Mediated politics in Australia : towards a qualitative evaluation

The debate about the democratic significance of these trends—a more aggressively inquisitorial media environment, greater public participation in political communication, a more accessible and transparent (at least in appearance) political class—continues, not least in Australia. This essay was written in the first half of 2013, a time of extreme political volatility in Australia, and in the run-up to a general election following three years of minority Labor government. By that stage in the political cycle, Prime Minister Julia Gillard had survived not one but two attempts at leadership “spills”, ministers had resigned or been sacked for disloyalty to the leader, major policy initiatives had been dumped, reversed or quietly dropped, and a Coalition opposition was confidently looking forward to a landslide majority in the election of September that year. Labor’s internal party turmoil, rather than the Coalition’s policy prospectus (which remained sketchy and vague right up to the eve of the election), were widely assumed to be the cause of the former’s poor standing in the opinion polls.

“It puts a human face on the researched”: A qualitative evaluation of an Indigenous research governance model

Objective This study aimed to describe the Inala Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Jury for Health Research, and evaluate its usefulness as a model of Indigenous research governance within an urban Indigenous primary health care service from the perspectives of Jury members and researchers. Methods Informed by a phenomenological approach and using narrative inquiry, a focus group was conducted with Jury members and key informant interviews were undertaken with researchers who had presented to the Community Jury in its first year of operation. Results The Jury was a site of identity work for researchers and Jury members, providing an opportunity to observe and affirm community cultural protocols. Although researchers and Jury members had differing levels of research literacy, the Jury processes enabled respectful communication and relationships to form which positively influenced research practice, community aspirations and clinical care. Discussion The Jury processes facilitated transformative research practice among researchers, and resulted in transference of power from researchers to the Jury members to the mutual benefit of both. Conclusion Ethical Indigenous health research practice requires an engagement with Indigenous peoples and knowledges at the research governance level, not simply as subjects or objects of research.

A qualitative evaluation of an innovative resilience-building camp for young carers

Young carers are at increased risk of developing mental health and social problems. The objective was to pilot a camp-based resiliencebuilding programme for young carers. Twelve young carers (12 to 14 years) recruited from Carers Queensland attended a 3-day resilience-building camp adapted from the Resourceful Adolescent Program. One month after the camp, carers participated in a semistructured telephone interview. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Two key themes emerged. The first, coping self-efficacy, included subthemes of affect regulation, interpersonal skills, and recognition of strengths and coping ability. The second key theme, social benefits, included opportunities for respite and social engagement. Overall, participants reported enjoying the camp and would recommend it to other young carers, yet they were able to provide some suggestions to improve future camps. Implementing an integrative resilience-building program such as the Resourceful Adolescent Program in a camp format shows promise as a way of both engaging and benefiting young carers, as well as selective populations more generally.

Selection and application of a suitable sampling method for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of lab-lab

Milkfish and prawn pond operation in the Philippines is often associated with lab-lab culture. Lab-lab is a biological complex of blue-green algae, diatoms, bacteria and various animals which form a mat at the bottom of nursery ponds or floating patches along the margins of ponds. This complex is considered the most favorable food of milkfish in brackishwater ponds. Variations in the quantity and quality of lab-lab between and within areas of a 1,000 sq. m. pond was determined over 2 culture periods (6 month duration) and the applicability and suitability of stratified random sampling as a method of sampling lab-lab was evaluated.

Qualitative evaluation of KA24 (Knowledge Access 24)

Durbin, J. & Urquhart, C. (2003). Qualitative evaluation of KA24 (Knowledge Access 24). Aberystwyth: Department of Information Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth. Sponsorship: Knowledge Access 24 (NHS)

A Qualitative Evaluation of the Provision of Bereavement Care Accessed by Service Users Living in a Health and Social Care Trust Area in Northern Ireland

Within the health and social care sector in the United Kingdom, the
management of death and bereavement has become increasingly
challenging. This service evaluation sought to explore the bereavement
care offered to individuals living in one Health and Social Care
Trust catchment area of Northern Ireland. Qualitative interviews
were conducted with key government and voluntary agency staff.
The findings indicated that much of the bereavement provision is
based on the interest and initiative of individual staff members, with
few processes to assess the level of bereavement care needed and those
best skilled to provide it. Recommendations are made for a bereavement
care strategy that outlines a bereavement needs assessment process,
identifying the scope of interventions and protocols for practice.

Supporting Completion of an Online Continuing Professional Development Programme For Newly Qualified Practitioners: a Qualitative Evaluation

Background: Development programmes to support newly qualified practitioners gain confidence in their first professional role often show varied levels of engagement, due to competing priorities and demands. In Scotland, the Flying Start NHS® programme uses a structured programme of online and work-based learning with associated mentoring, to support individuals through an often difficult transition to become capable, confident practitioners. . Whilst the programme was generally well received, the factors leading to widely varying completion rates between professions and organisations were not well understood. Aim: to identify the factors leading to successful completion of Flying Start, a transition programme for newly qualified practitioners. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted to gather data from two groups of participants. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with strategic and management level participants (n=23), from five health boards in Scotland. Semi-structured interviews (n=22) and focus groups (n=11) were conducted with practitioners within 6 months either side of completing the programme. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using framework analysis. Results: Four key themes related to successful completion emerged from the analysis: organisational support; the format of the programme; understanding completion; motivation and incentives to complete. Factors leading to successful completion were identified at programme, organisational and individual level. These included clear communication and signposting, up-to-date and relevant content, links with continuing professional development frameworks, effective leadership, mentor and peer support, setting clear standards for assessment, and facilitating appropriate IT access. Conclusions: A strong strategic commitment to embedding a development programme for newly qualified practitioners can ensure the necessary support is available to encourage timely completion. The mentor’s role - to provide face-to-face support - is identified as a key factor in completion and is achieved through setting attainable targets, monitoring progress, and providing motivation. However organisational structures that facilitate the mentoring relationship are also necessary.

Flora Fit street : a qualitative evaluation

This report summaries a qualitative evauation of the Flora Fit Street community based health living initiative.