Information-seeking to Support Personal and Community Wellbeing: Report of a study of New Zealand Men Using Focus Groups

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peta Wellstead
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Groupes De Discussion

This paper reports part of an ongoing study exploring the information behaviour of New Zealand men during periods of diminished health and wellbeing. Focus groups were used for this iteration of the study. Results indicate that New Zealand men face both personal and structural constraints to their information-seeking during periods when their health and wellbeing may be compromised. This study highlights that service providers need to develop more effective information delivery mechanisms and support services for men. These services need to be appealing to men and reflect men’s information seeking preferences. The role of LIS professionals in supporting this endeavour is discussed. Cet article présente une étude en cours explorant le comportement informationnel d’ hommes néo-zélandais durant des périodes où leur état de santé et de bien-être est amoindri. Des groupes de discussion ont été utilisés pour cette itération de l'étude. Les résultats indiquent que les hommes en Nouvelle-Zélande font face à des contraintes à la fois  personnelles et structurelles dans leur recherche d'information pendant les périodes où leur santé et leur bien-être peuvent être affaiblis. Cette étude met en évidence le besoin pour les fournisseurs de services de développer des mécanismes de diffusion de l'information plus efficaces et des services de soutien pour les hommes. Ces services doivent être attrayants et refléter les préférences des hommes dans leurs recherches d’information. Le rôle des professionnels de l'information dans le soutien à cette entreprise est discuté.

scholarly journals Midwifery-led care embedded within primary care: consumer satisfaction with a model in New Zealand

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 319
Author(s):  
Susan Pullon ◽  
Ben Gray ◽  
Monika Steinmetz ◽  
Claire Molineux
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Maternity Care ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Analytic Approach ◽  
Model Of Care

INTRODUCTION: Providing quality maternity care for high-needs, socially deprived women from ethnic minority groups is challenging. Consumer satisfaction with maternity services is an important aspect of service evaluation for this group. This pilot study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using focus groups and interviews to gauge consumer satisfaction of maternity care by high-needs women, and to explore their perceptions of the Newtown Union Health Service (NUHS) model of a midwifery-led service embedded in primary care in Wellington, New Zealand (NZ). METHODS: Following a previous audit of consumer satisfaction surveys collected over a six-year period, a qualitative pilot study using a thematic analytic approach was conducted at the NUHS in late 2011. The study assessed use of focus groups and interviews, interpreted where necessary, and considered the experiences reported by women about the model of care. FINDINGS: Interviews and focus groups were successfully conducted with 11 women: two NZ European (individual interviews), six Cambodian (five in a focus group, one interview), and three Samoan (focus group). Using a thematic analytic approach, key themes identified from the focus group and interviews were: issues with survey form-filling; importance of accessibility and information; and relationships and communication with the midwifery team. CONCLUSION: Interviews and focus groups were well received, and indicated positive endorsement of the model of care. They also revealed some hitherto unknown concerns. Good quality feedback about satisfaction with a range of maternal and child health services helps service providers to provide the best possible start in life for children in high-needs families. KEYWORDS: Interprofessional; maternity care; New Zealand; patient care team; primary health care

Undergraduate Students Information Behavior in the Changing Technological Era

2014 ◽  
pp. 211-226
Author(s):  
Naifa Eid Al-Saleem
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Sultan Qaboos University ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Google Search ◽  
Academic Year

There has been a great deal of research conducted to investigate the information-seeking behavior of difference group of users. A search of current literature, however, reveals few studies dealing with information-seeking strategies of undergraduates in the electronic era. This chapter presents the results of a preliminary study of information-seeking among 675 undergraduates at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The study was designed to 1) explore undergraduates’ information-seeking behavior with e-resources; 2) identify the role of faculty members and librarians in assisting undergraduates to attain search skills; and 3) discover the differences between undergraduates in terms of their age, gender, academic year, and college. The study results indicated that only 3% of undergraduates use the electronic services and databases subscribed to by the SQU main library. In addition, the results showed that 57.7% of the undergraduate students at SQU used the Google search engine for their initial search. There is a statistical difference between undergraduate students in terms of their age and use of e-resources. Finally, this study found the role of faculty members and librarians in assisting undergraduates to learn search strategies is almost absent.

scholarly journals Technology Readiness and Customer Satisfaction with Travel Technologies: A Cross-Country Investigation

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Kevin Kam Fung So ◽  
Beverley A. Sparks
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Technology Readiness ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality

Technologies have dramatically transformed tourist experience. However, research has largely focused on traveler attitudes and technology adoption rather than their experience with travel technologies. Taking a cross-country perspective, this study examines the role of technology readiness (TR) as a personality trait in shaping travelers’ satisfaction with travel technologies, using airlines as a case study. Results of an online survey of travelers in Australia, China, and the United States revealed the moderating effects of the TR dimensions of optimism and innovativeness as well as country of residence on the relationships between perceived quality of technology-enabled services (TESs), satisfaction with TESs, overall satisfaction, and future behavior. These relationships were stronger among travelers with higher TR and varied across countries. The results suggest that tourism and hospitality service providers should incorporate measures of traveler TR and TESs’ performance into their customer-experience monitoring system.

scholarly journals Veteran families with complex needs: a qualitative study of the veterans’ support system

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela M. Maguire ◽  
Julieann Keyser ◽  
Kelly Brown ◽  
Daniel Kivlahan ◽  
Madeline Romaniuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Support System ◽  
Care Coordination ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Systems Of Care ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Health And Wellbeing

Abstract Background Families with complex needs face significant challenges accessing and navigating health and social services. For veteran families, these challenges are exacerbated by interactions between military and civilian systems of care, and the density of the veterans’ non-profit sector. This qualitative study was designed to gather rich, detailed information on complex needs in veteran families; and explore service providers’ and families’ experiences of accessing and navigating the veterans’ support system. Methods The study comprised participant background questionnaires (n = 34), focus groups with frontline service providers (n = 18), and one-on-one interviews with veteran families (n = 16) in Australia. The semi-structured focus groups and interviews were designed to gather rich, detailed information on four study topics: (i) health and wellbeing needs in veteran families; (ii) service-access barriers and facilitators; (iii) unmet needs and gaps in service provision; and (iv) practical solutions for improving service delivery. The study recruited participants who could best address the focus on veteran families with complex needs. The questionnaire data was used to describe relevant characteristics of the participant sample. The focus groups and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and a reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns of shared meaning in the qualitative data. Results Both service providers and families found the veterans’ support system difficult to access and navigate. System fragmentation was perceived to impede care coordination, and delay access to holistic care for veteran families with complex needs. The medico-legal aspects of compensation and rehabilitation processes were perceived to harm veteran identity, and undermine health and wellbeing outcomes. Recovery-oriented practice was viewed as a way to promote veteran independence and self-management. Participants expressed a strong preference for family-centred care that was informed by an understanding of military lifestyle and culture. Conclusion The health and wellbeing needs of veteran families intensify during the transition from full-time military service to civilian environments, and service- or reintegration-related difficulties may emerge (or persist) for a significant period of time thereafter. Veteran families with complex needs are unduly burdened by care coordination demands. There is a pressing need for high-quality implementation studies that evaluate initiatives for integrating fragmented systems of care.

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Mental Health and Wellbeing during the First COVID-19 Containment in New Zealand: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 12036
Author(s):  
Wendy J. O’Brien ◽  
Claire E. Badenhorst ◽  
Nick Draper ◽  
Arindam Basu ◽  
Catherine A. Elliot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
High Activity ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Activity ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Study Results

Strategies implemented worldwide to contain COVID-19 outbreaks varied in severity across different countries, and established a new normal for work and school life (i.e., from home) for many people, reducing opportunities for physical activity. Positive relationships of physical activity with both mental and physical health are well recognised, and therefore the aim was to ascertain how New Zealand’s lockdown restrictions impacted physical activity, mental health and wellbeing. Participants (n = 4007; mean ± SD: age 46.5 ± 14.7 years, 72% female, 80.7% New Zealand European) completed (10–26 April 2020) an online amalgamated survey (Qualtrics): International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Short Form; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-9; World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being Index; Stages of Change Scale. Positive dose–response relationships between physical activity levels and wellbeing scores were demonstrated for estimates that were unadjusted (moderate activity OR 3.79, CI 2.88–4.92; high activity OR 8.04, CI 6.07–10.7) and adjusted (confounding variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, time sitting and co-morbidities) (moderate activity 1.57, CI 1.11–2.52; high activity 2.85, CI 1.97–4.14). The study results support previous research demonstrating beneficial effects of regular physical activity on mental health and wellbeing. Governments may use these results to promote meeting physical activity guidelines in order to protect mental health and wellbeing during the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and future pandemics.

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Mental Health and Wellbeing During the first COVID-19 Containment in New Zealand: A Cross-sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy J O’Brien ◽  
Claire E Badenhorst ◽  
Nick Draper ◽  
Arindam Basu ◽  
Catherine A Elliot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
High Activity ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Activity ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Study Results

Strategies implemented worldwide to contain COVID-19 outbreaks varied in severity across different countries, and established a new normal for work and school life (i.e. from home) for many people, reducing opportunities for physical activity. Positive relationships of physical activity with both mental and physical health are well recognised, therefore the aim was to ascertain how New Zealand’s lockdown restrictions impacted physical activity and mental health and wellbeing. Participants (n=4007; mean±SD: age 46.5±14.7y, 72% female, 80.7% New Zealand European) completed (10–26 April 2020) an online amalgamated survey (Qualtrics): International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Short Form; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-9; World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index; Stages of Change Scale. Positive dose response relationships between physical activity levels and wellbeing scores were demonstrated for estimates that were unadjusted (moderate activity OR 3.79, CI 2.88-4.92; high activity OR 8.04, CI 6.07-10.7) and adjusted (confounding variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, time sitting, co-morbidities) (moderate activity 1.57, CI 1.11-2.52; high activity 2.85, CI 1.97-4.14). The study results support previous research demonstrating beneficial effects of regular physical activity on mental health and wellbeing. Governments may use such results to promote meeting physical activity guidelines in order to protect mental health and wellbeing during the ongoing COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Harmonious homegoings: alleviating consumer vulnerability through service fluidity and compassion

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Nations Azzari ◽  
Natalie A. Mitchell ◽  
Charlene A. Dadzie
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
The Body ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Vulnerability ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Service Ecosystem

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of service flexibility in addressing consumer vulnerability for chronically-traumatized consumers within the funerary context. Design/methodology/approach Using phenomenological philosophy and a grounded approach, data was collected and analyzed through 12 depth interviews with funeral service providers, coupled with observations and photographs of three second-line funeral processionals. Findings Study results include the following three primary roles of service providers in supporting chronically-traumatized consumers: the role of service fluidity in addressing trauma, mitigating vulnerability via service providers as community members and alleviating suffering through compassionate service. Service flexibility and value co-creation efforts were executed through an expansive service ecosystem of vendors. Practical implications When consumers experience vulnerability that demands reliance upon service industries, service providers can intentionally implement fluidity and agility in service design, adopt understanding and altruistic practices, and operate with empathy and compassion to orchestrate mutually-beneficial service outcomes. Social implications Rooted in transformative service research, providers are advised to consider modifying services to improve well-being and mitigate vulnerability for chronically-traumatized consumers via fluidity, community and compassion. Originality/value This study contributes originality to the body of service marketing literature by illustrating how service providers alleviate vulnerability for chronically-traumatized consumers through three adaptive service strategies.

scholarly journals Australian and New Zealand Medical Students’ Attitudes and Confidence towards Providing Nutrition Care in Practice

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Breanna Lepre ◽  
Jennifer Crowley ◽  
Dineo Mpe ◽  
Harsh Bhoopatkar ◽  
Kylie J. Mansfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Nutrition Knowledge ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Nutrition Care ◽  
Students Attitudes

The prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic disease is increasing. Doctors in primary care are ideally placed to support patient nutrition care, but recent reviews show education is still lacking. This study aimed to identify medical students’ attitudes towards the role of nutrition in health, nutrition knowledge, and perceptions of nutrition education, in postgraduate (Australia) and undergraduate (New Zealand) programs in order to identify gaps in nutrition knowledge and skills to better inform future education. Second-year graduate and third-year undergraduate students participated in semi-structured focus groups and interviews. A general inductive approach was used to investigate students’ (1) attitudes toward the role of nutrition in health, (2) nutrition knowledge based on nutrition-specific competencies and (3) perceived adequacy of nutrition education received. Interviews (nine) and focus groups (seven) identified four common themes: (1) role of medical practitioners in nutrition care, (2) barriers to nutrition education, (3) nutrition knowledge, and (4) nutrition-related skills. Students perceive that doctors are well-placed to provide some level of nutrition care, but poor translation of nutrition knowledge to clinical contexts is a key limitation in nutrition education. In summary, nutrition education may be insufficient to support the nutrition-related competency development of the undergraduate and postgraduate student participants in this study. Focusing on the integration of these skills into the curriculum may be a priority.

scholarly journals Strengthening Local Government and Community Governance in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Reid
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Governance ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Regional Service ◽  
Government Reforms

<p>The role of local government and specifically the concept of community governance have been the focus of much attention in recent years. For much of its history, local government was typically viewed by governments and citizens as a conservative sector, valued for its dependability rather than for innovation and its services rather than for its role in promoting community well-being. Public sector reform, globalisation and increasing demands by citizens have increased awareness of, and appreciation for, the potential for local governments to work with other organisations to address complex policy and management issues. These pressures have compelled the sector to innovate, and venture into areas that were previously considered to be outside its remit. Local governments the world over have therefore undergone extensive programmes of reform, often aiming to reorient councils from service delivery roles to broader roles concerned with community well-being, strengthening community leadership, and steering local and regional service providers towards local goals and strategic objectives. This trend has been characterised as a shift from local government to ‘community governance’ (Rhodes 1997, Stoker 2000). Local government in New Zealand is no exception. The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) broadened local government’s powers and purposes, introducing a collaborative, citizen-centred style of working within a framework oriented to securing community well-being and sustainable development. This research examines the concept and practice of local and community governance, internationally and in New Zealand. Its focus is the local government reforms introduced in New Zealand over the last two decades, and specifically the role of community governance. It uses several research methods to assess options for strengthening community governance in practice. The primary method is the development of a model which examines 10 dimensions of the New Zealand system to assess the degree to which they are able to achieve community governance. In addition, the approach to community planning undertaken by a sample of local authorities is examined to assess the degree to which councils are using this mechanism as an instrument for strengthening community governance. Further, a number of local government participants were invited to answer a range of questions about three alternative governance scenarios designed to test whether or not there is an ‘ideal’ local government structure for achieving community governance.</p>

(DE)-Constructing Continuity of Care: The Deinstitutionalization of Support Services for People with Mental Health Problems

1992 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deena White
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Continuity Of Care ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
The World

The objective of this paper is to raise questions about appropriateness of the concept of continuity of care for guiding the development of helping strategies for people with mental health problems in the era of non-institutionalization. Research on continuity of care is reviewed to show the strong legacy of institutional thinking. A leading problem addressed in this literature is that of client drop-out from programs designed to ensure continuity. The research results clearly suggest that this “problem” lies with the agency of clients: the fact that, in the natural milieu, they make decisions according to their own definitions of the situation and in a social context of their own. This perspective, however, seemingly cannot be incorporated into the continuity of care paradigm, which remains firmly grounded in the world of service providers. We argue, therefore, that the era of the non-institutionalization calls for a recasting of the meaning of “continuity” for people with mental health problems, a reorientation of the type of research conducted in this domaine, and ultimately, a reformulation of the nature and role of support services in the community.

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