scholarly journals TALKING ABOUT LONELINESS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S374-S374
Author(s):  
Michael Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Research Interviews ◽  
Complicating Factors ◽  
Data Point

Abstract his paper draws on insights from a mixed methods study on temporal variations in loneliness among older people (aged 50 years plus) in England. The paper highlights alternative strategies available to participants in research interviews, including engaging with personal experience of loneliness or avoidant tactics such as digression, projection onto others or claiming ignorance of the topic. The data point towards complicating factors including a reluctance to disclose loneliness as a socially undesirable phenomenon, as well as difficulties in articulating the complexities of this topic. These considerations remind researchers of the need for reflection on the use of qualitative interviews when investigating loneliness and other difficult aspects of personal experience.

scholarly journals Ringing the changes: the role of telephone communication in a helpline and befriending service targeting loneliness in older people

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1528-1551 ◽  
Author(s):  
CLAIRE PRESTON ◽  
STEPHEN MOORE
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Voice Communication ◽  
Telephone Communication ◽  
The United Kingdom

ABSTRACTThe drive to deliver services addressing loneliness in older people by telephone and online makes it increasingly relevant to consider how the mode of communication affects the way people interact with services and the capacity of services to meet their needs. This paper is based on the qualitative strand of a larger mixed-methods study of a national phoneline tackling loneliness in older people in the United Kingdom. The research comprised thematic analysis of four focus groups with staff and 42 semi-structured interviews with callers. It explored the associations between telephone-delivery, how individuals used the services and how the services were able to respond. To understand these associations, it was useful to identify some constituent characteristics of telephone communication in this context: namely its availability, reach and non-visual nature. This enabled various insights and comparison with other communication media. For example, the availability of the services attracted people seeking frequent emotional support but this presented challenges to staff. More positively, the ability of the services to connect disparate individuals enabled them to form different kinds of satisfying relationships. The evolution of mixed communication forms, such as internet-based voice communication and smartphone-based visual communication, makes analysis at the level of a technology's characteristics useful. Such a cross-cutting perspective can inform both the design of interventions and assessment of their suitability for different manifestations of loneliness.

scholarly journals Codeveloping a multibehavioural mobile phone app to enhance social and emotional well-being and reduce health risks among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during preconception and pregnancy: a three-phased mixed-methods study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. e052545
Author(s):  
Michelle Kennedy ◽  
Ratika Kumar ◽  
Nicole M Ryan ◽  
Jessica Bennett ◽  
Gina La Hera Fuentes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Phase 3 ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Aboriginal Women

ObjectiveDescribe the development and pretest of a prototype multibehavioural change app MAMA-EMPOWER.DesignMixed-methods study reporting three phases: (1) contextual enquiry included stakeholder engagement and qualitative interviews with Aboriginal women, (2) value specification included user-workshop with an Aboriginal researcher, community members and experts, (3) codesign with Aboriginal researchers and community members, followed by a pretest of the app with Aboriginal women, and feedback from qualitative interviews and the user-Mobile Application Rating Scale (U-MARS) survey tool.SettingsAboriginal women and communities in urban and regional New South Wales, Australia.ParticipantsPhase 1: interviews, 8 Aboriginal women. Phase 2: workshop, 6 Aboriginal women. Phase 3: app trial, 16 Aboriginal women. U-MARS, 5 Aboriginal women.ResultsPhase 1 interviews revealed three themes: current app use, desired app characteristics and implementation. Phase 2 workshop provided guidance for the user experience. Phase 3 app trial assessed all content areas. The highest ratings were for information (mean score of 3.80 out of 5, SD=0.77) and aesthetics (mean score of 3.87 with SD of 0.74), while functionality, engagement and subjective quality had lower scores. Qualitative interviews revealed the acceptability of the app, however, functionality was problematic.ConclusionsDeveloping a mobile phone app, particularly in an Aboriginal community setting, requires extensive consultation, negotiation and design work. Using a strong theoretical foundation of behavioural change technique’s coupled with the consultative approach has added rigour to this process. Using phone apps to implement behavioural interventions in Aboriginal community settings remains a new area for investigation. In the next iteration of the app, we aim to find better ways to personalise the content to women’s needs, then ensure full functionality before conducting a larger trial. We predict the process of development will be of interest to other health researchers and practitioners.

scholarly journals Remote Health Care Provision in Care Homes in England: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study of Yorkshire and the Humber

Technologies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Newbould ◽  
Gail Mountain ◽  
Steven Ariss ◽  
Mark Hawley
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Health Care Provision ◽  
Care Provision

An increasing demand for care homes in the UK, has necessitated the evaluation of innovative methods for delivering more effective health care. Videoconferencing may be one way to meet this demand. However, there is a lack of literature on the provision of videoconferencing in England. This mixed-methods study aimed to map current attitudes, knowledge and provision of videoconferencing in the Yorkshire and Humber region of England. Qualitative interviews with care home managers, a scoping review and field notes from a Special Interest Group (SIG) informed the development of a descriptive convenience survey which was sent out to care home managers in the Yorkshire and Humber region of England. The survey had a 14% (n = 124) response rate. Of those who responded, 10% (n = 12) reported using videoconferencing for health care; with over 78% (n = 97) of respondents’ care homes being based in urban areas. Approximately 62% (n = 77) of the 124 respondents had heard of videoconferencing for health care provision. Of those who reported not using videoconferencing (n = 112), 39% (n = 48) said they would consider it but would need to know more. The top ranked reason for not introducing videoconferencing was the belief that residents would not be comfortable using videoconferencing to consult with a healthcare professional. The main reason for implementation was the need for speedier access to services. Those already using videoconferencing rated videoconferencing overall as being very good (50%) (n = 6) or good (42%) (n = 5). Those who were not using it in practice appeared sceptical before implementing videoconferencing. The main driver of uptake was the home’s current access to and satisfaction with traditionally delivered health care services.

scholarly journals The stability of care preferences following acute illness: a mixed methods prospective cohort study of frail older people

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. N. Etkind ◽  
N. Lovell ◽  
A. E. Bone ◽  
P. Guo ◽  
C. Nicholson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Acute Illness ◽  
Frail Older People ◽  
Preference Stability ◽  
The Stability

Abstract Background Patient preferences are integral to person-centred care, but preference stability is poorly understood in older people, who may experience fluctuant illness trajectories with episodes of acute illness. We aimed to describe, and explore influences on the stability of care preferences in frail older people following recent acute illness. Methods Mixed-methods prospective cohort study with dominant qualitative component, parallel data collection and six-month follow up. Study population: age ≥ 65, Rockwood Clinical Frailty score ≥ 5, recent acute illness requiring acute assessment/hospitalisation. Participants rated the importance of six preferences (to extend life, improve quality of life, remain independent, be comfortable, support ‘those close to me’, and stay out of hospital) at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks using a 0–4 scale, and ranked the most important. A maximum-variation sub-sample additionally contributed serial in-depth qualitative interviews. We described preference stability using frequencies and proportions, and undertook thematic analysis to explore influences on preference stability. Results 90/192 (45%) of potential participants consented. 82/90 (91%) answered the baseline questionnaire; median age 84, 63% female. Seventeen undertook qualitative interviews. Most participants consistently rated five of the six preferences as important (range 68–89%). ‘Extend life’ was rated important by fewer participants (32–43%). Importance ratings were stable in 61–86% of cases. The preference ranked most important was unstable in 82% of participants. Preference stability was supported by five influences: the presence of family support; both positive or negative care experiences; preferences being concordant with underlying values; where there was slowness of recovery from illness; and when preferences linked to long term goals. Preference change was related to changes in health awareness, or life events; if preferences were specific to a particular context, or multiple concurrent preferences existed, these were also more liable to change. Conclusions Preferences were largely stable following acute illness. Stability was reinforced by care experiences and the presence of family support. Where preferences were unstable, this usually related to changing health awareness. Consideration of these influences during preference elicitation or advance care planning will support delivery of responsive care to meet preferences. Obtaining longer-term data across diverse ethnic groups is needed in future research.

scholarly journals How Effective Is Youth Volunteering as an Employment Strategy? A Mixed Methods Study of England

Sociology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-781
Author(s):  
Bryony Hoskins ◽  
Pauline Leonard ◽  
Rachel Wilde
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Citizenship Education ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Longitudinal Survey ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Support Policy ◽  
The Relationship

Volunteering is routinely advocated in British policy as a key mechanism for young people to gain employment, but with little evidence of its viability as a strategy. Indeed, the limited research in this area suggests the link is weak and that access to good quality volunteering is differentiated along class lines. This article draws on a mixed methods approach, using survey data from the Citizenship Education Longitudinal Survey and qualitative interviews, to analyse the relationship between youth volunteering and employment. It finds that volunteering is not unequivocally beneficial for employment, particularly if it does not offer career-related experience or is imposed rather than self-initiated. It can even have a negative effect on employment. Furthermore, social class mediates access to volunteering opportunities most likely to convert into employment. We conclude there is little evidence to support policy assumptions that, in the short term, volunteering has a positive relationship to paid employment.

scholarly journals Health status, sexual activity and satisfaction among older people in Britain: A mixed methods study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. e0213835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob Erens ◽  
Kirstin R. Mitchell ◽  
Lorna Gibson ◽  
Jessica Datta ◽  
Ruth Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Older People ◽  
Sexual Activity ◽  
Mixed Methods Study

Bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones and contributing factors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a mixed methods study

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
Banchirega Mekuria ◽  
Gebremedhin Beedemariam Gebretekle ◽  
Tamerat Bekele ◽  
Mesfin Negussie ◽  
Melaku Kifle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Nalidixic Acid ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Bacterial Isolates ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
High Level

Fluoroquinolones are widely used globally and there is a growing trend of resistance to these agents. However, there is scanty information in Ethiopia and this study aimed to assess the level of bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones and identify contributing factors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Concurrent mixed methods study design was used. Records (January 2013 to December 2016) of the Microbiology Laboratory of International Clinical Laboratories were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with purposively selected 20 prescribers’ and dispensers’ to explore perceived contributing factors to resistance. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data and possible association was explored using multivariable logistic regression. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of 7,889 bacterial isolates were identified from 4,310 patients. The overall resistance of bacterial isolates to fluoroquinolones was 42.5% and the highest resistance was to nalidixic acid (63.3%). Enterococci and Escherichia coli developed high level of resistance to ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin; while Enterococci had higher resistant to nalidixic acid (77.8%). Resistance to fluoroquinolones was 5-times more likely in patients aged ≥ 60 years than those < 15 years old (AOR = 5.63, 95% CI: 4.71, 6.73). Resistance to fluoroquinolones increased from 40.4% in 2013 to 49.0% in 2015 but declined to 46.3% in 2016. Respondents of the qualitative interviews suggested that injudicious prescribing due to lack of institutional antibiogram and inadequate knowledge, nonprescription sales of antibiotics and/or patient hording and sharing practices contributed for the high level of fluoroquinolone resistance. The study showed a high level of bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones. Patients’ age and year of testing were significantly associated with resistance. Moreover, inappropriate prescribing practice, illegal over-the-counter sales as well as their unreasonable use by patients were key drivers to the problem. This calls for the strict regulation of non-prescription sales of antibiotics, public awareness creation and development of local antibiogram to guide prescribing. Keywords: fluoroquinolones, bacterial resistance, qualitative interview, enterococci, Escherichia coli

scholarly journals A Web-Based Psychosocial Intervention for Family Caregivers of Older People: Results from a Mixed-Methods Study in Three European Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. e196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Barbabella ◽  
Arianna Poli ◽  
Frida Andréasson ◽  
Benjamin Salzmann ◽  
Roberta Papa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Psychosocial Intervention ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Web Based
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