Reflections on the experiences of attending peer support groups for fathers of children with cancer

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910452110386
Author(s):  
Sarah-Jane Archibald ◽  
Diana Luk ◽  
Susan Potts ◽  
Sally Davis ◽  
Angela Kirby
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Paediatric Oncology ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Children With Cancer ◽  
Set Up

Fathers appear to be less researched than mothers, in particular with regard to their emotional well-being during their child’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. This study investigates a small-scale service evaluation of a father’s support group for fathers of children with cancer in a paediatric oncology and haematology service. The group was set up in October 2017 to enable a safe and supportive reflective space for fathers of children with cancer. The group was open to fathers with a child on the ward on treatment, as well as fathers with children out of treatment, and in remission in the community. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. A number of themes are identified and discussed, including the emotional impact, ways of coping, gender roles, loss and feeling part of an oncology family. The fathers valued hearing each other’s stories about their child’s cancer diagnosis and experiences as this appeared to empower them in helping each other to feel a sense of normalisation for their feelings. They appreciated the group structure and discussed further ways for group improvement. Suggestions are made for developing services to meet emotional support needs of fathers of children with cancer.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Emotional and Cognitive Vulnerability in Iranian Women With Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad H. Choobin ◽  
Vida Mirabolfathi ◽  
Bethany Chapman ◽  
Ali Reza Moradi ◽  
Elizabeth A. Grunfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Cognitive Vulnerability ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Emotional Vulnerability ◽  
The Impact

The psychological cost on emotional well-being due to the collateral damage brought about by COVID-19 in accessing oncological services for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment has been documented by recent studies in the United Kingdom. The current study set out to examine the effect of delays to scheduled oncology services on emotional and cognitive vulnerability in women with a breast cancer diagnosis in Iran, one of the very first countries to be heavily impacted by COVID-19. One hundred thirty-nine women with a diagnosis of primary breast cancer answered a series of online questionnaires to assess the current state of rumination, worry, and cognitive vulnerability as well as the emotional impact of COVID-19 on their mental health. Results indicated that delays in accessing oncology services significantly increased COVID related emotional vulnerability. Regression analyses revealed that after controlling for the effects of sociodemographic and clinical variables, women’s COVID related emotional vulnerability explained higher levels of ruminative response and chronic worry as well as poorer cognitive function. This study is the first in Iran to demonstrate that the effects of COVID-19 on emotional health amongst women affected by breast cancer can exaggerate anxiety and depressive related symptoms increasing risks for clinical levels of these disorders. Our findings call for an urgent need to address these risks using targeted interventions exercising resilience.

scholarly journals Acute Malnutrition among Children at Time of Cancer Diagnosis at a Paediatric Oncology Centre in South West Uganda

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ndayisenga jeanine ◽  
Atwiine Barnabas ◽  
Francis Oriokot ◽  
Atwiine Daniel ◽  
Stella Kyoyagara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Paediatric Oncology ◽  
Acute Malnutrition ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Children With Cancer ◽  
Diagnosis Of Cancer

Background: Acute malnutrition is a frequent comorbidity in children with cancer and is associated with poor cancer treatment outcomes.This study describes the prevalence of acute malnutrition and its predictors at time of cancer diagnosis at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH). Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of children <15 years of age at diagnosis of cancer seen at the Children’s Cancer Unit of MRRH between May 2017 and May 2019. Using a data extraction tool, information regarding demographics, anthropometry at admission and cancer diagnosis was extracted from the children’s medical records. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the prevalence and patterns of acute malnutrition among children at diagnosis of cancer and the factors associated with acute malnutrition, respectively. The study was approved by the Mbarara University of Science and Technology Research and Ethics Committee. Results: One hundred and thirty-three children were included in the study with a mean age of 6.6 years (SD 3.9).54.9% of the children were male. Overall, 46 (34.6%) of subjects had acute malnutrition at time of cancer diagnosis. Of these, 25 (54.3%) had moderate acute malnutrition and 21/46 (45.7%) had severe acute malnutrition.The factors independently associated with acute malnutrition after multivariate logistical regression analysis were age >5 years (p<0.0001) and reduced appetite (p=0.002). Conclusion: Acute malnutrition is common among children with cancer at diagnosis, especially in older children and those reporting poor appetite. Nutrition assessment and care should be incorporated into routine childhood cancer care to improve cancer treatment outcomes.

scholarly journals Examination of Fatigue, Well-Being and Life Habits in Children with Cancer Diagnosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-449
Author(s):  
Sümeyye SEVGİLİ ◽  
Sedef ŞAHİN ◽  
Burcu Semin AKEL
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children With Cancer ◽  
Life Habits

Longing for a taste of home

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (12) ◽  
pp. 3281-3292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorraine Brown ◽  
Crispin Farbrother ◽  
Josephine Dazam
Keyword(s):  
Fast Food ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Food Culture ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Nigerian Students ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose this paper is to offer an understanding of the role of food in the adjustment journey of Nigerian students in the UK. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was used, involving interviews with ten Nigerians studying in the UK. Findings Thematic analysis revealed that participants found the food they ate locally to be bland and fattening, and that they quickly adopted a home country diet, using ingredients bought locally or sent and brought from home to recreate Nigerian dishes. Eating Nigerian food had a positive emotional impact, and it was also a vehicle for social interaction. Research limitations/implications It is acknowledged that this is a small-scale preliminary study that could be extended across the UK with a more quantitative approach to get a broader picture of the eating habits of Nigerian students at British Universities. There is also an opportunity to widen it to include other African states which are neglected within the present literature. A more longitudinal study picking up migrants could also explore how adjustments have been made in their eating habits. Participants in this research equated fast food with local, English food due to their limited access to authentic local cuisine. Practical implications There are practical implications of this study whereby actions can be taken to help avoid the negative impacts experienced causing concerns in around mental well-being and poor health. Originality/value This study fills a gap in knowledge on how this important segment of the international student population adapts to a new food culture.

Pretend Play as an Intervention for Children With Cancer: A Feasibility Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-75
Author(s):  
Sara Frygner-Holm ◽  
Sandra Russ ◽  
Julia Quitmann ◽  
Lena Ring ◽  
Olena Zyga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Pretend Play ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children With Cancer ◽  
Play Intervention ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Before And After

Children with cancer suffer from symptoms and burdensome treatments that often cause distress to children and their families. Mortality is one aspect of cancer diagnosis, while another is the quality of life and well-being during and after the treatment. By supporting children’s communication, self-efficacy and coping ability in the care situation, children are given the possibilities for increased independence and participation and are allowed to develop an influence over their care. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an adult-facilitated pretend play intervention for children with cancer. Five children with ongoing treatment for cancer were invited to a play intervention that consisted of six to eight sessions of structured pretend play aimed at increasing participation, independence, and well-being. A mixed method design was used to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the play intervention. Measures were collected before and after interventions, and in conjunction with every play session. Results suggest that the children enjoyed the play intervention. Findings indicate small improvements regarding self-efficacy in care situations and equal or increased quality of life for participants. A main finding was that no adverse events or increased worrying was reported in conjunction with play sessions. Therefore, the intervention is regarded as safe, feasible, and acceptable as reported by participants and their primary caregivers and a possible means of increasing participation and independence in children with a cancer diagnosis.

scholarly journals Working with individuals who have experienced homelessness: Stresses and successes

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-76
Author(s):  
Jim Rogers ◽  
Thomas George ◽  
Amanda Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Set Up

Purpose Staff who work with vulnerable people with multiple needs are known to experience high levels of stress and burnout, as well as high levels of job satisfaction. This paper aims to explore the experiences of staff working in a project with individuals experiencing long-term homelessness in Lincolnshire. Design/methodology/approach An evaluation of a project working with individuals experiencing long-term homelessness included a focus group set up to explore the experiences and well-being of front line staff and managers. One-to-one interviews with staff were also held to provide more in-depth data about the experiences of individual staff members. Findings Six key themes were identified from the discussions with participants. Decision latitude and the ability to follow service users on person-centred journeys over long periods were positive aspects of the work which were highly valued and seemed to contribute to high levels of job satisfaction. Things which also made a positive contribution were elements of support provided by the employer and a number of personal coping strategies. Themes identified which had a negative impact on well-being related to high workloads and to the multiple and competing demands from service users and other agencies. Originality/value Few studies of any kind have explored the experiences and well-being of staff working in the frontline of homelessness services. This small-scale qualitative study provides a number of suggestions for further research with this population. Findings cannot be generalised but match those of other recent studies which suggest high levels of stress but little evidence of burnout, and that carefully developed workplace support mechanisms play a key role in maintaining commitment to the role and preventing burnout.

Conflict Avoidance in Old Age

GeroPsych ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Oberhauser ◽  
Andreas B. Neubauer ◽  
Eva-Marie Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Conflict Avoidance ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Set Up

Abstract. Conflict avoidance increases across the adult lifespan. This cross-sectional study looks at conflict avoidance as part of a mechanism to regulate belongingness needs ( Sheldon, 2011 ). We assumed that older adults perceive more threats to their belongingness when they contemplate their future, and that they preventively react with avoidance coping. We set up a model predicting conflict avoidance that included perceptions of future nonbelonging, termed anticipated loneliness, and other predictors including sociodemographics, indicators of subjective well-being and perceived social support (N = 331, aged 40–87). Anticipated loneliness predicted conflict avoidance above all other predictors and partially mediated the age-association of conflict avoidance. Results suggest that belongingness regulation accounts may deepen our understanding of conflict avoidance in the second half of life.

Emotional Impact Feedback Changes How We Remember Negative Autobiographical Experiences

2010 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 354-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie K. T. Takarangi ◽  
Deryn Strange
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Potential Mechanism ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Negative Memory ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Negative Memories ◽  
Over Time

When people are told that their negative memories are worse than other people’s, do they later remember those events differently? We asked participants to recall a recent negative memory then, 24 h later, we gave some participants feedback about the emotional impact of their event – stating it was more or less negative compared to other people’s experiences. One week later, participants recalled the event again. We predicted that if feedback affected how participants remembered their negative experiences, their ratings of the memory’s characteristics should change over time. That is, when participants are told that their negative event is extremely negative, their memories should be more vivid, recollected strongly, and remembered from a personal perspective, compared to participants in the other conditions. Our results provide support for this hypothesis. We suggest that external feedback might be a potential mechanism in the relationship between negative memories and psychological well-being.

DRUG REGULATORY PROCEDURES IN TANZANIA: A GLIMPSE

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achin Jain ◽  
M P Venkatesh M P ◽  
Pramod T.M. Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Medical Devices ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Well Being ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Herbal Drugs ◽  
Drug Products ◽  
Set Up

In Tanzania, Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), is a regulatory body responsible for controlling the quality,safety and effectiveness of food, drugs, herbal drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. The Authority has been ensuringsafety, efficacy and quality of medicines by quality control tests; in addition to other quality assessment mechanisms.The guidelines laid by TFDA have also emanated from commitment to democracy and gives strong emphasis to thefulfilment of the needs of the less privileged rural population.Tanzania is an emerging market; the pharmaceutical market is valued at over US$250 million, and is growing at anannual rate of around 16.5% and is expected to reach approximately US$550 billion in 2020. Currently, the market ishighly dependent on imports, which account for around 75% of the total pharmaceutical market.The procedures and approval requirements of new drugs, variations, import, export and disposal have been set up bythe TFDA, which help in maintaining quality of the drug products that are imported as well being produced locally 

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