scholarly journals Prescribing laughter to increase well-being in healthy adults: An exploratory mixed methods feasibility study of the Laughie

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 56-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freda N. Gonot-Schoupinsky ◽  
Gulcan Garip
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthy Adults

scholarly journals A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study of Integrated Pediatric Complex Care: Experiences of Parents With Care and the Value of Parent Engagement in Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Hlyva ◽  
Charlene Rae ◽  
Shelby Deibert ◽  
Rakhshan Kamran ◽  
Haniah Shaikh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Recruitment Rate ◽  
Complex Care ◽  
Children With Medical Complexity ◽  
Care Experience ◽  
Family Centered

Introduction: Children with medical complexity (CMC) are among the most vulnerable children in society. These children and their families face challenges of fragmented care and are at risk for poorer health outcomes. Families with CMC play a vital role in providing care and navigating the complexities of healthcare systems. It is essential to understand the best ways to engage these families in research to improve the care and optimize the health of CMC.Objectives: This study explored parent engagement within the context of a feasibility study evaluating an Integrated Tertiary Complex Care (ITCC) clinic created to support CMC closer to home. This paper aimed: (1) to understand the family experiences of care and (2) to explore parent engagement in the study.Method: This mixed-methods feasibility study included three components. First, feedback from focus groups was used to identify the common themes that informed interviews with parents. Second, one-on-one interviews were conducted with parents to explore their experience with care, such as the ITCC clinic, using an interpretative description approach. Third, the questionnaires were completed by parents at baseline and 6-months post-baseline. These questionnaires included demographic and cost information and three validated scales designed to measure the caregiver strain, family-centered care, and parental health. The recruitment rate, percentage completion of the questionnaires, and open-ended comments were used to assess parent engagement in the study.Results: The focus groups involved 24 parents, of which 19 (14 women, five men) provided comments. The findings identified the importance of Complex Care Team (CC Team) accessibility, local access, and family-centered approach to care. The challenges noted were access to homecare nursing, fatigue, and lack of respite affecting caregiver well-being. In this study, 17 parents participated in one-on-one interviews. The identified themes relevant to care experience were proximity, continuity, and coordination of care. The parents who received care through the ITCC clinic appreciated receiving care closer to home. The baseline questionnaires were completed by 44 of 77 (57%) eligible parents. Only 24 (31%) completed the 6-month questionnaire. The challenges with study recruitment and follow-up were identified.Conclusion: Family engagement was a challenging yet necessary endeavor to understand how to tailor the healthcare to meet the complex needs of families caring for CMC.

scholarly journals Determining the impact of postoperative complications in neurosurgery based on simulated longitudinal smartphone app-based assessment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lion D. Comfort ◽  
Marian C. Neidert ◽  
Oliver Bozinov ◽  
Luca Regli ◽  
Martin N. Stienen
Keyword(s):  
Postoperative Complications ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Simulated Patients ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Longitudinal Assessment ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Complications after neurosurgical operations can have severe impact on patient well-being, which is poorly reflected by current grading systems. The objective of this work was to develop and conduct a feasibility study of a new smartphone application that allows for the longitudinal assessment of postoperative well-being and complications. Methods We developed a smartphone application “Post OP Tracker” according to requirements from clinical experience and tested it on simulated patients. Participants received regular notifications through the app, inquiring them about their well-being and complications that had to be answered according to their assigned scenarios. After a 12-week period, subjects answered a questionnaire about the app’s functionality, user-friendliness, and acceptability. Results A total of 13 participants (mean age 34.8, range 24–68 years, 4 (30.8%) female) volunteered in this feasibility study. Most of them had a professional background in either health care or software development. All participants downloaded, installed, and applied the app for an average of 12.9 weeks. On a scale of 1 (worst) to 4 (best), the app was rated on average 3.6 in overall satisfaction and 3.8 in acceptance. The design achieved a somewhat favorable score of 3.1. One participant (7.7%) reported major technical issues. The gathered patient data can be used to graphically display the simulated outcome and assess the impact of postoperative complications. Conclusions This study suggests the feasibility to longitudinally gather postoperative data on subjective well-being through a smartphone application. Among potential patients, our application indicated to be functional, user-friendly, and well accepted. Using this app-based approach, further studies will enable us to classify postoperative complications according to their impact on the patient’s well-being.

scholarly journals Reamed intramedullary nailing versus circular frame external fixation for segmental tibial fractures (STIFF-F): a mixed methods feasibility study

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline B. Hing ◽  
Elizabeth Tutton ◽  
Toby O. Smith ◽  
Molly Glaze ◽  
Jamie R. Stokes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
External Fixation ◽  
Intramedullary Nailing ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Tibial Fracture ◽  
Tibial Fractures ◽  
Circular Frame ◽  
Pilot Rct ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Abstract Background Segmental tibial fractures are fractures in two or more areas of the tibial diaphysis resulting in a separate intercalary segment of the bone. Surgical fixation is recommended for patients with segmental tibial fractures as non-operative treatment outcomes are poor. The most common surgical interventions are intramedullary nailing (IMN) and circular frame external fixation (CFEF), but evidence about which is better is of poor quality. An adequately powered randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine optimum treatment is required. STIFF-F aimed to assess the feasibility of a multicentre RCT comparing IMN with CFEF for segmental tibial fracture. Methods STIFF-F was a mixed-methods feasibility study comprising a pilot RCT conducted at six UK Major Trauma Centres, qualitative interviews drawing on Phenomenology and an online survey of rehabilitation. The primary outcome was recruitment rate. Patients, 16 years and over, with a segmental tibial fracture (open or closed) deemed suitable for IMN or CFEF were eligible to participate. Randomisation was stratified by site using random permuted blocks of varying sizes. Participant or assessor blinding was not possible. Interviews were undertaken with patients about their experience of injury, treatment, recovery and participation. Staff were interviewed to identify contextual factors affecting trial processes, their experience of recruitment and the treatment pathway. An online survey was developed to understand the rehabilitation context of the treatments. Results Eleven patients were screened and three recruited to the pilot RCT. Nineteen staff and four patients participated in interviews, and 11 physiotherapists responded to the survey. This study found the following: (i) segmental tibial fractures were rarer than anticipated, (ii) the complexity of the injury, study setup times and surgeon treatment preferences impeded recruitment, (iii) recovery from a segmental tibial fracture is challenging, and rehabilitation protocols are inconsistent and (iv) despite the difficulty recruiting, staff valued this research question and strived to find a way forward. Conclusion The proposed multicentre RCT comparing IMN with CFEF is not feasible. This study highlighted the difficulty of recruiting patients to an RCT of a complex rare injury over a short time period. Trial registration The study was registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number Registry: ISRCTN11229660

scholarly journals An international mixed methods study to develop a new preference-based measure for women with breast cancer: the BREAST-Q Utility module

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manraj N. Kaur ◽  
Anne F. Klassen ◽  
Feng Xie ◽  
Louise Bordeleau ◽  
Toni Zhong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Field Test ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Image Appearance ◽  
Test Version ◽  
Cancer Experience

Abstract Background Generic preference-based measures (PBM), though commonly used, may not be optimal for use in economic evaluations of breast cancer interventions. No breast cancer-specific PBM currently exists, and the generic PBMs fail to capture the unique concerns of women with breast cancer (e.g., body image, appearance, treatment-specific adverse effects). Hence, the objective of this study was to develop a breast cancer-specific PBM, the BREAST-Q Utility module. Methods Women diagnosed with breast cancer (stage 0–4, any treatment) were recruited from two tertiary hospitals in Canada and one in the US. The study followed an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach, whereby semi-structured interviews were conducted and at the end of the interview, participants were asked to list their top five health-related quality of life (HRQOL) concerns and to rate the importance of each item on the BREAST-Q. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded. Constant comparison was used to refine the codes and develop a conceptual framework. Qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated to develop the content of the Utility module  that was refined through 2 rounds of cognitive debriefing interviews with women diagnosed with breast cancer and feedback from experts. Results Interviews were conducted with 57 women aged 55 ± 10 years. A conceptual framework was developed from 3948 unique codes specific to breasts, arms, abdomen, and cancer experience. Five top-level domains were HRQOL (i.e., physical, psychological, social, and sexual well-being) and appearance. Data from the interviews, top 5 HRQOL concerns, and BREAST-Q item ratings were used to inform dimensions for inclusion in the Utility module. Feedback from women with breast cancer (N = 9) and a multidisciplinary group of experts (N = 27) was used to refine the module. The field-test version of the HSCS consists of 10 unique dimensions. Each dimension is measured with 1 or 2 candidate items that have 4–5 response levels each. Conclusion The field-test version of the BREAST-Q Utility module was derived from extensive patient and expert input. This comprehensive approach ensured that the content of the Utility module is relevant, comprehensive, and includes concerns that matter the most to women with breast cancer.

A Generative Sequential Mixed Methods Approach Using Quantitative Measures to Enhance Social Constructionist Inquiry

2021 ◽  
pp. 155868982098627
Author(s):  
Diego Romaioli
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods

In order to enhance core mixed methods research designs, social scientists need an approach that incorporates developments in the social constructionist perspective. This work describes a study that aimed to promote occupational well-being in hospital departments where employees are at risk of burnout, based on a constructionist inquiry developed starting from the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Taking this study as an example, we define a “generative sequential mixed methods approach” as a process that involves consulting quantitative studies to identify criticalities on which to conduct focused, transformative investigations. The article contributes by envisaging ways to mix qualitative and quantitative methods that consider a “generative” and “future-forming” orientation to research, in line with recent shifts in social psychology.

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