The dependence on staying updated : a social practice approach to consumption of personal electronics

The Swedes are consuming personal electronics like never before, despite knowledge of environmental and social issues that comes with production, use and waste management of these products. The aim of this study is therefore to develop a deeper understanding of the practice of consuming electronics and its sustainability aspects. According to practice theory, a practice is the setting in which the social is performed and can be described as a block of interconnected elements. Actors are carriers of a practice where qualities such as understanding, know-how and purposes are not seen as characteristics of the individual but as part of a practice where individuals take part. Practice theory helps to move away from theories of individual consumer choice when it comes to environmental behaviour research. By using the analytical framework by Shove, Pantzar & Watson (2012) the elements that make up the practice are placed into the categories competence, meaning and material. Through interviews with eight consumers in a Swedish municipality, the elements that characterise the practice of consuming electronics are put in words as well as the consumers’ thoughts on what is missing to make the practice more sustainable. The interviewees feel they can act competently in the practice by having knowledge about technology, brands, safety, price and product requirements. The meaning they get from participation is access to society, a sense of belonging and pleasure from using the electronic devices. These devices are the most important materials in the practice which are held up by the infrastructure of the internet and influenced by marketing. There is a lack of sustainability knowledge in the practice, which keeps it unsustainable. However, when the sustainability knowledge shows, guilt of consuming electronics can lead to decreased consumption or consumption of second-hand products instead of new. The lack of accessible green infrastructures is another thing making the practice unsustainable. To be able to compare products from a sustainability perspective is something the interviewees are missing. The pushing marketing infrastructure is also perceived as preventing sustainability. The interviewees feel the need and the expectation to own updated electronic devices to be able to communicate and access societal infrastructure. Since producing companies don’t build computers and mobile phones to last for more than a couple of years, this leads to a rapid turn-over of electronic products

Ryanodine receptors: physiological function and deregulation in Alzheimer disease

BackgroundHealth-care professionals have a responsibility to be attentive to patients’ adherence behavior but it could be difficult to identify poor adherence in the context of clinical practice. Assessment of personality could be used to identify individuals who are in need for support with their adherence behavior. To our knowledge, existing adherence questionnaires are not based on individuals reflecting asthmatics in the general population and there is limited research describing adherence with asthma medication in relation to personal goals with the treatment. The aim was to develop and validate an adherence questionnaire in adult individuals with asthma from the general population and to assess adherence in relation to personality traits and goals with the asthma medication using the developed questionnaire.MethodsThe study was conducted in three phases: 1. A preliminary postal 46-item questionnaire was refined after psychometric testing (n = 157). 2. The questionnaire was validated (n = 104). 3. The developed adherence questionnaire was analyzed in relation to personality traits and achieved goals with the asthma medication. Adult respondents with physician diagnosed asthma using asthma medications were selected from the population-based West Sweden Asthma Study. The respondents completed the Neuroticism, Extraversion and Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory and the Medication Adherence Report Scale and stated their goals with the asthma medication. Data were analyzed using t-tests, correlations, multiple regression and principal component analysis.ResultsA final questionnaire was developed consisting of ten items organized in three subscales - “medication routines”, “self-adjusting the medication” and “concerns about side-effects”. Two of the subscales - “medication routines” and “self-adjusting the medication” – were associated with the Medication Adherence Report Scale. The subscale “medication routines” was associated with the personality traits – Conscientiousness and Neuroticism and unachieved goals with the asthma medication.ConclusionsThe developed questionnaire appears to be useful for measuring adherence to asthma medication in adult individuals with asthma. The study suggests that both individual differences and personal treatment goals need to be addressed in efforts to promote adherence to asthma medication treatment

The Significance of Asthma Follow-Up Consultations for Adherence to Asthma Medication, Asthma Medication Beliefs, and Asthma Control

Objective. The aim was to investigate adherence to asthma medication treatment, medication beliefs, and asthma control in relation to asthma follow-up consultations in asthmatics in the general population. A further aim was to describe associations between adherence, medication beliefs, and asthma control. Method. In the population-based West Sweden Asthma Study, data allowing calculation of adherence for 4.5 years based on pharmacy records were obtained from 165 adult asthmatics. Additional data were collected through questionnaires and structured interviews. Results. The mean adherence value for filled prescriptions for regular asthma medication was 68% (median 55.3%) but varied over the year under study. Adherence to combination inhalers with corticosteroids and long-acting beta 2 agonists was higher than adherence to single inhalers with corticosteroids only. More than one-third of participants reported not having seen an asthma nurse or physician for several years. Regular asthma followup consultations were associated with both higher adherence and the belief that asthma medication was necessary but were not associated with asthma control. Conclusions. Adherence to asthma medication treatment was low and varied over the year under study. The current study suggests that quality improvements in asthma care are needed if adherence to asthma medication is to be improved

Person-centred care and the work-related health and job satisfaction of health and social care professionals:protocol for a prospective longitudinal cohort study combined with qualitative studies (the PCC@Work project)

BackgroundThe interplay of ethical stress, heavy workloads, and job dissatisfaction poses challenges to both the recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals. Person-centred care, rooted in ethical principles, involves collaborative care, and is expected to improve care and job satisfaction. However, prior research on the impact of person-centred care practices on professionals’ work-related health and job satisfaction has yielded mixed results, and most studies emanate from residential care. Understanding how person-centred care practices influence health and social care professionals across different care settings thus requires further exploration through rigorous methodology. The overall aim of PCC@Work is to follow, describe, assess, and explore the impact of person-centred care practices in hospital wards, primary care centres and municipal care on health and social care professionals’ work-related health and job satisfaction.MethodsPCC@Work is designed as a prospective, longitudinal cohort study combined with qualitative studies. A web-based questionnaire will be distributed on five occasions within two years to health and social care professionals in the three care settings. In addition, focus groups and interviews will be conducted with a selection of health and social care professionals to explore their experiences of work-related health and job satisfaction in relation to person-centred practices.DiscussionPCC@Work will highlight some of the knowledge gaps on the impact of person-centred care practices regarding work-related health and job satisfaction of health and social care professionals. The uniqueness of the project lies in the multi-method design, combining a prospective longitudinal cohort study with qualitative studies, and the involvement of various professions and settings. This means we will be able to provide a comprehensive and representative understanding of person-centred care practices as a critical component for effective change in the working conditions of health and social care

Person-centred care and the work-related health and job satisfaction of health and social care professionals:protocol for a prospective longitudinal cohort study combined with qualitative studies (the PCC@Work project)

BackgroundThe interplay of ethical stress, heavy workloads, and job dissatisfaction poses challenges to both the recruitment and retention of health and social care professionals. Person-centred care, rooted in ethical principles, involves collaborative care, and is expected to improve care and job satisfaction. However, prior research on the impact of person-centred care practices on professionals’ work-related health and job satisfaction has yielded mixed results, and most studies emanate from residential care. Understanding how person-centred care practices influence health and social care professionals across different care settings thus requires further exploration through rigorous methodology. The overall aim of PCC@Work is to follow, describe, assess, and explore the impact of person-centred care practices in hospital wards, primary care centres and municipal care on health and social care professionals’ work-related health and job satisfaction.MethodsPCC@Work is designed as a prospective, longitudinal cohort study combined with qualitative studies. A web-based questionnaire will be distributed on five occasions within two years to health and social care professionals in the three care settings. In addition, focus groups and interviews will be conducted with a selection of health and social care professionals to explore their experiences of work-related health and job satisfaction in relation to person-centred practices.DiscussionPCC@Work will highlight some of the knowledge gaps on the impact of person-centred care practices regarding work-related health and job satisfaction of health and social care professionals. The uniqueness of the project lies in the multi-method design, combining a prospective longitudinal cohort study with qualitative studies, and the involvement of various professions and settings. This means we will be able to provide a comprehensive and representative understanding of person-centred care practices as a critical component for effective change in the working conditions of health and social care

Healthcare professionals' perspectives on mental health service provision : a pilot focus group study in six European countries

Background: The mental healthcare treatment gap (mhcGAP) in adult populations has been substantiated across Europe. This study formed part of MentALLY, a research project funded by the European Commission, which aimed to gather qualitative empirical evidence to support the provision of European mental healthcare that provides effective treatment to all adults who need it. Methods: Seven focus groups were conducted with 49 health professionals (HPs), including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, general practitioners, and psychiatric nurses who worked in health services in Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The focus group discussions centered on the barriers and facilitators to providing quality care to people with mild, medium, and severe mental health problems. Analyses included deductively and inductively driven coding procedures. Cross-country consensus was obtained by summarizing findings in the form of a fact sheet which was shared for triangulation by all the MentALLY partners. Results: The results converged into two overarching themes: (1) Minding the treatment gap: the availability and accessibility of Mental Health Services (MHS). The mhcGAP gap identified is composed of different elements that constitute the barriers to care, including bridging divides in care provision, obstacles in facilitating access via referrals and creating a collaborative 'chain of care'. (2) Making therapeutic practice relevant by providing a broad-spectrum of integrated and comprehensive services that value person-centered care comprised of authenticity, flexibility and congruence. Conclusions: The mhcGAP is comprised of the following barriers: a lack of funding, insufficient capacity of human resources, inaccessibility to comprehensive services and a lack of availability of relevant treatments. The facilitators to the provision of MHC include using collaborative models of primary, secondary and prevention-oriented mental healthcare. Teamwork in providing care was considered to be a more effective and efficient use of resources. HPs believe that the use of e-mental health and emerging digital technologies can enhance care provision. Facilitating access to a relevant continuum of community-based care that is responsive coordinated and in line with people's needs throughout their lives is an essential aspect of optimal care provision

Need and baseline for harmonising nursing education in respiratory care: preliminary results of a global survey

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic confirmed that respiratory nurses are critical healthcare providers. Limited knowledge is available about appropriate education to prepare nurses to deliver high-quality respiratory care. A survey was developed by the International Coalition for Respiratory Nursing (ICRN) group to identify the need for a respiratory nursing core curriculum. Method: A 39-item survey was distributed to 33 respiratory nursing experts in 27 countries. Questions asked about current roles, perception of need, expectations for a core curriculum project and respiratory content in nursing education in their countries. Results: 30 responses from 25 countries were analysed; participants predominantly worked in academia (53.3%, 16/30) and clinical practice (40%, 12/30). In total, 97% (29/30) confirmed a need for a core respiratory nursing curriculum. Post-registration nursing programmes at bachelor (83.3%, 25/30) and masters (63.3%, 19/30) levels include internal/medical nursing care; less than half identified separate respiratory nursing content. The core educational programme developed should include knowledge (70%, 21/30), skills (60%, 18/30), and competencies (50%, 15/30), with separate paediatric and adult content. Conclusion: Survey results confirm a wide variation in nursing education and respiratory nursing education across the world, with many countries lacking any formal educational programmes to prepare nurses capable of providing enhanced quality respiratory care. These findings support the need for a core respiratory curriculum. To advance this significant work the ICRN group plans to conduct a Delphi study to identify core curriculum requirements for respiratory nursing education at pre-registration and advanced educational levels to flexibly meet each country's specific educational requirements for recognition of respiratory nursing speciality practice

Differences in diagnostic patterns of obstructive airway disease between areas and sex in Sweden and Finland-the Nordic EpiLung study

Objective:To investigate the current prevalence of physician-diagnosed obstructive airway diseases by respiratory symptoms and by sex in Sweden and Finland. Method:In 2016, a postal questionnaire was answered by 34,072 randomly selected adults in four study areas: Vastra Gotaland and Norrbotten in Sweden, and Seinajoki-Vaasa and Helsinki in Finland. Results:The prevalence of asthma symptoms was higher in Norrbotten (13.2%), Seinajoki-Vaasa (14.8%) and Helsinki (14.4%) than in Vastra Gotaland (10.7%), and physician-diagnosed asthma was highest in Norrbotten (13.0%) and least in Vastra Gotaland (10.1%). Chronic productive cough was most common in the Finnish areas (7.7-8.2% versus 6.3-6.7%) while the prevalence of physician-diagnosed chronic bronchitis (CB) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) varied between 1.7 and 2.7% in the four areas. Among individuals with respiratory symptoms, the prevalence of asthma was most common in Norrbotten, while a diagnosis of COPD or CB was most common in Vastra Gotaland and Seinajoki-Vaasa. More women than men with respiratory symptoms reported a diagnosis of asthma in Sweden and Seinajoki-Vaasa but there were no sex differences in Helsinki. In Sweden, more women than men with symptoms of cough or phlegm reported a diagnosis of CB or COPD, while in Finland the opposite was found. Conclusion:The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and corresponding diagnoses varied between and within the countries. The proportion reporting a diagnosis of obstructive airway disease among individuals with respiratory symptoms varied, indicating differences in diagnostic patterns both between areas and by sex.Peer reviewe

Lived experiences: A focus group pilot study within the MentALLY project of mental healthcare among European users

Background Mental healthcare is an important component in societies’ response to mental health problems. Although the World Health Organization highlights availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of healthcare as important cornerstones, many Europeans lack access to mental healthcare of high quality. Qualitative studies exploring mental healthcare from the perspective of people with lived experiences would add to previous research and knowledge by enabling in-depth understanding of mental healthcare users, which may be of significance for the development of mental healthcare. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to describe experiences of mental healthcare among adult Europeans with mental health problems. Method In total, 50 participants with experiences of various mental health problems were recruited for separate focus group interviews in each country. They had experiences from both the private and public sectors, and with in- and outpatient mental healthcare. The focus group interviews (N = 7) were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed through thematic analysis. The analysis yielded five themes and 13 subthemes. Results The theme Seeking and trying to find help contained three subthemes describing personal thresholds for seeking professional help, not knowing where to get help, and the importance of receiving help promptly. The theme Awaiting assessment and treatment contained two subthemes including feelings of being prioritized or not and feelings of being abandoned during the often-lengthy referral process. The theme Treatment: a plan with individual parts contained three subthemes consisting of demands for tailored treatment plans in combination with medications and human resources and agreement on treatment. The theme Continuous and respectful care relationship contained two subthemes describing the importance of continuous care relationships characterised by empathy and respect. The theme Suggestions for improvements contained three subthemes highlighting an urge to facilitate care contacts and to increase awareness of mental health problems and a wish to be seen as an individual with potential. Conclusion Facilitating contacts with mental healthcare, a steady contact during the referral process, tailored treatment and empathy and respect are important aspects in efforts to improve mental healthcare. Recommendations included development of collaborative practices between stakeholders in order to increase general societal awareness of mental health problems. Peer Review reportspublishedVersio