Evaluating the audio-diary method in qualitative research

Purpose Audio-diary methods are under-utilised in contemporary qualitative research. In this paper we discuss participants and researchers’ experiences of using audio-diaries alongside semi-structured interviews to explore breastfeeding experiences in a short-term longitudinal study with 22 first-time mothers. Design/methodology/approach We provide a qualitative content analysis of the participants’ feedback about their experiences of the audio-diary method and supplement this with the perspectives of the research team based on fieldwork notes, memos and team discussions. We pay particular attention to the ways in which the data attained from diaries compared with those from the interviews. Findings The diaries produced were heterogeneous in terms of data length and quality. Participants’ experiences with the method were varied. Some found the process therapeutic and useful for reflecting upon the development of breastfeeding skills whilst negative aspects related to lack of mobility, self-consciousness and concerns about confidentiality. Researchers were positive about the audio-diary method but raised certain ethical, epistemological and methodological concerns. These include debates around the use of prompts, appropriate support for participants and the potential of the method to influence the behaviour under scrutiny. Interview and diary accounts contrasted and complemented in ways which typically enriched data analysis. Practical implications The authors conclude that audio-diaries are a flexible and useful tool for qualitative research especially within critical realist and phenomenological paradigms Originality/value This appears to be the first paper to evaluate both participants and researchers’ experiences of using audio-diaries in a detailed and systematic fashio

Using audio-diaries to capture lived experience in health psychology: technological, methodological and epistemological issues

Although diary methods have a long tradition of use within psychology and appear to have considerable potential in researching health-related processes and experiences, the use of unstructured diary methods to generate detailed phenomenological accounts within contemporary health psychology has thus far been limited. In this poster presentation, we describe a recently completed British study in which a sample of first-time mothers used voice-recording technology to make daily diary entries about their infant feeding experiences. We present a consideration of the benefits and challenges of this approach to data collection. In particular, we focus on ethical and epistemological issues, drawing on the accounts of both participants and members of the research team. We also explore the most suitable ways of analysing data derived from diaries and consider the practical advantages and limitations of using audio-diaries. Finally, some of the implications for developing the use of audio-diaries in health psychologists' research and practice are considered

Becoming a breastfeeding mother: An interactionist perspective

Understanding the establishment of breastfeeding by focussing on the mother-child dyad offers only a limited perspective. Instead, breastfeeding can be understood as becoming established or breaking down within broader networks of relationships (e.g. Dykes, 2006; Tiedje et al., 2002). Quantitative research has suggested that support from various others (lay and professional) can be an important factor in sustaining breastfeeding (Sikorski et al., 2003). However, those around the mother may orientate to breastfeeding in various ways. For example, fathers play a key role in decisions about infant feeding and in supporting breastfeeding, and yet need to define and adjust to their new parenting role and changed relationship with their partner in a way that accommodates breastfeeding (Bar-Yam & Darby, 1997). From the perspective of the mother, breastfeeding can be an important aspect of the transition to motherhood. However, becoming a mother is not an individual project but one that involves redefining roles and relationships with others (Mercer, 2004; Nelson, 2003), and negotiating mothering practices such as breastfeeding in the context of others’ expectations and cultural prescriptions for motherhood (McBride-Henry, 2010). The present research aims to extend understanding of how breastfeeding mothers experience their relations with others and how these are implicated in their experiences of breastfeeding and their developing relationship with their infant. The data discussed here have been taken from a longitudinal qualitative study of 22 new mothers in the UK who expressed an intention to breastfeed and were interviewed during the first week following birth and one month later. At each time point they were also asked to keep an audio-diary of their experiences of feeding their baby for one week. The analysis discussed here draws on symbolic interactionism and other theoretical perspectives which emphasise the relational nature of the self and assume that relations with others are part of, rather than external to, lived experience and mediate more distal cultural influences. The themes explored include the women’s sense of duty to balance what they saw as the needs of their baby, their own needs and the needs, demands and sensibilities of others, and the ways in which they negotiated these. We also discuss the way in which, as the participants were developing their new identities as breastfeeding mothers, others with expertise in breastfeeding or perceived to have knowledge regarding related norms and expectations took on a particular significance in the women’s lives. As such, these "experts" were experienced by the participants as in a powerful position to provide either validation or invalidation of them as breastfeeding mothers. We discuss (i) the implications of our analysis for facilitating supportive interactions between health professionals and breastfeeding mothers and their immediate networks and (ii) the implications for breastfeeding promotion of viewing ongoing engagement with the practices of infant feeding as mutually negotiated and enabled, rather than as the choice of individual women

Non-toxic concentrations of α-synuclein exacerbate Parkinson's disease-like cell death by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction

α-Synuclein (α-syn), is a self-aggregating protein that has been identified as a pathologically important component in a number of diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD, a progressive neurological disorder affecting 1 in 500 people, results in motor dysfunction following the loss of dopaminergic neurones of the nigrastriatal pathway. A pathological hallmark of PD is the presence of α-syn containing Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Although α-syn has been linked to PD by both histology and genetic studies on familial PD, neither the physiological function nor the pathophysiological role of α-syn in PD has been fully elucidated. This thesis examines the cellular responses to exogenously applied recombinant α-syn under normal and disease-like conditions. Within this thesis large-scale expression and purification of α-syn was successfully established, reproducibly producing large quantities of pure recombinant α-syn that was utilised within in vitro experiments. In SHSY-5Y neuroblastoma cells, α-syn (10 and 30 μM) significantly decreased NAD(P)H levels after 48 h incubation, indicative of either cell death or disruption to energy metabolism of the cells. However, α-syn (0.1 - 30 μM) did not induce cell death, as determined by the LDH assay, even when the cells were exposed for 48 h. Therefore our studies show that under normal, physiological conditions, α-syn is not inherently toxic, but does result in a decrease of total cellular energy levels. The mitochondrial toxin, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), induced cell death in SHSY-5Y cells that was both concentration- and time-dependent. α-Syn (30 μM) significantly exacerbated MPP+-induced cell death in this model of PD. This suggests that while α-syn is normally non-toxic, under PD-like conditions it can exacerbate the cell death process. We identified that α-syn (30 μM) significantly increased cytosolic Ca2+ levels in a time-dependent manner as well as increasing the levels of the apoptotic mediator, cytochrome c (cyt c). The release of cyt c from the mitochondria into the cytosol is indicative of mitochondrial dysfunction and pore formation within mitochondrial membranes. However, α-syn-induced increase in cytosolic Ca2+ was not blocked by the mitochondrial pore inhibitor, cyclosporine A. This suggests that α-syn effects were not mediated through the mitochondrial pore usually associated with dysfunction and cyt c release. α-Syn therefore releases cyt c and Ca2+ by a separate mechanism, such as the formation of α-syn protofibril pores. This was further compounded by data that showed that α-syn (30 μM) significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential after 48 h incubation. The loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential coincided with a decrease in NAD(P)H. These data would therefore suggest that physiologically α-syn induces a low, non-toxic effect on the mitochondrial membrane. Under pathological conditions similar to PD however, this mitochondrial stress mediated by α-syn acts to exacerbate cell death

Caprine PRNP polymorphisms N146S and Q222K are associated with proteolytic cleavage of PrPC

Abstract Expression of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) is crucial for the development of prion diseases. Amino acid changes in PrPC or a reduced amount of PrPC may modulate disease resistance. The relative abundance of C1, a natural α-cleavage fragment of PrPC, was previously found to be associated with a resistant PRNP genotype in sheep. Goats are another small ruminant where classical scrapie susceptibility is under strong genetic control. In this study, we assessed PrPC in goats for the existence of similar associations between PrPC fragments and genotype. Brain tissue homogenates from scrapie-free goats with wild type PRNP or polymorphisms (I142M, H143R, N146S, or Q222K) were deglycosylated prior to immunoblot for assessment of the relative abundance of the C1 fragment of PrPC. The presence of K222 or S146 alleles demonstrated significantly different relative levels of C1 compared to that observed in wild type goats, which suggests that the genotype association with C1 is neither unique to sheep nor exclusive to the ovine Q171R dimorphism

Psychological distress in carers of aboriginal children in urban New South Wales: Findings from search (phase one)

OBJECTIVE: To examine the factors associated with psychological distress in parents and carers of Aboriginal children living in urban communities in New South Wales. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey (phase one of the Study of Environment on Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health [SEARCH], November 2007 - December 2011). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Primary care; 589 parents and carers of Aboriginal children were recruited when attending one of the four Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) in urban NSW that participated in SEARCH. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) scores; a score of 22 or higher was deemed to indicate high levels of psychological distress. RESULTS: High levels of psychological distress were identified in 18% of our sample. The factors most strongly associated with this distress were functional limitations (v those with K10 scores under 22: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.2; 95% CI, 1.3-13.5), previous hospitalisation (aOR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.5-19.4) or other treatment for social and emotional wellbeing (aOR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3-8.4), low satisfaction with feeling part of the community (aOR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70-0.98) and low involvement in clubs and groups (aOR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-7.3). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should note that those with functional limitations or a history of treatment for mental health problems are at higher risk of psychological distress and may require additional support. Increased funding that allows ACCHSs to provide mental health services, and funding and promoting programs and activities that increase social connectedness should remain focuses for ACCHSs and policy makers

Exposure to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors alters the physiology and motor function of honeybees

Cholinergic signalling is fundamental to neuro-muscular function in most organisms. Sub-lethal doses of neurotoxic pesticides that target cholinergic signalling can alter the behaviour of insects in subtle ways; their influence on non-target organisms may not be readily apparent in simple mortality studies. Beneficial arthropods such as honeybees perform sophisticated behavioural sequences during foraging that, if influenced by pesticides, could impair foraging success and reduce colony health. Here, we investigate the behavioural effects on honeybees of exposure to a selection of pesticides that target cholinergic signalling by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE). To examine how continued exposure to AChE inhibitors affected motor function, we fed adult foraging worker honeybees sub-lethal concentrations of these compounds in sucrose solution for 24 h. Using an assay for locomotion in bees, we scored walking, stopped, grooming, and upside down behaviour continuously for 15 min. At a 10nM concentration, all the AChE inhibitors caused similar effects on behaviour, notably increased grooming activity and changes in the frequency of bouts of behaviour such as head grooming. Coumaphos caused dose-dependent effects on locomotion as well as grooming behaviour, and a 1µM concentration of coumaphos induced symptoms of malaise such as abdomen grooming and defecation. Biochemical assays confirmed that the 4 compounds we assayed (coumaphos, aldicarb, chlorpyrifos, and donepezil) or their metabolites acted as AChE inhibitors in bees. Furthermore, we show that transcript expression levels of two honeybee acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were selectively upregulated in the brain and in gut tissues in response to AChE inhibitor exposure. The results of our study imply that the effects of pesticides that rely on this mode of action have subtle yet profound effects on physiological effects on behaviour that could lead to reduced survival

Individual and environmental factors that influence longevity of newcomers to nursing and midwifery: a scoping review protocol

Objective: The objective of this review is to identify and map the literature that describes the individual and environmental factors that influence nurses and midwives to stay in or leave their discipline within the first three years of practice. Introduction: The turnover rate of newcomers within their first three years of nursing and midwifery is higher than in later years and is contributing to a worldwide shortage. Both individual and environmental factors, often in combination, contribute to this attrition. Many studies demonstrate the associations of factors with turnover or intention to stay; however, the scope of factors has not been documented. Inclusion criteria: Newcomers are defined as registered nurses and registered midwives within the first three years of entering their discipline. Quantitative and qualitative studies and systematic reviews that explore individual or environmental factors that influence the decision to leave or to remain in nursing and midwifery in any context will be considered. Factors may include coping, anxiety, mindfulness, practice environment, or combinations such as resilience, satisfaction, and burnout. Articles must have been peer reviewed. Literature published since 1974 in English will be considered. Newcomers who have completed skills-based training will be excluded. Methods: The JBI method for scoping reviews will be followed. An extensive search of multiple databases and gray literature will be undertaken. Retrieval of full-text studies and data extraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Data extracted will be synthesized and results reported using a mind map, tables, and narrative form