Medicine use of elderly Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants and attitudes to home medicines review

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley White ◽  
Christiane Klinner

There is a paucity of research into the perceptions of elderly Australian ethnic minorities towards public health services related to quality use of medicines. Among the six fastest growing ethnic groups in Australia, the Mandarin-speaking Chinese and Vietnamese constitute the largest elderly populations with poor English skills. This paper investigates the relationships of elderly Chinese and Vietnamese migrants with medicines, general practitioners and pharmacists, and how these relationships influence their awareness and attitudes of the home medicines review (HMR) program. Two semi-structured focus groups were held with a total of 17 HMR-eligible patients who have never received a HMR, one with Chinese and one with Vietnamese respondents, each in the respective community language. Confusion about medications and an intention to have a HMR were pronounced among all participants although none of them had heard of the program before participating in the focus groups. Respondents reported difficulties locating a pharmacist who spoke their native language, which contributed to an increased unmet need for medicine information. The Chinese group additionally complained about a lack of support from their general practitioners in relation to their medicine concerns and was adamant that they would prefer to have a HMR without the involvement of their general practitioner. Our results indicate a distinct HMR need but not use among elderly Chinese and Vietnamese eligible patients with poor English skills. Home medicines review service use and perceived medication problems are likely to improve with an increasing availability of bilingual and culturally sensitive health care providers.

Diagnosis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moniek van der Zanden ◽  
Laura de Kok ◽  
Willianne L. D. M. Nelen ◽  
Didi D. M. Braat ◽  
Annemiek W. Nap

Abstract Objectives Endometriosis is characterized by a long interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis. Detailed information about the patients’ perspective on the diagnostic delay of endometriosis is scarce. The aim of this study was to identify strengths and weaknesses in the diagnostic process of endometriosis from the patients’ perspective. Methods Qualitative study with semi-structured focus groups. Participants were women between 18 and 45 years old with a recently confirmed diagnosis. The focus groups were audio recorded and fully transcribed. Grounded theory methodology was applied for data analysis. Results Six focus groups were organized, in which 23 women participated. Mean time from start of symptoms to diagnosis was 8.5 years. Dominant themes were knowledge about normal menstruation and endometriosis, being believed and acknowledged by medical staff, and collaboration between health care providers including fast referral to a gynaecologist. Barriers to a timely referral and diagnosis were young age, normalization of symptoms and a lack of awareness in general practitioners. Facilitating factors included adequate knowledge and skills of the general practitioner, a desire for pregnancy and persisting in a request for specialist consultation by the patient. Conclusions The diagnostic process of endometriosis is hampered by delayed consultation, inadequate appraisal of symptoms by general practitioners and the interaction between patients and medical professionals. Efforts should be made to increase public awareness and to provide medical staff with sufficient knowledge and skills to adequately acknowledge presented symptoms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1279.1-1279
Author(s):  
Z. Rutter-Locher ◽  
J. Galloway ◽  
H. Lempp

Background:Rheumatological diseases are common in Sub-Saharan Africa [1] but specialist healthcare is limited and there are less than 150 rheumatologists currently serving 1 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa [2]. Rheumatologists practising in the UK NHS are likely to be exposed to migrant patients. There is therefore, an unmet need for health care providers to understand the differences in rheumatology healthcare provision between Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK and the barriers which migrants face in their transition of rheumatology care.Objectives:To gain an understanding of the experiences of patients with rheumatological conditions, about their past healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa and their transition of care to the UK.Methods:A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted. Participants were recruited from two rheumatology outpatient clinics in London. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key themes.Results:Seven participants were recruited. Five had rheumatoid arthritis, one had ankylosing spondylitis and one had undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis. Participants described the significant impact their rheumatological conditions had on their physical and emotional wellbeing, including their social and financial implications. Compared to the UK, rheumatology healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa was characterised by higher costs, limited access to specialists, lack of investigations and treatments, the use of traditional medicines and poor communication by clinicians. Barriers to transition of rheumatology care to the UK were: poor understanding of rheumatological conditions by the public and primary care providers, lack of understanding of NHS entitlements by migrants, fear of data sharing with immigration services and delayed referral to specialist care. Patient, doctor and public education were identified by participants as important ways to improve access to healthcare.Conclusion:This study has described, for the first time, patients’ perspectives of rheumatology health care in Sub-Saharan Africa and the transition of their care to the UK. These initial findings allow healthcare providers in the UK to tailor management for this migrant population and suggests that migrants need more information about their NHS entitlements and specific explanations on what non-clinical data will be shared with immigration services. To increase access to appropriate care, a concerted effort by clinicians and public health authorities is necessary to raise awareness and provide better education to patients and migrant populations about rheumatological conditions.References:[1]G. Mody, “Rheumatology in Africa-challenges and opportunities,” Arthritis Res. Ther., vol. 19, no. 1, p. 49, 2017.[2]M. A. M. Elagib et al., “Sudan and Sweden Active Rheumatoid Arthritis in Central Africa: A Comparative Study Between,” J. Rheumatol. J. Rheumatol. January, vol. 43, no. 10, pp. 1777–1786, 2016.Acknowledgments:We are grateful to the patients involved in this study for their time and involvement.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul L. Reiter ◽  
Benjamin R. Oldach ◽  
Katherine E. Randle ◽  
Mira L. Katz

Appalachia is a geographic region with several disparities related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, yet little is known about acceptability of HPV vaccine for males among Appalachian residents. HPV vaccine acceptability and preferences for future HPV vaccine education programs were examined among residents of Appalachian Ohio. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted with Appalachian Ohio residents between July and October 2011. Participants ( n = 102 from 24 focus groups and 5 in-depth interviews) included four key stakeholder groups: health care providers, community leaders, parents with adolescent sons, and young adult men ages 18 to 26 years. Support for vaccinating males against HPV was high among participants, despite low awareness and knowledge about HPV vaccine for males. Participants reported three categories of potential barriers to vaccinating males against HPV: concerns about vaccine safety and side effects, access to care and vaccination logistics, and gender and cultural issues. Participants reported that HPV vaccine was viewed as being only for females in their communities and that receiving the vaccine may be emasculating or embarrassing to males. Participants suggested that future HPV vaccine education programs mainly target parents, include basic information about HPV-related diseases and HPV vaccine (e.g., number of doses, cost), and present the vaccine as having the potential to prevent cancer (as opposed to preventing genital warts). Acceptability of HPV vaccine for males was high among residents of Appalachian Ohio. Future HPV vaccine education programs in Appalachia should address common potential barriers to vaccination and help destigmatize vaccination among males.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliva Bazirete ◽  
Manassé Nzayirambaho ◽  
Aline Umubyeyi ◽  
Marie Chantal Uwimana ◽  
Evans Marilyn

Abstract Background: Reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity is a major global health priority. However, much remains unknown regarding factors associated with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) among childbearing women in the Rwandan context. The aim of this study is to explore the influencing factors for prevention of PPH and early detection of women at risk as perceived by beneficiaries and health workers in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Methods: A qualitative descriptive exploratory study was drawn from a larger sequential exploratory‐mixed methods study. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 11 women who experienced PPH within the 6 months prior to interview. In addition, focus group discussions were conducted with: women’s partners or close relatives (2 focus groups), community health workers (CHWs) in charge of maternal health (2 focus groups) and health care providers (3 focus groups). A socio ecological model was used to develop interview guides to describe factors related to early detection and prevention of PPH in consideration of individual attributes, interpersonal, family and peer influences, intermediary determinants of health and structural determinants. The research protocol was approved by the University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Ethics Review Board. Results: We generated four interrelated themes: (1) Meaning of PPH: beliefs, knowledge and understanding of PPH: (2) Organizational factors; (3) Caring and family involvement and (4) Perceived risk factors and barriers to PPH prevention. The findings from this study indicate that PPH was poorly understood by women and their partners. Family members and CHWs feel that their role for the prevention of PPH is to get the woman to the health facility on time. The main factors associated with PPH as described by participants were multiparty and retained placenta. Low socioeconomic status and delays to access health care were identified as the main barriers for the prevention of PPH. Conclusions: Addressing the identified factors could enhance early prevention of PPH among childbearing women. Placing emphasis on developing strategies for early detection of women at higher risk of developing PPH, continuous professional development of health care providers, developing educational materials for CHWs and family members could improve the prevention of PPH. Involvement of all levels of the health system was recommended for a proactive prevention of PPH. Further quantitative research, using case control design is warranted to develop a screening tool for early detection of PPH risk factors for a proactive prevention.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Nygren ◽  
Matilda Berg ◽  
Ali Sarkohi ◽  
Gerhard Andersson

BACKGROUND Recent years have seen an increase in Arabic-speaking immigrants in Sweden and other European countries, with research showing this group to suffer from elevated levels of various forms of psychological disorders. There is a lack of treatment options for immigrants with mild to moderate mental health problems, with barriers including lack of accessible services and concerns that problems will not be understood by health care providers. OBJECTIVE This study aims to describe the process of developing a transdiagnostic internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy self-help program in Arabic for mild to moderate symptoms of common psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. METHODS The iterative development process, including feedback from 105 pilot users as well as 2 focus groups, is described. RESULTS Overall, the modules were rated as acceptable by the pilot users, with overall ratings ranging from 3 to 4 points on average for the respective modules on a 5-point Likert scale. Feedback from the 2 focus groups was overall positive with regard to the content and structure of the program but also included suggestions for improving the Arabic translation as well as the usability of the material. CONCLUSIONS An internet-based self-help program that is deemed acceptable by an Arabic-speaking audience can be successfully developed, thus providing increased access to psychological help for an at-risk population. However, further research regarding the efficacy of this type of intervention is warranted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S687-S687
Author(s):  
Paul Stolee ◽  
Jacobi B Elliott ◽  
Kerry Byrne ◽  
Joanie Sims-Gould ◽  
Catherine Tong ◽  
...  

Abstract For older adults with complex health conditions, transitions between care settings are common and a major risk to quality of care and patient safety. Care transition interventions have shown positive impacts on continuity of care and health service use, however, most require additional human resources (e.g., transition coach), focus on one transition or “handoff”, and provide support for individual patients without addressing underlying challenges of health system integration. We sought to develop a framework for system-level enhancements to care transitions for older adults. We report a secondary framework analysis of an ethnographic investigation (the “InfoRehab” project) of care transitions for older persons who had experienced a hip fracture. The ethnographic study involved interviews, observations, and document reviews for 23 patients, 19 family caregivers, and 92 health care providers. Data were collected at each transition point (1-4/patient) along the care continuum, at three Canadian sites (large urban, mid-size urban, rural). Our framework analysis followed the approach described by Gale et al. (2013), using as cases 12 peer-reviewed papers which had reported InfoRehab results. Two researchers coded findings from each paper, then developed an analytical framework of eight themes by consensus; these include: patient involvement and choice, family caregiver involvement, patient complexity, health care provider coordination, information sharing, documentation, system constraints, and relationships. NVivo 11 was used to index findings into these themes and to generate a matrix. We are working with system stakeholders, including patients and caregivers, to apply this framework in the development of improved systems for care transitions.


1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Fiona J. Andrews

Recent studies suggest that general practitioners (GPs) are voicing a need for continuing medical education to help them in their role as primary health care providers for women going through the menopause. The study describes the development and evaluation of a pilot training program for GPs in menopausal medicine. Key features of the program include: the importance of GPs in the development of the program; recognition of adult learning principles; the incorporation of women's views; the accessibility of the program; and the recognition that providing GPs with high, quality, relevant education on the menopause should ultimately benefit women seeking their help. Evaluation of the pilot program found that GPs were very satisfied with the content and delivery of the program. The material presented was found to be relevant to GP practices and a substantial proportion of GPs suggested that the information would change the way they practiced.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Harst ◽  
S Oswald ◽  
P Timpel

Abstract Background Telemedicine solutions providing patient-centered care over distance need to be integrated into the regional setting. The acceptance by both providers and patients hat to be continuously evaluated using methods of participatory implementation research. In controlled trials, often taking place in laboratory settings, these methods cannot be applied. In the following, research in progress is presented. Methods Based on socio-demographic data, epidemiology prevalence of age-related chronic diseases and data on the value of health care provision in Saxony, Germany a model region was chosen. Then, a focus group (n = 6) was conducted to differentiate the results and analyze the health networks of patients. For this, network maps putting the individual in the middle and his/her sources of information and support in case of illness in concentric circles around it, were used. The focus group was audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed by two researchers using MaxQDA. Results With a mean age of 47.8 years (n = 17,431), high prevalence of diabetes (>15.85 %) and hypertension (>39.1%) and an expected shortage of primary physicians in 2030, the town of Kamenz is a mirror image of the current health care challenges in rural areas of Saxony. Participants of the focus groups also stated problems in finding a primary physician or a dentist. Compensatory behavior, such as traveling large distances, relying on self-researched online diagnoses and immediately going to the emergency room for medical support was described. According to the network maps, primary sources of support in case of illness are partners and relatives, yet there is little connection between those and health care providers, as well as between different medical specialists. Conclusions The results will lead to potential use cases of telemedicine to be included into a standardized questionnaire for the assessment of telemedicine readiness in the model region. Key messages Telemedicine implementation in a rural area can be studied using a participatory approach. Focus groups and network maps are useful qualitative methods for participatory research and can inform the design of quantitative measurements.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina Kavalidou ◽  
Samara McPhedran ◽  
Diego De Leo

Suicide in Australian rural communities has received significant attention from researchers, health practitioners and policymakers. Farmers and agricultural workers have been a focus of particular interest, especially in relation to levels of help seeking for mental health concerns. A less explored area, however, is the level of contact that Australian farming and agriculture workers who die by suicide have had with health providers for physical, rather than mental, health conditions. It is often assumed that farmers and agricultural workers have lower levels of contact with health care services than other rural residents, although this assumption has not been well tested. Using data from the Queensland Suicide Register, this paper describes levels of contact with health care providers in the 3 months before death by suicide among men in farming and agriculture occupations and other occupations in rural Queensland. No significant differences were found in farming and agricultural workers’ levels of contact with a general practitioner when compared with other rural men in Queensland. The current findings lend weight to the view that rural general practitioners represent an important intervention point for farming and agriculture workers at risk of suicide (whether or not those individuals exhibit accompanying psychiatric illness).


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Baron Nelson ◽  
Kathy Riley ◽  
Kimberly Arellano

Childhood brain tumors often present profound challenges to patients and families. To address these challenges, the California Chapter of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation provides hospital-based support services to parents of children with brain tumors from a Veteran Parent (VP). This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention using validated tools to compare parental resilience and impact of illness on the family between parents who met with the VP and those who did not. Two-tailed t tests assessed significant differences in scores on the PedsQL Family Impact module and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25). Additional qualitative data gleaned from focus groups with stakeholders (health care providers and parents) were analyzed using key constructs of social support theory with Atlas.ti. Although there were no significant differences in overall scores on the PedsQL Family Impact module or CD-RISC-25 between groups, parents in the intervention group scored better on items related to handling difficult decisions and painful feelings. Overarching themes emerged from focus groups around participants’ experiences with the program and included informational and emotional support, peer parent relatedness, changed outlook, and empowerment. Results reveal the impact of peer parent support and need for emotional and instrumental support.


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