Exploratory Qualitative Analysis Research Articles

Form and functioning: contextualising the start of the global financing facility policy processes in Burkina Faso

ABSTRACT Background Burkina Faso joined the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) in 2017 to address persistent gaps in funding for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH-N). Few empirical papers deal with how global funding mechanisms, and specifically GFF, support resource mobilisation for health nationally. Objective This study describes the policy processes of developing the GFF planning documents (the Investment Case and Project Appraisal Document) in Burkina Faso. Methods We conducted an exploratory qualitative policy analysis. Data collection included document review (N = 74) and in-depth semi-structured interviews (N = 23). Data were analysed based on the components of the health policy triangle. Results There was strong national political support to RMNCAH-N interventions, and the process of drawing up the investment case (IC) and the project appraisal document was inclusive and multi-sectoral. Despite high-level policy commitments, subsequent implementation of the World Bank project, including the GFF contribution, was perceived by respondents as challenging, even after the project restructuring process occurred. These challenges were due to ongoing policy fragmentation for RMNCAH-N, navigation of differing procedures and perspectives between stakeholders in the setting up of the work, overcoming misunderstandings about the nature of the GFF, and weak institutional anchoring of the IC. Insecurity and political instability also contributed to observed delays and difficulties in implementing the commitments agreed upon. To tackle these issues, transformational and distributive leaderships should be promoted and made effective. Conclusions Few studies have examined national policy processes linked to the GFF or other global health initiatives. This kind of research is needed to better understand the range of challenges in aligning donor and national priorities encountered across diverse health systems contexts. This study may stimulate others to ensure that the GFF and other global health initiatives respond to local needs and policy environments for better implementation.

Research on the Public’s Intention to Use Shared Autonomous Vehicles: Based on Social Media Data Mining and Questionnaire Survey

While the emergence of shared autonomous vehicles can be an effective solution to improve transport issues and achieve sustainable development, the benefits associated with shared autonomous vehicles can only be realized when the public intends to use them. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an in-depth study on the public’s intention to use shared autonomous vehicles and identify the key influencing factors. This study mined social media data to obtain real public perceptions. A qualitative exploratory analysis was used to identify thematic variables regarding social media data on shared autonomous vehicles, from which a research model of the public’s intention to use SAVs was proposed. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted, and the structural equation model and Bayesian network were used to analyze the questionnaire data quantitatively. The findings reveal how perceived risk, social information, trust, perceived usefulness, and personality traits affect the public’s intention to use shared autonomous vehicles, and how to enhance the public’s intention to use them. This study will enrich the research on traveler psychology in the context of intelligent travel and provide theoretical basis and decision support for future policies to promote shared autonomous vehicles.

Crowdfunding in Portugal—Using the Raize Platform to Ensure the Sustainability of Companies and Projects

This study aims to analyse the reasons why entrepreneurs choose to use collaborative financing through the Raize platform to finance their companies or projects through peer-to-peer crowdfunding (loans). This study is pertinent because it deals with an innovative, differentiated topic that presents itself as a possible disruptive form of financing and an alternative to traditional bank financing. Its use and significant take-up and the rapid and continuous growth of users on this type of crowdfunding platform is a strong sign of the need to better understand and study this phenomenon, its benefits, weaknesses, gaps and future mutations. Based on a comprehensive literature review and sound research methods such as exploratory qualitative multiple-case analysis, the aim is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the reasons why entrepreneurs and businesses choose crowdfunding through the Raize platform as a financing alternative. The aims of this study are to understand how financial accessibility, trust in the investor community, ease of use of the platform, competitiveness of fees and preference for crowdfunding over bank financing influence entrepreneurs’ decision to fund themselves through the Raize platform. The results reveal that entrepreneurs opt for the Raize platform due to a combination of factors. These reasons, clearly highlighted, provide a deeper understanding of entrepreneurs’ decision making in relation to financing their projects through crowdfunding. This study not only contributes to the literature on crowdfunding and entrepreneurship, but also offers practical pointers for entrepreneurs looking to obtain funding through a new financing system that is offered through the Raize platform, as it continues to support innovation and business growth in Portugal. Such funding contributes to and enhances the sustainability of companies in terms of their funding profile and attractive positioning in the market.

An Exploratory Qualitative Content Analysis of First-Year Veterinary Students’ Perspectives on Conflict

Teamwork among health professionals is a requirement for the delivery of excellent medical care; effective teamwork leads to improved patient outcomes and greater job satisfaction for health care professionals. A critical component of successful teamwork is effective conflict management. While preliminary evidence suggests that many health care providers have negative perceptions of conflict and conflict-avoidant tendencies, no existing research to-date has explored veterinary students’ perspectives on conflict. Understanding the ways in which veterinary students perceive conflict represents an important first step in helping them identify strategies for future conflict management. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the first-year veterinary students’ perspectives on conflict. Students responded to two open-ended prompts as part of a reflection assignment following an instructional module on conflict. Results from the qualitative content analysis showed that students demonstrated an understanding of (a) the role of feelings and emotions in conflict, (b) the importance of relying on facts and observations as opposed to evaluations and judgment in conflict, (c) the value of competent communication in conflict, and (d) self-awareness of personal factors related to conflict. These findings highlight the power of self-reflection to learners’ awareness of default tendencies when faced with conflict, the impact of their attitudes and experiences on conflict behavior, and a willingness to incorporate a collaborative approach to conflict resolution in the future.

Social care data and its fitness for integrated health and social care service governance: an exploratory qualitative analysis in the Dutch context

IntroductionTo date, little is known on how social care data could be used to inform performance-based governance to accelerate progress towards integrated health and social care.Objectives and designThis study aims...

A qualitative exploration of food choice motives of Pacific Islanders: Implications for the use of the Food Choice Questionnaire in understudied populations

Nutrition transitions are key contributors to the obesity epidemic plaguing South Pacific Island countries (SPIC). Prior to European contact and colonisation, traditional Pacifica diets consisted mainly of root crops, indigenous fruits and vegetables, freshwater proteins and seafood(1). This diet has been replaced by diets high in processed foods which are high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats(2). Various political, economic, environmental and socio-cultural factors have been associated with the proliferation of unhealthy foods in Pacifica diets. However, very few studies have examined how these changes have impacted individual food choices. This study aims to address the gap in the knowledge of food choice motives of Pacific Islanders. An online qualitative survey was used(1) to explore how the nine food choice motives in the widely used Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ)(3) impact food choice and (2) to identify additional food choice motives, not captured in the FCQ. The first section of the survey included open-ended questions which explored the top three food choice motives of the participants. This section was followed by a series of open-ended questions exploring participant’s views on the nine food choice motives from the FCQ. The last part of the survey asked participants to identify any other food choice motives which were not already identified in the survey. An exploratory qualitative approach, employing inductive and deductive thematic analyses, was used to analyse results(4). The sample (N = 105) was predominantly female (73%), living with family (72%) and the average age was 22.06 years (S.D = 5.0). It consisted of 28% indigenous Fijians, 26% Fijians of Indian descent, 15% Solomon Islanders, 13% I-Kiribati and smaller percentages of students from Niue (3%), Samoa (5%), Tonga (5%) and Vanuatu (5%). Of the nine FCQ motives, the most commonly identified top three food choice motives included price (n = 54), health (n = 45), and sensory appeal, especially taste (n = 40). Participants also identified three new food choice motives which many ranked in their top three motives: satiety concerns (n = 22), food quality and hygiene when eating out (n = 26) and religious or cultural food restrictions (n = 11). Additionally, issues with face validity of the health, convenience, price, weight control and familiarity food choice motives from the FCQ were identified. These findings highlight the importance of validity studies prior to using FCQ, and more broadly other similar instruments, with understudied populations like that of SPIC. The findings also provided important insights into the food choice motives of Pacific Islanders and can inform public health interventions for encouraging healthy eating. Further research using an adapted FCQ with larger and diverse samples will increase its effectiveness of measuring food choice motives in the region.

Online assessment in higher education during the COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of education, prompting universities worldwide to swiftly transition to online and blended learning environments. The adaptation process to online education varies depending on several factors, including the level of digitalization and technological penetration in each country, the availability of technologies at universities, and the digital skills of students and staff. Additionally, the specific field of knowledge influences the adaptation process, with differences observed between disciplines such as health sciences and humanities. In this study, we conduct an exploratory qualitative analysis on how universities have responded, specifically focusing on the coordinators of Master’s programs in Spain in the specific area of assessment. This unprecedented situation has forced educators and institutions to rethink their assessment strategies and adapt to a new educational landscape. The insights gained from this study could provide valuable guidance for future crises and contribute to the ongoing discourse on the role of digital technologies in education in general, and in assessment in particular.

A Qualitative Forum Analysis of Fathers’ Stressors and Support Seeking Behaviour During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Fathers experienced high rates of mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social support is crucial to mitigate these problems; however, access to and quality of support were impacted by public health guidelines to increase physical distancing. Online forums offer an avenue for peer connection and support. Yet, minimal research has examined forum use during COVID-19. The objective of the current study was to examine the experiences and support needs of fathers during the pandemic through an exploratory qualitative content analysis of an online social support forum. Posts ( N = 299) and comments ( N = 2597) on Reddit’s sub-forum r/daddit (July and October 2020) were systematically analysed through a Framework Analytic Approach. Findings highlighted five main themes (with subthemes): forum use, family functioning, psychological and health factors, interpersonal functioning, and COVID-19. Findings underscore the critical need for mental health and parenting programs tailored to fathers and informing services to support father and family wellbeing.

Social Drivers of Flood Vulnerability: Understanding Household Perspectives and Persistence of Living in Flood Zones of Metro Manila, Philippines

Urban populations, especially vulnerable communities, are facing increasing flood risks due to the rising frequency of floods caused by climate change and rapid growth. Effective mitigation requires moving beyond physical and environmental approaches to embrace social dimensions. This study examined the prevailing social drivers of floods in flood-prone communities in Metro Manila, Philippines using social data acquired through a door-to-door household survey. Responses were assessed using exploratory and combined qualitative and quantitative analyses. The findings of this study show that the decision to remain in flood-prone areas is influenced by attachment to homes and acclimatization to the environment, convenience of accessible amenities to fulfill basic needs, livelihood dependence, economic considerations, house ownership, and perceived safety from floods. When choosing a place to live, the complex tradeoffs of residents are reflected, wherein daily economic concerns outweigh the possible flood damage. By understanding the social drivers of residency, policymakers and community leaders can develop targeted interventions and formulate strategies to address the root causes of the problem, leading to effective interventions and enhancing the resilience of urban communities.

IMPACT AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT OF COVID-19: AN ANALYSIS OF LARGE MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN PENANG

This paper examines the impact of Covid-19 and movement control orders on large manufacturing firms in Penang, a major industrial hub in Malaysia with notable participation in the global value chain and identifies the response strategies undertaken by large manufacturing firms for this crisis. This study employs an exploratory qualitative research analysis based on a purposive sampling technique to gather data using an online semi-structured expert interview, with 22 large local and foreign manufacturing firms in Penang responding to the interview. The findings suggest that most of the firms expected a loss of business revenue, disrupted supply chains, employee redundancy, and an increase in government support. Persevering and innovation strategy is the most popular measure taken on by large manufacturing firms, and none of the firms interviewed choose pure persevering as a sole strategy to combat the crisis. The study provides an understanding of strategic responses undertaken by large manufacturing firms. Besides that, the study provides inputs to the government, industry, and policymakers' suggested policy interventions to improve future crisis management.

Facilitating organizations to dance with the complex “logic of life”: spinning with paradoxes in regenerative appreciative inquiry summits

PurposeOrganizations will be key to realizing the “transformative change for humanity” now being called for. However, the complexity calls for new ways of facilitating change and organizational learning; it also calls for moving beyond sustainability to develop practices that restore and regenerate the world in which we live. Above all, it calls for the development of new frameworks, practices, mindset and capabilities to hold space for and facilitate such transformation, to dance with the “Logic of Life.” The purpose of this study is to contribute to advancing the current leading frameworks and practices of facilitating learning and development towards the enabling of regenerative transformative change in organizations and society.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on an exploratory qualitative analysis of a facilitation prototype that expands the current framework and practice of Appreciative Inquiry Summits toward regeneration.FindingsThis study presents four paradoxes of regenerative facilitation to guide the dance for life in complex ecosystems. It also identifies that the dance needs to be widened, towards inviting more frequently the ends of the four paradoxes noted as regenerative, negative emotions, inner and more-than-human.Originality/valueThis study explores the intersection of practices and frameworks for facilitating complexity with principles from regenerative leadership and complexity theory, potentially making an important contribution to the urgent and widespread need to facilitate a regenerative transformative change for humanity, society and our organizations.

An Exploratory Qualitative Analysis of the Stanford-Templeton Convenings on Islam and Suicide.

For over 70years, studies have reported lower rates of completed suicide in Muslim-majority countries and individuals who identify as Muslim. To this point, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Islam and lower risk of suicide remain understudied. In an effort to advance our understanding, we convened a bilingual international interdisciplinary panel of experts for a discussion of the current state and future directions of the field. In this paper, we present an exploratory qualitative analysis of the core themes that emerged from the group interviews. We also derive a general theoretical model of the association between Islam and suicide risk.

A study survey on molnupiravir treatment in COVID-19 patients at home in Ninh Thuan province, Vietnam.

Molnupiravir (MOV) is an oral antiviral drug that received use authorization in Vietnam for the treatment of mild COVID-19 (F0). There was a need to develop alternative approaches that allowed patients to access medication, decongest hospitals, clinics, and facilities, and protect people from infection. During the COVID-19 crisis, the Ninh Thuan Health Authorities implemented the home delivery of medication by community health workers. This study conducted in collaboration with two important Italian entities [the Aldo Moro University of Bari City and the 118 Department of Territorial Emergency System (118 SET) of Taranto City] aimed to evaluate the implementation of home delivery F0 treatment package assessing the rate of infection recovering during the coronavirus pandemic in Ninh Thuan province, Vietnam. A convergent mixed methods research, based on a longitudinal study with quantitative research and qualitative assessments, evaluated four implementation outcomes: the feasibility, fidelity, coverage, sustainability, and effectiveness of the initiative. Data sources included routinely collected data, a telephonic survey of patients, an analysis of set-up and recurrent costs, as well as descriptive exploratory qualitative and quantitative analysis. After taking the MOV for 5 days, only 35 out of the initial 400 F0 patients remained positive, while 365 patients (91.2%) were negative (CT≥30). Whilst, the successful rate after using the drug during the course accounted for 99.85% and 100% after the entire treatment course, without any death. After 5 days of taking the drug, a positive test result (CT<30) was associated with age group ≥60 (OR=2.7) and comorbidities (OR=3.0) (p<0.05) compared to negative and positive results (CT≥30). Negative factors impacting F0 at home include a shortage of healthcare workers, inadequate supply of thermometers and SpO2 meters, and insufficient financial support for healthcare workers. MOV caused a reduction in the risk of hospitalization or death in mild COVID-19 patients, and molnupiravir was also found to be well tolerated and safe without any major adverse events during the administration period.

The Training to Improve Dyspnoea Study- Patient Experiences of Using a High Frequency Airway Oscillating Device.

The High Frequency Airway Oscillating device (HFAO) was developed to help patients with COPD feel less breathless through flow resistive respiratory muscle training and fixed rate oscillations. Previous work has demonstrated that this device can improve inspiratory muscle strength over and above a sham device. Both groups improved their breathlessness and preserved clinical benefits though there were no statistically significant differences seen over and above the sham device. It is important to understand patient perceptions of using a device and how this may influence their treatment and therefore a qualitative analysis was conducted to understand participant experiences of a HFAO device. This was an exploratory qualitative analysis involving participants recruited to the Training to Improve Dyspnoea (TIDe) study. Participants completed a satisfaction survey and were invited to take part in a focus group. Focus groups were conducted by a researcher independent to the randomised controlled trial. Data was analysed independently by two researchers using inductive thematic analysis, and themes/sub-themes were agreed jointly. Data is presented in themes and sub themes and triangulated with survey response data. Fourteen participants were recruited to two focus groups (71% male, mean [SD] age 64[9] years). The key themes were patient selection, device use, and investment. Patient selection explores the disease characteristics, emotional impact and management of care. Device use explores the device prescription and usage, routine and lifestyle and effectiveness. Investment covers accessibility, understanding, benefits vs participation and overall perceptions of the device. This research demonstrates the complexity of device interventions and that key considerations should be given to patient selection, the device use itself and, the time and cost investment required for participants to successfully implement the device into daily life.

Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Exploratory Analysis of Potential Misunderstandings in Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.

Substance use disorders (SUD) are a challenging comorbidity in patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) as they complicate diagnosis and therapy, especially when opioids are part of the therapeutic regimen. A definite diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) in patients with CNCP on long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) is a prerequisite for effective and targeted therapy but may be complicated as some criteria of OUD might be attributed to the desire of the patient to relieve the pain. For instance, the desire to increase the dose can be based on both a SUD as well as inadequate pain therapy. Many scientific studies use standardized questions. Therefore, potential misunderstandings due to possible diagnostic overlaps often cannot be clarified. 14 qualitative guided interviews were conducted and analyzed (Kuckartz content analysis), with the intention to verify if patient's initial response to simple questions based on the wording of the DSM-5, as commonly used in research and practice, were consistent with the results of a more in-depth inquiry. The results suggest that without in-depth investigation, there is a particular risk of false-positive assessment of the DSM-5 criteria for OUD when opioids are prescribed, especially when the questions are considered independently of chronic pain. The risk of a false-negative assessment has also been shown in isolated cases. Only after asking for and describing specific situations it was possible to determine whether the patient's positive or negative answers were based on a misunderstanding of the question. To avoid misdiagnosis, staff conducting DSM-5 interviews should be trained in pain-specific follow-up questions that may help to uncover diagnostic confounding.

Analyzing pharmacist representation in public-facing health media: Insights and implications

BackgroundDespite the importance of marketing for community pharmacies, evidence on its effectiveness in influencing consumer behavior and the added value for pharmacies remains limited. This study explores the representation of pharmacists in consumer-facing print media used for consumer marketing. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to analyze professional representation, especially of community pharmacists alongside other health professionals, in health-related public-facing print media, and to explore and further develop the use of novel, consumer facing data sources in a healthcare research context. MethodsAn exploratory qualitative content analysis of a sample of issues from a leading consumer-facing healthcare print magazine was conducted. Of 565 extracted text passages, 328 were retained for analysis and coded using a coding scheme focused on described professional role, type of content, depth of voice, and demographics. ResultsPhysicians (42 %) and researchers (19 %) were the largest professional groups to be directly cited in print media texts while pharmacists provided 14 % of all direct quotations. Nurses were identified as sources in 1 % of texts. Male professionals were quoted almost twice as frequently as their female counterparts. Images accompanying texts were more gender balanced but did not reflect workforce demographics. ConclusionThe comparative lack of pharmacist representation in marketing print magazines suggests a missed opportunity both as a marketing tool and for educating the public about community pharmacist expertise. There is a need to harness the potential of print media, especially those financed by and distributed in community pharmacies, to improve public perception and visibility of pharmacists, and to inform the public about the evolving roles of pharmacists in the healthcare ecosystem. Further research should explore pharmacist representations in different types of news media to better understand the impacts on public perception of pharmacists internationally.

Student-Led Stress Reduction Support Groups: A Qualitative Program Evaluation.

Burnout and attrition in nursing have been accelerated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Nursing students experience greater stress than non-nursing students but often lack adequate institutional support to build resiliency. Support groups are an effective strategy for processing stress that are underused in nursing education. An innovative online stress impact course was developed at a college of nursing to address students' stress during the pandemic. The course culminated in a voluntary virtual support group led by a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner graduate student. The aim of this qualitative program evaluation was to determine how graduate nursing students experienced the stress support group. This study used qualitative exploratory analysis of support group reflections from 47 graduate nursing students. Four themes emerged: (1) Making Positive Connections; (2) Leveraging Skills to Manage Stress; (3) Beneficial; and (4) Facing Trauma. Graduate student-led support groups are a feasible and effective strategy to mitigate stress and improve nursing student resiliency. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(12):711-715.].

An Exploratory Qualitative Analysis of Explanations for COVID-19-Related Racial Disparities Among St. Louis Residents: "I Don't Really Pay Attention to the Racial Stuff Very Much".

Public health explanations for the disproportionate share of COVID-19-related illness and death among the Black population often differ from lay explanations, which can affect the public's support for policies that address these disparities. This qualitative exploratory study examined the explanatory frameworks for COVID-19-related racial disparities in St. Louis among 54 St. Louis residents. From August 16, 2021, through May 20, 2022, we conducted semistructured interviews among a convenience sample of 54 St. Louis residents about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Directed content analysis identified participants' explanatory frameworks for racial disparities in COVID-19-related illness and death. We disaggregated coded excerpts by race, age, education, and income to examine emerging themes. Lay explanatory frameworks for racial disparities in COVID-19 included vaccine mistrust, lack of personal responsibility, low perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, pre-existing conditions or genetic predisposition, institutional racism, barriers to care, low socioeconomic status, insufficient information on COVID-19, and the inability to work remotely. Black interview participants addressed issues of systemic racism, inequitable allocation of COVID-19 vaccines, and institutional mistrust, whereas White participants did not directly acknowledge the role of racism. Both Black and White participants identified lack of personal responsibility among young Black people as a source of these disparities. This work identifies a need for improved health communication about racial disparities in COVID-19-related illness and death. Messaging that highlights racism may be less effective among the White population than the Black population in the US, whereas narratives that include the theme of individual choice may appeal broadly. Further research is needed on the use of communication strategies based on lay individuals' explanatory frameworks for COVID-19-related racial disparities to enhance support for equitable public policy.

Improvement Science and the Every Student Succeeds Act: An Analysis of the Consolidated State Plans

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the presence of continuous improvement and improvement science in the Consolidated State Plans required by ESSA. Through an exploratory qualitative content analysis, we examined 52 state plans to determine the extent education policies encourage professional educators to use a continuous improvement and improvement science approach to meet educational goals. Our analysis yielded four themes: (a) state plans included continuous improvement, (b) improvement was framed as an outcome to be achieved or a process, (c) plans prioritized the what not the how, and (d) measurement was used for accountability more than improving processes.

Towards Conceptualisation of Safe, Inclusive and Accessible Classrooms

The paper situates classrooms within Higher Education institutions as central to the learning process. Despite this, engagement with classroom spaces is much ignored, with the exception of scholars engaging with feminist pedagogy. Such engagement perceives classrooms as sites of consciousness-raising and thus calls for efforts by the teachers to shape the classrooms into a safe, inclusive and self-affirming space. It is a recognised fact that to create such classroom spaces which are non-judgemental, inclusive and affirming, where students’ and teachers’ identities in relation to their caste, gender, sexuality, religion, class, ethnicity etc, choices are respected needs sustained collaborative efforts between teachers and students. This article argues that the efforts to create such classroom spaces within university structures involve strategic changes in both the teaching and learning practices, involving syllabus framing, reading materials and engagement with students and teachers. The paper is based on qualitative exploratory analysis of a diverse set of students’ responses towards creating ‘safe classrooms spaces’ within university structures. It aims to make an effort towards conceptualising and identifying the parameters of a safe, inclusive and accessible classroom.