The well-being of relatives of patients with atrial fibrillation: a critical incident technique analysis

BACKGROUND: The well-being of relatives of patients having chronic heart diseases (CHD) has been found to be negatively affected by the patient's condition. Studies examining relatives of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) indicate that their well-being may be affected in a similar manner, but further research is needed. AIM: To explore and describe critical incidents in which relatives of patients experience how AF affects their well-being and what actions they take to handle these situations. DESIGN AND METHOD: An explorative, descriptive design based on the critical incident technique (CIT) was used. Interviews were conducted with 19 relatives (14 women and five men) of patients hospitalised in southern Sweden due to acute symptoms of the AF. RESULTS: The well-being of relatives was found to be affected by their worries (patient-related health), as well as the sacri-ficing of their own needs (self-related health). In handling their own well-being, these relatives adjusted to and supported the patient (practical involvement), along with adjusting their own feelings and responding to the mood of the patients (emotional involvement). CONCLUSION: The well-being of relatives of patients with AF was affected depending on the patients' well-being. In their attempt to handle their own well-being, the relatives adjusted to and supported the patients. Further research is needed in order to evaluate the effects of support to relatives and patients respectively and together.

Feeling existentially touched - A phenomenological notion of the well-being of elderly living in special housing accommodation from the perspective of care professionals

This article presents a phenomenological analysis of interview material, in which 12 care professionals in elderly care reflect on the elderly's well-being within the frame of special housing accommodation. The perspective of the care professionals is of special interest. The findings show that the well-being is characterized as the elderly's feelings of being existentially touched. The well-being is an existential experience of being acknowledged as a human being and is an approach that classifies the elderly's needs as those of having, loving, and being. The meaning of the phenomenon is elucidated by the constituents: (1) to feel the freedom of choice, (2) to feel pleasure, and (3) to feel closeness to someone or something. The findings contribute new understanding of well-being in the elderly care by its existential dimension of the well-being as "just being'' and of doing things in order to experience meaningfulness. Accordingly, the well-being of the elderly as it is seen from the perspective of the care professionals involves both carers' subjectivity and intersubjectivity between the care professional and the elderly. An implication for promoting elderly's well-being is to develop awareness of these existential dimensions.

Transparency in European football : A study of financial disclosure transparency from a supporter perspective

Background and Problem: Despite the exploding increase in revenue by more than 500 percent (1996-2014) among European football clubs, the operating profit in the “big five” leagues are, paradoxically, inexistent or very low. Hence, there is a need for more transparent financial reporting in European football. To preserve the game’s well-being and establish a sustainable future, UEFA introduced Financial Fair Play (FFP) back in 2010 as a part of their club licensing requirements. The transparency that FFP is intended to improve is however only disclosed to UEFA and its member associations, which is only one of many stakeholders. In times of financial turmoil in European football clubs, where fair play and sustainability is frequently discussed since the implementation of FFP, one could ask; is it really fair play that not all European football clubs are obligated to be transparent towards all their stakeholders and supporters? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to, from a supporter perspective, look at how transparent European football clubs’ financial disclosure is. Methodology: The research has elements of both a deductive and an inductive approach and uses a disclosure checklist with a cross-sectional design, in order to measure disclosure transparency.  Empirical Results and Conclusion: Even though the empirical findings proved that financial reporting transparency are present within European football, the conclusion is that the financial reporting is generally not transparent within the industry.