Public Health Commons^™

A Qualitative Exploration Of Well-Being In Cancer Survivorship: Implications For Counselors, Hallie M. Sylvestro, Lindsey K. Umstead, Heather Delgado, Christopher Lawrence, Keith Mobley, Kelly L. Wester, Andrew Wood

Adultspan Journal

Adult cancer survivors represent an important–and growing–population that could benefit from counseling services. This study employed consensual qualitative research to examine the well-being experiences of eight cancer survivors. Findings suggest a broad range of changes to individual well-being following cancer diagnosis and treatment, and indicate counseling can provide an ideal setting for processing such changes. Recommendations for counseling practice and future research are provided.

Emotion Regulation Strategies And Perceived Emotional Intelligence: The Effect Of Age., Iwanna Sepiadou

Adultspan Journal

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We also investigated the possible effects of age on the aforementioned variables. The total sample consisted of 379 people (158 men, 220 women, 1 unreported). Across participants, 273 were young (20-39 years old) and 106 were middle-aged (40-65 years old). We found statistically significant positive correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and negative primarily correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of …

Broken Promises: Prolonged Diminished Quality-Of-Life Among Liberian Ebola Survivors Half A Decade After The 2014-16 West African Outbreak, Jessi Hanson-Defusco, Decontee Davis, Meghana Bommareddy, Zainab Olaniyan

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak left thousands of Liberian survivors with severely diminished quality of life. Applying a social determinants framework, this mixed method study investigates to what extent Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors suffer long-haul psychosocial stress, diminished quality-of-life factors, and the impact of EVD-related service provisions on their ongoing healing. We present the results of a quantitative analysis survey of data collected from 19 Liberian EVD survivors in 2022 using snowball sampling. Additionally, a qualitative analysis of survivor statements helps triangulate key statistical findings and inform causal mechanisms. Survivors report experiencing 5.25 of a total of 7 ongoing stressors …

How To Develop A Qualitative Evaluation Plan For A Complex National Intervention: Key Steps And Reflections From The Radx-Up Program, Shelly A. Maras, Josephine Mckelvy, Kelley Milligan, Allyson Kelley, Valerie A. Lucas, Tara Carr, Abisola Osinuga, Leah Frerichs, Gaurav Dave

The Qualitative Report

This article describes the formative process of developing and implementing a Qualitative Evaluation Plan (QEP) for a large-scale, National Institute of Health (NIH) supported program: Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics — Underserved Populations (RADx-UP). RADx-UP includes over 137 projects in the United States that aim to ensure that all Americans have access to timely, accurate diagnostics for COVID-19, with a specific focus on populations the pandemic disproportionately affects. As part of a comprehensive, mixed-methods strategic evaluation plan, our team developed the QEP. We employed qualitative methods to understand RADx-UP academic and community partners’ experiences implementing community-engaged research strategies, and to understand …

Calming The Body, Calming The Mind: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Zero Balancing To Reduce Anxiety, Misty L. Rhoads, Mary Murphy

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: The predominance of anxiety is currently at record levels, and the need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to help alleviate and decrease the harmful effects of anxiety on an individual and collective level is necessary. This study explored how Zero Balancing supports individuals with anxiety to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health more effectively. Researchers hypothesized that Zero Balancing would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and lower perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: To honor the holistic nature of bodywork and the participants' lived experiences, the researchers utilized a concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design. Each participant received one Zero Balancing …

Pastoral Leaders’ Perception Of Obesity And Their Role Within Faith-Based Organizations, Darren D. Moore, Clinton E. Cooper, Charles Williams

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of pastoral leaders regarding obesity and health within faith-based organizations (FBOs). In this study, the authors focused on gaining additional insight regarding how pastoral leaders conceptualize and make sense of their roles in terms of health promotion within FBOs. Utilizing a qualitative research methodological approach, specifically Qualitative Description, authors administered a qualitative survey to 12 participants which yielded three emerging themes: (1) perceived scope, (2) understanding and use of resources, and (3) defining obesity through pastoral leaders’ perspectives. In the study, investigators discuss clinical implications and provide recommendations.

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Does Using Sofa Score For Ventilator Triage Among Covid 19 Patients Result In Suboptimal Allocation Of Medical Ventilators For The Bipoc Population?, Alexandrea Mp Masocco, Elisabeth Michel, Ebbin Dotson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Black, and Latinx populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be inferred with high confidence that those most vulnerable are the least likely to receive essential care. Kidney transplant allocation and COVID-19 triage protocols share commonalities in that both protocols involve using multivariate scored criteria with objective and subjective inputs. As such, the similar conclusion in outcomes is concerning. It is worth questioning whether the racial inequalities demonstrated in the COVID-19 pandemic related to access to life-saving ventilators were associated with triage protocols.

Methodology: Using an exploratory …

The Red Ribbon And The Black Cross: A Qualitative Study Of The Relationship Between Social Activism And Contemporary Black Church Responses To Hiv In Oakland, Ca, Justise Wattree

McNair Research Journal SJSU

The Black Church as a social institution has been a source of social activism during racial crises, but there is a lacking social activist response by Black churches to HIV’s disparate impact on Black communities. Previous research does not adequately explore the influence of community-based organizations on Black church responses to HIV in the context of social activism. This study examines the relationship between social activism and contemporary Black church responses to HIV in Oakland. It considers community-based organizations (CBOs) as potential drivers of social activism. Semi-structured interviews with Black church leaders in Oakland were conducted and content analyzed along …

The Current Youth Sport Culture And Its Impact On Sport Participation Experiences Of Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Mayrena I. Hernandez, Elena C. Miller, Laura A. Prieto, Luis Columna, Kevin M. Biese, David R. Bell

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The rise of sport specialization can jeopardize the opportunities for families of low socioeconomic status (SES) to participate in organized sport. However, obtaining an athletic scholarship may be a motivating factor for low SES youth to sport specialize. Yet, the experiences of low SES athletes in sport participation are not well known. Method: We used an Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore experiences of low SES families with children participating in sport and how this may be impacted by the current youth sport culture that promotes sport specialization. We engaged in semi-structured interviews with 12 low SES parents. Results: …

Family Caregivers Of Older Adults With Physical Disabilities In Rural Thailand, Denis Tuttle, Jiranan Griffiths, Anuchart Kaunnil

The Qualitative Report

Thailand is one of many countries experiencing changes in the demographics of its population. People are living longer and having fewer children resulting in an increasing percentage of older adults in the general population. This presents a challenge in providing care for older adults, especially in countries where there is a culture of family caregiving. This study aims to investigate the experience of family caregivers, exploring the problems of caring for older people with physical disabilities and the needs of family caregivers. This is done to better understand ways to support caregivers. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, 15 family caregivers …

Access To Health Care By Foreign Children With Special Needs In An International Border Municipality, Gabriela Dominicci De Melo Casacio, Adriana Zilly, Rosane Meire Munhak Da Silva

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative study aimed to analyze access to health by foreign children with special needs in an international border municipality. Grounded on hermeneutics-dialectics, this research was conducted through in-depth interviews with 26 professionals who treat foreign children with special health care needs and thematic analysis for data analysis was adopted. One central theme emerged: Vulnerability of foreign children and the health access in a border area Brazil-Argentina-Paraguay, organized by six sub-themes. High demand of children, overload in the health services, problems with documentation and language, insufficient articulation between the countries, and lack of funding represent restrictions for the access, especially …

Attempting To Close The Evidence-Practice Gap In Physical Activity Intervention Research: Strategies And Outcomes Of A Co-Creative Qualitative Study, Andrew Powell, Charlotte Coward

The Qualitative Report

It is argued that a gap exists between research evidence and “real-world” physical activity (PA) intervention practice. One potential way to aid the translatability of evidence in this field is for researchers to work actively with the public health practitioners and organisations that run PA interventions to engage in co-creative research. This paper reports the process and strategies used to underpin research co-creation during a recent qualitative PA intervention study, and the outcomes of the co-creative approach from the perspective of the public health organisation involved in the research in terms of providing them with translatable evidence. A range of …

The Lived Experience Of Postpartum Anxiety During Covid-19: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Walker Ladd Phd, Jenny De Decker

The Qualitative Report

The experience of pregnancy and postpartum anxiety disorders results in adverse birth outcomes and the disrupted development of infants and children. Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated pregnant and postpartum women as more vulnerable to COVID-19 (CDC, 2021), and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders rates have increased. However, research regarding the lived experience of women with postpartum anxiety (PPA) during a global pandemic remains lacking. Using van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological research method, we interviewed eight women self-identifying as having had PPA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis revealed five themes describing the lived …

Examining Newcomer Women’S Experiences With Perinatal Care In Ontario, Canada: An Application Of Carspecken’S Critical Ethnographic Method, Jessica Pimienta, Oona St-Amant, Sepali Guruge, Corinne Hart, Cristina Catallo

The Qualitative Report

This article provides a practical description of Carspecken’s (1996) five-stage critical ethnographic approach entitled “Critical Qualitative Research (CQR).” Situated epistemologically and ontologically in the critical paradigm, this article is an exploration of critical ethnography as an important methodology for shedding light on the discursive culture of perinatal care for newcomer women during the three-month health insurance waiting period in Ontario, Canada. We argue that Carspecken’s approach to critical ethnography is especially instrumental in illuminating the social structures that contribute to health inequities.

What’S Next For Tobacco Control Efforts? Health Equity Related Lessons Learned From A National Qualitative Study On Tobacco Control And Prevention, Courtney A. Parks, Hollyanne E. Fricke, Alethea Chiappone, Jennie L. Hill, Amy L. Yaroch

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Context: Despite gains in the tobacco prevention and control movement, tobacco products remain a threat, with specific populations at greater risk.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leaders in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date and identify recommendations for the future using a health equity framework. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leading organizations in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date, identify future recommendations within the context of current public health priorities (e.g., obesity prevention), …

“If I Were To Suffer A Stroke Right Now, The First Place That I Should Be Taken To Is The Traditional Healer”: Community Beliefs And Health-Seeking Practices For Noncommunicable Diseases In Rural Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Herbert Chikafu, Innocent Tinashe Mutero Dr., Moses John Chimbari Prof.

The Qualitative Report

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The burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases in rural South Africa is exacerbated by delayed health-seeking. This study explored awareness, beliefs and health-seeking behaviour relating to diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in Ingwavuma, a poor rural community in the uMkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Eight gender and age-stratified Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted in isiZulu using a pre-tested FGD guide with seventy-six participants. Thematic analysis was done to discern views on access to care for noncommunicable diseases. Findings revealed limited awareness of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular-related disease burden. The community practices medical plurality, and consultation with traditional healers …

Perceptions Of The Healthcare System Among Stakeholders, Michael D. Markee, Christine Ascencio, Laura Brugger, Renee Jonas, Hisako Matsuo

Patient Experience Journal

The U.S. healthcare system is rife with complexities and is consistently a source of political debate. One’s interaction with the system may directly impact the understanding of the system. The objective of this research is to examine the perceptions of the United States healthcare system from the viewpoint of healthcare providers, insurers, and consumers. Using a grounded theory approach, theoretical sampling was used to explore similarities and differences between the three groups of actors in the healthcare system. Data were collected through interviews with thirty-one participants using a semi-structured interview schedule. Themes of cost, access, and inefficiency emerged from the …

Challenges In Conducting Online Videoconferencing Qualitative Interviews With Adolescents On Sensitive Topics, Salima Moez Meherali, Samantha Louie-Poon

The Qualitative Report

In the wake of COVID-19, researchers are seeking innovative data-collection methods. Computer-mediated communication platforms have played a pivotal role among these pursuits. However, conducting online interviews present challenges to both researchers and participants. Online data-collection forces researchers to give up control over the study environment due to the varying location participants partake in interviews. Consequently, researchers can no longer fully guarantee the confidentiality and privacy of the researcher-participant conversations. Participants may face difficulties if being asked to disclose private information in the presence of family members. These challenges are heightened when conducting online interviews with adolescents on sensitive topics. Thus, …

The Importance Of Explicit And Timely Knowledge Exchange Practices Stemming From Research With Indigenous Families, Elizabeth J. Cooper, S Michelle Driedger

The Qualitative Report

Ethical research practice within community-based research involves many dimensions, including a commitment to return results to participants in a timely and accessible fashion. Often, current Indigenous community-based research is driven by a partnership model; however, dissemination of findings may not always follow this approach. As a result, products may not be as useful to participants who were motivated to be involved in the research process. We conducted a seven-week workshop on three occasions with different First Nations and Metis women and girls (age 8-12) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The workshop explored participants’ perspectives around health, safety, and family wellbeing using a …

The Lived Experience Of Syrian Refugees In Canada: A Phenomenological Study, Khaldoun Aldiabat, Enam Alsrayheen, Catherine Aquino-Russell, Michael Clinton, Roger Russell

The Qualitative Report

Health care providers in Canada are expected to take care of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and it is difficult for health care providers to deeply understand the lived experiences of some individuals to provide them with culturally sensitive care. Syrian refugees comprise one such group of newcomers to Canada. This phenomenological study aimed to uncover the meaning of the lived experiences of Syrian refugees using Giorgi’s (2009) method. Seven participants’ descriptions were viewed through the lens of the social determinants of health model. Seven essences of the general structural description or the meaning Syrian refugees gave to …

Use Of Mobile Health In Infant And Young Child Nutrition: A Formative Study In Rural Maharashtra, Samreen Sadaf Khan Dr., Archana Patel Dr., Amrita Puranik Ms., Priyanka Kuhite Dr., Yamini Pusdekar Dr., Michael J. Dibley Dr., Ashraful Alam Dr.

The Qualitative Report

Undernutrition is a major public health problem for under 5 years of age children in India. Approximately 41% and 21% of under 5 years of age children are stunted and wasted respectively. Despite the known importance of age appropriate infant and young child feeding practices for child nutrition, the rates of these practices remain poor in India. The major determinants for inappropriate IYCF practices are beliefs and knowledge of parents and caregivers. These can be effectively addressed through counselling by mobile Health technology as mobile phones are widely available and have a high penetration across the country. This formative research …

Access To Eye Care Before And After Vision Loss: A Qualitative Study Investigating Eye Care Among Persons Who Have Become Blind, Tosha Zaback, Stephanie Lam, Joan Randall, Teresa Field, Mitchell V. Brinks

The Qualitative Report

Navigating access to eye care requires that patients recognize the need for screening and care, employ limited financial and social resources, manage complex health insurance policies, and access specialty clinical care. We investigated the experience of patients through the progression of vision loss to blindness, utilizing qualitative methods. We conducted structured telephone interviews with 28 persons with blindness throughout Oregon. Utilizing closed and open-ended questions, we explored patient experience on the events preceding avoidable blindness. Coding for emergent themes was conducted independently by two researchers using a constant comparative method. Participants described important barriers to accessing eye care: at the …

Perceptions And Determinants Of Partnership Trust In The Context Of Community-Based Participatory Research, Arelis Moore De Peralta, Julie Smithwick, Myriam E. Torres

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Trust is difficult to conceptualize and define because of its diverse applications in different disciplines. Historic mistrust between vulnerable communities and researchers based on past adverse experiences can negatively affect the ability to collaborate and conduct effective research with such populations. Community Based-Participatory Research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that can reduce historic mistrust and health disparities among minority populations. Although how trust development occurs in CBPR partnerships has been explored, there is a need to determine how to move from one stage to the next in fostering and maintaining that trust. The present study contributes to this …

Application Of Rigour And Credibility In Qualitative Document Analysis: Lessons Learnt From A Case Study, Leanne M. Wood, Bernadette Sebar, Nerina Vecchio

The Qualitative Report

This paper probes functions and processes of qualitative document analysis (QDA), a method widely used in case study research. It firstly demonstrates the application of a QDA framework to inform a case study of women entrepreneurs in rural Australia; and provides insights into the lessons learnt, including strengths and limitations of QDA. Secondly, the paper provides guidelines for novice researchers seeking to use thematic analysis in a QDA process, arguing for rigour in naming assumptions and explicitness about the procedures employed. The paper contributes to discussion in the literature that positions QDA not only as a convenient tool, but as …

Effects Of Quantitative Literacy On Healthcare Decision-Making: An Aural Context, Robert G. Root, Sonia Bhala

Numeracy

We propose a relationship between sensory modality, numerical formatting, and performance on a survey simulating healthcare decision-making. We examine the current literature on aural health literacy, and specifically aural literacy coupled with health numeracy. We then create a survey instrument called the Bhala test for this purpose and demonstrate that it is moderately internally consistent and provides results that correlate with the NUMi assessment, a widely accepted measure of health numeracy. The quantitative information provided in the Bhala test has two treatments, percentage and natural frequency formats, in an effort to determine which format is easier for subjects to use …

Healthy Older Adults’ Motivation And Knowledge Related To Food And Meals, Kai Victor Hansen

The Qualitative Report

The population over 60 years old is growing rapidly in Norway and in many other countries, and researchers often focus on elderly people and various diseases. This article examines the healthy elderly who are active in their daily lives to understand their motivation and knowledge about food and meals. The method used was CurroCus® group interviews, or fast focus groups. Nine CurroCus® groups were conducted, lasting for 37 to 56 minutes (average = 45 minutes). Altogether, 76 persons participated, ranging in age from 60 to 87 years; participants were predominantly female (>80%). The article discusses two areas: motivation and …

Hope, Courage, And Resilience In The Lives Of Transgender Women Of Color, Nadine Ruff, Amy B. Smoyer, Jean Breny

The Qualitative Report

There is a lack of qualitative and strengths-based knowledge about the lived experience of transgender women of color in the US. To address this research gap, a Photovoice project was undertaken with five transgender women living in a small urban area. Thematic analysis of the participants’ discussion of their photographs identified three major themes: hope, courage, and resilience. Analysis suggests a framework for understanding these women’s lived experiences and the psychosocial tools that they use to negotiate their daily lives and persevere in the face of interpersonal and structural oppression.

Clinic Exploration Of Care Processes To Promote Colorectal Cancer Screening In Rural Accountable Care Organization Clinics: A Qualitative Case Study, Sarbinaz Bekmuratova, Jungyoon Kim, Hongmei Wang, Lufei Young, Daniel J. Schober, Li-Wu Chen

The Qualitative Report

It is essential to have an effective care process to promote colorectal cancer (CRC) screening particularly in rural areas. Primary care health care providers may have a significant impact on improving CRC screening rates among rural residents through systematic screening processes in their clinics. In this qualitative study, we aimed to explore the whole clinic processes of recommending and referring CRC screening in the rural accountable care organization (ACO) primary care clinics. We collected qualitative data through 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews with healthcare providers in rural primary care ACO clinics in Nebraska. We audio recorded and transcribed the interviews and …

“Do I Need Exercise?” A Qualitative Study On Factors Affecting Leisure-Time Physical Activity In India, Shalini Garg, V Raman Kutty

The Qualitative Report

Physical activity can reduce the risk of premature mortality from various chronic diseases. Previous research in Kerala, India indicates several barriers which can impact physical activity levels. Perceptions about the importance of health-promoting physical activity were examined among adults in Kerala and various facilitators, motivators and barriers to physical activity were identified using focus group discussions and interviews with key informants. At present, the attitude of people and health professionals is that physical activity has to be taken up when diagnosed with a disease (obesity, diabetes) and advised by a health professional. Men were more likely to start exercising after …