scholarly journals Brazilian Children’s Understanding of the Quality of Life in Their Living Environment: A Qualitative Study

Author(s):  
Camilla Aparecida Silva de Oliveira ◽  
Andréa Maria Duarte Vargas ◽  
Fernanda de Morais Ferreira ◽  
Efigênia Ferreira e Ferreira

(1) Objective: To understand the perception of Brazilian children about the Quality of Life (QoL) considering their living environment. (2) Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted with children aged 6–10 years, from a medium-sized Brazilian municipality, recruited from public and private schools. An adaptation of the “draw, write, and say” method was used to collect data. At first, all children (n = 252) drew a “neighborhood with QoL”. On the same day, the researcher analyzed the graphic elements of the representations and intentionally selected the two best-detailed drawings from each class (n = 49) and the children were invited to narrate them. The narratives were analyzed through content analysis. (3) Results: Two major themes emerged from the content analysis, namely, the physical environment and social environment. The first included the needs to live in a community, such as housing, places of leisure, essential services, and natural elements. The second was relationships with family and friends. (4) Conclusion: The children presented the meaning of an environment with QoL, pointing out essential items to have this ideal environment. The social environment and the physical environment were perceived interdependently; that is, any change in one of these aspects may affect children’s QoL.

Author(s):  
Alicja Szerląg ◽  
Arkadiusz Urbanek ◽  
Kamila Gandecka

Background: The analysis has involved social interactions in a multicultural environment. The social context has been defined by the Vilnius region (Lithuania), where national, religious, and cultural differences exist across generations (multicultural community). The space of “social relationships”, as one of the modules of the WHO quality of life assessment, has been studied. An innovation of the research has been related to the analysis of the phenomenon of community of nationalities and cultures as a predictor of quality of life (QoL). The social motive of the research has been the historical continuity (for centuries) of the construction of the Vilnius cultural borderland. Here, the local community evolves from a group of many cultures to an intercultural community. Interpreting the data, therefore, requires a long perspective (a few generations) to understand the quality of relationships. We see social interactions and strategies for building them as a potential for social QoL in multicultural environments. Methods: The research has been conducted on a sample of 374 respondents, including Poles (172), Lithuanians (133), and Russians (69). A diagnostic poll has been used. The respondents were adolescents (15–16 years). The research answers the question: What variables form the interaction strategies of adolescents in a multicultural environment? The findings relate to interpreting the social interactions of adolescents within the boundaries of their living environment. The description of the social relations of adolescents provides an opportunity to implement the findings for further research on QoL. Results: An innovative outcome of the research is the analysis of 3 interaction strategies (attachment to national identification, intercultural dialogue, and multicultural community building) as a background for interpreting QoL in a multicultural environment. Their understanding is a useful knowledge for QoL researchers. The data analysis has taken into account cultural and generational (historical) sensitivities. Therefore, the team studying the data has consisted of researchers and residents of the Vilnius region. We used the interaction strategies of adolescents to describe the category of “social relationships” in nationally and culturally diverse settings.


Author(s):  
Francisco Coronado

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the population growth, migration, poverty, economic, political, environmental aspects and the management of the budget at national and municipal levels, including information of other cities in Peru, to define the effect on the quality of life of the population and formulate a management recommendation to help improve the quality of life in Lima and on intermediate cities. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of the study consisted on collect, review and select important factors that influence the quality of life in a big city, in this case in Lima, the concentration of people of Peru in Lima, migration and poverty, the coverage and quality of services, the concentration of the economy, public and private investments and services in Lima, some political aspects and a view of the available budget and the needed investment. Findings The deficiencies in the habitability conditions of the residents of Lima were verified considering the limited infrastructure and public services, the low level of investments and the limited effectiveness of the technical and administrative work of the municipal authorities and the central government. Although studies on other important cities in Peru are more limited, it could be said that similar limitations are being presented for example in transportation. Research limitations/implications The main obstacle to the study is the limited availability of information of such broad aspects that characterize a city that could not be covered in one paper. Practical implications The result of the study supports the need to implement appropriate management decisions about urban planning and investment policies for Metropolitan Lima, as well as to raise municipal and central government technical and legal conditions that are attractive for residents and investors for other cities in the country seeking their development, as well as to help counteract the concentration of people in Lima to control the demands of their habitability. Social implications The study could impact not only in the habitability conditions of about 10m inhabitants of Lima, but to all the 30m inhabitants of Perú. Originality/value Presents an unified vision of the social, economic and political deficiencies to the provision of services to a city concentrating the population of a country.


Author(s):  
Judith Dams ◽  
Thomas Grochtdreis ◽  
Hans-Helmut König

AbstractDepression contributes to disability more than any other mental disorder and is associated with a reduced health-related quality of life. However, the impact of depression on the social environment is relatively unknown. The current study determined differences in the health-related quality of life between co-living household members of depressed persons and persons in households without depression. Furthermore, factors influencing the health-related quality of life of co-living household members of depressed persons were evaluated. Using a sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel, health-related quality of life was measured longitudinally with the 12 item Short Form health survey. In addition to descriptive statistics, differences in health-related quality of life and factors influencing the health-related quality of life of co-living household members of depressed persons were determined by mixed effects beta regressions. Mental health-related quality of life was reduced for co-living household members of depressed persons compared with persons of households without depressed persons. Health-related quality of life of co-living household members of depressed persons was lower for women compared to men as well as for widowed persons compared to married persons. Overall, the health-related quality of life of co-living household members of depressed persons was reduced, which might be due to increased stress levels. It is therefore important to focus on support services for people in the social environment of depressed persons.


2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milene Barcellos de Menezes ◽  
Lucilda Selli ◽  
Joseane de Souza Alves

Dysthanasia means slow and painful death without quality of life. This study aimed to know whether nurses identify dysthanasia as part of the final process of the lives of terminal patients hospitalized at an adult ICU. This is an exploratory-qualitative study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten nurses with at least one year of experience in an ICU, and interpreted through content analysis. Results indicate that nurses understand and identify dysthanasia, do not agree with it and recognize elements of orthonasia as the adequate procedure for terminal patients. We conclude that nurses interpret dysthanasia as extending life with pain and suffering, while terminal patients are submitted to futile treatments that do not benefit them. They also identify dysthanasia using elements of orthonasia to explain it.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. van Hoof ◽  
M. M. Verhagen ◽  
E. J. M. Wouters ◽  
H. R. Marston ◽  
M. D. Rijnaard ◽  
...  

The quality of the built environment can impact the quality of life and the sense of home of nursing home residents. This study investigated (1) which factors in the physical and social environment correlate with the sense of home of the residents and (2) which environmental factors are most meaningful. Twelve participants engaged in a qualitative study, in which photography was as a supportive tool for subsequent interviews. The data were analysed based on the six phases by Braun and Clarke. The four themes identified are (1) the physical view; (2) mobility and accessibility; (3) space, place, and personal belongings; and (4) the social environment and activities. A holistic understanding of which features of the built environment are appreciated by the residents can lead to the design and retrofitting of nursing homes that are more in line with personal wishes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fahimeh Rashidi Fakari ◽  
Sepideh Hajian ◽  
Soodabeh Darvish ◽  
Hamid Alavi Majd

Abstract Background: Urinary incontinence is widely accepted to be among the most important issues in the global health system. However, only a limited number of women are referred for treatment because different factors complicate help-seeking behaviors. The aim of this study was to explain the factors affecting help-seeking behaviors in women suffering from urinary incontinence.Methods: This study was a qualitative study using the conventional content analysis approach. The study was conducted from December 2018 and August 2019 in Tehran, Iran. The participants were 34 women with urinary incontinence selected using a purposive sampling method. The content analysis approach was based on the Graneheim and Lundman method, and qualitative data management software was used for analysis. Results: Data analysis illustrates two themes; " facilitator " and " inhibitor "; the categories "not perceiving disease", "shame", " negative support of important others", and "non-optimal health care system" were among the inhibitors and the categories " reduced quality of life " and " positive support of important others" were found to be facilitators of help-seeking behaviors.Conclusions: The findings of the present study highlight the need for understanding the underlying facilitators and inhibitors of help-seeking behaviors in women with urinary incontinence. We suggest that healthcare providers consider an open dialogue with patients and consider their subjective beliefs and life context during routine visits to facilitate early diagnosis of the disease and ultimately lead to an improvement in the woman's quality of life.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuani Magalhães Guimarães ◽  
Sandra Teixeira de Araújo Pacheco ◽  
Michelle Darezzo Rodrigues Nunes ◽  
Liliane Faria da Silva

ABSTRACT Objective: To understand the perception of adolescents with cancer undergoing palliative cares about their illness process. Method: An exploratory and qualitative study, per formed at a federal public hospital specialized in oncology disease in Rio de Janeiro, through interviews with nine adolescents aged 12 to 20 years old, from July to August 2017. Data was submitted to thematic analysis and the theoretical framework was Hildegard Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relationships Results: Three categories emerged: Living the difficult moment of the trajectory of the disease; Feeling the social isolation and that life has stopped; and Overcoming the difficult stage of the disease. They addressed the trajectory of the disease since the diagnosis, with the awakening of feelings of isolation and stagnation of life. Moreover, they highlighted the overcoming power of these adolescents. Final considerations: The study made it possible to know the difficulties experienced during the course of the disease, providing subsidies for the practice of nurses to happen in a sensitive, individualized manner and focused on the individual's need thus enhancing comfort and quality of life.


2018 ◽  
pp. 251-261
Author(s):  
Janine Silva Nascimento Cunha ◽  
Nelsio Rodrigues de Abreu ◽  
João Agnaldo do Nascimento

The main objective of this study was to analyze the influence of materialism on adolescents’ subjective quality of life. For the empirical research, 705 questionnaires were applied in public and private schools in the city of João Pessoa (Brazil), resulting 667 valid responses of adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age, mostly women and from private schools. The sampling was by conglomerates and the analysis of the data was quantitative. From the results, it was not possible to confirm the direct influence of the level of materialism on the level of subjective quality of life. The limitations were presented by not having identified a high level of materialism among the adolescents surveyed. The social contribution of this study is the identification of factors that may increase adolescent consumption.


2021 ◽  
pp. medhum-2020-012097
Author(s):  
Baruch Shomron

Euthanasia is an important social and quality of life issue. However, it is highly controversial and thus continuously debated especially given its legitimacy and legality differ between countries. Little is known about the role media plays concerning this topic. To fill this gap, this study applies a mixed methods approach to a case study of Israeli media, including a quantitative content analysis of news articles (to measure the discourse of ‘civil participation’), a thematic analysis of news articles (to examine the ‘voice’) and a quantitative content analysis of Facebook comments (to measure ‘being heard’). Results indicate that while the media highly enables the media capability of ‘voice’ (both ‘voicing’ and ‘being heard’), it limits the media capability of ‘civil participation’ to a narrow array of discourse, hindering the social debate. These results reveal the role the media plays regarding euthanasia, integral to individuals’ quality of life through the realisation of their media capabilities, and in relation to the act of euthanasia itself.


2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 2049-2056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Meloni Vieira ◽  
Nicholas John Ford ◽  
Manoel Antonio dos Santos ◽  
Lílian Cláudia Ulian Junqueira ◽  
Alain Giami

The development of new treatments has improved survival and quality of life among cancer patients. Nurses are expected to answer questions and to provide orientation regarding patients' sexuality since it is an important aspect of life. The main objective of this paper is to understand the representations of sexuality among nurses working with women who survive breast cancer after diagnosis and during treatment assuming that their representations may affect communication with the patient. This is a qualitative study using an in-depth guideline which involved interviews with 28 nurses living and working in the southeast of Brazil. The narratives were submitted to a content analysis and categories of representations were identified and are discussed here. Several representations of sexuality were found in the nurses' discourses. Some of the nurses' representations may be expected to hinder their ability to provide helpful orientation regarding the sexual lives of these patients.


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