Livskvalitet i familjer med barn och ungdomar med astma : en systematisk litteraturstudie

Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva vilken livskvalitet barn och ungdomar med astma och deras föräldrar hade. Till resultatet användes tretton vetenskapliga artiklar publicerade tidigast år 2000. Databaserna Elin, Blackwell Synergy och Ebsco Host användes vid artikelsökningen och en manuell sökning gjordes via www.asthma.se. Sökorden asthma, child, parents, quality of life, experience och coping användes i olika kombinationer. Artikelurvalet gjordes för att passa litteraturstudiens syfte och frågeställningar och det vetenskapliga värdet i artiklarna skattades med hjälp av modifierade granskningsmallar. Resultatet visade att barn och ungdomar med astma hade relativt högt skattad livskvalitet och hade lärt sig att hitta strategier för att hantera sin sjukdom och därmed kunna leva ett så normalt liv som möjligt. Många av barnen och ungdomar testade gränser för hur mycket kroppen tålde genom påfrestande fysiska aktiviteter. För de ungdomarna som hade lågt skattad livskvalitet kunde orsakerna härledas till dålig kontrollerade astmasymtom eller då omgivningen påverkade barnet negativt. Flickor hade lägre livskvalitet än pojkar i studierna. Föräldrarna till barn och ungdomar med astma var generellt mer påverkade av barnets sjukdom än barnen själva. De fanns vissa skillnader mellan föräldrarna, mödrarna var mer bekymrade och oroade medan fäderna hade ett mer avslappnat förhållande till barnet och sjukdomen.

Movies, Mind and Meaning : Studying Audience and Favourite Films

Construction of identity and meaning is becoming increasingly important in both media studies and religion scholarship. (Lövheim, 2004) Meaning construction outside traditional religion has become more interesting for religious studies and what individuals in the audience do with all messages circulated through media in everyday life has attended increasing interest within media studies (Stout and Buddenbaum, 2001). Motion pictures, soap operas and advertising are all examples of media contents which generate ideas among its audience which to a various degree are used as resources within the construction of identity (Jansson, 2001). The investigation of what modern humankind’s world views look like and what components they are composed of, in this context seems to be an important topic of investigation (Holm and Björkqvist, 1996). The ways in which the development of media has effected the daily lives of individuals is interest as is the nature of the self and the ways in which the process of self-formation is affected by the profusion of mediated materials (Thompson, 1995). Film and religion are my interest within this larger frame. The topic is not exactly new but the combination of film and religion has during the last ten years resulted in a rapidly growing number of books by scholars interested in this field (Lyden, 2003). One growing focus is on the role that films can and do play within the emerging and developing valuesystem of people in the West today (Marsh, 2004). The British theologian Clive Marsh’s point of departure is very similar to my own. Viewers bring to a film life-experience, immediate concerns and worldviews and the exploration of this interplay between movies and the interpreting process of meaning making is the very focus in this paper. Theoretically, the semeiological model of Alf Linderman is combined with cultural cognitive approaches used by a number of Scandinavian media scholars developing perspectives in audience theory (Linderman, 1996, Höijer and Werner, 1998). 13 individuals, their favourite movie and what it means to them in their life My aim is to examine how individuals comprehend film and what the meaning process look like. In this paper I present the outcome of 13 interviews with young people about their favourite film. I suggest how it is possible to interpret how they interrelate film comprehension with their personal beliefs and their culturally constructed worldview from a sociocognitive point of view. Examples of films chosen range from Disneys Lion King (1994), sciencefiction and fantasy successes like The Matrix (1999) and Lord of the Rings (2001) or the next best movie ever according to www.IMdb.com The Shawshank Redemption (1994) as well as the Swedish blockbuster Så som i himmelen (2004), aka “As in Heaven”.

Sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av parenteral nutrition för patienter i livets slutskede : En litteraturöversikt

Bakgrund: Tidigare forskning har visat att parenteral nutrition ges till patienter som befinner sig i livets slutskede även om den medicinska nyttan är oklar. Syfte: Att genom en vetenskaplig litteraturöversikt beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av vad som är betydelsefullt i arbetet med parenteral nutrition för patienter i livets slutskede. Metod: Examensarbetet är utformat som en litteraturöversikt. Tretton artiklar med kvalitativ och kvantitativ design valdes ut. Artiklarna söktes på databaserna CINAHL och Pubmed Resultat: Delaktighet i vårdteam var av stor betydelse, ett fungerade samarbete där sjuksköterskan ville och fick möjlighet att arbeta som omvårdnadsansvarig upplevdes av sjuksköterskan resultera i god personcentrerad vård. Erfarenhet och egna känslor spelar en betydande roll i hur mycket sjuksköterskan vågar och vill vara delaktig i beslut angående PN i livets slutskede, och vilken relation som skapas med patientens närstående. Slutsats: Ökad kunskap om parenteral nutrition i livets slutskede och personcentrerad vård behövs för att sjuksköterskorna ska våga vara aktivt delaktig och stärka patienten i livets slutskede.

Sex, a one mans show : Perceptions and experience of sexuality, contraceptives, unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion among young people in Kisumu, Kenya – A qualitative study

This study aimed to explore perceptions and experiences concerning sexuality, contraceptives, unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion among young people in Kisumu, Kenya. The design of the study was inductive with a qualitative approach using personal in-depth interviews. Eight participants (four female and four male) were asked to describe their perceptions and experience concerning sexuality, contraceptives, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion. The result showed that culture and norms, misconceptions and gender based power in sexuality are factors that impact Sexual Reproductive Health among young people in Kisumu today. Unwanted pregnancy was described as a shame, a burden and a destroyed life which lead to many unsafely induced abortions. The findings indicate that youth interventions are important, such as engaging young men in unwanted pregnancy and thus unsafe abortions and to empower young women.

Värdigt liv och välbefinnande, enligt vem? : en kvalitativ studie om brukare och biståndshandläggares beskrivningar av ett värdigt liv och välbefinnande : Dignity and well-being, according to whom? : a qualitative study of elderly and assistance officer´s descriptions of a dignified life and wellbeing

We are two students named Susanne Grönlund and Anna Zaar and have jointly worked together this c-essay called "dignity and well-being according to whom? The paper is written at Högskolan dalarna in Falun.The purpose of this study was to investigate how the elderly and assistance officer describes dignity and well-being and how it is consistent with the government's bill on the national values that the National Board has developed.Our empirical study consists of four qualitative interviews, two older people dependent on community care and two assistance officers. The study's theoretical basis is Antonovsky's salutogenic approach and SOC. The survey focuses on different themes such as dignity, integrity, participation, treatment, wellbeing, security and meaningfulness which are also central themes in the Government Bill on the national values for elderly.The results show that the respondents believe that a life of dignity is difficult to define and also a subjective experience. The results also show a consistency between what the elderly, assistance officer and the national values that define dignity and well-being. Social Services Act, national values should serve as a starting point for municipalities to improve elderly care, thereby creating a sense of coherence for the individual. Keywords: Elder care, dignity, integrity, participation, attitude, well-being, security and meaningfulness.

Manoeuvring between anxiety and control : Patients experience of learning to live with diabetes: a lifeworld phenomenological study

Research shows that people with diabetes want their lives to proceed as normally as possible, but some patients experience difficulty in reaching their desired goals with treatment. The learning process is a complex phenomenon interwoven into every facet of life. Patients and healthcare providers often have different perspectives in care which gives different expectations on what the patients need to learn and cope with. The aim of this study, therefore, is to describe the experience of learning to live with diabetes. Interviews were conducted with 12 patients afflicted with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The interviews were then analysed with reference to the reflective lifeworld research approach. The analysis shows that when the afflicted realize that their bodies undergo changes and that blood sugar levels are not always balanced as earlier in life, they can adjust to their new conditions early. The afflicted must take responsibility for balancing their blood sugar levels and incorporating the illness into their lives. Achieving such goals necessitates knowledge. The search for knowledge and sensitivity to changes are constant requirements for people with diabetes. Learning is driven by the tension caused by the need for and dependence on safe blood sugar control, the fear of losing such control, and the fear of future complications. The most important responsibilities for these patients are aspiring to understand their bodies as lived bodies, ensuring safety and security, and acquiring the knowledge essential to making conscious choices.

Struggling with daily life and enduring pain : a qualitative study of women's experiences with pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy

Background. Few studies have investigated the experiences of living with pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and its impact on pregnant women’s lives. To address this gap in knowledge, this study investigates the experiences of women living with PGP during pregnancy. Methods. A purposive sample, of nine pregnant women with diagnosed PGP, were interviewed about their experiences. Interviews were recorded, transcribed to text and analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. Results. The core category that evolved from the analysis of experiences of living with PGP in pregnancy was “struggling with daily life and enduring pain”. Three properties addressing the actions caused by PGP were identified: i) grasping the incomprehensible; ii) balancing support and dependence and iii) managing the losses. These experiences expressed by the informants constitute a basis for the consequences of PGP: iv) enduring pain; v) being a burden; vi) calculating the risks and the experiences of the informants as vii) abdicating as a mother. Finally, the informants’ experiences of the consequences regarding the current pregnancy and any potential future pregnancies is presented in viii) paying the price and reconsidering the future. A conceptual model of the actions and consequences experienced by the pregnant informants living with PGP is presented. Conclusions. PGP during pregnancy greatly affects the informant’s experiences of her pregnancy, her roles in relationships, and her social context. For informants with young children, PGP negatively affects the role of being a mother, a situation that further strains the experience. As the constant pain disturbs most aspects of the lives of the informants, improvements in the treatment of PGP is of importance as to increase the quality of life. This pregnancy-related condition is prevalent and must be considered a major public health concern during pregnancy.

Older people's experience of utilisation and administration of medicines in a health- and social care context

BACKGROUND: People living at home who lack ability to manage their medicine are entitled to assistance to improve adherence provided by a home care assistant employed by social care. AIM: The aim was to describe how older people with chronic diseases, living at home, experience the use and assistance of administration of medicines in the context of social care. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. METHODS: Ten participants (age 65+) living at home were interviewed in the participants' own homes. Latent content analysis was used. FINDINGS: The assistance eases daily life with regard to practical matters and increases adherence to a medicine regimen. There were mixed feelings about being dependent on assistance; it interferes with self-sufficiency at a time of health transition. Participants were balancing empowerment and a dubious perception of the home care assistants' knowledge of medicine and safety. Physicians' and district nurses' professional knowledge was a safety guarantee for the medicine process. CONCLUSIONS: Assistance eases daily life and medicine regimen adherence. Dependence on assistance may affect self-sufficiency. Perceived safety varied relating to home care assistants' knowledge of medicine. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: A well-functioning medicine assistance is crucial to enable older people to remain at home. A person-centred approach to health- and social care delivery is efficient and improve outcome for the recipient of care.

Can therapy dogs evoke awareness of one's past and present life in persons with Alzheimer's disease?

BACKGROUND: Persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) sometimes express themselves through behaviours that are difficult to manage for themselves and their caregivers, and to minimise these symptoms alternative methods are recommended. For some time now, animals have been introduced in different ways into the environment of persons with dementia. Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) includes prescribed therapy dogs visiting the person with dementia for a specific purpose. AIM: This study aims to illuminate the meaning of the lived experience of encounters with a therapy dog for persons with Alzheimer's disease. METHOD: Video recorded sessions were conducted for each visit of the dog and its handler to a person with AD (10 times/person). The observations have a life-world approach and were transcribed and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutical approach. RESULTS: The result shows a main theme 'Being aware of one's past and present existence', meaning to connect with one's senses and memories and to reflect upon these with the dog. The time spent with the dog shows the person recounting memories and feelings, and enables an opportunity to reach the person on a cognitive level. CONCLUSIONS: The present study may contribute to health care research and provide knowledge about the use of trained therapy dogs in the care of older persons with AD in a way that might increase quality of life and well-being in persons with dementia. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The study might be useful for caregivers and dog handlers in the care of older persons with dementia.

The Importance of Work-Life Balance Opportunities and Support from the Perspective of Nursing Stu-dents in Dalarna, Sweden

There is a shortage of nurses leading to challenges in recruitment in Sweden and many other countries. Especially for less populated regions recruitment can be chal-lenging. Nurses often face difficulties with work-life balance (WLB). This study aims to identify the importance of WLB opportunities and support that make a work-place attractive from the perspective of nursing students studying in Dalarna. A questionnaire was distributed via email to 525 students enrolled in the nursing bach-elor program at Dalarna University. They were asked to rate the importance of 15 sub questions regarding WLB opportunities and support. These sub questions were asked in order to analyze the importance of 15 components regarding WLB oppor-tunities and support. 196 students (37 percent) answered the questionnaire. Three WLB components, working from home, childcare and rooms for breastfeeding, were found to be not important to nursing students studying in Dalarna. This was reason-able due to the profession of nursing and the WLB support provided by the Swedish government. Cultural factors, such as the organization being positive towards using WLB opportunities and support, were more important than structural factors, such as the possibility to work part-time. Moreover, to have a manager that is supportive towards using WLB opportunities and support was found to be the most important factor and having workplace practical support such as childcare was found least im-portant. Furthermore, contrary to the expected results, no statistical significance was found on the influence on the importance of all combined relevant WLB opportuni-ties and support by the sociodemographic variables; gender, semester of studies, age, having children, months of work experience and work experience in the healthcare sector. However, nine individual components were found to be influ-enced by one or more sociodemographic variables. Therefore, some recommenda-tions on how to target specific groups of individuals were made. However, the con-clusion of the study is that, regardless of the sociodemographic variables and gov-ernmental support, organizations should offer new nurses opportunities and support to gain a balance between work and life, especially in terms of cultural factors.