Sexual and reproductive health in the time of COVID-19 in Latvia, qualitative research interviews and focus group discussions, 2020 (in Latvian)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunta Lazdane ◽  
◽  
Dace Rezeberga ◽  
Ieva Briedite ◽  
Elizabete Pumpure ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions

Qualitative research is focused on the influence of COVID-19 pandemic and restriction measures on sexual and reproductive health in Latvia. Results of the anonymous online survey (I-SHARE) of 1173 people living in Latvia age 18 and over were used as a background in finalization the interview and the focus group discussion protocols ensuring better understanding of the influencing factors. Protocols included 9 parts (0.Introduction. 1. COVID-19 general influence, 2. SRH, 3. Communication with health professionals, 4.Access to SRH services, 5.Communication with population incl. three target groups 5.1. Pregnant women, 5.2. People with suspected STIs, 5.3.Women, who require abortion, 6. HIV/COVID-19, 7. External support, 8. Conclusions and recommendations. Data include audiorecords in Latvian of: 1) 11 semi-structures interviews with policy makers including representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in sexual and reproductive health, information and health service provision. 2) 12 focus group discussions with pregnant women (1), women in postpartum period (3) and their partners (3), people living with HIV (1), health care providers involved in maternal health care and emergency health care for women (4) (2021-02-18) Subject: Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Keywords: Sexual and reproductive health, COVID-19, access to services, Latvia

scholarly journals Sexual and reproductive health of Syrian refugee adolescent girls: a qualitative study using focus group discussions in an urban setting in Lebanon

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rayan Korri ◽  
Sabine Hess ◽  
Guenter Froeschl ◽  
Olena Ivanova
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
To Receive

Abstract Background The war in Syria caused the forced displacement of millions of Syrians to neighboring countries. Lebanon is the host country with the largest overall number of Syrian refugees per capita. Adolescent refugee girls experience a unique level of vulnerability during human emergencies and are at increased risk of suffering from poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to learn about the SRH perceptions and experiences of refugee adolescent girls living in Bourj Hammoud, an urban setting in Lebanon. Methods We employed a qualitative design with eight focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with 40 Syrian Arab and Syrian Kurdish adolescent girls between January and March 2020. Every FGD consisted of five participants aged 13 to 17 years. A semi-structured guide was used covering multiple themes: menstruation, puberty, SRH awareness, and sexual harassment. FGDs were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The participants discussed adolescent girls’ health and named six elements of good health, such as healthy activities and self-protection. The majority of the FGD participants reported a lack of awareness about menstruation when they experienced it for the first time and the social stigma associated with menstruation. When defining puberty, they indicated its social link to a girl’s readiness for marriage and her need to become cautious about sexual harassment. Most FGD participants had very poor knowledge of the female reproductive system. Mothers were the most approached persons to receive information on SRH issues; however, the girls indicated a wish to receive advice from specialists in a comfortable and private atmosphere. All the girls reported that either they themselves, or an acquaintance, had experienced some type of sexual harassment. The girls rarely reported those incidents due to fear of being blamed or subjected to mobility restrictions, or forced to drop out of school. Conclusions The findings show the refugee girls need for satisfactory knowledge on SRH issues and interventions to prevent sexual and gender-based violence that take into consideration the complexity of urban settings.

scholarly journals Patient, caregiver, and health care provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to heart failure care in Kerala, India: A qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Prinu Jose ◽  
Ranjana Ravindranath ◽  
Linju M. Joseph ◽  
Elizabeth C. Rhodes ◽  
Sanjay Ganapathi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
High Quality

Background: Deficits in quality of care for patients with heart failure (HF) contribute to high mortality in this population. This qualitative study aims to understand the barriers and facilitators to high-quality HF care in Kerala, India. Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of health care providers (n=13), patients and caregivers (n=14). Additionally, focus group discussions (n=3) were conducted with patients and their caregivers. All interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim. Textual data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Patients’ motivation to change their lifestyle behaviours after HF diagnosis and active follow-up calls from health care providers to check on patients’ health status were important enablers of high-quality care. Health care providers’ advice on substance use often motivated patients to stop smoking and consuming alcohol. Although patients expected support from their family members, the level of caregiver support for patients varied, with some patients receiving strong support from caregivers and others receiving minimal support. Emotional stress and lack of structured care plans for patients hindered patients’ self-management of their condition. Further, high patient loads often limited the time health care providers had to provide advice on self-management options. Nevertheless, the availability of experienced nursing staff to support patients improved care within health care facilities. Finally, initiation of guideline-directed medical therapy was perceived as complex by health care providers due to multiple coexisting chronic conditions in HF patients. Conclusions: Structured plans for self-management of HF and more time for patients and health care providers to interact during clinical visits may enable better clinical handover with patients and family members, and thereby improve adherence to self-care options. Quality improvement interventions should also address the stress and emotional concerns of HF patients.

scholarly journals Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) Positioning on Strengthening Partnership with Midwives

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-87
Author(s):  
Tuti Surtimanah ◽  
Yanti Herawati
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Traditional Birth Attendants ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Birth Attendants ◽  
The Right ◽  
Depth Interviews

Background of this research was the still high number of infant mortality and high use of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). The This study aims aimed to determine TBAs positioning on the effort of strengthening partnership with midwives. A number of pregnant women, TBAs, and midwives become became informants, through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The results showed positioning TBAs still needed with different roles but side by side with midwife role, used by primi and multi pregnant women before and during pregnancy, during and after birth. The requirement forrequirement for TBAs was derived from parents as a cultural heritage, whereas the requirement for midwife obtained was from formal and non- formal information. The TBAs services toward maintain family health care including include cultural events. The midwife is givingserved professional servicescare. The partnership includes clients registration, motivation, abnormalities early detection. There has had been an unwritten financing unwritten agreement. The TBAs midwife partnership needs to be strengthened through legislation and , communication to diverse audiences in order to form the right positioning.

scholarly journals Attitude and Perception of Physicians and Nurses Toward the Role of Clinical Pharmacists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 237796081988976
Author(s):  
Nada Alsuhebany ◽  
Lama Alfehaid ◽  
Hind Almodaimegh ◽  
Abdulkareem Albekairy ◽  
Shmeylan Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Clinical Pharmacists

Clinical pharmacists are responsible for guiding pharmacotherapy and ensuring medication safety along with other health-care providers. This study highlighted barriers that physicians and nurses encounter when interacting with clinical pharmacists. Twenty-seven physicians and nurses were randomly invited to participate in focus-group discussions. Five focus-group discussions were recorded and then transcribed, and the transcripts were reviewed and coded. Three major themes were identified, which were the role of clinical pharmacists, interprofessional communication, and competency. The greatest challenge reported in this study was lack of consistent understanding of the role of clinical pharmacists which to some extent caused communication deficiencies and affected the level of involvement with multidisciplinary teams. Despite that, majority of the participants perceived pharmacists as beneficial in optimizing pharmacotherapy and improving quality of care. Clinical pharmacy services are perceived positively in impacting quality of care as expressed by majority of the study participants. However, there is a lack of common understanding of the role of clinical pharmacists by other health-care providers.

scholarly journals The Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action Text Message–Based mHealth Intervention for Maternal Care in South Africa: Qualitative User Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Coleman ◽  
Jaran Eriksen ◽  
Vivian Black ◽  
Anna Thorson ◽  
Abigail Hatcher
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions

BACKGROUND Using mobile technology to support health care (mobile health [mHealth]) has been shown to improve health outcomes across a multitude of health specialties and across the world. Exploring mHealth user experiences can aid in understanding how and why an intervention was successful. The Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA) was a free maternal mHealth SMS text messaging service that was offered to pregnant women in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the goal of improving maternal, fetal, and infant health outcomes. We conducted focus group discussions with MAMA users to learn about their experiences with the program. OBJECTIVE The aim of this qualitative study was to gather opinions of participants of the MAMA maternal mHealth service regarding health care atmosphere, intervention use, and intervention feedback. METHODS Prenatal and postnatal women (N=15) from public antenatal and postnatal care sites in central Johannesburg who were receiving free maternal health text messages (MAMA) participated in 3 focus group discussions. Predefined discussion topics included personal background, health care system experiences, MAMA program recruitment, acceptability, participant experiences, and feedback. RESULTS The feedback regarding experiences with the health system were comprised of a few reports of positive experiences and many more reports of negative experiences such as long wait times, understaffed facilities, and poor service. Overall acceptability for the maternal text message intervention was high. Participants reflected that the messages were timely, written clearly, and felt supportive. Participants also reported sharing messages with friends and family. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that maternal mHealth interventions delivered through text messages can provide timely, relevant, useful, and supportive information to pregnant women and new mothers especially in settings where there may be mistrust of the health care system.

scholarly journals “He Who Relies on His Brother's Property Dies Poor”: The Complex Narratives of Livestock Care in Northern Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Davis ◽  
Jennika Virhia ◽  
Joram Buza ◽  
John A. Crump ◽  
William A. de Glanville ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Livestock Health ◽  
Depth Interviews

Background: Endemic zoonoses have important impacts for livestock-dependent households in East Africa. In these communities, people's health and livelihoods are severely affected by livestock disease losses. Understanding how livestock keepers undertake remedial actions for livestock illness has the potential for widespread benefits such as improving health interventions. Yet, studies about livestock and human health behaviours in the global south tend to focus on individual health choices. In reality, health behaviours are complex, and not solely about individualised health experiences. Rather, they are mediated by a range of “upstream” factors (such as unequal provision of services), which are beyond the control of the individual.Methods: This paper presents qualitative research conducted from 2014 to 2019 for a study focused on the Social, Economic, and Environmental Drivers of Zoonoses in Tanzania (SEEDZ). Qualitative data were collected via focus group discussions, community meetings, informal interviews, formal in-depth interviews, observations and surveys that addressed issues of health, disease, zoonotic disease risks, and routes for treatment across 21 villages. Thematic analysis was carried out on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Conceptual analyses and observations were made through application of social science theories of health.Findings: Livestock keepers undertake a range of health seeking strategies loosely categorised around self and formal treatment. Two key themes emerged that are central to why people make the decisions they do: access to resources and trust in health care providers. These two issues affect individual sense of agency which impacts their ability to act to improve livestock health outcomes. We suggest that individual choice and agency in veterinary health seeking decisions are only beneficial if health systems can offer adequate care and health equity is addressed.Significance: This study demonstrates the value of in-depth qualitative research which reveals the nuance and complexity of people's decisions around livestock health. Most importantly, it explains why “better” knowledge does not always translate into “better” practise. The paper suggests that acknowledging and addressing these aspects of veterinary health seeking will lead to more effective provision.

scholarly journals The Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action Text Message–Based mHealth Intervention for Maternal Care in South Africa: Qualitative User Study

10.2196/14078 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e14078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Coleman ◽  
Jaran Eriksen ◽  
Vivian Black ◽  
Anna Thorson ◽  
Abigail Hatcher
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions

Background Using mobile technology to support health care (mobile health [mHealth]) has been shown to improve health outcomes across a multitude of health specialties and across the world. Exploring mHealth user experiences can aid in understanding how and why an intervention was successful. The Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA) was a free maternal mHealth SMS text messaging service that was offered to pregnant women in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the goal of improving maternal, fetal, and infant health outcomes. We conducted focus group discussions with MAMA users to learn about their experiences with the program. Objective The aim of this qualitative study was to gather opinions of participants of the MAMA maternal mHealth service regarding health care atmosphere, intervention use, and intervention feedback. Methods Prenatal and postnatal women (N=15) from public antenatal and postnatal care sites in central Johannesburg who were receiving free maternal health text messages (MAMA) participated in 3 focus group discussions. Predefined discussion topics included personal background, health care system experiences, MAMA program recruitment, acceptability, participant experiences, and feedback. Results The feedback regarding experiences with the health system were comprised of a few reports of positive experiences and many more reports of negative experiences such as long wait times, understaffed facilities, and poor service. Overall acceptability for the maternal text message intervention was high. Participants reflected that the messages were timely, written clearly, and felt supportive. Participants also reported sharing messages with friends and family. Conclusions These findings suggest that maternal mHealth interventions delivered through text messages can provide timely, relevant, useful, and supportive information to pregnant women and new mothers especially in settings where there may be mistrust of the health care system.

scholarly journals Patient, caregiver, and health care provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to heart failure care in Kerala, India: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Prinu Jose ◽  
Ranjana Ravindranath ◽  
Linju M. Joseph ◽  
Elizabeth C. Rhodes ◽  
Sanjay Ganapathi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
High Quality

Background: Deficits in quality of care for patients with heart failure (HF) contribute to high mortality in this population. This qualitative study aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators to high-quality HF care in Kerala, India. Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of health care providers (n=13), patients and caregivers (n=14). Additionally, focus group discussions (n=3) were conducted with patients and their caregivers. All interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim. Textual data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Patients’ motivation to change their lifestyle behaviours after HF diagnosis and active follow-up calls from health care providers to check on patients’ health status were important enablers of high-quality care. Health care providers’ advice on substance use often motivated patients to stop smoking and consuming alcohol. Although patients expected support from their family members, the level of caregiver support for patients varied, with some patients receiving strong support from caregivers and others receiving minimal support. Emotional stress and lack of structured care plans for patients hindered patients’ self-management of their condition. Further, high patient loads often limited the time health care providers had to provide advice on self-management options. Nevertheless, the availability of experienced nursing staff to support patients improved care within health care facilities. Finally, initiation of guideline-directed medical therapy was perceived as complex by health care providers due to multiple coexisting chronic conditions in HF patients. Conclusions: Structured plans for self-management of HF and more time for patients and health care providers to interact during clinical visits may enable better clinical handover with patients and family members, and thereby improve adherence to self-care options. Quality improvement interventions should also address the stress and emotional concerns of HF patients.

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