Using the internet to give children a voice: An Online Survey of 10- and 11-Year-Old Children in Northern Ireland

Over the years, researchers from different disciplines have used a wide variety of research methods to assess the views of children. Qualitative methods such as focus groups and small group discussions are particularly common. Much rarer are large-scale quantitative surveys that are a valuable way of comparing data from across different age groups and countries and over time. To test the feasibility of carrying out large-scale quantitative research with children, the authors undertook a pilot survey in Northern Ireland in June 2008. There were two notable innovations: First, it was a survey of all Primary 7 children (age 10 and 11 years); second, it used the Internet to gather the information, which has not been done on this scale before. This article discusses the methodology used to implement the pilot study and evaluates the use of the Internet for carrying out survey research with children.

Is there a place for e-learning in clinical skills? A survey of undergradute medical students experiences and attitudes

e-learning is established in many medical schools. However the effectiveness of e-learning has been difficult to quantify and there have been concerns that such educational activities may be driven more by novelty, than pedagogical evidence. Where some domains may lend themselves well to e-learning, clinical skills has been considered a challenging area for online learning.

Kids’ Life and Times: using an Internet survey to measure children’s health-related quality of life

Objective
To examine the psychometric properties of an internet version of a children and young person's quality of life measure originally designed as a paper questionnaire.

Methods
Participants were 3,440 10 and 11 year old children in Northern Ireland who completed the KIDSCREEN-27 online as part of a general attitudinal survey. The questionnaire was animated using cartoon characters that are familiar to most children and the questions appeared on screen and were read aloud by actors.

Results
Exploratory principal component analysis of the online version of the questionnaire supported the existence of five components in line with the paper version. The items loaded on the components that would be expected based on previous findings with five domains - physical well-being,psychological well-being, autonomy and parents, social support and peers and school environment.Internal consistency reliability of the five domains was measured using Cronbach's alpha and the results suggested that the scale scores were reliable. The domain scores were similar to those reported in the literature for the paper version.

Conclusions
These results suggest that the factor structure and internal consistency reliability scores of the KIDSCREEN-27 embedded within an online survey are comparable to those reported in the literature for the paper version.

Creating an Online Teaching Resource

Summary of the process through which the After Slavery website was conceived and constructed, including a brief survey of debates on use of online resources in teaching.

A connectionist perspective of the transition from Face-to-Face to online teaching in Higher Education

Existing research shows a slow transition to online education by many university teaching staff. A mixed methods approach is used to survey teacher educators in three jurisdictions in the UK who have made the transition to online teaching, followed by focus group and individual interviews to triangulate the data. The eight tenets of connectivism are used as a lens for analysis. Findings reveal sound pedagogical reasons for the limited choice of online tools and tutors highlight two elements, namely, self-fulfilment and their desire to continually develop as an educator, as the rationale for adopting informal professional development in the 21st century.

A cross-national cross-sectional survey of the attitudes and perceived competence of final-year medicine, nursing and pharmacy students in relation to end-of-life care in dementia

Background:Little is known about the attitudes of healthcare professional students' perceived competence and confidence in treating those with dementia who are at the end of life.Aim:To explore the attitudes of final year medical, nursing and pharmacy students towards people with dementia and to evaluate their perceived competence and confidence dealing with biomedical and psychosocial issues within the context of palliative care provision to patients with dementia.Design:Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire.Setting/participants:Final-year students in each profession from Queen's University Belfast (Northern Ireland) and the University of Iowa (USA) were recruited.Method:Three versions of an online questionnaire (containing the Attitudes to Dementia Questionnaire and a series of questions on end-of-life care in dementia) were distributed.Results:A total of 368 responses were received (response rate 42.3%). All respondents reported positive attitudes towards people with dementia. US nursing students reported significantly more positive attitudes than the medical students of United States and Northern Ireland. Medical students were more likely to report low confidence in discussing non-medical aspects of dying, whereas nursing students were most likely to feel prepared and confident to do this. Medical and nursing students reported low confidence with aspects of medication-related care; however, data from the pharmacy samples of Northern Ireland and United States suggested that these students felt confident in advising other healthcare professionals on medication-related issues.Conclusions:While healthcare students hold positive attitudes towards people with dementia, some clinical tasks remain challenging and further basic training may be of benefit.

Recomposing the City: A Survey of Recent Sound Art in Belfast

This article introduces examples of recent sound art in Belfast, a city that has undergone radical transformation over the past decade and is home to a burgeoning community of sound artists. The text investigates the ways in which sonic art can redraw boundaries in a city historically marked by myriad political, socioeconomic,
religious and sectarian divisions. The article focuses on sound works that reimagine a “post-conflict” Belfast. These include site-specific sound installations in urban and public spaces, soundwalks, sculptures, locative and online works, and experimental
sonic performances that draw upon traditional Irish song and music.

From survey to policy: community relations in Northern Ireland

Public policy is expected to be both responsive to societal views and accountable to all citizens. As such, policy is informed, but not governed, by public opinion. Therefore, understanding the attitudes of the public is important, both to help shape and to evaluate policy priorities. In this way, surveys play a potentially important role in the policy making process.

The aim of this paper is to explore the role of survey research in policy making in Northern Ireland, with particular reference to community relations (better known internationally as good relations). In a region which is emerging from 40 years of conflict, community relations is a key policy area.

For more than 20 years, public attitudes to community relations have been recorded and monitored using two key surveys: the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey (1989 to 1996) and the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (1998 to present). This paper will illustrate how these important time series datasets have been used to both inform and evaluate government policy in relation to community relations. By using four examples, we will highlight how these survey data have provided key government indicators of community relations, as well as how they have been used by other groups (such as NGOs) within policy consultation debates. Thus, the paper will provide a worked example of the integral, and bi-directional relationship between attitude measurement and policy making.

Trading-up on unmet expectations? Evaluating consumers’ expectations in online premium grocery shopping logistics

Geography and retail store location are inherently bound together; this study links food retail changes to systemic logistics changes in an emerging market. Current logistic practices underplay demand-led models and online market evolution in large metropolises such as Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, and Delhi. The later include raising income and education, access to a wide range of technologies, traffic and transport difficulties, lagging retail provision, changing family structure and roles, as well as changing food culture and taste. The study incorporates demand for premium products defined by Kapferer and Bastien, (2009b) as comprising a broad variety of higher quality and unique or distinctive products and brands including in grocery organic ranges, healthy options, allergy free selections, and international and gourmet/specialty products through an online grocery model (n=356) that integrates a novel view of home delivery (HD) in Istanbul. More importantly from a logistic perspective our model incorporates any products from any online vendors broadening the range beyond listed items found in any traditional online supermarkets. Data collected via phone survey and analysed via structural equation modelling (SEM) suggest that the offer of online premium products significantly affects consumers’ delivery logistics expectations. We discuss logistics operations and business management implications, identifying the emerging geography of logistic models which respond to consumers’ unmet expectations using multiple sourcing and consolidation points.

Trust, Satisfaction and Online Repurchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Perceived Effectiveness of E-commerce Institutional Mechanisms

The effects of e-commerce institutional mechanisms on trust and online purchase have traditionally been understood in the initial online purchase context. This study extends this literature by exploring the role of e-commerce institutional mechanisms in the online repurchase context. In doing so, it responds to the emerging call for understanding the institutional context under which customer trust operates in an e-commerce environment. Specifically, this study introduces a key moderator, perceived effectiveness of e-commerce institutional mechanisms (PEEIM), to the relationships between trust, satisfaction, and repurchase intention. Drawing on the theory of organizational trust, and based on a survey of 362 returning online customers, we find that PEEIM negatively moderates the relationship between trust in an online vendor and online customer repurchase intention, as it decreases the importance of trust to promoting repurchase behavior. We also find that PEEIM positively moderates the relationship between customer satisfaction and trust as it enhances the customer’s reliance on past transaction experience with the vendor to reevaluate trust in the vendor. Consistent with the predictions made in the literature, PEEIM does not directly affect trust or repurchase intention. Academic and practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and European Cystic Fibrosis Society Survey of cystic fibrosis mental health care delivery

Background: Psychological morbidity in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their caregivers is common. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) and European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) Guidelines Committee on Mental Health sought the views of CF health care professionals concerning mental health care delivery. Methods: An online survey which focused on the current provision and barriers to mental health care was distributed to CF health care professionals. Results: Of the 1454 respondents, many did not have a colleague trained in mental health issues and 20% had no one on their team whose primary role was focused on assessing or treating these issues. Insufficient resources and a lack of competency were reported in relation to mental health referrals. Seventy-three percent of respondents had no experience with mental health screening. Of those who did, they utilized 48 different, validated scales. Conclusions: These data have informed the decision-making, dissemination and implementation strategies of the Mental Health Guidelines Committee sponsored by the CFF and ECFS.

Cultivating Compassion through analysis of online patient narratives

Compassion is at the forefront of national and international healthcare policy, practice and educational debates as a result of a series of recent reports (Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry, 2010, Lown et al 2011, Mannion, 2014). Arguably, this emphasis on compassion is in juxtaposition to an increasingly complex technological healthcare system focused upon outcomes, efficiency, productivity and competence. Within this fast paced and time pressured environment innovative strategies are required to cultivate and sustain compassion among healthcare professionals.

Understanding the person’s experience of illness and making an emotional connection are key processes in cultivating compassion (Dewar, 2013). The exponential growth in unsolicited patient narratives has the potential to provide invaluable insight into what matters to patients and their experience of illness. For many patients these stories ‘reclaim’ their illnesses from the traditional biomedical model of disease and reveal otherwise hidden aspects of their experience. The content though freely accessible, is however unedited and lacks safeguards in relation to the quality or accuracy of the information provided. Despite these concerns, healthcare professionals are now challenged to pay attention to these unsolicited patient stories and to consider how they can inform and improve patient care.

This paper discusses the use of online patient narratives in undergraduate nurse education to cultivate compassion. Critical analysis of online patient narratives is advocated as a potential educational strategy to cultivate compassion among future health care professionals.

References
Dewar,B. (2013) Cultivating compassionate care Nursing Standard 27, (34) 48-55

Lown B, Rosen J, Martilla J.(2011) An agenda for improving compassionate care: a survey shows about half of patients say such care is missing. Health Affairs (Millwood) 30, 1772–8.
Mannion,R. (2014) Enabling compassionate healthcare: perils, prospects and perspectives International Journal of Health Policy and Management 2, 115-7
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry (2010). Independent Inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation London: Stationery Office.

Core Outcomes in Ventilation Trials (COVenT): protocol for a core outcome set using a Delphi survey with a nested randomised trial and observational cohort study

Background
Among clinical trials of interventions that aim to modify time spent on mechanical ventilation for critically ill patients there is considerable inconsistency in chosen outcomes and how they are measured. The Core Outcomes in Ventilation Trials (COVenT) study aims to develop a set of core outcomes for use in future ventilation trials in mechanically ventilated adults and children.

Methods/design
We will use a mixed methods approach that incorporates a randomised trial nested within a Delphi study and a consensus meeting. Additionally, we will conduct an observational cohort study to evaluate uptake of the core outcome set in published studies at 5 and 10 years following core outcome set publication. The three-round online Delphi study will use a list of outcomes that have been reported previously in a review of ventilation trials. The Delphi panel will include a range of stakeholder groups including patient support groups. The panel will be randomised to one of three feedback methods to assess the impact of the feedback mechanism on subsequent ranking of outcomes. A final consensus meeting will be held with stakeholder representatives to review outcomes.

Discussion
The COVenT study aims to develop a core outcome set for ventilation trials in critical care, explore the best Delphi feedback mechanism for achieving consensus and determine if participation increases use of the core outcome set in the long term.

Men’s depression and suicide literacy: A nationally representative Canadian survey

Background: Male suicide prevention strategies include diagnosis and effective management of men’s depression. Fundamental to suicide prevention efforts is public awareness, which in turn, is influenced by literacy levels about men’s depression and suicide.

Aim: To examine sex differences in mental health literacy with respect to men’s depression and suicide among a cohort of Canadian respondents.

Methods: 901 English-speaking Canadian men and women completed online survey questionnaires to evaluate mental health literacy levels using 10-item D-Lit and 8-item LOSS questionnaires, which assess factual knowledge concerning men’s depression and suicide. Statistical tests (chi-square, z-test) were used to identify significant differences between sex sub-groups at 95% confidence.

Results: Overall, respondents correctly identified 67% of questions measuring literacy levels about male depression. Respondents’ male suicide literacy was significantly poorer at 53.7%. Misperceptions were especially evident in terms of differentiating men’s depressive symptoms from other mental illnesses,
estimating prevalence and identifying factors linked to male suicide. Significant sex differences highlighted that females had higher literacy levels than men in regard to male depression.

Conclusions: Implementing gender sensitive and specific programs to target and advance literacy levels about men’s depression may be key to ultimately reducing depression and suicide among men in Canada.