Qualitative Description: A “How-To” Guide

This guide is based on multiple presentations we have given to doctoral students about the use of qualitative description (QD) and our own work using QD over the past 21 years. We were motivated to make this guide widely available due to the lack of adequate resources (manuscripts and textbooks) that cover QD. It is our hope that others will be open to this pragmatic approach, which is both creative and rigorous and can be useful for exploring phenomena from a qualitative perspective. Many published articles claim to use QD (e.g., approximately 3,600 in PubMed). However, guidelines for conducting a QD study are lacking. Kim et al. (2016) expressed a similar sentiment in their systematic review of studies that used QD. The lack of a rigorous systematic approach leads to inconsistencies in sampling procedures, inadequate sample sizes, and lack of theoretical or conceptual orientations to build knowledge. Research that uses QD is not intended to find underlying interpretive meanings or to describe the culture of a group; it is designed instead to describe the rich, truthful perspectives of those experiencing a specific and focused situation or phenomenon. The results of a QD study are expressed in common, easy-to-understand language. Therefore, it is especially useful when working with clinical populations, communities, and across different cultural groups. The QD approach provides rich description and makes an important contribution to knowledge development. We hope that this guide will become an essential reference for those interested in using this specific qualitative approach

Feasibility of parent-to-parent support in recently diagnosed childhood diabetes: the PLUS study

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the feasibility of a parent-to-parent support intervention for parents whose child has recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the United Kingdom

Are you a caregiver infographic

After our 2018 Nursing-Interprofessional Salon that focused on older adults\u27 wellness, we formed the Are You a Caregiver Initiative. We developed an infographic to help individuals self-identify as a caregiver and to link them with available caregiver support resources. We plan to disseminate this infographic within the UMassMemorial system as well as surrounding environs. The infographic can be adapted for use in other communities as well

Research Participation Decision-Making Among Youth and Parents of Youth With Chronic Health Conditions

The aims of this qualitative descriptive study were to describe how past experiences with research (including communication, information, values, and support) may contribute to research fatigue among youth and parents of youth with HIV, cystic fibrosis, and Type 1 diabetes. Eighteen parents and youth were purposively recruited from outpatient subspecialty clinics at a major academic medical center. They took part in qualitative interviews and completed a demographics form and the Decisional Conflict Scale. Youth participants also completed the Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory. Two major themes emerged: Blurred Lines and Hope for the Future. Research fatigue was not found in this sample. Results point to challenges with informed consent in settings where research and clinical care are integrated and suggest that protective factors allow for continued participation without excess burden on youth and parents. Strategies to minimize research fatigue and support engagement in research are offered

Parent mentor perspectives on providing social support to empower parents

PURPOSE: To describe the experience of parent mentors providing a social support intervention to parents of children \u3c 13 years old newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Qualitative descriptive interviews were conducted with 6 parent mentors (all mothers) who provided social support to 34 mothers and 19 fathers of children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus over a 12-month period. The mentors were trained to provide informational, affirmational, and emotional social support through home visits, phone calls, and/or e-mail. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes guided by the Ireys social support framework. FINDINGS: The parent mentors described support activities that could be categorized into the 3 types of support defined in the Ireys framework. The parent mentors provided informational support, such as tips for travel, school, parties and family get-togethers, camp resources, and how to advocate for the child. Affirmational support was provided by sharing stories and validating parents\u27 feelings and experiences. Emotional support was provided by being there for the parents. No instances were described where parent mentors were pushed to give advice on medical management issues but were more so used for advice on growth and development, sleep, and healthy eating suggestions. Parent mentors also reported being empowered by the role by helping others. CONCLUSION: Careful selection of parent mentors is a strategy for providing social support to parents of children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus, especially in day-to-day management areas that the health care professionals have not experienced

Developing and refining interventions in persons with health disparities: the use of qualitative description

Eliminating health disparities by the year 2010 has become a clear priority for nursing and health sciences research. To date, much of the research has relied on traditional analytic methods to identify the disparities and develop clinical interventions. However, health disparities are typically embedded in complex, cultural and contextual issues. Interventions to improve access, quality and care among vulnerable populations need to be developed with these factors in mind. This article illustrates the benefits of using Qualitative Description as one method for assessing, developing and refining interventions with vulnerable populations. Qualitative Description study results have tremendous potential to translate directly to pressing health care situations and provide clear information about ways to improve care

Fathers\u27 reflections on parenting young children with type 1 diabetes

PURPOSE: To describe fathers\u27 experiences in parenting and managing the care of their young children with type 1 diabetes. DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study used 16 open-ended, in-depth interviews with 14 purposively selected, involved, educated, stably employed fathers of 15 children younger than 10 years old. The fathers were asked to describe their perspective of the initial diagnosis, how they learned diabetes care, their day-to-day care and parenting experiences, and what strategies they used in the day-to-day management. Data were managed using NVivo software and analyzed using principles of naturalistic inquiry and qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The overarching theme was From sadness to action, with six categories emerging: (1) shock and awe (after diagnosis), (2) quick response to the diagnosis and learning diabetes care: suck it up and do it, (3) staying in the loop (practicing the skills, tasks, and responsibilities of diabetes management), (4) partnerships in care (tag teaming or co-parenting), (5) active participation (being actively involved in their children\u27s day-to-day care and benefiting from participating in this care), and (6) mantra for living with diabetes: child first, diabetes second. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Nurses working with children with diabetes can use the results of this study to better understand the role of fathers in the care of these children. Fathers underscored the importance of practicing diabetes care-related tasks to improve their confidence when caring for children alone. Their practical and philosophical strategies for managing their children\u27s chronic illness have recently been incorporated into a parent mentor intervention for children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

Grandparent Education Through Simulation-Diabetes

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of using human patient simulation (HPS) to teach type 1 diabetes (T1DM) management to grandparents of grandchildren with T1DM. METHODS: Thirty grandparents (11 male, 19 female) of young grandchildren (aged 12 and under) with T1DM were recruited from an urban medical center. Experimental group (n = 14) grandparents received hands-on visual T1DM management education using an HPS intervention, and control group (n = 16) grandparents received similar education using a non-HPS intervention. FINDINGS: This study demonstrated the feasibility of recruiting and retaining grandparents into a clinical trial using HPS to teach T1DM management. Post intervention, all grandparent scores for T1DM knowledge, confidence, and fear showed significant improvement from time 1 to time 2, with HPS group grandparent scores showing consistently larger improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The consistency of larger HPS-taught grandparent score improvement is suggestive of a benefit for the HPS teaching method. Early multimethod Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)-provided T1DM education is an important point of entry for inducting grandparent members onto the grandchild\u27s diabetes care team

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Peer-Mentor Support Scale for Parents of Children With Type 1 Diabetes and for Youths With Type 1 Diabetes

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Peer-Mentor Support Scale (PMSS), a measure of peer-mentor support provided to parents of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to youths with T1D. METHODS: A multistage process was undertaken to include the following: item construction based on qualitive data from those who have experienced peer-mentor support, cognitive interviewing with parents and youths, content validity assessment, pilot testing of the scale, and psychometric evaluation of the PMSS with 165 participants. RESULTS: The final version of the PMSS included 17 items, scored on a 4-point Likert scale, with higher scores corresponding with greater peer-mentor support. The Cronbach\u27s alpha was .85 (n = 165), and the intraclass correlation coefficient was .78 (n = 38). No significant relationship was found between the PMSS score and general social support, suggesting that peer-mentor support is distinct from general social support. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation was performed, indicating that the scale was unidimensional and explained 59.3% of the variance in peer-mentor support. CONCLUSION: The PMSS is a reliable and valid 17-item instrument that can be used to measure the unique contributions of peer mentorship for parents of children with T1DM and for youths with T1DM