Qualitative description – the poor cousin of health research?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The knowledge and use of qualitative description as a qualitative research approach in health services research is limited.</p> <p>The aim of this article is to discuss the potential benefits of a qualitative descriptive approach, to identify its strengths and weaknesses and to provide examples of use.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Qualitative description is a useful qualitative method in much medical research if you keep the limitations of the approach in mind. It is especially relevant in mixed method research, in questionnaire development and in research projects aiming to gain firsthand knowledge of patients', relatives' or professionals' experiences with a particular topic. Another great advantage of the method is that it is suitable if time or resources are limited.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>As a consequence of the growth in qualitative research in the health sciences, researchers sometimes feel obliged to designate their work as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography or a narrative study when in fact it is not. Qualitative description might be a useful alternative approach to consider.</p

Detailed statistical analysis plan for the Danish Palliative care trial (DanPaCT)

Acknowledgements We wish to thank the students who sent out the questionnaires, who entered and compared all data, help with data management, made material blind to the investigators, and were/will be outcome assessors of interventions given. They were: Nicla Rohde Christensen, Ellen Lundorff, Marc Klee Olsen, Charlotte Lund Rasmussen, and Nete Skjødt. This work was funded by the Tryg Foundation [journal number 7-10-0838A] and the Danish Cancer Society [journal number R16-A695]. Other than funding the trial, the funding body had no role in the design, conduct, analysis, or reporting of the present trial.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Caregivers' active role in palliative home care – to encourage or to dissuade? A qualitative descriptive study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spouses' involvement in palliative care is often a prerequisite for home death, but it is unclear whether active involvement of the spouse, e.g. administering and being in charge of oral or subcutaneous medication or taking care of the patient's personal hygiene, could be harmful or have negative effects on the spouse's experience of the palliative course of disease. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of bereaved spouses' active involvement in medical and physical care on their experience of the palliative course of disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was a qualitative, descriptive study based on semi-structured individual interviews with seven bereaved spouses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four main categories were found: Degree of involvement, Positive and Negative impact and Prerequisites. The prerequisites found for a positive outcome were Safety (24-hour back-up), Confidence (Professionals' confidence in the spouses' abilities) and Dialog (Spouses' influence on decision-making and being asked).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results from this study identified important issues whenever spouses take an active part in medical treatment and physical care of critically ill patients in palliative care. The results question the previous research that active involvement of family care givers could be harmful and add preconditions to a positive outcome. More research into these preconditions is needed.</p

Palliative care for cancer patients in a primary health care setting: Bereaved relatives' experience, a qualitative group interview study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knowledge about the quality and organisation of care to terminally ill cancer patients with a relatives' view in a primary health care setting is limited.</p> <p>The aim of the study is to analyse experiences and preferences of bereaved relatives to terminally ill cancer patients in a primary care setting to explore barriers and facilitators for delivery of good palliative home care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three focus group interviews with fourteen bereaved relatives in Aarhus County, Denmark.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three main categories of experience were identified: 1) The health professionals' management, where a need to optimize was found. 2) Shared care, which was lacking. 3) The relatives' role, which needs an extra focus.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Relatives experience insufficient palliative care mainly due to organizational and cultural problems among professionals. Palliative care in primary care in general needs improvement and attention should be drawn to the "professionalization" of the relatives and the need to strike a balance between their needs, wishes and resources in end-of-life care and bereavement.</p

Genome-wide meta-analysis of 241,258 adults accounting for smoking behaviour identifies novel loci for obesity traits

Few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) account for environmental exposures, like smoking, potentially impacting the overall trait variance when investigating the genetic contribution to obesity-related traits. Here, we use GWAS data from 51,080 current smokers and 190,178 nonsmokers (87% European descent) to identify loci influencing BMI and central adiposity, measured as waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio both adjusted for BMI. We identify 23 novel genetic loci, and 9 loci with convincing evidence of gene-smoking interaction (GxSMK) on obesity-related traits. We show consistent direction of effect for all identified loci and significance for 18 novel and for 5 interaction loci in an independent study sample. These loci highlight novel biological functions, including response to oxidative stress, addictive behaviour, and regulatory functions emphasizing the importance of accounting for environment in genetic analyses. Our results suggest that tobacco smoking may alter the genetic susceptibility to overall adiposity and body fat distribution.Peer reviewe