‘Lost and confused’: parent representative groups’ perspectives on child and family health services in Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amiee Hesson ◽  
Cathrine Fowler ◽  
Chris Rossiter ◽  
Virginia Schmied
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Consumer Involvement ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Optimal Health ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
Barriers To Service ◽  
Consumer Organisations ◽  
Families With Children

Consumer involvement in health care is widely accepted in policy and service delivery. Australia offers universal health services for families with children aged 0 to 5 years, provided by child and family health nurses and general practitioners. Services include, but are not limited to, monitoring and promoting child health and development, and supporting parents. This paper reports consumer representatives’ perspectives on Australian parents’ needs and experiences of child and family health services, identifying facilitators and barriers to service utilisation. Twenty-six representatives from consumer organisations explored families’ experiences through focus groups. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Consumer representatives identified several key implications for families using primary health services: feeling ‘lost and confused’ on the parenting journey; seeking continuity and partnership; feeling judged; and deciding to discontinue services. Participants highlighted accessible, timely, non-judgmental and appropriate interactions with healthcare professionals as vital to positive consumer experiences and optimal health and developmental outcomes. Representatives indicated that families value the fundamentals of well-designed health services: trust, accessibility, continuity, knowledge and approachability. However, both consumers and service providers face barriers to effective ongoing engagement in universally provided services.

Consumer Behavior for Health Services: A Psychological Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 356-367
Author(s):  
Arshi Naim ◽  
Mohammad Faiz Khan
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Medical Organization ◽  
Financial Outcomes ◽  
Optimal Health ◽  
Fitness And Health

The objective of the research is to understand Psychographic aspect of Consumer Behavior for health services and accordingly effort to understand how proactive behavior can be inculcate amongst consumers. Data was collected from primary source which are Medical Practitioners, Medical Representatives and Patients. Research method is adaptive as it tries to influence present psychographic consumer behavior towards health and fitness and to measure responses likert scale is used. To do optimal health and financial outcomes to fitness the research method is both Qualitative as well as Quantitative. Structured and unstructured questionnaires are used for all primary sources and for measuring some responses tabulations are graphed for conclusive and descriptive findings. Consumers confidently choose products that provide the best value for the money. When it comes to choosing medicines and care, they often find themselves confused. Consumer organizations such as Consumers Union, Medical Organization can design program or medical aid campaign to help consumers select options that will provide optimal health and financial outcomes to fitness and health care so that Consumers can have information about medical care as well as financial solutions to acquire fitness and health care. This research has contributed in two ways, one to know consumer behavior for health services for medical service providers so that they can develop communication programs and secondly consumer awareness regarding medical care and financial aid.

scholarly journals Barriers and Enablers of Health Service Utilisation for Childhood Skin Infections in Remote Aboriginal Communities of Western Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hendrickx ◽  
Ingrid Amgarth-Duff ◽  
Asha C Bowen ◽  
Jonathan R Carapetis ◽  
Robby Chibawe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Health Service Utilisation ◽  
Penicillin G ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Skin Infections ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Wide Range

In Australia, children living in remote Aboriginal communities experience high rates of skin infections and associated complications. Prompt presentation to primary care health services is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment. We performed a qualitative study in four remote Aboriginal communities in the Pilbara region of Western Australia to explore factors that affected health service utilisation for childhood skin infections in this setting. The study consisted of semistructured interviews and focus group discussions with parents and carers (n = 16), healthcare practitioners (n = 15) and other community service providers (n = 25). We used Andersen’s health service utilisation model as an analytical framework. Our analysis captured a wide range of barriers that may undermine timely use of health services for childhood skin infections. These included general factors that illustrate the importance of cultural competency amongst healthcare providers, patient-centred care and community engagement. Relating specifically to health service utilisation for childhood skin infections, we identified their apparent normalisation and the common use of painful benzathine penicillin G injections for their treatment as important barriers. Health service utilisation in this setting may be enhanced by improving general awareness of the significance of childhood skin infections, actively engaging parents and carers in consultation and treatment processes and strengthening community involvement in health service activities.

scholarly journals Health Status and Quality of Health Care Services of Congolese Refugees in Nakivale, Uganda

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Amegovu K. Andrew
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Geographic Origin ◽  
Health Service Delivery ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adequate Food

Physical and emotional wellness, as well as access to healthcare, are foundations for successful resettlement. Without feeling healthy, it is difficult to work, to go school, or take care of a family. Many factors can affect refugee health, including geographic origin and refugee camp conditions. Refugees may face a wide variety of acute or chronic health issues (Office of Refugee Resettlement, ORR Annual Report to Congress 2014; http://www.acf.hhs.gov). Resettlement of refugees in Uganda is usually supported by concerted efforts of UNHCR, Governments through the Office of the Prime Minister, OPM with support from host communities, local and international Non-Governmental Organizations. Due to resource constraints and local factors, immigrants are often subjected to poor living conditions which coupled with inadequacy inessential medical supplies might significantly affects quality of care and health service delivery and hence, rendering refugees to poor health status. This study was conducted from 2013-2014 to assess the determinants of health status of Congolese refugees living in Nakivale refugee settlement, in Isingiro district- South Western Uganda. A cross-sectional study design was used involving mixed techniques of both qualitative and quantitative KAP survey. The study focussed on Congolese refugee population in Nakivale Refugee settlement. 2401 key informants’ interviews and 8 focus group discussions respectively were conducted targeting service providers and beneficiaries/Congolese refugees in this case. The data was analysed using SPSS ver.20, 2011. Although majority (97%) of respondents sought medical services from established health facilities, findings confirm a high level of ill health prevalence among Congolese refugees in Nakivale camp, however, the difference in health services and perceived health status in camp versus the one in DRcongo is insignificant ( p=0.000) with respondents perceiving their health status as worse than when they were their own Country before the resettlement. Identified key challenges affecting access & uptake of available health services includes: language barrier; inadequate drugs; and the long distances to access health facilities. The health status of refugees could be improved by addressing the challenges related to language, drug supplies in addition to humanising conditions of shelter, providing appropriate waste disposal facilities while proving adequate food rations and clean & safe drinking water.

Recovery Star: validating user recovery

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Dickens ◽  
Judy Weleminsky ◽  
Yetunde Onifade ◽  
Philip Sugarman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Addictive Behaviour ◽  
Health Service Providers ◽  
The Uk

Aims and methodMental Health Recovery Star is a multifaceted 10-item outcomes measure and key-working tool that has been widely adopted by service providers in the UK. We aimed to explore its factorial validity, internal consistency and responsiveness. Recovery Star readings were conducted twice with 203 working-age adults with moderate to severe mental health problems attending a range of mental health services, and a third time with 113 of these individuals.ResultsMental Health Recovery Star had high internal consistency and appeared to measure an underlying recovery-oriented construct. Results supported a valid two-factor structure which explained 48% of variance in Recovery Star ratings data. Two Recovery Star items (‘relationships’ and ‘addictive behaviour’) did not load onto either factor. There was good statistically significant item responsiveness, and no obvious item redundancy. Data for a small number of variables were not normally distributed and the implications of this are discussed.Clinical implicationsRecovery Star has been received enthusiastically by both mental health service providers and service users. This study provides further evidence for its adoption in recovery-focused mental health services and indicates that items relating to addictive behaviour, responsibilities and work could be further developed in future.

Preferred Terms for Users of Mental Health Services Among Service Providers and Recipients

2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verinder Sharma ◽  
Diane Whitney ◽  
Shahé S. Kazarian ◽  
Rahul Manchanda
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Providers

Novel research on transition from child to adult mental health services in Europe: The MILESTONE project

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S58-S59 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Tuomainen ◽  
S.P. Singh ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Adult Mental Health ◽  
Related Service ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionCurrent service configuration of distinct Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) is considered the weakest link where the care pathway should be most robust. Transition-related discontinuity of care is a major health, socioeconomic and societal challenge for the EU.ObjectivesThe overall objective of the MILESTONE project is to improve transition from CAMHS to AMHS in diverse healthcare settings in Europe.AimsTo improve the understanding of current transition-related service characteristics, and processes, outcomes and experiences of transition from CAMHS to AMHS using a bespoke suite of measures; to explore the ethical challenges of providing appropriate care to young people as they move to adulthood; to test a model of managed transition in a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) for improving health, social outcomes and transition to adult roles; and to develop training modules for clinicians and policy guidelines.MethodsData will be collected via systematic literature reviews; bespoke surveys to CAMHS professionals, experts and other stakeholders; focus groups with service providers and users and members of youth and mental health advocacy groups; and a longitudinal cohort study with a nested cRCT in eight EU countries (Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, UK) involving over 1000 CAMHS service users, their parents/carers, and clinicians, with assessments at baseline, 9, 18 and 27 months.ResultsFirst results are expected in 2016 with further major findings following in 2019.ConclusionsThe MILESTONE project will provide unprecedented information on the nature and magnitude of problems at the CAMHS-AMHS interface, and potential solutions to overcome these.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document