Environmental health perceptions of urban youth from low-income communities: A qualitative photovoice study and framework

Background

Children are amongst the most susceptible groups to environmental exposures, for both immediate and life-course health outcomes. Despite their increased susceptibility, children's knowledge, experiences and voices are understudied. A deeper understanding of children's environmental health perceptions has the potential to better inform policy, develop targeted interventions and improve public health outcomes.

Methods

In this study, our community–academic partnership used the Photovoice research method to examine how urban children from low-income communities perceive environmental influences on their health. Twenty children, ages 10–12, took photographs and participated in focus group interviews regarding their perspectives on how the environment influences their health.

Results

Qualitative analyses revealed five major thematic categories: environmental exposures, environmental health sentiments, environmental health outcomes, interest in environmental health and environmental health solutions. We used the findings to develop an environmental health perspective theoretical framework that can inform future work designed to promote the environmental health and well-being of children from low-income communities in urban communities.

Conclusion

Photovoice enabled children from low-income communities to capture and communicate their environmental health perceptions. These findings have the potential to inform and identify potential targets and opportunities for environmental health interventions and promotion in their communities.

Patient or Public Contribution

Partnerships with community-based organizations were central to the present study. By design, these community-based partners were involved in the conduct and procedures of the study.     

Personal strengths reported by people with chronic illness: A qualitative study

Background

Self‐management of chronic illness can be highly demanding and people need to mobilize their personal strengths to live well with their condition. More knowledge is needed about how people with chronic illness perceive and use their personal strengths as a basis for better integrating empowering person‐centred approaches into health care.

Objective

To explore what people with chronic illness describe as their strengths relevant to their health and well‐being.

Setting and Participants

Thirty‐nine participants (11 men) from 4 outpatient self‐management programmes were recruited to individual or group interviews. Participants included patients with chronic respiratory disease (n = 7), chronic pain (n = 18) and morbid obesity (n = 14). Interviews were analysed using content analysis.

Results

A number of personal strengths were reported and categorized into 3 domains: (i) Internal strengths, (ii) External strengths and (iii) Self‐management strategies. Internal strengths included being persistent, having a positive outlook, being kind and caring, experiencing positive emotions, being kind towards oneself, reconciling oneself with the situation, having courage and having knowledge and insight. External strengths included support from family, friends, peers and health‐care providers. Self‐management strategies included being active, planning and prioritizing, reducing stress, goal setting and seeking knowledge and help.

Discussion and Conclusion

The study provides insights into personal strengths as reported by people with chronic illness. The results complement prior findings on strengths in people with health challenges and can aid in incorporating person‐centred approaches into health care.     

A school-based universal programme to prevent depression and to build up life skills

Aim  

To prevent the development and increase of depressive symptoms in adolescents by empowering adolescents to improve their life skills, to foster their realistic thinking, and to influence school behaviour.     

Choosing appropriate patient-reported outcomes instrument for glaucoma research: a systematic review of vision instruments

Purpose  

To identify vision Patient-Reported Outcomes instruments relevant to glaucoma and assess their content validity.     

Blood doping by cobalt. Should we measure cobalt in athletes?

Background  

Blood doping is commonplace in competitive athletes who seek to enhance their aerobic performances through illicit techniques.     

Are measles,mumps and rubella a public health issue in young adults? Results from a seroprevalence survey in university students in Italy

Aims  

A survey was conducted amongst university students to assess their level of susceptibility to and knowledge about measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and their prevention, and to find factors associated to their seropositivity for MMR viruses.     

The perception of the benefits of herbal medicine consumption among the Thai elderly

Objectives  

To determine how the Thai elderly perceived the benefits of herbal medicine consumption and to study related variables influencing their perception.     

Evaluation of the quality of life of children with celiac disease and their parents: a case–control study

Purpose  

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of children with CD and of their parents and to compare it with that of children without CD and of their parents.     

Children's liking and wanting of snack products: Influence of shape and flavour

Background  

Children's food choices are guided by their preferences. However, these preferences may change due to repeated exposure.     

A 'real puzzle': the views of patients with epilepsy about the organisation of care

Background  

Little is known about how individuals who have a diagnosis of epilepsy have experienced healthcare services or their views about how they should best be organised to meet their ongoing needs.     

Developing and testing a brief clinic‐based lung cancer screening decision aid for primary care settings

Background

Cancer screening‐related decisions require patients to evaluate complex medical information in short time frames, often with primary care providers (PCPs) they do not know. PCPs play an essential role in facilitating comprehensive shared decision making (SDM).

Objective

To develop and test a decision aid (DA) and SDM strategy for PCPs and high‐risk patients.

Design

The DA was tested with 20 dyads. Each dyad consisted of one PCP and one patient eligible for screening. A prospective, one‐group, mixed‐method study design measured fidelity, patient values, screening intention, acceptability and satisfaction.

Results

Four PCPs and 20 patients were recruited from an urban academic medical centre. Most patients were female (n = 14, 70%), most had completed high school (n = 15, 75%), and their average age was 65 years old. Half were African American. Patients and PCPs rated the DA as helpful, easy to read and use and acceptable in terms of time frame (observed t = 11.6 minutes, SD 2.7). Most patients (n = 16, 80%) indicated their intent to be screened. PCPs recommended screening for most patients (n = 17, 85%).

Conclusions

Evidence supports the value of lung cancer screening with LDCT for select high‐risk patients. Guidelines endorse engaging patients and their PCPs in SDM discussions. Our findings suggest that using a brief, interactive, plain‐language, culturally sensitive, theory‐based DA and SDM strategy is feasible, acceptable and may be essential to effectively translate and sustain the adoption of LDCT screening recommendations into the clinic setting.     

Fostering participation of general practitioners in integrated health services networks: incentives, barriers, and guidelines

Background  

While the active participation of general practitioners (GPs) in integrated health services networks (IHSNs) plays a critical role in their success, little is known about the incentives and barriers to their actual participation.     

Tobacco use among youth and related characteristics, Turkey

Objectives  

To provide nationally representative data on smoking prevalence of Turkish adolescents; to examine their knowledge, attitude and exposure to tobacco     

Cooperation between gatekeepers in sickness insurance – the perspective of social insurance officers. A qualitative study

Background  

Objective was to describe variations in how social insurance officers conceive the cooperation with the health care in their daily work with sick leave.     

Statins in hypercholesterolaemia: A dose-specific meta-analysis of lipid changes in randomised,double blind trials

Background  

Statins alter lipid concentrations. This systematic review determined the efficacy of particular statins, in terms of their ability to alter cholesterol.     

Nutritional determination of the health status in polish elderly people from an urban environment

Background  

An increasing number of people over 60 years of age living world-wide undertake appropriate actions in order to identify factors to optimize their health.     

Neck pain patients’ preference scores for their current health

Purpose  

To elicit neck pain (NP) patients’ preference scores for their current health, and investigate the association between their scores and NP disability.     

Awareness and management of conflicts of interest

Aim  

The aim of this commentary is to discuss conflicts of interest and their impact on health care practice, policy and science.