"It's just part of who I am " Living with chronic headache: voices from the CHESS trial, a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Between 2015 and 2019 the Chronic Headache Education and Self-management Study (CHESS) developed and tested a supportive self-management approach that aimed to improve outcomes for people with chronic migraine or chronic tension type headache with/without episodic migraine. However, a paucity of qualitative research which explored the lived experiences of people with chronic headache was evidenced. In response, we undertook to explore the experiences of living with chronic headaches of people who participated in the CHESS study. METHODS: We adopted qualitative methodologies, inviting participants in the CHESS study to participate in semi-structured interviews. In phase 1 (feasibility study), a thematic analysis was conducted. In phase 2 (main CHESS trial), interviews were informed by topic guides developed from our learning from the phase 1 interviews. Pen portrait methodology and thematic analysis was employed allowing us to explore the data longitudinally. RESULTS: Phase 1, 15 interviews (10 female) age range 29 to 69 years (median 47 years) revealed the complexities of living with chronic headache. Six overarching themes were identified including the emotional impact and the nature of their headaches. Phase 2, included 66 interviews (26 participants; median age group 50s (range 20s-60s); 20 females. 14 were interviewed at three points in time (baseline, 4 and 12 months) Through an iterative process four overlapping categories of headache impact emerged from the data and were agreed: i) 'I will not let headaches rule my life'; ii) 'Headaches rule my life'; iii) 'Headaches out of control-something needs to change'; and iv) 'Headaches controlled-not ruling my life'. One of these categories was assigned to each pen portrait at each timepoint. The remaining 12 participants were interviewed at two time points during a year; pen portraits were again produced. Analysis revealed that the headache impact categories developed above held true in this sample also providing some validation of the categories. CONCLUSIONS: These data give an insight into the complexities of living with chronic headache. Chronic headache is unpredictable, permeating all aspects of an individual's life; even when an individual feels that their headache is controlled and not interfering, this situation can rapidly change. It shows us that more work needs to be done both medically and societally to help people living with this often-hidden condition. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN79708100.

Experiences of African American caregivers providing care for family living with Alzheimer's disease: A descriptive phenomenological study.

This study aimed to describe how African American family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease manage caregiving. A qualitative study design using a descriptive phenomenological approach was used to understand the lived experiences of African American family caregivers. Fifteen individual semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted via telephone or videoconference between January and June 2023 to address the research question. Guided by Swanson's theory of caring, the data transcribed verbatim from the audio-recorded interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi's methodology. Eight themes emerged from the data: (a) Parenting all over again, (b) Self-sacrifice, (c) Caring for the caregiver, (d) Connecting to God, (e) Responsibility to care, (f) Trapped, (g) Beyond exhaustion, and (h) Loss of self. The findings of the study indicate that African American family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease often experience physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion while managing care. Thus, there is a considerable need for greater support, health promotion, and development of appropriate interventions to alleviate the challenges experienced so that they can continue in their caregiving role with some respite.

Midwives' support for parents following stillbirth: How they practise and resources they need from a phenomenological perspective.

AIM: To explore the perceptions and experiences of midwives caring for couples who experience a stillbirth. DESIGN: Qualitative study based on Gadamer's hermeneutic phenomenology. METHODS: This study was conducted with midwives (n = 18) at the birth unit of a third-level public hospital in Jaén (Spain) in 2023. Personal semi-structured interviews were recorded in audio for later transcription by two researchers following steps described by Fleming. RESULTS: Two themes were identified as important aspects of the practise of midwives in a situation of the birth of a stillborn child: (1) the importance of each action of the midwife, and (2) the availability of resources determines the care provided. CONCLUSIONS: Having a stillbirth is a very complex experience, in which the psychological support and human and material resources involved are the basic tool for the care of these families. Acknowledging limitations of the available resources, the assistance and care provided by midwives are in line with the clinical practice guidelines, which can have an emotional impact on them. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The care to be provided in stillbirth requires appropriate human and material resources for these families. Midwifery and nursing professionals are in a unique position for acting in cases of families with a stillbirth, updated protocols and, in general, the coordination of the different agents involved within the healthcare system. WHAT PROBLEM DID THE STUDY ADDRESS?: The midwives´ experiences in cases which end with the delivery of a stillborn. WHAT WERE THE MAIN FINDINGS?: Each action of the midwife is as important as the availability of resources to offer the most appropriate care. WHERE AND ON WHOM WILL THE RESEARCH HAVE AN IMPACT?: In each woman who receives the care of a midwife who attends the birth of a stillborn. REPORTING METHOD: COREQ checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution occurred for this study as this research focused on exploring staffs' perspectives from the specific viewpoint of their personal experience.

The Saskatchewan Caregiver Experience Study: Support Priorities of Caregivers of Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Population aging is a global phenomenon. Many older adults living with chronic conditions rely on family and friend caregivers. The growing demand for family and friend caregivers underscores the necessity for adequate and effective support services. PURPOSE: The Saskatchewan Caregiver Experience Study sought to gather the perspectives of caregivers of older adults and set priorities for caregiver support. METHODS: An online survey with open-ended questions was employed in this qualitative descriptive study. In this manuscript, we present our findings from the survey question: "What do you think is most important for support in your caregiving role? In other words, what are your top priorities for support?" FINDINGS: This survey question received n = 352 responses, evenly distributed across Saskatchewan in urban-large (33%), urban-small/medium (32%), and rural (35%) settings. Support priorities of Saskatchewan caregivers were found to be access to help when they need it; an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on; assistance in optimizing the care recipient's health; having healthcare professionals that care; and improved policies, legislations, and regulations. CONCLUSION: Services and interventions that assist caregivers are more likely to be accessed and utilized when caregivers are given the opportunity to identify their own support priorities. This study has the potential to inform health and governmental systems to support caregivers of older adults provincially within Saskatchewan, nationally in Canada, and in a global context.

Description of Nomophobia Among College Students: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Background: Nomophobia is a situational phobia evoked by unavailability of smart phone or the thought of the possibility of not having it, not being able to use it and losing it. Currently used instruments for assessment of severity of nomophobia offers challenges of administration and have limited applicability in the Indian setting. Therefore, this study was aimed to depict and understand the lived experience of college students with nomophobia and making sense of it. Methods: This interpretative phenomenological analysis research design study was carried out on 17 undergraduate students belonging to different academic streams including Science, Social science and Commerce from the three study sites situated in different locations of India. An in-depth interview guide was prepared. The students who scored more than 90 on nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q Questionnaire) were included in the study. The data was recorded in audio and video format, it was transcribed, and translated from Hindi to English language. Coding was done and the theme were extracted. Results: The findings identified six superordinate themes: Digital Obsession, Digital Compulsion, Approval Motivation, Digital Intensement, Digital Well-being and Insight. Conclusion: The lived experiences of the students with nomophobia had explicitly shown a strong inclination towards the smartphone. They also focused on some of the significant aids provided by the smartphone. Further the intensive use of the smartphone was posing major challenges to the students when they were away from it.

"It's what we perceive as different": an interpretative phenomenological analysis of Nigerian women's characterization of their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Health has historically been adversely affected by social, economic, and political pandemics. In parallel with the spread of diseases, so do the risks of comorbidity and death associated with their consequences. As a result of the current pandemic, shifting resources and services in resource-poor settings without adequate preparation has intensified negative consequences, which global service interruptions have exacerbated. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable during infectious disease outbreaks, and the current pandemic has significantly impacted them. METHODS: This study used an interpretive phenomenological analysis study with a feminist lens to investigate how women obtained healthcare in Ebonyi, Ogun, and Sokoto states Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. We specifically investigated whether the epidemic influenced women's decisions to seek or avoid healthcare and whether their experiences differed from those outside of it. RESULTS: We identified three superordinate themes: (1) the adoption of new personal health behaviour in response to the pandemic; (2) the pandemic as a temporal equalizer for marginalized individuals; (3) the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health care. In Nigeria, pregnant women were affected in a variety of ways by the COVID-19 epidemic. Women, particularly those socially identified as disabled, had to cross norms of disadvantage and discrimination to seek healthcare because of the pandemic's impact on prescribed healthcare practices, the healthcare system, and the everyday landscapes defined by norms of disadvantage and discrimination. CONCLUSION: It is clear from the current pandemic that stakeholders must begin to strategize and develop plans to limit the effects of future pandemics on maternal healthcare, particularly for low-income women.

Women's Experiences Following Peripartum Hysterectomy: A Qualitative Study.

Objective: Peripartum hysterectomy is a major operation and is inevitably performed where certain indications require removal of the uterus at the time of delivery or in the immediate postpartum period. It is a traumatic birth event that affects women's physical, physiological, psychological, social, and sexual health. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of women undergone peripartum hysterectomy. Materials and methods: Qualitative phenomenological design was adopted to explore the lived experiences of women undergone peripartum hysterectomy. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to enroll the participants and 19 women were interviewed before saturation of responses was reached. All interviews were audio recorded and then transcribed into verbatims. Colaizzi's thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results: Based on participants' verbatims eight major themes emerged: Awareness status regarding peripartum hysterectomy; Body's response to peripartum hysterectomy; Perceived need of support; Facilitators in overcoming post-hysterectomy challenges; Relational turbulence; financial burden; Perceived psychological adaptation; Disturbed body image and low self-esteem. Conclusion: Derived themes in the present study highlighted the multidimensional effects of peripartum hysterectomy. Peripartum hysterectomy affected physical, psychological, sexual and financial health of the women. Increased dependence and changes in the self concept are the other problems faced by peripartum hysterectomy women. Need based individualized psychological therapeutic interventions will facilitate the successful adaptation to the traumatic situation by the reinforcement of positive coping mechanisms.

Transition to Motherhood and Lived Experiences of Teenage Mothers Delivering in Kasese and Bundibugyo Districts, Western Uganda.

Introduction A large number of teenagers in low-resource settings experience pregnancy, with a significant number of these cases happening in sub-Saharan Africa. Teenage pregnancy is associated with unique physical and psychological experiences. Objective To explore the lived experiences of teenage mothers delivering at a tertiary referral hospital in southwestern Uganda. Methods This qualitative study used focus group discussions (FGDs) with teenage mothers in Kasese and Bundibugyo districts in Uganda. We purposively sampled 32 teenage mothers attending a tertiary referral hospital who had been pregnant at least once and had given birth. Sociodemographic information was obtained, and FGDs were conducted to capture the teenagers' experiences transitioning to motherhood. An inductive content analytic approach was used to analyze data.  Results The mean age of the participants was 18.4 (standard deviation [SD], 1.2) years, with the majority (22, 68.8%) being rural dwellers, married (23, 71.9%), unemployed (21, 65.6%), and having attained primary education (23, 71.9%). Teenage mothers' lived experiences were characterized by shattered dreams, concerns about changes in their body size and shape, abandonment and neglect by family members and spouses, considerations of terminating the pregnancy, forced early marriages, family stereotypes, and engaging in sex for survival. The process of transitioning to motherhood occurred along with resilience post-pregnancy and supportive environments from their loved ones, which enabled them to accept reality and care for their children. Conclusions The lived experiences of teenage mothers demonstrated social pressures, fear of abandonment, and poverty as major influences on their mindset and behavior. Further research to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges encountered by teenage mothers will aid the development of culturally appropriate strategies to reduce teenage pregnancy and improve perinatal outcomes.

Understanding perspectives of HIV/AIDS affected households on food and nutrition interventions and social protection programmes in Zimbabwe.

Introduction: The study was aimed at understanding the needs and perspectives of HIV affected households on food and nutrition security intervention programmes. Methods: The study used qualitative methods that include focus groups discussions and key informant interviews to solicit for lived experiences of People Living With HIV (PLWHIV). Results: The results revealed that intervention programmes by both government and development partners (donors) can be divided into four (4) categories: food and nutrition security, livelihood, health, and social protection. Interventions that targeted health included the provision of HIV antiretroviral drugs to PLWHIV and counselling to both PLWHIV and affected persons. Intervention programmes targeted at social protection included provision of food aid and cash transfers. Discussion: The recommendations based on the research findings are that intervention programmes should focus more on resilience building as a way of building capacity of PLWHIV. This way, sustainability of intervention programmes is improved. As such, it is important to ensure, through policy, that all intervention programmes have a component of capacity building to improve resilience of participants and programme sustainability. Furthermore, there is a need to improve targeting for beneficiaries of intervention programmes and clearly define the "vulnerable" group.

Exploring paramedics' lived experiences in confrontation with patients' death during missions: a phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: Emergency personnel are the first line of emergency response systems to respond to emergencies; in essence, they are usually exposed to a wide range of physical and psychological problems. Accordingly, the current study aimed to clarify the lived experiences of paramedics when exposed to Patients' Deaths during their missions in 2023. METHODS: This study was carried out using a qualitative approach and interpretative phenomenology from January 9, 2022, to September 21, 2023. The research was performed in Fars, Alborz, and Isfahan provinces in Iran. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with 17 male emergency personnel (both from the emergency medical service and Red Crescent). The obtained data were analyzed utilizing Smith's approach to clarify the lived experiences of emergency responders when facing deaths in various incidents in Iran. RESULTS: Seventeen emergency personnel with the age range of 24-60 (average = 39) years and with a history of confronting patients' deaths during their services were interviewed. Their lived experiences of being exposed to patients' deaths during the emergency response in Iran were classified into three main themes: psychological and emotional status, personality, disposition, and behavior status, and mental and physical status. Sub-themes such as psychological and emotional problems, mental and physical problems, and sub-subthemes such as anxiety, stress, decreased appetite, irritability, insomnia, forgetfulness, and fatigue were also noted within the main themes. CONCLUSION: While emergency personnel work diligently to save the lives of patients, the current study demonstrated that they were susceptible to multiple psychological, emotional, and physical problems, which potentially affect their lives outside of the workplace and make them more vulnerable to related physiological and psychological diseases. It is recommended that policymakers and clinical educators make ways to prevent these problems and provide emergency personnel with physical, psychological, and emotional support.

A phenomenological inquiry into farmers' experiences growing cotton in Punjab, Pakistan.

Sustainability in cotton production is inevitable because producing more cotton means more employment, economic acceleration, and industrial expansion. India, China, the United States, Brazil, and Pakistan contribute 74% of worldwide cotton production. Pakistan is contributing only 5%, despite the high potential of cotton. The average yield of cotton in Pakistan is stagnant at 570.99 kg hm-2, whereas it entails the highest cost of production among all other crops. The yield obtained in Pakistan is less than the potential, profitability is drastically lessening, and farmers are abandoning cotton for alternative kharif crops. Some traditional quantitative studies have unveiled different factors that affect cotton production. However, an in-depth qualitative study has never been conducted in Pakistan to explore the root causes of growing cotton crop failure. Following Moustakas's traditional phenomenological guidelines, this phenomenological study was conducted in the district of Rahim Yar Khan in the core cotton zone of Punjab province. A total of 10 interviews were conducted with purposively selected cotton growers based on a criterion: (i) having more than 10 years of cotton growing experience, (ii) being a cotton grower, and (iii) having at least 10 years of formal schooling. Interviews were conducted face to face on an interview guide. One interview lasted 45-50 min, and responses were recorded and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. A total of 6 themes emerged from the collected data, including (i) climate change, (ii) varietal problems, (iii) pesticide usage, (iv) sense of institutional services, (v) attitude of farmers and (vi) soil health and environment. These six merging themes contributed to cotton crop failure and yield decline. The deep exploration further summarized that researchers, extensionists, and farmers need to seriously consider variety, sowing time, and the environment to revive cotton crops. The detailed recommendations and policy guidelines are presented in this paper, highlighting the cotton sector's research, development and investment areas.

Exploring the lived and coping experiences of patients with kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis in Malaysian private hospitals.

Background: Chronic kidney disease is associated with structural and functional abnormalities in the kidney caused by a range of different aetiologies. Purpose: The study's purpose was to explore the lived and coping experiences of patients with kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis in three private hospitals in Malaysia. Methods: Applying an interpretative phenomenological analysis using a hermeneutic phenomenological design to derive common meaning from participants lived and coping experiences. In the study, data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide from 15 purposefully sampled patients with kidney failure. Data were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis principles. Results: Patients with kidney failure reported emotional distress, life limitations, financial burdens, knowledge deficits and varying perceptions of the haemodialysis treatment. Body image changes, financial assistance, social support and hope were coping strategies used by patients with kidney failure. It was identified that patients with kidney failure used unique coping strategies such as applying perfume and using clothes to conceal the impact of haemodialysis on their bodies, which is not comprehensively discussed in published literature. Conclusion: Nurses who deliver care to patients with kidney failure should focus on mitigating emotional distress, increasing knowledge related to kidney failure and improving perception of the haemodialysis treatment. Delivering and providing social support are indispensable nursing roles to help patients cope with haemodialysis treatment.

Self-perceived relations between artistic creativity and mental illness: a study into lived experiences.

Aim: To explore the self-perceived relationships between experiences of creativity and mental illness and to understand the meanings behind these relationships. Background: The idea that mental illness and artistic creativity are somehow related dates back to ancient times. There is some evidence for an actual correlation, but many questions remain unanswered on the nature and direction of the relationship. Qualitative contributions to the debate are scarce, and mainly focus on the potential benefits of participation in the arts for people with mental illness. Design: An explorative, interpretive study. Methods: Twenty-four professional and semi-professional artists with self-reported experience with mental illness, were recruited purposively. Unstructured in-depth interviews were conducted and transcripts were subjected to interpretive analysis, guided by a hermeneutic phenomenological frame. Results: Participants experience a range of interactions between artistic creativity and mental illness. Three constitutive patterns describe what these interactions look like: "flow as a powerful force"; "ambiguous self-manifestation"; and "narrating experiences of suffering." Conclusion: The findings show that both the concept of creativity and the concept of mental illness, as well as their interrelationships, are layered and complex phenomena that can take on different meanings in people's lives. The findings provide starting points for further research that goes beyond the polarized academic debate. Understanding the experiences of artists with mental illness can help shape the role of art in public mental health and mental health care.

Lived experiences of Iranian prehospital emergency technicians in facing women's emergencies: a phenomenological study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the work problems and challenges of male prehospital emergency technicians when faced with female medical emergencies. Given that qualitative research has not been done in this field, planning to find the weak points and improve the quality of prehospital emergency as the first line of treatment for female emergency patients, which is considered an important part of the health care system, is considered important and valuable. Therefore, this phenomenological study was conducted in 2023. METHODS: This study was conducted using a qualitative method of phenomenology in 2023. The environment of the research was urban and road prehospital emergency centers in Iran and the data were collected through interviews with EMS technicians. The collected data were analyzed using Smith's approach to explain the lived experiences of EMS technicians facing female emergencies or women's emergencies in Iran. RESULTS: All the 15 participants were men. Their mean age was 35 years, with a range of 25 to 45 years, and with a mean work experience of 10.54 years with a range of 4 to 20 years. The lived experiences of 115 emergency technicians in facing women's emergencies in Iran were placed in four main themes cultural-social factors, organizational factors, human resources-related factors, and administrative-legal factors. CONCLUSION: EMS personnel face various obstacles in carrying out missions related to women's emergencies, Considering the critical nature of women's emergencies, it is recommended that policymakers and clinical educators improve the level of community culture, communication skills, theoretical and practical training, respecting privacy, hiring female personnel, adding specialized equipment, amending and changing laws, removing road-traffic obstacles and to support personnel, patients and their families psychologically to optimize performance in women's emergencies.

Lived experience of people with cryptococcal meningitis: A qualitative study.

Background: The high burden of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) among people living with HIV persists despite widespread access to antiretroviral therapy. Efforts to prevent CM among people living with HIV could be hindered by a limited understanding of their lived experiences of CM and its diagnosis. Objectives: To explore and describe the experiences of people diagnosed with HIV-associated CM in routine care. Two public healthcare facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa. Method: This was a qualitative-methods exploratory, descriptive, phenomenological study. We conducted semi-structured, individual in-depth interviews with nine purposively sampled participants (comprising 5 men and 4 women). Data were analysed using the Moustakas phenomenological approach. Results: Five themes and several sub-themes emerged from the data. Participants described their experiences of being diagnosed, which were marked by intense headaches. Diagnosis of CM led to reduced quality of life, fear of death, and loss of income. Participants described their CM treatment experience and health-seeking behaviour including self-medication, seeking help from traditional healers and general practitioners and utilising public health facilities as a last resort. Barriers to care included negative healthcare workers' attitudes, unhealthy lifestyles, and poor knowledge of CM. Conclusion: People with HIV-associated CM face negative impacts prior to and after diagnosis. These patients struggled to access timely quality healthcare. Patients starting or restarting antiretroviral therapy, and thus at risk for CM, should receive CM education as part of HIV counselling.

North Carolina Caregiver Listening Study: Caregiver Experiences and Perspectives on Services and Supports in an Aging U.S. State.

Family caregivers experience health, financial, and social burdens related to caregiving responsibilities. North Carolina has an estimated 1.3 million caregivers, equating to a value of $13.1 billion per year. Caregiving demands warrant additional understanding of the caregiver lived experiences. Our objective was to document these North Carolina caregiver experiences during the era of COVID-19 through focus groups. Participants were recruited through diverse community organizations. All 44 caregivers who completed interest solicitation surveys were invited to participate; 29 caregivers participated across 11 groups. Thematic analysis was used to code and synthesize transcripts from each participant using Dedoose software and guided by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Caregiver routines (caregiving as an all-encompassing role; dimensions of support); most challenging parts (exhaustion and defeat; lacking support; evolving relationships); most rewarding parts (care recipient resilience; quality time; sense of purpose); social service and healthcare system interactions (positive interactions; negative interactions; inaccessible services); COVID-19 impacts on caregiving (opportunities; challenges); and caregiver suggestions for system improvements (increasing financial support; improved coordination; ideological shifts). Caregivers shared unmet needs, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Examining these needs and experience-informed recommendations can help advance additional caregiving research, policy-making, and program development.

Lived experiences of COVID-19 patients admitted in isolation wards of healthcare centers in Peshawar, Pakistan: A phenomenological perspective.

The emergence of COVID-19 caused a significant global threat, affecting populations worldwide. Its impact extended beyond just physical health, as it inflicted severe damage and challenges to individuals' well-being, leading to a deterioration in mental health. The lived experiences of patients hold a paramount position to explore and understand their perception of care which can ultimately strengthen the health system's delivery domain. This study explores the lived experiences of patients in the isolation ward, their recovery, and the quality of care being provided in the hospital and its effects on their mental health. Study design: A phenomenological qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Methods: We conducted 11 in-depth interviews of COVID-19 patients admitted to the isolation ward of the public hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan. Participants who stayed for a minimum of 10 days in an isolation ward were included in this study. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using NVivo 12 software and generated five themes through inductive analysis. Results: Five themes emerged from the participants' lived experiences: Heading towards the hospital, Health Care Quality, Impact on Mental Health, Recovering from COVID-19 and Back on one's feet. These included all the positive and negative lived experiences. Socio-environmental factors along with their experiences of the disease itself and with the healthcare providers guided their reaction which was important conciliators in their experiences during the pandemic. Conclusion: Based on the findings, the environment of isolation had a major influence on the mental well-being of the individuals involved. Considering the important role of the ward environment in shaping patient experiences and outcomes prompts a reevaluation of healthcare practices and policies. By addressing these factors healthcare systems can strive for greater effectiveness, resilience, and compassion in managing the pandemic's impact on patient care.

The lived experiences of operating room nurses from the surgery on COVID-19 patients: a phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, some patients who were transported to the operating room for emergency surgery had COVID-19; operating room nurses should be in direct contact with these patients in a small and closed space of the operating room. This can lead to unpleasant experiences for these people. Accordingly, this study was conducted to understand the experience of operating room nurses during the surgery of COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This qualitative study is a descriptive phenomenological study. Sampling was done purposefully and participants were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data of this study was obtained through semi-structured interviews with 12 participants and analyzed using the Colaizzi method. RESULTS: Four main themes and 13 sub-themes were presented in this study: (1) feeling heroic (being a savior, self-sacrificing). (2) Exacerbating burnout (emotional exhaustion, feeling of incompetence, physical overtiredness). (3) Psychiatric crisis (destructive anxiety, horror of death, worrying about being a carrier, drastic feeling of pity). (4) Feeling the need for support (need for professional support, need for emotional support, need for social support). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that operating room nurses experienced conflicting feelings during surgery on patients with COVID-19. So the feeling of being a hero was a heartwarming experience, but the aggravation of job burnout and mental crisis was unpleasant for them. Also, these people have experienced the need to be supported in various aspects.

The Lived Experiences of Individuals and Coping Strategies in the Context of Internet Gaming Disorder: A Qualitative Study Within Higher Education Setting in Uganda.

Background: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), recognized as a mental disorder in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), poses significant threats to physical, social, and mental well-being. This study aims to delve into the experiences of individuals grappling with IGD. Methods and Materials: The study employed an interpretive phenomenology, conducting interviews with 10 graduate students at Makerere University. Participants were purposefully sampled until data saturation was achieved during interviews, which took place between May and July 2023. An interview guide facilitated data collection (Supplementary File 1), and thematic analysis was manually applied for data interpretation, utilizing intuition and imaginative approaches. Results: The findings revealed that the majority of participants started gaming during childhood, starting with offline games. Exposure to gadgets and games, idle time, and stress emerged as key triggers for IGD. Participants reported experiencing sleep deficits, deteriorating interpersonal relationships, declining job performance, unhealthy eating habits, academic challenges, and wastage of money and time. The study also identified strategies employed by participants to mitigate their gaming behaviors, such as refraining from purchasing data, seeking support from friends, and uninstalling the game app, although relapses were common. Conclusion: The study highlights a global pattern of early initiation into gaming, emphasizing the need for early intervention and preventive measures. Factors such as easy accessibility and affordability of gaming platforms, idleness, and stress play significant roles in motivating internet gaming, contributing to a higher prevalence among the studied population. The research underscores the adverse effects of IGD on students, affecting academic performance, interpersonal relationships, and job performance. Notably, participants demonstrate agency in addressing IGD through practical coping strategies, including controlling data access, seeking social support, and uninstalling games. These coping mechanisms provide valuable insights into the complex nature of addressing IGD and form a basis for developing targeted interventions and support systems within the higher education setting in Uganda.

Capturing the emotional and social experiences of COVID-19 through journal entries: A qualitative study of COVID-19 experiences over six weeks following infection.

COVID-19's wide-ranging effects on patients' physical health are well-documented, but comparatively less research has explored the impact on patients' emotional and social experiences. We examined how patients across a multi-state health system experience the emotional and social aspects of COVID-19 during the first six weeks of recovery from infection. We leveraged the larger My COVID Diary project to capture open-ended journal data from an app-based platform available to patients who test positive for COVID-19 within the health system. Our sample was limited to participants with multiple journal entries during the first six weeks after infection, with one entry in the top 5% of all participants for word count to ensure sufficient journal content was available for analysis. We randomly selected 100 eligible participants and coded and analyzed all of their journal entries in weeks 1-6 after infection, utilizing a thematic analysis approach. Despite journal entry prompts' orientation towards physical symptoms, the majority of participants discussed emotional experiences (such as anxiety, depression, and gratitude) and social factors (such as work and family) when describing their COVID-19-related experiences. Physical, emotional, and social experiences related to COVID-19 infection and recovery were often interconnected and overlapping. These findings demonstrate that a holistic understanding of the patient experience that extends beyond physical symptoms is necessary to fully support patient care and recovery.