Non-judgemental Manner Research Articles

Adding to global knowledge by leveraging mindfulness: revisiting the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in IT/ITES industry

Purpose This study aims to revisit the properties of 24-item version of mindfulness scale proposed by Bohlmeijer et al. (2011) in an Indian context to add to the existing global knowledge base on mindfulness. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was administered to 531 adult employees working in the IT/ITES sector in India. Their responses were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and validity statistics to validate the Indian adaptation of the five-facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ). Findings The findings confirmed that the Indian version of the 24-item short form of the FFMQ (denoted as FFMQ-SF) matches the findings of Bohlmeijer et al. (2011). It can, therefore, provide valuable insights to both employees and management on the benefits of mindfulness in the workplace. Research limitations/implications This paper also presents the limitations of this work along with scholarly and practical implications. It enhances the global understanding of mindfulness, with applications in education, health and well-being, workplaces, social justice, spirituality and personal growth. Originality/value This study justifies and presents a unique instrument for assessing employee mindfulness and is beneficial for both management and employees in navigating the evolving hybrid work environment. It promotes present-moment awareness in a non-judgemental manner, facilitating perspective shifts, improved self-regulation and experiential acceptance. Additionally, the study affirms the five-dimensional structure underlying the mindfulness construct.

1706 Introducing geriatrics to medical students through film

Abstract Introduction There is an urgent need to increase the workforce of geriatricians. Geriatrics is not a popular specialty amongst medical students due to limited education and training opportunities in this discipline. Nurturing positive attitudes towards ageing, and early engagement with older people and their social networks could address this challenge. Film can be creatively employed to introduce the lived experience of older generations to medical students. Methods An 8-weeks film-based educational intervention, a student-selected module (SSM) was offered by a clinical-academic geriatrician to 11 first year medical students at Brighton and Sussex Medical School to enable them: to appreciate the diversity of older people, to understand the bio-psycho-social model of ageing, to develop skills in history taking, and present a focused narrative learning from film aesthetics, and to learn how to analyse a life narrative in a non-judgemental, compassionate, and empathic manner. Over 6 weeks, students watched and discussed a selection of short films, and a feature ‘Radiator’ with its director Tom Browne, all films depicted ‘old age’. During the last 2 weeks, students delivered a short presentation on a film they choose and gave feedback on the module. Results In their presentations, students discussed short, feature, and animated films portraying successful ageing, institutionalisation, dementia, and terminal illness. Examples included ‘Ikiru’ (Japan, Akira Kurosawa, 1952), ‘Drving Miss Daisy’ (Bruce Beresford, USA, 1989), ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 2004), ‘Amour’ (Michael Haneke, France, 2012), ‘Echoes’ (Ben Bradbury, UK, 2018), and ‘The Father’ (Florian Zeller, UK, 2020). Students demonstrated insight into the heterogeneity of senior citizens, and the burden experienced by carers of dependent adults. The module, as a platform for interactive learning, was positively perceived by students. Conclusions Conversations with medical students around films portraying ‘old age’ could enhance the possibilities of them choosing ‘Geriatrics’ as a future career.

"When you use tramadol, the sperms will not come out. . .": Unconventional strategies for avoiding unintended pregnancy among adolescents in Ghana.

In spite of adolescents' high knowledge about modern contraceptives, usage is low especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about what adolescents use in place of modern contraceptive methods. This paper discusses lay strategies that adolescents use in their quest to prevent unintended pregnancy. A qualitative approach was used in the study reported in this paper. The paper draws on focus group data from a larger study looking at adolescent contraceptive needs in Ghana. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 79 adolescents who participated in a focus group discussion. Eight focus group discussions were held with both male and female adolescents aged 15-19. The data were analysed using the inductive thematic analysis method after transcribing the data. We found that after having sex without using condom, adolescent girls ejected sperms by using water, salt solution or ice cubes, while others engaged in pushing with pelvic floor muscles. In their bid to prevent pregnancy, for boys, engaging in masturbation and the intake of Tramadol before sex was observed. When these lay strategies fail, adolescents resorted to unsafe and illegal abortion. Though adolescents girls engaged in unprotected sex, they still tried to avoid pregnancy, and consequently adopted lay strategies of pregnancy prevention that do not expose them to stigma. It is therefore recommended that the Ministry of Health through the Ghana Health Service consider establishing more adolescent-friendly health centres and expanding existing ones where adolescents could easily visit to have their sexual and reproductive health needs addressed in a very confidential and non-judgemental manner.

Exploring the complexities of weight management care for children with spina bifida: a qualitative study with children and parents

Purpose 1) To explore how children with spina bifida (SB) and their parents understand bodyweight, health and weight management; and 2) To identify what services and supports children with SB and their families feel are most appropriate to help them manage their health and weight. Methods The study used interpretive description within a qualitative design. Participants were children with SB (aged 10-18) attending two Canadian SB clinics and their parents. Data were collected through individual interviews and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Five children and five parents participated in the study. Children and parents had a weight-centric approach to health, which was related to the child’s mobility. Weight was considered to be under individual control and mostly through diet. Trusting relationships between healthcare providers, children and families were important to discuss weight in a non-judgemental manner. Children should be involved in setting meaningful and achievable weight management goals. Conclusion Greater knowledge of how children with SB and their families understand weight and health offers opportunities for non-judgemental discussions about their needs and wishes. Helping families to place more value on health over weight may reduce feelings of stigma, while allowing children to develop some autonomy over health-related decisions.

There is something about oppression: Allies' perspectives on challenges in relationships with experts by experience.

The genuine and meaningful involvement of Experts by Experience in the education of health professionals has consistently demonstrated positive attitudinal change in students. These changes are essential if policy goals for recovery-oriented services and service user participation in mental health services are to be realized. To date academic roles for Experts by Experience have often relied on the support of allies. Despite the important role allies play, research investigating their experiences is limited. The aim of this research was to explore allies' views on supporting implementation of the academic positions for Experts by Experience. A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken involving in-depth interviews with 16 allies. Data were analysed thematically. Challenges that can exist between allies and Experts by Experience was one theme identified from the data. Allies described occasional difficulties in their relationships with Experts by Experience where they felt they were perceived as representative of members of their broader profession with whom Experts by Experience had negative experiences. The perspectives of allies are presented in four subthemes: relationships imbedded in history; consequences of interpersonal stigma; supportive, protective or paternalistic?; and the passion remains, which describes allies' ongoing commitment to supporting Expert by Experience involvement. Understanding the challenges can assist allies to respond appropriately in a non-judgemental and supportive manner. Trauma informed practice may provide a useful framework to address conflicts and facilitate more positive relationships between allies and Experts by Experience. These positive relationships are essential to maximize the positive benefits of Experts by Experience on future clinicians.

Patient and practitioner views on a combined face-to-face and digital intervention to support medication adherence in hypertension: a qualitative study within primary care

ObjectivesTo explore patients’ and healthcare practitioners’ (HCPs) views about non-adherence to hypertension medication and potential content of a combined very brief face-to-face discussion (VBI) and digital intervention (DI).MethodsA qualitative study...

Drama therapy as peer practice: Thirteen years of sharing and witnessing psolodrama

Abstract By integrating meditation and authentic movement with psychodrama, psolodrama is a healing drama therapy method that is well suited for peer practice among healthy adults seeking new avenues for personal growth through body-based active imagination work. Detailed descriptions illustrate how thirteen years of twice-monthly practice have helped the author facilitate grieving, discover evocative gestures and scenes, and provide support to another’s growth by witnessing in a non-judgemental and present manner.

Cognitive challenges to minimising low value care.

Clinical decisions often rely on pattern recognition, simple rules of thumb, tacit knowledge and habit. In many instances, such intuitive decisions are fast and accurate, but they can be subject to cognitive biases leading to delivery of care of low value at odds with scientific evidence of best practice. If programmes, such as EVOLVE (Evaluating Evidence, Enhancing Efficiencies) and Choosing Wisely are to have maximal impact in minimising low value care, such biases, and the factors that hide and accentuate them, need to be exposed and addressed in a collegiate and non-judgemental manner.

Qualitative investigation of the reasons behind opposition to water fluoridation in regional NSW, Australia.

To investigate reasons behind strong opposition to water fluoridation in regional New South Wales, Australia, and to make recommendations to improve community engagement. Few studies have used qualitative methodologies to understand the reasons for strong antifluoridation views. An understanding of these reasons could be useful when designing public campaigns to combat the strong antifluoridation message. The qualitative study used semistructured interviewing and thematic analysis. Ten participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling methods until data saturation was reached. Thematic analysis and graphical representation of themes assisted in analysing the data for logical connections and relationships. Six dominant themes and numerous subthemes were identified. Five of the major themes were reasons for opposition: scepticism, health effects, ethics, environmental impacts and economics. Each of these was inextricably linked to a sixth major theme: alternatives to fluoridation. All participants had strongly held antifluoridation views, and provided a unique insight into their perceptions and reasons for opposing water fluoridation. Concerns about 'fraudulent research' and the influence of industry on government bodies were novel themes. The concerns raised could be used to inform future population health campaigns, research, public education and resource-allocation decisions. Open community consultation may be able to address the issues raised in a nonjudgemental and collaborative manner.

What's in a name?

The term 'personality disorder' (PD) is hazardous for clients and the people that care for them, says mental health nurse Mark Kelly writing in Mental Health Practice. Kelly argues that healthcare staff have a duty to look after clients in a non-judgemental manner and using the term PD implies that clients with the diagnosis do not have a true mental illness. The author calls for a change in attitudes and offers three alternatives to replace the term to avoid the connotations.

Health needs of prisoners

Very few GPs work within a prison environment, however, many of us will be responsible for the care of people in the community who enter or leave the prison system. The challenges of caring for this complex group of patients include a lack of engagement with healthcare and a high incidence of mental ill-health, substance misuse and self-harm behaviour. In order to facilitate this care, GPs need to be able to effectively communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds, in a non-judgemental manner, and strive to work with prison healthcare teams to ensure continuity of care. This should include information-sharing about ongoing treatments (drug and non-drug) and any pending investigations or secondary care follow-up. This article will describe the main health needs of the prison population and how we can improve care for this, sometimes overlooked, group of patients.

Barriers among Danish women and general practitioners to raising the issue of intimate partner violence in general practice: a qualitative study.

BackgroundThirty-five percent of Danish women experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. However, health care professionals are not in the practice of asking about intimate partner violence (IPV) in Denmark. It is currently unknown what hinders general practitioners from asking about partner violence and how Danish women would perceive such an inquiry. This aspect has not previously been explored in Denmark. An exploratory study was conducted to examine what hinders general practitioners (GPs) from asking and what Danish women’s views and attitudes are regarding being asked about IPV.MethodsData were collected through individual and group interviews with a sample of three GPs and a diverse sample of 13 women, including both survivors of partner violence and those without any history of partner violence. An interpretative analysis was performed with the data.ResultsThis study provides important knowledge regarding the barriers and attitudes towards inquiry about IPV in primary care in Denmark. Results indicate that Denmark is facing the same challenges when responding to survivors of IPV as other similar countries, including Sweden, Norway, the UK, USA, and Australia. Danish women want general practitioners to ask about violence in a respectful and non-judgemental manner. However, general practitioners are resistant towards such an inquiry and would benefit from training regarding how to respond to women who have been exposed to IPV.ConclusionsIt is acceptable to inquire about IPV with women in Denmark in a non-judgemental and respectful way. Informing about IPV prevalence is important prior to the inquiry. However, general practitioners require more awareness and training before a favourable environment for this change in procedure can be created. Further large-scale research is needed to support the evidence generated by this small study.

Standardizing and scaling up quality adolescent friendly health services in Tanzania

BackgroundAdolescents in Tanzania require health services that respond to their sexual and reproductive health – and other – needs and are delivered in a friendly and nonjudgemental manner. Systematizing and expanding the reach of quality adolescent friendly health service provision is part of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare's (MOHSW) multi-component strategy to promote and safeguard the health of adolescents.ObjectiveWe set out to identify the progress made by the MOHSW in achieving the objective it had set in its National Adolescent Health and Development Strategy: 2002–2006, to systematize and extend the reach of Adolescent Friendly Health Services (AFHS) in the country.MethodsWe reviewed plans and reports from the MOHSW and journal articles on AFHS. This was supplemented with several of the authors’ experiences of working to make health services in Tanzania adolescent friendly.ResultsThe MOHSW identified four key problems with what was being done to make health services adolescent friendly in the country – firstly, it was not fully aware of the various efforts under way; secondly, there was no standardized definition of AFHS; thirdly, it had received reports that the quality of the AFHS being provided by some organizations was poor; and fourthly, only small numbers of adolescents were being reached by the efforts that were under way. The MOHSW responded to these problems by mapping existing services, developing a standardized definition of AFHS, charting out what needed to be done to improve their quality and expand their coverage, and integrating AFHS within wider policy and strategy documents and programmatic measurement instruments. It has also taken important preparatory steps to stimulate and support implementation.ConclusionThe MOHSW is aware that the focus of the effort must now shift from the national to the regional, council and local levels. The onus is on regional and council health management teams as well as health facility managers to take the steps needed to ensure that all adolescents in the country obtain the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services they need, delivered in a friendly and non-judgemental manner. But they cannot do this without substantial and ongoing support.

Complementary and alternative approaches in palliative care: why are advanced cancer patients using them?

IntroductionThis paper discusses why advanced cancer patients use Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and how they communicate about this with their physicians. While several studies have examined the extent of CAM use by advanced cancer patients, the reasons for CAM use have been addressed much less.ApproachUsing peer-reviewed online journal databases, we conducted a search for current literature dating back to 2000 related to the use of CAM in palliative cancer care. These databases included: Pubmed, Academic Search Complete, SocIndex, Healthsource, CINAHL, Alt Healthwatch, and Academic Search Elite. Keyword combinations that were used are: Complementary medicine OR alternative medicine OR holistic medicine OR unorthodox medicine OR unproven medicine (AND) cancer OR oncology OR advanced cancer OR tumor OR malignant (AND) palliative care OR palliative OR hospice (AND) decision making.ResultsSeven studies were found addressing the use of CAM by advanced cancer patients.The most common reasons for CAM use in advanced cancer patients are symptom relief, looking for a cure and survival/lengthening life. The studies varied widely in terms of how CAM was operationalized, as well as in terms of type of cancer diagnosis, socio-demographic characteristics, sampling strategy, and study design (mostly surveys). Generally patients would like their health care providers to initiate the discussion about CAM use and ask them about CAM use in a non-judgemental manner, listening carefully to their experiences and needs.DiscussionIt is important for physicians to be prepared to discuss CAM use with their patients and to have a basic understanding of the most common types of CAM. Patients often do not seem as concerned about evidence as health care providers. It would be to the patients’ benefit if integration of CAM modalities in palliative care becomes more readily available.

Abstracts of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Annual Conference 2012, 9–10 September 2012, Birmingham, UK

The management of substance misuse and dependence is a societal problem that everyone has responsibility for not just health professionals, politicians and drug users. This lecture will describe the development of drug treatment services over the last 15–20 years and the crucial role that pharmacy has played in those services. Importantly it will not just focus on pharmacy services but will cover the role of specialist drug treatment services, general practice and even the general public. This broader perspective is crucial as it will demonstrate that pharmacy as a profession has really taken on this patient group in a professional and (generally) non-judgemental manner. Thus it is worthy of some reflection as to why community pharmacy has succeeded in this clinical area when it finds input and service development in other clinical areas more challenging and less welcomed. Findings

Reaching and engaging non-gay identified, non-disclosing Black men who have sex with both men and women

Non-gay identified (NGI) Black men who have sex with both men and women (MSMW) and who use substances are at risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV to their partners. Homophobic community norms can discourage such men from disclosing their risk behaviour to female partners and others, including service providers. It is important to understand the dynamics of risk in this vulnerable population, but research is challenged by the men's need for secrecy. In this paper we report on successful efforts to recruit 33 non-disclosing, NGI Black MSMW for in-depth interviews concerning substance use, HIV risk and attitudes toward disclosing their risk behaviour. We employed targeted and referral sampling, with initial contacts and/or key informants drawn from several types of settings in New York City, including known gay venues, community organisations, neighbourhood networks and the Internet. Key informant gatekeepers and the ability to establish rapport proved central to success. Perceived stigma is a source of social isolation, but men are willing to discuss their risk behaviour when they trust interviewers to protect their privacy and engage with them in a non-judgemental manner. Findings imply that the most effective prevention approaches for this population may be those that target risk behaviours without focusing on disclosure of sexual identities.

Parents' views and experiences of childhood obesity management in primary care: a qualitative study

Primary care has been viewed as an appropriate setting for childhood obesity management. Little is known about parents' views and experiences of obesity management within this clinical setting. These views and experiences need to be explored, as they could affect treatment success. To explore parents' views and experiences of primary care as a treatment setting for childhood obesity. In-depth interviews were held with 15 parents of obese children aged 5-10 years, to explore their views and experiences of primary care childhood obesity management. Parents were contacted via a hospital-based childhood obesity clinic, general practices and Mind, Exercise, Nutrition … Do it! (MEND) groups based in Bristol, England. The interviews were audio-taped transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Parents viewed primary care as an appropriate setting in which to treat childhood obesity but were reluctant to consult due to a fear of being blamed for their child's weight and a concern about their child's mental well-being. They also questioned whether practitioners had the knowledge, time and resources to effectively manage childhood obesity. Parents varied in the extent to which they had found consulting a practitioner helpful, and their accounts suggested that GPs and school nurses offer different types of support. Parents need to be reassured that practitioners will address their child's weight in a non-judgemental sensitive manner and are able to treat childhood obesity effectively. A multidisciplinary team approach might benefit a child, as different practitioners may vary in the type of care they provide.

Mindfulness: me-time counts

Mindfulness has its origins in the practices of Buddhism and describes meditation exercises to develop mindfulness skills, that is, paying complete attention in a particular way. The practice of mindfulness involves the individual focusing upon internal experiences in each moment in a non-judgemental manner, thereby enhancing awareness of emotions, thoughts and sensations. Training in mindfulness is not only for adherents to Buddhism but has recently attracted attention both for enhancing general mental health and wellbeing but also for its therapeutic value with cognitive therapy and other psychological therapies (Baer, 2003).

Intersubjectivity, phenomenology and multiple disabilities

This study examined the effectiveness of Art Therapy (AT) with Deaf Individuals (DI) and Deaf Individuals with Multiple Disabilities (DIwMD). Using the psychoanalytical modalities of intersubjectivity and phenomenology, the therapist observed that deaf clients with highly limited verbal skills, yet heightened visual senses, are particularly well suited to benefit from AT. The therapist found that excessive emotional neutrality can be counter-productive to treatment; success with this special population, as with the general population, depends on the therapist's sensitivity and ability to attune to the client's subjective reality in a positive, non-judgemental manner. The original study examined six cases; however, three are presented here for comparative purposes. AT was strongly validated as an effective treatment for behaviour modification and growth of client self-esteem.

Gazing into the Scarlet Crystal Ball: Social Work and Hepatitis C

This paper presents arguments for recognising and tackling Hepatitis C (HCV) as a major challenge for social work. Despite repeated warnings from a variety of sources and thousands of new infections each year, successive governments have failed to address a public health emergency of immense proportions—the HCV epidemic. The implications for social work are significant. Social care workers, particularly those working with physically disabled adults or older adults, will find themselves with vastly increased caseloads as HCV diagnoses increase. This will necessitate them being able to adequately support families in a non-judgemental and non-stigmatising manner, which will mean a significant expansion of training and awareness-raising among professionals, in addition to strong inter-agency links and a transparent integrated care pathway.