Participation in physical play and leisure : developing a theory- and evidence-based intervention for children with motor impairments

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A study of young peoples' attitudes to opportunistic Chlamydia testing in UK general practice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>The objective of this study was to assess young people's perceptions of being offered a chlamydia screening test in United Kingdom (UK) general practice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is qualitative study that uses focus groups and individual interviews with young adults (age 16 – 18) to assess their views.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>These young adults were a difficult group to gain access to. Two focus groups, one in a school, the other in a general practice (family practice), and 2 individual interviews were undertaken (total sample 18). Respondents were unfamiliar with Chlamydia, but broadly aware of sexually transmitted infections. General practice (family practice) was perceived as an acceptable place to deliver opportunistic screening, but participants felt that tests should not be initiated by GP receptionists. Novel delivery routes such as schools and "Pub"/Bar dispensing machines were discussed. Issues around stigma and confidentiality were also raised.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Opportunistic Chlamydia screening in UK general practice (family practic seems acceptable to young adults. While this is a difficult group to gain access to for research, attempts need to made to ensure acceptability to users of this programme.</p

Hospitalized children as social actors in the assessment and management of their pain

Abstract By acknowledging pain as subjective and only fully perceived by the person in pain, the main aim of this study was to report on the use of qualitative child interviewing and drawings as a research method to elicit hospitalized children’s perceptions and descriptions of their pain experience. Further, the second aim was to contribute to the improvement of pain assessment and management in hospitalized children by approaching the question from the children’s point of view through their words and drawings. Forty-four children in four paediatric units in a university hospital participated in the study. The data were collected by means of qualitative interviews and thematic drawings. The interview data were analysed using inductive content analysis. The drawings were sorted into categories on the basis of contents, and cognitive competence and emotional disturbances by the Draw-A-Person procedure, and a comparison was made of the data from hospitalized children and healthy control groups. All the children had experienced pain in different situations while hospitalized. The pain experiences came from four main sources: 1. pain caused by a diagnosed basic illness, 2. pain caused by medical and diagnostic procedures and basic nursing, 3. pain caused by accidents, and 4. inexplicable pain not caused by a particular illness or injury and imaginary pain. In describing their pain, the children emphasized the multidimensional nature of pain and used a number of self-reported pain words to describe physical and psychic pain, as well as evaluative aspects of pain. The children had difficulties in finding positive aspects about pain. The drawings of the hospitalized children frequently depicted medical procedures, whereas the drawings of the healthy controls depicted more family relations. The hospitalized children showed a lower level of cognitive capacity, whereas the healthy control group children revealed a higher level of emotional disturbance. The variety of children’s responses to pain management suggests that children try and can alleviate their pain. The children reported their expectations of professional help and valued the care and attention provided by significant others. The findings provide research-based knowledge for carrying out research with children, and for healthcare professionals in their assessment and management of children’s pain in more holistic and child-centred way. Children’s competence to describe their pain supports encouraging their involvement as social actors in pain assessment and management in partnership with health care professionals and significant others. This has to be done with respect for their rights as individuals and the desire to give them a sense of ownership of what happens during hospitalization

Living with pain: the experience of children and adolescents in palliative care

A qualitative study was conducted with semi-structured interviews with the aim of understanding the experience of children and adolescents under palliative care when managing pain daily and how they describe the intensity, quality and location of pain. We used Piaget’s theory of cognitive development as a theoretical framework and oral history as a methodological framework. We found four themes: describing pain; seeking a life closer to normality, despite pain and disease; using a variety of alternatives for pain control; and living with damaged physical appearance. Although pain is a limiting factor in the lives of children and adolescents, we found that they faced their daily pain and still had a life beyond pain and illness. In addition, we highlight the relevance of nurses’ understanding that effective management of pain in children is essential for a normal life and less suffering

Child Temperament and Total Diurnal Cortisol in Out‐of‐Home Center‐Based Child Care and in At‐Home Parental Care

The association between child temperament characteristics and total diurnal saliva cortisol in 84 children (M = 2.3 years, SD = 0.6) attending out-of-home, center-based child care and 79 children (M = 2.0 years, SD = 0.5) attending at-home parental care was examined. Saliva samples were collected during two consecutive days, that is, Sunday and Monday, with four samples taken per day. While children higher in surgency had higher total diurnal cortisol production, we did not find evidence that temperament moderated the associations between child-care context and total diurnal cortisol. Negative affectivity and effortful control were not related to cortisol output. Our findings suggest that temperamental surgency may be associated with higher total cortisol production in early childhood across child-care settings.</p

Using qualitative methods with poor children in urban Ethiopia: opportunities & challenges

Addis Ababa, Kolfe, Children, Poverty, Wellbeing,