Qualitative Research Study Research Articles

Exploring the Experiences of Health Care Providers and Managers in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Summative Content Analysis

Background: The rapid morbidity and high mortality rates associated with COVID-19 have placed significant strain on healthcare systems. Mazandaran, as the third province, has been affected by this infectious pandemic. Objectives: The present study aimed to explore the experiences of healthcare providers and managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The present qualitative research study was conducted using the content analysis approach between April 2022 and August 2022 to provide deep insights into the experiences of healthcare providers and managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants included 15 hospital managers, comprising 2 clinical nurse supervisors, 3 matrons, and 10 chief executive officers. The participants were purposefully selected from hospitals affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and the assessment of documents from the vice-chancellors of treatment, food and drug, development, and human resources. Results: The category of "challenges and strategies" emerged during the process of reducing and abstracting the codes. The challenges category evolved from three subcategories, including care and cure challenges, challenges related to providing physical resources and personal protective equipment (PPE), and challenges faced by healthcare providers. Similarly, the strategies category emerged from three subcategories, including strategies to improve patient care and treatment outcomes, strategies for procuring PPE and physical resources, and strategies for human resource management. Conclusions: The results of the present study revealed several challenges and strategies experienced by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences's healthcare and hospital managers. Additionally, based on the existing infrastructure of Mazandaran University and the managerial skills of the managers, successful strategies were employed to tackle these challenges. These experiences can be utilized to inform revisions to health-related policies. Documenting these experiences can aid in better management of future infectious pandemics.

Child life specialist services, practice, and utilization across health care: a scoping review.

The objective of this review was to map the available evidence regarding the scope of child life specialist services, practice, and utilization. The concept of child life services began in 1922 and emerged as the child life specialist services specialty in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Child life specialists are members of multidisciplinary health care system teams who prioritize the developmental needs of pediatric patients to support and improve patient and family health care experiences. Evidence of the effectiveness of child life specialist services and the utilization of those services is often incorporated in multidisciplinary research reports and thus overlooked. All quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research study reports and systematic reviews investigating child life specialist services, practice, and utilization in health care systems were included. This review was guided by the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and a published a priori protocol. CINAHL (EBSCOhost), MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and PsycINFO (APA) were searched for evidence published from January 1980 to August 2022. Research publications about child life specialist services, practice, and utilization have increased dramatically over the past decade, with more than 50% of studies published in the past 5 years. Although the first authors of the majority of the research publications were physicians, these multidisciplinary author teams depicted child life specialist services in a variety of roles, including co-investigators, interventionists, and research subjects. The 105 full-text publications reviewed were from 9 countries, plus 1 publication that surveyed people across Europe. The contexts spanned a wide scope of clinical settings and medical subspecialties, but primarily in hospitals and health centers, and to a lesser extent, in ambulatory clinics and communities. A wide variety of child life specialist services were described across these settings. Mapping the research can help delineate the barriers and facilitators to child life specialist services in health care systems. This scoping review provides evidence of the global diffusion of child life specialist services across health care system settings, with recent increases in research publications involving child life specialist services.

Study of adoption of artificial intelligence technology-driven natural large language model-based chatbots by firms for customer service interaction

Purpose The purpose of this study was to comprehend the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology-driven natural large language model (LLM)-based chatbots by customers. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research study method was conducted. This was to explore managerial perspectives towards consumer centric technology adoption of AI plus LLM-based chatbots. This was specifically for AI-driven natural LLM-based chatbots services. The author conducted conducted in-depth personal interviews with 32 experts of digital content AI + LLM chatbot services. Thematic content analysis was undertaken to analyse the data. Findings The advent of natural language processing tools driven by AI technology chatbots has altered human-firm interaction. The research findings indicated that the push-pull-mooring (PPM) factors captured the phenomenon in the most comprehensive way. A total of 15 key factors influencing the adoption of AI technology-driven natural LLM-based chatbots by customers during firm customer interaction were identified in this study by the author. The thematic content analysis unraveled insights regarding transformed consumer adoptions towards AI-driven LLM-based chatbots by means of the PPM framework factors. Research limitations/implications The empirical research investigation contributed to the literature on the PPM theoretical framework. This was specifically in the context of adoption of AI technology-driven natural LLM-based chatbots by customers during firm customer interaction. Practical implications The research study insights would help managers to restructure and reconfigure their organizational processes. This would neccessiated a shift in firm-customer interactions as demanded because of the availability of AI technology-driven natural LLM-based chatbots by customers. Originality/value This research study was based upon the PPM theoretical framework. This study provided a unique analysis of the altered firm customer interaction needs and requirements. This was one of the first studies that applied the framework of PPM theory regarding the adoption of AI technology-driven natural LLM-based chatbots by customers.

A Content Analysis of Recent Qualitative Child and Adolescent Counseling Research and Recommendations for Innovative Approaches

ABSTRACT Children and adolescents communicate differently than adults and require use of creative, behavior, and play-based interventions in the counseling process. However, these strategies are not as often utilized to capture the experiences of children and adolescents in counseling-related qualitative research studies. Utilizing content analysis, we examined qualitative research studies published in counseling journals in the last six years to identify contributions, gaps, and opportunities for growth in child and adolescent qualitative research. Based on the results, we provide recommendations for conducting qualitative research using innovative adaptations to represent the voices of children and adolescents in developmentally meaningful ways.

Twelve tips for using rapid research methods in health professions education

Information may be required within a short time-frame for making decisions about programmes and interventions in health professions education. Rapid research methods have been increasingly used in healthcare, especially for qualitative research studies and literature reviews. An essential aspect of using rapid research methods is pragmatism, in which there is a balance between the constraints of the short time frame (typically less than 3 months), the available resources, and the rigour for an appropriate standard of quality. Achieving this balance requires careful attention to the design of the research, including clarification of the decision-maker’s information needs and the use of rapid methods for literature review, selection of participants, and data collection and analysis. The intention of the article is to provide a practical guide for how rapid research methods for qualitative research studies and literature reviews can be adapted for health professions education.

Profile of open-start problem-solving with context Sarangan Lake viewed students' learning styles in junior high school

This study aims to reveal the profile of open-start problem-solving with ethnomathematics regarding student learning styles. This research is a qualitative research study on 3 out of 31 students of Junior High School of 3 Magetan taken by purposive sampling. The three students carried out four stages: understanding the problem, planning problem-solving strategies, implementing problem-solving strategies, and reviewing again. The results of the research show that students with a visual learning style solve problems by understanding problems through writing known and being asked and drawing illustrations, planning problem-solving strategies by making examples, carrying out solving strategies by working on the calculation process; students with an auditory learning style solve problems by understanding problems through writing known and being asked, planning strategies by making problems and formulating formulas used, implementing solutions by doing calculations and reviewing; students with a kinesthetic learning style solve problems by understanding issues through writing known and being asked, making examples and writing the formulas used, carrying out solving strategies by applying the calculation process and reviewing the results obtained. However, of the three styles, the results of the accepted work were not correct because they did not write down the conclusions and were not thorough enough.

Muslim Collegiate Student-Athletes' Experience With Fasting During Ramadan While Participating in Sport.

As colleges and universities continue to focus on creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments, it is important to gain more knowledge on the experiences that Muslim student-athletes have while fasting during the month of Ramadan. Although previous researchers have investigated the physical effects of fasting on the body, little is known about the challenges or support Muslim student-athletes experience while fasting and participating in sport during Ramadan. To explore the experiences of Muslim collegiate student-athletes regarding fasting during Ramadan while participating in sports. Qualitative research study. Individual video interviews. Twelve Muslim collegiate student-athletes (4 women, 8 men; age = 19.9 ± 1.4 years) from 7 universities across 7 states were interviewed. A semistructured interview guide consisting of questions pertaining to the Muslim student-athletes' beliefs, challenges, experiences, and feelings was developed to gather perceptions of fasting during Ramadan while participating in sport. Data were analyzed by a multianalyst research team and coded into common themes and categories via a multiphase consensus process. Four major themes emerged from the interview process: the significance of fasting and Ramadan (familial influence, religious belief, and introspection and spiritual growth), intrinsic challenges (physical challenges, mental and emotional challenges, and time constraints), extrinsic challenges (lack of available resources, knowledge and curiosity of others, and lack of understanding by others), and various types of support (sport-specific support, community support, and desired support) that affected athletes' experiences with fasting during Ramadan while participating in sport. The athletic community should seek to better support Muslim student-athletes and respect the importance of fasting during Ramadan. Parties interested in the success of these athletes in sport should improve their understanding regarding Ramadan and the desired support of Muslim student-athletes during fasting.

The Effect of the Qur'anic Interpretation Method on Students' Understanding of the Concept of Ethics in High Schools in West Java: A Case Study on Islamic Religious Education Subjects

This qualitative research study investigates the influence of the Qur'anic interpretation method on high school students' comprehension of ethics in West Java, focusing on Islamic Religious Education (IRE) subjects. The study adopts a case study approach to explore how the Qur'anic interpretation method impacts students' understanding of ethical concepts. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, revealing nuanced insights into the relationship between the Qur'anic interpretation method and students' ethical understanding. The findings suggest that the Qur'anic interpretation method significantly contributes to enhancing students' comprehension of ethics, emphasizing the importance of integrating religious texts into educational curricula to promote moral development among students.

The Social Realities of Tausug Women in Tausug Contemporary Kalangan

Tausugs, one of the Muslim tribes in the Philippines, express themselves through their kalangan (songs). To explore the rich and vibrant colors of the Tausug culture, this qualitative research study employed a descriptive-analytic approach in the analysis and interpretation of thirty-one (31) Tausug Contemporary Kalangan. Through Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study revealed and discussed the literary devices evident as a textual practice in the select kalangan; the social realities about Tausug women that were being communicated by these literary devices; and the perceptions of Tausug women about their social realities. The findings revealed that there was a total of five (5) literary devices evident as a textual practice in the select kalangan. These literary devices paved way to unveiling and explaining the social realities of Tausug women evident in the select kalangan. Despite the rich and colorful cultures of the Tausugs, the social realities of Tausug women prove that a social problem exists in the Tausug society hence must be addressed and resolved. This study proved to be an original contribution to feminist studies aimed at gaining liberation and empowerment for Tausug women.

An umbrella review of pharmacist prescribing: stakeholders’ views and impact on patient outcomes

Abstract Introduction There is great geographical diversity in the degree of prescribing rights pharmacists have. In some countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), pharmacists have unrestricted prescribing rights following appropriate training; in other countries, pharmacists cannot legally prescribe. The impact of pharmacist prescribing (PP) has been studied in various qualitative and quantitative research studies, but this evidence has not been synthesised to support the development of PP internationally. Aim The aim of this umbrella review was to describe the international PP models, establish the impact of PP on patient outcomes and describe key stakeholders’ views of PP, by synthesising all the available systematic reviews (SRs). Methods Six databases (Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO) were searched, from January 2003 to June 2023, for key terms such as ‘pharmacist’, ‘prescribing’, ‘prescription’ and ‘systematic review’, ‘meta-analysis’, ‘meta-synthesis’. Systematic reviews that examined PP for any clinical condition, for patients of any age and in any healthcare setting were eligible for inclusion. SRs examining pharmacists’ interventions other than PP were excluded as were articles not published in English. Two researchers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts for eligibility; discrepancies were resolved by discussion with a third reviewer. A data extraction tool was developed, piloted and refined prior to data extraction based on guidance from PRIOR[1] and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).[2] Extracted information included: SR characteristics; inclusion and exclusion criteria; description of prescribing models, setting, clinical conditions, clinical and health service utilisation outcomes and key stakeholders’ views of PP. Data have been synthesised narratively due to the heterogeneity of included studies. Results A total of 6439 titles were retrieved from searches, with 917 duplicates removed. Following abstracts and full text screening (5522 and 129 respectively), 39 systematic reviews (8 qualitative; 19 quantitative and 12 mixed-methods) were included. The description of PP models varied within and between the SRs and demonstrated implementation of different PP models globally. Collaborative practice agreement with a physician, dependant prescribing by protocol and/or formularies were common in Canada and the United States, while supplementary prescribing and independent prescribing models were described in the UK. Prescribing activity was evident in all care settings and for a wide range of clinical conditions. SRs reporting on targeted clinical conditions, noted that patients of pharmacist prescribers had similar blood pressure control and depressive symptoms, better cholesterol and blood glucose control and reduced pain intensity when compared with patients of medical prescribers. SRs also suggests that pharmacist prescribers make fewer errors than non-pharmacists. Key stakeholders noted largely positive views towards PP, with a reduction in physician workload, an improvement in pharmacist job satisfaction, better utilisation of pharmacist knowledge and skills noted. Concerns over pharmacists’ diagnostic abilities, legal accountability for errors and appropriate implementation of PP models were noted. Conclusion A variety of PP models exist internationally. Careful examination of each model should be undertaken prior to adoption and implementation in countries where PP is currently not permitted.

Challenges Faced by Social Workers Rendering Foster Care Services in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District, Northern Cape Province

Foster care services are in high demand in South Africa because of the significant number of children in need of care. Reasons for this include the death of biological parents, abuse, neglect, incarceration of parents, parents abandoning their children, and even disappearance of parents. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this situation. The demand for foster care is putting strain on the delivery of social work services to this vulnerable group. Social workers tasked with implementing the foster care process experience operational impediments and emotional strain, creating an implementation challenge. In examining these challenges, the ecological perspective provides a suitable theoretical framework. This qualitative research study is underpinned by an exploratory design and semi-structured interviews have been conducted to gather primary data. Eight participants have been purposively selected, and the data has been analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that the challenges social workers face fall into three categories: operational obstacles, emotional challenges, and non-adherence to foster care values and principles. Policies and practices are recommended to address the identified challenges to ensure that social workers are empowered to implement foster care services that are child-centred and needs-based.

Algebraic Representations of a Splitting Task: Implications of Numerical Reasoning

ABSTRACT This qualitative research study uses middle-grades students’ numerical reasoning to model their symbolic representations of the relationship between two multiplicatively related unknowns on an algebra task. Students in sixth grade through ninth grade participated in clinical interviews that assessed their numerical reasoning using the Number Sequences framework, their interpretation of the equal sign, and their algebraic reasoning in the context of writing equations. Analysis used the mental structures that define their numerical reasoning to explain their algebraic capabilities, and changes in their reasoning about the equal sign in different contexts. Findings show that splitting, one mental structure related to the students’ numerical reasoning, is related to students’ symbolic representations of multiplicatively related unknowns. Furthermore, students who had not constructed a splitting operation tended to use numerical examples in place of reasoning about unknowns, and to reason operationally about the equal sign to compensate for this limitation on an algebra task.

Measles Vaccine Coverage and Disease Outbreaks: A Systematic Review of the Early Impact of COVID-19 in Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate changes to measles-containing vaccine (MCV) provision and subsequent measles disease cases in low- and lower-middle income countries (LICs, LMICs) in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of MEDLINE, OVID EMBASE and PubMed records. Primary quantitative and qualitative research studies published from January 2020 were included if they reported on COVID-19 impact on MCV provision and/or measles outbreak rates within LICs and LMICs. Results: 45 studies were included. The change in MCV1 vaccination coverage in national and international regions ranged -13% to +44.4% from pre-COVID time periods. In local regions, the median MCV1 and overall EPI rate changed by -23.3% and -28.5% respectively. Median MCV2 rate was disproportionally impacted in local areas during COVID-interruption time-periods (-48.2%) with ongoing disruption in early-recovery time-periods (-17.7%). 8.9% of studies reported on vaccination status of confirmed measles cases; from these, 71%-91% had received no MCV dose. Conclusion: MCV vaccination coverage experienced ongoing disruption during the recovery periods after initial COVID-19 disruption. Vaccination in local area datasets notably experienced longer-term disruption compared to nationally reported figures.

Integrating traditional and allopathic child health: A healthcare transformation opportunity.

Numerous forums both domestically and internationally have discussed integration of allopathic and traditional healthcare. In South Africa, using traditional child healthcare is popular practice. If properly controlled, integrating this aspect of traditional child-health with allopathic healthcare may be advantageous to communities that use both healthcare systems. Allopathic and traditional healthcare remain separate organisations in South Africa despite efforts and discussions to integrate them. The study sought to explore the integration of traditional and allopathic child healthcare from the perspectives of children's caregivers and traditional healthcare practitioners. The study was conducted in a semi-urban area in the city of Tshwane. An exploratory qualitative research study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 11 traditional healthcare practitioners and 15 children's caregivers who were sampled using snowball and convenient sampling respectively. The participants expressed their understanding of the usage of traditional healthcare practitioners in the care of children as well as their support for integration, and further indicated its necessity. Religion and its effects in health-seeking behaviour were cited as a factor in why there has not been greater integration between the two healthcare systems. The undocumented and undisclosed use of traditional healthcare potentially hinders the delivery of therapeutic healthcare. As such, integrating the two systems is essential to ensure patients' safety. This article highlights understanding of culture congruence and safe child healthcare that may be brought forward by the integration of the two healthcare systems.

Factors enabling and hindering sporting success among South African elite athletes from historically disadvantaged areas: Through a coaching lens

Sporting success among nations provides a sense of value and national pride. This paper evaluated the perceptions and experiences of national coaches on the enablers and hindrances of international sporting success by elite athletes from historically disadvantaged areas (HDA) using the SPLISS framework. A qualitative research study design was employed for this study. Ten internationally recognised coaches (46.7 ± 12.9 years) volunteered for the study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Data was analysed using a computer software programme. Governance, organisation and sports policies, coach provision, local/international competition access, bursaries/scholarships and sport volunteerism were perceived as enablers, while lack of financial support, foundation level participation, school sport, athlete retention, sports facilities, reliable transport system and scientific support were perceived to be hindrances to sporting success. The findings highlight the need for policymakers to oversee and ensure a systemic governance approach with an integrated sports support system and effective policies, institutions and strategic planning, coupled with an adequate budget allocation in support of this system to facilitate elite sports success.

Professional identity and local realities: social work education in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The three historical eras of social work education in Ethiopia are examined in this article, with particular attention devoted to how each era began, was contextualized, and was integrated with service delivery. Interviews with 28 social work graduates and faculty members were conducted as part of the qualitative research study. Additionally, unpublished documents from ministerial offices and universities were examined. The data are arranged and presented chronologically to offer the experiences in the three periods. The analysis found that various contextualizing strategies for social work education were used through curriculum development, fieldwork, community engagement, and obtaining research outputs. Making social work education more responsive to the national context has been challenging due to a lack of country-specific reading materials and policy frameworks that define professional social work and standards of practice. Further, the absence of social work for 30 years has erased the profession’s identity from public memory. The continued development of social work education and practice in Ethiopia will benefit from the creation of local educational resources and policy frameworks.

Academic Evolution in the Age of ChatGPT: An In-depth Qualitative Exploration of its Influence on Research, Learning, and Ethics in Higher Education

This study delves into the potential advantages and challenges presented by the implementation of the ChatGPT within the realm of higher education. Specifically, it endeavours to shed light on the transformative effects of ChatGPT on the research and learning processes. Moreover, this study explores the intricate issues surrounding academic integrity, ethics, and regulatory concerns in this context. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study engaged in semi-structured interviews with 75 esteemed academicians hailing from higher education institutions in North Cyprus. The outcomes of this research endeavour reveal a spectrum of ways in which ChatGPT can augment educational productivity, learning experience, creativity, and idea generation. Nevertheless, it underscores the importance of meticulous consideration of ethical aspects pertaining to academic honesty and the potential over-reliance on ChatGPT. The findings not only offer insights into the opportunities and challenges linked with ChatGPT's integration into higher education, but also advocate for the responsible and ethical utilisation of AI technologies within academic settings. This study substantially contributes to the expanding body of research on the incorporation of artificial intelligence into education. It uniquely focuses on the ChatGPT, an innovative AI-based language model, within the context of higher education. The study's qualitative research methodology, characterised by its exploratory nature, provides a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the impact of ChatGPT on learning and research writing and offers a wealth of valuable insights intended to assist educators, researchers, institutions and policymakers in their endeavours to seamlessly integrate AI technologies into their educational practices.

The effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use on subjective drug effects: A narrative review across methodologies.

Over 75% of young adults who use cannabis also report drinking alcohol, leading to increased risks that include impaired cognition, substance use disorders, and more heavy and frequent substance use. Studies suggest that subjective responses to either alcohol or cannabis can serve as a valuable indicator for identifying individuals at risk of prolonged substance use and use disorder. While laboratory studies show additive effects when alcohol and cannabis are used together, the impact of co-using these substances, specifically with respect to cannabidiol, on an individual's subjective experience remains unclear. This narrative review explores the effects of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis (SAM) use on subjective drug effects, drawing from qualitative research, laboratory experiments, and naturalistic studies. Experimental findings are inconsistent regarding the combined effects of alcohol and cannabis, likely influenced by factors such as dosage, method of administration, and individual substance use histories. Similarly,findings from qualitative and naturalistic studies are mixed regarding subjective drug effects following SAMuse. These discrepancies may be due to recall biases, variations in assessment methods, and the measurement in real-world contexts of patterns of SAM use and related experiences. Overall, this narrative review highlights the need for more comprehensive research to understand more fully subjective drug effects of SAM use in diverse populations and settings, emphasizing the importance of frequent and nuanced assessment of SAM use and subjective responses in naturalistic settings.

Ontario Midwifery Clients' Experiences with the Management of Hyperbilirubinemia

Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common reason for the hospitalization of a newborn within the first week of life. Very little is known, however, about the impact this diagnosis and subsequent management has on parents, particularly within the midwifery context. The Clinical Knowledge Translation department at the Association of Ontario Midwives conducted a multimethod qualitative research study in 2017 to better understand the experiences of midwifery clients whose newborns have been diagnosed with and required management of severe hyperbilirubinemia. Three focus-group discussions and one in-depth, in-person interview were conducted with midwifery clients in Ontario. Findings were analyzed using NVivo software, resulting in the extraction of key themes. Clients discussed how the transition from midwifery-led care to care being led by other health care providers in the hospital impacted them in the postpartum period. Clients also observed changes in the continuity of care provided by their midwives during management of hyperbilirubinemia, and discussed both the positive and negative impacts these changes had on their broader experience of the early postpartum period. These findings have informed the development of a series of knowledge translation tools that support midwives in providing optimal care to clients whose infants require phototherapy. This article has been peer reviewed.

The Professional Development Needs of Hospital Teachers in Ireland: An Exploratory Case Study.

In Ireland, hospital schools comprise a very small component of the overall primary and post-primary education system. Indeed, there are only seven hospital schools employing a total of 21 teachers nationally. Given the size and uniqueness of this education setting, opportunities for teacher continuous professional development are limited. This qualitative research study examined Irish hospital teachers' perceptions of their continuing professional development needs using a case study approach. The research captured the perspectives of 19 teachers currently teaching in seven hospital schools in Ireland. Data consisted of responses to an anonymous online questionnaire and two focus groups designed to examine and interpret the questionnaire data. Thematic analysis was conducted on all data collected. The findings revealed that Irish hospital teachers have a clear shared perception of the professional development needs both for newly hired and currently practising hospital teachers. Hospital schools are a very small, but a very important component of education in Ireland, and the professional needs identified are specific to this unique context. Teachers working in this context must be supported so that they can provide the education that the pupils, who must access this service, deserve.