scholarly journals Structure Model of Foresightful Export Oriented Strategies for Iran Pharmaceutical Industry: Using a Fuzzy DEMATEL Method

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Structure Model ◽  
Fuzzy Dematel ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Related Part ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Production Knowledge

Background: Export orientation is one of the main approaches in developing Iran's pharmaceutical industry as a key health-related part of industries. It is necessary to identify, formulate and implement some foresightful strategies and strategic plans toward adopting the export approach in the Iran pharmaceutical industry. Objectives: This paper aims to identify, prioritize and develop a structure model of foresightful export-oriented strategies and strategic plans for Iran's pharmaceutical industry. Methods: Data gathering for identifying strategies conducted through literature review and some interviews with pharmaceutical industry experts analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Then fuzzy DEMATEL technique is used to prioritize and develop cause and effect and structure the model of identified strategies. Results: Policy modification, privatization, smart self-sufficiency in production, knowledge management in both national policy and industry firm's levels, and quality improvement in all aspects of production and products were identified as foresightful export-oriented strategies and plans for Iran pharmaceutical industry. Conclusion: Privatization is the most effective and important foresightful export-oriented strategy in Iran's pharmaceutical industry.

scholarly journals Sixteen years of eHealth experiences in Iran: a qualitative content analysis of national policies

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyyed Meysam Mousavi ◽  
Amirhossein Takian ◽  
Mahmood Tara
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health System ◽  
Building Block ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
National Policy ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Strategic Plans

Abstract Introduction As a building block of all health systems and a multi-sectoral domain, eHealth has a critical role to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly universal health coverage (UHC). Our objective was to provide a better understanding of the recent experiences on eHealth policy, particularly in framing process of the policies and strategies, in an attempt to develop evidence-based recommendations that can inform future eHealth policy formulation, implementation, and development in Iran. Methods We undertook an exploratory, descriptive, comparative, retrospective and longitudinal analysis of eHealth policies by using content analysis of upstream and other key national policy documents, guided by criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). A systematic and purposive search was conducted to identify publicly-accessible documents related to eHealth policies in Iran, followed by in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interviews with purposefully identified national key informants in the field of eHealth. MAXQDA® 12 was used to assist with qualitative data analysis. Findings We retrieved and included 13 national policy documents demonstrating 16 years experiences of recorded eHealth policy in Iran, from 2004–2020. Our analysis revealed seven main categories as challenges of eHealth policies in Iran: (1) lack of comprehensive and big picture of all eHealth components; (2) lack of long-term and strategic plans on eHealth; (3) poor consistency among national policy documents; (4) unrealistic and non-operational timing of policy documents; (5) inappropriate identification and lack of involvement of key actors in development and implementation of eHealth policies; (6) low priority of eHealth in the national health system, and (7) unconventional focus and attention to Electronic Health Record (EHR). Conclusion The findings reveal almost two decades history of eHealth initiatives at the national and upstream policy level in Iran, with noticeable gaps between desired policies and achieved expectations. The inclusion of eHealth solutions in the policy documents has been controversial and challenging. eHealth seems to have not been meaningfully established in the minds and views of policy makers and senior manager, which might have led to the development of incomplete and contradictory policies. The health system in Iran needs, we advocate, the design of an evidence-informed eHealth roadmap, as well as continuous, systematic, and reasonably time-bounded strategic plans to establish eHealth as the building block of health system along the pathway towards sustainable health development.

scholarly journals Life-Changing Experiences of Mothers with School-Age Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Focusing on Their Health Risk Perceptions and Health-Related Behaviors

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4523
Author(s):  
Hye Jin Yoo ◽  
JaeLan Shim ◽  
Namhee Kim
Keyword(s):  
Health Risk ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The Family ◽  
Health Related Behaviors ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Prevention Methods

This study aimed to explore health risk perceptions, changes in health-related behaviors, and life experiences of mothers with school-age children during the early coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Data were collected between 16 July and 10 September 2020, by individual interviews and analyzed through qualitative content analysis. After the twelve participants’ experiences were analyzed, four themes and ten sub-themes were derived. The four themes were: “Struggling to identify the substance of COVID-19,” “Taking the initiative to protect the health of the family,” “Frustrated by the brutal reality of no end in sight,” and “Trying to adjust wisely to an inevitable new lifestyle.” The findings suggest that while the world remains in an ongoing battle with COVID-19, national health institutions should prepare a health education system for specific infection prevention methods that can be practiced by individuals in daily life.

scholarly journals A hidden web of policy influence: The pharmaceutical industry’s engagement with UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Groups

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252551
Author(s):  
Emily Rickard ◽  
Piotr Ozieranski
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Pharmaceutical Companies ◽  
Total Drug ◽  
Conflicts Of Interests ◽  
Policy Influence ◽  
Patient Organisations ◽  
Drug Companies ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Industry Needs

Our objective was to examine conflicts of interest between the UK’s health-focused All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) and the pharmaceutical industry between 2012 and 2018. APPGs are informal cross-party groups revolving around a particular topic run by and for Members of the UK’s Houses of Commons and Lords. They facilitate engagement between parliamentarians and external organisations, disseminate knowledge, and generate debate through meetings, publications, and events. We identified APPGs focusing on physical or mental health, wellbeing, health care, or treatment and extracted details of their payments from external donors disclosed on the Register for All-Party Parliamentary Groups. We identified all donors which were pharmaceutical companies and pharmaceutical industry-funded patient organisations. We established that sixteen of 146 (11%) health-related APPGs had conflicts of interest indicated by reporting payments from thirty-five pharmaceutical companies worth £1,211,345.81 (16.6% of the £7,283,414.90 received by all health-related APPGs). Two APPGs (Health and Cancer) received more than half of the total value provided by drug companies. Fifty APPGs also had received payments from patient organisations with conflicts of interest, indicated by reporting 304 payments worth £986,054.94 from 57 (of 84) patient organisations which had received £27,883,556.3 from pharmaceutical companies across the same period. In total, drug companies and drug industry-funded patient organisations provided a combined total of £2,197,400.75 (30.2% of all funding received by health-related APPGs) and 468 (of 1,177–39.7%) payments to 58 (of 146–39.7%) health-related APPGs, with the APPG for Cancer receiving the most funding. In conclusion, we found evidence of conflicts of interests through APPGs receiving substantial income from pharmaceutical companies. Policy influence exerted by the pharmaceutical industry needs to be examined holistically, with an emphasis on relationships between actors potentially playing part in its lobbying campaigns. We also suggest ways of improving transparency of payment reporting by APPGs and pharmaceutical companies.

scholarly journals An analysis of the policies of Information and Communication Technologies for Agriculture in Mali

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 100-117
Author(s):  
Macire Kante ◽  
Patrick Ndayizigamiye
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Production Areas ◽  
National Framework

To harness the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), developing countries need to develop national ICT policies that will serve as a framework for integrating ICTs at all levels of society. In the absence of that, different actors often engage in various actions for the same beneficiaries and in pursuit of the same objectives. That raises the need to define a national framework for the promotion and application of ICTs in the various production areas, particularly agricultural ones. It is for that reason that this study examined through qualitative methods (policy documents and semi-structured interviews) the national policy of Mali on the use of ICTs in agriculture. Data was analysed using the Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) method with the aid of NVIVO 12 software. The results showed that the country has two policy documents that articulate the country’s strategy towards the use of ICTs in the agricultural sector, that is, the Agricultural Orientation Law and the National Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy. Further examination revealed that that these two policy documents are neither appropriate nor coherent in today's Malian landscape. This has resulted in an underutilisation of digital tools by agricultural extension officers which led to the low agricultural productivity in the country. This study recommended therefore the recasting of both documents to take into account the reported observations

The Last-Planner-System’s impact on project culture

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Jürgen Lühr ◽  
Marian Bosch-Rekveldt ◽  
Mladen Radujković
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Project Culture ◽  
Last Planner

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Last-Planner-System’s impact on project cultures in terms of partnering. Design/methodology/approach A case study was performed using multiple data gathering approaches. The project cultures of three projects not applying the Last-Planner-System were compared with three projects that apply the Last-Planner-System. In total, 30 participants were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews were held and analysed by applying qualitative content analysis. Also, the “organizational culture assessment instrument”, which belongs to the “competing values framework”, was used by means of an online survey. Findings The Last-Planner-System leads to increased levels of mutual understanding and control about the tasks and issues of the other parties. This detailed overview leads towards a more distinguished evaluation of the trustworthiness of individuals. This does not necessarily lead to a partnering project culture. Originality/value The contribution to research is that higher levels of transparency and mutual understanding do not necessarily lead to a high level of trust. Rather, transparency could be seen as a controlling mechanism that leads to better-founded estimations about the trustworthiness of others in the project.

How 15- to 16-year-old Swedish adolescents experience social relationships and health-related behaviours: A qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 527-536
Author(s):  
Ulrica Paulsson Do ◽  
Birgitta Edlund ◽  
Christina Stenhammar ◽  
Ragnar Westerling
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Personal Management ◽  
The Social ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Old Swedish ◽  
Health Related

Aims: Health-related behaviours are associated with social relationships. Adolescence is a time when healthy and unhealthy behaviours are established. There is a need to investigate adolescents’ views on how social relationships are related to health-related behaviours of adolescents in the Scandinavian welfare system. This study aimed to explore Swedish adolescents’ experiences and thoughts of how social relationships in different social environments are related to health-related behaviours. Methods: A total of 36 adolescents aged 15–16 years were interviewed in seven focus-group sessions. Qualitative content analysis was used for analysis of the transcribed interviews. Results: Two themes – social context and personal management – emerged. Swedish adolescents describe that their health-related behaviours as being partly shaped by their own personal management but mainly by the social contexts that surround them. Social contexts were expressed as playing a role in the adolescents’ health-related behaviours, as they provide fellowship, pressure, dependability and engagement. Fellowship with friends and family was expressed as providing healthy behaviours and high levels of well-being. Fellowship with friends was particularly important for physical activity. Close relationships were stated to influence health-related behaviours. Pressure from friends, teachers and social media were described as mainly influencing unhealthy behaviours and, to some extent, low levels of well-being. However, adolescents’ personal ability illustrated how adolescents shaped their own health-related behaviours. Conclusions: The study results contribute to the understanding of Swedish adolescents’ views on how social relationships can shape their health-related behaviours. The findings may be useful to school professionals in supporting adolescents to improve well-being and healthy behaviours.

Preventing music performance anxiety (MPA): Music students judge combined Depth Relaxation Music Therapy (DRMT) and silence to be an effective methodology

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Eric Pfeifer ◽  
Christine Stolterfoth ◽  
Claudia Spahn ◽  
Hans Ulrich Schmidt ◽  
Tonius Timmermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Music Students ◽  
Music Performance Anxiety ◽  
Subject Design ◽  
Alternative Condition

This article presents the results of a study which focused on the application of combined Hypnomusictherapy (HMT)/Depth Relaxation Music Therapy (DRMT) and silence in preventing music performance anxiety (MPA) in music students. Participants (n=12) were divided into two groups. Each group received either 16 minutes of HMT/DRMT followed by 6:30 minutes of silence or a 16-minute seminar consisting of a moderated group discussion on silence followed by 6:30 minutes of silence. Each of the two groups experienced the alternative condition (within-subject design) with one week in between. Focus groups were held for data gathering after each session. Qualitative content analysis according to Mayring [1,2] was applied to analyze the data. Silence following DRMT/HMT was perceived as more relaxing and longer lasting than silence following the seminar. Participants reported that their distracting or depressing thoughts decreased and their auditive perception of silence changed during the combined silence and DRMT/HMT. The results indicate that the procedure can help prevent MPA.

The impact of pharmaceutical industry salesperson regulations, guidance statements, and laws on their sales behaviours

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-191
Author(s):  
John F. Riggs ◽  
Scott Widmier ◽  
Richard E. Plank
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Clinical Trial Data ◽  
Science Inquiry ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Cluster Solution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Taxonomic Approach ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this research is to develop a taxonomy of the impact of sales process regulations, guidance statements and laws (henceforth, referred to as “regulations”) on sales behaviours within the pharmaceutical industry, particularly as it relates to those within the USA. Design/methodology/approach Given the large number of regulations, guidance statements and laws and sales behaviours that comprise the domain of this study, this research uses a “multicenter, parallel-arm clinical trial data gathering method”. This approach aggregated or “stacked” the responses from three individual questionnaires; 7,493 total observations generated by 381 respondents were analyzed. Findings The analysis produced a six-cluster solution of regulations, guidance statements and laws indicating distinct taxonomic structures of items that affect selling activities. Research limitations/implications The research was conducted with a single firm in the USA. Therefore, results may not be applicable to other geographical areas, firms and industries. Practical Implications The knowledge of which behaviours are perceived by the salespeople to be impacted by what regulations, guidance statements and laws provides managers with a useful tool to sort their own companies’ regulations on the basis of the classification scheme. Originality/value This paper provides a novel taxonomic approach to organize sales activities affected by regulations, guidance statements and laws which provides a look at the unintended consequences of the item not compliance. Additionally, it uses a research methodology relatively unknown to social science inquiry.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Official Healthcare Informatics Applications in Saudi Arabia and their Role in Addressing COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-263
Author(s):  
Nouf Alassaf ◽  
Sulaiman Bah ◽  
Fatima Almulhim ◽  
Norah AlDossary ◽  
Munirah Alqahtani
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Healthcare Informatics ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Related

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine official healthcare informatics applications in Saudi Arabia in the context of their role in addressing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: This is a case study of official healthcare informatics programs and applications (apps) developed in Saudi Arabia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualitative content analysis (QCA) method was used. Data collection consisted of two components: a desktop review of documents and actual testing of the programs. According to the QCA method, we developed a matrix for abstracting information on different apps and programs in order to categorize the data. The compilation of information and discussion were based on information summarized in the matrix.Results: Six apps in total were developed before the COVID-19 pandemic. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, three of the apps, SEHA, Mawid, and Sehaty were modified to address different aspects of the pandemic. Both SEHA and Mawid included information about COVID-19 awareness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, three official apps were developed: Tawakkalna, Tetamman, and Tabaud. The Tawakkalna app is mandatory for all citizens and residents to activate when visiting stores and institutions. It has a wide range of COVID-19 and other health-related functions. The Tetamman app provides COVID-19 test results and allows one to check his or her daily symptoms. It also has an educational content library and provides alerts. The Tabaud app notifies individuals if they have been exposed to COVID-19. The features, advantages, and disadvantages of all of the apps were examined.Conclusions: Overall, there were more strengths than shortcomings in the role played by healthcare informatics in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

scholarly journals The living with pulmonary fibrosis questionnaire in progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease

2021 ◽  
pp. 00145-2020
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Swigris ◽  
Katelyn Cutts ◽  
Natalia Male ◽  
Michael Baldwin ◽  
Klaus. B. Rohr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interstitial Lung Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Lung Disease ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Almost All

The Living with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (L-IPF) questionnaire was developed with substantial input from patients with IPF to assess symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Because IPF is the prototypical chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD) with a progressive phenotype, we expanded applicability of the L-IPF by deleting the word “idiopathic”, creating the L-PF (Living with Pulmonary Fibrosis) questionnaire, and then assessed its relevance among patients with progressive fibrosing ILDs in one-to-one interviews.Patients in the USA and Germany with any progressive fibrosing ILD other than IPF were asked about their disease and symptoms, completed the 44-item L-PF questionnaire (comprising two modules that assess symptoms and impacts of disease) and then answered a series of debriefing questions. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded for qualitative content analysis.Twenty patients were interviewed, but time constraints meant not all were asked about all items. The most frequent diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis-associated ILD (25%) and mixed connective tissue disease-associated ILD (20%). Almost all patients endorsed the symptoms assessed by the L-PF: shortness of breath (19/20), cough (19/20 patients) and fatigue (18/20). Most patients endorsed impacts of progressive fibrosing ILD on activities of daily living, physical well-being, sleep, emotional well-being, and social aspects of their lives. Most patients had an overall positive impression of the Symptoms module and understood items as intended. All seven patients asked understood the items of the Impacts module.The L-PF contains concepts relevant and important to patients with progressive fibrosing ILD, and items are understood as intended.

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