The use and availability of occupational health information: results of a study

1984 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 141-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances E. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Use Of Information Sources

The aims of this study were to identify requirements for occupational health information and ways in which the provi sion of, and access to, such information could be improved in the United Kingdom. Structured interviews with professional staff working in several occupational health professions and with general practi tioners were used to establish the pattern of information use and to elicit views on information provision. Literature searches were undertaken and some important organisations visited. Respondents preferred to ask for information rather than seek it in publications but sometimes they did not know where to ask. About two thirds of the occupational 'health staff worked in organisations with libraries. Reading primary jour nals was the main way in which respondents kept up to date. Use of abstracting publications, indexing publications and online services was low. There was little use of, or enthusiasm for, Prestel amongst the respondents. Toxicological information presented problems for many of the respondents. More effective information handling could be promoted by: inclusion of the use of information sources in basic and con tinuing professional education, provision of guides to sources of information and improved alerting services.

scholarly journals The role of internet resources in health decision-making: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 205520761988807
Author(s):  
Lauren Georgia Bussey ◽  
Elizabeth Sillence
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Decision Making ◽  
Internet Resources ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Supportive Role ◽  
Health Decision

Objective Internet resources remain important for health information and advice but their specific role in decision-making is understudied, often assumed and remains unclear. In this article, we examine the different ways in which internet resources play a role in health decision-making within the context of distributed decision-making. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 37 people in the United Kingdom who reported using the internet in relation to decision-making, and representing a range of long- and short-term health conditions. The interviews focused on decision-making activities across different settings and in relation to different stakeholders to understand how internet resources play a role in these activities. We carried out a thematic analysis of the interviews. Results We identified three main ways in which internet resources played a role in health decision-making. A supportive role (as a decision crutch), a stimulating role (as a decision initiator), and an interactional role (impacting on the doctor–patient relationship). These three roles spanned different resources and illustrated how the decision-making process can be impacted by the encounters people have with technology – specifically internet based health resources – in different ways and at different time points. Conclusions Examining health decisions with respect to internet resources highlights the complex and distributed nature of decision-making alongside the complexity of online health information sourcing. We discuss the role of internet resources in relation to the increasing importance of online personal experiences and their relevance within shared decision-making.

‘No time for health:’ exploring couples’ health promotion in Indian slums

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivani Mathur Gaiha ◽  
Katja Gillander Gådin
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Urban Poverty ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Joint Involvement ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Health Related

Summary Joint involvement of couples is an effective strategy to increase contraceptive use and improve reproductive health of women. However, engaging couples to understand how their gender attitudes affect their personal and family health is an idea in search of practice. This mixed-methods study explores opportunities and barriers to couples' participation in health promotion in three slums of Delhi. For each couple, surveys and semi-structured interviews were conducted with husbands and wives individually to contrast self and spousal work, time, interest in health, sources of information related to health and depth of knowledge (n = 62). Urban poverty forces men to work long hours and women to enter part-time work in the informal sector. Paid work induces lack of availability at home, lack of interest in health information and in performing household chores and a self-perception of being healthy among men. These factors inhibit men's' participation in community-based health promotion activities. Women's unpaid work in the household remains unnoticed. Women were expected to be interested in and to make time to attend community-based health-related activities. Men recalled significantly less sources of health information than their spouse. Men and their wives showed similar depth of health-related knowledge, likely due to their spousal communication, with women acting as gatekeepers. Health promotion planners must recognize time constraints, reliance on informal interpersonal communication as a source of health information and the need to portray positive masculinities that address asymmetric gender relations. Innovative, continuous and collaborative approaches may support couples to proactively care about health in low-resource settings.

A qualitative evaluation of clinically coded data quality from health information manager perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea Doktorchik ◽  
Mingshan Lu ◽  
Hude Quan ◽  
Cathy Ringham ◽  
Cathy Eastwood
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Health Information Management ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Clinical Coding ◽  
Coding Quality ◽  
Quality Costs

Background: It is essential that clinical documentation and clinical coding be of high quality for the production of healthcare data. Objective: This study assessed qualitatively the strengths and barriers regarding clinical coding quality from the perspective of health information managers. Method: Ten health information managers and clinical coding quality coordinators who oversee clinical coders (CCs) were identified and recruited from nine provinces across Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, which included questions on data quality, costs of clinical coding, education for health information management, suggestions for quality improvement and barriers to quality improvement. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using directed content analysis and informed by institutional ethnography. Results: Common barriers to clinical coding quality included incomplete and unorganised chart documentation, and lack of communication with physicians for clarification. Further, clinical coding quality suffered as a result of limited resources (e.g. staffing and budget) being available to health information management departments. Managers unanimously reported that clinical coding quality improvements can be made by (i) offering interactive training programmes to CCs and (ii) streamlining sources of information from charts. Conclusion: Although clinical coding quality is generally regarded as high across Canada, clinical coding managers perceived quality to be limited by incomplete and inconsistent chart documentation, and increasing expectations for data collection without equal resources allocated to clinical coding professionals. Implications: This study presents novel evidence for clinical coding quality improvement across Canada.

scholarly journals Strengths and Barriers to Coding Hospital Chart Information from Health Information Manager Perspectives: A Qualitative Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea Doktorchik ◽  
Mingshan Lu ◽  
Cathy Ringham ◽  
Hude Quan ◽  
Catherine Eastwood
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Healthcare Data ◽  
Data Coding ◽  
Coding Quality ◽  
Quality Costs ◽  
Project Data

IntroductionIt is essential that clinical documentation and data coding be of high quality for the production of healthcare data for research or administrative purposes. However, there is a limited understanding of the facilitators and barriers of coded data quality and strategies to improve it. Objectives and ApproachOur objective was to qualitatively assess what influences coded data quality from the perspective of health information managers who are responsible for the work of coding specialists. Nine health information managers and/or coding quality coordinators who oversee coding specialists were identified and recruited from nine provinces across Canada to participate in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted which asked questions on participant demographics, responsibilities, data quality, costs and budget of coding, continuing education for Health Information Management (HIM), suggestions for quality improvement, and barriers to quality improvement. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and analyzed using Directed Content Analysis methodology. ResultsInterviewees were primarily responsible for managing staff, quality assurance, audits, reporting, budget, data collection, and transcription. Managers reported that the experienced coders under their employ strengthened coding quality. Common barriers to coding quality included incomplete and unorganized chart documentation, which led to undercoding, and lack of communication and access to physicians for clarification when needed. Further, coding quality suffered as a result of limited resources (e.g. staffing and budget) being available to HIM departments for an ever-expanding workload, that was commonly due to increasingly complex charts and additional project data. Managers unanimously reported that coding quality improvements can be made by 1) making interactive training programs available to coding specialists, and 2) streamlining sources of information from charts (i.e., transitioning to standardized electronic charting). Conclusion/ImplicationsAlthough coding quality is generally regarded as high across Canada, quality can be hampered by incomplete and inconsistent chart documentation, lack of resources (e.g. financial support, staff, education), and inconsistent coding standards across hospitals and provinces. This study presents novel evidence for coding quality improvement across Canada.

Japanese-language videos on YouTube as a source of public health information for COVID-19 (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeo Yasu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
The State ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Public Health Information ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Spread Of Infection

BACKGROUND Serious public health problems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can cause an infodemic. Sources of information that may cause an infodemic include social networking services; YouTube, which consists of content created and uploaded by individuals, is one such source. OBJECTIVE To survey the content and changes in YouTube videos that present public health information about COVID-19 in Japan. METHODS We surveyed YouTube content regarding public health information pertaining to COVID-19 in Japan. YouTube searches were performed on March 6, 2020 (before the state of emergency), April 14 (during the state of emergency), and May 27 (after the state of emergency was lifted), with 136, 113, and 140 sample videos evaluated, respectively. The main outcome measures were: (1) The total number of views for each video, (2) video content, and (3) the usefulness of the video. RESULTS In the 100 most viewed YouTube videos during the three periods, the number of videos on public health information in March was significantly higher than in May (p = .02). Of the 331 unique videos, 9.1% (n = 30) were released by healthcare professionals. Useful videos providing public health information about the prevention of the spread of infection comprised only 13.0% of the sample but were viewed significantly more often than not useful videos (p = .006). CONCLUSIONS Individuals need to take care when obtaining information from YouTube before or early in a pandemic, during which time scientific evidence is scarce.

scholarly journals Women, Exercise, and Eating Disorder Recovery: The Normal and the Pathological

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232199204
Author(s):  
Hester Hockin-Boyers ◽  
Megan Warin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Theoretical Frame ◽  
Intensity Of Exercise

The appropriate form, regularity, and intensity of exercise for individuals recovering from eating disorders is not agreed upon among health care professionals or researchers. When exercise is permitted, it is that which is mindful, embodied, and non-competitive that is considered normative. Using Canguilhem’s concepts of “the normal and the pathological” as a theoretical frame, we examine the gendered assumptions that shape medical understandings of “healthy” and “dysfunctional” exercise in the context of recovery. The data set for this article comes from longitudinal semi-structured interviews with 19 women in the United Kingdom who engaged in weightlifting during their eating disorder recovery. We argue that women in recovery navigate multiple and conflicting value systems regarding exercise. Faced with aspects of exercise that are pathologized within the eating disorder literature (such as structure/routine, body transformations, and affect regulation), women re-inscribe positive value to these experiences, thus establishing exercise practices that serve them.

scholarly journals The evolution of parents’ beliefs about childhood cancer during diagnostic communication: a qualitative study in Guatemala

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. e004653
Author(s):  
Dylan Graetz ◽  
Silvia Rivas ◽  
Lucia Fuentes ◽  
Ana Cáceres-Serrano ◽  
Gia Ferrara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Education ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Cancer Communication ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Children With Cancer ◽  
Cancer Centre ◽  
Treatment Abandonment ◽  
Cancer Beliefs

IntroductionFatalistic cancer beliefs may contribute to delayed diagnosis and poor outcomes, including treatment abandonment, for children with cancer. This study explored Guatemalan parents’ cancer beliefs during initial paediatric cancer communication, and the sociocultural and contextual factors that influence these beliefs.MethodsTwenty families of children with cancer were included in this study. We audio-recorded psychosocial conversations with psychologists and diagnostic conversations with oncologists, then conducted semi-structured interviews with parents to explore the evolution of their cancer beliefs. Audio-recordings were transcribed and translated from Spanish into English, with additional review in both languages by bilingual team members. All 60 transcripts were thematically analysed using a priori and novel codes.ResultsGuatemalan parents’ beliefs evolve as they learn about cancer through various sources. Sources of information external to the cancer centre, including prior experiences with cancer, media exposure, community discussion and clinical encounters, contribute to pre-existing beliefs. Many parents’ pre-existing cancer beliefs are fatalistic; some are influenced by Mayan spirituality. Sources internal to the cancer centre include psychologists and oncologists, other providers, other patients and families. Psychologists acknowledge pre-existing beliefs and deliver cancer education using verbal explanations and hand-drawings. Oncologists provide diagnostic information and outline treatment plans. Both support hope by providing a path toward cure. Parents’ lived experience is a culmination of sources and simultaneously independent. Ultimately most parents arrive at an understanding of cancer that is consistent with an allopathic medical model and offers optimism about outcomes.ConclusionAn interdisciplinary communication process that includes cancer education, is attentive to pre-existing beliefs, and supports hope may encourage acceptance of the allopathic medical model and need for treatment. Providers in settings of all resource levels may be able to use these techniques to support cross-cultural cancer communication, reduce treatment abandonment and improve therapy adherence.

The Need for Professional Education in Probation and Parole

1976 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph J. Senna
Keyword(s):  
Staff Development ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Professional Status ◽  
Parole Officers ◽  
Probation And Parole ◽  
University Level ◽  
Probation And Parole Officers ◽  
The University

While we know a great deal about the practice of probation and parole and about their place in the correctional process, we know virtually nothing about the kind of professional education that is best suited for probation and parole work and we have little information on the extent to which graduate-level opportunities are available. This article re- examines the tasks of probation and parole officers and relates them to the differing academic programs used by such personnel. Data from a na tional survey are used to demonstrate that probation and parole agencies have not supported Professional staff development. A number of ap proaches to improve graduate study for probation and parole officers, at both the agency and the university level, are described. Implementing these suggestions would help to attain the objectives of effective rehabili tation and higher professional status for community correction.

scholarly journals Identifying a space for young Black Muslim women in contemporary Britain

Ethnicities ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 146879682110018
Author(s):  
Sheymaa Ali Nurein ◽  
Humera Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
Black Community ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Race And Gender ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Black Muslim ◽  
And Coping

Young Black Muslim Women (BMW) have complex, intersectional identities and exist at the margins of various identity groupings. Given this, members of the community can face societal relegation across, not only race and gender lines, but across religious ones, too. This paper explores the lived experiences of intragroup discrimination, identity and belonging in 11 young Black Muslim Women in the United Kingdom. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and thematically analysed through the lens of intersectionality. The use of an intersectional framework facilitated an understanding of the manner in which the sample was multiply marginalised. Two key themes emerged from the interviews: firstly, around experiences of intragroup and intersectional discrimination and, secondly, around the challenges of responding to and coping with the negative effects of such discrimination. Participants discussed the cross-cutting nature through which they faced discrimination: from within the Black community; from within the Muslim community; and as a result of their gender. The non-exclusivity of these three identities result in constant encounters of discrimination along different dimensions to their personal identity. They also developed diverse means of coping with this marginalisation including drawing from religious beliefs and mobile identifications, i.e. performing different aspects of their identities in different contexts. The present study contributes to existing knowledge in its focus on an under-researched group and emphasises the negative effects of intragroup discrimination. The paper importantly highlights the diversity within the Black community and considers the (in)visibility of Black Muslim Women within society.

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