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BackgroundEducation and employment established in young adulthood predict future lifetime socioeconomic achievements. Young adults with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) have physical, cognitive and mental health issues and other comorbidities that may impact employment.ObjectivesTo understand the lived experiences of young adults with SLE (YASLE), as students, and to assess their perceived barriers from SLE.MethodsYASLE were recruited from two Lupus clinics in Toronto and Winnipeg. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted individually via secure video conferencing. As this study was conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, participants were also asked about the pandemic impacts on their education experiences. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, double-coded and analysed using a reflexive thematic approach.ResultsTwelve participants (2 males), 9 of childhood- and 3 adult-onset SLE (cSLE, aSLE) were interviewed. Nine participants (82%) were <25 years old. Five also worked while studying. Five were Asians, 5 were White, 2 of other ethnicities. Half have severe disease (central nervous system or renal involvement). Median duration of disease was 4.0 (25th-75th percentile, 1.8- 5.3) years. The impacts of SLE on their education experience emerged in 5 themes:1) Challenges imposed by SLE: Difficulties adjusting to the diagnosis, physical and cognitive symptoms of SLE. While most participants disclosed their diagnosis to their schools, some expressed hesitation.2) Changes in aspirations: Education/career goals were modified by reducing course load or shifting to more sedentary or less cognitively demanding careers.3) Coping and acceptance: More adaptive than maladaptive coping strategies were used to manage their SLE, including self-acceptance, pacing, planning and avoidance. All strived to do well in their studies despite SLE and were hopeful for their futures.4) Facilitating factors for education success: Family and friends' social support, individualized accommodations from school and parental financial support were identified.5) Pandemic impacts: Virtual learning and flexible schedules enabled participants to adapt their schedules according to their physical conditions (e.g. pain, fatigue). However, fewer opportunities to interact in-person were viewed as challenges. Participants want hybrid options to continue even after the pandemic.ConclusionSLE affected students' performance through physical symptoms, fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Ongoing social and school supports help to support them. Maintaining the remote learning options may increase accessibility for them. These results identified opportunities for developing future supportive interventions for YASLE patients in their schooling which then better prepare them for future employment.References[1]Jetha A, Badley E, Beaton D, Fortin PR, Shiff NJ, Gignac MA. Unpacking early work experiences of young adults with rheumatic disease: an examination of absenteeism, job disruptions, and productivity loss. Arthritis care & research. 2015;67:1246-54.[2]E. F Lawson, A. O. Hersh, L. Trupin, E. von Scheven, M. J. Okumura, J. Yazdany, et al. Educational and vocational outcomes of adults with childhood and adult onset systemic lupus erythematosus: nine years of follow-up. Arthritis Care Res 2014;66: 717-24.Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsMike Golding: None declared, Fareha Nishat: None declared, Kaitlyn Merrill: None declared, Ramandeep Kaur: None declared, Jennifer Stinson: None declared, Jennifer Protudjer Speakers bureau: Nutricia (Food allergy university, Nov 2022), Consultant of: Novartis 2021, allergy products, Roberta Woodgate: None declared, Christine Peschken: None declared, Diane Lacaille: None declared, Umut Oguzoglo: None declared, Zahi Touma: None declared, Lily Lim Speakers bureau: Pfizer Feb 2023. Not drug related and not related to this .
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The term ‘social responsibility of museums' implies various associations, most frequently referring to the sphere of management and the activities of commercial entities in accordance with the ISO 26000 standard. In this article, we report on some of the tasks performed in connection with a project based on a sociological perspective and addressing the social responsibility of public cultural institutions such as museums. As this concept is relatively new, we decided to check how it is understood in the social world of Polish museum professionals. The research was therefore carried out using elements of the grounded theory methodology, i.e., the concepts (categories) were not defined at the outset, but defined and characterised in the course of the research according to the understanding of the respondents. Using a triangulation of methods, an analysis of found data, individual interviews in Polish museums (IDI) and focus group interviews (FGI) in Polish and international groups were conducted. A particularly interesting strand of the Project was museum education and its growing importance. This article focuses on the conducted focus group interviews (FGI). A specific commentary on the findings is provided by the reflections given during a guest lecture by Dr Bernadette Lynch organised as part of the Project. © 2022 Universidade Federal de Goias. All rights reserved.
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ABSTRACT In response to concerns about the use of online focus groups, particularly around sensitive topics research, we provide two case examples of sensitive topics research that pivoted to online focus groups amid university ethics restrictions due to COVID-19 concerns. We begin by contextualizing the studies, one of which used the more traditional focus group method while the other employed a mix of focus groups and a variation on the World Cafe method, termed Community Cafes. We discuss issues like online platform choice (Microsoft Teams versus Zoom), security, and considerations for effective participant communication and connection. We demonstrate the effectiveness of online focus group data collection for sensitive research in two disciplines as well as the benefits to participants. We conclude by providing considerations and recommendations based on our own learnings for researchers wanting to conduct online focus group research on sensitive topics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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This research note explores the pressing ethical challenges associated with increased online platforming of sensitive research on conflict-affected settings since the onset of Covid-19. We argue that moving research online and the ‘digitalisation of suffering' risks reducing complexity of social phenomena and omission of important aspects of lived experiences of violence or peace-building. Immersion, ‘contexting' and trust-building are fundamental to research in repressive and/or conflict-affected settings and these are vitally eclipsed in online exchanges and platforms. ‘Distanced research' thus bears very real epistemological limitations. Neither proximity not distance are in themselves liberating vectors. Nonetheless, we consider the opportunities that distancing offers in terms of its decolonial potential, principally in giving local researcher affiliates' agency in the research process and building more equitable collaborations. This research note therefore aims to propose a series of questions and launch a debate amongst interested scholars, practitioners and other researchers working in qualitative research methods in the social sciences.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has made health services a major sector highlighted both in Indonesia and the world. Inadequate health services are a challenge for the health sector in Indonesia. Moreover, the development of technology and the need for digital health service applications during the COVID-19 pandemic have become one of the problems urgencies for government, private sectors, and communities. This study aims to identify the types, needs, and challenges of digital transformation of health service applications in each province in Indonesia. This study uses qualitative research methods with systematic literature review analysis techniques. The results show that the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the catalysts for accelerating the digital transformation of health service applications in Indonesia. Health service applications are grouped into three: health services (63 services), health information systems (82 systems), and helpdesk or customer management systems (51 types). Limited access to health services, discrimination in accessing health services, etc are reasons for the need for digital health service applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital health services can eliminate geographic isolation in meeting the basic needs of timely and quality medical care. In addition, the challenges of digital transformation of health services, including limited access to health services, discrimination in accessing health services, inadequate doctor-resident ratio, and a significant shortage of health workers between urban and rural areas are challenges for health services in Indonesia. © 2022 IEEE.
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BACKGROUND: Telemedicine has expanded access to high-quality, appropriate, and affordable health care for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study explored how the expansion of MS telemedicine is perceived and experienced by people with MS, health care providers (HCPs), and payers and policy experts (PYs). METHODS: Forty-five semistructured interviews with 20 individuals with MS, 15 HCPs, and 10 PYs were conducted between September 2020 and January 2021. The interviews were recorded on a televideo platform, transcribed, and analyzed for themes using qualitative data software. RESULTS: Interviews revealed the following 4 themes. Technology: Telemedicine increases access and convenience. Technical challenges were the most cited downside to telemedicine. Clinical encounters: Confidence in MS care via telemedicine varies. Virtual "house calls" have clinical benefits. Financing and infrastructure: Reimbursement parity is critical to utilization and expansion of telemedicine. Stakeholders are hopeful and fearful as infrastructure and business models begin to shift. Shifting expectations: The familiar structure of the office visit is currently absent in telemedicine. Telemedicine visits need more intentionality from both providers and patients. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine is an efficient, convenient way to deliver and receive many aspects of MS care. To expand telemedicine care, many HCPs need more training and experience, people with MS need guidance to optimize their care, and PYs in the United States need to pass legislation and adjust business models to incorporate benefits and reimbursement for telemedicine health in insurance plans. The future is promising for the ongoing use of telemedicine to improve MS care, and stakeholders should work to preserve and expand the policy changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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[] The dysfunctions of American political media and their contributions to the erosion of modern democracy are actively being debated. In this light, there has been considerable empirical inquiry dedicated to understanding the role of narratives, storytelling, and the mythical “deep story” in the mobilization of the electorate. Here we seek to understand how narratives are employed by news outlets to make sense of media spectacles. We focus on coverage of the April 23, 2020 White House COVID-19 Task Force press briefing, during which President Donald Trump debated the effectiveness of sunlight and disinfectant injections in combating the virus. We conducted a qualitative analysis of all relevant articles, cable news coverage on this topic by CNN and Fox News, and Facebook posts on this topic issued by six media outlets from April 23, 2020, to April 26, 2020–a total of 115 articles, 87 television segments, and 41 Facebook posts. Our results reveal a reliance on several narratives in both the left- and right-wing media systems. These narratives all contribute to the overarching frames that are spun in ways that sow distrust and resentment throughout audiences across the partisan spectrum. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Mass Communication & Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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Community involvement is essential for an all-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction. This requires innovative consultation methods, particularly with youth and during pandemic restrictions. This article outlines methods used for a Photovoice project where we brought together student co-researchers from multiple levels (high school, undergraduate, and graduate health sciences) to explore the topic of youth engagement in disaster risk reduction. Over a two-year period, our team used Photovoice as an arts-based participatory method to collaborate with members of our EnRiCH Youth Research Team. We adapted the protocol to continue our project during the COVID-19 pandemic and presented our work in a Photovoice exhibition using Instagram. This article was written from the perspectives of high school and university students on the project. Our hybrid Photovoice protocol facilitated participation through the pandemic, including a virtual presentation at an international conference and online consultation with the Canadian Red Cross.
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COVID-19 , Disasters , Adolescent , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Canada , Community-Based Participatory Research/methods , Humans , Pandemics/prevention & control , Photography , Risk Reduction BehaviorABSTRACT
Inclusive education, launched by the government, has increased the percentage of students with special needs. In this scope, deaf students are in the same class as non-deaf students in daily learning at inclusive schools. This study uses a qualitative research method and an interpretive phenomenological approach to explore in detail the investigation of the attitudes of non-deaf students towards deaf students in inclusive schools and the challenges they face when in an inclusive class. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore through an instrument containing the positive and negative views of deaf students as many as 21 students towards the attitudes of their non-deaf peers in an inclusive school setting in Central Java. The data collection technique uses Google Forms to make it easier to get information from deaf students during this Covid-19 pandemic. According to deaf students who have been studying together in inclusive classes, content analysis of the data revealed that currently non-deaf students are very concerned about deaf students. Deaf students show positive views to non-deaf students based on the daily activities in inclusive schools. A positive perspective, accepting, and not considering a class with deaf students as a burden. © 2021 ACM.
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People with inflammatory arthritis (IA) treated with immunosuppressive disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were initially considered to have an increased risk of severe illness from the SARS-CoV-2 virus compared to the general population. The aim of this study was to explore how people with IA experienced restrictions during the pandemic and the possible impact of vaccination on their protection against COVID-19 and their everyday lives. Nineteen people with IA were interviewed in May-August 2021; shortly thereafter they were enrolled in the Danish national COVID-19 vaccination programme. Concurrently, society gradually reopened after a national complete lockdown. The analysis was inspired by inductive qualitative content analysis. Participants expressed a lack of targeted information on the specific risk associated with IA if they contracted COVID-19. They had to define their own level of daily-life restrictions to protect themselves and their families. They were impacted by inconsistent announcements by the authorities, and some expressed concerns regarding the potential influence of DMARDs on vaccine effectiveness. A societal spirit of being "in this together" emerged through the lockdown, and some were concerned that the reduced level of restrictions in the reopened society would put them at higher risk of a COVID-19 infection and force them to continue self-isolating.
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BACKGROUND: Frontline health care workers are particularly vulnerable to burnout and diminished well-being as they endure COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors. While physicians and nurses are the public face of those experiencing burnout in hospitals, these stressors also affect low-wage workers such as food and housekeeping/janitorial service workers whose roles largely remain "invisible" when conceptualizing the essential health workforce and understanding their needs. This study sought to understand the experiences of frontline essential workers to better support them and prevent burnout. METHODS: Using a semi-structured interview guide, we conducted 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with workers in three U.S. states. Thematic content analysis was conducted to code and analyze interviews. RESULTS: Workers had an average of 5.8 years in their jobs, which included food services, housekeeping/janitorial, and patient transport roles. Analysis revealed four prominent stressors contributing to worker burnout: changes in duties and staff shortages, fear of contracting or transmitting COVID-19, desire for recognition of their job-related risk, and unclear communication on safety precautions and resources. Protective factors included paid time-off, mental health supports, sense of workplace pride, and self-coping strategies. CONCLUSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: As health systems continue to grapple with care delivery in the context of COVID-19, identifying best practices to support all workers and prevent burnout is vital to the functioning and safety of hospitals. Further consideration is warranted to create policies and multipronged interventions to meet workers' tangible needs while shifting the culture, so all members of the health workforce are seen and valued.
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Burnout, Professional , COVID-19 , Humans , Pandemics , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Health Personnel/psychology , Salaries and Fringe Benefits , HospitalsABSTRACT
This paper presents the preliminary results of two research projects conducted in Croatia and Europe that tackle the issues of digital literacy and the digital divide among older citizens. This methodology combines both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including a public opinion poll and a case study with intergenerational workshops on digital and media literacy. Both studies were conducted during the pandemic, after the second half of 2020 and in 2021, thus providing information about unexpected and imposition uses of digital technologies among older people and both revealed low levels of participation in the digital environment associated with the lack of digital skills and weak infrastructure. The innovative concept of the research was also highlighted through the involvement of journalism students, which contributed to the promotion an intergenerational guidance and support to older people. This support was provided mainly in terms of promoting online digital literacy. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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This study aims to analyze how to provide information on countries with a high distribution level in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, to implement open government during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper used qualitative research methods to describe and further analyze the government’s website for political, critical and descriptive problems explanations and descriptions of information and data. Data retrieval was through observations and analyzed official government websites from 3 countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, with a questionnaire. The assessment tests used the framework E-Government Assessment work on the website. This assessment test used the Benchmark Model for Evaluating Data Openness and E-Government Assessment on the government’s official website regarding COVID-19. This study found that of the five variables used in the assessment of the official website, Singapore excelled in three variables, transparency with an index of 1.06, openness with an index of 0.93, and basic data set with an index of 0.67. In addition, Malaysia had the highest participation rate of these three countries, with an index of 0.95. These three countries had the same index in the collaboration variable, which was 0.75. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Social media is now close access for communication and dialectics. This study aims to examine the role of social media in eradicating corruption that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia because during the pandemic there was an increase in corruption carried out by state officials. This study uses descriptive qualitative research methods, data processing using Nvivo 12 plus software, with the stages of data collection, data import, data coding, data classification, and data display the data is taken through Twitter social media by looking at the public discussion of corruption in Indonesia, to enrich the data, researchers target news in the media and see what news appears related to corruption in Indonesia. pandemic period. So that the results of the study will show how and what models of corruption eradication emerged during the pandemic. At the end of the research, the researcher will present knowledge of corruption crimes committed by state officials so that the public can anticipate the occurrence of corruptionKeyword: Corruption, Social Media, Covid-19. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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This paper is a set of reflections from researchers in the Center for Sustainable Communities, University of Canberra, drawing out emerging lessons from the process of re-configuring research methods during COVID-19. The pandemic has presented new spaces of negotiation, struggle, and interdependence within research projects and research teams. It has left researchers often uncertain about how to do their work effectively. At the same time, it has opened up opportunities to re-think how researchers undertake the work of research. In this paper we reflect on several current research programs that have had to undergo rapid design shifts to adjust to new conditions under COVID-19. The rapid shift has afforded some surprisingly positive outcomes and raised important questions for the future. In our reflections we look at the impact of COVID-19 at different stages of designing research with partners, establishing new relationships with partners and distant field sites, and data collection and analysis. We draw on Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodological ideas and highlight ways in which we have adapted and experimented with PAR methods during the pandemic. We reflect on the aspects of PAR that have assisted us to continue in our work, in particular, how PAR foregrounds diverse ways of knowing, being and doing, and prioritizes local aspirations, concerns and world views to drive the research agenda and the processes of social or economic change that accompany it. PAR also helps us to reflect on methods for building relationships of mutual trust, having genuine and authentic collaborations, and open conversations. We reflect on the potential lessons for PAR and community engaged research more generally. Amidst the challenges, our experience reveals new pathways for research practice to rebalance power relationships and support local place-conscious capacity for action.
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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a significant increase in online gaming and other online activities, such as watching eSports and live streaming. This happened because the government require people to stay at home. Electricity used can be categorized as the scope 2 carbon emissions that have a negative impact to our environment. If there are more people do gaming activities, the carbon emissions produced will also be higher. Previous study shown that game spending affects the durations of gaming activities. This paper uses a qualitative research method by interviewing 18 respondents consisting of 17 gamers and 1 eSport expert. It is shown that during pandemic, the duration of playing video games increase significantly, this is also followed by an increase in their spending on in-game purchases and subscriptions. This can lead to the production of higher carbon emissions. Surprisingly, it was discovered that the electricity consumption of one server building is equal to the consumption of JABABEKA. This is considered as a big problem because gaming companies don't disclose concrete activities to reduce carbon emissions and tend to hands-off their wastes to other party. On the other hand, gamers tend to have low awareness about this issue. We suggest that gamers should be more aware about this issue and reduce their gaming activities, gaming related industries could do CSR by doing reforestation to help remove carbon dioxide, and government should expand the use of renewable energy to generate electricity. © 2022 ACM.
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BACKGROUND: Good quality friendships and relationships are critical to the development of social competence and are associated with quality of life and mental health in childhood and adolescence. Through social distancing and isolation restrictions, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the way in which youth socialize and communicate with friends, peers, teachers and family on a daily basis. In order to understand children's social functioning during the pandemic, it is essential to gather information on their experiences and perceptions concerning the social changes unique to this period. The objective of this study was to document children and adolescents' perspectives regarding their social life and friendships during the COVID-19 pandemic, through qualitative interviews. METHODS: Participants (N = 67, 5-14 years) were recruited in May and June 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via a videoconferencing platform. A thematic qualitative analysis was conducted based on the transcribed and coded interviews (NVivo). RESULTS: The upheavals related to the pandemic provoked reflection among the participants according to three main themes, each of which included sub-themes: (1) the irreplaceable nature of friendship, (2) the unsuspected benefits of school for socialization and (3) the limits and possibilities of virtual socialization. CONCLUSIONS: The collection of rich, qualitative information on the perspectives of children and adolescents provides a deeper understanding of the consequences of the pandemic on their socialization and psychological health and contributes to our fundamental understanding of social competence in childhood.
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COVID-19 , Friends , Adolescent , COVID-19/epidemiology , Child , Friends/psychology , Humans , Pandemics , Quality of Life , SocializationABSTRACT
This is a cross-national comparative study of how media in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa reconstructed their operations in response to Covid-19 global pandemic. The study is grounded in a qualitative research design that uses semi-structured interviews with journalists from Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The study investigated how news operations, newsroom cultures, news gathering, and news dissemination practices were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Informed by the sociology of news production theoretical lens, the study noted that journalists and editors were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which ensured they change some journalistic practices. The findings of this study reveal that journalists suffered traumatic experiences such as job losses, covid-19 related illness and fatalities. At a regulatory level, findings confirm the perennial challenges with media freedoms in the region with South Africa remaining a lone outlier. Lastly, interviews with journalists further demonstrate that newsrooms have had to maximise digital affordances for news gathering and dissemination as old revenue streams dried up. As a result, print media scaled back in its operations as a response to containing the spread of the virus.
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Eating healthily and being physically active during pregnancy are important for maternal and offspring health. Maternity healthcare is a key arena for health promotion; however, 20% of pregnant women in Sweden are foreign-born, which may reduce reach due to language and cultural barriers. The aims of this study were to explore healthcare professionals' perceptions about (a) promoting health behaviors (i.e., healthy diet, physical activity, and weight gain) among Arabic- and Somali-speaking pregnant women and (b) how a translated version of the previously evaluated Swedish app (HealthyMoms) can be tailored and used as a tool in their clinical work. Healthcare professionals in Swedish maternity care (n = 14) were interviewed. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Healthcare professionals expressed challenges in health promotion work, including cultural and educational aspects and low awareness of health behaviors among women themselves and their social environment. Further, a lack of resources within the clinical practice and a need for cultural awareness among healthcare professionals were highlighted. Finally, it was perceived that a translated app has potential to provide basic and culturally adjusted information, facilitate communication and thus has potential to become a helpful tool in maternity care to support healthy lifestyle behaviors in Arabic- and Somali-speaking pregnant women.
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Maternal Health Services , Pregnant Women , Delivery of Health Care , Diet, Healthy , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
A new process has been brought about due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the world. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, since the spring semester of the 2019–2020 academic year, all education and courses are provided through distance education. Therefore, since distance education is a new process for many, faculty members may encounter various problems. For this reason, determining the views of lecturers about the distance education process is important for the improvement and development of the distance education system. The aim of this study is to examine the views of the lecturers who teach through the distance education system and to make suggestions for the improvement of the system. The situation was determined using the qualitative research method. The research questions were prepared by the researchers. Their validity was ensured by taking experts’ opinions. For this purpose, interviews with semistructured questions were conducted with 28 instructors at Cyprus and Russian universities and the data obtained were evaluated by content analysis. The findings obtained as a result of the research are given in detail in the findings and results section. © 2021