Exploring Risk Perception and Behaviours at the Intersection of Flood Events and Private Groundwater Supplies: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Flooding events can inflict major disruption on society and cause significant infrastructural and environmental damage. However, the adverse health impacts of flooding, particularly as they pertain to private groundwater resources used for consumption, are frequently overlooked. Whilst the literature has previously found a lack of well stewardship among private well owners under ‘normal’ conditions, our understanding of private well owners’ perceptions of and preparedness for the risks posed by flooding to their domestic well-water supply is limited. This study advances the qualitative literature on this subject. It is amongst the first qualitative studies employing focus groups to examine private well owners, and the first in an Irish context. Six focus groups were conducted in four counties in Ireland, with the themes emerging from the focus groups refined, organised, and interpreted in the context of the Health Belief Model. Most focus group participants expressed awareness of the potential severity of well contamination following flooding, but many did not consider their local area “at risk” of it, notwithstanding the occurrence of previous local flooding events. All focus group participants shared the view that owners were primarily responsible for their own wells. However, their capacity to undertake appropriate actions was reduced by reliance on visual and olfactory evidence to assess water quality, and concerns regarding the financial cost and accessibility of water testing facilities. The phenomenon of misperception was also evident among participants. In light of the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events including flooding, these findings provide direction for future socio-hydrogeological interventions. Targeted communication strategies highlighting the risks posed by flooding, mitigation measures that promote well stewardship, and protective behaviours are required. The provision of access to free well water testing would also promote protective actions.

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Developing a recovery-focused therapy for older people with bipolar disorder: a qualitative focus group study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049829 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e049829

Author(s):

Elizabeth Tyler ◽

Fiona Lobban ◽

Rita Long ◽

Steven H Jones

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Focus Group ◽

Older People ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Later Life ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Age Related ◽

Health Related ◽

Age Related Changes

ObjectivesAs awareness of bipolar disorder (BD) increases and the world experiences a rapid ageing of the population, the number of people living with BD in later life is expected to rise substantially. There is no current evidence base for the effectiveness of psychological interventions for older adults with BD. This focus group study explored a number of topics to inform the development and delivery of a recovery-focused therapy (RfT) for older adults with BD.DesignA qualitative focus group study.SettingThree focus groups were conducted at a university in the North West of England.ParticipantsEight people took part in the focus groups; six older adults with BD, one carer and one friend.ResultsParticipant’s responses clustered into six themes: (1) health-related and age-related changes in later life, (2) the experience of BD in later life, (3) managing and coping with BD in later life, (4) recovery in later life, (5) seeking helping in the future and (6) adapting RfT for older people.ConclusionsParticipants reported a range of health-related and age-related changes and strategies to manage their BD. Participants held mixed views about using the term ‘recovery’ in later life. Participants were in agreement that certain adaptations were needed for delivering RfT for older adults, based on their experience of living with BD in later life. The data collected as part of the focus groups have led to a number of recommendations for delivering RfT for older adults with BD in a randomised controlled trial (Clinical Trial Registration: ISRCTN13875321).

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Adult smokers’ perceptions of cigarette pack inserts promoting cessation: a focus group study

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053372 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 72-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Crawford Moodie

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Educational Material ◽

Promotional Material ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Stop Smoking ◽

Cigarette Pack ◽

The Government ◽

Cigarette Packs ◽

Do So

IntroductionTobacco companies have a long tradition of including promotional material within cigarette packs, such as cigarette cards and coupons. Only in Canada are they required, by the government, to include educational material within cigarette packs, in the form of inserts highlighting the benefits of quitting or providing tips on how to do so.MethodsTwenty focus groups were conducted in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2015, with smokers (n=120) segmented by age (16–17, 18–24, 25–35, 36–50, >50), gender and social grade, to explore perceptions of the inserts used in Canada.ResultsThe consensus was that these inserts would capture attention and be read due to their novelty and visibility before reaching the cigarettes, and as they can be removed from the pack. While they may be ignored or discarded, and rotation was considered necessary, they were generally thought to prolong the health message. The positive style of messaging was described as refreshing, educational, encouraging, reassuring and inspirational and thought to increase message engagement. It was regarded as more sympathetic than command-style messaging, offering smokers ‘a bit of hope’. The inserts were often considered preferable to the on-pack warnings, although it was felt that both were needed. Some participants suggested that inserts could encourage them to stop smoking, and they were generally viewed as having the potential to alter the behaviour of others, particularly younger people, would-be smokers and those wanting to quit.ConclusionsInserts are an inexpensive means of communication and offer regulators a simple way of supplementing on-pack warnings.

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Aesthetically Designing Video-Call Technology With Care Home Residents: A Focus Group Study

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.540048 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Sonam Zamir ◽

Felicity Allman ◽

Catherine Hagan Hennessy ◽

Adrian Haffner Taylor ◽

Ray Brian Jones

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Older People ◽

Focus Groups ◽

New Technologies ◽

Low Cost ◽

Care Home ◽

Framework Analysis ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Technological Intervention

BackgroundVideo-calls have proven to be useful for older care home residents in improving socialization and reducing loneliness. Nonetheless, to facilitate the acceptability and usability of a new technological intervention, especially among people with dementia, there is a need for user-led design improvements. The current study conducted focus groups with an embedded activity with older people to allow for a person-centered design of a video-call intervention.MethodsTwenty-eight residents across four care homes in the South West of England participated in focus groups to aesthetically personalize and ‘dress-up’ the equipment used in a video-call intervention. Each care home was provided with a ‘Skype on Wheels’ (SoW) device, a wheelable ‘chassis’ comprising an iPad or tablet for access to Skype, and a telephone handset. During the focus group, residents were encouraged to participate in an activity using colorful materials to ‘dress-up’ SoW. Comments before, during and after the ‘dress up’ activity were audio recorded. Framework analysis was used to analyze the focus group data.ResultsOlder people, including seven with dementia were able to interact with and implement design changes to SoW through aesthetic personalization. Themes arising from the data included estrangement, anthropomorphism, reminiscence, personalization, need for socialization versus fear of socialization and attitudes toward technology. After this brief exposure to SoW, residents expressed the likelihood of using video-calls for socialization in the future.ConclusionCare home residents enjoy engaging with new technologies when given the opportunity to interact with it, to personalize it and to understand its purpose. Low cost aesthetic personalization of technologies can improve their acceptability, usability, and implementation within complex care environments.

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Medical students' perception of simulation-based assessment in emergency and paediatric medicine: a focus group study.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-41170/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anne-Laure Philippon ◽

Jennifer Truchot ◽

Nathalie De Suremain ◽

Marie-Christine Renaud ◽

Arnaud Petit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emergency Medicine ◽

Medical Students ◽

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

High Quality ◽

High Stakes ◽

Simulation Based

Abstract Background Simulation-based assessment is scarcely used for undergraduate medical students. We created a simulation-based assessment to validate medical students’ technical and psychometrics’ skills, during their emergency medicine and pediatric curriculum. The aim of our study was to collect medical students’ perception on this novel assessment.Methods This is a qualitative study that includes 9 focus groups among the 215 students who participated in either a pediatric or an emergency medicine simulation-based-course. These sessions ended by an assessment on a manikin. Among the 40 students who were randomly selected to participate in the focus groups, 30 agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using grounded theory and, data were coded the by two independent investigators.Results Seven major and two minor themes emerged from the focus groups. The importance of being certified by simulation to be more self-confident in hospital clerkships, the perception of simulation-based assessment as a high quality assessment, the contribution of the simulation-based assessment to change students’ practices and enhance their engagement in their curriculum and a disappointment because simulation-based assessment didn’t help student for the faculty high stakes assessments. Some students also found that simulation-based assessment was a stressful and unfair exercise. The last discussion was about practical issues of the assessment such as this normative way, and about the importance of the feedback.Conclusion The students reported positive aspects of the simulation-based assessment method such as helpful for their hospital clerkship, change of their practices and way of learning. However they also reported that it might be a biased and a stressful assessment method.

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Education and training policies for research integrity: Insights from a focus group study

10.31219/osf.io/p38nw ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Krishma Labib ◽

Natalie Evans ◽

Rea Scepanovic ◽

Panagiotis Kavouras ◽

Andrea Reyez Elizondo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Research Integrity ◽

Education And Training ◽

European Countries ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Formal Element ◽

Inductive Thematic Analysis ◽

And Training

Education is important for fostering research integrity (RI). Although RI training (a formal element of RI education) is increasingly provided, there is little knowledge on how research stakeholders view institutional RI education and training policies. Here, we present insights about research stakeholders’ views on what research institutions should take into account when developing and implementing RI education and training policies. We conducted 30 focus groups, engaging 147 participants in 8 European countries. Using a mixed deductive-inductive thematic analysis, we identified five themes: 1) RI education should be available to all; 2) education and training approaches and goals should be tailored; 3) motivating trainees is essential; 4) both formal and informal educational formats are necessary; and 5) institutions should take into account various individual, institutional, and system-of-science factors when implementing RI education. Our findings suggest that institutions should make RI education attractive for all, and tailor training to disciplinary-specific contexts.

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Understanding Incarcerated Girls: The Results of a Focus Group Study

The Prison Journal ◽

10.1177/0032855597077004003 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 77 (4) ◽

pp. 381-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

JOANNE BELKNAP ◽

KRISTI HOLSINGER ◽

MELISSA DUNN

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Female Offenders ◽

The State ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Incarcerated Females ◽

Delinquent Girls ◽

Female Offending

Until recent years, the causes of female offending and the experiences of incarcerated females have been largely ignored. Female offenders are being incarcerated at unprecedented rates, and there has been considerable attention given to the “new” violent female delinquent. In an effort to better understand delinquent girls' experiences before and during institutionalization, focus groups were conducted across the state of Ohio in 1996 with institutionalized delinquent girls and the professionals who work with them. The findings from these focus groups point out some serious problems among many of these girls before and while they are incarcerated. Policy implications are discussed in terms of the findings from the qualitative data garnered from 11 focus groups, which included 48 delinquent girls and 42 professionals who deal with delinquent girls.

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What do geriatric rehabilitation patients and experts consider relevant? Requirements for a digitalised e-coach for sustainable improvement of nutrition and physical activity in older adults – a qualitative focus group study

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-021-02692-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Happe ◽

Andreas Hein ◽

Rebecca Diekmann

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Physical Activity Behaviour ◽

Geriatric Rehabilitation ◽

International Studies ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Nutrition And Physical Activity ◽

Activity Behaviour

Abstract Background During geriatric rehabilitation, attempts are made to increase the patients’ health and functional capacity. In order to maintain these improvements in the medium- and long-term, behavioural changes regarding mobility and nutrition are also targeted, but these are often not sustainable. International studies show positive effects on the sustainability of the improvement of physical activity behaviour in healthy seniors through the use of electronic devices and software applications. Comparable approaches that include nutrition topics or combine them and were additionally developed for geriatric rehabilitation patients (≥70 years) to date are not known. The aim of this study was to identify what geriatric rehabilitation patients require from an electronic coaching system (e-coach) to support them in improving their nutritional and physical activity behaviour, and what content and features physiotherapists and dieticians consider relevant. Method Focus group interviews (09–11/2019) were conducted in a geriatric rehabilitation centre in Germany with patients aged 70 years and older, relatives and experts (physiotherapists and nutritionists). The focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Results Three focus groups with patients and relatives (n = 17, 65% female, 16 (94%) in age category 70–99 years) and one focus group with experts (2 dieticians and 1 physiotherapist) were conducted. Relevant contents and feedback elements for nutrition and physical activity in old age were identified. The patients’ comments show that an e-coach must offer obvious benefits for the older persons and promote motivation in order to be used. The willingness to change nutrition and physical activity behaviour and the previous experiences in these areas are very heterogeneous, therefore content should be adaptable to different requirements. Conclusion Experts and patients identified quite similar contents, barriers and facilitators for a nutrition and physical activity e-coach. The e-coach needs to be able to address different points of behaviour change, enable adaptations to the individual patient and convince the older person that using it will help them to improve their nutrition and physical activity. It is also important that the e-coach is easy to use and can be easily integrated into the patient’s everyday life after rehabilitation.

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A Community-Engaged Approach to Creating a Mobile HIV Prevention App for Black Women: Focus Group Study to Determine Preferences via Prototype Demos (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18437 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rasheeta Chandler ◽

Natalie Hernandez ◽

Dominique Guillaume ◽

Shanaika Grandoit ◽

Desiré Branch-Ellis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Hiv Prevention ◽

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Mobile App ◽

Message Delivery ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Hiv Prevention Intervention ◽

Hiv Epidemic

BACKGROUND Black women are an important but relatively overlooked at-risk group in HIV prevention efforts. Although there is an aggregate decline of HIV diagnoses among women in the United States, there are persistent disparate rates of new HIV infections among Black women compared to any other cisgender female subgroup. Strategies to end the HIV epidemic—as outlined in the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative—for all communities must consider HIV prevention messaging and message delivery mediums that are created with community input. Although mobile health (mHealth) is a popular platform for delivering HIV interventions, there are currently no mobile apps that consider cisgender Black women with the goal of promoting a comprehensive women’s reproductive health and HIV prevention lifestyle. Previous research recommends inclusion of the target population from project inception and iteratively throughout development, to promote use of the intervention. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to understand cisgender Black women’s preferences for functionality, format, and design of a mobile HIV prevention app and to examine their willingness to use an app for HIV prevention. METHODS We conducted a series of four focus groups with 23 Black cisgender women. Focus groups included discussion and demonstration elements to address cisgender women’s general preference for apps, HIV prevention content that would be useful in an app, and preferred app features that would promote use of an HIV-centric app. During focus group discussions, participants were shown narrated, custom wireframes of HIV prevention app prototypes to demonstrate potential app function. RESULTS Findings indicated the presence of eight subthemes within the coding structure of three overall themes: (1) health content within the mobile app, (2) mobile app functionality, format, and design, and (3) other suggested features. Specifically, participants detailed preferred educational content, content distribution, app aesthetics, privacy considerations, and marketing of the app. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that Black cisgender women preferred an app that integrated HIV prevention and optimal sexual health promotion. Participants provided a range of preferences for content integration and facilitators of app engagement with an HIV prevention app. Preferences centered on gender and cultural congruency of information and content, evidenced by visuals, language, and resources. Black cisgender women are viable consumers for a mobile app–based HIV prevention intervention.

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Evaluating Implementation of the Diabetes Perioperative Passport: A qualitative focus group study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-40474/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Funke Akiboye ◽

Emma Page ◽

Krish Nirantharakumar ◽

Gerry Rayman ◽

Antje Lindenmeyer

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Elective Surgery ◽

District General Hospital ◽

Working Environment ◽

Practical Implementation ◽

Care Needs ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Implementation Tool

Abstract Background and AimsA perioperative passport was developed to improve care of people with diabetes undergoing elective surgery by equipping patients with a hand-held summary of their care needs. Two surgical nursing groups were approached to be involved in developing and piloting this novel technology with contrasting results.This study aims to examine the factors affecting implementation of an empowerment tool for patients with diabetes among nursing staff in two surgical groups within a single district general hospitalDesignA qualitative study using focus groups to examine factors affecting staff engagement in implementing the diabetes perioperative passport.MethodsTwo focus group were conducted in 2017 with pre-operative assessment nurses in the departments of orthopaedics and general surgery of an NHS trust (N= 8). Audio-taped group discussions were transcribed, and the data coded and analysed to identify themesFindingsThe general surgical nurse group generally supported each other’s views and comments. They were enthused about the passport throughout. In contrast, the orthopaedic specialist nurse group had initial reservations about implementing the passport, but as the focus group unfolded, they moved from sharing individual views to finding commonalities and became more engaged and motivated to use the passport.ConclusionFocus groups are a practical and efficient tool to conduct within the usual working environment of an NHS hospital. In addition to capturing information about the challenges to implementation they may serve as a crucial implementation tool where evidence-based practice has not been adopted.ImpactThis is the first study carried out in the NHS setting highlighting the benefit of focus groups as a practical implementation tool.

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Physicians’ Views on the Usefulness and Feasibility of Identifying and Disclosing Patients’ Last Phase of Life and their Experiences with Using the Surprise Question: A Focus Group Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-57948/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Catherine Owusuaa ◽

Irene van Beelen ◽

Agnes van der Heide ◽

Carin C.D. van der Rijt

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Focus Group ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Advanced Cancer ◽

Care Quality ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Timely Initiation ◽

Imminent Death ◽

Surprise Question

Abstract Background: Accurate assessment that a patient is in the last phase of life is a prerequisite for timely initiation of palliative care in patients with a life-limiting disease, such as advanced cancer or advanced organ failure. Several palliative care quality standards recommend the surprise question to identify those patients.Methods: Physicians’ views of identifying and disclosing the last phase of life and their experiences with using the surprise question for patients with advanced cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were explored in a qualitative focus group study. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Fifteen medical specialists and general practitioners participated in two focus groups. Themes discussed in the focus groups were: prediction and disclosure of the imminence of death. Participants thought prediction of imminent death, within one year, was important. The surprise question was considered a useful prognostic tool; its use is facilitated by its simplicity but hampered by its subjective character. The medical specialist was considered mainly responsible for prognosticating and gradual disclosing a patient’s imminent death. Physicians’ reluctance to disclose the imminence of death to a patient was related to the uncertainty around prognostication, concerns about depriving patients of hope or affecting the physician–patient relationship, or about a lack of time or of palliative care services. Conclusions: Physicians consider the assessment of patients’ imminent death important and support the use of the surprise question. However, they experience uncertainty and other barriers in disclosing imminent death. Future studies should examine patients’ preferences for those discussions. Trial registration: not applicable.

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