The shift from old age to very old age: an analysis of the perception of aging among older people

Background The oldest-old (individuals over 90 years) are a fast-growing population. Understanding the perceptions of older people about very old age is the first step towards developing optimal geriatric care for an aging population. This study aimed to explore the potential shift from old age to very old age through the exploration of older people’s perception of aging. Methods Qualitative study conducted through individual interviews in the homes of older people. We voluntarily chose to include persons a decade under and above 90 years old to explore other factors than age that could participate in the shift from old age to very old age. The sampling was theoretical. We carried out the analyses using an inductive approach based on the phases of grounded theory. The researchers used triangulation. Collection was concluded when theoretical saturation was reached. Results Fourteen participants were interviewed. The shift from old age to very old age was not based on age but occurred when participants became conscious of the irreversibility of aging and its effects, and when they started living day-by-day, renouncing to any plan in a near future. The transition to very old age seemed to be preceded by a progressive disengagement from non-essentials activities. Participants reported a sensation of progressive social exclusion due to the loss of contemporaries or spouse, the difficulty to connect with younger generations or the absence of relationships in their neighborhood. The last step of life was feared, not because of the idea of death itself but because of the associated suffering and loss of autonomy. Conclusion Precipitating and slowing factors of the shift to very old age were identified to help general practitioners support older patients throughout their life trajectories.

Methodological path to reach the degree of saturation in qualitative research: grounded theory

ABSTRACT Objectives: to achieve the degree of saturation in study that applied the grounded theory. Methods: qualitative research, carried out in four Family Health Units, between June 2018 and May 2019. The data from the interviews with 30 health professionals and non-participant observation were coded in the stages: open, axial and integration. Results: the degree of saturation was achieved by two conceptual models - theoretical saturation and inductive thematic. Theoretical saturation was considered: the development of conceptual codes and observation, in the collection and analysis of data, when they generated new categories/subcategories or only indicated increasing instances. For thematic inductive saturation, the use of new codes based on each interview stood out. Final Considerations: the visual layout for the number of codes, the theoretical scope of the concepts and the delimitation of the sample groups guided the identification of the degree of saturation for the development of the conceptual body that supported the substantive theory.

Social Ties impacting Audit Quality Exploring Government Entities

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze the first hand data regarding intimacies between government entities and government audit institution of Pakistan, to see its impact on the quality. Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualitative research design is used to explore the concept base on theoretical saturation technique. Findings: The results revealed by default presence of social ties among interactive agents. It further explores indirect relationship between audit quality and social interactions in the presence of petty corruption due to familiarity, unwarranted mutual trust and favoritism however this relationship is shifted toward direct relationship in the presence of material corruption due to fear of losing good reputation, loss of job, fear of departmental inquiry, threat of floating your weaknesses before your rival clique. Implications/Originality/Value: The results presented in this paper should therefore be of great interest to government, regulators and standard-setters charged with developing accounting standards to improve the audit quality of reporting information related to existing government auditing setup.

Applying Grounded Theory to Understand Asian Women’s Motivations to Donate Healthy Breast Tissue

Background: The Komen Tissue Bank (KTB) is a clinical trial and the only global biorepository that collects and stores healthy breast tissue to be used as controls in breast cancer (BC) research. Due to a variety of barriers, there is a lack of participation by racial and ethnic minority women in tissue donation. In order to increase this participation, it is necessary to understand why or why not these populations choose to participate in clinical trials such as the KTB. This study used grounded theory methodology to explore the motivations behind Asian women’s decisions to donate their breast tissue. Methods: Guided by grounded theory, we conducted interviews with previous breast tissue donors who self-identified as Asian (n=20). We then transcribed and coded the interviews to discover common attitudes and motivations for participating in breast tissue donation. Findings: Preliminary findings were obtained from 11 interviews. We identified three common themes that influenced these women’s donations: altruistic behavior, comfort with science, and Asian identity. Identified sub-themes include factors such as personal ties to BC and background in research and clinical trials. It is of note that over half of the women expressed Asian identity and comfort with science as important factors, and all mentioned altruistic tendencies, either towards family or towards research and others. Conclusion and Future Work: We identified common factors for donating healthy breast tissue from using grounded theory to interview previous donors of Asian descent. We will transcribe and code 9 more interviews, as well as use those interviews to confirm theoretical saturation. The findings from this study will be used in the future to inform a framework for developing recruitment strategies to increase overall participation of historically excluded individuals in the KTB. Future work will include exploring the motivations of Latinas regarding donating their healthy breast tissue.

Experiences of incarcerated mothers living with their children in a prison in Lima, Peru, 2020: a qualitative study

Objectives: This study explores the experiences of incarcerated women living with their children in the Women Chorrillos Penitentiary, Lima, Peru, 2020. Material and method: Qualitative, exploratory study with a phenomenological design, through semi-structured interviews with inmates who lived with their minor in the prison. In total there were 13 interviews considering the theoretical saturation of categories. Results: The experiences consisted of mostly negative intrapersonal experiences, related to different individual aspects and the conditions of confinement and prison treatment. Serious deficiencies perceived in the health care of inmates and children stand out, with emphasis on mistreatment and indifference on the part of the staff. Other factors involved in the construction of these experiences were identified. Discussion: The results provide evidence of serious structural and organizational deficiencies that violate the fundamental rights of the population group studied. Government efforts to date are partial and insufficient. Sustainable policies and programs are urgently needed that prioritize quality health care and adequate prison treatment for these people with an emphasis on preventivepromotional actions. There is a need for evidence-based interventions to reduce the harmful effects of childhood incarceration.

Qualitative Study of the Factors Affecting Marital Satisfaction from the Viewpoint of Divorced Women: Comparing the Attitudes of Women Before and After Marriage

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to qualitatively study the factors on marital satisfaction from the viewpoint of divorced women before and after marriage. Methods: A qualitative study design based on grounded theory was used. Among the women who referred to the family court of Meybod city and were separated from their husbands, 12 women were selected to participate in the study. The sample size was selected based on theoretical saturation and data was obtained using a semi-structured deep interview. Findings: Results show divorced women before their marriage, either had specific and postmodern viewpoint toward marital satisfaction, or had idealistic and superficial viewpoint about marital life considering a minimal number of problems. After divorce, they believed in concrete and specific criteria for achieving marital satisfaction. The factors affecting marital satisfaction from the viewpoints of the participants before their marriage were classified in concepts such as idealism, superficial, attitudinal understanding, non-specific attitude; after divorce these factors were classified in concepts such as behavior and emotion control, personal and family fitness, rational-intellectualism, management of relationships, and accountability. However, before marriage, divorced women believed in logical criteria, which were retained after divorce. Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that change in postmodern, unrealistic, and idealistic ideas about marital satisfaction and the tendency to accept the realities of marital relationship can play an effective role in preventing divorce.

A Competency-Based Training Model for Red Crescent Rescuers and Relief Workers in Tehran, Iran

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to provide a competency-based training model for the Red Crescent rescuers and relief workers. METHODS: The present study was applied in terms of purpose and the required data were collected through mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative). In the qualitative section, the statistical population consisted of academic and organizational experts as well as experts in the field of education who were selected by purposeful sampling. Theoretical saturation was reached after interviews with 20 subjects. In the quantitative section, the statistical population consisted of all the rescuers and relief workers of the Red Crescent Society in Tehran province (335 people), Iran. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling and surveyed using a researcher-made questionnaire that was scored based on a 5-point scale. FINDINGS: In this section, quantitative data analysis was performed in SPSS and SmartPLS3 software in two areas of analysis (descriptive and inferential) and interpretation of results. CONCLUSION: The results led to the identification of 25 components, 81 indicators, and 8 main dimensions of competency-based education. These dimensions include the educational environment (0.735), learners (0.623), execution of the educational program (0.615); competency needs assessment (0.563), educational design and planning (0.504), development of competency criteria (0.420), educational evaluation (0.397), and review and update of the educational process and program (0.341), in the order of priority.

Implementation of a Thematic Analysis Method to Develop a Qualitative Model on the Authentic Foreign Language Learning Perspective: A Case Study in the University of Northern Cyprus

Environmentally friendly occasions allow foreign language learners to further concentrate on realizing their extensive knowledge of the English language. Exercises and activities performed in foreign language classes have been criticized for a lack of authenticity, which prevents language learners from learning the real-life usage of language. In this paper, we developed a qualitative model based on the thematic analysis method (TAM) to distinguish the efficacy of research strategies. The number of participants was defined based on theoretical saturation. To collect the data, 18 participants were selected from the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) in Cyprus. The selection of participants was according to their involvement in research-based projects. Theoretical saturation occurred after 15 semi-structured interview forms from participants; however, we selected three extra participants to obtain more reliable results. The reliability of the qualitative model was explicitly illustrated by colleagues who were experts in this field by reviewing and analyzing the proposed model with previous models. It was concluded that the two principles of motivation (principle 11) and provision of collaborative opportunities (principle 4) had the highest frequencies, of 22.47% and 19.66%.

Resilience among nurses working in paediatric wards in Brunei Darussalam: A qualitative study

Background: Resilience has become highly relevant for nurses working to avoid the negative impact of stress and maximise the positive benefits. Objective: This study aimed to explore and describe experiences of resilience among nurses when they first started working in paediatric wards. Methods: A qualitative, interpretive descriptive approach was used to guide the study. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 8 participants, which proved sufficient to achieve theoretical saturation. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted in 2020 and audio recorded. An inductive analytic approach was utilised. Results: Three overarching themes arose from the analysis: (1) The transition period (2) Gaining the trust of others (3) Having a positive mindset. Conclusion: This study found that nurses used multiple strategies of resilience in order to cope with workplace stress when they first began the transition period. However, as they become familiar with the workplace and gain the trust of others, this factor enables nurses to have a positive outlook toward job setbacks.