scholarly journals Reducing unmet need for contraceptive services among youth in Homabay and Narok counties, Kenya: the role of community health volunteers – a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermen Ormel ◽  
George Oele ◽  
Maryse Kok ◽  
Happiness Oruko ◽  
Beatrice Oluoch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Community Health Volunteers ◽  
Contraceptive Services

Abstract Background Access to contraceptive services is a cornerstone of human well-being. While Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) promote family planning in Kenya, the unmet need for contraceptives among youth remains high. CHVs seem to pay little specific attention to the contraceptive needs of the youth. Methods We conducted a qualitative study exploring the role of CHVs in increasing access and uptake of contraceptive services among youth aged 18–24 years in Narok and Homabay Counties, Kenya. We undertook 37 interviews and 15 focus group discussions involving CHVs, youth, community members, community leaders, youth leaders and health programme managers. Data were recorded, transcribed, translated, coded and thematically analysed, according to a framework that included community, CHV and health system-related factors. Results CHVs often operated in traditional contexts that challenge contraceptive use among unmarried female and male youth and young married couples. Yet many CHVs seemed to have overcome this potential ‘barrier’ as well as reigning misconceptions about contraceptives. While private and facility-based public contraceptive services were somehow available, CHVs were the preferred service provider for many youth due to ease of access and saving time and transport costs. This was influenced by varied perceptions among youth of CHVs’ knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding contraceptives and provider-client interaction, and specifically their commitment to maintain confidentiality. Conclusions CHVs have the potential to increase access to contraceptives for young people, reducing unmet need for contraceptives. Their knowledge, skills and attitudes need strengthening through training and supervision, while incentives to motivate them and broadening the range of contraceptives they are allowed to offer should be considered.

scholarly journals Empathy Adds Incrementally to the Association of Self-Efficacy and Optimism with Psychological Health in Healthcare Volunteers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Dionigi ◽  
Giulia Casu ◽  
Paola Gremigni
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Community Health Volunteers ◽  
Healthcare Volunteers

Optimism and self-efficacy have been associated with psychological health. Empathy has also been found to promote positive functioning and to have a unique role in community health volunteering. This study investigated whether self-efficacy and optimism were associated with psychological and subjective well-being in a group of healthcare volunteers and whether empathy added incrementally to these associations. A sample of 160 Italian clown doctors volunteering in various hospitals completed self-report measures of self-efficacy, optimism, empathy, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being. Results indicated that self-efficacy and optimism were associated with both outcomes and that aspects of empathy, such as others’ perspective-taking and personal distress for others’ difficulties, incrementally added to these associations, although with opposite effects. The present study adds to previous research on the role of self-efficacy, optimism, and empathy for community health volunteers’ psychological health and offers suggestions regarding the training of this type of volunteer.

scholarly journals Associations of Self-Efficacy, Optimism, and Empathy with Psychological Health in Healthcare Volunteers

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 6001
Author(s):  
Alberto Dionigi ◽  
Giulia Casu ◽  
Paola Gremigni
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Community Health Volunteers ◽  
Healthcare Volunteers

Optimism and self-efficacy have been associated with psychological health. Empathy has also been found to have a unique role in community health volunteering and promote positive functioning. This study investigated whether self-efficacy and optimism were associated with psychological health in terms of psychological and subjective well-being in healthcare volunteers. It also investigated whether empathy added to the explanation of psychological health, over and above that accounted for by self-efficacy and optimism. A convenience sample of 160 Italian clown doctors volunteering in various hospitals completed self-report measures of self-efficacy, optimism, empathy, psychological well-being, and subjective well-being. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that self-efficacy and optimism were associated with both outcomes and that aspects of empathy, such as others’ perspective taking and personal distress for others’ difficulties, added to the explanation of psychological health with opposite effects. The present study adds to previous research on the role of self-efficacy, optimism, and empathy for community health volunteers’ psychological health. It also offers suggestions regarding the training for this type of volunteer.

scholarly journals Role of community health volunteers in identifying people with elevated blood pressure for diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension in Malawi: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvis Safary ◽  
Micrina Mwandeti ◽  
Beatrice Matanje ◽  
Claudia Beiersmann ◽  
Caroline Mtaita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Elevated Blood Pressure ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Health Volunteers ◽  
Provision Of Services

Abstract Background In recent years, there has been greater recognition of the important role of community health volunteers in many countries and their important role informs many health programs. This include health education, provision of services such as screening, monitoring and referral to health facilities. Their roles are better understood in the areas of communicable diseases like HIV infection, Tuberculosis and Malaria however little is known about their role in non-communicable diseases. This study seeks to explore perception of CHVs’ functions, tasks, and their fulfilment in identifying people with elevated blood pressure for diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension in Lilongwe, Malawi. Methods This was a qualitative naturalistic research design utilizing observation and semi-structured interviews with community health volunteers working in Lilongwe, Malawi. Interviews were carried out with the researcher. Participants were recruited from the ZaMaC project. An interview guide was developed with a category-guided deductive approach. The interviews were recorded through note taking. Data analysis was performed using content analysis approach. Results Community health volunteers have multiple roles in prevention and monitoring of hypertension. They act as health educators and provide lifestyle counselling. They screened for hypertension and monitored blood pressure and assisted community members to navigate the health system such as linkage to health facilities. These roles were shaped in response to community needs. Conclusion This study indicates the complexities of the roles of community health volunteer in identifying people with elevated BP for diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension. Understanding community health volunteers’ roles provides insight into their required competencies in provision of their daily activities as well as required training to fill in their knowledge gaps.

scholarly journals Long COVID and the role of physical activity: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e047632
Author(s):  
Helen Humphreys ◽  
Laura Kilby ◽  
Nik Kudiersky ◽  
Robert Copeland
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Insight Into

ObjectivesTo explore the lived experience of long COVID with particular focus on the role of physical activity.DesignQualitative study using semistructured interviews.Participants18 people living with long COVID (9 men, 9 women; aged between 18–74 years; 10 white British, 3 white Other, 3 Asian, 1 black, 1 mixed ethnicity) recruited via a UK-based research interest database for people with long COVID.SettingTelephone interviews with 17 participants living in the UK and 1 participant living in the USA.ResultsFour themes were generated. Theme 1 describes how participants struggled with drastically reduced physical function, compounded by the cognitive and psychological effects of long COVID. Theme 2 highlights challenges associated with finding and interpreting advice about physical activity that was appropriately tailored. Theme 3 describes individual approaches to managing symptoms including fatigue and ‘brain fog’ while trying to resume and maintain activities of daily living and other forms of exercise. Theme 4 illustrates the battle with self-concept to accept reduced function (even temporarily) and the fear of permanent reduction in physical and cognitive ability.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into the challenges of managing physical activity alongside the extended symptoms associated with long COVID. Findings highlight the need for greater clarity and tailoring of physical activity-related advice for people with long COVID and improved support to resume activities important to individual well-being.

Exploring Self-Compassion and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Young Women Athletes

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah J. Ferguson ◽  
Kent C. Kowalski ◽  
Diane E. Mack ◽  
Catherine M. Sabiston
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Women Athletes ◽  
Quantitative Study ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Multiple Mediation ◽  
Self Compassion

Using a mixed methods research design, we explored self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in young women athletes. In a quantitative study (n = 83), we found that self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being were positively related (r = .76, p < .01). A model of multiple mediation was proposed, with self-compassion, passivity, responsibility, initiative, and self-determination accounting for 83% of the variance in eudaimonic well-being. In a qualitative study (n = 11), we explored when and how self-compassion might be useful in striving to reach one’s potential in sport. Self-compassion was described as advantageous in difficult sport-specific situations by increasing positivity, perseverance, and responsibility, as well as decreasing rumination. Apprehensions about fully embracing a self-compassionate mindset in sport warrant additional research to explore the seemingly paradoxical role of self-compassion in eudaimonic well-being.

scholarly journals Why women do not use contraceptives: Exploring the role of male out-migration

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0249177
Author(s):  
Saradiya Mukherjee ◽  
Bidhubhusan Mahapatra ◽  
Niranjan Saggurti
Keyword(s):  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Married Women ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
Contextual Understanding ◽  
Married Men ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
High Migration

Introduction Contextual understanding of reasons for non-use of contraceptives is key to devising family planning (FP) strategies. This study aimed to understand the reasons for non-use of contraceptives among women in the context of male out-migration. Methods Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in two high male out-migration districts in Bihar, namely Nawada and Gopalganj. Twenty-five FGDs were conducted with currently married women with migrant husbands, currently married men and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) during April-June 2019. Data were analysed by using a thematic approach through Atlas.ti-6.2. Results The reasons for contraceptive non-use in areas with high male out-migration were complex, as this included barriers to contraceptive use unique to high-migration areas and reasons commonly found in other rural settings. Non-use of contraceptives among women with migrant husbands was mostly driven by lack of contraceptive preparedness before husband’s arrival, inability to procure contraceptives due to inaccessibility to health facilities and stigma to procure when husband was away. Other migration environment related factors included low ASHA outreach, myths and side effects of contraceptives, community fertility norms and poor spousal communications around FP. Conclusion The reasons for non-use of contraceptives are multifaceted, complex and interlinked. Exploration of these reasons in migration context suggest that FP programs in migration affected areas need to address a range of barriers to contraceptive use at multiple levels.

scholarly journals Perceived treatment and unmet need for medical care among people of foreign origin in Finland

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Somersalo ◽  
P Kankkunen ◽  
H Kuusio
Keyword(s):  
Medical Care ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Equal Treatment ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Medical Settings ◽  
Foreign Origin ◽  
Gp Services

Abstract Background Previous international studies show that perceived unjust treatment is relatively common among people with foreign background (PFB) in medical services. This study examines the association between unjust treatment in medical settings and unmet need for general practitioner's (GP) services among PFB in Finland. Methods The data for this study were drawn from Survey on work and well-being among people of foreign origin (UTH) (N = 5449, response rate 66%), conducted in 2014-2015. Respondent characteristics were weighted and summarized, and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to assess the adjusted odds ratios (OR) of association between self-assessed unjust treatment and unmet need for medical care. The analyses were conducted in a three-step process where the first model tested the association between unjust treatment in medical care settings and unmet need for GP services, second model adjusted this association by sociodemographic factors, and the third model further adjusted the previous models by migration related factors. Results PFB reporting unjust treatment were significantly more likely to experience unmet need for GP services, even after controlling for other tested factors (OR = 8.73, 95% CI 6.18-12.33, p&lt;.001). Besides unjust treatment, only employment status was associated with unmet need for GP services (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.08-1.89, p = 0.123) in the final model. Immigration related factors were not associated with unmet need for care in this model. Conclusions Perceived unjust treatment in medical settings is strongly associated with unmet need for GP services. Key messages Cultural sensitive treatment could affect the inequities in unmet need for GP services between PFB and overall population. Ensuring cultural competence throughout organizational structures, and not just for individual employees, could create an environment to promote equal treatment of all clients.

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