Stakeholders’ perspectives on the provision of vocational training for youth with disabilities in Sri Lanka: protocol for a mixed-methods study

IntroductionThe quality and the range of vocational training (VT) courses offered to youth with disabilities (YwD) in low-middle-income countries are underexplored. This protocol describes a study designed to gather perceptions of a range of stakeholders related to the quality and relevance of VT programmes conducted by the Department of Social Services in Sri Lanka. The purpose of this study is to communicate with authorities the ways in which they can improve their services by paying close attention to the needs and recommendations of all stakeholders.Methods and analysisA parallel mixed-methods study will be conducted at eight vocational training institutes (VTIs). A survey will be conducted with five participant groups; YwD presently enrolled in VTIs (n=358) and their caregivers (n=358), YwD who completed the VT (n=45) and their caregivers (n=45) and educators at VTIs (n=47). The qualitative component includes semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The three groups of participants include: educators, caregivers of potential YwD for future VT (6–10 per group) and key informants from state, corporate and non-governmental sectors (a total of 20). Quantitative and qualitative data will be analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and cross-thematic analysis, respectively.Ethics and disseminationThis study received ethical clearance from the Ethics Review Committee, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya (Ref. No: P/15/02/2021). All data collection processes will abide by health and safety measures required by the national government. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Results from this research will be disseminated, to local stakeholders and participants, via local and international conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

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Risk perception on the labour ward: A mixed methods study

Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management ◽

10.1177/25160435211002428 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 56-63

Author(s):

Claire McCarthy ◽

Sarah Meaney ◽

Marie Rochford ◽

Keelin O’Donoghue

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Emergency Obstetric Care ◽

Obstetric Care ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Staff Support ◽

Staff Wellbeing

Healthcare providers commonly experience risky situations in the provision of maternity care, and there has been increased focus on the lived experience in recent years. We aimed to assess opinions on, understanding of and behaviours of risk on the LW by conducting a mixed methods study. Staff working in a LW setting completed a descriptive questionnaire-based study, followed by qualitative structured interviews. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS on quantitative data and thematic analysis performed on qualitative data. Nearly two thirds of staff (64%; 73/114) completed the questionnaire, with 56.2% (n = 47) experiencing risk on a daily basis. Experiencing risk evoked feelings of apprehension (68.4%; n = 50) and worry (60.2%; n = 44) which was echoed in the qualitative work. Structured clinical assessment was utilised in risky situations, and staff described “ going on autopilot” to manage these situations. A large number of respondents reflected on their provision of care following an adverse event (87.7%; n = 64). Debriefing was mentioned as an important practice following such events by all respondents. This study describes the negative terminology prevailing in emergency obstetric care. These experiences can have a profound impact on staff. Risk reduction strategies and the provision of increased staff support and training are crucial to improve staff wellbeing in stressful scenarios.

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An intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses: a mixed methods study of acceptability and feasibility

BMC Nursing ◽

10.1186/s12912-020-00524-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Judy Brook ◽

Leanne M. Aitken ◽

Julie-Ann MacLaren ◽

Debra Salmon

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Nursing Students ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Academic Staff ◽

Skills Training ◽

Early Career ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Healthcare Organisation ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Over Time

Abstract Aims To understand the experiences of nursing students and academic staff of an intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses, in order to identify acceptability and feasibility in a single centre. Background Internationally, retention of nurses is a persistent challenge but there is a dearth of knowledge about the perspectives of stakeholders regarding the acceptability and feasibility of interventions to resolve the issue. This study reports an intervention comprising of mindfulness, psychological skills training and cognitive realignment to prepare participants for early careers as nurses. Methods This is an explanatory sequential mixed methods study, conducted by a UK university and healthcare organisation. Participants were final year pre-registration nursing students (n = 74) and academics (n = 7) involved in the implementation of the intervention. Pre and post measures of acceptability were taken using a questionnaire adapted from the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to assess change in acceptability over time. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, focus groups and field notes were thematically analysed, adhering to COREQ guidelines. Data were collected February to December 2019. Results One hundred and five questionnaires, 12 interviews with students and 2 focus groups engaging 7 academic staff were completed. The intervention was perceived as generally acceptable with significant positive increases in acceptability scores over time. Student nurses perceived the intervention equipped them with skills and experience that offered enduring personal benefit. Challenges related to the practice environment and academic assessment pressures. Reported benefits align with known protective factors against burnout and leaving the profession. Conclusion Planning is needed to embed the intervention into curricula and maximise relationships with placement partners. Evaluating acceptability and feasibility offers new knowledge about the value of the intervention for increasing retention and decreasing burnout for early career nurses. Wider implementation is both feasible and recommended by participants.

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Satisfaction with Fertility Preservation Decisions among Adolescent Males with Cancer: A Mixed Methods Study

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13143559 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 3559

Author(s):

Charleen I. Theroux ◽

Kylie N. Hill ◽

Anna L. Olsavsky ◽

James L. Klosky ◽

Nicholas D. Yeager ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Fertility Preservation ◽

Childhood Cancer Survivors ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Decision Quality ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Short Term ◽

Male Adolescents ◽

Decisional Satisfaction ◽

Ongoing Support

Half of male childhood cancer survivors experience treatment-related fertility impairment, which can lead to distress. Survivors often regret forgoing fertility preservation (FP), and decisional dissatisfaction is associated with a lower quality of life. This mixed methods study examined short-term FP decisional satisfaction among families of male adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer who received an initial fertility consult and completed an FP values clarification tool. One-two months after the FP decision, thirty-nine families completed the Brief Subjective Decision Quality measure. Decisional satisfaction was compared for participants (mothers, fathers, adolescents) who did and did not attempt to bank. Semi-structured interviews included the following question: How do you/your family feel about the banking decision now/in the future? Decisional quality scores were moderate-high (M = 5.74–6.33 out of 7), with no significant differences between non-attempter (n = 15) and attempter (n = 24) families (adolescents: p = 0.83, d = 0.08; mothers: p = 0.18, d = 0.45; fathers: p = 0.32, d = 0.44). Three qualitative themes emerged among non-attempter families: (1) satisfaction with decision (50% of participants), (2) acceptance of decision (60%), and (3) potential for future regret (40%). Satisfaction with decision was the only theme identified in attempter families (93%). Quantitively, short-term decisional satisfaction was high regardless of the banking attempt. However, the qualitative findings suggest that the experiences of families who did not bank may be more nuanced, as several participants discussed a potential for future regret, highlighting the importance of ongoing support.

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Evaluating the motivation of Red Cross Health volunteers in the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042579 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. e042579

Author(s):

Leonardo W Heyerdahl ◽

Muriel Vray ◽

Vincent Leger ◽

Lénaig Le Fouler ◽

Julien Antouly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Vulnerable Populations ◽

Health Workers ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Red Cross ◽

Volunteer Motivation ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Current Crisis ◽

French Red Cross

IntroductionVoluntary organisations provide essential support to vulnerable populations and front-line health responders to the COVID-19 pandemic. The French Red Cross (FRC) is prominent among organisations offering health and support services in the current crisis. Comprised primarily of lay volunteers and some trained health workers, FRC volunteers in the Paris (France) region have faced challenges in adapting to pandemic conditions, working with sick and vulnerable populations, managing limited resources and coping with high demand for their services. Existing studies of volunteers focus on individual, social and organisational determinants of motivation, but attend less to contextual ones. Public health incertitude about the COVID-19 pandemic is an important feature of this pandemic. Whether and how uncertainty interacts with volunteer understandings and experiences of their work and organisational relations to contribute to Red Cross worker motivation is the focus of this investigation.Methods and analysisThis mixed-methods study will investigate volunteer motivation using ethnographic methods and social network listening. Semi-structured interviews and observations will illuminate FRC volunteer work relations, experiences and concerns during the pandemic. A questionnaire targeting a sample of Paris region volunteers will allow quantification of motivation. These findings will iteratively shape and be influenced by a social media (Twitter) analysis of biomedical and public health uncertainties and debates around COVID-19. These tweets provide insight into a French lay public’s interpretations of these debates. We evaluate whether and how socio-political conditions and discourses concerning COVID-19 interact with volunteer experiences, working conditions and organisational relations to influence volunteer motivation. Data collection began on 15 June 2020 and will continue until 15 April 2021.Ethics and disseminationThe protocol has received ethical approval from the Institut Pasteur Institutional Review Board (no 2020-03). We will disseminate findings through peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations and recommendations to the FRC.

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Adaptive clothing features to support daily exercising needs of muscular dystrophy victimized women in Sri Lanka

Research Journal of Textile and Apparel ◽

10.1108/rjta-08-2020-0087 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Niromi Seram ◽

Rivini Mataraarachchi ◽

Thanuri Jayaneththi

Keyword(s):

Muscular Dystrophy ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Research Effort ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Content Type ◽

Daily Exercise ◽

Custom Made

Purpose Exercising is a key approach adopted by muscular dystrophy patients to halt the weakening of muscles as it can eventually lead to serious immobility issues. Though it is essential to exercise on a daily basis for healthy living, there is no mention of any research effort in the current literature regarding the development of an apparel product for these mobility-affected patients that might assist them both in meeting their exercising needs and providing them some comfort in their daily living. Thus, this paper aims to focus on identifying the specific needs of muscular dystrophy victims and proposing special adaptive clothing solutions to support their daily exercise and mobility needs. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the objectives of this study, attention was focused on the muscular dystrophy afflicted women in Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the female victims of muscular dystrophy and their lifestyles were observed carefully; additional data were gathered by holding semi-structured interviews with their physiotherapists. Further, interviews were conducted with both garment technologists and fabric technologists too. Data gathered through these methods were analyzed qualitatively using the principles of thematic analysis and then aggregate conclusions were drawn. Findings It was observed that the patients were engaged in special activities such as exercising three times a day besides following their normal day-to-day activities to maintain and develop muscle strength. It soon became evident that these women found it difficult to perform their daily exercise routines with their regular clothing and were looking for custom made clothing they could wear all day long in comfort and avoid the problems that arose while exercising. The study specifies the requirements that must be met to satisfy both generic and specific needs. Considering all these aspects some adaptive clothing solutions were proposed to support daily exercising activity with respect to comfort, convenience, health and safety, as well as socio-cultural and psychological needs. Originality/value The area of fusing generic and specific features to support the daily exercising needs of muscular dystrophy victims is an untouched field of experimentation and being a need of the disabled, the present study marks a milestone on the way to a novel area of apparel design, besides exploring a new field of research.

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

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x18000120 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (7) ◽

pp. 1528-1551 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

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.

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Development of a tool for identifying and addressing prioritised determinants of quality improvement projects led by healthcare professionals: a mixed-methods study

10.21203/rs.2.24055/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anne van Tuijl ◽

Hub C. Wollersheim ◽

Cornelia R.M.G. Fluit ◽

Petra. J. van Gurp ◽

Hiske Calsbeek

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Learning By Doing ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Quality Improvement Initiative ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Priority Score ◽

A Priority

Abstract Background: Several frameworks have been developed to identify essential determinants for healthcare improvement. These frameworks aim to be comprehensive, leading to the creation of long lists of determinants that are not prioritised based on being experienced as most important. Furthermore, most existing frameworks do not describe the methods or actions used to identify and address the determinants, limiting their practical value. The aim of this study is to describe the development of a tool with prioritised facilitators and barriers supplemented with methods to identify and address each determinant. The tool can be used by those performing quality improvement initiatives in healthcare practice. Methods: A mixed-methods study design was used to develop the tool. First, an online survey was used to ask healthcare professionals about the determinants they experienced as most facilitating and most hindering during the performance of their quality improvement initiative . A priority score was calculated for every named determinant, and those with a priority score ≥ 20 were incorporated into the tool. Semi-structured interviews with implementation experts were performed to gain insight on how to analyse and address the determinants in our tool Results: The 25 healthcare professionals in this study experienced 64 facilitators and 66 barriers when performing their improvement initiatives. Of these, 12 facilitators and nine barriers were incorporated into the tool. Sufficient support from management of the department was identified as the most important facilitator, while having limited time to perform the initiative was considered the most important barrier. The interviews with 16 experts in implementation science led to various inputs for identifying and addressing each determinant. Important themes included maintaining adequate communication with stakeholders, keeping the initiative at a manageable size, learning by doing and being able to influence determinants. Conclusions: This paper describes the development of a tool with prioritized determinants for performing quality improvement initiatives with suggestions for analysing and addressing these determinants. The tool is developed for those engaged in quality improvement initiatives in practice, so in this ways it helps to bridging the research to practice gap of determinants frameworks. More research is needed to validate and develop the tool further.

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Experiences of GP trainees in undertaking telephone consultations: a mixed-methods study

BJGP Open ◽

10.3399/bjgpopen20x101008 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. bjgpopen20X101008 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Umar Chaudhry ◽

Judith Ibison ◽

Tess Harris ◽

Imran Rafi ◽

Miles Johnston ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Clinical Information ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Electronic Survey ◽

Positive Experiences ◽

Positive Correlations ◽

Observation Tools

BackgroundPrimary care telephone consultations are increasingly used for patient triage, reviews, and providing clinical information. They are also a key postgraduate training component yet little is known about GP trainees’ preparation for, or experiences and perceptions of, them.AimTo understand the experiences, perceptions, and training of GP trainees in conducting telephone consultations.Design & settingA mixed-methods study was undertaken of North Central and East London (NCEL) GP trainees.MethodA cross-sectional electronic survey of trainees was performed with subsequent semi-structured interviews. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data using thematic analysis.ResultsThe survey response was 16% (n = 100/618), and 10 participated in semi-structured interviews. Trainees felt least confident with complicated telephone consulting, and there was a strong positive correlation between the percentage reporting having received training and their confidence (R2 = 0.71, P<0.0001). Positive experiences included managing workload and convenience. Negative experiences included complex encounters, communication barriers, and absence of examination. Trainees reported that training for telephone consultations needed strengthening, and that recently introduced audio-clinical observation tools (COTs) were useful. Positive correlations were found between the length of out-of-hours (OOH) but not in-hours training and the level of supervision or feedback received for telephone consultations.ConclusionThis project sheds light on GP trainees’ current experiences of telephone consultations and the need to enhance future training. The findings will inform a wider debate among stakeholders and postgraduate learners regarding training for telephone consultations, and potentially for other remote technologies.

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Exploration of sedentary behaviour among general practitioners: protocol for a mixed methods study

International Journal of Clinical Trials ◽

10.18203/2349-3259.ijct20210145 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 51

Author(s):

Richard S. Mayne ◽

Nigel D. Hart ◽

Neil Heron

Keyword(s):

General Practice ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Sedentary Behaviour ◽

General Practitioners ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

New Ways Of Working ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes ◽

Sequential Mixed Methods ◽

Working Day

Background: Many general practitioners (GPs) are sedentary for most of their working day. Levels of sedentary behaviour may have been exacerbated by increased use of telemedicine in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as this is traditionally performed while sitting down. Excessive sedentary behaviour is associated with many adverse health outcomes and increased all-cause mortality. This study will gain quantitative data on levels of sedentary behaviour among GPs and general practice specialty trainees (GPSTs), to identify to what extent general practice is a sedentary occupation, as well as qualitative data regarding the barriers and facilitators to reducing sedentary behaviour in the general practice setting.Methods: The study follows a sequential, mixed-methods model. The first stage will involve the dissemination of a questionnaire survey, where participants self-estimate their sedentary behaviour on a working day and on a non-working day. The second stage will use thigh-worn accelerometers and a sleep/work log to obtain objective data regarding sedentary behaviour among a purposive subset of participants who responded to the questionnaire. The third stage will involve semi-structured interviews with a purposive subset of accelerometer study participants, analysed with the application of a theoretical framework regarding the acceptability of healthcare interventions.Conclusions: This paper outlines a protocol for a sequential, mixed-methods study exploring sedentary behaviour among GPs and GPSTs. Findings of this study will shed light on the new ways of working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be relevant to clinicians working in similar primary care settings throughout the world.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04556695. Date of registration: 21st September 2020.

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To explore the barriers to and facilitators of adolescents in Low-Middle-Income- Countries (LMICs) seeking mental health care: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

10.21203/rs.3.rs-215110/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sudha Subhadra Kallakuri ◽

Pallab K Maulik ◽

Prachi Kaistha ◽

Maree Hackett

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Study Design ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

World Health ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low Middle Income Countries

Abstract Background: Adolescence is a very important transitional phase for an individual as they move from childhood to adulthood. In 2007, the World Health Organization reported that 16% of the global burden of disease and injuries occur among adolescents i.e. those aged between 10 and 19 years, most of them starting by the age of 14 years and usually become serious; if left unrecognised or unattended at that point in time. Several risk factors are associated with increases in the mental health disorders. It is pertinent to promote interventions which teach life skills like regulating one’s emotions, building resilience, and dealing with difficult situations with confidence and strength. This mixed-methods systematic review aims to synthesise best available evidence on the barriers and facilitators to help seeking for mental illnesses among adolescents in Low-Middle-Income Countries Methods and Analyses: The systematic review will be conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Systematic searches will be carried out in electronic databases like PubMed,EMBASE, PsychINFO, Sociofile, CINAHL to identify studies relevant to the review question. At the first stage, titles and abstracts of articles retrieved through the searches will be examined against the eligibility criteria. The second stage will involve independent full-text screening of included articles by two reviewers. All qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research studies which explicitly answer the research questions will be considered in this review. Methodological appraisal (Risk of Bias) will be conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute's standardized critical appraisal tools or other standardized critical appraisal tools contingent on the study design by two reviewers. Data will be extracted on the aims/purpose, study design, geographical location, study population, study duration, interventions (if applicable) outcomes, and results of included studies. Data analyses will be conducted using the convergent approach to analysis of mixed methods research using JBI guidance. Discussion: The research will help to identify gaps in knowledge and generate evidence for health departments to look more specifically at the mental health of adolescents and challenges of addressing them. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42020214349

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