Working in partnership with interpreters: studies on individuals affected by HIV/AIDS in Vietnam.

PubMed

Maradik Harris, Lesley; Boggiano, Victoria; Nguyen, Duy Thang; Pham, Le Hoang Linh

2013-10-01

This article brings together two American qualitative researchers and two Vietnamese interpreters who investigated the social impacts of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam from the standpoint of the local community. As cultural outsiders with limited Vietnamese language skills, the researchers relied on the insights and expertise of the interpreters to the extent that interpreter roles expanded to become co-researchers. We explain the guidelines we used to work in partnership in the field. We then describe how the relationship between researcher and interpreter developed into co-researching, and how we utilized this relationship to respond to challenges in the work. Despite an increasing number of international qualitative studies, little research has focused on the nuances of a working partnership between researcher and interpreter, and few studies include interpreters as co-researchers. This article contributes to an understanding of how the researcher-interpreter relationship impacts the voice of the participant and, ultimately, the final outcomes of the project.

Expert interpretation of bitemark injuries--a contemporary qualitative study.

PubMed

Page, Mark; Taylor, Jane; Blenkin, Matt

2013-05-01

This study attempts to characterize the nature of disagreement among odontologists in determining the fundamental properties of suspected bitemark injuries. Fifteen odontologists were asked to freely comment on six images of supposed bitemarks. Qualitative analysis using a grounded theory approach revealed that practitioner agreement was at best fair, with wide-ranging opinions on the origin, circumstance, and characteristics of the wound given for all six images. More experienced practitioners (>10 years) tended to agree with each other less than those who had 10 years or less experience in forensic odontology. The differences in opinions can be at least partly accounted for by the inconsistent nature of approaches used by different practitioners in assessing bitemark evidence. The results of this study indicate that more definitive guidelines as to the assessment of bitemarks as patterned injuries should be developed to ensure the highest possible level of practitioner agreement. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Communication and interpretation of emotional distress within the friendships of young Irish men prior to suicide: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sweeney, Lorna; Owens, Christabel; Malone, Kevin

2015-03-01

The potential for young men in crisis to be supported by their lay networks is an important issue for suicide prevention, due to the under-utilisation of healthcare services by this population. Central to the provision of lay support is the capability of social networks to recognise and respond effectively to young men's psychological distress and suicide risk. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore young men's narratives of peer suicide, in order to identify how they interpreted and responded to behavioural changes and indications of distress from their friend before suicide. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted during 2009/10 with 15 Irish males (aged 19-30 years) who had experienced the death by suicide of a male friend in the preceding 5 years. The data were analysed using a thematic approach. Through the analysis of the participants' stories and experiences, we identified several features of young male friendships and social interactions that could be addressed to strengthen the support available to young men in crisis. These included the reluctance of young men to discuss emotional or personal issues within male friendships; the tendency to reveal worries and emotion only within the context of alcohol consumption; the tendency of friends to respond in a dismissive or disapproving way to communication of suicidal thoughts; the difficulty of knowing how to interpret a friend's inconsistent or ambiguous behaviour prior to suicide; and beliefs about the sort of person who takes their own life. Community-based suicide prevention initiatives must enhance the potential of young male social networks to support young men in crisis, through specific provisions for developing openness in communication and responsiveness, and improved education about suicide risk. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Culturally competent health care from the immigrant lens: a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS).

PubMed

Maleku, Arati; Aguirre, Regina T P

2014-01-01

Immigrant groups comprise a large segment of ethnic minorities in the United States. Although the literature is rich with strategies to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services to eliminate health inequities, studies addressing cultural competence from the immigrant's perspective are limited. Further research is needed to build knowledge of the predictors and needs of this population, and to influence health care policy and practice. Using qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis, this study describes the lived experience of immigrants accessing health care to understand the essence of cultural competence in health care through their lens. Findings provide insight on expanding the definition of culturally competent health care beyond language, behaviors, attitudes, and policies.

A Qualitative Study of Backcountry Recreationists' Perceptions on Cougar-Related Interpretive Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greeson, Kimberley M.; Jurin, Richard R.

2012-01-01

Although several studies have examined attitudes towards cougars, little research has been done to specifically address the perceptions on cougar-related interpretive media. The purpose of this study was to examine whether hikers read the available signage pertaining to cougars and examine the hikers' perceptions of current signs and cougar-human…

Service user involvement enhanced the research quality in a study using interpretative phenomenological analysis - the power of multiple perspectives.

PubMed

Mjøsund, Nina Helen; Eriksson, Monica; Espnes, Geir Arild; Haaland-Øverby, Mette; Jensen, Sven Liang; Norheim, Irene; Kjus, Solveig Helene Høymork; Portaasen, Inger-Lill; Vinje, Hege Forbech

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how service user involvement can contribute to the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology and enhance research quality. Interpretative phenomenological analysis is a qualitative methodology used in nursing research internationally to understand human experiences that are essential to the participants. Service user involvement is requested in nursing research. We share experiences from 4 years of collaboration (2012-2015) on a mental health promotion project, which involved an advisory team. Five research advisors either with a diagnosis or related to a person with severe mental illness constituted the team. They collaborated with the research fellow throughout the entire research process and have co-authored this article. We examined the joint process of analysing the empirical data from interviews. Our analytical discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and subsequently interpreted following the guidelines for good qualitative analysis in interpretative phenomenological analysis studies. The advisory team became 'the researcher's helping hand'. Multiple perspectives influenced the qualitative analysis, which gave more insightful interpretations of nuances, complexity, richness or ambiguity in the interviewed participants' accounts. The outcome of the service user involvement was increased breadth and depth in findings. Service user involvement improved the research quality in a nursing research project on mental health promotion. The interpretative element of interpretative phenomenological analysis was enhanced by the emergence of multiple perspectives in the qualitative analysis of the empirical data. We argue that service user involvement and interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology can mutually reinforce each other and strengthen qualitative methodology. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Randomized clinical trials as reflexive-interpretative process in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study.

PubMed

de Jorge, Mercedes; Parra, Sonia; de la Torre-Aboki, Jenny; Herrero-Beaumont, Gabriel

2015-08-01

Patients in randomized clinical trials have to adapt themselves to a restricted language to capture the necessary information to determine the safety and efficacy of a new treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of patients with rheumatoid arthritis after completing their participation in a biologic therapy randomized clinical trial for a period of 3 years. A qualitative approach was used. The information was collected using 15 semi-structured interviews of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Data collection was guided by the emergent analysis until no more relevant variations in the categories were found. The data were analysed using the grounded theory method. The objective of the patients when entering the study was to improve their quality of life by initiating the treatment. However, the experience changed the significance of the illness as they acquired skills and practical knowledge related to the management of their disease. The category "Interactional Empowerment" emerged as core category, as it represented the participative experience in a clinical trial. The process integrates the follow categories: "weight of systematisation", "working together", and the significance of the experience: "the duties". Simultaneously these categories evolved. The clinical trial monitoring activities enabled patients to engage in a reflexive-interpretative mechanism that transformed the emotional and symbolic significance of their disease and improved the empowerment of the patient. A better communicative strategy with the health professionals, the relatives of the patients, and the community was also achieved.

Interpreter Roles and Transition for Public School Students Who Are Deaf: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinz, John T.

2012-01-01

This qualitative multiple case study research project examines interpreter use for students who are Deaf in the public school system and juxtaposes it with interpreter use found in the work sector after the school-to-work (STW) transition. Semi-structured interviews with 16 Deafness professionals and 6 study participants who are Deaf, as well as…

Men's wilderness experience and spirituality: a qualitative study

Treesearch

Paul Heintzman

2007-01-01

Previous research on wilderness experience and spirituality focuses on participants in women-only or mixed male and female groups. This qualitative research study investigated the spiritual impact of participation in a men-only canoe journey into a remote wilderness area. In-depth interviews were conducted with six participants after the trip. Interpretive analysis was...

Experience of Adjunct Novice Clinical Nursing Faculty: An Interpretive Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Carol

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative interpretive case study was to describe the experience of adjunct novice clinical nursing faculty who has less than three years teaching experience or feels novice in this setting. The nursing shortage in the United States is well documented and is forecasted to have significant impacts on the health care delivery…

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

Museum Docents' Understanding of Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neill, Amanda C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore docents' perceptions of their interpretive role in art museums and determine how those perceptions shape docents' practice. The objective was to better understand how docents conceive of their role and what shapes the interpretation they give on tours to the public. The conceptual…

International public health research involving interpreters: a case study from Bangladesh.

PubMed

Pitchforth, Emma; van Teijlingen, Edwin

2005-06-28

Cross-cultural and international research are important components of public health research, but the challenges of language barriers and working with interpreters are often overlooked, particularly in the case of qualitative research. A case-study approach was used to explore experiences of working with an interpreter in Bangladesh as part of a research project investigating women's experiences of emergency obstetric care. Data from the researcher's field notes provided evidence of experiences in working with an interpreter and show how the model of interviewing was adapted over time to give a more active role to the interpreter. The advantages of a more active role were increased rapport and "flow" in interviews. The disadvantages included reduced control from the researcher's perspective. Some tensions between the researcher and interpreter remained hard to overcome, irrespective of the model used. Independent transcription and translation of the interviews also raised questions around accuracy in translation. The issues examined in this case study have broader implications for public health research. Further work is needed in three areas: 1) developing effective relationships with interpreters; 2) the impact of the interpreter on the research process; and 3) the accuracy of the translation and level of analysis needed in any specific public health research. Finally, this paper highlights the importance to authors of reflecting on the potential impact of translation and interpretation on the research process when disseminating their research.

International public health research involving interpreters: a case study from Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Pitchforth, Emma; van Teijlingen, Edwin

2005-01-01

Background Cross-cultural and international research are important components of public health research, but the challenges of language barriers and working with interpreters are often overlooked, particularly in the case of qualitative research. Methods A case-study approach was used to explore experiences of working with an interpreter in Bangladesh as part of a research project investigating women's experiences of emergency obstetric care. The case study Data from the researcher's field notes provided evidence of experiences in working with an interpreter and show how the model of interviewing was adapted over time to give a more active role to the interpreter. The advantages of a more active role were increased rapport and "flow" in interviews. The disadvantages included reduced control from the researcher's perspective. Some tensions between the researcher and interpreter remained hard to overcome, irrespective of the model used. Independent transcription and translation of the interviews also raised questions around accuracy in translation. Conclusion The issues examined in this case study have broader implications for public health research. Further work is needed in three areas: 1) developing effective relationships with interpreters; 2) the impact of the interpreter on the research process; and 3) the accuracy of the translation and level of analysis needed in any specific public health research. Finally, this paper highlights the importance to authors of reflecting on the potential impact of translation and interpretation on the research process when disseminating their research. PMID:15985161

Language barriers and qualitative nursing research: methodological considerations.

PubMed

Squires, A

2008-09-01

This review of the literature synthesizes methodological recommendations for the use of translators and interpreters in cross-language qualitative research. Cross-language qualitative research involves the use of interpreters and translators to mediate a language barrier between researchers and participants. Qualitative nurse researchers successfully address language barriers between themselves and their participants when they systematically plan for how they will use interpreters and translators throughout the research process. Experienced qualitative researchers recognize that translators can generate qualitative data through translation processes and by participating in data analysis. Failure to address language barriers and the methodological challenges they present threatens the credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability of cross-language qualitative nursing research. Through a synthesis of the cross-language qualitative methods literature, this article reviews the basics of language competence, translator and interpreter qualifications, and roles for each kind of qualitative research approach. Methodological and ethical considerations are also provided. By systematically addressing the methodological challenges cross-language research presents, nurse researchers can produce better evidence for nursing practice and policy making when working across different language groups. Findings from qualitative studies will also accurately represent the experiences of the participants without concern that the meaning was lost in translation.

Users’ guide to the surgical literature: how to assess a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Gallo, Lucas; Murphy, Jessica; Braga, Luis H.; Farrokhyar, Forough

2018-01-01

Summary Qualitative research contributes to the medical literature through the observation, description and interpretation of theories about social interactions and individual experiences as they occur in their natural setting. This type of research has the potential to enhance the understanding of surgeons’ and patients’ preferences, attitudes and beliefs, as well as assess how these may change with time. To date, there is no widely accepted standard for the methodological assessment of qualitative research. Despite ongoing debate, this article seeks to familiarize surgeons with the basic techniques for the critical appraisal of qualitative studies in the surgical literature. PMID:29806819

Qualitative "trial-sibling" studies and "unrelated" qualitative studies contributed to complex intervention reviews.

PubMed

Noyes, Jane; Hendry, Margaret; Lewin, Simon; Glenton, Claire; Chandler, Jackie; Rashidian, Arash

2016-06-01

To compare the contribution of "trial-sibling" and "unrelated" qualitative studies in complex intervention reviews. Researchers are using qualitative "trial-sibling" studies undertaken alongside trials to provide explanations to understand complex interventions. In the absence of qualitative "trial-sibling" studies, it is not known if qualitative studies "unrelated" to trials are helpful. Trials, "trial-sibling," and "unrelated" qualitative studies looking at three health system interventions were identified. We looked for similarities and differences between the two types of qualitative studies, such as participants, intervention delivery, context, study quality and reporting, and contribution to understanding trial results. Reporting was generally poor in both qualitative study types. We detected no substantial differences in participant characteristics. Interventions in qualitative "trial-sibling" studies were delivered using standardized protocols, whereas interventions in "unrelated" qualitative studies were delivered in routine care. Qualitative "trial-sibling" studies alone provided insufficient data to develop meaningful transferrable explanations beyond the trial context, and their limited focus on immediate implementation did not address all phenomena of interest. Together, "trial-sibling" and "unrelated" qualitative studies provided larger, richer data sets across contexts to better understand the phenomena of interest. Findings support inclusion of "trial-sibling" and "unrelated" qualitative studies to explore complexity in complex intervention reviews. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maximising the value of combining qualitative research and randomised controlled trials in health research: the QUAlitative Research in Trials (QUART) study--a mixed methods study.

PubMed

O'Cathain, Alicia; Thomas, Kate J; Drabble, Sarah J; Rudolph, Anne; Goode, Jackie; Hewison, Jenny

2014-06-01

Researchers sometimes undertake qualitative research with randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of health interventions. To systematically explore how qualitative research is being used with trials and identify ways of maximising its value to the trial aim of providing evidence of effectiveness of health interventions. A sequential mixed methods study with four components. (1) Database search of peer-reviewed journals between January 2008 and September 2010 for articles reporting the qualitative research undertaken with specific trials, (2) systematic search of database of registered trials to identify studies combining qualitative research and trials, (3) survey of 200 lead investigators of trials with no apparent qualitative research and (4) semistructured telephone interviews with 18 researchers purposively sampled from the first three methods. Qualitative research was undertaken with at least 12% of trials. A large number of articles reporting qualitative research undertaken with trials (n=296) were published between 2008 and 2010. A total of 28% (82/296) of articles reported qualitative research undertaken at the pre-trial stage and around one-quarter concerned drugs or devices. The articles focused on 22 aspects of the trial within five broad categories. Some focused on more than one aspect of the trial, totalling 356 examples. The qualitative research focused on the intervention being trialled (71%, 254/356), the design and conduct of the trial (15%, 54/356), the outcomes of the trial (1%, 5/356), the measures used in the trial (3%, 10/356), and the health condition in the trial (9%, 33/356). The potential value of the qualitative research to the trial endeavour included improving the external validity of trials and facilitating interpretation of trial findings. This value could be maximised by using qualitative research more at the pre-trial stage and reporting findings with explicit attention to the implications for the trial endeavour. During interviews

Middle Grade Students' Interpretations of Contourmaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Glenda; Cook, Michelle; Park, John C.; Wiebe, Eric N.; Butler, Susan M.

2008-01-01

This study examined eighth graders' approach to three tasks implemented to assist students with learning to interpret contour maps. Students' approach to and interpretation of these three tasks were analyzed qualitatively. When students were rank ordered according to their scores on a standardized test of spatial ability, the Minnesota Paper Form…

Language barriers and qualitative nursing research: methodological considerations

PubMed Central

Squires, A.

2009-01-01

Aim This review of the literature synthesizes methodological recommendations for the use of translators and interpreters in cross-language qualitative research. Background Cross-language qualitative research involves the use of interpreters and translators to mediate a language barrier between researchers and participants. Qualitative nurse researchers successfully address language barriers between themselves and their participants when they systematically plan for how they will use interpreters and translators throughout the research process. Experienced qualitative researchers recognize that translators can generate qualitative data through translation processes and by participating in data analysis. Failure to address language barriers and the methodological challenges they present threatens the credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability of cross-language qualitative nursing research. Through a synthesis of the cross-language qualitative methods literature, this article reviews the basics of language competence, translator and interpreter qualifications, and roles for each kind of qualitative research approach. Methodological and ethical considerations are also provided. Conclusion By systematically addressing the methodological challenges cross-language research presents, nurse researchers can produce better evidence for nursing practice and policy making when working across different language groups. Findings from qualitative studies will also accurately represent the experiences of the participants without concern that the meaning was lost in translation. PMID:19522941

Revolutionizing volunteer interpreter services: an evaluation of an innovative medical interpreter education program.

PubMed

Hasbún Avalos, Oswaldo; Pennington, Kaylin; Osterberg, Lars

2013-12-01

In our ever-increasingly multicultural, multilingual society, medical interpreters serve an important role in the provision of care. Though it is known that using untrained interpreters leads to decreased quality of care for limited English proficiency patients, because of a short supply of professionals and a lack of formalized, feasible education programs for volunteers, community health centers and internal medicine practices continue to rely on untrained interpreters. To develop and formally evaluate a novel medical interpreter education program that encompasses major tenets of interpretation, tailored to the needs of volunteer medical interpreters. One-armed, quasi-experimental retro-pre-post study using survey ratings and feedback correlated by assessment scores to determine educational intervention effects. Thirty-eight students; 24 Spanish, nine Mandarin, and five Vietnamese. The majority had prior interpreting experience but no formal medical interpreter training. Students completed retrospective pre-test and post-test surveys measuring confidence in and perceived knowledge of key skills of interpretation. Primary outcome measures were a 10-point Likert scale for survey questions of knowledge, skills, and confidence, written and oral assessments of interpreter skills, and qualitative evidence of newfound knowledge in written reflections. Analyses showed a statistically significant (P <0.001) change of about two points in mean self-ratings on knowledge, skills, and confidence, with large effect sizes (d > 0.8). The second half of the program was also quantitatively and qualitatively shown to be a vital learning experience, resulting in 18 % more students passing the oral assessments; a 19 % increase in mean scores for written assessments; and a newfound understanding of interpreter roles and ways to navigate them. This innovative program was successful in increasing volunteer interpreters' skills and knowledge of interpretation, as well as confidence

Latinas in Higher Education: An Interpretive Study of Experiential Influences That Impact Their Life Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres-Capeles, Belkis

2012-01-01

This basic interpretive qualitative study used individual semi-structured interviews to explore and understand the experiences of seven self-identified Latina participants, who reside in Northeast Ohio and belong to a volunteer organization promoting professional Latinas. The study used Latina Critical Race theory and feminist perspectives to…

Experimental Design and Interpretation of Functional Neuroimaging Studies of Cognitive Processes

PubMed Central

Caplan, David

2008-01-01

This article discusses how the relation between experimental and baseline conditions in functional neuroimaging studies affects the conclusions that can be drawn from a study about the neural correlates of components of the cognitive system and about the nature and organization of those components. I argue that certain designs in common use—in particular the contrast of qualitatively different representations that are processed at parallel stages of a functional architecture—can never identify the neural basis of a cognitive operation and have limited use in providing information about the nature of cognitive systems. Other types of designs—such as ones that contrast representations that are computed in immediately sequential processing steps and ones that contrast qualitatively similar representations that are parametrically related within a single processing stage—are more easily interpreted. PMID:17979122

Conducting qualitative research in audiology: a tutorial.

PubMed

Knudsen, Line V; Laplante-Lévesque, Ariane; Jones, Lesley; Preminger, Jill E; Nielsen, Claus; Lunner, Thomas; Hickson, Louise; Naylor, Graham; Kramer, Sophia E

2012-02-01

Qualitative research methodologies are being used more frequently in audiology as it allows for a better understanding of the perspectives of people with hearing impairment. This article describes why and how international interdisciplinary qualitative research can be conducted. This paper is based on a literature review and our recent experience with the conduction of an international interdisciplinary qualitative study in audiology. We describe some available qualitative methods for sampling, data collection, and analysis and we discuss the rationale for choosing particular methods. The focus is on four approaches which have all previously been applied to audiologic research: grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analysis, conversational analysis, and qualitative content analysis. This article provides a review of methodological issues useful for those designing qualitative research projects in audiology or needing assistance in the interpretation of qualitative literature.

Dirt and disgust as key drivers in nurses' infection control behaviours: an interpretative, qualitative study.

PubMed

Jackson, C; Griffiths, P

2014-06-01

Infection prevention remains a significant challenge for healthcare systems. Yet despite considerable work to provide clear policies and scientifically proven techniques to reduce infection transmission, beliefs and practices of healthcare workers do not always concur with scientific rationale. To provide explanations for nurses' infection prevention behaviours. An interpretative, qualitative approach was taken using semi-structured interviews. Twenty interviews with registered nurses working in an acute hospital setting were conducted. Analysis was conducted using the Framework method. This paper focuses on the theme 'protection from dirt'. Within the findings clear distinction was made between infection and dirt. Fear of contact with dirt, particularly dirt belonging to those who were unknown, was a key driver in behaviour carried out to reduce threat. Familiarity with the patient resulted in a reduction of the protective behaviours required. These behaviours, which initially appeared as part of an infection prevention strategy, were primarily a form of self-protection from patients, who at first encounter were considered as dirty. Behaviours do not always fit with a rational response to infection, but instead may be responses to dirt. Any programme that simply attempts to address scientific knowledge and behaviour deficits is unlikely to have the desired goals if it does not take into account existing social constructions of dirt and the response it evokes. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origins, Methods and Advances in Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nye, Elizabeth; Melendez-Torres, G. J.; Bonell, Chris

2016-01-01

Qualitative research is a broad term encompassing many methods. Critiques of the field of qualitative research argue that while individual studies provide rich descriptions and insights, the absence of connections drawn between studies limits their usefulness. In response, qualitative meta-synthesis serves as a design to interpret and synthesise…

Methodological challenges in cross-language qualitative research: a research review.

PubMed

Squires, Allison

2009-02-01

Cross-language qualitative research occurs when a language barrier is present between researchers and participants. The language barrier is frequently mediated through the use of a translator or interpreter. The purpose of this analysis of cross-language qualitative research was threefold: (1) review the methods literature addressing cross-language research; (2) synthesize the methodological recommendations from the literature into a list of criteria that could evaluate how researchers methodologically managed translators and interpreters in their qualitative studies; (3) test these criteria on published cross-language qualitative studies. A group of 40 purposively selected cross-language qualitative studies found in nursing and health sciences journals. The synthesis of the cross-language methods literature produced 14 criteria to evaluate how qualitative researchers managed the language barrier between themselves and their study participants. To test the criteria, the researcher conducted a summative content analysis framed by discourse analysis techniques of the 40 cross-language studies. The evaluation showed that only 6 out of 40 studies met all the criteria recommended by the cross-language methods literature for the production of trustworthy results in cross-language qualitative studies. Multiple inconsistencies, reflecting disadvantageous methodological choices by cross-language researchers, appeared in the remaining 33 studies. To name a few, these included rendering the translator or interpreter as an invisible part of the research process, failure to pilot test interview questions in the participant's language, no description of translator or interpreter credentials, failure to acknowledge translation as a limitation of the study, and inappropriate methodological frameworks for cross-language research. The finding about researchers making the role of the translator or interpreter invisible during the research process supports studies completed by other

Unpacking Docent Practice in Free Choice Science Learning Settings: A Qualitative Study Documenting the What and Whys of Docent Interpretive Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Good, Laura H.

Museum settings including aquariums, zoos and science centers rely heavily on their volunteer docent populations to interact with and communicate science and conservation concepts to the visiting public. The interactions docents have with museum visitors are important to meeting the educational expectations of museums and improving public science literacy as a whole, yet research to date is limited around docent practice, docents' reflections on that practice nor the sources for docents to learn that practice. Thus, we have little understanding of the interpretive practice docents actually undertake whilst interacting with visitors, why they choose to enact particular strategies, and how they came to learn those practices. Using a grounded qualitative approach within a framework of mediated action and cultural historical activity theory, this case study utilized video observations of docent practice at a science center, pre and post observation interviews, and focus groups to 1) document docent practices for engaging visitors, 2) explain those practices from the docents' own perspectives, and 3) examine those practices from the point of view of how they align with teaching and learning theories and interpretive practice. Thematic analysis using constant comparative methods demonstrate four claims about docent practice: 1) docents view teaching in the museum as opportunities to spark interest with these new experiences. Practices are chosen to engage visitors in these experiences. Docents choose to highlight these experiences as they believe they are reasons to be engaged; 2) docents as teachers are perceptive about their audience. They pay attention to patterns and provide information in response to those patterns. Docents utilize a shared repertoire of practice and information in their community developed from understanding visitor patterns of interest; 3) docents care about their setting and the exhibits within it. They also care about the visitor experience as a

Use of qualitative methods alongside randomised controlled trials of complex healthcare interventions: methodological study

PubMed Central

Glenton, Claire; Oxman, Andrew D

2009-01-01

Objective To examine the use of qualitative approaches alongside randomised trials of complex healthcare interventions. Design Review of randomised controlled trials of interventions to change professional practice or the organisation of care. Data sources Systematic sample of 100 trials published in English from the register of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Review Group. Methods Published and unpublished qualitative studies linked to the randomised controlled trials were identified through database searches and contact with authors. Data were extracted from each study by two reviewers using a standard form. We extracted data describing the randomised controlled trials and qualitative studies, the quality of these studies, and how, if at all, the qualitative and quantitative findings were combined. A narrative synthesis of the findings was done. Results 30 of the 100 trials had associated qualitative work and 19 of these were published studies. 14 qualitative studies were done before the trial, nine during the trial, and four after the trial. 13 studies reported an explicit theoretical basis and 11 specified their methodological approach. Approaches to sampling and data analysis were poorly described. For most cases (n=20) we found no indication of integration of qualitative and quantitative findings at the level of either analysis or interpretation. The quality of the qualitative studies was highly variable. Conclusions Qualitative studies alongside randomised controlled trials remain uncommon, even where relatively complex interventions are being evaluated. Most of the qualitative studies were carried out before or during the trials with few studies used to explain trial results. The findings of the qualitative studies seemed to be poorly integrated with those of the trials and often had major methodological shortcomings. PMID:19744976

Qualitative Research Designs: Selection and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creswell, John W.; Hanson, William E.; Plano Clark, Vicki L.; Morales, Alejandro

2007-01-01

Counseling psychologists face many approaches from which to choose when they conduct a qualitative research study. This article focuses on the processes of selecting, contrasting, and implementing five different qualitative approaches. Based on an extended example related to test interpretation by counselors, clients, and communities, this article…

The use of theory in qualitative approaches to research: application in end-of-life studies.

PubMed

Wu, Hung-Lan; Volker, Deborah L

2009-12-01

This paper is a report of an analysis of the use of theory in qualitative approaches to research as exemplified in qualitative end-of-life studies. Nurses researchers turn to theory to conceptualize research problems and guide investigations. However, researchers using qualitative approaches do not consistently articulate how theory has been applied, and no clear consensus exists regarding the appropriate application of theory in qualitative studies. A review of qualitative, end-of-life studies is used to illustrate application of theory to study design and findings. A review of theoretical literature was carried out, focusing on definitions and use of theory in qualitative end-of-life studies published in English between 1990 and 2008. The term 'theory' continues to be used in a variety of ways by theorists and researchers. Within the reviewed end-of-life studies, the use of theory included theory creation or provision of a comparative framework for data analysis and interpretation. Implications for nursing. Nurses who conduct qualitative studies should examine the philosophical and theoretical bases of their selected methodological approach, articulate a theoretical framework that fits the phenomenon being studied, and adopt a critical, flexible and creative attitude when applying theory to a study. Theory can be put to several uses in qualitative inquiry and should guide nurse researchers as they develop and implement their studies. Nurse educators who teach qualitative approaches to research should emphasize a variety of ways to incorporate theory in qualitative designs.

Medical termination of pregnancy in general practice in Australia: a descriptive-interpretive qualitative study.

PubMed

Dawson, Angela J; Nicolls, Rachel; Bateson, Deborah; Doab, Anna; Estoesta, Jane; Brassil, Ann; Sullivan, Elizabeth A

2017-03-14

Australian Government approval in 2012 for the use of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP) allows general practitioners (GPs) to provide early gestation abortion in primary care settings. However, uptake of the MTOP provision by GPs appears to be low and the reasons for this have been unclear. This study investigated the provision of and referral for MTOP by GPs. We undertook descriptive-interpretive qualitative research and selected participants for diversity using a matrix. Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews and one focus group (N = 4), were conducted with 32 GPs (8 MTOP providers, 24 non MTOP providers) in New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A framework to examine access to abortion services was used to develop the interview questions and emergent themes identified thematically. Three main themes emerged: scope of practice; MTOP demand, care and referral; and workforce needs. Many GPs saw abortion as beyond the scope of their practice (i.e. a service others provide in specialist private clinics). Some GPs had religious or moral objections; others regarded MTOP provision as complicated and difficult. While some GPs expressed interest in MTOP provision they were concerned about stigma and the impact it may have on perceptions of their practice and the views of colleagues. Despite a reported variance in demand most MTOP providers were busy but felt isolated. Difficulties in referral to a local public hospital in the case of complications or the provision of surgical abortion were noted. Exploring the factors which affect access to MTOP in general practice settings provides insights to assist the future planning and delivery of reproductive health services. This research identifies the need for support to increase the number of MTOP GP providers and for GPs who are currently providing MTOP. Alongside these actions provision in the public sector is required. In addition

What Value Can Qualitative Research Add to Quantitative Research Design? An Example From an Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Toye, Francine; Williamson, Esther; Williams, Mark A; Fairbank, Jeremy; Lamb, Sarah E

2016-08-09

Using an example of qualitative research embedded in a non-surgical feasibility trial, we explore the benefits of including qualitative research in trial design and reflect on epistemological challenges. We interviewed 18 trial participants and used methods of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Our findings demonstrate that qualitative research can make a valuable contribution by allowing trial stakeholders to see things from alternative perspectives. Specifically, it can help to make specific recommendations for improved trial design, generate questions which contextualize findings, and also explore disease experience beyond the trial. To make the most out of qualitative research embedded in quantitative design it would be useful to (a) agree specific qualitative study aims that underpin research design, (b) understand the impact of differences in epistemological truth claims, (c) provide clear thematic interpretations for trial researchers to utilize, and (d) include qualitative findings that explore experience beyond the trial setting within the impact plan. © The Author(s) 2016.

Strange and scary memories of the intensive care unit: a qualitative, longitudinal study inspired by Ricoeur's interpretation theory.

PubMed

Svenningsen, Helle; Egerod, Ingrid; Dreyer, Pia

2016-10-01

To describe the content of former intensive care unit patients' memories of delusions. Intensive care unit patients often have strange and frightening experiences during the critical stage of illness. Earlier studies have provided small-sample in-depth descriptions of patient experiences in intensive care unit, but large-scale studies are also needed to inform intensive care unit follow-up. The study had a qualitative design using phenomenological hermeneutic analysis inspired by Ricoeur's interpretive theory. Patients were assessed with Confusion Assessment Method of the Intensive Care Unit for delirium in intensive care unit, and after discharge, memories of delusions were described by 114 of 325 patients in face-to-face (after two weeks) and telephone interviews (after two and six months) using the Intensive Care Unit Memory Tool. Four themes emerged: the ever-present family, dynamic spaces, surviving challenges and constant motion. Memories of delusions were a vivid mix of fact and fiction, demonstrating dynamic shifts in time, place and motion, but not dependent on the presence of delirium assessed by Confusion Assessment Method of the Intensive Care Unit. Analysis based on Ricoeurian phenomenological hermeneutics provided insights into themes in intensive care unit patients' memories of delusions. More studies are needed to understand the meaning of memories of delusions, the commonality of themes and the association between delusions and delirium after an intensive care unit stay. Understanding patients' memories of delusions is beneficial to nurses caring for patients that are anxious, upset or agitated. It opens a window to the world of the patient who is unable to communicate due to intubation and general weakness. We recommend the provision of nurse-led intensive care unit follow-up enabling patients to describe and discuss their intensive care unit experiences. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Work Experiences of People with Mental Illness in Malaysia: A Preliminary Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boo, Su-Lyn; Loong, Jaymee; Ng, Wai-Sheng

2011-01-01

This is a preliminary qualitative study, using a basic interpretive approach, to investigate the work experiences of people with mental illness in Malaysia. Six females and four males (aged 30-70) from a residential home for the mentally ill participated in semi-structured interviews. Three inter-relating themes emerged, namely the experience of…

Building Connections: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Qualitative Research Students' Learning Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Robin; Fleischer, Anne; Cotton, Fatima A.

2012-01-01

This paper describes a phenomenological study in which the authors explored students' experiences learning qualitative research in a variety of academic fields. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with six participants from various academic fields who had completed at least one post-secondary-school-level qualitative research course…

Methodological Challenges in Cross-Language Qualitative Research: A Research Review

PubMed Central

Squires, Allison

2009-01-01

Objectives Cross-language qualitative research occurs when a language barrier is present between researchers and participants. The language barrier is frequently mediated through the use of a translator or interpreter. The purpose of this critical review of cross-language qualitative research was three fold: 1) review the methods literature addressing cross language research; 2) synthesize the methodological recommendations from the literature into a list of criteria that could evaluate how researchers methodologically managed translators and interpreters in their qualitative studies; and 3) test these criteria on published cross-language qualitative studies. Data sources A group of 40 purposively selected cross-language qualitative studies found in nursing and health sciences journals. Review methods The synthesis of the cross-language methods literature produced 14 criteria to evaluate how qualitative researchers managed the language barrier between themselves and their study participants. To test the criteria, the researcher conducted a summative content analysis framed by discourse analysis techniques of the 40 cross-language studies. Results The evaluation showed that only 6 out of 40 studies met all the criteria recommended by the cross-language methods literature for the production of trustworthy results in cross-language qualitative studies. Multiple inconsistencies, reflecting disadvantageous methodological choices by cross-language researchers, appeared in the remaining 33 studies. To name a few, these included rendering the translator or interpreter as an invisible part of the research process, failure to pilot test interview questions in the participant’s language, no description of translator or interpreter credentials, failure to acknowledge translation as a limitation of the study, and inappropriate methodological frameworks for cross-language research. Conclusions The finding about researchers making the role of the translator or interpreter

Interpreter-mediated diabetes consultations: a qualitative analysis of physician communication practices

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Patient-provider communication, in particular physicians’ ability to listen to their patients, and support them in making difficult lifestyle changes, is an essential component of effective diabetes care. Clinical communication around diabetes can be especially challenging when language barriers are present, and may contribute to poor diabetes management and outcomes. Clinicians need to be aware of and address potential communication difficulties associated with interpreter-mediated consultations. The purpose of our study was to explore how physicians communicate in interpreter-mediated consultations with diabetic patients, and how their communication behaviors may impact diabetes communication and care. Method We analyzed transcripts from 8 audio recorded, outpatient consultations at the Basel University Hospital general medicine outpatient clinic involving Turkish-speaking patients, German-speaking physicians, and Turkish-German interpreters (both community interpreters and family members). Results Clinicians used closed questions when asking about symptoms and glucose control. When providing information and explanation, they spoke in long and complex speech turns. They often directed their speech to interpreters or became sidetracked by family members’ questions or requests for information. Patients’ participation in the consultation was minimal, and limited to brief answers to clinicians’ questions. Conclusions Clinicians need to be aware of common pitfalls that diminish patient-centeredness during interpreter-mediated consultations, and learn strategies to avoid them. Attention to established guidelines on triadic communication is recommended, as is hands-on training with interpreters. PMID:24152539

Learner Interpretations of Shared Space in Multilateral English Blogging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Yu-Feng

2011-01-01

This qualitative study aims to understand how English learners interpret shared space in an online multilateral English blogging context and how their interpretations of shared space contribute to their multilateral exchange experience. Twenty-four Asian learners of English from two different universities--one in Japan and one in…

Critical Skills for Supervisors of Information Technology Project Managers in Government: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Jacqueline

2016-01-01

A company or government is only as good as its most qualified employees. This qualitative interpretative phenomenological study sought to understand what skills are needed to supervise government information technology (IT) project managers through their lived experience. Fifteen participants in the field of government IT were interviewed. They…

Heritage Learners of Mexican Descent in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study of Past and Present Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gignoux, Alicia

2009-01-01

This is a qualitative interpretive study that explores the past and present experiences of heritage learners (HLs) of Mexican descent who were studying or had recently studied advanced Spanish in institutions of higher education. All of the participants had been exposed to Spanish in the home and began their studies in elementary or middle school…

Reducing Negative Outcomes of Online Consumer Health Information: Qualitative Interpretive Study with Clinicians, Librarians, and Consumers

PubMed Central

Pluye, Pierre; Thoër, Christine; Rodriguez, Charo

2018-01-01

Background There has been an exponential increase in the general population’s usage of the internet and of information accessibility; the current demand for online consumer health information (OCHI) is unprecedented. There are multiple studies on internet access and usage, quality of information, and information needs. However, few studies explored negative outcomes of OCHI in detail or from different perspectives, and none examined how these negative outcomes could be reduced. Objective The aim of this study was to describe negative outcomes associated with OCHI use in primary care and identify potential preventive strategies from consumers’, health practitioners’, and health librarians’ perspectives. Methods This included a two-stage interpretive qualitative study. In the first stage, we recruited through a social media survey, a purposeful sample of 19 OCHI users who had experienced negative outcomes associated with OCHI. We conducted semistructured interviews and performed a deductive-inductive thematic analysis. The results also informed the creation of vignettes that were used in the next stage. In the second stage, we interviewed a convenient sample of 10 key informants: 7 health practitioners (3 family physicians, 2 nurses, and 2 pharmacists) and 3 health librarians. With the support of the vignettes, we asked participants to elaborate on (1) their experience with patients who have used OCHI and experienced negative outcomes and (2) what strategies they suggest to reduce these outcomes. We performed a deductive-inductive thematic analysis. Results We found that negative outcomes of OCHI may occur at three levels: internal (such as increased worrying), interpersonal (such as a tension in the patient-clinician relationship), and service-related (such as postponing a clinical encounter). Participants also proposed three types of strategies to reduce the occurrence of these negative outcomes, namely, providing consumers with reliable OCHI, educating

Qualitative Case Study Guidelines

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

Introduction to Sociological Methods. 2nd ed. New York, McGraw-Hill 14. Denzin , N. K. and Lincoln , Y. S. (2011) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative...The Art of Science. In: Denzin , N. K. and Lincoln , Y. S. (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, Sage 19. GAO (1990) Case Study...Rinehart & Winston 39. Stake, R. E. (1994) Case Studies. In: Denzin , N. K. and Lincoln , Y. S. (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, Sage

Self-Perceptions of Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Leadership Skills among Recent Engineering Graduates: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Fallon E.

2013-01-01

This study describes the communication-specific soft skills that recent engineering graduates from Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited universities in the state of Kentucky report they use at work. Utilizing a basic interpretive qualitative approach in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain the…

The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alase, Abayomi

2017-01-01

As a research methodology, qualitative research method infuses an added advantage to the exploratory capability that researchers need to explore and investigate their research studies. Qualitative methodology allows researchers to advance and apply their interpersonal and subjectivity skills to their research exploratory processes. However, in a…

Evolutionary Theory of Mate Selection and Partners of Trans People: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forde, Amanda

2011-01-01

Despite much research into mate selection, non-heterosexual populations are often only included for comparison purposes, while trans people and their partners are overlooked. This study attempts to address this using qualitative methodology to explore the mate selection of the partners of trans people. Six participants were recruited from online…

The role of interpreters in inclusive classrooms.

PubMed

Antia, S D; Kreimeyer, K H

2001-10-01

The roles of interpreters in an inclusive classroom were examined through a qualitative, 3-year case study of three interpreters in an inclusive school. Interviews were conducted with interpreters, classroom teachers, special education teachers, and administrators. The interview data were supplemented with observations and field notes. Results indicate that in addition to sign interpreting between American Sign Language and speech, the interpreters clarified teacher directions, facilitated peer interaction, tutored the deaf children, and kept the teachers and special educators informed of the deaf children's progress. The interpreter/aides and the classroom teachers preferred this full-participant interpreter role, while the special educators and administrators preferred a translator role. Classroom teachers were more comfortable with full-time interpreters who knew the classroom routine, while the special educators and administrators feared that full-time interpreters fostered child and teacher dependence. These issues are discussed in terms of congruence with the Registry of Interpreters code of ethics and how integration of young children might be best facilitated.

Interpreters, Interpreting, and the Study of Bilingualism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdes, Guadalupe; Angelelli, Claudia

2003-01-01

Discusses research on interpreting focused specifically on issues raised by this literature about the nature of bilingualism. Suggests research carried out on interpreting--while primarily produced with a professional audience in mind and concerned with improving the practice of interpreting--provides valuable insights about complex aspects of…

A Look at Simultaneous Interpretation. Working Papers on Bilingualism, No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barik, Henri C.

This paper summarizes the findings of an exploratory study concerned with certain temporal and qualitative aspects of simultaneous interpretation. Six French-English interpreters (2 professionals, 2 students and 2 amateurs) translated tape-recorded passages representing different types of materials from their weaker into their dominant language or…

The Educational Needs of and Barriers Faced by Syrian Refugee Students in Turkey: A Qualitative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Hasan; Kaya, Yeliz

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the educational status of Syrian refugees in Turkish schools, and the perspectives of teachers and school principals regarding the needs of Syrian refugee students in two inner-city elementary schools in Istanbul, Turkey. A qualitative interpretive case study method was employed. Eight participants (seven…

Assigning poetry reading as a way of introducing students to qualitative data analysis.

PubMed

Raingruber, Bonnie

2009-08-01

The aim of the paper is to explain how poetry reading can be used to teach interpretive analysis of qualitative data. A number of studies were located in the nursing literature that focused on using poetry to help students develop empathy for patients, to teach students to reflect on their own practice, and to assist them in developing self-understanding. No studies were found that described the use of poetry reading as a way of teaching the skill of interpretive analysis. There are, however, a number of parallels between the principles of poetry reading and qualitative analysis that suggest that this method of teaching would be successful. International papers published on PubMed, Medline, and CINAHL were reviewed to identify challenges facing educators and ways of teaching the process of qualitative data analysis using poetry reading. Using poetry reading to teach skills of qualitative data analysis helps motivate students, cultivates a reflective mindset, and develops the skill of working as a member of an interpretive group. Framing interpretive work as being like reading poetry helps students pick up more quickly on the art that is a major component of the work. This approach also helps students learn the importance of cultural and contextual particulars as they begin analyzing qualitative data. Using poetry reading to introduce students to the complex skill of qualitative data analysis is an effective pedagogical strategy.

Secondary School Senior Capstone Projects: A Descriptive and Interpretive Case Study on Post-Secondary Students' Perspectives of Learning Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yasuda, Vanessa Applbaum

2017-01-01

This descriptive and interpretive case study investigates how 12 undergraduate college students perceived participation in their high school Senior Capstone Project (SCP) impacted their college academic experience. Learning transfer was explored from the learner's perspective. Data was collected using qualitative methods in three sequential phases…

Blinded interpretation of study results can feasibly and effectively diminish interpretation bias.

PubMed

Järvinen, Teppo L N; Sihvonen, Raine; Bhandari, Mohit; Sprague, Sheila; Malmivaara, Antti; Paavola, Mika; Schünemann, Holger J; Guyatt, Gordon H

2014-07-01

Controversial and misleading interpretation of data from randomized trials is common. How to avoid misleading interpretation has received little attention. Herein, we describe two applications of an approach that involves blinded interpretation of the results by study investigators. The approach involves developing two interpretations of the results on the basis of a blinded review of the primary outcome data (experimental treatment A compared with control treatment B). One interpretation assumes that A is the experimental intervention and another assumes that A is the control. After agreeing that there will be no further changes, the investigators record their decisions and sign the resulting document. The randomization code is then broken, the correct interpretation chosen, and the manuscript finalized. Review of the document by an external authority before finalization can provide another safeguard against interpretation bias. We found the blinded preparation of a summary of data interpretation described in this article practical, efficient, and useful. Blinded data interpretation may decrease the frequency of misleading data interpretation. Widespread adoption of blinded data interpretation would be greatly facilitated were it added to the minimum set of recommendations outlining proper conduct of randomized controlled trials (eg, the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement). Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methodological challenges in qualitative content analysis: A discussion paper.

PubMed

Graneheim, Ulla H; Lindgren, Britt-Marie; Lundman, Berit

2017-09-01

This discussion paper is aimed to map content analysis in the qualitative paradigm and explore common methodological challenges. We discuss phenomenological descriptions of manifest content and hermeneutical interpretations of latent content. We demonstrate inductive, deductive, and abductive approaches to qualitative content analysis, and elaborate on the level of abstraction and degree of interpretation used in constructing categories, descriptive themes, and themes of meaning. With increased abstraction and interpretation comes an increased challenge to demonstrate the credibility and authenticity of the analysis. A key issue is to show the logic in how categories and themes are abstracted, interpreted, and connected to the aim and to each other. Qualitative content analysis is an autonomous method and can be used at varying levels of abstraction and interpretation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethnocultural women's experiences of breast cancer: a qualitative meta-study.

PubMed

Howard, A Fuchsia; Balneaves, Lynda G; Bottorff, Joan L

2007-01-01

A growing number of studies have been conducted that explore the breast cancer experiences of women from diverse ethnocultural groups. To advance knowledge and provide a foundation for future research, a synthesis was conducted of 15 qualitative research studies focusing on women from ethnocultural groups diagnosed with breast cancer. A qualitative meta-study approach was used that included analysis of the theoretical orientations and methodological approaches underlying the research, and an interpretive synthesis of research findings. Ethnocultural groups represented in the studies included Asian American, Aboriginal, Hispanic, and African American women. The synthesis revealed diverse experiences within and among these ethnocultural groups represented in 5 major themes: (a) the "othered" experience of a breast cancer diagnosis, (b) the treatment experience as "other," (c) losses associated with breast cancer, (d) the family context of breast cancer experiences, and (e) coping with cancer through spirituality and community involvement. The integration of findings from the 15 studies also revealed how methodological and theoretical approaches to conducting this research influenced understandings of the experiences of breast cancer. Further experiential breast cancer research with ethnocultural groups is needed, as well as the use of research methods that illuminate the ways that ethnicity, class, age, and gender relations are played out in healthcare settings.

Theory and Concepts in Qualitative Research: A Theory of Methodology in a Study of Directed Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Geoffrey E.

The importance of theory in qualitative work is discussed through an examination of the search for theory that arose in relation to a case study of educational change in an American school district. Theory is defined as an analytical, interpretive framework to help the researcher make sense of what is going on in the social setting. Certain…

Methodological Issues and Practices in Qualitative Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Jana

1993-01-01

Discusses methodological issues concerning qualitative research and describes research practices that qualitative researchers use to address these methodological issues. Topics discussed include the researcher as interpreter, the emergent nature of qualitative research, understanding the experience of others, trustworthiness in qualitative…

Bracketing as a skill in conducting unstructured qualitative interviews.

PubMed

Sorsa, Minna Anneli; Kiikkala, Irma; Åstedt-Kurki, Päivi

2015-03-01

To provide an overview of bracketing as a skill in unstructured qualitative research interviews. Researchers affect the qualitative research process. Bracketing in descriptive phenomenology entails researchers setting aside their pre-understanding and acting non-judgementally. In interpretative phenomenology, previous knowledge is used intentionally to create new understanding. A literature search of bracketing in phenomenology and qualitative research. This is a methodology paper examining the researchers' impact in creating data in creating data in qualitative research. Self-knowledge, sensitivity and reflexivity of the researcher enable bracketing. Skilled and experienced researchers are needed to use bracketing in unstructured qualitative research interviews. Bracketing adds scientific rigour and validity to any qualitative study.

Midwifery students' experiences of learning clinical skills in Iran: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Golnoosh; Shahriari, Mohsen; Keyvanara, Mahmood; Kohan, Shahnaz

2018-03-09

A qualitative study was used. Midwifery students from three universities in Iran participated. The study used a convenience sample of eighteen students. Data for this study was collected using semi-structured interviews (N=12) and focus groups (N=6). Data were recorded on a digital audio recorder and then transcribed. The qualitative data were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Six broad themes emerged from the analysis: Limited opportunities to experience skills, difficulties with course plan gaps, need for creating a supportive clinical environment, learning drives, confusion between different methods, and stress in the clinical setting. Short verbatim quotations from the participants were presented to provide evidence for the interpretation of data. The findings of this study have provided a clear picture of the factors and mechanisms involved in learning clinical skills by midwifery students. This study showed that students had some difficulties and concerns during learning of clinical midwifery skills. The findings of this study suggest that midwifery educators conduct further studies to tackle these issues in clinical skills learning. The findings of this study are subject to some limitations which are discussed.

Achieving trustworthiness in qualitative research: a pan-paradigmatic perspective.

PubMed

Williams, Elizabeth Nutt; Morrow, Susan L

2009-07-01

In this article, as two researchers from different traditions in qualitative research (consensual qualitative research and grounded theory), the authors present their shared views on the critical elements of trustworthiness in qualitative data. In addition to making specific recommendations about the integrity of data, the balance between participant meaning and researcher interpretation, and clear communication and application of the findings, they identify ways in which these issues are difficult to negotiate within and across different qualitative approaches. The authors present examples from various qualitative studies, emphasize the need for a shared language to reduce confusion between qualitative traditions and with researchers from a more strictly quantitative orientation, and recommend particular approaches to establishing trustworthiness in qualitative research.

Long-term psychological consequences of symptomatic pulmonary embolism: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Noble, Simon; Lewis, Rhian; Whithers, Jodie; Lewis, Sarah; Bennett, Paul

2014-04-02

To explore the psychological consequences of experiencing symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE). Qualitative interview-based study using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Outpatients who attended an anticoagulation clinic in a district general hospital. Patients attending an anticoagulation clinic following hospital admission for symptomatic PE were approached to participate. A total of 9 (4 women, 5 men) of 11 patients approached agreed to be interviewed. Participants were aged between 26 and 72 years and had previously experienced a PE between 9 and 60 months (median=26 months, mean=24 months). Audiotaped semistructured qualitative interviews were undertaken to explore participants experiences of having a PE and how it had affected their lives since. Data were transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify emergent themes. Three major themes with associated subthemes were identified. Participants described having a PE as a life-changing experience comprising initial shock, followed by feeling of loss of self, life-changing decisions and behaviour modification. Features of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were described with flashbacks, hypervigilance and intrusive thoughts being most prevalent. Participants identified several areas of support needed for such patients including easier access to support through information giving and emotional support. Long-term consequences of venous thromboembolism go beyond the physical alone. Patients describe experiencing symptomatic PE to be a life-changing distressing event leading to behaviour modification and in some PTSD. It is likely that earlier psychological intervention may reduce such long-term sequelae.

Optimising qualitative longitudinal analysis: Insights from a study of traumatic brain injury recovery and adaptation.

PubMed

Fadyl, Joanna K; Channon, Alexis; Theadom, Alice; McPherson, Kathryn M

2017-04-01

Knowledge about aspects that influence recovery and adaptation in the postacute phase of disabling health events is key to understanding how best to provide appropriate rehabilitation and health services. Qualitative longitudinal research makes it possible to look for patterns, key time points and critical moments that could be vital for interventions and supports. However, strategies that support robust data management and analysis for longitudinal qualitative research in health-care are not well documented in the literature. This article reviews three challenges encountered in a large longitudinal qualitative descriptive study about experiences of recovery and adaptation after traumatic brain injury in New Zealand, and the strategies and technologies used to address them. These were (i) tracking coding and analysis decisions during an extended analysis period; (ii) navigating interpretations over time and in response to new data; and (iii) exploiting data volume and complexity. Concept mapping during coding review, a considered combination of information technologies, employing both cross-sectional and narrative analysis, and an expectation that subanalyses would be required for key topics helped us manage the study in a way that facilitated useful and novel insights. These strategies could be applied in other qualitative longitudinal studies in healthcare inquiry to optimise data analysis and stimulate important insights. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Instruction-Based Clinical Eye-Tracking Study on the Visual Interpretation of Divergence: How Do Students Look at Vector Field Plots?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, P.; Viiri, J.; Mozaffari, S.; Dengel, A.; Kuhn, J.

2018-01-01

Relating mathematical concepts to graphical representations is a challenging task for students. In this paper, we introduce two visual strategies to qualitatively interpret the divergence of graphical vector field representations. One strategy is based on the graphical interpretation of partial derivatives, while the other is based on the flux…

The value of qualitative conclusions for the interpretation of Super Soft Source grating spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ness, J.

2017-10-01

High-resolution (grating) X-ray spectra of Super Soft Sources (SSS) contain a large amount of information. Main-stream interpretation approaches apply radiation transport models that, if uniquely constrained by the data, would provide information about temperature and mass of the underlying white dwarf and chemical composition of the ejecta. The complexity of the grating spectra has so far prohibited unique conclusions because realistic effects such as inhomogeneous density distribution, asymmetric ejecta, expansion etc open up an almost infinite number of dimensions to the problem. Further development of models are with no doubt needed, but unbiased inspection of the observed spectra is needed to narrow down where new developments are needed. In this presentation I illustrate how much we can already conclude without any models and remind of the value of qualitative conclusions. I show examples of past and recent observations and how comparisons with other observations help us to reveal common mechanisms. Albeit the high degree of complexity, some astonishing similarities between very different systems are found which can tailor the development of new models.

Chinese Interpreting Studies: a data-driven analysis of a dynamic field of enquiry

PubMed Central

Pekelis, Leonid

2015-01-01

Over the five decades since its beginnings, Chinese Interpreting Studies (CIS) has evolved into a dynamic field of academic enquiry with more than 3,500 scholars and 4,200 publications. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, this scientometric study delves deep into CIS citation data to examine some of the noteworthy trends and patterns of behavior in the field: how can the field’s progress be quantified by means of citation analysis? Do its authors tend repeatedly to cite ‘classic’ papers or are they more drawn to their colleagues’ latest research? What different effects does the choice of empirical vs. theoretical research have on the use of citations in the various research brackets? The findings show that the field is steadily moving forward with new papers continuously being cited, although a number of influential papers stand out, having received a stream of citations in all the years examined. CIS scholars also have a tendency to cite much older English than Chinese publications across all document types, and empirical research has the greatest influence on the citation behavior of doctoral scholars, while theoretical studies have the largest impact on that of article authors. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the merits of blending quantitative and qualitative analyses to uncover hidden trends. PMID:26401459

Qualitative versus quantitative methods in psychiatric research.

PubMed

Razafsha, Mahdi; Behforuzi, Hura; Azari, Hassan; Zhang, Zhiqun; Wang, Kevin K; Kobeissy, Firas H; Gold, Mark S

2012-01-01

Qualitative studies are gaining their credibility after a period of being misinterpreted as "not being quantitative." Qualitative method is a broad umbrella term for research methodologies that describe and explain individuals' experiences, behaviors, interactions, and social contexts. In-depth interview, focus groups, and participant observation are among the qualitative methods of inquiry commonly used in psychiatry. Researchers measure the frequency of occurring events using quantitative methods; however, qualitative methods provide a broader understanding and a more thorough reasoning behind the event. Hence, it is considered to be of special importance in psychiatry. Besides hypothesis generation in earlier phases of the research, qualitative methods can be employed in questionnaire design, diagnostic criteria establishment, feasibility studies, as well as studies of attitude and beliefs. Animal models are another area that qualitative methods can be employed, especially when naturalistic observation of animal behavior is important. However, since qualitative results can be researcher's own view, they need to be statistically confirmed, quantitative methods. The tendency to combine both qualitative and quantitative methods as complementary methods has emerged over recent years. By applying both methods of research, scientists can take advantage of interpretative characteristics of qualitative methods as well as experimental dimensions of quantitative methods.

Spiritual Concerns in Hindu Cancer Patients Undergoing Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Simha, Srinagesh; Noble, Simon; Chaturvedi, Santosh K

2013-01-01

Aims: Spiritual concerns are being identified as important components of palliative care. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of spiritual concerns in cancer patients undergoing palliative care in a hospice in India. Materials and Methods: The methodology used was a qualitative method: Interpretive phenomenological analysis. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data, based on Indian and western literature reports. Certain aspects like karma and pooja, relevant to Hindus, were included. Theme saturation was achieved on interviewing 10 participants. Results: The seven most common spiritual concerns reported were benefit of pooja, faith in God, concern about the future, concept of rebirth, acceptance of one's situation, belief in karma, and the question Why me? No participant expressed four of the concerns studied: Loneliness, need of seeking forgiveness from others, not being remembered later, and religious struggle. Conclusions: This study confirms that there are spiritual concerns reported by patients receiving palliative care. The qualitative descriptions give a good idea about these experiences, and how patients deal with them. The study indicates the need for adequate attention to spiritual aspects during palliative care. PMID:24049350

Veterinary and Equine Science Students’ Interpretation of Horse Behaviour

PubMed Central

Gronqvist, Gabriella; Gee, Erica; Martinez, Audrey; Bolwell, Charlotte

2017-01-01

Simple summary We assessed first-year veterinary science and veterinary technology and undergraduate equine science students interpretation of expressive horse behaviours. Previous experience with horses appeared to influence the students’ perception of the horses’ behaviour. Qualitative assessments of horse behaviour may be a useful tool for assessing students’ knowledge of horse behaviour. Abstract Many veterinary and undergraduate equine science students have little previous horse handling experience and a poor understanding of horse behaviour; yet horses are one of the most unsafe animals with which veterinary students must work. It is essential for veterinary and equine students to learn how to interpret horse behaviour in order to understand demeanour and levels of arousal, and to optimise their own safety and the horses’ welfare. The study utilised a qualitative research approach to investigate veterinary science and veterinary technology and undergraduate equine science students’ interpretation of expressive behaviours shown by horses. The students (N = 127) were shown six short video clips and asked to select the most applicable terms, from a pre-determined list, to describe the behavioural expression of each individual horse. A wide variation of terms were selected by students and in some situations of distress, or situations that may be dangerous or lead to compromised welfare, apparently contradictory terms were also selected (happy or playful) by students with less experience with horses. Future studies should consider the use of Qualitative Behavioural Analysis (QBA) and free-choice profiling to investigate the range of terms used by students to describe the expressive demeanour and arousal levels of horses. PMID:28809810

Getting added value from using qualitative research with randomized controlled trials: a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Qualitative research is undertaken with randomized controlled trials of health interventions. Our aim was to explore the perceptions of researchers with experience of this endeavour to understand the added value of qualitative research to the trial in practice. Methods A telephone semi-structured interview study with 18 researchers with experience of undertaking the trial and/or the qualitative research. Results Interviewees described the added value of qualitative research for the trial, explaining how it solved problems at the pretrial stage, explained findings, and helped to increase the utility of the evidence generated by the trial. From the interviews, we identified three models of relationship of the qualitative research to the trial. In ‘the peripheral’ model, the trial was an opportunity to undertake qualitative research, with no intention that it would add value to the trial. In ‘the add-on’ model, the qualitative researcher understood the potential value of the qualitative research but it was viewed as a separate and complementary endeavour by the trial lead investigator and wider team. Interviewees described how this could limit the value of the qualitative research to the trial. Finally ‘the integral’ model played out in two ways. In ‘integral-in-theory’ studies, the lead investigator viewed the qualitative research as essential to the trial. However, in practice the qualitative research was under-resourced relative to the trial, potentially limiting its ability to add value to the trial. In ‘integral-in-practice’ studies, interviewees described how the qualitative research was planned from the beginning of the study, senior qualitative expertise was on the team from beginning to end, and staff and time were dedicated to the qualitative research. In these studies interviewees described the qualitative research adding value to the trial although this value was not necessarily visible beyond the original research team due

Getting added value from using qualitative research with randomized controlled trials: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

O'Cathain, Alicia; Goode, Jackie; Drabble, Sarah J; Thomas, Kate J; Rudolph, Anne; Hewison, Jenny

2014-06-09

Qualitative research is undertaken with randomized controlled trials of health interventions. Our aim was to explore the perceptions of researchers with experience of this endeavour to understand the added value of qualitative research to the trial in practice. A telephone semi-structured interview study with 18 researchers with experience of undertaking the trial and/or the qualitative research. Interviewees described the added value of qualitative research for the trial, explaining how it solved problems at the pretrial stage, explained findings, and helped to increase the utility of the evidence generated by the trial. From the interviews, we identified three models of relationship of the qualitative research to the trial. In 'the peripheral' model, the trial was an opportunity to undertake qualitative research, with no intention that it would add value to the trial. In 'the add-on' model, the qualitative researcher understood the potential value of the qualitative research but it was viewed as a separate and complementary endeavour by the trial lead investigator and wider team. Interviewees described how this could limit the value of the qualitative research to the trial. Finally 'the integral' model played out in two ways. In 'integral-in-theory' studies, the lead investigator viewed the qualitative research as essential to the trial. However, in practice the qualitative research was under-resourced relative to the trial, potentially limiting its ability to add value to the trial. In 'integral-in-practice' studies, interviewees described how the qualitative research was planned from the beginning of the study, senior qualitative expertise was on the team from beginning to end, and staff and time were dedicated to the qualitative research. In these studies interviewees described the qualitative research adding value to the trial although this value was not necessarily visible beyond the original research team due to the challenges of publishing this research

Qualitative and quantitative interpretation of computed tomography of the lungs in healthy neonatal foals.

PubMed

Lascola, Kara M; O'Brien, Robert T; Wilkins, Pamela A; Clark-Price, Stuart C; Hartman, Susan K; Mitchell, Mark A

2013-09-01

To qualitatively describe lung CT images obtained from sedated healthy equine neonates (≤ 14 days of age), use quantitative analysis of CT images to characterize attenuation and distribution of gas and tissue volumes within the lungs, and identify differences between lung characteristics of foals ≤ 7 days of age and foals > 7 days of age. 10 Standardbred foals between 2.5 and 13 days of age. Foals were sedated with butorphanol, midazolam, and propofol and positioned in sternal recumbency for thoracic CT. Image analysis software was used to exclude lung from nonlung structures. Lung attenuation was measured in Hounsfield units (HU) for analysis of whole lung and regional changes in attenuation and lung gas and tissue components. Degree of lung attenuation was classified as follows: hyperinflated or emphysema, -1,000 to -901 HU; well aerated, -900 to -501 HU; poorly aerated, -500 to -101 HU; and nonaerated, > -100 HU. Qualitative evidence of an increase in lung attenuation and patchy alveolar patterns in the ventral lung region were more pronounced in foals ≤ 7 days of age than in older foals. Quantitative analysis revealed that mean ± SD lung attenuation was greater in foals ≤ 7 days of age (-442 ± 28 HU) than in foals > 7 days of age (-521 ± 24 HU). Lung aeration and gas volumes were lower than in other regions ventrally and in the mid lung region caudal to the heart. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE-Identified radiographic patterns and changes in attenuation were most consistent with atelectasis and appeared more severe in foals ≤ 7 days of age than in older neonatal foals. Recognition of these changes may have implications for accurate CT interpretation in sedated neonatal foals with pulmonary disease.

Mind mapping in qualitative research.

PubMed

Tattersall, Christopher; Powell, Julia; Stroud, James; Pringle, Jan

We tested a theory that mind mapping could be used as a tool in qualitative research to transcribe and analyse an interview. We compared results derived from mind mapping with those from interpretive phenomenological analysis by examining patients' and carers' perceptions of a new nurse-led service. Mind mapping could be used to rapidly analyse simple qualitative audio-recorded interviews. More research is needed to establish the extent to which mind mapping can assist qualitative researchers.

Strengthening validity in studies of pelvic floor disorders through qualitative research: an example from Ethiopia.

PubMed

Blystad, Astrid; Rortveit, Guri; Gjerde, Janne Lillelid; Muleta, Mulu; Moland, Karen Marie

2018-05-01

This formative qualitative follow-up study addresses validity concerns in the Dabat Incontinence and Prolapse (DABINCOP) study, which aimed to determine the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in north-west Ethiopia. A pilot study using a questionnaire validated by pelvic exam showed severe underreporting of clinically relevant pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The objective of the follow-up study was to explore the reasons behind the underreporting and to gather information to strengthen the sensitivity and local relevance of the questionnaire to be employed in the main study. A qualitative formative study nested within the DABINCOP study was carried out in rural and semiurban communities using an interpretive approach and in-depth qualitative interviews. Women (5) who had not self-reported POP in the pilot but were diagnosed with severe prolapse after pelvic examination, and health-care workers in the research team (7) were interviewed individually within 1 year of the pilot. Systematic text condensation was used in the analysis. The women explained that shame and fear of social exclusion, lack of trust in the study and data collectors, and lack of hope for cure prevented them from disclosing. The health-care workers reported weaknesses in the questionnaire and the research approach. Time pressure and competition among data collectors may have compromised women's motivation to disclose. The study indicates that qualitative research may fruitfully be employed in the formative phase of an epidemiological study on sensitive reproductive health problems to enhance local relevance of the tool and overall validity of the study.

Instrumental Students' Strategies for Finding Interpretations: Complexity and Individual Variety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hultberg, Cecilia

2008-01-01

In this article, a qualitative, collaborative study on two students' preparation of public performances of guitar duos is presented. A cultural-psychological perspective was used, and data were collected in natural settings. Participants' processes of finding interpretations are characterized by complex strategies, based on individual familiarity…

Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness.

PubMed

Graneheim, U H; Lundman, B

2004-02-01

Qualitative content analysis as described in published literature shows conflicting opinions and unsolved issues regarding meaning and use of concepts, procedures and interpretation. This paper provides an overview of important concepts (manifest and latent content, unit of analysis, meaning unit, condensation, abstraction, content area, code, category and theme) related to qualitative content analysis; illustrates the use of concepts related to the research procedure; and proposes measures to achieve trustworthiness (credibility, dependability and transferability) throughout the steps of the research procedure. Interpretation in qualitative content analysis is discussed in light of Watzlawick et al.'s [Pragmatics of Human Communication. A Study of Interactional Patterns, Pathologies and Paradoxes. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, London] theory of communication.

Advancing the use of community pharmacy quality measures: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Shiyanbola, Olayinka O; Mort, Jane R; Lyons, Kayley

2013-01-01

To describe consumers' ability to interpret pharmacy quality measures data presented in a report card, to examine the tools that consumers require to interpret the information available in a pharmacy quality report card, and to determine whether pharmacy quality measures influence consumers' choice of a pharmacy. Qualitative study. Three semistructured focus groups conducted in a private meeting space at a public library in Sioux Falls, SD, from April 2011 to May 2011. 29 laypeople. Participants' skills interpreting and using pharmacy quality information were examined based on mock report cards containing the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) quality measures. Consumer perceptions of pharmacy quality data. Participants reported difficulty understanding quality measures because of knowledge deficits. They wanted supportive resources on drug class of their medications to help them understand the measures. Participants had different opinions on whether their pharmacies should be compared with other pharmacies based on specific quality measures. For example, they favored the use of drug-drug interactions as a quality measure for comparing pharmacies, while medication adherence was deemed of limited use for comparison. Participants stated that pharmacy report cards would be useful information but would not prompt a change in pharmacy. However, participants perceived that this information would be useful in selecting a new pharmacy. The results suggest that consumers require simplification of PQA quality measures and supportive resources to interpret the measures. Consumers may favor certain quality measures based on their perception of the role of the pharmacist. Education is required before full use of this quality-of-care information can be realized.

Meta-ethnography 25 years on: challenges and insights for synthesising a large number of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Toye, Francine; Seers, Kate; Allcock, Nick; Briggs, Michelle; Carr, Eloise; Barker, Karen

2014-06-21

Studies that systematically search for and synthesise qualitative research are becoming more evident in health care, and they can make an important contribution to patient care. Our team was funded to complete a meta-ethnography of patients' experience of chronic musculoskeletal pain. It has been 25 years since Noblit and Hare published their core text on meta-ethnography, and the current health research environment brings additional challenges to researchers aiming to synthesise qualitative research. Noblit and Hare propose seven stages of meta-ethnography which take the researcher from formulating a research idea to expressing the findings. These stages are not discrete but form part of an iterative research process. We aimed to build on the methods of Noblit and Hare and explore the challenges of including a large number of qualitative studies into a qualitative systematic review. These challenges hinge upon epistemological and practical issues to be considered alongside expectations about what determines high quality research. This paper describes our method and explores these challenges. Central to our method was the process of collaborative interpretation of concepts and the decision to exclude original material where we could not decipher a concept. We use excerpts from our research team's reflexive statements to illustrate the development of our methods.

The Challenges of Qualitatively Coding Ancient Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slingerland, Edward; Chudek, Maciej

2012-01-01

We respond to several important and valid concerns about our study ("The Prevalence of Folk Dualism in Early China," "Cognitive Science" 35: 997-1007) by Klein and Klein, defending our interpretation of our data. We also argue that, despite the undeniable challenges involved in qualitatively coding texts from ancient cultures,…

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.

Language translation challenges with Arabic speakers participating in qualitative research studies.

PubMed

Al-Amer, Rasmieh; Ramjan, Lucie; Glew, Paul; Darwish, Maram; Salamonson, Yenna

2016-02-01

This paper discusses how a research team negotiated the challenges of language differences in a qualitative study that involved two languages. The lead researcher shared the participants' language and culture, and the interviews were conducted using the Arabic language as a source language, which was then translated and disseminated in the English language (target language). The challenges in relation to translation in cross-cultural research were highlighted from a perspective of establishing meaning as a vital issue in qualitative research. The paper draws on insights gained from a study undertaken among Arabic-speaking participants involving the use of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study was undertaken using a purposive sample of 15 participants with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and co-existing depression and explored their perception of self-care management behaviours. Data analysis was performed in two phases. The first phase entailed translation and transcription of the data, and the second phase entailed thematic analysis of the data to develop categories and themes. In this paper there is discussion on the translation process and its inherent challenges. As translation is an interpretive process and not merely a direct message transfer from a source language to a target language, translators need to systematically and accurately capture the full meaning of the spoken language. This discussion paper highlights difficulties in the translation process, specifically in managing data in relation to metaphors, medical terminology and connotation of the text, and importantly, preserving the meaning between the original and translated data. Recommendations for future qualitative studies involving interviews with non-English speaking participants are outlined, which may assist researchers maintain the integrity of the data throughout the translation process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Counseling Students Who Participate in Mindfulness-Based Activities in a Counseling Theory and Practice Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffy, Jason T.; Guiffrida, Douglas A.; Araneda, Maria E.; Tetenov, Serina M. R.; Fitzgibbons, Sarah C.

2017-01-01

This study explored the lived experiences of two cohorts of counselors in training (CITs) who experienced mindfulness-based activities in a counseling theory and practice course. Utilizing Merriam's Interpretive Qualitative Approach (Merriam 1988, 2002), the data suggested that students perceived the activities to have enhanced their experiences…

Interpreting Meta-Analyses of Genome-Wide Association Studies

PubMed Central

Han, Buhm; Eskin, Eleazar

2012-01-01

Meta-analysis is an increasingly popular tool for combining multiple genome-wide association studies in a single analysis to identify associations with small effect sizes. The effect sizes between studies in a meta-analysis may differ and these differences, or heterogeneity, can be caused by many factors. If heterogeneity is observed in the results of a meta-analysis, interpreting the cause of heterogeneity is important because the correct interpretation can lead to a better understanding of the disease and a more effective design of a replication study. However, interpreting heterogeneous results is difficult. The standard approach of examining the association p-values of the studies does not effectively predict if the effect exists in each study. In this paper, we propose a framework facilitating the interpretation of the results of a meta-analysis. Our framework is based on a new statistic representing the posterior probability that the effect exists in each study, which is estimated utilizing cross-study information. Simulations and application to the real data show that our framework can effectively segregate the studies predicted to have an effect, the studies predicted to not have an effect, and the ambiguous studies that are underpowered. In addition to helping interpretation, the new framework also allows us to develop a new association testing procedure taking into account the existence of effect. PMID:22396665

Getting By: Underuse of Interpreters by Resident Physicians

PubMed Central

Schenker, Yael; Curry, Leslie; Bradley, Elizabeth H.; Fernandez, Alicia

2008-01-01

Background Language barriers complicate physician–patient communication and adversely affect healthcare quality. Research suggests that physicians underuse interpreters despite evidence of benefits and even when services are readily available. The reasons underlying the underuse of interpreters are poorly understood. Objective To understand the decision-making process of resident physicians when communicating with patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Design Qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Participants Internal medicine resident physicians ( = 20) from two urban teaching hospitals with excellent interpreter services. Approach An interview guide was used to explore decision making about interpreter use. Results Four recurrent themes emerged: 1) Resident physicians recognized that they underused professional interpreters, and described this phenomenon as “getting by;” 2) Resident physicians made decisions about interpreter use by weighing the perceived value of communication in clinical decision making against their own time constraints; 3) The decision to call an interpreter could be preempted by the convenience of using family members or the resident physician’s use of his/her own second language skills; 4) Resident physicians normalized the underuse of professional interpreters, despite recognition that patients with LEP are not receiving equal care. Conclusions Although previous research has identified time constraints and lack of availability of interpreters as reasons for their underuse, our data suggest that the reasons are far more complex. Residents at the study institutions with interpreters readily available found it easier to “get by” without an interpreter, despite misgivings about negative implications for quality of care. Findings suggest that increasing interpreter use will require interventions targeted at both individual physicians and the practice environment. PMID:19089503

Male IPV Perpetrator's Perspectives on Intervention and Change: A Systematic Synthesis of Qualitative Studies.

PubMed

McGinn, Tony; McColgan, Mary; Taylor, Brian

2017-01-01

To add to our understanding of change processes by analyzing perpetrators' perspectives on intervention. Fourteen databases were searched and 27 articles reporting relevant qualitative findings were identified. Analytic coding was applied across the findings and discussion sections of all 27 study reports to form an interpretive account of the data set. Studies were also grouped according to their perceived theoretical standpoints, and a summary of themes in each grouping is presented. Study participants were largely positive about their experiences in intervention; new learning such as conflict interruption techniques and new communication skills were commonly cited benefits. Perpetrators attend perpetrator intervention programs with a range of motivations, ranging from a determination to change who they are, to a determination to avoid a custodial sentence. The most common barriers to change, found in this analysis, were cognitive distortions, emotional dysregulation, gendered social constructions, and self-esteem issues. Further qualitative investigation, of rigor, with the intention-to-treat population of intimate partner violence perpetrators involved in perpetrator programs is needed. At this point, we would venture that qualitative research, with perpetrators, underlines the precept that formidable barriers to change exist in this population. The centrality of group work to perpetrator interventions should be reconsidered in light of the complexity of the change task and in light of the heterogeneity of this population.

A Qualitative Metasynthesis of Consultation Process Research: What We Know and Where to Go

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Daniel S.; McKenney, Elizabeth L. W.; Silva, Arlene E.; Clare, Mary; Salmon, Diane; Jackson, Safiyah

2017-01-01

Qualitative metasynthesis (QM) is a research methodology that permits the meaningful integration and interpretation of qualitative research. This study applies a QM approach combined with constructivist grounded theory methods, bolstered by several features of research credibility, to examine the state of consultee-centered consultation (CCC) and…

Young registered nurses' intention to leave the profession and professional turnover in early career: a qualitative case study.

PubMed

Flinkman, Mervi; Isopahkala-Bouret, Ulpukka; Salanterä, Sanna

2013-01-01

In a time of global nursing shortages an alarming number of young registered nurses have expressed a willingness to leave the profession. In this qualitative case study we investigate in depth why young nurses leave nursing profession and reeducate themselves for a new career. The study is based on longitudinal interviews of three young registered nurses in Finland. These nurses were first interviewed between December 2006 and May 2007, when they were 29-32 years old and having an intention to leave the profession. The second interview took place four years later, from January 2011 to March 2011 when all of them had made the transition to a new career. Data were analyzed in two stages. In the first stage, comprehensive career story narratives were formed on the basis of the interviews. In the second stage, emerging themes in these stories were compared, contrasted, and interpreted in the context of the overall career histories. Nursing as a second career choice and demanding work content as well as poor practice environment and the inability to identify with the stereotypical images of nurses were main themes that emerged from these career stories. The results of this interpretative qualitative study reflect a shift toward insights into understanding professional turnover as a complex and long-lasting process.

Validity in Qualitative Research: Application of Safeguards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daytner, Katrina M.

2006-01-01

The construct of validity has received considerable attention in qualitative methods literature (Denzin, 1989; Erickson, 1986; Geertz, 1973; Goetz & LeCompte, 1984; Howe & Eisenhart, 1990; Maxwell, 1992; Smith & Glass, 1987). Much of the attention has been focused upon the issue of whether qualitative results and interpretations accurately reflect…

Qualitative Case Study Research as Empirical Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellinger, Andrea D.; McWhorter, Rochell

2016-01-01

This article introduces the concept of qualitative case study research as empirical inquiry. It defines and distinguishes what a case study is, the purposes, intentions, and types of case studies. It then describes how to determine if a qualitative case study is the preferred approach for conducting research. It overviews the essential steps in…

Liberating burdensomeness of suicide survivorship loss: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis.

PubMed

Talseth, Anne-Grethe; Gilje, Fredricka L

2017-12-01

What is an interpreted and synthesised understanding of responses of survivors to a suicide death of a close person? It is well known that survivors of suicide loss who are in a close relationship with the deceased are at high risk for suicidality and health conditions. Nurses in various settings need evidenced-informed approaches to encounter these vulnerable persons and support their healing journey from postvention to prevention. The design is reflexive and iterative. A Critical Interpretive Synthesis comprised of six phases: formulating the review question; searching literature; sampling; determining quality; extracting data; interpretive synthesis. Qualitative content analysis was also. Based on a sample of 15 published full-text qualitative and quantitative nursing research studies published between 1990 and 2016, an aggregated, interpreted and synthesised understanding of responses of survivors of suicide loss to the suicide death of a close person emerged. Four synthesised concepts were: dreading burden of suicide risk and stigma; facing burdensomeness in the aftermath of suicide death; enduring being burdened-unburdened, striving to invest in living; and liberating burdensomeness, journeying toward healing. Contextually, geo-cultural gaps exist in published nursing studies. Most studies were from North American and a few from Asia. The reported suicide deaths occurred over a wide range of time. Conceptually, four synthesised concepts can be viewed as a process of moving from burdensomeness to liberating burdensomeness. Methodologically, a small body of knowledge that met quality appraisal was interpreted and synthesised into an understanding of an evidenced-informed approach to guide nurses' encounters with survivors of suicide loss. The results contribute to an evidenced-informed approach for nurses in practice to support survivors of suicide loss journeying from burdensomeness to liberating burdensomeness. Results also serve as a foundation for further

Educational differences in responses to breast cancer symptoms: A qualitative comparative study.

PubMed

Marcu, Afrodita; Black, Georgia; Vedsted, Peter; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Whitaker, Katriina L

2017-02-01

Advanced stage at diagnosis for breast cancer is associated with lower socio-economic status (SES). We explored what factors in the patient interval (time from noticing a bodily change to first consultation with a health care professional) may contribute to this inequality. Qualitative comparative study. Semi-structured interviews with a sample of women (≥47 years) from higher (n = 15) and lower (n = 15) educational backgrounds, who had experienced at least one potential breast cancer symptom. Half the participants (n = 15) had sought medical help, half had not (n = 15). Without making breast cancer explicit, we elicited women's sense-making around their symptoms and help-seeking decisions. Containment of symptoms and confidence in acting upon symptoms emerged as two broad themes that differentiated lower and higher educational groups. Women from lower educational backgrounds tended to attribute their breast symptoms to trivial factors and were reticent in using the word 'cancer'. Despite 'knowing' that symptoms could be related to cancer, women with lower education invoked lack of medical knowledge - 'I am not a doctor' - to express uncertainty about interpreting symptoms and accessing help. Women with higher education were confident about interpreting symptoms, seeking information online, and seeking medical help. Our findings suggest that knowledge of breast cancer alone may not explain socio-economic differences in how women respond to breast cancer symptoms as women with lower education had 'reasons' not to react. Research is needed on how to overcome a wider spectrum of psycho-social factors to reduce future inequality. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Seven of ten breast cancers in the UK are diagnosed after people contact their doctor with symptoms. Women from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease. There is little evidence related to potential drivers of this SES

A qualitative numerical study of high dimensional dynamical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albers, David James

Since Poincare, the father of modern mathematical dynamical systems, much effort has been exerted to achieve a qualitative understanding of the physical world via a qualitative understanding of the functions we use to model the physical world. In this thesis, we construct a numerical framework suitable for a qualitative, statistical study of dynamical systems using the space of artificial neural networks. We analyze the dynamics along intervals in parameter space, separating the set of neural networks into roughly four regions: the fixed point to the first bifurcation; the route to chaos; the chaotic region; and a transition region between chaos and finite-state neural networks. The study is primarily with respect to high-dimensional dynamical systems. We make the following general conclusions as the dimension of the dynamical system is increased: the probability of the first bifurcation being of type Neimark-Sacker is greater than ninety-percent; the most probable route to chaos is via a cascade of bifurcations of high-period periodic orbits, quasi-periodic orbits, and 2-tori; there exists an interval of parameter space such that hyperbolicity is violated on a countable, Lebesgue measure 0, "increasingly dense" subset; chaos is much more likely to persist with respect to parameter perturbation in the chaotic region of parameter space as the dimension is increased; moreover, as the number of positive Lyapunov exponents is increased, the likelihood that any significant portion of these positive exponents can be perturbed away decreases with increasing dimension. The maximum Kaplan-Yorke dimension and the maximum number of positive Lyapunov exponents increases linearly with dimension. The probability of a dynamical system being chaotic increases exponentially with dimension. The results with respect to the first bifurcation and the route to chaos comment on previous results of Newhouse, Ruelle, Takens, Broer, Chenciner, and Iooss. Moreover, results regarding the high

Meta-ethnography 25 years on: challenges and insights for synthesising a large number of qualitative studies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Studies that systematically search for and synthesise qualitative research are becoming more evident in health care, and they can make an important contribution to patient care. Our team was funded to complete a meta-ethnography of patients’ experience of chronic musculoskeletal pain. It has been 25 years since Noblit and Hare published their core text on meta-ethnography, and the current health research environment brings additional challenges to researchers aiming to synthesise qualitative research. Noblit and Hare propose seven stages of meta-ethnography which take the researcher from formulating a research idea to expressing the findings. These stages are not discrete but form part of an iterative research process. We aimed to build on the methods of Noblit and Hare and explore the challenges of including a large number of qualitative studies into a qualitative systematic review. These challenges hinge upon epistemological and practical issues to be considered alongside expectations about what determines high quality research. This paper describes our method and explores these challenges. Central to our method was the process of collaborative interpretation of concepts and the decision to exclude original material where we could not decipher a concept. We use excerpts from our research team’s reflexive statements to illustrate the development of our methods. PMID:24951054

HIV infection in male adolescents: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Taquette, Stella Regina; Rodrigues, Adriana de Oliveira; Bortolotti, Livia Rocha

2015-07-01

`The gradual reduction in the incidence of AIDS among men who have sex with men has not occurred in the youngest age group; on the contrary, it is growing. This paper examines the vulnerabilities of adolescent males at risk of HIV infection. This is a qualitative study conducted through interviews with HIV positive young men undergoing treatment, whose diagnosis was made during adolescence. The interviews were recorded and transcribed in full. They were analyzed by intensive reading, classified by issues, and interpreted from a hermeneutic-dialectic perspective in dialogue with the literature. We interviewed 16 young men whose diagnosis occurred between the ages of 11 and 19 and for all of them the method of HIV transmission was sexual; 12 of the men were homosexual and 4 were heterosexual. It was evident that vulnerable situations included disbelief in the possibility of contamination, subjection to sex, homophobia and commercial sexual exploitation. This study demonstrates the importance of the formulation of public policies on sexual and reproductive health, which include adolescents and young men. These policies should embody the perspective of masculinity in all its widest aspects, as well as actions in favor of sexual diversity.

A meta-ethnography of interview-based qualitative research studies on medical students' views and experiences of empathy.

PubMed

Jeffrey, David

2016-12-01

Quantitative research suggests that medical students' empathy declines during their training. This meta-ethnography asks: What new understanding may be gained by a synthesis of interview-based qualitative research on medical students' views and experiences of empathy? How can such a synthesis be undertaken? A meta-ethnography synthesizes individual qualitative studies to generate knowledge increasing understanding and informing debate. A literature search yielded eight qualitative studies which met the inclusion criteria. These were analyzed from a phenomenological and interpretative perspective. The meta-ethnography revealed a conceptual confusion around empathy and a tension in medical education between distancing and connecting with patients. Barriers to empathy included a lack of patient contact and a strong emphasis on the biomedical over the psycho-social aspects of the curriculum. A number of influences discussed in the paper lead students to adopt less overt ways of showing their empathy. These insights deepen our understanding of the apparent decline in empathy in medical students. The lessons from these studies suggest that future curriculum development should include earlier patient contact, more emphasis on psycho-social aspects of care and address the barriers to empathy to ensure that tomorrow's doctors are empathetic as well as competent.

MATERNAL PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTING FOLLOWING AN EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING PROGRAM: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF LEGACY FOR CHILDRENTM.

PubMed

Hartwig, Sophie A; Robinson, Lara R; Comeau, Dawn L; Claussen, Angelika H; Perou, Ruth

2017-07-01

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study of maternal perceptions of parenting following participation in Legacy for Children TM (Legacy), an evidence-based parenting program for low-income mothers of young children and infants. To further examine previous findings and better understand participant experiences, we analyzed semistructured focus-group discussions with predominantly Hispanic and Black, non-Hispanic Legacy mothers at two sites (n = 166) using thematic analysis and grounded theory techniques. The qualitative study presented here investigated how mothers view their parenting following participation in Legacy, allowing participants to describe their experience with the program in their own words, thus capturing an "insider" perspective. Mothers at both sites communicated knowledge and use of positive parenting practices targeted by the goals of Legacy; some site-specific differences emerged related to these parenting practices. These findings align with the interpretation of quantitative results from the randomized controlled trials and further demonstrate the significance of the Legacy program in promoting positive parenting for mothers living in poverty. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding real-world context regarding program efficacy and the benefit of using qualitative research to understand participant experiences. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Academic Impact of Qualitative Studies in Healthcare: Bibliometric Analysis

PubMed Central

Mori, Hiroko; Nakayama, Takeo

2013-01-01

Context Although qualitative studies are becoming more appreciated in healthcare, the number of publications of quality studies remains low. Little is known about the frequency and characteristics of citation in qualitative studies. Objective To compare the academic impact of qualitative studies to that of two quantitative studies: systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials. Methods Publications in BMJ between 1997 and 2006 (BMJ’s median impact factor was 7.04 during this period) employing qualitative methods were matched to two quantitative studies appearing the same year using PubMed. Using Web of Science, citations within a 24-month publication period were determined. Additionally, three hypotheses were examined: qualitative studies are 1) infrequently cited in original articles or reviews; 2) rarely cited by authors in non-English-speaking countries; and 3) more frequently cited in non-medical disciplines (e.g., psychology or sociology). Results A total of 121 qualitative studies, 270 systematic reviews, and 515 randomised controlled trials were retrieved. Qualitative studies were cited a total of 1,089 times, with a median of 7.00 times (range, 0–34) for each study. Matched systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials were cited 2,411times and 1,600 times, respectively. With respect to citing documents, original articles and reviews exceeded 60% for each study design. Relative to quantitative studies, qualitative studies were cited more often by authors in English-speaking countries. With respect to subject area, medical disciplines were more frequently cited than non-medical disciplines for all three study designs (>80%). Conclusion The median number of citations for qualitative studies was almost the same as the median of BMJ’s impact factor during the survey period. For a suitable evaluation of qualitative studies in healthcare, it will be necessary to develop a reporting framework and include explicit discussions of clinical

Effects of language concordance and interpreter use on therapeutic alliance in Spanish-speaking integrated behavioral health care patients.

PubMed

Villalobos, Bianca T; Bridges, Ana J; Anastasia, Elizabeth A; Ojeda, Carlos A; Rodriguez, Juventino Hernandez; Gomez, Debbie

2016-02-01

The discrepancy between the growing number of Spanish speakers in the U.S. and the availability of bilingual providers creates a barrier to accessing quality mental health care. Use of interpreters provides one strategy for overcoming this linguistic barrier; however, concerns about whether sessions with interpreters, versus bilingual providers, impede therapeutic alliance remain. The current study explored associations between the use of interpreters and therapeutic alliance in a sample of 458 Spanish-speaking patients seen for integrated behavioral health visits at primary care clinics. Patients completed a brief (4 item) therapeutic alliance scale at their behavioral health appointment. In addition, to supplement the quantitative study data, a pilot study of 30 qualitative interviews was conducted with a new sample of 10 Spanish-speaking patients, 10 behavioral health consultants (BHCs), and 10 trained interpreters. Quantitative results showed that interpreter use did not relate to therapeutic alliance, even when controlling for relevant demographic variables. However, qualitative interviews suggested major themes regarding the relative benefits and challenges of using interpreters for patients, interpreters, and BHCs. In interviews, patients expressed a strong preference for bilingual providers. Benefits included greater privacy, sense of trust, and accuracy of communication. However, in their absence, interpreters were seen as increasing access to services and facilitating communication with providers, thereby addressing the behavioral health needs of patients with limited English proficiency. BHCs and interpreters emphasized the importance of interpreter training and a good collaborative relationship with interpreters to minimize negative effects on the quality of care. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Older patients' experience of primary hypothyroidism: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Ingoe, Lorna E; Hickey, Janis; Pearce, Simon; Rapley, Tim; Razvi, Salman; Wilkes, Scott; Hrisos, Susan

2018-06-01

Primary hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder, more so in an increasing UK ageing population. There is no qualitative research examining the older patient perspective of symptoms, treatment and self-management of hypothyroidism. In this study we explored the experience of hypothyroidism in older people and examined how this may influence their understanding and acceptance of diagnosis, treatment with Levothyroxine and the monitoring process. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 participants aged between 80 and 93 years. Interview transcripts were analysed using a thematic approach. The themes involved older individuals' knowledge about symptoms, confidence in diagnosis and understanding of clinical management regimen to understand hypothyroidism. Interpretation of the themes was informed by the Health Belief Model. Our findings can help to inform the development of interventions by treating clinicians and support staff to engage older patients in the long-term management of this chronic condition. © 2018 The Authors. Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A naturalistic study of the directional interpretation process of discrete emotions during high-stakes table tennis matches.

PubMed

Martinent, Guillaume; Ferrand, Claude

2009-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the directional interpretation process of discrete emotions experienced by table tennis players during competitive matches by adopting a naturalistic qualitative video-assisted approach. Thirty self-confrontation interviews were conducted with 11 national table tennis players (2 or 3 matches per participants). Nine discrete emotions were identified through the inductive analyses of the participants' transcriptions: anger, anxiety, discouragement, disappointment, disgust, joy, serenity, relief, and hope. Inductive analyses revealed the emergence of 4 categories and 13 themes among the 9 discrete emotions: positive direction (increased concentration, increased motivation, increased confidence, positive sensations, and adaptive behaviors), negative direction (decreased concentration, decreased motivation, too confident, decreased confidence, negative sensations, and maladaptive behaviors), neutral direction (take more risk and take less risk), and no perceived influence on own performance. Results are discussed in terms of current research on directional interpretation and emotions in sport.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Sense-Making by Department of Defense Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, John L., Sr.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of Department of Defense (DOD) civilian employees to identify how their personal sense-making affects their coaching of adult students. The author used an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) method involving personal interviews…

Critical appraisal of rigour in interpretive phenomenological nursing research.

PubMed

de Witt, Lorna; Ploeg, Jenny

2006-07-01

This paper reports a critical review of published nursing research for expressions of rigour in interpretive phenomenology, and a new framework of rigour specific to this methodology is proposed. The rigour of interpretive phenomenology is an important nursing research methods issue that has direct implications for the legitimacy of nursing science. The use of a generic set of qualitative criteria of rigour for interpretive phenomenological studies is problematic because it is philosophically inconsistent with the methodology and creates obstacles to full expression of rigour in such studies. A critical review was conducted of the published theoretical interpretive phenomenological nursing literature from 1994 to 2004 and the expressions of rigour in this literature identified. We used three sources to inform the derivation of a proposed framework of expressions of rigour for interpretive phenomenology: the phenomenological scholar van Manen, the theoretical interpretive phenomenological nursing literature, and Madison's criteria of rigour for hermeneutic phenomenology. The nursing literature reveals a broad range of criteria for judging the rigour of interpretive phenomenological research. The proposed framework for evaluating rigour in this kind of research contains the following five expressions: balanced integration, openness, concreteness, resonance, and actualization. Balanced integration refers to the intertwining of philosophical concepts in the study methods and findings and a balance between the voices of study participants and the philosophical explanation. Openness is related to a systematic, explicit process of accounting for the multiple decisions made throughout the study process. Concreteness relates to usefulness for practice of study findings. Resonance encompasses the experiential or felt effect of reading study findings upon the reader. Finally, actualization refers to the future realization of the resonance of study findings. Adoption of this

Qualitative versus Quantitative Results: An Experimental Introduction to Data Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Eric R.; Alter, Paula

1989-01-01

Described is an experiment in which the student can ascertain the meaning of a negative result from a qualitative test by performing a more sensitive quantitative test on the same sample. Methodology for testing urinary glucose with a spectrophotometer at 630 nm and with commercial assaying glucose strips is presented. (MVL)

Qualitative task analysis to enhance sports characterization: a surfing case study.

PubMed

Moreira, Miguel; Peixoto, César

2014-09-29

The aim of this study was to develop a Matrix of Analysis for Sports Tasks (MAST), regardless of the sports activity, based on practice classification and task analysis. Being this a qualitative research our main question was: in assessing sports' structure is it possible to make the characterization of any discipline through context and individuals' behaviours? The sample was within a surf discipline in a competition flowing having 5 of the top 16 Portuguese surfers training together. Based on a qualitative method, studying the surf as the main activity was an interpretative study case. The MAST was applied in four phases: taxonomy; tasks and context description; task analysis; teaching and performance strategies. Its application allowed the activities' characterization through the observation, surfer's opinions and bibliographical support. The triangulation of the data was used as an information data treatment. The elements were classified by the challenges proposed to the practitioners and the taxonomy was constituted by the sport activities, group, modality and discipline. Surf is a discipline of surfing which is a sliding sport modality, therefore, a nature sport. In the context description, we had the wave's components and constraints and the surfboards' qualities. Through task analysis we obtained a taxonomy of surf manoeuvres. The structural and functional analysis allowed finding solutions for learning of surf techniques with trampoline and skateboards because these fit in sliding sports. MAST makes possible the development of strategies that benefit teaching and performance intervention.

Qualitative Task Analysis to Enhance Sports Characterization: A Surfing Case Study

PubMed Central

Moreira, Miguel; Peixoto, César

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a Matrix of Analysis for Sports Tasks (MAST), regardless of the sports activity, based on practice classification and task analysis. Being this a qualitative research our main question was: in assessing sports’ structure is it possible to make the characterization of any discipline through context and individuals’ behaviours? The sample was within a surf discipline in a competition flowing having 5 of the top 16 Portuguese surfers training together. Based on a qualitative method, studying the surf as the main activity was an interpretative study case. The MAST was applied in four phases: taxonomy; tasks and context description; task analysis; teaching and performance strategies. Its application allowed the activities’ characterization through the observation, surfer’s opinions and bibliographical support. The triangulation of the data was used as an information data treatment. The elements were classified by the challenges proposed to the practitioners and the taxonomy was constituted by the sport activities, group, modality and discipline. Surf is a discipline of surfing which is a sliding sport modality, therefore, a nature sport. In the context description, we had the wave’s components and constraints and the surfboards’ qualities. Through task analysis we obtained a taxonomy of surf manoeuvres. The structural and functional analysis allowed finding solutions for learning of surf techniques with trampoline and skateboards because these fit in sliding sports. MAST makes possible the development of strategies that benefit teaching and performance intervention. PMID:25414757

The Close Relationships of People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Sullivan, Faye; Bowden, Keith; McKenzie, Karen; Quayle, Ethel

2016-03-01

Positive interpersonal relationships have been found to enhance an individual's quality of life. However, people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) often have restricted social networks, and little is known about their views on close social relationships. The study aimed to explore how this group perceives and experiences close relationships. Ten (6 = men 4 = women) PWID participated. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, and analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. The results report on three of five themes drawn from a larger qualitative study: 'Relationships feeling safe and being useful'; 'Who's in charge?' and 'Struggling for an ordinary life'. Close relationships are valued and desired by PWID, but a variety of barriers inhibit their development and maintenance. This includes the failure of others to value, accept and appropriately support the independence and relationships of PWID. Potential ways of addressing these issues are discussed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Young Registered Nurses' Intention to Leave the Profession and Professional Turnover in Early Career: A Qualitative Case Study

PubMed Central

Salanterä, Sanna

2013-01-01

In a time of global nursing shortages an alarming number of young registered nurses have expressed a willingness to leave the profession. In this qualitative case study we investigate in depth why young nurses leave nursing profession and reeducate themselves for a new career. The study is based on longitudinal interviews of three young registered nurses in Finland. These nurses were first interviewed between December 2006 and May 2007, when they were 29–32 years old and having an intention to leave the profession. The second interview took place four years later, from January 2011 to March 2011 when all of them had made the transition to a new career. Data were analyzed in two stages. In the first stage, comprehensive career story narratives were formed on the basis of the interviews. In the second stage, emerging themes in these stories were compared, contrasted, and interpreted in the context of the overall career histories. Nursing as a second career choice and demanding work content as well as poor practice environment and the inability to identify with the stereotypical images of nurses were main themes that emerged from these career stories. The results of this interpretative qualitative study reflect a shift toward insights into understanding professional turnover as a complex and long-lasting process. PMID:24027640

The effect of gender on medical students' aspirations: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Drinkwater, Jess; Tully, Mary Patricia; Dornan, Tim

2008-04-01

This study aimed to explore the effect of gender on medical students' aspirations. The study design included purposive sampling and interim data interpretation to guide recruitment of medical students with a wide spectrum of opinions. Data were collected through audio-recorded, semi-structured, in-depth exploratory interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. Qualitative analysis was carried out by a female medical student researcher. Her evolving interpretation was constantly compared against the original data by male (doctor) and female (pharmacist) staff researchers in a systematic search for internal corroboration or disconfirmation. Causal associations consistently present in the data are reported. Six male and six female medical students in Years 3 and 4 shared a wish to achieve a work-life balance that allowed them to devote time to bringing up children while contributing usefully to society as doctors. However, women were readier to compromise professional attainment within their personal work-life balances. Their readiness derived from gendered stereotypes of women's social and professional roles, a lack of female professional role models, womens' greater awareness of the tensions between career and family, various other informal social influences, and a lack of positive career advice to counterbalance these influences. Better career advice and more flexible work opportunities are needed if the two-thirds of medical students who are women are to contribute specialist as well as generalist expertise to the medical workforce.

Interpretive Medicine

PubMed Central

Reeve, Joanne

2010-01-01

Patient-centredness is a core value of general practice; it is defined as the interpersonal processes that support the holistic care of individuals. To date, efforts to demonstrate their relationship to patient outcomes have been disappointing, whilst some studies suggest values may be more rhetoric than reality. Contextual issues influence the quality of patient-centred consultations, impacting on outcomes. The legitimate use of knowledge, or evidence, is a defining aspect of modern practice, and has implications for patient-centredness. Based on a critical review of the literature, on my own empirical research, and on reflections from my clinical practice, I critique current models of the use of knowledge in supporting individualised care. Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), and its implementation within health policy as Scientific Bureaucratic Medicine (SBM), define best evidence in terms of an epistemological emphasis on scientific knowledge over clinical experience. It provides objective knowledge of disease, including quantitative estimates of the certainty of that knowledge. Whilst arguably appropriate for secondary care, involving episodic care of selected populations referred in for specialist diagnosis and treatment of disease, application to general practice can be questioned given the complex, dynamic and uncertain nature of much of the illness that is treated. I propose that general practice is better described by a model of Interpretive Medicine (IM): the critical, thoughtful, professional use of an appropriate range of knowledges in the dynamic, shared exploration and interpretation of individual illness experience, in order to support the creative capacity of individuals in maintaining their daily lives. Whilst the generation of interpreted knowledge is an essential part of daily general practice, the profession does not have an adequate framework by which this activity can be externally judged to have been done well. Drawing on theory related to the

A Qualitative Survey Examining the Moral Identities of Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onat Kocabiyik, Oya; Kulaksizoglu, Adnan

2014-01-01

Moral identity can orient one's behaviors when exhibiting any kind of moral behavior. In this study, the moral identities of young adults are analyzed to a certain extent. For this purpose, the "interpretative phenomenological pattern" and "grounded theory" models are used as qualitative survey models. The study group for…

Are we ready to accept the challenge? Addressing the shortcomings of contemporary qualitative health research.

PubMed

Lau, Sofie Rosenlund; Traulsen, Janine M

Qualitative approaches represent an important contributor to health care research. However, several researchers argue that contemporary qualitative research does not live up to its full potential. By presenting a snapshot of contemporary qualitative research in the field of social and administrative pharmacy, this study challenges contributors to the field by asking: Are we ready to accept the challenge and take qualitative research one step further? The purpose of this study was to initiate a constructive dialogue on the need for increased transparency in qualitative data analysis, including explicitly reflecting upon theoretical perspectives affecting the research process. Content analysis was used to evaluate levels of theoretical visibility and analysis transparency in selected qualitative research articles published in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy between January 2014 and January 2015. In 14 out of 21 assessed papers, the use of theory was found to be Seemingly Absent (lowest level of theory use), and the data analyses did not include any interpretive endeavors. Only two papers consistently applied theory throughout the entire study and clearly took the data analyses from a descriptive to an interpretive level. It was found that the aim of the majority of assessed papers was to change or modify a given practice, which however, resulted in a lack of both theoretical underpinnings and analysis transparency. This study takes the standpoint that theory and high-quality analysis go hand-in-hand. Based on the content analysis, articles that were deemed to be high in quality were explicit about the theoretical framework of their study and transparent in how they analyzed their data. It was found that theory contributed to the transparency of how the data were analyzed and interpreted. Two ways of improving contemporary qualitative research in the field of social and administrative pharmacy are discussed: engaging with social theory and establishing

Working with the Hmong Population in a Genetics Setting: an Interpreter Perspective.

PubMed

Krieger, Meghan; Agather, Aime; Douglass, Kathryn; Reiser, Catherine A; Petty, Elizabeth M

2018-06-01

The aim of this pilot qualitative study was to describe the experiences and beliefs of medical interpreters when working with genetic counselors and other genetic providers caring for Hmong patients who are not native English speakers. Specific goals were to identify interpreters' thoughts and perceptions on (a) their roles during sessions, (b) unique challenges in a genetics session, (c) knowledge genetics providers need when working with Hmong patients and interpreters, and (d) supports and training needed to effectively interpret in a genetics setting. Hmong medical interpreters from Wisconsin and Minnesota were invited by email to participate in the study. Six were interviewed by telephone. Participants had worked with a variety of providers including geneticists, genetic counselors, primary care physicians, and oncologists. Factors identified by Hmong interpreters that made interpretation of content difficult in clinical genetics sessions included: time constraints, technical terms, and unique cultural perspectives of Hmong patients. While all respondents felt their primary role was to interpret session content as close to verbatim as possible, there was notable variation in the description of their interpretation style and other perceived roles in the genetic counseling session. Cultural issues genetics providers could consider when working with Hmong patients and different style issues when working with Hmong interpreters are discussed. Ideas for future studies and suggestions to improve communication with Hmong patients are explored.

Refusal of oral polio vaccine in northwestern Pakistan: a qualitative and quantitative study.

PubMed

Murakami, Hitoshi; Kobayashi, Makoto; Hachiya, Masahiko; Khan, Zahir S; Hassan, Syed Q; Sakurada, Shinsaku

2014-03-10

Refusal of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) is a difficulty faced by the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in multiple endemic areas, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPP), Pakistan. In 2007, we investigated community perceptions of the OPV and estimated the prevalence of OPV refusal in three districts in Swat Valley, KPP, a polio-endemic area. Qualitative data concerning community perceptions were collected by focus group discussions among lady health workers (LHWs) and mothers with children <1 year old and by key informant interviews with local health managers and officials. Quantitative data collection followed using a questionnaire survey of 200 LHWs and a cluster sampling survey of 210 mothers (per district) with children <1 year old. The qualitative assessments identified the grounded theory of OPV refusal involving facts known by the residents that are related to the OPV (too frequent OPV campaigns, an OPV boycott in northern Nigeria in 2003 and that birth control is viewed as is against Islam), the local interpretations of these facts (perceptions that OPV contained birth control or pork, that OPV was a foreign/central plot against Muslims, and that the vaccination was against the Hadith and the fate determined by God) and different manifestations of OPV refusal. Among the three districts studied, the proportion of LHWs who encountered OPV refusal ranged from 0 to 33%, whereas among the districts, the proportions of mothers unwilling to give OPV to their children ranged from 0.5 to 5.7%. Refusal of other injectable vaccines was almost equally prevalent for reasons that were very similar. The PEI needs to reflect local value system in the path to polio eradication in the studied districts in the Swat Valley. The religious and cultural values as well as the interpretation of the international political situation are of particular importance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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 study of younger men's experience of heart attack (myocardial infarction).

PubMed

Merritt, Christopher J; de Zoysa, Nicole; Hutton, Jane M

2017-09-01

The effects of heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), across psychosocial domains may be particularly acute in younger adults, for whom serious health events are non-normative. MI morbidity is declining in Western countries, but in England MI numbers have plateaued for the under-45 cohort, where approximately 90% of patients are male. Qualitative research on younger adults' experience of MI is limited, and no study has sampled exclusively under-45s. This study aimed to understand how a sample of men under 45 adjusted to and made sense of MI. Qualitative research design based on semi-structured in-depth interviews. Ten men aged under 45 who had experienced MI in the past 3-6 months were purposively recruited and interviewed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Seven superordinate themes were identified. This article focuses in depth on the three most original themes: (1) 'I'm less of a man', which described experiences of losing 'maleness' (strength, independence, ability to provide) post-MI; (2) 'Shortened horizons', which covered participants' sense of foreshortened future and consequent reprioritization; and (3) 'Life loses its colour', describing the loss of pleasure from lifestyle-related changes. Themes broadly overlapped with the qualitative literature on younger adult MI. However, some themes (e.g., loss of 'maleness' post-MI, and ambivalence towards MI risk factors) appeared unique to this study. Themes were also discussed in relation to risk factors for anxiety and depression and how this might inform clinical care for a younger, male population. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Myocardial infarction (MI) morbidity is not declining in England for under-45s. Adjustment to MI is particularly challenging for younger adults, perhaps because it is non-normative. However, little is known about the experience of MI in younger adults. What does this study add? This

Rigour in qualitative case-study research.

PubMed

Houghton, Catherine; Casey, Dympna; Shaw, David; Murphy, Kathy

2013-03-01

To provide examples of a qualitative multiple case study to illustrate the specific strategies that can be used to ensure the credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability of a study. There is increasing recognition of the valuable contribution qualitative research can make to nursing knowledge. However, it is important that the research is conducted in a rigorous manner and that this is demonstrated in the final research report. A multiple case study that explored the role of the clinical skills laboratory in preparing students for the real world of practice. Multiple sources of evidence were collected: semi-structured interviews (n=58), non-participant observations at five sites and documentary sources. Strategies to ensure the rigour of this research were prolonged engagement and persistent observation, triangulation, peer debriefing, member checking, audit trail, reflexivity, and thick descriptions. Practical examples of how these strategies can be implemented are provided to guide researchers interested in conducting rigorous case study research. While the flexible nature of qualitative research should be embraced, strategies to ensure rigour must be in place.

[A call for qualitative research in Orthodontics].

PubMed

Yitschaky, O; Hofnung, T; Zini, A

2015-01-01

Qualitative research is an umbrella term for an array of attitudes and strategies for conducting inquiries that are aimed at discerning how human beings understand, experience, and interpret the social world. It is employed in many different academic disciplines most particularly in the social sciences and humanities, however recently more and more qualitative research is being conducted under the medical sciences including dentistry and orthodontics. This is due to its nature of in-depth investigation, which can provide answers to questions that cannot be satisfactorily answered using quantitative methods alone. The aims of this article are to discuss the characteristics of qualitative research, to review the orthodontic English literature, and to highlight the advantages of qualitative research in orthodontics. The literature review yielded several important conclusions regarding qualitative research in orthodontics: 1. most of the qualitative research done in orthodontics chose to use semi structured in-depth interviews for data collection; 2. qualitative research highlights aspects that are very important, and sometimes crucial to everyday practice and long term treatment; 3. there is a lack of qualitative studies in the field of orthodontics. Taking into account the nature of the orthodontic treatment, which is a prolonged one, demanding of a good orthodontist-patient rapport, and a wide perspective on behalf of the clinician, filling the gap in the discipline through conducting more qualitative studies aimed at understanding the point of view of the patient, as well as that of the clinician, may be beneficial for the improvement of the treatment.

Experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in general practice: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Ravi; Wallace, Paul

2007-01-01

Background There has been much debate regarding the refugee health situation in the UK. However most of the existing literature fails to take account of the opinions of refugees themselves. This study was established to determine the views of asylum seekers and refugees on their overall experiences in primary care and to suggest improvements to their care. Methods Qualitative study of adult asylum seekers and refugees who had entered the UK in the last 10 years. The study was set in Barnet Refugee Walk in Service, London. 11 Semi structured interviews were conducted and analysed using framework analysis. Results Access to GPs may be more difficult for failed asylum seekers and those without support from refugee agencies or family. There may be concerns amongst some in the refugee community regarding the access to and confidentiality of professional interpreters. Most participants stated their preference for GPs who offered advice rather than prescriptions. The stigma associated with refugee status in the UK may have led to some refugees altering their help seeking behaviour. Conclusion The problem of poor access for those with inadequate support may be improved by better education and support for GPs in how to provide for refugees. Primary Care Trusts could also supply information to newly arrived refugees on how to access services. GPs should be aware that, in some situations, professional interpreters may not always be desired and that instead, it may be advisable to reach a consensus as to who should be used as an interpreter. A better doctor-patient experience resulting from improvements in access and communication may help to reduce the stigma associated with refugee status and lead to more appropriate help seeking behaviour. Given the small nature of our investigation, larger studies need to be conducted to confirm and to quantify these results. PMID:17711587

Exploring chiropractic students' experiences of the educational environment in healthcare professional training: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Palmgren, Per J; Laksov, Klara Bolander

2015-08-05

The educational environment has a significant impact on students' behavior, sense of well-being, and academic advancement. While various research methodologies have been used to explore the educational environment, there is a paucity of studies employing qualitative research methods. This study engages in an in-depth exploration of chiropractic students' experiences of the meaning of the educational environment. A qualitative approach was employed by interviewing 26 students in four focus group interviews at two different points in time. A conventional manifest and latent content analysis was chosen to investigate and interpret the experiences of the educational environment in an undergraduate chiropractic training institution in Sweden. The analysis resulted in five overarching themes: Personal growth; Being part of a community; A place of meaningfulness; Trust in a regulated system; and Scaffolding relationships. Early in the training, the meaning of the educational environment was experienced as part of a vocational community and the scaffolding of intra-institutional relationships. In later stages, the environment was experienced in terms of personal growth - balancing academic pressures and progress within the professional community - thus laying the foundations for autonomy and motivation. During the clinical training, the environment was experienced as where learning happens, thus creating a place of meaningfulness. Throughout the training, the formal and clinical environments were experienced as isolating, with little bridging between the two. A regulated system - conveying an operative organization with clear communication regarding what to expect - was experienced as important for an apt educational environment. We found that experiences of an educational environment are dynamic and change over time. When restructuring or evaluating curriculums, educational managers can consider the emerged themes as constituting facets relating to the educational

Qualitative Analysis of a Synthetic Culture: A Methodological Inquiry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Suzanne; And Others

The study is a methodological inquiry into the interpretation of qualitative data. It explores a grounded theory approach to the synthesis of data, and examines, in particular, construction of categories. It focuses on ways of organizing data and attaching meaning, as research problems embedded in cultural context are explored. A qualitative…

Qualitative research: a brief description.

PubMed

Kemparaj, Umesh; Chavan, Sangeeta

2013-01-01

Qualitative research refers to, a range of methodological approaches which aim to generate an in-depth and interpreted understanding of the social world, by learning about people's social and material circumstances, their experiences, perspectives, and histories. Requires researchers to become intensely involved, often remaining in field for lengthy periods of time. The greatest value of qualitative research is its ability to address questions of relevance to public health knowledge and practice which are difficult to answer satisfactorily using quantitative methods.

A Vietnamese Head Start Interpreter: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwa-Froelich, Deborah A.; Westby, Carol E.

2003-01-01

This article presents a case study of a Vietnamese interpreter/health service worker working for a Head Start center. It describes the different role expectations of the various participants and the conflict that occurred because of these differences. Discussion examines the following cultural constructs: interpreter roles;…

The Utility of Template Analysis in Qualitative Psychology Research.

PubMed

Brooks, Joanna; McCluskey, Serena; Turley, Emma; King, Nigel

2015-04-03

Thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative psychology research, and in this article, we present a particular style of thematic analysis known as Template Analysis. We outline the technique and consider its epistemological position, then describe three case studies of research projects which employed Template Analysis to illustrate the diverse ways it can be used. Our first case study illustrates how the technique was employed in data analysis undertaken by a team of researchers in a large-scale qualitative research project. Our second example demonstrates how a qualitative study that set out to build on mainstream theory made use of the a priori themes (themes determined in advance of coding) permitted in Template Analysis. Our final case study shows how Template Analysis can be used from an interpretative phenomenological stance. We highlight the distinctive features of this style of thematic analysis, discuss the kind of research where it may be particularly appropriate, and consider possible limitations of the technique. We conclude that Template Analysis is a flexible form of thematic analysis with real utility in qualitative psychology research.

Search strategies for identifying qualitative studies in CINAHL.

PubMed

Wilczynski, Nancy L; Marks, Susan; Haynes, R Brian

2007-05-01

Nurses, allied health professionals, clinicians, and researchers increasingly use online access to evidence in the course of patient care or when conducting reviews on a particular topic. Qualitative research has an important role in evidence-based health care. Online searching for qualitative studies can be difficult, however, resulting in the need to develop search filters. The objective of this study was to develop optimal search strategies to retrieve qualitative studies in CINAHL for the 2000 publishing year. The authors conducted an analytic survey comparing hand searches of journals with retrievals from CINAHL for candidate search terms and combinations. Combinations of search terms reached peak sensitivities of 98.9% and peak specificities of 99.5%. Combining search terms optimized both sensitivity and specificity at 94.2%. Empirically derived search strategies combining indexing terms and textwords can achieve high sensitivity and high specificity for retrieving qualitative studies from CINAHL.

The Place of Faith for Consultant Obstetricians Following Stillbirth: A Qualitative Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Nuzum, Daniel; Meaney, Sarah; O'Donoghue, Keelin

2016-10-01

Stillbirth remains among the most challenging areas in obstetric practice. The objectives of this study were to explore the impact of stillbirth on the faith of obstetricians. Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with obstetricians focusing on the impact of stillbirth on their faith. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Stillbirth was identified as one of the most difficult experiences, and most consultants were unable to engage with their personal beliefs when dealing with death at work. The major study themes were conflict of personal faith and incongruence between personal faith and professional practice. This study highlights a gap in how obstetricians see their own faith and feeling able to respond to the faith needs of bereaved parents. Participating obstetricians did not demonstrate that spirituality was an integrated part of their professional life.

The swine flu vaccine, public attitudes, and researcher interpretations: a systematic review of qualitative research.

PubMed

Carlsen, Benedicte; Glenton, Claire

2016-06-24

During pandemics, health authorities may be uncertain about the spread and severity of the disease and the effectiveness and safety of available interventions. This was the case during the swine flu (H1N1) pandemic of 2009-2010, and governments were forced to make decisions despite these uncertainties. While many countries chose to implement wide scale vaccination programmes, few accomplished their vaccination goals. Many research studies aiming to explore barriers and facilitators to vaccine uptake have been conducted in the aftermath of the pandemic, including several qualitative studies. 1. To explore public attitudes to the swine flu vaccine in different countries through a review of qualitative primary studies. 2. To describe and discuss the implications drawn by the primary study authors. Systematic review of qualitative research studies, using a broadly comparative cross case-study approach. Study quality was appraised using an adaptation of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) quality assessment tool. The review indicates that the public had varying opinions about disease risk and prevalence and had concerns about vaccine safety. Most primary study authors concluded that participants were uninformed, and that more information about the disease and the vaccine would have led to an increase in vaccine uptake. We find these conclusions problematic. We suggest instead that people's questions and concerns were legitimate given the uncertainties of the situation at the time and the fact that the authorities did not have the necessary information to convince the public. Our quality assessment of the included studies points to a lack of reflexivity and a lack of information about study context. We suggest that these study weaknesses are tied to primary study authors' lack of acknowledgement of the uncertainties surrounding the disease and the vaccine. While primary study authors suggest that authorities could increase vaccine uptake through increased

Family Communication about Donor Conception: A Qualitative Study with Lesbian Parents.

PubMed

Van Parys, Hanna; Wyverkens, Elia; Provoost, Veerle; De Sutter, Petra; Pennings, Guido; Buysse, Ann

2016-03-01

In this qualitative study of 10 lesbian couples who built their families through anonymous donor conception, we explore how lesbian parents experience communication about the donor conception within the family. While for these families "disclosure" of donor conception is often seen as evident, the way parents and children discuss this subject and how this is experienced by the parents themselves has not received much research attention. To meet this gap in the literature, in-depth interviews with lesbian couples were conducted. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis showed that this family communication process can be understood within the broader relational context of parent-child relationships. Even though parents handled this family communication in many different ways, these were all inspired by the same motives: acting in the child's best interest and-on a more implicit level-maintaining good relations within the family. Furthermore, parents left the initiative for talking about the DC mostly to the child. Overall, parents aimed at constructing a donor conception narrative that they considered acceptable for both the children and themselves. They used different strategies, such as gradual disclosure, limiting the meaning of the donor, and justifying the donor conception. Building an acceptable donor conception narrative was sometimes challenged by influences from the social environment. In the discussion, we relate this qualitative systemic study to the broader issues of selective disclosure and bidirectionality within families. © 2014 Family Process Institute.

Learning Environment in Light of Positional, Institutional, and Cultural Interpretations: An Empirically-Based Conceptual Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Lund, Ingrid; Omdal, Heidi

2017-01-01

This study explores the possibility that the concept of learning environment (LE) is understood and interpreted differently by various users, depending on their relative positions in the educational system, institutional affiliation, and cultural heritage. The study employs a qualitative approach and is based on 14 semistructured separate…

Using American sign language interpreters to facilitate research among deaf adults: lessons learned.

PubMed

Sheppard, Kate

2011-04-01

Health care providers commonly discuss depressive symptoms with clients, enabling earlier intervention. Such discussions rarely occur between providers and Deaf clients. Most culturally Deaf adults experience early-onset hearing loss, self-identify as part of a unique culture, and communicate in the visual language of American Sign Language (ASL). Communication barriers abound, and depression screening instruments may be unreliable. To train and use ASL interpreters for a qualitative study describing depressive symptoms among Deaf adults. Training included research versus community interpreting. During data collection, interpreters translated to and from voiced English and ASL. Training eliminated potential problems during data collection. Unexpected issues included participants asking for "my interpreter" and worrying about confidentiality or friendship in a small community. Lessons learned included the value of careful training of interpreters prior to initiating data collection, including resolution of possible role conflicts and ensuring conceptual equivalence in real-time interpreting.

Understanding New Hybrid Professions: Bourdieu, "Illusio" and the Case of Public Service Interpreters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colley, Helen; Guéry, Frédérique

2015-01-01

Public spending reductions across the advanced capitalist world are creating new professions that have a "hybrid" status and/or role. However, research on professional learning has paid little attention to them. This qualitative study of one such profession, public service interpreting (PSI), addresses that lacuna. The paper focuses on…

Musical Cognition at Birth: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hefer, Michal; Weintraub, Zalman; Cohen, Veronika

2009-01-01

This paper describes research on newborns' responses to music. Video observation and electroencephalogram (EEG) were collected to see whether newborns' responses to random sounds differed from their responses to music. The data collected were subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis. This paper will focus on the qualitative study,…

Older persons' existential loneliness, as interpreted by their significant others - an interview study.

PubMed

Larsson, Helena; Rämgård, Margareta; Bolmsjö, Ingrid

2017-07-10

In order to better understand people in demanding medical situations, an awareness of existential concerns is important. Studies performed over the last twenty years conclude that when dying and death come closer, as in the case with older people who are stricken by infirmity and diseases, existential concerns will come to the fore. However, studies concerning experiences of existential loneliness (EL) are sparse and, in addition, there is no clear definition of EL. EL is described as a complex phenomenon and referred to as a condition of life, an experience, and a process of inner growth. Listening to someone who knows the older person well, as significant others often do, may be one way of learning more about EL. This study is part of a larger research project on EL, the LONE study, where EL is explored through interviews with frail older people, their significant others and health care professionals. The aim of this study was to explore frail older (>75) persons' EL, as interpreted by their significant others. The study is qualitative and based on eighteen narrative interviews with nineteen significant others of older persons. The data was analysed using Hsieh and Shannon's conventional content analysis. According to the interpretation of significant others, the older persons experience EL (1) when they are increasingly limited in body and space, (2) when they are in a process of disconnecting, and (3) when they are disconnected from the outside world. The result can be understood as if the frail older person is in a process of letting go of life. This process involves the body, in that the older person is increasingly limited in his/her physical abilities. The older person's long-term relationships are gradually lost, and finally the process entails the older person's increasingly withdrawing into him- or herself and turning off the outside world. The result of this study is consistent with previous research that has shown that EL is a complex phenomenon, but

Online Dynamic Asynchronous Audit Strategy for Reflexivity in the Qualitative Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaBanca, Frank

2011-01-01

The trustworthiness of a qualitative study can be increased by maintaining high credibility and objectivity. Of utmost importance to these factors is the reflexivity of the researcher. Standard journaling techniques are frequently used to maintain an audit trail and document tentative interpretations of a study. One of the major limitations to…

Examining the practice of generalist expertise: a qualitative study identifying constraints and solutions

PubMed Central

Reeve, Joanne; Dowrick, Christopher F; Freeman, George K; Gunn, Jane; Mair, Frances; May, Carl; Mercer, Stewart; Palmer, Victoria; Howe, Amanda; Irving, Greg; Shiner, Alice; Watson, Jessica

2013-01-01

Objectives Provision of person-centred generalist care is a core component of quality primary care systems. The World Health Organisation believes that a lack of generalist primary care is contributing to inefficiency, ineffectiveness and inequity in healthcare. In UK primary care, General Practitioners (GPs) are the largest group of practising generalists. Yet GPs fulfil multiple roles and the pressures of delivering these roles along with wider contextual changes create real challenges to generalist practice. Our study aimed to explore GP perceptions of enablers and constraints for expert generalist care, in order to identify what is needed to ensure health systems are designed to support the generalist role. Design Qualitative study in General Practice. Setting UK primary care. Main outcome measures A qualitative study – interviews, surveys and focus groups with GPs and GP trainees. Data collection and analysis was informed by Normalisation Process Theory. Design and setting Qualitative study in General Practice. We conducted interviews, surveys and focus groups with GPs and GP trainees based mainly, but not exclusively, in the UK. Data collection and analysis were informed by Normalization Process Theory. Participants UK based GPs (interview and surveys); European GP trainees (focus groups). Results Our findings highlight key gaps in current training and service design which may limit development and implementation of expert generalist practice (EGP). These include the lack of a consistent and universal understanding of the distinct expertise of EGP, competing priorities inhibiting the delivery of EGP, lack of the consistent development of skills in interpretive practice and a lack of resources for monitoring EGP. Conclusions We describe four areas for change: Translating EGP, Priority setting for EGP, Trusting EGP and Identifying the impact of EGP. We outline proposals for work needed in each area to help enhance the expert generalist role. PMID:24475347

Partial least squares methods for spectrally estimating lunar soil FeO abundance: A stratified approach to revealing nonlinear effect and qualitative interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lin

2008-12-01

Partial least squares (PLS) regressions were applied to lunar highland and mare soil data characterized by the Lunar Soil Characterization Consortium (LSCC) for spectral estimation of the abundance of lunar soil chemical constituents FeO and Al2O3. The LSCC data set was split into a number of subsets including the total highland, Apollo 16, Apollo 14, and total mare soils, and then PLS was applied to each to investigate the effect of nonlinearity on the performance of the PLS method. The weight-loading vectors resulting from PLS were analyzed to identify mineral species responsible for spectral estimation of the soil chemicals. The results from PLS modeling indicate that the PLS performance depends on the correlation of constituents of interest to their major mineral carriers, and the Apollo 16 soils are responsible for the large errors of FeO and Al2O3 estimates when the soils were modeled along with other types of soils. These large errors are primarily attributed to the degraded correlation FeO to pyroxene for the relatively mature Apollo 16 soils as a result of space weathering and secondary to the interference of olivine. PLS consistently yields very accurate fits to the two soil chemicals when applied to mare soils. Although Al2O3 has no spectrally diagnostic characteristics, this chemical can be predicted for all subset data by PLS modeling at high accuracies because of its correlation to FeO. This correlation is reflected in the symmetry of the PLS weight-loading vectors for FeO and Al2O3, which prove to be very useful for qualitative interpretation of the PLS results. However, this qualitative interpretation of PLS modeling cannot be achieved using principal component regression loading vectors.

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.

Investigating patients' experiences: methodological usefulness of interpretive interactionism.

PubMed

Tower, Marion; Rowe, Jennifer; Wallis, Marianne

2012-01-01

To demonstrate the methodological usefulness of interpretive interactionism by applying it to the example of a study investigating healthcare experiences of women affected by domestic violence. Understanding patients' experiences of health, illness and health care is important to nurses. For many years, biomedical discourse has prevailed in healthcare language and research, and has influenced healthcare responses. Contemporary nursing scholarship can be developed by engaging with new ways of understanding therapeutic interactions with patients. Research that uses qualitative methods of inquiry is an important paradigm for nurses who seek to explain and understand or describe experiences rather than predict outcomes. Interpretive interactionism is an interpretive form of inquiry for conducting studies of social or personal problems that have healthcare policy implications. It puts the patient at the centre of the research process and makes visible the experiences of patients as they interact with the healthcare and social systems that surround them. Interpretive interactionism draws on concepts of symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and hermeneutics. Interpretive interactionism is a patient-centred methodology that provides an alternative way of understanding patients' experiences. It can contribute to policy and practice development by drawing on the perspectives and experiences of patients, who are central to the research process. It also allows research findings to be situated in and linked to healthcare policy, professional ethics and organisational approaches to care. Interpretive interactionism has methodological utility because it can contribute to policy and practice development by drawing on the perspectives and experiences of patients who are central to the research process. Interpretive interactionism allows research findings to be situated in and linked to health policy, professional ethics and organisational approaches to caring.

Challenges in conducting qualitative research in health: A conceptual paper.

PubMed

Khankeh, Hamidreza; Ranjbar, Maryam; Khorasani-Zavareh, Davoud; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Johansson, Eva

2015-01-01

Qualitative research focuses on social world and provides the tools to study health phenomena from the perspective of those experiencing them. Identifying the problem, forming the question, and selecting an appropriate methodology and design are some of the initial challenges that researchers encounter in the early stages of any research project. These problems are particularly common for novices. This article describes the practical challenges of using qualitative inquiry in the field of health and the challenges of performing an interpretive research based on professional experience as a qualitative researcher and on available literature. One of the main topics discussed is the nature of qualitative research, its inherent challenges, and how to overcome them. Some of those highlighted here include: identification of the research problem, formation of the research question/aim, and selecting an appropriate methodology and research design, which are the main concerns of qualitative researchers and need to be handled properly. Insights from real-life experiences in conducting qualitative research in health reveal these issues. The paper provides personal comments on the experiences of a researcher in conducting pure qualitative research in the field of health. It offers insights into the practical difficulties encountered when performing qualitative studies and offers solutions and alternatives applied by these authors, which may be of use to others.

Life Interpretation and Religion among Icelandic Teenagers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunnarsson, Gunnar J.

2009-01-01

Does religion play any specific part in Icelandic teenagers' life interpretation? This paper examines Icelandic teenagers' talk about religion and presents some of the findings in interviews with teenagers in a qualitative research project. The focus is especially on how three individuals express themselves about the influence of religion on their…

Women's interpretation of and responses to potential gynaecological cancer symptoms: a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

Low, E L; Whitaker, K L; Simon, A E; Sekhon, M; Waller, J

2015-01-01

Objective To explore women's experiences of symptoms potentially indicative of gynaecological cancer in a community-based sample without imposing a cancer perspective. Design A qualitative interview study with thematic analysis of transcripts. Participants 26 women aged ≥30 years, who had experienced a symptom that might indicate gynaecological cancer in the past 3 months, were recruited using a screening questionnaire distributed online and in community settings. Setting London, UK. Results Women attributed gynaecological symptoms to existing illnesses/conditions or considered themselves to be predisposed to them, either through their ‘genes’ or previous personal experience. Normalising symptoms by attributing them to demographic characteristics (eg, age, sex) was common, as was considering them a side effect of hormonal contraception. When women raised cancer as a possible cause, they often dismissed it as unlikely. Responses to symptoms included self-management (eg, self-medicating, making lifestyle changes), adopting a ‘lay system of care’, or consulting a healthcare professional. Triggers to help-seeking included persistent, painful or debilitating symptoms, concern about symptom seriousness, and feeling that help-seeking was legitimised. Barriers to help-seeking included lack of concern, vague symptoms, unusual symptom location, competing time demands, previous negative experiences with the healthcare system, and not wanting to be perceived as a time-waster. Conclusions Attributions of symptoms potentially indicative of a gynaecological cancer were varied, but most often involved women fitting symptoms into their expectations of what was ‘normal’. Normalising acted as a barrier to seeking help from a healthcare professional, alongside competing time demands and negative attitudes towards help-seeking. These barriers may lead to later diagnosis and poorer cancer survival. Our findings could be used to inform the development of interventions

Women's interpretation of and responses to potential gynaecological cancer symptoms: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Low, E L; Whitaker, K L; Simon, A E; Sekhon, M; Waller, J

2015-07-06

To explore women's experiences of symptoms potentially indicative of gynaecological cancer in a community-based sample without imposing a cancer perspective. A qualitative interview study with thematic analysis of transcripts. 26 women aged ≥30 years, who had experienced a symptom that might indicate gynaecological cancer in the past 3 months, were recruited using a screening questionnaire distributed online and in community settings. London, UK. Women attributed gynaecological symptoms to existing illnesses/conditions or considered themselves to be predisposed to them, either through their 'genes' or previous personal experience. Normalising symptoms by attributing them to demographic characteristics (eg, age, sex) was common, as was considering them a side effect of hormonal contraception. When women raised cancer as a possible cause, they often dismissed it as unlikely. Responses to symptoms included self-management (eg, self-medicating, making lifestyle changes), adopting a 'lay system of care', or consulting a healthcare professional. Triggers to help-seeking included persistent, painful or debilitating symptoms, concern about symptom seriousness, and feeling that help-seeking was legitimised. Barriers to help-seeking included lack of concern, vague symptoms, unusual symptom location, competing time demands, previous negative experiences with the healthcare system, and not wanting to be perceived as a time-waster. Attributions of symptoms potentially indicative of a gynaecological cancer were varied, but most often involved women fitting symptoms into their expectations of what was 'normal'. Normalising acted as a barrier to seeking help from a healthcare professional, alongside competing time demands and negative attitudes towards help-seeking. These barriers may lead to later diagnosis and poorer cancer survival. Our findings could be used to inform the development of interventions to encourage appropriate help-seeking. Published by the BMJ Publishing

Swiss Armed Forces Organizational Level Leader Development: A Qualitative Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

chapter, divided in five distinct parts, describes the chosen research methodology , explain why the qualitative case study is appropriate to conduct...research study uses a qualitative methodology by performing a qualitative case study on the organizational level leader’s development process within...develop an in-depth understsanding of the phenomen.”82 Summary This research study uses a qualitative methodology by performing a case study on the

Mediating words, mediating worlds: interpreting as hidden care work in a South African psychiatric institution.

PubMed

Smith, Jénine; Swartz, Leslie; Kilian, Sanja; Chiliza, Bonginkosi

2013-08-01

Many mental health clinicians in South Africa use informal interpreters, who are employed to perform other functions, such as cleaners and security guards; there are no formally trained interpreters. Drawing on qualitative semistructured interviews, this paper examines the experiences of informal interpreters working within a psychiatric setting. Furthermore, this paper explores how working in this invisible capacity affects informal interpreters' views of themselves and the contribution they feel they are making by acting as interpreters. An interpretative phenomenological approach enabled an in-depth analysis of the experiences of the ad hoc interpreters. The results of this study reveal a dilemma. On the one hand, informal interpreters interviewed jeopardize ethical principles by breaching confidentiality and reporting on patient behaviour without their consent. On the other hand, they report fulfilling an additional beneficial role in terms of the overall care of patients which goes beyond the ambit of the interpreting session. The impact and extent of the informal interpreters' involvement in care could not be ascertained solely from the data obtained in this study, but it is clear that informal interpreting may usefully be viewed as a form of hidden care work. A detailed ethnographic study aimed at exploring this further is therefore recommended.

Women's experiences of postnatal distress: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Coates, Rose; Ayers, Susan; de Visser, Richard

2014-10-14

Women can experience a range of psychological problems after birth, including anxiety, depression and adjustment disorders. However, research has predominantly focused on depression. Qualitative work on women's experiences of postnatal mental health problems has sampled women within particular diagnostic categories so not looked at the range of potential psychological problems. The aims of this study were to explore how women experienced and made sense of the range of emotional distress states in the first postnatal year. A qualitative study of 17 women who experienced psychological problems in the first year after having a baby. Semi-structured interviews took place in person (n =15) or on the telephone (n =2). Topics included women's experiences of becoming distressed and their recovery. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Themes were developed within each interview before identifying similar themes for multiple participants across interviews, in order to retain an idiographic approach. Psychological processes such as guilt, avoidance and adjustment difficulties were experienced across different types of distress. Women placed these in the context of defining moments of becoming a mother; giving birth and breastfeeding. Four superordinate themes were identified. Two concerned women's unwanted negative emotions and difficulties adjusting to their new role. "Living with an unwelcome beginning" describes the way mothers' new lives with their babies started out with unwelcome emotions, often in the context of birth and breastfeeding difficulties. All women spoke about the importance of their postnatal healthcare experiences in "Relationships in the healthcare system". "The shock of the new" describes women's difficulties adjusting to the demands of motherhood and women emphasised the importance of social support in "Meeting new support needs". These findings emphasise the need for exploration of psychological processes such as

What happens when doctors are patients? Qualitative study of GPs.

PubMed

Fox, Fiona; Harris, Michael; Taylor, Gordon; Rodham, Karen; Sutton, Jane; Robinson, Brian; Scott, Jenny

2009-11-01

Current evidence about the experiences of doctors who are unwell is limited to poor quality data. To investigate GPs' experiences of significant illness, and how this affects their own subsequent practice. Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis to conduct and analyse semi-structured interviews with GPs who have experienced significant illness. Two primary care trusts in the West of England. A total of 17 GPs were recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews which were conducted and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis Results: Four main categories emerged from the data. The category, 'Who cares when doctors are ill?' embodies the tension between perceptions of medicine as a 'caring profession' and as a 'system'. 'Being a doctor-patient' covers the role ambiguity experienced by doctors who experience significant illness. The category 'Treating doctor-patients' reveals the fragility of negotiating shared medical care. 'Impact on practice' highlights ways in which personal illness can inform GPs' understanding of being a patient and their own consultation style. Challenging the culture of immunity to illness among GPs may require interventions at both individual and organisational levels. Training and development of doctors should include opportunities to consider personal health issues as well as how to cope with role ambiguity when being a patient and when treating doctor-patients. Guidelines about being and treating doctor-patients need to be developed, and GPs need easy access to an occupational health service.

Battling illness with wellness: a qualitative case study of a young rapper’s experiences with music therapy

PubMed Central

Solli, Hans Petter

2015-01-01

Mental health difficulties are connected with major interpersonal and social challenges. Recent qualitative research indicates that music therapy can facilitate many of the core elements found to promote social recovery and social inclusion, findings also reflected in results from a growing body of effect studies. The objective of this study was to explore how music therapy might afford possibilities for social recovery to one man with psychosis admitted to a psychiatric intensive care unit. This was achieved by means of a qualitative case study featuring a description of the music therapeutic process alongside first-hand accounts of the participant’s subjective experiences. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings are presented in a narrative form reflecting processes and activities considered particularly important for the process of social recovery. Theoretical perspectives from the recovery literature and current perspectives in music therapy are discussed with a view to the possible use of music therapy for strengthening agency, (re)building identity, developing positive relationships, and expanding social networks. PMID:26246669

A Model of Factors Determining Students' Ability to Interpret External Representations in Biochemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schonborn, Konrad J.; Anderson, Trevor R.

2009-01-01

The aim of this research was to develop a model of factors affecting students' ability to interpret external representations (ERs) in biochemistry. The study was qualitative in design and was guided by the modelling framework of Justi and Gilbert. Application of the process outlined by the framework, and consultation with relevant literature, led…

How the internet affects patients' experience of cancer: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Ziebland, Sue; Chapple, Alison; Dumelow, Carol; Evans, Julie; Prinjha, Suman; Rozmovits, Linda

2004-03-06

To explore how men and women with cancer talk about using the internet. Qualitative study using semistructured interviews collected by maximum variation sampling. Respondents recruited throughout the United Kingdom during 2001-2. 175 men and women aged 19-83 years, with one of five cancers (prostate, testicular, breast, cervical, or bowel) diagnosed since 1992 and selected to include different stages of treatment and follow up. Internet use, either directly or via friend or family, was widespread and reported by patients at all stages of cancer care, from early investigations to follow up after treatment. Patients used the internet to find second opinions, seek support and experiential information from other patients, interpret symptoms, seek information about tests and treatments, help interpret consultations, identify questions for doctors, make anonymous private inquiries, and raise awareness of the cancer. Patients also used it to check their doctors' advice covertly and to develop an expertise in their cancer. This expertise, reflecting familiarity with computer technology and medical terms, enabled patients to present a new type of "social fitness." Cancer patients used the internet for a wide range of information and support needs, many of which are unlikely to be met through conventional health care. Serious illness often undermines people's self image as a competent member of society. Cancer patients may use the internet to acquire expertise to display competence in the face of serious illness.

Developmental Screening of Refugees: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Moore, Jessica A.; Welch, Therese R.; Halterman, Jill S.; Hyman, Susan L.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Refugee children are at high developmental risk due to dislocation and deprivation. Standardized developmental screening in this diverse population is challenging. We used the Health Belief Model to guide key-informant interviews and focus groups with medical interpreters, health care providers, community collaborators, and refugee parents to explore key elements needed for developmental screening. Cultural and community-specific values and practices related to child development and barriers and facilitators to screening were examined. METHODS: We conducted 19 interviews and 2 focus groups involving 16 Bhutanese-Nepali, Burmese, Iraqi, and Somali participants, 7 community collaborators, and 6 providers from the Center for Refugee Health in Rochester, New York. Subjects were identified through purposive sampling until data saturation. Interviews were recorded, coded, and analyzed using a qualitative framework technique. RESULTS: Twenty-one themes in 4 domains were identified: values/beliefs about development/disability, practices around development/disability, the refugee experience, and feedback specific to the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status screen. Most participants denied a word for “development” in their primary language and reported limited awareness of developmental milestones. Concern was unlikely unless speech or behavior problems were present. Physical disabilities were recognized but not seen as problematic. Perceived barriers to identification of delays included limited education, poor healthcare knowledge, language, and traditional healing practices. Facilitators included community navigators, trust in health care providers, in-person interpretation, visual supports, and education about child development. CONCLUSIONS: Refugee perspectives on child development may influence a parent’s recognition of and response to developmental concerns. Despite challenges, standardized screening was supported. PMID

Developmental Screening of Refugees: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Kroening, Abigail L H; Moore, Jessica A; Welch, Therese R; Halterman, Jill S; Hyman, Susan L

2016-09-01

Refugee children are at high developmental risk due to dislocation and deprivation. Standardized developmental screening in this diverse population is challenging. We used the Health Belief Model to guide key-informant interviews and focus groups with medical interpreters, health care providers, community collaborators, and refugee parents to explore key elements needed for developmental screening. Cultural and community-specific values and practices related to child development and barriers and facilitators to screening were examined. We conducted 19 interviews and 2 focus groups involving 16 Bhutanese-Nepali, Burmese, Iraqi, and Somali participants, 7 community collaborators, and 6 providers from the Center for Refugee Health in Rochester, New York. Subjects were identified through purposive sampling until data saturation. Interviews were recorded, coded, and analyzed using a qualitative framework technique. Twenty-one themes in 4 domains were identified: values/beliefs about development/disability, practices around development/disability, the refugee experience, and feedback specific to the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status screen. Most participants denied a word for "development" in their primary language and reported limited awareness of developmental milestones. Concern was unlikely unless speech or behavior problems were present. Physical disabilities were recognized but not seen as problematic. Perceived barriers to identification of delays included limited education, poor healthcare knowledge, language, and traditional healing practices. Facilitators included community navigators, trust in health care providers, in-person interpretation, visual supports, and education about child development. Refugee perspectives on child development may influence a parent's recognition of and response to developmental concerns. Despite challenges, standardized screening was supported. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Conducting a meta-ethnography of qualitative literature: lessons learnt.

PubMed

Atkins, Salla; Lewin, Simon; Smith, Helen; Engel, Mark; Fretheim, Atle; Volmink, Jimmy

2008-04-16

Qualitative synthesis has become more commonplace in recent years. Meta-ethnography is one of several methods for synthesising qualitative research and is being used increasingly within health care research. However, many aspects of the steps in the process remain ill-defined. We utilized the seven stages of the synthesis process to synthesise qualitative research on adherence to tuberculosis treatment. In this paper we discuss the methodological and practical challenges faced; of particular note are the methods used in our synthesis, the additional steps that we found useful in clarifying the process, and the key methodological challenges encountered in implementing the meta-ethnographic approach. The challenges included shaping an appropriate question for the synthesis; identifying relevant studies; assessing the quality of the studies; and synthesising findings across a very large number of primary studies from different contexts and research traditions. We offer suggestions that may assist in undertaking meta-ethnographies in the future. Meta-ethnography is a useful method for synthesising qualitative research and for developing models that interpret findings across multiple studies. Despite its growing use in health research, further research is needed to address the wide range of methodological and epistemological questions raised by the approach.

Qualitative methods in PhD theses from general practice in Scandinavia.

PubMed

Malterud, Kirsti; Hamberg, Katarina; Reventlow, Susanne

2017-12-01

Qualitative methodology is gaining increasing attention and esteem in medical research, with general practice research taking a lead. With these methods, human and social interaction and meaning can be explored and shared by systematic interpretation of text from talk, observation or video. Qualitative studies are often included in Ph.D. theses from general practice in Scandinavia. Still, the Ph.D. programs across nations and institutions offer only limited training in qualitative methods. In this opinion article, we draw upon our observations and experiences, unpacking and reflecting upon values and challenges at stake when qualitative studies are included in Ph.D. theses. Hypotheses to explain these observations are presented, followed by suggestions for standards of evaluation and improvement of Ph.D. programs. The authors conclude that multimethod Ph.D. theses should be encouraged in general practice research, in order to offer future researchers an appropriate toolbox.

Qualitative methods in PhD theses from general practice in Scandinavia

PubMed Central

Malterud, Kirsti; Hamberg, Katarina; Reventlow, Susanne

2017-01-01

Qualitative methodology is gaining increasing attention and esteem in medical research, with general practice research taking a lead. With these methods, human and social interaction and meaning can be explored and shared by systematic interpretation of text from talk, observation or video. Qualitative studies are often included in Ph.D. theses from general practice in Scandinavia. Still, the Ph.D. programs across nations and institutions offer only limited training in qualitative methods. In this opinion article, we draw upon our observations and experiences, unpacking and reflecting upon values and challenges at stake when qualitative studies are included in Ph.D. theses. Hypotheses to explain these observations are presented, followed by suggestions for standards of evaluation and improvement of Ph.D. programs. The authors conclude that multimethod Ph.D. theses should be encouraged in general practice research, in order to offer future researchers an appropriate toolbox. PMID:29094644

Impromptu Speaking and Interpretation Studies: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinz, Michael

2013-01-01

The purpose of this preliminary study was to look at forensics-based competition events and determine what, if any, impact they could have on the language learning and public speaking skills of interpreters in training. This paper details the nature of the impromptu and extemporaneous speaking events in forensics competitions and introduces a…

Starting on haemodialysis: a qualitative study to explore the experience and needs of incident patients.

PubMed

Lai, Alden Yuanhong; Loh, Angela Ping Ping; Mooppil, Nandakumar; Krishnan, Deby Sarojiuy Pala; Griva, Konstadina

2012-01-01

Dialysis can be very stressful with the initial months onto treatment being highly critical in terms of both adaptation and mortality. This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of incident haemodialysis patients in Singapore. Topics related to the end-stage renal disease diagnosis and haemodialysis treatment were raised with 13 incident haemodialysis patients in the form of semi-structured interviews, and interpretative phenomenological analysis was undertaken as the framework for data analysis. Emotional distress, treatment-related concerns and social support emerged as main issues following a critical review of themes. Our study revealed that incident haemodialysis patients have emotional and informational needs, highlighting the importance of intervention programmes in particular to this patient group to promote better psychosocial adjustment to the disease and its treatment.

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Interpretations of Graphs: A Cross-Sectional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çil, Emine; Kar, Hazel

2015-01-01

This study focuses on pre-service science teachers' interpretations of graphs. First, the paper presents data about the freshman and senior pre-service teachers' interpretations of graphs. Then it discusses the effects of pre-service science teacher training program on student teachers' interpretations of graphs. The participants in the study were…

Groups for Parents with Intellectual Disabilities: A Qualitative Analysis of Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustavsson, Marie; Starke, Mikaela

2017-01-01

Background: Parents with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are often socially isolated and need support. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study is based on participant observations of a group for parents with with intellectual disabilities. Data were categorized and interpreted in the framework of social capital and symbolic interactionism.…

[Interpretation of proverbs and Alzheimer's disease].

PubMed

Báez, S; Mendoza, L; Reyes, P; Matallana, D; Montañés, P

To evaluate the performance of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the mild-moderate stage in a verbal material abstraction task that involves interpreting the implicit meaning of proverbs and sayings. A qualitative-quantitative analysis was carried out of the performance of 30 patients with AD and 30 controls, paired by age, gender and level of education. Patients had significantly greater difficulties than the controls when it came to interpreting proverbs. A high correlation was found between subjects' years of schooling and the overall score on the proverb interpretation test. Results suggest that the processes that may be predominantly affected in patients with AD are the investigation of the conditions of the problem, together with selecting an alternative and formulating a cognitive plan to resolve the task. The results help to further our knowledge of the characteristics of performance of patients with AD in a test involving the interpretation of the implicit meaning of proverbs and also provide information about the processes that may be predominantly affected. Further research is needed, however, on this subject area in order to obtain more conclusive explanations.

Understanding and Validity in Qualitative Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Joseph A.

1992-01-01

Details the philosophical and practical dimensions of five types of validity used in qualitative research: descriptive, interpretive, theoretical, generalizable, and evaluative, with corresponding issues of understanding. Presents this typology as a checklist of the kinds of threats to validity that may arise. (SK)

Korean and Korean American Adolescents' Responses to Literature: Impact of Narratives and Interpretive Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Eunhyun

2014-01-01

How might Korean/Korean American youth cope with everyday life as a minority or a model minority if they had early and consistent exposure to literature depicting the mirrored experiences of Korean/Korean Americans? This study employed qualitative methods and an interpretive approach which enhance understanding of the life experiences, literary…

The blind student’s interpretation of two-dimensional shapes in geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriyani; Budayasa, I. K.; Juniati, D.

2018-01-01

The blind student’s interpretation of two-dimensional shapes represents the blind student’s mental image of two-dimensional shapes that they can’t visualize directly, which is related to illustration of the characteristics and number of edges and angles. The objective of this research is to identify the blind student’s interpretation of two-dimensional shapes. This research was an exploratory study with qualitative approach. A subject of this research is a sixth-grade student who experiencing total blind from the fifth grade of elementary school. Researchers interviewed the subject about his interpretation of two-dimensional shapes according to his thinking.The findings of this study show the uniqueness of blind students, who have been totally blind since school age, in knowing and illustrating the characteristics of edges and angles of two-dimensional shapes by utilizing visual experiences that were previously obtained before the blind. The result can inspire teachers to design further learning for development of blind student geometry concepts.

A qualitative study of user perceptions of mobile health apps.

PubMed

Peng, Wei; Kanthawala, Shaheen; Yuan, Shupei; Hussain, Syed Ali

2016-11-14

Mobile apps for health exist in large numbers today, but oftentimes, consumers do not continue to use them after a brief period of initial usage, are averse toward using them at all, or are unaware that such apps even exist. The purpose of our study was to examine and qualitatively determine the design and content elements of health apps that facilitate or impede usage from the users' perceptive. In 2014, six focus groups and five individual interviews were conducted in the Midwest region of the U.S. with a mixture of 44 smartphone owners of various social economic status. The participants were asked about their general and health specific mobile app usage. They were then shown specific features of exemplar health apps and prompted to discuss their perceptions. The focus groups and interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using the software NVivo. Inductive thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the data and nine themes were identified: 1) barriers to adoption of health apps, 2) barriers to continued use of health apps, 3) motivators, 4) information and personalized guidance, 5) tracking for awareness and progress, 6) credibility, 7) goal setting, 8) reminders, and 9) sharing personal information. The themes were mapped to theories for interpretation of the results. This qualitative research with a diverse pool of participants extended previous research on challenges and opportunities of health apps. The findings provide researchers, app designers, and health care providers insights on how to develop and evaluate health apps from the users' perspective.

Development of Child and Family-Centered Engagement Guidelines for Clinical Administration of the Challenge to Measure Advanced Gross Motor Skills: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Gibson, Barbara E; Mistry, Bhavnita; Wright, F Virginia

2017-07-28

This article describes a qualitative study aimed at producing child-centered guidelines for the administration of a measure of children's advanced gross motor skills, the Challenge. The purpose of the guidelines is to promote collaborative interpretation and application of results. The study was conducted in three Canadian cities and included 31 children with cerebral palsy (GMFCS Level I or II) ages 8 to 18 and one parent/caregiver per child (N = 62 participants). Following Challenge administration, each child and one of their caregivers took part in separate qualitative interviews. Analyses were oriented to exploring understandings of the purposes of testing, impressions of the child's performance, and perceptions of how results might inform activity choices and interventions. Three themes were generated: investments in doing well; I know my child/myself; and caregivers' interpretations of child's performance. Themes were then integrated with principles of child and family-centered care to develop The Challenge Engagement Guidelines directed at reducing test anxiety and enhancing shared decision making. The Guidelines are the first of their kind to integrate child and family-centered principles into the administration protocol of a motor measure. Although developed for the Challenge, the principles have applicability to other rehabilitation measures.

Challenges in conducting qualitative research in health: A conceptual paper

PubMed Central

Khankeh, Hamidreza; Ranjbar, Maryam; Khorasani-Zavareh, Davoud; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Johansson, Eva

2015-01-01

Background: Qualitative research focuses on social world and provides the tools to study health phenomena from the perspective of those experiencing them. Identifying the problem, forming the question, and selecting an appropriate methodology and design are some of the initial challenges that researchers encounter in the early stages of any research project. These problems are particularly common for novices. Materials and Methods: This article describes the practical challenges of using qualitative inquiry in the field of health and the challenges of performing an interpretive research based on professional experience as a qualitative researcher and on available literature. Results: One of the main topics discussed is the nature of qualitative research, its inherent challenges, and how to overcome them. Some of those highlighted here include: identification of the research problem, formation of the research question/aim, and selecting an appropriate methodology and research design, which are the main concerns of qualitative researchers and need to be handled properly. Insights from real-life experiences in conducting qualitative research in health reveal these issues. Conclusions: The paper provides personal comments on the experiences of a researcher in conducting pure qualitative research in the field of health. It offers insights into the practical difficulties encountered when performing qualitative studies and offers solutions and alternatives applied by these authors, which may be of use to others. PMID:26793245

Introducing version 5 of Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health was initiated in 1994 as a qualitative, rapid assessment technique to evaluate rangeland health. Seventeen field indicators are used to rate three attributes of rangeland health: 1) soil/site stability, 2) hydrologic function, and 3) biotic integrity. The ...

Constructing Understandings of End-of-Life Care in Europe: A Qualitative Study Involving Cognitive Interviewing with Implications for Cross-National Surveys

PubMed Central

Bechinger-English, Dorothee; Bausewein, Claudia; Simon, Steffan T.; Harding, Richard; Higginson, Irene J.; Gomes, Barbara

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Although national findings regarding people's end-of-life care (EoLC) preferences and priorities are available within Europe, a lack of research coordination between countries has meant that cross-national understandings of EoLC remain unknown. Purpose To (1) identify English and German understandings of EoLC within the context of an EoLC survey, and (2) to synthesise these understandings to aid interpretation of results from a cross-national survey. Methods An inductive and interpretive two-phased sequential design involving (1) qualitative analysis of cognitive interview data from 15 English and 15 German respondents to develop country-related categories, and (2) qualitative synthesis to identify a conceptually coherent understanding of EoLC. Results Open and axial coding resulted in six English and six German categories. Commonalities included (a) the importance of social and relational dimensions, (b) dynamic decision making comprising uncertainty, (c) a valuing of life's quality and quantity, and (d) expectations for holistic care involving autonomy, choice, and timely information from trusted professionals. Differences involved attention to practical matters, and thoughts about prolongation of life, preferred place of death, and the role of media and context. Synthesis resulted in four concepts with underlying coherence: expectations of a high standard of EoLC involving autonomy, choice, and context; evolving decision making amid anticipated change; thoughts about living and existing; and worldviews shaping EoLC preferences in real and hypothetical scenarios. Conclusion Individual and country-related diversity must be remembered when quantifying EoLC understandings. Inductive-interpretive analysis of cognitive interview data aids interpretation of survey findings. Cross-national research coordination and qualitative synthesis assists EoLC in Europe. PMID:21306232

A Qualitative Study of Motivating Factors for Pharmacy Student Leadership.

PubMed

Moore, R Joel; Ginsburg, Diane B

2017-08-01

Objective. To understand what motivates student pharmacists to seek a leadership position while in the professional pharmacy program and why these students choose to lead in a particular organization. Methods. A qualitative study was used to answer the research questions. Current student leaders were recruited to participate, and each completed a pre-interview questionnaire and a one-hour interview. All interviews were transcribed, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used to describe, code, and analyze the experiences. Results. Student leaders were motivated to serve in a leadership position for four reasons: networking opportunities, belief in an organization's mission, ability to affect change, and legacy. Additionally, prior leadership experience and influence played major roles in these student leaders' pursuit of a position. Conclusion. Networking, belief in an organization's mission, ability to affect change, and legacy are the four primary motivating factors for student leadership while in the professional pharmacy program. Knowing these factors should help direct resources in organizational and college efforts to produce qualified and impactful pharmacist leaders.

A Qualitative Study of Motivating Factors for Pharmacy Student Leadership

PubMed Central

Ginsburg, Diane B.

2017-01-01

Objective. To understand what motivates student pharmacists to seek a leadership position while in the professional pharmacy program and why these students choose to lead in a particular organization. Methods. A qualitative study was used to answer the research questions. Current student leaders were recruited to participate, and each completed a pre-interview questionnaire and a one-hour interview. All interviews were transcribed, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used to describe, code, and analyze the experiences. Results. Student leaders were motivated to serve in a leadership position for four reasons: networking opportunities, belief in an organization’s mission, ability to affect change, and legacy. Additionally, prior leadership experience and influence played major roles in these student leaders’ pursuit of a position. Conclusion. Networking, belief in an organization’s mission, ability to affect change, and legacy are the four primary motivating factors for student leadership while in the professional pharmacy program. Knowing these factors should help direct resources in organizational and college efforts to produce qualified and impactful pharmacist leaders. PMID:28970615

African Primary Care Research: Qualitative data analysis and writing results

PubMed Central

Govender, Indiran; Ogunbanjo, Gboyega A.; Mash, Bob

2014-01-01

Abstract This article is part of a series on African primary care research and gives practical guidance on qualitative data analysis and the presentation of qualitative findings. After an overview of qualitative methods and analytical approaches, the article focuses particularly on content analysis, using the framework method as an example. The steps of familiarisation, creating a thematic index, indexing, charting, interpretation and confirmation are described. Key concepts with regard to establishing the quality and trustworthiness of data analysis are described. Finally, an approach to the presentation of qualitative findings is given. PMID:26245437

African Primary Care Research: qualitative data analysis and writing results.

PubMed

Mabuza, Langalibalele H; Govender, Indiran; Ogunbanjo, Gboyega A; Mash, Bob

2014-06-05

This article is part of a series on African primary care research and gives practical guidance on qualitative data analysis and the presentation of qualitative findings. After an overview of qualitative methods and analytical approaches, the article focuses particularly on content analysis, using the framework method as an example. The steps of familiarisation, creating a thematic index, indexing, charting, interpretation and confirmation are described. Key concepts with regard to establishing the quality and trustworthiness of data analysis are described. Finally, an approach to the presentation of qualitative findings is given.

Impact of the 5As Team study on clinical practice in primary care obesity management: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Asselin, Jodie; Salami, Eniola; Osunlana, Adedayo M.; Ogunleye, Ayodele A.; Cave, Andrew; Johnson, Jeffrey A.; Sharma, Arya M.; Campbell-Scherer, Denise L.

2017-01-01

Background: The 5As [Ask, Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist] of Obesity Management Team study was a randomized controlled trial of an intervention that was implemented and evaluated to help primary care providers improve clinical practice for obesity management. This paper presents health care provider perspectives of the impacts of the intervention on individual provider and team practices. Methods: This study reports a thematic network analysis of qualitative data collected during the 5As Team study, which involved 24 chronic disease teams affiliated with family practices in a Primary Care Network in Alberta. Qualitative data from 28 primary care providers (registered nurses/nurse practitioners [n = 14], dietitians [n = 7] and mental health workers [n = 7]) in the intervention arm were collected through semistructured interviews, field notes, practice facilitator diaries and 2 evaluation workshop questionnaires. Results: Providers internalized 5As Team intervention concepts, deepening self-evaluation and changing clinical reasoning around obesity. Providers perceived that this internalization changed the provider-patient relationship positively. The intervention changed relations between providers, increasing interdisciplinary understanding, collaboration and discovery of areas for improvement. This personal and interpersonal evolution effected change to the entire Primary Care Network. Interpretation: The 5As Team intervention had multiple impacts on providers and teams to improve obesity management in primary care. Improved provider confidence and capability is a precondition of developing effective patient interventions. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no.: NCT01967797. PMID:28450428

Creating a Meeting Point of Understanding: Interpreters' Experiences in Swedish Childhood Cancer Care.

PubMed

Granhagen Jungner, Johanna; Tiselius, Elisabet; Lützén, Kim; Blomgren, Klas; Pergert, Pernilla

2016-01-01

Children and families with a foreign background and limited Swedish proficiency have to communicate through interpreters in childhood cancer care centers in Sweden. Interpreter-mediated events deal with many difficulties that potentially hinder the transfer of information. The purpose of our study was to explore interpreters' experiences of interpreting between health care staff and limited Swedish proficiency patients/families in childhood cancer care. Using purposive samples, we interviewed 11 interpreters individually. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Analyses of the data resulted in the main theme of creating a meeting point of understanding, constructed from 3 subthemes: balancing between cultures, bridging the gaps of knowledge, and balancing between compassion and professionalism. Our result shows that in order to create a sustainable meeting point of understanding, it is necessary to explain both the context and cultural differences. These results suggest that the responsibility for information transfer lies with both the health care profession and the interpreters. Tools have to be developed for both parties to contribute to creating the meeting point of understanding. © 2015 by Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses.

How the internet affects patients' experience of cancer: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Ziebland, Sue; Chapple, Alison; Dumelow, Carol; Evans, Julie; Prinjha, Suman; Rozmovits, Linda

2004-01-01

Objective To explore how men and women with cancer talk about using the internet. Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews collected by maximum variation sampling. Setting Respondents recruited throughout the United Kingdom during 2001-2. Participants 175 men and women aged 19-83 years, with one of five cancers (prostate, testicular, breast, cervical, or bowel) diagnosed since 1992 and selected to include different stages of treatment and follow up. Results Internet use, either directly or via friend or family, was widespread and reported by patients at all stages of cancer care, from early investigations to follow up after treatment. Patients used the internet to find second opinions, seek support and experiential information from other patients, interpret symptoms, seek information about tests and treatments, help interpret consultations, identify questions for doctors, make anonymous private inquiries, and raise awareness of the cancer. Patients also used it to check their doctors' advice covertly and to develop an expertise in their cancer. This expertise, reflecting familiarity with computer technology and medical terms, enabled patients to present a new type of “social fitness.” Conclusion Cancer patients used the internet for a wide range of information and support needs, many of which are unlikely to be met through conventional health care. Serious illness often undermines people's self image as a competent member of society. Cancer patients may use the internet to acquire expertise to display competence in the face of serious illness. PMID:15001506

Random Qualitative Validation: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Survey Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Duzer, Eric

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the process and value of Random Qualitative Validation (RQV) in the development and interpretation of survey data. RQV is a method of gathering clarifying qualitative data that improves the validity of the quantitative analysis. This paper is concerned with validity in relation to the participants'…

Embarking on large-scale qualitative research: reaping the benefits of mixed methods in studying youth, clubs and drugs

PubMed Central

Hunt, Geoffrey; Moloney, Molly; Fazio, Adam

2012-01-01

Qualitative research is often conceptualized as inherently small-scale research, primarily conducted by a lone researcher enmeshed in extensive and long-term fieldwork or involving in-depth interviews with a small sample of 20 to 30 participants. In the study of illicit drugs, traditionally this has often been in the form of ethnographies of drug-using subcultures. Such small-scale projects have produced important interpretive scholarship that focuses on the culture and meaning of drug use in situated, embodied contexts. Larger-scale projects are often assumed to be solely the domain of quantitative researchers, using formalistic survey methods and descriptive or explanatory models. In this paper, however, we will discuss qualitative research done on a comparatively larger scale—with in-depth qualitative interviews with hundreds of young drug users. Although this work incorporates some quantitative elements into the design, data collection, and analysis, the qualitative dimension and approach has nevertheless remained central. Larger-scale qualitative research shares some of the challenges and promises of smaller-scale qualitative work including understanding drug consumption from an emic perspective, locating hard-to-reach populations, developing rapport with respondents, generating thick descriptions and a rich analysis, and examining the wider socio-cultural context as a central feature. However, there are additional challenges specific to the scale of qualitative research, which include data management, data overload and problems of handling large-scale data sets, time constraints in coding and analyzing data, and personnel issues including training, organizing and mentoring large research teams. Yet large samples can prove to be essential for enabling researchers to conduct comparative research, whether that be cross-national research within a wider European perspective undertaken by different teams or cross-cultural research looking at internal divisions

A Generalized Approach for the Interpretation of Geophysical Well Logs in Ground-Water Studies - Theory and Application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paillet, Frederick L.; Crowder, R.E.

1996-01-01

Quantitative analysis of geophysical logs in ground-water studies often involves at least as broad a range of applications and variation in lithology as is typically encountered in petroleum exploration, making such logs difficult to calibrate and complicating inversion problem formulation. At the same time, data inversion and analysis depend on inversion model formulation and refinement, so that log interpretation cannot be deferred to a geophysical log specialist unless active involvement with interpretation can be maintained by such an expert over the lifetime of the project. We propose a generalized log-interpretation procedure designed to guide hydrogeologists in the interpretation of geophysical logs, and in the integration of log data into ground-water models that may be systematically refined and improved in an iterative way. The procedure is designed to maximize the effective use of three primary contributions from geophysical logs: (1) The continuous depth scale of the measurements along the well bore; (2) The in situ measurement of lithologic properties and the correlation with hydraulic properties of the formations over a finite sample volume; and (3) Multiple independent measurements that can potentially be inverted for multiple physical or hydraulic properties of interest. The approach is formulated in the context of geophysical inversion theory, and is designed to be interfaced with surface geophysical soundings and conventional hydraulic testing. The step-by-step procedures given in our generalized interpretation and inversion technique are based on both qualitative analysis designed to assist formulation of the interpretation model, and quantitative analysis used to assign numerical values to model parameters. The approach bases a decision as to whether quantitative inversion is statistically warranted by formulating an over-determined inversion. If no such inversion is consistent with the inversion model, quantitative inversion is judged not

Plethora or paucity: a systematic search and bibliometric study of the application and design of qualitative methods in nursing research 2008-2010.

PubMed

Ball, Elaine; McLoughlin, Moira; Darvill, Angela

2011-04-01

Qualitative methodology has increased in application and acceptability in all research disciplines. In nursing, it is appropriate that a plethora of qualitative methods can be found as nurses pose real-world questions to clinical, cultural and ethical issues of patient care (Johnson, 2007; Long and Johnson, 2007), yet the methods nurses readily use in pursuit of answers remains under intense scrutiny. One of the problems with qualitative methodology for nursing research is its place in the hierarchy of evidence (HOE); another is its comparison to the positivist constructs of what constitutes good research and the measurement of qualitative research against this. In order to position and strengthen its evidence base, nursing may well seek to distance itself from a qualitative perspective and utilise methods at the top of the HOE; yet given the relation of qualitative methods to nursing this would constrain rather than broaden the profession in search of answers and an evidence base. The comparison between qualitative and quantitative can be both mutually exclusive and rhetorical, by shifting the comparison this study takes a more reflexive position and critically appraises qualitative methods against the standards set by qualitative researchers. By comparing the design and application of qualitative methods in nursing over a two year period, the study examined how qualitative stands up to independent rather than comparative scrutiny. For the methods, a four-step mixed methods approach newly constructed by the first author was used to define the scope of the research question and develop inclusion criteria. 2. Synthesis tables were constructed to organise data, 3. Bibliometrics configured data. 4. Studies selected for inclusion in the review were critically appraised using a critical interpretive synthesis (Dixon-Woods et al., 2006). The paper outlines the research process as well as findings. Results showed of the 240 papers analysed, 27% used ad hoc or no

Evolutionary tree design: An exploratory study of the influence of linear versus branching format on visitors' interpretation and understanding across age groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Teresa Elise

This exploratory study sought to investigate the influence of tree graphic design---specifically linear versus branching depictions of taxa---on visitors in three different age groups (aged 11-13, 14-18, adults) interpretation and understanding using a multiple-case study strategy. The findings from this research indicate that linear and branched depictions elicit qualitatively different narratives and explanations about the relationships between the taxa in all age groups. Branched tree graphics support scientifically appropriate explanations of evolutionary relationships, i.e. that taxa are related via shared or common ancestry; while linear representations reinforce intuitive interpretations of ancestor-descendant or anagenic relationships. Furthermore, differences in the language used for linear and branched trees suggests that there is a spectrum within an analogy of developmental change that is thought to serve as a transitional concept between intuitive and scientific understanding--with 'evolved from' for branched depictions of taxa representing a shift towards an interpretation of shared ancestry rather than an individual transformation from one thing into another. In addition, branched graphics appear to support the correct reading and interpretation of shared or common ancestry in tree diagrams. Mixed reasoning was common and overall reasoning patterns were broadly similar among participants in all age groups, however, older youth (aged 14 to 18) and adults often provided more detail in their explanations and sometimes included references to evolutionary ideas such as variation, inheritance and selection.

Conducting a meta-ethnography of qualitative literature: Lessons learnt

PubMed Central

Atkins, Salla; Lewin, Simon; Smith, Helen; Engel, Mark; Fretheim, Atle; Volmink, Jimmy

2008-01-01

Background Qualitative synthesis has become more commonplace in recent years. Meta-ethnography is one of several methods for synthesising qualitative research and is being used increasingly within health care research. However, many aspects of the steps in the process remain ill-defined. Discussion We utilized the seven stages of the synthesis process to synthesise qualitative research on adherence to tuberculosis treatment. In this paper we discuss the methodological and practical challenges faced; of particular note are the methods used in our synthesis, the additional steps that we found useful in clarifying the process, and the key methodological challenges encountered in implementing the meta-ethnographic approach. The challenges included shaping an appropriate question for the synthesis; identifying relevant studies; assessing the quality of the studies; and synthesising findings across a very large number of primary studies from different contexts and research traditions. We offer suggestions that may assist in undertaking meta-ethnographies in the future. Summary Meta-ethnography is a useful method for synthesising qualitative research and for developing models that interpret findings across multiple studies. Despite its growing use in health research, further research is needed to address the wide range of methodological and epistemological questions raised by the approach. PMID:18416812

Interpretant Levels Presented by Higher Education Students about the Seasons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanzovo, Daniel Trevisan; Laburú, Carlos Eduardo

2016-12-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the initial interpretant levels of the seasons of the year presented by students in a physics discipline of undergraduate course of a biological sciences degree at a state university of the south of Brazil. This study is qualitative, it analyzes textual oral representations and images about that astronomical phenomenon. It found that all students showed similar interpretant levels than those without any instruction, focusing their explanation of this concept in the variation of the distance between Earth and the Sun and indeterminate/confused representations. Another important result was the absence of a scientifically correct conception of the subject. The data from this study are in agreement with several studies on the weak training of science teachers in astronomy, and emphasizes the importance of both a re-structuration of the initial training of these future teachers, as well as the continuous teacher training of the working professional ones.

Concept for facilitating analyst-mediated interpretation of qualitative chromatographic-mass spectral data: an alternative to manual examination of extracted ion chromatograms.

PubMed

Borges, Chad R

2007-07-01

A chemometrics-based data analysis concept has been developed as a substitute for manual inspection of extracted ion chromatograms (XICs), which facilitates rapid, analyst-mediated interpretation of GC- and LC/MS(n) data sets from samples undergoing qualitative batchwise screening for prespecified sets of analytes. Automatic preparation of data into two-dimensional row space-derived scatter plots (row space plots) eliminates the need to manually interpret hundreds to thousands of XICs per batch of samples while keeping all interpretation of raw data directly in the hands of the analyst-saving great quantities of human time without loss of integrity in the data analysis process. For a given analyte, two analyte-specific variables are automatically collected by a computer algorithm and placed into a data matrix (i.e., placed into row space): the first variable is the ion abundance corresponding to scan number x and analyte-specific m/z value y, and the second variable is the ion abundance corresponding to scan number x and analyte-specific m/z value z (a second ion). These two variables serve as the two axes of the aforementioned row space plots. In order to collect appropriate scan number (retention time) information, it is necessary to analyze, as part of every batch, a sample containing a mixture of all analytes to be tested. When pure standard materials of tested analytes are unavailable, but representative ion m/z values are known and retention time can be approximated, data are evaluated based on two-dimensional scores plots from principal component analysis of small time range(s) of mass spectral data. The time-saving efficiency of this concept is directly proportional to the percentage of negative samples and to the total number of samples processed simultaneously.

Interpreting psychoanalytic interpretation: a fourfold perspective.

PubMed

Schermer, Victor L

2011-12-01

Following an overview of psychoanalytic interpretation in theory, practice, and historical context, as well as the question of whether interpretations have scientific validity, the author holds that hermeneutics, the philosophical and psychological study of interpretation, provides a rich understanding of recent developments in self psychology, inter-subjective and relational perspectives, attachment theory, and psycho-spiritual views on psychoanalytic process. He then offers four distinct hermeneutical vantage points regarding interpretation in the psychoanalytic context, including (1) Freud's adaptation of the Aristotelian view of interpretation as the uncovering of a set of predetermined meanings and structures; (2) the phenomenological view of interpretation as the laying bare of "the things themselves," that is, removing the coverings of objectification and concretization imposed by social norms and the conscious ego; (3) the dialogical existential view of interpretation as an ongoing relational process; and (4) the transformational understanding in which interpretation evokes a "presence" that transforms both patient and analyst. He concludes by contending that these perspectives are not mutually exclusive ways of conducting an analysis, but rather that all occur within the analyst's suspended attention, the caregiving and holding essential to good therapeutic outcomes, and the mutuality of the psychoanalytic dialogue.

Meta-Study as Diagnostic: Toward Content Over Form in Qualitative Synthesis.

PubMed

Frost, Julia; Garside, Ruth; Cooper, Chris; Britten, Nicky

2016-02-01

Having previously conducted qualitative syntheses of the diabetes literature, we wanted to explore the changes in theoretical approaches, methodological practices, and the construction of substantive knowledge which have recently been presented in the qualitative diabetes literature. The aim of this research was to explore the feasibility of synthesizing existing qualitative syntheses of patient perspectives of diabetes using meta-study methodology. A systematic review of qualitative literature, published between 2000 and 2013, was conducted. Six articles were identified as qualitative syntheses. The meta-study methodology was used to compare the theoretical, methodological, analytic, and synthetic processes across the six studies, exploring the potential for an overarching synthesis. We identified that while research questions have increasingly concentrated on specific aspects of diabetes, the focus on systematic review processes has led to the neglect of qualitative theory and methods. This can inhibit the production of compelling results with meaningful clinical applications. Although unable to produce a synthesis of syntheses, we recommend that researchers who conduct qualitative syntheses pay equal attention to qualitative traditions and systematic review processes, to produce research products that are both credible and applicable. © The Author(s) 2015.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods: Old Wine in New Bottles? On Understanding and Interpreting Educational Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeyers, Paul

2008-01-01

Generally educational research is grounded in the empirical traditions of the social sciences (commonly called quantitative and qualitative methods) and is as such distinguished from other forms of scholarship such as theoretical, conceptual or methodological essays, critiques of research traditions and practices and those studies grounded in the…

Creative art and medical student development: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Jones, Elizabeth K; Kittendorf, Anne L; Kumagai, Arno K

2017-02-01

Although many medical schools include arts-based activities in their curricula, empirical evidence is lacking regarding how the creation of art might impact medical students and their professional development. We used a qualitative research design in order to understand this process. We conducted and analysed interviews with 16 medical students who had created and presented original artwork in the context of a required narrative-based undergraduate medical education programme. Teams of students collaborated to create interpretive projects based on common themes arising from conversations with individuals with chronic illness and their families. Open-ended questions were utilised to explore the conceptualisation and presentation of the projects, the dynamics of teamwork and the meaning(s) they might have for the students' professional development. We identified themes using repeated contextual reading of the transcripts, which also enhanced accuracy of the interpretations and ensured saturation of themes. Several major themes and sub-themes were identified. The creation of art led to a sense of personal growth and development, including reflection on past life experiences, self-discovery and an awareness of art as a creative outlet. Students also reported an enhanced sense of community and the development of skills in collaboration. Lastly, students reflected on the human dimensions of illness and medical care and identified an enhanced awareness of the experience of those with illness. A programme involving the creation of art based on stories of illness encouraged students' explorations of conceptions of the self, family and society, as well as illness and medical care, while enhancing the development of a collaborative and patient-centred worldview. Creative art can be a novel educational tool to promote a reflective, humanistic medical practice. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Women's lived experiences of learning to live with osteoporosis: a longitudinal qualitative study.

PubMed

Hansen, Carrinna A; Abrahamsen, Bo; Konradsen, Hanne; Pedersen, Birthe D

2017-03-09

A vast amount of literature exists concerning pharmaceutical adherence in osteoporosis. However, the process of learning to live with osteoporosis over time remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the continued process of how women learn to live with osteoporosis. Our objective was to explore what characterizes women's experiences of living with osteoporosis during the first year after diagnosis, when patients are prescribed anti-osteoporotic treatment, without having experienced an osteoporotic fracture. Forty-two narrative qualitative interviews were conducted with fifteen recently diagnosed Danish women. A longitudinal design was chosen since this allows an investigation of the perspective over time. The interviews were conducted in the period of March 2011 to August 2012. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation of text. No medical records were available for the researchers. All information with the exception of T-score was self-reported. The participants' experiences could be described in two key themes developed through the analysis: 1) "To become influenced by the medical treatment" which consisted of two sub-themes "taking the medication", and "discontinuing the medication". 2) "Daily life with osteoporosis", which was characterized by three sub-themes: "interpretation of symptoms", "interpretation of the scan results" and "lifestyle reflections". The results highlighted that learning to live with osteoporosis is a multifaceted process that is highly influenced by the medical treatment. In some cases, this is a prolonged process that can take around one year. The results suggest a need for improved support for individual women during the complex process of learning to live with osteoporosis. The study adds new knowledge that can be useful for healthcare professionals taking a health-oriented stance when supporting women in self-management of their illness. Further investigations

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.

The Use of a Checklist and Qualitative Notebooks for an Interactive Process of Teaching and Learning Qualitative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frels, Rebecca K.; Sharma, Bipin; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Leech, Nancy L.; Stark, Marcella D.

2011-01-01

From the perspective of doctoral students and instructors, we explain a developmental, interactive process based upon the Checklist for Qualitative Data Collection, Data Analysis, and Data Interpretation (Onwuegbuzie, 2010) for students' writing assignments regarding: (a) the application of conceptual knowledge for collecting, analyzing, and…

Sample Size in Qualitative Interview Studies: Guided by Information Power.

PubMed

Malterud, Kirsti; Siersma, Volkert Dirk; Guassora, Ann Dorrit

2015-11-27

Sample sizes must be ascertained in qualitative studies like in quantitative studies but not by the same means. The prevailing concept for sample size in qualitative studies is "saturation." Saturation is closely tied to a specific methodology, and the term is inconsistently applied. We propose the concept "information power" to guide adequate sample size for qualitative studies. Information power indicates that the more information the sample holds, relevant for the actual study, the lower amount of participants is needed. We suggest that the size of a sample with sufficient information power depends on (a) the aim of the study, (b) sample specificity, (c) use of established theory, (d) quality of dialogue, and (e) analysis strategy. We present a model where these elements of information and their relevant dimensions are related to information power. Application of this model in the planning and during data collection of a qualitative study is discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

From PBL tutoring to PBL coaching in undergraduate medical education: an interpretative phenomenological analysis study

PubMed Central

Wang, Qing; Li, Huiping; Pang, Weiguo

2016-01-01

Background Coaching psychology is of increasing interest to medical educators for its potential benefits as a facilitative method in problem-based learning (PBL). However, the field lacks empirical studies that explore the lived experiences of students and tutors in the PBL coaching process. This study aimed to elicit knowledge regarding medical students’ and tutors’ experiences and perceptions of PBL coaching in the context of Chinese undergraduate medical education. Methods The qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed. Participants comprised third year medical students (n=20) and PBL tutors (n=5) who have adopted a coaching approach in PBL for a semester. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to obtain a comprehensive understanding of their experiences of PBL coaching. Data analysis followed an iterative four-stage scheme of Biggerstaff and Thompson. Results Six main themes emerged from diverse experiences and interpretations: 1) mindsets of coaching and learning, 2) the development of learning dispositions and capacities, 3) student group collaboration, 4) tutor–student relationships, 5) personal and professional development, and 6) challenges and difficulties in implementation. Conclusions It could be concluded that PBL coaching is a dynamic, facilitative process that makes a particular contribution to the learning process from psychological, emotional, and social perspectives, whilst it demonstrates significant overlaps with PBL tutoring in terms of supporting students’ cognitive activities in PBL. Further research is needed to identify the barriers and challenges for medical educators to implement coaching in the PBL process. PMID:27396900

From PBL tutoring to PBL coaching in undergraduate medical education: an interpretative phenomenological analysis study.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Li, Huiping; Pang, Weiguo

2016-01-01

Coaching psychology is of increasing interest to medical educators for its potential benefits as a facilitative method in problem-based learning (PBL). However, the field lacks empirical studies that explore the lived experiences of students and tutors in the PBL coaching process. This study aimed to elicit knowledge regarding medical students' and tutors' experiences and perceptions of PBL coaching in the context of Chinese undergraduate medical education. The qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed. Participants comprised third year medical students (n=20) and PBL tutors (n=5) who have adopted a coaching approach in PBL for a semester. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to obtain a comprehensive understanding of their experiences of PBL coaching. Data analysis followed an iterative four-stage scheme of Biggerstaff and Thompson. Six main themes emerged from diverse experiences and interpretations: 1) mindsets of coaching and learning, 2) the development of learning dispositions and capacities, 3) student group collaboration, 4) tutor-student relationships, 5) personal and professional development, and 6) challenges and difficulties in implementation. It could be concluded that PBL coaching is a dynamic, facilitative process that makes a particular contribution to the learning process from psychological, emotional, and social perspectives, whilst it demonstrates significant overlaps with PBL tutoring in terms of supporting students' cognitive activities in PBL. Further research is needed to identify the barriers and challenges for medical educators to implement coaching in the PBL process.

From PBL tutoring to PBL coaching in undergraduate medical education: an interpretative phenomenological analysis study.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Li, Huiping; Pang, Weiguo

2016-01-01

Background Coaching psychology is of increasing interest to medical educators for its potential benefits as a facilitative method in problem-based learning (PBL). However, the field lacks empirical studies that explore the lived experiences of students and tutors in the PBL coaching process. This study aimed to elicit knowledge regarding medical students' and tutors' experiences and perceptions of PBL coaching in the context of Chinese undergraduate medical education. Methods The qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed. Participants comprised third year medical students (n=20) and PBL tutors (n=5) who have adopted a coaching approach in PBL for a semester. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to obtain a comprehensive understanding of their experiences of PBL coaching. Data analysis followed an iterative four-stage scheme of Biggerstaff and Thompson. Results Six main themes emerged from diverse experiences and interpretations: 1) mindsets of coaching and learning, 2) the development of learning dispositions and capacities, 3) student group collaboration, 4) tutor-student relationships, 5) personal and professional development, and 6) challenges and difficulties in implementation. Conclusions It could be concluded that PBL coaching is a dynamic, facilitative process that makes a particular contribution to the learning process from psychological, emotional, and social perspectives, whilst it demonstrates significant overlaps with PBL tutoring in terms of supporting students' cognitive activities in PBL. Further research is needed to identify the barriers and challenges for medical educators to implement coaching in the PBL process.

Learn by Yourself: The Self-Learning Tools for Qualitative Analysis Software Packages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freitas, Fábio; Ribeiro, Jaime; Brandão, Catarina; Reis, Luís Paulo; de Souza, Francislê Neri; Costa, António Pedro

2017-01-01

Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) are tools that help researchers to develop qualitative research projects. These software packages help the users with tasks such as transcription analysis, coding and text interpretation, writing and annotation, content search and analysis, recursive abstraction, grounded theory…

"I'm Really Glad This Is Developmental": Autism and Social Comparisons--An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huws, Jaci C.; Jones, Robert S. P.

2015-01-01

The present qualitative study comprised interviews with nine young people with autism (aged 16-21 years) about their perceptions of autism. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, three underlying themes were illuminated, and all these formed the superordinate theme Making Comparisons: (a) Changes over time: "I'm really glad this…

Experiences of Students with Visual Impairments in Adoption of Digital Talking Textbooks: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussin, Ahamad

2013-01-01

Assistive technology devices have become essential tools for students with visual impairments. In 2009, the Malaysian Ministry of Education introduced Digital Talking Textbooks (DTTs) for selected subjects to facilitate learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, describe, and interpret the experiences of students with visual…

Description of movement quality in patients with low back pain: A qualitative study as a first step to a practical definition.

PubMed

van Dijk, Margriet J H; Smorenburg, Nienke T A; Visser, Bart; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; Heerkens, Yvonne F

2017-03-01

As a first step to formulate a practical definition for movement quality (MQ), this study aims to explore how Dutch allied health care professionals (AHCPs) describe MQ of daily life activities in patients with low back pain (LBP). In this qualitative cross-sectional digital survey study, Dutch AHCPs (n = 91) described MQ in open text (n = 91) and with three keywords (n = 90). After exploratory qualitative content analysis, the ICF linking rules (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) were applied to classify MQ descriptions and keywords. The identified meaningful concepts (MCs) of the descriptions (274) and keywords (239) were linked to ICF codes (87.5% and 80.3%, respectively), Personal factors (5.8% and 5.9%, respectively), and supplementary codes (6.6% and 13.8%, respectively). The MCs were linked to a total of 31 ICF codes, especially to b760 'control of voluntary movement functions', b7602 'coordination of voluntary movements', d4 'Mobility', and d230 'carry out daily routine'. Negative and positive formulated descriptions elucidated different MQ interpretations. Descriptions of MQ given by Dutch AHCPs in patients with LBP cover all ICF components. Coordination and functional movements are seen as the most elementary concepts of MQ. Variation in MQ descriptions and interpretations hinders defining MQ and indicates the necessity of additional steps.

'Determined to breastfeed': A case study of exclusive breastfeeding using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

PubMed

Charlick, Samantha J; Fielder, Andrea; Pincombe, Jan; McKellar, Lois

2017-08-01

Given the significant benefits of breastfeeding, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Despite numerous strategies aimed at increasing the percentage of babies who are exclusively breastfed, Australia currently has one of the lowest six-month exclusive breastfeeding rates in the developed world. Notably, most research focuses on the early postnatal period (birth-two months) yet the largest decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates is observed between two and six months. This study aimed to understand what enabled a first-time mother to continue exclusively breastfeeding between two and six months in Australia. The qualitative approach known as interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to explore how the new mother understood her exclusive breastfeeding journey. Data was collected retrospectively through a face-to-face, semi-structured interview, then transcribed in full and analyzed using IPA's approach to data analysis. Three main themes were identified as self-determination to achieve exclusive breastfeeding, the influence of social norms in Australian culture, and the impact social supports have on maintaining exclusive breastfeeding. For this mother, her self-determination to exclusively breastfeed, along with positive social support, outweighed the impact of perceived social norms and negative pressure from significant others to stop exclusive breastfeeding. This qualitative reflection contributes to an understanding of the individual in the breastfeeding journey, uncovering nuances around exclusive breastfeeding that may be helpful in providing support for mothers and direction for further research. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The experience of living with patellofemoral pain—loss, confusion and fear-avoidance: a UK qualitative study

PubMed Central

Moffatt, Fiona; Hendrick, Paul; Bateman, Marcus; Rathleff, Michael Skovdal; Selfe, James; Smith, Toby O; Logan, Pip

2018-01-01

Objectives To investigate the experience of living with patellofemoral pain (PFP). Design Qualitative study design using semistructured interviews and analysed thematically using the guidelines set out by Braun and Clarke. Setting A National Health Service physiotherapy clinic within a large UK teaching hospital. Participants A convenience sample of 10 participants, aged between 18 and 40 years, with a diagnosis of PFP and on a physiotherapy waiting list, prior to starting physiotherapy. Results Participants offered rich and detailed accounts of the impact and lived experience of PFP, including loss of physical and functional ability; loss of self-identity; pain-related confusion and difficulty making sense of their pain; pain-related fear, including fear-avoidance and ‘damage’ beliefs; inappropriate coping strategies and fear of the future. The five major themes that emerged from the data were: (1) impact on self; (2) uncertainty, confusion and sense making; (3) exercise and activity beliefs; (4) behavioural coping strategies and (5) expectations of the future. Conclusions These findings offer an insight into the lived experience of individuals with PFP. Previous literature has focused on pain and biomechanics, rather than the individual experience, attached meanings and any wider context within a sociocultural perspective. Our findings suggest that future research is warranted into biopsychosocial targeted interventions aimed at the beliefs and pain-related fear for people with PFP. The current consensus that best-evidence treatments consisting of hip and knee strengthening may not be adequate to address the fears and beliefs identified in the current study. Further qualitative research may be warranted on the impact and interpretation of medical terminology commonly used with this patient group, for example, ‘weakness’ and ‘patellar mal-tracking’ and its impact and interpretation by patients. Trial registration number ISRCTN35272486; Pre

The experience and management of emotions on an inpatient setting for people with anorexia nervosa: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Pemberton, Kathryn; Fox, John R E

2013-01-01

Research has identified how people with anorexia nervosa (AN) have problematic relationships with their own emotions, which can impact recovery. The aim of this study was to understand factors that were important in the care and emotional management of people with eating disorders on an inpatient unit. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants with AN. Interview transcripts were analysed using a qualitative approach that was based upon interpretative phenomenological analysis, but also incorporated a theoretical component. From the qualitative analysis, two overarching and related themes were developed: 'difficulty with emotion' and 'predictability and care'. These were underpinned by a number of theoretical important constructs, such as 'staff factors', 'understanding of emotion', 'validity of emotion' and 'looking for ideal care'. Results suggested that the management strategies employed by some staff could serve to maintain eating disorders symptoms, whilst patient factors were also important as they had negative effect on staff's impact to care for this patient group. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Beliefs and beyond: what can we learn from qualitative studies of lay people’s understandings of cancer risk?

PubMed Central

Lipworth, Wendy L.; Davey, Heather M.; Carter, Stacy M.; Hooker, Claire; Hu, Wendy

2010-01-01

Abstract Background  Clinicians and public health professionals are centrally concerned with mediating risk. However, people often resist the risk‐related information that is communicated to them by experts, or have their own models of risk that conflict with expert views. Quantitative studies have clearly demonstrated the importance of health beliefs and various cognitive and emotional processes in shaping risk perception. More recently, a growing body of qualitative research has emerged, exploring lay conceptualizations, experiences and constructions of cancer risk. To date, this literature has not been synthesized. Objective  We report the findings of a synthesis of qualitative literature regarding the ways in which lay people construct and experience cancer risk. Design  We identified 87 articles and used the method of ‘thematic synthesis’ to identify and interpret key concepts from existing studies. Results  Eight analytic categories were developed: (i) perceptions of risk factors; (ii) process of risk perception; (iii) seeking control and taking responsibility (motivational factors); (iv) experiencing cancer directly; (v) constructing risk temporally; (vi) embodying risk; (vii) identifying with risk; and (viii) constructing risk in a social context. Conclusions  Qualitative enquiry can provide us with a rich and nuanced picture of the ways in which people understand, experience and construct risk and how being ‘at risk’ is managed, and can assist us in our communication with both individual patients and populations. PMID:20536535

Arabic-speaking migrants' attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare: a postal cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Hadziabdic, Emina; Albin, Björn; Hjelm, Katarina

2014-02-03

Good communication is an important prerequisite for equal treatment in a healthcare encounter. One way to overcome language barriers when patients and healthcare staff do not share the same language is to use a professional interpreter. Few previous studies have been found investigating the use of interpreters, and just one previous study from the perspective of European migrants, which showed that they perceived interpreters as a communication aid and a guide in the healthcare system as regards information and practical matters. No previous study has gathered quantitative information to focus on non-European migrants' attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare encounters. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate Arabic-speaking individuals' attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare in order to: (i) understand how persons' expectations and concerns regarding interpreters may vary, both within and across cultural/linguistic populations; (ii) understand the consequences of diverse opinions/expectations for planning responsive services; and (iii) confirm findings from previous qualitative studies. A postal cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered 51-item questionnaire was used to describe and document aspects of Arabic-speaking individuals' attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare. The sample of 53 Arabic-speaking migrants was recruited from three different places. Participants were mostly born in Iraq and had a high level of education and were almost equally divided between genders. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. The main findings were that most of the participants perceived the interpreter's role as being a communication aid and a practical aid, interpreting literally and objectively. Trust in the professional interpreter was related to qualification as an interpreter and personal contact with face-to-face interaction. The qualities of the desired

Factors influencing practice variation in the management of nephrotic syndrome: a qualitative study of pediatric nephrology care providers

PubMed Central

Samuel, Susan M.; Flynn, Rachel; Zappitelli, Michael; Dart, Allison; Parekh, Rulan; Pinsk, Maury; Mammen, Cherry; Wade, Andrew; Scott, Shannon D.

2017-01-01

Background: Treatment protocols for childhood nephrotic syndrome are highly variable between providers and care centres. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the complex multilevel processes that lead to practice variation and influence provider management of nephrotic syndrome. Methods: Focus groups with multidisciplinary pediatric nephrology care providers (n = 67) from 10 Canadian pediatric nephrology centres that had more than 1 pediatric nephrologist were conducted between September 2013 and April 2015. Focus group discussions were guided by the Ottawa Model for Research Use. We used a semistructured interview guide to elicit participants' perspectives regarding 1) the work setting and context of the clinical environment, 2) reasons for variation at the provider level and 3) clinical practice guidelines for nephrotic syndrome. Focus group discussions were transcribed and analyzed concurrently with the use of qualitative content analysis. Results: Emerging themes were grouped into 2 categories: centre-level factors and provider-level factors. At the centre level, the type of care model used, clinic structures and resources, and lack of communication and collaboration within and between Canadian centres influenced care variation. At the provider level, use of experiential knowledge versus empirical knowledge and interpretation of patient characteristics influenced provider management of nephrotic syndrome. Interpretation: Centre- and provider-level factors play an important role in shaping practice differences in the management of childhood nephrotic syndrome. Further research is needed to determine whether variation in care is associated with disparities in outcomes. PMID:28592406

Interpreting advance directives: ethical considerations of the interplay between personal and cultural identity.

PubMed

Schicktanz, Silke

2009-06-01

In many industrialized countries ethicists and lawyers favour advance directives as a tool to guarantee patient autonomy in end-of-life-decisions. However, most citizens seem reluctant to adopt the practice; the number of patients who have an advance directive is low across most countries. The article discusses the key argument for seeing such documents as an instrument of self-interpretation and life-planning, which ultimately have to be interpreted by third parties as well. Interpretation by third parties and the process of self-reflection are conceptually linked by a qualitative concept of identity. Identity is conceived here as constructed in a processual dialogue between a personal and a cultural perspective. How the cultural dimension comes into play in understanding the motivation, rejection or content of wished for end-of-life-decisions, is shown by a brief review of empirical and cultural studies. Understanding advance directives as a culturally embedded tool of self-interpretation should help to overcome urgent moral problems in clinical settings: how to interpret such documents, how to deliberate on the content and on the best form.

Social construction of American sign language--English interpreters.

PubMed

McDermid, Campbell

2009-01-01

Instructors in 5 American Sign Language--English Interpreter Programs and 4 Deaf Studies Programs in Canada were interviewed and asked to discuss their experiences as educators. Within a qualitative research paradigm, their comments were grouped into a number of categories tied to the social construction of American Sign Language--English interpreters, such as learners' age and education and the characteristics of good citizens within the Deaf community. According to the participants, younger students were adept at language acquisition, whereas older learners more readily understood the purpose of lessons. Children of deaf adults were seen as more culturally aware. The participants' beliefs echoed the theories of P. Freire (1970/1970) that educators consider the reality of each student and their praxis and were responsible for facilitating student self-awareness. Important characteristics in the social construction of students included independence, an appropriate attitude, an understanding of Deaf culture, ethical behavior, community involvement, and a willingness to pursue lifelong learning.

Natural Recovery From Cannabis Use in People With Psychosis: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Rebgetz, Shane; Hides, Leanne; Kavanagh, David J; Choudhary, Anand

2015-01-01

There is rapidly growing evidence of natural recovery from cannabis use in people with psychosis, but little is known about how it occurs. This qualitative study explores what factors influence the decision to cease cannabis use, maintain cessation, and prevent relapse. Ten people with early psychosis and lifetime cannabis misuse, who had been abstinent for at least a month, were recruited from public adult mental health services. These six men and four women participated in a semi-structured qualitative interview assessing reasons for addressing cannabis use, effective change strategies, lapse contexts, and methods used to regain control. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes in their responses. Participants had a mean age of 23 years (SD = 3.7), started using cannabis at age 13.7 (SD = 1.6), began daily use at 17 (SD = 3.1), and had abstained from cannabis for 7.9 months (SD = 5.4). Awareness of the negative impact of substance use across multiple domains and the presence of social support for cannabis cessation were seen as vital to sustained success, as was utilization of a combination of coping strategies. The ability to address pressure from substance-using peers was commonly mentioned. Maximally effective treatment may need to focus on eliciting a range of benefits of cessation and control strategies and on maximizing both support for change and resistance to peer pressure. Further research might focus on comparing perceived effective strategies between individuals who obtain sustained cessation versus those who relapse.

Implicit interpretation biases affect emotional vulnerability: a training study.

PubMed

Tran, Tanya B; Siemer, Matthias; Joormann, Jutta

2011-04-01

Cognitive theories of emotion propose that the interpretation of emotion-eliciting situations crucially shapes affective responses. Implicit or automatic biases in these interpretations may hinder emotion regulation and thereby increase risk for the onset and maintenance of psychological disorders. In this study, participants were randomly assigned to a positive or negative interpretation bias training using ambiguous social scenarios. After the completion of the training, a stress task was administered and changes in positive and negative affect and self-esteem were assessed. The results demonstrate that the interpretation bias training was successful in that participants exhibited a tendency to interpret novel scenarios in accordance with their training condition. Importantly, the positive training condition also had a protective effect on self-esteem. Participants in this condition did not exhibit a decrease in self-esteem after the stress task, whereas participants in the negative condition did. These results demonstrate that implicit cognitive biases can be trained and that this training affects self-esteem. Implications of these findings for research on psychopathology and emotion regulation are discussed. © 2011 Psychology Press, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

A writer's guide to education scholarship: Qualitative education scholarship (part 2).

PubMed

Chan, Teresa M; Ting, Daniel K; Hall, Andrew Koch; Murnaghan, Aleisha; Thoma, Brent; McEwen, Jill; Yarris, Lalena M

2018-03-01

Education scholarship can be conducted using a variety of methods, from quantitative experiments to qualitative studies. Qualitative methods are less commonly used in emergency medicine (EM) education research but are well-suited to explore complex educational problems and generate hypotheses. We aimed to review the literature to provide resources to guide educators who wish to conduct qualitative research in EM education. We conducted a scoping review to outline: 1) a list of journals that regularly publish qualitative educational papers; 2) an aggregate set of quality markers for qualitative educational research and scholarship; and 3) a list of quality checklists for qualitative educational research and scholarship. We found nine journals that have published more than one qualitative educational research paper in EM. From the literature, we identified 39 quality markers that were grouped into 10 themes: Initial Grounding Work (preparation, background); Goals, Problem Statement, or Question; Methods (general considerations); Sampling Techniques; Data Collection Techniques; Data Interpretation and Theory Generation; Measures to Optimize Rigour and Trustworthiness; Relevance to the Field; Evidence of Reflective Practice; Dissemination and Reporting. Lastly, five quality checklists were found for guiding educators in reporting their qualitative work. Many problems that EM educators face are well-suited to exploration using qualitative methods. The results of our scoping review provide publication venues, quality indicators, and checklists that may be useful to EM educators embarking on qualitative projects.

Arabic-speaking migrants’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare: a postal cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Good communication is an important prerequisite for equal treatment in a healthcare encounter. One way to overcome language barriers when patients and healthcare staff do not share the same language is to use a professional interpreter. Few previous studies have been found investigating the use of interpreters, and just one previous study from the perspective of European migrants, which showed that they perceived interpreters as a communication aid and a guide in the healthcare system as regards information and practical matters. No previous study has gathered quantitative information to focus on non-European migrants’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare encounters. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate Arabic-speaking individuals’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare in order to: (i) understand how persons’ expectations and concerns regarding interpreters may vary, both within and across cultural/linguistic populations; (ii) understand the consequences of diverse opinions/expectations for planning responsive services; and (iii) confirm findings from previous qualitative studies. Method A postal cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered 51-item questionnaire was used to describe and document aspects of Arabic-speaking individuals’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare. The sample of 53 Arabic-speaking migrants was recruited from three different places. Participants were mostly born in Iraq and had a high level of education and were almost equally divided between genders. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Results The main findings were that most of the participants perceived the interpreter’s role as being a communication aid and a practical aid, interpreting literally and objectively. Trust in the professional interpreter was related to qualification as an interpreter and personal contact with face

The value of psychosocial group activity in nursing education: A qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Choi, Yun-Jung

2018-05-01

Nursing faculty often struggle to find effective teaching strategies for nursing students that integrate group work into nursing students' learning activities. This study was conducted to evaluate students' experiences in a psychiatric and mental health nursing course using psychosocial group activities to develop therapeutic communication and interpersonal relationship skills, as well as to introduce psychosocial nursing interventions. A qualitative research design was used. The study explored nursing students' experiences of the course in accordance with the inductive, interpretative, and constructive approaches via focus group interviews. Participants were 17 undergraduate nursing students who registered for a psychiatric and mental health nursing course. The collected data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in 28 codes, 14 interpretive codes, 4 themes (developing interpersonal relationships, learning problem-solving skills, practicing cooperation and altruism, and getting insight and healing), and a core theme (interdependent growth in self-confidence). The psychosocial group activity provided constructive opportunities for the students to work independently and interdependently as healthcare team members through reflective learning experiences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

General practitioner registrars' experiences of multisource feedback: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Findlay, Nigel

2012-09-01

To explore the experiences of general practitioner (GP) specialty training registrars, thereby generating more understanding of the ways in which multisource feedback impacts upon their self-perceptions and professional behaviour, and provide information that might guide its use in the revalidation process of practising GPs. Complete transcripts of semi-structured, audio-taped qualitative interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method, to describe the experiences of multisource feedback for individual registrars. Five GP registrars participated. The first theme to emerge was the importance of the educational supervisor in encouraging the registrar through the emotional response, then facilitating interpretation of feedback and personal development. The second was the differing attitudes to learning and development, which may be in conflict with threats to self-image. The current RCGP format for obtaining multisource feedback for GP registrars may not always be achieving its purpose of challenging self-perceptions and motivating improved performance. An enhanced qualitative approach, through personal interviews rather than anonymous questionnaires, may provide a more accurate picture. This would address the concerns of some registrars by reducing their logistical burden and may facilitate more constructive feedback. The educational supervisor has an important role in promoting personal development, once this feedback is shared. The challenge for teaching organisations is to create a climate of comfort for learning, yet encourage learning beyond a 'comfort zone'.

Student Reflection Papers on a Global Clinical Experience: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Margolis, Carmi Z; Rohrbaugh, Robert M; Tsang, Luisa; Fleischer, Jennifer; Graham, Mark J; Kellett, Anne; Hafler, Janet P

Many of the 70,000 graduating US medical students [per year] have reported participating in a global health activity at some stage of medical school. This case study design provided a method for understanding the student's experience that included student's learning about culture, health disparities, exposure and reaction to a range of diseases actually encountered. The broad diversity of themes among students indicated that the GCE provided a flexible, personalized experience. We need to understand the student's experience in order to help design appropriate curricular experiences [and valid student assessment]. Our research aim was to analyze medical student reflection papers to understand how they viewed their Global Clinical Experience (GCE). A qualitative case study design was used to analyze student reflection papers. All 28 students who participated in a GCE from 2008-2010 and in 2014-2015 and submitted a reflection paper on completion of the GCE were eligible to participate in the study. One student did not submit a reflection paper and was not included in the study. All 27 papers were coded by paragraph for reflection and for themes. System of Care/Range of Care was mentioned most often, Aids to Adjustment Process was mentioned least. The theme, "Diseases," referred to any mention of a disease in the reflection papers, and 44 diseases were mentioned in the papers. The analysis for depth of reflection yielded the following data: Observation, 81/248 paragraphs; Observation and Interpretation, 130/248 paragraphs; and Observation, Interpretation, and Suggestions for change, 36/248 paragraphs; 9 reflection papers contained 27 separate accounts of a transformational experience. This study provided a method for understanding the student's experience that included student's learning about culture, health disparities, and exposure and reaction to a range of diseases actually encountered. The broad diversity of themes among students indicated that the GCE provided a

Marrow Bone Thinking: A Plea for Strengthened Qualitative Research in Distance Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burge, Elizabeth J.

This report discusses the nature of research in the context of distance education and suggests that qualitative research be included as a research methodology for distance education research. Noting that qualitative research represents a shift toward more perceptual, context-embedded interpretive inquiry, the paper argues that it is well suited to…

Communicating Qualitative Research Study Designs to Research Ethics Review Boards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ells, Carolyn

2011-01-01

Researchers using qualitative methodologies appear to be particularly prone to having their study designs called into question by research ethics or funding agency review committees. In this paper, the author considers the issue of communicating qualitative research study designs in the context of institutional research ethics review and offers…

Technology, Educator Intention, and Relationships in Virtual Learning Spaces: A Qualitative Metasynthesis.

PubMed

Gdanetz, Lorraine M; Hamer, Mika K; Thomas, Eileen; Tarasenko, Lindsey M; Horton-Deutsch, Sara; Jones, Jacqueline

2018-04-01

A main concern that remains with the continued growth of online nursing education programs is the way educator and student relationships can be affected by new technologies. This interpretive study aims to gain an understanding of how technology influences the development of interpersonal relationships between the student and faculty in a virtual learning environment. Using an established structured approach to qualitative metasynthesis, a search was conducted using PubMed, EBSCO, CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest, Ovid Nursing databases, and Google Scholar, focused on caring and relational aspects of online nursing education. Technology alters communication, thereby positioning the intentionality of the educator at the heart of interpersonal relationship development in virtual learning spaces. This interpretive synthesis of prior qualitative research supports the development of a framework for online nursing courses, the need for continuing education of nursing faculty, the value of caring intentions, and enhancement of the educator's technological proficiency. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(4):197-202.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Decentering resources: a phenomenological study of interpretive pedagogies in patient education.

PubMed

Scheckel, Martha; Hedrick-Erickson, Jennifer

2009-01-01

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to document an innovative approach to teaching patient education where RN-Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, through an online course, learned and applied the interpretive pedagogies in patient education. The online course was the educational intervention which laid the groundwork of the study. Data were then collected from 9 of 18 students who took the course and agreed to participate. Interviews were audiotaped face to face or by telephone and transcribed and interpreted for meanings. Two themes that emerged for teaching patient education included "Decentering Resources: Listening Through Questioning" and "Decentering Resources: Empowering Through Questioning." This study revealed that, as students learned the interpretive pedagogies, resources (brochures, handouts, videos, etc.) took on less importance in their patient education practice. They recognized how resources frequently impeded patient-nurse interactions in teaching and learning encounters. Once students understood that they were perhaps depending too much on resources, they began engaging in questioning practices where significant meanings of listening and empowering in patient education unfolded. This study encourages nurse educators to teach students interpretive pedagogies in patient education to promote pedagogical literacy, which preserves the time-honored tradition of working together with patients during teaching and learning encounters.

Stakeholders' perspectives on quality indicators for diabetes care: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Markhorst, Joekie; Martirosyan, Liana; Calsbeek, Hiske; Braspenning, Jozé

2012-01-01

Transparency in diabetes care requires quality indicators that are of interest to stakeholders in order to optimise their usage. Indicator development is often focused on consensus, and little is known about stakeholders' preferences for information on quality. To explore the preferences of consumers, providers, purchasers and policy makers for different quality domains and indicators in relation to the intended use of quality indicators. Between June and December 2009, 14 semi-structured interviews were held with stakeholders who have a decisive vote in the selection of the national indicator set for diabetes care in the Netherlands. The following subjects were explored: (1) the aims of using information on quality; (2) the interpretation of and preferences for the quality domains of safety, timeliness, effectiveness and patient-centredness in relation to the user aims; and (3) the preferences for structure, process or outcome indicators. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Stakeholders had similar and different aims according to their roles. The interpretations of quality domains varied greatly between the stakeholders. Besides differences in interpretation, their preferences were similar. Most stakeholders prioritised patient-centredness above the other domains of quality, ranked in order of priority as safety, effectiveness and timeliness, whereas purchasers also prioritised efficiency. All stakeholders preferred to use process indicators or a mix of process and outcome indicators. The preferences of the stakeholders for quality indicators seem to be neither well-refined nor congruent. The implementation of an indicator set can probably be improved if the stakeholders' definitions and preferences for quality domains become more explicit during the selection process for indicators.

These terrifying three words: A qualitative, mixed methods study of students' and mentors' understandings of 'fitness to practise'.

PubMed

Haycock-Stuart, Elaine; MacLaren, Jessica; McLachlan, Alison; James, Christine

2016-08-01

There is little empirical published research pertaining to fitness to practise and pre-registration nursing students. Much of the existing fitness to practise literature focuses on medical students and there is a preponderance of literature reviews and descriptive or discursive papers. The multicentre study aimed to explore students' and mentor's understandings of fitness to practise processes in pre-registration nursing programmes. A qualitative study in the interpretive paradigm with interpretive analysis involving 6 focus groups and 4 face-to-face interviews with nursing students and mentors. Eleven Higher Education Institutions providing pre-registration nursing education in the UK. Data were collected January 2014-March 2015 following ethical approval. Purposive sampling was used to recruit mentors and nursing (but not midwifery) students from pre-registration nursing programmes at different stages of educational preparation. Qualitatively driven semi-structured focus groups (n=6) and interviews (n=4) were conducted with a total of 35 participants (17 pre-registration nursing students and 18 nursing mentors). Three themes identified from the student and mentor data are considered: Conceptualising Fitness to Practise; Good Health and Character; and Fear and Anxiety Surrounding Fitness to Practise Processes. Uncertainty about understandings of fitness to practise contributed to a pervasive fear among students and reluctance among mentors to raise concerns about a student's fitness to practise. Both students and mentors expressed considerable anxiety and engaged in catastrophic thinking about fitness to practise processes. Higher Education Institutes should reinforce to students that they are fit to practise the majority of the time and reduce the negative emotional loading of fitness to practise processes and highlight learning opportunities. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiences from a pilot study on how to conduct a qualitative multi-country research project regarding use of antibiotics in Southeast Europe.

PubMed

Kaae, Susanne; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark; Traulsen, Janine Morgall; Wallach Kildemoes, Helle; Nørgaard, Lotte Stig; Jakupi, Arianit; Raka, Denis; Gürpinar, Emre Umut; Alkan, Ali; Hoxha, Iris; Malaj, Admir; Cantarero, Lourdes Arevalo

2016-01-01

In 2014, a qualitative multi-country research project was launched to study the reasons behind the high use of antibiotics in regions of Southeast Europe by using previously untrained national interviewers (who were engaged in other antibiotic microbial resistance-related investigations) to conduct qualitative interviews with local patients, physicians and pharmacists. Little knowledge exists about how to implement qualitative multi-country research collaborations involving previously untrained local data collectors. The aim of this paper was therefore to contribute to the knowledge regarding how to conduct these types of research projects by evaluating a pilot study of the project. Local data collectors conducted the study according to a developed protocol and evaluated the study with the responsible researcher-team from University of Copenhagen. The pilot study focused on 'local ownership', 'research quality' and 'feasibility' with regard to successful implementation and evaluation. The evaluation was achieved by interpreting 'Skype' and 'face to face' meetings and email correspondence by applying 'critical common sense'. Local data collectors achieved a sense of joint ownership. Overall, the protocol worked well. Several minor challenges pertaining to research quality and feasibility were identified, in particular obtaining narratives when conducting interviews and recruiting patients for the study. Furthermore, local data collectors found it difficult to allocate sufficient time to the project. Solutions were discussed and added to the protocol. Despite the challenges, it was possible to achieve an acceptable scientific level of research when conducting qualitative multi-country research collaboration under the given circumstances. Specific recommendations to achieve this are provided by the authors.

An Interpretive Study of Yosemite National Park Visitors' Perspectives Toward Alternative Transportation in Yosemite Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Dave D.

2007-01-01

The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly focusing on alternative transportation systems in national parks to address environmental and social problems arising from a historical reliance on personal automobiles as the primary means of visitor access. Despite the potential advantages, alternative transportation may require a reorientation in the way that Americans have experienced national parks since the advent of auto-tourism in the early twentieth century. Little research exists, however, on visitor perspectives towards alternative transportation or the rationale underlying their perspectives. It remains unclear how transportation systems affect visitors’ experiences of the park landscape or the factors influencing their travel behavior in the parks. This report presents an interpretive study of visitor perspectives toward transportation management in the Yosemite Valley area of Yosemite National Park, California. Qualitative analysis of 160 semi-structured interviews identified individual psychological factors as well as situational influences that affect visitors’ behavior and perspectives. Individual psychological factors include perceived freedom, environmental values and beliefs, prior experience with Yosemite National Park and other national parks, prior experience with alternative transportation in national parks, and sensitivity to subjective perceptions of crowding. Situational factors included convenience, access, and flexibility of travel modes, as well as type of visit, type of group, and park use level. Interpretive communication designed to encourage voluntary visitor use of alternative transportation should focus on these psychological and situational factors. Although challenges remain, the results of this study suggest approaches for shaping the way Americans visit and experience their national parks to encourage environmental sustainability.

An interpretive study of Yosemite National Park visitors' perspectives toward alternative transportation in Yosemite Valley.

PubMed

White, Dave D

2007-01-01

The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly focusing on alternative transportation systems in national parks to address environmental and social problems arising from a historical reliance on personal automobiles as the primary means of visitor access. Despite the potential advantages, alternative transportation may require a reorientation in the way that Americans have experienced national parks since the advent of auto-tourism in the early twentieth century. Little research exists, however, on visitor perspectives towards alternative transportation or the rationale underlying their perspectives. It remains unclear how transportation systems affect visitors' experiences of the park landscape or the factors influencing their travel behavior in the parks. This report presents an interpretive study of visitor perspectives toward transportation management in the Yosemite Valley area of Yosemite National Park, California. Qualitative analysis of 160 semi-structured interviews identified individual psychological factors as well as situational influences that affect visitors' behavior and perspectives. Individual psychological factors include perceived freedom, environmental values and beliefs, prior experience with Yosemite National Park and other national parks, prior experience with alternative transportation in national parks, and sensitivity to subjective perceptions of crowding. Situational factors included convenience, access, and flexibility of travel modes, as well as type of visit, type of group, and park use level. Interpretive communication designed to encourage voluntary visitor use of alternative transportation should focus on these psychological and situational factors. Although challenges remain, the results of this study suggest approaches for shaping the way Americans visit and experience their national parks to encourage environmental sustainability.

The Psychosocial Experience of Adolescents with Haematological Malignancies in Jordan: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The qualitative research method of interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to explore the lived experience of 14 Jordanian adolescents with haematological malignancies. They were admitted to two hospitals in Jordan and were interviewed for this study twice during the first six months after receiving their diagnosis. The results of this study revealed three themes: (1) Being in hospital, (2) The changing self, and (3) Fearing the unknown. When the participants were hospitalised due to their illness they were removed from their families and friends and prevented from engaging in their normal daily routine. Participants also reported receiving limited emotional and psychological support from health team members during hospitalisation. From the onset of cancer treatments, the bio-psychosocial side effects of the chemotherapy became one of the most distressing factors for participants affecting all aspects of their life and generated uncertainty about their future. The findings add to existing understanding of the lived experiences of cancer patients and in particular Jordanian adolescents. They provide a valuable insight for clinicians into improvements in service delivery to this group of patients. PMID:24550700

The Student Affair Organizational Dissertation: A Bounded Qualitative Meta-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banning, James H.; Kuk, Linda

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine dissertations over the past five years that focused on student affairs organizational issues. A bounded qualitative meta-study was used and the methods, theories, and findings of the dissertations were examined. A variety of research methods were used including quantitative, qualitative and mixed designs.…

Characteristics of qualitative studies in influential journals of general medicine: a critical review.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Hiroshi; Slingsby, Brian Taylor; Takahashi, Miyako; Hayashi, Yoko; Sugimori, Hiroki; Nakayama, Takeo

2009-12-01

Although qualitative studies have increased since the 1990s, some reports note that relatively few influential journals published them up until 2000. This study critically reviewed the characteristics of qualitative studies published in top tier medical journals since 2000. We assessed full texts of qualitative studies published between 2000 and 2004 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, BMJ, JAMA, Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine. We found 80 qualitative studies, of which 73 (91%) were published in BMJ. Only 10 studies (13%) combined qualitative and quantitative methods. Sixty-two studies (78%) used only one method of data collection. Interviews dominated the choice of data collection. The median sample size was 36 (range: 9-383). Thirty-three studies (41%) did not specify the type of analysis used but rather described the analytic process in detail. The rest indicated the mode of data analysis, in which the most prevalent methods were the constant comparative method (23%) and the grounded theory approach (22%). Qualitative data analysis software was used by 33 studies (41%). Among influential journals of general medicine, only BMJ consistently published an average of 15 qualitative study reports between 2000 and 2004. These findings lend insight into what qualities and characteristics make a qualitative study worthy of consideration to be published in an influential journal, primarily BMJ.

A Case for Qualitative Research in the Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Jim; And Others

As examples of the qualitative research attitude, six research papers, each of which addresses a serious educational question in a thoughtful and rigorous manner, are presented. The first paper argues for the advancement of a qualitative research attitude in social studies, for such an attitude is consonant with the purposes of a reflective,…

Is there a bias against telephone interviews in qualitative research?

PubMed

Novick, Gina

2008-08-01

Telephone interviews are largely neglected in the qualitative research literature and, when discussed, they are often depicted as a less attractive alternative to face-to-face interviewing. The absence of visual cues via telephone is thought to result in loss of contextual and nonverbal data and to compromise rapport, probing, and interpretation of responses. Yet, telephones may allow respondents to feel relaxed and able to disclose sensitive information, and evidence is lacking that they produce lower quality data. This apparent bias against telephone interviews contrasts with a growing interest in electronic qualitative interviews. Research is needed comparing these modalities, and examining their impact on data quality and their use for studying varying topics and populations. Such studies could contribute evidence-based guidelines for optimizing interview data. 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Is There a Bias Against Telephone Interviews In Qualitative Research?

PubMed Central

Novick, Gina

2011-01-01

Telephone interviews are largely neglected in the qualitative research literature and, when discussed, they are often depicted as a less attractive alternative to face-to-face interviewing. The absence of visual cues via telephone is thought to result in loss of contextual and nonverbal data and to compromise rapport, probing, and interpretation of responses. Yet, telephones may allow respondents to feel relaxed and able to disclose sensitive information, and evidence is lacking that they produce lower quality data. This apparent bias against telephone interviews contrasts with a growing interest in electronic qualitative interviews. Research is needed comparing these modalities, and examining their impact on data quality and their use for studying varying topics and populations. Such studies could contribute evidence-based guidelines for optimizing interview data. PMID:18203128

Using Sandelowski and Barroso's Meta-Synthesis Method in Advancing Qualitative Evidence.

PubMed

Ludvigsen, Mette S; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Meyer, Gabriele; Fegran, Liv; Aagaard, Hanne; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

2016-02-01

The purpose of this article was to iteratively account for and discuss the handling of methodological challenges in two qualitative research syntheses concerning patients' experiences of hospital transition. We applied Sandelowski and Barroso's guidelines for synthesizing qualitative research, and to our knowledge, this is the first time researchers discuss their methodological steps. In the process, we identified a need for prolonged discussions to determine mutual understandings of the methodology. We discussed how to identify the appropriate qualitative research literature and how to best conduct exhaustive literature searches on our target phenomena. Another finding concerned our status as third-order interpreters of participants' experiences and what this meant for synthesizing the primary findings. Finally, we discussed whether our studies could be classified as metasummaries or metasyntheses. Although we have some concerns regarding the applicability of the methodology, we conclude that following Sandelowski and Barroso's guidelines contributed to valid syntheses of our studies. © The Author(s) 2015.

Qualitative methods: what are they and why use them?

PubMed Central

Sofaer, S

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of reasons why qualitative methods have been used and can be used in health services and health policy research, to describe a range of specific methods, and to give examples of their application. DATA SOURCES: Classic and contemporary descriptions of the underpinnings and applications of qualitative research methods and studies that have used such methods to examine important health services and health policy issues. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Qualitative research methods are valuable in providing rich descriptions of complex phenomena; tracking unique or unexpected events; illuminating the experience and interpretation of events by actors with widely differing stakes and roles; giving voice to those whose views are rarely heard; conducting initial explorations to develop theories and to generate and even test hypotheses; and moving toward explanations. Qualitative and quantitative methods can be complementary, used in sequence or in tandem. The best qualitative research is systematic and rigorous, and it seeks to reduce bias and error and to identify evidence that disconfirms initial or emergent hypotheses. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative methods have much to contribute to health services and health policy research, especially as such research deals with rapid change and develops a more fully integrated theory base and research agenda. However, the field must build on the best traditions and techniques of qualitative methods and must recognize that special training and experience are essential to the application of these methods. PMID:10591275

A Qualitative Ethnographic Portrait of Women's Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosser, Julee L.

2013-01-01

In this research study, I sought to understand and describe the Women's and Gender Studies (WGS) Program at Berea College by exploring it through the experiences of students, faculty, administrators, and alumnae. I designed and implemented a feminist organizational ethnography. Organizational ethnography is a naturalistic, qualitative research…

Interpretations of legal criteria for involuntary psychiatric admission: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Feiring, Eli; Ugstad, Kristian N

2014-10-25

The use of involuntary admission in psychiatry may be necessary to enable treatment and prevent harm, yet remains controversial. Mental health laws in high-income countries typically permit coercive treatment of persons with mental disorders to restore health or prevent future harm. Criteria intended to regulate practice leave scope for discretion. The values and beliefs of staff may become a determinating factor for decisions. Previous research has only to a limited degree addressed how legal criteria for involuntary psychiatric admission are interpreted by clinical decision-makers. We examined clinicians' interpretations of criteria for involuntary admission under the Norwegian Mental Health Care Act. This act applies a status approach, whereby involuntary admission can be used at the presence of mental disorder and need for treatment or perceived risk to the patient or others. Further, best interest assessments carry a large justificatory burden and open for a range of extra-legislative factors to be considered. Deductive thematic analysis was used. Three ideal types of attitudes-to-coercion were developed, denoted paternalistic, deliberative and interpretive. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 10 Norwegian clinicians with experience from admissions to psychiatric care were carried out. Data was fit into the preconceived analytical frame. We hypothesised that the data would mirror the recent shift from paternalism towards a more human rights focused approach in modern mental health care. The paternalistic perspective was, however, clearly expressed in the data. Involuntary admission was considered to be in the patient's best interest, and patients suffering from serious mental disorder were assumed to lack decision-making capacity. In addition to assessment of need, outcome effectiveness and risk of harm, extra-legislative factors such as patients' functioning, experience, resistance, networks, and follow-up options were told to influence decisions

Evaluation of total workstation CT interpretation quality: a single-screen pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beard, David V.; Perry, John R.; Muller, Keith E.; Misra, Ram B.; Brown, P.; Hemminger, Bradley M.; Johnston, Richard E.; Mauro, J. Matthew; Jaques, P. F.; Schiebler, M.

1991-07-01

An interpretation report, generated with an electronic viewbox, is affected by two factors: image quality, which encompasses what can be seen on the display, and computer human interaction (CHI), which accounts for the cognitive load effect of locating, moving, and manipulating images with the workstation controls. While a number of subject experiments have considered image quality, only recently has the affect of CHI on total interpretation quality been measured. This paper presents the results of a pilot study conducted to evaluate the total interpretation quality of the FilmPlane2.2 radiology workstation for patient folders containing single forty-slice CT studies. First, radiologists interpreted cases and dictated reports using FilmPlane2.2. Requisition forms were provided. Film interpretation was provided by the original clinical report and interpretation forms generated from a previous experiment. Second, an evaluator developed a list of findings for each case based on those listed in all the reports for each case and then evaluated each report for its response on each finding. Third, the reports were compared to determine how well they agreed with one another. Interpretation speed and observation data was also gathered.

Online interviewing with interpreters in humanitarian contexts.

PubMed

Chiumento, Anna; Machin, Laura; Rahman, Atif; Frith, Lucy

2018-12-01

Recognising that one way to address the logistical and safety considerations of research conducted in humanitarian emergencies is to use internet communication technologies to facilitate interviews online, this article explores some practical and methodological considerations inherent to qualitative online interviewing. Reflections from a case study of a multi-site research project conducted in post-conflict countries are presented.  Synchronous online cross-language qualitative interviews were conducted in one country.  Although only a small proportion of interviews were conducted online (six out of 35), it remains important to critically consider the impact upon data produced in this way. A range of practical and methodological considerations are discussed, illustrated with examples.  Results suggest that whilst online interviewing has methodological and ethical potential and versatility, there are inherent practical challenges in settings with poor internet and electricity infrastructure.  Notable methodological limitations include barriers to building rapport due to partial visual and non-visual cues, and difficulties interpreting pauses or silences. Drawing upon experiences in this case study, strategies for managing the practical and methodological limitations of online interviewing are suggested, alongside recommendations for supporting future research practice.  These are intended to act as a springboard for further reflection, and operate alongside other conceptual frameworks for online interviewing.

Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports.

PubMed

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2014-01-01

Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners.

Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports

PubMed Central

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2014-01-01

Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners. PMID:24809980

Singapore nursing students' perceptions and attitudes about spirituality and spiritual care in practice: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Tiew, Lay Hwa; Drury, Vicki

2012-09-01

This exploratory study investigated nursing students' perceptions and attitudes about spirituality and spiritual care in practice. A qualitative interpretative approach was used to investigate the research question. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 final-year preregistration nursing students from 3 different educational institutions offering a degree or diploma program in Singapore. Data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman's method of thematic analysis. Thematic analysis identified three themes: (a) students' perceptions of spirituality, (b) spiritual care, and (c) factors influencing spiritual care in practice. The study informed that though young, spirituality matters to the nursing students. Accordingly, nursing is perceived to play an integral role in spiritual care. Enabling factors need to be systematically addressed both in the education and practice arenas before the perennial issue of disconnect between development and implementation of spirituality in practice can be bridged.

Factors and misperceptions of routine childhood immunization service uptake in Ethiopia: findings from a nationwide qualitative study

PubMed Central

Tadesse, Tefera; Getachew, Kinde; Assefa, Tersit; Ababu, Yohannes; Simireta, Tesfaye; Birhanu, Zewdie; Hailemichael, Yohannes

2017-01-01

Introduction While the routine childhood immunization program might be affected by several factors, its identification using qualitative evidence of caretakers is generally minimal. This article explores the various factors and misperceptions of routine childhood immunization service uptake in Ethiopia and provides possible recommendations to mitigate them. Methods In this study, we used a qualitative multiple case study design collecting primary data from 63 focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with a purposefully selected sample of children's caretakers (n = 630). Results According to the results of this study, the use of routine childhood immunization is dependent on four major factors: caretakers' behavior, family characteristics, information and communication and immunization service system. In addition, the participants had some misperceptions about routine childhood immunization. For example, immunization should be taken when the child gets sick and a single dose vaccine is enough for a child. These factors and misperceptions are complex and sometimes context-specific and vary between categories of caretakers. Conclusion Our interpretations suggest that no single factor affects immunization service uptake alone in a unique way. Rather, it is the synergy among the factors that has a collective influence on the childhood immunization system. Therefore, intervention efforts should target these multiple factors simultaneously. Importantly, this study recommends improving the quality of existing childhood immunization services and building awareness among caretakers as crucial components. PMID:29675124

Qualitative approach to patient-reported outcomes in oncology: protocol of a French study

PubMed Central

Orri, Massimiliano; Sibeoni, Jordan; Labey, Mathilde; Bousquet, Guilhem; Verneuil, Laurence; Revah-Levy, Anne

2015-01-01

Introduction The past decade has been characterised by movement from a doctor-centred to a patient-centred approach to treatment outcomes, in which doctors try to see the illness through their patients’ eyes. Patients, family members and doctors are the three participants in cancer care, but their perspectives about what have been helpful during cancer treatment have never simultaneously and explicitly compared in the same qualitative study. The aim of this study project is to explore patients’ perspectives about the care they receive, as well as families’ and doctors’ perspectives about what have been helpful for the patient. These three points of view will be compared and contrasted in order to analyse the convergences and divergences in these perspectives. Methods and analysis This is a national multicentre qualitative study. Participants will be constituted by three different subsamples: (1) patients with cancer (skin, breast, urological and lung cancers), (2) their relatives, and (3) their referring physicians. Recruitment will follow the purposive sample technique, and the final sample size will be determined by data saturation. Data will be collected through open-ended semistructured interviews and independently analysed with NVivo V.10 software by three researchers according to the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Ethics and dissemination The research protocol received approval from the University Paris Descartes review board (IRB number: 20140600001072), and participants will provide written consent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to focus on the simultaneous exploration of the separate points of view of patients, families and doctors about the care received during the cancer care journey. We expect that our findings will help to improve communication and relationships between doctors, patients and families. Comparison of these three points of view will provide information about the convergences and

Patient experiences of colonoscopy, barium enema and CT colonography: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Von Wagner, C; Knight, K; Halligan, S; Atkin, W; Lilford, R; Morton, D; Wardle, J

2009-01-01

Previous studies of patient experience with bowel screening tests, in particular CT colonography (CTC), have superimposed global rating scales and not explored individual experience in detail. To redress this, we performed qualitative interviews in order to characterize patient expectations and experiences in depth. Following ethical permission, 16 patients undergoing CTC, 18 undergoing colonoscopy and 15 undergoing barium enema agreed to a semi-structured interview by a health psychologist. Interviews were recorded, responses transcribed and themes extracted with the aim of assimilating individual experiences to facilitate subsequent development and interpretation of quantitative surveys of overall satisfaction with each diagnostic test. Transcript analysis identified three principal themes: physical sensations, social interactions and information provision. Physical sensations differed for each test but were surprisingly well tolerated overall. Social interactions with staff were perceived as very important in colouring the whole experience, particularly in controlling the feelings of embarrassment, which was critical for all procedures. Information provision was also an important determinant of experience. Verbal feedback was most common during colonoscopy and invariably reassuring. However, patients undergoing CTC received little visual or verbal feedback and were often confused regarding the test outcome. Barium enema had no specific advantage over other tests. Qualitative interviews provided important perspectives on patient experience. Our data demonstrated that models describing the quality of medical encounters are applicable to single diagnostic episodes. Staff interactions and information provision were particularly important. We found advantages specific to both CTC and colonoscopy but none for barium enema. CTC could benefit greatly from improved information provision following examination.

A quantitative analysis of qualitative studies in clinical journals for the 2000 publishing year

PubMed Central

McKibbon, Kathleen Ann; Gadd, Cynthia S

2004-01-01

Background Quantitative studies are becoming more recognized as important to understanding health care with all of its richness and complexities. The purpose of this descriptive survey was to provide a quantitative evaluation of the qualitative studies published in 170 core clinical journals for 2000. Methods All identified studies that used qualitative methods were reviewed to ascertain which clinical journals publish qualitative studies and to extract research methods, content (persons and health care issues studied), and whether mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative methods) were used. Results 60 330 articles were reviewed. 355 reports of original qualitative studies and 12 systematic review articles were identified in 48 journals. Most of the journals were in the discipline of nursing. Only 4 of the most highly cited health care journals, based on ISI Science Citation Index (SCI) Impact Factors, published qualitative studies. 37 of the 355 original reports used both qualitative and quantitative (mixed) methods. Patients and non-health care settings were the most common groups of people studied. Diseases and conditions were cancer, mental health, pregnancy and childbirth, and cerebrovascular disease with many other diseases and conditions represented. Phenomenology and grounded theory were commonly used; substantial ethnography was also present. No substantial differences were noted for content or methods when articles published in all disciplines were compared with articles published in nursing titles or when studies with mixed methods were compared with studies that included only qualitative methods. Conclusions The clinical literature includes many qualitative studies although they are often published in nursing journals or journals with low SCI Impact Factor journals. Many qualitative studies incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods. PMID:15271221

Qualitative case study data analysis: an example from practice.

PubMed

Houghton, Catherine; Murphy, Kathy; Shaw, David; Casey, Dympna

2015-05-01

To illustrate an approach to data analysis in qualitative case study methodology. There is often little detail in case study research about how data were analysed. However, it is important that comprehensive analysis procedures are used because there are often large sets of data from multiple sources of evidence. Furthermore, the ability to describe in detail how the analysis was conducted ensures rigour in reporting qualitative research. The research example used is a multiple case study that explored the role of the clinical skills laboratory in preparing students for the real world of practice. Data analysis was conducted using a framework guided by the four stages of analysis outlined by Morse ( 1994 ): comprehending, synthesising, theorising and recontextualising. The specific strategies for analysis in these stages centred on the work of Miles and Huberman ( 1994 ), which has been successfully used in case study research. The data were managed using NVivo software. Literature examining qualitative data analysis was reviewed and strategies illustrated by the case study example provided. Discussion Each stage of the analysis framework is described with illustration from the research example for the purpose of highlighting the benefits of a systematic approach to handling large data sets from multiple sources. By providing an example of how each stage of the analysis was conducted, it is hoped that researchers will be able to consider the benefits of such an approach to their own case study analysis. This paper illustrates specific strategies that can be employed when conducting data analysis in case study research and other qualitative research designs.

A qualitative study of regional anaesthesia for vitreo-retinal surgery.

PubMed

McCloud, Christine; Harrington, Ann; King, Lindy

2014-05-01

The aim of this research was to collect experiential knowledge about regional ocular anaesthesia - an integral component of most vitreo-retinal surgery. Anaesthesia for vitreo-retinal surgery has predominantly used general anaesthesia, because of the length and complexity of the surgical procedure. However, recent advances in surgical instrumentation and techniques have reduced surgical times; this decision has led to the adoption of regional ocular anaesthesia for vitreo-retinal day surgery. Although regional ocular anaesthesia has been studied from several perspectives, knowledge about patients' experience of the procedure is limited. An interpretive qualitative research methodology underpinned by Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics. Eighteen participants were interviewed in-depth between July 2006-December 2007 following regional ocular anaesthesia. Interview data were thematically analysed by coding and grouping concepts. Four themes were identified: 'not knowing': the time prior to the experience of a regional eye block; 'experiencing': the experience of regional ocular anaesthesia; 'enduring': the capacity participants displayed to endure regional ocular anaesthesia with the hope that their vision would be restored; and 'knowing': when further surgery was required and past experiences were recalled. The experience of regional ocular anaesthesia had the capacity to invoke anxiety in the participants in this study. Many found the experience overwhelming and painful. What became clear was the participant's capacity to stoically 'endure' regional ocular anaesthesia, indicating the value people placed on visual function. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Specific design features of an interpretative phenomenological analysis study.

PubMed

Wagstaff, Christopher; Williams, Bob

2014-01-01

Report of an innovative use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to enable an in-depth study of the experiences of disengagement from mental health services of black men with diagnoses of severe and enduring mental illness. The aim of IPA is to explore the sense that participants make of their personal and social worlds, while recognising the contribution of the researcher in interpreting the participants' interpretations of their experiences. Seven black male research participants were recruited to the study. The components of the study that contribute to the body of literature on IPA research design include: an engagement stage in the research; a second clarifying interview; discussion of clarifying questions and emergent themes with two academic service-users; and a post-interview meeting to discuss the themes emerging from the research study. The paper focuses on the contribution of the four specific design features of the study and how these enabled the researcher to engage with a population that is often deemed 'hard to reach'. The four distinctive methodological developments in the study emphasise the flexibility of IPA. These innovations assisted the researcher in developing a broader double hermeneutic that enabled reporting of the experiences of disengagement from mental health services of black men with diagnoses of severe and enduring mental illness. The distinctive design of this study further emphasises the flexibility of IPA, while simultaneously showing fidelity to the core principles underlying the research methodology.

Instructional Practices: A Qualitative Study on the Response to Common Core Standardized Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hightower, Gabrielle

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the instructional practices implemented by Tennessee elementary teachers in response to Common Core Standardized Testing. This research study utilized a basic qualitative method that included a purposive and convenient sampling. This qualitative study focused on face-to-face interviews, phone…

Understanding osteoporosis and fractures: an introduction to the use of qualitative research.

PubMed

Hoang-Kim, A; Schemitsch, E; Sale, J E M; Beaton, D; Warmington, K; Kulkarni, A V; Reeves, S

2014-02-01

Qualitative research has been recognized in recent years as a field of inquiry used to understand people's beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, culture or lifestyle. While quantitative results are challenging to apply in everyday practice, the qualitative paradigm can be useful to fill in a research context that is poorly understood or ill-defined. It can provide an in-depth study of interactions, a way to incorporate context, and a means to hear the voices of participants. Understanding experiences, motivation, and beliefs can have a profound effect on the interpretation of quantitative research and generating hypotheses. In this paper, we will review different qualitative approaches that healthcare providers and researchers may find useful to implement in future study designs, specifically in the context of osteoporosis and fracture. We will provide insight into the qualitative paradigm gained from the osteoporosis literature on fractures using examples from the database Scopus. Five prominent qualitative techniques (narratives, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study) can be used to generate meanings of the social and clinical world. We have highlighted how these strategies are implemented in qualitative research on osteoporosis and fractures and are anchored to specific methodological practices. We focus on studies that explore patient psychosocial experiences of diagnosis and treatment, cultural boundaries, and interprofessional communication. After reviewing the research, we believe that action research, that is not frequently used, could also effectively be used by many professions to improve programs and policies affecting those dealing with osteoporosis issues.

Effective Factors in Providing Holistic Care: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Jasemi, Madineh; Valizadeh, Leila; Keogh, Brian; Taleghani, Fariba

2015-01-01

Background: Holistic care is a comprehensive model of caring. Previous studies have shown that most nurses do not apply this method. Examining the effective factors in nurses’ provision of holistic care can help with enhancing it. Studying these factors from the point of view of nurses will generate real and meaningful concepts and can help to extend this method of caring. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was used to identify effective factors in holistic care provision. Data gathered by interviewing 14 nurses from university hospitals in Iran were analyzed with a conventional qualitative content analysis method and by using MAXQDA (professional software for qualitative and mixed methods data analysis) software. Results: Analysis of data revealed three main themes as effective factors in providing holistic care: The structure of educational system, professional environment, and personality traits. Conclusion: Establishing appropriate educational, management systems, and promoting religiousness and encouragement will induce nurses to provide holistic care and ultimately improve the quality of their caring. PMID:26009677

Effective factors in providing holistic care: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Jasemi, Madineh; Valizadeh, Leila; Keogh, Brian; Taleghani, Fariba

2015-01-01

Holistic care is a comprehensive model of caring. Previous studies have shown that most nurses do not apply this method. Examining the effective factors in nurses' provision of holistic care can help with enhancing it. Studying these factors from the point of view of nurses will generate real and meaningful concepts and can help to extend this method of caring. A qualitative study was used to identify effective factors in holistic care provision. Data gathered by interviewing 14 nurses from university hospitals in Iran were analyzed with a conventional qualitative content analysis method and by using MAXQDA (professional software for qualitative and mixed methods data analysis) software. Analysis of data revealed three main themes as effective factors in providing holistic care: The structure of educational system, professional environment, and personality traits. Establishing appropriate educational, management systems, and promoting religiousness and encouragement will induce nurses to provide holistic care and ultimately improve the quality of their caring.

Closing Down the Conversation: The End of the Quantitative-Qualitative Debate among Educational Inquirers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, John K.; Heshusius, Lous

Educational researchers have claimed that the quantitative and qualitative approaches to educational inquiry are, indeed, compatible. However, it would be unfortunate to discontinue this debate. The quantitative-qualitative debate began with the interpretive approach to social inquiry. Dilthey argued that since cultural/moral sciences differ from…

Experiences of Australian men diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Chambers, Suzanne K; Hyde, Melissa K; Laurie, Kirstyn; Legg, Melissa; Frydenberg, Mark; Davis, Ian D; Lowe, Anthony; Dunn, Jeff

2018-01-01

Objective To explore men’s lived experience of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) and preferences for support. Design Cross-sectional qualitative study applying open-ended surveys and interviews conducted between June and November 2016. Interviews audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed from an interpretive phenomenological perspective. Setting Australia, nation-wide. Participants 39 men diagnosed with advanced PCa (metastatic or castration-resistant biochemical progression) were surveyed with 28 men subsequently completing a semistructured in depth telephone interview. Results Thematic analysis of interviews identified two organising themes: lived experience and supportive care. Lived experience included six superordinate themes: regret about late diagnosis and treatment decisions, being discounted in the health system, fear/uncertainty about the future, acceptance of their situation, masculinity and treatment effects. Supportive care included five superordinate themes: communication, care coordination, accessible care, shared experience/peer support and involvement of their partner/family. Conclusions Life course and the health and social context of PCa influence men’s experiences of advanced disease. Multimodal interventions integrating peer support and specialist nurses are needed that more closely articulate with men’s expressed needs. PMID:29455168

A qualitative study of women's lived experience after deinfibulation in the UK.

PubMed

Safari, Faezeh

2013-02-01

to explore women's experiences of deinfibulation and its aftermath. a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with data collection via audio-recording and field notes. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method for qualitative data analysis. recruitment for the study was carried out in an African Well Women Clinic in London, United Kingdom. there were nine women participants of Somali and Eritrean origin who had Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) type III previously and underwent deinfibulation between January 2008 and September 2009. key themes identified were the cultural meaning and social acceptability of deinfibulation; the consequences of deinfibulation within marital relationships; feelings about the appearance of genitalia post deinfibulation and thoughts on reinfibulation. marital factors and stability of the relationship influence the experience of deinfibulation. Those women who said they had discussed deinfibulation with their husband in advance, and that he had agreed to the procedure, reported less problems afterwards. Single women who had deinfibulation before marriage may face more difficulties in terms of social acceptability within their community. sensitivity to social consequences of deinfibulation is important as well as recognition that these consequences vary. When deinfibulation is carried out for medical purposes some women may appreciate the offer of an official letter from a health-care practitioner confirming the medical nature of the procedure. The data suggests that deinfibulated women may dislike the new appearance of their genitalia; therefore, the practicality of performing a concurrent minor cosmetic surgery with deinfibulation procedure may need to be examined. The need for further research conducted in women's primary language is pressing and should explore issues such as the situation of single women, men's knowledge of the complications

Negotiating Diversity: Fostering Collaborative Interpretations of Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Shujie; Cockburn-Wootten, Cheryl; Munshi, Debashish

2014-01-01

The intercultural divides in values, perceptions, and interpretations of concepts have been studied extensively by international business and intercultural communication scholars. Consequentially, much effort in university classrooms is spent on focusing on the differences between groups and on finding ways to "manage" cultural…

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.

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.

Enabler for Interdisciplinary eHealthcare: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Yu, Dan; Poon, Simon K; Tran, Vivienne; Lam, Mary K; Hines, Monique; Brunner, Melissa; Power, Emma; Shaw, Tim; Togher, Leanne

2017-01-01

The complex relations between Health Technologies and clinical practices have been the focus of intensive research in recent years. This research represents a shift towards a holistic view where evaluation of health technologies is linked to organisational practices. In this paper, we address the gaps in existing literature regarding the holistic evaluation of e-health in clinical practice. We report the results from a qualitative study conducted to gain insight into e-health in practice within an interdisciplinary healthcare domain. Findings from this qualitative study, provides the foundation for the creation of a generic measurement model that allows for the comparative analysis of health technologies and assist in the decision-making of its stakeholders.

The Role of Qualitative Research Methods in Discrete Choice Experiments

PubMed Central

Vass, Caroline; Rigby, Dan; Payne, Katherine

2017-01-01

Background. The use of qualitative research (QR) methods is recommended as good practice in discrete choice experiments (DCEs). This study investigated the use and reporting of QR to inform the design and/or interpretation of healthcare-related DCEs and explored the perceived usefulness of such methods. Methods. DCEs were identified from a systematic search of the MEDLINE database. Studies were classified by the quantity of QR reported (none, basic, or extensive). Authors (n = 91) of papers reporting the use of QR were invited to complete an online survey eliciting their views about using the methods. Results. A total of 254 healthcare DCEs were included in the review; of these, 111 (44%) did not report using any qualitative methods; 114 (45%) reported “basic” information; and 29 (11%) reported or cited “extensive” use of qualitative methods. Studies reporting the use of qualitative methods used them to select attributes and/or levels (n = 95; 66%) and/or pilot the DCE survey (n = 26; 18%). Popular qualitative methods included focus groups (n = 63; 44%) and interviews (n = 109; 76%). Forty-four studies (31%) reported the analytical approach, with content (n = 10; 7%) and framework analysis (n = 5; 4%) most commonly reported. The survey identified that all responding authors (n = 50; 100%) found that qualitative methods added value to their DCE study, but many (n = 22; 44%) reported that journals were uninterested in the reporting of QR results. Conclusions. Despite recommendations that QR methods be used alongside DCEs, the use of QR methods is not consistently reported. The lack of reporting risks the inference that QR methods are of little use in DCE research, contradicting practitioners’ assessments. Explicit guidelines would enable more clarity and consistency in reporting, and journals should facilitate such reporting via online supplementary materials. PMID:28061040

The Role of Qualitative Research Methods in Discrete Choice Experiments.

PubMed

Vass, Caroline; Rigby, Dan; Payne, Katherine

2017-04-01

The use of qualitative research (QR) methods is recommended as good practice in discrete choice experiments (DCEs). This study investigated the use and reporting of QR to inform the design and/or interpretation of healthcare-related DCEs and explored the perceived usefulness of such methods. DCEs were identified from a systematic search of the MEDLINE database. Studies were classified by the quantity of QR reported (none, basic, or extensive). Authors ( n = 91) of papers reporting the use of QR were invited to complete an online survey eliciting their views about using the methods. A total of 254 healthcare DCEs were included in the review; of these, 111 (44%) did not report using any qualitative methods; 114 (45%) reported "basic" information; and 29 (11%) reported or cited "extensive" use of qualitative methods. Studies reporting the use of qualitative methods used them to select attributes and/or levels ( n = 95; 66%) and/or pilot the DCE survey ( n = 26; 18%). Popular qualitative methods included focus groups ( n = 63; 44%) and interviews ( n = 109; 76%). Forty-four studies (31%) reported the analytical approach, with content ( n = 10; 7%) and framework analysis ( n = 5; 4%) most commonly reported. The survey identified that all responding authors ( n = 50; 100%) found that qualitative methods added value to their DCE study, but many ( n = 22; 44%) reported that journals were uninterested in the reporting of QR results. Despite recommendations that QR methods be used alongside DCEs, the use of QR methods is not consistently reported. The lack of reporting risks the inference that QR methods are of little use in DCE research, contradicting practitioners' assessments. Explicit guidelines would enable more clarity and consistency in reporting, and journals should facilitate such reporting via online supplementary materials.

Perceptions of Physical Activity by Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jancey, Jonine M.; Clarke, Ann; Howat, Peter; Maycock, Bruce; Lee, Andy H.

2009-01-01

Objective: To identify issues and perceptions concerning physical activity in older adults. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Perth, Western Australia. Methods: Sixteen adults aged 65 to 74 years were interviewed in their own homes using a semi-structured interview schedule. Data were analysed using a descriptive qualitative methodology.…

Exploring School Counselors' Perceptions of Vicarious Trauma: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Mashone; Henfield, Malik S.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine school counselors' perceptions of vicarious trauma. Consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology was used. Six school counselors were interviewed. Three primary domains emerged from the data: (a) ambiguous vicarious trauma, (b) support system significance, and (c) importance of level of…

Reducing health inequities affecting immigrant women: a qualitative study of their available assets.

PubMed

Bonmatí-Tomás, Anna; Malagón-Aguilera, Maria Del Carmen; Bosch-Farré, Cristina; Gelabert-Vilella, Sandra; Juvinyà-Canal, Dolors; Garcia Gil, Maria Del Mar

2016-07-07

Immigrant women often experience health inequities, whether for reasons of gender, country of origin, or socioeconomic status. The view of immigrant women has always focussed on their needs, without taking into account their available assets. A salutogenic approach incorporating an assets analysis could provide a new perspective on the design of health promotion interventions to reduce health inequities. The study objective was to identify the assets of this group of women as a necessary first step in changing the paradigm used in such health promotion interventions. This qualitative study combined focus groups, in-depth interviews, and a photovoice session. The aim was to describe the assets of this group, based on Antonovsky's salutogenic approach and assets model. Qualitative results were interpreted with a phenomenological focus, identifying each individual's internal, community, and institutional assets. The self awareness of skills was linked to a person's description of herself as being optimistic, having religious beliefs, and having motivations and objectives in life, for herself, her family or her children. Being motivated helped the women to persist in doing or learning things that could be useful in confronting difficult situations. Another selfawareness skill was feeling useful to others, whether this was due to religious beliefs about their role in life or to the importance of the mutual support of interpersonal relationships. High optimism, strong capacity for struggle and self-initiative, the importance of religious beliefs, social support, and concern for their children's future were described as assets of immigrant women. Identification of these assets allows us to develop more in-depth knowledge and better tools for health promotion programs and policies intended to reduce health inequities in this population of immigrant women.

Can We Integrate Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Science Education?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niaz, Mansoor

The main objective of this paper is to emphasize the importance of integrating qualitative and quantitative research methodologies in science education. It is argued that the Kuhnian in commensurability thesis (a major source of inspiration for qualitative researchers) represents an obstacle for this integration. A major thesis of the paper is that qualitative researchers have interpreted the increased popularity of their paradigm (research programme) as a revolutionary break through in the Kuhnian sense. A review of the literature in areas relevant to science education shows that researchers are far from advocating qualitative research as the only methodology. It is concluded that competition between divergent approaches to research in science education (cf. Lakatos, 1970) would provide a better forum for a productive sharing of research experiences.

Characteristics of urban parks associated with park use and physical activity: a review of qualitative research.

PubMed

McCormack, Gavin R; Rock, Melanie; Toohey, Ann M; Hignell, Danica

2010-07-01

Given that recent literature reviews on physical activity in urban parks deliberately excluded qualitative findings, we reviewed qualitative research on this topic informed by a published classification scheme based on quantitative research. Twenty-one studies met our inclusion criteria. These studies relied mainly on semi-structured interviews with individuals or in focus groups; only five studies involved in situ observation. Our synthesis aligns with previous quantitative research showing that attributes including safety, aesthetics, amenities, maintenance, and proximity are important for encouraging park use. Furthermore, our synthesis of qualitative research suggests that perceptions of the social environment entwine inextricably with perceptions of the physical environment. If so, physical attributes of parks as well as perceptions of these attributes (formed in relation to broader social contexts) may influence physical activity patterns. Both qualitative and quantitative methods provide useful information for interpreting such patterns, and in particular, when designing and assessing interventions intended to improve the amount and intensity of physical activity. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modern and Fossil Raindrop Impressions as a Lesson in Interpretation of Ancient Sedimentary Features.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pardi, Richard R.; Brickner, Dorene

1990-01-01

Procedures for duplicating fossil raindrop impressions are presented. The use of modern and fossil imprints as the basis for qualitative and quantitative lessons in the interpretation of ancient sedimentary features is discussed. (CW)

Qualitative interpretation of PET scans using a Likert scale to assess neck node response to radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Sjövall, Johanna; Bitzén, Ulrika; Kjellén, Elisabeth; Nilsson, Per; Wahlberg, Peter; Brun, Eva

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether PET scans after radiotherapy (RT), visually interpreted as equivocal regarding metabolic neck node response can be used to accurately categorize patients as responders or nonresponders using a Likert scale and/or maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). Other aims were to determine the performance of different methods for assessing post-RT PET scans (visual inspection, a Likert scale and SUVmax) and to establish whether any method is superior in predicting regional control (RC) and overall survival (OS). In 105 patients with neck node-positive head and neck cancer, the neck node response was evaluated by FDG PET/CT 6 weeks after RT. The scans were clinically assessed by visual inspection and, for the purposes of this analysis, re-evaluated using the Deauville criteria, a five-point Likert scale previously used in lymphoma studies. In addition, SUVmax was determined. All assessment methods were able to significantly predict RC but not OS. The methods were also able to significantly predict remission of tumour after completion of RT. Of the 105 PET scans, 19 were judged as equivocal on visual inspection. The Likert scale was preferable to SUVmax for grouping patients as responders or nonresponders. All methods (visual inspection, SUVmax and the Likert scale) identified responders and nonresponders and predicted RC. A Likert scale is a promising tool to reduce to a minimum the problem of PET scans judged as equivocal. Consensus regarding qualitative assessment would facilitate PET reporting in clinical practice.

Qualitative and quantitative studies of chemical composition of sandarac resin by GC-MS.

PubMed

Kononenko, I; de Viguerie, L; Rochut, S; Walter, Ph

2017-01-01

The chemical composition of sandarac resin was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Six compounds with labdane and pimarane skeletons were identified in the resin. The obtained mass spectra were interpreted and the mass spectrometric behaviour of these diterpenoids under EI conditions was described. Quantitative analysis by the method of internal standard revealed that identified diterpenoids represent only 10-30% of the analysed sample. The sandarac resin from different suppliers was analysed (from Kremer, Okhra, Color Rare, La Marchande de Couleurs, L'Atelier Montessori, Hevea). The analysis of different lumps of resins showed that the chemical composition differs from one lump to another, varying mainly in the relative distributions of the components.

Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews

PubMed Central

Thomas, James; Harden, Angela

2008-01-01

Background There is a growing recognition of the value of synthesising qualitative research in the evidence base in order to facilitate effective and appropriate health care. In response to this, methods for undertaking these syntheses are currently being developed. Thematic analysis is a method that is often used to analyse data in primary qualitative research. This paper reports on the use of this type of analysis in systematic reviews to bring together and integrate the findings of multiple qualitative studies. Methods We describe thematic synthesis, outline several steps for its conduct and illustrate the process and outcome of this approach using a completed review of health promotion research. Thematic synthesis has three stages: the coding of text 'line-by-line'; the development of 'descriptive themes'; and the generation of 'analytical themes'. While the development of descriptive themes remains 'close' to the primary studies, the analytical themes represent a stage of interpretation whereby the reviewers 'go beyond' the primary studies and generate new interpretive constructs, explanations or hypotheses. The use of computer software can facilitate this method of synthesis; detailed guidance is given on how this can be achieved. Results We used thematic synthesis to combine the studies of children's views and identified key themes to explore in the intervention studies. Most interventions were based in school and often combined learning about health benefits with 'hands-on' experience. The studies of children's views suggested that fruit and vegetables should be treated in different ways, and that messages should not focus on health warnings. Interventions that were in line with these suggestions tended to be more effective. Thematic synthesis enabled us to stay 'close' to the results of the primary studies, synthesising them in a transparent way, and facilitating the explicit production of new concepts and hypotheses. Conclusion We compare thematic

Augmenting Qualitative Text Analysis with Natural Language Processing: Methodological Study.

PubMed

Guetterman, Timothy C; Chang, Tammy; DeJonckheere, Melissa; Basu, Tanmay; Scruggs, Elizabeth; Vydiswaran, V G Vinod

2018-06-29

Qualitative research methods are increasingly being used across disciplines because of their ability to help investigators understand the perspectives of participants in their own words. However, qualitative analysis is a laborious and resource-intensive process. To achieve depth, researchers are limited to smaller sample sizes when analyzing text data. One potential method to address this concern is natural language processing (NLP). Qualitative text analysis involves researchers reading data, assigning code labels, and iteratively developing findings; NLP has the potential to automate part of this process. Unfortunately, little methodological research has been done to compare automatic coding using NLP techniques and qualitative coding, which is critical to establish the viability of NLP as a useful, rigorous analysis procedure. The purpose of this study was to compare the utility of a traditional qualitative text analysis, an NLP analysis, and an augmented approach that combines qualitative and NLP methods. We conducted a 2-arm cross-over experiment to compare qualitative and NLP approaches to analyze data generated through 2 text (short message service) message survey questions, one about prescription drugs and the other about police interactions, sent to youth aged 14-24 years. We randomly assigned a question to each of the 2 experienced qualitative analysis teams for independent coding and analysis before receiving NLP results. A third team separately conducted NLP analysis of the same 2 questions. We examined the results of our analyses to compare (1) the similarity of findings derived, (2) the quality of inferences generated, and (3) the time spent in analysis. The qualitative-only analysis for the drug question (n=58) yielded 4 major findings, whereas the NLP analysis yielded 3 findings that missed contextual elements. The qualitative and NLP-augmented analysis was the most comprehensive. For the police question (n=68), the qualitative-only analysis

Process and Positive Development: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of University Student Volunteering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacNeela, Pádraig; Gannon, Niall

2014-01-01

Volunteering among university students is an important expression of civic engagement, but the impact of this experience on the development of emerging adults requires further contextualization. Adopting interpretative phenomenological analysis as a qualitative research approach, we carried out semistructured interviews with 10 students of one…

A comparison between findings from the DREEM questionnaire and that from qualitative interviews.

PubMed

Denz-Penhey, Harriet; Murdoch, J Campbell

2009-10-01

The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia educates one quarter of all Western Australian medical students in their first clinical year in rural settings. As part of a comprehensive evaluation programme students give feedback regularly. To identify if the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measurement (DREEM) data could be used qualitatively and descriptively to determine specific problems from the data alone despite the small numbers at some sites. The DREEM questionnaire was administered on the same day as qualitative interviews were undertaken. The qualitative interviews were analysed thematically first and then compared with findings from DREEM. Each major (student related) evaluation issue identified by the qualitative interviews was also identified by the DREEM questionnaire analysis. When the DREEM study was undertaken in the Rural Clinical School of Western Australia there was no real expectation that it would provide sufficient information to identify issues picked up in the extensive and time consuming qualitative study. About half of the work undertaken by the qualitative evaluation, that of the experiences of the students at the site, was picked up by the DREEM questionnaire in a much shorter time frame and at less cost of staff time and resources. The DREEM questionnaire can be used qualitatively to assess very specific issues relating to each of the subscales. These findings extend the use of DREEM from quantitative and statistically significant research to qualitative meaning-filled interpretations. The issues then need to be addressed sensitively.

Sedation for electroencephalography with dexmedetomidine or chloral hydrate: a comparative study on the qualitative and quantitative electroencephalogram pattern.

PubMed

Fernandes, Magda L; Oliveira, Welser Machado de; Santos, Maria do Carmo Vasconcellos; Gomez, Renato S

2015-01-01

Sedation for electroencephalography in uncooperative patients is a controversial issue because majority of sedatives, hypnotics, and general anesthetics interfere with the brain's electrical activity. Chloral hydrate (CH) is typically used for this sedation, and dexmedetomidine (DEX) was recently tested because preliminary data suggest that this drug does not affect the electroencephalogram (EEG). The aim of the present study was to compare the EEG pattern during DEX or CH sedation to test the hypothesis that both drugs exert similar effects on the EEG. A total of 17 patients underwent 2 EEGs on 2 separate occasions, one with DEX and the other with CH. The EEG qualitative variables included the phases of sleep and the background activity. The EEG quantitative analysis was performed during the first 2 minutes of the second stage of sleep. The EEG quantitative variables included density, duration, and amplitude of the sleep spindles and absolute spectral power. The results showed that the qualitative analysis, density, duration, and amplitude of sleep spindles did not differ between DEX and CH sedation. The power of the slow-frequency bands (δ and θ) was higher with DEX, but the power of the faster-frequency bands (α and β) was higher with CH. The total power was lower with DEX than with CH. The differences of DEX and CH in EEG power did not change the EEG qualitative interpretation, which was similar with the 2 drugs. Other studies comparing natural sleep and sleep induced by these drugs are needed to clarify the clinical relevance of the observed EEG quantitative differences.

A Qualitative Self-Study of Retinitis Pigmentosa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fourie, Robert James

2007-01-01

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a retinal degenerative disease causing progressive blindness. Most research on RP is biomedical, and mostly from an observer perspective, therefore poorly reflecting the lived experience of having RP. Accordingly, the researcher conducted a retrospective qualitative self-study, to analyze reflections on his own…

Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: an interpretative phenomenological analyses.

PubMed

Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Bokharey, Iram Zehra

2013-12-19

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health.

Online interviewing with interpreters in humanitarian contexts

PubMed Central

Chiumento, Anna; Rahman, Atif; Frith, Lucy

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: Recognising that one way to address the logistical and safety considerations of research conducted in humanitarian emergencies is to use internet communication technologies to facilitate interviews online, this article explores some practical and methodological considerations inherent to qualitative online interviewing. Method: Reflections from a case study of a multi-site research project conducted in post-conflict countries are presented.  Synchronous online cross-language qualitative interviews were conducted in one country.  Although only a small proportion of interviews were conducted online (six out of 35), it remains important to critically consider the impact upon data produced in this way. Results: A range of practical and methodological considerations are discussed, illustrated with examples.  Results suggest that whilst online interviewing has methodological and ethical potential and versatility, there are inherent practical challenges in settings with poor internet and electricity infrastructure.  Notable methodological limitations include barriers to building rapport due to partial visual and non-visual cues, and difficulties interpreting pauses or silences. Conclusions: Drawing upon experiences in this case study, strategies for managing the practical and methodological limitations of online interviewing are suggested, alongside recommendations for supporting future research practice.  These are intended to act as a springboard for further reflection, and operate alongside other conceptual frameworks for online interviewing. PMID:29532739

Sodium and nutrition labelling: a qualitative study exploring New Zealand consumers' food purchasing behaviours.

PubMed

McLean, Rachael; Hoek, Janet

2014-05-01

Dietary sodium reduction is an important public health intervention that would reduce blood pressure and chronic disease. An understanding of how New Zealand consumers' food purchasing behaviour is influenced by perceptions of dietary sodium will inform future sodium-reduction strategies. The present qualitative study used in-depth interviews of adult consumers to explore consumer knowledge, understanding of food labels and food purchasing behaviour with respect to dietary sodium. New Zealand. A convenience sample of sixteen adult grocery shoppers. A thematic analysis of the transcripts showed New Zealand consumers lacked the background knowledge necessary to understand and regulate their own salt intake and were unable to interpret existing food labels with respect to dietary salt. The findings add further weight to calls for food labels that do not require background knowledge or numerical skills and highlight the need for population-based public health interventions. Education of New Zealand consumers on the health benefits of sodium reduction and how this may be achieved would complement this approach.

General practitioners learning qualitative research: A case study of postgraduate education.

PubMed

Hepworth, Julie; Kay, Margaret

2015-10-01

Qualitative research is increasingly being recognised as a vital aspect of primary healthcare research. Teaching and learning how to conduct qualitative research is especially important for general practitioners and other clinicians in the professional educational setting. This article examines a case study of postgraduate professional education in qualitative research for clinicians, for the purpose of enabling a robust discussion around teaching and learning in medicine and the health sciences. A series of three workshops was delivered for primary healthcare academics. The workshops were evaluated using a quantitative survey and qualitative free-text responses to enable descriptive analyses. Participants found qualitative philosophy and theory the most difficult areas to engage with, and learning qualitative coding and analysis was considered the easiest to learn. Key elements for successful teaching were identified, including the use of adult learning principles, the value of an experienced facilitator and an awareness of the impact of clinical subcultures on learning.

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.

Television Futures: A Social Action Methodology for Studying Interpretive Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Klaus Bruhn

1990-01-01

Presents a qualitative methodology employing workshop sessions for studying audience assessment of the mass media's service to the public. Finds that viewers are capable of a sophisticated critique of television, and raises implications both for the politics of communication and for further reception studies. (MG)

Seeing the Forest for the Trees: A Qualitative Synthesis Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Cheryl Tatano

2003-01-01

Describes a project that required graduate nursing students to conduct qualitative meta-synthesis of ethnographic research, using Noblit and Hare's approach. Discusses the process of meta-synthesis, interpretation of outcomes, and students' reactions to the project. (Contains 16 references.) (SK)

Qualitative PCR method for Roundup Ready soybean: interlaboratory study.

PubMed

Kodama, Takashi; Kasahara, Masaki; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Futo, Satoshi; Sawada, Chihiro; Watai, Masatoshi; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Teshima, Reiko; Kurosawa, Yasunori; Furui, Satoshi; Hino, Akihiro; Kitta, Kazumi

2011-01-01

Quantitative and qualitative methods based on PCR have been developed for genetically modified organisms (GMO). Interlaboratory studies were previously conducted for GMO quantitative methods; in this study, an interlaboratory study was conducted for a qualitative method for a GM soybean, Roundup Ready soy (RR soy), with primer pairs designed for the quantitative method of RR soy studied previously. Fourteen laboratories in Japan participated. Each participant extracted DNA from 1.0 g each of the soy samples containing 0, 0.05, and 0.10% of RR soy, and performed PCR with primer pairs for an internal control gene (Le1) and RR soy followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The PCR product amplified in this PCR system for Le1 was detected from all samples. The sensitivity, specificity, and false-negative and false-positive rates of the method were obtained from the results of RR soy detection. False-negative rates at the level of 0.05 and 0.10% of the RR soy samples were 6.0 and 2.3%, respectively, revealing that the LOD of the method was somewhat below 0.10%. The current study demonstrated that the qualitative method would be practical for monitoring the labeling system of GM soy in kernel lots.

Iterative categorization (IC): a systematic technique for analysing qualitative data.

PubMed

Neale, Joanne

2016-06-01

The processes of analysing qualitative data, particularly the stage between coding and publication, are often vague and/or poorly explained within addiction science and research more broadly. A simple but rigorous and transparent technique for analysing qualitative textual data, developed within the field of addiction, is described. The technique, iterative categorization (IC), is suitable for use with inductive and deductive codes and can support a range of common analytical approaches, e.g. thematic analysis, Framework, constant comparison, analytical induction, content analysis, conversational analysis, discourse analysis, interpretative phenomenological analysis and narrative analysis. Once the data have been coded, the only software required is a standard word processing package. Worked examples are provided. © 2016 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Learning to navigate the healthcare system in a new country: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Straiton, Melanie L; Myhre, Sonja

2017-12-01

Learning to navigate a healthcare system in a new country is a barrier to health care. Understanding more about the specific navigation challenges immigrants experience may be the first step towards improving health information and thus access to care. This study considers the challenges that Thai and Filipino immigrant women encounter when learning to navigate the Norwegian primary healthcare system and the strategies they use. A qualitative interview study using thematic analysis. Norway. Fifteen Thai and 15 Filipino immigrant women over the age of 18 who had been living in Norway at least one year. The women took time to understand the role of the general practitioner and some were unaware of their right to an interpreter during consultations. In addition to reliance on family members and friends in their social networks, voluntary and cultural organisations provided valuable tips and advice on how to navigate the Norwegian health system. While some women actively engaged in learning more about the system, they noted a lack of information available in multiple languages. Informal sources play an important role in learning about the health care system. Formal information should be available in different languages in order to better empower immigrant women.

Immunogenicity of biologically-derived therapeutics: assessment and interpretation of nonclinical safety studies.

PubMed

Ponce, Rafael; Abad, Leslie; Amaravadi, Lakshmi; Gelzleichter, Thomas; Gore, Elizabeth; Green, James; Gupta, Shalini; Herzyk, Danuta; Hurst, Christopher; Ivens, Inge A; Kawabata, Thomas; Maier, Curtis; Mounho, Barbara; Rup, Bonita; Shankar, Gopi; Smith, Holly; Thomas, Peter; Wierda, Dan

2009-07-01

An evaluation of potential antibody formation to biologic therapeutics during the course of nonclinical safety studies and its impact on the toxicity profile is expected under current regulatory guidance and is accepted standard practice. However, approaches for incorporating this information in the interpretation of nonclinical safety studies are not clearly established. Described here are the immunological basis of anti-drug antibody formation to biopharmaceuticals (immunogenicity) in laboratory animals, and approaches for generating and interpreting immunogenicity data from nonclinical safety studies of biotechnology-derived therapeutics to support their progression to clinical evaluation. We subscribe that immunogenicity testing strategies should be adapted to the specific needs of each therapeutic development program, and data generated from such analyses should be integrated with available clinical and anatomic pathology, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic data to properly interpret nonclinical studies.

Value of qualitative research in the study of massage therapy.

PubMed

Kania, Ania; Porcino, Antony; Vehoef, Marja J

2008-12-15

Qualitative inquiry is increasingly used in health research because it is particularly suited to the study of complex topics or issues about which little is known and concerning which quantification cannot easily create or effectively convey understanding. By exploring the lived experience of people providing and receiving massage therapy and the meaning that those people ascribe to those experiences, in-depth understanding of the nature of massage therapy and of how it affects people's lives is possible. Qualitative research may also provide insights into the outcomes, process and context of massage therapy that cannot be fully achieved through quantification alone.The purpose of the present article is to describe qualitative research and to discuss its value to the massage therapy profession. The target audience is massage therapists who want to be able to better understand the research literature, novice massage therapy researchers who are unfamiliar with qualitative research, and teachers of research methods courses in massage therapy training programs who want to include qualitative research methods in their curriculum.

A qualitative natural history study of ME/CFS in the community.

PubMed

Anderson, Valerie R; Jason, Leonard A; Hlavaty, Laura E

2014-01-01

In previous qualitative research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), researchers have focused on the experiences of patients with ME/CFS in tertiary care samples. This qualitative study examined the natural history of people with ME/CFS (n = 19) from a community-based sample. Findings highlighted multilayered themes involving the illness experience and the physical construction of ME/CFS. In addition, this study further illuminated unique subthemes regarding community response and treatment, which have implications for understanding the progression of ME/CFS as well as experiences of those within patient networks. There is a need for more longitudinal qualitative research on epidemiological samples of patients with ME/CFS.

Interpretations of referral appropriateness by senior health managers in five PCT areas in England: a qualitative investigation.

PubMed

Blundell, N; Clarke, Aileen; Mays, N

2010-06-01

To explore interpretations of "appropriate" and "inappropriate" elective referral from primary to secondary surgical care among senior clinical and non-clinical managers in five purposively sampled primary care trusts (PCTs) and their main associated acute hospitals in the English National Health Service (NHS). Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were undertaken with senior managerial staff from clinical and non-clinical backgrounds. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed according to the Framework approach developed at the National Centre for Social Research using N6 (NUD*IST6) qualitative data analysis software. Twenty-two people of 23 approached were interviewed (between three and five respondents per PCT and associated acute hospital). Three attributes relating to appropriateness of referral were identified: necessity: whether a patient with given characteristics was believed suitable for referral; destination or level: where or to whom a patient should be referred; and quality (or process): how a referral was carried out, including (eg, investigations undertaken before referral, information contained in the referral and extent of patient involvement in the referral decision. Attributes were hierarchical. "Necessity" was viewed as the most fundamental attribute, followed by "destination" and, finally, "quality". In general, but not always, all three attributes were perceived as necessary for a referral to be defined as appropriate. For senior clinical and non-clinical managers at the local level in the English NHS, three hierarchical attributes (necessity, appropriateness of destination and quality of referral process) contributed to the overall concept of appropriateness of referral from primary to secondary surgical care.

Recognising and responding to suicidal crisis within family and social networks: qualitative study.

PubMed

Owens, Christabel; Owen, Gareth; Belam, Judith; Lloyd, Keith; Rapport, Frances; Donovan, Jenny; Lambert, Helen

2011-10-18

To shed light on the difficulties faced by relatives, friends, and colleagues in interpreting signs of suicidality and deciding whether and how to intervene. Qualitative study of completed suicides, based on in-depth interviews with multiple informants. London, southwest England, and south Wales. 31 lay informants (one to five for each case), including parents, partners, siblings, friends, and colleagues of 14 cases of suicide in which the deceased was aged 18-34 and was not in contact with secondary mental health services. Informants described both intellectual and emotional barriers to awareness and intervention within the family and social network. They reported that signs and communications of distress were often oblique and difficult to interpret, that they may have disregarded warning signals and focused instead on positive signs, and that, even when they were aware that something was seriously wrong, taking any action at all involved considerable personal risks. As the suicidal process unfolds, significant others are faced with a highly complex task. Their proximity to the suicidal person and their emotional investment in the relationship make it difficult for them to see what is happening, to say anything to the person or to other members of the network, or to seek help outside the network. Efforts to strengthen the capacity of lay people to play a role in preventing suicide are urgently needed and should be informed by a thorough understanding of these difficulties. They should highlight the ambiguous nature of warning signs and should focus on helping people to acknowledge and overcome their fears about intervening.

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Sahaf, Robab; Sadat Ilali, Ehteram; Peyrovi, Hamid; Akbari Kamrani, Ahmad Ali; Spahbodi, Fatemeh

2017-01-01

The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was "uncertainty", which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications.

Qualitative-Based Methodology to Teaching Qualitative Methodology in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Sara

2015-01-01

There is no defined theory for teaching Qualitative Inquiry, and very few studies have focused on the topic. This study is a qualitative case study focused on the Qualitative Methods course that I teach at a college of education in Israel. The aim of the study is to explore and describe the course, to provide a true picture of my pedagogy, and to…

Use and interpretation of logistic regression in habitat-selection studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keating, Kim A.; Cherry, Steve

2004-01-01

 Logistic regression is an important tool for wildlife habitat-selection studies, but the method frequently has been misapplied due to an inadequate understanding of the logistic model, its interpretation, and the influence of sampling design. To promote better use of this method, we review its application and interpretation under 3 sampling designs: random, case-control, and use-availability. Logistic regression is appropriate for habitat use-nonuse studies employing random sampling and can be used to directly model the conditional probability of use in such cases. Logistic regression also is appropriate for studies employing case-control sampling designs, but careful attention is required to interpret results correctly. Unless bias can be estimated or probability of use is small for all habitats, results of case-control studies should be interpreted as odds ratios, rather than probability of use or relative probability of use. When data are gathered under a use-availability design, logistic regression can be used to estimate approximate odds ratios if probability of use is small, at least on average. More generally, however, logistic regression is inappropriate for modeling habitat selection in use-availability studies. In particular, using logistic regression to fit the exponential model of Manly et al. (2002:100) does not guarantee maximum-likelihood estimates, valid probabilities, or valid likelihoods. We show that the resource selection function (RSF) commonly used for the exponential model is proportional to a logistic discriminant function. Thus, it may be used to rank habitats with respect to probability of use and to identify important habitat characteristics or their surrogates, but it is not guaranteed to be proportional to probability of use. Other problems associated with the exponential model also are discussed. We describe an alternative model based on Lancaster and Imbens (1996) that offers a method for estimating conditional probability of use in

Diagnostic accuracy of stress perfusion CMR in comparison with quantitative coronary angiography: fully quantitative, semiquantitative, and qualitative assessment.

PubMed

Mordini, Federico E; Haddad, Tariq; Hsu, Li-Yueh; Kellman, Peter; Lowrey, Tracy B; Aletras, Anthony H; Bandettini, W Patricia; Arai, Andrew E

2014-01-01

This study's primary objective was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of fully quantitative stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) versus a reference standard of quantitative coronary angiography. We hypothesized that fully quantitative analysis of stress perfusion CMR would have high diagnostic accuracy for identifying significant coronary artery stenosis and exceed the accuracy of semiquantitative measures of perfusion and qualitative interpretation. Relatively few studies apply fully quantitative CMR perfusion measures to patients with coronary disease and comparisons to semiquantitative and qualitative methods are limited. Dual bolus dipyridamole stress perfusion CMR exams were performed in 67 patients with clinical indications for assessment of myocardial ischemia. Stress perfusion images alone were analyzed with a fully quantitative perfusion (QP) method and 3 semiquantitative methods including contrast enhancement ratio, upslope index, and upslope integral. Comprehensive exams (cine imaging, stress/rest perfusion, late gadolinium enhancement) were analyzed qualitatively with 2 methods including the Duke algorithm and standard clinical interpretation. A 70% or greater stenosis by quantitative coronary angiography was considered abnormal. The optimum diagnostic threshold for QP determined by receiver-operating characteristic curve occurred when endocardial flow decreased to <50% of mean epicardial flow, which yielded a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 93%. The area under the curve for QP was 92%, which was superior to semiquantitative methods: contrast enhancement ratio: 78%; upslope index: 82%; and upslope integral: 75% (p = 0.011, p = 0.019, p = 0.004 vs. QP, respectively). Area under the curve for QP was also superior to qualitative methods: Duke algorithm: 70%; and clinical interpretation: 78% (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 vs. QP, respectively). Fully quantitative stress perfusion CMR has high diagnostic accuracy for

Patient perceptions of the role of nutrition for pressure ulcer prevention in hospital: an interpretive study.

PubMed

Roberts, Shelley; Desbrow, Ben; Chaboyer, Wendy

2014-01-01

The aims of this study were to explore (a) patients' perceptions of the role of nutrition in pressure ulcer prevention; and (b) patients' experiences with dieticians in the hospital setting. Interpretive qualitative study. The sample comprised 13 females and 7 males. Their mean age was 61.3 ± 12.6 years (mean ± SD), and their average hospital length of stay was 7.4 ± 13.0 days. The research setting was a public health hospital in Australia. In this interpretive study, adult medical patients at risk of pressure ulcers due to restricted mobility participated in a 20 to 30 minute interview using a semi-structured interview guide. Interview questions were grouped into 2 domains; perceptions on the role of nutrition for pressure ulcer prevention; and experiences with dieticians. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. Within the first domain, 'patient knowledge of nutrition in pressure ulcer prevention,' there were varying patient understandings of the role of nutrition for prevention of pressure ulcers. This is reflected in 5 themes: (1) recognizing the role of diet in pressure ulcer prevention; (2) promoting skin health with good nutrition; (3) understanding the relationship between nutrition and health; (4) lacking insight into the role of nutrition in pressure ulcer prevention; and (5) acknowledging other risk factors for pressure ulcers. Within the second domain, patients described their experiences with and perceptions on dieticians. Two themes emerged, which expressed differing opinions around the role and reputation of dieticians; they were receptive of dietician input; and displaying ambivalence towards dieticians' advice. Hospital patients at risk for pressure ulcer development have variable knowledge of the preventive role of nutrition. Patients had differing perceptions of the importance and value of information provided by dieticians.

Mothers' experiences of bottle-feeding: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies.

PubMed

Lakshman, R; Ogilvie, D; Ong, K K

2009-08-01

Most babies receive at least some formula milk. Variations in formula-feeding practices can have both short- and long-term health consequences. The literature on parents' experiences of bottle-feeding was systematically reviewed to understand how formula-feeding decisions are made. Relevant English-language papers, identified by searching 12 electronic databases, reference lists and related articles and by contacting first authors of included papers, were systematically searched for and appraised. The included studies were analysed and synthesised using a combination of narrative and thematic approaches. Consensus on the final inclusion, interpretation and synthesis of studies was reached across the research team. Six qualitative studies and 17 quantitative studies (involving 13 263 participants) were included. Despite wide differences in study design, context, focus and quality, several consistent themes emerged. Mothers who bottle-fed their babies experienced negative emotions such as guilt, anger, worry, uncertainty and a sense of failure. Mothers reported receiving little information on bottle-feeding and did not feel empowered to make decisions. Mistakes in preparation of bottle-feeds were common. No studies examined how mothers made decisions about the frequency or quantity of bottle-feeds. Inadequate information and support for mothers who decide to bottle-feed may put the health of their babies at risk. While it is important to promote breastfeeding, it is also necessary to ensure that the needs of bottle-feeding mothers are met.

Teachers' Views about Educational Research: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bas, Gökhan; Kivilcim, Zafer Savas

2017-01-01

The purpose of this case study is to examine the views of teachers' about educational research. The present research is designed as a qualitative case study. The group of this study is consisted of teachers (n = 27), working in primary, middle, and high schools in the province of Nigde in Turkey. An extensive literature review was made on…

Diet and physical activity for children's health: a qualitative study of Nepalese mothers’ perceptions

PubMed Central

Oli, Natalia; Vaidya, Abhinav; Subedi, Madhusudan; Eiben, Gabriele; Krettek, Alexandra

2015-01-01

Objectives Non-communicable diseases account for 50% of all deaths in Nepal and 25% result from cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies in Nepal indicate a high burden of behavioural cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting a low level of knowledge, attitude and practice/behaviour regarding cardiovascular health. The behavioural foundation for a healthy lifestyle begins in early childhood, when mothers play a key role in their children's lives. This qualitative study, conducted in a Nepalese peri-urban community, aimed to explore mothers’ perception of their children's diet and physical activity. Design We notated, tape-recorded and transcribed all data collected from six focus group discussions, and used qualitative content analysis for evaluation and interpretation. Setting The study was conducted in the Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site in the Bhaktapur district of Nepal. Participants Local health workers helped recruit 61 women with children aged 5–10 years. We distributed participants among six different groups according to educational status. Results Although participants understood the importance of healthy food, they misunderstood its composition, perceiving it as unappetising and appropriate only for sick people. Furthermore, participants did not prioritise their children's physical activities. Moreover, mothers believed they had limited control over their children's dietary habits and physical activity. Finally, they opined that health educational programmes would help mothers and recommended various intervention strategies to increase knowledge regarding a healthy lifestyle. Conclusions Our data reveal that mothers of young children in a peri-urban community of Nepal lack adequate and accurate understanding about the impact of a healthy diet and physical activity. Therefore, to prevent future cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases among children, Nepal needs health education programmes to improve mothers�

Diet and physical activity for children's health: a qualitative study of Nepalese mothers' perceptions.

PubMed

Oli, Natalia; Vaidya, Abhinav; Subedi, Madhusudan; Eiben, Gabriele; Krettek, Alexandra

2015-09-08

Non-communicable diseases account for 50% of all deaths in Nepal and 25% result from cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies in Nepal indicate a high burden of behavioural cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting a low level of knowledge, attitude and practice/behaviour regarding cardiovascular health. The behavioural foundation for a healthy lifestyle begins in early childhood, when mothers play a key role in their children's lives. This qualitative study, conducted in a Nepalese peri-urban community, aimed to explore mothers' perception of their children's diet and physical activity. We notated, tape-recorded and transcribed all data collected from six focus group discussions, and used qualitative content analysis for evaluation and interpretation. The study was conducted in the Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site in the Bhaktapur district of Nepal. Local health workers helped recruit 61 women with children aged 5-10 years. We distributed participants among six different groups according to educational status. Although participants understood the importance of healthy food, they misunderstood its composition, perceiving it as unappetising and appropriate only for sick people. Furthermore, participants did not prioritise their children's physical activities. Moreover, mothers believed they had limited control over their children's dietary habits and physical activity. Finally, they opined that health educational programmes would help mothers and recommended various intervention strategies to increase knowledge regarding a healthy lifestyle. Our data reveal that mothers of young children in a peri-urban community of Nepal lack adequate and accurate understanding about the impact of a healthy diet and physical activity. Therefore, to prevent future cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases among children, Nepal needs health education programmes to improve mothers' cardiovascular health knowledge, attitude and behaviour

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology: Survey and Qualitative Research

PubMed Central

Safdar, Nasia; Abbo, Lilian M.; Knobloch, Mary Jo; Seo, Susan K.

2017-01-01

Surveys are one of the most frequently employed study designs in healthcare epidemiology research. Generally easier to undertake and less costly than many other study designs, surveys can be invaluable to gain insights into opinions and practices in large samples and may be descriptive and/or be used to test associations. In this context, qualitative research methods may complement this study design either at the survey development phase and/or at the interpretation/extension of results stage. This methods article focuses on key considerations for designing and deploying surveys in healthcare epidemiology and antibiotic stewardship, including identification of whether or not de novo survey development is necessary, ways to optimally lay out and display a survey, denominator measurement, discussion of biases to keep in mind particularly in research using surveys, and the role of qualitative research methods to complement surveys. We review examples of surveys in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship and review the pros and cons of methods used. A checklist is provided to help aid design and deployment of surveys in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship. PMID:27514583

Teachers as Researchers of New Literacies: Reflections on Qualitative Self-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kew, Bryan; Given, Kim; Brass, Jory

2011-01-01

In this article, a beginning teacher, experienced teacher, and teacher educator reflect upon their experiences with qualitative self-studies of language and literacy in teacher education courses. The goal of these course projects was to introduce teachers to sociocultural theories, qualitative research, and "new" literacies. Sharing…

Qualitative approach to patient-reported outcomes in oncology: protocol of a French study.

PubMed

Orri, Massimiliano; Sibeoni, Jordan; Labey, Mathilde; Bousquet, Guilhem; Verneuil, Laurence; Revah-Levy, Anne

2015-07-10

The past decade has been characterised by movement from a doctor-centred to a patient-centred approach to treatment outcomes, in which doctors try to see the illness through their patients' eyes. Patients, family members and doctors are the three participants in cancer care, but their perspectives about what have been helpful during cancer treatment have never simultaneously and explicitly compared in the same qualitative study. The aim of this study project is to explore patients' perspectives about the care they receive, as well as families' and doctors' perspectives about what have been helpful for the patient. These three points of view will be compared and contrasted in order to analyse the convergences and divergences in these perspectives. This is a national multicentre qualitative study. Participants will be constituted by three different subsamples: (1) patients with cancer (skin, breast, urological and lung cancers), (2) their relatives, and (3) their referring physicians. Recruitment will follow the purposive sample technique, and the final sample size will be determined by data saturation. Data will be collected through open-ended semistructured interviews and independently analysed with NVivo V.10 software by three researchers according to the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The research protocol received approval from the University Paris Descartes review board (IRB number: 20140600001072), and participants will provide written consent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to focus on the simultaneous exploration of the separate points of view of patients, families and doctors about the care received during the cancer care journey. We expect that our findings will help to improve communication and relationships between doctors, patients and families. Comparison of these three points of view will provide information about the convergences and divergences of these perspectives and how to address the needs of all

Dental fear and anxiety in children and adolescents: qualitative study using YouTube.

PubMed

Gao, Xiaoli; Hamzah, S H; Yiu, Cynthia Kar Yung; McGrath, Colman; King, Nigel M

2013-02-22

Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) refers to the fear of and anxiety towards going to the dentist. It exists in a considerable proportion of children and adolescents and is a major dilemma in pediatric dental practice. As an Internet social medium with increasing popularity, the video-sharing website YouTube offers a useful data source for understanding health behaviors and perceptions of the public. Using YouTube as a platform, this qualitative study aimed to examine the manifestations, impacts, and origins of DFA in children and adolescents from the public's perspective. To retrieve relevant information, we searched YouTube using the keywords "dental fear", "dental anxiety", and "dental phobia". Videos in English expressing a layperson's views or experience on children's or adolescent's DFA were selected for this study. A video was excluded if it had poor audiovisual quality, was irrelevant, was pure advertisement or entertainment, or contained only the views of professionals. After the screen, we transcribed 27 videos involving 32 children and adolescents, which were reviewed by a panel of 3 investigators, including a layperson with no formal dental training. Inductive thematic analysis was applied for coding and interpreting the data. The videos revealed multiple manifestations and impacts of DFA, including immediate physical reactions (eg, crying, screaming, and shivering), psychological responses (eg, worry, upset, panic, helplessness, insecurity, resentment, and hatred), and uncooperativeness in dental treatment. Testimonials from children, adolescents, and their parents suggested diverse origins of DFA, namely personal experience (eg, irregular dental visits and influence of parents or peers), dentists and dental auxiliaries (eg, bad manner, lack of clinical skills, and improper work ethic), dental settings (eg, dental chair and sounds), and dental procedures (eg, injections, pain, discomfort, and aesthetic concerns). This qualitative study suggests that DFA in

Using Generic Inductive Approach in Qualitative Educational Research: A Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Lisha

2016-01-01

Qualitative research strategy has been widely adopted by educational researchers in order to improve the quality of their empirical studies. This paper aims to introduce a generic inductive approach, pragmatic and flexible in qualitative theoretical support, by describing its application in a study of non-English major undergraduates' English…

Heterophile antibody interference in qualitative urine/serum hCG devices: Case report.

PubMed

Patel, Khushbu K; Gronowski, Ann M

2016-06-01

This case report investigates the origin of a false positive result on a serum qualitative human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) device. A 46-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia presented with nausea and vomiting. A qualitative serum hCG test was interpreted as positive; however, a quantitative serum hCG test was negative (<5IU/L). To further investigate this discrepancy, the sample was pretreated with heterophilic blocking reagent (HBR). Additionally, the sample was tested on other qualitative hCG devices composed of antibodies from different animal sources. Blocking reagent from an automated quantitative immunoassay was also tested for its ability to inhibit the heterophile antibody interference. The qualitative test result was negative after pretreatment with heterophilic blocking reagent. Other devices composed of antibodies from different animal sources also demonstrated mixed results with the patient's sample. Blocking reagent obtained from the automated quantitative assay inhibited the heterophile antibody interference in the patient's sample. This case demonstrates that positive serum point-of-care hCG results should be interpreted with caution and confirmed with a quantitative serum hCG immunoassay when clinical suspicion is raised. Copyright © 2016 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Case-non case studies: Principles, methods, bias and interpretation].

PubMed

Faillie, Jean-Luc

2017-10-31

Case-non case studies belongs to the methods assessing drug safety by analyzing the disproportionality of notifications of adverse drug reactions in pharmacovigilance databases. Used for the first time in the 1980s, the last few decades have seen a significant increase in the use of this design. The principle of the case-non case study is to compare drug exposure in cases of a studied adverse reaction with that of cases of other reported adverse reactions and called "non cases". Results are presented in the form of a reporting odds ratio (ROR), the interpretation of which makes it possible to identify drug safety signals. This article describes the principle of the case-non case study, the method of calculating the ROR and its confidence interval, the different modalities of analysis and how to interpret its results with regard to the advantages and limitations of this design. Copyright © 2017 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Qualitative Inequality: Experiences of Women in Ethiopian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molla, Tebeje; Cuthbert, Denise

2014-01-01

This article examines the lived experiences of women in Ethiopian higher education (HE) as a counterpoint to understandings of gender equity informed only by data on admission, progression and completions rates. Drawing on a critical qualitative inquiry approach, we analyse and interpret data drawn from focus group discussions with female students…

Qualitative research: the "what," "why," "who," and "how"!

PubMed

Cypress, Brigitte S

2015-01-01

There has been a general view of qualitative research as a lower level form of inquiry and the diverse conceptualizations of what it is, its use or utility, its users, the process of how it is conducted, and its scientific merit. This fragmented understanding and varied ways in which qualitative research is conceived, synthesized, and presented have a myriad of implications in demonstrating and enhancing the utilization of its findings and the ways and skills required in transforming knowledge gained from it. The purpose of this article is to define qualitative research and discuss its significance in research, the questions it addresses, its characteristics, methods and criteria for rigor, and the type of results it can offer. A framework for understanding the "what," "why," "who," and "how" of qualitative research; the different approaches; and the strategies to achieve trustworthiness are presented. Qualitative research provides insights into health-related phenomena and seeks to understand and interpret subjective experience and thus humanizes health care and can enrich further research inquiries and be made clearer and more rigorous as it is relevant to the perspective and goals of nursing.

Conducting qualitative research in mental health: Thematic and content analyses.

PubMed

Crowe, Marie; Inder, Maree; Porter, Richard

2015-07-01

The objective of this paper is to describe two methods of qualitative analysis - thematic analysis and content analysis - and to examine their use in a mental health context. A description of the processes of thematic analysis and content analysis is provided. These processes are then illustrated by conducting two analyses of the same qualitative data. Transcripts of qualitative interviews are analysed using each method to illustrate these processes. The illustration of the processes highlights the different outcomes from the same set of data. Thematic and content analyses are qualitative methods that serve different research purposes. Thematic analysis provides an interpretation of participants' meanings, while content analysis is a direct representation of participants' responses. These methods provide two ways of understanding meanings and experiences and provide important knowledge in a mental health context. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Interpretation and use of evidence in state policymaking: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Apollonio, Dorie E; Bero, Lisa A

2017-01-01

Introduction Researchers advocating for evidence-informed policy have attempted to encourage policymakers to develop a greater understanding of research and researchers to develop a better understanding of the policymaking process. Our aim was to apply findings drawn from studies of the policymaking process, specifically the theory of policy windows, to identify strategies used to integrate evidence into policymaking and points in the policymaking process where evidence was more or less relevant. Methods Our observational study relied on interviews conducted with 24 policymakers from the USA who had been trained to interpret scientific research in multiple iterations of an evidence-based workshop. Participants were asked to describe cases where they had been involved in making health policy and to provide examples in which research was used, either successfully or unsuccessfully. Interviews were transcribed, independently coded by multiple members of the study team and analysed for content using key words, concepts identified by participants and concepts arising from review of the texts. Results Our results suggest that policymakers who focused on health issues used multiple strategies to encourage evidence-informed policymaking. The respondents used a strict definition of what constituted evidence, and relied on their experience with research to discourage the use of less rigorous research. Their experience suggested that evidence was less useful in identifying problems, encouraging political action or ensuring feasibility and more useful in developing policy alternatives. Conclusions Past research has suggested multiple strategies to increase the use of evidence in policymaking, including the development of rapid-response research and policy-oriented summaries of data. Our findings suggest that these strategies may be most relevant to the policymaking stream, which develops policy alternatives. In addition, we identify several strategies that policymakers and

Building World Class Universities in China: Exploring Faculty's Perceptions, Interpretations of and Struggles with Global Forces in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Dongbin; Song, Quirong; Liu, Ji; Liu, Qingqin; Grimm, Adam

2018-01-01

Employing a glonacal (global, national and local) heuristic as a theoretical lens, and a qualitative analysis with interview data, this study highlights how Chinese faculty members interpret the definitions and implications of pursuing world class universities (WCUs) and struggle with the multiple dimensions of their academic lives across global,…

The experiences of medical students with dyslexia: An interpretive phenomenological study.

PubMed

Shaw, Sebastian C K; Anderson, John L

2018-05-10

This article explores the experiences of U.K. medical students with dyslexia, using an interpretive phenomenological approach. This project began with a review of the literature, highlighting a void of qualitative research. We then conducted a collaborative autoethnography. This paper forms the next stage in this series of research. We aimed to elicit meaning and understanding from the lived experiences of our participants. Eight U.K. junior doctors with dyslexia were interviewed over the telephone in an in-depth, unstructured manner. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed with the aid of a template analysis. Experiences of helplessness and hopelessness were common. These may be a result of a fear of stigmatization and personal feelings of inadequacy. They may also be fuelled by the incidents of bullying and belittling from other medical students that were reported. An important meta-theme was of fear and lack of understanding. A lack of pastoral support was also reported. Their experiences of medical school assessments are also reported. More may need to be done to educate teachers and clinical supervisors on dyslexia. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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…

Quality of communication in interpreted versus noninterpreted PICU family meetings.

PubMed

Van Cleave, Alisa C; Roosen-Runge, Megan U; Miller, Alison B; Milner, Lauren C; Karkazis, Katrina A; Magnus, David C

2014-06-01

To describe the quality of physician-family communication during interpreted and noninterpreted family meetings in the PICU. Prospective, exploratory, descriptive observational study of noninterpreted English family meetings and interpreted Spanish family meetings in the pediatric intensive care setting. A single, university-based, tertiary children's hospital. Participants in PICU family meetings, including medical staff, family members, ancillary staff, and interpreters. Thirty family meetings (21 English and nine Spanish) were audio-recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and analyzed using the qualitative method of directed content analysis. Quality of communication was analyzed in three ways: 1) presence of elements of shared decision-making, 2) balance between physician and family speech, and 3) complexity of physician speech. Of the 11 elements of shared decision-making, only four occurred in more than half of English meetings, and only three occurred in more than half of Spanish meetings. Physicians spoke for a mean of 20.7 minutes, while families spoke for 9.3 minutes during English meetings. During Spanish meetings, physicians spoke for a mean of 14.9 minutes versus just 3.7 minutes of family speech. Physician speech complexity received a mean grade level score of 8.2 in English meetings compared to 7.2 in Spanish meetings. The quality of physician-family communication during PICU family meetings is poor overall. Interpreted meetings had poorer communication quality as evidenced by fewer elements of shared decision-making and greater imbalance between physician and family speech. However, physician speech may be less complex during interpreted meetings. Our data suggest that physicians can improve communication in both interpreted and noninterpreted family meetings by increasing the use of elements of shared decision-making, improving the balance between physician and family speech, and decreasing the complexity of physician speech.

Critiquing qualitative research.

PubMed

Beck, Cheryl Tatano

2009-10-01

The ability to critique research is a valuable skill that is fundamental to a perioperative nurse's ability to base his or her clinical practice on evidence derived from research. Criteria differ for critiquing a quantitative versus a qualitative study (ie, statistics are evaluated in a quantitative study, but not in a qualitative study). This article provides on guidelines for assessing qualitative research. Excerpts from a published qualitative research report are summarized and then critiqued. Questions are provided that help evaluate different sections of a research study (eg, sample, data collection methods, data analysis).

Elderly self-management: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Ravanipour, Maryam; Salehi, Shayesteh; Taleghani, Fariba; Abedi, Heidar Ali

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: The population of elderly in Iran and in the world is increasing. It is predicted that the population of elderly reaches to 10 millions in Iran by the year 2019. Elders more than other age groups are at risk of chronic diseases and health problems; and elderly affects their self-management and makes them feel disabled. Since the knowledge of self-management for Iranian elderly is not well developed, this paper aimed to determine the concept of self-management for Iranian elders. METHODS: This was a qualitative study with grounded theory approach on Iranian elderly self-management. Data were collected through deep interviews with 26 participants in a period of one year and were analyzed using a Strauss Corbin analysis method. RESULTS: Self-management in the context of power means using different managing methods in dealing with daily life needs, especially in interactions with others in a way that accelerates affairs with efficiency and satisfaction. The main categories emerged from this qualitative study included: managing plans, managing life goals and policies, persuading the desired goals, managing self-care, directing others, coordinating and consulting with others. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study provided a deep understanding of elderly perceptions of self-management in their lives. These findings can be a baseline for future researches on developing effective health interventions such as developing a nursing model for increasing the elderly self-management abilities in Iran. Such a model can provide a strong basis for nursing care. PMID:21589781

Lived experience of women with gestational diabetes mellitus living in China: a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

Ge, Li; Wikby, Kerstin; Rask, Mikael

2017-01-01

Objective To explore the lived experience of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) living in China in order to add knowledge about how the Chinese women suffer from GDM. Design A qualitative interpretive interview study. Data were collected with a snowball sampling technique. Phenomenological hermeneutics was used as the analysis method based on Ricoeur’s phenomenological hermeneutical interpretation theory. Setting The study was performed at the participants’ work places, or at the obstetric clinics or wards at two provincial hospitals and one municipal hospital in the southeast of China. Participants Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years, diagnosis of GDM without other pregnancy complications, in 34th gestational weeks—postpartum 4th weeks and speaking Mandarin Chinese without speech impediment. 62 women, who met the inclusion criteria, took part in the study. Results The lived experience of the women with GDM living in China was formulated into a main theme: ‘longing for caring care’. The main theme was derived from four themes: being stricken by GDM, wishing to receive caring GDM care, being left alone to struggle with GDM and trying to adjust and adapt to life with GDM. Conclusion The eagerness for caring care in China was highlighted. The lack of caring care could be one of the possible reasons why the professional–patient relations were deteriorating in China. It could be useful for health providers and health policymakers to receive education and training about caring care. Using the health metaphor of balance and ‘patient participation’ and ‘patient-centred’ approaches may benefit women with GDM and thus improve the quality of care in China. PMID:29187411

Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse by Adolescents: A Qualitative In-Depth Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schonbucher, Verena; Maier, Thomas; Mohler-Kuo, Meichun; Schnyder, Ulrich; Landolt, Markus A.

2012-01-01

This qualitative study aimed to study the process of disclosure by examining adolescents from the general population who had experienced child sexual abuse (CSA). Twenty-six sexually victimized adolescents (23 girls, 3 boys; age: 15-18 years) participated in a qualitative face-to-face in-depth interview on different aspects of disclosure. A…

Work Experiences of Latina Immigrants: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eggerth, Donald E.; DeLaney, Sheli C.; Flynn, Michael A.; Jacobson, C. Jeff

2012-01-01

Almost half of the Latino immigrants working in the United States are women. However, studies concerning the work experiences of Latinas are almost absent in the literature. This article reports the findings from a qualitative study using eight focus groups (n = 53) of Latina immigrant workers. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using the…

Studies in Interpretation. Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Esther M., Ed.; Floyd, Virginia Hastings, Ed.

The purpose of this second book of 21 self-contained essays is the same as that of the first volume published in 1972: to bring together the scholarly theory and current research regarding oral interpretation. One third of the essays are centered on literature itself: prose fiction, poetry, and the drama. These essays discuss topics such as point…

Subjective motives for requesting in-patient treatment in female with anorexia nervosa: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Gorse, Pauline; Nordon, Clementine; Rouillon, Frederic; Pham-Scottez, Alexandra; Revah-Levy, Anne

2013-01-01

Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder mainly affecting women. Its treatment is long and accepted with much difficulty, in particular in-patient treatment. To describe the subjective motives of women with anorexia nervosa for requesting in-patient admission, from a qualitative analysis of application letters. Participants were adult women (18 years and older) with anorexia nervosa who were admitted as in-patients in a referral hospital unit in France from January 2008 to December 2010. The application letters, prerequisites to admission, were studied by the interpretative phenomenological method of content analysis. 63 letters have been analysed, allowing the identification of six themes related to requests for in-patient care: loss of control of behaviour, and of thoughts, mental exhaustion, isolation, inner struggle and fear of recovery. Requests for in-patient admission were motivated by very personal, subjective experiences, unrelated to medical reasons for admission. These results may help improve pre-admission motivational work with individuals, by basing it on their subjective experience.

Meeting the challenge of interpretation: Hearing the voices of people with intellectual and developmental disability through I-Poems.

PubMed

Corby, Deirdre; Taggart, Laurence; Cousins, Wendy

2018-06-01

Including the inner perspectives of people who have intellectual disability can pose methodological challenges to qualitative researchers. This article explains how the Listening Guide was applied as an additional step in the analysis during a study which used hermeneutic interviews with people with intellectual disability as the sole method of data collection. An argument is made for the systematic application of the guide with a focus on the use of I-Poems. This article advances qualitative methodological approaches and concludes that this method of drawing attention to the participants' own voices provides a unique basis for interpreting interviews and tasks researchers to examine the use of the Listening Guide.

Describing qualitative research undertaken with randomised controlled trials in grant proposals: a documentary analysis.

PubMed

Drabble, Sarah J; O'Cathain, Alicia; Thomas, Kate J; Rudolph, Anne; Hewison, Jenny

2014-02-18

There is growing recognition of the value of conducting qualitative research with trials in health research. It is timely to reflect on how this qualitative research is presented in grant proposals to identify lessons for researchers and research commissioners. As part of a larger study focusing on how to maximise the value of undertaking qualitative research with trials, we undertook a documentary analysis of proposals of funded studies. Using the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) database we identified trials funded in the United Kingdom, ongoing between 2001 and 2010, and reporting the use of qualitative research. We requested copies of proposals from lead researchers. We extracted data from the proposals using closed and open questions, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis respectively. 2% (89/3812) of trials in the mRCT database described the use of qualitative research undertaken with the trial. From these 89 trials, we received copies of 36 full proposals, of which 32 met our inclusion criteria. 25% used less than a single paragraph to describe the qualitative research. The aims of the qualitative research described in these proposals focused mainly on the intervention or trial conduct. Just over half (56%) of the proposals included an explicit rationale for conducting the qualitative research with the trial, the most frequent being to optimise implementation into clinical practice or to interpret trial findings. Key information about methods, expertise and resources was missing in a large minority of proposals, in particular sample size, type of analysis, and non-personnel resources. 28% specifically stated that qualitative researchers would conduct the qualitative research. Our review of proposals of successfully funded studies identified good practice but also identified limited space given to describing the qualitative research, with an associated lack of attention to the rationale for doing the qualitative research and

Competency in ECG Interpretation Among Medical Students

PubMed Central

Kopeć, Grzegorz; Magoń, Wojciech; Hołda, Mateusz; Podolec, Piotr

2015-01-01

Background Electrocardiogram (ECG) is commonly used in diagnosis of heart diseases, including many life-threatening disorders. We aimed to assess skills in ECG interpretation among Polish medical students and to analyze the determinants of these skills. Material/Methods Undergraduates from all Polish medical schools were asked to complete a web-based survey containing 18 ECG strips. Questions concerned primary ECG parameters (rate, rhythm, and axis), emergencies, and common ECG abnormalities. Analysis was restricted to students in their clinical years (4th–6th), and students in their preclinical years (1st–3rd) were used as controls. Results We enrolled 536 medical students (females: n=299; 55.8%), aged 19 to 31 (23±1.6) years from all Polish medical schools. Most (72%) were in their clinical years. The overall rate of good response was better in students in years 4th–5th than those in years 1st–3rd (66% vs. 56%; p<0.0001). Competency in ECG interpretation was higher in students who reported ECG self-learning (69% vs. 62%; p<0.0001) but no difference was found between students who attended or did not attend regular ECG classes (66% vs. 66%; p=0.99). On multivariable analysis (p<0.0001), being in clinical years (OR: 2.45 [1.35–4.46] and self-learning (OR: 2.44 [1.46–4.08]) determined competency in ECG interpretation. Conclusions Polish medical students in their clinical years have a good level of competency in interpreting the primary ECG parameters, but their ability to recognize ECG signs of emergencies and common heart abnormalities is low. ECG interpretation skills are determined by self-education but not by attendance at regular ECG classes. Our results indicate qualitative and quantitative deficiencies in teaching ECG interpretation at medical schools. PMID:26541993

Qualitative Analysis of Comic Strip Culture: A Methodological Inquiry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Isadore; And Others

The paper is a methodological inquiry into the interpretation of qualitative data. It explores a grounded-theory approach to the synthesis of data and examines, in particular, the construction of categories. It focuses on ways of organizing and attaching meaning to data, as research problems embedded in a cultural context are explored. A…

Interpretation in Historical Writing: The Study of Development in Librarianship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colson, John Calvin

Study of the development of libraries and librarianship may be done only historically, by analysis of the records of development. Such study necessarily is interpretive because historical study does not establish facts, but proceeds from them. In historical study an hypothesis may not be used as in scientific study, because the hypothesis is not…

The gendered impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a qualitative study of patients' experiences.

PubMed

Björkman, Ida; Dellenborg, Lisen; Ringström, Gisela; Simrén, Magnus; Jakobsson Ung, Eva

2014-06-01

The aim of the study was to explore the impact of irritable bowel syndrome on daily life from a gender perspective. Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional disorder, characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or constipation. Sufferers experience negative emotions due to unpredictable symptoms and sometimes feel trivialized by healthcare professionals. The sufferers' experience of living with this disorder has never been explored from a gender perspective. A qualitative, interpretative method was used. A qualitative, hermeneutic method was applied. Interviews were conducted with 19 patients in 2011 and analysed in a constructionist gender framework. Constructionist gender theory views gender and identity as cultural constructs that develop through interplay between the individual and his/her social context and cultural norms. The main theme to emerge from the interviews was as follows: 'A normative framework of femaleness and maleness leads to suffering for persons with irritable bowel syndrome'. This consists of three interwoven themes: 'Being forced to abandon gender illusions'; 'Being forced to transcend taboos' and 'Reinforced suffering in healthcare encounters'. Men demonstrated masculinity by stressing the importance of being solid family providers while women spoke of nurturing and relational responsibilities in line with traditional notions of femininity. The experience of living with irritable bowel syndrome differs between men and women due to differing societal expectations, life situation and the everyday construction of gender identities. Gender stereotyping by healthcare professionals perpetuates rather than alleviates the suffering experienced by men and women with irritable bowel syndrome. In healthcare encounters, women risk being trivialized and men risk being overlooked due to the 'female health concern' label attached to irritable bowel syndrome. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Twelve possible strategies for enhancing interprofessional socialisation in higher education: Findings from an interpretive phenomenological study.

PubMed

Stanley, Karen; Dixon, Kathryn; Warner, Paul; Stanley, David

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the interprofessional socialisation experiences of health professional educators (HPEs) across five health science faculties in Perth, Australia. Evidence supported the importance of educators teaching and learning together, although there was minimal evidence with regard to the type of support HPEs received or required in order to socialise interprofessionally within higher education. Interview participants comprised 26 HPEs from various health-related professions across Western Australia. An interpretive phenomenological framework was used to discover the phenomena of interprofessional socialisation. The examination of the data was undertaken via qualitative content analysis with the aid of NVivo 10 software. Content coding led to the development of categories, sub-categories, and then themes. Five themes were identified; however, only one of these themes, "interprofessional socialisation strategies within higher education," is explored within this article. Based on the data within this theme, 12 possible socialisation strategies (formal and informal) were identified for HPEs, which could be implemented within health science faculties, taking into account the organisation's culture and strategic intent towards interprofessional collaboration and education.

How do people with persecutory delusions evaluate threat in a controlled social environment? A qualitative study using virtual reality.

PubMed

Fornells-Ambrojo, Miriam; Freeman, Daniel; Slater, Mel; Swapp, David; Antley, Angus; Barker, Chris

2015-01-01

Environmental factors have been associated with psychosis but there is little qualitative research looking at how the ongoing interaction between individual and environment maintains psychotic symptoms. The current study investigates how people with persecutory delusions interpret events in a virtual neutral social environment using qualitative methodology. 20 participants with persecutory delusions and 20 controls entered a virtual underground train containing neutral characters. Under these circumstances, people with persecutory delusions reported similar levels of paranoia as non-clinical participants. The transcripts of a post-virtual reality interview of the first 10 participants in each group were analysed. Thematic analyses of interviews focusing on the decision making process associated with attributing intentions of computer-generated characters revealed 11 themes grouped in 3 main categories (evidence in favour of paranoid appraisals, evidence against paranoid appraisals, other behaviour). People with current persecutory delusions are able to use a range of similar strategies to healthy volunteers when making judgements about potential threat in a neutral environment that does not elicit anxiety, but they are less likely than controls to engage in active hypothesis-testing and instead favour experiencing "affect" as evidence of persecutory intention.

Interpreting DNAPL saturations in a laboratory-scale injection using one- and two-dimensional modeling of GPR Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, R.H.; Poeter, E.P.

2005-01-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is used to track a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) injection in a laboratory sand tank. Before modeling, the GPR data provide a qualitative image of DNAPL saturation and movement. One-dimensional (1D) GPR modeling provides a quantitative interpretation of DNAPL volume within a given thickness during and after the injection. DNAPL saturation in sublayers of a specified thickness could not be quantified because calibration of the 1D GPR model is nonunique when both permittivity and depth of multiple layers are unknown. One-dimensional GPR modeling of the sand tank indicates geometric interferences in a small portion of the tank. These influences are removed from the interpretation using an alternate matching target. Two-dimensional (2D) GPR modeling provides a qualitative interpretation of the DNAPL distribution through pattern matching and tests for possible 2D influences that are not accounted for in the 1D GPR modeling. Accurate quantitative interpretation of DNAPL volumes using GPR modeling requires (1) identification of a suitable target that produces a strong reflection and is not subject to any geometric interference; (2) knowledge of the exact depth of that target; and (3) use of two-way radar-wave travel times through the medium to the target to determine the permittivity of the intervening material, which eliminates reliance on signal amplitude. With geologic conditions that are suitable for GPR surveys (i.e., shallow depths, low electrical conductivities, and a known reflective target), the procedures in this laboratory study can be adapted to a field site to delineate shallow DNAPL source zones.

Parents' concerns about future pregnancy after stillbirth: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Meaney, Sarah; Everard, Claire M; Gallagher, Stephen; O'Donoghue, Keelin

2017-08-01

As stillbirth has a devastating impact, it is imperative to understand the importance of clinical and emotional care after stillbirth and how it influences subsequent pregnancies. The aim of the study was to gain insight into the consideration and planning of a subsequent pregnancy by parents in the weeks following stillbirth. A qualitative semi-structured interview format was utilized. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed as the analytic strategy. The recruitment strategy focused on couples whereby the parents of ten stillborn babies were contacted; however, five men declined to participate in the study. The final sample of 15 parents were all Irish: ten of whom were female and five of whom were male. Findings revealed two superordinate themes relating to a subsequent pregnancy after stillbirth: aspirations for future pregnancy and expectations of future care. Parents disclosed how the prospect of a subsequent pregnancy was daunting with fears about the potential loss of another child. Despite these fears, parents' aspirations differed in the days following stillbirth; mothers wished to plan a future pregnancy while fathers were reluctant to consider any pregnancies. Parents were unsure of what to expect in terms of the level of care that would be provided to them in a subsequent pregnancy. Additional appointments at the maternity hospital were considered crucial to provide reassurance during a subsequent pregnancy. These findings underscore the far-reaching and contrasting effects of stillbirth on parents. These complex needs highlight the importance of the multidisciplinary team approach. © 2016 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

First parent-child meetings in international adoptions: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Harf, Aurélie; Skandrani, Sara; Radjack, Rahmeth; Sibeoni, Jordan; Moro, Marie Rose; Revah-Levy, Anne

2013-01-01

International adoptions involve approximately 30,000 children worldwide each year. Nearly all of the adoptive parents travel to the child's country of birth to meet them and bring them home. The objective of this study is to analyze the adoptive parents' account of their first meetings with their child. The study includes 46 parents who adopted one or more children internationally. Each parent participated in a semi-structured interview, focused on these first parent-child meetings. The interviews were analyzed according to a qualitative phenomenological method, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The principal themes that emerged from the analysis of the interviews were: the scene when the child is entrusted to the parents, the discovery of the child's body, and the first parent-child interaction. Within these three principal themes, several subthemes dealt with difficult experiences: moments of solitude and anxiety, shocking images of the children's living conditions, lack of preparation and of information about the child, poor health, parental reactions of rejection, worry about the child's body, aggressive reactions by the child, worry about the child's reactions, and contrast with the expected interaction. Thirty-two interviews included at least one of these subthemes. At the structural level of the discourse; the characteristics of 33 interviews are those described in the literature as significantly more frequent in traumatized than in non-traumatized subjects. These results raise questions about the consequences of difficult, possibly traumatic experiences, at the moment of meeting the child, and they underline the need for work on preparation and prevention before the parents leave on their journey.

First Parent-Child Meetings in International Adoptions: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Harf, Aurélie; Skandrani, Sara; Radjack, Rahmeth; Sibeoni, Jordan

2013-01-01

International adoptions involve approximately 30000 children worldwide each year. Nearly all of the adoptive parents travel to the child's country of birth to meet them and bring them home. The objective of this study is to analyze the adoptive parents' account of their first meetings with their child. The study includes 46 parents who adopted one or more children internationally. Each parent participated in a semi-structured interview, focused on these first parent-child meetings. The interviews were analyzed according to a qualitative phenomenological method, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The principal themes that emerged from the analysis of the interviews were: the scene when the child is entrusted to the parents, the discovery of the child's body, and the first parent-child interaction. Within these three principal themes, several subthemes dealt with difficult experiences: moments of solitude and anxiety, shocking images of the children's living conditions, lack of preparation and of information about the child, poor health, parental reactions of rejection, worry about the child's body, aggressive reactions by the child, worry about the child's reactions, and contrast with the expected interaction. Thirty-two interviews included at least one of these subthemes. At the structural level of the discourse; the characteristics of 33 interviews are those described in the literature as significantly more frequent in traumatized than in non-traumatized subjects. These results raise questions about the consequences of difficult, possibly traumatic experiences, at the moment of meeting the child, and they underline the need for work on preparation and prevention before the parents leave on their journey. PMID:24086500

Family Caregivers' Reflections on Experiences of Assisted Suicide in Switzerland: A Qualitative Interview Study.

PubMed

Gamondi, C; Pott, Murielle; Preston, Nancy; Payne, Sheila

2018-04-01

Thousands of family members worldwide are annually involved in assisted dying. Family participation in assisted dying has rarely been investigated and families' needs typically are not considered in assisted dying legislation and clinical guidelines. To explore family caregivers' reflections on experiences of assisted suicide in Switzerland. A cross-sectional qualitative interview study conducted in the Italian- and French-speaking regions of Switzerland. Interpretation and analysis were performed using qualitative content analysis. Twenty-eight close relatives and family carers of 18 patients who died by assisted suicide in Switzerland were interviewed. Family members perceived their involvement in assisted suicide as characterized by five phases; 1) contemplation, 2) gaining acceptance, 3) gaining permission, 4) organization, and 5) aftermath. Families can participate in these phases at diverse levels and with varying degrees of involvement. Important triggers for families and patients for transition between phases include patients' experiences of their life-threatening illnesses and related treatments, their increasing awareness of approaching death, and family member recognition of their loved one's unbearable suffering. Participating in assisted suicide created further demanding tasks for families in addition to their role of caregivers. Families appeared to be involved in the preparation of assisted suicide along with patients, irrespective of their personal values regarding assisted dying. Support for family members is essential if they are involved in tasks preparatory to assisted suicide. Clinical guidelines and policies concerning assisted dying should acknowledge and address family needs. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Preliminary Study on Interpreting for Emergent Signers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Caitlin; Dicus, Danica

2015-01-01

Sign language interpreters work with a variety of consumer populations throughout their careers. One such population, referred to as "emergent signers," consists of consumers who are in the process of learning American Sign Language, and who rely on interpreters during their language acquisition period. A gap in the research is revealed…

United States private-sector physicians and pharmaceutical contract research: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Fisher, Jill A; Kalbaugh, Corey A

2012-01-01

There have been dramatic increases over the past 20 years in the number of nonacademic, private-sector physicians who serve as principal investigators on US clinical trials sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. However, there has been little research on the implications of these investigators' role in clinical investigation. Our objective was to study private-sector clinics involved in US pharmaceutical clinical trials to understand the contract research arrangements supporting drug development, and specifically how private-sector physicians engaged in contract research describe their professional identities. We conducted a qualitative study in 2003-2004 combining observation at 25 private-sector research organizations in the southwestern United States and 63 semi-structured interviews with physicians, research staff, and research participants at those clinics. We used grounded theory to analyze and interpret our data. The 11 private-sector physicians who participated in our study reported becoming principal investigators on industry clinical trials primarily because contract research provides an additional revenue stream. The physicians reported that they saw themselves as trial practitioners and as businesspeople rather than as scientists or researchers. Our findings suggest that in addition to having financial motivation to participate in contract research, these US private-sector physicians have a professional identity aligned with an industry-based approach to research ethics. The generalizability of these findings and whether they have changed in the intervening years should be addressed in future studies. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Blackboard architecture for medical image interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Darryl N.; Taylor, Christopher J.

1991-06-01

There is a growing interest in using sophisticated knowledge-based systems for biomedical image interpretation. We present a principled attempt to use artificial intelligence methodologies in interpreting lateral skull x-ray images. Such radiographs are routinely used in cephalometric analysis to provide quantitative measurements useful to clinical orthodontists. Manual and interactive methods of analysis are known to be error prone and previous attempts to automate this analysis typically fail to capture the expertise and adaptability required to cope with the variability in biological structure and image quality. An integrated model-based system has been developed which makes use of a blackboard architecture and multiple knowledge sources. A model definition interface allows quantitative models, of feature appearance and location, to be built from examples as well as more qualitative modelling constructs. Visual task definition and blackboard control modules allow task-specific knowledge sources to act on information available to the blackboard in a hypothesise and test reasoning cycle. Further knowledge-based modules include object selection, location hypothesis, intelligent segmentation, and constraint propagation systems. Alternative solutions to given tasks are permitted.

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

[The positioning of nursing research in the academic studies: the origin and development of qualitative and quantitative studies].

PubMed

Lu, Pei-Pei; Ting, Shing-Shiang; Chen, Mei-Ling; Tang, Woung-Ru

2005-12-01

The purpose of this study is to discuss the historical context of qualitative and quantitative research so as to explain the principle of qualitative study and examine the positioning of nursing research within academic study as a whole. This paper guides the readers towards the historical context from empirical science, discusses the influences of qualitative and quantitative research on nursing research, then investigates the nature of research paradigms, examines the positioning of nursing research, which includes the characteristics of fields such as natural science, humanity and social studies, and science, and lastly, presents the research standard proposed by Yardley in 2000. The research paradigms include Positivism, Postpositivism, Criticism, and Constructivism, which can be compared with Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology. The nature of the paradigm is to determine the assumption of the paradigm on the basis of Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology. The paradigm determines how the researcher views the world and decides on what to answer, how to research, and how to answer. The difference in academic environment is reflected in the long-term dialogue between qualitative and quantitative studies, as well as the standard for criticism. This paper introduces the method of evaluation of the quality of qualitative study proposed by Yardley in 2002, namely the sensitivity of the context, the promise and conscientiousness, transparency and consistency, influence and significance. The paper is intended to provide a guideline for readers in evaluating the quality of qualitative study.

A Qualitative Study to Appraise Patients and Family Members Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes towards Venous Thromboembolism Risk.

PubMed

Haxaire, Claudie; Tromeur, Cécile; Couturaud, Francis; Leroyer, Christophe

2015-01-01

This study aimed to examine perception, knowledge and concerns developed by patients and their family as regards venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk. We conducted a qualitative study. Participants were: (1) patients with unprovoked VTE with either factor V Leiden mutation or G20210A prothrombin gene mutation or not; and (2) their first-degree relatives. Interviews took place mostly at Brest University Hospital. Participants produced narratives of the patient's illness, stressing their perception of the disorder, its mechanisms, etiology, circumstances and risk factors. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. On an ongoing basis, central themes were identified and data from narratives were categorized by these themes. A total of ten patients and 25 first-degree relatives were interviewed. Analyses of patient's narratives suggested 4 main themes: (1) concerns about initial symptoms and suspicion of VTE. The longer the duration of the initial phase, the more likely anxiety took place and persisted after diagnosis; (2) underestimation of potential life-threatening episode once being managed in emergency; (3) possible biographical disruption with inability to cope with the event; and (4) secondary prevention attitudes motivated by remains of the episode and favoring general prevention attitudes. Analyses of the first-degree relatives narratives suggested 3 main themes: (1) common interpretation of the VTE episode shared within the family; (2) diverse and sometimes confusing interpretation of the genetic status; and, (3) interpretation of clinical signs linked to VTE transmission within the family. Construction of the risk of VTE is based on patient's initial experience and shared within the family. Collection of narratives illustrates the gap between these perceptions and current medical knowledge. These results support the need to collect the perceptions of the VTE episode and its consequences, as a prerequisite to any health education process.

Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: An interpretative phenomenological analyses

PubMed Central

Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Bokharey, Iram Zehra

2013-01-01

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health. PMID:24369779

Instruction-based clinical eye-tracking study on the visual interpretation of divergence: How do students look at vector field plots?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, P.; Viiri, J.; Mozaffari, S.; Dengel, A.; Kuhn, J.

2018-06-01

Relating mathematical concepts to graphical representations is a challenging task for students. In this paper, we introduce two visual strategies to qualitatively interpret the divergence of graphical vector field representations. One strategy is based on the graphical interpretation of partial derivatives, while the other is based on the flux concept. We test the effectiveness of both strategies in an instruction-based eye-tracking study with N =41 physics majors. We found that students' performance improved when both strategies were introduced (74% correct) instead of only one strategy (64% correct), and students performed best when they were free to choose between the two strategies (88% correct). This finding supports the idea of introducing multiple representations of a physical concept to foster student understanding. Relevant eye-tracking measures demonstrate that both strategies imply different visual processing of the vector field plots, therefore reflecting conceptual differences between the strategies. Advanced analysis methods further reveal significant differences in eye movements between the best and worst performing students. For instance, the best students performed predominantly horizontal and vertical saccades, indicating correct interpretation of partial derivatives. They also focused on smaller regions when they balanced positive and negative flux. This mixed-method research leads to new insights into student visual processing of vector field representations, highlights the advantages and limitations of eye-tracking methodologies in this context, and discusses implications for teaching and for future research. The introduction of saccadic direction analysis expands traditional methods, and shows the potential to discover new insights into student understanding and learning difficulties.

"What about People Our Age?" Applying Qualitative and Quantitative Methods to Uncover How Political Ads Alienate College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parmelee, John H.; Perkins, Stephynie C.; Sayre, Judith J.

2007-01-01

This study uses a sequential transformative mixed methods research design to explain how political advertising fails to engage college students. Qualitative focus groups examined how college students interpret the value of political advertising to them, and a quantitative manifest content analysis concerning ad framing of more than 100 ads from…

Components of Line-Drawing Interpretation: A Developmental Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enns, James T.; King, Katherine A.

1990-01-01

Experiment 1 suggested that age differences in line-drawing interpretation among subjects between 6 and 24 years reflected changes in short-term memory for features and changes in strategies used to integrate features over space and time. Experiment 2 suggested that older observers were more active in their attempts to interpret drawings and that…

Notes on interpretation of geophysical data over areas of mineralization in Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drenth, Benjamin J.

2011-01-01

Afghanistan has the potential to contain substantial metallic mineral resources. Although valuable mineral deposits have been identified, much of the country's potential remains unknown. Geophysical surveys, particularly those conducted from airborne platforms, are a well-accepted and cost-effective method for obtaining information on the geological setting of a given area. This report summarizes interpretive findings from various geophysical surveys over selected mineral targets in Afghanistan, highlighting what existing data tell us. These interpretations are mainly qualitative in nature, because of the low resolution of available geophysical data. Geophysical data and simple interpretations are included for these six areas and deposit types: (1) Aynak: Sedimentary-hosted copper; (2) Zarkashan: Porphyry copper; (3) Kundalan: Porphyry copper; (4) Dusar Shaida: Volcanic-hosted massive sulphide; (5) Khanneshin: Carbonatite-hosted rare earth element; and (6) Chagai Hills: Porphyry copper.

Clarifying Evidence-Based Medicine in Educational and Therapeutic Experiences of Clinical Faculty Members: A Qualitative Study in Iran

PubMed Central

Safari, Yahya

2015-01-01

Introduction: Although evidence-based medicine has been a significant part of recent research efforts to reform the health care system, it requires an assessment of real life community and patient. The present study strives to clarify the concept of evidence-based medicine in educational and therapeutic experiences of clinical faculty members of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (2014). Materials and Methods: It was a qualitative study of phenomenology. The population consists of 12 clinical faculty members of Kermanshah University Medical Sciences. Sampling was carried out using a purposeful method. Sample volume was determined using adequacy of samples’ law. Data gathering occurred through semi-structured interviews. Collaizzi pattern was employed for data interpretation concurrent with data gathering. Results: interpreting the data, three main themes were extracted. They include: 1. Unawareness and disuse (unaware of the concept, disuse, referral to colleagues, experiment prescription) 2. Conscious or unconscious use (using journals and scientific websites, aware of the process). 3. Beliefs (belief or disbelief in necessity). Conclusion: It sounds essential to change the behavior of clinical faculty members from passive to active with respect to employing evidence-based medicine as well as to alter negative attitudes into positive ones. In so doing, systematic training program aiming at behavior changing is necessary. Also, providing dissent facilities and infrastructures and removing barriers to the use of EBM can be effective. PMID:26153205

Clarifying Evidence-Based Medicine in Educational and Therapeutic Experiences of Clinical Faculty Members: A Qualitative Study in Iran.

PubMed

Safari, Yahya

2015-03-26

Although evidence-based medicine has been a significant part of recent research efforts to reform the health care system, it requires an assessment of real life community and patient. The present study strives to clarify the concept of evidence-based medicine in educational and therapeutic experiences of clinical faculty members of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (2014). It was a qualitative study of phenomenology. The population consists of 12 clinical faculty members of Kermanshah University Medical Sciences. Sampling was carried out using a purposeful method. Sample volume was determined using adequacy of samples' law. Data gathering occurred through semi-structured interviews. Collaizzi pattern was employed for data interpretation concurrent with data gathering. interpreting the data, three main themes were extracted. They include: 1. Unawareness and disuse (unaware of the concept, disuse, referral to colleagues, experiment prescription) 2. Conscious or unconscious use (using journals and scientific websites, aware of the process). 3. Beliefs (belief or disbelief in necessity). It sounds essential to change the behavior of clinical faculty members from passive to active with respect to employing evidence-based medicine as well as to alter negative attitudes into positive ones. In so doing, systematic training program aiming at behavior changing is necessary. Also, providing dissent facilities and infrastructures and removing barriers to the use of EBM can be effective.

Integrating qualitative research into occupational health: a case study among hospital workers.

PubMed

Gordon, Deborah R; Ames, Genevieve M; Yen, Irene H; Gillen, Marion; Aust, Birgit; Rugulies, Reiner; Frank, John W; Blanc, Paul D

2005-04-01

We sought to better use qualitative approaches in occupational health research and integrate them with quantitative methods. We systematically reviewed, selected, and adapted qualitative research methods as part of a multisite study of the predictors and outcomes of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among hospital workers in two large urban tertiary hospitals. The methods selected included participant observation; informal, open-ended, and semistructured interviews with individuals or small groups; and archival study. The nature of the work and social life of the hospitals and the foci of the study all favored using more participant observation methods in the case study than initially anticipated. Exploiting the full methodological spectrum of qualitative methods in occupational health is increasingly relevant. Although labor-intensive, these approaches may increase the yield of established quantitative approaches otherwise used in isolation.

Parental experiences of providing skin-to-skin care to their newborn infant--part 2: a qualitative meta-synthesis.

PubMed

Anderzén-Carlsson, Agneta; Lamy, Zeni C; Tingvall, Maria; Eriksson, Mats

2014-01-01

To synthesize and interpret qualitative research findings focusing on parental experiences of skin-to-skin care (SSC) for newborn infants. SSC induces many benefits for newborn infants and their parents. Three meta-analyses have been conducted on physiological outcomes, but no previous qualitative meta-synthesis on parental experiences of SSC has been identified. The present meta-synthesis was guided by the methodology described by Paterson and co-workers. Four databases were searched, without year or language limitations, up until December 2013. Manual searches were also performed. The searches and subsequent quality appraisal resulted in the inclusion of 29 original qualitative papers from 9 countries, reporting experiences from 401 mothers and 94 fathers. The meta-synthesis entails a meta-data analysis, analysis of meta-method, and meta-theory in the included primary studies. Based on the three analyses, the meta-synthesis represents a new interpretation of a phenomenon. The results of the meta-data analysis have been presented as a qualitative systematic review in a separate paper. When synthesizing and interpreting the findings from the included analyses, a theoretical model of Becoming a parent under unfamiliar circumstances emerged. Providing SSC seems to be a restorative as well as an energy-draining experience. A supportive environment has been described as facilitating the restorative experience, whereas obstacles in the environment seem to make the provision of SSC energy-draining for parents. When the process is experienced as positive, it facilitates the growth of parental self-esteem and makes the parents ready to assume full responsibility for their child. The results show that SSC can be interpreted not only as a family-including and important health care intervention but also in terms of actually becoming a parent. The process of becoming a parent in this specific situation is influenced by external factors in three different levels; family and

Targeting Lexicon in Interpreting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farghal, Mohammed; Shakir, Abdullah

1994-01-01

Studies student interpreters in the Master's Translation Program at Yarmouk University in Jordan. Analyzes the difficulties of these students, particularly regarding lexical competence, when interpreting from Arabic to English, emphasizing the need to teach lexicon all through interpreting programs. (HB)

Systematic Review and Meta-study Synthesis of Qualitative Studies Evaluating Facilitators and Barriers to Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening.

PubMed

Honein-AbouHaidar, Gladys N; Kastner, Monika; Vuong, Vincent; Perrier, Laure; Daly, Corinne; Rabeneck, Linda; Straus, Sharon; Baxter, Nancy N

2016-06-01

Screening reduces the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of colorectal cancer, yet participation tends to be low. We undertook a systematic review and meta-study synthesis of qualitative studies to identify facilitators and barriers to colorectal cancer screening participation. We searched major bibliographic databases for records published in all languages from inception to February 2015. Included primary studies that elicited views and perceptions towards colorectal cancer screening were appraised for relevance and quality. We used a two-stage synthesis to create an interpretation of colorectal cancer screening decisions grounded in primary studies; a thematic analysis to group themes and systematically compare studies and a meta-synthesis to generate an expanded theory of colorectal cancer screening participation. Ninety-four studies were included. The decision to participate in colorectal cancer screening depended on an individual's awareness of colorectal cancer screening. Awareness affected views of cancer, attitudes towards colorectal cancer screening modalities, and motivation for screening. Factors mediating awareness included public education to address misconceptions, primary care physician efforts to recommend screening, and the influence of friends and family. Specific barriers to participation in populations with lower participation rates included language barriers, logistical challenges to attending screening tests, and cultural beliefs. This study identifies key barriers, facilitators, and mediators to colorectal cancer screening participation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(6); 907-17. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Feelings and Intersubjectivity in Qualitative Suicide Research.

PubMed

Boden, Zoë V R; Gibson, Susanne; Owen, Gareth J; Benson, Outi

2016-07-01

In this article, we explore how feelings permeated our qualitative research on suicide. Drawing on phenomenological theory, we argue for the epistemic and ethical importance of the feelings that emerge through research encounters, considering them to be embodied, intersubjective, and multilayered, and requiring careful interpretation through a "reflexivity of feelings." We sketch a tentative framework of the ways that we experienced feelings in our research and give three in-depth examples to illustrate some of the different layers and types of feelings we identified. We reflexively interpret these feelings and their role in our analysis and then discuss some of the ethical and methodological issues related to examining feelings in suicide research, and research more generally. © The Author(s) 2015.

Using qualitative studies to improve the usability of an EMR.

PubMed

Rose, Alan F; Schnipper, Jeffrey L; Park, Elyse R; Poon, Eric G; Li, Qi; Middleton, Blackford

2005-02-01

The adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) and user satisfaction are closely associated with the system's usability. To improve the usability of a results management module of a widely deployed web-based EMR, we conducted two qualitative studies that included multiple focus group and field study sessions. Qualitative research can help focus attention on user tasks and goals and identify patterns of care that can be visualized through task modeling exercises. Findings from both studies raised issues with the amount and organization of information in the display, interference with workflow patterns of primary care physicians, and the availability of visual cues and feedback. We used the findings of these studies to recommend design changes to the user interface of the results management module.

Comparison of 99mTc-MDP SPECT qualitative vs quantitative results in patients with suspected condylar hyperplasia.

PubMed

López Buitrago, D F; Ruiz Botero, J; Corral, C M; Carmona, A R; Sabogal, A

To compare qualitative vs quantitative results of Single Photon Emission Computerised Tomography (SPECT), calculated from percentage of 99m Tc-MDP (methylene diphosphonate) uptake, in condyles of patients with a presumptive clinical diagnosis of condylar hyperplasia. A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted on the 99m Tc-MDP SPECT bone scintigraphy reports from 51 patients, with clinical impression of facial asymmetry related to condylar hyperplasia referred by their specialist in orthodontics or maxillofacial surgery, to a nuclear medicine department in order to take this type of test. Quantitative data from 99m Tc-MDP condylar uptake of each were obtained and compared with qualitative image interpretation reported by a nuclear medicine expert. The concordances between the 51 qualitative and quantitative reports results was established. The total sample included 32 women (63%) and 19 men (37%). The patient age range was 13-45 years (21±8 years). According to qualitative reports, 19 patients were positive for right side condylar hyperplasia, 12 for left side condylar hyperplasia, with 8 bilateral, and 12 negative. The quantitative reports diagnosed 16 positives for right side condylar hyperplasia, 10 for left side condylar hyperplasia, and 25 negatives. Nuclear medicine images are an important diagnostic tool, but the qualitative interpretation of the images is not as reliable as the quantitative calculation. The agreement between the two types of report is low (39.2%, Kappa=0.13; P>.2). The main limitation of quantitative reports is that they do not register bilateral condylar hyperplasia cases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

Postpartum smoking relapse--a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Notley, Caitlin; Blyth, Annie; Craig, Jean; Edwards, Alice; Holland, Richard

2015-11-01

Many women quit smoking during pregnancy, but relapse after the baby is born. To understand why and identify ways of preventing this, this study reviewed the qualitative literature on women's experience of postpartum smoking relapse. A systematic review of qualitative studies and process evaluations of trials. We undertook a thematic synthesis of published qualitative data. We screened 1336 papers. Twenty-two papers reporting on 16 studies were included, reporting on the views of 1031 postpartum women. Factors affecting relapse and barriers and facilitators to relapse prevention were identified around the key themes of beliefs, social influences, motivation, physiological factors and identity. Women's beliefs about smoking as a means of coping with stress and the need for social support, especially from a partner, emerged as important. Extrinsic motivation to quit during the pregnancy (for the health of the fetus) appeared to be a factor in prompting relapse after the baby was born. During the immediate postpartum period women believed that physiological changes influence cigarette cravings. The stress of caring for a newborn, sleeplessness and adjusting to a new mothering identity were also reported to be important. Among women who quit smoking during pregnancy, those who relapse postpartum talk commonly about no longer needing to protect the baby and the effects of stress. Partner support and a sense of changed identity are cited as factors preventing relapse. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Qualitative evaluation: A critical and interpretative complementary approach to improve health programs and services

PubMed Central

Tayabas, Luz María Tejada; León, Teresita Castillo; ESPINO, JOEL MONARREZ

2014-01-01

This short essay aims at commenting on the origin, development, rationale, and main characteristics of qualitative evaluation (QE), emphasizing the value of this methodological tool to evaluate health programs and services. During the past decades, different approaches have come to light proposing complementary alternatives to appraise the performance of public health programs, mainly focusing on the implementation process involved rather than on measuring the impact of such actions. QE is an alternative tool that can be used to illustrate and understand the process faced when executing health programs. It can also lead to useful suggestions to modify its implementation from the stakeholders’ perspectives, as it uses a qualitative approach that considers participants as reflective subjects, generators of meanings. This implies that beneficiaries become involved in an active manner in the evaluated phenomena with the aim of improving the health programs or services that they receive. With this work we want to encourage evaluators in the field of public health to consider the use of QE as a complementary tool for program evaluation to be able to identify areas of opportunity to improve programs’ implementation processes from the perspective of intended beneficiaries. PMID:25152220

Getting home with artifical heart – what is the everyday life experience of people with mechanical circulatory Support. A qualitative study

PubMed

Braunsdorf, Sandy

2017-07-01

Background: The growing number of mechanical circulatory support systems implanted with successful results in terms of quality of life and physical resilience means that more and more people are being discharged from hospital to live at home with an artificial heart. This puts high requirements on affected persons’ disease and therapy management – a subject which has attracted very little qualitative research to date. Aim: This study therefore sought to shed light on how people with mechanical circulatory support experience their everyday lives. The aim was to document the subjective associations of those affected from an insider perspective. Methods: Following the interpretative phenomenological paradigm, narrative interviews were conducted with two female and eight male participants. For qualitative analysis, a multi-step process guided by the methodology of hermeneutic philosophy was used. Results: The qualitative data analysis revealed five main topic areas. These describe patients’ state of health after implantation and the various adjustments, constraints and pressures necessitated by their illness and therapeutic requirements. On this basis, coping and management strategies are identified. Other significant aspects of patients’ everyday lives are social interaction and environment and health care with an artificial heart. Conclusions: The findings add to our knowledge of the day-to-day lives of people with mechanical circulatory support systems, giving us a better understanding of their specific situation.

Impact of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) use and score interpretation on states' inquiry-based science education policies and practices: A descriptive study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conley, David M.

This study examined the influence of use and interpretation of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science results on science education policies and practices in the United States, in the context of teaching and learning through inquiry and the assessment of student inquiry achievement. State assessment directors, NAEP coordinators, and science education specialists nationwide were invited to participate in the study by responding to a Web-based self-administered survey instrument. Sixty-seven percent of the population responded, providing both quantitative and qualitative data through selected-response and open-ended survey items, respectively. The findings of this study revealed that: (a) not all states interpret NAEP science results as an indicator of students' abilities to undertake inquiry investigations or understand the nature of inquiry---in fact, states view their own science assessments as more indicative of expectations regarding inquiry achievement; (b) most states have made changes to science curricular frameworks and assessments since the last NAEP science administration in 2000, so that more emphasis is placed on inquiry-based instruction and assessment of inquiry achievement---however, NAEP results have had a minor influence on these changes; (c) fewer states have made changes in legislation, policies, and professional development that reflect greater emphasis on inquiry, and those that did felt that NAEP results had no significant impact; (d) NAEP's influence has changed since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, but it remains minor since NAEP is still perceived as a "low stakes" test; (e) state officials believe NAEP's influence will increase significantly after the results of NAEP science 2005 are released and interpreted and as NCLB accountability provisions in science take hold in 2007--2008. The implications of the study's findings are discussed in reference to the theoretical and practical knowledge-bases concerning

Intimate partner violence and pregnancy intentions: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Baird, Kathleen; Creedy, Debra; Mitchell, Theresa

2017-08-01

In this qualitative study, we explored women's pregnancy intentions and experiences of intimate partner violence before, during and after pregnancy. Unintended pregnancies in the context of intimate partner violence can have serious health, social and economic consequences for women and their children. Feminist and phenomenological philosophies underpinned the study to gain a richer understanding of women's experiences. Eleven women who had been pregnant in the previous two years were recruited from community-based women's refuges in one region of the UK. Of the 11 women, eight had unplanned pregnancies, two reported being coerced into early motherhood, and only one woman had purposively planned her pregnancy. Multiple in-depth interviews focused on participants' accounts of living with intimate partner violence. Experiential data analysis was used to identify, analyse and highlight themes. Three major themes were identified: men's control of contraception, partner's indiscriminate response to the pregnancy and women's mixed feelings about the pregnancy. Participants reported limited influence over their sexual relationship and birth control. Feelings of vulnerability about themselves and fear for their unborn babies' safety were intensified by their partners' continued violence during pregnancy. Women experiencing intimate partner violence were more likely to have an unintended pregnancy. This could be attributed to male dominance and fear, which impacts on a woman's ability to manage her birth control options. The women's initial excitement about their pregnancy diminished in the face of uncertainty and ongoing violence within their relationship. Women experiencing violence lack choice in relation to birth control options leading to unintended pregnancies. Interpreting the findings from the victim-perpetrator interactive spin theory of intimate partner violence provides a possible framework for midwives and nurses to better understand and respond to women

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Sahaf, Robab; Sadat Ilali, Ehteram; Peyrovi, Hamid; Akbari Kamrani, Ahmad Ali; Spahbodi, Fatemeh

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. Methods: This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. Results: One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was “uncertainty”, which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. Conclusion: The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications. PMID:28097174

Challenges in the clinical education of the nursing profession in Iran: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Jasemi, Madineh; Whitehead, Bill; Habibzadeh, Hosein; Zabihi, Roghaieh Esmaeili; Rezaie, Soheila Ahangarzadeh

2018-04-21

Clinical education is an important part of nurse training. It provides students with the opportunity to gain useful experience and has a key role in their professional preparation. The importance of clinical education in nursing students' professional performance means that identifying the challenges in this field is crucial. The goal of this study is to identify challenges in the field of clinical nurse education. A qualitative content analysis study. A faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, in Iran 2017. Nine student nurses, three qualified nurses and two nursing educators. This study has been applied to various depths of interpretation. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Nine student nurses, three qualified nurses and two nursing educators were interviewed. The analysis of the interviews generated five categories. Two main themes were extracted as challenges in the clinical training of nursing professionals: 1. Inefficient educational structure and 2. Inefficient professional performance environment. Considering the inadequate professional performance environment and defective educational structure, designing and delivering lessons with clear goals is essential. Using objective and measurable scales for evaluating educational standards, the use of empowered instructors with high communicational skills is useful for increasing students' motivation and interest toward clinical education and solving existing challenges. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing youth screen time: qualitative metasynthesis of findings on barriers and facilitators.

PubMed

Minges, Karl E; Owen, Neville; Salmon, Jo; Chao, Ariana; Dunstan, David W; Whittemore, Robin

2015-04-01

An integrated perspective on the relevant qualitative findings on the experience of screen time in youth can inform the development of hypotheses to be tested in future research and can guide the development of interventions to decrease sedentary behavior. The purpose of this qualitative metasynthesis was to explore parent, youth, and educational professionals' perceptions of barriers to, and facilitators of, reducing youth screen time. Qualitative metasynthesis techniques were used to analyze and synthesize 15 qualitative studies of screen time among youth (11-18 years) meeting inclusion criteria. The phrases, quotes, and/or author interpretations (i.e., theme or subtheme) were recorded in a data display matrix to facilitate article comparisons. Codes were collapsed into 23 categories of similar conceptual meaning and 3 overarching themes were derived using thematic analysis procedures. Study sample sizes ranged from 6 to 270 participants from 6 countries. Data collection methods included focus groups (n = 6), interviews (n = 4), focus group and interviews (n = 4), and naturalistic observation (n = 1) with youth and/or parents. Data analysis techniques included thematic analysis (n = 9), content analysis (n = 3), grounded theory (n = 1), observation (n = 1), and interpretive phenomenological analysis (n = 1). Three thematic categories were identified: (a) youth's norms-screen time is an integral part of daily life, and facilitates opportunities for entertainment, social interaction, and escapism; (b) family dynamics and parental roles-parents are conflicted and send mixed messages about the appropriate uses and amounts of screen time; and, (c) resources and environment-engagement in screen time is dependent on school, community, neighborhood, and home environmental contexts. Screen time is an established norm in many youth cultures, presenting barriers to behavior change. Parents recognize the importance of reducing youth screen time, but model and promote

Reducing Youth Screen Time: Qualitative Metasynthesis of Findings on Barriers and Facilitators

PubMed Central

Minges, Karl E.; Salmon, Jo; Dunstan, David W.; Owen, Neville; Chao, Ariana; Whittemore, Robin

2015-01-01

Objective An integrated perspective on the relevant qualitative findings on the experience of screen time in youth can inform the development of hypotheses to be tested in future research and can guide the development of interventions to decrease sedentary behavior. The purpose of this qualitative metasynthesis was to explore parent, youth, and educational professionals’ perceptions of barriers to, and facilitators of, reducing youth screen time. Method Qualitative metasynthesis techniques were used to analyze and synthesize 15 qualitative studies of screen time among youth (11–18 years) meeting inclusion criteria. The phrases, quotes, and/or author interpretations (i.e., theme or subtheme) were recorded in a data display matrix to facilitate article comparisons. Codes were collapsed into 23 categories of similar conceptual meaning and 3 overarching themes were derived using thematic analysis procedures. Results Study sample sizes ranged from 6 to 270 participants from 6 countries. Data collection methods included focus groups (n = 6), interviews (n = 4), focus group and interviews (n = 4), and naturalistic observation (n = 1) with youth and/or parents. Data analysis techniques included thematic analysis (n = 9), content analysis (n = 3), grounded theory (n = 1), observation (n = 1), and interpretive phenomenological analysis (n = 1). Three thematic categories were identified: (a) youth’s norms—screen time is an integral part of daily life, and facilitates opportunities for entertainment, social interaction, and escapism; (b) family dynamics and parental roles—parents are conflicted and send mixed messages about the appropriate uses and amounts of screen time; and, (c) resources and environment—engagement in screen time is dependent on school, community, neighborhood, and home environmental contexts. Conclusions Screen time is an established norm in many youth cultures, presenting barriers to behavior change. Parents recognize the importance of reducing

Interpretation and use of evidence in state policymaking: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Apollonio, Dorie E; Bero, Lisa A

2017-02-20

Researchers advocating for evidence-informed policy have attempted to encourage policymakers to develop a greater understanding of research and researchers to develop a better understanding of the policymaking process. Our aim was to apply findings drawn from studies of the policymaking process, specifically the theory of policy windows, to identify strategies used to integrate evidence into policymaking and points in the policymaking process where evidence was more or less relevant. Our observational study relied on interviews conducted with 24 policymakers from the USA who had been trained to interpret scientific research in multiple iterations of an evidence-based workshop. Participants were asked to describe cases where they had been involved in making health policy and to provide examples in which research was used, either successfully or unsuccessfully. Interviews were transcribed, independently coded by multiple members of the study team and analysed for content using key words, concepts identified by participants and concepts arising from review of the texts. Our results suggest that policymakers who focused on health issues used multiple strategies to encourage evidence-informed policymaking. The respondents used a strict definition of what constituted evidence, and relied on their experience with research to discourage the use of less rigorous research. Their experience suggested that evidence was less useful in identifying problems, encouraging political action or ensuring feasibility and more useful in developing policy alternatives. Past research has suggested multiple strategies to increase the use of evidence in policymaking, including the development of rapid-response research and policy-oriented summaries of data. Our findings suggest that these strategies may be most relevant to the policymaking stream, which develops policy alternatives. In addition, we identify several strategies that policymakers and researchers can apply to encourage evidence

Locating qualitative studies in dementia on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO: A comparison of search strategies.

PubMed

Rogers, Morwenna; Bethel, Alison; Abbott, Rebecca

2017-10-28

Qualitative research in dementia improves understanding of the experience of people affected by dementia. Searching databases for qualitative studies is problematic. Qualitative-specific search strategies might help with locating studies. To examine the effectiveness (sensitivity and precision) of 5 qualitative strategies on locating qualitative research studies in dementia in 4 major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL). Qualitative dementia studies were checked for inclusion on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Five qualitative search strategies (subject headings, simple free-text terms, complex free-text terms, and 2 broad-based strategies) were tested for study retrieval. Specificity, precision and number needed to read were calculated. Two hundred fourteen qualitative studies in dementia were included. PsycINFO and CINAHL held the most qualitative studies out the 4 databases studied (N = 171 and 166, respectively) and both held unique records (N = 14 and 7, respectively). The controlled vocabulary strategy in CINAHL returned 96% (N = 192) of studies held; by contrast, controlled vocabulary in PsycINFO returned 7% (N = 13) of studies held. The broad-based strategies returned more studies (93-99%) than the other free-text strategies (22-82%). Precision ranged from 0.061 to 0.004 resulting in a number needed to read to obtain 1 relevant study ranging from 16 (simple free-text search in CINAHL) to 239 (broad-based search in EMBASE). Qualitative search strategies using 3 broad terms were more sensitive than long complex searches. The controlled vocabulary for qualitative research in CINAHL was particularly effective. Furthermore, results indicate that MEDLINE and EMBASE offer little benefit for locating qualitative dementia research if CINAHL and PSYCINFO are also searched. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Qualitative Study of the Dislocated Working Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouad, Nadya A.; Cotter, Elizabeth W.; Carter, Laura; Bernfeld, Steven; Gray, India; Liu, Jane P.

2012-01-01

This qualitative study examines factors that influence the career decisions of dislocated workers. The research focuses on individuals identified as working class, as this group has been relatively ignored in past research compared to individuals from higher socioeconomic statuses. Participants include 13 individuals (10 females and 3 males)…

Honors Dissertation Abstracts: A Bounded Qualitative Meta-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holman, Debra K.; Banning, James H.

2012-01-01

A potential source of useful information about undergraduate honors education can be found in doctoral dissertation abstracts that focus on honors. Debra Holman and James Banning of Colorado State University sought to explore this resource by undertaking a bounded qualitative meta-study of such abstracts using document analysis. Three…

Qualitative research and the epidemiological imagination: a vital relationship.

PubMed

Popay, J

2003-01-01

This paper takes as its starting point the assumption that the 'Epidemiological Imagination' has a central role to play in the future development of policies and practice to improve population health and reduce health inequalities within and between states but suggests that by neglecting the contribution that qualitative research can make epidemiology is failing to deliver this potential. The paper briefly considers what qualitative research is, touching on epistemological questions--what type of "knowledge" is generated--and questions of methods--what approaches to data collection, analysis and interpretation are involved). Following this the paper presents two different models of the relationship between qualitative and quantitative research. The enhancement model (which assumes that qualitative research findings add something extra to the findings of quantitative research) suggests three related "roles" for qualitative research: generating hypothesis to be tested by quantitative research, helping to construct more sophisticated measures of social phenomena and explaining unexpected research from quantitative research. In contrast, the Epistemological Model suggests that qualitative research is equal but different from quantitative research making a unique contribution through: researching parts other research approaches can't reach, increasing understanding by adding conceptual and theoretical depth to knowledge, shifting the balance of power between researchers and researched and challenging traditional epidemiological ways of "knowing" the social world. The paper illustrates these different types of contributions with examples of qualitative research and finally discusses ways in which the "trustworthiness" of qualitative research can be assessed.

Patients' experiences of dental implant treatment: A literature review of key qualitative studies.

PubMed

Kashbour, W A; Rousseau, N S; Ellis, J S; Thomason, J M

2015-07-01

To identify and summarise the findings of previous qualitative studies relating to patients' experience of dental implant treatment (DIT) at various stages of their implant treatment, by means of textual narrative synthesis. Original articles reporting patients' experience with dental implant were included. A two-stage search of the literature, electronic and hand search identified relevant qualitative studies up to July 2014. An extensive electronic search was conducted of databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Database and Google Scholar. Included primary studies (n=10) used qualitative research methods and qualitative analysis to investigate patients' experiences with dental implants treatment. While the growing interest in implant treatment for the replacement of missing dentition is evident, it is essential to investigate patients' perceptions of different aspects of implant treatment. This textual narrative synthesis conducted to review qualitative studies which provided insight into patients' experience of two types of implant prostheses namely ISOD (implant-supported overdenture) and FISP (fixed implant supported prostheses). Primary reviewed studies tended to include samples of older patients with more extensive tooth loss, and to focus on experiences prior to and post-treatment rather than on the treatment period itself. Findings across reviewed studies (n=10) suggested that patients with FISP thought of implant treatment as a process of 'normalisation'(1) and believed that such implant restorations could be similar to natural teeth, whereas patients with ISOD focused more on the functional and social advantages of their implant treatment. The growing interest in qualitative research is evident in several branches of clinical dentistry and dental implantology is not an exception. Qualitative studies concerning the patients account of their experience of dental implants is however limited. The aim of this review is to

Mixed methods in gerontological research: Do the qualitative and quantitative data “touch”?

PubMed Central

Happ, Mary Beth

2010-01-01

This paper distinguishes between parallel and integrated mixed methods research approaches. Barriers to integrated mixed methods approaches in gerontological research are discussed and critiqued. The author presents examples of mixed methods gerontological research to illustrate approaches to data integration at the levels of data analysis, interpretation, and research reporting. As a summary of the methodological literature, four basic levels of mixed methods data combination are proposed. Opportunities for mixing qualitative and quantitative data are explored using contemporary examples from published studies. Data transformation and visual display, judiciously applied, are proposed as pathways to fuller mixed methods data integration and analysis. Finally, practical strategies for mixing qualitative and quantitative data types are explicated as gerontological research moves beyond parallel mixed methods approaches to achieve data integration. PMID:20077973

Articulating Choice and Deliberation in Conducting Research--Researchers "Working in the Interpretive Zone"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillema, Harm H.; Barak, Lily Orland; Marcos, Juan Jose Mena

2008-01-01

For researchers, committed to a research problem, finding meaningful answers is a process of careful weighting and interpreting what is actually found as an outcome of their mode of inquiry in reference to initial intentions and research goals. Particularly in doing qualitative research in/on teaching researchers have recognised the need to…

Lived experiences of parents caring for a child with a life-limiting condition in Australia: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Collins, Anna; Hennessy-Anderson, Nicole; Hosking, Sarah; Hynson, Jenny; Remedios, Cheryl; Thomas, Kristina

2016-12-01

Experiential studies in paediatric palliative care are needed to enable an ongoing international agenda which supports the development of responsive family supports. To provide an in-depth exploration of the prevalent lived experiences of parents who are currently providing care for a child with a life-limiting condition in Australia. Cross-sectional, prospective, qualitative study guided by an advisory group and reported according to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies. Transcripts were subjected to a thematic analysis, underpinned by an interpretative phenomenological framework. Purposively sampled parents (n = 14) recruited from a statewide paediatric hospice who self-identified as a 'primary caregiver' for one or more children and/or adolescents (⩽18 years) with a life-limiting condition. Four key themes represented the prevalent experiences of parents: (1) trapped inside the house, (2) the protector, (3) living with the shadow and (4) travelling a different pathway. They describe parents' physical and social isolation, exclusion from the workforce, pervasive grief and associated impacts to their health and well-being. Limited professional and diminished social supports resulted in full ownership of care responsibility. Yet, parents embraced their role as 'protector', reporting acquired meaning and purpose. This study builds upon the growing body of evidence available in paediatric palliative care internationally. The key themes highlight the substantial demand for both physical and emotional support beyond what is currently offered and call for the implementation of carefully planned support services and other societal initiatives which seek to alleviate the broad health impacts to caregivers. © The Author(s) 2016.

Hearing children of Deaf parents: Gender and birth order in the delegation of the interpreter role in culturally Deaf families.

PubMed

Moroe, Nomfundo F; de Andrade, Victor

2018-01-01

Culturally, hearing children born to Deaf parents may have to mediate two different positions within the hearing and Deaf cultures. However, there appears to be little written about the experiences of hearing children born to Deaf parents in the South African context. This study sought to investigate the roles of children of Deaf adults (CODAs) as interpreters in Deaf-parented families, more specifically, the influence of gender and birth order in language brokering. Two male and eight female participants between the ages of 21 and 40 years were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling strategies. A qualitative design was employed and data were collected using a semi-structured, open-ended interview format. Themes which emerged were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that there was no formal assignment of the interpreter role; however, female children tended to assume the role of interpreter more often than the male children. Also, it appeared as though the older children shifted the responsibility for interpreting to younger siblings. The participants in this study indicated that they interpreted in situations where they felt they were not developmentally or emotionally ready, or in situations which they felt were better suited for older siblings or for siblings of another gender. This study highlights a need for the formalisation of interpreting services for Deaf people in South Africa in the form of professional interpreters rather than the reliance on hearing children as interpreters in order to mediate between Deaf and hearing cultures.

Directionality effects in simultaneous language interpreting: the case of sign language interpreters in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Van Dijk, Rick; Boers, Eveline; Christoffels, Ingrid; Hermans, Daan

2011-01-01

The quality of interpretations produced by sign language interpreters was investigated. Twenty-five experienced interpreters were instructed to interpret narratives from (a) spoken Dutch to Sign Language of The Netherlands (SLN), (b) spoken Dutch to Sign Supported Dutch (SSD), and (c) SLN to spoken Dutch. The quality of the interpreted narratives was assessed by 5 certified sign language interpreters who did not participate in the study. Two measures were used to assess interpreting quality: the propositional accuracy of the interpreters' interpretations and a subjective quality measure. The results showed that the interpreted narratives in the SLN-to-Dutch interpreting direction were of lower quality (on both measures) than the interpreted narratives in the Dutch-to-SLN and Dutch-to-SSD directions. Furthermore, interpreters who had begun acquiring SLN when they entered the interpreter training program performed as well in all 3 interpreting directions as interpreters who had acquired SLN from birth.

Qualitative Studies of Infant and Young Child Feeding in Lower-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Dietary Patterns

PubMed Central

Kaji, Aiko; Felker-Kantor, Erica; Bazzano, Lydia A.; Potts, Kaitlin S.

2017-01-01

Continued high rates of both under- and over-nutrition in low- and low-middle-income countries highlight the importance of understanding dietary practices such as early and exclusive breastfeeding, and dietary patterns such as timely, appropriate complementary feeding—these behaviors are rooted in complex cultural ecologies. A systematic review and synthesis of available qualitative research related to infant and young child dietary patterns and practices from the perspective of parents and families in low income settings is presented, with a focus on barriers and facilitators to achieving international recommendations. Data from both published and grey literature from 2006 to 2016 was included in the review. Quality assessment consisted of two phases (Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) guidelines and assessment using GRADE-CERQual), followed by synthesis of the studies identified, and subsequent thematic analysis and interpretation. The findings indicated several categories of both barriers and facilitators, spanning individual and system level factors. The review informs efforts aimed at improving child health and nutrition, and represents the first such comprehensive review of the qualitative literature, uniquely suited to understanding complex behaviors leading to infant and young child dietary patterns. PMID:29057842

Why do young people with CFS/ME feel anxious? A qualitative study.

PubMed

Fisher, Hanne; Crawley, Esther

2013-10-01

Young people with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalagic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) (CFS/ME) experience higher levels of psychological distress than healthy controls and young people with other chronic illnesses, and it was recently demonstrated that 38% of this population scored above the clinical cut-off on the Spence Child Anxiety Scale. Subscales of social and separation anxiety were consistently high across gender and age groups. In this study, we used qualitative methods to help us understand more about these two types of anxiety in young people with CFS/ME. Eleven young people (age 12-18) were interviewed. Interviews were self-directed by the participants and were wide ranging. The transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five superordinate themes were identified: social loss and adjustment; introduction of uncertainty and unpredictability; the vulnerable self; individual differences; and contributions towards recovery. Many themes were identical to those described in young people coping with other chronic illnesses in adolescence. In addition, young people with CFS/ME describe experiences associated with the perceived illegitimacy of this condition, namely: feeling unable to explain their illness; bullying from peers; disbelief; and distrust from adults around them. This becomes an additional challenge for these young people. Clinicians need to be aware of these problems, and offer appropriate support.

The Social Integration of Supported Employees: A Qualitative Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagner, David C.

This study utilized qualitative methods to examine the social interactions that occur within supported employment settings between workers with disabilities and nondisabled co-workers. The study also examined the job supports at work settings, to understand the relationship between formal, job coach support services and natural job supports. Seven…

Giftedness, Trauma, and Development: A Qualitative, Longitudinal Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Jean Sunde

2014-01-01

A qualitative, longitudinal, phenomenological case study explored how a gifted female experienced various life events and aspects of development during adolescence and young adulthood (ages 15-30 years), particularly as related to multiple traumatic experiences, which were revealed late in the first year of the study. Additional experiences, well…

Teachers and Seating Arrangements and Assignments: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinahan, Mary P.

2017-01-01

Seating assignments and arrangements are utilized in every school classroom. This qualitative study explored the perceptions that teachers have on seating assignments and arrangements to gain a better understanding of how they make design considerations which impact their students. The questions that guide this study are: How do elementary…

Emerging Themes in Youth Apprenticeship Programs: A Qualitative Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evanciew, Cheryl E. P.

A qualitative study examined experiences between mentors and youth apprentices from the standpoint of situated cognition theory. The youth apprenticeship program studied was located in a rural southeastern community. High school youth apprentices worked with adult mentors and management personnel in selected businesses in the fields of business…

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology: Survey and Qualitative Research.

PubMed

Safdar, Nasia; Abbo, Lilian M; Knobloch, Mary Jo; Seo, Susan K

2016-11-01

Surveys are one of the most frequently employed study designs in healthcare epidemiology research. Generally easier to undertake and less costly than many other study designs, surveys can be invaluable to gain insights into opinions and practices in large samples and may be descriptive and/or be used to test associations. In this context, qualitative research methods may complement this study design either at the survey development phase and/or at the interpretation/extension of results stage. This methods article focuses on key considerations for designing and deploying surveys in healthcare epidemiology and antibiotic stewardship, including identification of whether or not de novo survey development is necessary, ways to optimally lay out and display a survey, denominator measurement, discussion of biases to keep in mind particularly in research using surveys, and the role of qualitative research methods to complement surveys. We review examples of surveys in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship and review the pros and cons of methods used. A checklist is provided to help aid design and deployment of surveys in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-6.

Technology in Nursing Classrooms: A Qualitative Phenomenological Interpretative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Ose G.

2016-01-01

Nursing students have to learn how to critically think and pass a licensure examination to practice their profession. Current students seem to be bored by lecture strategies most commonly applied by seasoned nurse educators. A gap in the literature regarding lived experiences of seasoned nursing faculty members applying technological applications…

Influences on Preservice Teacher Socialization: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Melissa J.

2007-01-01

This qualitative two-year study traces the changes in beliefs and actions of four preservice teachers through the final two years of their university education program. Dialectical Theory of Socialization and Cognitive Dissonance Theory provide the theoretical framework. The findings show that three main factors affect the transfer of learning…

Exploring Innovation: A Qualitative Study of Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beninghove, Linda Scanlon

2016-01-01

As academic libraries evolve to affirm their place as key partners in research, teaching, and learning in university communities, the process of innovation is one of great importance in the intentional design of library services, resources, and staffing. This dissertation was a qualitative, exploratory research study in which the conceptual…

Lived experience of women with gestational diabetes mellitus living in China: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Ge, Li; Wikby, Kerstin; Rask, Mikael

2017-11-28

To explore the lived experience of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) living in China in order to add knowledge about how the Chinese women suffer from GDM. A qualitative interpretive interview study. Data were collected with a snowball sampling technique. Phenomenological hermeneutics was used as the analysis method based on Ricoeur's phenomenological hermeneutical interpretation theory. The study was performed at the participants' work places, or at the obstetric clinics or wards at two provincial hospitals and one municipal hospital in the southeast of China. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years, diagnosis of GDM without other pregnancy complications, in 34th gestational weeks-postpartum 4th weeks and speaking Mandarin Chinese without speech impediment. 62 women, who met the inclusion criteria, took part in the study. The lived experience of the women with GDM living in China was formulated into a main theme: 'longing for caring care'. The main theme was derived from four themes: being stricken by GDM, wishing to receive caring GDM care, being left alone to struggle with GDM and trying to adjust and adapt to life with GDM. The eagerness for caring care in China was highlighted. The lack of caring care could be one of the possible reasons why the professional-patient relations were deteriorating in China. It could be useful for health providers and health policymakers to receive education and training about caring care. Using the health metaphor of balance and 'patient participation' and 'patient-centred' approaches may benefit women with GDM and thus improve the quality of care in China. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A metasynthesis of qualitative findings on the role of spirituality and religiosity among culturally diverse domestic violence survivors.

PubMed

Yick, Alice G

2008-09-01

In this metasynthesis study, the author explores, extracts, and synthesizes themes from related qualitative studies on the role of spirituality and religiosity with culturally diverse domestic violence survivors. Using Noblit and Hare's metaethnographic strategy, the main themes and concepts from eight qualitative articles (six actual research studies, as three articles were written by the same author from the same data set) were reduced to nine themes. Themes include (a) strength and resilience, (b) tension stemming from religious definition of family, (c) tension stemming from religious definition of gender role expectations, (d) spiritual vacuum, (e) reconstruction, (f) recouping spirit and self, (g) new interpretations of submission, (h) forgiveness as healing, and (i) giving back. Implications for practitioners are discussed.

Factors affecting ethical behavior in pediatric occupational therapy: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Kalantari, Minoo; Kamali, Mohammad; Joolaee, Soodabeh; Shafarodi, Narges; Rassafiani, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Background: It is the responsibility of each occupational therapist to always act ethically and professionally in a clinical setting. However, there is little information available concerning the factors influencing ethical behavior of occupational therapists at work. Since no study has been conducted in Iran on this topic, this qualitative study aimed to identify the factors influencing ethical behavior of pediatric occupational therapists. Methods: Twelve pediatric occupational therapists participated in this study. The sampling was purposeful, and the interviews continued until reaching data saturation. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis, and the ethics of qualitative research was considered. Results: The factors influencing ethical behavior were classified into four main categories including organizational factors, therapist related factors, client’s family issues, and social factors. Conclusion: This study identified numerous factors influencing the ethical behavior of pediatric occupational therapists that could be used to train occupational therapists, human resources managers, professional policy makers, and could also be used to conduct future researches, and produce tools. PMID:26913245

The meaning of patient-nurse interaction for older women in healthcare settings: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Mize, Darcy

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of patient-nurse interaction for older women receiving care in healthcare settings. Older women are often overlooked or misunderstood by the nurses caring for them. Some research exists on nurses' perception of their interaction with patients, yet few studies have described the meaning of such interaction from the patients' perspective. This was a pilot study using qualitative description as a methodology. Data were filtered through a lens of critical feminist theory to interpret interactions taking place in healthcare settings that are often characterised by paternalism. Seven women between the ages of 66 and 81 were interviewed using a semi-structured guide. Participants had a distinctive perspective on the experience of caring. Their expressions include stories of being cared for themselves by nurses as well as historical recalls of being the one-caring for family members. In these combined stories, the contrast between the nurses who held caring in primacy and those who were distinctly uncaring sheds light on the importance of cultivating a moral ideal of caring and respect for personhood. A population of older women who potentially face disabling conditions must rely on direct, meaningful, interaction with nurses to successfully navigate the healthcare system. The findings suggest that these women did not have consistent access to such interaction. The gathering and interpretation of new narratives about patient-nurse interaction for older women could lead to a deeper understanding of power and civility as it impacts a caring relationship. Further research using a theoretical lens of critical feminism has implications for improving healthcare delivery for older women worldwide. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Shared Journaling as Peer Support in Teaching Qualitative Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humble, Aine M.; Sharp, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Teaching qualitative research methods (QRM), particularly early on in one's academic career, can be challenging. This paper describes shared peer journaling as one way in which to cope with challenges such as complex debates in the field and student resistance to interpretive paradigms. Literature on teaching QRM and the pedagogical value of…

Home-School Relationships: A Qualitative Study with Diverse Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardona, Betty; Jain, Sachin; Canfield-Davis, Kathy

2012-01-01

This qualitative case study explored how families from diverse cultural backgrounds understood family involvement in the context of early childhood care and educational settings. Participants in the study included nine members from six families who had children enrolled in three early childhood care and education programs. The primary method of…

A Qualitative Study of College-Based Peace Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boudreau, Will

2017-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to examine the perceptions of seven northeast United States, college-based, Peace Education program directors regarding their respective programs' characteristics and the challenges they face. This qualitative study was designed to fill a gap in the literature by examining the perceptions of…

Factors influencing the development and implementation of advanced radiographer practice in Australia – a qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach

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

Page, Barbara A, E-mail: barbpage09@gmail.com; Bernoth, Maree; Davidson, Rob

2014-09-15

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing the implementation or the lack of implementation of advanced practitioner role in Australia. This study uses an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the in-depth real life issues, which surround the advanced practitioner as a solution to radiologist workforce shortages in Australia. Research participants are radiographers, radiation therapists and health managers registered with the Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) and holding senior professional and AIR Board positions with knowledge of current advanced practice. In total, seven interviews were conducted revealing education, governance, technical, people issues, change management, government, costs andmore » timing as critical factors influencing advanced practice in Australia. Seven participants in this study perceived an advanced practice role might have major benefits and a positive impact on the immediate and long-term management of patients. Another finding is the greater respect and appreciation of each other's roles and expertise within the multidisciplinary healthcare team. Engagement is required of the critical stakeholders that have been identified as ‘blockers’ (radiologists, health departments) as well as identified allies (e.g. emergency clinicians, supportive radiologists, patient advocacy groups). The research supports that the AIR has a role to play for the professional identity of radiographers and shaping the advanced practice role in Australia.« less

Metaphorical interpretations of the educator-student relationship: An innovation in nursing educational research.

PubMed

Chan, Zenobia C Y; Chien, Wai Tong; Henderson, Saras

2018-01-01

Previous research has shown that collecting and analysing metaphors is a useful strategy in seeking data that are difficult to collect via verbal interviews or that cannot be represented by statistics. This study explored nursing students' perceptions of the educator-student relationship using metaphorical interpretation. A qualitative study with a personal essay approach was adopted. A total of 124 students were recruited from a nursing school in Hong Kong. A personal essay form was distributed to the participants. They were asked to give a metaphor with explanations to describe the power dynamics in the educator-student relationship, within 200 words in English or Chinese. After some thought, the participants each gave their own metaphor individually, because the aim of this study was to collect their subjective experiences. The results were presented as follows: a) The overall description of the metaphors; b) The three groups of metaphors; c) The fives natures of metaphors; d) The most significant metaphors; and e) The four thematic meanings - (i) nurturing role; (ii) guiding role; (iii) insufficient connection; and (iv) promoting development. The implications for research methods and nurse education of collecting and analyzing metaphors were discussed. Discrepancies in metaphorical interpretations are to be expected, as interpretations are dependent on the researchers' socio-cultural background, personal experiences, professional training, languages spoken, and other factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers in Europe: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Karafillakis, Emilie; Dinca, Irina; Apfel, Franklin; Cecconi, Sabrina; Wűrz, Andrea; Takacs, Judit; Suk, Jonathan; Celentano, Lucia Pastore; Kramarz, Piotr; Larson, Heidi J

2016-09-22

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are often referred to as the most trusted source of vaccine-related information for their patients. However, the evidence suggests that a number of HCWs are vaccine-hesitant. This study consists of 65 semi-structured interviews with vaccine providers in Croatia, France, Greece, and Romania to investigate concerns HCWs might have about vaccination. The results revealed that vaccine hesitancy is present in all four countries among vaccine providers. The most important concern across all countries was the fear of vaccine side effects. New vaccines were singled out due to perceived lack of testing for vaccine safety and efficacy. Furthermore, while high trust in health authorities was expressed by HCWs, there was also strong mistrust of pharmaceutical companies due to perceived financial interests and lack of communication about side effects. The notion that it is a doctor's responsibility to respond to hesitant patients was reported in all countries. Concerns were also seen to be country- and context-specific. Strategies to improve confidence in vaccines should be adapted to the specific political, social, cultural and economic context of countries. Furthermore, while most interventions focus on education and improving information about vaccine safety, effectiveness, or the need for vaccines, concerns raised in this study identify other determinants of hesitancy that need addressing. The representativeness of the views of the interviewed HCWs must be interpreted with caution. This a qualitative study with a small sample size that included geographical areas where vaccination uptake was lower or where hesitancy was more prevalent and it reflects individual participants' beliefs and attitudes toward the topic. As HCWs have the potential of influencing patient vaccination uptake, it is crucial to improve their confidence in vaccination and engage them in activities targeting vaccine hesitancy among their patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by

United States Private-Sector Physicians and Pharmaceutical Contract Research: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Fisher, Jill A.; Kalbaugh, Corey A.

2012-01-01

Background There have been dramatic increases over the past 20 years in the number of nonacademic, private-sector physicians who serve as principal investigators on US clinical trials sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. However, there has been little research on the implications of these investigators' role in clinical investigation. Our objective was to study private-sector clinics involved in US pharmaceutical clinical trials to understand the contract research arrangements supporting drug development, and specifically how private-sector physicians engaged in contract research describe their professional identities. Methods and Findings We conducted a qualitative study in 2003–2004 combining observation at 25 private-sector research organizations in the southwestern United States and 63 semi-structured interviews with physicians, research staff, and research participants at those clinics. We used grounded theory to analyze and interpret our data. The 11 private-sector physicians who participated in our study reported becoming principal investigators on industry clinical trials primarily because contract research provides an additional revenue stream. The physicians reported that they saw themselves as trial practitioners and as businesspeople rather than as scientists or researchers. Conclusions Our findings suggest that in addition to having financial motivation to participate in contract research, these US private-sector physicians have a professional identity aligned with an industry-based approach to research ethics. The generalizability of these findings and whether they have changed in the intervening years should be addressed in future studies. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary. PMID:22911055

Describing qualitative research undertaken with randomised controlled trials in grant proposals: a documentary analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background There is growing recognition of the value of conducting qualitative research with trials in health research. It is timely to reflect on how this qualitative research is presented in grant proposals to identify lessons for researchers and research commissioners. As part of a larger study focusing on how to maximise the value of undertaking qualitative research with trials, we undertook a documentary analysis of proposals of funded studies. Methods Using the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) database we identified trials funded in the United Kingdom, ongoing between 2001 and 2010, and reporting the use of qualitative research. We requested copies of proposals from lead researchers. We extracted data from the proposals using closed and open questions, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis respectively. Results 2% (89/3812) of trials in the mRCT database described the use of qualitative research undertaken with the trial. From these 89 trials, we received copies of 36 full proposals, of which 32 met our inclusion criteria. 25% used less than a single paragraph to describe the qualitative research. The aims of the qualitative research described in these proposals focused mainly on the intervention or trial conduct. Just over half (56%) of the proposals included an explicit rationale for conducting the qualitative research with the trial, the most frequent being to optimise implementation into clinical practice or to interpret trial findings. Key information about methods, expertise and resources was missing in a large minority of proposals, in particular sample size, type of analysis, and non-personnel resources. 28% specifically stated that qualitative researchers would conduct the qualitative research. Conclusions Our review of proposals of successfully funded studies identified good practice but also identified limited space given to describing the qualitative research, with an associated lack of attention to the rationale for

The Use of Intuition in Homeopathic Clinical Decision Making: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study

PubMed Central

Brien, Sarah; Dibb, Bridget; Burch, Alex

2011-01-01

While intuition plays a role in clinical decision making within conventional medicine, little is understood about its use in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate intuition from the perspective of homeopathic practitioners; its' manifestation, how it was recognized, its origins and when it was used within daily clinical practice. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with clinically experienced non-National Health Service (NHS) UK homeopathic practitioners. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the data. Homeopaths reported many similarities with conventional medical practitioner regarding the nature, perceived origin and manifestation of their intuitions in clinical practice. Intuition was used in two key aspects of the consultation: (i) to enhance the practitioner-patient relationship, these were generally trusted; and (ii) intuitions relating to the prescribing decision. Homeopaths were cautious about these latter intuitions, testing any intuitive thoughts through deductive reasoning before accepting them. Their reluctance is not surprising given the consequences for patient care, but we propose this also reflects homeopaths' sensitivity to the academic and medical mistrust of both homeopathy and intuition. This study is the first to explore the use of intuition in decision making in any form of complementary medicine. The similarities with conventional practitioners may provide confidence in validating intuition as a legitimate part of the decision making process for these specific practitioners. Further work is needed to elucidate if these findings reflect intuitive use in clinical practice of other CAM practitioners in both private and NHS (i.e., time limited) settings. PMID:19773389

Dental Fear and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: Qualitative Study Using YouTube

PubMed Central

Hamzah, SH; Yiu, Cynthia Kar Yung; McGrath, Colman; King, Nigel M

2013-01-01

Background Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) refers to the fear of and anxiety towards going to the dentist. It exists in a considerable proportion of children and adolescents and is a major dilemma in pediatric dental practice. As an Internet social medium with increasing popularity, the video-sharing website YouTube offers a useful data source for understanding health behaviors and perceptions of the public. Objective Using YouTube as a platform, this qualitative study aimed to examine the manifestations, impacts, and origins of DFA in children and adolescents from the public’s perspective. Methods To retrieve relevant information, we searched YouTube using the keywords “dental fear”, “dental anxiety”, and “dental phobia”. Videos in English expressing a layperson’s views or experience on children’s or adolescent’s DFA were selected for this study. A video was excluded if it had poor audiovisual quality, was irrelevant, was pure advertisement or entertainment, or contained only the views of professionals. After the screen, we transcribed 27 videos involving 32 children and adolescents, which were reviewed by a panel of 3 investigators, including a layperson with no formal dental training. Inductive thematic analysis was applied for coding and interpreting the data. Results The videos revealed multiple manifestations and impacts of DFA, including immediate physical reactions (eg, crying, screaming, and shivering), psychological responses (eg, worry, upset, panic, helplessness, insecurity, resentment, and hatred), and uncooperativeness in dental treatment. Testimonials from children, adolescents, and their parents suggested diverse origins of DFA, namely personal experience (eg, irregular dental visits and influence of parents or peers), dentists and dental auxiliaries (eg, bad manner, lack of clinical skills, and improper work ethic), dental settings (eg, dental chair and sounds), and dental procedures (eg, injections, pain, discomfort, and

Guidelines for conducting rigorous health care psychosocial cross-cultural/language qualitative research.

PubMed

Arriaza, Pablo; Nedjat-Haiem, Frances; Lee, Hee Yun; Martin, Shadi S

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to synthesize and chronicle the authors' experiences as four bilingual and bicultural researchers, each experienced in conducting cross-cultural/cross-language qualitative research. Through narrative descriptions of experiences with Latinos, Iranians, and Hmong refugees, the authors discuss their rewards, challenges, and methods of enhancing rigor, trustworthiness, and transparency when conducting cross-cultural/cross-language research. The authors discuss and explore how to effectively manage cross-cultural qualitative data, how to effectively use interpreters and translators, how to identify best methods of transcribing data, and the role of creating strong community relationships. The authors provide guidelines for health care professionals to consider when engaging in cross-cultural qualitative research.

Junior doctors' experiences of personal illness: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Fox, Fiona E; Doran, Natasha J; Rodham, Karen J; Taylor, Gordon J; Harris, Michael F; O'Connor, Michael

2011-12-01

Professional status and working arrangements can inhibit doctors from acknowledging and seeking care for their own ill health. Research identifies that a culture of immunity to illness within the medical profession takes root during training. What happens when trainee doctors become unwell during their formative period of education and training? What support do they receive and how do they perceive that the experience of ill health affects their training trajectory? These research questions were developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and health professionals, who adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the experiences of personal illness among trainees in their Foundation Programme (FP) years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight FP trainees from the Severn Deanery in southwest England who had experienced significant illness. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to conduct and analyse the interviews, resulting in a comprehensive list of master themes. This paper reports an interpretative analysis of the themes of Support, Illness Experience, Crossing the Line, Medical Culture, Stigma and Disclosure. Ineffective communication within the medical education and employment system underpins many of the difficulties encountered by trainees who are unwell. Coping style plays a key role in predicting how trainees experience support during and after their illness, although this may be influenced by their particular diagnoses. The barriers to disclosure of their illnesses are discussed within the context of mobilising and maintaining support. Concern about the impact of missing training as a result of ill health appears to be significant in the transmitting of an ethos of invulnerability within the medical culture. Suggestions to improve support procedures for trainees who are unwell include the provision of greater flexibility within the rotation system along with independent pastoral support. Promoting the importance of

Diabetes Education Needs of Chinese Australians: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Tammie S. T.; Walker, Karen Z.; Ralston, Robin A.; Palermo, Claire

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate a type 2 diabetes education programme for Chinese Australians, based on the experience of participants and by exploring the unique needs of Chinese patients, their health beliefs and their cultural behaviours. Design and setting: A qualitative ethnographic study was undertaken in a community health…

An examination of hardiness throughout the sport-injury process: a qualitative follow-up study.

PubMed

Wadey, Ross; Evans, Lynne; Hanton, Sheldon; Neil, Rich

2012-11-01

This qualitative follow-up study aimed to enhance the interpretability and meaningfulness of the findings that emerged from a quantitative study that explored the effect of hardiness on the prediction of, and response to, sport injury (i.e., Wadey, Evans, Hanton, & Neil, 2012). Using theory-based and maximum-variation sampling to contextualize and provide an in-depth understanding of the previous findings, the participants comprised a purposeful sample of 10 athletes from the quantitative study (M age = 21.7; SD= 1.06). Data were derived through semi-structured interviews, and analysed and displayed using composite sequence analysis (Miles & Huberman, 1994). The findings extended Wadey et al.'s (2012) study by identifying the perceived mechanisms by which athletes high and low in hardiness exacerbated or attenuated the impact of pre-injury negative major life events (i.e., a significant predictor of sport injury) and post-injury responses. Specifically, the findings demonstrate that athletes high in hardiness possessed a refined repertoire of problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies that they used pre- and post-injury. Those athletes low in hardiness used avoidance coping strategies that had long-term negative implications. These findings have important implications for the structure, timing, and content of hardiness interventions that aim to reduce rates of injury occurrence and expedite injured athletes' return to competitive sport. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

Service Quality in Alcohol Treatment: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resnick, Sheilagh M.; Griffiths, Mark D.

2010-01-01

The objective of the study was to qualitatively evaluate the managerial and organisational issues associated with service quality in a privately funded alcohol treatment centre in the UK. Two different groups of participants at a private treatment clinic were interviewed. The first group comprised 25 of its patients. The second group comprised 15…

College Housing Dissertations: A Bounded Qualitative Meta-Study