Browsing by Subject "Qualitative study"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Exploring Male And Female Healthcare Provider Communication With Alzheimer’s Patients: A Qualitative Study
    (2021-05) Lyu, Ying; Goering, Elizabeth; Head, Katharine J.; Bute, Jennifer
    Today, Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that affects more than 46.8 million people worldwide. Caring for people with AD is stressful and emotionally draining for both family members and healthcare providers and would be exacerbated by the breakdown in communication. While communication challenges can take many forms, one understudied area in AD patient-provider communication is how gender role might affect the outcomes and perceived feelings during interaction. Without knowledge and attentiveness of how gender may affect patient-provider communication, healthcare providers may become more frustrated in their attempts to apply unadjusted skills, which can cause further breakdown and stress. This study is to explore how gender might be a role affecting caregiving communication within the context of Alzheimer’s. Eleven participants were recruited to have a semi-structured interview through online flyers. The findings from this study yield broad suggestions for future work within the field of Alzheimer’s communication research and specific suggestions for designing the communication training.
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    ‘It was hell in the community’: a qualitative study of maternal and child health care during health care worker strikes in Kenya
    (BMC, 2021-09-23) Scanlon, Michael L.; Maldonado, Lauren Y.; Ikemeri, Justus E.; Jumah, Anjellah; Anusu, Getrude; Chelagat, Sheilah; Keter, Joann Chebet; Songok, Julia; Ruhl, Laura J.; Christoffersen‑Deb, Astrid; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: Health care workers in Kenya have launched major strikes in the public health sector in the past decade but the impact of strikes on health systems is under-explored. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate maternal and child health care and services during nationwide strikes by health care workers in 2017 from the perspective of pregnant women, community health volunteers (CHVs), and health facility managers. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with three populations: women who were pregnant in 2017, CHVs, and health facility managers. Women who were pregnant in 2017 were part of a previous study. All participants were recruited using convenience sampling from a single County in western Kenya. Interviews and FGDs were conducted in English or Kiswahili using semi-structured guides that probed women's pregnancy experiences and maternal and child health services in 2017. Interviews and FGDs were audio-recorded, translated, and transcribed. Content analysis followed a thematic framework approach using deductive and inductive approaches. Results: Forty-three women and 22 CHVs participated in 4 FGDs and 3 FGDs, respectively, and 8 health facility managers participated in interviews. CHVs and health facility managers were majority female (80%). Participants reported that strikes by health care workers significantly impacted the availability and quality of maternal and child health services in 2017 and had indirect economic effects due to households paying for services in the private sector. Participants felt it was the poor, particularly poor women, who were most affected since they were more likely to rely on public services, while CHVs highlighted their own poor working conditions in response to strikes by physicians and nurses. Strikes strained relationships and trust between communities and the health system that were identified as essential to maternal and child health care. Conclusion: We found that the impacts of strikes by health care workers in 2017 extended beyond negative health and economic effects and exacerbated fundamental inequities in the health system. While this study was conducted in one County, our findings suggest several potential avenues for strengthening maternal and child health care in Kenya that were highlighted by nationwide strikes in 2017.
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    Overlooked Symptoms in Autoimmune Hepatitis Negatively Impact Many Facets of Life
    (Springer, 2023) Jones, Emma; Watkins, Margaret; Anderson, Erin; Gelow, Kayla; Green, Kelsey; Draucker, Claire; Lammert, Craig; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: Significant reduction in quality of life among patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients has been observed in several studies. While acute symptoms associated with AIH have been well described, little is known about the overall impact of living with AIH on patients' quality of life. The aim of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the impact of AIH and associated symptoms on quality of life from the perspectives of patients living with AIH. Methods: Patients from Autoimmune Hepatitis Association support groups were recruited to participate in one of five online focus groups conducted between August and September 2020. After enrollment, patients were asked to complete a brief demographic and disease history questionnaire. A single moderator conducted interviews with each group guided by seven questions focused on the impact of AIH on the participants' quality of life. Each session was recorded, transcribed, and verified. Content analysis was used to summarize the participants' responses. Results: The participants' discussed three overarching topics: (a) symptoms of AIH and medication side effects, (b) the impact the disease and symptoms/side effects on five domains of quality of life (work life, relationships with friends and family, social life, leisure activities, and diet and exercise) and (c) interactions with healthcare providers and recommendations for future research. Conclusions: Living with AIH can have profound effects on patients' quality of life in several domains. Healthcare providers and the AIH research community should focus on developing further strategies that can improve the quality of life in persons suffering from AIH.
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    Recommendations to Address Barriers to Patient Portal Use Among Persons With Diabetes Seeking Care at Community Health Centers: Interview Study With Patients and Health Care Providers
    (JMIR, 2024-09-16) Akyirem, Samuel; Wagner, Julie; Chen, Helen N.; Lipson, Joanna; Minchala, Maritza; Cortez, Karina; Whittemore, Robin; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Background: Community health centers (CHCs) are safety-net health care facilities in the United States that provide care for a substantial number of low-income, non-English speaking adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Whereas patient portals have been shown to be associated with significant improvements in diabetes self-management and outcomes, they remain underused in CHCs. In addition, little is known about the specific barriers to and facilitators of patient portal use in CHCs and strategies to address the barriers. Objective: The objectives of this qualitative study were to explore the barriers to and facilitators of the use of patient portals for managing diabetes in 2 CHCs from the perspective of adults with T2D and clinicians (community health workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians) and to make recommendations on strategies to enhance use. Methods: A qualitative description design was used. A total of 21 participants (n=13, 62% clinicians and n=8, 38% adults with T2D) were purposively and conveniently selected from 2 CHCs. Adults with T2D were included if they were an established patient of one of the partner CHCs, aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with T2D ≥6 months, and able to read English or Spanish. Clinicians at our partner CHCs who provided care or services for adults with T2D were eligible for this study. Semistructured interviews were conducted in either Spanish or English based on participant preference. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Spanish interviews were translated into English by a bilingual research assistant. Data were collected between October 5, 2022, and March 16, 2023. Data were analyzed using a rapid content analysis method. Standards of rigor were implemented. Results: Themes generated from interviews included perceived usefulness and challenges of the patient portal, strategies to improve patient portal use, and challenges in diabetes self-management. Participants were enthusiastic about the potential of the portal to improve access to health information and patient-clinician communication. However, challenges of health and technology literacy, maintaining engagement, and clinician burden were identified. Standardized implementation strategies were recommended to raise awareness of patient portal benefits, provide simplified training and technology support, change clinic workflow to triage messages, customize portal notification messages, minimize clinician burden, and enhance the ease with which blood glucose data can be uploaded into the portal. Conclusions: Adults with T2D and clinicians at CHCs continue to report pervasive challenges to patient portal use in CHCs. Providing training and technical support on patient portal use for patients with low health literacy at CHCs is a critical next step. Implementing standardized patient portal strategies to address the unique needs of patients receiving care at CHCs also has the potential to improve health equity and health outcomes associated with patient portal use.
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    Visual Reflective Journaling for Graduate Art Therapy Students
    (2019) Scott, Jenna; Leigh, Heather
    This qualitative, art-based, single subject study explored the lived experience of graduate art therapy student’s experiences with a visual reflective journaling process. The study was conducted over the course of six weeks through a three-part process: journaling, art making, and reflection writing. At the end of the single subject study, the individual and two additional reviewers completed a thematic analysis of each individual part of the journaling process generating codes and themes. The findings indicated that visual reflective journaling can be helpful in reducing stress, improving coping skills, and creating distance, allowing the individual to see the bigger picture and shifting perspectives.