Walking Into Their Lives: Applying the Go-Along Method to Explore Refugee Health

The go-along method is a way of interviewing people in situ. Combining participant observation and interviewing, the method capitalizes on the advantages of both approaches. This places study participants in context and allows researchers to elicit the interpretations, practices, and experiences of those participants within the contexts. Based on a refugee maternal health study that involved the go-along method in the United States, we reflect on the specific research questions that this approach can help answer, the advantages and limitations of employing this methodological approach and delineate the process of conducting the go-along. The go-along method has numerous benefits in studying refugee health. It can assist in identifying the needs and challenges of people with limited language skills or low educational levels, as well as providing a more nuanced understanding of life skills and language proficiency. It can aid in the observation of interactions between study participants and people around them and provide more detailed information based on spatial cues. It can assist researchers in observing how services are delivered on the ground. More importantly, it can facilitate researchers’ vicarious experiences for those who may struggle in their lives. In doing so, it can facilitate contextualized understanding of refugee and their experiences. Although this method has several limitations, such as being more time-consuming and labor-intensive compared to traditional sit-down interviews and being susceptible to external conditions, the go-along method has significant potential for exploring the health of refugees. </jats:p

Relation entre les infections parasitaires, les apports en fer absorbable et l’anémie chez des adolescentes au Bénin

La relation entre les infections parasitaires intestinales, les apports en fer absorbable et le statut en fer a été étudiée chez 100 adolescentes béninoises âgées de 14 à 16 ans. Cinquante adolescentes vivaient en internat et 50 en externat. Les apports alimentaires ont été obtenus par un rappel de 48 heures et les apports en fer absorbable ont été estimés par le modèle de Monsen. Quarante-trois pour cent des sujets étaient anémiques, tandis que la carence en fer définie par un modèle à indices biochimiques multiples basé sur l’existence d’au moins deux paramètres anormaux parmi les quatre indicateurs utilisés (fer sérique, capacité totale de fixation du fer par la transferrine, volume globulaire moyen, concentration globulaire moyenne en hémoglobine) était présente chez 14 % des sujets. L’anémie ferriprive (hémoglobine < 120g/L + modèle à indices biochimiques multiples) était présente chez 13 % des sujets. Trente et un pour cent des adolescentes étaient atteintes d’au moins un parasite : Entamoeba hystolitica (14 %), Entamoeba coli (13 %), Entamoeba hystolitica et Entamoeba coli (3 %) et, Entamoeba coli et Trichuris trichiura (1 %). Cependant la charge était faible (3-5 kystes ou vers par lame). La prévalence des parasites était plus faible à l’internat qu’à l’externat, bien que la différence représentait seulement une tendance (p = 0,08). Aucune association significative n’a été observée entre les infections parasitaires intestinales et les indicateurs du statut de fer. En revanche, l’apport en fer absorbable total (incluant les suppléments) (p = 0,01 et p = 0,02) et le niveau socio-économique (p = 0,03 et p = 0,00004) ont été significativement liés aux concentrations d’hémoglobine et d’hématocrite respectivement. En conclusion, l’anémie était reliée aux apports en fer absorbable total chez les adolescentes étudiées, alors qu’aucun lien n’a été observé entre l’anémie et les infections parasitaires. La faible charge parasitaire observée peut expliquer l’absence d’association entre ces variables

Qualitative research on maternal care access among Arabic-speaking refugee women in the USA: Study protocol

Background Refugees tend to have greater health needs and pre-existing medical conditions due to poor living conditions, lack of health services, exposure to a variety of risk factors, and a high level of stress and trauma prior to entry to a host country. Notwithstanding distinctive needs and inherent conditions, there is a paucity of literature on refugee maternal health, especially for Arabic-speaking refugee women resettled in the USA. Methods and analysis The paper delineates a qualitative study protocol to explore the experiences of Arabic-speaking refugee women in the USA when accessing maternal care. Informed by social cognitive theory, the study will employ two qualitative research methods; in-depth interviews and â € go-along' interviews with Arabic-speaking refugee women. Go-along interview will be used to elicit spatial experiences in situ to explore perceptions of environments among study participants and environmental and structural barriers. 20 refugee women who meet the inclusion criteria will be recruited through snowball sampling with support from community partners. Two researchers will code the transcription and fieldnotes using MAXQDA 2020 (VERBI Software, 2019). The analysis will involve deductive content analysis using a structured categorisation matrix based on the theory while also incorporating inductive codes that may emerge through the process. Ethics and dissemination The study has been reviewed and approved by the Human Subjects Protection Programme at the University of Arizona (IRB 2104716241). The study results will be condensed in a summary report, which will be shared with community partners, including refugee resettlement agencies and relevant staff at the state department. Also, community feedback will be garnered from the dissemination workshops to inform community discussions for actions and an intervention to address the identified needs. © 2022 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes of South Benin: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) adversely affects health-related quality of life (QoL). However, little is known about the QoL of diabetic patients in Benin, where the disease is a growing concern. Thus, this study aims to assess the QoL and its associated factors among T2D patients in Cotonou, southern Benin. Methods: A total of 300 T2D patients (age > 18 years) were enrolled, and the diabetes-specific quality of life (DQoL) and Natividad self-care behaviors’ (SCB) instruments were used for data collection. DQoL scores were calculated, and factors associated with DQoL explored using logistic regression. Results: The mean of patients’ DQoL was 38.1 ± 4.1, with 43% having low QoL. In terms of DQoL, 56.3% reported a high diabetes impact, followed by low life satisfaction (53%) and high worry about diabetes (32.7%). In the logistic regression analysis, education, marital status, occupation, family history of diabetes, complications, and social support were associated with DQoL. SCB factors, including healthy eating, problem-solving, coping strategies, and risk reduction, were significant predictors of DQoL. Conclusions: Patients’ empowerment, starting with self-management education, is essential to improve the QoL of T2D patients in Cotonou. However, the programs need to target low education, low socioeconomic status, low social support, and overweight patients. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Cultural considerations for the adaptation of a diabetes self-management education program in Cotonou, Benin: Lessons learned from a qualitative study

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) poses a disproportionate burden on Benin, West Africa. However, no diabetes intervention has yet been developed for Benin’s contexts. This study aimed to explore specific cultural beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and environmental factors to help adapt a diabetes self-management program to patients with T2D from Cotonou, in southern Benin. Methods: Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions (FDGs) involving 32 patients with T2D, 16 academic partners, and 12 community partners. The FDGs were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim from French to English, and then analyzed thematically with MAXQDA 2020. Results: Healthy food was challenging to obtain due to costs, seasonality, and distance from markets. Other issues discussed were fruits and vegetables as commodities for the poor, perceptions and stigmas surrounding the disease, and the financial burden of medical equipment and treatment. Information about local food selections and recipes as well as social support, particularly for physical activity, were identified, among other needs. When adapting the curriculum, gender dynamics and spirituality were suggested. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the need for culturally sensitive interventions and a motivation-based approach to health (spiritual and emotional support). It also lays the groundwork for addressing T2D contextually in Benin and similar sub-Saharan African countries. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Formative Qualitative Research: Design Considerations for a Self-Directed Lifestyle Intervention for Type-2 Diabetes Patients Using Human-Centered Design Principles in Benin

Given the burgeoning prevalence of Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) in Benin and other sub-Saharan countries, tailored diabetes self-management interventions are urgently needed. Human-centered designs can be useful for identifying beneficiaries’ needs while keeping in mind feasibility and viability in a given context. Therefore, this study examined the acceptability and community perceptions of a self-directed lifestyle program for T2D patients in Cotonou, southern Benin. Data were collected using focus group discussions (FDGs) with T2D patients (n = 3; 32 participants), academic partners (n = 2; 16 participants), and community partners (n = 2; 12 participants). All FDG sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed from French into English verbatim, and analyzed using MAXQDA 2020. Most participants found the program to be useful and feasible. However, they preferred pictorial brochures as training materials and suggested community health workers as facilitators, assisted by clinicians or dietitians. They recommended community-based delivery mechanisms and mobile applications like WhatsApp to enhance patient adherence. Participants’ characteristics, tangible health benefits, incentives, and simple curriculums were cited as critical to program feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptability. This study provides a deeper understanding of potential diabetes self-management participants’ needs and concerns. Moreover, it highlights the need to consider key stakeholders’ needs and voices for effective intervention. © 2022 by the authors.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Chronique

Chronique. In: Annales du Midi : revue archéologique, historique et philologique de la France méridionale, Tome 51, N°203, 1939. pp. 326-332