scholarly journals A Qualitative Study of Pictorial Health Warnings on Malaysian Cigarette Packs: How Do the Adults Understand Them?

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1669
Author(s):  
Ainun Mardhiah Hamzah ◽  
Roslan Saub ◽  
Jamaludin Marhazlinda

The WHO recommended pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on cigarette packs in 2003 to educate and warn the public of smoking effects. Malaysia too has implemented this policy since 2009. This study explored the public’s understanding of the gazetted PHWs depicted on cigarette packs available in Malaysia. A qualitative study using four focus group discussions (FGDs) was conducted among smokers and non-smokers aged 18–40 in Malacca, Peninsular Malaysia. Thematic analyses were performed using the Atlas Ti version 8.0 software. Six themes have emerged reflecting the public’s understanding of the existing PHWs in Malaysia, namely, (i) awareness and exposures, (ii) recall and attention, (iii) perceived goals, (iv) perceived target groups, (v) attitude in understanding, and (vi) knowledge and meaning of PHWs. All participants were aware of the PHWs depicted on legal cigarettes but not seen on most illicit cigarettes. PHWs were perceived to give awareness and warning about the smoking effects targeting smokers and non-smokers. Participants understood the lung and oral health-related images easily than other body parts such as gangrene foot, miscarriages, etc. Besides enforcement on illicit cigarettes without PHWs, policymakers or relevant authorities should emphasize creating relevant and clear pictorial messages in educating the public to avoid confusion affecting the public’s understanding of the PHWs.

Author(s):  
Molefe Coper Joseph

This chapter presents a case-study drawn from a qualitative study which explored how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Botswana perceive and respond to recent global emphasis to engage men as stakeholders in gender and development so as to achieve gender equality and to empower women. This case-study was purposively selected from sixteen focus group discussions held with different organizations across the country. The chapter specifically looks at efforts by the Botswana Institute of Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders (BIRRO), an NGO established by a group of rehabilitated ex-convicts to empower other ex-convicts by way of facilitating their re-integration into society. They established this NGO after realizing that the rate of reoffending is high due to negative stereotypes attached to ex-convicts. Despite facing some challenges, BIRRO is trying to counteract the disenfranchising criminal identity which members of the public attach to people who once committed a crime.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Ramos ◽  
Paula Vicente ◽  
Ana M. Passos ◽  
Patrícia Costa ◽  
Elizabeth Reis

This article presents the outcomes of a qualitative study involving users of public transportation in the metropolitan area of Lisbon in order to obtain a deeper understanding of attitudes towards public transport and to explore perceptions of the public transport service. It is important to know what people think and feel about public transport so that strategies can be designed to attract people to public transport. Ethnographic interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to identify factors that potentially influence people’s perceptions and determine their satisfaction, or dissatisfaction with the public transport service. The key findings suggest that public transport usage would increase if the level of service was brought in line with users’ expectations; more specifically, there should be a better connection between inter-modal options, more compliance with timetables, and a more appropriate response to users’ needs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
Suryanef Suryanef ◽  
Al Rafni

Ahead of the 2014 election, the General Election Commission established a group of facilitators to educate the public about the election (voter education), called Democracy Volunteer (Relawan Demokrasi), in cities/regencies throughout Indonesia. Democracy Volunteer is a program aimed at increasing political participation and election quality. One of the target groups for the voter education is first-time voters. First-time voters are perceived to have distinctive political behavior; their political actions are qualitatively different from other segments of voters. They are also classified as the technology savvy generation. This paper intends to elaborate the Democracy Volunteers' efforts in implementing voter education for first-time voters, and reveal the most suitable voter education model for this segment of voters. The research used qualitative method through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The results show that a voter education model for first-time voters is needed in order that Democracy Volunteers carry out the voter education effectively in achieving the expected goals.


2017 ◽  
pp. 1039-1058
Author(s):  
Molefe Coper Joseph

This chapter presents a case-study drawn from a qualitative study which explored how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Botswana perceive and respond to recent global emphasis to engage men as stakeholders in gender and development so as to achieve gender equality and to empower women. This case-study was purposively selected from sixteen focus group discussions held with different organizations across the country. The chapter specifically looks at efforts by the Botswana Institute of Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders (BIRRO), an NGO established by a group of rehabilitated ex-convicts to empower other ex-convicts by way of facilitating their re-integration into society. They established this NGO after realizing that the rate of reoffending is high due to negative stereotypes attached to ex-convicts. Despite facing some challenges, BIRRO is trying to counteract the disenfranchising criminal identity which members of the public attach to people who once committed a crime.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-210
Author(s):  
Addiarrahman Addiarrahman ◽  
Illy Yanti

This study seeks to understand the pragmatism of the development of sharia economic law, and its implications for Islamic financial products in Indonesia. The data comes from the results of interviews and focus group discussions with key informants from academics, practitioners, authorities, and the public. This research finds that pragmatism in the development of Islamic economic law is an approach that still dominates the DSN-MUI fatwas. The pragmatism style used is complex-eclectic pragmatism which is represented through makhārij al-fiqhiyyah, which is to choose a mild opinion by sticking to the strongest method or also called "taysīr al-manhajī". The use of this method is intended to ensure that the fatwa is truly able to answer the needs of the business world, as well as being in line with sharia principles. DSN-MUI also does not use maslahah as a legal consideration in a free or liberal way. Rather, it returns maslahah in consideration of the method, so that it is permissible to use the bay’ al-'inān contract only in a forced state (ḍarurah).


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rayan Korri ◽  
Sabine Hess ◽  
Guenter Froeschl ◽  
Olena Ivanova

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.


Curationis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Jagananen

This study assessed whether community participation in health related activity was a reality or just popular development rhetoric.Using action research methodology, focus group discussions and informal contacts were made with farm workers consisting of twelve families in Umkomaas, south of Durban in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The aim was to establish whether this community could be actively involved in all aspects of community participation. The level of participation was described using Rifkin’s model (Rifkin et al, 1988). Results of this study revealed that the community was able to identify their own health problems, prioritize them and plan appropriate strategies to meet the needs identified.


2021 ◽  
pp. 133-144
Author(s):  
Aubrey Chichonyi Kalungia ◽  
Micheal Chigunta ◽  
James Sichone ◽  
Bugewa Apampa ◽  
Sarah Marshall ◽  
...  

Background: Factors influencing how pharmacy students learn and experience pharmaceutical education have not been elucidated in Zambia. Aim: To elucidate contextual factors affecting academic self-efficacy and learning experiences among undergraduate pharmacy students at a public university in Zambia. Methods: A qualitative study utilising focus group discussions was conducted at the University of Zambia. Thirty-two undergraduate pharmacy students participated in four focus group discussions. Qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results: Four themes and eight sub-themes emerged from the data. Notional time management, learning style, and motivation; educational programme-related factors such as course load, the pace of teaching; the learning environment; and assessment practices affected undergraduate pharmacy students’ self-efficacy and learning experiences. Conclusion: Addressing the student-related, educational programme-related, and the learning environment factors identified in this study will contribute to the improvement of undergraduate pharmacy students’ learning experiences. This is premised to improve their educational outcomes and future practice of pharmaceutical care.


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