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Focus Groups (focus + groups)
Selected AbstractsConducting Focus Groups with Latino Populations: Lessons from the Field,FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 3 2004Adriana J. Umaña-Taylor We explore the use of focus groups with Latino families. Based on our work with Colombian, Guatemalan, Mexican, and Puerto Rican mothers, we review the factors that make this methodology particularly useful for working with these families. In addition, we provide a number of strategies for making the use of focus groups with Latino populations successful. These strategies can be broadly applied to practical aspects of working with Latino populations, as well as in research settings. [source] Perception of Computer-tailored Feedback for Smoking Cessation: Qualitative Findings from Focus GroupsJOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Hazel Gilbert Tobacco smoking continues to be a major public health problem. Few smokers present themselves for treatment, and it is important to offer a range of interventions that appeal to different individual needs and preferences. Computer-tailored feedback can fill the gap between generic self-help and intensive clinical therapy. Using focus groups, we investigated smokers' perceptions of generic self-help materials and computer-generated individually tailored feedback reports. Participants recognized the generic nature of self-help material and welcomed the concept of personal support, but were concerned about some aspects of the material. Findings supported the continuation of the development and delivery of computer-tailored feedback, but more research is warranted to optimize the content and style of the feedback for individual perceptions and expectations. [source] Lifting the Veil: The Use of Focus Groups and Trial Simulations in Legal ResearchJOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 2008Emily Finch First page of article [source] Videotaped Focus Groups: Transforming a Therapeutic Strategy Into a Research ToolNURSING FORUM, Issue 1 2000Dayle Hunt Joseph RN Focus groups have become a popular method of collecting data for research projects. The addition of using a videotaped approach has broad implications for researchers, as it allows constant replay of the session. Although on the surface this approach seems straightforward and easy to use, the authors caution that this is not an approach for the novice. Investigators planning to use a focus group method must be well versed in group process. There is an unpredictable nature to the focus group process, and researchers need to prepare for the inevitable mishaps that lead to lost opportunities for data collection. [source] Cudahy High School Survey and Focus Groups: Assessment of the Needs of a Teen Population.PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2000A Community, Campus Collaboration Collaboration between local public health agencies and university schools of nursing can be advantageous to both parties. Students need opportunities to learn aggregate-based care; health officers need community partnerships that expand their potential to accomplish core functions. This article offers a case study to illustrate a collaborative relationship. A high school survey and a plan for teen services were the focus of the joint endeavor. With guidance from faculty, students offered labor and expertise; the agency offered a real world laboratory for learning. [source] Perceived Challenges to Obtaining Informed Consent for a Time-sensitive Emergency Department Study of Pediatric Status Epilepticus: Results of Two Focus GroupsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2009James M. Chamberlain MD Abstract Objectives:, The objective was to describe the perspective of research personnel on issues of informed consent in a time-sensitive clinical study under emergency circumstances. Methods:, The authors convened concurrent focus groups of research staff and investigators involved in a pharmacokinetic study of lorazepam for status epilepticus (SE). Moderators led discussion with open-ended questions on selected issues of parental consent, communication and understanding, patient assent, and comparison to other types of studies. Focus group transcripts were analyzed to identify themes and subthemes from the discussions. Results:, Most themes and subthemes were identified in both research staff and investigator focus groups. Focus group discussion points were categorized into three main themes: barriers to and enablers of informed consent, barriers to and enablers of actual enrollment, and overall ethical concerns about the research. Many of the issues identified were unique to emergency research. Conclusions:, From the perspectives of research staff and investigators enrolling patients in a time-sensitive emergency department study, the authors identified several areas of concern that should be addressed when planning future emergency studies. [source] Peer Led Focus Groups and Young PeopleCHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 4 2006Cathy Murray Peer led focus groups, a qualitative social science research method, and their use with young people are examined. The paper outlines three developments that have contributed to their emergence, namely: traditional focus groups, peer education and participatory research. Drawing on a study in progress, the advantages and challenges associated with peer led focus groups are discussed. A key benefit is that the power differential between the adult researcher and the researched is removed, at least at the point of data collection, rendering peer led focus groups one of few research contexts in which young people can speak collectively with no adult present. [source] CHALLENGES FACED BY RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEES IN EL SALVADOR: RESULTS FROM A FOCUS GROUP STUDYDEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 1 2009JONATHAN W. CAMP ABSTRACT Objective:, To identify perceived barriers to capacity building for local research ethics oversight in El Salvador, and to set an agenda for international collaborative capacity building. Methods:, Focus groups were formed in El Salvador which included 17 local clinical investigators and members of newly formed research ethics committees. Information about the proposed research was presented to participants during an international bioethics colloquium sponsored and organized by the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in collaboration with the National Ethics Committee of El Salvador and the University of El Salvador. Interviews with the focus group participants were qualitatively analyzed. Results:, Participants expressed the need to tailor the informed consent process and documentation to the local culture; for example, allowing family members to participate in decision-making, and employing shorter consent forms. Participants indicated that economic barriers often impede efforts in local capacity building. Participants valued international collaboration for mutual capacity building in research ethics oversight. Conclusions:, Research ethics committees in El Salvador possess a basic knowledge of locally relevant ethical principles, though they need more training to optimize the application of bioethical principles and models to their particular contexts. Challenges increase the value of collaborative exchanges with ethics committee members in the United States. Further research on facilitating communication between host country and sponsor country ethics committees can maximize local research ethics expertise, and thus raise the standard of protecting human participants involved in international research. [source] Living with Type 2 diabetes: a family perspectiveDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2007P. White Abstract Aim To explore the beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of adults with Type 2 diabetes and their family members. Methods Focus groups were conducted with: (i) people with good diabetes control (HbA1c < 7.0%); (ii) their family members; (iii) people with poor diabetes control (HbA1c > 8.5%); and (iv) their family members. Results There were no discernible differences between those with good and poor diabetes control or between the family members of each group. Overall, family members perceived diabetes to be more serious and as having a greater impact on daily life than those with the illness. Those with diabetes were unaware of this heightened concern and had a more relaxed approach to living with diabetes. The lack of information and perceived knowledge about diabetes impacted upon participants' causal attributions about the illness and its perceived severity. Conclusions Diabetes is an illness that affects both individuals and families. There is a need for further investigation into the impact that family members have on the management of diabetes. [source] Does the Emergency Exception from Informed Consent Process Protect Research Subjects?ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2005Nicole M. Delorio MD Abstract Although subject protection is the cornerstone of medical ethics, when considered in the context of research using emergency exception from informed consent, its success is debatable. The participants of a breakout session at the 2005 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference discussed the issues surrounding subject protection and advanced the following recommendations. 1) There are no outcome measures that define "protection"; therefore, it is not currently known whether or not subjects are protected under the current rules. 2) Care must be taken to protect not only the individual from harm during research but also to protect society from unregulated research in other countries and an inability to appropriately advance medical knowledge. 3) Some surrogate markers/methods of protection whose efficacies are debatable include data safety monitoring board activity, the community consultation and public notification (CC/PN) process, and institutional review board approval. 4) Minimal-risk studies should be held to different standards of protection than those that involve more significant risk to the subject. 5) A handful of studies have been published regarding community consultation and notification, and the majority are case studies. Those that are specifically designed to discover the most successful methods are hindered by a lack of formal outcomes measures and tend to have negative results. 6) Follow-up data from the CC/PN process should be disclosed to the Food and Drug Administration and incorporated into study designs. 7) Focus groups and/or random-digit dialing have been suggested as promising methods for fulfilling the CC/PN requirements. 8) Studies need to be funded and performed that formally investigate the best means of CC/PN. 9) More funding for this research should be a priority in the emergency medicine and critical care communities. More data regarding terminated studies should be made available to the research community. 10) Quantifiable markers of success for CC/PN must be validated so that research may determine the most successful methods. 11) Data regarding subjects' and family members' experiences with exception from informed consent studies need to be obtained. [source] Developing a parenting skills-and-support intervention for mothers with eating disorders and pre-school children part 1: qualitative investigation of issues to includeEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 5 2007Rachel Bryant-Waugh Abstract Objective This study aimed to (i) identify themes and issues that might usefully be addressed in a skills-and-support intervention for mothers with eating disorders who have children less than 5 years of age, and (ii) determine the most appropriate format for such an intervention. Method Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with seven mothers with eating disorders and pre-school children, and four local health professionals working with mothers of pre-school children. Results Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed 10 themes: ,Passing on Traits', ,Food Preparation and Provision', ,Interactions Around Food and Mealtimes', ,Mother's Intake', ,Self Care', ,Self Identity and Parental Expectations', ,Impact on General Parent,Child Relationship', ,Need for Control', ,The Group Experience' and ,Practicalities and Format'. Discussion Findings highlight a number of difficulties and concerns experienced by mothers with eating disorders who have pre-school age children. An intervention incorporating the identified themes could provide important support to this patient group and potential benefit to their offspring. © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] ,I'm living with a chronic illness, not . . . dying with cancer': a qualitative study of Australian women's self-identified concerns and needs following primary treatment for breast cancerEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 2 2008M. OXLAD m.psych, research assistant This study aimed to identify the current concerns and needs of Australian women who had recently completed primary treatment for breast cancer in order to develop a workbook-journal for this population. Focus groups were utilized to allow women to use their own frames of reference, and to identify and verbalize the topics that were important to them following treatment. All focus groups were conducted in a patient education and relaxation room, familiar to the women to assist them to feel more at ease. Ten women aged 36,68 years who had recently completed treatment for early-stage breast cancer at a South Australian public hospital took part in one of three focus groups. Topics covered included current physical, emotional and social needs. Participants reported a sense of apprehension about the future at the completion of primary treatment. In addition to this, five specific areas of concern were identified including physical sequelae of treatment, intimacy issues, fear of recurrence, benefit finding, and optimism versus pessimism about the future. Means of addressing post-treatment concerns were also discussed. Following the presentation of these findings, suggestions to aid health-care professionals in their clinical practice are provided. [source] Attachment to "Place" and Coping with Losses in Changed Communities: A Paradox for Aging AdultsFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2007Christine C. Cook This article explores the meaning of place and connection to location among aging adults in America's Heartland. Focus groups were conducted in a rural and urban county with participants age 65 to 84 years, and age 85 years and older. A keen sense of place among participants was revealed, poignantly portrayed as "loss" among rural participants who described changes to the landscape, economic restructuring, and the loss of farming as a way of life. Changes in urban settings were depicted as a shrinking of space over which participants' exerted control (e.g., steering clear of freeway driving, limiting driving at night, traversing well-known surface streets). These losses in community are balanced against a strong desire to age in place in familiar settings in which there are known social and resource connections. The investigation illustrates the power of place for aging adults, and the need to recognize its importance in public policy, practice, advocacy, and research. [source] Parental Deployment and Youth in Military Families: Exploring Uncertainty and Ambiguous Loss,FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 2 2007Angela J. Huebner Abstract: Parental deployment has substantial effects on the family system, among them ambiguity and uncertainty. Youth in military families are especially affected by parental deployment because their coping repertoire is only just developing; the requirements of deployment become additive to normal adolescent developmental demands. Focus groups were used to inquire about uncertainty, loss, resilience, and adjustment among youth aged 12,18 that had a parent deployed, most often to a war zone. The nature of uncertainty and ambiguous loss was explored. Response themes included overall perceptions of uncertainty and loss, boundary ambiguity, changes in mental health, and relationship conflict. These accounts suggest that ambiguous loss is a useful concept for understanding the experiences of these youth and for structuring prevention and intervention efforts. [source] Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people's experiences of distress: resilience, ambivalence and self-destructive behaviourHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 3 2008Jonathan Scourfield BA MA DipSW PhD Abstract The research presented in this paper set out to explore the cultural context of youth suicide and more specifically any connections between sexual identity and self-destructive behaviour, in the light of international evidence about the disproportionate risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people. The empirical basis for the paper is qualitative research that was carried out in the North West of England and South Wales. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with a total of 69 young people, with a purposive sample to reflect diversity of sexual identity, social class and regional and rural-urban location. The paper presents a thematic analysis of the data specifically relating to the experiences of LGBT young people. A range of strategies that LGBT young people employ in the face of distress are described. These are categorised as resilience, ambivalence and self-destructive behaviour (including self-harm and suicide). The potential implications for health and social care of these strategies include the need for ecological approaches and for sexual cultural competence in practitioners, as well as prioritisation of LGBT risk within suicide prevention policies. [source] Lay perceptions of the desired role and type of user involvement in clinical governanceHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 1 2009Andrea Litva BA (Comb Hons) MA PhD Abstract Objective, The aim of this paper is to explore variations in lay perceptions of user involvement in clinical governance. Context, The English National Health Service has sought to build a dependable health service through enhanced effectiveness, responsiveness and consistency. Clinical governance, a policy for improving service quality, is a key pillar of these reforms. It is a statutory duty of primary care organizations to ensure that users are involved in all service planning and decision making, including clinical governance. Yet surveys indicated that user involvement in clinical governance was underdeveloped and underutilized. Design, Focus groups were conducted with different types of lay people to explore their perceptions around public involvement in different aspects of clinical governance policy. Results, Content analysis of the transcripts reveals that different groups of lay people varied in their desired role perspective and preferred type of involvement in different aspects of clinical governance policy. Drawing upon existing models of user involvement, we identified three role perspectives that lay people could take in user involvement , consumer, advocate and citizen. We compared our findings regarding the desired type of involvement with existing models of user involvement, and identified a new type of involvement, overseeing, that is relevant to clinical governance policy. Conclusions, These findings suggest that to facilitate user involvement in clinical governance, it would be necessary to use different strategies to accommodate the differing role perspectives and types of involvement desired by different groups of lay people. [source] When doctors disagree: a qualitative study of doctors' and parents' views on the risks of childhood food allergyHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 3 2008Wendy Hu MBBS Dip Paed MHA PhD FRACGP Abstract Objective, To examine the views of doctors which underpin clinical practice variation concerning an uncertain health risk, and the views of parents who had sought advice from these doctors, using the example of childhood food allergy. Study design, Qualitative study involving in-depth interviews and participant observation over 16 months. Focus groups and consultation audio-recordings provided corroborative data. Setting, Three specialist allergy clinics located in one metropolitan area. Participants, Eighteen medical specialists and trainees in allergy, and 85 parents (from 69 families) with food allergic children. Results, Doctors expressed a spectrum of views. The most divergent views were characterized by: scientific scepticism rather than precaution in response to uncertainty; emphasis on quantifiable physical evidence rather than parental histories; professional roles as providers of physical diagnosis and treatment rather than of information and advocacy; libertarian rather than communitarian perspectives on responsibility for risk; and values about allergy as a disease and normal childhood. Parents held a similar, but less divergent range of views. The majority of parents preferred more moderate doctors' views, with 43% (30 of 69) of families expressing their dissatisfaction by seeking another specialist opinion. Many were confused by variation in doctors' opinions, preferring relationships with doctors that recognized their concerns, addressed their information needs, and confirmed that they were managing their child's allergy appropriately. Conclusions, In uncertain clinical situations, parents do not expect absolute certainty from doctors; inflexible certainty may not allow parental preferences to be acknowledged or accommodated, and is associated with the seeking of second opinions. [source] Patient and clinician collaboration in the design of a national randomized breast cancer trialHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 1 2004Jo Marsden MD FRCS (Gen Surgery) Abstract Objective, To show breast cancer patient involvement in the design of a national randomized trial of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in symptomatic patients will increase accrual. Setting and participants, Three stakeholder groups [(1) researchers from the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre, (2) the Consumers' Advisory Group for Clinical Trials (CAG-CT), (3) clinicians responsible for a pilot randomized HRT study in breast cancer patients] developed this collaborative study. Methods, (1) Nine focus group discussions were conducted to identify issues relevant to breast cancer patients about HRT and a national trial: six involved women from breast cancer support groups nationwide and three patients who had previously participated in the pilot randomized HRT study. (2) Recommendations from the focus groups (analysed by Grounded Theory) were debated by the research stakeholders and focus group representatives at a 1-day meeting and consensus reached (using a voting system) on mutual priorities for incorporation into the design of a national HRT trial. (3) Representatives from the CAG-CT and focus groups participated in subsequent national HRT steering committee meetings to ensure that these priorities were accounted for and the resulting trial design summary was circulated to the CAG-CT and all focus group representatives for comment. Results, Focus groups demonstrated that the complexity of factors relating to trial participation was not just restricted to the research topic in question. Patient,clinician interaction provided a platform for negotiating potential conflicts over trial design and outcomes. Patient feedback suggested that mutually agreed priorities were accounted for in the trial design. Interpretation, Clinical research planning should involve all research stakeholders at the outset. Quantifying the impact of patient involvement in terms of trial accrual may be too simple given the complexity of their motivations for participating in trials. [source] Understanding the information and resource needs of UK health and social care placement studentsHEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 4 2008Lynne Callaghan Background:, Students on health and social care degree programmes spend 50% of their time on practice placements. Because of the diversity of settings and the need to evidence their work, it is vital to understand the information and resource needs of placement students. Objectives:, The aim of this investigation was to understand the needs of placement students in terms of accessing resources whilst they are in the field in order to inform a guide to meet these needs. Methods:, Focus groups were conducted with students on midwifery, social work and post-registration health professions degree programmes on three different sites across the region. Data were analysed using Thematic Content Analysis. Results:, Three themes emerged from the data: inequality, user education needs and students' solutions and strategies. Conclusions:, It is essential to speak to placement students in order to understand their needs in terms of accessing and using library resources. The timing and content of information skills training is key to meeting student needs while on placement. [source] The importance of the employee perspective in the competency development of human resource professionalsHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2006Mary E. Graham Recent specification of HR competencies has the potential to influence the professional development of all HR practitioners. It is possible, however, to master the competencies and still underperform. This disconnect may occur because current competency work reflects the perspective of top management clients of human resources to the neglect of the employee perspective. In addition, competencies have become linked so tightly to firm outcomes that normative influences in competency development are lost. To think through these issues, we examine the credibility competency for HR professionals (Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005). Focus groups confirm that credibility dimensions vary across stakeholders, with employees emphasizing trust, management emphasizing expertise and effective relationships, and top management emphasizing the achievement of results. We conclude that more broadly defined competencies for HR professionals are necessary. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Ease of reading of mandatory information on Canadian food product labelsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2009Mary Alton Mackey Abstract Food product labels present individual product information, safety, nutrition, electronic inventory, container and environmental information, in various formats, languages and images. Some information is mandatory; much is promotional. The food label is an essential tool for regulators of safe food handling, nutrition policy and fair competition. Mandatory information on food labels in Canada is required to be presented in both English and French, readily discernable, prominently displayed and legible. This study examines the ease of finding and reading of mandatory label components on selected Canadian food products. A validated typographical scoring system assessed the lists of ingredients on a purposive sample of 100 food labels representing foods in all groups in Canada's Food Guide. Seven percent of the ingredient lists were easy to read; 26% were difficult to read and 67% were very difficult to read. Well-educated resourceful readers in consumer focus groups examined food labels for key elements that influence ease of finding and reading information. Focus groups and typographical scoring identified: colour contrast, case, print style, print size, space between the lines, reverse print, organization, justification, type of surface, hyphenation and print reproduction as factors that affect ease of reading. Print that curves around a container, lack of paragraphing or point form organization make reading difficult; text blocks at right angles to each other make comparisons difficult; separation of the nutrition facts table from the list of ingredients makes decision making tedious. Inadequate spacing between lines of print creates problems for readers of English and exacerbates problems for readers of French. Words placed over illustrations, busy backgrounds or watermarks increase reading difficulty. Hazard statements, instructions and storage information imbedded in other information without added space or appropriate heading is difficult to find and read. Canadian consumers echo consumers in 28 European countries who find label information difficult to find and to read and want clear guidelines/regulations on the placement and the typography of mandatory food label components [source] Critical social marketing , The impact of alcohol marketing on youth drinking: Qualitative findingsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 3 2010Ross Gordon This paper presents findings from exploratory qualitative research as part of a critical social marketing study examining the impact of alcohol marketing communications on youth drinking. The findings from stakeholder interviews (regulators and marketers) suggest that some alcohol marketing might target young people, and that marketers are cognisant of growing concern at alcohol issues, including control of alcohol marketing. Focus groups with young people (aged 13,15 years) revealed a sophisticated level of awareness of, and involvement in, alcohol marketing across several channels. It was found that some marketing activities featured content that could appeal to young people and appeared to influence their, well-developed, brand attitudes. The research demonstrates the utility of taking a critical social marketing approach when examining the impact of alcohol marketing. The implications of these findings for research, regulation and policy around alcohol marketing are also examined. The contribution that studies such as this make to the debate around marketing principles and practice, and to social marketing, is also discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Consumer use of the internet for medicines informationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 4 2004Ms. Geraldine Peterson-Clark Phd student Objective To explore consumer opinion of the internet as a source of medicines information, the reasons consumers use this information, and the impact of this information on their use of medicines. Method Focus groups (n=6) were conducted in metropolitan Sydney, Australia during March to May 2003 with consumers (n=46) who had used the internet for medicines information. Key findings Although participants expressed some concerns about the quality of internet-based medicines information (IBMI), the convenience of access to this information outweighed these reservations. Attitudes were thus positive overall. Participants used IBMI when preparing for doctors' visits, for second opinions and additional information, for information on current issues, when deciding whether to use a medicine, for comparative information on brands and generics, and when written information was not supplied by health professionals. Most participants felt empowered by the information they found and used it to play a more active role in decision making about their therapy. Conclusion This study describes various issues associated with consumer use of IBMI and highlights the possible role of pharmacists to support their patients' efforts to access and interpret medicines information. [source] Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancerJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 7 2010Esther Mok mok e., lau k-p., lam w-m., chan l-n., ng j.s.c. & chan k-s. (2010) Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(7), 1510,1522. Abstract Title.,Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. Aim., This paper is a report of an exploration of the phenomenon of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer from the perspectives of healthcare professionals. Background., Existential distress is an important concern in patients with advanced cancer; it affects their well-being and needs to be addressed in the provision of holistic care. Method., Focus groups were conducted from November 2008 to February 2009 with physicians, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and chaplains working in a palliative care unit that served patients with advanced cancer in Hong Kong. Data collection and analysis were guided by the grounded theory approach. All categories were saturated when five focus groups had been held with a total number of 23 participants. Findings., We found three causal conditions of existential distress: anticipation of a negative future, failure to engage in meaningful activities and relationships, and having regrets. Three basic (caring, relating and knowing) and six specific (positive feedback, religious support, new experiences, task setting, exploring alternatives and relationship reconciliation) intervening strategies were identified. Whether the intervening strategies would be effective would depend on patients' openness and readiness; healthcare professionals' self-awareness, hopefulness, and interest in knowing the patients; and a trusting relationship between patients and healthcare professionals. A sense of peace in patients was considered a consequence of successful interventions. Conclusion., This paper acknowledges the lack of an accepted conceptual framework of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. It is based on healthcare professionals' views, and further studies from the perspectives of patients and their families are needed. [source] A temporary home to nurture health: lived experiences of older nursing home residents in TaiwanJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 14 2008Hsiu-Hsin Tsai PhD Aim., This study explored the lived experiences of older nursing home residents in Taiwan. Background., With more long-term care institutions in Taiwan, older people are more often placed in nursing homes than in the past. Increased understanding of their lived experience is essential to assess residents' needs and determine the effectiveness of nursing interventions. Design., A qualitative design was used to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of older nursing home residents in Taiwan. Methods., Focus groups, followed by in-depth interviews, were used to gather information from 33 older residents at eight nursing homes in northern Taiwan. Participants were asked to describe what was important to them and what impressed them most in their daily lives in the nursing home. Participants (24 females and nine males) were on an average 75·3 years old. Verbatim transcripts of audiotaped focus groups and interviews were analysed by thematic analysis via ATLAS.ti software. Results., The core theme of older residents' nursing home experience was ,a temporary home to nurture health'. This core theme was reflected in participants' descriptions of their overall life in the nursing home as a temporary experience to nurture their health. Their everyday experience was characterised by four subthemes: highly structured lifestyle, restricted activities, safety concerns and social interactions. Relevance to clinical practice., Our findings may enhance policy makers' and healthcare providers' understanding of the lived experience of older nursing home residents, thus guiding the evaluation and development of nursing home services to improve residents' lives. For example, residents with the same characteristics could be placed in the same room or same floor, thus increasing their interactions with other residents. Residents' interactions with family members could also be developed using the Internet or mobile telephones. [source] Literature review: considerations in undertaking focus group research with culturally and linguistically diverse groupsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 6 2007Elizabeth J Halcomb BN, IC Cert Aims., This integrated literature review seeks to identify the key considerations in conducting focus groups and discusses the specific considerations for focus group research with culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Background., The focus group method is a technique of group interview that generates data through the opinions expressed by participants. Focus groups have become an increasingly popular method of data collection in health care research. Although focus groups have been used extensively with Western populations, they are a particularly useful tool for engaging culturally and linguistically diverse populations. The success of focus groups in this context is dependent upon the cultural competence of the research team and the research questions. Methods., The electronic databases Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Psychlit and the Internet using the Google Scholar search engine were explored using the search terms ,focus group', ,cultural sensitivity', ,transcultural nursing', ,transcultural care', ,cultural diversity' and ,ethnic groups'. Hand searching of reference lists and relevant journals was also undertaken. English language articles were selected for the review if they discussed the following issues: (i) methodological implications of the focus group method; (ii) strengths and limitations of the focus group method; (iii) recommendations for researchers and (iv) use of the focus group in culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Conclusions were drawn from each of the articles and consensus regarding a summary of recommendations was derived from a minimum of two authors. Results., Findings from this review revealed several key issues involving focus group implementation including recruitment, sample size, data collection, data analysis and use within multicultural populations. Strengths and limitations of the focus group method were also identified. Conclusions., Focus groups are a useful tool to expand existing knowledge about service provision and identify consumer needs that will assist in the development of future intervention programmes, particularly within multicultural populations. Careful planning related to methodological and pragmatic issues are critical in deriving effective data and protecting participants. Relevance to clinical practice., Focus groups can facilitate increased understanding of perspectives of culturally and linguistically diverse groups and thereby shape clinical practice to better meet the needs of these groups. [source] Nurses' experiences of research utilization within the framework of an educational programmeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 5 2001Kerstin Nilsson Kajermo RN ,,This paper explores nurses' reflections on their experiences of disseminating and implementing research findings in clinical practice within the framework of an educational programme. ,,Ten registered nurses, all in clinical practice, participated in a research-orientated educational programme with the aim of facilitating the dissemination and implementation of research findings in clinical practice. Thus, the programme contained different activities designed to disseminate and implement research findings in the participants' wards. ,,Focus groups were used to collect data and a qualitative content analysis was performed. The main themes that were developed were: organizational and leadership issues; acquiring a new role; responses and reactions by others; and orientation to research. ,,Organizational and leadership issues, nurses' interest in research, nurses' reading habits, and support and feedback from their head nurses and other managers and from their nursing colleagues and physicians were seen as important. ,,This study confirms that research utilization and the change to research-based nursing practice are complex issues which require both organizational and educational efforts. [source] ,Real Italians and wogs': The discursive construction of Italian identity among first generation Italian immigrants in Western AustraliaJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Emanuela Sala Abstract We explore the discursive construction of Italian identity among a bilingual sample of Italian-born Western Australians. Focus groups were held with two groups: Italians who had migrated to Australia as children and a group who had migrated as adults. We found intra- and inter-individual differences in identity construction, with much discourse devoted to demonstrating Italian authenticity and negotiating ethnic category boundaries. Shared markers of authenticity included language, heritage and food. The groups varied in their selection of referent groups to make authenticity claims, with the child migrants drawing upon the shared Australian stereotype of ,wogs' to construct and authenticate their Italian-ness. In contrast, adult migrants constructed Italian identity through comparisons with the dominant Australian ethnic group and in relation to a broader ,migrant' identity. The findings highlight the fluid and complex nature of ethnic identity and the need for further exploration of how it is constructed in talk. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Conceptualising dimensions of quality of life in poverty,JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Suzanne M. Skevington Abstract Are existing health-related quality of life (QoL) measures adequate for use in poverty? Focus groups of development researcher-practitioners were convened to discuss QoL in the low,middle-income countries of Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Peru and Thailand. Newly elicited themes were mapped onto the QoL concept consisting of 25 original facets from the WHOQOL-100, plus 24 additional facets derived from five subsequent WHOQOL modules (49 facets) organized in seven domains. Qualitative themes and importance ratings were used to identify seven novel themes that relate to poverty in these countries. Most are not included in QoL instruments: physical fitness & survival, social status, community relations, family life, work opportunity and environment, fairness and equality, and perception of political institutions. Community relations extended the social domain, and a political rights and freedoms domain was consolidated as a seventh domain. This cross-national study provides a new conceptual foundation for the international assessment of QoL in poverty. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An Educational Needs Assessment of Pennsylvania Workforce: Opportunities to Redefine Secondary Career and Technical Education to Meet Food Industry NeedsJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION, Issue 2 2006Larry Napoleon ABSTRACT: This article describes the outcomes of a needs assessment concerning current training needs and performance targets for non-degreed employees in the food industry. Focus groups were used to gather data from 5 food-processing companies: a fresh vegetable company, a canned vegetable company, 2 snack food companies, and a meat company. Focus group participants consisted of 1 senior-level manager each from human resource, production, quality assurance, purchasing, and product development departments within each company. The needs assessment identified 4 major themes that employers indicated as beneficial knowledge and skills for employees to possess: safety training, knowledge of food and production systems, learning and applying mathematical skills, and professional conduct. The authors anticipate that the knowledge of industry needs, with respect to the desired incoming workforce competencies and knowledge, will facilitate the development of integrated curriculum modules for secondary career and technical education programs (high school grades). These integrated curriculum modules will address the growing needs of the food industry and facilitate the development of employment skills required to function and prosper in the new global economy. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||