Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Hiv-Seropositive Patients’ Experiences With Social Workers: A South African Hiv+ Social Worker’S Reflective Log, Delarise Maud Mulqueeny

The Qualitative Report

Social workers play a pivotal role in HIV-seropositive patients’ treatment and care within South African public antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs. This article is a reflective log of an HIV-seropositive social worker’s observations and reflections on her positionality during a study on HIV-seropositive patients’ experiences of the public ART program in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The primary investigator (PI) utilized various tools and techniques including reflexive bracketing, participatory action research and a reflexive diary to navigate a sensitive study. This was while being cognizant of the fluidity of her insider/outsider positionality. The disclosure of the PI’s HIV-seropositive status culminated in all …

Experiences And Concerns Of Female Hotel Housekeepers In The First Stages Of The Covid-19 Lockdown In The Balearic Islands (Spain): A Qualitative Study, Xenia Chela-Alvarez, Cristian Sanchez-Rodriguez, Oana Bulilete, Mclara Vidal-Thomàs, Joan Llobera

The Qualitative Report

Strongly enforced mobility restrictions to deter the spread of COVID-19 severely impacted tourism, a pivotal economic sector of the Balearic Islands. Little is known about the experiences of the most economically affected groups, such as hotel housekeepers. This study aimed to explore the experiences and concerns of hotel housekeepers (approximately 13,000 worked in the Balearic Islands before the pandemic) during the first stages of the COVID-19 lockdown. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone in April of 2020. Thematic analysis was used for interpretation. Eighteen hotel housekeepers were interviewed. Main experiences and concerns identified were: (a) distress due to employment status …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Personal Health Care Challenges Experienced By Iranian Divorcees, Farzaneh Golboni, Zainab Alimoradi, Bengt Fridlund, Liselott Årestedt, Mark Griffiths, Anders Broström, Amir Hajiagha Pakpour Ahp

The Qualitative Report

Divorce, nowadays an increasingly more prevalent life event in Iran, can create poor general health among Iranian women, possibly due to bigger challenges for health-related behaviors. The aim was to explore challenges to achieve health-related behaviors as experienced by divorced Iranian women acting as household-heads. An inductive exploratory design based on qualitative content analysis was utilized. Twenty strategically selected divorced women acting as household-heads in Tehran were interviewed between September 2019 and January 2020. The divorced women experienced individual-centered and social and environmental-centered challenges concerning their health-related behaviors. Lack of competence, lack of personal control, and lack of emotional support …

Nursing Students’ Perceptions Of Using Branching Simulation: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Mohammad Rababa, Dania Bani-Hamad, Shatha Al-Sabbah

The Qualitative Report

Previous intervention studies have shown that branching simulation (BS) unfolds the complex multidimensional aspects of challenging health problems. The present study aimed to examine graduate nursing students’ perceptions of using BS in professional training. This study used a qualitative descriptive design with semi-structured interviews with a sample of 20 graduate nursing students. Four main themes emerged from the results: (a) BS as a support to students’ professional training, (b) BS leads to changes in clinical practice, (c) whether BS is a stressful learning experience, and (d) BS versus traditional lecturing. The participating students perceived BS as a valid learning tool …

How Things Take Up Space: A Grounded Theory Of Presence And Lived Space, Aleš Oblak, Asena Boyadzhieva, Jaya Caporusso, Borut Škodlar, Jurij Bon

The Qualitative Report

In cognitive science, it is unclear what precisely presence (both in the sense of objecthood and immersion) refers to in lived experience. The present study addresses the research question of what the relationship between presence is and lived space. A hundred and seventeen phenomenological interviews were conducted with 14 participants. We sampled their experience in a transdiagnostic manner. That is, we observed how the experience of presence changes both in circumstances appraised as positive (e.g., sexual intimacy) and negative (e.g., psychopathology). Our grounded theory suggests that presence is a phenomenon that is comprised of all available sensory knowledge, however, it …

Contextual Coding In Qualitative Research Involving Participants With Diverse Sociocultural Backgrounds, Ahtisham Younas, Angela Cuoco, Ercole Vellone, Sergi Fàbregues, Elsa Lucia Escalante Barrios, Angela Durante

The Qualitative Report

Understanding participants’ perspectives in qualitative research is contingent on unravelling the essential meaning of their speech. When data are collected in native language and translated into English language, the underlying sociocultural meaning of participants’ speech can be missed. This paper discusses a new contextual coding approach and illustrates its application in research. The technique was used in a phenomenological study in Pakistan and a mixed methods study in Europe. Contextual coding entails a preliminary coding stage involving data reading in native language, choosing socially and culturally relevant words and phrases, and developing preliminary codes. The concluding coding stage focuses on …

“We Live On An Island:” Perspectives On Rural Family Caregiving For Adults With Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias In The United States, Heather J. Williamson, Andria B. Begay, Dorothy J. Dunn, Rachel Bacon, Mark Remiker, Yolanda E. Garcia, Michael J. Mccarthy, Julie A. Baldwin

The Qualitative Report

As the United States’ aging population grows, there will be increased prevalence of individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD), who largely rely on the support of their family caregivers. Family caregivers residing in rural areas face additional challenges with managing caregiving responsibilities and navigating support services. The purpose of this multilevel phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the assets, unique needs, and resources of rural-residing ADRD caregivers from the caregiver, provider, and policy influencers’ perspectives. The study took place between 2019 through 2021 in northern Arizona, a largely rural and geographically vast area home to caregivers from …

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 …

The Lived Experiences Of Middle Eastern Immigrant Women During Their Cancer Survivorship Journey: A Phenomenological Study, Enam Alsrayheen, Khaldoun Aldiabat, Catherine Aquino-Russell

The Qualitative Report

The number of Middle Eastern immigrant women (MEIW) living in Canada has significantly increased. However, this group of women is underrepresented in health research and there is a gap in knowledge of their cancer survivorship experiences in Canada. This phenomenological qualitative approach was employed to uncover the meaning of the lived experiences of MEIW during their cancer survivorship journey (CSJ). Data were collected through unstructured interviews and one written description from three MEIW. The participants' perspectives of cancer risk factors were believed to be the cause of their cancer, and their CSJ was fear-inducing and anxiety-provoking. There appears to be …

A Conceptualisation Of Resilience Among Cancer Surviving Employed Women In Malaysia, Melati Sumari, Nordinah Mohd Kassim, Nor Safatul Aznin A.Razak

The Qualitative Report

This study examines the experiences faced by employed female cancer survivors when developing resilience. We used a phenomenological approach to understand these experiences and challenges. A total of ten participants with different types of cancer participated in this research, which was carried out using semi-structured interviews. Social media was used for triangulating the data collected. The meanings of resilience were monitored through the particpants’ social media accounts (namely, Facebook and Instagram) from the time of diagnosis until they returned to work. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from the data collected: (a) resilience through painful experience, (b) …

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 …

Coping Strategies For Inner Conflicts Between Gay Bear Identity And Health Concerns, Chichun Lin, Darren D. Moore

The Qualitative Report

Gay bear refers to a burly gay man with a hirsute body and face. Chinese gay bear men are highly homogeneous and strictly emphasize a uniform bear appearance; however, obesity is an obvious health issue in this population. This study aims to explore the Chinese gay bear men's inner conflicts between bear identity and health concerns. Eleven Chinese gay bear men including four Taiwanese, two mainland Chinese, two Hong Kong, two Malaysian, and one Singaporean were interviewed. The study used a thematic analysis approach and found three coping strategies including (a) Eat healthy but maintain a minimal bear standard; (b) …

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 …

Arab Health Promoters’ Perspectives On Religious/Cultural Challenges To Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Among Arab Immigrants In Canada, Hussein Baharoon, Judy King

The Qualitative Report

Despite the importance of faith and cultural background in Arab immigrants’ lives, little is known about their role in preventing cardiovascular diseases. To understand the challenges among Arab immigrants related to acculturation and religiosity in adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours and managing stress, we conducted three face-to-face focus groups with 17 Arab health promoters who were members of the Canadian Arab Health Coalition. Averaging 80 minutes in length, the focus groups were conducted in Ottawa, Canada, in February and March 2018. Data were analyzed with an inductive thematic analysis approach; we identified four themes: “Culture first!”: dominant influence of home country …

Safe And Effective Prescribing With Dyslexia: A Collaborative Autoethnography, Sebastian C. K. Shaw, Michael Okorie, John L. Anderson

The Qualitative Report

Prescribing medicines is the most common patient-level intervention made by doctors in the United Kingdom. However, this is associated with a potential for harm. Whilst dyslexia can bring many strengths, it also impacts reading and writing abilities and therefore has the potential to contribute to errors in the prescribing process if dyslexic doctors are unsupported. This paper explores the experiences of Seb – regarding prescribing and prescribing education – as a dyslexic medical student and doctor. We hope that this might spark more research on this overlooked issue. This is a collaborative, analytic, autoethnographic study within an interpretivist paradigm. Firstly, …

The Headaches Of Case Study Research: A Discussion Of Emerging Challenges And Possible Ways Out Of The Pain, Malin Knutsen Glette, Siri Wiig

The Qualitative Report

Case study research is a widely-used approach in qualitative research. The advantages of case study research include its ability to investigate complex social phenomena and to handle dense data. However, it has several drawbacks, such as defining the case and ensuring rigour. The large variety in descriptions of case study implementation makes the application of case study research a challenge for novice and experienced researchers alike. The aim of this paper is to describe a novice’s foray into case study research, illustrating advantages, drawbacks, and applications of case study research through examples from a previously conducted case study. By mapping …

Qualitative Data Analysis For Health Research: A Step-By-Step Example Of Phenomenological Interpretation, Sue Monaro, Janice Gullick, Sandra West

The Qualitative Report

Phenomenological studies have been critiqued when analytic activities and intersection with the underpinning philosophy lack clarity. This methodological discussion paper describes data analysis in hermeneutic interpretive phenomenology. Data management strategies (transcript preparation, coding, philosophy application, tabling/concept maps, and Microsoft Word) and data analysis processes (reduction, display, and conclusion drawing/verification) are illustrated. Deconstruction, reconstruction, and reorganisation of themes/subthemes using hierarchical heading styles to populate the navigation pane and philosophical tenets acted as analytic hooks. This paper has outlined data analysis in hermeneutic interpretive phenomenology, including the use of MS Word and its functionality, which was supported by other data display strategies …

Self-Portraits For Social Change: Audience Response To A Photovoice Exhibition By Women With Disability, Diane Macdonald, Angela Dew, Karen Fisher Assoc Prof, Katherine Boydell

The Qualitative Report

Negative attitudes about and behaviours towards women with disability are harmful and exclusionary, contributing to poorer health, income, educational, and employment outcomes. Our study focused on what audiences learnt, felt, and did (what changed) after viewing self-portraits and stories by women with disability. We questioned whether a public exhibition of their artworks, created through photovoice methodology, could be an effective platform to provoke social change and increase inclusion for people with disability. We collected audience response to our exhibition to address a research gap and to provide an example for other photovoice researchers. We employed interpretive thematic analysis through a …

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.

Therapeutic Processes In Clinical Interventions : A View Of Qualitative Methodological Approaches, Jennifer Denis, Marc Tocquet, François Guillemette, Stephan Hendrick

The Qualitative Report

This article examines several qualitative methods to capture and analyze processes in therapeutic and clinical interventions. The study of therapeutic processes provides an understanding of what leads to changes in clinical interventions. This is a goal of any therapeutic intervention. This interest should allow us to try to identify what the therapists do and think they are doing, how they do it, how they think about their interventions, and what happens during the session that might explain changes. These types of studies require that researchers provide clarifications about their epistemological and methodological choices. To meet that requirement, we propose to …

Developing A Sexual Health Consent Strategy For Refugees: A Qualitative Approach, Amita Tuteja, Elisha Riggs, Lena Sanci, Lester Mascarenhas, Anna Power, Di Vanvliet, Katrina Sangster, Kimberley Mcguinness, Meredith Temple-Smith

The Qualitative Report

We report the development of a strategy for obtaining a truly voluntary and informed consent for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research with Burma-born refugees settled in Australia. Using a qualitative descriptive research design, we interviewed 29 providers of refugee services (PRS) including health care professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives), bilingual supporting staff (interpreters, social workers, settlement workers, community liaison officers) and administrative staff (practice managers, reception staff) who provide primary care services to refugees. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and subjected to thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) unique values of Burma-born people, (b) unfamiliarity with Western concepts of research, …

Individual, Social And Institutional Vulnerabilities In The Premature Infant Care At Home, Claudia Silveira Viera Ms, Leticia Pancieri Ms, Rosane Meire Munhak Da Silva Ms, Monika Wernet Ms, Maria Aparecida Munhoz Gaiva Ms, Debora Falleiros De Mello Ms

The Qualitative Report

The prematurity carries some difficulties for families during the preterm infant hospitalization, as well as, after hospital discharge. In this context, is required a specific knowledge about the preterm biological characteristics, family’s life conditions, health care, and social context. This study aims to analyze parent’s experiences on daily home care for preterm infants focusing on individual, social and institutional vulnerabilities. Descriptive qualitative study was developed through the hermeneutic perspective approach, in South of Brazil with six families, who had babies discharged from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Non-structured interviews were recorded in the home visit with 12 participants (parents) and genogram …

African-American Lay Pastoral Care Facilitators’ Perspectives On Dementia Caregiver Education And Training, Nik M. Lampe, Nidhi Desai, Tomeka Norton-Brown, Alexandra C. H. Nowakowski, Robert L. Glueckauf

The Qualitative Report

The African-American Alzheimer’s Caregiver Training and Support Project 2 (ACTS 2) is a faith-integrated, skills-training and support program for distressed African American family caregivers of persons living with dementia across Florida. Caregivers participate in a 12-week, telephone-based, skills-building and support program led by faith community workers (i.e., lay pastoral care facilitators) who provide volunteer services to their denominations. In this case study, we examined facilitators’ perspectives and recommendations for supplementary audiovisual and written training materials to optimize group process and goal-setting skills. Utilizing a qualitative approach, we explored facilitators’ needs, experiences in using current training materials, and recommendations for supplementary …

Choosing To Thrive: An Autoethnographic Journey Of Cancer, Companionship, And Carrots, Bruce Lilyea

The Qualitative Report

In this autoethnography, I explore the companionship experience of someone supporting a cancer patient who is endeavoring to thrive in the face of this disease. A wide range of studies has been conducted on the emotional and social issues relating to cancer and specifically to breast cancer. Appropriately, most of the research relating to the personal narrative focuses on the stories of the person who has been diagnosed with cancer, and limited research has highlighted the perspective and experiences of their companions. My primary goals for this autoethnographic research are to: (1) Begin to answer the question: What role do …

“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

T

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 …

The Role Of Social Work In Residential Aged Care Facilities: Evaluation Of A Pilot Program In Australia, Jodie L. Lee Ms, Michael Splawa-Neyman Mr, Fiona Mcdermott Associate Professor

The Qualitative Report

In some international settings, social workers are employed within aged care settings. However, in Australia, social workers rarely work in residential aged care facilities. In an innovative program, an Australian health network employed a social worker in an aged residential care facility from 2010 to 2011. In this research we examine and evaluate this program. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with nine key stakeholders and data extraction from medical records were conducted. Data from medical records and interview transcripts were coded and themes extracted using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis identified five key themes reflecting the roles performed by the social worker. These …

Qualitative Research In Nursing: Bibliometric Study, Edna Johana Mondragón Sánchez, Patrícia Neyva Da Costa Pinheiro, .Paulo Henrique Alexandre De Paula, Miguel Henrique Da Silva Dos Santos, Adriana Gomes Nogueira-Ferreira, Jose Enver Ayala Zuluaga

The Qualitative Report

In this study, we explored the production of qualitative nursing research in program repositories evaluated by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel in Brazil, with concepts six and seven. We utilized a bibliometric study in which we considered Brazilian theses and dissertations with qualitative methodology published in 2018 and 2019 with qualitative methodology. In the 100 papers, 79 theses, and 13 dissertations, we identified that the types of studies that stood out were phenomenology, the wording of the objectives predominantly used the verbs “understand,” and “analyze,” and the instruments and techniques used were semi-structured interviews which present …