Exploring Teachers' Curriculum Decision Making: Insights from History Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Richard; Reynolds, Rosemary

2018-01-01

This paper explores teachers' decision making by examining the topics that 11 history teachers from 10 schools in England chose to teach and how they approached teaching these topics. Data were gathered from curriculum documents and semi-structured interviews in which teachers' topic choices and approaches to history were explored. Most teachers…

EFL Teaching and Learning at a Vietnamese University: What Do Teachers Say?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Hong Thi; Fehring, Heather; Warren, Wendy

2015-01-01

This paper reports part of a study that documents the factors affecting the efficacy of teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Vietnamese higher education from the teachers' perspectives. Individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve EFL teachers at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology…

Curriculum Development in Outdoor Education: Tasmanian Teachers' Perspectives on the New Pre-Tertiary Outdoor Leadership Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyment, Janet; Morse, Marcus; Shaw, Simon; Smith, Heidi

2014-01-01

The paper examines how outdoor education teachers in Tasmania, Australia have implemented and perceive a new pre-tertiary Outdoor Leadership curriculum document. It draws on an analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 outdoor education teachers. The results revealed that teachers were generally welcoming of the new higher-order…

Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of Professional Development on Learning and Teaching in a Developing Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohan, Parmeshwar Prasad; Lingam, Govinda Ishwar; Chand, Deepa Dewali

2017-01-01

This research examined teachers' perceptions of the impact of Professional Development (PD) programmes on learning and teaching in two Fijian secondary schools. Through a qualitative research design, data were gathered using document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 30 teachers from the two case study schools. The major findings to…

Exploring the Cautionary Attitude toward Wikipedia in Higher Education: Implications for Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayliss, Gemma

2013-01-01

This article presents the research findings of a small-scale study which aimed to explore the cautionary attitude toward the use of Wikipedia in the process of learning. A qualitative case study approach was taken, using literature review, institutional documentation, and semi-structured interviews with five members of academic teaching staff from…

Incentivizing Diversity: Midwestern Performance Funding Policy and Diversity Indicators. Faculty Fellow Report 2017-1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sosanya M.

2017-01-01

This multi-case study examines the Performance funding (PF) policies in four Midwestern states to explore how PF metrics and weights address racial diversity in higher education. Performance funding policies in Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, and Minnesota were examined using both document analysis and semi-structured interviews with state level actors…

Challenges of Implementing Contract Policies for University Academics in Malawi: A Case of Mzuzu University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shawa, Lester B.; Mgomezulu, Victor Y.

2016-01-01

Utilising critical theory, we explored the causes of the conflict that arose between academic staff on fixed-term renewable contracts and university administrators at Mzuzu University in Malawi in order to draw lessons. We collected data using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and document analysis. Ten university employees were purposively…

Functional Impairments of College Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Necessary Modifications for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Sylvia A.

2011-01-01

This study examines the impact of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) on college age students 18-25 years old. Qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews with students and significant others, writing samples and transcript documents, examine functional impairments of students with AD/HD as well as functional…

Perceptions of Co-Teaching: Closing the Achievement Gap between English Language Learners and Their English Monolingual Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford-DeWaters, Carrie

2017-01-01

This qualitative exploratory single case research study used observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis to explore co-teachers' perceptions of the implementation of a co-teaching instructional model in elementary school general education classrooms with clusters of English learners (EL) in attendance. A total of four…

Japanese Language School: Aid or Hindrance to the Americanization of Japanese Americans in Hawaii?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoho, Alan R.

A study examined the experiences of 60 Japanese immigrants to Hawaii (Niseis), aged 61-80, who attended Japanese-language schools as children. Using a case study oral history approach, the study gathered oral testimonies through semi-structured interviews. Historical documents were also used as primary sources of information about the schools.…

Why Can't Tyrone Write: Reconceptualizing Flower and Hayes for African-American Adolescent Male Writers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stormer, Kimberly J.

2017-01-01

Using qualitative methods and a case study design, the perceptions and writing processes of three African-American eighth grade males were explored. Data were derived from semi-structured and informal interviews, and document analysis. The study concluded that the perceptions of the three participants' writing processes did not adhere to the steps…

Parents' Experiences of Home-Based Applied Behavior Analysis Programs for Young Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grindle, Corinna F.; Kovshoff, Hanna; Hastings, Richard P.; Remington, Bob

2009-01-01

Although much research has documented the benefits to children with autism of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI), little has focused on the impact of EIBI on families. Using a semi-structured format, we interviewed 53 parents whose children had received 2 years of EIBI to obtain detailed first person accounts of the perceived benefits…

The Current State of Arts Education in Iran: A Case Study in Two Elementary Schools Using Educational Criticism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nouri, Ali; Farsi, Soheila

2018-01-01

The central aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the recently revised elementary curriculum for arts education in Iran. The study employed an educational criticism method and was conducted in two elementary schools. Data were collected by observation, semi-structured interviews and curriculum documents over a four-month period.…

School--Possibility or (New) Risk for Young Females in Correctional Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boric, Ivana Jedud; Mirosavljevic, Anja

2015-01-01

In this paper, the authors deal with the education of girls in a Croatian correctional institution as a risk factor for social exclusion based on the data obtained via semi-structured interviews with experts and the girls and via the documentation analysis method. In this regard, the paper deals with two perspectives, i.e. the girls' and experts',…

Institutional Motivations and Barriers to the Construction of Green Buildings on Campus: A Case Study of the University of Waterloo, Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Gregory R. A.; Lynes, Jennifer K.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To explore the barriers and motivations to the construction of green buildings at the University of Waterloo (UW) by documenting and analysing the UW building process. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted 13 semi-structured in-depth interviews with key UW individuals as well as analyzing numerous internal reports in order to…

'We Are at This Campus, There Is Nothing in This Campus …': Socio-Spatial Analysis of a University Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aglargöz, Ozan

2017-01-01

This article provides a socio-spatial analysis of a higher education institution operating within a multi-campus system at a location other than the flagship campus. Based on this case study of a technical school, the meanings attached to the university campus are analyzed through semi-structured interviews and official documents. The study…

'You Can't Show Impact with a New Pair of Shoes': Negotiating Disadvantage through Pupil Premium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craske, James

2018-01-01

The Pupil Premium policy was introduced in 2010 by the UK coalition government to tackle the attainment gap disproportionately affecting children from low-income families. Semi-structured interviews and policy documents are examined for the way the policy has been enacted in a single comprehensive secondary school in England. In 2014, this school…

76 FR 4700 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-26

.... Questions vary by respondent type. 5. Post-training semi-structured interview--The purpose of this interview.... Questions vary by respondent type. 6. Post-implementation semi-structured interview--The purpose of this... in this interview. Questions do not vary by respondent type. Estimated Annual Respondent Burden...

How I Learned to Design and Conduct Semi-Structured Interviews: An Ongoing and Continuous Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabionet, Silvia E.

2011-01-01

Qualitative interviewing is a flexible and powerful tool to capture the voices and the ways people make meaning of their experience Learning to conduct semi-structure interviews requires the following six stages: (a) selecting the type of interview; (b) establishing ethical guidelines, (c) crafting the interview protocol; (d) conducting and…

Written Discourse in Scientific Communities: A Conversation with Two Scientists About their Views of Science, Use of Language, Role of Writing in Doing Science, and Compatibility Between their Epistemic Views and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yore, Larry D.; Florence, Marilyn K.; Pearson, Terry W.; Weaver, Andrew J.

2006-01-01

This autobiographical case study of two scientists involved in earlier studies documents a profile of each scientist. These profiles were used to develop semi-structured interview protocols and email surveys for each scientist. The central issues of these data collections were whether these modern, evaluativist scientists believe that the…

Developing and maintaining state-wide adolescent pregnancy prevention coalitions: a preliminary investigation.

PubMed

Nezlek, J B; Galano, J

1993-09-01

This paper presents the results of a study of state-wide adolescent pregnancy prevention coalitions. Key informants in five states throughout the southern United States were given semi-structured interviews regarding the adolescent pregnancy prevention coalitions in their states. From these interviews and other documents, conclusions were drawn regarding the nature and importance of the environments within which these coalitions operate, the universe of activities in which coalitions engage, and the stages of development of these coalitions. Katz and Kahn's model of social organizations served as the basis for understanding coalitions in terms of these three considerations. Future research should consider the utility of organizational models that can explain more fully the organization--committee hybrid structure that tends to characterize these coalitions.

Improving Junior Infantry Officer Leader Development and Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

researcher used a qualitative literature review and semi-structured interview methodology to analyze Army leadership theories and leader development...researcher used a qualitative literature review and semi-structured interview methodology to analyze Army leadership theories and leader development...CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..............................................................132 CHAPTER 4 QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Views of Classroom Teachers Concerning Students with Reading Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayabasi, Zehra Esra Ketenoglu

2017-01-01

This study aimed to try to understand the views and attitudes of classroom teachers concerning students with reading difficulties. Data was collected using the semi-structured interview technique, which is among the qualitative data collection techniques. The researcher prepared a semi-structured interview with 5 questions to be addressed to…

Isolating the Effects of a Mobile Phone on the Usability and Safety of eHealth Software Applications.

PubMed

Borycki, Elizabeth M; Griffith, Janessa; Monkman, Helen; Reid-Haughian, Cheryl

2017-01-01

Mobile phones are used in conjunction with mobile eHealth software applications. These mobile software applications can be used to access, review and document clinical information. The objective of this research was to explore the relationship between mobile phones, usability and safety. Clinical simulations and semi-structured interviews were used to investigate this relationship. The findings revealed that mobile phones may lead to specific types of usability issues that may introduce some types of errors.

Use of Skype in interviews: the impact of the medium in a study of mental health nurses.

PubMed

Oates, Jennifer

2015-03-01

To discuss the use of Skype as a medium for undertaking semi-structured interviews. Internet-based research is becoming increasingly popular, as communication using the internet takes a bigger role in our working and personal lives. Technology such as Skype allows research encounters with people across geographical divides. The semi-structured interview is a social encounter with a set of norms and expectations for both parties ( Doody and Noonan 2012 ). Proceedings must take account of the social context of both semi-structured interviews per se, and that of internet mediated communication. The findings of the qualitative phase of a mixed-methods study are compared with other reports comparing the use of Skype with face-to-face and telephone interviews. This paper is a methodological discussion of the use of Skype as an online research methodology. Choosing Skype as a means of interviewing may affect the characteristics of participants and decisions about consent. Rapport, sensitivity and collaboration may be addressed differently in Skype interviews compared with face-to-face interviews. Skype offers researchers the opportunity to reach a geographical spread of participants more safely, cheaply and quickly than face-to-face meetings. Rapport, sensitivity and degrees of collaboration can be achieved using this medium. The use of Skype as a medium for semi-structured interview research is better understood. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on the use of the internet as a medium for research by nurses.

Developing a spinal cord injury research strategy using a structured process of evidence review and stakeholder dialogue. Part II: Background to a research strategy.

PubMed

Bragge, P; Piccenna, L; Middleton, J; Williams, S; Creasey, G; Dunlop, S; Brown, D; Gruen, R

2015-10-01

Literature review/semi-structured interviews. To develop a spinal cord injury (SCI) research strategy for Australia and New Zealand. Australia. The National Trauma Research Institute Forum approach of structured evidence review and stakeholder consultation was employed. This involved gathering from published literature and stakeholder consultation the information necessary to properly consider the challenge, and synthesising this into a briefing document. A research strategy 'roadmap' was developed to define the major steps and key planning questions to consider; next, evidence from published SCI research strategy initiatives was synthesised with information from four one-on-one semi-structured interviews with key SCI research stakeholders to create a research strategy framework, articulating six key themes and associated activities for consideration. These resources, combined with a review of SCI prioritisation literature, were used to generate a list of draft principles for discussion in a structured stakeholder dialogue meeting. The research strategy roadmap and framework informed discussion at a structured stakeholder dialogue meeting of 23 participants representing key SCI research constituencies, results of which are published in a companion paper. These resources could also be of value in other research strategy or planning exercises. This project was funded by the Victorian Transport Accident Commission and the Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Network.

A Hierarchy of Medicine: Health Strategies of Elder Khmer Refugees in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Denise C.

2007-01-01

This study addresses ways Khmer refugee elders utilize traditional herbal medicine with Western biomedicine in the treatment and prevention of illnesses. Methods include semi-structured and informal interviews with elders and family members, semi-structured interviews with local health care providers and Khmer physicians, and participant…

Post-Evaluation of an Entrepreneurship Program for Inner-City Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doucet, LaRon

2010-01-01

This study evaluated program graduates of National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship 1 to years after completing the program in inner city schools of Los Angeles, California. Twenty-seven out of 150 graduates participated in 2 semi-structured interviews in Northern and Southern California, or long semi-structured telephone interviews for…

Semi-Structured Interview Protocol for Constructing Logic Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gugiu, P. Cristian; Rodriguez-Campos, Liliana

2007-01-01

This paper details a semi-structured interview protocol that evaluators can use to develop a logic model of a program's services and outcomes. The protocol presents a series of questions, which evaluators can ask of specific program informants, that are designed to: (1) identify key informants basic background and contextual information, (2)…

University Lecturers' and Students' Views on Mass Education: A Case Study of Great Zimbabwe University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mapako, Felix; Mareva, Rugare; Gonye, Jairos; Gamira, Daniel

2012-01-01

The study focused on university lecturers' and students' views on mass education at university level. The inquiry employed both a qualitative and quantitative research design in which twenty lecturers were purposively sampled and interviewed using semi-structured interview guides.A semi-structured questionnaire was also administered to fifty…

The value of artefacts in stimulated-recall interviews.

PubMed

Burden, Sarah; Topping, Annie; O'Halloran, Catherine

2015-09-01

To assess the use of artefacts in semi-structured, stimulated-recall interviews in a study exploring mentors' decisions regarding students' competence in practice. Few empirical studies have examined how mentors reach a decision when assessing students' performance in practice. Concerns have repeatedly been voiced that students may lack essential skills at the point of registration or that mentors may have failed or been reticent to judge students' performance as unsatisfactory. Student practice assessment documents (PADs) were used in stimulated-recall (SR) interviews with mentors to explore decision making. A review of the literature identified that artefacts can play a role in triggering a more comprehensive retrospective examination of decision making, thus helping to capture the essence of a mentor's decision over time and in context. Use of an artefact to stimulate recall can elicit evidence of thought processes, which may be difficult to obtain in a normal, semi-structured interview. PADs proved to be a valuable way to generate naturalistic decision making. In addition, discussion of artefacts created by participants can promote participant-driven enquiry, thereby reducing researcher bias. Identifying an approach that captures post hoc decision making based on sustained engagement and interaction between students and their mentors was a challenge. Artefacts can be used to address the difficulties associated with retrospective introspection about a unique decision. There is the potential to increase the use of artefacts in healthcare research. SR can also help novice mentors develop their skills in making decisions regarding assessments of students.

"Why Even Bother; They Are Not Going to Do It?" The Structural Roots of Racism and Discrimination in Lactation Care.

PubMed

Thomas, Erin V

2018-03-01

Through semi-structured interviews with 36 International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) who assist mothers with breastfeeding, this study takes a systematic look at breastfeeding disparities. Specifically, this study documents race-based discrimination against patients in the course of lactation care and links the implicit bias literature to breastfeeding disparities. IBCLCs report instances of race-based discrimination against patients such as unequal care provided to patients of color and overt racist remarks said in front of or behind patient's backs. This study connects patient discrimination in lactation to institutional inequality and offers suggestions to address these inequities.

Cigarette sales to women and children in urban Thailand.

PubMed

Jirojwong, Sansnee

2003-03-01

This descriptive study aimed to document cigarette retailers' knowledge and behaviors about the minimum legal age of cigarette buyers, and their estimates of the proportion of children and women among cigarette buyers. The study was conducted among 70 shop attendants in Hat Yai and Chon Buri cities. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect data using open-ended and close-ended questions. Qualitative data gained from observation and in-depth interviews among six shop owners provided information to support data collected from semi-structured interviews. Cigarettes are sold in small family-run food and household item shops. Although cigarette sales provide limited profits, they were described as essential to attract customers. Twenty-four percent sold only Thai cigarettes, 4% sold only imported cigarettes and 72% sold both. Almost one-third said they did not know the minimum legal age and more than half sold cigarettes to persons younger than 18 years. Single Thai cigarettes were sold to poor customers and to children. A small proportion (13%) said that 50% of their cigarette customers were women. It is possible that women and children were buying for adult males. Although cigarette sales to children younger than 18 years have been prohibited in Thailand for almost ten years, this information was only acknowledged by a small proportion of the shopkeepers. More research is needed on smoking prevalence and the reasons for initiating of smoking in women and children.

What do Australian consumers, pharmacists and prescribers think about documenting indications on prescriptions and dispensed medicines labels?: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Garada, Mona; McLachlan, Andrew J; Schiff, Gordon D; Lehnbom, Elin C

2017-11-15

Documenting the indication on prescriptions and dispensed medicines labels is not standard practice in Australia. However, previous studies that have focused on the content and design of dispensed medicines labels, have suggested including the indication as a safety measure. The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of Australian consumers, pharmacists and prescribers on documenting the indication on prescriptions and dispensed medicines labels. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and mock-up of dispensed medicines labels were designed for participants. Consumers (n = 19) and pharmacists (n = 7) were recruited by convenience sample at community pharmacies in Sydney (Australia) and prescribers (n = 8), including two medical students, were recruited through snowballing. Thirty-four participants were interviewed. Most participants agreed that documenting the indication would be beneficial especially for patients who are forgetful or take multiple medications. Participants also believed it would improve consumers' medication understanding and adherence. Prescribers and pharmacists believed it could help reduce prescribing and dispensing errors by matching the drug/dosage to the correct indication. Prescribers refrained from documenting the indication to protect patients' privacy; however, most patients did not consider documenting the indication as a breach of privacy. Prescribers raised concerns about the extra time to include indications on prescriptions and best language to document indications, using plain language as opposed to medical terminology. All interviewed stakeholders identified numerous benefits of documenting the indication on prescriptions and dispensed medicines labels. Whether these potential benefits can be realized remains unknown and addressing prescribers' concern regarding the time involved in documenting the indication on prescriptions remains a challenge for vendors of electronic medication management systems.

Understanding primary school science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge: The case of teaching global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chordnork, Boonliang; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This aim of this research was to investigate primary school science teachers understanding and teaching practice as well as the influence on teaching and learning a topic like global warming. The participants were four primary science teachers, who were not graduated in science education. Methodology was the case study method, which was under the qualitative research regarded from interpretive paradigm. Data were collected by openended questionnaire, semi-structure interview, and document colleting. The questionnaire examined teachers' background, teachers' understanding of problems and threats of science teaching, desiring of development their PCK, sharing the teaching approaches, and their ideas of strength and weakness. a semi-structured interview was conducted based on the approach for capturing PCK of Loughran [23] content representation (CoRe). And, the document was collected to clarify what evidence which was invented to effect on students' learning. These document included lesson plan, students' task, and painting about global warming, science projects, the picture of activities of science learning, the exercise and test. Data analysis employed multiple approach of evidence looking an issue from each primary science teachers and used triangulation method to analyze the data with aiming to make meaning of teachers' representation of teaching practice. These included descriptive statistics, CoRe interpretation, and document analysis. The results show that teachers had misunderstanding of science teaching practice and they has articulated the pedagogical content knowledge in terms of assessment, goal of teaching and linking to the context of socio cultural. In contrast, knowledge and belief of curriculum, students' understanding of content global warming, and strategies of teaching were articulated indistinct by non-graduate science teacher. Constructing opportunities for personal development, the curiosity of the student learning center, and linking context of socio-culture were the creative factor in the teaching global warming. On the other hand, the teachers had an idea that lack of technology and the defect of child's intelligence were hinder factors teaching global warming.

Living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Parental Experiences of Raising a Child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazzard, Jonathan; Overall, Katy

2012-01-01

The focus of the study was to explore parental experiences of raising a child with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). A mixed-method approach consisting of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews was used in order to elicit parental perspectives of raising a child with ASD. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of…

Nebraska Collegiate Methods Professors' Perceptions of the Next Generation Science Standards: A Semi-Structured Interview Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasmussen, Ashley B.

2017-01-01

This study utilized a semi-structured interview approach to identify how college methods professors in Nebraska are engaging pre-service K-12 teachers with the Next Generation Science Standards and to determine if this information is being carried over to Nebraska K-12 classrooms. The study attempted to address these items by answering the…

Effects of a training in the Disability Assessment Structured Interview on the interviews of Dutch insurance physicians.

PubMed

Spanjer, Jerry; van de Mei, Sijrike; Cornelius, Bert; Brouwer, Sandra; van der Klink, Jac

2016-08-01

The Disability Assessment Structured Interview (DASI) is a semi-structured interview for assessing functional limitations of claimants in a work disability evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a 3-day DASI training course on the quality of assessment interviews of insurance physicians (IPs). In a pretest-posttest study, 55 IPs employed at the Dutch National Institute for Employee Benefits Schemes completed a 3-day DASI training. Before (T0), directly after the training (T1) and after 3 months follow-up (T2), these IPs filled out questionnaires that measured knowledge, skills, attitude and self-efficacy. Furthermore, in 10 disability assessment cases interview duration, IP's satisfaction, amount of acquired information and confidence of judgement were measured. Finally, the amount of information reported was measured in three randomly selected disability assessment reports of each IP. IP's knowledge, skills and self-efficacy improved significantly after the training. The attitude of the IPs changed towards a more open attitude and structuring of the interview. Satisfaction about the interview, amount of acquired information and confidence of their judgement all increased. The DASI training improved the quality of assessment interviews of IPs. A semi-structured interview, like the DASI, can help physicians to pay more attention to activity limitations and participation in addition to medical information. Implications for Rehabilitation Experienced IPs are able to change their disability assessment interview routine after training. In determining work ability, IPs should pay more attention to claimant's activity limitations and participation in addition to medical information. A semi-structured interview as the DASI can help IPs to pay more attention to claimant's functioning. A 3-day DASI training for IPs can increase their confidence in their judgement and provides significantly more information in their assessment reports.

Characteristics of zero-absenteeism in hospital care.

PubMed

Schreuder, J A H; Roelen, C A M; van der Klink, J J L; Groothoff, J W

2013-06-01

Literature on sickness presenteeism is emerging, but still little is known about employees who are never absent from work due to injuries or illness. Insight into the determinants and characteristics of such zero-absentees may provide clues for preventing sickness absence. To investigate the characteristics of zero-absentees, defined as employees without sickness absence over a period of 5 years. A mixed-method qualitative study comprising semi-structured interviews and focus groups for which Azjen and Fishbein's theory of planned behaviour was used as a framework. Zero-absentees working in hospital care were invited for semi-structured interviews until saturation was reached. The results of semi-structured interviews were validated in two focus groups. Of 1053 hospital employees, 47 were zero-absentees of whom 31 (66%) agreed to participate in the study. After 16 semi-structured interviews, no new insights or information were gathered from the interviews. The remaining 15 employees were invited to two (n = 8 and n = 7) focus groups. Personal attitudes and self-efficacy were more important in zero-absenteeism than social pressures of managers, colleagues or patients. Zero-absentees were found to be intrinsically motivated to try attending work when ill. In the present study population of hospital employees, we found indications that zero-absenteeism and sickness presenteeism might be different types of work attendance. Managers should realize that zero-absentees are driven by intrinsic motivation rather than social pressures to attend work.

Food for Life: evaluation of the impact of the Hospital Food Programme in England using a case study approach

PubMed Central

Orme, Judy; Pitt, Hannah; Jones, Matthew

2017-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the impact and challenges of implementing a Food for Life approach within three pilot NHS sites in 2014/2015 in England. Food for Life is an initiative led by the Soil Association, a non-governmental organisation in the UK that aims to encourage a healthy, sustainable food culture across communities. Design A case-study approach was undertaken using semi-structured interviews with staff and key stakeholders together with analysis of relevant documents such as meeting minutes, strategic plans and reports. Setting Three NHS Trusts in England. Participants Staff and key stakeholders. Main outcome measures Synthesis of key findings from semi-structured interviews and analysis of relevant documents. Results Key themes included the potential to influence contracting processes; measuring quality; food for staff and visitors; the role of food in hospitals, and longer term sustainability and impact. Participants reported that adopting the Food for Life approach had provided enormous scope to improve the quality of food in hospital settings and had provided levers and external benchmarks for use in contracting to help drive up standards of the food provided by external contractors for patients and staff. This was demonstrated by the achievement of an FFLCM for staff and visitor catering in all three organisations. Conclusions Participants all felt that the importance of food in hospitals is not always recognised. Engagement with Food for Life can produce a significant change in the focus on food within hospitals, and help to improve the quality of food and mealtime experience for staff, visitors and patients. PMID:29051822

[The semi-structured interview: at the border of public health and anthropology].

PubMed

Imbert, Geneviève

2010-09-01

The interview is the tool for data collection the most used in the context of research conducted in health sciences, human sciences and social sciences. After completing some generalities about the different types of interviews, the focus is on semi-structured interview during its various stages including the processing and data analysis, this from the return of a lived experience of research in work on the border of the field of public health and that of anthropology. If this approach and contextualized the semistructured interview may a priori appear specific, the reader interested in the development of qualitative research in a humanistic perspective and the implementation of multidisciplinary strategies to ascertain its universal character.

Assessment of Semi-Structured Clinical Interview for Mobile Phone Addiction Disorder.

PubMed

Alavi, Seyyed Salman; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Jannatifard, Fereshteh; Mohammadi Kalhori, Soroush; Sepahbodi, Ghazal; BabaReisi, Mohammad; Sajedi, Sahar; Farshchi, Mojtaba; KhodaKarami, Rasul; Hatami Kasvaee, Vahid

2016-04-01

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) classified mobile phone addiction disorder under "impulse control disorder not elsewhere classified". This study surveyed the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR for the diagnosis of mobile phone addiction in correspondence with Iranian society and culture. Two hundred fifty students of Tehran universities were entered into this descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study. Quota sampling method was used. At first, semi- structured clinical interview (based on DSM-IV-TR) was performed for all the cases, and another specialist reevaluated the interviews. Data were analyzed using content validity, inter-scorer reliability (Kappa coefficient) and test-retest via SPSS18 software. The content validity of the semi- structured clinical interview matched the DSM-IV-TR criteria for behavioral addiction. Moreover, their content was appropriate, and two items, including "SMS pathological use" and "High monthly cost of using the mobile phone" were added to promote its validity. Internal reliability (Kappa) and test-retest reliability were 0.55 and r = 0.4 (p<0. 01) respectively. The results of this study revealed that semi- structured diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR are valid and reliable for diagnosing mobile phone addiction, and this instrument is an effective tool to diagnose this disorder.

Resource allocation and purchasing arrangements to improve accessibility of medicines: Evidence from Iran.

PubMed

Bastani, Peivand; Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Dinarvand, Rasoul

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to review the current methods of pharmaceutical purchasing by Iranian insurance organizations within the World Bank conceptual framework model so as to provide applicable pharmaceutical resource allocation and purchasing (RAP) arrangements in Iran. This qualitative study was conducted through a qualitative document analysis (QDA), applying the four-step Scott method in document selection, and conducting 20 semi-structured interviews using a triangulation method. Furthermore, the data were analyzed applying five steps framework analysis using Atlas-ti software. The QDA showed that the purchasers face many structural, financing, payment, delivery and service procurement and purchasing challenges. Moreover, the findings of interviews are provided in three sections including demand-side, supply-side and price and incentive regime. Localizing RAP arrangements as a World Bank Framework in a developing country like Iran considers the following as the prerequisite for implementing strategic purchasing in pharmaceutical sector: The improvement of accessibility, subsidiary mechanisms, reimbursement of new drugs, rational use, uniform pharmacopeia, best supplier selection, reduction of induced demand and moral hazard, payment reform. It is obvious that for Iran, these customized aspects are more various and detailed than those proposed in a World Bank model for developing countries.

Using systems thinking and the Intervention Level Framework to analyse public health planning for complex problems: Otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

PubMed Central

Durham, Jo; Vaughan, Lisa; Willis, Cameron D.

2018-01-01

Background Middle ear disease (otitis media) is endemic among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia and represents an important cause of hearing loss. The disease is the result of a mix of biological, environmental and host risk factors that interact in complex, non-linear ways along a dynamic continuum. As such, it is generally recognised that a holistic, systems approach is required to reverse the high rates of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The objective of this paper is to examine the alignment between efforts designed to address otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Queensland, Australia and core concepts of systems thinking. This paper’s overall purpose is to identify which combination of activities, and at which level, hold the potential to facilitate systems changes to better support ear health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Methods We began with a review of documents identified in consultation with stakeholders and an online search. In addition, key informants were invited to participate in an online survey and a face-to-face or phone interview. Qualitative interviews using a semi-structured interview guide were used to explore survey responses in more depth. We also undertook interviews at the community level to elicit a diverse range of views. Ideas, statements or activities reported in the documents and interviews as being performed under the Intervention Level Framework were identified using qualitative thematic and content analysis. A quantitative descriptive analysis was also undertaken, whereby data was extracted into an Excel spreadsheet and coded under the relevant strategic directions and performance indicators of the Framework. Subsequently, we coded activities against the five-level intervention framework developed by Malhi and colleagues, that is: 1) paradigm; 2) goals; 3) system structure; 4) feedback and delays; and 5) structural elements. Results Overall, twenty documents were reviewed. We examined surveys and interviews with six key informants. Twenty-four individual and 3 group interviews were conducted across central and community level informants. One hundred and four items were coded from the 20 documents and 156 items from interview data. For both data sets, the majority of activities were coded at the structural elements level. The results suggested three key areas where further work is needed to drive sustained improvements: 1) build the governance structures needed for paradigm shift to achieve a multi-sectoral approach; 2) develop shared system level goals; 3) develop system-wide feedback processes. Conclusions Sustained progress in improving ear health within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children requires a holistic, system-wide approach. To advance such work, governance structures for multi-sectoral collaboration including the development of joint goals and monitoring and feedback are required. Intervening at these higher leverage points could have a profound effect on persistent public health issues. PMID:29561891

Using systems thinking and the Intervention Level Framework to analyse public health planning for complex problems: Otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

PubMed

Durham, Jo; Schubert, Lisa; Vaughan, Lisa; Willis, Cameron D

2018-01-01

Middle ear disease (otitis media) is endemic among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia and represents an important cause of hearing loss. The disease is the result of a mix of biological, environmental and host risk factors that interact in complex, non-linear ways along a dynamic continuum. As such, it is generally recognised that a holistic, systems approach is required to reverse the high rates of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The objective of this paper is to examine the alignment between efforts designed to address otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Queensland, Australia and core concepts of systems thinking. This paper's overall purpose is to identify which combination of activities, and at which level, hold the potential to facilitate systems changes to better support ear health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. We began with a review of documents identified in consultation with stakeholders and an online search. In addition, key informants were invited to participate in an online survey and a face-to-face or phone interview. Qualitative interviews using a semi-structured interview guide were used to explore survey responses in more depth. We also undertook interviews at the community level to elicit a diverse range of views. Ideas, statements or activities reported in the documents and interviews as being performed under the Intervention Level Framework were identified using qualitative thematic and content analysis. A quantitative descriptive analysis was also undertaken, whereby data was extracted into an Excel spreadsheet and coded under the relevant strategic directions and performance indicators of the Framework. Subsequently, we coded activities against the five-level intervention framework developed by Malhi and colleagues, that is: 1) paradigm; 2) goals; 3) system structure; 4) feedback and delays; and 5) structural elements. Overall, twenty documents were reviewed. We examined surveys and interviews with six key informants. Twenty-four individual and 3 group interviews were conducted across central and community level informants. One hundred and four items were coded from the 20 documents and 156 items from interview data. For both data sets, the majority of activities were coded at the structural elements level. The results suggested three key areas where further work is needed to drive sustained improvements: 1) build the governance structures needed for paradigm shift to achieve a multi-sectoral approach; 2) develop shared system level goals; 3) develop system-wide feedback processes. Sustained progress in improving ear health within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children requires a holistic, system-wide approach. To advance such work, governance structures for multi-sectoral collaboration including the development of joint goals and monitoring and feedback are required. Intervening at these higher leverage points could have a profound effect on persistent public health issues.

The use of semi-structured interviews for the characterisation of farmer irrigation practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, J.; Buytaert, W.; Mijic, A.; Brozovic, N.; Sinha, R.

2015-08-01

Generating information on the behaviours, characteristics and drivers of users, as well on the resource itself, is vital in developing sustainable and realistic water security options. In this paper we present a methodology for collecting qualitative and quantitative data on water use practices through semi-structured interviews. This approach facilitates the collection of detailed information on actors' decisions in a convenient and cost-effective manner. The interview is organised around a topic guide, which helps lead the conversation in a standardised way while allowing sufficient opportunity to identify relevant issues previously unknown to the researcher. In addition, semi-structured interviews can be used to obtain certain types of quantitative data. While not as accurate as direct measurements, it can provide useful information on local practices and farmers' insights. We present an application of the methodology on two districts in the State of Uttar Pradesh in North India. By means of 100 farmer interviews, information was collected on various aspects of irrigation practices, including irrigation water volumes, irrigation cost, water source and their spatial variability. A statistical analysis of the information, along with some data visualisation is also presented, which highlights a significant variation in irrigation practices both within and between the districts. Our application shows that semi-structured interviews are an effective and efficient method of collecting both qualitative and quantitative information for the assessment of drivers, behaviours and their outcomes in a data scarce region. The collection of this type of data could significantly improve insight on water resources, leading to more realistic management options and increased water security in the future.

[Adolescents as research subjects and free informed consent: knowledge and opinion of researchers and adolescents].

PubMed

Guariglia, Fabiana; Bento, Silvana Ferreira; Hardy, Ellen

2006-01-01

This article presents the results of a study that evaluated the knowledge and opinions of researchers and adolescents that served as their research subjects on the legal norms that regulate the participation of the latter as research subjects, the capacity of adolescents to make autonomous decisions regarding participation, and the adolescent experience after agreeing to take part in a study. This was a qualitative study with a convenience sample, the size of which was defined by the criteria of informational redundancy. Interviews were conducted with three researchers who had used adolescents as research subjects and nine of these subjects. This number of interviews was sufficient to reach informational redundancy. Data was collected through recorded semi-structured interviews, with open questions. All the researchers were familiar with some legal document related to the participation of adolescents as subjects of research. On the other hand, the adolescents were surprised because they were not aware of the existence of such documents. However, they considered them necessary for their own protection. In general, researchers and adolescents believe that adolescents have the capacity to decide autonomously to participate as research subjects. The adolescents affirmed that they had decided to volunteer conscientiously.

INTERDEM Academy special section -  Digging for Dementia: Exploring the experience of community gardening from the perspectives of people with dementia.

PubMed

Noone, Sarah; Jenkins, Nicholas

2017-10-25

The study sought to explore the lived experiences of people with dementia who participate in community-based gardening programmes. A collaborative gardening project was conducted over six weeks at a day centre for people with dementia. Six participants were recruited from the centre's attendees. Each session was co-designed by participants. Semi-structured group interviews were conducted each week, and researcher observations were documented. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the centre's staff to explore their views and to contextualise gardening participants' experiences. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. This paper focuses upon three of the study's emergent themes: identity, agency, and community. The findings revealed that for people with dementia, gardening is not merely a matter of enjoying time outdoors; it is a forum for the articulation of identity and selfhood and expression of agency, and can facilitate the development of new social bonds based upon shared interests, rather than a shared diagnosis. Gardening-based interventions can offer more than simply facilitating outdoor engagement and promoting social interaction. When conditions are right, gardening can be an effective vehicle for the promotion of social citizenship and expression of selfhood and agency in dementia.

Mental Status Documentation: Information Quality and Data Processes

PubMed Central

Weir, Charlene; Gibson, Bryan; Taft, Teresa; Slager, Stacey; Lewis, Lacey; Staggers, Nancy

2016-01-01

Delirium is a fluctuating disturbance of cognition and/or consciousness associated with poor outcomes. Caring for patients with delirium requires integration of disparate information across clinicians, settings and time. The goal of this project was to characterize the information processes involved in nurses’ assessment, documentation, decisionmaking and communication regarding patients’ mental status in the inpatient setting. VA nurse managers of medical wards (n=18) were systematically selected across the US. A semi-structured telephone interview focused on current assessment, documentation, and communication processes, as well as clinical and administrative decision-making was conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. A thematic analytic approach was used. Five themes emerged: 1) Fuzzy Concepts, 2) Grey Data, 3) Process Variability 4) Context is Critical and 5) Goal Conflict. This project describes the vague and variable information processes related to delirium and mental status that undermine effective risk, prevention, identification, communication and mitigation of harm. PMID:28269919

Mental Status Documentation: Information Quality and Data Processes.

PubMed

Weir, Charlene; Gibson, Bryan; Taft, Teresa; Slager, Stacey; Lewis, Lacey; Staggers, Nancy

2016-01-01

Delirium is a fluctuating disturbance of cognition and/or consciousness associated with poor outcomes. Caring for patients with delirium requires integration of disparate information across clinicians, settings and time. The goal of this project was to characterize the information processes involved in nurses' assessment, documentation, decisionmaking and communication regarding patients' mental status in the inpatient setting. VA nurse managers of medical wards (n=18) were systematically selected across the US. A semi-structured telephone interview focused on current assessment, documentation, and communication processes, as well as clinical and administrative decision-making was conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. A thematic analytic approach was used. Five themes emerged: 1) Fuzzy Concepts, 2) Grey Data, 3) Process Variability 4) Context is Critical and 5) Goal Conflict. This project describes the vague and variable information processes related to delirium and mental status that undermine effective risk, prevention, identification, communication and mitigation of harm.

A case study of middle school food policy and persisting barriers to healthful eating.

PubMed

Jara, Eddy; Ozer, Emily J; Seyer-Ochi, Ingrid

2014-01-01

Decreasing access to competitive foods in schools has produced only modest effects on adolescents' eating patterns. This qualitative case study investigated persistent barriers to healthful eating among students attending an ethnically diverse middle school in a working-class urban neighborhood that had banned on campus competitive food sales. Participant observations, semi-structured interviews and document reviews were conducted. Unappealing school lunches and easily accessible unhealthful foods, combined with peer and family influences, increased the appeal of unhealthy foods. Areas for further inquiry into strategies to improve urban middle school students' school and neighborhood food environments are discussed.

Situating and Constructing Diversity in Semi-Structured Interviews

PubMed Central

McIntosh, Michele J.; Morse, Janice M.

2015-01-01

Although semi-structured interviews (SSIs) are used extensively in research, scant attention is given to their diversity, underlying assumptions, construction, and broad applications to qualitative and mixed-method research. In this three-part article, we discuss the following: (a) how the SSI is situated historically including its evolution and diversification, (b) the principles of constructing SSIs, and (c) how SSIs are utilized as a stand-alone research method, and as strategy within a mixed-method design. PMID:28462313

Assessment of Semi-Structured Clinical Interview for Mobile Phone Addiction Disorder

PubMed Central

Alavi, Seyyed Salman; Jannatifard, Fereshteh; Mohammadi Kalhori, Soroush; Sepahbodi, Ghazal; BabaReisi, Mohammad; Sajedi, Sahar; Farshchi, Mojtaba; KhodaKarami, Rasul; Hatami Kasvaee, Vahid

2016-01-01

Objective: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) classified mobile phone addiction disorder under “impulse control disorder not elsewhere classified”. This study surveyed the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR for the diagnosis of mobile phone addiction in correspondence with Iranian society and culture. Method: Two hundred fifty students of Tehran universities were entered into this descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study. Quota sampling method was used. At first, semi- structured clinical interview (based on DSM-IV-TR) was performed for all the cases, and another specialist reevaluated the interviews. Data were analyzed using content validity, inter-scorer reliability (Kappa coefficient) and test-retest via SPSS18 software. Results: The content validity of the semi- structured clinical interview matched the DSM–IV-TR criteria for behavioral addiction. Moreover, their content was appropriate, and two items, including “SMS pathological use” and “High monthly cost of using the mobile phone” were added to promote its validity. Internal reliability (Kappa) and test–retest reliability were 0.55 and r = 0.4 (p<0. 01) respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that semi- structured diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR are valid and reliable for diagnosing mobile phone addiction, and this instrument is an effective tool to diagnose this disorder. PMID:27437008

Are physiotherapy students adequately prepared to successfully gain employment?

PubMed

Jones, Mandy; McIntyre, Judith; Naylor, Sandra

2010-06-01

To explore the preparedness of final-year physiotherapy students for their progression into employment, and identify what universities can do to facilitate a smooth transition. A single-cohort study, utilising a qualitative design incorporating a survey followed by transcribed and coded semi-structured interviews. Interviews were held in the Placement and Careers Centre at Brunel University, London. Sixty final-year full- and part-time students participated in the survey, and 12 final-year full- and part-time students participated in the semi-structured interviews. Sixty students completed a questionnaire which explored their preparedness for employment. Questions related to the current job situation, the application process and the student's ideal first post. Responses from the questionnaire were analysed and discussed further through a digitally recorded interview. Twelve students were interviewed by an experienced interviewer from a non-physiotherapy background. Students felt unprepared for employment. Forty-seven per cent wanted a rotational post, but 26% would only spend 6 months and 39% would only spend 1 year looking for a job. Seventy-one percent would change career and 99% would work abroad if they were unable to secure a post in the UK. Most importantly, students could not identify transferable skills required by potential employers; only 25% cited effective communications, and 10% cited flexible working as a transferable skill. Self-management skills (e.g. prioritisation, time management and documentation) were not perceived as essential for employment. The job market requires physiotherapy graduates to possess transferable skills which can be applied to any situation. Many are integral to the profession and the undergraduate curriculum; however, analysis and assimilation of these skills cannot be assumed. Universities should reflect on their curriculum delivery to produce graduates who meet employers' expectations and make a smooth transition into the workplace. Copyright 2010 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of theory to enhance audit and feedback interventions to increase the uptake of evidence-based transfusion practice: an intervention development protocol.

PubMed

Gould, Natalie J; Lorencatto, Fabiana; Stanworth, Simon J; Michie, Susan; Prior, Maria E; Glidewell, Liz; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Francis, Jill J

2014-07-29

Audits of blood transfusion demonstrate around 20% transfusions are outside national recommendations and guidelines. Audit and feedback is a widely used quality improvement intervention but effects on clinical practice are variable, suggesting potential for enhancement. Behavioural theory, theoretical frameworks of behaviour change and behaviour change techniques provide systematic processes to enhance intervention. This study is part of a larger programme of work to promote the uptake of evidence-based transfusion practice. The objectives of this study are to design two theoretically enhanced audit and feedback interventions; one focused on content and one on delivery, and investigate the feasibility and acceptability. Study A (Content): A coding framework based on current evidence regarding audit and feedback, and behaviour change theory and frameworks will be developed and applied as part of a structured content analysis to specify the key components of existing feedback documents. Prototype feedback documents with enhanced content and also a protocol, describing principles for enhancing feedback content, will be developed. Study B (Delivery): Individual semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals and observations of team meetings in four hospitals will be used to specify, and identify views about, current audit and feedback practice. Interviews will be based on a topic guide developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Analysis of transcripts based on these frameworks will form the evidence base for developing a protocol describing an enhanced intervention that focuses on feedback delivery. Study C (Feasibility and Acceptability): Enhanced interventions will be piloted in four hospitals. Semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and observations will be used to assess feasibility and acceptability. This intervention development work reflects the UK Medical Research Council's guidance on development of complex interventions, which emphasises the importance of a robust theoretical basis for intervention design and recommends systematic assessment of feasibility and acceptability prior to taking interventions to evaluation in a full-scale randomised study. The work-up includes specification of current practice so that, in the trials to be conducted later in this programme, there will be a clear distinction between the control (usual practice) conditions and the interventions to be evaluated.

Juggling confidentiality and safety: a qualitative study of how general practice clinicians document domestic violence in families with children.

PubMed

Drinkwater, Jessica; Stanley, Nicky; Szilassy, Eszter; Larkins, Cath; Hester, Marianne; Feder, Gene

2017-06-01

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) and child safeguarding are interlinked problems, impacting on all family members. Documenting in electronic patient records (EPRs) is an important part of managing these families. Current evidence and guidance, however, treats DVA and child safeguarding separately. This does not reflect the complexity clinicians face when documenting both issues in one family. To explore how and why general practice clinicians document DVA in families with children. A qualitative interview study using vignettes with GPs and practice nurses (PNs) in England. Semi-structured telephone interviews with 54 clinicians (42 GPs and 12 PNs) were conducted across six sites in England. Data were analysed thematically using a coding frame incorporating concepts from the literature and emerging themes. Most clinicians recognised DVA and its impact on child safeguarding, but struggled to work out the best way to document it. They described tensions among the different roles of the EPR: a legal document; providing continuity of care; information sharing to improve safety; and a patient-owned record. This led to strategies to hide information, so that it was only available to other clinicians. Managing DVA in families with children is complex and challenging for general practice clinicians. National integrated guidance is urgently needed regarding how clinicians should manage the competing roles of the EPR, while maintaining safety of the whole family, especially in the context of online EPRs and patient access. © British Journal of General Practice 2017.

Juggling confidentiality and safety: a qualitative study of how general practice clinicians document domestic violence in families with children

PubMed Central

Drinkwater, Jessica; Stanley, Nicky; Szilassy, Eszter; Larkins, Cath; Hester, Marianne; Feder, Gene

2017-01-01

Background Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) and child safeguarding are interlinked problems, impacting on all family members. Documenting in electronic patient records (EPRs) is an important part of managing these families. Current evidence and guidance, however, treats DVA and child safeguarding separately. This does not reflect the complexity clinicians face when documenting both issues in one family. Aim To explore how and why general practice clinicians document DVA in families with children. Design and setting A qualitative interview study using vignettes with GPs and practice nurses (PNs) in England. Method Semi-structured telephone interviews with 54 clinicians (42 GPs and 12 PNs) were conducted across six sites in England. Data were analysed thematically using a coding frame incorporating concepts from the literature and emerging themes. Results Most clinicians recognised DVA and its impact on child safeguarding, but struggled to work out the best way to document it. They described tensions among the different roles of the EPR: a legal document; providing continuity of care; information sharing to improve safety; and a patient-owned record. This led to strategies to hide information, so that it was only available to other clinicians. Conclusion Managing DVA in families with children is complex and challenging for general practice clinicians. National integrated guidance is urgently needed regarding how clinicians should manage the competing roles of the EPR, while maintaining safety of the whole family, especially in the context of online EPRs and patient access. PMID:28137783

The use of semi-structured interviews for the characterisation of farmer irrigation practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, Jimmy; Buytaert, Wouter; Mijic, Ana; Brozović, Nicholas; Sinha, Rajiv

2016-05-01

For the development of sustainable and realistic water security, generating information on the behaviours, characteristics, and drivers of users, as well as on the resource itself, is essential. In this paper we present a methodology for collecting qualitative and quantitative data on water use practices through semi-structured interviews. This approach facilitates the collection of detailed information on actors' decisions in a convenient and cost-effective manner. Semi-structured interviews are organised around a topic guide, which helps lead the conversation in a standardised way while allowing sufficient opportunity for relevant issues to emerge. In addition, they can be used to obtain certain types of quantitative data. While not as accurate as direct measurements, they can provide useful information on local practices and users' insights. We present an application of the methodology on farmer water use in two districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. By means of 100 farmer interviews, information was collected on various aspects of irrigation practices, including irrigation water volumes, irrigation cost, water source, and their spatial variability. Statistical analyses of the information, along with data visualisation, are also presented, indicating a significant variation in irrigation practices both within and between districts. Our application shows that semi-structured interviews are an effective and efficient method of collecting both qualitative and quantitative information for the assessment of drivers, behaviours, and their outcomes in a data-scarce region. The collection of this type of data could significantly improve insights on water resources, leading to more realistic management options and increased water security in the future.

Documentation of clinical care in hospital patients' medical records: A qualitative study of medical students' perspectives on clinical documentation education.

PubMed

Rowlands, Stella; Coverdale, Steven; Callen, Joanne

2016-12-01

Clinical documentation is essential for communication between health professionals and the provision of quality care to patients. To examine medical students' perspectives of their education in documentation of clinical care in hospital patients' medical records. A qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with fourth-year medical students was undertaken at a hospital-based clinical school in an Australian university. Several themes reflecting medical students' clinical documentation education emerged from the data: formal clinical documentation education using lectures and tutorials was minimal; most education occurred on the job by junior doctors and student's expressed concerns regarding variation in education between teams and receiving limited feedback on performance. Respondents reported on the importance of feedback for their learning of disease processes and treatments. They suggested that improvements could be made in the timing of clinical documentation education and they stressed the importance of training on the job. On-the-job education with feedback in clinical documentation provides a learning opportunity for medical students and is essential in order to ensure accurate, safe, succinct and timely clinical notes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Advance care planning in a community setting.

PubMed

Connolly, Josaleen; Milligan, Stuart; Stevens, Elaine; Jackson, Susan; Rooney, Kevin

2015-02-10

To evaluate the effects of implementing an advance care planning process within pilot sites in North Ayrshire in 2010, focusing on people with palliative care needs. Data were collected from participants in advance care planning training using a questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and an audit of documentation was undertaken. Thirty nine questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 16%. Twenty four out of 25 (96%) participants rated the training as having improved their understanding of the advance care planning process. The general consensus in interviews was that advance care planning is a worthwhile process. Participants reported patients achieving their preferred place of end of life care and greater consultation regarding hospitalisation. Within the pilot sites, advance care planning training enhanced the ability of professionals to implement the advance care planning process and record the wishes of patients and residents.

Decreasing Damaging Effects of Stress-Bound Situations: Towards a New Model of Leadership under Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

interviews encompassed a clinical interview and a critical incident interview . The clinical interview was semi-structured coaprising three aain...data. In the critical incident interview the subject was asked, first, to recall and to describe a particularly hard, difficult or threatening

Self-Reported Pediatric Measures of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Strength Impact for PROMIS®: Conceptual Framework

PubMed Central

Tucker, Carole A.; Bevans, Katherine B.; Teneralli, Rachel E.; Smith, Ashley Wilder; Bowles, Heather R; Forrest, Christopher B.

2014-01-01

Purpose Children's physical activity (PA) levels are commonly assessed in pediatric clinical research, but rigorous self-report assessment tools for children are scarce, and computer adaptive test implementations are rare. Our objective was to improve pediatric self-report measures of activity using semi-structured interviews with experts and children for conceptualization of a child-informed framework. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted to conceptualize physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and strengthening activities. We performed systematic literature reviews to identify item-level concepts used to assess these 3 domains. Results We developed conceptual frameworks for each domain using words and phrases identified by children as relevant. Conclusions Semi-structured interview methods provide valuable information of children's perspectives and the ways children recall previous activities. Conceptualized domains of physical activity are based on the literature and expert views that also reflect children's experiences and understanding providing a basis for pediatric self-report instruments. PMID:25251789

[Barriers and facilitators to health care coordination in two integrated health care organizations in Catalonia (Spain)].

PubMed

Vargas Lorenzo, Ingrid; Vázquez Navarrete, M Luisa

2007-01-01

To analyze 2 integrated delivery systems (IDS) in Catalonia and identify areas for future development to improve their effectiveness. An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was carried out based on case studies by means of document analysis and semi-structured individual interviews. A criterion sample of cases and, for each case, of documents and informants was selected. Study cases consisted of the Consorci Sanitari del Maresme (CSdM) and the Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa/Fundació Hospital Sant Llàtzer (FHSLL). A total of 127 documents were analyzed and 29 informants were interviewed: IDS managers (n = 10), technical staff (n = 5), operational unit managers (n = 5) and health professionals (n = 9). Content analysis was conducted, with mixed generation of categories and segmentation by cases and subjects. CSdM and CSdT/FHSLL are health care organizations with backward vertical integration, total services production, and real (CSdM) and virtual (CSdT/FHSLL) ownership. Funds are allocated by care level. The governing body is centralized in CSdM and decentralized in CSdT/FHSLL. In both organizations, the global objectives are oriented toward improving coordination and efficiency but are not in line with those of the operational units. Both organizations present a functional structure with integration of support functions and utilize mechanisms for collaboration between care levels based on work processes standardization. Both IDS present facilitators and barriers to health care coordination. To improve coordination, changes in external elements (payment mechanism) and in internal elements (governing body role, organizational structure and coordination mechanisms) are required.

The Vanuatu medical supply system – documenting opportunities and challenges to meet the Millennium Development Goals

PubMed Central

Brown, Andrew; Gilbert, Ben

2012-01-01

Objectives: Limited human resources are widely recognised as a barrier to achieve health-related Millennium Development Goals. Availability of medical supplies and suitably trained health personnel are crucial to ensuring a well-functioning medical supply system. The objective of this paper is to identify the factors which influence the availability of medical supplies within the health facilities of Vanuatu. Methods: A qualitative triangulated strategy using semi-structured interviews, observational workplace surveys and semi-structured focus groups was developed. This research was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of the University of Canberra and was funded through a direct grant from the United Nations Population Fund Suva, Pacific sub regional office. Results: During two weeks of data collection, 21 interviews were conducted, observational workplace surveys were completed in 19 facilities and 22 personnel participated in three focus groups across three provinces. The interviewees had a wide range of primary professional groupings and were representative of the Vanuatu health workforce. A complex array of medical supply issues are described from within the three tiered structure of the medical supply system. Conclusion: The results of this research have further informed our understanding of the competencies required by healthcare personnel to conduct medical supply management activities effectively in Pacific Island countries. As a result of this research, a platform is provided for the government of Vanuatu to engage development partners to work toward a sustainable medical supply system. PMID:23093895

Evaluation of applied public health emergency system at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Almedinah during Hajj season 2014: a qualitative case study.

PubMed

Gosadi, Ibrahim M; BinSaeed, Abdulaziz; Al-Hazmi, Ali M; Fadl, Amin A; Alharbi, Khalid H; Swarelzahab, Mazin M

2015-09-12

During the Hajj season 2014, several public health measures were applied by the Ministry of Health at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Almedinah. However, several operational defects affected the provision of preventive health services for passengers and airport workers. This study aims to evaluate the applied public health emergency system at the airport, detect any potential gaps and to provide appropriate operational solutions. This is a qualitative case study conducted at Prince Mohammed International Airport in Almedinah during the 2014 Hajj season, September 2014. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, focus groups and policy document reviews. Interviews were conducted with the 14 individuals of the airport's decision makers and relevant health practitioners. Data were recorded via taking notes during interviews and data coding was performed to produce the main themes and subthemes of the study. The main findings of the study revealed three main defects affecting the applied public health emergency system at the airport. The main themes were mainly related to shortage in logistics related to public health emergency systems, shortage in proper documentation of policies and lack of documented protocols of communications among airport stakeholders. The study highlighted the main factors hindering the application of public health emergency measures at the airport. A Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan was proposed as a method to regulate the process of providing logistics for public health preventive services, the method of producing documented policies and methods of producing Memoranda of Understandings as communication regulators.

Resource allocation and purchasing arrangements to improve accessibility of medicines: Evidence from Iran

PubMed Central

Bastani, Peivand; Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Dinarvand, Rasoul

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to review the current methods of pharmaceutical purchasing by Iranian insurance organizations within the World Bank conceptual framework model so as to provide applicable pharmaceutical resource allocation and purchasing (RAP) arrangements in Iran. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted through a qualitative document analysis (QDA), applying the four-step Scott method in document selection, and conducting 20 semi-structured interviews using a triangulation method. Furthermore, the data were analyzed applying five steps framework analysis using Atlas-ti software. Findings: The QDA showed that the purchasers face many structural, financing, payment, delivery and service procurement and purchasing challenges. Moreover, the findings of interviews are provided in three sections including demand-side, supply-side and price and incentive regime. Conclusion: Localizing RAP arrangements as a World Bank Framework in a developing country like Iran considers the following as the prerequisite for implementing strategic purchasing in pharmaceutical sector: The improvement of accessibility, subsidiary mechanisms, reimbursement of new drugs, rational use, uniform pharmacopeia, best supplier selection, reduction of induced demand and moral hazard, payment reform. It is obvious that for Iran, these customized aspects are more various and detailed than those proposed in a World Bank model for developing countries. PMID:25710045

Social circus program (Cirque du Soleil) promoting social participation of young people living with physical disabilities in transition to adulthood: a qualitative pilot study.

PubMed

Loiselle, Frédéric; Rochette, Annie; Tétreault, Sylvie; Lafortune, Michel; Bastien, Josée

2018-05-29

To explore the perceived impact of a social circus program on the participation level of young adults' living with physical disabilities from their own and their parents' perspective. Exploratory phenomenological qualitative design. A social circus program was offered for nine months. Perceived participation level was documented through pre and post semi-structured interviews. A pretested interview guide was used. Interviews were transcribed and coded by two independent researchers. The average age of the participants (n = 9) was 20.0 ± 1.4 years with 2/9 being female. Participation was perceived as being improved after the intervention from both perspectives (participants and parents) mainly for communication, mobility, relationships, community life and responsibilities. The intervention was perceived as strengthening self-perception and self-efficacy, which in turn enhanced participation level and decreased parents' bounding. The results show promises for social circus as a new approach in adult physical rehabilitation for this population in transition.

Evaluating different methods used in ethnobotanical and ecological studies to record plant biodiversity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background This study compares the efficiency of identifying the plants in an area of semi-arid Northeast Brazil by methods that a) access the local knowledge used in ethnobotanical studies using semi-structured interviews conducted within the entire community, an inventory interview conducted with two participants using the previously collected vegetation inventory, and a participatory workshop presenting exsiccates and photographs to 32 people and b) inventory the vegetation (phytosociology) in locations with different histories of disturbance using rectangular plots and quadrant points. Methods The proportion of species identified using each method was then compared with Cochran’s Q test. We calculated the use value (UV) of each species using semi-structured interviews; this quantitative index was correlated against values of the vegetation’s structural importance obtained from the sample plot method and point-centered quarter method applied in two areas with different historical usage. The analysis sought to correlate the relative importance of plants to the local community (use value - UV) with the ecological importance of the plants in the vegetation structure (importance value - IV; relative density - RD) by using different sampling methods to analyze the two areas. Results With regard to the methods used for accessing the local knowledge, a difference was observed among the ethnobotanical methods of surveying species (Q = 13.37, df = 2, p = 0.0013): 44 species were identified in the inventory interview, 38 in the participatory workshop and 33 in the semi-structured interviews with the community. There was either no correlation between the UV, relative density (RD) and importance value (IV) of some species, or this correlation was negative. Conclusion It was concluded that the inventory interview was the most efficient method for recording species and their uses, as it allowed more plants to be identified in their original environment. To optimize researchers’ time in future studies, the use of the point-centered quarter method rather than the sample plot method is recommended. PMID:24916833

Exploration of the perceptions of emergency physicians and interns regarding the medical documentation practices of interns.

PubMed

Isoardi, Jonathon; Spencer, Lyndall; Sinnott, Michael; Nicholls, Kim; O'Connor, Angela; Jones, Fleur

2013-08-01

The primary objective of the present study was to learn the factors that influence the documentation practices of ED interns. A second objective was to identify the expectations of emergency physicians (EPs) towards the medical record documentation of ED interns. A qualitative design was adopted using semi-structured interviews in convenience samples drawn from both groups. Eighteen interviews were conducted with intern volunteers and 10 with EP volunteers. One (5%) intern and two (20%) EPs had received medical documentation training. Factors that encouraged interns' documentation included: patient acuity (the more critical the condition, the more comprehensive the documentation) and the support of senior colleagues. Inhibiting factors included uncertainty about how much to write, and the shift being worked (interns indicated they wrote less at night). Factors of consequence to senior personnel included the apparent reluctance of interns to document management plans. They noted that interns frequently confine their notes to assessment, investigations and treatments, whereas EPs preferred records that demonstrated intern thought processes and included such matters as future actions to follow immediate treatment. A positive theme that emerged included the high level of support interns received from their senior colleagues. Another theme, the influence of patient acuity, held both positive and negative implications for intern writing practices. The lack of formal training is an impediment to the production of useful medical records by ED interns. One solution proposed by both interns and senior personnel was the introduction of the subject into intern education programmes. © 2013 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

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

PubMed

Craig, Sarah; Kodate, Naonori

2018-06-01

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

Preschoolers’ Psychopathology and Temperament Predict Mothers’ Later Mood Disorders

PubMed Central

Allmann, Anna E.S.; Kopala-Sibley, Daniel C.; Klein, Daniel N.

2017-01-01

Considerable research exists documenting the relationship between maternal mood disorders, primarily major depressive disorder (MDD), and a variety of negative child outcomes. By contrast, research exploring the reverse pathway whereby child traits are associated with later maternal mood disorders is much more limited. We examined whether young children’s temperament and psychopathology predicted maternal mood disorders approximately 6 years later. Child temperament and symptoms were assessed at age three using semi-structured diagnostic interviews and parent-report inventories. Maternal psychopathology was assessed with semi-structured interviews when children were three and nine years old. Mothers also reported on their marital satisfaction when children were three and six years old. Child temperamental negative affectivity (NA), depressive symptoms, and externalizing behavior problems significantly predicted maternal mood disorders over and above prior maternal mood, anxiety, and substance disorders. The link between children’s early externalizing symptoms and maternal mood disorders 6 years later was mediated by maternal marital satisfaction 3 years after the initial assessment. These findings suggest that early child temperament and psychopathology contribute to risk for later maternal mood disorders both directly and through their impact on the marital system. Research indicates that effective treatment of maternal depression is associated with positive outcomes for children; however, this study suggests that treating early child problems may mitigate the risk of later maternal psychopathology. PMID:26219263

75 FR 69674 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

... following data collections will be implemented: (1) Semi-structured interviews will be conducted in-person... pre- and postimplementation interviews will be conducted and separate interview guides will be used for staff and leaders. Pre-implementation, the interviews will focus on current knowledge, attitudes...

The Analysis of Prospective Chemistry Teachers' Cognitive Structure: The Subject of Covalent and Ionic Bonding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temel, Senar; Özcan, Özgür

2016-01-01

This study aims to analyse prospective chemistry teachers' cognitive structure related to the subject of covalent and ionic bonding. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants in order to determine their cognitive structure, and the interviews were audio recorded to prevent the loss of data. The data were transcribed and…

Reframing Vulnerability: Mozambican Refugees’ Access to State-Funded Pensions in Rural South Africa

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Researchers at the South African Medical Research Council/University of the Witwatersrand Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) fieldsite in rural South Africa consider Mozambican residents more vulnerable than others in the local population. These self-settled refugees, many of whom are still not South African citizens, primarily came to South Africa in the 1980s during the Mozambican Civil War. This perceived economic vulnerability is rooted in their difficulties in accessing social grants, until recently legally available only to those with South African citizenship documentation. This paper focuses on semi-structured interviews with 30 ‘older’ women of Mozambican-descent living in the Agincourt area. These interviews highlight three important aspects of vulnerability; the respondents: (1) perceive a risk of deportation despite their having lived in the country for 20 years, (2) are unable to easily access social grants, namely the state-funded old-age pension, and (3) struggle to make ends meet when faced with daily needs and crisis situations. All three of these vulnerabilities were mediated to some extent by these women’s resourcefulness. They generated ties to South Africa through obtaining identification-documents, used these documents to access pensions, and used the pensions to help them sustain their multigenerational households. PMID:19142721

Social Network Decay as Potential Recovery from Homelessness: A Mixed Methods Study in Housing First Programming

PubMed Central

Golembiewski, Elizabeth; Watson, Dennis P.; Robison, Lisa; Coberg, John W.

2017-01-01

The positive relationship between social support and mental health has been well documented, but individuals experiencing chronic homelessness face serious disruptions to their social networks. Housing First (HF) programming has been shown to improve health and stability of formerly chronically homeless individuals. However, researchers are only just starting to understand the impact HF has on residents’ individual social integration. The purpose of the current study was to describe and understand changes in social networks of residents living in a HF program. Researchers employed a longitudinal, convergent parallel mixed method design, collecting quantitative social network data through structured interviews (n = 13) and qualitative data through semi-structured interviews (n = 20). Quantitative results demonstrated a reduction in network size over the course of one year. However, increases in both network density and frequency of contact with network members increased. Qualitative interviews demonstrated a strengthening in the quality of relationships with family and housing providers and a shedding of burdensome and abusive relationships. These results suggest network decay is a possible indicator of participants’ recovery process as they discontinued negative relationships and strengthened positive ones. PMID:28890807

Barriers and facilitators related to implementation of regulated midwifery in Manitoba: a case study.

PubMed

Thiessen, Kellie; Heaman, Maureen; Mignone, Javier; Martens, Patricia; Robinson, Kristine

2016-03-15

In 2000, midwifery was regulated in the Canadian Province of Manitoba. Since the establishment of the midwifery program, little formal research has analyzed the utilization of regulated midwifery services. In Manitoba, the demand for midwifery services has exceeded the number of midwives in practice. The specific objective of this study was to explore factors influencing the implementation and utilization of regulated midwifery services in Manitoba. The case study design incorporated qualitative exploratory descriptive methods, using data derived from two sources: interviews and public documents. Twenty-four key informants were purposefully selected to participate in semi-structured in-depth interviews. All documents analyzed were in the public domain. Content analysis was employed to analyze the documents and transcripts of the interviews. The results of the study were informed by the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Three main topic areas were explored: facilitators, barriers, and future strategies and recommendations. The most common themes arising under facilitators were funding of midwifery services and strategies to integrate the profession. Power and conflict, and lack of a productive education program emerged as the most prominent themes under barriers. Finally, future strategies for sustaining the midwifery profession focused on ensuring avenues for registration and education, improving management strategies and accountability frameworks within the employment model, enhancing the work environment, and evaluating both the practice and employment models. Results of the document analysis supported the themes arising from the interviews. These findings on factors that influenced the implementation and integration of midwifery in Manitoba may provide useful information to key stakeholders in Manitoba, as well as other provinces as they work toward successful implementation of regulated midwifery practice. Funding for new positions and programs was consistently noted as a successful strategy. While barriers such as structures of power within Regional Health Authorities and inter and intra-professional conflict were identified, the lack of a productive midwifery education program emerged as the most prominent barrier. This new knowledge highlights issues that impact the ongoing growth and capacity of the midwifery profession and suggests directions for ensuring its sustainability.

Students' Communicative Resources in Relation to Their Conceptual Understanding--The Role of Non-Conventionalized Expressions in Making Sense of Visualizations of Protein Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rundgren, Carl-Johan; Hirsch, Richard; Chang Rundgren, Shu-Nu; Tibell, Lena A. E.

2012-01-01

This study examines how students explain their conceptual understanding of protein function using visualizations. Thirteen upper secondary students, four tertiary students (studying chemical biology), and two experts were interviewed in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were structured around 2D illustrations of proteins and an animated…

Exploration of the impacts of distributed-site Research Experiences for Undergraduates using pre-/post- student interviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colella, H.; Hubenthal, M.; Brudzinski, M. R.

2013-12-01

The benefits for student participants of undergraduate research opportunities have been well documented. However, advancements in information and communications technologies (ICT) and cultural shifts around online education and virtual peer-to-peer interaction have lead to new models in which to structure such experiences. Currently, these ICT-enabled Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs connect geographically distributed interns in supportive e-learning communities while maintaining a traditional local mentoring arrangement. To document and explore the effects of distributed REU Sites in more depth, six interns from such a program, the Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology (IRIS) REU, were selected at random and asked to be interviewed about the REU experience. The primary targets of the interviews are to understand the mentor/mentee relationships, feeling of support and development and value of near-peer and far-peer relationships throughout their internship in a distributed REU program, and whether they receive the training necessary to gain confidence as a researcher. We also examine the various communication technologies as well as best practices and strategies that can increase intern connectedness. Pre-internship interviews were conducted in-person at the start of the centralized internship orientation week, while post-internship interviews were virtual (e.g. video chat with Skype or Google Hangout). These semi-structured interviews have full audio recordings and subsequent transcriptions. An additional, virtual follow-up interview will be conducted next spring after the interns have an opportunity to attend and present their research at a national conference (e.g., AGU). Interview material will be analyzed through a process of coding, sorting, local integration, and inclusive integration. Results will also be triangulated with pre- and post- survey data both from participants and other survey data from previous years of the IRIS program. Our presentation will highlight the key findings of these analyses. GeoCorps and RESESS will begin to employ this interview style assessment beginning this fall and next year, respectively, which will facilitate detailed comparisons between distributed and non-distributed REU approaches.

Learning in the tutorial group: a balance between individual freedom and institutional control.

PubMed

McAllister, Anita; Aanstoot, Janna; Hammarström, Inger Lundeborg; Samuelsson, Christina; Johannesson, Eva; Sandström, Karin; Berglind, Ulrika

2014-01-01

The study investigates factors in problem-based learning tutorial groups which promote or inhibit learning. The informants were tutors and students from speech-language pathology and physiotherapy programmes. Semi-structured focus-group interviews and individual interviews were used. Results revealed three themes: Responsibility. Time and Support. Under responsibility, the delicate balance between individual and institutional responsibility and control was shown. Time included short and long-term perspectives on learning. Under support, supporting documents, activities and personnel resources were mentioned. In summary, an increased control by the program and tutors decreases student's motivation to assume responsibility for learning. Support in tutorial groups needs to adapt to student progression and to be well aligned to tutorial work to have the intended effect. A lifelong learning perspective may help students develop a meta-awareness regarding learning that could make tutorial work more meaningful.

[Lato sensu post-graduation in psychiatric nursing and mental health: history, institutional context, and actors].

PubMed

Olschowsky, Agnes; da Silva, Graciette Borges

2003-01-01

The theme of this study is "latu sensu" post-graduation teaching in nursing psychiatry and mental health in EE/UFRGS and EERP/USP nursing schools. In this study we characterize this courses and the profile of its professors. Through the analysis of the teaching plans, programs and documents of the specialization courses, as well as through the analysis of semi-structured interviews, we obtained data regarding the history and structure of these courses, which were pioneers and motivators of the specialized education in this field. The characterization of the courses will be done through the presentation of its timetable, number of disciplines, professional titles, and development of the professors involved, in order to show how psychiatry nursing and mental health teaching has been constituted.

The waiting room: vector for health education? The general practitioner's point of view.

PubMed

Gignon, Maxine; Idris, Hadjila; Manaouil, Cecile; Ganry, Oliver

2012-09-18

General practitioners (GPs) play a central role in disseminating information and most health policies are tending to develop this pivotal role of GPs in dissemination of health-related information to the public. The objective of this study was to evaluate use of the waiting room by GPs as a vector for health promotion. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of GPs using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. A structured grid was used to describe the documents. Quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed. Sixty GPs participated in the study. They stated that a waiting room had to be pleasant, but agreed that it was a useful vector for providing health information. The GPs stated that they distributed documents designed to improve patient care by encouraging screening, providing health education information and addressing delicate subjects more easily. However, some physicians believed that this information can sometimes make patients more anxious. A large number of documents were often available, covering a variety of topics. General practitioners intentionally use their waiting rooms to disseminate a broad range of health-related information, but without developing a clearly defined strategy. It would be interesting to correlate the topics addressed by waiting room documents with prevention practices introduced during the visit.

Building the Professional Identity of Research Assistants: A Phenomenological Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Büyükgöze, Hilal; Gün, Feyza

2017-01-01

This research aims to investigate the determining factors in how research assistants build their professional identity. In the study, which is a qualitative research method patterned on phenomenology, data was collected using a semi-structured interview form. Structured interviews were conducted with seven research assistants selected from a…

76 FR 13412 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-11

...) Screening questionnaire--used to recruit research participants for the needs assessment interviews...) Needs assessment interviews--consisting of semi-structured interviews with non-users of the Health IT... those persons that ``screen-in'' will complete the demographics section). The needs assessment will be...

Personality disorder is an excess risk factor for physical multimorbidity among women with mental state disorders.

PubMed

Quirk, Shae E; Stuart, Amanda L; Berk, Michael; Pasco, Julie A; Brennan Olsen, Sharon L; Koivumaa-Honkanen, Heli; Honkanen, Risto; Lukkala, Pyry S; Chanen, Andrew M; Kotowicz, Mark; Williams, Lana J

2017-11-01

We examined whether mental state disorders (lifetime mood, anxiety, eating, substance misuse) with comorbid personality disorder are associated with physical multimorbidity in a population-based sample of women. Mental state and personality disorders were assessed using semi-structured diagnostic interviews. Clinical measures were performed and medical conditions, medication use and lifestyle factors were documented by questionnaire. Mental state disorders were associated with higher odds of physical multimorbidity; risk was especially high for those with comorbid personality disorder. These findings suggest that mental state and physical comorbidity might be worsened by the additional comorbidity of personality disorder. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Criteria for evidence-based practice in Iranian traditional medicine.

PubMed

Soltani Arabshahi, SeyyedKamran; Mohammadi Kenari, Hoorieh; Kordafshari, Gholamreza; Shams-Ardakani, MohammadReza; Bigdeli, Shoaleh

2015-07-01

The major difference between Iranian traditional medicine and allopathic medicine is in the application  of  evidence  and  documents.  In  this  study,  criteria  for  evidence-based  practice  in  Iranian traditional medicine and its rules of practice were studied. The experts' views were investigated through in- depth, semi-structured interviews and the results were categorized into four main categories including Designing clinical questions/clinical question-based search, critical appraisal, resource search criteria and clinical prescription appraisal. Although the application of evidence in Iranian traditional medicine follows Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) principles but it benefits from its own rules, regulations, and criteria that are compatible with EBM.

Physicians' Perspectives Regarding Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Use Within the Department of Veterans Affairs: a Multi-State Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Radomski, Thomas R; Bixler, Felicia R; Zickmund, Susan L; Roman, KatieLynn M; Thorpe, Carolyn T; Hale, Jennifer A; Sileanu, Florentina E; Hausmann, Leslie R M; Thorpe, Joshua M; Suda, Katie J; Stroupe, Kevin T; Gordon, Adam J; Good, Chester B; Fine, Michael J; Gellad, Walid F

2018-03-08

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has implemented robust strategies to monitor prescription opioid dispensing, but these strategies have not accounted for opioids prescribed by non-VA providers. State-based prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are a potential tool to identify VA patients' receipt of opioids from non-VA prescribers, and recent legislation requires their use within VA. To evaluate VA physicians' perspectives and experiences regarding use of PDMPs to monitor Veterans' receipt of opioids from non-VA prescribers. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Forty-two VA primary care physicians who prescribed opioids to 15 or more Veterans in 2015. We sampled physicians from two states with PDMPs (Massachusetts and Illinois) and one without prescriber access to a PDMP at the time of the interviews (Pennsylvania). From February to August 2016, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews that addressed the following topics regarding PDMPs: overall experiences, barriers to optimal use, and facilitators to improve use. VA physicians broadly supported use of PDMPs or desired access to one, while exhibiting varying patterns of PDMP use dictated by state laws and their clinical judgment. Physicians noted administrative burdens and incomplete or unavailable prescribing data as key barriers to PDMP use. To facilitate use, physicians endorsed (1) linking PDMPs with the VA electronic health record, (2) using templated notes to document PDMP use, and (3) delegating routine PDMP queries to ancillary staff. Despite the time and administrative burdens associated with their use, VA physicians in our study broadly supported PDMPs. The application of our findings to ongoing PDMP implementation efforts may strengthen PDMP use both within and outside VA and improve the safe prescribing of opioids.

A qualitative report on the subjective experience of intravenous psilocybin administered in an FMRI environment.

PubMed

Turton, S; Nutt, D J; Carhart-Harris, R L

2014-01-01

This report documents the phenomenology of the subjective experiences of 15 healthy psychedelic experienced volunteers who were involved in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study that was designed to image the brain effects of intravenous psilocybin. The participants underwent a semi-structured interview exploring the effects of psilocybin in the MRI scanner. These interviews were analysed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The resultant data is ordered in a detailed matrix, and presented in this paper. Nine broad categories of phenomenology were identified in the phenomenological analysis of the experience; perceptual changes including visual, auditory and somatosensory distortions, cognitive changes, changes in mood, effects of memory, spiritual or mystical type experiences, aspects relating to the scanner and research environment, comparisons with other experiences, the intensity and onset of effects, and individual interpretation of the experience. This article documents the phenomenology of psilocybin when given in a novel manner (intravenous injection) and setting (an MRI scanner). The findings of the analysis are consistent with previous published work regarding the subjective effects of psilocybin. There is much scope for further research investigating the phenomena identified in this paper.

What criteria do consumer health librarians use to develop library collections? a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Papadakos, Janet; Trang, Aileen; Wiljer, David; Cipolat Mis, Chiara; Cyr, Alaina; Friedman, Audrey Jusko; Mazzocut, Mauro; Snow, Michelle; Raivich, Valeria; Catton, Pamela

2014-04-01

The criteria for determining whether resources are included in consumer health library collections are summarized in institutional collection development policies (CDPs). Evidence suggests that CDPs do not adequately capture all of these criteria. The aim of this study was to describe the resource review experience of librarians and compare it to what is described in CDPs. A phenomenological approach was used to explore and describe the process. Four consumer health librarians independently evaluated cancer-related consumer health resources and described their review process during a semi-structured telephone interview. Afterward, these librarians completed online questionnaires about their approaches to collection development. CDPs from participating libraries, interview transcripts, and questionnaire data were analyzed. Researchers summarized the findings, and participating librarians reviewed results for validation. Librarians all utilized similar criteria, as documented in their CDPs; however, of thirteen criteria described in the study, only four were documented in CDPs. CDPs for consumer health libraries may be missing important criteria that are considered integral parts of the collection development process. A better understanding of the criteria and contextual factors involved in the collection development process can assist with establishing high-quality consumer health library collections.

What criteria do consumer health librarians use to develop library collections? a phenomenological study*

PubMed Central

Papadakos, Janet; Trang, Aileen; Wiljer, David; Mis, Chiara Cipolat; Cyr, Alaina; Friedman, Audrey Jusko; Mazzocut, Mauro; Snow, Michelle; Raivich, Valeria; Catton, Pamela

2014-01-01

Objectives: The criteria for determining whether resources are included in consumer health library collections are summarized in institutional collection development policies (CDPs). Evidence suggests that CDPs do not adequately capture all of these criteria. The aim of this study was to describe the resource review experience of librarians and compare it to what is described in CDPs. Methods: A phenomenological approach was used to explore and describe the process. Four consumer health librarians independently evaluated cancer-related consumer health resources and described their review process during a semi-structured telephone interview. Afterward, these librarians completed online questionnaires about their approaches to collection development. CDPs from participating libraries, interview transcripts, and questionnaire data were analyzed. Researchers summarized the findings, and participating librarians reviewed results for validation. Results: Librarians all utilized similar criteria, as documented in their CDPs; however, of thirteen criteria described in the study, only four were documented in CDPs. Conclusions: CDPs for consumer health libraries may be missing important criteria that are considered integral parts of the collection development process. Implications: A better understanding of the criteria and contextual factors involved in the collection development process can assist with establishing high-quality consumer health library collections. PMID:24860261

What are the key contextual factors when preparing for successful implementation of assistive living technology in primary elderly care? A case study from Norway.

PubMed

Gjestsen, Martha Therese; Wiig, Siri; Testad, Ingelin

2017-09-07

To identify contextual factors at different organisational levels to guide the implementation of an assistive living technology intervention in Norwegian primary home care. A single embedded case study design was carried out in an urban municipality in Western Norway to get an overview of key contextual factors from the municipality's perspective. The data collection was based on a triangulation of methods involving document analysis, semi-structured individual interviews and focus group interviews to get a broad insight when preparing for an intervention. Data were collected on three levels of the healthcare system: (1) national policy documents and regulations (macro), (2) five individual interviews with senior managers and municipal strategy documents (meso) and (3) two focus group interviews with nurses and nurse managers in direct patient care (micro). The Model for Understanding Success in Quality framework was used as a guide in the data analysis. The main contextual factors identified were external motivators and project sponsorship (macro level); leadership, workforce focus and maturity (meso level);and motivation to change and maturity (micro level). Strategies developed in policy documents affected upper management in the municipality, but healthcare personnel at the micro level were not so familiar with strategies and emphasis on assistive living technologies. Healthcare personnel in our study were motivated to use technological solutions, but lack of data infrastructure and resource availability hindered this. Aligning interests across multiple stakeholders remain a challenge when planning for an assistive living technology intervention in primary care. In the studied municipality, integration of technological solutions into healthcare services was more a vision than a reality because of a low level of organisational readiness. © 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.

[Knowledge and attitudes toward vaccination among midwives in Quebec].

PubMed

Dubé, Eve; Vivion, Maryline; Valderrama, Alena; Sauvageau, Chantal

2013-01-01

Vaccine acceptability among Quebec midwives is not well documented. The purpose of this study was to examine midwives' knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to immunization in Quebec. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants (17 midwives and 8 midwifery students). The mean duration of the interviews was 1 hour. The interviews were conducted in 2010 and were audiotaped, transcribed and submitted to content analysis using NVivo 8 software. In addition to the laws regulating midwifery practice in Quebec, the findings suggest that most midwifery interventions are based on midwifery philosophy. Informed choice is one of the key principles of this philosophy. In order to help women make an informed decision about vaccination, midwives seek to outline the pros and cons of vaccination using government documentation, as well as other sources such as books on naturopathy. Most of the participating midwives recognized that vaccination has advantages, including disease prevention and free vaccines. Various arguments against vaccination were also identified. Most of these were related to the vaccination schedule and to combined vaccines. Some of the participants noted that it was difficult to find unbiased information about vaccination. This study highlights the key role of midwifery philosophy in midwifery practice. Most decisions (such as vaccination) are made on the basis of the principle of informed choice. Most of the participants noted that they lacked information on vaccination.

Assessment of Caspian Seal By-Catch in an Illegal Fishery Using an Interview-Based Approach.

PubMed

Dmitrieva, Lilia; Kondakov, Andrey A; Oleynikov, Eugeny; Kydyrmanov, Aidyn; Karamendin, Kobey; Kasimbekov, Yesbol; Baimukanov, Mirgaliy; Wilson, Susan; Goodman, Simon J

2013-01-01

The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) has declined by more than 90% since 1900 and is listed as endangered by IUCN. We made the first quantitative assessment of Caspian seal by-catch mortality in fisheries in the north Caspian Sea by conducting semi-structured interviews in fishing communities along the coasts of Russia (Kalmykia, Dagestan), Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. We recorded a documented minimum by-catch of 1,215 seals in the survey sample, for the 2008-2009 fishing season, 93% of which occurred in illegal sturgeon fisheries. Due to the illegal nature of the fishery, accurately quantifying total fishing effort is problematic and the survey sample could reflect less than 10% of poaching activity in the north Caspian Sea. Therefore total annual by-catch may be significantly greater than the minimum documented by the survey. The presence of high by-catch rates was supported independently by evidence of net entanglement from seal carcasses, during a mass stranding on the Kazakh coast in May 2009, where 30 of 312 carcasses were entangled in large mesh sturgeon net remnants. The documented minimum by-catch may account for 5 to 19% of annual pup production. Sturgeon poaching therefore not only represents a serious threat to Caspian sturgeon populations, but may also be having broader impacts on the Caspian Sea ecosystem by contributing to a decline in one of the ecosystem's key predators. This study demonstrates the utility of interview-based approaches in providing rapid assessments of by-catch in illegal small-scale fisheries, which are not amenable to study by other methods.

Chlamydia screening in England: a qualitative study of the narrative behind the policy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The rationale for the English National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) has been questioned. There has been little analysis, however, of what drove the NCSP’s establishment and how it was implemented. Such analysis will help inform the future development of the NCSP. This study used a qualitative, theory-driven approach to evaluate the rationale for the NCSP’s establishment and implementation. Methods Semi-structured interviews with 14 experts in chlamydia screening were undertaken. The interview data were analysed with policy documents and commentaries from peer-reviewed journals (published 1996–2010) using the Framework approach. Results Two themes drove the NCSP’s establishment and implementation. The first, chlamydia control, was prominently referenced in documents and interviews. The second theme concerned the potential for chlamydia screening to advance wider improvements in sexual health. In particular, screening was expected to promote sexual health services in primary care and encourage discussion of sexual health with young people. While this theme was only indirectly referenced in policy documents, it was cited by interviewees as a strong influence on implementation in the early years. However, by full rollout of the Programme, a focus on screening volume may have limited the NCSP’s capacity to improve broader aspects of sexual health. Conclusions A combination of explicit and implicit drivers underpinned the Programme’s establishment. This combination may explain why there was widespread support for its introduction and why implementation of the NCSP was inconsistent. The potential to improve young people’s sexual health more comprehensively should be made explicit in future planning of the NCSP. PMID:22545922

Assessment of Caspian Seal By-Catch in an Illegal Fishery Using an Interview-Based Approach

PubMed Central

Dmitrieva, Lilia; Kondakov, Andrey A.; Oleynikov, Eugeny; Kydyrmanov, Aidyn; Karamendin, Kobey; Kasimbekov, Yesbol; Baimukanov, Mirgaliy; Wilson, Susan; Goodman, Simon J.

2013-01-01

The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) has declined by more than 90% since 1900 and is listed as endangered by IUCN. We made the first quantitative assessment of Caspian seal by-catch mortality in fisheries in the north Caspian Sea by conducting semi-structured interviews in fishing communities along the coasts of Russia (Kalmykia, Dagestan), Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. We recorded a documented minimum by-catch of 1,215 seals in the survey sample, for the 2008–2009 fishing season, 93% of which occurred in illegal sturgeon fisheries. Due to the illegal nature of the fishery, accurately quantifying total fishing effort is problematic and the survey sample could reflect less than 10% of poaching activity in the north Caspian Sea. Therefore total annual by-catch may be significantly greater than the minimum documented by the survey. The presence of high by-catch rates was supported independently by evidence of net entanglement from seal carcasses, during a mass stranding on the Kazakh coast in May 2009, where 30 of 312 carcasses were entangled in large mesh sturgeon net remnants. The documented minimum by-catch may account for 5 to 19% of annual pup production. Sturgeon poaching therefore not only represents a serious threat to Caspian sturgeon populations, but may also be having broader impacts on the Caspian Sea ecosystem by contributing to a decline in one of the ecosystem’s key predators. This study demonstrates the utility of interview-based approaches in providing rapid assessments of by-catch in illegal small-scale fisheries, which are not amenable to study by other methods. PMID:23840590

Probability of major depression diagnostic classification using semi-structured versus fully structured diagnostic interviews.

PubMed

Levis, Brooke; Benedetti, Andrea; Riehm, Kira E; Saadat, Nazanin; Levis, Alexander W; Azar, Marleine; Rice, Danielle B; Chiovitti, Matthew J; Sanchez, Tatiana A; Cuijpers, Pim; Gilbody, Simon; Ioannidis, John P A; Kloda, Lorie A; McMillan, Dean; Patten, Scott B; Shrier, Ian; Steele, Russell J; Ziegelstein, Roy C; Akena, Dickens H; Arroll, Bruce; Ayalon, Liat; Baradaran, Hamid R; Baron, Murray; Beraldi, Anna; Bombardier, Charles H; Butterworth, Peter; Carter, Gregory; Chagas, Marcos H; Chan, Juliana C N; Cholera, Rushina; Chowdhary, Neerja; Clover, Kerrie; Conwell, Yeates; de Man-van Ginkel, Janneke M; Delgadillo, Jaime; Fann, Jesse R; Fischer, Felix H; Fischler, Benjamin; Fung, Daniel; Gelaye, Bizu; Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Greeno, Catherine G; Hall, Brian J; Hambridge, John; Harrison, Patricia A; Hegerl, Ulrich; Hides, Leanne; Hobfoll, Stevan E; Hudson, Marie; Hyphantis, Thomas; Inagaki, Masatoshi; Ismail, Khalida; Jetté, Nathalie; Khamseh, Mohammad E; Kiely, Kim M; Lamers, Femke; Liu, Shen-Ing; Lotrakul, Manote; Loureiro, Sonia R; Löwe, Bernd; Marsh, Laura; McGuire, Anthony; Mohd Sidik, Sherina; Munhoz, Tiago N; Muramatsu, Kumiko; Osório, Flávia L; Patel, Vikram; Pence, Brian W; Persoons, Philippe; Picardi, Angelo; Rooney, Alasdair G; Santos, Iná S; Shaaban, Juwita; Sidebottom, Abbey; Simning, Adam; Stafford, Lesley; Sung, Sharon; Tan, Pei Lin Lynnette; Turner, Alyna; van der Feltz-Cornelis, Christina M; van Weert, Henk C; Vöhringer, Paul A; White, Jennifer; Whooley, Mary A; Winkley, Kirsty; Yamada, Mitsuhiko; Zhang, Yuying; Thombs, Brett D

2018-06-01

Different diagnostic interviews are used as reference standards for major depression classification in research. Semi-structured interviews involve clinical judgement, whereas fully structured interviews are completely scripted. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), a brief fully structured interview, is also sometimes used. It is not known whether interview method is associated with probability of major depression classification.AimsTo evaluate the association between interview method and odds of major depression classification, controlling for depressive symptom scores and participant characteristics. Data collected for an individual participant data meta-analysis of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) diagnostic accuracy were analysed and binomial generalised linear mixed models were fit. A total of 17 158 participants (2287 with major depression) from 57 primary studies were analysed. Among fully structured interviews, odds of major depression were higher for the MINI compared with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.15-3.87). Compared with semi-structured interviews, fully structured interviews (MINI excluded) were non-significantly more likely to classify participants with low-level depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≤6) as having major depression (OR = 3.13; 95% CI = 0.98-10.00), similarly likely for moderate-level symptoms (PHQ-9 scores 7-15) (OR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.56-1.66) and significantly less likely for high-level symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≥16) (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.26-0.97). The MINI may identify more people as depressed than the CIDI, and semi-structured and fully structured interviews may not be interchangeable methods, but these results should be replicated.Declaration of interestDrs Jetté and Patten declare that they received a grant, outside the submitted work, from the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, which was jointly funded by the Institute and Pfizer. Pfizer was the original sponsor of the development of the PHQ-9, which is now in the public domain. Dr Chan is a steering committee member or consultant of Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Lilly, MSD and Pfizer. She has received sponsorships and honorarium for giving lectures and providing consultancy and her affiliated institution has received research grants from these companies. Dr Hegerl declares that within the past 3 years, he was an advisory board member for Lundbeck, Servier and Otsuka Pharma; a consultant for Bayer Pharma; and a speaker for Medice Arzneimittel, Novartis, and Roche Pharma, all outside the submitted work. Dr Inagaki declares that he has received grants from Novartis Pharma, lecture fees from Pfizer, Mochida, Shionogi, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, Daiichi-Sankyo, Meiji Seika and Takeda, and royalties from Nippon Hyoron Sha, Nanzando, Seiwa Shoten, Igaku-shoin and Technomics, all outside of the submitted work. Dr Yamada reports personal fees from Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd., MSD K.K., Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Seishin Shobo, Seiwa Shoten Co., Ltd., Igaku-shoin Ltd., Chugai Igakusha and Sentan Igakusha, all outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests. No funder had any role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; preparation, review or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

“This is a kind of betrayal”: a qualitative study of disability after breast cancer

PubMed Central

Thomas–MacLean, R.; Towers, A.; Quinlan, E.; Hack, T.F.; Kwan, W.; Miedema, B.; Tilley, A.; Graham, P.

2009-01-01

Objective We proposed to document the effect of arm morbidity and disability in 40 Canadian women who were 12–24 months post breast cancer surgery. Methods We completed 40 qualitative interviews as one component of a multidisciplinary national longitudinal study of arm morbidity after breast cancer (n = 745) involving four research sites (Fredericton/Saint John, Montreal, Winnipeg, Surrey). During semi-structured interviews, participants who had reported arm morbidity and disability in earlier surveys were asked to discuss the effects of these conditions on everyday life. Results The interviewees reported making major adjustments to paid and unpaid work, which often involved the assistance of family members, thus demonstrating the effect of disability. Interview data resulted in the creation of a model that addresses arm morbidity and disability, and that holds implications for health care professionals. Conclusions Based on the interview findings, we conclude that a robust measure of disability after breast cancer should be developed. In the absence of a validated measure of the effect of disability, evaluating qualitative responses to questions about everyday activities could provide the impetus for provision of physical therapy and emotional support. PMID:19526082

Semi-structured Interview Measure of Stigma (SIMS) in psychosis: Assessment of psychometric properties.

PubMed

Wood, Lisa; Burke, Eilish; Byrne, Rory; Enache, Gabriela; Morrison, Anthony P

2016-10-01

Stigma is a significant difficulty for people who experience psychosis. To date, there have been no outcome measures developed to examine stigma exclusively in people with psychosis. The aim of this study was develop and validate a semi-structured interview measure of stigma (SIMS) in psychosis. The SIMS is an eleven item measure of stigma developed in consultation with service users who have experienced psychosis. 79 participants with experience of psychosis were recruited for the purposes of this study. They were administered the SIMS alongside a battery of other relevant outcome measures to examine reliability and validity. A one-factor solution was identified for the SIMS which encompassed all ten rateable items. The measure met all reliability and validity criteria and illustrated good internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, test retest reliability, criterion validity, construct validity, sensitivity to change and had no floor or ceiling effects. The SIMS is a reliable and valid measure of stigma in psychosis. It may be more engaging and acceptable than other stigma measures due to its semi-structured interview format. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kenya's health workforce information system: a model of impact on strategic human resources policy, planning and management.

PubMed

Waters, Keith P; Zuber, Alexandra; Willy, Rankesh M; Kiriinya, Rose N; Waudo, Agnes N; Oluoch, Tom; Kimani, Francis M; Riley, Patricia L

2013-09-01

Countries worldwide are challenged by health worker shortages, skill mix imbalances, and maldistribution. Human resources information systems (HRIS) are used to monitor and address these health workforce issues, but global understanding of such systems is minimal and baseline information regarding their scope and capability is practically non-existent. The Kenya Health Workforce Information System (KHWIS) has been identified as a promising example of a functioning HRIS. The objective of this paper is to document the impact of KHWIS data on human resources policy, planning and management. Sources for this study included semi-structured interviews with senior officials at Kenya's Ministry of Medical Services (MOMS), Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (MOPHS), the Department of Nursing within MOMS, the Nursing Council of Kenya, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, Kenya's Clinical Officers Council, and Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board. Additionally, quantitative data were extracted from KHWIS databases to supplement the interviews. Health sector policy documents were retrieved from MOMS and MOPHS websites, and reviewed to assess whether they documented any changes to policy and practice as having been impacted by KHWIS data. Interviews with Kenyan government and regulatory officials cited health workforce data provided by KHWIS influenced policy, regulation, and management. Policy changes include extension of Kenya's age of mandatory civil service retirement from 55 to 60 years. Data retrieved from KHWIS document increased relicensing of professional nurses, midwives, medical practitioners and dentists, and interviewees reported this improved compliance raised professional regulatory body revenues. The review of Government records revealed few references to KHWIS; however, documentation specifically cited the KHWIS as having improved the availability of human resources for health information regarding workforce planning, management, and development. KHWIS data have impacted a range of improvements in health worker regulation, human resources management, and workforce policy and planning at Kenya's ministries of health. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Thematic Analysis of the Effectiveness of an Inpatient Mindfulness Group for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiran, Hatice; Holt, Rachel R.

2015-01-01

The study focused on the effectiveness of group mindfulness for people with intellectual disabilities in an assessment and treatment unit. Six participants with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The interviews focused on identifying the benefits and difficulties of using mindfulness. The…

Finding Self: A Qualitative Study of Transgender, Transitioning, and Adulterated Silicone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Phyllis M.

2010-01-01

Objective: To describe the development and testing of a theory-based interview guide. To increase awareness of adulterated silicone use among Transgender. Design: A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews. Setting: Interviews were conducted in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Method: Seven transgender adults aged 18 and over were interviewed…

An Extensible Schema-less Database Framework for Managing High-throughput Semi-Structured Documents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maluf, David A.; Tran, Peter B.; La, Tracy; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Object-Relational database management system is an integrated hybrid cooperative approach to combine the best practices of both the relational model utilizing SQL queries and the object oriented, semantic paradigm for supporting complex data creation. In this paper, a highly scalable, information on demand database framework, called NETMARK is introduced. NETMARK takes advantages of the Oracle 8i object-relational database using physical addresses data types for very efficient keyword searches of records for both context and content. NETMARK was originally developed in early 2000 as a research and development prototype to solve the vast amounts of unstructured and semi-structured documents existing within NASA enterprises. Today, NETMARK is a flexible, high throughput open database framework for managing, storing, and searching unstructured or semi structured arbitrary hierarchal models, XML and HTML.

Barriers and facilitators to physical activity amongst overweight and obese women in an Afro-Caribbean population: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Alvarado, Miriam; Murphy, Madhuvanti M; Guell, Cornelia

2015-07-28

The proportion of obese women is nearly twice the proportion of obese men in Barbados, and physical inactivity may be a partial determinant. Using qualitative interviews and 'semi-structured' participant observation, the aim of this study was to identify modifiable barriers to physical activity and to explore the factors that facilitate physical activity amongst overweight and obese women in this low-resourced setting. Seventeen women aged 25 to 35 years with a BMI ≥25, purposefully sampled from a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in Barbados, were recruited in 2014 to participate in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Twelve of these women participated in one or more additional participant observation sessions in which the researcher joined and observed a routine activity chosen by the participant. More than 50 hours of participant observation data collection were accumulated and documented in field notes. Thematic content analysis was performed on transcribed interviews and field notes using the software Dedoose. Social, structural and individual barriers to physical activity were identified. Social factors related to gender norms and expectations. Women tended to be active with their female friends rather than partners or male peers, and reported peer support but also alienation. Being active also competed with family responsibilities and expectations. Structural barriers included few opportunities for active commuting, limited indoor space for exercise in the home, and low perceived access to convenient and affordable exercise classes. Several successful strategies associated with sustained activity were observed, including walking and highly social, low-cost exercise groups. Individual barriers related to healthy living strategies included perceptions about chronic disease and viewing physical activity as a possible strategy for desired weight loss but less effective than dieting. It is important to understand why women face barriers to physical activity, particularly in low-resourced settings, and to investigate how this could be addressed. This study highlights the role that gender norms and health beliefs play in shaping experiences of physical activity. In addition, structural barriers reflect a mix of resource-scarce and resource-rich factors which are likely to be seen in a wide variety of developing contexts.

Women's, midwives' and obstetricians' experiences of a structured process to document refusal of recommended maternity care.

PubMed

Jenkinson, Bec; Kruske, Sue; Stapleton, Helen; Beckmann, Michael; Reynolds, Maree; Kildea, Sue

2016-12-01

Ethical and professional guidance for midwives and obstetricians emphasises informed consent and respect for patient autonomy; the right to refuse care is well established. However, the existing literature is largely silent on the appropriate clinical responses when pregnant women refuse recommended care, and accounts of disrespectful interactions and conflict are numerous. Policies and processes to support women and maternity care providers are rare and unstudied. To document the perspectives of women, midwives and obstetricians following the introduction of a structured process (Maternity Care Plan; MCP) to document refusal of recommended maternity care in a large tertiary maternity unit. A qualitative, interpretive study involved thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with women (n=9), midwives (n=12) and obstetricians (n=9). Four major themes were identified including: 'Reassuring and supporting clinicians'; 'Keeping the door open'; 'Varied awareness, criteria and use of the MCP process' and 'No guarantees'. Clinicians felt protected and reassured by the structured documentation and communication process and valued keeping women engaged in hospital care. This, in turn, protected women's access to maternity care. However, the process could not guarantee favourable responses from other clinicians subsequently involved in the woman's care. Ongoing discussions of risk, perceived by women and some midwives to be pressure to consent to recommended care, were still evident. These limitations may have been attributable to the absence of agreed criteria for initiating the MCP process and fragmented care. Varying awareness and use of the process also diminished women's access to it. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Message from Home: Findings from a Program for Non-Retarded, Low-Income Preschoolers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levenstein, Phyllis

This document describes the Mother-Child Home Program (MCHP) for prevention of educational disadvantage, prepared by the Verbal Interaction Project. The MCHP consisted of 92 semi-weekly, half hour home sessions spread over two years by interviewers called "Toy Demonstrators". The latter were trained in non-didactic techniques to show a…

Comparative analysis of diversity and utilization of edible plants in arid and semi-arid areas in Benin.

PubMed

Segnon, Alcade C; Achigan-Dako, Enoch G

2014-12-23

Agrobiodiversity is said to contribute to the sustainability of agricultural systems and food security. However, how this is achieved especially in smallholder farming systems in arid and semi-arid areas is rarely documented. In this study, we explored two contrasting regions in Benin to investigate how agroecological and socioeconomic contexts shape the diversity and utilization of edible plants in these regions. Data were collected through focus group discussions in 12 villages with four in Bassila (semi-arid Sudano-Guinean region) and eight in Boukoumbé (arid Sudanian region). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 180 farmers (90 in each region). Species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were estimated based on presence-absence data obtained from the focus group discussions using species accumulation curves. Our results indicated that 115 species belonging to 48 families and 92 genera were used to address food security. Overall, wild species represent 61% of edible plants collected (60% in the semi-arid area and 54% in the arid area). About 25% of wild edible plants were under domestication. Edible species richness and diversity in the semi-arid area were significantly higher than in the arid area. However, farmers in the arid area have developed advanced resource-conserving practices compared to their counterparts in the semi-arid area where slash-and-burn cultivation is still ongoing, resulting in natural resources degradation and loss of biodiversity. There is no significant difference between the two areas for cultivated species richness. The interplay of socio-cultural attributes and agroecological conditions explains the diversity of food plants selected by communities. We conclude that if food security has to be addressed, the production and consumption policies must be re-oriented toward the recognition of the place of wild edible plants. For this to happen we suggest a number of policy and strategic decisions as well as research and development actions such as a thorough documentation of wild edible plants and their contribution to household diet, promotion of the ''bringing into cultivation" practices, strengthening of livestock-crop integration.

Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians’ Perceptions of Electronic Documentation and Workflow

PubMed Central

Neri, P.M.; Redden, L.; Poole, S.; Pozner, C.N.; Horsky, J.; Raja, A.S.; Poon, E.; Schiff, G.

2015-01-01

Summary Objective To understand emergency department (ED) physicians’ use of electronic documentation in order to identify usability and workflow considerations for the design of future ED information system (EDIS) physician documentation modules. Methods We invited emergency medicine resident physicians to participate in a mixed methods study using task analysis and qualitative interviews. Participants completed a simulated, standardized patient encounter in a medical simulation center while documenting in the test environment of a currently used EDIS. We recorded the time on task, type and sequence of tasks performed by the participants (including tasks performed in parallel). We then conducted semi-structured interviews with each participant. We analyzed these qualitative data using the constant comparative method to generate themes. Results Eight resident physicians participated. The simulation session averaged 17 minutes and participants spent 11 minutes on average on tasks that included electronic documentation. Participants performed tasks in parallel, such as history taking and electronic documentation. Five of the 8 participants performed a similar workflow sequence during the first part of the session while the remaining three used different workflows. Three themes characterize electronic documentation: (1) physicians report that location and timing of documentation varies based on patient acuity and workload, (2) physicians report a need for features that support improved efficiency; and (3) physicians like viewing available patient data but struggle with integration of the EDIS with other information sources. Conclusion We confirmed that physicians spend much of their time on documentation (65%) during an ED patient visit. Further, we found that resident physicians did not all use the same workflow and approach even when presented with an identical standardized patient scenario. Future EHR design should consider these varied workflows while trying to optimize efficiency, such as improving integration of clinical data. These findings should be tested quantitatively in a larger, representative study. PMID:25848411

Medicinal plants used by women in Mecca: urban, Muslim and gendered knowledge.

PubMed

Alqethami, Afnan; Hawkins, Julie A; Teixidor-Toneu, Irene

2017-11-17

This study explores medicinal plant knowledge and use among Muslim women in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Ethnobotanical research in the region has focused on rural populations and male herbal healers in cities, and based on these few studies, it is suggested that medicinal plant knowledge may be eroding. Here, we document lay, female knowledge of medicinal plants in an urban centre, interpreting findings in the light of the growing field of urban ethnobotany and gendered knowledge and in an Islamic context. Free-listing, structured and semi-structured interviews were used to document the extent of medicinal plant knowledge among 32 Meccan women. Vernacular names, modes of preparation and application, intended therapeutic use and emic toxicological remarks were recorded. Women were asked where they learnt about medicinal plants and if and when they preferred using medicinal plants over biomedical resources. Prior informed consent was always obtained. We compared the list of medicinal plants used by these Meccan women with medicinal plants previously documented in published literature. One hundred eighteen vernacular names were collected, corresponding to approximately 110 plants, including one algae. Of these, 95 were identified at the species level and 39 (41%) had not been previously cited in Saudi Arabian medicinal plant literature. Almost one half of the plants cited are food and flavouring plants. Meccan women interviewed learn about medicinal plants from their social network, mass media and written sources, and combine biomedical and medicinal plant health care. However, younger women more often prefer biomedical resources and learn from written sources and mass media. The fairly small number of interviews conducted in this study was sufficient to reveal the singular body of medicinal plant knowledge held by women in Mecca and applied to treat common ailments. Plant availability in local shops and markets and inclusion in religious texts seem to shape the botanical diversity used by the Meccan women interviewed, and the use of foods and spices medicinally could be a global feature of urban ethnobotany. Ethnobotanical knowledge among women in Islamic communities may be changing due to access to mass media and biomedicine. We recognise the lack of documentation of the diversity of medicinal plant knowledge in the Arabian Peninsula and an opportunity to better understand gendered urban and rural knowledge.

Ethnopharmacological survey of Samburu district, Kenya

PubMed Central

Nanyingi, Mark O; Mbaria, James M; Lanyasunya, Adamson L; Wagate, Cyrus G; Koros, Kipsengeret B; Kaburia, Humphrey F; Munenge, Rahab W; Ogara, William O

2008-01-01

Background Ethnobotanical pharmacopoeia is confidently used in disease intervention and there is need for documentation and preservation of traditional medical knowledge to bolster the discovery of novel drugs. The objective of the present study was to document the indigenous medicinal plant utilization, management and their extinction threats in Samburu District, Kenya. Methods Field research was conducted in six divisions of Samburu District in Kenya. We randomly sampled 100 consented interviewees stratified by age, gender, occupation and level of education. We collected plant use data through semi-structured questionnaires; transect walks, oral interviews and focus groups discussions. Voucher specimens of all cited botanic species were collected and deposited at University of Nairobi's botany herbarium. Results Data on plant use from the informants yielded 990 citations on 56 medicinal plant species, which are used to treat 54 different animal and human diseases including; malaria, digestive disorders, respiratory syndromes and ectoparasites. Conclusion The ethnomedicinal use of plant species was documented in the study area for treatment of both human and veterinary diseases. The local population has high ethnobotanical knowledge and has adopted sound management conservation practices. The major threatening factors reported were anthropogenic and natural. Ethnomedical documentation and sustainable plant utilization can support drug discovery efforts in developing countries. PMID:18498665

Hypochondriasis Y-BOCS: a study of the psychometric properties of a clinician-administered semi-structured interview to assess hypochondriacal thoughts and behaviours.

PubMed

Greeven, Anja; Spinhoven, Philip; van Balkom, Anton J L M

2009-01-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the first clinician-administered semi-structured interview for assessing the severity of hypochondriacal symptoms. The Hypochondriasis Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (H-YBOCS) consisted of three a priori dimensions: hypochondriacal obsessions, compulsions and avoidance. The 16-item interview was conducted with 112 participants with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, hypochondriasis. We analysed factor analytic structure, reliability, construct validity and sensitivity to change. Factor analysis supported a three-factor model similar to the a priori dimensions. Internal consistency ranged from satisfactory to good. Inter-rater reliability was excellent. The construct validity was low to moderate. The H-YBOCS was sensitive for measuring changes in symptom severity. The H-YBOCS is a (factorially) valid and coherent interview with a high level of agreement across different raters. The relatively low discriminant validity could be due to co-morbid anxiety and depressive disorders. Overall, the H-YBOCS seems to be a promising contribution to the assessment of hypochondriasis. *The hypochondriasis Y-BOCS is a feasible clinician rated interview to assess the severity of hypochondriacal complaints.

An Evaluation of Research Ethics in Undergraduate Health Science Research Methodology Programs at a South African University.

PubMed

Coetzee, Tanya; Hoffmann, Willem A; de Roubaix, Malcolm

2015-10-01

The amended research ethics policy at a South African University required the ethics review of undergraduate research projects, prompting the need to explore the content and teaching approach of research ethics education in health science undergraduate programs. Two qualitative data collection strategies were used: document analysis (syllabi and study guides) and semi-structured interviews with research methodology coordinators. Five main themes emerged: (a) timing of research ethics courses, (b) research ethics course content, (c) sub-optimal use of creative classroom activities to facilitate research ethics lectures, (d) understanding the need for undergraduate project research ethics review, and (e) research ethics capacity training for research methodology lecturers and undergraduate project supervisors. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Evaluation of Contextual Factors in Psychosomatic Rehabilitation].

PubMed

Bülau, N I; Kessemeier, F; Petermann, F; Bassler, M; Kobelt, A

2016-12-01

Objectives: Although individualized and ICF-oriented implementation of rehabilitation treatment requires knowledge of relevant contextual factors, there is a lack of operationalized documentation and measurement tools to evaluate these factors. Therefore, an ICF-oriented semi-structured interview was designed. Methods: 20 contextual factors were externally assessed whether they negatively affected mental functioning and participation of psychosomatic patients. Additionally, psychometric scales were applied. Results: Six relevant impairing contextual factors were identified. Contextual factors significantly correlated with psychometric scales. Patients with higher contextual impairment showed significantly higher psychological stress levels. Conclusions: Anamnesis of contextual factors at the beginning of psychosomatic rehabilitation yields important information for therapy planning. Further research on contextual factors in medical rehabilitation is needed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Conceptual and institutional gaps: understanding how the WHO can become a more effective cross-sectoral collaborator.

PubMed

Gopinathan, Unni; Watts, Nicholas; Hougendobler, Daniel; Lefebvre, Alex; Cheung, Arthur; Hoffman, Steven J; Røttingen, John-Arne

2015-11-24

Two themes consistently emerge from the broad range of academics, policymakers and opinion leaders who have proposed changes to the World Health Organization (WHO): that reform efforts are too slow, and that they do too little to strengthen WHO's capacity to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration. This study seeks to identify possible explanations for the challenges WHO faces in addressing the broader determinants of health, and the potential opportunities for working across sectors. This qualitative study used a mixed methods approach of semi-structured interviews and document review. Five interviewees were selected by stratified purposive sampling within a sampling frame of approximately 45 potential interviewees, and a targeted document review was conducted. All interviewees were senior WHO staff at the department director level or above. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data from interview transcripts, field notes, and the document review, and data coded during the analysis was analyzed against three central research questions. First, how does WHO conceptualize its mandate in global health? Second, what are the barriers and enablers to enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration between WHO and other intergovernmental organizations? Third, how do the dominant conceptual frames and the identified barriers and enablers to cross-sectoral collaboration interact? Analysis of the interviews and documents revealed three main themes: 1) WHO's role must evolve to meet the global challenges and societal changes of the 21st century; 2) WHO's cross-sectoral engagement is hampered internally by a dominant biomedical view of health, and the prevailing institutions and incentives that entrench this view; and 3) WHO's cross-sectoral engagement is hampered externally by siloed areas of focus for each intergovernmental organization, and the lack of adequate conceptual frameworks and institutional mechanisms to facilitate engagement across siloes. There are a number of external and internal pressures on WHO which have created an organizational culture and operational structure that focuses on a narrow, technical approach to global health, prioritizing disease-based, siloed interventions over more complex approaches that span sectors. The broader approach to promoting human health and wellbeing, which is conceptualized in WHO's constitution, requires cultural and institutional changes for it to be fully implemented.

Reshould I Take More MIS Courses? Implications from Interviews with Business Recruiters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Jun; Guo, Yi Maggie

2015-01-01

It is important for MIS educators to have a good understanding of what IT knowledge and skills are required in business. In this study, 103 open job positions in the Midwestern United States were investigated via semi-structured interviews with hiring companies. The interviews with key business recruiters suggest that IT knowledge and skills are…

A Four-Year Follow-Up of Means-End Outcomes from Outdoor Adventure Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenberg, Marni; Soule, Katherine E.

2015-01-01

Means-end theory was used to analyze differences in outcomes from original interviews and follow-up interviews occurring four years after Outward Bound (OB) and National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) 2006 course participation. In 2006, a semi-structured, in-person interview was conducted after participants (N = 510) completed their course. In…

Receiving Video-Based Feedback in Elite Ice-Hockey: A Player's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Lee J.; Potrac, Paul; Groom, Ryan

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper was to provide some rich insights into how an elite ice-hockey player responded to his coaches' pedagogical delivery of video-based feedback sessions. Data for this study were gathered through a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and a reflective log relating to those interviews. The interviews were transcribed…

EXTENSIBLE DATABASE FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGEMENT OF UNSTRUCTURED AND SEMI-STRUCTURED DOCUMENTS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gawdiak, Yuri O. (Inventor); La, Tracy T. (Inventor); Lin, Shu-Chun Y. (Inventor); Malof, David A. (Inventor); Tran, Khai Peter B. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

Method and system for querying a collection of Unstructured or semi-structured documents to identify presence of, and provide context and/or content for, keywords and/or keyphrases. The documents are analyzed and assigned a node structure, including an ordered sequence of mutually exclusive node segments or strings. Each node has an associated set of at least four, five or six attributes with node information and can represent a format marker or text, with the last node in any node segment usually being a text node. A keyword (or keyphrase) is specified. and the last node in each node segment is searched for a match with the keyword. When a match is found at a query node, or at a node determined with reference to a query node, the system displays the context andor the content of the query node.

Clinical Interview Assessment of Financial Capacity in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Marson, Daniel C.; Martin, Roy C.; Wadley, Virginia; Griffith, H. Randall; Snyder, Scott; Goode, Patricia S.; Kinney, F. Cleveland; Nicholas, Anthony P.; Steele, Terri; Anderson, Britt; Zamrini, Edward; Raman, Rema; Bartolucci, Alfred; Harrell, Lindy E.

2009-01-01

Objectives To investigate financial capacity in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using a clinician interview approach. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Tertiary care medical center. Participants Healthy older adults (N=75), patients with amnestic MCI (N=58), mild AD (N=97), and moderate AD (N=31). Measurements The investigators and five study physicians developed a conceptually based, semi-structured clinical interview for evaluating seven core financial domains and overall financial capacity (Semi-Structured Clinical Interview for Financial Capacity; SCIFC). For each participant, a physician made capacity judgments (capable, marginally capable, or incapable) for each financial domain and for overall capacity. Results Study physicians made a total of over 11,000 capacity judgments across the study sample (N=261). Very good inter-rater agreement was obtained for the SCIFC judgments. Increasing proportions of marginal and incapable judgment ratings were associated with increasing disease severity across the four study groups. For overall financial capacity, 95 percent of physician judgments for older controls were rated as capable, as compared to only 82% for patients with MCI, 26% for patients with mild AD, and 4% for patients with moderate AD. Conclusion Financial capacity in cognitively impaired older adults can be reliably evaluated by physicians using a relatively brief, semi-structured clinical interview. Financial capacity shows mild impairment in MCI, emerging global impairment in mild AD, and advanced global impairment in moderate AD. MCI patients and their families should proactively engage in financial and legal planning given these patients’ risk of developing AD and accelerated loss of financial abilities. PMID:19453308

Enduring powers of attorney: promoting attorneys' accountability as substitute decision makers.

PubMed

Tilse, Cheryl; Wilson, Jill; White, Ben; Willmott, Lindy; McCawley, Anne-Louise

2014-09-01

The misuse and abuse of Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) by attorneys, particularly in relation to financial decision-making, is a growing concern. This paper explores the opportunities to enhance accountability of attorneys at the time of the execution of the document in Queensland. A four-stage multi-method design comprised a critical reference group; semi-structured interviews with 32 principals or potential principals, attorneys and witnesses; two focus groups with service providers and a state-wide survey of 76 principals, attorneys and witnesses. Across all methods and user groups, understanding the role and obligations of the attorney in an EPA was consistently identified as problematic. Promoting accountability and understanding can be addressed by greater attention to the role of the attorney in the forms/ guidelines and in the structure and witnessing of the forms, increased direction about record keeping and access to appropriate advice and support. © 2013 ACOTA.

Situation awareness and documentation of changes that affect patient outcomes in progress notes.

PubMed

Tower, Marion; Chaboyer, Wendy

2014-05-01

To report on registered nurses' situation awareness as a precursor to decision-making when recording changes in patients' conditions. Progress notes are important to communicate patients' progress and detail changes in patients' conditions. However, documentation is often poorly completed. There is little work that examines nurses' decision-making during documentation. This study focused on describing situation awareness as a precursor to decision-making during documentation. This study used Endsley's (Situation Awareness Analysis and Measurement, 2000, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, NJ) work on situation awareness to guide and conceptualise information. The study was situated in a naturalistic paradigm to provide an interpretation of nurses' decision-making. Think-aloud research methods and semi-structured interviews were employed to illuminate decision-making processes. Audio recordings and interview texts were individually examined for evidence of cues, informed by Endsley's (Situation Awareness Analysis and Measurement, 2000, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, NJ) descriptions of situation awareness. As patients' conditions changed, nurses used complex mental models and pattern-matching of information, drawing on all 3 levels of situation awareness during documentation. Level 1 situation awareness provided context, level 2 situation awareness signified a change in condition and its significance for the patient, and level 3 situation awareness was evident when nurses thought aloud about what this information indicated. Three themes associated with changes in patients' conditions emerged: deterioration in condition, not responding to prescribed treatments as expected and issues related to professional practice that impacted on patients' conditions. Nurses used a complex mental model for decision-making, drawing on 3 levels of situation awareness. Hamm's cognitive continuum theory, when related to situation awareness, is a useful decision-making theory to provide a platform on which to draw together components of situation awareness and provide a framework on which to base decision-making regarding documentation. Understanding how RNs employ situation awareness and providing a framework for decision-making during documentation may assist effective documentation about changes in patients' conditions. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving public health evaluation: a qualitative investigation of practitioners' needs.

PubMed

Denford, Sarah; Lakshman, Rajalakshmi; Callaghan, Margaret; Abraham, Charles

2018-01-30

In 2011, the House of Lords published a report on Behaviour Change, in which they report that "a lot more could, and should, be done to improve the evaluation of interventions." This study aimed to undertake a needs assessment of what kind of evaluation training and materials would be of most use to UK public health practitioners by conducting interviews with practitioners about everyday evaluation practice and needed guidance and materials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 public health practitioners in two UK regions, Cambridgeshire and the South West. Participants included directors of public health, consultants in public health, health improvement advisors, public health intelligence, and public health research officers. A topic guide included questions designed to explore participants existing evaluation practice and their needs for further training and guidance. Data were analysed using thematic analyses. Practitioners highlighted the need for evaluation to defend the effectiveness of existing programs and protect funding provisions. However, practitioners often lacked training in evaluation, and felt unqualified to perform such a task. The majority of practitioners did not use, or were not aware of many existing evaluation guidance documents. They wanted quality-assured, practical guidance that relate to the real world settings in which they operate. Practitioners also mentioned the need for better links and support from academics in public health. Whilst numerous guidance documents supporting public health evaluation exist, these documents are currently underused by practitioners - either because they are not considered useful, or because practitioners are not aware of them. Integrating existing guides into a catalogue of guidance documents, and developing a new-quality assured, practical and useful document may support the evaluation of public health programs. This in turn has the potential to identify those programs that are effective; thus improving public health and reducing financial waste.

End-of-life dreams and visions: a longitudinal study of hospice patients' experiences.

PubMed

Kerr, Christopher W; Donnelly, James P; Wright, Scott T; Kuszczak, Sarah M; Banas, Anne; Grant, Pei C; Luczkiewicz, Debra L

2014-03-01

End-of-life dreams and visions (ELDVs) have been well documented throughout history and across cultures. The impact of pre-death experiences on dying individuals and their loved ones can be profoundly meaningful. Our aim was to quantify the frequency of dreams/visions experienced by patients nearing the end of life, examine the content and subjective significance of the dreams/visions, and explore the relationship of these factors to time/proximity to death. This mixed-methods study surveyed patients in a hospice inpatient unit using a semi-structured interview. Sixty-six patients admitted to a hospice inpatient unit between January 2011 and July 2012 provided informed consent and participated in the study. The semi-structured interviews contained closed and open-ended questions regarding the content, frequency, and comfort/distress of dreams/visions. Fifty-nine participants comprised the final sample. Most participants reported experiencing at least one dream/vision. Almost half of the dreams/visions occurred while asleep, and nearly all patients indicated that they felt real. The most common dreams/visions included deceased friends/relatives and living friends/relatives. Dreams/visions featuring the deceased (friends, relatives, and animals/pets) were significantly more comforting than those of the living, living and deceased combined, and other people and experiences. As participants approached death, comforting dreams/visions of the deceased became more prevalent. ELDVs are commonly experienced phenomena during the dying process, characterized by a consistent sense of realism and marked emotional significance. These dreams/visions may be a profound source of potential meaning and comfort for the dying, and therefore warrant clinical attention and further research.

Community-based oral health promotion practices targeted at children and adolescents in Finland--developing an assessment tool.

PubMed

Blomqvist, Pia; Ojala, Ellinoora; Kettunen, Tarja; Poskiparta, Marita; Kasila, Kirsti

2014-06-01

To develop an assessment tool for evaluating oral health promotion practices and to evaluate community-based oral health promotion practices targeted at children and adolescents with this tool. A theoretical framework about health promotion planning, implementation and evaluation was made on the basis of a literature review. Then, information about Finnish community-based oral health promotion practices (n=12) targeted at children and adolescents was collected using semi-structured interviews. Also, related documents, for example action plans and reports, were collected when available. Next, an assessment tool based on the theoretical framework was developed, and the recorded and transcribed interview data and other documents were evaluated with this tool. The assessment tool proved to be practical: it pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of the practices. The tool revealed strengths in the implementation and deficiencies in the planning and evaluation of oral health promotion practices. One-quarter of the 12 practices assessed could be considered 'good practices'. There is a need to improve the planning and evaluation of oral health promotion practices. The assessment tool developed in this study might be useful for practitioners both in the field of oral health promotion and general health promotion. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

End-user support for primary care electronic medical records: a qualitative case study of users’ needs, expectations and realities

PubMed Central

Shachak, Aviv; Montgomery, Catherine; Dow, Rustam; Barnsley, Jan; Tu, Karen; Jadad, Alejandro R.; Lemieux-Charles, Louise

2015-01-01

Support is considered an important factor for realizing the benefits of health information technology (HIT) but there is a dearth of research on the topic of support, especially in primary care. We conducted a qualitative multiple case study of 4 family health teams (FHTs) and one family health organization (FHO) in Ontario, Canada in an attempt to gain insight into users’ expectations and needs, and the realities of end-user support for primary care electronic medical records (EMRs). Data were collected by semi-structured interviews, documents review, and observation of training sessions. The analysis highlights the important role of on-site information technology (IT) staff and super-users in liaising with various stakeholders to solve technical problems and providing hardware and functional (‘how to’) support; the local development of data support practices to ensure consistent documentation; and the gaps that exist in users’ and support personnel’s understanding of each other’s work processes. PMID:26225209

Clinical extracts of biomedical literature for patient-centered problem solving.

PubMed Central

Florance, V

1996-01-01

This paper reports on a four-part qualitative research project aimed at designing an online document surrogate tailored to the needs of physicians seeking biomedical literature for use in clinical problem solving. The clinical extract, designed in collaboration with three practicing physicians, combines traditional elements of the MEDLINE record (e.g., title, author, source, abstract) with new elements (e.g., table captions, text headings, case profiles) suggested by the physicians. Specifications for the prototype clinical extract were developed through a series of relevance-scoring exercises and semi-structured interviews. For six clinical questions, three physicians assessed the applicability of selected articles and their document surrogates, articulating relevance criteria and reasons for their judgments. A prototype clinical extract based on their suggestions was developed, tested, evaluated, and revised. The final version includes content and format aids to make the extract easy to use. The goals, methods, and outcomes of the research study are summarized, and a template of the final design is provided. PMID:8883986

The Structured Clinically Relevant Interview for Psychiatrists in Training (SCRIPT): A New Standardized Assessment Tool for Recruitment in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Rahul

2007-01-01

Objective: The multifaceted nature of training and the diverse backgrounds of potential Senior House Officers (Postgraduate Residents) require a novel approach to the selection of trainees wishing to pursue a career in psychiatry. The author reports the properties of a semi-structured interview (the SCRIPT) for assessing doctors short-listed for a…

All the World's a School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jonathan

2017-01-01

This article reports on a research project which focused on the aspirations and identities of students in an international school. Ten boys and ten girls were interviewed using semi-structured and photo-elicitation interviews. This research indicates convincingly that socio-economic background and international capital are crucial factors framing…

Prospective Teachers' Perceptions on Different Aspects of Portfolio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ok, Ahmet; Erdogan, Mehmet

2010-01-01

This qualitative-case study examined how portfolio and portfolio assessment were perceived by prospective teachers. The participants were 23 prospective teachers from seven different teaching areas from a Turkish university. A semi-structured individual interview was conducted. The interview schedule included 15 open-ended questions. The main…

78 FR 3431 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-16

... protocols to collect further qualitative information through interviews and/or focus groups with program... Readiness Goals and Head Start Program Functioning'' research project. The purpose of this study is to... functioning. ACF is proposing to use a semi-structured telephone interview protocol to collect information...

The Mentoring Experience: Leadership Development Program Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamm, Kevan W.; Sapp, Rochelle; Lamm, Alexa J.

2017-01-01

Using a semi-structured interview approach, ten mentors from a leadership development program focused on building leaders in Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences across the nation provided insights regarding their mentoring method, process, and experiences. Mentors interviewed agreed the mentoring process was beneficial for themselves as well…

10 CFR 712.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... derogatory under the criteria listed in 10 CFR part 710, subpart A. Semi-structured interview means an interview by a Designated Psychologist, or a psychologist under his or her supervision, who has the latitude to vary the focus and content of the questions depending on the interviewee's responses. Site...

10 CFR 712.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... derogatory under the criteria listed in 10 CFR part 710, subpart A. Semi-structured interview means an interview by a Designated Psychologist, or a psychologist under his or her supervision, who has the latitude to vary the focus and content of the questions depending on the interviewee's responses. Site...

"I Don't Know What a Proper Woman Means": What Women with Intellectual Disabilities Think about Sex, Sexuality and Themselves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Christina; Withers, Paul

2013-01-01

There is very little literature concerning how women with intellectual disabilities conceptualise their sexuality or develop a sexual identity. Semi-structured interview schedules were used to guide interviews with 10 women with intellectual disabilities. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. Many of the women could not…

Compatibility of the Relationship of Early Recollections and Life Style with Parent Schemas Obtained through Adlerian Interviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canel, Azize Nilgün

2016-01-01

In this study, the Adlerian Interview Form has been used as a semi-structured, in-depth interview method to identify the experiences of six participants regarding Adler's concepts of early recollections and life style. Subsequent to transcribing the obtained information, recollections to be included in the analysis were subjected to the criterion…

Interviews in qualitative research.

PubMed

Peters, Kath; Halcomb, Elizabeth

2015-03-01

Interviews are a common method of data collection in nursing research. They are frequently used alone in a qualitative study or combined with other data collection methods in mixed or multi-method research. Semi-structured interviews, where the researcher has some predefined questions or topics but then probes further as the participant responds, can produce powerful data that provide insights into the participants' experiences, perceptions or opinions.

Non-Use of Cochlear Implants in Children: Child and Parent Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Linda M.; Gregory, Susan

2005-01-01

Five cases of non-use of cochlear implants by children were investigated through semi-structured interviews with the children and their carers. The children were interviewed at school by a researcher who is deaf, and the carers, all of whom were hearing, were interviewed at home by a hearing researcher when the children were not present. The…

Pilot-testing an adverse drug event reporting form prior to its implementation in an electronic health record.

PubMed

Chruscicki, Adam; Badke, Katherin; Peddie, David; Small, Serena; Balka, Ellen; Hohl, Corinne M

2016-01-01

Adverse drug events (ADEs), harmful unintended consequences of medication use, are a leading cause of hospital admissions, yet are rarely documented in a structured format between care providers. We describe pilot-testing structured ADE documentation fields prior to integration into an electronic medical record (EMR). We completed a qualitative study at two Canadian hospitals. Using data derived from a systematic review of the literature, we developed screen mock-ups for an ADE reporting platform, iteratively revised in participatory workshops with diverse end-user groups. We designed a paper-based form reflecting the data elements contained in the mock-ups. We distributed them to a convenience sample of clinical pharmacists, and completed ethnographic workplace observations while the forms were used. We reviewed completed forms, collected feedback from pharmacists using semi-structured interviews, and coded the data in NVivo for themes related to the ADE form. We completed 25 h of clinical observations, and 24 ADEs were documented. Pharmacists perceived the form as simple and clear, with sufficient detail to capture ADEs. They identified fields for omission, and others requiring more detail. Pharmacists encountered barriers to documenting ADEs including uncertainty about what constituted a reportable ADE, inability to complete patient follow-up, the need for inter-professional communication to rule out alternative diagnoses, and concern about creating a permanent record. Paper-based pilot-testing allowed planning for important modifications in an ADE documentation form prior to implementation in an EMR. While paper-based piloting is rarely reported prior to EMR implementations, it can inform design and enhance functionality. Piloting with other groups of care providers and in different healthcare settings will likely lead to further revisions prior to broader implementations.

Exploration of the reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Khazaie, Habibolah; Rezaie, Leeba; Shahdipour, Niloofar; Weaver, Patrick

2016-06-01

Elucidating the reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy can lead to the development of interventions aimed at reducing patient drop out. The present study aimed to explore patients' reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy in Kermanshah, Iran. The present qualitative study was performed using conventional content analysis. The current sample included 15 participants consisting of 7 patients who dropped out of psychotherapy and 8 psychotherapists who have previously experienced patient dropout. A semi-structured interview was used for data collection. All interviews were audio recorded and subsequently transcribed. Content analysis using constant comparisons was performed for transcribed interviews. Four main categories emerged as reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy: dissatisfaction with the quality of psychotherapy, financial problems in psychotherapy, unprepared socio-cultural context of psychotherapy, and psychotherapy as a non-user friendly treatment. Additionally, specific subcategories within each main category were documented. The results revealed distinct reasons for psychotherapy drop out in the current Iranian-based sample. These identified reasons should be considered and addressed at the onset of treatment as well as in the development of formal interventions aimed at reducing dropout. Further research investigating the antecedents leading to patient drop out is recommended. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The human factors of implementing shift work in logging operations.

PubMed

Mitchell, D L; Gallagher, T V; Thomas, R E

2008-10-01

A fairly recent development in the forest industry is the use of shift work in logging in the southeastern U.S. Logging company owners are implementing shift work as an opportunity to increase production and potentially reduce the cost of producing each unit of wood, without consideration of the potential impacts on the logging crew. There are many documented physiological and psychological impacts on workers from shift work in a variety of industries, although few address forestry workers in the U.S. Semi-structured interviews were performed to gather information about how logging company owners were implementing shift work in seven southeastern states. Data collected during the interviews included employee turnover, shift hours, shift scheduling, safety considerations, and production impacts. Various work schedules were employed. The majority of the schedules encompassed less than 24 hours per day. Permanent and rotating shift schedules were found. None of the logging company owners used more than two crews in a 24-hour period. Additional safety precautions were implemented as a result of working after dark. No in-woods worker accidents or injuries were reported by any of those interviewed. Results indicate that a variety of work schedules can be successfully implemented in the southeastern logging industry.

Expert Knowledge Influences Decision-Making for Couples Receiving Positive Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray Testing Results.

PubMed

Rubel, M A; Werner-Lin, A; Barg, F K; Bernhardt, B A

2017-09-01

To assess how participants receiving abnormal prenatal genetic testing results seek information and understand the implications of results, 27 US female patients and 12 of their male partners receiving positive prenatal microarray testing results completed semi-structured phone interviews. These interviews documented participant experiences with chromosomal microarray testing, understanding of and emotional response to receiving results, factors affecting decision-making about testing and pregnancy termination, and psychosocial needs throughout the testing process. Interview data were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. In the absence of certainty about the implications of results, understanding of results is shaped by biomedical expert knowledge (BEK) and cultural expert knowledge (CEK). When there is a dearth of BEK, as in the case of receiving results of uncertain significance, participants rely on CEK, including religious/spiritual beliefs, "gut instinct," embodied knowledge, and social network informants. CEK is a powerful platform to guide understanding of prenatal genetic testing results. The utility of culturally situated expert knowledge during testing uncertainty emphasizes that decision-making occurs within discourses beyond the biomedical domain. These forms of "knowing" may be integrated into clinical consideration of efficacious patient assessment and counseling.

Construction in Occupied Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Andrew E.; Azhar, Salman; Khalfan, Malik

2017-06-01

Conducting construction activities in occupied environments presents a great challenge due to the additional logistical requirements and the presence of the building occupants. The aim of this research is to gather and evaluate the means and methods to successfully plan, manage, and execute construction activities in occupied spaces in an effort to provide consolidated industry tools and strategies for maintaining a schedule and minimizing the impact on the occupants. The methodology of the research utilizes an exploratory approach to gather qualitative data. The data was collected through interviews with industry professionals to identify industry best practices. The semi-structured interviews provided a platform for the documents, lessons learned, and the techniques and strategies used for occupied construction by the construction industry. The information obtained in the interview process identified six themes that are critical to achieving and maintaining quality in occupied construction. These themes of the schedule, cost, customer satisfaction, planning, fire/life safety and utilities, and contractor management are reviewed in detail, and the paper discusses how to manage each element. The analysis and extracted management techniques, procedures and strategies can be used by the construction industry for future projects by focusing on the critical aspects of occupied construction and the manner in which to succeed with it.

Challenges of the New Zealand healthcare disaster preparedness prior to the Canterbury earthquakes: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Al-Shaqsi, Sultan; Gauld, Robin; Lovell, Sarah; McBride, David; Al-Kashmiri, Ammar; Al-Harthy, Abdullah

2013-03-15

Disasters are a growing global phenomenon. New Zealand has suffered several major disasters in recent times. The state of healthcare disaster preparedness in New Zealand prior to the Canterbury earthquakes is not well documented. To investigate the challenges of the New Zealand healthcare disaster preparedness prior to the Canterbury earthquakes. Semi-structured interviews with emergency planners in all the District Health Boards (DHBs) in New Zealand in the period between January and March 2010. The interview protocol revolved around the domains of emergency planning adopted by the World Health Organization. Seventeen interviews were conducted. The main themes included disinterest of clinical personnel in emergency planning, the need for communication backup, the integration of private services in disaster preparedness, the value of volunteers, the requirement for regular disaster training, and the need to enhance surge capability of the New Zealand healthcare system to respond to disasters. Prior to the Canterbury earthquakes, healthcare disaster preparedness faced multiple challenges. Despite these challenges, New Zealand's healthcare response was adequate. Future preparedness has to consider the lessons learnt from the 2011 earthquakes to improve healthcare disaster planning in New Zealand.

Fitness Instructors: How Does Their Knowledge on Weight Loss Measure Up?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsyth, Glenys; Handcock, Phil; Rose, Elaine; Jenkins, Carolyn

2005-01-01

Objective: To examine the knowledge, approaches and attitudes of fitness instructors dealing with clients seeking weight loss advice. Design: A qualitative project whereby semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten fitness instructors representing a range of qualifications, work settings and years of experience. Setting: Interviews were…

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.…

78 FR 942 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-07

..., health IT usage, and work processes. A total of 14 observation periods will take place across the six... 1. (4) Semi-structured individual interviews and surveys with clinic staff to further understand... the Technology Assessment Model (TAM) survey. The interview will address up to five key topic areas...

Emerging Conceptions of ICT-Enhanced Teaching: Australian TAFE Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Shahadat Hossain

2015-01-01

This article presents the results of a study, undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective, which examines technical and further education (TAFE) teachers' conceptions of ICT-enhanced teaching. A cohort of 23 teachers from three TAFE institutions in Australia, participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. These interviews were used to…

A Constructivist Case Study Examining the Leadership Development of Undergraduate Students in Campus Recreational Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Stacey L.; Forrester, Scott; Borsz, Melissa

2008-01-01

This constructivist case study examined undergraduate student leadership development. Twenty-one student leaders, 13 females and 8 males, in a campus recreational sports department were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. Seven broad themes: organizing, planning, and delegating; balancing academic, personal and professional…

Beliefs and Attitudes of Primary School Teachers in Mumbai, India towards Children Who Stutter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pachigar, Vinati; Stansfield, Jois; Goldbart, Juliet

2011-01-01

Beliefs and attitudes of teachers in Mumbai, India, towards children who stutter were investigated using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Questionnaires were completed by 58 teachers, four of whom were subsequently interviewed. Results from the questionnaires showed that teachers believed that a child's environment influenced…

What's Not Being Said? Recollections of Nondisclosure in Clinical Supervision While in Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeney, Jennifer; Creaner, Mary

2014-01-01

The aim of this qualitative study was to retrospectively examine nondisclosure in individual supervision while in training. Interviews were conducted with supervisees two years post-qualification. Specific nondisclosures were examined and reasons for these nondisclosures were explored. Six in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and…

Driven and No Regrets: A Qualitative Analysis of Students Earning Baccalaureate Degrees in Three Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Gilson, Krista Merrick

2007-01-01

Using rigorous qualitative research methodology, twenty-four college students receiving their undergraduate degrees in three years were interviewed. Following analysis of the semi-structured interview transcripts and coding, themes emerged, indicating that these students possessed self-discipline, self-motivation, and drive. Overall, the results…

Screen-Related Sedentary Behaviours of School-Aged Children: Principals' and Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Meizi; Piche, Leonard; Beynon, Charlene; Kurtz, Joanne; Harris, Stewart

2011-01-01

Objective: To solicit school principals' and teachers' perspectives on children's screen-related sedentary behaviour and to identify possible solutions to reduce sedentary behaviours among school-aged children. Method: In-person interviews using a semi-structured interview guide were conducted with school principals and grades five and six…

The Mutual Shaping of Online and Offline Social Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Bo

2008-01-01

Introduction: This study examines the interplay between online and offline social relationships by focusing on an understudied social group: older Chinese Internet users. Method: Thirty-three semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted with members of a senior-oriented Chinese Internet community in 2004. Analysis: Interview data were…

Academics' Teacher Identities, Authenticity and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreber, Carolin

2010-01-01

Nine academics participated in semi-structured interviews to explore possible linkages between their teacher identities and the pedagogies they employ. A content analysis of the interviews was performed to gain insight into the factors playing a role in how academics define themselves as teachers, the larger educational goals they espouse and the…

What Do Instructional Designers in Higher Education Really Do?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Ritzhaupt, Albert

2017-01-01

What do instructional designers in higher education really do? With the rise in online courses and programs in higher education, this question is especially important. We interviewed eight instructional designers from across the United States using a semi-structured interview protocol. The results were analyzed using the constant comparative…

Coping Constructs Related to College Students with Chronic Pain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Burger, Amanda J.; Sherman, Amanda L.; Grigsby, Megan E.; Croft, Jennifer N.

2011-01-01

This phenomenological, qualitative research study involved in-depth interviews with 22 participants enrolled in a private Midwestern university. Each participant reported living with a respective chronic pain syndrome while also being a full-time student. Our semi-structured, interviews centered around the constructs of physical, social,…

Life Trajectories of Youth Committing to Climate Activism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Scott R.

2016-01-01

This article draws from a study investigating the life trajectories of 17 youth climate activists from 14 countries through semi-structured, life memory interviews using Internet-based methods. The interpretations of the interviews focus on the ways in which participants constructed the meanings and functions of experiences and how they…

Fifth Grade Elementary Students' Conceptions of Earthquakes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savasci, Funda; Uluduz, Hatice

2013-01-01

This study intends to investigate the fifth grade students' conceptions of earthquakes. Twenty two grade 5 students (11-12 years old) from five different elementary schools in Istanbul voluntarily participated in the study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with each participant. Six interview questions were designed by…

Development and reliability of a structured interview guide for the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (SIGMA).

PubMed

Williams, Janet B W; Kobak, Kenneth A

2008-01-01

The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is often used in clinical trials to select patients and to assess treatment efficacy. The scale was originally published without suggested questions for clinicians to use in gathering the information necessary to rate the items. Structured and semi-structured interview guides have been found to improve reliability with other scales. To describe the development and test-retest reliability of a structured interview guide for the MADRS (SIGMA). A total of 162 test-retest interviews were conducted by 81 rater pairs. Each patient was interviewed twice, once by each rater conducting an independent interview. The intraclass correlation for total score between raters using the SIGMA was r=0.93, P<0.0001. All ten items had good to excellent interrater reliability. Use of the SIGMA can result in high reliability of MADRS scores in evaluating patients with depression.

Resilience Among Naval Recruits: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Interventions at Recruit Training Command and Implications on Fleet Readiness

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

associated with higher levels of resilience (Connor & Davidson, 2003). The CD-RISC offers a validated quantitative scale to researchers , allowing for the...a total of 35 recruits and 12 RDCs were interviewed. Four focus groups and 30 personal interviews were conducted. The interviews included recruits...two to four individuals. The interviews and focus groups were semi-structured. A set of questions were identified prior to the interviews as a

Multi-disciplinary team meetings in stroke rehabilitation: an observation study and conceptual framework.

PubMed

Tyson, S F; Burton, L; McGovern, A

2014-12-01

To explore how multi-disciplinary team meetings operate in stroke rehabilitation. Non-participant observation of multi-disciplinary team meetings and semi-structured interviews with attending staff. Twelve meetings were observed (at least one at each site) and 18 staff (one psychologist, one social worker; four nurses; four physiotherapists four occupational therapists, two speech and language therapists, one stroke co-ordinator and one stroke ward manager) were interviewed in eight in-patient stroke rehabilitation units. Multi-disciplinary team meetings in stroke rehabilitation were complex, demanding and highly varied. A model emerged which identified the main inputs to influence conduct of the meetings were personal contributions of the members and structure and format of the meetings. These were mediated by the team climate and leadership skills of the chair. The desired outputs; clinical decisions and the attributes of apparently effective meetings were identified by the staff. A notable difference between the meetings that staff considered effective and those that were not, was their structure and format. Successful meetings tended to feature a set agenda, structured documentation; formal use of measurement tools; pre-meeting preparation and skilled chairing. These features were often absent in meetings perceived to be ineffective. The main features of operation of multi-disciplinary team meetings have been identified which will enable assessment tools and interventions to improve effectiveness to be developed. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Papua New Guinea medical supply system - documenting opportunities and challenges to meet the Millennium Development Goals

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives Limited human resources are widely recognised as an impediment to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries, with the availability of medical supplies and suitably trained health personnel crucial to ensuring a well-functioning medical supply chain. This paper presents our findings as we seek to answer the research question ‘What factors influence the availability of medical supplies within the health facilities of Papua New Guinea?’ Methods We used a qualitative, triangulated strategy using semi-structured interviews, workplace observation and semi-structured focus groups. The parallel use of the interview tool and workplace observation tool allowed identification of ‘know-do’ gaps between what the interviewee said they did in their work practices, and the actual evidence of these practices. Focus groups provided further opportunities for raising and elaborating issues. Results During 2 weeks of data collection we conducted 17 interviews and 15 observational workplace surveys in 15 facilities. Sixteen health personnel participated in 3 focus groups across 2 provinces and one district. An array of medical supply issues across all levels of the medical supply chain were revealed, including standard operating procedures, facilities, transport, emergency medical kits, the cold chain and record keeping. The influence of health worker training and competency was found to be common across all of these issues. Conclusion The factors influencing the availability of medical supplies in PNG consist of a range of interrelating issues, consisting of both simple and complex problems involving the different levels and cadres of workers within the medical supply chain. Health systems sustainability theory suggests that a coordinated approach which addresses the inter-related nature of these issues, led by the PNG government and supported by suitable development partners, will be required for sustainable health systems change to occur. These changes are necessary for PNG to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals. PMID:25848545

The Papua New Guinea medical supply system - documenting opportunities and challenges to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

PubMed

Brown, Andrew N; Gilbert, Ben

2014-01-01

Limited human resources are widely recognised as an impediment to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries, with the availability of medical supplies and suitably trained health personnel crucial to ensuring a well-functioning medical supply chain. This paper presents our findings as we seek to answer the research question 'What factors influence the availability of medical supplies within the health facilities of Papua New Guinea?' We used a qualitative, triangulated strategy using semi-structured interviews, workplace observation and semi-structured focus groups. The parallel use of the interview tool and workplace observation tool allowed identification of 'know-do' gaps between what the interviewee said they did in their work practices, and the actual evidence of these practices. Focus groups provided further opportunities for raising and elaborating issues. During 2 weeks of data collection we conducted 17 interviews and 15 observational workplace surveys in 15 facilities. Sixteen health personnel participated in 3 focus groups across 2 provinces and one district. An array of medical supply issues across all levels of the medical supply chain were revealed, including standard operating procedures, facilities, transport, emergency medical kits, the cold chain and record keeping. The influence of health worker training and competency was found to be common across all of these issues. The factors influencing the availability of medical supplies in PNG consist of a range of interrelating issues, consisting of both simple and complex problems involving the different levels and cadres of workers within the medical supply chain. Health systems sustainability theory suggests that a coordinated approach which addresses the inter-related nature of these issues, led by the PNG government and supported by suitable development partners, will be required for sustainable health systems change to occur. These changes are necessary for PNG to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals.

Seeking inclusion in an exclusive process: discourses of medical school student selection.

PubMed

Razack, Saleem; Hodges, Brian; Steinert, Yvonne; Maguire, Mary

2015-01-01

Calls to increase medical class representativeness to better reflect the diversity of society represent a growing international trend. There is an inherent tension between these calls and competitive student selection processes driven by academic achievement. How is this tension manifested? Our three-phase interdisciplinary research programme focused on the discourses of excellence, equity and diversity in the medical school selection process, as conveyed by key stakeholders: (i) institutions and regulatory bodies (the websites of 17 medical schools and 15 policy documents from national regulatory bodies); (ii) admissions committee members (ACMs) (according to semi-structured interviews [n = 9]), and (iii) successful applicants (according to semi-structured interviews [n = 14]). The work is theoretically situated within the works of Foucault, Bourdieu and Bakhtin. The conceptual framework is supplemented by critical hermeneutics and the performance theories of Goffman. Academic excellence discourses consistently predominate over discourses calling for greater representativeness in medical classes. Policy addressing demographic representativeness in medicine may unwittingly contribute to the reproduction of historical patterns of exclusion of under-represented groups. In ACM selection practices, another discursive tension is exposed as the inherent privilege in the process is marked, challenging the ideal of medicine as a meritocracy. Applicants' representations of self in the 'performance' of interviewing demonstrate implicit recognition of the power inherent in the act of selection and are manifested in the use of explicit strategies to 'fit in'. How can this critical discourse analysis inform improved inclusiveness in student selection? Policymakers addressing diversity and equity issues in medical school admissions should explicitly recognise the power dynamics at play between the profession and marginalised groups. For greater inclusion and to avoid one authoritative definition of excellence, we suggest a transformative model of faculty development aimed at promoting multiple kinds of excellence. Through this multi-pronged approach, we call for the profession to courageously confront the cherished notion of the medical meritocracy in order to avoid unwanted aspects of elitism. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Are nurse-led chemotherapy clinics really nurse-led? An ethnographic study.

PubMed

Farrell, Carole; Walshe, Catherine; Molassiotis, Alex

2017-04-01

The number of patients requiring ambulatory chemotherapy is increasing year on year, creating problems with capacity in outpatient clinics and chemotherapy units. Although nurse-led chemotherapy clinics have been set up to address this, there is a lack of evaluation of their effectiveness. Despite a rapid expansion in the development of nursing roles and responsibilities in oncology, there is little understanding of the operational aspects of nurses' roles in nurse-led clinics. To explore nurses' roles within nurse-led chemotherapy clinics. A focused ethnographic study of nurses' roles in nurse-led chemotherapy clinics, including semi-structured interviews with nurses. Four chemotherapy units/cancer centres in the UK PARTICIPANTS: Purposive sampling was used to select four cancer centres/units in different geographical areas within the UK operating nurse-led chemotherapy clinics. Participants were 13 nurses working within nurse-led chemotherapy clinics at the chosen locations. Non-participant observation of nurse-led chemotherapy clinics, semi-structured interviews with nurse participants, review of clinic protocols and associated documentation. 61 nurse-patient consultations were observed with 13 nurses; of these 13, interviews were conducted with 11 nurses. Despite similarities in clinical skills training and prescribing, there were great disparities between clinics run by chemotherapy nurses and those run by advanced nurse practitioners. This included the number of patients seen within each clinic, operational aspects, nurses' autonomy, scope of practice and clinical decision-making abilities. The differences highlighted four different levels of nurse-led chemotherapy clinics, based on nurses' autonomy and scope of clinical practice. However, this was heavily influenced by medical consultants. Several nurses perceived they were undertaking holistic assessments, however they were using medical models/consultation styles, indicating medicalization of nurses' roles. Four different levels of nurse-led chemotherapy clinics were identified, illustrating disparities in nurses' roles. Although clinics are run by nurses they are often controlled by medical consultants, which can reduce nurses' autonomy and negatively impact on patient care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Criterion and Convergent Validity of the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders in Young and Low-Functioning Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maljaars, Jarymke; Noens, Ilse; Scholte, Evert; van Berckelaer-Onnes, Ina

2012-01-01

The Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO; Wing, 2006) is a standardized, semi-structured and interviewer-based schedule for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the criterion and convergent validity of the DISCO-11 ICD-10 algorithm in young and low-functioning…

Failures in communication through documents and documentation across the perioperative pathway.

PubMed

Braaf, Sandra; Riley, Robin; Manias, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

To explore how communication failures occur in documents and documentations across the perioperative pathway in nurses' interactions with other nurses, surgeons and anaesthetists. Documents and documentation are used to communicate vital patient and procedural information among nurses, and in nurses' interactions with surgeons and anaesthetists, across the perioperative pathway. Previous research indicates that communication failure regularly occurs in the perioperative setting. A qualitative study was undertaken. The study was conducted over three hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. One hundred and twenty-five healthcare professionals from the disciplines of surgery, anaesthesia and nursing participated in the study. Data collection commenced in January 2010 and concluded in October 2010. Data were generated through 350 hours of observation, two focus groups and 20 semi-structured interviews. A detailed thematic analysis was undertaken. Communication failure occurred owing to a reliance on documents and documentation to transfer information at patient transition points, poor quality documents and documentation, and problematic access to information. Institutional ruling practices of professional practice, efficiency and productivity, and fiscal constraint dominated the coordination of nurses', surgeons' and anaesthetists' communication through documents and documentation. These governing practices configured communication to be incongruous with reliably meeting safety and quality objectives. Communication failure occurred because important information was sometimes buried in documents, insufficient, inaccurate, out-of-date or not verbally reinforced. Furthermore, busy nurses were not always able to access information they required in a timely manner. Patient safety was affected, which led to delays in treatment and at times inadequate care. Organisational support needs to be provided to nurses, surgeons and anaesthetists so they have sufficient time to complete, locate, and read documents and documentation. Infrastructure supporting communication technologies should be implemented to enable the rapid retrieval, entry, and dispersion of information. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Perspectives of rural and remote primary healthcare services on the meaning and goals of clinical governance.

PubMed

Kwedza, Ruyamuro K; Larkins, Sarah; Johnson, Julie K; Zwar, Nicholas

2017-10-01

Definitions of clinical governance are varied and there is no one agreed model. This paper explored the perspectives of rural and remote primary healthcare services, located in North Queensland, Australia, on the meaning and goals of clinical governance. The study followed an embedded multiple case study design with semi-structured interviews, document analysis and non-participant observation. Participants included clinicians, non-clinical support staff, managers and executives. Similarities and differences in the understanding of clinical governance between health centre and committee case studies were evident. Almost one-third of participants were unfamiliar with the term or were unsure of its meaning; alongside limited documentation of a definition. Although most cases linked the concept of clinical governance to key terms, many lacked a comprehensive understanding. Similarities between cases included viewing clinical governance as a management and administrative function. Differences included committee members' alignment of clinical governance with corporate governance and frontline staff associating clinical governance with staff safety. Document analysis offered further insight into these perspectives. Clinical governance is well-documented as an expected organisational requirement, including in rural and remote areas where geographic, workforce and demographic factors pose additional challenges to quality and safety. However, in reality, it is not clearly, similarly or comprehensively understood by all participants.

A study of the medicinal plants used by the Marakwet Community in Kenya

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The medicinal plants used by herbalists in Kenya have not been well documented, despite their widespread use. The threat of complete disappearance of the knowledge on herbal medicine from factors such as deforestation, lack of proper regulation, overexploitation and sociocultural issues warrants an urgent need to document the information. The purpose of the study was to document information on medicinal plants used by herbalists in Marakwet District towards the utilization of indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge for the advancement of biomedical research and development. Methods Semi- structured oral interviews were conducted with 112 practicing herbalists. The types of plants used were identified and the conditions treated recorded. Results Herbal practice is still common in the district, and 111 plants were identified to have medicinal or related uses. Different herbal preparations including fruits and healing vegetables are employed in the treatment of various medical conditions. Veterinary uses and pesticides were also recorded. Conclusion The study provides comprehensive ethnobotanical information about herbal medicine and healing methods among the Marakwet community. The identification of the active ingredients of the plants used by the herbalists may provide some useful leads for the development of new drugs. PMID:24555424

Plants as highly diverse sources of construction wood, handicrafts and fibre in the Heihe valley (Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, China): the importance of minor forest products.

PubMed

Kang, Jin; Kang, Yongxiang; Feng, Jing; Liu, Mengying; Ji, Xiaolian; Li, Dengwu; Stawarczyk, Kinga; Łuczaj, Łukasz

2017-06-30

Chinese rural communities living among species-rich forests have little documentation on species used to make handicrafts and construction materials originating from the surrounding vegetation. Our research aimed at recording minor wood uses in the Heihe valley in the Qinling mountains. We carried out 37 semi-structured interviews in seven villages. We documented the use of 84 species of plants. All local large canopy trees are used for some purpose. Smaller trees and shrubs which are particularly hard are selectively cut. The bark of a few species was used to make shoes, hats, steamers and ropes, but this tradition is nearly gone. A few species, mainly bamboo, are used for basket making, and year-old willow branches are used for brushing off the chaff during wheat winnowing. The traditional use of wood materials documented suggests that some rare and endangered tree species may have been selectively cut due to their valuable wood, e.g. Fraxinus mandshurica and Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis. Some other rare species, e.g. Dipteronia sinensis, are little used and little valued.

Healthcare professionals experience with motivational interviewing in their encounter with obese pregnant women.

PubMed

Lindhardt, Christina Louise; Rubak, Sune; Mogensen, Ole; Hansen, Helle Ploug; Goldstein, Henri; Lamont, Ronald F; Joergensen, Jan Stener

2015-07-01

to explore and describe how healthcare professionals in the Southern Region of Denmark experienced motivational interviewing as a communication method when working with pregnant women with obesity. a qualitative, descriptive study based on face-to-face interviews with 11 obstetric healthcare professionals working in a perinatal setting. a thematic descriptive method was applied to semi-structured interviews. The healthcare professional's experiences were recorded verbatim during individual semi-structured qualitative interviews, transcribed, and analysed using a descriptive analysis methodology. motivational interviewing was found to be a useful method when communicating with obese pregnant women. The method made the healthcare professionals more aware of their own communication style both when encountering pregnant women and in their interaction with colleagues. However, most of the healthcare professionals emphasised that time was crucial and they had to be dedicated to the motivational interviewing method. The healthcare professionals further stated that it enabled them to become more professional in their daily work and made some of them feel less 'burned out', 'powerless' and 'stressed' as they felt they had a communication method in handling difficult workloads. healthcare professionals experienced motivational interviewing to be a useful method when working perinatally. The motivational interviewing method permitted heightened awareness of the healthcare professionals communication method with the patients and increased their ability to handle a difficult workload. Overall, lack of time restricted the use of the motivational interviewing method on a daily basis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oral Academic Discourse Socialisation: Challenges Faced by International Undergraduate Students in a Malaysian Public University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahfoodh, Omer Hassan Ali

2014-01-01

This paper reports a qualitative study which examines the challenges faced by six international undergraduate students in their socialisation of oral academic discourse in a Malaysian public university. Data were collected employing interviews. Students' presentations were also collected. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and…

Cultural Background Variables in Dance Talent Development: Findings from the UK Centres for Advanced Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Erin N.; Aujla, Imogen J.; Nordin-Bates, Sanna

2013-01-01

This study is a qualitative enquiry into cultural background variables--social support, values, race/ethnicity and economic means--in the process of dance talent development. Seven urban dance students in pre-vocational training, aged 15-19, participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were inductively analysed using QSR International…

How Teachers Develop Their Professional Knowledge in English Study Group in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Yi-Ching

2007-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand the perceptions of Taiwanese teachers of the effects of a study group on their professional growth in the workplace. This case study employed the following data collection techniques: (1) informal observations and interviews, (2) focus group interview, (3) semi-structured individual…

Does Russia Need Sex Education? The Views of Stakeholders in Three Russian Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gevorgyan, Ruzanna; Schmidt, Elena; Wall, Martin; Garnett, Geoffrey; Atun, Rifat; Maksimova, Svetlana; Davidenko, Ludmila; Renton, Adrian

2011-01-01

Objective: To investigate the attitudes of the main stakeholders towards the introduction of sex education in schools in Russia. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interview study. Setting: Altai Krai, Volgograd Oblast, Moscow, Russian Federation. Participants: One hundred and fifty-three interviews with Intersectoral HIV/AIDS Committee members,…

Creating a Positive School Culture in Newly Opened Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Michael Todd

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective practices by school administrators when creating school culture in newly opened schools. Using semi-structured interviews, four principals who opened a new school were interviewed individually and in a focus group. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data. Two themes…

Contributions to the Development of State FFA Officers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, Tracy S.; Bruce, Jacklyn A.

2006-01-01

What are the long term consequences associated with serving as a state FFA officer? Using a semi-structured interview format, selected state FFA officers from a twenty year time span were interviewed to assess their perceptions of and assets attributed to their experiences as a state officer. Results indicated that past state officers, regardless…

Students' Experiences of Attending an Innovative Occupational Therapy Professional Practice Placement in a Childcare Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Mong-lin; Brown, Ted; Etherington, Jamie

2018-01-01

This study investigated occupational therapy students' experiences of their alternative fieldwork placement at one childcare center where there was no established occupational therapy service. A semi-structured focus group interview explored four students' placement experiences. The interview was audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and content…

77 FR 65888 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

..., health IT usage, and work processes. A total of 14 observation periods will take place across the six...) Semi-structured individual interviews and surveys with clinic staff to further understand their use of... Technology Assessment Model (TAM) survey. The interview will address up to five key topic areas: Demographics...

Methodologies for Teaching English to Adult Students in Spanish Vocational Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castañeda, Sergio Bernal

2016-01-01

This paper explores strategies used by teachers of English in Spain to compensate for learning limitations associated with student age. As part of a qualitative study of multiple cases, twenty teachers from different vocational programs volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews revealed the difficulties that older…

Perceived Educational Values of Omani School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Ani, Wajeha Thabit; Al-Harthi, Aisha Salim

2017-01-01

This qualitative study investigated the perceived educational values of Omani school principals. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form which focused on the core values of school administration as perceived by a sample of 44 school principals; a focus group interview was also held. Data were analysed using Nvivo software. The…

The Characteristics of a Good Mathematics Teacher in Terms of Students, Mathematics Teachers, and School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yesildere-Imre, Sibel

2017-01-01

This qualitative research aims to examine the opinions of school administrators, teachers, and middle school students about what makes a good mathematics teacher. Interviews were conducted with thirty-five participants: ten school administrators, ten mathematics teachers, and fifteen middle school students. A semi-structured interview form…

Business Law in the Accounting Curriculum: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCourt, Alison; Low, Mary; Tappin, Ella

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the need for business law as a distinct subject matter within the accounting discipline should be taught in a more rigorous manner. This study involved semi structured interviews with eleven business law academics from two New Zealand Universities. The interviews were conducted to assess the…

The Importance of Using Games in EFL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gozcu, Emine; Caganaga, Cagda Kivanc

2016-01-01

This paper aims to find out how games are important and effective when used in EFL classrooms. Two different kinds of qualitative research methods: semi-structured interviews and observation were conducted in this study. Multi-method triangulation is used throughout the study. The data was carried out through audio-recorded interview and…

Revealing a Child's Pathology: Physicians' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scelles, Regine; Aubert-Godard, Anne; Gargiulo, Marcela; Avant, Monique; Gortais, Jean

2010-01-01

In this study, 12 physicians and 12 care-givers were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. We explored physicians' experiences when they revealed a diagnosis. We also tried to understand which family members the physician was thinking of, with whom they identified themselves, and their first choice of the person to whom they prefer to…

Health and Social Care Practitioners' Experiences of Assessing Mental Capacity in a Community Learning Disability Team

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratcliff, Daniel; Chapman, Melanie

2016-01-01

Background: The study explored experiences of health and social care practitioners within a community learning disability team in undertaking mental capacity assessments with people with learning disabilities. Materials and Methods: Eight practitioners were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Results: The information gained was…

The Effect of Suspension as a Deterrent to Student Misconduct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Angela Coleman

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of suspension as a deterrent to student misconduct. A mixed methods approach using both qualitative (interviews of administrators and teachers) and quantitative (discipline records of identified sixth graders) were utilized. In this case study approach, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were…

Satisfaction with Communicative Participation as Defined by Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yorkston, Kathryn M.; Baylor, Carolyn R.; Klasner, Estelle R.; Deitz, Jean; Dudgeon, Brian J.; Eadie, Tanya; Miller, Robert M.; Amtmann, Dagmar

2007-01-01

Purpose: This study examined satisfaction with communicative participation as reported by adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method: Eight community-dwelling adults with MS participated in semi-structured interviews. They were asked to discuss their satisfaction with their communication in a variety of situations. Interviews were analyzed using…

Investigating Secondary Science Teachers' Beliefs about Multiculturalism and Its Implementation in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petty, Lori L.; Narayan, Ratna

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore secondary science teachers' beliefs about multiculturalism and its implementation in their classrooms. Participants included nine secondary science teachers, with experience ranging from 1 to 15 years of teaching. Data were collected through interviews, using a semi-structured interview protocol…

Teacher Behavior Unwanted According to Student's Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Isa; Akan, Durdagi; Yalçin, Sinan

2016-01-01

This study was conducted in the aim of revealing the misbehaviors of the teachers according to the perceptions of the students. In the study, semi-structured interview was done with 8th grade 45 students, 20 males and 25 females, from three secondary school determined through purposive sampling. The interviews were analyzed with content analysis,…

"No No, You Cannot Say that!" Perceptions and Experiences of Parents of Preschool Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Ingrid; Roll-Pettersson, Lise

2012-01-01

Using semi-structured interviews this study investigated the personal experiences of parents of pre-school children with intellectual disabilities within the Swedish social support system. Thirteen parents of 10 children participated. Interview transcripts were qualitatively analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three themes…

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of How Professional Dance Teachers Implement Psychological Skills Training in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klockare, Ellinor; Gustafsson, Henrik; Nordin-Bates, Sanna M.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how dance teachers work with psychological skills with their students in class. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six female professional teachers in jazz, ballet and contemporary dance. The interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith 1996). Results…

Coping strategies may not be reflected by simulated performance-based measures of functional ability

PubMed Central

Riazi, Abbas; Boon, Mei Ying; Dain, Stephen J.; Bridge, Catherine

2012-01-01

Purpose To determine whether the Melbourne Low Vision Index (MLVI) can be used to characterise the ability to carry out Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in a group of older people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which was reflective of actual day-to-day function according to in-depth interviews which encompassed questions about personal and environmental coping strategies. Method Thirty-one individuals (23 females, 8 males, aged 79.1 ± 5.6 years) with AMD (16 dry, 15 wet) and no other ocular diseases underwent tests of clinical visual function, the MLVI and a semi-structured interview intended to highlight functionality in the home environment. Results Participants’ clinical visual measures were correlated with MLVI score such that poorer visual function was associated with poorer functional ability for daily living activities (p < 0.05). Moreover, part (a) of the MLVI, which is assessed by observation of task performance, has a significant correlation with the severity of AMD (p < 0.05). Semi-structured interviews revealed a mismatch between MLVI part (a) and self-reported functionality in their own home environment. Conclusion Low functionality score (total) with MLVI is associated with severity of AMD and poor clinical visual function. The disparity between observed measures of functional vision (MLVI part (a)) and self-reported measures in the MLVI and in the semi-structured interviews may be explained in part by individual participant coping and adaptation strategies. The MLVI is therefore reflective of function in unfamiliar environments where people with low vision may not have recourse to compensatory strategies.

Organizational supports used by private child and family serving agencies to facilitate evidence use: a mixed methods study protocol.

PubMed

Chuang, Emmeline; Collins-Camargo, Crystal; McBeath, Bowen

2017-04-08

Challenges to evidence use are well documented. Less well understood are the formal supports-e.g., technical infrastructure, inter-organizational relationships-organizations may put in place to help overcome these challenges. This study will identify supports for evidence use currently used by private child and family serving agencies delivering publicly funded behavioral health and/or human services; examine contextual, organizational, and managerial factors associated with use of such supports; and determine how identified supports affect evidence use by staff at multiple levels of the organization. We will use a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, with study activities occurring in two sequential phases: In phase 1, quantitative survey data collected from managers of private child and family serving agencies in six states (CA, IN, KY, MO, PA, and WI) and analyzed using both regression and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) will identify organizational supports currently being used to facilitate evidence use and examine the contextual, organizational, and managerial factors associated with the use of such supports. In phase 2, data from phase 1 will be used to select a purposive sample of 12 agencies for in-depth case studies. In those 12 agencies, semi-structured interviews with key informants and managers, focus groups with frontline staff, and document analysis will provide further insight into agencies' motivation for investing in organizational supports for evidence use and the facilitators and barriers encountered in doing so. Semi-structured interviews with managers and focus groups with frontline staff will also assess whether and how identified supports affect evidence use at different levels of the organization (senior executives, middle managers, frontline supervisors, and frontline staff). Within- and between-case analyses supplemented by QCA will identify combinations of factors associated with the highest and lowest levels of staff evidence use. This study will inform efforts to improve sustainment, scale-up, and spread of evidence by providing insight into organizational and managerial strategies that facilitate evidence use, the contexts in which these strategies are most effective, and their effect on evidence use by staff at different levels of the organization.

Variation in printed handoff documents: Results and recommendations from a multicenter needs assessment.

PubMed

Rosenbluth, Glenn; Bale, James F; Starmer, Amy J; Spector, Nancy D; Srivastava, Rajendu; West, Daniel C; Sectish, Theodore C; Landrigan, Christopher P

2015-08-01

Handoffs of patient care are a leading root cause of medical errors. Standardized techniques exist to minimize miscommunications during verbal handoffs, but studies to guide standardization of printed handoff documents are lacking. To determine whether variability exists in the content of printed handoff documents and to identify key data elements that should be uniformly included in these documents. Pediatric hospitalist services at 9 institutions in the United States and Canada. Sample handoff documents from each institution were reviewed, and structured group interviews were conducted to understand each institution's priorities for written handoffs. An expert panel reviewed all handoff documents and structured group-interview findings, and subsequently made consensus-based recommendations for data elements that were either essential or recommended, including best overall printed handoff practices. Nine sites completed structured group interviews and submitted data. We identified substantial variation in both the structure and content of printed handoff documents. Only 4 of 23 possible data elements (17%) were uniformly present in all sites' handoff documents. The expert panel recommended the following as essential for all printed handoffs: assessment of illness severity, patient summary, action items, situation awareness and contingency plans, allergies, medications, age, weight, date of admission, and patient and hospital service identifiers. Code status and several other elements were also recommended. Wide variation exists in the content of printed handoff documents. Standardizing printed handoff documents has the potential to decrease omissions of key data during patient care transitions, which may decrease the risk of downstream medical errors. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.

The link between quality and accreditation of residency programs: the surveyors’ perceptions

PubMed Central

dos Santos, Renato Antunes; Snell, Linda; Tenorio Nunes, Maria do Patrocinio

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Accreditation of medical residency programs has become globally important. Currently it is moving from the goal of attaining minimal standards to a model of continuous improvement. In some countries, the accreditation system engages peers (physicians) to survey residency programs. The surveyors are sometimes volunteers, usually engaged in multiple clinical and education activities. Few studies have investigated the benefits of residency program evaluation and accreditation from the perspective of the surveyors. As peers they both conduct and receive accreditation surveys, which puts them in a privileged position in that it provides the surveyor with an opportunity to share experiences and knowledge and apply what is learned in their own context. The objective of this study is to obtain the perceptions of these surveyors about the impact of an accreditation system on residency programs. Surveyors participated in semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis was performed on the interview data, and resulting topics were grouped into five themes: Burden (of documentation and of time needed); Efficiency and efficacy of the accreditation process; Training and experience of surveyors; Being a peer; Professional skills and recognition of surveyors. These categories were organized into two major themes: ‘Structure and Process’ and ‘Human Resources’. The study participants proposed ways to improve efficiency including diminish the burden of documentation to the physicians involved in the process and to increase efforts on training programs and payment for surveyors and program directors. Based on the results we propose a conceptual framework to improve accreditation systems. Abbreviations: PD: Program director PMID:28178919

Perceptions of homelessness in older homeless veterans, VA homeless program staff liaisons, and housing intervention providers.

PubMed

Molinari, Victor A; Brown, Lisa M; Frahm, Kathryn A; Schinka, John A; Casey, Roger

2013-05-01

To understand the needs and challenges encountered by older homeless veterans. We conducted six focus groups of older veterans, two focus groups, and one semi-structured interview of VA staff liaisons, and two focus groups and one semi-structured interview of housing intervention providers. Major themes for older veterans: 1) negative homelessness experience; 2) benefits of the structured transitional housing program; 3) importance of peer outreach; and 4) need for age-tailored job placement programs. Major themes for VA staff liaison/housing intervention providers: 1) belief that the transitional housing program has made a positive change; 2) need for individualized criteria to address the unique needs of veterans; 3) distinct differences between older and younger homeless veterans; 4) outreach services; 5) permanent housing issues; and 6) coordination of services. Compared with younger veterans, older veterans have less social support, greater employment and health challenges, and, perhaps greater motivation to change.

Electronic acquisition of OSCE performance using tablets.

PubMed

Hochlehnert, Achim; Schultz, Jobst-Hendrik; Möltner, Andreas; Tımbıl, Sevgi; Brass, Konstantin; Jünger, Jana

2015-01-01

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) often involve a considerable amount of resources in terms of materials and organization since the scores are often recorded on paper. Computer-assisted administration is an alternative with which the need for material resources can be reduced. In particular, the use of tablets seems sensible because these are easy to transport and flexible to use. User acceptance concerning the use of tablets during OSCEs has not yet been extensively investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate tablet-based OSCEs from the perspective of the user (examiner) and the student examinee. For two OSCEs in Internal Medicine at the University of Heidelberg, user acceptance was analyzed regarding tablet-based administration (satisfaction with functionality) and the subjective amount of effort as perceived by the examiners. Standardized questionnaires and semi-standardized interviews were conducted (complete survey of all participating examiners). In addition, for one OSCE, the subjective evaluation of this mode of assessment was gathered from a random sample of participating students in semi-standardized interviews. Overall, the examiners were very satisfied with using tablets during the assessment. The subjective amount of effort to use the tablet was found on average to be "hardly difficult". The examiners identified the advantages of this mode of administration as being in particular the ease of use and low rate of error. During the interviews of the examinees, acceptance for the use of tablets during the assessment was also detected. Overall, it was found that the use of tablets during OSCEs was well accepted by both examiners and examinees. We expect that this mode of assessment also offers advantages regarding assessment documentation, use of resources, and rate of error in comparison with paper-based assessments; all of these aspects should be followed up on in further studies.

Ludic Elicitation: Using Games for Knowledge Elicitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Yan

2014-01-01

Knowledge elicitation from human beings is important for many fields, such as decision support systems, risk communication, and customer preference studying. Traditional approaches include observations, questionnaires, structured and semi-structured interviews, and group discussions. Many publications have been studying different techniques for a…

Trainee Teachers' Experience of Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Liz

2015-01-01

This article reports an investigation of trainee teachers' experience of reflection whilst undertaking a teaching qualification for the post-compulsory sector. The study used a sequential, mixed-methods design, employing a structured questionnaire and a semi-structured interview; 127 individuals completed the questionnaire about their experience…

An Investigation of Preservice Teachers' Use of Guess and Check in Solving a Semi Open-Ended Mathematics Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capraro, Mary Margaret; An, Song A.; Ma, Tingting; Rangel-Chavez, A. Fabiola; Harbaugh, Adam

2012-01-01

Open-ended problems have been regarded as powerful tools for teaching mathematics. This study examined the problem solving of eight mathematics/science middle-school teachers. A semi-structured interview was conducted with (PTs) after completing an open-ended triangle task with four unique solutions. Of particular emphasis was how the PTs used a…

Informal Learning of Seniors in Canadian Society. NALL Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Margaret

Informal learning by Canadian seniors was examined through semi-structured interviews with a purposefully selected group of 51 older Canadians (28 women and 23) who ranged in age from 58 to 95 years (average age, 73.7). All were retired or semi-retired, and all had engaged in several learning projects over the previous year in topics such as the…

Recruiting Fathers to Parenting Programs: Advice from Dads and Fatherhood Program Providers

PubMed Central

Stahlschmidt, Mary Jo; Threlfall, Jennifer; Seay, Kristen D.; Lewis, Ericka M.; Kohl, Patricia L.

2014-01-01

The benefits of high-quality father-child relationships for fathers and children alike are well documented. While evidence suggests parenting programs can improve the quality of father-child relationships, few fathers participate in such programs. This qualitative study aims to fill the gap in knowledge on best practices for recruiting urban African American fathers, a group of fathers with unique parenting challenges, to parenting programs. Focus groups were conducted with 29 fathers to gain their perspectives on recruitment strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a nationwide sample of 19 fatherhood program providers to learn about their most successful recruitment strategies. Recruitment strategies based on emergent themes from the focus groups and interviews are presented here. Themes included using word-of-mouth recruitment, increasing advertising, targeting advertising specifically to urban African American fathers, providing transportation and incentives, recruiting through the courts, collaborating with other community agencies, and offering parenting programming along with other programming valued by fathers such as employment assistance. Implications for developing strategies for recruiting urban African American fathers to parenting programs are discussed. PMID:24791035

Assessing Service Delivery Systems for Assitive Technology in Brazil using HEART Study quality indicators.

PubMed

Maximo, Tulio; Clift, Laurence

2015-01-01

recently in Brazil, there have been investments and improvements in the service delivery system for assistive technology provision. However, there is little documentation of this process, or evidence that users are being involved appropriately. to understand how a ssistive technology service provision currently functions in Belo Horizonte city, Brazil, in order to provide context-specific interventions and recommendations to improve services. Qualitative research design, including visits to key institutions and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Interview questions were divided with two purposes: 1) Exploratory, aiming to understand present service functioning; 2) Evaluative, aiming to assess staff difficulties in applying best existing best practices. Assistive Technology services in Belo Horizonte fall under the 'medical model' definition of service delivery developed by AAATE. It was also found that staff lack training and knowledge support to assess user requirements and involve them during the decision process. Additionally, there is no follow up stage after the device is delivered. The study clearly defines the service provision function and the staff difficulties at Belo Horizonte city, providing information for further studies.

The creation of innovation through public-private collaboration.

PubMed

Esteve, Marc; Ysa, Tamyko; Longo, Francisco

2012-09-01

This article develops the notion of how different options of public-private collaborations implemented by organizations affect the creation of innovation through a case study: the Blood and Tissue Bank. Data were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews with the entire managerial team of the organization under analysis. We coded the interviews, and implemented content analysis. These data were triangulated with the analysis of the organization's internal documents. This article contributes to the understanding of innovation management in public-private collaborations in health professions by identifying the existence of different options in an organization to develop collaborative innovation among the public and the private sectors: contracts, contractual public-private partnership, and institutionalised public-private partnership. We observed that the creation of innovation is directly related to the institutional arrangement chosen to develop each project. Thus, certain innovations are unfeasible without a high degree of maturity in the interorganizational collaboration. However, it is also noteworthy that as the intensity of the collaboration increases, so do costs, and control over the process decreases. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Transfer of nursing home residents to emergency departments: organizational differences between nursing homes with high vs. low transfer rates.

PubMed

Kirsebom, Marie; Hedström, Mariann; Pöder, Ulrika; Wadensten, Barbro

2017-01-01

To explore possible factors in the organization of nursing homes that could be related to differences in the rate of transfer of residents from nursing homes to emergency department. Explorative. In a single municipality, qualitative and quantitative data were collected from documents and through semi-structured interviews with 11 RNs from five nursing homes identified as having the highest vs. six identified as having the lowest transfer rates to emergency department. Data were analysed by non-parametric tests and basic content analysis. All nursing homes in the highest transfer rate group and one in the lowest transfer rate group were run by private for-profit providers. Compared with the low group, the high group had fewer updated advance care plans and the RNs interviewed had less work experience in care of older people and less training in care of persons with dementia. There was no difference in nursing home size or staff/resident ratio. The RNs described similar possibilities to provide palliative care, medical equipment and perceived medical support from GPs.

Recruiting Fathers to Parenting Programs: Advice from Dads and Fatherhood Program Providers.

PubMed

Stahlschmidt, Mary Jo; Threlfall, Jennifer; Seay, Kristen D; Lewis, Ericka M; Kohl, Patricia L

2013-10-01

The benefits of high-quality father-child relationships for fathers and children alike are well documented. While evidence suggests parenting programs can improve the quality of father-child relationships, few fathers participate in such programs. This qualitative study aims to fill the gap in knowledge on best practices for recruiting urban African American fathers, a group of fathers with unique parenting challenges, to parenting programs. Focus groups were conducted with 29 fathers to gain their perspectives on recruitment strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a nationwide sample of 19 fatherhood program providers to learn about their most successful recruitment strategies. Recruitment strategies based on emergent themes from the focus groups and interviews are presented here. Themes included using word-of-mouth recruitment, increasing advertising, targeting advertising specifically to urban African American fathers, providing transportation and incentives, recruiting through the courts, collaborating with other community agencies, and offering parenting programming along with other programming valued by fathers such as employment assistance. Implications for developing strategies for recruiting urban African American fathers to parenting programs are discussed.

Transfer of knowledge in international cooperation: the Farmanguinhos - SMM case.

PubMed

Silva, Samuel Araujo Gomes da; Duarte, Roberto Gonzalez; Castro, José Márcio de

2017-01-01

To analyze the influence of four mechanisms of knowledge transfer (training, technical visits, expatriation, and standard operating procedures) on the different dimensions (potential and realized) of absorptive capacity in international technical cooperation. We examine the case of implementation of the Sociedade Moçambicana de Medicamentos. Data have been collected using semi-structured interviews (applied to 21 professionals of the Sociedade Moçambicana de Medicamentos, Farmanguinhos, FIOCRUZ, and Itamaraty) and official documents. The data of the interviews have been submitted to content analysis, using the software NVivo. Training and technical visits directly influenced the acquisition and, partly, the assimilation of knowledge. Expatriation contributed with the transformation of this knowledge from the development and refinement of operational routines. Finally, the definition of standard operating procedures allowed the Mozambican technicians to be the actors of the transformation of the knowledge previously acquired and assimilated and, at the same time, it laid the foundations for a future exploration of the knowledge. Training and technical visits mainly influence the potential absorptive capacity, while expatriation and standard operating procedures most directly affect the realized absorptive capacity.

Ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants in the Mainarde Mountains (central-southern Apennine, Italy).

PubMed

Fortini, P; Di Marzio, P; Guarrera, P M; Iorizzi, M

2016-05-26

New documentation of the uses of plants in the popular medicine of the Mainarde Mountain, a protected area of the central-southern Apennine characterised by a high floristic richness, is here reported. Field data were collected through semi-structured and open interviews with native People between 2011 and 2014. The plants were identified and vouchers specimens were scanned to create a Virtual Herbarium. The Ethnobotanicity Index (EI), the Relative Importance Index (RI) and the Fidelity Level Index (FL) were calculated. The plant uses surveyed in the study area were compared with those described in medical and ethnobotanical literature. Seventy-one interviews were conducted, the age range of the informants was between 21 and 98 years. The inventory included 106 taxa belonging to 45 families; among these, 87 were wild species and 20 were cultivated species. The uses recorded were 429, among these, 69.1% of the uses concerned internal applications to treat digestive system disorders, infections and respiratory system disorders mainly, while 31.9% concerned external applications, especially to treat skin/subcutaneous cellular tissue disorders and injuries. In particular, 17 new uses and 16 unusual and rarely mentioned plants are documented. The data collected support evidence on traditional uses for plant in the Apennine. Findings from medical flora and from new or rare medical uses reinforce the usefulness of such research efforts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustained User Engagement in Health Information Technology: The Long Road from Implementation to System Optimization of Computerized Physician Order Entry and Clinical Decision Support Systems for Prescribing in Hospitals in England.

PubMed

Cresswell, Kathrin M; Lee, Lisa; Mozaffar, Hajar; Williams, Robin; Sheikh, Aziz

2017-10-01

To explore and understand approaches to user engagement through investigating the range of ways in which health care workers and organizations accommodated the introduction of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and computerized decision support (CDS) for hospital prescribing. Six hospitals in England, United Kingdom. Qualitative case study. We undertook qualitative semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations of meetings and system use, and collected organizational documents over three time periods from six hospitals. Thematic analysis was initially undertaken within individual cases, followed by cross-case comparisons. We conducted 173 interviews, conducted 24 observations, and collected 17 documents between 2011 and 2015. We found that perceived individual and safety benefits among different user groups tended to facilitate engagement in some, while other less engaged groups developed resistance and unsanctioned workarounds if systems were perceived to be inadequate. We identified both the opportunity and need for sustained engagement across user groups around system enhancement (e.g., through customizing software) and the development of user competencies and effective use. There is an urgent need to move away from an episodic view of engagement focused on the preimplementation phase, to more continuous holistic attempts to engage with and respond to end-users. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Collaboration as a process and an outcome: Consumer experiences of collaborating with nurses in care planning in an acute inpatient mental health unit.

PubMed

Reid, Rebecca; Escott, Phil; Isobel, Sophie

2018-04-14

This qualitative study explores inpatient mental health consumer perceptions of how collaborative care planning with mental health nurses impacts personal recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with consumers close to discharge from one unit in Sydney, Australia. The unit had been undertaking a collaborative care planning project which encouraged nurses to use care plan documentation to promote person-centred and goal-focussed interactions and the development of meaningful strategies to aid consumer recovery. The interviews explored consumer understandings of the collaborative care planning process, perceptions of the utility of the care plan document and the process of collaborating with the nurses, and their perception of the impact of collaboration on their recovery. Findings are presented under four organizing themes: the process of collaborating, the purpose of collaborating, the nurse as collaborator and the role of collaboration in wider care and recovery. Consumers highlighted the importance of the process of developing their care plan with a nurse as being as helpful for recovery as the goals and strategies themselves. The findings provide insights into consumers' experiences of care planning in an acute inpatient unit, the components of care that support recovery and highlight specific areas for mental health nursing practice improvement in collaboration. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Nonverbal Vocal Communication of Emotions in Interviews with Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tokgoz, Tuba

2014-01-01

This exploratory study attempted to examine both the words and the prosody/melody of the language within the framework of Bucci's Multiple Code Theory. The sample consisted of twelve audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews of child and adolescent psychoanalysts who were asked to describe their work with patients. It is observed that emotionally…

Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk: Pre-Service Teachers' Evaluation of Their Mentors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izadinia, Mahsa

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the similarities between mentor teachers' espoused theories and theories-in-use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 mentor teachers to investigate their perceived mentoring roles prior to the placement. Their seven pre-service teachers were also interviewed at the end of the practicum to…

Organisational Learning about Depression in the Workplace: A Community of Practice of Silence and Avoidance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Lisa

2006-01-01

The economic and social impact of depression on the Australian workforce is only recently being acknowledged. In 2004, the author undertook semi-structured interviews with people with human resource responsibilities in the deregulated sector of information technology in South Australia. The interviews focused on their accessibility to work-based…

Investigating Meaning in Learning: A Case Study of Adult Developmental Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasser, Tim

2011-01-01

The objective of this article is to investigate meaning and relevance in the context of adult developmental math learning and instruction. In this case study, at the Art Institute of San Francisco, 12 vocational instructors and four math learners are interviewed on their early and current math experiences. During the semi-structured interviews,…

A Comparative Study of Student Achievement in Remedial Math Courses through Online and Traditional Delivery Modes at Northwest Mississippi Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Keith Deon

2017-01-01

This study focused on student achievement in remedial math through online and traditional delivery modes at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Student participants were interviewed through a semi-structured interview process to determine perceived influences and challenges that affected success in remedial math courses. The perceived…

What Characteristics Do Service Users with Intellectual Disability Value in Direct Support Staff within Residential Forensic Services?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarkson, Rachael; Murphy, Glynis H.; Coldwell, Jon B.; Dawson, David L.

2009-01-01

Background: This study explores the perceptions of a group of adults with intellectual disability regarding direct support staff. Method: Semi-structured interviews relating to experiences of direct support staff were developed from two focus groups. These interviews were conducted with 11 adults with intellectual disability residing within a…

Anxiety and Piano Exams: Turkish Prospective Music Teachers' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Güven, Elif

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the test anxiety levels of prospective music teachers and their opinions regarding anxiety in piano exams. Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) and semi-structured interviews were used to meet the purpose. Interviews were conducted with students prior to and after the piano exam. As a result of the study it was…

Chemistry Teachers' Views on Teaching "Climate Change"--An Interview Case Study from Research-Oriented Learning in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feierabend, Timo; Jokmin, Sebastian; Eilks, Ingo

2011-01-01

This paper presents a case study from research-oriented learning in chemistry teacher education. The study evaluates the views of twenty experienced German chemistry teachers about the teaching of climate change in chemistry education. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews about the teachers' experiences and their views about…

Accountability in Grading Student Work: Securing Academic Standards in a Twenty-First Century Quality Assurance Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloxham, Sue; Boyd, Pete

2012-01-01

This article, using a student outcomes definition of academic standards, reports on academics' sense of standards as enacted through marking practices. Twelve lecturers from two UK universities were asked to "think aloud" as they graded written assignments followed by a semi-structured interview. The interview data were used to…

Reasons for Choosing a Technically Oriented Education: An Interview Study within the Fields of Pipefitting and Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjurulf, Veronica

2012-01-01

The article examines how professionals within technical businesses describe their ways into their trade and why they have remained. Semi-structured interviews, analyzed by analysis of narratives, have been conducted with six informants within pipefitting and industrial work aiming to understand how technically oriented professions can attract…

Workplace Learning during the Science Doctorate: What Influences Research Learning Experiences and Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hum, Gregory

2015-01-01

This multiple narrative case study examines the experiences of six science doctoral students from a workplace learning perspective. For each participant, the following were gathered over 2.5 years: biographic questionnaires, 6-10 activity logs of a week's experiences, 2 pre-interview questionnaires, and 2 semi-structured interviews. Amongst the…

Counselors' Experience of Providing Services to Looked-After Children in the United Kingdom: A Generic Qualitative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ina-Egbe, Esther Funmilayo

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to examine counselors' experience of providing services to looked-after children in the United Kingdom. The generic qualitative design was used. A purposeful sample of 15 counselors was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis and constant…

Language Learning Strategy Use by Colombian Adult English Language Learners: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paredes, Elsie Elena

2010-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how Colombian adult English language learners (ELL) select and use language learning strategies (LLS). This study used Oxford's (1990a) taxonomy for LLS as its theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview, were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for 12…

Beyond Black and White: How White, Male, College Students See Their Asian American Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabrera, Nolan L.

2014-01-01

This research is a cross-site analysis of how white, male, college students see their Asian American peers. Semi-structured interviews with 43 white males were conducted at two universities that differed substantially in their representation of Asian American students. The interviews were theoretically framed by Critical Whiteness Studies and Bobo…

Making Sense of Social Justice in Education: Jewish and Arab Leaders' Perspectives in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arar, Khalid Husny; Oplatka, Izhar

2016-01-01

The research aimed to understand the way in which high school principals' perceptions of social justice (SJ) are implemented in their daily educational work. A qualitative study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect the narratives of two high school principals in Israel--one Arab-Muslim and one Jewish. The interview transcripts…

"It's a Big Mystery, Isn't It?" Mitigating Placement Challenges with a Model of Student Teacher Placement Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parot-Juraska, Maribeth

2009-01-01

This phenomenological study explores how external forces, internal motivations and environmental conditions may influence school personnel when considering placement requests. Seidman's three-stage interview process was implemented to conduct semi-structured interviews with five principals and five teachers in a large, urban school district. Four…

Sports Tribes and Academic Identity: Teaching the Sociology of Sport in a Changing Disciplinary Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dart, Jon

2017-01-01

Using data from 15 semi-structured interviews with UK-based early/mid-career academics, this paper offers an empirically informed assessment of how lecturers teaching/researching the sociology of sport are managing their careers in a changing higher education landscape. Those interviewed were involved in the delivery of sociological content to a…

The College Experience for Students with Chronic Illness: Implications for Academic Advising

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houman, Katie M.; Stapley, Janice C.

2013-01-01

A purposive sample (2 males, 3 females) of students (aged 18-29 years) with chronic illness completed standardized measures and a semi-structured interview. Content analysis of the interview data revealed two themes: stress exacerbating symptoms of illness and a desire for a support group on campus. Viewed through the theory of emerging adulthood,…

The Influence of Foster Parent Investment on Children's Representations of Self and Attachment Figures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, J.P.; Dozier, M.

2005-01-01

This study examined associations between foster mothers' emotional investment, assessed when foster children were age 2, and foster children's representations of self and others, assessed when children were age 5. Caregiver investment was assessed using a semi-structured interview called the ''This is My Baby'' interview (TIMB; Bates, B., &…

The Discriminatory Impact of Non-Adherence to Leadership Selection Criteria: The Case of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Gloria; Daunton, Lyn

2006-01-01

Purpose: This research aims to fill a gap in the literature concerning the extent to which recruitment interviewers may substitute leadership capability sets (CSs) differing from those in the job specification (JS). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior personnel involved in senior staff selection in a…

How Exemplary Dyads Describe Their Practice of Collaborative Consultation: An Interview Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levac, Michelle L.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand and report how exemplary dyads describe their practice of collaborative consultation in inclusive classrooms. A dyad was made up of one resource teacher and one classroom teacher. This study discovered, through semi-structured interviews, how these educators collaborated and consulted as a team to meet…

Differences between Higher and Lower Achievement Rate and Leadership Qualities, Instructional Practices, Parental Involvement, Opportunity to Learn, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ficarra, Laura

2017-01-01

The purpose of this mixed study was to investigate the differences between higher and lower achievement middle school rates pertaining to leadership qualities, opportunity to learn, instructional practices, parental involvement, and professional development. Qualitatively, principals were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol.…

Psychosocial and Psychiatric Factors Associated with Adolescent Suicide: A Case-Control Psychological Autopsy Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portzky, Gwendolyn; Audenaert, Kurt; van Heeringen, Kees

2009-01-01

This study aimed at the investigation of psychosocial and psychiatric risk factors of adolescent suicide by means of a case-control psychological autopsy study. Relatives and other informants of 19 suicide victims and 19 matched psychiatric controls were interviewed by means of a semi-structured interview schedule. Psychiatric controls included…

The Perceptions of Commoditisation and Internationalisation of Higher Education in Australia: An Interview Study of Chinese International Students and Their Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrohon, Mark; Nyland, Berenice

2018-01-01

This paper examined domestic educator and Chinese international student (CIS) perspectives on their experience of the commoditisation of international higher education in Australia. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews with academic and student participants. A Trans-disciplinary Framework derived from grounded theory and the Auditable…

To Stay or to Go? Narratives of Early-Stage Sociologists about Persisting in Academia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wöhrer, Veronika

2014-01-01

Based on analyses of life course questionnaires, semi-structured qualitative interviews and focus group interviews carried out with early-stage sociologists over a period of 8 years, this paper presents analyzes of continuity and change in the decisions made by early-stage researchers in regard to their work and careers. The longitudinal approach…

Sprinters in the Course of a Marathon: Withdrawal from Elite Competitive Sport in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mudrak, Jiri

2010-01-01

This paper attempts to explain, using a multi-case study approach, why some young elite athletes, who have shown extraordinary talent in childhood, leave competitive sport in adolescence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five young elite athletes who decided to withdraw from elite sport. Interview data were analyzed using the…

Identifying Core Competencies to Advance Female Professors' Careers: An Exploratory Study in United States Academia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seo, Ga-eun; Hedayati Mehdiabadi, Amir; Huang, Wenhao

2017-01-01

This exploratory study aims to identify the core competencies necessary to successfully advance the careers of female associate professors in higher education. To ascertain these core career competencies, a critical incident interview technique was employed. One-to-one semi-structured interviews with six female full professors at a major research…

Views of School Administrators Related to In-Service Training Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Güngör, Semra Kiranli; Yildirim, Yusuf

2016-01-01

The aim of this research is to specify the views of school administrators related to in-service training activities. In this research, semi-structured interview method, one of the qualitative research methods, has been used. Content analysis has been used in order to analyze the interview data and themes and sub-themes have been constituted. The…

Students' Experiences of Academic Success with Dyslexia: A Call for Alternative Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soni, Anita

2017-01-01

This article describes a small-scale study exploring the perspectives of five undergraduate students with dyslexia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in two universities in the UK. The interviews explored participants' perceptions of their dyslexia label and how it had affected their academic success. The aim of the research was to…

Drawing them in: professional perspectives on the complexities of engaging 'culturally diverse' young people with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care in Sydney, Australia.

PubMed

Botfield, Jessica R; Newman, Christy E; Zwi, Anthony B

2017-04-01

Young people from minority ethnic, migrant and refugee backgrounds are widely recognised as being under-served by mainstream sexual and reproductive healthcare in developed economy nations. This paper documents the views of professionals in Australia on the complexities of, and best practice approaches to, engaging members of this group with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 purposively selected key informants (health service providers, policymakers, academics and community advocates). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded in NVivo10 using interpretive thematic analysis. Principles of 'cultural competence' were employed to structure the interpretation of findings. Five key themes reveal pivotal aspects of how professionals work in, and make sense of, this complex field. These may be summarised as: (1) appreciating the complexities of cultural diversity; (2) recognising structural barriers and disincentives to engagement; (3) normalising sexual health; (4) balancing 'youth-friendly' and 'culturally-competent' priorities; and (5) going beyond simple translation. As migration to Australia continues to diversify the population, an integrated, national approach to the design and delivery of sexual and reproductive health promotion and care would be of value, along with training and support for those involved. Implications may have resonance for other countries similarly engaged in facilitating the successful settlement of migrants and refugees.

Triangulation and the importance of establishing valid methods for food safety culture evaluation.

PubMed

Jespersen, Lone; Wallace, Carol A

2017-10-01

The research evaluates maturity of food safety culture in five multi-national food companies using method triangulation, specifically self-assessment scale, performance documents, and semi-structured interviews. Weaknesses associated with each individual method are known but there are few studies in food safety where a method triangulation approach is used for both data collection and data analysis. Significantly, this research shows that individual results taken in isolation can lead to wrong conclusions, resulting in potentially failing tactics and wasted investments. However, by applying method triangulation and reviewing results from a range of culture measurement tools it is possible to better direct investments and interventions. The findings add to the food safety culture paradigm beyond a single evaluation of food safety culture using generic culture surveys. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Home and community care sector accountability.

PubMed

Steele Gray, Carolyn; Berta, Whitney; Deber, Raisa B; Lum, Janet

2014-09-01

This paper focuses on accountability for the home and community care (HCC) sector in Ontario. The many different service delivery approaches, funding methods and types of organizations delivering HCC services make this sector highly heterogeneous. Findings from a document analysis and environmental scan suggest that organizations delivering HCC services face multiple accountability requirements from a wide array of stakeholders. Government stakeholders tend to rely on regulatory and expenditure instruments to hold organizations to account for service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interview respondents reported that the expenditure-based accountability tools being used carried a number of unintended consequences, both positive and negative. These include an increased organizational focus on quality, shifting care time away from clients (particularly problematic for small agencies), dissuading innovation, and reliance on performance indicators that do not adequately support the delivery of high-quality care. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

Come bien, camina y no se preocupe--eat right, walk, and do not worry: selective biculturalism during pregnancy in a Mexican American community.

PubMed

Laganá, Kathleen

2003-04-01

Mexican American childbearing women appear to offer a healthy model for pregnancy. However, statistics suggest that they may be at increased risk for poor birth outcome as they acculturate to a U.S. lifestyle. An ethnographic study in Watsonville, California, examined the influence of acculturation on pregnancy beliefs and practices of 29 Mexican American childbearing women. Data from formal semi-structured interviews were submitted to content analysis. During pregnancy, women balanced well-documented, traditional Mexican cultural beliefs with the individualistic beliefs common to Anglo-Americans. Selective biculturalism emerged as a protective approach to stress reduction and health promotion. Stress reduction interventions as part of routine prenatal care have potential benefit for all pregnant women. Future research on cultural barriers to family-based social support during pregnancy is needed.

Home and Community Care Sector Accountability

PubMed Central

Gray, Carolyn Steele; Berta, Whitney; Deber, Raisa B.; Lum, Janet

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on accountability for the home and community care (HCC) sector in Ontario. The many different service delivery approaches, funding methods and types of organizations delivering HCC services make this sector highly heterogeneous. Findings from a document analysis and environmental scan suggest that organizations delivering HCC services face multiple accountability requirements from a wide array of stakeholders. Government stakeholders tend to rely on regulatory and expenditure instruments to hold organizations to account for service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interview respondents reported that the expenditure-based accountability tools being used carried a number of unintended consequences, both positive and negative. These include an increased organizational focus on quality, shifting care time away from clients (particularly problematic for small agencies), dissuading innovation, and reliance on performance indicators that do not adequately support the delivery of high-quality care. PMID:25305389

[Care provided to patients with hypertension and health technologies for treatment].

PubMed

Santos, Flavia Pedro Dos Anjos; Nery, Adriana Alves; Matumoto, Silvia

2013-02-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the use of relationship technology in care provided to patients with arterial hypertension. This is a qualitative study, conducted in eight Family Health Units from Jequié-Bahia. The study subjects were policy makers, health professionals and patients, totaling sixteen informants. Semi-structured interviews, systematic observation and documental analysis were performed in 2012. The data were submitted to thematic content analysis. Results showed that the professionals, especially nurses and community health workers, use light technology in the search for comprehensive care. On the other hand, some professionals have demonstrated biology-based practice, with emphasis on rules and procedures. It is concluded that there is a need to change professional-patient interactions, considering the uniqueness and autonomy of the patient and family in the construction of new forms of care.

[Managing comprehensive care: a case study in a health district in Bahia State, Brazil].

PubMed

dos Santos, Adriano Maia; Giovanella, Ligia

2016-03-01

This study analyzed management of comprehensive care in a health district in Bahia State, Brazil, at the political, institutional, organizational, and healthcare practice levels and the challenges for establishing coordinated care between municipalities. The information sources were semi-structured interviews with administrators, focal groups with healthcare professionals and users, institutional documents, and observations. A comprehensive and critical analysis was produced with dialectical hermeneutics as the reference. The results show that the Inter-Administrators Regional Commission was the main regional governance strategy. There is a fragmentation between various points and lack of communications linkage in the network. Private interests and partisan political interference overlook the formally agreed-upon flows and create parallel circuits, turning the right to health into currency for trading favors. Such issues hinder coordination of comprehensive care in the inter-municipal network.

[Community-based organizations and the aids epidemic in Amazonas state, Brazil].

PubMed

Kadri, Michele Rocha; Schweickardt, Julio Cesar

2015-05-01

The scope of this paper was to analyze the perception of community-based organizations and their contributions to the history of tackling Aids in Amazonas State. It involved qualitative research with the use of oral and documental sources. Data were collected between June and September 2013 by means of semi-structured interviews with the leaders of eight organizations that work or worked with more vulnerable communities. Based on Discourse Analysis the conclusion drawn is that that the organizations perceive two distinct phases since the decentralization of funds from the Sexually-Transmitted Diseases Aids and Viral Hepatitis Department to the local leaders. The first phase was marked by the strengthening of organizations, collective empowerment and active political participation. The current phase has seen the distancing between organizations, a loss of political momentum and weakening of common response and organization.

Hospital accreditation: staff experiences and perceptions.

PubMed

Bogh, Søren Bie; Blom, Ane; Raben, Ditte Caroline; Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Thude, Bettina; Hollnagel, Erik; Plessen, Christian von

2018-06-11

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how staff at various levels perceive and understand hospital accreditation generally and in relation to quality improvement (QI) specifically. Design/methodology/approach In a newly accredited Danish hospital, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews to capture broad ranging experiences. Medical doctors, nurses, a quality coordinator and a quality department employee participated. Interviews were audio recorded and subjected to framework analysis. Findings Staff reported that The Danish Healthcare Quality Programme affected management priorities: office time and working on documentation, which reduced time with patients and on improvement activities. Organisational structures were improved during preparation for accreditation. Staff perceived that the hospital was better prepared for new QI initiatives after accreditation; staff found disease specific requirements unnecessary. Other areas benefited from accreditation. Interviewees expected that organisational changes, owing to accreditation, would be sustained and that the QI focus would continue. Practical implications Accreditation is a critical and complete hospital review, including areas that often are neglected. Accreditation dominates hospital agendas during preparation and surveyor visits, potentially reducing patient care and other QI initiatives. Improvements are less likely to occur in areas that other QI initiatives addressed. Yet, accreditation creates organisational foundations for future QI initiatives. Originality/value The authors study contributes new insights into how hospital staff at different organisational levels perceive and understand accreditation.

[Multimorbidity and primary care: Emergence of new forms of network organization].

PubMed

Lamothe, Lise; Sylvain, Chantal; Sit, Vanessa

2015-01-01

This study was designed to analyse the adaptive strategies used by primary care professionals to provide more adapted and continuous services to patients with more than one chronic disease. A qualitative case study was conducted in a primary care structure (GMF in Québec). Data were derived from two sources: semi-structured interviews and documents. Based on our thematic analysis of data, we illustrate the adaptive processes at play. Our analysis identified the challenges raised by the increased prevalence of patients with more than one chronic disease and how they influence adaptive strategic initiatives from professionals at the following levels: (1) the patients themselves, (2) the professional-patient relationship, (3) the relationships between professionals of the GMF (4) the relationships between the GMF and other healthcare organizations. The description of these phenomena illustrates the dynamic emergence ofa network form of organization. This phenomenon leads to transformation of the core of the healthcare production system. A deeper understanding of its emergence, impacts and management is necessary.

The Symbolic Value and Limitations of Racial Concordance in Minority Research Engagement

PubMed Central

Fryer, Craig S.; Passmore, Susan R.; Maietta, Raymond C.; Petruzzelli, Jeff; Casper, Erica; Brown, Natasha A.; Butler, James; Garza, Mary A.; Thomas, Stephen B.; Quinn, Sandra C.

2015-01-01

The well-documented underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in research demands action. The field of health disparities research, however, lacks scientific consensus about how best to respectfully recruit underrepresented minority populations in research. We explore the investigators’ perspective regarding how their own racial and ethnic background influenced their ability to recruit minorities, including 1) the influence of racial concordance (“race-matching”) in research recruitment, 2) attributes and shared values important in the development of trust with minority communities, and 3) the role self-reflection plays in the development of meaningful research relationships. In 2010, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured, telephone interviews with investigators (N=31) experienced with minority populations. Through the analysis of this coherent narrative, we uncovered both the symbolic and surface level assumptions regarding minority recruitment to expose a deep structure understanding of race, ethnicity, and social context that are critical for bridging the true social difference between researchers and participants. PMID:25769299

[The development of evaluation capacity in primary healthcare management: a case study in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, 2008-2011].

PubMed

Nickel, Daniela Alba; Calvo, Maria Cristina Marino; Natal, Sonia; Freitas, Sérgio Fernando Torres de; Hartz, Zulmira Maria de Araújo

2014-04-01

This article analyzes evaluation capacity-building based on the case study of a State Health Secretariat participating in the Project to Strengthen the Technical Capacity of State Health Secretariats in Monitoring and Evaluating Primary Healthcare. The case study adopted a mixed design with information from documents, semi-structured interviews, and evaluation of primary care by the State Health Secretariat in 2008-2011. Process analysis was used to identify the logical events that contributed to evaluation capacity-building, with two categories: evaluation capacity-building events and events for building organizational structure. The logical chain of events was formed by negotiation and agreement on the decision-making levels for the continuity of evaluation, data collection and analysis by the State Health Secretariat, a change in key indicators, restructuring of the evaluation matrix, and communication of the results to the municipalities. The three-way analysis showed that the aim of developing evaluation capacity was achieved.

Improving identification and management of partner violence: examining the process of academic detailing: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Many physicians do not routinely inquire about intimate partner violence. Purpose This qualitative study explores the process of academic detailing as an intervention to change physician behavior with regard to intimate partner violence (IPV) identification and documentation. Method A non-physician academic detailer provided a seven-session modular curriculum over a two-and-a-half month period. The detailer noted written details of each training session. Audiotapes of training sessions and semi-structured exit interviews with each physician were recorded and transcribed. Transcriptions were qualitatively and thematically coded and analyzed using Atlas ti®. Results All three study physicians reported increased clarity with regard to the scope of their responsibility to their patients experiencing IPV. They also reported increased levels of comfort in the effective identification and appropriate documentation of IPV and the provision of ongoing support to the patient, including referrals to specialized community services. Conclusion Academic detailing, if presented by a supportive and knowledgeable academic detailer, shows promise to improve physician attitudes and practices with regards to patients in violent relationships. PMID:21679450

Monitoring and reporting attacks on education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia.

PubMed

Bennouna, Cyril; van Boetzelaer, Elburg; Rojas, Lina; Richard, Kinyera; Karume, Gang; Nshombo, Marius; Roberts, Leslie; Boothby, Neil

2018-04-01

The United Nations' Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism is charged with documenting six grave violations against children in a time of conflict, including attacks on schools. Many of these incidents, however, remain unreported across the globe. This study explores whether or not a local knowledge base of education and child protection actors in North and South Kivu Provinces, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in Mogadishu, Somalia, could contribute to a more complete record of attacks on education in those areas. Hundreds of semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants across the three settings, and in total 432 attacks on education were documented. Purposive samples of these reports were verified and a large majority was confirmed. Local non-governmental organisations and education institutions were most knowledgeable about these incidents, but most never reported them to a monitoring authority. The study concludes that attack surveillance and response were largely insufficient, and recommends investing in mechanisms that utilise local knowledge to address these shortcomings. © 2018 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2018.

[Dignity therapy in oncology].

PubMed

Ripamonti, Carla Ida

2016-04-01

In oncology, little is known about dignity, dignity-related distress and the issues that influence the sense of dignity for patients. Dignity is personal, subject to changes depending on the experience and the path of life. In oncology some patients feel that their dignity is directly related to the disease, to physical and emotional symptoms, to the highest level of physical and cognitive autonomy and to the continuity of the self. Patient dignity inventory (PDI) is a validate tool designed to measure various sources of dignity-related distress among patients nearing the end of life and serve as a screening tool to assess a broad range of issues that influence the sense of dignity. Dignity therapy is a novel focused psychotherapy consisting in a brief semi-structured interview, audio-recorded and transcribed in order to obtain the "generativity document". The patients are invited to tell about their life history, and to leave words of guidance and offer instructions to pass along to their son, daughters, husband, wife, parents, others. The generativity document is the result of process of emotional and existential care for the patients and a gift for everybody will receive it.

Living conditions and access to health services by Bolivian immigrants in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Silveira, Cássio; Carneiro Junior, Nivaldo; Ribeiro, Manoel Carlos Sampaio de Almeida; Barata, Rita de Cássia Barradas

2013-10-01

Bolivian immigrants in Brazil experience serious social problems: precarious work conditions, lack of documents and insufficient access to health services. The study aimed to investigate inequalities in living conditions and access to health services among Bolivian immigrants living in the central area of São Paulo, Brazil, using a cross-sectional design and semi-structured interviews with 183 adults. According to the data, the immigrants tend to remain in Brazil, thus resulting in an aging process in the group. Per capita income increases the longer the immigrants stay in the country. The majority have secondary schooling. Work status does not vary according to time since arrival in Brazil. The immigrants work and live in garment sweatshops and speak their original languages. Social networks are based on ties with family and friends. Access to health services shows increasing inclusion in primary care. The authors conclude that the immigrants' social exclusion is decreasing due to greater access to documentation, work (although precarious), and the supply of health services from the public primary care system.

Smokefree cars in New Zealand: rapid research among stakeholders on attitudes and future directions.

PubMed

Tapp, Dylan; Thomson, George

2009-09-25

To conduct a rapid appraisal of the attitudes of New Zealand decision makers and tobacco control stakeholders on enacting a smokefree cars law. A media and document search was made for relevant official and other statements. In early 2008, nine semi-structured interviews were carried out involving three MPs, two officials of government health agencies and four members of NGOs with a stake in tobacco control. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analysed for themes. In official statements, and amongst the interview sample, there was general opposition to giving smokefree car legislation a current high priority. Reasons given for opposition to such a law included the suboptimal use of advocacy capital compared with other initiatives (e.g. tobacco display bans), the perceived success of relevant health marketing campaigns, and concerns over the current political will to enact legislation that targets smoker freedoms. More information on the extent of current child exposure to tobacco smoke in New Zealand cars, and on the reach and effectiveness of the New Zealand smokefree cars media campaign would help advocates and policymakers. Wider dissemination to policymakers of New Zealand public and smoker support for banning smoking in cars, and of the progress overseas on smokefree car laws, appears to be essential.

Developing a customized multiple interview for dental school admissions.

PubMed

Gardner, Karen M

2014-04-01

From the early 1980s until recently, the University of British Columbia Faculty of Dentistry had employed the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) Structured Interview in its Phase 2 admissions process (with those applicants invited for interviews). While this structured interview had demonstrated reliability and validity, the Faculty of Dentistry came to believe that a multiple interview process using scenarios would help it better identify applicants who would match its mission. After a literature review that investigated such interview protocols as unstructured, semi-structured, computerized, and telephone formats, a multiple interview format was chosen. This format was seen as an emerging trend, with evidence that it has been deemed fairer by applicants, more reliable by interviewers, more difficult for applicants to provide set answers for the scenarios, and not to require as many interviewers as other formats. This article describes the process undertaken to implement a customized multiple interview format for admissions and reports these outcomes of the process: a smoothly running multiple interview; effective training protocols for staff, interviewers, and applicants; and reports from successful applicants and interviewers that they felt the multiple interview was a more reliable and fairer recruiting tool than other models.

Stigma among California's Medical Marijuana Patients.

PubMed

Satterlund, Travis D; Lee, Juliet P; Moore, Roland S

2015-01-01

The enactment of California's Proposition 215 stipulates that patients may use marijuana for medical reasons, provided that it is recommended by a physician. Yet, medical marijuana patients risk being stigmatized for this practice. This article examines the way in which medical marijuana patients perceive and process stigma, and how it affects their interactions and experiences with others. Eighteen semi-structured interviews of medical marijuana patients were carried out using a semi-structured interview guide. Most patients circumvented their own physicians in obtaining a recommendation to use medicinal marijuana, and also used a host of strategies in order to justify their medical marijuana use to family, friends, and colleagues in order to stave off potential stigma. The stigmatization of medical marijuana thus has a profound effect on how patients seek treatment, and whether they seek medical marijuana treatment at all.

Stigma Among California's Medical Marijuana Patients

PubMed Central

Satterlund, Travis D.; Lee, Juliet P.; Moore, Roland S.

2014-01-01

The enactment of California's Proposition 215 stipulates that patients may use marijuana for medical reasons, provided that it is recommended by a physician. Yet, medical marijuana patients risk being stigmatized for this practice. This paper examines the way in which medical marijuana patients perceive and process stigma, and how it affects their interactions and experiences with others. Eighteen semi-structured interviews of medical marijuana patients were carried out using a semi-structured interview guide. Most patients circumvented their own physicians in obtaining a recommendation to use medicinal marijuana, and also used a host of strategies in order to justify their medical marijuana use to family, friends and colleagues in order to stave off potential stigma. The stigmatization of medical marijuana thus has a profound effect on how patients seek treatment, and whether they seek medical marijuana treatment at all. PMID:25715067

Structuring Legacy Pathology Reports by openEHR Archetypes to Enable Semantic Querying.

PubMed

Kropf, Stefan; Krücken, Peter; Mueller, Wolf; Denecke, Kerstin

2017-05-18

Clinical information is often stored as free text, e.g. in discharge summaries or pathology reports. These documents are semi-structured using section headers, numbered lists, items and classification strings. However, it is still challenging to retrieve relevant documents since keyword searches applied on complete unstructured documents result in many false positive retrieval results. We are concentrating on the processing of pathology reports as an example for unstructured clinical documents. The objective is to transform reports semi-automatically into an information structure that enables an improved access and retrieval of relevant data. The data is expected to be stored in a standardized, structured way to make it accessible for queries that are applied to specific sections of a document (section-sensitive queries) and for information reuse. Our processing pipeline comprises information modelling, section boundary detection and section-sensitive queries. For enabling a focused search in unstructured data, documents are automatically structured and transformed into a patient information model specified through openEHR archetypes. The resulting XML-based pathology electronic health records (PEHRs) are queried by XQuery and visualized by XSLT in HTML. Pathology reports (PRs) can be reliably structured into sections by a keyword-based approach. The information modelling using openEHR allows saving time in the modelling process since many archetypes can be reused. The resulting standardized, structured PEHRs allow accessing relevant data by retrieving data matching user queries. Mapping unstructured reports into a standardized information model is a practical solution for a better access to data. Archetype-based XML enables section-sensitive retrieval and visualisation by well-established XML techniques. Focussing the retrieval to particular sections has the potential of saving retrieval time and improving the accuracy of the retrieval.

How to improve vital sign data quality for use in clinical decision support systems? A qualitative study in nine Swedish emergency departments.

PubMed

Skyttberg, Niclas; Vicente, Joana; Chen, Rong; Blomqvist, Hans; Koch, Sabine

2016-06-04

Vital sign data are important for clinical decision making in emergency care. Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) have been advocated to increase patient safety and quality of care. However, the efficiency of CDSS depends on the quality of the underlying vital sign data. Therefore, possible factors affecting vital sign data quality need to be understood. This study aims to explore the factors affecting vital sign data quality in Swedish emergency departments and to determine in how far clinicians perceive vital sign data to be fit for use in clinical decision support systems. A further aim of the study is to provide recommendations on how to improve vital sign data quality in emergency departments. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen physicians and nurses from nine hospitals and vital sign documentation templates were collected and analysed. Follow-up interviews and process observations were done at three of the hospitals to verify the results. Content analysis with constant comparison of the data was used to analyse and categorize the collected data. Factors related to care process and information technology were perceived to affect vital sign data quality. Despite electronic health records (EHRs) being available in all hospitals, these were not always used for vital sign documentation. Only four out of nine sites had a completely digitalized vital sign documentation flow and paper-based triage records were perceived to provide a better mobile workflow support than EHRs. Observed documentation practices resulted in low currency, completeness, and interoperability of the vital signs. To improve vital sign data quality, we propose to standardize the care process, improve the digital documentation support, provide workflow support, ensure interoperability and perform quality control. Vital sign data quality in Swedish emergency departments is currently not fit for use by CDSS. To address both technical and organisational challenges, we propose five steps for vital sign data quality improvement to be implemented in emergency care settings.

The Search for an Explanation: Breast Cancer in the Context of Genetic Inheritance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maheu, Christine

2009-01-01

This case study is an in-depth examination of how Erika (a pseudonym) interpreted and understood her genetic test results for breast cancer susceptibility. Her experience is presented in the form of a biography, which was built from key passages retrieved from the semi structured interview the author conducted at Erika's home. The interview data…

Sipping Coffee with a Serial Killer: On Conducting Life History Interviews with a Criminal Genius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oleson, J. C.

2004-01-01

As part of my Ph.D. research on criminal genius, I conducted 44 semi-structured interviews. One of the 44 subjects, in particular, stood out. This noteworthy individual claimed that he had killed 15 people. His story was particularly interesting because--unlike most social research involving serial killers--he claimed that he had never been…

Biographical Learning and Non-Formal Education: Questing, Threads and Choosing How to Be Older

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Sam

2015-01-01

This paper presents an initial inductive analysis of eight semi-structured interviews with English adult learners conducted as part of the European Union (EU) BeLL project. It uses the theoretical lens of biographical learning (with its key concepts of agency and narrative) to explore what these interviews can tell us about the ways adults express…

Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives on Constructivism and Its Implementation in the Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savas Basturk

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine pre-service teachers' perspectives on constructivism and its implementation in schools. In order to do this, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 12 primary pre-service teachers from the grades 2, 3, and 4. Four pre-service teachers were voluntarily selected from each grade for interview. Each…

"To Take up Your Own Responsibility": The Religiosity of Buddhist Adolescents in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeung, Gustav K. K.; Chow, Wai-yin

2010-01-01

This paper is the report of a study that uses qualitative methods to examine the religiosity of Hong Kong Buddhist adolescents. Twenty-two Buddhist adolescents aged from 13 to 17 studying in Buddhist secondary schools took part in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were voice-recorded and transcribed verbatim, first into Chinese and then…

Under Pressure: An Exploration of the Module Design Experiences of Academic Staff Employed in One UK University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binns, Carole

2017-01-01

This paper discusses some of the qualitative data obtained from a small number (23) of semi-structured interviews of academic staff who are involved in module design, and who are employed within one UK university. Analysing the interview transcripts produced eight main themes. One of these themes was the perceived pressures or constraints on…

Not All on the Same Page: E-Book Adoption and Technology Exploration by Seniors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quan-Haase, Anabel; Martin, Kim; Schreurs, Kathleen

2014-01-01

Introduction: This paper aims to understand the adoption of e-books and e-readers by persons aged sixty and above. This includes an investigation into where seniors are in the stages of e-book adoption. Method: Data were collected through semi-structured interviews in a mid-size city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Analysis: Interviews were…

'Suddenly the First Fifty Years of My Life Made Sense': Experiences of Older People with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickey, Aoife; Crabtree, Jason; Stott, Joshua

2018-01-01

Research on the experience of growing older with autism is very limited. In this study, 13 people with autism aged over 50 years participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of diagnosis, social support and getting older. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Three overarching themes were generated: difference,…

Exploring the Role of Migrants in Transnational Occupational Learning Processes in Estonia-Finland Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alenius, Pauliina

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the role of migrants in cross-border learning in occupational contexts. The research data included 78 semi-structured and 20 life-course interviews with people who had migrated from Estonia to Finland or who were transmigrating between these countries. The interview data were analysed qualitatively through a…

Left out in the Academic Field: Doctoral Graduates Deal with a Decade of Disappearing Jobs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acker, Sandra; Haque, Eve

2017-01-01

In 2001-2002, the authors of this article interviewed 31 ethno-culturally diverse doctoral students about their experiences in a sociology of education program at a Canadian university. Approximately 10 years later, in a second qualitative study, we had the chance to conduct semi-structured interviews with 13 of the former students to find out…

"I Need to Do Better, but I Don't Know What to Do": Primary Teachers' Experiences of Talented Young Writers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easton, Vernitta; Gaffney, Janet S.; Wardman, Janna

2016-01-01

The study investigated New Zealand primary school teachers' understandings and experiences of talented young writers. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews in Auckland schools. The interview data were thematically analysed using an interpretivist framework. The focus of this report is on the teachers' selection and interpretation of…

Primary Teacher Trainee Perspectives on a Male-Only Support Group: Moving Male Trainee Teachers beyond the "Freak Show"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwick, Jane; Warwick, Paul; Hopper, Bev

2012-01-01

This paper reports the perspectives of male trainees on mechanisms instituted to support them during their Post-Graduate Certificate of Education in Early Years and Primary Education in England. The male trainees were interviewed towards the end of their training, using semi-structured interviews that provided scope for pursuing several lines of…

Parental Concerns Regarding a Centre-Based Early Intervention Programme for Down Syndrome in Malaysia: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunagaratnam, Nagasangari; Loh, Sau Cheong

2010-01-01

This qualitative study provides information on the concerns faced by parents having children with Down syndrome in a centre-based Early Intervention Programme in Malaysia and how they coped with these concerns. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of five parents and two special educators. The interview and observation findings…

What Sex Abusers Say about Their Treatment: Results from a Qualitative Study on Pedophiles in Treatment at a Canadian Penitentiary Clinic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drapeau, Martin; Korner, Annett C.; Granger, Luc; Brunet, Louis

2005-01-01

This exploratory study used qualitative methodology to examine what pedophiles think about treatment, as well as their daily experience of a treatment program. To this end, twenty-three offenders receiving treatment from the La Macaza federal penitentiary clinic were interviewed using non-directive semi-structured interviews. Comparative analysis…

Maternal Styles of Talking about Child Feeding across Sociodemographic Groups

PubMed Central

Pesch, Megan H.; Harrell, Kristina J.; Kaciroti, Niko; Rosenblum, Kate; Lumeng, Julie C.

2011-01-01

This study sought to identify maternal styles of talking about child feeding from a semi-structured interview and to evaluate associated maternal and child characteristics. Mothers of preschool-aged children (n = 133) of diverse race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) (45 lower SES black, 29 lower SES white, 32 lower SES Hispanic, 15 middle to upper SES white, 12 middle to upper SES Asian) participated in a semi-structured interview about feeding. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Themes were identified, and individual interviews were coded within these themes: authority (high/low), confidence (confident/conflicted/unopinionated), and investment (deep/mild/removed). Demographic characteristics were collected and a subset of children had measured weights and heights. Cluster analysis was used to identify narrative styles. Participant characteristics were compared across clusters using Fisher’s exact test and analysis of variance. Six narrative styles were identified: Easy-Going, Practical No-Nonsense, Disengaged, Effortful No-Nonsense, Indulgent Worry, and Conflicted Control. Cluster membership differed significantly based on maternal demographic group (P < .001) and child weight status (P < .05). More than half (60%) of children of mothers in the Conflicted Control cluster were obese. Maternal styles of talking about feeding are associated with maternal and child characteristics. PMID:22117662

The Role of Industry Training Advisory Bodies. Monograph Series No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wooden, Mark

Designed to provide a better understanding of how Industry Training Advisory Bodies (ITABs) operate, a study showed whether current arrangements, incentives, and structures are conducive to ITABs always working in the best interests of their constituents: employers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with chief executive officers (CEOs) of…

Elite Cricket Coach Education: A Bourdieusian Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Robert C.; Cushion, Christopher

2017-01-01

The social structures within coach education have been largely unexplored, undiscussed, and treated as unproblematic in contributing to coach learning, both in research and practice. The study used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 11 elite cricket coaches to gather their perceptions of an elite coach education programme. In particular,…

Managing Anxiety: A Case Study of an International Teaching Assistant's Interaction with American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Ji

2014-01-01

This case study utilizes structuration theory to explore the complexities in the academic interaction between a Chinese international teaching assistant (ITA) and her American students. Through four semi-structured participant interviews, eight classroom observations, and student feedback, major themes and variations were identified regarding the…

The Structured Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ljusberg, Anna-Lena

2011-01-01

The aim of this article is to highlight the organisation of the remedial classroom. The data were collected from observations and semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers in remedial classes for children seen and treated as having concentration deficits. The teachers use primarily compensatory language that places the deficits in the pupils.…

Newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Deborah L.

2011-12-01

This study investigated newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching. The study also documented their preparation in an elementary science methods course. The research questions were: What educational and professional experiences influenced the instructor's visions of science learning and teaching? What visions of science learning and teaching were promoted in the participants' science methods course? What visions of science learning and teaching did these newly qualified teachers bring with them as they graduated from their teacher preparation program? How did these visions compare with those advocated by reform documents? Data sources included participants' assignments, weekly reflections, and multi-media portfolio finals. Semi-structured interviews provided the emic voice of participants, after graduation but before they had begun to teach. These data were interpreted via a combination of qualitative methodologies. Vignettes described class activities. Assertions supported by excerpts from participants' writings emerged from repeated review of their assignments. A case study of a typical participant characterized weekly reflections and final multi-media portfolio. Four strands of science proficiency articulated in a national reform document provided a framework for interpreting activities, assignments, and interview responses. Prior experiences that influenced design of the methods course included an inquiry-based undergraduate physics course, participation in a reform-based teacher preparation program, undergraduate and graduate inquiry-based science teaching methods courses, participation in a teacher research group, continued connection to the university as a beginning teacher, teaching in diverse Title 1 schools, service as the county and state elementary science specialist, participation in the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, service on a National Research Council committee, and experience teaching a science methods course. The methods course studied here emphasized reform-based practices, science as inquiry, culturally responsive teaching, scientific discourse, and integration of science with technology and other disciplines. Participants' writings and interview responses articulated visions of science learning and teaching that included aspects of reform-based practices. Some participants intentionally incorporated and implemented reform-based strategies in field placements during the methods course and student teaching. The strands of scientific proficiency were evident in activities, assignments and participants' interviews in varying degrees.

Trained student pharmacists' telephonic collection of patient medication information: Evaluation of a structured interview tool.

PubMed

Margolis, Amanda R; Martin, Beth A; Mott, David A

2016-01-01

To determine the feasibility and fidelity of student pharmacists collecting patient medication list information using a structured interview tool and the accuracy of documenting the information. The medication lists were used by a community pharmacist to provide a targeted medication therapy management (MTM) intervention. Descriptive analysis of patient medication lists collected with telephone interviews. Ten trained student pharmacists collected the medication lists. Trained student pharmacists conducted audio-recorded telephone interviews with 80 English-speaking, community-dwelling older adults using a structured interview tool to collect and document medication lists. Feasibility was measured using the number of completed interviews, the time student pharmacists took to collect the information, and pharmacist feedback. Fidelity to the interview tool was measured by assessing student pharmacists' adherence to asking all scripted questions and probes. Accuracy was measured by comparing the audio-recorded interviews to the medication list information documented in an electronic medical record. On average, it took student pharmacists 26.7 minutes to collect the medication lists. The community pharmacist said the medication lists were complete and that having the medication lists saved time and allowed him to focus on assessment, recommendations, and education during the targeted MTM session. Fidelity was high, with an overall proportion of asked scripted probes of 83.75% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80.62-86.88%). Accuracy was also high for both prescription (95.1%; 95% CI, 94.3-95.8%) and nonprescription (90.5%; 95% CI, 89.4-91.4%) medications. Trained student pharmacists were able to use an interview tool to collect and document medication lists with a high degree of fidelity and accuracy. This study suggests that student pharmacists or trained technicians may be able to collect patient medication lists to facilitate MTM sessions in the community pharmacy setting. Evaluating the sustainability of using student pharmacists or trained technicians to collect medication lists is needed. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trained student pharmacists’ telephonic collection of patient medication information: Evaluation of a structured interview tool

PubMed Central

Margolis, Amanda R.; Martin, Beth A.; Mott, David A.

2016-01-01

Objective To determine the feasibility and fidelity of student pharmacists collecting patient medication list information using a structured interview tool and the accuracy of documenting the information. The medication lists were used by a community pharmacist to provide a targeted medication therapy management (MTM) intervention. Design Descriptive analysis of patient medication lists collected via telephone interviews. Participants 10 trained student pharmacists collected the medication lists. Intervention Trained student pharmacists conducted audio-recorded telephone interviews with 80 English-speaking community dwelling older adults using a structured interview tool to collect and document medication lists. Main outcome measures Feasibility was measured using the number of completed interviews, the time student pharmacists took to collect the information, and pharmacist feedback. Fidelity to the interview tool was measured by assessing student pharmacists’ adherence to asking all scripted questions and probes. Accuracy was measured by comparing the audio recorded interviews to the medication list information documented in an electronic medical record. Results On average it took student pharmacists 26.7 minutes to collect the medication lists. The community pharmacist said the medication lists were complete and that having the medication lists saved time and allowed him to focus on assessment, recommendations, and education during the targeted MTM session. Fidelity was high with an overall proportion of asked scripted probes of 83.75% (95%CI: 80.62–86.88%). Accuracy was also high for both prescription (95.1%, 95%CI: 94.3–95.8%) and non-prescription (90.5%, 95%CI: 89.4–91.4%) medications. Conclusion Trained student pharmacists were able to use an interview tool to collect and document medication lists with a high degree of fidelity and accuracy. This study suggests that student pharmacists or trained technicians may be able to collect patient medication lists to facilitate MTM sessions in the community pharmacy setting. Evaluating the sustainability of using student pharmacists or trained technicians to collect medication lists is needed. PMID:27000165

Structuring and coding in health care records: a qualitative analysis using diabetes as a case study.

PubMed

Robertson, Ann R R; Fernando, Bernard; Morrison, Zoe; Kalra, Dipak; Sheikh, Aziz

2015-03-27

Globally, diabetes mellitus presents a substantial and increasing burden to individuals, health care systems and society. Structuring and coding of information in the electronic health record underpin attempts to improve sharing and searching for information. Digital records for those with long-term conditions are expected to bring direct and secondary uses benefits, and potentially to support patient self-management. We sought to investigate if how and why records for adults with diabetes were structured and coded and to explore a range of UK stakeholders' perceptions of current practice in the National Health Service. We carried out a qualitative, theoretically informed case study of documenting health care information for diabetes in family practice and hospital settings in England, using semi-structured interviews, observations, systems demonstrations and documentary data. We conducted 22 interviews and four on-site observations. With respect to secondary uses - research, audit, public health and service planning - interviewees clearly articulated the benefits of highly structured and coded diabetes data and it was believed that benefits would expand through linkage to other datasets. Direct, more marginal, clinical benefits in terms of managing and monitoring diabetes and perhaps encouraging patient self-management were also reported. We observed marked differences in levels of record structuring and/or coding between family practices, where it was high, and the hospital. We found little evidence that structured and coded data were being exploited to improve information sharing between care settings. Using high levels of data structuring and coding in records for diabetes patients has the potential to be exploited more fully, and lessons might be learned from successful developments elsewhere in the UK. A first step would be for hospitals to attain levels of health information technology infrastructure and systems use commensurate with family practices.

Interactive Cohort Identification of Sleep Disorder Patients Using Natural Language Processing and i2b2.

PubMed

Chen, W; Kowatch, R; Lin, S; Splaingard, M; Huang, Y

2015-01-01

Nationwide Children's Hospital established an i2b2 (Informatics for Integrating Biology & the Bedside) application for sleep disorder cohort identification. Discrete data were gleaned from semistructured sleep study reports. The system showed to work more efficiently than the traditional manual chart review method, and it also enabled searching capabilities that were previously not possible. We report on the development and implementation of the sleep disorder i2b2 cohort identification system using natural language processing of semi-structured documents. We developed a natural language processing approach to automatically parse concepts and their values from semi-structured sleep study documents. Two parsers were developed: a regular expression parser for extracting numeric concepts and a NLP based tree parser for extracting textual concepts. Concepts were further organized into i2b2 ontologies based on document structures and in-domain knowledge. 26,550 concepts were extracted with 99% being textual concepts. 1.01 million facts were extracted from sleep study documents such as demographic information, sleep study lab results, medications, procedures, diagnoses, among others. The average accuracy of terminology parsing was over 83% when comparing against those by experts. The system is capable of capturing both standard and non-standard terminologies. The time for cohort identification has been reduced significantly from a few weeks to a few seconds. Natural language processing was shown to be powerful for quickly converting large amount of semi-structured or unstructured clinical data into discrete concepts, which in combination of intuitive domain specific ontologies, allows fast and effective interactive cohort identification through the i2b2 platform for research and clinical use.

Interactive Cohort Identification of Sleep Disorder Patients Using Natural Language Processing and i2b2

PubMed Central

Chen, W.; Kowatch, R.; Lin, S.; Splaingard, M.

2015-01-01

Summary Nationwide Children’s Hospital established an i2b2 (Informatics for Integrating Biology & the Bedside) application for sleep disorder cohort identification. Discrete data were gleaned from semistructured sleep study reports. The system showed to work more efficiently than the traditional manual chart review method, and it also enabled searching capabilities that were previously not possible. Objective We report on the development and implementation of the sleep disorder i2b2 cohort identification system using natural language processing of semi-structured documents. Methods We developed a natural language processing approach to automatically parse concepts and their values from semi-structured sleep study documents. Two parsers were developed: a regular expression parser for extracting numeric concepts and a NLP based tree parser for extracting textual concepts. Concepts were further organized into i2b2 ontologies based on document structures and in-domain knowledge. Results 26,550 concepts were extracted with 99% being textual concepts. 1.01 million facts were extracted from sleep study documents such as demographic information, sleep study lab results, medications, procedures, diagnoses, among others. The average accuracy of terminology parsing was over 83% when comparing against those by experts. The system is capable of capturing both standard and non-standard terminologies. The time for cohort identification has been reduced significantly from a few weeks to a few seconds. Conclusion Natural language processing was shown to be powerful for quickly converting large amount of semi-structured or unstructured clinical data into discrete concepts, which in combination of intuitive domain specific ontologies, allows fast and effective interactive cohort identification through the i2b2 platform for research and clinical use. PMID:26171080

State and non-state mental health service collaboration in a South African district: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Janse van Rensburg, André; Petersen, Inge; Wouters, Edwin; Engelbrecht, Michelle; Kigozi, Gladys; Fourie, Pieter; van Rensburg, Dingie; Bracke, Piet

2018-05-01

The Life Esidimeni tragedy in South Africa showed that, despite significant global gains in recognizing the salience of integrated public mental health care during the past decade, crucial gaps remain. State and non-state mental health service collaboration is a recognized strategy to increase access to care and optimal use of community resources, but little evidence exist about how it unfolds in low- to middle-income countries. South Africa's Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2013-20 (MHPF) underlines the importance of collaborative public mental health care, though it is unclear how and to what extent this happens. The aim of the study was to explore the extent and nature of state and non-state mental health service collaboration in the Mangaung Metropolitan District, Free State, South Africa. The research involved an equal status, sequential mixed methods design, comprised of social network analysis (SNA) and semi-structured interviews. SNA-structured interviews were conducted with collaborating state and non-state mental health service providers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with collaborating partners and key stake holders. Descriptive network analyses of the SNA data were performed with Gephi, and thematic analysis of the semi-structured interview data were performed in NVivo. SNA results suggested a fragmented, hospital centric network, with low average density and clustering, and high authority and influence of a specialist psychiatric hospital. Several different types of collaborative interactions emerged, of which housing and treatment adherence a key point of collaboration. Proportional interactions between state and non-state services were low. Qualitative data expanded on these findings, highlighting the range of available mental health services, and pointed to power dynamics as an important consideration in the mental health service network. The fostering of a well-integrated system of care as proposed in the MHPF requires inter-institutional arrangements that include both clinical and social facets of care, and improvements in local governance.

Strengths and weaknesses in the implementation of maternal and perinatal death reviews in Tanzania: perceptions, processes and practice.

PubMed

Armstrong, C E; Lange, I L; Magoma, M; Ferla, C; Filippi, V; Ronsmans, C

2014-09-01

Tanzania institutionalised maternal and perinatal death reviews (MPDR) in 2006, yet there is scarce evidence on the extent and quality of implementation of the system. We reviewed the national policy documentation and explored stakeholders' involvement in, and perspectives of, the role and practices of MPDR in district and regional hospitals, and assessed current capacity for achieving MPDR. We reviewed the national MPDR guidelines and conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Thirty-two informants in Mara Region were interviewed within health administration and hospitals, and five informants were included at the central level. Interviews were analysed for comparison of statements across health system level, hospital, profession and MPDR experience. The current MPDR system does not function adequately to either perform good quality reviews or fulfil the aspiration to capture every facility-based maternal and perinatal death. Informants at all levels express differing understandings of the purpose of MPDR. Hospital reviews fail to identify appropriate challenges and solutions at the facility level. Staff are committed to the process of maternal death review, with routine documentation and reporting, yet action and response are insufficient. The confusion between MPDR and maternal death surveillance and response results in a system geared towards data collection and surveillance, failing to explore challenges and solutions from within the remit of the hospital team. This reduces the accountability of the health workers and undermines opportunities to improve quality of care. We recommend initiatives to strengthen the quality of facility-level reviews in order to establish a culture of continuous quality of care improvement and a mechanism of accountability within facilities. Effective facility reviews are an important peer-learning process that should remain central to quality of care improvement strategies. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Challenges for Nurses Caring for Patients With Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters in Skilled Nursing Facilities

PubMed Central

Harrod, Molly; Montoya, Ana; Mody, Lona; McGuirk, Helen; Winter, Suzanne; Chopra, Vineet

2016-01-01

Objectives To understand frontline nurses’ (registered nurses and licensed practical nurses), unit nurse managers’ and skilled nursing facility (SNF) administrators’ perceived preparedness in providing care for patients with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in SNFs. Design An exploratory, qualitative pilot study. Setting Two community based SNFs. Participants Patients, frontline nurses (registered nurses and licensed practical nurses), unit nurse managers and SNF administrators. Methods Over 36-weeks, we observed and conducted informal interviews with 56 patients with PICCs and their nurses focusing on PICC care practices and documentation. In addition, we collected baseline PICC data including placement indication (e.g., antimicrobial administration), placement setting (hospital vs. SNF), and dwell time. We then conducted focus groups with frontline nurses and unit nurse managers and semi-structured interviews with SNF administrators to evaluate perceived preparedness for PICC care. Data were analyzed using a descriptive analysis approach. Results During weekly informal interviews and observations variations in documentation were observed. Differences between patient-reported PICC concerns (quality-of-life) and those described by frontline nurses were noted. Deficiencies in communication between hospitals and SNFs with respect to device care, date of last dressing change and PICC removal time were also noted. During focus group sessions, perceived inadequacy of information at the time of care transitions, limited availability of resources to care for PICCs and gaps in training and education were highlighted as barriers in improving practice and safety. Conclusion Our study suggests that practices for PICC care in SNFs can be improved. Multimodal strategies that enhance staff education, improve information exchange during care transitions and increase resource availability in SNFs appear necessary to enhance PICC care and patient safety. PMID:27603747

Traditional and scientific conceptions of snakes in Kenya: Alternative perspectives for teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojnowski, David

A 3-month qualitative study was conducted mid-September through mid-December 2005 to investigate rural southeast Kenyan teachers' conceptions of snakes. Teachers from five villages near Mt. Kasigau were interviewed to obtain an overall sense of what they thought about snakes (n = 60). Of those 60 teachers, 28 attended a 6-hour seminar on reptiles and amphibians. From these 28 teachers, 8 teachers from three villages were afforded additional educational opportunities about snakes, and 2 teachers from this group of 8 were teamed with 2 herpetologists as mentors during the last 2 months of the study. In turn, seven of these eight teachers presented lessons about snakes using live specimens to their fellow teachers and students. Observations of teacher participants during workshops and field outings were documented as well as teacher classroom pedagogy involving snakes before, during, and after the institute. Semi-structured and open-ended interviews were conducted with the eight core teacher participants and field notes were used to document participant observations during serendipitous live snake encounters, of which, there were many. In addition, village elders, including medicine men, one education administrator and one minister were interviewed to obtain a historical cultural backdrop, which teachers expressed as being an important influence while formulating their own conceptions about snakes. Findings suggest that teachers' conceptions of snakes, within a culture where all snakes are feared and killed onsite, can change toward a more favorable orientation when given the opportunity to learn about snakes, witness positive modeling of snake handling through mentoring by herpetologists, and experience direct contact with live harmless nonaggressive snakes (e.g., the Brown House Snake [Lamprohis fuliginosus] and Kenyan Sand Boa [ Eryx colubrinus]).

Diagnosis of sustainable collaboration in health promotion – a case study

PubMed Central

Leurs, Mariken TW; Mur-Veeman, Ingrid M; van der Sar, Rosalie; Schaalma, Herman P; de Vries, Nanne K

2008-01-01

Background Collaborations are important to health promotion in addressing multi-party problems. Interest in collaborative processes in health promotion is rising, but still lacks monitoring instruments. The authors developed the DIagnosis of Sustainable Collaboration (DISC) model to enable comprehensive monitoring of public health collaboratives. The model focuses on opportunities and impediments for collaborative change, based on evidence from interorganizational collaboration, organizational behavior and planned organizational change. To illustrate and assess the DISC-model, the 2003/2004 application of the model to the Dutch whole-school health promotion collaboration is described. Methods The study combined quantitative research, using a cross-sectional survey, with qualitative research using the personal interview methodology and document analysis. A DISC-based survey was sent to 55 stakeholders in whole-school health promotion in one Dutch region. The survey consisted of 22 scales with 3 to 8 items. Only scales with a reliability score of 0.60 were accepted. The analysis provided for comparisons between stakeholders from education, public service and public health. The survey was followed by approaching 14 stakeholders for a semi-structured DISC-based interview. As the interviews were timed after the survey, the interviews were used to clarify unexpected and unclear outcomes of the survey as well. Additionally, a DISC-based document analysis was conducted including minutes of meetings, project descriptions and correspondence with schools and municipalities. Results Response of the survey was 77% and of the interviews 86%. Significant differences between respondents of different domains were found for the following scales: organizational characteristics scale, the change strategies, network development, project management, willingness to commit and innovative actions and adaptations. The interviews provided a more specific picture of the state of the art of the studied collaboration regarding the DISC-constructs. Conclusion The DISC-model is more than just the sum of the different parameters provided in the literature on interorganizational collaboration, organization change, networking and setting-approaches. Monitoring a collaboration based on the DISC-model yields insight into windows of opportunity and current impediments for collaborative change. DISC-based monitoring is a promising strategy enabling project managers and social entrepreneurs to plan change management strategies systematically. PMID:18992132

A Look at Advanced Learners' Use of Mobile Devices for English Language Study: Insights from Interview Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruk, Mariusz

2017-01-01

The paper discusses the results of a study which explored advanced learners of English engagement with their mobile devices to develop learning experiences that meet their needs and goals as foreign language learners. The data were collected from 20 students by means of a semi-structured interview. The gathered data were subjected to qualitative…

In and on Their Own Terms: Children and Young People's Accounts of Life with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skyrme, Sarah

2017-01-01

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with boys and young men who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe, degenerative condition that only affects boys. The main focus of the interviews was to explore how the participants thought they might make a decision to take part in medical research. To better understand this, aspects of the…

Learning on the Job: How Do Farm Business Managers Get the Skills and Knowledge To Manage Their Businesses? CRLRA Discussion Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilpatrick, Sue

The methods used by Australian farm managers to obtain the skills and knowledge needed to manage their businesses were examined. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 85 farm owners/managers from South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, and New South Wales. The farmers interviewed identified a wide range of…

"It's Intense, to an Extent": A Qualitative Study of the Emotional Challenges Faced by Staff Working on a Treatment Programme for Intellectually Disabled Sex Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandhu, Daljit K.; Rose, John; Rostill-Brookes, Helen J.; Thrift, Su

2012-01-01

Background: This study explores the emotional challenges faced by staff working on a sex offender treatment programme for people with an intellectual disability. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight participants working on a treatment programme for sex offenders with an intellectual disability. Interviews were analysed…

Air traffic control specialist decision making and strategic planning : a field survey

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-03-01

This study investigated Air Traffic Control Specialists' perspective regarding decision making and planning and related cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and situation awareness. The results of 100 semi-structured interviews indicated tha...

A view of dyslexia in context: implications for understanding differences in essay writing experience amongst higher education students identified as dyslexic.

PubMed

Carter, Christine; Sellman, Edward

2013-08-01

This article applies socio-cultural theories to explore how differences in essay writing experience are constituted for a group of students identified as dyslexic. It reports on a qualitative study with eleven student writers, seven of whom are formally identified as dyslexic, from the schools of archaeology, history and philosophy in a 'traditional' UK university. Semi-structured interviews before, during and after writing a coursework essay revealed well-documented dyslexia-related difficulties and also strong differences in how writing was experienced. The multiple and fluid dimensions that construct these differences suggest the importance of position within the context, previous and developing writing and learning experience, and metacognitive, meta-affective and metalinguistic awareness. They also suggest tensions between specialist and inclusive policies in relation to writing pedagogy for students identified as dyslexic. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Coping skills and social support in German long-time survivors of rape in the end of World War II].

PubMed

Eichhorn, Svenja; Klauer, Thomas; Grundke, Elena; Freyberger, Harald J; Brähler, Elmar; Kuwert, Philipp

2012-05-01

The aim of the study was to document perceived social support in a sample of German war-raped women in World War II. Furthermore the impact of this potential resource on today's posttraumatic symptoms should be pointed out. 27 women (M = 80.3 years, SD = 3.1 years) answered each a semi-structured interview and several questionnaires. Perceived social support shows clearly lower values than in the comparative samples. The measured degree of the variable in the present sample bears negative relationship to the actual posttraumatic symptoms of the women. In World War II sexually traumatized women could profit only few from the examined resource. The found negative relationship between perceived social support and posttraumatic symptoms shows additionally the potentially long-lasting impact of these form of coping on psychological health in trauma victims. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Environmental Impact Assessment Under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act: Deliberative Democracy in Canada's North?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, Patricia; Sinclair, A. John; Mitchell, Bruce

2008-07-01

We consider the extent to which the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA) provides an opportunity for deliberative democracy to emerge within the context of resource management in Canada’s North. The focus is on the extent to which the tenets of deliberative democracy are exercised in the environmental assessment (EA) of the Snap Lake diamonds project. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with assessment participants, and a review of documentation surrounding the EA process, and the case study. Results combined four principles of deliberative democracy: generality, autonomy, power neutrality, and ideal role taking. The EA conducted under the MVRMA can serve as a deliberative process, as illustrated by opportunities for dialogue, access to different perspectives, and learning outcomes. However, many of these positive results occurred through nonmandated technical sessions. The absence of participant funding also limits the deliberative potential of the MVRMA.

Improving the health and safety of 911 emergency call centre agents: an evaluability assessment of a knowledge transfer strategy.

PubMed

Dagenais, Christian; Plouffe, Laurence; Gagné, Charles; Toulouse, Georges; Breault, Andrée-Anne; Dupont, Didier

2017-03-01

A knowledge transfer (KT) strategy was implemented by the IRSST, an occupational health and safety research institute established in Québec (Canada), to improve the prevention of psychological and musculoskeletal problems among 911 emergency call centre agents. An evaluability assessment was conducted in which each aspect of the KT approach was documented systematically to determine whether the strategy had the potential to be evaluated in terms of its impact on the targeted population. A review of the literature on KT in occupational health and safety and on the evaluation of such KT programmes, along with the development of a logic model based on documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, indicated that the KT strategy was likely to have had a positive impact in the 911 emergency call centre sector. Implications for future research are discussed.

Biodiversity of medicinal plants by Minangkabau ethnic in Guguak Sarai, West Sumatera, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairiah, A.; Nisyawati, Silalahi, M.

2017-07-01

The research was carried out in Guguak Sarai, West Sumatera, Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to document the diversity of medicinal plants by Minangkabau ethnic base on local knowledge. Data were collected using ethnobotanical approach through open-ended, semi-structured interview and exploration method. The sample consisted of 3 key informants and 94 respondents with provisions age ≥ 30 years old. Data were analyzed qualitatively using descriptive statistics. Total 158 medicinal plants species which belongs to 124 genera and 54 families were reported to be used in against 52 diseases. Among the diseases, gastrointestinal disorders had the highest number of medicinal plants to be used (37 species), skin diseases (36 species), postpartum cures (29 species), urinary tract disorders (26 species) and rheumatism (19 species). Fabaceae (Leguminosae) was the dominant families that used to treat the illness (12 species) followed by Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae (10 species) and Asteraceae (9 species).

Keeping women active: an examination of the impacts of self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and leadership on women's persistence in physical activity.

PubMed

Lloyd, Kathleen M; Little, Donna E

2010-10-01

Physical inactivity in women is a worldwide problem that has not only been well-documented but has provoked much government concern and policy activity. However, an even more important issue is encouraging women's persistence in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the links between women's experiences of participation in a government-funded physical activity festival, their intentions to continue participation, and their participation behavior six months after the festival. Results from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 women revealed that enhanced self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and supportive leadership had motivated the women's future intentions to participate. Follow-up surveys showed their levels of interest and participation in physical activity had been maintained. These results enhance our understanding of the relationship between key outcomes of women's physical activity participation and their persistence in physical activity.

Managing physical and mental health conditions: Consumer perspectives on integrated care.

PubMed

Rollins, Angela L; Wright-Berryman, Jennifer; Henry, Nancy H; Quash, Alicia M; Benbow, Kyle; Bonfils, Kelsey A; Hedrick, Heidi; Miller, Alex P; Firmin, Ruthie; Salyers, Michelle P

2017-01-01

Despite the growing trend of integrating primary care and mental health services, little research has documented how consumers with severe mental illnesses manage comorbid conditions or view integrated services. We sought to better understand how consumers perceive and manage both mental and physical health conditions and their views of integrated services. We conducted semi-structured interviews with consumers receiving primary care services integrated in a community mental health setting. Consumers described a range of strategies to deal with physical health conditions and generally viewed mental and physical health conditions as impacting one another. Consumers viewed integration of primary care and mental health services favorably, specifically its convenience, friendliness and knowledge of providers, and collaboration between providers. Although integration was viewed positively, consumers with SMI may need a myriad of strategies and supports to both initiate and sustain lifestyle changes that address common physical health problems.

An Analysis of Knowledge Structure, Diversity and Diagnostic Abilities among Pre-Service Science Teachers within the Domain of Oxidation and Reduction Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bischoff, Paul J.; Avery, Leanne; Golden, Constance Feldt; French, Paul

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of preservice science teachers' knowledge structures in the domain of oxidation and reduction chemistry. Knowledge structures were elicited through video-recorded semi-structured interviews before and after the unit of instruction, and analyzed using a visual flow map representation.…

Incremental Ontology-Based Extraction and Alignment in Semi-structured Documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiam, Mouhamadou; Bennacer, Nacéra; Pernelle, Nathalie; Lô, Moussa

SHIRIis an ontology-based system for integration of semi-structured documents related to a specific domain. The system’s purpose is to allow users to access to relevant parts of documents as answers to their queries. SHIRI uses RDF/OWL for representation of resources and SPARQL for their querying. It relies on an automatic, unsupervised and ontology-driven approach for extraction, alignment and semantic annotation of tagged elements of documents. In this paper, we focus on the Extract-Align algorithm which exploits a set of named entity and term patterns to extract term candidates to be aligned with the ontology. It proceeds in an incremental manner in order to populate the ontology with terms describing instances of the domain and to reduce the access to extern resources such as Web. We experiment it on a HTML corpus related to call for papers in computer science and the results that we obtain are very promising. These results show how the incremental behaviour of Extract-Align algorithm enriches the ontology and the number of terms (or named entities) aligned directly with the ontology increases.

Filling the treatment gap: developing a task sharing counselling intervention for perinatal depression in Khayelitsha, South Africa.

PubMed

Nyatsanza, Memory; Schneider, Marguerite; Davies, Thandi; Lund, Crick

2016-05-26

Perinatal depression is a major public health issue especially in low income settings in South Africa, where there is a shortage of mental health professionals. New psychological interventions delivered by non-specialists are needed to fill the treatment gap. This paper describes the process of developing a manual based task sharing counselling intervention for perinatal depression in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 participants, including service providers and service users at a clinic in Khayelitsha in order to explore the feasibility, acceptability and content of a task sharing counselling intervention. The interviews were recorded, translated and transcribed. Themes were identified using the framework analysis approach and were coded and analysed using NVivo v10. After the semi-structured interviews, a workshop was conducted with mental health experts on evidence-based psychological interventions for depression, together with a document review of counselling manuals for community health workers in South Africa. The findings indicate that a task sharing counselling intervention was acceptable and feasible for depressed women in Khayelitsha, under the following conditions: (1) respondents preferred a female counsellor and felt that clinic based individual sessions should be provided at least once a month by an experienced Xhosa speaking counsellor from the community; and (2) the content of a counselling intervention should include psycho-education on cognitive and behavioural effects of depression, how to cope with interpersonal problems, and financial stressors. Based on these conditions, the review of manuals and expert consultation, key components of the counselling intervention were identified as: psycho-education, problem solving, healthy thinking and behaviour activation. These were included in the final counselling manual. The development of task sharing counselling interventions for perinatal depression should be informed by the views and needs of local service users and service providers. The study illustrates the manner in which these views can be incorporated for the development of evidence-based psychological interventions, within a task sharing framework in low and middle-income countries.

A survey of medicinal plants used by the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe of Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Kabir, Mohammad Humayun; Hasan, Nur; Rahman, Md Mahfuzur; Rahman, Md Ashikur; Khan, Jakia Alam; Hoque, Nazia Tasnim; Bhuiyan, Md Ruhul Quddus; Mou, Sadia Moin; Jahan, Rownak; Rahmatullah, Mohammed

2014-02-06

The number of tribes present within Bangladesh has been estimated to approximate one hundred and fifty. Information on traditional medicinal practices, particularly of the smaller tribes and their clans is lacking. It was the objective of the study to document the tribal medicinal practices of the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe, which clan can be found residing in Dolusora Tripura Palli of Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh. A further objective was to determine the extent of the community households who still prefer traditional treatment to other forms of treatment, particularly allopathic treatment. Interviews of the tribal healer and the tribal community regarding their ethnomedicinal practices were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. All together 67 clan members were interviewed including the Headman, tribal healer, 19 Heads of households and 46 other adult members of the clan. Information on number of members of household, their age, gender, educational status, occupation of working household members and preferred mode of treatment was obtained through the semi-structured questionnaire. In the guided field-walk method, the healer took the interviewers on field-walks through areas from where he collected his medicinal plants, pointed out the plants, and described their uses. The clan had a total of 135 people distributed into 20 households and had only one traditional healer. Use of medicinal plants, wearing of amulets, and worship of the evil god 'Bura debta' constituted the traditional medicinal practices of the clan for treatment of diseases. The healer used a total of 44 medicinal plants distributed into 34 families for treatment of various ailments like pain, coughs, cold, gastrointestinal disorders, cuts and wounds, diabetes, malaria, heart disorders, and paralysis. Available scientific reports validate the use of a number of plants by the traditional healer. A number of the plants used by the clan healer had reported similar uses in Ayurveda, but differ considerably in their therapeutic uses from that reported for other tribes in Bangladesh. The present survey also indicated that in recent years the Deb barma clan members are inclining more towards allopathic medicine.

How Do the Teachers Define Social Studies Course?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topçu, Ersin

2017-01-01

In this research, the aim is to determine what the social studies teachers think about the interdisciplinary structure of the social studies course and the educational situation. Likert type questionnaire and semi-structured interview form were used as data collection tools. The questionnaire was applied to 150 teachers working in 58 secondary…

Ethnomedicinal plants of the Bauri tribal community of Moulvibazar District, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Das, Protiva Rani; Islam, Md Tabibul; Mostafa, Mohd Nabil; Rahmatullah, Mohammed

2013-01-01

Bangladesh reportedly has more than 100 tribal communities; however, documentation of their medicinal practices is markedly absent. The aim of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the little known Bauri tribe of Bangladesh, whose tribal medicinal practices are yet to be documented. The survey was carried out among the Bauri tribal community of Purbo Tila village in Moulvibazar District. The community is believed to be the only Bauri community in the country and had four tribal healers who continue their traditional medicinal practices. Interviews of the healers were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method where the healers took the interviewers on guided field-walks through areas from where they collected their medicinal plants. Here they identified the plants and described their uses. The Bauri healers were observed to use 40 different plant species and one bird species for treatment of ailments such as fever, respiratory tract disorders, pain, gastrointestinal disorders, eye problems like cataract and conjunctivitis, jaundice, abscess, cardiovascular disorders, urinary problems, paralysis, dog bite, snake bite, helminthiasis, lesions on the tongue or lips and piles. Leaves were the major plant part used and constituted 38.3% of total uses followed by fruits at 14.9%. A review of the relevant scientific literature showed that a number of medicinal plants used by the Bauri healers possess pharmacological activities, which were in line with the traditional uses, thus validating their use by the Bauri tribe.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Provision of Surgical Care in Vanuatu: A Mixed Methods Analysis.

PubMed

Young, S; Perry, W R G; Leodoro, B; Nosa, V; Bissett, I; Windsor, J A; Dare, A J

2016-08-01

The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu faces a number of challenges in delivering surgical care to its population. We aimed to understand and document the barriers, opportunities and required actions to improve surgical care in the country using a mixed methods analysis which incorporated the perspectives of local health stakeholders. A baseline quantitative assessment of surgical capacity in Vanuatu was carried out using the WHO situational analysis tool. Twenty semi-structured interviews were then conducted on the two main islands (Efate and Espiritu Santo) with surgeons, allied health staff, health managers, policy-makers and other key stakeholders, using a grounded theory qualitative case study methodology. Initial informants were identified by purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. Interviews were open and axially coded with subsequent thematic analysis. Vanuatu faces deficits in surgical infrastructure, equipment and human resources, especially in the rural provinces. Geographic isolation, poverty and culture-including the use of traditional medicine and low health literacy-all act as barriers to patients accessing timely surgical care. Issues with governance, human resourcing and perioperative care were commonly identified by stakeholders as key challenges facing surgical services. Increasing outreach clinics, developing efficient referral systems, building provincial surgical capacity and undertaking locally led research were identified as key actions that can improve surgical care. Documenting locally identified challenges and opportunities for surgical care in Vanuatu is an important first step towards developing formal strategies for improving surgical services at the country level.

Enhancing stakeholder participation in land-based adaptation to environmental change with photo elicitation and photovoice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Barron; Kong, Taryn; Kellner, Klaus

2015-04-01

Land degradation is one of the main environmental changes confronting South Africa. Active participation from local land users to adopt land-based adaptation to land degradation is necessary for at least two obvious reasons. Firstly, most of the lands in South Africa are privately owned. Secondly, the costs for adapting to land degradation are substantial and are not feasible for an individual entity to afford. Land-based adaptation includes management practices that can reduce the vulnerability of land users to the threats posed by land degradation. To engage land users to participate in land-based adaptation, approaches to allow diverse stakeholders to effectively communicate their observations, knowledge and perspectives are needed. In addition to semi-structured interviews, photo elicitation and photovoice were implemented to engage 25 local livestock farmers from two rural areas in the South African Kalahari - Mier and Molopo - in a participatory research project. The results showed that photo elicitation enhanced stakeholder interaction relative to semi-structured interviews in a number of ways. Firstly, photo elicitation provided more details and new information beyond those in semi-structured interviews. Secondly, photo elicitation also allowed stakeholders to more easily communicate personal or concrete examples, comparisons, contrasts, explanatory information, attitudes and values. The results also showed that photovoice created opportunities for mutual learning among the participants. These enhancements have the potential to improve co-production of knowledge and quality of stakeholder engagement. Improvement in stakeholder engagement can in turn contribute toward land-based adaptation that is more locally relevant and a greater degree of translation of scientific advancement into actual adaptation practices.

Innovation in values based public health nursing student selection: A qualitative evaluation of candidate and selection panel member perspectives.

PubMed

McGraw, Caroline; Abbott, Stephen; Brook, Judy

2018-02-19

Values based recruitment emerges from the premise that a high degree of value congruence, or the extent to which an individual's values are similar to those of the health organization in which they work, leads to organizational effectiveness. The aim of this evaluation was to explore how candidates and selection panel members experienced and perceived innovative methods of values based public health nursing student selection. The evaluation was framed by a qualitative exploratory design involving semi-structured interviews and a group exercise. Data were thematically analyzed. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with selection panel members. Twenty-two successful candidates took part in a group exercise. The use of photo elicitation interviews and situational judgment questions in the context of selection to a university-run public health nursing educational program was explored. While candidates were ambivalent about the use of photo elicitation interviews, with some misunderstanding the task, selection panel members saw the benefits for improving candidate expression and reducing gaming and deception. Situational interview questions were endorsed by candidates and selection panel members due to their fidelity to real-life problems and the ability of panel members to discern value congruence from candidates' responses. Both techniques offered innovative solutions to candidate selection for entry to the public health nursing education program. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Teachers' Interpersonal Role Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Want, Anna C.; den Brok, Perry; Beijaard, Douwe; Brekelmans, Mieke; Claessens, Luce C. A.; Pennings, Helena J. M.

2015-01-01

This article investigates the link between teachers' appraisal of specific interpersonal situations in classrooms and their more general interpersonal identity standard, which together form their interpersonal role identity. Using semi-structured and video-stimulated interviews, data on teachers' appraisals and interpersonal identity standards…

Assessment of personality-related levels of functioning: a pilot study of clinical assessment of the DSM-5 level of personality functioning based on a semi-structured interview.

PubMed

Thylstrup, Birgitte; Simonsen, Sebastian; Nemery, Caroline; Simonsen, Erik; Noll, Jane Fjernestad; Myatt, Mikkel Wanting; Hesse, Morten

2016-08-25

The personality disorder categories in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV have been extensively criticized, and there is a growing consensus that personality pathology should be represented dimensionally rather than categorically. The aim of this pilot study was to test the Clinical Assessment of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale, a semi-structured clinical interview, designed to assess the Level of Personality Functioning Scale of the DSM-5 (Section III) by applying strategies similar to what characterizes assessments in clinical practice. The inter-rater reliability of the assessment of the four domains and the total impairment in the Level of Personality Functioning Scale were measured in a patient sample that varied in terms of severity and type of pathology. Ratings were done independently by the interviewer and two experts who watched a videotaped Clinical Assessment of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale interview. Inter-rater reliability coefficients varied between domains and were not sufficient for clinical practice, but may support the use of the interview to assess the dimensions of personality functioning for research purposes. While designed to measure the Level of Personality Functioning Scale with a high degree of similarity to clinical practice, the Clinical Assessment of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale had weak reliabilities and a rating based on a single interview should not be considered a stand-alone assessment of areas of functioning for a given patient.

Veterans' experience in using the online Surgeon General's family health history tool.

PubMed

Arar, Nedal; Seo, Joann; Abboud, Hanna E; Parchman, Michael; Noel, Polly

2011-09-01

AIM: To assess veterans' experience and satisfaction in using the Surgeon General's (SG) online family health history (FHH) tool, and determine the perceived facilitators and barriers to using the online SG-FHH tool. MATERIALS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; METHODS: A mixed-method using both qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed in this study. A total of 35 veterans at the VA Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, USA were invited to enter their FHH information using the online SG-FHH tool, complete the study's satisfaction survey and participate in a short semi-structured interview. The goal of the semi-structured interviews was to assess participants perceived facilitators and barriers to using the online SG-FHH tool. All participants were also provided with a printed copy of their pedigree, which was generated by the SG-FHH tool and were encouraged to share it with their relatives and providers. RESULTS: The majority of participants (91%) said that they had access to a computer with internet capability and 77% reported that they knew how to use a computer. More than two-thirds of the participants felt that items on the SG-FHH tool were easy to read and felt that FHH categories were relevant to their family's health. Approximately 94% of participants viewed the SG-FHH tool as useful, and the majority of participants (97%) indicated that they were likely to recommend the tool to others. Content analysis of the semi-structured interviews highlighted several barriers to veterans' use of the SG-FHH tool and their FHH information. These included: lack of patients' knowledge regarding their relatives' FHH, and privacy and confidentiality concerns. CONCLUSION: This study provides information on the performance and functionality of an inexpensive and widely accessible method for FHH collection. Furthermore, our findings highlight several opportunities and challenges facing the utilization of FHH information as a clinical and genomic tool at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The results suggest that strategies that improve veterans' knowledge regarding the importance of their FHH information and that address their concerns about privacy and confidentiality may enhance the successful implementation of FHH information into VHA clinical practice. IMPLICATIONS: identifying a locally accepted method for FHH collection and documentation which can be conducted outside of the patient visit will reduce time burdens for providers and patients and allow for a focus on other important topics during clinic visits. Improvement in familial risk screening and assessment will enable the VHA to be prepared for personalized medicine and focus their resources on promoting critically important health behaviors for populations with the highest risk of developing chronic diseases and their complications.

Preparing healthcare students who participate in interprofessional education for interprofessional collaboration: A constructivist grounded theory study protocol.

PubMed

Bianchi, Monica; Bagnasco, Annamaria; Aleo, Giuseppe; Catania, Gianluca; Zanini, Milko Patrick; Timmins, Fiona; Carnevale, Franco; Sasso, Loredana

2018-05-01

This article presents a qualitative research protocol to explore and understand the interprofessional collaboration (IPC) preparation process implemented by clinical tutors and students of different professions involved in interprofessional education (IPE). Many studies have shown that IPE initiatives improve students' understanding of the roles and responsibilities of other professionals. This improves students' attitudes towards other professions, facilitating mutual respect, and IPC. However, there is limited information about how students are prepared to work collaboratively within interprofessional teams. This is a constructivist grounded theory (GT) study, which will involve data collection through in-depth semi-structured interviews (to 9-15 students and 6-9 clinical tutors), participant observations, and the analysis of documentation. After analysing, coding, integrating, and comparing the data if necessary, a second round of interviews could be conducted to explore any particularly interesting aspects or clarify any issues. This will then be followed by focused and theoretical coding. Qualitative data analysis will be conducted with the support of NVivo 10 software (Victoria, Australia). A better conceptual understanding will help to understand if IPE experiences have contributed to the acquisition of competencies considered important for IPC, and if they have facilitated the development of teamwork attitudes.

The experiences of science teachers' particpation in an inquiry-based professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Emily A.

Once a leader in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, the United States (U.S.) is now far behind many countries. There is growing concern that the U.S. is not preparing a sufficient number of students in the areas of STEM. Despite advancement of inquiry learning in science, the extent to which inquiry learning has been implemented on a classroom level falls short. The purpose of this study was to learn about the experiences of science teachers' participation in an inquiry-based professional development. A mixed method research design was used for this study to collect data from ten Project MISE participants. The qualitative data was collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews, focus group interviews, observations, and document analysis of teacher portfolios and analyzed using constant comparative method. The quantitative data were collected through administration of a pretest and posttest instrument that measures the content knowledge of the science teachers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. The participants of this mixed methods study provided compelling evidence that Project MISE has a profound impact on their instructional practice, networking abilities, opportunities for reflection, and content knowledge.

Factors on green service industry: Case study at AirAsia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Muhammad-Azfar; Chew, Boon-Cheong; Hamid, Syaiful-Rizal

2017-03-01

Presently service organizations are challenged by fierce global competition, new technology and changing customer demands. These trends force service sectors to adapt environmental factors and places innovation at the core of their competitive strategy. On the other hand, service sectors challenge to deliver value memorable experiences and complete "service solutions" while lowering costs and keep sustainable. Despite, many studies have attempted to explore the factors that help toward environmental sustainability in the manufacturing sector, the service sector has not yet received a considerable attention in all world countries generally and in developing countries particularly. Thus, this paper aims to explore the factors that help to attain environmental sustainability in the service sector. A qualitative case study through semi-structured interview conducted with twenty managers from AirAsia to explore the factors that are related to environmental sustainability and green services. Besides, secondary data from document analysis was reviewed to gain more comprehensive understanding and triangulate the interview data. The finding of this paper emphasizes to three important factors namely institutional factors, process factors and result factors that each factor contain sustainability and innovations to promote competitive green service in the marketplace.

Provision of pandemic disease information by health sciences librarians: a multisite comparative case series.

PubMed

Featherstone, Robin M; Boldt, R Gabriel; Torabi, Nazi; Konrad, Shauna-Lee

2012-04-01

The research provides an understanding of pandemic information needs and informs professional development initiatives for librarians in disaster medicine. Utilizing a multisite, comparative case series design, the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews and examined supplementary materials in the form of organizational documents, correspondence, and websites to create a complete picture of each case. The rigor of the case series was ensured through data and investigator triangulation. Interview transcripts were coded using NVivo to identify common themes and points of comparison. Comparison of the four cases revealed a distinct difference between "client-initiated" and "librarian-initiated" provision of pandemic information. Librarian-initiated projects utilized social software to "push" information, whereas client-initiated projects operated within patron-determined parameters to deliver information. Health care administrators were identified as a key audience for pandemic information, and news agencies were utilized as essential information sources. Librarians' skills at evaluating available information proved crucial for selecting best-quality evidence to support administrative decision making. Qualitative analysis resulted in increased understanding of pandemic information needs and identified best practices for disseminating information during periods of high organizational stress caused by an influx of new cases of an unknown infectious disease.

Experiences of hearing loss and views towards interventions to promote uptake of rehabilitation support among UK adults.

PubMed

Rolfe, Crystal; Gardner, Benjamin

2016-11-01

Effective hearing loss rehabilitation support options are available. Yet, people often experience delays in receiving rehabilitation support. This study aimed to document support-seeking experiences among a sample of UK adults with hearing loss, and views towards potential strategies to increase rehabilitation support uptake. People with hearing loss were interviewed about their experiences of seeking support, and responses to hypothetical intervention strategies, including public awareness campaigns, a training programme for health professionals, and a national hearing screening programme. Semi-structured qualitative interview design with thematic analysis. Twenty-two people with hearing loss, aged 66-88. Three themes, representing barriers to receiving rehabilitation support and potential areas for intervention, were identified: making the journey from realization to readiness, combatting social stigma, and accessing appropriate services. Barriers to receiving support mostly focused on appraisal of hearing loss symptoms. Interventions enabling symptom appraisal, such as routine screening, or demonstrating how to raise the topic effectively with a loved one, were welcomed. Interventions to facilitate realization of hearing loss should be prioritized. Raising awareness of the symptoms and prevalence of hearing loss may help people to identify hearing problems and reduce stigma, in turn increasing hearing loss acceptance.

The values of occupational therapy: Perceptions of occupational therapists in Quebec.

PubMed

Drolet, Marie-Josée; Désormeaux-Moreau, Marjorie

2016-07-01

Recently, there has been increasing interest in the values of occupational therapy and the values held by occupational therapists. A wide range of values has been reported in the literature. Furthermore, despite the fact that values are an important part of professional identity, empirical studies have demonstrated that several occupational therapists possess an ambiguous professional identity. This study was undertaken to explore the values of Canadian occupational therapists, specifically French-speaking occupational therapists in Quebec. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 occupational therapists. Their narratives were subject to hermeneutic analysis, a method of textual analysis common in philosophical research. A total of 16 values were identified in the discourses of the occupational therapists interviewed: autonomy; human dignity; occupational participation; social justice and equity; professionalism; holism; partnership, environment, or ecological approach; quality of life; solicitude; honesty; integrity; health; creativity; professional autonomy; effectiveness; and spirituality. The results of this study are, in general, consistent with those reported in the few other empirical studies that have documented the values perceptions of occupational therapists. Finally, the explanation of the values of occupational therapists may reinforce their professional identity and favour best, or at least desirable, professional practices related to ethics and culture.

High School Students’ Perceptions of Motivations for Cyberbullying: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Varjas, Kris; Talley, Jasmaine; Meyers, Joel; Parris, Leandra; Cutts, Hayley

2010-01-01

Objectives: Internet usage has increased in recent years resulting in a growing number of documented reports of cyberbullying. Despite the rise in cyberbullying incidents, there is a dearth of research regarding high school students’ motivations for cyberbullying. The purpose of this study was to investigate high school students’ perceptions of the motivations for cyberbullying. Method: We undertook an exploratory qualitative study with 20 high school students, conducting individual interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol. Data were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Results: The developed coding hierarchy provides a framework to conceptualize motivations, which can be used to facilitate future research about motivations and to develop preventive interventions designed to thwart the negative effects of cyberbullying. The findings revealed that high school students more often identified internally motivated reasons for cyberbullying (e.g., redirect feelings) than externally motivated (no consequences, non-confrontational, target was different). Conclusion: Uncovering the motivations for cyberbullying should promote greater understanding of this phenomenon and potentially reduce the interpersonal violence that can result from it. By providing a framework that begins to clarify the internal and external factors motivating the behavior, there is enhanced potential to develop effective preventive interventions to prevent cyberbullying and its negative effects. PMID:20882148

Dual or dueling culture and commitment: The impact of a tri-hospital merger.

PubMed

Jones, Janice M

2003-04-01

This article addresses differences in RNs' commitment to their employing hospital versus the umbrella corporate organization, and the role of organizational culture during a tri-hospital merger. This study is the first to investigate the construct of dual commitment in healthcare organizations. Fiscal restraints, decreasing reimbursement, and increasing competition have made organizational mergers and acquisitions prevalent. As corporate culture changes, organizational variables previously related to organizational commitment may no longer apply. RNs employed on general nursing units at 3 hospitals involved in a merger process completed 2 versions of Mowday's Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. Commitment to hospital and corporate system were examined. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and analysis of company documents assessed the organizational culture changes that have occurred. Thirty-one percent of the nurses returned completed questionnaires; 9 were interviewed. RNs from the acquiring hospital demonstrated a significantly stronger commitment to the corporate system than the nurses from the acquired hospitals. The RNs at all 3 hospitals showed significantly greater commitment to their own particular hospital than to the umbrella corporate system. Moderate level of commitment reflected uncertainty of job status, work overload, and feelings of unappreciation. These attitudes prevent nurses from exerting efforts on behalf of the organization.

Managing workplace health promotion in municipal organizations: The perspective of senior managers.

PubMed

Larsson, Robert; Åkerlind, Ingemar; Sandmark, Hélène

2015-01-01

Previous research indicates that companies manage workplace health in various ways, but more in-depth empirical knowledge of how workplace health promotion (WHP) is managed in public sector organizations is needed. The aim of this study was to explore how WHP is managed and incorporated into the general management system in two large Swedish municipal organizations. A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Fourteen senior managers were purposefully selected and interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Documents were used as supplementary data. All data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The management of WHP was described as a set of components that together contribute to the organization's capacity for WHP. The informants described WHP as dominated by fitness programmes and as following a problem-solving cycle, in which the annual employee survey emerged as an important managerial tool. Achieving feasible WHP measures and appropriate follow-ups were described as challenges. The provision of leadership competence for WHP and use of supportive resources were described as additional components. The WHP management approach needs to be broadened to include work environment and organizational factors. Further integration with occupational health and safety and the general management system in the organizations is also needed.

Transfer of knowledge in international cooperation: the Farmanguinhos – SMM case

PubMed Central

da Silva, Samuel Araujo Gomes; Duarte, Roberto Gonzalez; de Castro, José Márcio

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the influence of four mechanisms of knowledge transfer (training, technical visits, expatriation, and standard operating procedures) on the different dimensions (potential and realized) of absorptive capacity in international technical cooperation. METHODS We examine the case of implementation of the Sociedade Moçambicana de Medicamentos. Data have been collected using semi-structured interviews (applied to 21 professionals of the Sociedade Moçambicana de Medicamentos, Farmanguinhos, FIOCRUZ, and Itamaraty) and official documents. The data of the interviews have been submitted to content analysis, using the software NVivo. RESULTS Training and technical visits directly influenced the acquisition and, partly, the assimilation of knowledge. Expatriation contributed with the transformation of this knowledge from the development and refinement of operational routines. Finally, the definition of standard operating procedures allowed the Mozambican technicians to be the actors of the transformation of the knowledge previously acquired and assimilated and, at the same time, it laid the foundations for a future exploration of the knowledge. CONCLUSIONS Training and technical visits mainly influence the potential absorptive capacity, while expatriation and standard operating procedures most directly affect the realized absorptive capacity. PMID:29166441

An evaluation of a training placement in general practice for paramedic practitioner students: improving patient-centred care through greater interprofessional understanding and supporting the development of autonomous practitioners.

PubMed

Ruston, Annmarie; Tavabie, Abdol

2011-01-01

To report the extent to which the placement of paramedic practitioner students (PPSs) in accredited general practice (GP) training practices supported their development as autonomous, patient-centred practitioners and fostered interprofessional learning. A case study method was used. Sources of data included semi-structured telephone interviews (eight PPSs, eight GP trainers), an online end of placement survey and placement and assessment documentation. Interview data were transcribed and analysed using the constant comparative method. Accredited training practices in South East England. All respondents were positive that the placement provided a high-quality interprofessional learning environment which provided PPSs with learning opportunities based on assessed need, the support of experienced trainers and access to a wide range of patients and learning situations. The placement enabled PPSs to acquire the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding to act as autonomous, patient-centred practitioners. The placement provides a sound model for expanding the skills of paramedic practitioners in order to meet the increasing demands for patient-centred, community based health care. It provided them with the skills to treat patients closer to home rather than automatically transporting them to hospital.

Building capacity in Australian interprofessional health education: perspectives from key health and higher education stakeholders.

PubMed

Matthews, Lynda R; Pockett, Rosalie B; Nisbet, Gillian; Thistlethwaite, Jill E; Dunston, Roger; Lee, Alison; White, Jill F

2011-05-01

A substantial literature engaging with the directions and experiences of stakeholders involved in interprofessional health education exists at the international level, yet almost nothing has been published that documents and analyses the Australian experience. Accordingly, this study aimed to scope the experiences of key stakeholders in health and higher education in relation to the development of interprofessional practice capabilities in health graduates in Australia. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews and two focus groups of key stakeholders involved in the development and delivery of interprofessional health education in Australian higher education were undertaken. Interview data were coded to identify categories that were organised into key themes, according to principles of thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: the need for common ground between health and higher education, constraints and enablers in current practice, and the need for research to establish an evidence base. Five directions for national development were also identified. The study identified a range of interconnected changes that will be required to successfully mainstream interprofessional education within Australia, in particular, the importance of addressing issues of culture change and the need for a nationally coordinated and research informed approach. These findings reiterate those found in the international literature.

Preventing Filipino Mental Health Disparities: Perspectives from Adolescents, Caregivers, Providers, and Advocates

PubMed Central

Javier, Joyce R.; Supan, Jocelyn; Lansang, Anjelica; Beyer, William; Kubicek, Katrina; Palinkas, Lawrence A.

2014-01-01

Filipino Americans are the second largest immigrant population and second largest Asian ethnic group in the U.S. Disparities in youth behavioral health problems and the receipt of mental health services among Filipino youth have been documented previously. However, few studies have elicited perspectives from community stakeholders regarding how to prevent mental health disparities among Filipino youth. The purpose of the current study is to identify intervention strategies for implementing mental health prevention programs among Filipino youth. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n=33) with adolescents, caregivers, advocates, and providers and focus groups (n=18) with adolescents and caregivers. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using a methodology of “coding consensus, co-occurrence, and comparison” and was rooted in grounded theory. Four recommendations were identified when developing mental health prevention strategies among Filipino populations: address the intergenerational gap between Filipino parents and children, provide evidence-based parenting programs, collaborate with churches in order to overcome stigma associated with mental health, and address mental health needs of parents. Findings highlight the implementation of evidence-based preventive parenting programs in faith settings as a community-identified and culturally appropriate strategy to prevent Filipino youth behavioral health disparities. PMID:25667725

Preventing Filipino Mental Health Disparities: Perspectives from Adolescents, Caregivers, Providers, and Advocates.

PubMed

Javier, Joyce R; Supan, Jocelyn; Lansang, Anjelica; Beyer, William; Kubicek, Katrina; Palinkas, Lawrence A

2014-12-01

Filipino Americans are the second largest immigrant population and second largest Asian ethnic group in the U.S. Disparities in youth behavioral health problems and the receipt of mental health services among Filipino youth have been documented previously. However, few studies have elicited perspectives from community stakeholders regarding how to prevent mental health disparities among Filipino youth. The purpose of the current study is to identify intervention strategies for implementing mental health prevention programs among Filipino youth. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n=33) with adolescents, caregivers, advocates, and providers and focus groups (n=18) with adolescents and caregivers. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using a methodology of "coding consensus, co-occurrence, and comparison" and was rooted in grounded theory. Four recommendations were identified when developing mental health prevention strategies among Filipino populations: address the intergenerational gap between Filipino parents and children, provide evidence-based parenting programs, collaborate with churches in order to overcome stigma associated with mental health, and address mental health needs of parents. Findings highlight the implementation of evidence-based preventive parenting programs in faith settings as a community-identified and culturally appropriate strategy to prevent Filipino youth behavioral health disparities.

"It's Just Not Very Realistic": Perceptions of Media Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women.

PubMed

Liechty, Toni; Coyne, Sarah M; Collier, Kevin M; Sharp, Aubrey D

2018-07-01

Although research has documented a connection between media and body image for women, little research has explored this connection among pregnant or postpartum women. The purpose of this study was to explore women's perceptions of media and body image during the perinatal period. Fredrickson's objectification theory provided a theoretical framework for the study. Data collection involved semi-structured in-depth interviews with 50 pregnant or postpartum women in which they were asked to describe their perceptions of media depictions of pregnant or postpartum women and its impact on their body image. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. Four major themes emerged: (1) participants questioned the realism of media depictions of pregnant and postpartum women, (2) participants described complex reactions to media messages including negative impacts on body image and strategies for mitigating negative impacts, (3) participants desired changes in media messages to be more realistic and to depict a more complex portrayal of the life stage, and (4) participants discussed the unique and complex role of social media including both negative and positive impacts. Implications of the findings for pregnant and postpartum women, communication scholars, and healthcare professionals are discussed.

Jaboya vs. jakambi: Status, negotiation, and HIV risks among female migrants in the "sex for fish" economy in Nyanza Province, Kenya.

PubMed

Camlin, Carol S; Kwena, Zachary A; Dworkin, Shari L

2013-06-01

In Nyanza Province, Kenya, HIV incidence is highest (26.2%) in the beach communities along Lake Victoria. Prior research documented high mobility and HIV risks among fishermen; mobility patterns and HIV risks faced by women in fishing communities are less well researched. This study aimed to characterize forms of mobility among women in the fish trade in Nyanza; describe the spatial and social features of beaches; and assess characteristics of the "sex-for-fish" economy and its implications for HIV prevention. We used qualitative methods, including participant observation in 6 beach villages and other key destinations in the Kisumu area of Nyanza that attract female migrants, and we recruited individuals for in-depth semi-structured interviews at those destinations. We interviewed 40 women, of whom 18 were fish traders, and 15 men, of whom 7 were fishermen. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti software. We found that female fish traders are often migrants to beaches; they are also highly mobile. They are at high risk of HIV acquisition and transmission via their exchange of sex for fish with jaboya fishermen.

In and out of Place: Exploring the Discursive Effects of Teachers' Talk about Outdoor Education in Secondary Schools in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikaels, Jonas; Backman, Erik; Lundvall, Suzanne

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore and problematise teachers' talk about outdoor education in New Zealand. The focus is on what can be said, how it is said and the discursive effects of such ways of speaking. The inquiry draws on Foucauldian theoretical insights to analyse interview transcripts derived from semi-structured interviews with…

Community hoarding task forces: a comparative case study of five task forces in the United States.

PubMed

Bratiotis, Christiana

2013-05-01

During the past decade, many community task forces have formed to address hoarding problems that come to public attention. Such task forces provide a societal-level intervention to assist people with the most severe cases of hoarding, who do not voluntarily seek or want help for their hoarding behaviour. This qualitative study of five U.S. hoarding task forces included sites selected for their diversity of purpose, approaches to hoarding intervention and community geography, composition and resources. Data were collected during the period of September 2007-March 2008. The case study methodology used multiple forms of data, including semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents, small group interviews and investigator observation. This study captured the perspectives of public and private sector service providers such as mental health, housing, social service, public health agencies and community enforcement organisations (fire, police, legal, animal control) to examine how task forces organise and operate and the emerging practice and policy changes. Study findings suggest that structural factors (e.g. leadership, purpose, funding and membership) impact hoarding task force viability, that participation on a task force influences practice and policy decisions about hoarding, and that social work can expand its role in task force leadership. Task forces may be a mechanism for improving community policies about hoarding and mechanisms for addressing other social problems across multiple sectors. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Linkages between human health and ocean health: a participatory climate change vulnerability assessment for marine mammal harvesters.

PubMed

Gadamus, Lily

2013-01-01

Indigenous residents of Alaska's Bering Strait Region depend, both culturally and nutritionally, on ice seal and walrus harvests. Currently, climate change and resultant increases in marine industrial development threaten these species and the cultures that depend on them. To document: (a) local descriptions of the importance of marine mammal hunting; (b) traditional methods for determining if harvested marine mammals are safe to consume; and (c) marine mammal outcomes that would have adverse effects on community health, the perceived causes of these outcomes, strategies for preventing these outcomes and community adaptations to outcomes that cannot be mitigated. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 82 indigenous hunters and elders from the Bering Strait region. Standard qualitative analysis was conducted on interview transcripts, which were coded for both inductive and deductive codes. Responses describing marine mammal food safety and importance are presented using inductively generated categories. Responses describing negative marine mammal outcomes are presented in a vulnerability framework, which links human health outcomes to marine conditions. Project participants perceived that shipping noise and pollution, as well as marine mammal food source depletion by industrial fishing, posed the greatest threats to marine mammal hunting traditions. Proposed adaptations primarily fell into 2 categories: (a) greater tribal influence over marine policy; and (b) documentation of traditional knowledge for local use. This paper presents 1 example of documenting traditional knowledge as an adaptation strategy: traditional methods for determining if marine mammal food is safe to eat. Participant recommendations indicate that 1 strategy to promote rural Alaskan adaptation to climate change is to better incorporate local knowledge and values into decision-making processes. Participant interest in documenting traditional knowledge for local use also indicates that funding agencies could support climate change adaptation by awarding more grants for tribal research that advances local, rather than academic, use of traditional knowledge.

Linkages between human health and ocean health: a participatory climate change vulnerability assessment for marine mammal harvesters

PubMed Central

Gadamus, Lily

2013-01-01

Background Indigenous residents of Alaska's Bering Strait Region depend, both culturally and nutritionally, on ice seal and walrus harvests. Currently, climate change and resultant increases in marine industrial development threaten these species and the cultures that depend on them. Objective To document: (a) local descriptions of the importance of marine mammal hunting; (b) traditional methods for determining if harvested marine mammals are safe to consume; and (c) marine mammal outcomes that would have adverse effects on community health, the perceived causes of these outcomes, strategies for preventing these outcomes and community adaptations to outcomes that cannot be mitigated. Design Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 82 indigenous hunters and elders from the Bering Strait region. Standard qualitative analysis was conducted on interview transcripts, which were coded for both inductive and deductive codes. Responses describing marine mammal food safety and importance are presented using inductively generated categories. Responses describing negative marine mammal outcomes are presented in a vulnerability framework, which links human health outcomes to marine conditions. Results Project participants perceived that shipping noise and pollution, as well as marine mammal food source depletion by industrial fishing, posed the greatest threats to marine mammal hunting traditions. Proposed adaptations primarily fell into 2 categories: (a) greater tribal influence over marine policy; and (b) documentation of traditional knowledge for local use. This paper presents 1 example of documenting traditional knowledge as an adaptation strategy: traditional methods for determining if marine mammal food is safe to eat. Conclusions Participant recommendations indicate that 1 strategy to promote rural Alaskan adaptation to climate change is to better incorporate local knowledge and values into decision-making processes. Participant interest in documenting traditional knowledge for local use also indicates that funding agencies could support climate change adaptation by awarding more grants for tribal research that advances local, rather than academic, use of traditional knowledge. PMID:23984268

Factors affecting physicians' use of a dedicated overview interface in an electronic health record: The importance of standard information and standard documentation.

PubMed

Jensen, Lotte Groth; Bossen, Claus

2016-03-01

It remains a continual challenge to present information in user interfaces in large IT systems to support overview in the best possible way. We here examine how an electronic health record (EHR) supports the creation of overview among hospital physicians with a particular focus on the use of an interface designed to provide clinicians with a patient information overview. The overview interface integrates information flexibly from diverse places in the EHR and presents this information in one screen display. Our study revealed widespread non-use of the overview interface. We explore the reasons for its use and non-use. We conducted exploratory ethnographic fieldwork among physicians in two hospitals and gathered statistical data on their use of the overview interface. From the quantitative data, we identified where the interface was used most and conducted 18 semi-structured, open-ended interviews framed by the theoretical framework and the findings of the initial ethnographic fieldwork. We interviewed both physicians and employees from the IT units in different hospitals. We then analysed notes from the ethnographic fieldwork and the interviews and ordered these into themes forming the basis for the presentation of findings. The overview interface was most used in departments or situations where the problem at hand and the need for information could be standardized-in particular, in anesthesiological departments and outpatient clinics. However, departments with complex and long patient histories did not make much use of the overview interface. Design and layout were not mentioned as decisive factors affecting its use or non-use. Many physicians questioned the completeness of data in the overview interface-either because they were skeptical about the hospital's or the department's documentation practices, or because they could not recognize the structure of the interface. This uncertainty discouraged physicians from using the overview interface. Dedicating a specific function or interface to supporting overview works best where information needs can be standardized. The narrative and contextual nature of creating clinical overview is unlikely to be optimally supported by using the overview interface alone. The use of these kinds of interfaces requires trust in data completeness and other clinicians' and administrative staff's documentation practices, as well as an understanding of the underlying structure of the EHR and how information is filtered when data are aggregated for the interface. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Do Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers Reflect Their Beliefs about Constructivism in Their Teaching Practices?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzuntiryaki, Esen; Boz, Yezdan; Kirbulut, Demet; Bektas, Oktay

2010-01-01

This study aimed to explore pre-service chemistry teachers' beliefs about constructivism and the influence of their beliefs in their teaching practice. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight pre-service teachers in order to understand their belief structures. Pre-service teachers' beliefs about constructivism were…

Conceptual Representations of Flu and Microbial Illness Held by Students, Teachers, and Medical Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, M. Gail; Rua, Melissa J.

2008-01-01

This study describes 5th, 8th, and 11th-grade students', teachers', and medical professionals' conceptions of flu and microbial illness. Participants constructed a concept map on "flu" and participated in a semi-structured interview. The results showed that these groups of students, teachers and medical professionals held and structured their…

Surviving the Doctorate and Thriving as Faculty: Latina Junior Faculty Reflecting on Their Doctoral Studies Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Juan Carlos

2007-01-01

This study examines the experiences of Latina faculty during their doctoral education. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with tenure-track Latina faculty (who primarily self-identified as Chicanas, Latinas, and Mexican Americans) across the west and southwest United States. Resiliency theory was used to help structure and understand…

Teachers' Reflective Practice in the Context of Twenty-First Century Learning: Applying Vagle's Five-Component Post-Intentional Plan for Phenomenological Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benade, Leon

2016-01-01

Vagle's "post-intentional phenomenological research approach" applies post-structural thinking to intentionality. I apply his five-component research process, reflect on some initial findings of semi-structured interview discussions with 25 participants, and consider a meta-reflection by some participants on those findings. My larger…

A Qualitative Investigation into the Characteristics and Effects of Music Accompanying Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Priest, David-Lee; Karageorghis, Costas I.

2008-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to identify the characteristics of music used to accompany physical exercise and investigate the effects of such music using a qualitative approach. This work underpins the further development of a theoretical structure that is still relatively new. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of…

Teachers' Beliefs, Perceived Practice and Actual Classroom Practice in Relation to Traditional (Teacher-Centered) and Constructivist (Learner-Centered) Teaching (Note 1)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaymakamoglu, Sibel Ersel

2018-01-01

This study explored the EFL teachers' beliefs, perceived practice and actual classroom practice in relation to Traditional (teacher-centered) and Constructivist (learner-centered) teaching in Cyprus Turkish State Secondary Schools context. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews and structured observations were employed with purposively…

An Extensible "SCHEMA-LESS" Database Framework for Managing High-Throughput Semi-Structured Documents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maluf, David A.; Tran, Peter B.

2003-01-01

Object-Relational database management system is an integrated hybrid cooperative approach to combine the best practices of both the relational model utilizing SQL queries and the object-oriented, semantic paradigm for supporting complex data creation. In this paper, a highly scalable, information on demand database framework, called NETMARK, is introduced. NETMARK takes advantages of the Oracle 8i object-relational database using physical addresses data types for very efficient keyword search of records spanning across both context and content. NETMARK was originally developed in early 2000 as a research and development prototype to solve the vast amounts of unstructured and semistructured documents existing within NASA enterprises. Today, NETMARK is a flexible, high-throughput open database framework for managing, storing, and searching unstructured or semi-structured arbitrary hierarchal models, such as XML and HTML.

An exploration of reminiscence and post-war European immigrants living in a multicultural aged-care setting in Australia.

PubMed

Hodges, Cherie; Schmidt, Rachael

2009-01-01

This phenomenological study explores the experiences and perceptions of the telling of life stories of four post-war immigrants living in a multicultural residential aged-care setting in Australia. This study aims to shed light on what participants feel about life stories, and the prospect of involvement in the documentation of their life story in order to provide insight and understanding for optimum programme facilitation and better resident care.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the four participants. Data were audiotaped and transcribed. Phenomenological methods were used to explicate data.Three main themes emerged: diminution of guilt, social sharing - common bonds and, the urge to 'feel' the past to 'fill' the present. It is apparent that aged survivors of war, and displacement to a new country, feel residual guilt regarding the leaving of their homeland. The prospect of documenting their life stories offers an opportunity to provide an explanation for their decision.Immersion in life stories allows the re-experiencing and sharing of past emotions and sensations. Engagement in occupational reminiscence enhances understanding a person's lived life experience, which adds meaning to one's life. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Medicinal plant knowledge and its erosion among the Mien (Yao) in northern Thailand.

PubMed

Srithi, Kamonnate; Balslev, Henrik; Wangpakapattanawong, Prasit; Srisanga, Prachaya; Trisonthi, Chusie

2009-06-22

We studied local knowledge and actual uses of medicinal plants among the Mien in northern Thailand, documenting traditional medical practices and its transfer between generations. With the assumption that discrepancies between knowledge and actual use represent knowledge erosion, we studied whether actual use of medicinal plants corresponded to people's knowledge of such uses. We used local knowledge from four specialist informants as the domain for semi-structured interviews with 34 randomly selected non-specialist informants. We calculated informant consensus, use value, and fidelity level for each species and use category and performed statistical analyses with Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, Pearson correlation coefficient, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and paired-sample t-tests. We found significant discrepancies between knowledge and actual use of medicinal plants. The number of known and actually used plants increased with increasing informant age and decreased with increasing years of formal education. Medicinal plant knowledge and use in these Mien communities is undergoing inter-generational erosion because of acculturation and interrupted knowledge transmission. Preservation of Mien medicinal plant intellectual heritage requires continued documentation concerning use, conservation, and sustainable management of this resource, which should be publicized to younger Mien.

Expanding the clinical role of community pharmacy: A qualitative ethnographic study of medication reviews in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Patton, Sarah J; Miller, Fiona A; Abrahamyan, Lusine; Rac, Valeria E

2018-03-01

Medication reviews by community pharmacists are an increasingly common strategy to improve medication management for chronic conditions, and are part of wider efforts to make more effective use of community-based health professionals. To identify opportunities to optimize the medication review program in Ontario, Canada, we explored how providers and clients interpret and operationalize medication reviews within everyday community pharmacy practice. We conducted a qualitative ethnographic study at four pharmacies in Ontario, Canada, including non-participant observation of provider and client activities and interactions with specific attention to medication reviews, as well as brief ethnographic interviews with providers and clients, and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with providers. We report on 72h of field research, observation of 178 routine pharmacist-client interactions and 29 medication reviews, 62 brief ethnographic interviews with providers and clients, and 7 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with providers. We found that medication reviews were variably conducted across the dimensions of duration, provider type, location, and interaction style, and that local contexts and system-wide developments influence their meaning and practice. Medication reviews are exemplary of policy efforts to enhance the role of community pharmacies within health systems and the scope of practice of pharmacists as healthcare professionals. Our study highlights the importance of the local structure of community pharmacy practice and the clinical aspirations of pharmacists in the delivery of medication reviews. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic acquisition of OSCE performance using tablets

PubMed Central

Hochlehnert, Achim; Schultz, Jobst-Hendrik; Möltner, Andreas; Tımbıl, Sevgi; Brass, Konstantin; Jünger, Jana

2015-01-01

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) often involve a considerable amount of resources in terms of materials and organization since the scores are often recorded on paper. Computer-assisted administration is an alternative with which the need for material resources can be reduced. In particular, the use of tablets seems sensible because these are easy to transport and flexible to use. Aim: User acceptance concerning the use of tablets during OSCEs has not yet been extensively investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate tablet-based OSCEs from the perspective of the user (examiner) and the student examinee. Method: For two OSCEs in Internal Medicine at the University of Heidelberg, user acceptance was analyzed regarding tablet-based administration (satisfaction with functionality) and the subjective amount of effort as perceived by the examiners. Standardized questionnaires and semi-standardized interviews were conducted (complete survey of all participating examiners). In addition, for one OSCE, the subjective evaluation of this mode of assessment was gathered from a random sample of participating students in semi-standardized interviews. Results: Overall, the examiners were very satisfied with using tablets during the assessment. The subjective amount of effort to use the tablet was found on average to be “hardly difficult”. The examiners identified the advantages of this mode of administration as being in particular the ease of use and low rate of error. During the interviews of the examinees, acceptance for the use of tablets during the assessment was also detected. Discussion: Overall, it was found that the use of tablets during OSCEs was well accepted by both examiners and examinees. We expect that this mode of assessment also offers advantages regarding assessment documentation, use of resources, and rate of error in comparison with paper-based assessments; all of these aspects should be followed up on in further studies. PMID:26483854

What Affects Authors’ and Editors’ Use of Reporting Guidelines? Findings from an Online Survey and Qualitative Interviews

PubMed Central

Fuller, Thomas; Pearson, Mark; Peters, Jaime; Anderson, Rob

2015-01-01

Objectives To identify and understand, through data from multiple sources, some of the factors that affect authors’ and editors’ decisions to use reporting guidelines in the publication of health research. Design Mixed methods study comprising an online survey and semi-structured interviews with a sample of authors (online survey: n = 56; response rate = 32%; semi-structured interviews: n = 5) and journal editors (online survey: n = 43; response rate = 27%; semi-structured interviews: n = 6) involved in publishing health and medical research. Participants were recruited from an earlier study examining the effectiveness of the TREND reporting guideline. Results Four types of factors interacted to affect authors’ and editors’ likelihood of reporting guideline use; individual (e.g. having multiple reasons for use of reporting guidelines); the professional culture in which people work; environmental (e.g. policies of journals); and, practical (e.g. having time to use reporting guidelines). Having multiple reasons for using reporting guidelines was a particularly salient factor in facilitating reporting guidelines use for both groups of participants. Conclusions Improving the completeness and consistency of reporting of research studies is critical to the integrity and synthesis of health research. The use of reporting guidelines offers one potentially efficient and effective means for achieving this, but decisions to use (or not use) reporting guidelines take many factors into account. These findings could be used to inform future studies that might, for example, test the factors that we have identified within a wider theoretical framework for understanding changes in professional practices. The use of reporting guidelines by senior professionals appears to shape the expectations of what constitutes best practice and can be assimilated into the culture of a field or discipline. Without evidence of effectiveness of reporting guidelines, and sustained, multifaceted efforts to improve reporting, little progress seems likely to be made. PMID:25875918

Health system challenges for the management of cardiovascular disease and diabetes: an empirical qualitative study from Syria.

PubMed

Ahmad, Balsam; Fouad, Fouad M; Elias, Madonna; Zaman, Shahaduz; Phillimore, Peter; Maziak, Wasim

2015-01-01

To explore through empirical qualitative data health system barriers to effective management of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Syria before the crisis, and how such analysis can inform the building of a post-crisis system. Data were collected through document review, semi-structured key informant interviews, and fieldwork in clinics. Institutional commitment to address the increasing burden of CVD and diabetes in Syria was limited and uncoordinated. Challenges included an increasingly split healthcare system, with private provision for those who could afford it, and a residual state health sector for the majority. Public trust in the system had been declining. We conclude that lack of effective management of CVD and diabetes indicated weaknesses of the state and its retracting role in providing effective healthcare. Such weaknesses that existed before the crisis are now compounded by new challenges resulting from wide destruction of the health system due to the ongoing war. The rebuilding of post-conflict heath care system may benefit from insights into the structural problems of the pre-crisis system.

How architectural design affords experiences of freedom in residential care for older people.

PubMed

Van Steenwinkel, Iris; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette; Heylighen, Ann

2017-04-01

Human values and social issues shape visions on dwelling and care for older people, a growing number of whom live in residential care facilities. These facilities' architectural design is considered to play an important role in realizing care visions. This role, however, has received little attention in research. This article presents a case study of a residential care facility for which the architects made considerable effort to match the design with the care vision. The study offers insights into residents' and caregivers' experiences of, respectively, living and working in this facility, and the role of architectural features therein. A single qualitative case study design was used to provide in-depth, contextual insights. The methods include semi-structured interviews with residents and caregivers, and participant observation. Data concerning design intentions, assumptions and strategies were obtained from design documents, through a semi-structured interview with the architects, and observations on site. Our analysis underlines the importance of freedom (and especially freedom of movement), and the balance between experiencing freedom and being bound to a social and physical framework. It shows the architecture features that can have a role therein: small-scaleness in terms of number of residents per dwelling unit, size and compactness; spatial generosity in terms of surface area, room to maneuver and variety of places; and physical accessibility. Our study challenges the idea of family-like group living. Since we found limited sense of group belonging amongst residents, our findings suggest to rethink residential care facilities in terms of private or collective living in order to address residents' social freedom of movement. Caregivers associated 'hominess' with freedom of movement, action and choice, with favorable social dynamics and with the building's residential character. Being perceived as homey, the facility's architectural design matches caregivers' care vision and, thus, helped them realizing this vision. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Integral health provision by two Catalonian health providing entities (Spain)].

PubMed

Henao-Martínez, Diana; Vázquez-Navarrete, María L; Vargas-Lorenzo, Ingrid; Coderch-Lassaletta, Jordi; Llopart-López, Josep R

2008-01-01

Health policies aimed at promoting collaboration amongst providers have led to different initiatives, amongst them integrated healthcare delivery systems (IDS); these have been analysed mainly in the USA but hardly so in Colombia or Spain . This article thus analyses the experience of two IDS in Catalonia for identifying elements for improvement. This was a case-study carried out via individual semi-structured interviews and analysing documents. Two IDS were selected; a sample of documents and reports providing information on analysis variables were selected for each case. Content was analysed via mixed categories and segmentation by cases and topics. Both IDS are health-care providing organisations presenting backward vertical integration, having total internal service production and virtual integration of ownership. BSA is funded by providing services whilst SSIBE relies on shareholding via capitation pilot test. Both have closely coordinated multiple managing bodies and have defined overall strategies orientated towards coordination and efficiency; they differ regarding implementation time. BSA has a divisional structure and SSIBE a functional one, organised by transversal areas. Clinical coordination is based on standardising processes and abilities, having few mechanisms for mutual adaptation and disparity in the number of instruments implemented. Both organisations presented enabling and hindering factors for clinical coordination which would need changes in internal and external components in order to improve overall efficiency and health care continuity.

Resilient Women Leaders: A Qualitative Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2004-01-01

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

The Profession of Transition Specialization: In Search of an Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breault, Dawn E.

2016-01-01

This qualitative phenomenological dissertation examined the overall profession of transition specialization; in particular the perceptions of transition specialists regarding the sufficiency of their professional preparation and development. Fifteen transition specialists from the six states participated via semi-structured interviews. Major…

Learning and Context: Connections in Continuing Professional Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daley, Barbara J.

A qualitative interpretivist study analyzed interrelationships among professional practice, knowledge gained in continuing professional education (CPE) programs, and context of employment. Eighty semi-structured, tape-recorded interviews were conducted with social workers, lawyers, adult educators, and nurses who had attended continuing education…

Collaboration across private and public sector primary health care services: benefits, costs and policy implications.

PubMed

McDonald, Julie; Powell Davies, Gawaine; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Fort Harris, Mark

2011-07-01

Ongoing care for chronic conditions is best provided by interprofessional teams. There are challenges in achieving this where teams cross organisational boundaries. This article explores the influence of organisational factors on collaboration between private and public sector primary and community health services involved in diabetes care. It involved a case study using qualitative methods. Forty-five participants from 20 organisations were purposively recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and from content analysis of documents. Thematic analysis was used employing a two-level coding system and cross case comparisons. The patterns of collaborative patient care were influenced by a combination of factors relating to the benefits and costs of collaboration and the influence of support mechanisms. Benefits lay in achieving common or complementary health or organisational goals. Costs were incurred in bridging differences in organisational size, structure, complexity and culture. Collaboration was easier between private sector organisations than between private and public sectors. Financial incentives were not sufficient to overcome organisational barriers. To achieve more coordinated primary and community health care structural changes are also needed to better align funding mechanisms, priorities and accountabilities of the different organisations.

NETMARK: A Schema-less Extension for Relational Databases for Managing Semi-structured Data Dynamically

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maluf, David A.; Tran, Peter B.

2003-01-01

Object-Relational database management system is an integrated hybrid cooperative approach to combine the best practices of both the relational model utilizing SQL queries and the object-oriented, semantic paradigm for supporting complex data creation. In this paper, a highly scalable, information on demand database framework, called NETMARK, is introduced. NETMARK takes advantages of the Oracle 8i object-relational database using physical addresses data types for very efficient keyword search of records spanning across both context and content. NETMARK was originally developed in early 2000 as a research and development prototype to solve the vast amounts of unstructured and semi-structured documents existing within NASA enterprises. Today, NETMARK is a flexible, high-throughput open database framework for managing, storing, and searching unstructured or semi-structured arbitrary hierarchal models, such as XML and HTML.

Gender Variance and Sexual Orientation Among Male Spirit Mediums in Myanmar.

PubMed

Coleman, Eli; Allen, Mariette Pathy; Ford, Jessie V

2018-05-01

This article describes the gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation of male spirit mediums in Myanmar. Our analysis is based on ethnographic work, field observation, and 10 semi-structured interviews. These observations were conducted from 2010 to 2015, mostly in Mandalay, with some fieldwork in Yangon and Bagan. The focus of this investigation was specifically on achout (gender variant individuals) who were spirit mediums (nat kadaw). Semi-structured interviews explored the ways that participants understood their gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality in relation to their work as spirit mediums and broader social life. Myanmar remains quite a homophobic and transphobic culture but is undergoing rapid economic and social change. Therefore, it provides an interesting context to study how safe spaces are produced for sexual/gender minorities amidst broader social change. We find that, through the animistic belief structure, there is a growing space for gender nonconforming people, gender variant, and same-sex-oriented individuals (achout) to neutralize their stigmatized status and attain a level of respect and economic advantage. Their ability to become nat kadaw (mediums of spirits) mitigates or trumps their stigmatized status.

Translating policy into practice: a case study in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.

PubMed

Prior, Lindsay; Wilson, Joanne; Donnelly, Michael; Murphy, Andrew W; Smith, Susan M; Byrne, Mary; Byrne, Molly; Cupples, Margaret E

2014-04-01

This paper focuses on the relationships between health 'policy' as it is embodied in official documentation, and health 'practice' as reported and reflected on in the talk of policy-makers, health professionals and patients. The specific context for the study involves a comparison of policies relating to the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the two jurisdictions of Ireland - involving as they do a predominantly state funded (National Health Service) system in the north and a mixed health-care economy in the south. The key question is to determine how the detail of health policy as contained in policy documents connects to and gets translated into practice and action. The data sources for the study include relevant health-care policy documents (N=5) and progress reports (N=6) in the two Irish jurisdictions, and semi-structured interviews with a range of policy-makers (N=28), practice nurses (14), general practitioners (12) and patients (13) to explore their awareness of the documents' contents and how they saw the impact of 'policy' on primary care practice. The findings suggest that although strategic policy documents can be useful for highlighting and channelling attention to health issues that require concerted action, they have little impact on what either professionals or lay people do. To influence the latter and to encourage a systematic approach to the delivery of health care it seems likely that contractual arrangements - specifying tasks to be undertaken and methods for monitoring and reporting on activity - are required. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A qualitative study about immigrant workers' perceptions of their working conditions in Spain.

PubMed

Ahonen, E Q; Porthé, V; Vázquez, M L; García, A M; López-Jacob, M J; Ruiz-Frutos, C; Ronda-Pérez, E; Benach, J; Benavides, F G

2009-11-01

Spain has recently become an inward migration country. Little is known about the occupational health of immigrant workers. This study aimed to explore the perceptions that immigrant workers in Spain had of their working conditions. Qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study. Criterion sampling. Data collected between September 2006 and May 2007 through semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews, with a topic guide. One hundred and fifty-eight immigrant workers (90 men/68 women) from Colombia (n = 21), Morocco (n = 39), sub-Saharan Africa (n = 29), Romania (n = 44) and Ecuador (n = 25), who were authorised (documented) or unauthorised (undocumented) residents in five medium to large cities in Spain. Participants described poor working conditions, low pay and health hazards. Perception of hazards appeared to be related to gender and job sector. Informants were highly segregated into jobs by sex, however, so this issue will need further exploration. Undocumented workers described poorer conditions than documented workers, which they attributed to their documentation status. Documented participants also felt vulnerable because of their immigrant status. Informants believed that deficient language skills, non-transferability of their education and training and, most of all, their immigrant status and economic need left them with little choice but to work under poor conditions. The occupational health needs of immigrant workers must be addressed at the job level, while improving the enforcement of existing health and safety regulations. The roles that documentation status and economic need played in these informants' work experiences should be considered and how these may influence health outcomes.

Does simulation enhance nurses' ability to assess deteriorating patients?

PubMed

Bliss, Maria; Aitken, Leanne M

2018-01-01

Recognising and responding to patient deterioration has been identified as a key skill in nursing care to ensure that care is escalated for prompt, efficient management of the potentially critically ill patient. Simulation is one teaching strategy that has been established in nurse education as a method for enhancing skills. The objective was to explore the experiences of registered nurses to ascertain whether they perceived that simulation enhanced their skills in recognising the deteriorating patient. An exploratory qualitative design was used. Data were collected from registered nurses using semi-structured interviews following a professional development course where scenario-based simulation had been used to assess the patient. Eight registered nurses were interviewed for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face to face. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis to identify major themes. Four themes were identified: knowledge, improved assessment skills in caring for the acutely ill patient, the learning environment and decision making. The use of simulation as a strategy was perceived by nurses to improve their own ability in identifying deteriorating patients. The participants described how their knowledge was transferred to clinical practice, with the overall perception that this led to improved patient care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Anything above marijuana takes priority": Obstetric providers' attitudes and counseling strategies regarding perinatal marijuana use.

PubMed

Holland, Cynthia L; Nkumsah, Michelle Abena; Morrison, Penelope; Tarr, Jill A; Rubio, Doris; Rodriguez, Keri L; Kraemer, Kevin L; Day, Nancy; Arnold, Robert M; Chang, Judy C

2016-09-01

To describe obstetric provider attitudes, beliefs, approaches, concerns, and needs about addressing perinatal marijuana use with their pregnant patients. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with obstetric providers and asked them to describe their thoughts and experiences about addressing perinatal marijuana use. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded and reviewed to identify themes. Fifty-one providers participated in semi-structured interviews. Providers admitted they were not familiar with identified risks of marijuana use during pregnancy, they perceived marijuana was not as dangerous as other illicit drugs, and they believed patients did not view marijuana as a drug. Most provider counseling strategies focused on marijuana's status as an illegal drug and the risk of child protective services being contacted if patients tested positive at time of delivery. When counseling about perinatal marijuana use, obstetric providers focus more on legal issues than on health risks. They describe needing more information regarding medical consequences of marijuana use during pregnancy. Provider training should include information about potential consequences of perinatal marijuana use and address ways to improve obstetric providers' counseling. Future studies should assess changes in providers' attitudes as more states consider the legalization of marijuana. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning motivational interviewing in a real-life setting: a randomised controlled trial in the Swedish Prison Service.

PubMed

Forsberg, Lars; Ernst, Denise; Farbring, Carl Åke

2011-07-01

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centred, directive counselling style for helping people to explore and resolve ambivalence about behaviour change and shown to decrease drug and alcohol use. A five-session semi-structured MI intervention [Beteende, Samtal, Förändring (BSF; Behaviour, Counselling, Change)] was implemented in Swedish prisons. To examine whether, in a real-life implementation of semi-structured MI, staff receiving ongoing MI training, based on audio-recorded feedback in peer groups (BSF+), possess greater MI skill compared with staff receiving workshop-only MI training (BSF), and staff conducting usual prison planning interviews (UPI). Prisoners were randomised to one of the three interventions. The fi rst sessions between staff and prisoner with complete data were assessed with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Code 3.0. Content analysis of 45 staff: prisoner sessions revealed that counsellors in the BSF+ group were significantly more competent in MI than those in the UPI group, but there was no difference in MI competency between the BSF and UPI groups. Overall, staff were rated as not having achieved beginning proficiency. Our findings suggest that staff delivering motivational interviewing programmes for substance-misusing prisoners in Sweden are not being given sufficient training for the task. Previous literature has suggested that staff need more than a basic 3- to 5-day workshop training, but our findings suggest that they may need longer-term continuing supervision and support than previously recognised.

Decision Making Regarding Access to Training and Development in Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Exploratory Study Using the Critical Incident Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coetzer, Alan; Redmond, Janice; Sharafizad, Jalleh

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of factors that impinge on managerial decision-making processes regarding employee access to structured training and development (T&D) opportunities that are at least partially funded by the firm. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews incorporating the Critical…

Making Sense of Abstract Algebra: Exploring Secondary Teachers' Understandings of Inverse Functions in Relation to Its Group Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserman, Nicholas H.

2017-01-01

This article draws on semi-structured, task-based interviews to explore secondary teachers' (N = 7) understandings of inverse functions in relation to abstract algebra. In particular, a concept map task is used to understand the degree to which participants, having recently taken an abstract algebra course, situated inverse functions within its…

Disempowerment and Psychological Distress in the Lives of Young People in Eastern Cape, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nduna, Mzikazi; Jewkes, Rachel

2012-01-01

A qualitative study was conducted in Butterworth, in the rural Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, to explore sources of distress for young people. Semi-structured, individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 men and 24 women aged 16-22 years. The findings revealed interconnections between structural factors such as death, poverty,…

Validation of the Finnish Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) for Clinical Settings and Total Population Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattila, Marja-Leena; Jussila, Katja; Linna, Sirkka-Liisa; Kielinen, Marko; Bloigu, Risto; Kuusikko-Gauffin, Sanna; Joskitt, Leena; Ebeling, Hanna; Hurtig, Tuula; Moilanen, Irma

2012-01-01

We assessed the validity and determined cut-off scores for the Finnish Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). A population sample of 8-year-old children (n = 4,408) was rated via the ASSQ by parents and/or teachers, and a subgroup of 104 children was examined via structured interview, semi-structured observation, IQ measurement, school…

Examining Racial Microaggressions in Rehabilitation Counselor Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Brenda Y.; Washington, Robin D.; McConnell, L. Robert

2009-01-01

This research extends the Constantine et al. (2008) study which identified racial microaggressions against Black faculty working in counseling and counseling psychology programs. Semi-structured interviews and qualitative analyses were used to: (1) ascertain the existence of racial microaggressions among African American faculty employed in…

Reflections on Academics' Assessment Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lees, Rebecca; Anderson, Deborah

2015-01-01

This small-scale, mixed-methods study aims to investigate academics' understanding of formative and summative assessment methods and how assessment literacy impacts on their teaching methods. Six semi-structured interviews and a scrutiny of assessments provided the data and results suggest that while these academics understand summative…

Sudanese Adolescent Refugees: Acculturation and Acculturative Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poppitt, Gillian; Frey, Ron

2007-01-01

This study explored acculturation and acculturative stress in Sudanese adolescent refugees living in Brisbane. Twenty Sudanese adolescents participated in semi-structured interviews which revealed that the main source of acculturative stress was related to concern over English language proficiency, issues of parental control and conflicting…

Networks as Policy Instruments for Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beers, Pieter J.; Geerling-Eiff, Florentien

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to compare the effectiveness of facilitated networks to other policy instruments for agricultural innovation. Design/ methodology/ approach: In an exploratory study of the Dutch agricultural policy context, we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten experts on networks and innovation. Policy…

Distributing and Showing Farmer Learning Videos in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Jeffery W.; Van Mele, Paul; Harun-ar-Rashid, Md.; Krupnik, Timothy J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To describe the results of showing farmer learning videos through different types of volunteers. Design/Methodology/Approach: Semi-structured interviews with volunteers from different occupational groups in Bangladesh, and a phone survey with 227 respondents. Findings: Each occupational group acted differently. Shop keepers, tillage…

Variables Affecting Successful Reintegration as Perceived by Offenders and Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graffam, Joe; Shinkfield, Alison; Lavelle, Barbara; McPherson, Wenda

2004-01-01

Six broad domains were identified as influencing reintegration of ex-offenders including personal conditions, social network/environment, accommodation, criminal justice system, rehabilitation and counselling support, and employment and training support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 offenders and 22 professionals from criminal…

Comparing Faculty Perceptions of Sustainability Teaching at Two US Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tziganuk, Ashlee; Gliedt, Travis

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine and compare faculty perceptions of the process of institutionalizing sustainability, developing sustainability pedagogy and activating key sustainability competencies between the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Arizona State University (ASU). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted…

An Exploration of Community Learning Disability Nurses' Therapeutic Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsham, Marian

2012-01-01

This literature review and primary qualitative research explores therapeutic role from the perspective of Community Learning Disability Nurses. Semi-structured interviews, based on Critical Incident Technique ("Psychol Bull", 51, 1954, 327), and descriptive phenomenological methodology were adopted to elicit data amenable to systematic…

Empowerment Amongst Teachers Holding Leadership Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avidov-Ungar, Orit; Friedman, Izhak; Olshtain, Elite

2014-01-01

This study used semi-structured in-depth interviews to explore empowerment patterns among teachers who hold leadership positions in school. Our qualitative analysis presents a hierarchical ladder with three types of empowerment amongst these teachers, ranging from limited empowerment through rewarding empowerment to change-enhancing empowerment.…

Care, Communication, Learner Support: Designing Meaningful Online Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Heather A.; Kilgore, Whitney; Warren, Scott J.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify emergent themes regarding higher education instructors' perceptions concerning the provision of collaborative learning activities and opportunities in their online classroom. Through semi-structured interviews, instructors described their teaching experiences and reported specifically about the online…

Exploring Experienced Professionals' Reflections on Computing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exter, Marisa; Turnage, Nichole

2012-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study examines computing professional's memories of their own formal and non-formal educational experiences, their reflections on how these have prepared them for their professional roles, and their recommendations for an "ideal" undergraduate degree program. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of…

Grower Communication Networks: Information Sources for Organic Farmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Chelsi; Grossman, Julie; Warren, Sarah T.; Cubbage, Fred

2015-01-01

This article reports on a study to determine which information sources organic growers use to inform farming practices by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 organic farmers across 17 North Carolina counties. Effective information sources included: networking, agricultural organizations, universities, conferences, Extension, Web…

Teatime Threats. Choking Incidents at the Evening Meal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guthrie, Susan; Stansfield, Jois

2017-01-01

Purpose: To explore caregiver perceptions of the socio-environmental issues around evening meal ("teatime") which influence choking. Methodology: A qualitative study of caregivers witnessing a choking incident was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews explored perceptions of the causes. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.…

Transnational Learning and Chinese Sayings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Haedy

2017-01-01

Chinese sayings within the context of transnational education have not been extensively explored within higher education. In this qualitative study, which utilized semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 24 participants to explore their transnational study experience. Chinese sayings, framed within a rich Confucian history, provide a…

Transnational Academic Mobility and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jons, Heike

2011-01-01

This paper examines to what extent the participation of researchers in transnational academic mobility, their experiences and perceived outcomes vary by gender. Based on longitudinal statistics, original survey data and semi-structured interviews with former visiting researchers in Germany, the paper shows that the academic world of female…

Betwixt and Between: Academic Developers in the Margins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Deandra; Green, David A.

2012-01-01

Previously, the authors developed a theoretical framework drawing on an early sociological study of migration to explore how marginality--being between cultures--might account for academic developers' "hybrid" academic identities and help them navigate institutional power dynamics. Based on data from semi-structured interviews, this…

Development of Evidence-Based Health Policy Documents in Developing Countries: A Case of Iran

PubMed Central

Imani-Nasab, Mohammad Hasan; Seyedin, Hesam; Majdzadeh, Reza; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Salehi, Masoud

2014-01-01

Background: Evidence-based policy documents that are well developed by senior civil servants and are timely available can reduce the barriers to evidence utilization by health policy makers. This study examined the barriers and facilitators in developing evidence-based health policy documents from the perspective of their producers in a developing country. Methods: In a qualitative study with a framework analysis approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews using purposive and snowball sampling. A qualitative analysis software (MAXQDA-10) was used to apply the codes and manage the data. This study was theory-based and the results were compared to exploratory studies about the factors influencing evidence-based health policymaking. Results: 18 codes and three main themes of behavioral, normative, and control beliefs were identified. Factors that influence the development of evidence-based policy documents were identified by the participants: behavioral beliefs included quality of policy documents, use of resources, knowledge and innovation, being time-consuming and contextualization; normative beliefs included policy authorities, policymakers, policy administrators, and co-workers; and control beliefs included recruitment policy, performance management, empowerment, management stability, physical environment, access to evidence, policy making process, and effect of other factors. Conclusion: Most of the cited barriers to the development of evidence-based policy were related to control beliefs, i.e. barriers at the organizational and health system levels. This study identified the factors that influence the development of evidence-based policy documents based on the components of the theory of planned behavior. But in exploratory studies on evidence utilization by health policymakers, the identified factors were only related to control behaviors. This suggests that the theoretical approach may be preferable to the exploratory approach in identifying the barriers and facilitators of a behavior. PMID:24762343

Development of evidence-based health policy documents in developing countries: a case of Iran.

PubMed

Imani-Nasab, Mohammad Hasan; Seyedin, Hesam; Majdzadeh, Reza; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Salehi, Masoud

2014-02-07

Evidence-based policy documents that are well developed by senior civil servants and are timely available can reduce the barriers to evidence utilization by health policy makers. This study examined the barriers and facilitators in developing evidence-based health policy documents from the perspective of their producers in a developing country. In a qualitative study with a framework analysis approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews using purposive and snowball sampling. A qualitative analysis software (MAXQDA-10) was used to apply the codes and manage the data. This study was theory-based and the results were compared to exploratory studies about the factors influencing evidence-based health policy-making. 18 codes and three main themes of behavioral, normative, and control beliefs were identified. Factors that influence the development of evidence-based policy documents were identified by the participants: behavioral beliefs included quality of policy documents, use of resources, knowledge and innovation, being time-consuming and contextualization; normative beliefs included policy authorities, policymakers, policy administrators, and co-workers; and control beliefs included recruitment policy, performance management, empowerment, management stability, physical environment, access to evidence, policy making process, and effect of other factors. Most of the cited barriers to the development of evidence-based policy were related to control beliefs, i.e. barriers at the organizational and health system levels. This study identified the factors that influence the development of evidence-based policy documents based on the components of the theory of planned behavior. But in exploratory studies on evidence utilization by health policymakers, the identified factors were only related to control behaviors. This suggests that the theoretical approach may be preferable to the exploratory approach in identifying the barriers and facilitators of a behavior.

Assessing and Responding to Palliative Care Needs in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Results from a Model Intervention and Situation Analysis in Malawi

PubMed Central

Kalanga, Noel; Keck, James W.; Wroe, Emily B.; Phiri, Atupere; Mayfield, Alishya; Chingoli, Felix; Beste, Jason A.; Tengatenga, Listern; Bazile, Junior

2014-01-01

Introduction Palliative care is rarely accessible in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Partners In Health and the Malawi government established the Neno Palliative Care Program (NPCP) to provide palliative care in rural Neno district. We conducted a situation analysis to evaluate early NPCP outcomes and better understand palliative care needs, knowledge, and preferences. Methods Employing rapid evaluation methodology, we collected data from 3 sources: 1) chart review of all adult patients from the NPCP’s first 9 months; 2) structured interviews with patients and caregivers; 3) semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Results The NPCP enrolled 63 patients in its first 9 months. Frequent diagnoses were cancer (n = 50, 79%) and HIV/AIDS (n = 37 of 61, 61%). Nearly all (n = 31, 84%) patients with HIV/AIDS were on antiretroviral therapy. Providers registered 112 patient encounters, including 22 (20%) home visits. Most (n = 43, 68%) patients had documented pain at baseline, of whom 23 (53%) were treated with morphine. A majority (n = 35, 56%) had ≥1 follow-up encounter. Mean African Palliative Outcome Scale pain score decreased non-significantly between baseline and follow-up (3.0 vs. 2.7, p = 0.5) for patients with baseline pain and complete pain assessment documentation. Providers referred 48 (76%) patients for psychosocial services, including community health worker support, socioeconomic assistance, or both. We interviewed 36 patients referred to the NPCP after the chart review period. Most had cancer (n = 19, 53%) or HIV/AIDS (n = 10, 28%). Patients frequently reported needing income (n = 24, 67%) or food (n = 22, 61%). Stakeholders cited a need to make integrated palliative care widely available. Conclusions We identified a high prevalence of pain and psychosocial needs among patients with serious chronic illnesses in rural Malawi. Early NPCP results suggest that comprehensive palliative care can be provided in rural Africa by integrating disease-modifying treatment and palliative care, linking hospital, clinic, and home-based services, and providing psychosocial support that includes socioeconomic assistance. PMID:25313997

Semantic enrichment of medical forms - semi-automated coding of ODM-elements via web services.

PubMed

Breil, Bernhard; Watermann, Andreas; Haas, Peter; Dziuballe, Philipp; Dugas, Martin

2012-01-01

Semantic interoperability is an unsolved problem which occurs while working with medical forms from different information systems or institutions. Standards like ODM or CDA assure structural homogenization but in order to compare elements from different data models it is necessary to use semantic concepts and codes on an item level of those structures. We developed and implemented a web-based tool which enables a domain expert to perform semi-automated coding of ODM-files. For each item it is possible to inquire web services which result in unique concept codes without leaving the context of the document. Although it was not feasible to perform a totally automated coding we have implemented a dialog based method to perform an efficient coding of all data elements in the context of the whole document. The proportion of codable items was comparable to results from previous studies.

Ethnomedicinal plants of the Bauri tribal community of Moulvibazar District, Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Das, Protiva Rani; Islam, Md. Tabibul; Mostafa, Mohd. Nabil; Rahmatullah, Mohammed

2013-01-01

Context: Bangladesh reportedly has more than 100 tribal communities; however, documentation of their medicinal practices is markedly absent. Aim: The aim of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the little known Bauri tribe of Bangladesh, whose tribal medicinal practices are yet to be documented. Settings and Design: The survey was carried out among the Bauri tribal community of Purbo Tila village in Moulvibazar District. The community is believed to be the only Bauri community in the country and had four tribal healers who continue their traditional medicinal practices. Materials and Methods: Interviews of the healers were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method where the healers took the interviewers on guided field-walks through areas from where they collected their medicinal plants. Here they identified the plants and described their uses. Results: The Bauri healers were observed to use 40 different plant species and one bird species for treatment of ailments such as fever, respiratory tract disorders, pain, gastrointestinal disorders, eye problems like cataract and conjunctivitis, jaundice, abscess, cardiovascular disorders, urinary problems, paralysis, dog bite, snake bite, helminthiasis, lesions on the tongue or lips and piles. Leaves were the major plant part used and constituted 38.3% of total uses followed by fruits at 14.9%. Conclusions: A review of the relevant scientific literature showed that a number of medicinal plants used by the Bauri healers possess pharmacological activities, which were in line with the traditional uses, thus validating their use by the Bauri tribe. PMID:24501442

Advance care planning among Colombian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican women with a cancer diagnosis.

PubMed

Carrion, Iraida V; Nedjat-Haiem, Frances R; Martinez-Tyson, Dinorah; Castañeda, Heide

2013-05-01

Limited knowledge exists pertaining to advance care planning (ACP) among Colombian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican women with a cancer diagnosis living in Central Florida, in the USA. The purpose of the study is to identify factors that facilitated the completion of ACP and decisions making patterns among the three groups of Latinas. The research method used was an exploratory qualitative in-depth open-ended semi-structured interview with a grounded theoretical approach and thematic analysis. The interviews were conducted in Spanish with a purposeful sample of 45 Latinas (15 in each group) diagnosed with cancer. A total of ten women (22 %) in the study documented at least one form of ACP. Thirty-five women identified obstacles to accessing information regarding ACP, relating this to insurance and financial factors. Among the Colombian women, one completed a living will, health care surrogate, and power of attorney (all forms of ACP), and three just a living will. Two Puerto Rican women completed all, two a living will, and one both a living will and an enduring power of attorney. Only one Mexican woman completed a living will. This study identifies a knowledge gap regarding ACP among Latina women with cancer diagnosis living in Central Florida, in the USA. Differences between the three groups exist as a result of migration/immigration history, family support, education, English language proficiency, income, knowledge gaps, and information ascertained by medical and health professionals. These differences contribute to their readiness, receptiveness, and willingness to engage in documenting a living will, a health care surrogate, and an enduring power of attorney for health decisions.

Donor organ shortage crisis: a case study review of a financial incentive-based system.

PubMed

Al Sebayel, M; Alenazi, A M; Sabbagh, R; Al Ageel, T; Al Enazi, M; Al Bahili, H; Elsiesy, H

2014-01-01

Current organ supply system depends on altruistic noncoercive donation, which has failed to meet the demand of organ transplantation. Providing financial incentives to donors is one of several approaches to address organ shortage. However, its feasibility is debatable as it relates to medical, ethical, and economic dimensions. An incentive-based procurement system (IBPS) applied by the Mobile Donor Action Team (MDAT) was instituted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, resulting in a 3-fold increase in donation rate. The goal of this study was to provide a qualitative review of a 7-year experience with IBPS. A qualitative approach was used. Documents were reviewed to create a chronological audit and shape interview questions. Sampling was purposeful and inclusive of MDAT members. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and findings were subjected to thematic analysis. Documents reflected the evolution of MDAT. The essence of MDAT is field work and liberal use of financial incentives, which resulted in a 3-fold increase in the donation rate. MDAT members believed that IBPS is the main reason behind this increase. Moreover, IBPS is viewed as acceptable from a moral, ethical, and religious standpoint, with a high degree of professional satisfaction. Theoretical assumptions doubted the feasibility of IBPS. This real-life experience with IBPS proved the contrary. The findings may be applicable only to the setting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, however; further research is thus needed to explore its transferability to other settings. IBPS may be an alternative to altruistic noncoercive donation and should be piloted in different settings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Post-Surgical Pain, Physical Activity and Satisfaction with the Decision to Undergo Hernia Surgery: A Prospective Qualitative Investigation

PubMed Central

Powell, Rachael; McKee, Lorna; King, Peter M.; Bruce, Julie

2013-01-01

Surgical repair is a common treatment for inguinal hernias but a substantial number of patients experience chronic pain after surgery. As some patients are pain-free on presentation, it is important to investigate whether patients perceive the treatment to be beneficial. The present study used qualitative methods to explore experiences of pain, activity limitations and satisfaction with treatment as people underwent surgery and recovery. Twenty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted. Seven participants were interviewed longitudinally: before surgery and two weeks and four months post-surgery. Ten further participants with residual pain four months post-surgery were interviewed once. Semi-structured interviews included experience and perception of pain; activity limitations; reasons for having surgery; satisfaction with the decision to undergo surgery. A thematic analysis was conducted. Pain did not cause concern when perceived as part of the usual surgery and recovery processes. Activity was limited to avoid damage to the hernia site rather than to avoid pain. None of the participants reported dissatisfaction with the decision to have surgery; reducing the risk of life-threatening complications associated with untreated hernias was considered important. These findings suggest that people regarded surgical treatment as worthwhile, despite chronic post-surgical pain. Further research should ascertain whether patients are aware of the actual risk of complications associated with conservative rather than surgical management of inguinal hernia. PMID:26973903

Patient Disease Perceptions and Coping Strategies for Arthritis in a Developing Nation: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background There is little prior research on the burden of arthritis in the developing world. We sought to document how patients with advanced arthritis living in the Dominican Republic are affected by and cope with their disease. Methods We conducted semi-structured, one-to-one interviews with economically disadvantaged Dominican patients with advanced knee and/or hip arthritis in the Dominican Republic. The interviews, conducted in Spanish, followed a moderator's guide that included topics such as the patients' understanding of disease etiology, their support networks, and their coping mechanisms. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim in Spanish, and systematically analyzed using content analysis. We assessed agreement in coding between two investigators. Results 18 patients were interviewed (mean age 60 years, median age 62 years, 72% women, 100% response rate). Patients invoked religious and environmental theories of disease etiology, stating that their illness had been caused by God's will or through contact with water. While all patients experienced pain and functional limitation, the social effects of arthritis were gender-specific: women noted interference with homemaking and churchgoing activities, while men experienced disruption with occupational roles. The coping strategies used by patients appeared to reflect their beliefs about disease causation and included prayer and avoidance of water. Conclusions Patients' explanatory models of arthritis influenced the psychosocial effects of the disease and coping mechanisms used. Given the increasing reach of global health programs, understanding these culturally influenced perceptions of disease will be crucial in successfully treating chronic diseases in the developing world. PMID:21985605

Pilot educational program to enhance empowering patient education of school-age children with diabetes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Nurses have a crucial role in patient education of children with type 1 diabetes, but they often exhibit lack of knowledge of the patient education process. This study aimed to describe an educational program to enhance empowering patient education process for the blood glucose monitoring education of school-age children and nurses’ perceptions of using empowering techniques. Methods An empowering patient education process for the diabetes education of school-age children was developed. The researcher collected nurse’s perceptions of managing the educational program by semi-structured interviews. Ten nurses carried out the diabetes education, and 8 of them participated in the interview. Three nurses implemented the diabetes education twice and were interviewed twice. The data consisted of 11 descriptions of the blood glucose monitoring education. The interviewer analyzed the data deductively and inductively by content analysis. Results Nurses described successful managing of the empowering patient education process. The need assessment consisted of using multiple methods and clarifying the capabilities and challenges of children and their parents. Planning manifested itself in adequate preparation and multiple objectives stated together with the family. Implementation comprised the relevant content, and the use of suitable teaching materials and methods. Evaluation was performed with various methods and documented accurately. Nurses also faced some challenges related to management and leadership, ambivalence with traditional and empowering patient education, and families’ overall situation. Conclusion An example of developing evidence-based patient education program is presented, but besides education other factors supporting changes in work practices should be considered in further development. PMID:23641969

The social ecology of girls' bullying practices: exploratory research in two London schools.

PubMed

Jamal, Farah; Bonell, Chris; Harden, Angela; Lorenc, Theo

2015-06-01

This exploratory study adopts a socio-ecological approach to examine the context of school bullying. It asks: (1) what are students' accounts of bullying practices?; (2) how are these enabled and constrained by the school-environment?; (3) how is gender implicated? Qualitative data were collected from girls in two schools in London via focus groups (one in each school; students aged 12-15) and seven semi-structured interviews (in one school; students aged 16-18); and from school policy documents. Our interpretation of girls' accounts, informed by Giddens' structuration theory, suggests that bullying practices were spatially patterned in the schools and often characterised by the regulation of girls' sexuality and sexual-harassment. Repeated acts of aggression were fluid with regard to the bully and victim role, challenging the dominant view of bullying as characterised by consistent disparities in power between individuals. Schools structured bullying behaviour via policies and practices that ignored these forms of abuse and which focused on and may have been complicit in the making of stable 'bully' and 'victim' roles, thus indirectly contributing to the reproduction of unhealthy relationships between students. In terms of gender, traditional gendered and sexual discourses appear to structure the identities of the schools and girls in our study. © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying: Barriers and Supports to School Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donoghue, Kate; Guerin, Suzanne

2017-01-01

This study explores the perceived barriers and supports identified by school staff in tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying, using Bronfenbrenner's ecological model as a framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from five separate second-level/high schools (two designated disadvantaged schools, and three…

Genres, Contexts, and Literacy Practices: Literacy Brokering among Sudanese Refugee Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Kristen H.

2009-01-01

This ethnographic study examined literacy brokering among Sudanese refugee families in Michigan. Literacy brokering occurs as individuals seek informal help with unfamiliar texts and literacy practices. Data collection involved participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and collection of artifacts over 18 months. Researcher analysis of…

Experiences and Outcomes of a Women's Leadership Development Program: A Phenomenological Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brue, Krystal L.; Brue, Shawn A.

2016-01-01

Women's leadership training programs provide organizations opportunities to value women leaders as organizational resources. This qualitative research utilized phenomenological methodology to examine lived experiences of seven alumni of a women's-only leadership program. We conducted semi-structured interviews to clarify what learning elements…

A Preservice Mathematics Teacher's Beliefs about Teaching Mathematics with Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belbase, Shashidhar

2015-01-01

This paper analyzed a preservice mathematics teacher's beliefs about teaching mathematics with technology. The researcher used five semi-structured task-based interviews in the problematic contexts of teaching fraction multiplications with JavaBars, functions and limits, and geometric transformations with Geometer's Sketchpad, and statistical data…

Switching between Everyday and Scientific Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blown, Eric J.; Bryce, Tom G. K.

2017-01-01

The research reported here investigated the everyday and scientific repertoires of children involved in semi-structured, Piagetian interviews carried out to check their understanding of dynamic astronomical concepts like daytime and night-time. It focused on the switching taking place between embedded and disembedded thinking; on the imagery which…

Scholarly Use of Information: Graduate Students' Information Seeking Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Carole; Bright, Alice; Hurlbert, Terry; Linke, Erika C.; St. Clair, Gloriana; Stein, Joan

2006-01-01

Introduction: This study explored graduate students' information behaviour related to their process of inquiry and scholarly activities. Method: In depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with one hundred graduate students representing all disciplines and departments from Carnegie Mellon University. Analysis: Working in pairs, we coded…

Research-Supported Intervention and Discretion among Frontline Workers Implementing Home Visitation Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willging, Cathleen E.; Trott, Elise M.; Fettes, Danielle; Gunderson, Lara; Green, Amy E.; Hurlburt, Michael S.; Aarons, Gregory A.

2017-01-01

Objective: We examine how frontline workers and supervisors delivering a research-supported intervention (RSI) to reduce child neglect negotiated system-related challenges, the pragmatics of RSI implementation, and their professional identities and relationships with clients. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews, small group…

The Struggle to Make Sense of Doctoral Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acker, Sandra; Haque, Eve

2015-01-01

Semi-structured, qualitative interviews conducted with an ethno-culturally diverse group of 27 doctoral students in one Canadian university department produced narratives that often featured stories of stress and struggle. Two interrelated themes emerging from the data are highlighted here: surviving financially and dealing with divisions and…

Secondary School Students' Misconceptions about Simple Electric Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Küçüközer, Hüseyin; Kocakülah, Sabri

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to reveal secondary school students' misconceptions about simple electric circuits and to define whether specific misconceptions peculiar to Turkish students exist within those identified. Data were obtained with a conceptual understanding test for simple electric circuits and semi-structured interviews. Conceptual…

Teachers' Perception of Social Justice in Mathematics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panthi, Ram Krishna; Luitel, Bal Chandra; Belbase, Shashidhar

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore mathematics teachers' perception of social justice in mathematics classrooms. We applied interpretive qualitative method for data collection, analysis, and interpretation through iterative process. We administered in-depth semi-structured interviews to capture the perceptions of three mathematics teachers…

Mathematical Identity for a Sustainable Future: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pipere, Anita; Micule, Ilona

2014-01-01

Individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews with three mathematics teachers were conducted to investigate the dynamics of their life-long relationships with mathematics, synthesised as mathematical identity from different identity positions in the context of dialogical self. The qualitative data were scrutinised employing interpretive…

Qualifications and Skills: The Organisational Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dafou, Efthimia

2009-01-01

This paper portrays the inferences that employers in Greece draw from particular aspects of study programmes, as recorded on educational qualifications. Based on semi-structured interviews with human resource managers in 37 industrial and service organisations and general directors of careers offices in eight higher education institutions, and…

Teachers' Perception of Social Justice in Mathematics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panthi, Ram Krishna; Luitel, Bal Chandra; Belbase, Shashidhar

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore mathematics teachers' perception of social justice in mathematics classrooms. We applied interpretive qualitative method for data collection, analysis, and interpretation through iterative process. We administered in-depth semi-structured interviews to capture the perceptions of three mathematics teachers…

Continuing Professional Development and Learning in Primary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Christine A.

2010-01-01

This article explores the effects of continuing professional development (CPD) on teachers' and pupils' experiences of learning and teaching science in primary classrooms. During 2006-2007, quantitative and qualitative data were elicited from two primary teachers in Scotland using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video-stimulated…

The Lived Experiences of "Taibatsu" in Japanese High School Wrestling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumate, James M.; Falcous, Mark

2015-01-01

The issue of "taibatsu" (physical punishment) in Japanese sport has received high-profile media and public attention in recent years. This article addresses the retrospective experiences of "taibatsu" within Japanese high school wrestling, drawing upon a three-month ethnography that included semi-structured interviews. Our…

Facilitators in Ambivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karlsson, Mikael R.; Erlandson, Peter

2018-01-01

This is part of a larger ethnographical study concerning how school development in a local educational context sets cultural and social life in motion. The main data "in this article" consists of semi-structural interviews with teachers (facilitators) who have the responsibility of carrying out a project about formative assessment in…

Budgeting and Organizational Trust in Canadian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Cynthia V.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between budget processes and levels of organizational trust in universities. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior administrative personnel in universities across Canada. A relationship was found to exist between university administrators' level of…

Developing Competency of Teachers in Basic Education Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuayai, Rerngrit; Chansirisira, Pacharawit; Numnaphol, Kochaporn

2015-01-01

This study aims to develop competency of teachers in basic education schools. The research instruments included the semi-structured in-depth interview form, questionnaire, program developing competency, and evaluation competency form. The statistics used for data analysis were percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The research found that…

Junior Secondary School Students' Conceptions about Plate Tectonics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Reece; Tomas, Louisa; Lewthwaite, Brian

2017-01-01

There are ongoing calls for research that identifies students' conceptions about geographical phenomena. In response, this study investigates junior secondary school students' (N = 95) conceptions about plate tectonics. Student response data was generated from semi-structured interviews-about-instances and a two-tiered multiple-choice test…

Using Consultation to Support English Learners: The Experiences of Bilingual School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Bryon, Elisabeth C.; Rogers, Margaret R.

2016-01-01

Through semi-structured interviews, this study explored 11 bilingual school psychologists' (BSPs) consultation experiences with teachers of English learners (EL) to determine referral concerns, recommendations made, challenges encountered, preparation experiences, and skills most needed. The most common referral issue concerned students' academic…

Learning at Transition for New and Experienced Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milligan, Colin; Margaryan, Anoush; Littlejohn, Allison

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to improve the understanding of the learning and development that occurs during initial and subsequent role transitions within knowledge intensive workplaces. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 knowledge workers in a multinational company and the learning experiences of new…

Middle School Students' Perceptions of Social Dimensions as Influencers of Academic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Penny A.; Pflaum, Susanna W.

2005-01-01

This qualitative study investigates rural middle school students' perceptions of academic engagement. Participant-produced drawings (Kearney & Hyle, 2003), integrated with a series of semi-structured interviews (Patton, 2002), served as the primary data collection techniques. Twenty middle school students participated, stratified for socioeconomic…

Chemistry Professors' Descriptions of the Impact of Research Engagement on Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hua, Olivia; Shore, Bruce M.

2014-01-01

Professors endorse a symbiotic relationship between research and teaching, but empirical evidence supporting this relationship is inconsistent. Many studies operationalized research and teaching too narrowly to detect the believed relationship. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 27 chemistry professors from a large…

Adolescent and Parent Assessments of Diabetes Mellitus Management at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes-Bohn, Rachel; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Mellin, Alison; Patterson, Joan

2004-01-01

This study explored opinions, concerns, and recommendations regarding care of Type 1 diabetes in schools. Thirty adolescent females and their parents participated in semi- structured, individual interviews that were audiotaped, transcribed, coded, and qualitatively analyzed. Responses emerged in three categories: (1) knowledge/training of school…

Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students' Training Experiences in Primary Care Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Jared

2011-01-01

This qualitative study focused on counseling psychology doctoral students' perspectives regarding their practicum training experience in primary care psychology. The four participants included three females and one male. Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were used to explore participants' experiences. The participants described…

Acculturative Stress and Adjustment Experiences of Greek International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulakis, Mixalis; Dike, Craig A.; Massa, Amber C.

2017-01-01

This study investigated eight Greek international college students' experiences of acculturation and acculturative stress at a mid-western university in the United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and Consensual Qualitative Research methodology was utilized for data analysis to identify contextual themes and…

Pathways of the association between maternal employment and weight status among women and children: Qualitative findings from Guatemala.

PubMed

Oddo, Vanessa M; Surkan, Pamela J; Hurley, Kristen M; Lowery, Caitlin; de Ponce, Silvia; Jones-Smith, Jessica C

2018-01-01

The double burden of malnutrition, defined by the coexistence of undernutrition and overweight, is well documented in low- and middle-income countries. However, the mechanisms by which employment may be related to maternal and child weight status in low- and middle-income countries are not well understood. We conducted in-depth interviews among 20 mothers who participated in Project MIEL, a contemporary trial which evaluated the effects of an integrated micronutrient supplement and parenting intervention in rural Guatemala. We utilized semi-structured interviews to explore the pathways by which maternal employment might influence bodyweight. Interviews were structured to explore the factors that mothers considered when deciding whether or not to participate in the labor force and how mothers perceived the influence of employment on determinants of their own bodyweight and that of their children. Themes were used to develop a conceptual framework. Mothers described four pathways through which employment could lead to changes in weight status: changes in food purchasing; improved household well-being; changes in time allocation; and psychological effects. Mothers described purchasing increased quantities and more varied types of food, as well as the purchase of energy-dense foods. Less time to devote to food preparation resulted in mothers preparing quicker meals and relying on substitute childcare. Mothers also expressed feelings of worry and neglect in relation to being employed, and perceived that these feelings would affect weight. A better understanding of these mechanisms is important for developing policies and programs to support women in the workplace and also reducing maternal and child overweight in Guatemala. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Renegotiating inter-professional boundaries in maternity care: implementing a clinical pathway for normal labour

PubMed Central

Hunter, Billie; Segrott, Jeremy

2014-01-01

This article presents findings from a study of a clinical pathway for normal labour (Normal Labour Pathway) implemented in Wales, UK. The study was conducted between 2004 and 2006. The pathway aimed to support normal childbirth and reduce unnecessary childbirth interventions by promoting midwife-led care. This article focuses on how the pathway influenced the inter-professional relationships and boundaries between midwives and doctors. Data are drawn from semi-participant observation, focus groups and semi-structured interviews with 41 midwives, and semi-structured interviews with five midwifery managers and six doctors, working in two research sites. Whereas some studies have shown how clinical pathways may act as ‘boundary objects’, dissolving professional boundaries, promoting interdisciplinary care and de-differentiating professional identities, the ‘normal labour pathway’ was employed by midwives as an object of demarcation, which legitimised a midwifery model of care, clarified professional boundaries and accentuated differences in professional identities and approaches to childbirth. The pathway represented key characteristics of a professional project: achieving occupational autonomy and closure. Stricter delineation of the boundary between midwifery and obstetric work increased the confidence and professional visibility of midwives but left doctors feeling excluded and undervalued, and paradoxically reduced the scope of midwifery practice through redefining what counted as normal. PMID:24640992

The experience of sessional teachers in nursing: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Dixon, Kathleen A; Cotton, Antoinette; Moroney, Robyn; Salamonson, Yenna

2015-11-01

Worldwide, there is a growing reliance on sessional teachers in universities. This trend is reflected in an undergraduate nursing program in a large Australian metropolitan university where a significant proportion of contact hours is staffed by sessional teachers, yet little is known about what type of support is needed for sessional teachers to optimise their capacity to contribute to the academic program. To describe the experiences of sessional teachers in a Bachelor of Nursing program in an Australian university. This is an exploratory qualitative study; fifteen sessional teachers were interviewed using semi-structured questions to explore their experiences of teaching. This study was conducted in a large metropolitan school of nursing located on three sites. A purposive sample of 15 sessional teachers was interviewed for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face to face. Thematic analysis was used to identify major themes in the interview data and collaborative analysis was undertaken to ensure rigour. Findings revealed that sessional teachers enjoyed teaching, were committed to their role and viewed their clinical currency as a valuable asset for teaching. However, participants also spoke about wanting a sense of belonging to the School, with most feeling they were "outsiders". Areas identified for improvement included system and process issues, micro teaching and assessment skills, classroom management and timely access to resources. There is a need to improve sessional teachers' sense of belonging and to provide an inclusive structure and culture to optimise their capacity to contribute to the academic program. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beyond the EPR: Complementary roles of the hospital-wide electronic health record and clinical departmental systems

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Many hospital departments have implemented small clinical departmental systems (CDSs) to collect and use patient data for documentation as well as for other department-specific purposes. As hospitals are implementing institution-wide electronic patient records (EPRs), the EPR is thought to be integrated with, and gradually substitute the smaller systems. Many EPR systems however fail to support important clinical workflows. Also, successful integration of systems has proven hard to achieve. As a result, CDSs are still in widespread use. This study was conducted to see which tasks are supported by CDSs and to compare this to the support offered by the EPR. Methods Semi-structured interviews with users of 16 clinicians using 15 different clinical departmental systems (CDS) at a Medium-sized University hospital in Norway. Inductive analysis of transcriptions from the audio taped interviews. Results The roles of CDSs were complementary to those of the hospital-wide EPR system. The use of structured patient data was a characteristic feature. This facilitated quality development and supervision, tasks that were poorly supported by the EPR system. The structuring of the data also improved filtering of information to better support clinical decision-making. Because of the high value of the structured patient data, the users put much effort in maintaining their integrity and representativeness. Employees from the departments were also engaged in the funding, development, implementation and maintenance of the systems. Conclusion Clinical departmental systems are vital to the activities of a clinical hospital department. The development, implementation and clinical use of such systems can be seen as bottom-up, user-driven innovations. PMID:19523198

The stories we tell: qualitative research interviews, talking technologies and the 'normalisation' of life with HIV.

PubMed

Mazanderani, Fadhila; Paparini, Sara

2015-04-01

Since the earliest days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, talking about the virus has been a key way affected communities have challenged the fear and discrimination directed against them and pressed for urgent medical and political attention. Today, HIV/AIDS is one of the most prolifically and intimately documented of all health conditions, with entrenched infrastructures, practices and technologies--what Vinh-Kim Nguyen has dubbed 'confessional technologies'--aimed at encouraging those affected to share their experiences. Among these technologies, we argue, is the semi-structured interview: the principal methodology used in qualitative social science research focused on patient experiences. Taking the performative nature of the research interview as a talking technology seriously has epistemological implications not merely for how we interpret interview data, but also for how we understand the role of research interviews in the enactment of 'life with HIV'. This paper focuses on one crucial aspect of this enactment: the contemporary 'normalisation' of HIV as 'just another' chronic condition--a process taking place at the level of individual subjectivities, social identities, clinical practices and global health policy, and of which social science research is a vital part. Through an analysis of 76 interviews conducted in London (2009-10), we examine tensions in the experiential narratives of individuals living with HIV in which life with the virus is framed as 'normal', yet where this 'normality' is beset with contradictions and ambiguities. Rather than viewing these as a reflection of resistances to or failures of the enactment of HIV as 'normal', we argue that, insofar as these contradictions are generated by the research interview as a distinct 'talking technology', they emerge as crucial to the normative (re)production of what counts as 'living with HIV' (in the UK) and are an inherent part of the broader performative 'normalisation' of the virus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What's keeping people after stroke from walking outdoors to become physically active? A qualitative study, using an integrated biomedical and behavioral theory of functioning and disability.

PubMed

Outermans, Jacqueline; Pool, Jan; van de Port, Ingrid; Bakers, Japie; Wittink, Harriet

2016-08-15

In general people after stroke do not meet the recommendations for physical activity to conduct a healthy lifestyle. Programs to stimulate walking activity to increase physical activity are based on the available insights into barriers and facilitators to physical activity after stroke. However, these programs are not entirely successful. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively explore perceived barriers and facilitators to outdoor walking using a model of integrated biomedical and behavioral theory, the Physical Activity for people with a Disability model (PAD). Included were community dwelling respondents after stroke, classified ≥ 3 at the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC), purposively sampled regarding the use of healthcare. The data was collected triangulating in a multi-methods approach, i.e. semi-structured, structured and focus-group interviews. A primarily deductive thematic content analysis using the PAD-model in a framework-analysis' approach was conducted after verbatim transcription. 36 respondents (FAC 3-5) participated in 16 semi-structured interviews, eight structured interviews and two focus-group interviews. The data from the interviews covered all domains of the PAD model. Intention, ability and opportunity determined outdoor walking activity. Personal factors determined the intention to walk outdoors, e.g. negative social influence, resulting from restrictive caregivers in the social environment, low self-efficacy influenced by physical environment, and also negative attitude towards physical activity. Walking ability was influenced by loss of balance and reduced walking distance and by impairments of motor control, cognition and aerobic capacity as well as fatigue. Opportunities arising from household responsibilities and lively social constructs facilitated outdoor walking. To stimulate outdoor walking activity, it seems important to influence the intention by addressing social influence, self-efficacy and attitude towards physical activity in the development of efficient interventions. At the same time, improvement of walking ability and creation of opportunity should be considered.

Understanding the physical activity promotion behaviours of podiatrists: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Crisford, Paul; Winzenberg, Tania; Venn, Alison; Cleland, Verity

2013-09-09

Health professionals are encouraged to play a part in reducing the health risks of physical inactivity. Little is known of the physical activity promotion practice behaviours of podiatrists. We performed 20 semi-structured interviews with purposefully selected podiatrists to explore their physical activity promotion attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and practice. Transcribed interviews were coded using an iterative thematic approach to identify major themes and salient beliefs. Overall, the participants had a positive attitude to physical activity promotion, considering it a normal part of their role. They saw their role as giving information, encouraging activity and making recommendations, however in practice they were less inclined to follow up on recommendations, monitor activity levels or document the process. Their approach was generally opportunistic, informal and unstructured and the content of assessment and promotion dependent upon the presenting patient's condition. Advice tended to be tailored to the patient's capabilities and interests. They considered there are opportunities to promote physical activity during regular consultations, however, were more likely to do so in patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes. Main barriers to physical activity promotion included unreceptive and unmotivated patients as well as a lack of time, skills and resources. Physical activity promotion appears feasible in podiatry practice in terms of opportunity and acceptability to practitioners, but there is scope for improvement. Strategies to improve promotion need to consider the major issues, barriers and opportunities as well as provide a more structured approach to physical activity promotion by podiatrists.

The challenges of healthcare delivery to people with multiple sclerosis in Iran.

PubMed

Yazdannik, Ahmadreza; Abolhassani, Shahla; Taleghani, Fariba; Zamani, Ahmadreza

2015-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease prevalent in young and middle-aged people. Patients with MS often have numerous complicated needs and, consequently, require a broad range of health services. Results of a number of studies indicate that patients' needs are only partially met. This study was conducted to explore the challenges of healthcare delivery to patients with MS in Iran. In this qualitative case study, 43 participants selected through purposeful sampling were interviewed using semi-structured method in the cities of Isfahan and Tehran in 2012-2013. Besides the interview, documentations relevant to healthcare delivery were collected from different sources, including websites of all Iranian universities of medical sciences, insurance organizations, patients' weblogs, news agencies, the MS Center forum for MS patients, and MS Payam bimonthly. The data were analyzed through the constant comparative analysis. The data were categorized into four main categories, including functional challenges (diagnosis problems, failure to pay attention to patient needs, failure to follow-up, and miscommunication), administrative challenges (resource allocation and supervision), policy-making challenges (lack of comprehensive services, bureaucracy, and problems in provision of medications), and structural challenges (difficult access to services, lack of comprehensive centers, space limit, and long wait). Despite all attempts of governmental and nongovernmental organizations for healthcare delivery to MS patients, these services cannot satisfy all needs of the patients. In this regard, service providers and administrators should pay more attention to the needs and expectations of patients and their families.

Exploring Foreign Undergraduate Students' Experiences of University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Danica Wai Yee; Winder, Belinda

2014-01-01

Although international students are an important source of income to universities in the UK, the emotional impact of their experiences may be ignored and unacknowledged. This study explored the personal experiences of international students studying for an undergraduate degree in the UK. Semi-structured interviews with five participants were…

Spiritual Borderlands: A Black Gay Male College Student's Spiritual Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Means, Darris R.; Jaeger, Audrey J.

2015-01-01

This case study explored the spiritual journey and spaces of one Black gay male college student. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, field observations, and photovoice. Findings indicate that the student experienced tension during his spiritual journey because of his racial and sexual orientation identities but was able to…

Grade Inflation: Faculty Lived-Experiences and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schroeder, Nan

2016-01-01

The research area of this study is the phenomenon of grade inflation in higher educational organizations. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, seven faculty members from a higher educational organization were purposefully selected to participate in a semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The participants were of various ages,…

Corporal Punishment Cessation: Social Contexts and Parents' Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Phillip W.

1999-01-01

Examines the cessation of corporal punishment by parents who start out spanking their children and then make a concerted effort to stop. Draws on semi-structured interviews with 22 parents and identifies five contexts in which those efforts arose: experiential, ideological, regulatory, relational, and biographical. Data suggests cultural…

Perceptions of Adult Males Who Participated in Counseling for Trauma: A Generic Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullen, Annette M.

2017-01-01

This generic qualitative inquiry explored the perceptions of adult males regarding their counseling for trauma experiences. Through that exploration, literature was enhanced considering the information processing theory. Individual interviews of 10 men were conducted using semi-structured, open-ended questions. Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis…

Challenges of Integrating Mobile Technology into Mathematics Instruction in Secondary Schools: An Indonesian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abidin, Zaenal; Mathrani, Anuradha; Hunter, Roberta; Parsons, David

2017-01-01

Implementing mobile learning in curriculum-based educational settings faces challenges related to perceived ethical and learning issues. This study investigated the affordances of mobile technologies to support mathematics instruction by teachers. An exploratory study employing questionnaires and semi-structured interviews revealed that, while…

Engaging Undergraduates in Feminist Classrooms: An Exploration of Professors' Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Leland G.

2015-01-01

This article reports the results of a feminist action research project that sought to ascertain professors' best practices for engaging undergraduates in feminist classrooms. In semi-structured interviews, professors recommended assigning readings from a variety of positionalities; creating a safe space for class discussion; relying on data to…

Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Behaviour and Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alloway, Tracy Packiam

2012-01-01

Working memory, ability to remember and manipulate information, is crucial to academic attainment. The aim of the present study was to understand teachers' perception of working memory and how it impacts classroom behaviour. A semi-structured interview was used to explore teachers' ability to define working memory, identify these difficulties in…

Carers' Beliefs about Counselling: A Community Participatory Study in Wales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waters, Rachel; Spong, Sheila; Morgan, Janet; Kemp-Philp, Chris

2018-01-01

This interpretivist community participatory study explores carers' beliefs about the potential usefulness of counselling in relation to the caring role. Twenty semi-structured interviews with carers were transcribed and analysed thematically. All participants thought counselling could potentially be helpful to carers, but their ideas about the…

The Student Experience of Learning Using Networked Technologies: An Emergent Progression of Expanding Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutajar, Maria

2017-01-01

This article reports on phenomenographic research which explored the qualitative differences in post-secondary students' accounts of their networked learning experiences. Data was generated using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants. Phenomenographic analysis led to a configuration of variation in students' accounts…

Coping Strategies in Web Searching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansourian, Yazdan

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to report selective findings of a wider study to identify the mechanisms that end users employ to overcome their information seeking failure on the web. Design/methodology/approach: Data collection was conducted by semi-structured and in-depth interviews. The study adopted a qualitative approach and was carried out based…

Exploring Pre-Service Secondary Teachers' Understanding of Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laletas, Stella; Reupert, Andrea

2016-01-01

Care in teaching has been widely investigated; however, little research has sought secondary pre-service teachers' understandings of caring and their potential responsibility to care for students. Accordingly, semi-structured interviews were employed with four focus groups, involving 12 (2 male and 10 female) participants. Data were analysed…

Perceptions of Prospective Teachers about Tolerance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Cavus

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the perceptions of prospective teachers about tolerance education. This research is a descriptive, qualitative study. A semi-structured and non-directive interview technique is used for collecting data. Research is carried out with 30 prospective teachers who attend Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University…

Life outside the 50-Minute Hour: The Personal Lives of Counsellors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Barbara Sampaio Alhanati; Black, Timothy G.

2010-01-01

This study investigates the effects that becoming and being a professional counsellor, including training and professional practice, can have on one's personal life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six professional counsellors, asking how their training and professional practice has affected their personal lives. Qualitative…

The UK Postgraduate Masters Dissertation: An "Elusive Chameleon"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilcher, Nick

2011-01-01

Many studies into the process of producing and supervising dissertations exist, yet little research into the "product" of the Masters dissertation, or into how Masters supervision changes over time exist. Drawing on 62 semi-structured interviews with 31 Maths and Computer Science supervisors over a two-year period, this paper explores…

Countertransference Reactions in Therapeutic Work with Incestuous Sexual Abusers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrich, Monika; Leiper, Rob

2006-01-01

The study was a qualitative investigation aimed at therapists' responses to working with a population of incestuous sexual abusers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine therapists who were recruited from psychotherapy, psychology, and forensic psychology services in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The predominant…

A Qualitative Investigation of Prospective Teachers' Hopes, Their Sources, and Motivational Forces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eren, Altay; Yesilbursa, Amanda

2017-01-01

This grounded theory study examined prospective teachers' (PTs) dispositional hopes, teaching-specific hopes, their sources, and motivational force of teaching-specific hopes. A total of 41 PTs enrolled on different teacher education programmes voluntarily participated in the semi-structured interviews. Findings showed that PTs' dispositional…

Social and Experiential Influences on the Development of Inheritance Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Joanne M.; Smith, Lesley A.

2006-01-01

This study explored social and experiential differences in children's (aged 4 to 14 years) concepts of inheritance. The study utilized semi-structured interviews including four tasks that were designed to elicit judgements and explanations about different aspects of inheritance understanding. A variety of social and experiential factors were…

Negotiating Reassurance: Parents' Narratives on Follow-Up after Cochlear Implantation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruin, Marieke; Ohna, Stein Erik

2015-01-01

This study presents an analysis of parental experiences on follow-up after cochlear implantation. Data were constructed in semi-structured, individual interviews with the parents of 14 children who use cochlear implants. Drawing on narrative analysis, the study explores parental responses to insecurity concerning children's learning and…

Prospective Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Preconceptions of Geometric Translations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanik, H. Bahadir

2011-01-01

This article reports an analysis of 44 prospective middle school mathematics teachers' pre-existing knowledge of rigid geometric transformations, specifically the geometric translations. The main data source for this study was the participants' responses to the tasks that were presented during semi-structured clinical interviews. The findings of…

Irish Clinicians' Views of Interventions for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridge, Katie; Guerin, Suzanne

2011-01-01

The current study investigated clinicians' perspectives on the effectiveness of interventions designed to support the development of children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). Researchers developed a semi-structured interview which was administered to 11 clinicians involved in the assessment and treatment of ASDs (5 = clinical…

Teacher Perspectives on the Implementation of the PATHS Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honess, Andrea; Hunter, Deborah

2014-01-01

The research was designed to add to the UK-based literature around the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum, a whole school emotional literacy and social competence intervention. Seven semi-structured interviews were carried out with class teachers and pastoral leads. Questionnaires were designed to explore a number of…

An Organizational Diffusion Study on Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Lillian Upton; Richter, Donna L.; Miner, Kathleen R.; Watkins, Ken; Usdan, Stuart

2005-01-01

This research explored the diffusion process of distance education in schools of public health to determine best practices in the planning and implementation of future programs. The researcher traced the diffusion process by utilizing a multiple-case study methodology using a semi-structured interview to collect the perceptions of Distance…

Brief Report: Associations between Emotional Competence and Adolescent Risky Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hessler, Danielle M.; Katz, Lynn Fainsilber

2010-01-01

The current study examines associations between emotional competence (i.e., awareness, regulation, comfort with expression) and adolescent risky behavior. Children from a longitudinal study participated at age 9 and 16 (N = 88). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with children about their emotional experiences and coded for areas of…

EFL Young Learners: Their Imagined Communities and Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yim, Su Yon

2016-01-01

This study explored how South Korean primary school students approach learning English, using the notion of an "imagined community". Twenty students from two primary schools were selected for semi-structured interviews. The data analysis shows that the construction of South Korean students' imagined communities seems to be influenced…

The Discourse of Classroom Interaction in Kenyan Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pontefract, Caroline; Hardman, Frank

2005-01-01

This paper addresses the role of classroom discourse in supporting children's learning in Kenyan primary schools. The discourse strategies of 27 teachers teaching English, mathematics and science across the primary phase were intensively studied using discourse analysis and semi-structured interviews. A survey questionnaire (n = 359) was also used…

Teachers' Voices in the Context of Higher Education Reforms in Armenia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakhanyan, Susanna; van Veen, Klaas; Bergen, Th. C. M.

2011-01-01

In this article, teachers' sense-making and reasoning about higher education reforms in a post Soviet country, namely Armenia, are examined using an analytical framework with six sensitising concepts: beliefs, emotions, attitudes, change knowledge, attributions and organisational culture. The results of semi-structured interviews with 12 Armenian…

The Adventure Sports Coach: All Show and No Substance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Paul; Collins, Dave

2016-01-01

The primary objective of this research was to establish the range of interpersonal strategies, tools and techniques used by adventure sports coaches (ASCs) to influence participants' actions and behaviours, and to determine where these strategies were acquired. An interpretative approach was employed using semi-structured interviews with a…

An Examination of Assistant Professors' Project Management Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alpert, Shannon Atkinson; Hartshorne, Richard

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to identify factors that influence the use of project management in higher education research projects by investigating the project management practices of assistant professors. Design/methodology/approach: Using a grounded theory approach that included in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 22…

Meaning of Homeownership for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagner, David; Snow, Judith; Klein, Jay

2006-01-01

In-person semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 homeowners selected by 6 state homeownership programs as representing good examples of homeownership by individuals with developmental disabilities. Recurring themes were found in the choice of a home, advantages and disadvantages of homeownership, handling problems, community…

Food Perceptions and Concerns of Aboriginal Women Coping with Gestational Diabetes in Winnipeg, Manitoba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neufeld, Hannah Tait

2011-01-01

Objective: To describe how Aboriginal women in an urban setting perceive dietary treatment recommendations associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Design: Semi-structured explanatory model interviews explored Aboriginal women's illness experiences with GDM. Setting and Participants: Twenty-nine self-declared Aboriginal women who had…

Understanding Performance Management in Schools: A Dialectical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Damien

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a dialectical framework for the examination of performance management in schools. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is based upon a qualitative study of ten headteachers that involved in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings: The findings identified four dialectical tensions that underpin…

Stakeholders' Perceptions of School Counselling in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Poi Kee

2015-01-01

This article reports on a qualitative study that set out to understand stakeholders' perception of the school counselling service in Singapore. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explored the perceptions of three main stakeholder groups, namely teachers and counsellors working within the schools and those working in the communities.…

Towards Typology of Stakeholders: A Case of Lithuanian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Švaikauskiene, Simona; Mikulskiene, Birute

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore internal management, advocacy and partnerships of interest groups with the aim of representing their interests in public policy formation with a view to developing a stakeholder typology. This qualitative study involves eight in-depth, semi-structured interviews with representatives from stakeholder…

"Am I Masculine Enough?": Queer Filipino College Men and Masculinity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Jason

2017-01-01

Research on college men and masculinities has been of interest within higher education, yet there is limited focus on the experiences of students with multiple marginalized identities. Through semi-structured interviews with gay, bisexual, and queer Filipino undergraduate men, this study examined how students defined, understood, and experienced…

Alumni Engaging Students from Under-Served Groups in Southern Appalachia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Mitchell R.; Leatherwood, Laura; Byrd, Laura; Boyd, Monica S.; Pennington, Kevin

2010-01-01

The study explores how alumni can help community colleges in Southern Appalachia to create greater access for people in groups which are traditionally under-served by higher education. Semi-structured interviews conducted with alumni program directors and admissions officers at seven community colleges in the Southern Appalachian Region explore…

The Relevance of Emotional Intelligence for Leadership in a Higher Education Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrish, Dominique Rene

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a case-study research investigation that sought to identify the relevance of emotional intelligence for effective higher education academic leadership. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, pre and post a leadership capacity development intervention, to gather broad data on participants' experiences, insights, and…

Motivators of Educational Success: Perceptions of Grade 12 Aboriginal Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston, Jane P.; Claypool, Tim R.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to identify motivators that support educational success, as perceived by Aboriginal high school students enrolled in two urban Saskatchewan schools. Twelve semi-structured individual interviews revealed that students were motivated by a hospitable school culture, relevant learning opportunities, and positive personal…

Technology and English Language Teaching (ELT)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazzemi, Akram; Narafshan, Mehry Haddad

2014-01-01

This paper is a try to investigate the attitudes of English language university teachers in Kerman (Iran) toward computer technology and find the hidden factors that make university teachers avoid using technology in English language teaching. 30 university teachers participated in this study. A questionnaire and semi-structured interview were…

Students' Stories of Studying Abroad: Reflections upon Return

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costello, Jane

2015-01-01

Study abroad brings an enriching experience to students' academic and personal lives. This narrative essay relays two students' experiences with study abroad sojourns and touches upon their technology use during their study abroad as recounted in semi-structured interviews. Details of their cultural experiences and reflections thereof as well as…

Learning Responsibility and Balance of Power

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çam, Sefika Sümeyye; Ünal Oruç, Eylem

2014-01-01

This qualitative study aims to determine teacher perspectives on learning responsibility and balance of power. The research design is case study which was conducted on four primary school teachers. The data were collected with semi-structured interviews and the data obtained were analyzed with categorical analysis, a type of content analysis. The…

Cultural and Social Processes of Language Brokering among Arab, Asian, and Latin Immigrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guan, Shu-Sha Angie; Nash, Afaf; Orellana, Marjorie Faulstich

2016-01-01

This study examines how language and culture brokering (translating and interpreting language and culture for others) influences the acculturative experiences and self-perceptions of young adults from immigrant Arab, Asian, and Latino American backgrounds. Semi-structured interviews with 10 participants suggest that mediating information for…

Science Lives: School Choices and "Natural Tendencies"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salehjee, Saima; Watts, Mike

2015-01-01

An analysis of 12 semi-structured interviews with university-based scientists and non-scientists illustrates their life journeys towards, or away from, science and the strengths and impact of life occurrences leading them to choose science or non-science professions. We have adopted narrative approaches and used Mezirow's transformative learning…

Bangladeshi Teachers' Perceptions about Student Behaviour in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malak, Saiful; Deppeler, Joanne M.; Sharma, Umesh

2014-01-01

This paper reports on a study of Bangladeshi teachers' perceptions of student behaviour. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 22 teachers from six primary schools in one district in Bangladesh. Thematic analysis technique was used to analyse the data. The findings indicated that teachers conceptualized students' inappropriate…

Problem-Based Learning: Lessons for Administrators, Educators and Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, Roland

2005-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to explore the challenges of problem-based learning (PBL) as an unconventional teaching methodology experienced by a higher learning institute in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach: The exploratory study was conducted using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Four groups of people were invited to…

NGOs, Pluralism and Advisory Services--Timor Leste

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Max

2013-01-01

Purpose: This article analyses the role, approach, issues and opportunities faced by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the promotion of agriculture in Timor Leste from independence through to the countrywide roll out of a public extension service in 2009. Design/methodology/approach: The research draws on semi-structured interviews with NGO…

Sources of Writing Anxiety: A Study on French Language Teaching Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslim Yetis, Veda

2017-01-01

Conducted on French Language Teaching students, this research aims to determine the causes of writing anxiety. Designed in accordance with the mixed method, a writing anxiety inventory, a language proficiency exam, a retrospective composing-process questionnaire, a writing attitude scale and semi-structured interviews were used. After identifying…

Chemistry Teachers' Views of Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akkanat, Çigdem; Gökdere, Murat

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine chemistry teachers' views of creativity. In this study, phenomenology method, one of the qualitative research patterns, was used. The participants of this study were 13 chemistry teachers working in Amasya. A semi-structured interview form was used for data collection. By using NVivo 9 qualitative…

A Student Teacher's Choice and Use of Examples in Teaching Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ünver, Semiha Kula; Güzel, Esra Bukova; Dede, Ayse Tekin; Hidiroglu, Çaglar Naci

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine a mathematics student teacher's lessons by using example types named "teaching concepts and procedures" and "the provision of exercises." The participant's two lessons regarding the probability concept were observed and the semi-structured interviews were realized. The participant…

The Learner as Facilitator: Moving outside the "Same Old Cage"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinlay, John W.; Grogan, Shona; Sedakat, Pat; McKinlay, Christopher J.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical, reflective examination of the organisation, delivery and evaluation of a training event conducted by postgraduate students undertaking a module on human resource development. Design/methodology/approach: The paper seeks to offer a triangulation of semi-structured interviews, archival…

Objective Academic Achievement and Subjective Personal Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Betty

2012-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between objective academic achievement (OAA) and subjective well-being (SWB). Using a sample of 515 adolescents from ten different high schools across a small country, semi-structured interviews, academic records and observations provided relevant data for the study. OAA was measured from examination results…

Urban High School Principals' Promotion of College-and-Career Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malin, Joel R.; Hackmann, Donald

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how two urban principals, in high schools that feature comprehensive college-and-career readiness practices, utilize distributed leadership to facilitate their implementation. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed qualitative methods. Drawing upon semi-structured interview data,…

Can Turnitin Come to the Rescue: From Teachers' Reflections?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoza, Simon Bheki

2015-01-01

This article presents a qualitative critical action research of six Grade 12 high school teachers who used Turnitin as part of their assessment processes. Turnitin submissions, one-on-one semi-structured interviews, observation and reflective activities were used for data production/generation. This article concluded that although Turnitin did not…

Infoliteracy@adistance: Creating Opportunities to Reach (Instruct) Distance Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dow, Mirah J.; Algarni, Mohammed; Blackburn, Heidi; Diller, Karen; Hallett, Karen; Musa, Abdullahi; Polepeddi, Padma; Schwartz, Brian; Summey, Terri; Valenti, Sandra

2012-01-01

This article offers a theoretical model of online, graduate student information seeking behavior. The qualitative methodology used to gather data for the development of the model included an electronic survey and semi-structured interviews conducted online using Adobe Connect Pro[TM]. Participating in the study were 238 graduate students enrolled…