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Participants' Views (participant + views)
Selected AbstractsGood Deaths, Bad Deaths, and Preferences for the End of Life: A Qualitative Study of Geriatric OutpatientsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 9 2002Elizabeth K. Vig MD OBJECTIVES: Patient involvement in decision-making has been advocated to improve the quality of life at the end of life. Although the size of the oldest segment of the population is growing, with greater numbers of older adults facing the end of life, little is known about their preferences for the end of life. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of older adults with medical illness about the end of life, and to investigate whether current values could be extended to end-of-life preferences. DESIGN: Descriptive study with interviews using open- and closed-ended questions. SETTING: Patients attending two university-affiliated geriatric clinics were interviewed in a private conference room near the clinic they attended or in their homes. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen older men and women identified by their physicians as having nonterminal heart disease or cancer. MEASUREMENTS: The interview contained open-ended questions such as: "What are the most important things in your life right now?" and "What would you consider a good/bad death?" The interview also contained closed-ended questions about symptoms, quality of life, and health status. Additional questions elicited preferences for the end of life, such as location of death and the presence of others. The open-ended questions were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative methods. The closed-ended questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Patients with heart disease and cancer provided similar responses. Participants' views about good deaths, bad deaths, and end-of-life scenarios were heterogeneous. Each participant voiced a unique combination of themes in describing good and bad deaths. Because each participant described a multifaceted view of a good death, for instance, no theme was mentioned by even half of the participants. Participants provided differing explanations for why given themes contributed to good deaths. Currently valued aspects of life were not easily translated into end-of-life preferences. For example, although the majority of participants identified their family as being important, many gave reasons why they did not want their family members present when they died. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the heterogeneity of views and the difficulty in inferring end-of-life preferences from current values, older adults should be asked not only questions about general values, but also specific questions about their end-of-life choices and the reasons for these choices. A thorough understanding of an individual's end-of-life preferences may help health professionals working with older adults develop patient-centered care plans for the end of life. [source] Connecting photosynthesis and cellular respiration: Preservice teachers' conceptionsJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 7 2009Mary H. Brown Abstract The biological processes of photosynthesis and plant cellular respiration include multiple biochemical steps, occur simultaneously within plant cells, and share common molecular components. Yet, learners often compartmentalize functions and specialization of cell organelles relevant to these two processes, without considering the interconnections as well as the significance of the plant as an independent biological system functioning as a nested component within local and global ecosystems. Understanding connections among biological systems at macro and micro levels is important to biological literacy. This study examined preservice elementary teachers' conceptions of photosynthesis and plant cellular respiration, with attention to interconnections and systems. Participants were limited in their understanding of the processes impacting multiple ecological levels, and they held inadequate representations of interconnections between the processes. Participants' views were laden with sociological and egocentric components. They often compared plant functions with analogous human functions. Most participants viewed plants as dependent on humans while having societal use. Justifications for views included nominal knowledge of the processes; experiential authoritarian reasoning; and anthropomorphism. We discuss instructional implications in light of the findings. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 791,812, 2009 [source] Access to and use of NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS): the views of children, young people, parents and PALS staffCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2008J. Heaton Abstract Background The English National Health Service Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) was set up to provide patients and their relatives with a way of obtaining information or expressing concerns about their health care. This study examined children's, young people's and parents' access to and use of PALS, and how this could be improved. Methods Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to obtain the views of children, young people, parents and PALS staff, on the inclusiveness of the service. These methods included discussion groups and interviews with 30 young people and 16 parents; a postal survey of PALS users, to which 171 (21%) parents responded; and telephone interviews with 14 PALS staff. The data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods, and the views of participants on key topics were examined. Results Children and young people were found to be low users of PALS, but thought that the service was potentially useful. They and parents and PALS staff all highlighted ways in which access to and use of the service could be improved. Participants' views on the following topics are reported: awareness of PALS existence and role; access to and use of PALS; effectiveness of and satisfaction with PALS; and training of staff. Conclusions and recommendations Patient Advice and Liaison Service has not been designed and developed in ways that are fully inclusive of children, young people and parents. Based on their views and experiences, and the suggestions of PALS staff, the authors recommend that access to and use of the service could be improved, increasing awareness of PALS, facilitating access to and use of the service, providing training for PALS staff on dealing with young people and their issues, and developing links between PALS and other organizations that deal with young people and parents. [source] Closing the circle: participant views of a 360 degree feedback programmeHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, Issue 1 2001Christopher Mabey The use of 360 degree feedback is becoming increasingly commonplace in organisations. It is claimed that this programme offers a more rounded diagnosis of development needs resulting in more effective development plans for individuals and more strategically focused investment in training for the organisation as a whole. These claims are tested in a qualitative and quantitative field study of participants in a 360 degree programme for middle and senior managers at a UK university. Some elements of the programme are found to work better than others, but participants rate their experience of almost all aspects of training and development as significantly better than a matched sample of non-participants, and this leads to more positive global evaluations of the employer. The implications for the use of 360 degree programmes are discussed with regard to the critical HRM literature. [source] Applying DALY to assessing national health insurance performance: the relationship between the national health insurance expenditures and the burden of disease measures in IranINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2005Mehdi Russel Abstract The Iranian government has considered using DALYs as an indicator to prioritize health service expenditures to reduce the burden of disease for the public. A cross-sectional study was designed to compare several measures of the burden of disease with the actual amounts of national health insurance (NHI) expenditures, in one province of Iran (Semnan) for a period of 2 months (September 2000 and February 2001). Furthermore, on the basis of the research findings, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to stakeholders at local and national levels to explore their ideas about the gap between the expenditures of the diseases group and their burden. A semi-structured interview was conducted to elicit participants' views on the research findings. The results of this study have revealed that, currently, there is no strong relation between the NHI expenditures and DALY (r,=,0.41, p,=,0.09), but that there are stronger relationships between the amounts of NHI reimbursements with YLL (r,=,0.52, p,<,0.05), mortality (r,=,0.67, p,<,0.01) and hospital days (r,=,0.90, p,<,0.01). Comparing each group of disorders' DALY with the resources allocated to them (cost per DALY) it was shown that diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal diseases, maternal conditions, sense organ disorders received considerably generous funding; and, perinatal conditions, congenital abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies were relatively under-funded. The qualitative research results showed that the majority of respondents agreed that the differences presently existing between disorders' burden and NHI expenditures cannot be justified; and, further, that reducing the overall burden of disease must be one of the most important objectives for the NHI. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Teaching nature of science within a controversial topic: Integrated versus nonintegratedJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 4 2006Rola Khishfe This study investigated the influence of two different explicit instructional approaches in promoting more informed understandings of nature of science (NOS) among students. Participants, a total of 42 students, comprised two groups in two intact sections of ninth grade. Participants in the two groups were taught environmental science by their regular classroom teacher, with the difference being the context in which NOS was explicitly taught. For the "integrated" group, NOS instruction was related to the science content about global warming. For the "nonintegrated" group, NOS was taught through a set of activities that specifically addressed NOS issues and were dispersed across the content about global warming. The treatment for both groups spanned 6 weeks and addressed a unit about global warming and NOS. An open-ended questionnaire, in conjunction with semistructured interviews, was used to assess students' views before and after instruction. Results showed improvements in participants' views of NOS regardless of whether NOS was integrated within the regular content about global warming. Comparison of differences between the two groups showed "slightly" greater improvement in the informed views of the integrated group participants. On the other hand, there was greater improvement in the transitional views of the nonintegrated group participants. Therefore, the overall results did not provide any conclusive evidence in favor of one approach over the other. Implications on the teaching and learning of NOS are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 395,418, 2006 [source] ,It's magic stuff': The experiences of patients with ankylosing spondylitis taking anti-TNF-, medicationMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 3 2009J. Stockdale MSc MCSP Abstract Introduction:,Several studies have identified the efficacy of anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-,) treatment in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, few studies have explored the perceptions of patients taking this new medication. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of anti-TNF-, on the quality of life of people with AS. Methods:,A qualitative approach was adopted to provide a holistic understanding of participants' views and experiences in the context of their overall lives. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Results:,Eight people participated and described a significant improvement in their physical and psychological status, leading to a more positive outlook on their life. Specific areas highlighted were employment, activities of daily living, hobbies and relationships with partners and family, some of which are not captured by current AS-specific outcome measures. Negative aspects of anti-TNF-, use were described as the inconvenience of monitoring and issues relating to travelling abroad. All participants expressed concern about the possibility of being withdrawn from treatment and the perceived impact this would have on their lives. Conclusions:,Anti-TNF-, treatment has a positive impact on the lives of people with AS, such that a major concern is being withdrawn from treatment, highlighting the need to provide tailored support to people being withdrawn from treatment. To capture the full impact of anti-TNF-, treatment, further consideration needs to be given to the choice of appropriate outcome measures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Norwegian and Swedish preceptors' views of their role before and after taking part in a group supervision programNURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES, Issue 2 2009Agneta Danielsson rnt Abstract The research literature has shown the expectations towards preceptors and their need of support in their role. Group supervision has been used for many years to promote nurses in their professional role, but no study has been found on how group supervision can support them as preceptors. This study aimed to explore how group supervision could influence the preceptors' views of their role and how they valued this participation. Forty-eight preceptors, who took part in a 1 year group supervision program conducted by nurse lecturers, filled in open-ended questionnaires before the first and after the last session. The data were analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis. The findings showed changes in the participants' views of the preceptor role, indicating that this group supervision model had a positive influence on the preceptors' pedagogical and professional thinking and supported their attainment of good preceptorship. Further research is needed in using group supervision as a tool to support preceptors. [source] The meaning of psychosocial occupational therapy in a life-story perspective. a long-term follow-up of three casesOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2003Mona Eklund Abstract This study is a long-term follow-up in narrative form of three former psychiatric patients who had been discharged eight to nine years earlier from an outpatient occupational therapy programme. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding about the participants' views about the period of therapy from a long-term perspective and of how the outcome of therapy could be understood within the context of the patients' life plots. In-depth retrospective interviews and two former interviews with each participant, conducted at the time of therapy, comprised the data. The interview transcripts were subjected to narrative analysis. The fit between the characteristics of the therapy programme and important life themes of the informants seemed crucial for the long-term outcome of therapy, suggesting that taking life histories is important for occupational therapists in clinical practice in order to design appropriate interventions. Four components of the therapy, the activities, the social interaction, the milieu, and the therapeutic relationship, appeared as vital in re-shaping the informants' life plots. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Social relationships and friendships among young people with Down's syndrome in secondary schoolsBRITISH JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2002Pat Cuckle More young people with Down's syndrome are being taught in mainstream schools and interest in the educational aspect of inclusion has grown over the last few years. In this article Pat Cuckle, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, and June Wilson, a support teacher working for Education Leeds, explore patterns of friendship and social relationships among teenagers with Down's syndrome. The young people who took part in the study either attend mainstream schools or resourced provision in mainstream schools. The enquiry provides fascinating insights into the participants' views of friendship and into the range of their social experiences. Pat Cuckle and June Wilson conclude their report with a set of recommendations focusing on the need to create more opportunity for social interaction for young people with special needs. [source] | |||||||||||||