Older (65+) patients’ use of e-mail consultations: A Danish qualitative study using a Foucauldian framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
Martin V. Bavngaard ◽  
Anette Grønning
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Patient Perspective ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Power Relationship ◽  
Direct Power ◽  
Old Patients ◽  
Institutional Power ◽  
E Mail

In Denmark, e-mail consultations (e-cons) are now supplementing conventional consultations with doctors and raising questions related to self-governing technology from the patient perspective. Interestingly, old patients are the most frequent users of this kind of consultation. This article examines how e-cons affect old people’s relationships with and perceptions of their general practitioners (GPs) regarding trust, self-governance and indirect/direct power. This qualitative study is based on interviews with twenty patients between 66 and 83 years old. Applying a thematic analysis in which four salient themes were identified, the study demonstrates that the patients perceive the GP as powerful, knowledgeable and busy; this corresponds with the power relationship between disciplinary institutions and individuals. At the same time, many patients use e-cons as a technology of self-governance, thereby taking responsibility for their own health while still being able to contact the clinic. In this way, patients achieve the potential for self-management, while clinics maintain their institutional power.

scholarly journals Using wearables and self-management apps in patients with COPD: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 00036-2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Wu ◽  
Shiphra Ginsburg ◽  
Tatiana Son ◽  
Andrea S. Gershon
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Continuous Monitoring ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

BackgroundTechnology such as wearable technology and self-management applications could improve the care of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by real-time continuous monitoring, early detection of COPD and improved self-management. However, patients have not been willing to use technology when it is too difficult to use, interferes with their daily lives or threatens their identity, independence and self-care.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study to determine what patients with COPD would like to see in a wearable device and a mobile application to help manage their condition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and concepts.ResultsWe interviewed 14 people with COPD with an average age of 69 years. Participants perceived that the technology could improve their ability to manage their condition both in daily life and during exacerbations by connecting how they feel and by knowing their oxygen saturation, heart rate and activity. The technology may help them address feelings of fear and panic associated with exacerbations and may provide reassurance and connectedness. Some people with COPD wanted their healthcare providers to have access to their data, while others were concerned about inundating them with too much information. Of note, people wanted to maintain control of the information; to make connections with the data, but also in order to be alerted when a possible exacerbation occurs.ConclusionPatients perceived significant potential for wearables and apps to help manage their condition.

scholarly journals Knowing me, knowing you: a qualitative study of the effects on patients of doctors’ self-illness disclosures

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Laura Bolger ◽  
Katherine Helen Hall ◽  
Martyn Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Patient Relationship ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Emotional Dimensions

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTIONVery little is known how patients react to learning about their own doctors’ illnesses. Doctors can be uncertain if and when such disclosures can be helpful, and in what way, to patients. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by providing an in-depth analysis of one group of patients’ experiences with this type of disclosure. AIMTo understand from patients’ perspectives, the effects on them of doctors disclosing their own illnesses, to provide guidance concerning the uses of this disclosure for general practitioners. METHODSThis qualitative study was an exploration of 13 patients’ reactions to receiving such information, using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. RESULTSThe major themes were the emotional dimensions of illness and patienthood, the doctor–patient relationship and patients’ concerns about disclosures. Disclosures can have profound effects on patients with both negative and positive consequences. CONCLUSIONWe present suggestions about how to use such disclosures in primary care to minimise potential harms and emphasise potential benefits, based on these patients’ perspectives and the current literature.

scholarly journals Stigma and the in(visible) perspectives and expectations of home oxygen therapy among people with chronic breathlessness syndrome: A qualitative study

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina Breaden ◽  
Aileen Collier ◽  
Caroline Litster ◽  
Peter Allcroft ◽  
David C Currow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Interpretive Description ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Severe Hypoxaemia ◽  
Careful Thought

Background: Chronic breathlessness syndrome in the context of advancing disease is distressing for all concerned. Oxygen is commonly prescribed in this setting; however, little is known about the perspectives of breathless people who either are on oxygen or are yet to have it prescribed. Aim: To understand and describe the perspectives and experiences of breathless people towards oxygen use at home. Design: This qualitative study utilised an interpretive description approach using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. Setting/participants: A total of 19 people with chronic breathlessness syndrome living in South Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants were divided into sub-groups according to whether they were chronically breathless and (1) not using home oxygen ( n = 6), (2) using funded home oxygen for severe hypoxaemia ( n = 7) and (3) using home oxygen for palliation outside of funding guidelines ( n = 6). Results: Three main themes were identified: (1) managing distress and living with chronic breathlessness syndrome, with or without oxygen, requires a range of self-management strategies; (2) expectations of oxygen use: ‘Not as good as I thought it would be’; and (3) the stigma of using oxygen: the visible and invisible. Conclusion: People living with chronic breathlessness struggle daily with both the progression of the underlying disease and the distressing nature of the syndrome. While oxygen does provide benefit for some people, its use and the perceptions of its use are often associated with both the visible and invisible manifestations of stigma. Clinicians need to promote self-management strategies and give careful thought to the prescribing of home oxygen, especially outside the current funding guidelines.

Gender Non-traditional High School Study: Reasons for Choice and Evaluation of Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 46-66
Author(s):  
Irena Smetáčková ◽  
Petr Pavlík
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Peer Groups ◽  
Male Students ◽  
School Program ◽  
School Study ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
Opposite Sex

Career choices of most pupils at the end of the primary school conform to gender norms. Only a few of them continue to study in a field traditionally considered appropriate for the opposite sex. The qualitative study presented here maps the reasons for such choices based on a sample of 25 female and 31 male students who study gender-atypical secondary school program for one to three years. The data were collected using a questionnaire with open-ended items and analysed using the qualitative thematic analysis. The results revealed that the reasons for school choices of boys and girls differ to certain extent. Their situation also differs with respect to the support they receive from their close ones and the acceptance by their classmates. The parents of girls disapproved of their choices more often than the parents of boys. Girls were also ridiculed more frequently by their peer groups.

Complicated grief knowledge and practice: a qualitative study of general practitioners in Ireland

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Abiola Muhammed ◽  
Anne Dodd ◽  
Suzanne Guerin ◽  
Susan Delaney ◽  
Philip Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Complicated Grief ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Knowledge And Practice ◽  
Purposive Sample

Objective: Complicated grief is a debilitating condition that individuals may experience after losing a loved one. General practitioners (GPs) are well positioned to provide patients with support for grief-related issues. Traditionally, Irish GPs play an important role in providing patients with emotional support regarding bereavement. However, GPs have commonly reported not being aptly trained to respond to bereavement-related issues. This study explores GPs’ current knowledge of and practice regarding complicated grief. Methods: A qualitative study adopting a phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of GPs on this issue. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of nine GPs (five men and four women) in Ireland. Potential participants were contacted via email and phone. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using Braun & Clarke’s (2006) model of thematic analysis. Results: GPs had limited awareness of the concept of complicated grief and were unfamiliar with relevant research. They also reported that their training was either non-existent or outdated. GPs formed their own knowledge of grief-related issues based on their intuition and experiences. For these reasons, there was not one agreed method of how to respond to grief-related issues reported by patients, though participants recognised the need for intervention, onward referral and review. Conclusions: The research highlighted that GPs felt they required training in complicated grief so that they would be better able to identify and respond to complicated grief.

scholarly journals Young adults’ perceptions of living with atopic dermatitis in relation to the concept of self-management: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e044777
Author(s):  
Susanne Lundin ◽  
Marina Jonsson ◽  
Carl-Fredrik Wahlgren ◽  
Emma Johansson ◽  
Anna Bergstrom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Atopic Dermatitis ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Self Management ◽  
School Age ◽  
Perceived Availability ◽  
Semistructured Interviews

ObjectivesLearning to take control of one’s health is an important part of the transition from adolescence to adulthood. This study aimed to explore young adults’ perceptions of living with atopic dermatitis (AD) in relation to the concept of self-management.DesignA qualitative study with an inductive approach was performed through semistructured interviews (n=15). The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed with systematic text condensation.ParticipantsYoung adults (mean age 23,4 years) with persistent AD in a longitudinal population-based birth cohort. To capture experience of living with persistent AD (preschool/school-age onset) of different severity (mild to severe/very severe), a purposive selection was performed. In total, 15 young adults were included. Persistent AD (preschool/school-age onset) was defined as dry skin in combination with itchy rash of typical localisation in the 12 months preceding the 16-year and the 24-year follow-ups. Severity was self-assessed using the Patient Oriented Eczema Measure.ResultsDespite having experience of AD since childhood, the respondents expressed uncertainty about treatment and how it affected their bodies. Their uncertainties and feelings affected how they used topical corticosteroids. The respondents emphasised that they perceived availability of healthcare and knowledge about treatment of AD among healthcare providers to be limited. The participants did not state any experiences of support to self-management from healthcare, which affect young adults’ possibilities to take full control of their AD care.ConclusionsYoung adults with preschool/school-age onset of AD are unsure how to treat and manage the disease. One explanation may be insufficient transition process.

scholarly journals Voices of Experience: What Do Low-Income Older Adults Tell Us About Mobility, Technology, and Social Participation?

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110125
Author(s):  
Haley B. Gallo ◽  
Lia W. Marshall ◽  
Lené Levy-Storms ◽  
Kathleen H. Wilber ◽  
Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
Senior Center ◽  
Perceived Safety

Mobility and technology can facilitate in-person and virtual social participation to help reduce social isolation, but issues exist regarding older adults’ access, feasibility, and motivation to use various forms of mobility and technology. This qualitative study explores how a diverse group of low-income, urban-living older adults use mobility and technology for social participation. We conducted six focus groups ( N = 48), two each in English, Spanish, and Korean at a Los Angeles senior center. Three major themes emerged from thematic analysis: using technology for mobility; links between mobility and social participation; and technology-mediated social participation. Cost, perceived safety, (dis)ability, and support from family and friends were related to mobility and technology use. This study demonstrates the range of mobility and technology uses among older adults and associated barriers. The findings can help establish a pre-COVID-19 baseline on how to make mobility and technology more accessible for older adults at risk of isolation.

scholarly journals Experiences of New Zealand Haemodialysis Patients in Relation to Food and Nutrition Management: A Qualitative Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2299
Author(s):  
Rachael M. McLean ◽  
Zhengxiu Xie ◽  
Vicky Nelson ◽  
Vili Nosa ◽  
Hla Thein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Nutrition Management ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Major Disruption

People receiving haemodialysis have considerable and complex dietary and healthcare needs, including co-morbidities. A recent New Zealand study has shown that few patients on haemodialysis are able to meet nutritional requirements for haemodialysis. This study aims to describe the perspectives and experiences of dietary management among patients on haemodialysis in New Zealand. This exploratory qualitative study used in-depth semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants from different ethnic groups. Forty interviews were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive approach was taken using thematic analysis. Forty participants were interviewed. Participants spoke of major disruption to their lives as a result of their chronic kidney disease and being on haemodialysis, including loss of employment, financial challenges, loss of independence, social isolation and increased reliance on extended family. Most had received adequate dietary information, although some felt that more culturally appropriate support would have enabled a healthier diet. These findings show that further support to make the recommended dietary changes while on haemodialysis should focus on socio-cultural factors, in addition to the information already provided.

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