scholarly journals A Sociocultural Exploration of Sex-Bias in NSERC-funded Human Cardiovascular Research at Ontario Universities

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Sex Bias ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Federally Funded ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cardiovascular Research ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
High Prevalence

It is well established that sex-bias against the inclusion of women exists in human cardiovascular research, where women have been excluded from or under-represented in the research process, despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease among this population. To address the sex-bias against the inclusion of women in federally-funded research, including research funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant (DG) program, the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans was introduced in 2010. However, despite the introduction of this policy, it remains unknown whether a sex-bias persists in NSERC DG-funded basic human cardiovascular research at Ontario universities. The purpose of this research is twofold. (1) Using a quantitative analysis, this research will determine the presence or absence of a sex-bias against the inclusion of women in NSERC DG-funded basic human cardiovascular research at Ontario universities from policy implementation to the present. After analysis of all NSERC DG-funded publications (n=96), female exclusion or under-representation was evident in 63% of publications. (2) By conducting semi-structured interviews with Ontario university basic human cardiovascular researchers (n=5) and by using thematic analyses, this study will characterize the sex-bias against the inclusion of women, and by using a sociocultural lens, will explore how research, as a social institution, may act to construct, maintain and reinforce sex inequalities. This research will highlight practical changes that could occur to challenge this sex-bias and increase female inclusion in cardiovascular research, ultimately with the goal of improving female cardiovascular health.

Inclusion of female participants in cardiovascular research: a case study of Ontario NSERC-funded programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 911-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria Wilson ◽  
Mary Louise Adams ◽  
Kyra E. Pyke
Keyword(s):  
Research Council ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Sex Bias ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Cardiovascular Research ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
Principal Investigators

This study explored inclusion of female participants in Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant (NSERC-DG)-funded human cardiovascular research at Ontario universities between 2010–2018. Ninety-six publications were examined and 4 principal investigators were interviewed. Females were excluded/underrepresented in 63% of publications with 49% male-only and 5% female-only samples. The sex-bias appears to be explained by dependence on research knowledge and methodologies that maintain and reproduce a firmly established discourse of the male norm. Novelty Female participants were underrepresented in NSERC DG-funded cardiovascular research at Ontario universities between 2010–2018.

scholarly journals 346 How Do we Increase Adherence to Home Exercise Programmes? Interviews with Older Adults and Physiotherapists

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii17-iii65
Author(s):  
Siti Khalijah ◽  
Suzanne Timmons
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Home Exercise ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Improve Compliance ◽  
Exercise Programmes ◽  
Purposive Sample

Abstract Background Regular exercise and physical activity can maintain function and cardiovascular health, and prevent cognitive decline, in older adults. However, studies show that there is often poor adherence to home exercise programmes (HEP). The purpose of this study was to explore how HEP are perceived by both older adults and physiotherapists. Methods A convenience sample of 28 older adults attending outpatient physiotherapy clinics were given an exercise journal to record their adherence to the HEP prescribed by their physiotherapists for six weeks. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample, and the corresponding prescribing physiotherapists, to achieve maximal variation in terms of HEP adherence, age and sex. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and simple content analysis performed. Results Fourteen participants returned their exercise journal. Median age was 80; half were female; median Berg Balance Score and Timed-up-and-Go-Test were 49 and 16 seconds respectively. Participants exercised a median 79.8% of the prescribed dose, or 5.6 days per week. Seven older adults were interviewed; about half had a positive attitude towards exercise. They were also moderately positive about their HEP (comments ranged from “doable” and “nothing bad about it” to “enjoyable”). Barriers included time, mood, boredom, remembering to do the HEP, and variable health status. Enablers included simple instructions and design, family encouragement, and sense of achievement. Physiotherapists (n=5) perceived that many older adults aren’t compliant with HEPs, but there was some therapeutic nihilism (“you can’t force them”). Their HEP instructions varied from verbal to written instructions/diagrams; one physiotherapist used individualised video content. Notably, participants with good adherence understood their HEP well in terms of content and purpose, although this may be cause or effect. Conclusion To improve compliance with HEP, healthcare professionals need to take time to motivate the recipient, simplify their instructions, and trouble-shoot potential barriers at the time of prescription.

scholarly journals Associations between News Media Coverage of the 11 September Attacks and Depression in Employees of New York City Area Businesses

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Betty Pfefferbaum ◽  
Jayme M. Palka ◽  
Carol S. North
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
News Media ◽  
York City ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mass Trauma ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
General Populations ◽  
Disaster Trauma

Research has examined the association between contact with media coverage of mass trauma events and various psychological outcomes, including depression. Disaster-related depression research is complicated by the relatively high prevalence of the major depressive disorder in general populations even without trauma exposure. The extant research is inconclusive regarding associations between disaster media contact and depression outcomes, in part, because most studies have not distinguished diagnostic and symptomatic outcomes, differentiated postdisaster incidence from prevalence, or considered disaster trauma exposures. This study examined these associations in a volunteer sample of 254 employees of New York City businesses after the 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks. Structured interviews and questionnaires were administered 35 months after the attacks. Poisson and logistic regression analyses revealed that post-9/11 news contact significantly predicted the number of postdisaster persistent/recurrent and incident depressive symptoms in the full sample and in the indirect and unexposed groups. The findings suggest that clinical and public health approaches should be particularly alert to potential adverse postdisaster depression outcomes related to media consumption in disaster trauma-unexposed or indirectly-exposed groups.

‘I think one of the ways they will help is to create awareness’: primary school teachers’ perceptions of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 24-31
Author(s):  
Kingsley Udeh ◽  
Candidus Nwakasi ◽  
John Fulton
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases

The increasing incidence and prevalence of non-communicable diseases is a major global health concern. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for the highest percentage of deaths related to non-communicable diseases, and low and middle-income countries (LMIC) face the highest burden of CVDs. Understanding the knowledge and perception of CVDs and their risk factors in an LMIC such as Nigeria may play an important role in cardiovascular health promotion and improvement plans to reduce CVD-related deaths. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of some personal and sociocultural views on CVDs and their risk factors. The participants were purposively sampled primary school teachers in South-Eastern Nigeria. Thematic analysis approach was used for data analysis. The study findings include knowledge of heart disease, perceived causes and risk factors of CVDs, spirituality, and the way forward. Overall, the knowledge of CVDs in the setting was found to be related to the psychosocial nature of the participants; the effectiveness of any intervention needs to take these factors into consideration. For example, health policies for CVD health education and awareness should be tailored to address some of the issues of belief, values, and religion, as mentioned in the study.

Studying gendered embodied consumption with poststructuralist feminist hermeneutics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly Drake ◽  
Scott K. Radford
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Research Process ◽  
The Body ◽  
Methodological Framework ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Participants ◽  
Textual Data ◽  
Recreational Runners ◽  
Feminist Hermeneutics

Purpose This study aims to consider how research methodologies and methods can afford holistic inquiry into gendered embodied consumption. Noting the salience of gender in past and present discourse surrounding the body and building on poststructuralist feminist hermeneutic philosophy and practice, the authors introduce a novel methodological framework situated within three considerations borne of the current socio-cultural landscape: the politics of embodiment, embodied identity and intersectionality. Design/methodology/approach To assist scholars and practitioners in interpreting themes of gendered embodiment in textual data surrounding consumption topics, the authors orient the framework around three principles of listening, questioning and hospitality. This framework fosters embodied empathy by linking the researcher’s body to those of research participants. To illustrate the method, the authors interpret consumption narratives extracted from semi-structured interviews with 26 women-identified recreational runners on the topics of embodiment, sport and media. Findings The interpretations of gendered consumption narratives show that using the principles of listening, questioning and hospitality invites an understanding of consumers as multifaceted, contradictory and agentic. The authors argue that consumers’ everyday experiences are often simple and quiet but embedded in history wherein bodies are both biological and inescapably social. Originality/value The methodological framework allows both the researcher’s and research participants’ embodiment to play a role in the research process. It also illuminates the entanglement of embodiment and consumption in a fraught, politicized context. The authors show that by listening to consumers, questioning their narratives and traditional interpretations thereof and inviting consumers to feel comfortable and heard, researchers can see what other approaches may overlook.

15 Triggers for the pharmacological management of delirium in palliative care: a mixed methods study

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 365.2-365
Author(s):  
Catherine L Fairfield ◽  
Anne M Finucane ◽  
Juliet A Spiller
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Inpatient Setting ◽  
List Type ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Pharmacological Management ◽  
High Prevalence

IntroductionDelirium is a serious neurocognitive disorder with a high prevalence in palliative care and debate regarding its management is ongoing.AimsTo describe how delirium and its symptoms is documented in patient recordsTo determine the use of delirium screening tools and how these are viewed by staffTo identify triggers for pharmacological intervention in delirium management in a terminally ill population.MethodsA retrospective case-note review concerning all patients admitted to a hospice inpatient setting between 1–17th August 2017 and semi-structured interviews with 7 hospice doctors and nurses.Results21 patients were reviewed. 62% were screened for delirium using the 4AT on admission. 76% had documented symptoms of delirium and of these 81% died without delirium resolution. There were inconsistencies in the documentation of delirium and the term itself was used infrequently. Non-pharmacological measures were poorly documented. Midazolam was the most commonly used medication. Triggers for pharmacological intervention included failure of non-pharmacological measures distress agitation and risk of patient harm. Nursing staff recognised delirium in its severe form but were less likely to do so in milder cases.ConclusionsTriggers for pharmacological intervention are in-keeping with guidelines however the level of understanding of delirium’s presentation varied between participants. This along with the high prevalence of delirium frequent use of midazolam and limited awareness and documentation of non-pharmacological measures (e.g. structured family support) highlights the need for further training and research.

Beliefs Underlying Eating Better and Moving More

2012 ◽  
Vol 640 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Middlestadt
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Reasoned Action Approach ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Belief Elicitation ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Salient Beliefs

The reasoned action approach has been used to identify the determinants of a behavior to be modified by social and behavioral interventions. Information on the specific beliefs underlying behavioral decisions is vital to intervention design. More attention is needed on the salient belief elicitation—a critical step in a theory-based formative research process. This article considers the methodological issues involved in conducting a salient belief elicitation with special attention to an elicitation that allows the comparison of results across several behaviors and priority groups. The author uses the behaviors underlying overweight and obesity as her central example. To support the development of interventions to improve cardiovascular health and to explore methods for a comparative analysis of salient belief elicitations, semistructured interviews were conducted with 243 adults from two rural and two urban worksites in Indiana and 344 students from three middle schools in rural Indiana. Content and frequency analyses identified the modal salient beliefs underlying several eating and physical activity behaviors. Illustrative results are presented, and recommendations for salient belief elicitation are discussed.

scholarly journals The Process of Inquiry-Based Teaching Practices from the Perspective of Prospective Mathematics Teachers

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Rabia Sarıca ◽  
Bayram Çetin
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Application Process ◽  
3Rd Grade

AbstractIntroduction: Inquiry-based teaching is a constructivist-based method that has become popular in recent years. In this method, students work in a systematic way like a scientist during the research process, actively participate in the learning process, solve problems and learn in practice. The aim of this study is to reveal the opinions of prospective teachers about inquiry based teaching practices.Methods: The study was designed in a qualitative research design. The participants of the study are primary mathematics teacher candidates. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face with the students. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings obtained from the analysis of the prospective teachers’ views were presented with the relevant themes and codes under the titles.Results: Some of the findings of the prospective teachers’ opinions about the process in which inquiry-based teaching method is applied are as follows. It provides permanent learning, is suitable for real life, develops skills such as research, problem solving, leadership, motivates and gives experience to the profession, is learned actively by doing and experiencing in the process, unexpected difficulties are encountered, the traditional method is easier, not suitable for every course, the lecturer should give more feedback and guidance, communication and coordination in group work is required.Discussion: Prospective teachers stated many positive opinions about the process in which the course content was taught using inquiry-based method. It can be said that the application process positively influences the practical knowledge and skills of teacher candidates. However, it is seen that some prospective teachers find the process tiring and time consuming. It is understood that teacher candidates have intense concerns about Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) and this affects the process. KPSS is a test in Turkey for prospective teachers where they should get enough points to be appointed as teachers after graduation. Although the participants of this study are 3rd grade prospective teachers and they take the KPSS exam after graduation; it is understood that KPSS affects them and their motivation.Limitations: This research is limited to the measurement and evaluation course and to the 3rd grade mathematics teacher candidates who are the participants of this study.Conclusions: Prospective teachers mostly have positive opinions about the inquiry-based teaching process. It can be said that it would be beneficial to use this method in teacher education.

scholarly journals Finding common (research) ground between general practitioners and neuroscientists: the vital role of knowledge circulation in closing the evidence-to-practice gap

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Eich-Krohm ◽  
Bernt-Peter Robra ◽  
Yvonne Marx ◽  
Markus Herrmann
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
Research Collaboration ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Treatment Pathways ◽  
Hermeneutic Approach ◽  
Knowledge Circulation ◽  
Practice Gap

Abstract Background It may take 15 years or longer before research evidence is integrated into clinical practice. This evidence-to-practice gap has deleterious effects on patients as well as research and clinical processes. Bringing clinical knowledge into the research process, however, has the potential to close the evidence-to-practice gap. The NEUROTRANS-Project attempts to bring research and practice together by focusing on two groups that usually operate separately in their communities: general practitioners and neuroscientists. Although both groups focus on dementia as an area of work, they do so in different contexts and without opportunities to share their expertise. Finding new treatment pathways for patients with dementia will require an equal knowledge exchange among researchers and clinicians along with the integration of that knowledge into research processes, so that both groups will benefit from the expertise of the other. Methods The NEUROTRANS-Project uses a qualitative, multi-stage research design to explore how neuroscientists and general practitioners (GPs) approach dementia. Using a grounded theory methodology, it analyzes semi-structured interviews, case vignettes, focus groups with GPs in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, and informal conversations with, and observations of, neuroscientists from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Magdeburg. Results The NEUROTRANS-Project identified a clear division of labor between two highly specialized professional groups. Neuroscientists focus abstractly on nosology whereas general practitioners tend to patient care following a hermeneutic approach integrating the patients’ perspective of illness. These different approaches to dementia create a barrier to constructive dialogue and the capacity of these groups to do research together with a common aim. Additionally, the broader system of research funding and health care within which the two groups operate reinforces their divide thereby limiting joint research capacity. Conclusions Overcoming barriers to research collaboration between general practitioners and neuroscientists requires a shift in perspective in which both groups actively engage with the other’s viewpoints to facilitate knowledge circulation (KC). Bringing ‘art into science and science into art’, i.e. amalgamating the hermeneutic approach with the perspective of nosology, is the first step in developing joint research agendas that have the potential to close the evidence-to-practice gap.

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