Health literacy and its effects on well-being: how vulnerable healthcare service users integrate online resources

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 697-715
Author(s):  
Justine Virlée ◽  
Allard C.R. van Riel ◽  
Wafa Hammedi

Purpose This study aims to develop a better understanding of how online health community (OHC) members with different health literacy (HL) levels benefit from their participation, through the analysis and comparison of their resource integration (RI) processes. It investigates through a RI lens how the vulnerability of community members – captured as their level of HL – affects the benefits they derive from participation. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to investigate the effects of healthcare service users’ vulnerability. Data were collected about their profiles and levels of HL. Furthermore, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted. Findings The study demonstrates how low levels of HL act as a barrier to the integration of available online health resources. Participation in OHCs appears less beneficial for vulnerable users. Three types of benefits were identified at the individual level, namely, psychological quality-of-life, physical quality-of-life and learning. Benefits identified at the community level were: content generation and participation in the development of the community. Originality/value This study has implications for the understanding of how service users’ activities affect their own outcomes and how the vulnerability of users could be anticipated and considered in the design of the community.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Brigitte Virlée ◽  
Wafa Hammedi ◽  
Allard C.R. van Riel

PurposePatients, when using healthcare services, (co)create value by integrating their own resources with those of a range of stakeholders. These resource integration activities, however, require different types of skills and effort from the patients, and different types of interactions with stakeholders, while also having different effects on patients' well-being. The purpose of the present study is to develop a better understanding of why some patients are better able or willing to perform resource integration activities that impact their well-being. To reach this objective, barriers and facilitators of these activities in their interactions with various stakeholders were identified.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a multiple case study design. Individual patients having received a lung transplant, together with their entourage (family, medical professionals, other patients) each represent a case. In-depth interviews were conducted with the patients and with various categories of stakeholders in their service delivery network who were relevant to their experience and with whom they integrated their resources.FindingsThe study identifies three levels on which barriers and facilitators of the resource integration process occur: the individual, relational and systemic level. Factors on these levels affect different aspects of the process.Originality/valueThis study takes a systems perspective and investigates how various systemic factors and stakeholders conduce or inhibit healthcare service users to perform resource integration activities, especially focusing on those activities that strongly affect their well-being.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niall O’Kane ◽  
Ian Hall ◽  
Mo Eyeoyibo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review a case of a man with a mild learning disability and autistic spectrum disorder who successfully appealed against a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisation under English law. Design/methodology/approach The authors wanted to identify the factors contributing to the individual’s deprivation of liberty and subsequent successful appeal. The authors examined the accounts from the experts involved on each side of the case including different views on the person’s capacity to make certain decisions. The authors examined several of the individual’s psychological and psychiatric assessments. The authors interviewed the individual on two occasions: once during the appeals process, and following his successful appeal. Findings The authors identified several reasons as to why the individual was successful in appealing against the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. First, the individual was able to seek legal support to appeal independently. Second, experts involved on each side of the case had differing opinions regarding capacity to make certain decisions. Third, the indication for the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards was subsequently declared not valid. Finally, the authors found that the quality of life and psychological well-being for the individual improved following removal of restrictions. Practical implications The authors highlight the wider issues relating to an individuals’ rights to challenge authorisations in the Court of Protection as well as to future considerations and directions of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards legislation in light of evolving case law. Social implications The authors highlight the importance of empowering patients in matters relating to their care and treatment, as well as protecting their human rights, dignity and autonomy. Originality/value The authors examine the barriers to challenging Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisation and the ever-evolving Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards process.


Author(s):  
L. Moroz ◽  
S. Yakovenko

The article reveals the possibility and feasibility of applying an environmental approach to understanding the mental state of the population, which considers itself a victim as a result of the information and psychological war that is being waged against the Ukraine by the media of the Russian Federation. At the individual level, personal anxiety factors are the properties of the higher nervous system, which determine endurance and sensitivity to the influence of stressors, flexibility of thinking, which contributes to successful adaptation to changing and unfavorable living conditions. The mental state of a person is largely dependent on the quality of life, the assessment of threats to well-being and safety.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 653-669
Author(s):  
Vicente Martínez-Tur ◽  
Agustín Molina ◽  
Carolina Moliner ◽  
Esther Gracia ◽  
Luisa Andreu ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose that the manager’s perception of the service quality delivered by his/her team acts as a precursor of his/her trust in team members. In turn, the manager’s trust in team members is related to team members’ trust in the manager. Furthermore, engagement and burnout at the individual level are considered outcomes of trust reciprocity. Design/methodology/approach The authors test this trust-mediated multilevel model with a sample of 95 managers and 754 team members working in services for people with intellectual disability. These services are delivered by team-based structures of workers who perform coordinated tasks. Findings The findings suggest that service quality delivered by team members is positively and significantly related to the manager’s trust in them. The results also suggest that the manager’s trust in team members leads to the trust that managers received by team members. Finally, team members who trust their managers show less burnout and high engagement. Research limitations/implications Previous literature has neglected the reciprocity of trust. In contrast, this research study considered the perspective of both managers and team members and how this reciprocity of trust is related to service quality and well-being at work. Practical implications The current study highlights the critical role of service quality and achieving high-quality relationships between managers and team members. Originality/value Performance and well-being are compatible because team members’ efforts are compensated by forming relationships with managers based on trust, and the quality of these relationships, in turn, prevents burnout and stimulates engagement among employees.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 72-77
Author(s):  
Hee-Chul Choi

This study aimed to contribute to the preparation of an action plan for the improvement of the quality of life of firefighters at the individual level by examining how the working environment as perceived by firefighters affects their quality of life. To this end, this study conducted a survey that used purposive sampling targeting 201 fire-fighting officers in Incheon. The survey results showed that of the sub-variables of the working environment of firefighters, monetary rewards, challenges, and promotion had a significant influence on the quality of life. Based on the results, this study suggested various action plans that can support the working environment and improve the quality of life of firefighters.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 999-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asli D.A. Tasci ◽  
Abraham Pizam

Purpose Bitner’s (1992) concept of servicescape has received widespread academic attention, resulting in many conceptual and empirical studies. By scanning the servicescape literature and other relevant concepts, Pizam and Tasci (2019) provided experienscape, an expanded version of servicescape, to be measured from different stakeholders’ perspectives with a multidisciplinary approach. This paper aims to build on Pizam and Tasci’s conceptualization of experienscape and expand its nomological network with other pertinent concepts related to different stakeholders with an interdisciplinary approach. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual study analyzing diverse literature related to servicescape, experienscape and other related concepts and theories to provide an integrated and holistic picture of experienscape for more robust theory development. Several new relationships are synthesized for hypothesis development and testing in future research. Findings The review of past research reveals that servicescape literature has mostly focused on outcomes for the benefit of brands and firms and missed outcomes for consumers and other stakeholders. In addition, servicescape literature lacks several critical concepts in the affective, cognitive and behavioral reaction domains, as well as moderator factors. The relevance of some theories such as branding (e.g. brand identity, personality, image, perceived quality, consumer value, brand value and self-congruity), cocreation/coproduction/codestruction, transformation, subjective happiness, subjective well-being and quality of life is completely overlooked. Research limitations/implications Experienscape is a container of complex systems where needs, wants and expectations of multiple stakeholders are entertained, often at the same time through dynamic interactions among multiple stakeholders. Thus, a holistic understanding of experienscape requires dynamic integration of theories explaining the behavior of different stakeholders by cross-fertilizing theories through interdisciplinary research rather than unidisciplinary or multidisciplinary research conducted in separate silos. Originality/value By adopting Pizam and Tasci’s (2019) experienscape concept, this study expanded the relational network of service environment components (i.e. sensory, functional, social, natural and cultural components of experienscape) by incorporating diverse theories and concepts that explain cognitive, affective and conative reactions of different stakeholders to an experience environment. Additionally, the current study recommends attention to human-centric outcomes such as transformation, subjective well-being, subjective happiness and quality of life, which were completely overlooked in previous servicescape research.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 337-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Bertram ◽  
Sarah McDonald

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore what helped seven people in contact with secondary mental health services achieve their vocational goals, such as: employment, education, training and volunteering. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used the practice of co-operative inquiry – staff and peer supporters co-designed an evaluation of vocational and peer support work with service users. Findings – Service users experienced invalidating living conditions that caused serious distress. These life struggles included: isolation, trauma events and stigma. The impact involved distressing emotions such as: despair, fear, pain and confusion. In contrast, when service users experienced supportive validating conditions (trusting relationships, engaging in valued activity and peer support) they reported being able to learn, change and grow – finding their own way forward, to improve well-being and quality of life. Research limitations/implications – Qualitative analysis from in-depth interviews revealed a range of consistent themes that enabled the authors to visually represent these and “begin” developing a model of change – grounded in lived experience. Further research is required to develop this model. Originality/value – The development of a model of change grounded in an invalidation/validation framework offers a different approach – in terms of how people are perceived and treated. This has relevance for Government policy development, clinical commissioning groups and practitioners.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Pompili ◽  
Marco Caperle ◽  
Andrea Pace ◽  
Valerio Ramazzotti ◽  
Laura Raus ◽  
...  

Object. After radical surgery for childhood cerebellar astrocytomas, patients are considered to be cured. Long-term follow up demonstrates that these patients survive, with most of them leading a normal life. The study reported here was aimed at assessing the quality of life (QOL) of these adults, which is defined as a person's sense of well-being, as derived from his or her current experience of life as a whole. Methods. Twenty patients who had undergone surgery between 1970 and 1985 were enrolled in the study. In four patients ventriculoperitoneal shunts were in place; two of these patients had required more than six shunt revisions. At present, all patients have clear neuroimaging studies and their Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) scores are as follows: 70 in three, 80 in seven, 90 in six, and 100 in four. A QOL questionnaire was administered to the patients and to a control group consisting of 20 healthy volunteers of matching age and sex. The chi-square test was applied to compare patients and controls. Traditional questions on the level of education, work, whether the patients have their own families, and whether they possessed a driver's license were asked at the end of the questionnaire. In all the dimensions assessed except one (sex life), the difference between patients and control volunteers was significant, socializing and adolescence being the most striking ones. This was also true when the three patients with the lowest KPS scores and the worst QOL results were excluded. Conclusions. By traditional standards, these patients appear to fare quite well. Nevertheless, their self-reported life experience is unsatisfying when compared with the control group. The authors conclude that psychosocial factors are critical to complete recovery and the QOL of children who undergo successful operations for benign cerebellar astrocytoma.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 540-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. Degen ◽  
Gregory J. Gagnon ◽  
Jean-Marc Voyadzis ◽  
Donald A. McRae ◽  
Michael Lunsden ◽  
...  

Object. The authors conducted a study to assess safety, pain, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes following CyberKnife radiosurgical treatment of spinal tumors. Methods. Data obtained in all patients with spinal tumors who underwent CyberKnife radiosurgery at Georgetown University Hospital between March 2002 and March 2003 were analyzed. Patients underwent examination, visual analog scale (VAS) pain assessment, and completed the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 18, and 24 months following treatment. Fifty-one patients with 72 lesions (58 metastatic and 14 primary) were treated. The mean follow-up period was 1 year. Pain was improved, with the mean VAS score decreasing significantly from 51.5 to 21.3 at 4 weeks (p < 0.001). This effect on pain was durable, with a mean score of 17.5 at 1 year, which was still significantly decreased (p = 0.002). Quality of life was maintained throughout the study period. After 18 months, physical well-being was 33 (initial score 32; p = 0.96) and mental well-being was 43.8 (initial score 44.2; p = 0.97). (The mean SF-12 score is 50 ± 10 [standard deviation].) Adverse effects included self-limited dysphagia (three cases), diarrhea (two cases), lethargy (three cases), paresthesias (one case), and wound dehiscence (one case). Conclusions. CyberKnife radiosurgery improves pain control and maintains QOL in patients treated for spinal tumors. Early adverse events are infrequent and minor. The authors await long-term follow-up data to determine late complications and tumor control rates.


2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 123-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Richard ◽  
Geoff Plimmer ◽  
Kim-Shyan Fam ◽  
Charles Campbell

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between positive incentives (perceived organisational support) and negative incentives (publish or perish), on both academic publication productivity and marketing academics’ quality of life. While publish-or-perish pressure is a common technique to improve academics’ performance, its punishment orientation may be poorly suited to the uncertain, creative work that research entails and be harmful to academics’ life satisfaction and other well-being variables. In particular, it may interfere with family commitments, and harm the careers of academic women. While perceived organisational support may be effective in encouraging research outputs and be positive for well-being, it may be insufficient as a motivator in the increasingly competitive and pressured world of academia. These issues are important for individual academics, for schools wishing to attract good staff, and the wider marketing discipline wanting to ensure high productivity and quality of life amongst its members. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model was developed and empirically tested using self-report survey data from 1,005 academics across five continents. AMOS structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. Findings – The findings indicate that the most important determinants of publishing success and improved well-being of academics is organisational support rather than a “publish-or-perish” culture. Research limitations/implications – The use of a self-report survey may have an impact (and potential bias) on the perceived importance and career effect of a “publish-or-perish” culture. However, current levels of the publish-or-perish culture appear to have become harmful, even for top academic publishers. Additional longitudinal data collection is proposed. Practical implications – The challenge to develop tertiary systems that support and facilitate world-leading research environments may reside more in organisational support, both perceived and real, rather than a continuation (or adoption) of a publish-or-perish environment. There are personal costs, in the form of health concerns and work–family conflict, associated with academic success, more so for women than men. Originality/value – This study is the first to empirically demonstrate the influence and importance of “publish-or-perish” and“perceived organisational support” management approaches on marketing academic publishing performance and academic well-being.


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