Experiences of conditional and unconditional cash transfers intended for improving health outcomes and health service use: a qualitative evidence synthesis

IntroductionPregnancy is a vulnerable period that affects long-term health of pregnant women and their unborn infants. Health literacy plays a crucial role in promoting healthy behaviour and thereby maintaining good health. This study explores the role of health literacy in the GeMuKi (acronym for ‘Gemeinsam Gesund: Vorsorge plus für Mutter und Kind’—Strengthening health promotion: enhanced check-up visits for mother and child) Project. It will assess the ability of the GeMuKi lifestyle intervention to positively affect health literacy levels through active participation in preventive counselling. The study also explores associations between health literacy, health outcomes, health service use and effectiveness of the intervention.Methods and analysisThe GeMuKi trial has a hybrid effectiveness–implementation design and is carried out in routine prenatal health service settings in Germany. Women (n=1860) are recruited by their gynaecologist during routine check-up visits before 12 weeks of gestation. Trained healthcare providers carry out counselling using motivational interviewing techniques to positively affect health literacy and lifestyle-related risk factors. Healthcare providers (gynaecologists and midwives) and women jointly agree on Specific, Measurable, Achievable Reasonable, Time-Bound goals. Women will be invited to fill in questionnaires at two time points (at recruitment and 37th−40th week of gestation) using an app. Health literacy is measured using the German version of the Health Literacy Survey-16 and the Brief Health Literacy Screener. Lifestyle is measured with questions on physical activity, nutrition, alcohol and drug use. Health outcomes of both mother and child, including gestational weight gain (GWG) will be documented at each routine visit. Health service use will be assessed using social health insurance claims data. Data analyses will be conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 26.0. These include descriptive statistics, tests and regression models. A mediation model will be conducted to answer the question whether health behaviour mediates the association between health literacy and GWG.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the University Hospital of Cologne Research Ethics Committee (ID: 18-163) and the State Chamber of Physicians in Baden-Wuerttemberg (ID: B-F-2018-100). Study results will be disseminated through (poster) presentations at conferences, publications in peer-reviewed journals and press releases.Trail registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00013173). Registered pre-results, 3rd of January 2019, https://www.drks.de

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Sexual and reproductive health service utilisation of adolescents and young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds in high-income settings: a qualitative evidence synthesis (QES)

Sexual Health ◽

10.1071/sh20112 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Humaira Maheen ◽

Kate Chalmers ◽

Sarah Khaw ◽

Celia McMichael

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Reproductive Health ◽

Health Service ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

High Income ◽

Health Service Utilisation ◽

Service Utilisation ◽

Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽

Qualitative Evidence

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Interprofessional Collaboration and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Evidence Synthesis

Comprehensive Systematic Review for Advanced Practice Nursing ◽

10.1891/9780826152268.0023 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuri T. Jadotte ◽

Cheryl Holly ◽

Sabrina M. Chase ◽

Arthur Powell ◽

Marian Passannante

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Interprofessional Collaboration ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽

Qualitative Evidence

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“Continuing the Connection” or “Carrying On”? A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis of How Widows Explain the Physical Health Outcomes After Spousal Loss

The Family Journal ◽

10.1177/1066480720973417 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 106648072097341

Author(s):

Umair Majid ◽

Jeffrey Ennis

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Physical Health ◽

Meaning Making ◽

Evidence Synthesis ◽

Well Being ◽

Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽

Spousal Loss ◽

Physical Health Outcomes ◽

Qualitative Evidence ◽

Increased Risk

The experience of losing a loved one can have profound effects on physical and psychological well-being, and previous research has reported an increased risk of mortality after spousal loss. This qualitative evidence synthesis reviewed 16 studies on the perspectives of widows who experienced adverse physical health outcomes after spousal loss. This review examines how widows described or explained the physical health outcomes after losing their spouse. We found that widows implicitly associated the physical health outcomes they experienced with losing their spouse. They described that losing their spouse exacerbated preexisting illness and led to new disease conditions such as heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, infections, acute urinary retention, shingles, and impaired mobility. While these physical health outcomes limited widows’ ability to come to terms with their loss, widows in multiple studies prioritized the emotional and mental consequences associated with grief over any physical health outcomes they experienced. Furthermore, since the deceased spouse performed caregiving responsibilities, the surviving spouse experienced a shift from caregiving to self-management of their preexisting medical condition. In situations where widows were unable to meet their own health needs, they experienced an intensification of their own illness. Given these findings, we consider the relationship between widows’ meaning-making and physical and clinical outcomes. We discuss how meaning-making can contribute to severe emotional, mental, and physical health outcomes after a traumatic event such as spousal loss.

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