scholarly journals Acceptability of a digital return-to-work intervention for common mental disorders: a qualitative study on service user perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Engdahl ◽  
Petra Svedberg ◽  
Ulrika Bejerholm
Keyword(s):  
Return To Work ◽  
Service User ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Positive Attitudes

Abstract Background There is an evident discrepancy between need and provision of evidence-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions in existing mental health services. Online dissemination of evidence-based interventions is presumed to reduce this gap. However, there is almost no knowledge available on perceived acceptability of digital RTW interventions among service users, which are factors that might influence the development and implementation of future interventions. The aim of this study was to develop knowledge of service user acceptability of mWorks, a proposed digital RTW solution. Methods Participants (n = 18) with experience of common mental disorder and sick leave were recruited with a purposive snowball sampling method. Semi-structured interviews (n = 12) and one focus group interview (n = 6) were conducted. A deductive thematic analysis was performed according to the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Results Digital RTW interventions were perceived as acceptable and aligned with participant value. Participants expressed positive attitudes toward having access to support, regardless of time and place. A certain ambiguity between a decline in social interactions and opportunities to RTW in a safe space was reported. Participants were confident in their ability to use digital RTW solutions, but reported the need to reduce stressful elements of using smartphones. Overly demanding digital solutions, i.e. ones requiring high cognitive effort, were described as burdensome. Conclusions For digital RTW solutions to be acceptable, they need to complement traditional services by providing accessible and person-centred support throughout the RTW process. They should be designed to reduce the need for cognitive effort. Future research should explore how to balance user autonomy with other support components in digital interventions.

scholarly journals Role of a Digital Return-To-Work Solution for Individuals With Common Mental Disorders: Qualitative Study of the Perspectives of Three Stakeholder Groups (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Engdahl ◽  
Petra Svedberg ◽  
Annika Lexén ◽  
Ulrika Bejerholm
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Sick Leave ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Service User ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Stakeholder Groups

BACKGROUND Although effective return-to-work (RTW) interventions are not widely available for individuals with common mental disorders on sick leave, there is potential for transforming such interventions into a digital solution in an effort to make them more widely available. However, little is currently known about the viewpoints of different stakeholder groups, which are critical for successful development and implementation of a digital RTW intervention in health care services. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine stakeholder groups’ perspectives on the role and legitimacy of a digital RTW solution called mWorks for individuals with common mental disorders who are on sick leave. METHODS A purposeful snowball sampling method was utilized to recruit respondents. Semistructured individual and focus group interviews were conducted for stakeholder groups of service users, RTW professionals, and influential managers regarding their experiences, needs, and preferences for mWorks. Content analysis generated themes and categories that constituted the main findings. RESULTS The legitimacy of a digital RTW solution was high among all stakeholder groups since such a tool was perceived to enable service users to take control over their RTW process. This was mainly a product of accessible support and promotion of service user decision making, which had the potential to empower service users. All respondents stressed the importance of fostering a positive user experience with usability and emphasis on service user resources and strengths, as opposed to various limitations and shortcomings. Stakeholder groups highlighted critical content to facilitate RTW, such as the need to clarify a back-to-work plan, accompanied by an accessible RTW network and strategies for handling mental health problems. Implementation challenges primarily involved influential managers’ concern of legislation incompatibility with innovative technology, and RTW professionals’ concern of the possibility that digital solutions may replace them to a certain extent. CONCLUSIONS This formative research emphasizes the importance of shifting power from RTW professionals to service users. mWorks can play a role in mediating service user control over the RTW process, and thereby increase their empowerment. A digital RTW solution may facilitate the circumvention of implementation barriers associated with introducing evidence-based RTW interventions in a traditional RTW context.

scholarly journals Role of a Digital Return-To-Work Solution for Individuals With Common Mental Disorders: Qualitative Study of the Perspectives of Three Stakeholder Groups

10.2196/15625 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. e15625
Author(s):  
Patrik Engdahl ◽  
Petra Svedberg ◽  
Annika Lexén ◽  
Ulrika Bejerholm
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Sick Leave ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Service User ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Stakeholder Groups

Background Although effective return-to-work (RTW) interventions are not widely available for individuals with common mental disorders on sick leave, there is potential for transforming such interventions into a digital solution in an effort to make them more widely available. However, little is currently known about the viewpoints of different stakeholder groups, which are critical for successful development and implementation of a digital RTW intervention in health care services. Objective The aim of this study was to examine stakeholder groups’ perspectives on the role and legitimacy of a digital RTW solution called mWorks for individuals with common mental disorders who are on sick leave. Methods A purposeful snowball sampling method was utilized to recruit respondents. Semistructured individual and focus group interviews were conducted for stakeholder groups of service users, RTW professionals, and influential managers regarding their experiences, needs, and preferences for mWorks. Content analysis generated themes and categories that constituted the main findings. Results The legitimacy of a digital RTW solution was high among all stakeholder groups since such a tool was perceived to enable service users to take control over their RTW process. This was mainly a product of accessible support and promotion of service user decision making, which had the potential to empower service users. All respondents stressed the importance of fostering a positive user experience with usability and emphasis on service user resources and strengths, as opposed to various limitations and shortcomings. Stakeholder groups highlighted critical content to facilitate RTW, such as the need to clarify a back-to-work plan, accompanied by an accessible RTW network and strategies for handling mental health problems. Implementation challenges primarily involved influential managers’ concern of legislation incompatibility with innovative technology, and RTW professionals’ concern of the possibility that digital solutions may replace them to a certain extent. Conclusions This formative research emphasizes the importance of shifting power from RTW professionals to service users. mWorks can play a role in mediating service user control over the RTW process, and thereby increase their empowerment. A digital RTW solution may facilitate the circumvention of implementation barriers associated with introducing evidence-based RTW interventions in a traditional RTW context.

scholarly journals Preconception prediction of expectant fathers' mental health: 20-year cohort study from adolescence

BJPsych Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Spry ◽  
Rebecca Giallo ◽  
Margarita Moreno-Betancur ◽  
Jacqui Macdonald ◽  
Denise Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorder ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Expectant Fathers

We examined prospective associations between men's common mental disorders in the decades prior to offspring conception and subsequent paternal antenatal mental health problems. Data came from a prospective intergenerational cohort study which assessed common mental disorder nine times from age 14 to 29 years, and in the third trimester of subsequent pregnancies to age 35 years (N = 295 pregnancies to 214 men). Men with histories of adolescent and young adult common mental disorders were over four times more likely to experience antenatal mental health problems. Future research identifying modifiable perinatal factors that counteract preconception risk would provide further targets for intervention.Declaration of interestNone.

“Natural allies”

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 804-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex H. Poole ◽  
Deborah A. Garwood
Keyword(s):  
Research Question ◽  
Library Science ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Intensive ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Information Professionals

PurposeIn Digging into Data 3 (DID3) (2014-2016), ten funders from four countries (the USA, Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands) granted $5.1 million to 14 project teams to pursue data-intensive, interdisciplinary, and international digital humanities (DH) research. The purpose of this paper is to employ the DID3 projects as a case study to explore the following research question: what roles do librarians and archivists take on in data-intensive, interdisciplinary, and international DH projects?Design/methodology/approachParticipation was secured from 53 persons representing eleven projects. The study was conducted in the naturalistic paradigm. It is a qualitative case study involving snowball sampling, semi-structured interviews, and grounded analysis.FindingsLibrarians or archivists were involved officially in 3 of the 11 projects (27.3 percent). Perhaps more importantly, information professionals played vital unofficial roles in these projects, namely as consultants and liaisons and also as technical support. Information and library science (ILS) expertise helped DID3 researchers with issues such as visualization, rights management, and user testing. DID3 participants also suggested ways in which librarians and archivists might further support DH projects, concentrating on three key areas: curation, outreach, and ILS education. Finally, six directions for future research are suggested.Originality/valueMuch untapped potential exists for librarians and archivists to collaborate with DH scholars; a gap exists between researcher awareness and information professionals’ capacity.

scholarly journals First Contact Practitioners’ (FCPs) and General Practitioners’ Perceptions Towards FCPs Delivering Vocational Advice to Patients with Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Qualitative Investigation of the Implementation Potential of the I-SWAP Initiative

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Saunders ◽  
Nadine E. Foster ◽  
Jonathan C. Hill ◽  
Gail Sowden ◽  
Nicola Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Normalisation Process Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Work Absence ◽  
Qualitative Investigation ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
First Contact

AbstractPurpose Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is a common cause of work absence. The recent SWAP (Study of Work And Pain) randomised controlled trial (RCT) found that a brief vocational advice service for primary care patients with MSK pain led to fewer days’ work absence and provided good return-on-investment. The I-SWAP (Implementation of the Study of Work And Pain) initiative aimed to deliver an implementation test-bed of the SWAP vocational advice intervention with First Contact Practitioners (FCP). This entailed adapting the SWAP vocational advice training to fit the FCP role. This qualitative investigation explored the implementation potential of FCPs delivering vocational advice for patients with MSK pain. Methods Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 10 FCPs and 5 GPs. Data were analysed thematically and findings explored using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT). Results I-SWAP achieved a degree of ‘coherence’ (i.e. made sense), with both FCPs and GPs feeling FCPs were well-placed to discuss work issues with these patients. However, for many of the FCPs, addressing or modifying psychosocial and occupational barriers to return-to-work was not considered feasible within FCP consultations, and improving physical function was prioritised. Concerns were also raised that employers would not act on FCPs’ recommendations regarding return-to-work. Conclusion FCPs appear well-placed to discuss work issues with MSK patients, and signpost/refer to other services; however, because they often only see patients once they are less suited to deliver other aspects of vocational advice. Future research is needed to explore how best to provide vocational advice in primary care settings.

scholarly journals Getting the Message Right: Evidence-Based Insights to Improve Organizational Return-to-Work Communication Practices

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arif Jetha ◽  
Morgane Le Pouésard ◽  
Cameron Mustard ◽  
Catherine Backman ◽  
Monique A. M. Gignac
Keyword(s):  
Return To Work ◽  
Occupational Injury ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Disability Management ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Word Choice ◽  
Injured Worker ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Communication Practices ◽  
The Impact

AbstractPurpose There is an absence of evidence-based guidance to support workplace stakeholders in the effective delivery of return-to-work (RTW) messages. Our study examines the specific RTW communication practices and their impact on the management of work disability. Methods Within two large and complex healthcare organizations, semi-structured interviews were conducted with workplace stakeholders (e.g., supervisors, union representatives, disability management professionals and workers’ compensation representatives) and workers who had previously experienced sickness absence related to an occupational injury or illness. For workplace stakeholders interview questions asked about their roles and responsibilities in the RTW process, and specific communication strategies and messages that were used at different phases of the RTW process. For worker participants, interview questions explored RTW experiences and the impact of communication on work re-integration. An interpretative descriptive approach was used to inductively examine themes from interviews to create ways of understanding phenomena that yielded applied findings. Results Forty participants were interviewed including workplace stakeholders and workers. Participants frequently described effective RTW communication as messages that were delivered by a workplace stakeholder that included the content required by an injured worker to navigate the organizational disability management process and utilized specific strategies to address the perceived attitudes and perceptions held by an injured worker regarding work re-integration. Workplace stakeholders described five specific communication strategies including relaying messages of support, optimizing the timing of communication, careful word choice, framing messages, and tailoring communication to the injured worker.  Conclusion RTW communication is an active process that requires a strategic approach. Effective communication practices represent an important strategy for workplace stakeholders to address the barriers held by injured workers and foster early and sustained RTW.

scholarly journals Evaluating context and interest in training in evidence-based mental health care: a qualitative investigation among healthcare providers in Kyiv, Ukraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Hook ◽  
Julia Kozishkurt ◽  
Olga Kovalchuk ◽  
Evelina Goncharenko ◽  
Vitalii Kodovbetskyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Mental Health Training ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Clinics ◽  
Perceived Needs ◽  
Key Factor

Abstract Objective Increasing access to quality, evidence-based mental health treatments, including psychotherapy, is a global priority. Knowledge of factors associated with delivery settings is critical to ensure that new practices are appropriate and effectively adapted for novel settings. Understanding perceived needs for training and interest in ongoing education is one key factor. This qualitative study aimed to identify perspectives on contemporary evidence-based psychotherapies, perceived needs for mental health training, and existing barriers and facilitators to provision of mental health services in community clinics in Ukraine. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit 18 physicians and psychologists employed in community clinics in Kyiv. A combination of free-listing and semi-structured interviews was used to collect data, which were thematically coded using emergent coding. Results Findings from this study indicated that participants recognize a need for improved mental health knowledge and training, as well as suggested interest and openness to learning short-term, structured psychological interventions. Additional barriers and existing strengths described by participants provide insight into possible factors that may impact future trainings in and implementation of modern mental health approaches.

scholarly journals Barriers and Facilitators for Return to Work from the Perspective of Workers with Common Mental Disorders with Short, Medium and Long-Term Sickness Absence: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margot C. W. Joosen ◽  
Marjolein Lugtenberg ◽  
Iris Arends ◽  
Hanneke J. A. W. M. van Gestel ◽  
Benedikte Schaapveld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Coping Behavior ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Structured Interviews

AbstractPurpose Although common mental disorders (CMDs) highly impact individuals and society, a knowledge gap exists on how sickness absence can be prevented in workers with CMDs. This study explores: (1) workers’ perceived causes of sickness absence; (2) perceived return to work (RTW) barriers and facilitators; and (3) differences between workers with short, medium and long-term sickness absence. Methods A longitudinal qualitative study was conducted involving 34 workers with CMDs. Semi-structured interviews were held at two time-points during their RTW process. The 68 interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and thematically analyzed to explore workers’ perspective on sickness absence causes, RTW barriers and facilitators, and compare data across the three sub-groups of workers. Results Workers reported various causes for their absence, including: (1) high work pressure; (2) poor work relationships; (3) unhelpful thoughts and feelings, e.g. lacking self-insight; and (4) ineffective coping behaviors. According to workers, RTW was facilitated by work adjustments, fulfilling relationships with supervisors, and adequate occupational health guidance. Workers with short-term leave more often reported favorable work conditions, and proactive coping behavior. In contrast, the long-term group reported reactive coping behavior and dissatisfaction with their work. Conclusion Supporting workers with CMDs in gaining self-awareness and regaining control, discussing the value of their work, and creating work conditions that enable workers to do valuable work, seem central for successful RTW and might prevent sickness absence. Supervisors play a key role in enabling workers to do valuable work and further research should focus on how supervisors can be supported in this task.

scholarly journals Learners' attitudes and motivation to learn english

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ιρέν Χοβανισιάν
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Motivation To Learn ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

The aim of the present study is to examine attitudes and motivation to learn English among Greek learners of the sixth grade of primary school and the third grade of lower secondary school in relation to variables such as age, gender and language attainment level. What is more, this study seeks to explore the extent to which Greek learners are aware of the concept of English as an International Language (EIL) and their attitudes towards and motivation to learn EIL or at least to incorporate some EIL-related features into their English language learning.The data were collected in 27 state schools (13 primary schools and 14 lower secondary schools) in the eastern and western parts of Thessaloniki, Greece. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted with the overall number of 1,142 survey respondents and the total of 31 interviewees. The data elicitation tools employed were a 71-item attitude/motivation questionnaire, which explored learners’ attitudes towards English, towards learning English at school, towards the native speakers of English and learners’ motivation to learn English for a plethora of reasons; the Oxford Quick Placement Test, which measured the respondents’ language attainment level; and a concise questionnaire used for the short semi-structured interviews. The results of the study highlight that age is the most influential variable across almost all attitude/motivational variables, in which young learners are reported to have more positive attitudes and a higher level of motivation. With regard to the impact of proficiency level, more proficient learners have more positive attitudes towards English and are motivated to learn English for instrumental reasons and for personal enjoyment. In addition, the results show that gender is not influential, and this finding leads to the assumption that, with special reference to English, attitudes and motivation seem to have become gender-neutral. The qualitative data obtained from the short interviews amplified and enriched the findings of the study by providing a more insightful and detailed picture of the learners’ attitudes and motivation.Suggestions for future research and a number of pedagogical recommendations are made on how to increase and sustain learners’ attitudes and motivation and to raise learners’ awareness of EIL, based on the findings of the present study.

scholarly journals LGBT OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR PETS IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIA: RESULTS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S201-S201
Author(s):  
Maureen MacNamara
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Service Delivery ◽  
Service Delivery Systems ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Rural Appalachia

Abstract This session reports on older LGBT adults’ perspectives of roles that pets played in relation to older adults’ aging-in-place experiences. The goal of this study is to advance understanding of the role of pets in the lives of older LGBT adults living in rural communities. The qualitative study used individual, semi-structured interviews with 11 older adults residing in rural Appalachia. Individuals were recruited using purposive sampling techniques, including recruitment through LGBT friendly service providers, a lesbian listserv, and snowball sampling. The majority of respondents reported that pets played a role in social support and some in social capital. One respondent described a utilitarian relationship with animals that is important to understanding the roles animals may play in rural communities in terms of "belongingness". After reviewing study findings, we will provide recommendations for including information about pets in formal social service delivery systems and conclude with implications for future research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document