is the focus of the study. This paper will critically consider the role of theory in qualitative primary care research in relation to these three areas. Different approaches to qualitative research will be drawn upon in order to illustrate the ways in which theory might variably inform qualitative research, namely generic qualitative research, grounded theory and discourse analysis. The aim is to describe and discuss key issues and provide practical guidance so that researchers are more aware of the role theory has to play and the importance of being explicit about how theory affects design, analysis and the quality of qualitative research.

A qualitative examination of the effects of international counter-drug interdictions.

PubMed

Toth, Alexander G; Mitchell, Ojmarrh

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to utilize unique qualitative data to determine the effects of sporadic international drug interdictions on drug trafficking, and to assess whether the responses of drug traffickers align with rational choice theory. Qualitative data obtained from 23 high-level United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informants, who are embedded in international drug trafficking groups, are examined to identify common responses to drug interdiction operations. The findings indicate that sporadic counter-drug interdictions do not a have permanent deterrent effect on transnational drug smuggling operations. However, these types of law enforcement operations produce temporary alterations in drug trafficking, as traffickers adopted a variety of methods to thwart the efforts of law enforcement-often by relying on information acquired from corrupt local law enforcement. The results also indicate that while interdiction operations displaced trafficking activities (temporally, spatially, and methodological), there is little evidence that drug traffickers responded to such operations by moving into new areas (i.e., malign spatial displacement). Sporadic international drug interdiction programs do little to deter drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) from engaging in their illicit trade. Instead, DTOs adjust in a calculating manner to these operations to ensure that their illegal products reach consumer marketplaces, which is congruent with the rational choice theoretical perspective. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epilepsy monitoring - The patients' views: A qualitative study based on Kolcaba's Comfort Theory.

PubMed

Egger-Rainer, Andrea; Trinka, Eugen; Höfler, Julia; Dieplinger, Anna Maria

2017-03-01

The aim of this qualitative study was to determine which perception of personal comfort patients name in the context of their hospitalization in an Austrian Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU). Problem-centred interviews with twelve inpatients were conducted. Data analyses were done according to Mayring's qualitative content analyses following the technique of structuring-deductive category assignment. Patients experienced different kinds of comfort along with their hospitalization in the EMU. Comfort-decreasing factors were bed rest, boredom, and waiting for possible seizures. As comfort-increasing factors, hope for enhanced seizure control, support by family and staff, and intelligible information about the necessity of restrictive conditions were identified. The study results should assist health care professionals, enabling them to design comfort enhancing interventions for patients undergoing video-electroencephalography (EEG) investigations in an EMU. Some of these seem to be simple and obtainable without high financial or technical effort. Others are more complex and have to be further assessed for their feasibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical Comics as Tools to Aid in Obtaining Informed Consent for Stroke Care.

PubMed

Furuno, Yuichi; Sasajima, Hiroyasu

2015-07-01

Informed consent has now become common in medical practice. However, a gap still exists between doctors and patients in the understanding of clinical conditions. We designed medical comics about "subarachnoid hemorrhage" and "intracerebral hemorrhage" to help doctors obtain informed consent intuitively, quickly, and comprehensively.Between September 2010 and September 2012, we carried out a questionnaire survey about medical comics with the families of patients who had suffered an intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage. The questionnaire consisted of 6 questions inquiring about their mental condition, reading time, usefulness of the comics in understanding brain function and anatomy, pathogenesis, doctor's explanation, and applicability of these comics.The results showed that 93.8% responders would prefer or strongly prefer the use of comics in other medical situations. When considering the level of understanding of brain function and anatomy, pathology of disease, and doctor's explanation, 81.3%, 75.0%, and 68.8% of responders, respectively, rated these comics as very useful or useful.We think that the visual and narrative illustrations in medical comics would be more helpful for patients than a lengthy explanation by a doctor. Most of the responders hoped that medical comics would be applied to other medical cases. Thus, medical comics could work as a new communication tool between doctors and patients.

From denial to awareness: a conceptual model for obtaining equity in healthcare.

PubMed

Höglund, Anna T; Carlsson, Marianne; Holmström, Inger K; Lännerström, Linda; Kaminsky, Elenor

2018-01-22

Although Swedish legislation prescribes equity in healthcare, studies have reported inequalities, both in face-to-face encounters and in telephone nursing. Research has suggested that telephone nursing has the capability to increase equity in healthcare, as it is open to all and not limited by long distances. However, this requires an increased awareness of equity in healthcare among telephone nurses. The aim of this study was to explore and describe perceptions of equity in healthcare among Swedish telephone nurses who had participated in an educational intervention on equity in health, including which of the power constructs gender, ethnicity and age they commented upon most frequently. Further, the aim was to develop a conceptual model for obtaining equity in healthcare, based on the results of the empirical investigation. A qualitative method was used. Free text comments from questionnaires filled out by 133 telephone nurses before and after an educational intervention on equity in health, as well as individual interviews with five participants, were analyzed qualitatively. The number of comments related to inequity based on gender, ethnicity or age in the free text comments was counted descriptively. Gender was the factor commented upon the least and ethnicity the most. Four concepts were found through the qualitative analysis: Denial, Defense, Openness, and Awareness. Some informants denied inequity in healthcare in general, and in telephone nursing in particular. Others acknowledged it, but argued that they had workplace routines that protected against it. There were also examples of an openness to the fact that inequity existed and a willingness to learn and prevent it, as well as an already high awareness of inequity in healthcare. A conceptual model was developed in which the four concepts were divided into two qualitatively different blocks, with Denial and Defense on one side of a continuum and Openness and Awareness on the other. In order to reach

Enhance your team-based qualitative research.

PubMed

Fernald, Douglas H; Duclos, Christine W

2005-01-01

Qualitative research projects often involve the collaborative efforts of a research team. Challenges inherent in teamwork include changes in membership and differences in analytical style, philosophy, training, experience, and skill. This article discusses teamwork issues and tools and techniques used to improve team-based qualitative research. We drew on our experiences in working on numerous projects of varying, size, duration, and purpose. Through trials of different tools and techniques, expert consultation, and review of the literature, we learned to improve how we build teams, manage information, and disseminate results. Attention given to team members and team processes is as important as choosing appropriate analytical tools and techniques. Attentive team leadership, commitment to early and regular team meetings, and discussion of roles, responsibilities, and expectations all help build more effective teams and establish clear norms. As data are collected and analyzed, it is important to anticipate potential problems from differing skills and styles, and how information and files are managed. Discuss analytical preferences and biases and set clear guidelines and practices for how data will be analyzed and handled. As emerging ideas and findings disperse across team members, common tools (such as summary forms and data grids), coding conventions, intermediate goals or products, and regular documentation help capture essential ideas and insights. In a team setting, little should be left to chance. This article identifies ways to improve team-based qualitative research with more a considered and systematic approach. Qualitative researchers will benefit from further examination and discussion of effective, field-tested, team-based strategies.

Health Information Obtained From the Internet and Changes in Medical Decision Making: Questionnaire Development and Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Yuan; Li, Chia-Ming; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2018-02-12

medical decision making (P=.01), consulting with others (P<.001), and promoting self-efficacy on deliberating the online health information (P<.001) based on the online health information they obtained. Present health care professionals have a responsibility to acknowledge that patients' medical decision making may be changed based on additional online health information. Health care professionals should assist patients' medical decision making by initiating as much dialogue with patients as possible, providing credible and convincing health information to patients, and guiding patients where to look for accurate, comprehensive, and understandable online health information. By doing so, patients will avoid becoming overwhelmed with extraneous and often conflicting health information. Educational interventions to promote health information seekers' ability to identify, locate, obtain, read, understand, evaluate, and effectively use online health information are highly encouraged. ©Yen-Yuan Chen, Chia-Ming Li, Jyh-Chong Liang, Chin-Chung Tsai. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 12.02.2018.

Finding Qualitative Research Evidence for Health Technology Assessment.

PubMed

DeJean, Deirdre; Giacomini, Mita; Simeonov, Dorina; Smith, Andrea

2016-08-01

Health technology assessment (HTA) agencies increasingly use reviews of qualitative research as evidence for evaluating social, experiential, and ethical aspects of health technologies. We systematically searched three bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Social Science Citation Index [SSCI]) using published search filters or "hedges" and our hybrid filter to identify qualitative research studies pertaining to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and early breast cancer. The search filters were compared in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and precision. Our screening by title and abstract revealed that qualitative research constituted only slightly more than 1% of all published research on each health topic. The performance of the published search filters varied greatly across topics and databases. Compared with existing search filters, our hybrid filter demonstrated a consistently high sensitivity across databases and topics, and minimized the resource-intensive process of sifting through false positives. We identify opportunities for qualitative health researchers to improve the uptake of qualitative research into evidence-informed policy making. © The Author(s) 2016.

Qualitative simulation for process modeling and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalle Molle, D. T.; Edgar, T. F.

1989-01-01

A qualitative model is developed for a first-order system with a proportional-integral controller without precise knowledge of the process or controller parameters. Simulation of the qualitative model yields all of the solutions to the system equations. In developing the qualitative model, a necessary condition for the occurrence of oscillatory behavior is identified. Initializations that cannot exhibit oscillatory behavior produce a finite set of behaviors. When the phase-space behavior of the oscillatory behavior is properly constrained, these initializations produce an infinite but comprehensible set of asymptotically stable behaviors. While the predictions include all possible behaviors of the real system, a class of spurious behaviors has been identified. When limited numerical information is included in the model, the number of predictions is significantly reduced.

Older Adults’ Perspectives on Successful Aging: Qualitative Interviews

PubMed Central

Reichstadt, Jennifer; Sengupta, Geetika; Depp, Colin A.; Palinkas, Lawrence A.; Jeste, Dilip V.

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVES Lay perceptions of “successful aging” are important for understanding this multifaceted construct and developing ways to assist older adults to age well. The purpose of this qualitative study was to obtain older adults’ individual perspectives on what constitutes successful aging, along with their views regarding activities and interventions to enhance its likelihood. METHODS Qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 community-dwelling adults over age 60. Participants were recruited from retirement communities, a low-income senior housing complex, and a continued learning center in San Diego County. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a “Coding Consensus, Co-occurrence, and Comparison” grounded theory framework. RESULTS The mean age of participants was 80 years (range: 64 to 96), with 59% being women. Two primary themes were identified as key to successful aging - i.e., self-acceptance/self-contentment (with sub-themes of realistic self-appraisal, a review of one’s life, and focusing on the present) and engagement with life/self-growth (with sub-themes of novel pursuits, giving to others, social interactions, and positive attitude). A balance between these two constructs appeared critical. A need for interventions that address support systems and personally tailored information to make informed decisions and enhance coping strategies were also emphasized. CONCLUSIONS Older adults viewed successful aging as a balance between self-acceptance and self-contentedness on one hand and engagement with life and self-growth in later life on the other. This perspective supports the concept of wisdom as a major contributor to successful aging. Interventions to enhance successful aging may include those that promote productive and social engagement along with effective coping strategies. PMID:20593536

How, when and why do young women use nutrition information on food labels? A qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Wahlich, Charlotte; Gardner, Benjamin; McGowan, Laura

2013-01-01

Nutrition information (NI) on food packaging offers a public health tool that could be used to promote informed consumer choice and aid consumption of a healthy diet. Research indicates that the use of NI can lead to reduced energy intake and lower BMI, but little evidence is available regarding how, when or why people use NI when making everyday food choices. This qualitative study explored motivations and contexts surrounding the use of NI among 25 UK-based female NI users aged 23-35 years, using semi-structured individual interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: (1) understanding and (2) functions of NI, (3) health versus appearance motives, NI use in (4) affective and (5) symbolic food episodes, and (6) competing point-of-purchase influences. Notable observations included a difficulty in understanding and converting NI into personally meaningful terms, and eschewal of NI in settings where food plays an affective or symbolic role (e.g. food consumption after a stressful day, buying food for a dinner party). We suggest evidence-based directions for future research and offer policy and practice recommendations, including the adoption of clear and consistent NI formats.

Resilient Women Leaders: A Qualitative Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Julia; Maldonado, Nancy L.; Lacey, Candace H.; Efinger, Joan

2004-01-01

This qualitative study investigated perceptions of resilient, transformational, successful women leaders regarding their own resiliency and leadership. The ten participants provided information during semi-structured, open-ended, audio taped interviews which were transcribed, hand coded, and then analyzed with QSR N6 software. Findings indicated…

"Be positive as well as realistic": a qualitative description analysis of information gaps experienced by breastfeeding mothers.

PubMed

Dietrich Leurer, Marie; Misskey, Eunice

2015-01-01

Early breastfeeding cessation is common in many regions of the world despite high breastfeeding initiation rates and strong evidence of the health benefits to both mother and infant. This research investigated mothers' perceived breastfeeding information needs in order to increase our understanding of this phenomenon. Surveys were distributed by public health nurses in a health region in Western Canada to mothers who had initiated breastfeeding and whose infants were six to eleven months old to learn more about their infant feeding experiences during the birth to six month period. Two open-ended survey questions asked: (1) What support or advice did you receive that helped you with feeding your baby?" and (2) "What support or information on feeding your baby would you have found helpful but did not receive?" A total of 191 eligible mothers submitted a survey (response rate 35%) between January and October 2012. Qualitative description was used in analyzing the responses of the women who provided comments for the open-ended questions. While many mothers felt their information needs were met, others outlined important content areas where more information and guidance was desired. These areas included milk supply management, frequency/duration of feeds, proper latch and feeding positions, nipple care, expression/pumping, other nutrition sources, and realistic information regarding common breastfeeding concerns. The results suggest that several of the information gaps highlighted by respondents in this study closely align with commonly cited reasons for breastfeeding cessation including perceived insufficient milk supply, latching difficulties and nipple discomfort. The findings emphasize the need for lactation support with systematic measures to ensure breastfeeding mothers are universally provided with information on these key content areas. Lactation supports should reinforce critical information and seek feedback to ascertain that mothers have clearly understood

Needs of informal caregivers across the caregiving course in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Carney, Sile; Corr, Bernie; Mays, Iain; Pender, Niall; Hardiman, Orla

2018-01-01

Objectives Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND), is a debilitating terminal condition. Informal caregivers are key figures in ALS care provision. The physical, psychological and emotional impact of providing care in the home requires appropriate assistance and support. The objective of this analysis is to explore the needs of informal ALS caregivers across the caregiving course. Design In an open-ended question as part of a semistructured interview, caregivers were asked what would help them in their role. Interviews took place on three occasions at 4-month to 6-month intervals. Demographic, burden and quality of life data were collected, in addition to the open-ended responses. We carried out descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Setting and participants Home interviews at baseline (n=81) and on two further occasions (n=56, n=41) with informal caregivers of people with ALS attending the National ALS/MND Clinic at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Results The majority of caregivers were family members. Hours of care provided and caregiver burden increased across the interview series. Thematic analysis identified what would help them in their role, and needs related to external support and services, psychological-emotional factors, patient-related behaviours, a cure and ‘nothing’. Themes were interconnected and their prevalence varied across the interview time points. Conclusion This study has shown the consistency and adaptation in what caregivers identified as helpful in their role, across 12–18 months of a caregiving journey. Support needs are clearly defined, and change with time and the course of caregiving. Caregivers need support from family, friends and healthcare professionals in managing their tasks and the emotional demands of caregiving. Identifying the specific needs of informal caregivers should enable health professionals to provide tailored supportive interventions

Narrative interviews: an important resource in qualitative research.

PubMed

Muylaert, Camila Junqueira; Sarubbi, Vicente; Gallo, Paulo Rogério; Neto, Modesto Leite Rolim

2014-12-01

Objetives This methodological study explain and emphasize the extent and fertility of the narrative interview in qualitative research. Methods To describe the narrative method within the qualitative research. Results The qualitative research method is characterized by addressing issues related to the singularities of the field and individuals investigated, being the narrative interviews a powerful method for use by researchers who aggregate it. They allow the deepening of research, the combination of life stories with socio-historical contexts, making the understanding of the senses that produce changes in the beliefs and values that motivate and justify the actions of possible informants. Conclusion The use of narrative is an advantageous investigative resource in qualitative research, in which the narrative is a traditional form of communication whose purpose is to serve content from which the subjective experiences can be transmitted.

Longitudinal qualitative exploration of cancer information-seeking experiences across the disease trajectory: the INFO-SEEK protocol.

PubMed

Germeni, Evi; Bianchi, Monica; Valcarenghi, Dario; Schulz, Peter J

2015-10-06

Α substantial corpus of literature has sought to describe the information-seeking behaviour of patients with cancer. Yet, available evidence comes mainly from cross-sectional studies, which provide 'snapshots' of patients' information needs and information-seeking styles at a single time point. Only a few longitudinal studies currently exist; however, these are quantitative in nature and, despite successfully documenting changes in patients' information needs throughout the clinical course of cancer, they have failed to provide an evidence-based interpretation of the causes and consequences of change. The goal of this study is threefold: First, we wish to provide a holistic understanding of how cancer information-seeking behaviour may evolve across different stages of the patient journey. Second, we will seek to elucidate the contextual and intervening conditions that may affect possible changes in information seeking. Third, we will attempt to identify what the consequences of these changes are, while heightening their implications for clinical practice and policy. We will carry out a longitudinal qualitative study, based on face-to-face, in-depth interviews with approximately 25 individuals diagnosed with cancer. Patients will be recruited from 2 oncology hospitals located in Ticino, Switzerland, and will be interviewed at 3 different time points: (1) within 2 weeks after receiving the cancer diagnosis; (2) within 2 weeks after their initial treatment; and (3) 6 months after their initial treatment. All interviews will be recorded and transcribed verbatim. A grounded theory approach will be used for the analysis of the data. The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Canton Ticino (CE 2813). Participation in the study will be voluntary, and confidentiality and anonymity ensured. Prior to study participation, patients will be asked to provide signed informed consent. Findings will be disseminated in international peer-reviewed journals

Distinguishing Features and Similarities Between Descriptive Phenomenological and Qualitative Description Research.

PubMed

Willis, Danny G; Sullivan-Bolyai, Susan; Knafl, Kathleen; Cohen, Marlene Z

2016-09-01

Scholars who research phenomena of concern to the discipline of nursing are challenged with making wise choices about different qualitative research approaches. Ultimately, they want to choose an approach that is best suited to answer their research questions. Such choices are predicated on having made distinctions between qualitative methodology, methods, and analytic frames. In this article, we distinguish two qualitative research approaches widely used for descriptive studies: descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description. Providing a clear basis that highlights the distinguishing features and similarities between descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description research will help students and researchers make more informed choices in deciding upon the most appropriate methodology in qualitative research. We orient the reader to distinguishing features and similarities associated with each approach and the kinds of research questions descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description research address. © The Author(s) 2016.

How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study.

PubMed

Zhang, Xingting; Wen, Dong; Liang, Jun; Lei, Jianbo

2017-07-05

On average, 570 million users, 93% in China's first-tier cities, log on to WeChat every day. WeChat has become the most widely and frequently used social media in China, and has been profoundly integrated into the daily life of many Chinese people. A variety of health-related information may be found on WeChat. The objective of this study is to understand how the general public views the impact of the rapidly emerging social media on health information acquisition. A self-administered questionnaire was designed, distributed, collected, and analyzed utilizing the online survey tool Sojump. WeChat was adopted to randomly release the questionnaires using convenience sampling and collect the results after a certain amount of time. (1) A total of 1636 questionnaires (WeChat customers) were collected from 32 provinces. (2) The primary means by which respondents received health education was via the Internet (71.79%). Baidu and WeChat were the top 2 search tools utilized (90.71% and 28.30%, respectively). Only 12.41% of respondents were satisfied with their online health information search. (3) Almost all had seen (98.35%) or read (97.68%) health information; however, only 14.43% believed that WeChat health information could improve health. Nearly one-third frequently received and read health information through WeChat. WeChat was selected (63.26%) as the most expected means for obtaining health information. (4) The major concerns regarding health information through WeChat included the following: excessively homogeneous information, the lack of a guarantee of professionalism, and the presence of advertisements. (5) Finally, the general public was most interested in individualized and interactive health information by managing clinicians, they will highly benefit from using social media rather than Internet search tools. The current state of health acquisition proves worrisome. The public has a high chance to access health information via WeChat. The growing popularity of

College student stressors: a review of the qualitative research.

PubMed

Hurst, Carrie S; Baranik, Lisa E; Daniel, Francis

2013-10-01

A total of 40 qualitative studies were reviewed and coded according to the college student stressors they represented. These studies utilized a variety of qualitative methods to examine stressors representing the following themes: relationships, lack of resources, academics, the environment, expectations, diversity, transitions and other stressors. Relationship stressors were the most commonly reported theme and covered areas including stress associated with family, romantic, peer and faculty relationships. Three of the themes (relationships, diversity and other) are novel categories of stressors compared with quantitative reviews on the topic, highlighting the importance of gathering both quantitative and qualitative pieces of information. This review contributes to the stress literature by synthesizing and identifying trends in the qualitative student stress research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The challenge of obtaining information necessary for multi-criteria decision analysis implementation: the case of physiotherapy services in Canada

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background As fiscal constraints dominate health policy discussions across Canada and globally, priority-setting exercises are becoming more common to guide the difficult choices that must be made. In this context, it becomes highly desirable to have accurate estimates of the value of specific health care interventions. Economic evaluation is a well-accepted method to estimate the value of health care interventions. However, economic evaluation has significant limitations, which have lead to an increase in the use of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). One key concern with MCDA is the availability of the information necessary for implementation. In the Fall 2011, the Canadian Physiotherapy Association embarked on a project aimed at providing a valuation of physiotherapy services that is both evidence-based and relevant to resource allocation decisions. The framework selected for this project was MCDA. We report on how we addressed the challenge of obtaining some of the information necessary for MCDA implementation. Methods MCDA criteria were selected and areas of physiotherapy practices were identified. The building up of the necessary information base was a three step process. First, there was a literature review for each practice area, on each criterion. The next step was to conduct interviews with experts in each of the practice areas to critique the results of the literature review and to fill in gaps where there was no or insufficient literature. Finally, the results of the individual interviews were validated by a national committee to ensure consistency across all practice areas and that a national level perspective is applied. Results Despite a lack of research evidence on many of the considerations relevant to the estimation of the value of physiotherapy services (the criteria), sufficient information was obtained to facilitate MCDA implementation at the local level. Conclusions The results of this research project serve two purposes: 1) a method to

A Conversational Model for Qualitative Research: A Case Study of Clergy and Religious Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roland, Daniel; Wicks, Don A.

2009-01-01

This paper describes the qualitative research interview as a conversation designed to gain understanding of the world of research informants. It illustrates the potential of the qualitative research interview when the researcher is able to enter into and maintain a conversation with the research informant as an insider in the latter's community.…

Medical Comics as Tools to Aid in Obtaining Informed Consent for Stroke Care

PubMed Central

Furuno, Yuichi; Sasajima, Hiroyasu

2015-01-01

Abstract Informed consent has now become common in medical practice. However, a gap still exists between doctors and patients in the understanding of clinical conditions. We designed medical comics about “subarachnoid hemorrhage” and “intracerebral hemorrhage” to help doctors obtain informed consent intuitively, quickly, and comprehensively. Between September 2010 and September 2012, we carried out a questionnaire survey about medical comics with the families of patients who had suffered an intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage. The questionnaire consisted of 6 questions inquiring about their mental condition, reading time, usefulness of the comics in understanding brain function and anatomy, pathogenesis, doctor's explanation, and applicability of these comics. The results showed that 93.8% responders would prefer or strongly prefer the use of comics in other medical situations. When considering the level of understanding of brain function and anatomy, pathology of disease, and doctor's explanation, 81.3%, 75.0%, and 68.8% of responders, respectively, rated these comics as very useful or useful. We think that the visual and narrative illustrations in medical comics would be more helpful for patients than a lengthy explanation by a doctor. Most of the responders hoped that medical comics would be applied to other medical cases. Thus, medical comics could work as a new communication tool between doctors and patients. PMID:26131830

A Guide to Field Notes for Qualitative Research: Context and Conversation.

PubMed

Phillippi, Julia; Lauderdale, Jana

2018-02-01

Field notes are widely recommended in qualitative research as a means of documenting needed contextual information. With growing use of data sharing, secondary analysis, and metasynthesis, field notes ensure rich context persists beyond the original research team. However, while widely regarded as essential, there is not a guide to field note collection within the literature to guide researchers. Using the qualitative literature and previous research experience, we provide a concise guide to collection, incorporation, and dissemination of field notes. We provide a description of field note content for contextualization of an entire study as well as individual interviews and focus groups. In addition, we provide two "sketch note" guides, one for study context and one for individual interviews or focus groups for use in the field. Our guides are congruent with many qualitative and mixed methodologies and ensure contextual information is collected, stored, and disseminated as an essential component of ethical, rigorous qualitative research.

A discrete choice experiment to obtain a tariff for valuing informal care situations measured with the CarerQol instrument.

PubMed

Hoefman, Renske J; van Exel, Job; Rose, John M; van de Wetering, E J; Brouwer, Werner B F

2014-01-01

Economic evaluations adopting a societal perspective need to include informal care whenever relevant. However, in practice, informal care is often neglected, because there are few validated instruments to measure and value informal care for inclusion in economic evaluations. The CarerQol, which is such an instrument, measures the impact of informal care on 7 important burden dimensions (CarerQol-7D) and values this in terms of general quality of life (CarerQol-VAS). The objective of the study was to calculate utility scores based on relative utility weights for the CarerQol-7D. These tariffs will facilitate inclusion of informal care in economic evaluations. The CarerQol-7D tariff was derived with a discrete choice experiment conducted as an Internet survey among the general adult population in the Netherlands (N = 992). The choice set contained 2 unlabeled alternatives described in terms of the 7 CarerQol-7D dimensions (level range: "no,"some," and "a lot"). An efficient experimental design with priors obtained from a pilot study (N = 104) was used. Data were analyzed with a panel mixed multinomial parameter model including main and interaction effects of the attributes. The utility attached to informal care situations was significantly higher when this situation was more attractive in terms of fewer problems and more fulfillment or support. The interaction term between the CarerQol-7D dimensions physical health and mental health problems also significantly explained this utility. The tariff was constructed by adding up the relative utility weights per category of all CarerQol-7D dimensions and the interaction term. We obtained a tariff providing standard utility scores for caring situations described with the CarerQol-7D. This facilitates the inclusion of informal care in economic evaluations.

Defining the eHealth Information Niche in the Family Physician/Patient Examination and Knowledge Transfer Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellington, Virginia Beth Elder

2012-01-01

This research study was undertaken to gain a richer understanding of the use of patient-introduced online health information during the physician/patient examination and knowledge transfer process. Utilizing qualitative data obtained from ten family physician interviews and workflow modeling using activity diagrams and task structure charts, this…

Success of University Student Volunteers in Obtaining Consent for Reviewing Private Health Information for Emergency Research.

PubMed

Kramer, Adam I; Stephenson, Elizabeth; Betel, Adam; Crudden, Johanna; Boutis, Kathy

2017-01-01

This study aimed to determine the success of university student volunteers in obtaining consent from parents to allow review of their child's personal health information (PHI) for emergency research screening. This study also aimed to examine the variables associated with successful consent. This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted at a pediatric emergency department (ED). University students, who functioned as delegates of the health information custodian, approached parents for consent. Of 2,506 parents, 1,852 (73.9%) provided consent to allow review of their child's PHI for research screening. Variables associated with successful consent were high (≥12 months) versus low (<12 months) volunteer experience (OR = 2.0), research related (vs. unrelated) to the child's chief complaint (OR = 2.0), child treated regularly by specialists at the study institution (OR = 1.7), and ED presentation mid-week vs. weekend (OR = 1.7) and morning vs. evening presentation (OR = 1.4). When approached by a university student volunteer, about 25% of parents declined to have their child's PHI reviewed for research screening. This model of obtaining consent may put some emergency research at risk for selection bias. Variables that increase the odds of successful consent can be considered in program design to improve the effectiveness of this model.

Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) of Key Informant Interviews in Health Services Research: Enhancing a Study of Adjuvant Therapy Use in Breast Cancer Care

PubMed Central

McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Walker, Daniel; Moss, Alexandra DeNardis; Bickell, Nina A.

2015-01-01

Background Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a methodology created to address causal complexity in social sciences research by preserving the objectivity of quantitative data analysis without losing detail inherent in qualitative research. However, its use in health services research (HSR) is limited, and questions remain about its application in this context. Objective To explore the strengths and weaknesses of using QCA for HSR. Research Design Using data from semi-structured interviews conducted as part of a multiple case study about adjuvant treatment underuse among underserved breast cancer patients, findings were compared using qualitative approaches with and without QCA to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities presented by QCA. Subjects Ninety administrative and clinical key informants interviewed across ten NYC area safety net hospitals. Measures Transcribed interviews were coded by three investigators using an iterative and interactive approach. Codes were calibrated for QCA, as well as examined using qualitative analysis without QCA. Results Relative to traditional qualitative analysis, QCA strengths include: (1) addressing causal complexity, (2) results presentation as pathways as opposed to a list, (3) identification of necessary conditions, (4) the option of fuzzy-set calibrations, and (5) QCA-specific parameters of fit that allow researchers to compare outcome pathways. Weaknesses include: (1) few guidelines and examples exist for calibrating interview data, (2) not designed to create predictive models, and (3) unidirectionality. Conclusions Through its presentation of results as pathways, QCA can highlight factors most important for production of an outcome. This strength can yield unique benefits for HSR not available through other methods. PMID:26908085

Motivation and challenges for use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests among informal providers in Myanmar: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sudhinaraset, May; Briegleb, Christina; Aung, Moe; Khin, Hnin Su Su; Aung, Tin

2015-02-06

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria enable proper diagnosis and have been shown to reduce overuse of artemisinin combination therapy. Few studies have evaluated the feasibility and use of RDTs in the private sector in Myanmar. The objectives of the study were to: 1) understand the acceptability of using RDTs in the informal sector in Myanmar; 2) examine motivations for use among informal providers; and, 3) highlight decision-making and knowledge of providers for diagnostic testing and treatment. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 informal providers. Purposeful sampling was used to enrol study participants in the Mon and Shan State in Myanmar. All interviews were conducted in Burmese, translated into English, and two researchers coded all interviews using Atlas ti. Major themes identified included: 1) informal provider and outlet characteristics, including demographic and background characteristics; 2) the benefits and challenges of using RDTs according to providers; 3) provider experiences with using RDTs, including motivations for using the RDT; 4) adherence to test results, either positive or negative; and, 5) recommendations from informal providers to promote increased use of RDTs in their communities. This study found that introducing RDTs to informal providers in Myanmar was feasible, resulting in improved provider empowerment and patient-provider relationships. Specific challenges included facility infrastructure to use and dispose RDTs and provider knowledge. This varied across the type of informal provider, with itinerant drug vendors more comfortable and knowledgeable about RDTs compared to general retail sellers and medical drug representatives. This study found informal providers in Myanmar found the introduction of RDTs to be highly acceptable. Providers discussed improvement in service quality including provider empowerment and patient-provider relationships. The study also highlighted a number of challenges that informal providers

Types and Factors Associated With Online Health Information Seeking Among College Men in Latino Fraternities: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Chavarria, Enmanuel Antonio; Chaney, Elizabeth Hensleigh; Stellefson, Michael Leland; Chaney, J. Don; Chavarria, Nikita; Dodd, Virginia Jones

2016-01-01

Despite the fact that a large percentage of Americans go online to seek health information, literature pertaining to online health information (OHI) seeking among college men in Latino fraternities (CMLF) has been nonexistent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to (a) identify the types of OHI that CMLF seek and (b) to determine the factors motivating OHI seeking among CMLF. Four 1- to 1.5-hour focus groups were conducted in two public universities in Florida with 41 college-aged Latino males in an established Latino fraternity. E-mails were used to recruit fraternity members. Qualitative analysis of the focus group transcripts identified that CMLF search for a variety of OHI types including searches on symptoms, diagnoses, weight loss, and treatments for conditions or diseases among other types of OHI. Factors motivating OHI seeking included informational needs of others and concerns for others, worries due to lack of health insurance, preoccupations with health condition, concerns over physical appearance, and clarification through social media. CMLF may be elicited to serve as information conduits to increase access to health information on chronic diseases for older non-English-speaking Latino adults. Lack of health insurance along with other factors in this segment of the population have led to self-diagnosis and self-treatment of illness. Thus, empirical research and health promotion on the potential risks due to self-diagnosing and self-treatment of illness is warranted among CMLF. PMID:26783157

Types and Factors Associated With Online Health Information Seeking Among College Men in Latino Fraternities: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Chavarria, Enmanuel Antonio; Chaney, Elizabeth Hensleigh; Stellefson, Michael Leland; Chaney, J Don; Chavarria, Nikita; Dodd, Virginia Jones

2017-11-01

Despite the fact that a large percentage of Americans go online to seek health information, literature pertaining to online health information (OHI) seeking among college men in Latino fraternities (CMLF) has been nonexistent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to (a) identify the types of OHI that CMLF seek and (b) to determine the factors motivating OHI seeking among CMLF. Four 1- to 1.5-hour focus groups were conducted in two public universities in Florida with 41 college-aged Latino males in an established Latino fraternity. E-mails were used to recruit fraternity members. Qualitative analysis of the focus group transcripts identified that CMLF search for a variety of OHI types including searches on symptoms, diagnoses, weight loss, and treatments for conditions or diseases among other types of OHI. Factors motivating OHI seeking included informational needs of others and concerns for others, worries due to lack of health insurance, preoccupations with health condition, concerns over physical appearance, and clarification through social media. CMLF may be elicited to serve as information conduits to increase access to health information on chronic diseases for older non-English-speaking Latino adults. Lack of health insurance along with other factors in this segment of the population have led to self-diagnosis and self-treatment of illness. Thus, empirical research and health promotion on the potential risks due to self-diagnosing and self-treatment of illness is warranted among CMLF.

19 CFR 356.11 - Procedures for obtaining access to privileged information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... information. 356.11 Section 356.11 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE... Government. Where, in the course of a panel review, the panel has reviewed privileged information under a Protective Order for Privileged Information, and the issue to which such information pertains is relevant to...

19 CFR 356.11 - Procedures for obtaining access to privileged information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... information. 356.11 Section 356.11 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE... Government. Where, in the course of a panel review, the panel has reviewed privileged information under a Protective Order for Privileged Information, and the issue to which such information pertains is relevant to...

19 CFR 356.11 - Procedures for obtaining access to privileged information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... information. 356.11 Section 356.11 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE... Government. Where, in the course of a panel review, the panel has reviewed privileged information under a Protective Order for Privileged Information, and the issue to which such information pertains is relevant to...

Use of the Internet by patients and their families to obtain genetics-related information.

PubMed

Taylor, M R; Alman, A; Manchester, D K

2001-08-01

To characterize use of the Internet by patients and their families referred to general genetics clinics. We developed a survey to assess Internet use among patients visiting urban and rural clinics in Colorado and Wyoming. One hundred eighty-nine surveys were distributed to patients and their family members visiting outpatient general genetics clinics in spring 2000. The 8-page anonymous survey instrument asked about use of the Internet to obtain genetics-related information (GRI). All participants were asked whether a physician or health professional had referred them to the Internet for GRI. Subjects who had previously used the Internet to search for GRI were asked to rate whether they considered the GRI they encountered to be accurate, inaccurate, easy to understand, confusing, or trustworthy. One hundred fifty-seven surveys (83%) were returned (52% urban; 48% rural). Ninety (60%) of 149 respondents were at the clinic for a new-patient visit, and 59 (40%) were follow-up visits. All respondents were older than 17 years; 141 (91%) of 155 respondents were the patient's parent or guardian. Seventy-three (47%) of 155 respondents had searched the Internet for GRI prior to their clinic visit. The patients and families themselves initiated the majority of such efforts; only 8 (5%) of 148 respondents had been referred to a site on the World Wide Web by a physician. Interestingly, 136 (92%) of 147 respondents indicated that they would be likely to visit a Web site that was recommended by a geneticist. The most compelling reasons for searching the Internet for GRI were to get information in layperson's terms (60/131 [46%]); to get information about treatment (16/131 [12%]); and to get information about genetic research (16/131 [12%]). Among respondents who reported visiting GRI Web sites, 24 (41%) of 58 agreed that information was confusing or difficult to understand, 35 (53%) of 66 agreed that information was accurate and trustworthy, and 44 (77%) of 57 agreed that using

The ethics in qualitative health research: special considerations.

PubMed

Peter, Elizabeth

2015-09-01

A sound knowledge of the nature of qualitative research, along with an appreciation of some special ethical considerations, is needed for rigorous reviews to be conducted. The overall character of qualitative research is described with an emphasis on the tendency of qualitative researchers to explore sensitive topics using theoretically informed methods. A number of specific features of qualitative that require additional ethical attention and awareness are also examined including the following: 1) participants are frequently quite vulnerable and require protection because the data collection methods, such as in-depth interviews, can delve into personally and politically charged matters; 2) naturalistic observation can raise concerns regarding privacy and consent; 3) the potential for the identifiability of the results of this research may require extra efforts to maintain confidentiality. Ultimately, Reseach Ethics Committee members must be knowledgeable about qualitative approaches to be able to assess the potential harms and benefits in a protocol carefully. Without this knowledge gaining ethics approval can be overly difficult for researchers and the best practices for protecting human participants can be overlooked.

Mexican immigrants' attitudes and interest in health insurance: a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Ziemer, Carolyn M; Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Pathman, Donald E; Mihas, Paul; Frasier, Pamela; Colindres, Melida; Butterworth, Milton; Robinson, Scott S

2014-08-01

Mexican immigrants to the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to be without health insurance than non-Hispanic native citizens. To inform strategies to increase the number of insured within this population, we elicited immigrants' understanding of health insurance and preferences for coverage. Nine focus groups with Mexican immigrants were conducted across the State of North Carolina. Qualitative, descriptive methods were used to assess people's understanding of health insurance, identify their perceived need for health insurance, describe perceived barriers to obtaining coverage, and prioritize the components of insurance that immigrants value most. Individuals have a basic understanding of health insurance and perceive it as necessary. Participants most valued insurance that would cover emergencies, make care affordable, and protect family members. Barriers to obtaining insurance included cost, concerns about immigration status discovery, and communication issues. Strategies that address immigrants' preferences for and barriers to insurance should be considered.

Practical Guidelines for Qualitative Research Using Online Forums

PubMed Central

Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

2012-01-01

With an increasing number of Internet research in general, the number of qualitative Internet studies has recently increased. Online forums are one of the most frequently used qualitative Internet research methods. Despite an increasing number of online forum studies, very few articles have been written to provide practical guidelines to conduct an online forum as a qualitative research method. In this paper, practical guidelines in using an online forum as a qualitative research method are proposed based on three previous online forum studies. First, the three studies are concisely described. Practical guidelines are proposed based on nine idea categories related to issues in the three studies: (a) a fit with research purpose and questions; (b) logistics; (c) electronic versus conventional informed consent process; (d) structure and functionality of online forums; (e) interdisciplinary team; (f) screening methods; (g) languages; (h) data analysis methods; and (i) getting participants’ feedback. PMID:22918135

Practical guidelines for qualitative research using online forums.

PubMed

Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

2012-11-01

With an increasing number of Internet research in general, the number of qualitative Internet studies has recently increased. Online forums are one of the most frequently used qualitative Internet research methods. Despite an increasing number of online forum studies, very few articles have been written to provide practical guidelines to conduct an online forum as a qualitative research method. In this article, practical guidelines in using an online forum as a qualitative research method are proposed based on three previous online forum studies. First, the three studies are concisely described. Practical guidelines are proposed based on nine idea categories related to issues in the three studies: (a) a fit with research purpose and questions, (b) logistics, (c) electronic versus conventional informed consent process, (d) structure and functionality of online forums, (e) interdisciplinary team, (f) screening methods, (g) languages, (h) data analysis methods, and (i) getting participants' feedback.

[Advantages and disadvantages of incorporating qualitative methodology in the evaluation of health services. A practical case: evaluation of a high-resolution clinic].

PubMed

Alvarez Del Arco, D; Rodríguez Rieiro, C; Sanchidrián De Blás, C; Alejos, B; Plá Mestre, R

2012-01-01

We examined the usefulness of incorporating a qualitative phase in the evaluation of the quality of care in a high-resolution medical service carried out with quantitative methods. A quantitative research was performed using a structured questionnaire and selecting interviewees by systematic randomized sampling methods (n=320). In addition, a qualitative research was carried on through semi-structured interviews with patients selected by convenience criteria (n=11), observations in the care assistance circuit, and a group interview with health professionals working in the service. A multidisciplinary research team conducted an individual analysis of the information collected in both quantitative and qualitative phases. Subsequently, three meetings based on group brainstorming techniques were held to identify the diverse contributions of each of the methodologies employed to the research, using affinity graphs to analyse the different results obtained in both phases and evaluate possible bias arising from the use of qualitative methods. Qualitative research allowed examining specific aspects of the health care service that had been collected in the quantitative phase, harmonizing the results obtained in the previous phase, giving in-depth data on the reasons for patient dissatisfaction with specific aspects, such as waiting times and available infrastructures, and identifying emerging issues of the service which had not been previously assessed. Overall, the qualitative phase enriched the results of the research. It is appropriate and recommendable to incorporate this methodological approach in research aimed at evaluating the quality of the service in specific health care settings, since it is provided first hand, by the voice of the customer. Copyright © 2011 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

76 FR 49838 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-11

... Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: Internal... of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. DATES: Written comments should be received on or... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service...

Diabetes complications in youth: qualitative analysis of parents' perspectives of family learning and knowledge.

PubMed

Buckloh, Lisa M; Lochrie, Amanda S; Antal, Holly; Milkes, Amy; Canas, J Atilio; Hutchinson, Sally; Wysocki, Tim

2008-08-01

Youth with type 1 diabetes face long-term risks of health complications of the disease. Little is known about patients' and parents' knowledge, acquisition of information, and family communication regarding these complications. This paper reports qualitative analyses of parental focus-group discussions of this topic. A total of 47 participants (30 mothers, 14 fathers, and 3 others) representing 33 children between the ages of 8 and 18 years with type 1 diabetes participated in 1 of 13 focus groups. Open-ended questions focused on the type and amount of information about long-term complications presented to parents by health care professionals at different time points, as well as the way that information was presented. Questions also elicited details about parent-child communication and exposure to misconceptions about diabetes complications. Qualitative analysis of the transcribed focus groups revealed that participants experienced significant anxiety about diabetes complications, with a shift from concern about daily management tasks to concern about long-term complications over time. Participants desired a flexible, collaborative educational approach, especially regarding the timing and type of information, relative to the child's age and duration of diabetes. Many parents wanted more sensitive communication and emotional support from health care providers. Motivating children appeared to be a particular challenge; family burnout with regard to diabetes care over time was reported. Knowledge was gained in many ways, yet misinformation was uncommon. Obtaining information about long-term complications is an important process that changes over the course of the disease and with the child's developmental level. More research is needed, especially regarding youth knowledge, learning, and beliefs about diabetes complications.

Qualitative dynamics semantics for SBGN process description.

PubMed

Rougny, Adrien; Froidevaux, Christine; Calzone, Laurence; Paulevé, Loïc

2016-06-16

Qualitative dynamics semantics provide a coarse-grain modeling of networks dynamics by abstracting away kinetic parameters. They allow to capture general features of systems dynamics, such as attractors or reachability properties, for which scalable analyses exist. The Systems Biology Graphical Notation Process Description language (SBGN-PD) has become a standard to represent reaction networks. However, no qualitative dynamics semantics taking into account all the main features available in SBGN-PD had been proposed so far. We propose two qualitative dynamics semantics for SBGN-PD reaction networks, namely the general semantics and the stories semantics, that we formalize using asynchronous automata networks. While the general semantics extends standard Boolean semantics of reaction networks by taking into account all the main features of SBGN-PD, the stories semantics allows to model several molecules of a network by a unique variable. The obtained qualitative models can be checked against dynamical properties and therefore validated with respect to biological knowledge. We apply our framework to reason on the qualitative dynamics of a large network (more than 200 nodes) modeling the regulation of the cell cycle by RB/E2F. The proposed semantics provide a direct formalization of SBGN-PD networks in dynamical qualitative models that can be further analyzed using standard tools for discrete models. The dynamics in stories semantics have a lower dimension than the general one and prune multiple behaviors (which can be considered as spurious) by enforcing the mutual exclusiveness between the activity of different nodes of a same story. Overall, the qualitative semantics for SBGN-PD allow to capture efficiently important dynamical features of reaction network models and can be exploited to further refine them.

[Information needs of the health and diseases in users of healthcare services in Primary Care at Salamanca, Spain].

PubMed

Bernad Vallés, Mercedes; Maderuelo Fernández, José Ángel; Moreno González, Pilar

2016-01-01

To learn, interpret and understand the information needs of health and disease in users of the healthcare services of the urban Primary Care of Salamanca. Qualitative research corresponding an exploratory qualitative/structural perspective. Primary Care. Urban area, Salamanca in 2007. Ten discussion groups, 2 composed of members of health-related associations and 8 primary care users, involved a total of 83 people. The structural variables considered are: gender, age, educational level and membership or not associations. Generate information to achieve information saturation in the discussion groups. Upon obtaining their informed consent, all subjects in the study participated in videotaped conversations, which were transcribed verbatim. Four researchers categorized the content, intentionality of discourse and developed the concept map. After categorization, triangulation and coding, content obtained was analysed with the NudistQ6 program. Informative content suggest four information needs: health and prevention, early diagnosis, first aid and disease. Different intentions (information needs, watching, claim and improvement) and needs profiles are detected as structural variables. Major information needs are relate to diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic options. There is agreement between the groups that the information transmitted to the patient must be intelligible, updated and coordinated among the different professionals and care levels. Participants require information of a clinical nature to exercise their right to autonomy translating tendency to empower users as part of the social change. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Qualitative methods in quantum theory

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

Migdal, A.B.

The author feels that the solution of most problems in theoretical physics begins with the application of qualitative methods - dimensional estimates and estimates made from simple models, the investigation of limiting cases, the use of the analytic properties of physical quantities, etc. This book proceeds in this spirit, rather than in a formal, mathematical way with no traces of the sweat involved in the original work left to show. The chapters are entitled Dimensional and model approximations, Various types of perturbation theory, The quasi-classical approximation, Analytic properties of physical quantities, Methods in the many-body problem, and Qualitative methods inmore » quantum field theory. Each chapter begins with a detailed introduction, in which the physical meaning of the results obtained in that chapter is explained in a simple way. 61 figures. (RWR)« less

Using a theory-driven conceptual framework in qualitative health research.

PubMed

Macfarlane, Anne; O'Reilly-de Brún, Mary

2012-05-01

The role and merits of highly inductive research designs in qualitative health research are well established, and there has been a powerful proliferation of grounded theory method in the field. However, tight qualitative research designs informed by social theory can be useful to sensitize researchers to concepts and processes that they might not necessarily identify through inductive processes. In this article, we provide a reflexive account of our experience of using a theory-driven conceptual framework, the Normalization Process Model, in a qualitative evaluation of general practitioners' uptake of a free, pilot, language interpreting service in the Republic of Ireland. We reflect on our decisions about whether or not to use the Model, and describe our actual use of it to inform research questions, sampling, coding, and data analysis. We conclude with reflections on the added value that the Model and tight design brought to our research.

Qualitative studies. Their role in medical research.

PubMed Central

Huston, P.; Rowan, M.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To define qualitative research in terms of its philosophical roots, the questions it addresses, its methods and analyses, and the type of results it can offer. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) databases were searched for the years January 1985 to April 1998. The search strategy consisted of "textword" terms that searched in the "title" field of both databases. Qualitative research and evaluation textbooks in health and the social sciences were also used. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: The information on qualitative research is based on the most recent and valid evidence from the health and social science fields. MAIN MESSAGE: Qualitative research seeks to understand and interpret personal experience to explain social phenomena, including those related to health. It can address questions that quantitative research cannot, such as why people do not adhere to a treatment regimen or why a certain health care intervention is successful. It uses many methods of data collection, including participant observation, case studies, and interviews, and numerous approaches to data analysis that range from the quasistatistical to the intuitive and inductive. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative research, a form of research completely different from quantitative research, can provide important insights into health-related phenomena and can enrich further research inquiries. PMID:9839063

Informal information for web-based engineering catalogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Richard D.; Culley, Stephen J.; Hicks, Ben J.

2001-10-01

Success is highly dependent on the ability of a company to efficiently produce optimal designs. In order to achieve this companies must minimize time to market and possess the ability to make fully informed decisions at the early phase of the design process. Such decisions may include the choice of component and suppliers, as well as cost and maintenance considerations. Computer modeling and electronic catalogues are becoming the preferred medium for the selection and design of mechanical components. In utilizing these techniques, the designer demands the capability to identify, evaluate and select mechanical components both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative decisions generally encompass performance data included in the formal catalogue representation. It is in the area of qualitative decisions that the use of what the authors call 'Informal Information' is of crucial importance. Thus, 'Informal Information' must often be incorporated into the selection process and selection systems. This would enable more informed decisions to be made quicker, without the need for information retrieval via discussion with colleagues in the design environment. This paper provides an overview of the use of electronic information in the design of mechanical systems, including a discussion of limitations of current technology. The importance of Informal Information is discussed and the requirements for association with web based electronic catalogues are developed. This system is based on a flexible XML schema and enables the storage, classification and recall of Informal Information packets. Furthermore, a strategy for the inclusion of Informal Information is proposed, and an example case is used to illustrate the benefits.

The Promise of Qualitative Research to Inform Theory to Address Health Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shelton, Rachel C.; Griffith, Derek M.; Kegler, Michelle C.

2017-01-01

Most public health researchers and practitioners agree that we need to accelerate our efforts to eliminate health disparities and promote health equity. The past two decades of research have provided a wealth of descriptive studies, both qualitative and quantitative, that describe the size, scale, and scope of health disparities, as well as the…

Information needs of people with low back pain for an online resource: a qualitative study of consumer views.

PubMed

Nielsen, Mandy; Jull, Gwendolen; Hodges, Paul W

2014-01-01

To identify the information needs of people with low back pain (LBP) in Australia, and the preferred methods to present this information online, as a basis for development of a patient-centred website. Available online LBP resources are limited in quality and content and it is not clear if they are meeting the needs of sufferers. Focus groups and semi-structured telephone interviews, involving 28 people with LBP. Seven categories of information were identified: reasons for LBP, treatment and management options, self-help information, psychological and social dimensions, lay stories, quality assurance of information and roles of different healthcare professionals and locally available services. Identified preferences for online presentation included: multimodality, emphasis on visual media, readability and interactivity. Participants had been unable to obtain desired LBP information using existing resources. This study provides important guidance for development of a patient-centred website grounded in the expressed needs and preferences of people with LBP. Understanding the breadth of patients' questions and concerns is essential for provision of patient-centred information and interventions. Incorporating these with the current evidence base would provide an accessible and relevant LBP patient education referral point, which is currently lacking. Implications for Rehabilitation Use of the internet to obtain health information is increasing, although there is little evidence that existing low back pain websites are meeting the expressed needs of health consumers. Our research suggests that people with low back pain have difficulty finding relevant and trustworthy information about the condition on the internet. Taking patient information needs and presentation preferences into account when designing online information material will provide people with low back pain an accessible and relevant educational resource that is currently lacking.

Do patient preferences for health information vary by health literacy or numeracy? A qualitative assessment.

PubMed

Gaglio, Bridget; Glasgow, Russell E; Bull, Sheana S

2012-01-01

Seeking health information can be a complicated process for a patient. Patients must know the topic of interest, where to look or ask, how to assess and comprehend, and how to evaluate the credibility and trustworthiness of the sources. In this study, the authors describe preferences of patients with multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease with varying health literacy and numeracy abilities for receiving health information. Participants were recruited from 2 health care systems. Health literacy and numeracy were assessed and participants completed an orally administered survey consisting of open-ended questions about obtaining health information and preferences for health information. In-depth interviews were conducted with a subset of participants. A diverse sample of 150 individuals (11.3% Latino, 37.3% African American, 44.7% with income less than $15,000/year) participated. Most participants had adequate functional health literacy, while 65% had low numeracy skills. Regardless of health literacy or numeracy ability, participants overwhelmingly preferred to receive health information during a face-to-face conversation with their health care provider. While individuals with adequate functional health literacy identified a variety of health information sources, actions are needed to ensure multiple modalities are available and are in plain, clear language that reinforces patients' understanding and application of information to health behavior.

7 CFR 4290.620 - Requirements to obtain information from Portfolio Concerns.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... English. (a) Information for initial Financing decision. Before extending any Financing, you must require... financing proceeds), cash flow analyses, projections, and such economic development information about the Enterprise, as are necessary to support your investment decision. The information submitted must be...

Qualitative Analysis of Resources and Barriers for Borderline Personality Disorder in the U.S.

PubMed Central

Lohman, Matthew C.; Whiteman, Karen L.; Yeomans, Frank E.; Cherico, Sheila A.; Christ, Winifred R.

2016-01-01

Objective Resources and treatment for individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are limited and often difficult to obtain. Experiences and preferences of individuals seeking care are seldom examined but important elements in determining challenges to obtaining appropriate care. This article aimed to identify key resources for and barriers to obtaining supportive and treatment services for BPD, from the perspective of individuals seeking care. Methods Data came from transcripts of resource requests made to the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center from January 2008 to December 2015 (N=6,253). Basic statistics regarding requested BPD service types, demographic information, and national distribution of requests were generated for all eligible transcripts. Qualitative analysis was used to identify themes, challenges, and common experiences reported among a random subset of those seeking services (N=500). Results Primary services or resources requested were outpatient services (51%), informational materials (13%), and daycare programs (9%). Care-seekers identified family services, crisis intervention, and mental health literacy as areas where available resources did not meet current demand and which could be improved and/or expanded. Factors identified as potential barriers to finding and obtaining appropriate treatment for BPD included stigmatization and marginalization within mental healthcare systems, financial concerns, and comorbidity with psychiatric or medical disorders. Conclusions Individuals seeking supportive services and treatment for BPD face numerous barriers to obtaining appropriate care. Expanded services and resources to connect individuals with treatment are needed to meet the current demands and preferences of those seeking care. PMID:27691382

Qualitative environmental health research: an analysis of the literature, 1991-2008.

PubMed

Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen

2011-10-01

Qualitative research uses nonnumeric data to understand people's opinions, motives, understanding, and beliefs about events or phenomena. In this analysis, I report the use of qualitative methods and data in the study of the relationship between environmental exposures and human health. A primary search for peer-reviewed journal articles dated from 1991 through 2008 included the following three terms: qualitative, environ*, and health. Searches resulted in 3,155 records. Data were extracted and findings of articles analyzed to determine where and by whom qualitative environmental health research is conducted and published, the types of methods and analyses used in qualitative studies of environmental health, and the types of information qualitative data contribute to environmental health. The results highlight a diversity of disciplines and techniques among researchers who used qualitative methods to study environmental health. Nearly all of the studies identified increased scientific understanding of lay perceptions of environmental health exposures. This analysis demonstrates the potential of qualitative data to improve understanding of complex exposure pathways, including the influence of social factors on environmental health, and health outcomes.

Physical activity among older people with sight loss: a qualitative research study to inform policy and practice.

PubMed

Phoenix, C; Griffin, M; Smith, B

2015-02-01

To investigate the ways in which participation in physical activity is prevented or facilitated among older people with acquired sight loss later in life. Qualitative research. Interviews were conducted with 48 visually impaired adults age 60+ years, recruited from a range of settings including local sight loss organisations and via talking newspaper advertisements. Visual impairment was defined by self-report. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis. This research represents a first step toward the development of empirically based practical suggestions for decision-makers and health professionals in terms of supporting - when required - visually impaired older adults participation in physical activity. Six themes were identified that captured why physical activity was prevented or facilitated: disabling environments; organisational opportunities; transport; lack of information; confidence, fear and personal safety; and exercise as medicine. Recommendations for policy change need to be focused at the societal level. This includes developing more accessible and inclusive environments and providing meaningful information about physical activity to older adults with a visual impairment, and visual impairment in older age to physical activity providers. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concurrent analysis: towards generalisable qualitative research.

PubMed

Snowden, Austyn; Martin, Colin R

2011-10-01

This study develops an original method of qualitative analysis coherent with its interpretivist principles. The objective is to increase the likelihood of achieving generalisability and so improve the chance of the findings being translated into practice. Good qualitative research depends on coherent analysis of different types of data. The limitations of existing methodologies are first discussed to justify the need for a novel approach. To illustrate this approach, primary evidence is presented using the new methodology. The primary evidence consists of a constructivist grounded theory of how mental health nurses with prescribing authority integrate prescribing into practice. This theory is built concurrently from interviews, reflective accounts and case study data from the literature. Concurrent analysis. Ten research articles and 13 semi-structured interviews were sampled purposively and then theoretically and analysed concurrently using constructivist grounded theory. A theory of the process of becoming competent in mental health nurse prescribing was generated through this process. This theory was validated by 32 practising mental health nurse prescribers as an accurate representation of their experience. The methodology generated a coherent and generalisable theory. It is therefore claimed that concurrent analysis engenders consistent and iterative treatment of different sources of qualitative data in a manageable manner. This process supports facilitation of the highest standard of qualitative research. Concurrent analysis removes the artificial delineation of relevant literature from other forms of constructed data. This gives researchers clear direction to treat qualitative data consistently raising the chances of generalisability of the findings. Raising the generalisability of qualitative research will increase its chances of informing clinical practice. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Qualitative Inquiry in Athletic Training: Principles, Possibilities, and Promises

PubMed Central

Parker, Jenny

2001-01-01

Objective: To discuss the principles of qualitative research and provide insights into how such methods can benefit the profession of athletic training. Background: The growth of a profession is influenced by the type of research performed by its members. Although qualitative research methods can serve to answer many clinical and professional questions that help athletic trainers navigate their socioprofessional contexts, an informal review of the Journal of Athletic Training reveals a paucity of such methods. Description: We provide an overview of the characteristics of qualitative research and common data collection and analysis techniques. Practical examples related to athletic training are also offered. Applications: Athletic trainers interact with other professionals, patients, athletes, and administrators and function in a larger society. Consequently, they are likely to face critical influences and phenomena that affect the meaning they give to their experiences. Qualitative research facilitates a depth of understanding related to our contexts that traditional research may not provide. Furthermore, qualitative research complements traditional ways of thinking about research itself and promotes a greater understanding related to specific phenomena. As the profession of athletic training continues to grow, qualitative research methods will assume a more prominent role. Thus, it will be necessary for consumers of athletic training research to understand the functional aspects of the qualitative paradigm. PMID:12937461

Challenges in Conducting Qualitative Research with Persons with Dementia

PubMed Central

Beuscher, Linda; Grando, Victoria T.

2010-01-01

Qualitative research can capture the meaningful experiences and life values of persons with dementia not reported in quantitative studies. This researcher shares personal experience of the challenges faced and the lessons learned while conducting a qualitative study of 15 persons with early stage Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issues concerning determination of capacity to consent to research, consent/assent, communication challenges, and trustworthiness of data when conducting a qualitative study of persons with dementia. Understanding communication challenges due to dementia is important to develop effective communication strategies, such as simplifying the structure of questions, allowing ample time for participant’s response, using reminiscence, and redirecting the dialogue. This information will be valuable to researchers conducting future qualitative studies and the resulting contributions to the body of knowledge about Alzheimer’s PMID:20077988

Exploring the situational motivation of medical specialists: a qualitative study.

PubMed

van der Burgt, Stéphanie M E; Kusurkar, Rashmi A; Croiset, Gerda; Peerdeman, Saskia M

2018-02-26

The aim was to obtain insight into the factors in the work environment that motivate or demotivate a medical specialist during his/her working day. A qualitative ethnographic design was used, and a constructivist approach was adopted with the Self-Determination theory of motivation as a framework. Six medical specialists from VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands, recruited through convenience, snowball, and purposive sampling, were shadowed for one day each. Data were transcribed and open-coded. Themes were finalized through discussion and consensus. Sixty hours of observation data identified motivating and demotivating factors categorized into four themes that are important for specialists' motivation. Informational technology issues are demotivating factors. Working with colleagues can be both a motivating and demotivating factor, e.g., filling in for each other through feelings of relatedness was motivating. Being in control of one's planning through feelings of autonomy was motivating. Furthermore, patient care and teaching, especially in combination, stimulated specialists' motivation. Regarding the design of the study, we found that situational motivation is indeed observable. The basic psychological needs autonomy, competence, and relatedness are important for specialists' motivation. Investing in a more motivating, open, transparent, and basic-needs- supportive work environment for medical specialists is necessary. Keywords: Continuing professional development, motivation, medical specialists, self-determination theory, qualitative research.

The Data Collector: A Qualitative Research Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handler, Marianne G.; Turner, Sandra V.

Computer software that is intended to assist the qualitative researcher in the analysis of textual data is relatively new. One such program, the Data Collector, is a HyperCard computer program designed for use on the Macintosh computer. A tool for organizing and analyzing textual data obtained from observations, interviews, surveys, and other…

Understanding perceived determinants of nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour: a theory-informed qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Power, Brian T; Kiezebrink, Kirsty; Allan, Julia L; Campbell, Marion K

2017-01-01

Unhealthy eating and physical activity behaviours are common among nurses but little is known about determinants of eating and physical activity behaviour in this population. The present study used a theoretical framework which summarises the many possible determinants of different health behaviours (the Theoretical Domains Framework; TDF) to systematically explore the most salient determinants of unhealthy eating and physical activity behaviour in hospital-based nurses. Semi-structured qualitative interviews based on the TDF were conducted with nurses ( n  = 16) to explore factors that behavioural theories suggest may influence nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour. Important determinants of the target behaviours were identified using both inductive coding (of categories emerging from the data) and deductive coding (of categories derived from the TDF) of the qualitative data. Thirteen of the fourteen domains in the TDF were found to influence nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour. Within these domains, important barriers to engaging in healthy eating and physical activity behaviour were shift work, fatigue, stress, beliefs about negative consequences, the behaviours of family and friends and lack of planning. Important factors reported to enable engagement with healthy eating and physical activity behaviours were beliefs about benefits, the use of self-monitoring strategies, support from work colleagues, confidence, shift work, awareness of useful guidelines and strategies, good mood, future holidays and receiving compliments. This study used a theory-informed approach by applying the TDF to identify the key perceived determinants of nurses' eating and physical activity behaviour. The findings suggest that future efforts to change nurses' eating and physical activity behaviours should consider targeting a broad range of environmental, interpersonal and intrapersonal level factors, consistent with a socio-ecological perspective.

The experiences of professionals with using information from patient-reported outcome measures to improve the quality of healthcare: a systematic review of qualitative research.

PubMed

Boyce, Maria B; Browne, John P; Greenhalgh, Joanne

2014-06-01

To synthesise qualitative studies that investigated the experiences of healthcare professionals with using information from patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to improve the quality of care. A qualitative systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL with no time restrictions. Hand searching was also performed. Eligible studies were evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme toolkit for qualitative studies. A thematic synthesis identified common themes across studies. Study characteristics were examined to explain differences in findings. All healthcare settings. Healthcare professionals. Professionals' views of PROMs after receiving PROMs feedback about individual patients or groups of patients. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Barriers and facilitators to the use of PROMs emerged within four main themes: collecting and incorporating the data (practical), valuing the data (attitudinal), making sense of the data (methodological) and using the data to make changes to patient care (impact). Professionals value PROMs when they are useful for the clinical decision-making process. Practical barriers to the routine use of PROMs are prominent when the correct infrastructure is not in place before commencing data collection and when their use is disruptive to normal work routines. Technology can play a greater role in processing the information in the most efficient manner. Improvements to the interpretability of PROMs should increase their use. Attitudes to the use of PROMs may be improved by engaging professionals in the planning stage of the intervention and by ensuring a high level of transparency around the rationale for data collection. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Home visits for frail older people: a qualitative study on the needs and preferences of frail older people and their informal caregivers.

PubMed

van Kempen, Janneke A L; Robben, Sarah H M; Zuidema, Sytse U; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Melis, René J F; Schers, Henk J

2012-08-01

A number of studies have examined the effects of home visits and showed inconsistent results on physical functioning, institutionalisation, and mortality. Despite continuing interest from professionals in home visits for older people, reports on older people's needs and preferences for such visits are scarce. This qualitative study aims to explore the views and needs of community-dwelling frail older people concerning home visits. A qualitative study including interviews with frail older persons and their informal caregivers living in the area of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with frail older people and informal caregivers. A grounded theory approach was used for data-analysis. Eleven frail older people and 11 informal caregivers were included. Most participants emphasised the importance of home visits for frail older people. They felt that it would give older people the personal attention they used to receive from GPs but miss nowadays. Most stated that this would give them more trust in GPs. Participants stated that trust is one of the most important factors in a good patient-professional relationship. Further, participants preferred home visits to focus on the psychosocial context of the patient. They stated that more knowledge of the psychosocial context and a good patient-professional relationship would enable the professional to provide better and more patient-centred care. Patients' expectations of home visits are quite different from the actual purpose of home visiting programmes; that is, care and wellbeing versus cure and prevention. This difference may partly explain why the effectiveness of home visits remains controversial. Future studies on home visits should involve patients in the development of home visiting programmes.

Understanding the Behavioral Determinants of Retention in HIV Care: A Qualitative Evaluation of a Situated Information, Motivation, Behavioral Skills Model of Care Initiation and Maintenance

PubMed Central

Fisher, Jeffrey D.; Cunningham, Chinazo O.; Amico, K. Rivet

2012-01-01

Abstract The current study provides a qualitative test of a recently proposed application of an Information, Motivation, Behavioral Skills (IMB) model of health behavior situated to the social-environmental, structural, cognitive-affective, and behavioral demands of retention in HIV care. Mixed-methods qualitative analysis was used to identify the content and context of critical theory-based determinants of retention in HIV care, and to evaluate the relative fit of the model to the qualitative data collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews with a sample of inner-city patients accessing traditional and nontraditional HIV care services in the Bronx, NY. The sample reflected a diverse marginalized patient population who commonly experienced comorbid chronic conditions (e.g., psychiatric disorders, substance abuse disorders, diabetes, hepatitis C). Through deductive content coding, situated IMB model-based content was identified in all but 7.1% of statements discussing facilitators or barriers to retention in HIV care. Inductive emergent theme identification yielded a number of important themes influencing retention in HIV care (e.g., acceptance of diagnosis, stigma, HIV cognitive/physical impairments, and global constructs of self-care). Multiple elements of these themes strongly aligned with the model's IMB constructs. The convergence of the results from both sets of analysis demonstrate that participants' experiences map well onto the content and structure of the situated IMB model, providing a systematic classification of important theoretical and contextual determinants of retention in care. Future intervention efforts to enhance retention in HIV care should address these multiple determinants (i.e., information, motivation, behavioral skills) of self-directed retention in HIV care. PMID:22612447

Understanding the behavioral determinants of retention in HIV care: a qualitative evaluation of a situated information, motivation, behavioral skills model of care initiation and maintenance.

PubMed

Smith, Laramie R; Fisher, Jeffrey D; Cunningham, Chinazo O; Amico, K Rivet

2012-06-01

The current study provides a qualitative test of a recently proposed application of an Information, Motivation, Behavioral Skills (IMB) model of health behavior situated to the social-environmental, structural, cognitive-affective, and behavioral demands of retention in HIV care. Mixed-methods qualitative analysis was used to identify the content and context of critical theory-based determinants of retention in HIV care, and to evaluate the relative fit of the model to the qualitative data collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews with a sample of inner-city patients accessing traditional and nontraditional HIV care services in the Bronx, NY. The sample reflected a diverse marginalized patient population who commonly experienced comorbid chronic conditions (e.g., psychiatric disorders, substance abuse disorders, diabetes, hepatitis C). Through deductive content coding, situated IMB model-based content was identified in all but 7.1% of statements discussing facilitators or barriers to retention in HIV care. Inductive emergent theme identification yielded a number of important themes influencing retention in HIV care (e.g., acceptance of diagnosis, stigma, HIV cognitive/physical impairments, and global constructs of self-care). Multiple elements of these themes strongly aligned with the model's IMB constructs. The convergence of the results from both sets of analysis demonstrate that participants' experiences map well onto the content and structure of the situated IMB model, providing a systematic classification of important theoretical and contextual determinants of retention in care. Future intervention efforts to enhance retention in HIV care should address these multiple determinants (i.e., information, motivation, behavioral skills) of self-directed retention in HIV care.

Health literacy issues in the care of Chinese American immigrants with diabetes: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Leung, Angela Yee Man; Bo, Ai; Hsiao, Hsin-Yi; Wang, Song Song; Chi, Iris

2014-01-01

Objectives To investigate why first-generation Chinese immigrants with diabetes have difficulty obtaining, processing and understanding diabetes related information despite the existence of translated materials and translators. Design This qualitative study employed purposive sampling. Six focus groups and two individual interviews were conducted. Each group discussion lasted approximately 90 min and was guided by semistructured and open-ended questions. Setting Data were collected in two community health centres and one elderly retirement village in Los Angeles, California. Participants 29 Chinese immigrants aged ≥45 years and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least 1 year. Results Eight key themes were found to potentially affect Chinese immigrants' capacity to obtain, communicate, process and understand diabetes related health information and consequently alter their decision making in self-care. Among the themes, three major categories emerged: cultural factors, structural barriers, and personal barriers. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of cultural sensitivity when working with first-generation Chinese immigrants with diabetes. Implications for health professionals, local community centres and other potential service providers are discussed. PMID:25406155

A qualitative study on personal information management (PIM) in clinical and basic sciences faculty members of a medical university in Iran

PubMed Central

Sedghi, Shahram; Abdolahi, Nida; Azimi, Ali; Tahamtan, Iman; Abdollahi, Leila

2015-01-01

Background: Personal Information Management (PIM) refers to the tools and activities to save and retrieve personal information for future uses. This study examined the PIM activities of faculty members of Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) regarding their preferred PIM tools and four aspects of acquiring, organizing, storing and retrieving personal information. Methods: The qualitative design was based on phenomenology approach and we carried out 37 interviews with clinical and basic sciences faculty members of IUMS in 2014. The participants were selected using a random sampling method. All interviews were recorded by a digital voice recorder, and then transcribed, codified and finally analyzed using NVivo 8 software. Results: The use of PIM electronic tools (e-tools) was below expectation among the studied sample and just 37% had reasonable knowledge of PIM e-tools such as, external hard drivers, flash memories etc. However, all participants used both paper and electronic devices to store and access information. Internal mass memories (in Laptops) and flash memories were the most used e-tools to save information. Most participants used "subject" (41.00%) and "file name" (33.7 %) to save, organize and retrieve their stored information. Most users preferred paper-based rather than electronic tools to keep their personal information. Conclusion: Faculty members had little knowledge about PIM techniques and tools. Those who organized personal information could easier retrieve the stored information for future uses. Enhancing familiarity with PIM tools and training courses of PIM tools and techniques are suggested. PMID:26793648

Qualitative assessment of a Context of Consumption Framework to inform regulation of cigarette pack design in the U.S.

PubMed

Lee, Joseph G L; Averett, Paige E; Blanchflower, Tiffany; Gregory, Kyle R

2018-02-01

Researchers and regulators need to know how changes to cigarette packages can influence population health. We sought to advance research on the role of cigarette packaging by assessing a theory-informed framework from the fields of design and consumer research. The selected Context of Consumption Framework posits cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to visual design. To assess the Framework's potential for guiding research on the visual design of cigarette packaging in the U.S., this study seeks to understand to what extent the Context of Consumption Framework converges with how adult smokers think and talk about cigarette pack designs. Data for this qualitative study came from six telephone-based focus groups conducted in March 2017. Two groups consisted of lesbian, gay, and bisexual participants; two groups of participants with less than four years college education; one group of LGB and straight identity; and one group the general population. All groups were selected for regional, gender, and racial/ethnic diversity. Participants (n=33) represented all nine U.S. Census divisions. We conducted a deductive qualitative analysis. Cigarette package designs captured the participants' attention, suggested the characteristics of the product, and reflected (or could be leveraged to convey) multiple dimensions of consumer identity. Particular to the affective responses to design, our participants shared that cigarette packaging conveyed how the pack could be used to particular ends, created an emotional response to the designs, complied with normative expectations of a cigarette, elicited interest when designs change, and prompted fascination when unique design characteristics are used. Use of the Context of Consumption Framework for cigarette product packaging design can inform regulatory research on tobacco product packaging. Researchers and regulators should consider multiple cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to cigarette pack design.

Qualitative assessment of a Context of Consumption Framework to inform regulation of cigarette pack design in the U.S

PubMed Central

Lee, Joseph G. L.; Averett, Paige E.; Blanchflower, Tiffany; Gregory, Kyle R.

2018-01-01

INTRODUCTION Researchers and regulators need to know how changes to cigarette packages can influence population health. We sought to advance research on the role of cigarette packaging by assessing a theory-informed framework from the fields of design and consumer research. The selected Context of Consumption Framework posits cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to visual design. To assess the Framework’s potential for guiding research on the visual design of cigarette packaging in the U.S., this study seeks to understand to what extent the Context of Consumption Framework converges with how adult smokers think and talk about cigarette pack designs. METHODS Data for this qualitative study came from six telephone-based focus groups conducted in March 2017. Two groups consisted of lesbian, gay, and bisexual participants; two groups of participants with less than four years college education; one group of LGB and straight identity; and one group the general population. All groups were selected for regional, gender, and racial/ethnic diversity. Participants (n=33) represented all nine U.S. Census divisions. We conducted a deductive qualitative analysis. RESULTS Cigarette package designs captured the participants’ attention, suggested the characteristics of the product, and reflected (or could be leveraged to convey) multiple dimensions of consumer identity. Particular to the affective responses to design, our participants shared that cigarette packaging conveyed how the pack could be used to particular ends, created an emotional response to the designs, complied with normative expectations of a cigarette, elicited interest when designs change, and prompted fascination when unique design characteristics are used. CONCLUSIONS Use of the Context of Consumption Framework for cigarette product packaging design can inform regulatory research on tobacco product packaging. Researchers and regulators should consider multiple cognitive, affective, and behavioral

78 FR 53465 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

... collection of qualitative data regarding preparedness message framing. The goal of this qualitative research... Message Framing Research. Type of Information Collection: New information collection. FEMA Forms: 008-0-17... will engage in qualitative research involving the review of disaster preparedness message frames for...