scholarly journals Perceptions of Risk of Attending Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a UK patient and public survey and focus groups

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Pritchard ◽  
Emer Brady ◽  
Yogini Chudasama ◽  
Professor Melanie Davies ◽  
Professor Gerry McCann
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Involvement ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Perceptions Of Risk ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Public Survey ◽  
The Uk

Abstract We aim to rapidly assess public attitudes to attending hospital across the UK for research purposes and clinical appointments, and attitudes to vaccine research using an online survey and online focus groups. Online surveys offer a rapid and, during a global pandemic, safe way of collecting information about public opinion. However, they are flawed in relying on self-report, and subject to abuse by means of multiple responses from one person or even merely random responses. Sampling methods associated with online surveys require opt-in so respondents are likely to be motivated, and specifically interested in research. Thus the methodology will attract a 'warm' audience when discussing questions about research as is standard in public involvement.Online focus groups with public involvement volunteers will also experience similar issues with generalisability. All online methodologies will exclude those without access to the online world.

scholarly journals Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Considering “Freebirth” During Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Greenfield ◽  
Sophie Payne-Gifford ◽  
Gemma McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Specific Effect ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Queer Women ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Global North ◽  
The Uk

Background: The global coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic concerns all people, but has a specific effect on those who are expecting a baby during this time. The advice in the UK changed rapidly, with 14 different sets of national guidance issued within 1 month. Individual NHS Trusts released various guidance relating to the withdrawal of homebirth services, the closure of birth centers, restrictions on the number of birth partners (if any) allowed during labor, and whether any visitors were allowed to attend after birth. With the landscape of maternity care changing so rapidly, research was carried out to provide real-time data to capture the lived experiences of expectant families.Methods: A mixed methods online survey was carried out over 2 weeks between 10th and 24th April 2020. The survey was open to those in the third trimester of pregnancy, those who had given birth since the beginning of the “lockdown” period in the UK, and the partners of pregnant women and people who were in these circumstances. The survey asked questions about how respondents' holistic antenatal experiences had been affected, whether their plans for birth had changed, and the effect of these changes on respondents' emotional wellbeing. Of the 1,700 responses received, 72 mentioned that they had seriously considered “freebirthing” (giving birth without a healthcare professional present).Findings: An analysis of the respondents' reasons for considering freebirth was conducted, finding that reasons for considering freebirth were complex and multifaceted. Lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and queer women were more likely to have considered freebirth than heterosexual people (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Considering giving birth without a healthcare professional present is unusual in the Global North and represents an emerging field of study. The literature examining the reasons that people consider freebirth shows a variety of underlying motivations. A global pandemic represents a new factor in such considerations. The findings from this research can help inform maternity service planning in future crises.

scholarly journals Understanding psychiatrists' knowledge, attitudes and experiences in identifying and supporting their patients on the autism spectrum: online survey

BJPsych Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Crane ◽  
Ian Davidson ◽  
Rachel Prosser ◽  
Elizabeth Pellicano
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Personal Connection ◽  
Effective Care ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
Diagnostic Management ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
The Uk

BackgroundPsychiatrists play a critical role in identifying and supporting their patients on the autism spectrum in the UK, yet little is known about their knowledge, attitudes and experiences in this regard.AimsTo understand psychiatrists' experiences of working with autistic individuals, their confidence in making diagnostic/management decisions and the factors that affect such decisions.MethodA total of 172 psychiatrists took part in an online self-report survey.ResultsMost psychiatrists reported receiving useful training on autism and were knowledgeable about the condition, particularly those with a personal connection to autism. Higher confidence in working with autistic patients was linked to greater levels of autism knowledge, experience and training. Several systemic and autism-specific factors were highlighted by psychiatrists, which were felt to challenge their ability to provide effective care and support for their patients on the autism spectrum.ConclusionsPsychiatrists' views corroborated previous research with the autism community, highlighting the need to co-design services that are accessible, respectful and person-centred.Declaration of interestI.D. is the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Autism Champion.

scholarly journals Manipulating the 5 Dimensions of the EuroQol Instrument: The Effects on Self-Reporting Actual Health and Valuing Hypothetical Health States

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aki Tsuchiya ◽  
Nick Bansback ◽  
Arne Risa Hole ◽  
Brendan Mulhern
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Discrete Choice Experiments ◽  
Health State ◽  
Health States ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Health State Valuations ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Actual Health

Background. The EQ-5D instrument has 5 dimensions. This article reports on the effects of manipulating a) the order in which the 5 dimensions are presented (appearing first v. last), b) splitting of the composite dimensions (“pain or discomfort” and “anxiety or depression”), and c) removing or “bolting off” 1 of the 5 EQ-5D dimensions at a time. The effects were examined in 2 contexts: 1) self-reporting health and 2) health state valuations. Methods. Three different types of discrete choice experiments (DCE) including a duration attribute were designed. An online survey with 12 subtypes, each with 10 DCE tasks, was designed and completed by 2494 members of the UK general public. Results. Of the 3 manipulations in the self-reporting context, only b) splitting anxiety or depression had a significant effect. In the health state valuation context, b) splitting level 5 pain or discomfort (relative to pain) and splitting level 5 anxiety or depression (relative to anxiety) had significant effects as did c) bolting off dimensions. Conclusions. We find that the values given to certain health dimensions are sensitive to the way in which it is described and the other health dimensions presented. Of particular interest is the effect of splitting composite dimensions: a given EQ-5D(-5L) profile may mean different things depending on whether the profile is used to self-report one’s health or to value hypothetical states, so that the health state values of EQ-5D(-5L) in population tariffs may not correspond to the states that patients self-report themselves in.

scholarly journals Psychological distress and resilience in a sample of Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Jacobson ◽  
Rebecca Mulholland ◽  
Nicola Miller ◽  
Laura Baker ◽  
Daniel Glazer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBACKGROUNDAdolescents and young people (AYA) with cancer are at greater risk of psychological distress which can impact treatment. COVID-19 has resulted in changes to cancer care delivery and AYA have been disproportionately affected by economic and educational effects of COVID-19, potentially impacting on mental health. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on AYA with cancer is important to inform care.METHODSOnline survey of 16-24 year olds receiving cancer treatment at 8 cancer centres in the UK in December 2020. We measured: self-perceived increased anxiety since COVID-19, impact of COVID-19 on treatment, life and relationships and used the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-8), 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale(GAD) and the 2-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RISC).RESULTS112 AYA participated (17.8% of total eligible). 62.8% were female, 67.3% were 21-24 years. 83% were white. 59.8% had previously experienced mental health difficulties. 67.9% received cancer treatment during the pandemic and 33.9% were diagnosed during the pandemic. 78.6% reported COVID-19 having a significant impact on their life, 55.4% on their key relationship and 39.3% on their treatment. 79% reported experiencing some degree of increased anxiety since COVID-19.43.4% had moderate-severe PHQ-8 scores and 37.1% for GADS-7. Self-report of impact on life was associated with greater anxiety during COVID-19 and moderate-severe PHQ-8 score (OR 3.64, 95% CI 2.52 to 19.40, p <0.01; OR 5.23, 95%CI 1.65 to 16.56, p < 0.01). Impact on relationships was associated with greater anxiety and moderate-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 score (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.11 to 7.54, p = 0,03; OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.32 to 15.17, p<0.01; OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.25, p =0.03). Greater CD-RISC score was associated with lower risk of anxiety and mod-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 scores (OR 0.58, 95%CI 0.41 to 0.81, p <0.01; OR 0.55 95% CI 0.4 to 0.72, p <0.01; OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.69, p <0.01)CONCLUSIONSWe found high levels of psychological distress in AYA with cancer, which is important knowledge for clinical teams working with this age group. Perceived impact of COVID-19 on relationships and life was predictive of poorer mental health, with resilience a potential protective factor.

scholarly journals Public Attitudes and Concerns about Ammonia as an Energy Vector

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 7296
Author(s):  
Andrea Guati-Rojo ◽  
Christina Demski ◽  
Wouter Poortinga ◽  
Agustin Valera-Medina
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Multiple Regression Analysis ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
The World ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
The Uk

Ammonia is gaining popularity around the world due to its advantages as an energy vector over other zero-carbon fuels and has the potential to be a key component for deep decarbonisation of energy systems. However, little is known about public attitudes and concerns about the technology, one of the factors that will determine its successful implementation. This research examined public perception of green ammonia technologies through online surveys conducted in Mexico (n = 563) and the UK (n = 357). The results suggest that most of the participants in the two countries support the development of these technologies, with men being more likely to show support than women. Participants in Mexico and the UK had both negative and neutral associations of ammonia as a chemical, but overall perceptions of green ammonia were surprisingly positive. A multiple regression analysis indicates that support for this technology is highly dependent on the way participants perceive the benefits and the risks of implementing green ammonia as a fuel or for storage in their countries. Perceptions of green ammonia presented in this study must be interpreted cautiously because of the novelty of the concept. Therefore, additional research should be carried out to determine the positive opinion of green ammonia obtained in the research.

scholarly journals Worth living or worth dying? The views of the general public about allowing disabled children to die

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Brick ◽  
Guy Kahane ◽  
Dominic Wilkinson ◽  
Lucius Caviola ◽  
Julian Savulescu
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Treatment Withdrawal ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Ethical Frameworks ◽  
Role Of Parents ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Public Views

BackgroundDecisions about withdrawal of life support for infants have given rise to legal battles between physicians and parents creating intense media attention. It is unclear how we should evaluate when life is no longer worth living for an infant. Public attitudes towards treatment withdrawal and the role of parents in situations of disagreement have not previously been assessed.MethodsAn online survey was conducted with a sample of the UK public to assess public views about the benefit of life in hypothetical cases similar to real cases heard by the UK courts (eg, Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans). We then evaluated these public views in comparison with existing ethical frameworks for decision-making.ResultsOne hundred and thirty participants completed the survey. The majority (94%) agreed that an infant’s life may have no benefit when well-being falls below a critical level. Decisions to withdraw treatment were positively associated with the importance of use of medical resources, the infant’s ability to have emotional relationships, and mental abilities. Up to 50% of participants in each case believed it was permissible to either continue or withdraw treatment.ConclusionDespite the controversy, our findings indicate that in the most severe cases, most people agree that life is not worth living for a profoundly disabled infant. Our survey found wide acceptance of at least the permissibility of withdrawal of treatment across a range of cases, though also a reluctance to overrule parents’ decisions. These findings may be useful when constructing guidelines for clinical practice.

scholarly journals Life on pause: An analysis of UK fertility patients’ coping mechanisms after the cancellation of fertility treatment due to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532199971
Author(s):  
Anna Tippett
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Social Management ◽  
The Postponement

In March 2020, fertility clinics across the UK began cancelling all assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) stopping all ART treatment from going ahead beyond the 15th April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article examines the coping mechanisms adopted by fertility patients during this time, focussing on the emotional support received from online fertility forums and fertility clinics during the indeterminate wait for treatment to resume. The study draws upon an online survey which assessed the mental health and wellbeing of 124 female fertility patients whose ART treatment was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The findings indicate a potential for improved communication between fertility clinics and patients in order to reduce psychological stress and isolation during the postponement of ART treatment, alongside better utilisation of online platforms as mechanisms for support. This article adds to the growing body of knowledge concerned with the implications of denying reproductive rights to the infertility community during a global pandemic. It also contributes to sociological discussions on the support mechanisms available to those navigating infertility and the wider social management of uncertainty.

scholarly journals Negative surprise in UN Security Council authorization: Do the UK and French vetoes influence the general public’s support of US military action?

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-409
Author(s):  
Naoko Matsumura ◽  
Atsushi Tago
Keyword(s):  
Security Council ◽  
General Public ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
United Nations Security Council ◽  
Military Action ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Military

Authorization of the use of force by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is believed to increase levels of public support for military action. While scholars have performed sterling research both in theory and empirics on the power of UNSC authorization, there is still much that we do not understand. In particular, we believe that it is necessary to conduct a further study on ‘failed’ authorization cases. As Terrence Chapman points out in his theoretical framework, the general public can derive valuable information based on which of the permanent members of the Council casts a veto; this in turn affects public attitudes towards the use of force. An expected veto cast by the perpetual nay-sayer would not serve as information for the general public. However, if the veto is cast by an allied state of a proposer of the authorizing resolution, the negative vote functions as an information short-cut signaling that the use of force presents a variety of problems, thus reducing public support for the military action. Using online survey experiments, we find supportive evidence for this argument. Our data also suggest that surprising negative information changes the perceptions of legitimacy, legality, public goods, and US interest in a proposed military action, but is unrelated to the perception of costs, casualties or duration.

scholarly journals Dartanan: Prototype evaluations of a serious game to engage children in the calibration of their hearing aid functionalities

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 205566832110215
Author(s):  
Madeline Hallewell ◽  
Davide Salanitri ◽  
Mirabelle D’Cruz ◽  
Sue Cobb ◽  
Lorenzo Picinali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Summative Evaluation ◽  
User Evaluations ◽  
Children With Hearing Loss ◽  
The Uk

Introduction It is notoriously difficult to obtain a perfect fitting of hearing aids (HAs) for children as they often struggle to understand their hearing loss well enough to discuss the fitting adequately with their audiologist. Dartanan is an ‘edutainment’ game developed to help children understand the functions of their HA in different sound contexts. Dartanan also has elements of a leisure game for all children, in order to create an inclusive activity. Methods Game prototypes were evaluated during two formative evaluations and a summative evaluation. In total 106 children with and without hearing loss in Italy, Spain and the UK played Dartanan. A built-in virtual HA enabled children with hearing loss to use headphones to play. Results and conclusions: During the formative stages, feedback was discussed during focus groups on factors such as the audiological aspects, the extent to which children learned about HA functions, accessibility and usability, and this feedback was presented to the developers. After redevelopment, a summative evaluation was performed using an online survey. It was concluded that the game had met the goals of helping children understand their HA functionalities and providing an inclusive activity. User-evaluations were crucial in the development of the app into a useful and useable service.

scholarly journals Does it do what it says on the tin? – Evaluation of an established UK University Employability Enhancement Award.

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Wright ◽  
Sarah Jeffries-Watts
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Graduate Employment ◽  
Perception Of Self ◽  
Experience Survey ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

University employability awards, in the UK particularly, aim to assist students to develop career related skills and attributes and thus increase their potential to achieve graduate level employment. Self-report quantitative and qualitative data were collected at intervals via questionnaires, interviews and focus groups from two cohorts (N = 212) of a well-established career development and employability award at a large civic UK university. Findings indicated increases in confidence and aspiration, and in the ability to articulate and apply skills and abilities; also that the award may convey similar benefits to work experience. Survey data from award completers indicated that they had changed their career related behaviour, and students who have completed the award show a consistent small increase in their level of graduate employment when compared to the graduate employment figure for the university as a whole in the UK university destinations data.Employability related values, attitudes and behaviour may all change as a result of award experience. Reported changes implied a sense of improved resourcefulness. It is hypothesised that the award may enhance student employability somewhat via development of psychosocial resources, producing a shift in the student’s perception of self and identity.

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