Search results
1 – 10 of 763Puthy Pat, Kerstin Edin, Bhoomikumar Jegannathan, Miguel San Sebastian and Linda Richter Sundberg
Young prisoners are one of the most vulnerable groups in society for mental health problems and ill-being. Therefore, there is a crucial need to understand their physical…
Abstract
Purpose
Young prisoners are one of the most vulnerable groups in society for mental health problems and ill-being. Therefore, there is a crucial need to understand their physical, psychological and social situations. This study aims to explore young Cambodian prisoners’ experiences and perceptions of mental health and well-being, their determinants and their coping strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
Six focus group discussions were carried out in three prisons with a total of 48 young prisoners between the ages of 15 and 24 years (50% women, 50% men). Semi-structured questions guided the discussions, and thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data.
Findings
Young prisoners reported multifaceted experiences of mental health and well-being. The majority described adverse mental health experiences, while some revealed better well-being, partly influenced by the socio-economic support from outside the prisons and previous involvement or not in drug abuse. The experience of physical overcrowding without emotional attachment among the fellow prisoners was perceived as the overarching determinant of loneliness and mental health problems, while socio-emotional support and rituals were described as the most important coping mechanisms.
Originality/value
This pioneering study from Cambodia gives young prisoners an opportunity to voice their experiences and perceptions of mental health and well-being in the prison setting. The findings in this study underline the importance of prison authorities tackling overcrowding to promote well-being and reduce mental health problems. Also, the coping mechanisms outlined by the participants should be considered when planning psychosocial interventions.
Details
Keywords
Hamed Ahmadinia, Jannica Heinström, Kristina Eriksson-Backa and Shahrokh Nikou
This research paper aims to delve into the perceptions of health susceptibility among Iranian, Afghan and Tajik individuals hailing from asylum-seeking or refused asylum-seeking…
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper aims to delve into the perceptions of health susceptibility among Iranian, Afghan and Tajik individuals hailing from asylum-seeking or refused asylum-seeking backgrounds currently residing in Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted between May and October 2022 involving a sample size of 27 participants. An adapted framework based on the health belief model along with previous studies served as a guide for formulating interview questions.
Findings
Notably influenced by cultural background, religious beliefs, psychological states and past traumatic experiences during migration journeys – before arrival in these countries till settling down – subjects’ perception of health concerns emerged significantly shaped. Additionally impacting perspectives were social standing, occupational status, personal/family medical history, lifestyle choices and dietary preferences nurtured over time, leading to varying degrees of influence upon individuals’ interpretation about their own wellness or illness.
Practical implications
Insights garnered throughout the authors’ analysis hold paramount significance when it comes to developing targeted strategies catering culturally sensitive health-care provisions, alongside framing policies better aligned with primary care services tailored explicitly around singular demands posed by these specific communities dwelling within respective territories.
Originality/value
This investigation represents one among few pioneering initiatives assessing perceptions regarding both physical and mental well-being within minority groups under examination across Nordic nations, unveiling complexities arising through intersecting factors like individual attributes mingling intricately with socio-cultural environments, thereby forming unique viewpoints towards health-care belief systems prevalent among such population segments.
Details
Keywords
Caroline Shulman, Rafi Rogans-Watson, Natasha Palipane, Dan Lewer, Michelle Yeung and Briony F. Hudson
This study aims to co-develop a Frailty, Health and Care Needs Assessment (FHCNA) questionnaire for people experiencing homelessness and explore the feasibility of its use by…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to co-develop a Frailty, Health and Care Needs Assessment (FHCNA) questionnaire for people experiencing homelessness and explore the feasibility of its use by non-clinical staff in homeless hostels.
Design/methodology/approach
The FHCNA, aimed at identifying frailty and other health and care priorities for people experiencing homelessness, was co-designed in workshops (online and in person) with homelessness and inclusion health staff. Its feasibility was tested by staff and their clients in two hostels, with pre- and post-study focus groups held with hostel staff to gain input and feedback.
Findings
The FHCNA was co-developed and then used to collect 74 pairs of resident and key worker inputted data (62% of eligible hostel residents). The mean age of clients was 48 years (range 22–82 years). High levels of unmet need were identified. Over half (53%) were identified as frail. Common concerns included difficulty walking (46%), frequent falls (43%), chronic pain (36%), mental health issues (57%) and dental concerns (50%). In total, 59% of clients reported difficulty in performing at least one basic activity of daily living, while only 14% had undergone a Care Act Assessment. Hostel staff found using the FHCNA to be feasible, acceptable and potentially useful in facilitating explorations of met and unmet health and social care needs of hostel clients. By identifying unmet needs, the FHCNA has the potential to support staff to advocate for access to health and social care support.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to co-develop and feasibility test a questionnaire for use by non-clinically trained staff to identify frailty and other health and care needs of people experiencing homelessness in a hostel setting.
Details
Keywords
Helen MacIntyre, Annabel Collins and Jo Stapleton
The purpose of this paper is to share a model of skilled outreach working to find and engage the hidden group of socially isolated and lonely older people who are reluctant or…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share a model of skilled outreach working to find and engage the hidden group of socially isolated and lonely older people who are reluctant or unable to access community activities, formal services or support. The model can inform the practice of community development, housing or other workers concerned with initiating behaviour change among older people to increase their social connectedness.
Design/methodology/approach
This practice-focused paper presents a description of key elements of the Ageing Better in Camden (ABC) outreach approach along with a snapshot of operational data and examples from interviews/case studies to indicate impact of the work.
Findings
ABC’s Outreach Team engaged with individuals facing significant barriers to social connection including physical and mental health problems, living alone, bereavement and caring responsibilities. A high proportion of Team engagements were with men (41%) who are typically hard to engage. In total, 23% of people who the Team met took some “Action” towards social connection. Qualitative examples indicated that encounters with the Team could be uplifting and act as a “nudge” towards “Action”. This paper discusses the need to strengthen evidence of the impact of the approach and challenges of doing so.
Originality/value
There are few descriptions in practice or research literature of outreach work with older people and the elements which make it effective. This paper addresses this gap.
Details
Keywords
Lucinda Brabbins, Nima Moghaddam and David Dawson
Background: Quality of life is a core concern for cancer patients, which can be negatively affected by illness-related death anxiety; yet understanding of how to appropriately…
Abstract
Background: Quality of life is a core concern for cancer patients, which can be negatively affected by illness-related death anxiety; yet understanding of how to appropriately target psycho-oncological interventions remains lacking. We aimed to explore experiential acceptance in cancer patients, and whether acceptance – as an alternative to avoidant coping – was related to and predictive of better quality of life and death anxiety outcomes.
Methods: We used a longitudinal, quantitative design with a follow-up after three months. Seventy-two participants completed a questionnaire-battery measuring illness appraisals, acceptance and non-acceptance coping-styles, quality of life, and death anxiety; 31 participants repeated the battery after three months.
Results: Acceptance was an independent explanatory and predictive variable for quality of life and death anxiety, in the direction of psychological health. Acceptance had greater explanatory power for outcomes than either cancer appraisals or avoidant response styles. Avoidant response styles were associated with greater death anxiety and poorer quality of life.
Conclusions: The findings support the role of an accepting response-style in favourable psychological outcomes, identifying a possible target for future psychological intervention. Response styles that might be encouraged in other therapies, such as active coping, planning, and positive reframing, were not associated with beneficial outcomes.
Details
Keywords
Kwanchit Sasiwongsaroj, Mitsuko Ono, Sutpratana Duangkaew and Yumi Kimura
This article presents fieldwork perspectives and research reflexivity gained from the cross-national research team, with the aim of promoting better qualitative research practices…
Abstract
Purpose
This article presents fieldwork perspectives and research reflexivity gained from the cross-national research team, with the aim of promoting better qualitative research practices in transnational research. It focuses on how the team incorporates diverse cultural perspectives and insider and outsider roles to enhance the research in the data collection process.
Design/methodology/approach
This article is drawn from the authors' qualitative research with 25 Japanese retirees in Thailand, addressing cultural challenges encountered by researchers in the cross-national team when conducting field research.
Findings
Our findings indicate that researchers with an emic view in the cross-national team who shared nationality and cultural background as the participants facilitated an effective recruitment process and productive collaboration in data gathering. They also served as cultural brokers, tailoring smooth communication during interviews on certain cultures, participant traits and sensitive issues. On the other hand, the outsiders helped the team uncover more transnational issues that the insiders had overlooked. Additionally, combining emic and etic perspectives helps to avoid ethnocentric narratives or purely etic and emic conclusions.
Originality/value
This article addresses a gap in the methodological reflections in transnational research that remains largely overlooked. Our reflection highlights the advantages of cross-national teams, which include researchers from emigration and immigration countries. Their status and roles as insiders and outsiders significantly facilitate a positive impact on the research process and increase the extent of investigating the complex cultural dynamics of transnational practices. The incorporation of emic and etic perspectives is suggested in the methodological approach for transnational migration research.
Details
Keywords
Domingo de-Pedro-Jiménez, Esther Foncubierta-Sierra, Esther Domínguez-Romero, Juan Vega-Escaño, Marta Hernández Martín and Cristina Gavira Fernández
This paper aims to study the influence of leisure-time physical activity on depression crises and the difficulty in performing light household tasks.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the influence of leisure-time physical activity on depression crises and the difficulty in performing light household tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2020 European Health Survey in Spain. A total of 1,076 individuals diagnosed with depression were selected. ANOVA, chi-square, Fisher’s exact test and Mann–Whitney U test were applied, and a simple moderation analysis was conducted using the SPSS PROCESS 4.0 macro.
Findings
Women had higher percentages of some or much difficulty in performing domestic activities (p = 0.007). Differences were found between experiencing a crisis in the past 12 months versus not having one (p < 0.001): less physical activity was performed, perceived health was worse and difficulty in performing domestic activities increased. The moderation analysis confirmed the moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between experiencing a crisis and having difficulty with domestic activities (p = 0.017).
Research limitations/implications
The usual limitation of descriptive cross-sectional studies, which cannot establish causal relationships, must be added to low sample sizes in some categories.
Practical implications
The analysis with gender differentiation, promoting gender-specific adapted practices, considering age and personal circumstances of the patient, appropriate exercise prescription, as well as its evaluation and follow-up, are areas where specialist nurses need to delve deeper to enhance the quality of care.
Originality/value
Leisure-time physical activity moderates the relationship between experiencing a crisis and having difficulty with light household tasks: those who engage in occasional physical activity have less difficulty compared to those who do not engage in it.
Details
Keywords
Ricardo Kaufmann and Norma Pontet-Ubal
The estimation of the burden of a disease is one of the tasks with the longest tradition in health economics, which allows us to know the volume of resources that a country…
Abstract
The estimation of the burden of a disease is one of the tasks with the longest tradition in health economics, which allows us to know the volume of resources that a country allocates to a specific health problem, and to compare countries and diseases. Although the fundamental objective of health systems is not to reduce the cost of the disease, but to improve the health of the population, the studies of burden of disease establish the economic seriousness of the problem, orienting the priorities of action.
Government-funded medical expenditure in Uruguay for the last ten years has tripled in US dollars. The increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity has contributed to this growth. According to the World Health Organization, Uruguay has the highest growing trend in the prevalence of both overweight and obesity in South America. We have previously estimated that economic burden linked to obesity will be more than US$500 million by 2020, a figure close to 1% of the country’s GDP.
In this study, we tried to generate a measure of value to ascertain the cost of inaction in the fight against obesity and its consequences linked to several non-communicable diseases. The cost of inaction is not defined as the cost of not doing, but as the cost of not implementing the right policies (in this case health prevention policies) at the right time.
Details
Keywords
Sujeet Jaydeokar, Mahesh Odiyoor, Faye Bohen, Trixie Motterhead and Daniel James Acton
People with intellectual disability die prematurely and from avoidable causes. Innovative solutions and proactive strategies have been limited in addressing this disparity. This…
Abstract
Purpose
People with intellectual disability die prematurely and from avoidable causes. Innovative solutions and proactive strategies have been limited in addressing this disparity. This paper aims to detail the process of developing a risk stratification tool to identify those individuals who are higher risk of premature mortality.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used population health management principles to conceptualise a risk stratification tool for avoidable deaths in people with intellectual disability. A review of the literature examined the existing evidence of causes of death in people with intellectual disability. A qualitative methodology using focused groups of specialist clinicians was used to understand the factors that contributed towards avoidable deaths in people with intellectual disability. Delphi groups were used for consensus on the variables for inclusion in the risk stratification tool (Decision Support Tool for Physical Health).
Findings
A pilot of the Decision Support Tool for Physical Health within specialist intellectual disability service demonstrated effective utility and acceptability in clinical practice. The tool has also demonstrated good face and construct validity. A further study is currently being completed to examine concurrent and predictive validity of the tool.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only study that has used a systematic approach to designing a risk stratification tool for identifying premature mortality in people with intellectual disability. The Decision Support Tool for Physical Health in clinical practice aims to guide clinical responses and prioritise those identified as at higher risk of avoidable deaths.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to examine the existing literature on sleep-related interventions and confirm the intervention methods and their effectiveness led by occupational therapists.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the existing literature on sleep-related interventions and confirm the intervention methods and their effectiveness led by occupational therapists.
Design/methodology/approach
All the relevant literature published from 2010 to June 31, 2022, in five prominent databases were searched using the five-stage review framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley.
Findings
In this review, four types of sleep-related interventions were led by occupational therapists (tool use, exercise program, sleep education and occupational-based program). When the intervention was analyzed based on its content, occupational therapists demonstrated excellent ability in interventions based on sensory intervention and lifestyle redesign.
Originality/value
Various factors cause sleep problems; hence, the development of individualized and extensive occupational therapy intervention methods is required.
Details