Högskolebiblioteket i Halmstad Publikationer
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Prevalent nursing measures for patients with dysphagia : A general literature review
No full textBakgrund: Dysfagi är en sväljstörning vilket kan leda till allvarliga komplikationer. Personer med dysfagi upplever ofta negativa känslor såsom rädsla, oro och ångest i samband med måltider och intag av läkemedel. De känner sig begränsade i sina valmöjligheter kring konsistensen på mat och dryck, vilket ofta leder till ett minskat eller uteblivet intag. Både hos äldre och vid stroke ses omfattande omvårdnadsbehov och högre dödlighet. Många i dessa patientgrupper är inte alltid medvetna om sin sväljstörning och prevalensen av dysfagi är hög. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa förekommande omvårdnadsåtgärder för patienter med dysfagi. Metod: En allmän litteraturstudie med induktiv ansats som omfattar 12 vetenskapliga artiklar. Sökningarna genomfördes i databaserna CINAHL och PubMed. Resultat: Studiens resultat presenteras i tre kategorier: Kostrelaterade omvårdnadsåtgärder, Munvårdsåtgärder och Omvårdnadsåtgärder vid läkemedelshantering. Konklusion: Resultatet i litteraturstudien kan bidra till en ökad kunskap för sjuksköterskor i omvårdnaden vid dysfagi. Evidensbaserade omvårdnadsåtgärder kan i många fall förebygga komplikationer och ge ökade hälsoeffekter hos patienter med dysfagi.Background: Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that can lead to serious complications. People with dysphagia often experience negative emotions such as fear, worry, and anxiety in relation to meals and medication intake. They feel limited in their choices regarding the consistency of food and drink, often leading to reduced or absent intake. Both in the elderly and after stroke, extensive nursing care is needed, and higher mortality is seen. Many in these patient groups are not aware of their swallowing disorder and the prevalence of dysphagia is high. Purpose: The purpose was to highlight prevalent nursing measures for patients with dysphagia. Method: A general literature review with an inductive approach that includes 12 scientific articles. The searches were conducted in the CINAHL and PubMed databases. Results: The study results are presented in three categories: Dietary care measures, Oral care measures, and Nursing measures for medication management. Conclusion: The results of the literature study can contribute to increased knowledge for nurses in the care of patients with dysphagia. Evidence-based nursing measures can in many cases prevent complications and provide ameliorated health effects in patients with dysphagia
Next stop - mental health : a qualitative study of healthcare journeys from the perspective of young adults in Sweden
No full textBACKGROUND: Help-seeking for mental health problems is a complex process that involves handling both personal challenges and dealing with the organizational structure of the healthcare system. The healthcare system is siloed and fragmented, but it is unclear how the challenges are experienced by the young adults and what their healthcare journeys look like. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore experiences of young adults' healthcare journeys in the context of help-seeking for common mental health problems. METHODS: In total, 25 young adults (16 women and 9 men) from a student healthcare centre at a Swedish university seeking help for common mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, were interviewed. A qualitative thematic analysis with an inductive approach was done, and results were abstracted and presented in terms of journey-related metaphors. RESULTS: The healthcare journeys of young adults were described as Taxi Riding, Commuting, Sightseeing, and Backpacking. Taxi riding and Commuting are defined by going in a straightforward and smooth way in the healthcare system, without major obstacles to care. In contrast, Sightseeing and Backpacking are characterized by more diffuse and negative experiences, where the young adults are not satisfied with the help received from healthcare providers. Help-seeking is not conformant with the design of the healthcare system but steered by a range of factors, including individual experiences and young adults' agency, the available resources at the various healthcare providers, and interaction with healthcare professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Young adults' healthcare journeys in the context of help-seeking for common mental health problems are related to individual, relational, and organizational factors. Some journeys run smoothly, epitomizing a functioning healthcare system that accommodates a rational help-seeker. Other journeys depict a rigid healthcare system, where the success and nature of the journey primarily depend on individual agency and on not becoming discouraged by obstacles. There is a need for more knowledge on how to support young adults' mental health help-seeking. However, we also need more insights into how the healthcare system can become more receptive and accommodating toward the needs of young adults with common mental health problems. © The Author(s) 2025.This research is included in the CAISR Health research profile</p
Scientists' warning on the need for greater inclusion of dragonflies in global conservation
No full textDragonflies (Odonata) are ancient and familiar insects with a deep and strong cultural association with humans. They have an aquatic larval stage and an aerial adult stage, meaning that they respond to ecological conditions in both freshwater and the adjacent land surface. Currently, 16% of dragonflies are threatened. Overall, they face several threats, especially habitat loss, landscape transformation, pollution, altered hydrology, spread of invasive alien species, as well as certain geographic-specific threats. Overarching these threats, which can be interactive with each other, is the issue of global climate change and attendant extreme weather events. While many localised and habitat specialist species are under extreme threat, some other dragonfly species, mostly habitat generalists, benefit from certain moderate human activities, especially the creation of high-quality artificial ponds. As well-researched insects, dragonflies play an important role in the protection of freshwater and riparian ecosystems. Dragonfly assemblages have great value as sentinels of both deteriorating environmental conditions and ecosystem recovery following restoration. While similar findings on both threats and conservation actions are emerging across the world, certain ecosystems require targeted approaches. Above all, dragonflies must be included more widely in general biodiversity conservation activities and policies. Overall, dragonflies are important targets, tools and model organisms for conservation action, and they can act as potential surrogates for other taxa that also depend on high water and riparian zone quality. While research has paved the way to address these challenges, including the use of new technologies, we now urge that dragonflies be included more strongly in policy and management associated with both freshwater and adjacent terrestrial realms. This inclusion is especially effective as dragonflies have great appeal to a diverse community of people from odonatologists (citizen and professional) through to policymakers and managers, all of whom can employ dragonflies to contribute more to freshwater-associated conservation. Finally, we propose an action plan focusing on five action points that address opportunities, and we suggest where dragonflies can play a greater role in freshwater/riparian zone conservation more widely across the world. © 2025 The Author(s). Insect Conservation and Diversity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society
2025 Nationella riktlinjer för elitidrottares dubbla karriärer : Vägledande rekommendationer för kombinationen elitidrott och studier vid Riksidrottsuniversitet (RIU) och Elitidrottsvänliga lärosäten (EVL)
No full textGenerativ AI i användarcentrerad design : En explorativ studie i UX-designers insikter, erfarenheter och framtidsvision
No full text Detta arbete undersöker hur UX-designers resonerar kring användningen av generativ AI i designprocessen. Studien använder ramverket Dubbel Diamanten för att strukturera designprocessen, det möjliggör en organiserad analys av var och hur GenAI används. Genom en kvalitativ ansats med litteraturstudie och semistrukturerade intervjuer framträder en komplex bild där GenAI både stödjer och utmanar traditionellt designarbete. Resultaten visar att GenAI har störst potential i de utforskande, divergerande faserna där tekniken kan automatisera repetitiva uppgifter, generera kreativa idéer och effektivt analysera stora datamängder. I dessa faser frigörs tid för mer strategiska och konceptuella moment. Däremot saknar GenAI den djupa kontextuella förståelse som krävs i de mer konvergerande faserna där mänsklig expertis och förståelse är avgörande. Designers uttrycker också oro för tillförlitlighet, bias och risken att förlita sig för mycket på GenAI, vilket kan leda till minskad kreativitet och sämre kritiskt tänkande. Etiska aspekter kring bias är centrala, vilket understryker behovet av att designers behåller ägandeskap och ansvar för sina lösningar. Studien visar att även om GenAI erbjuder värdefulla verktyg för att effektivisera och inspirera designprocessen, måste designers aktivt behålla sitt kreativa och kritiska omdöme samt ett tydligt ansvar för sina designlösningar.This study explores how UX designers reason about the use of generative AI in the design process. By applying the Double Diamond framework to structure the design process, the study enables an organized analysis of where and how GenAI is used. Through a qualitative approach combining a literature review and semi-structured interviews, a complex picture emerges where GenAI both supports and challenges traditional design work. The results show that GenAI has the greatest potential in the exploratory, divergent phases, where the technology can automate repetitive tasks, generate creative ideas, and efficiently analyze large amounts of data. In these phases, time is freed up for more strategic and conceptual work. However, GenAI lacks the deep contextual understanding required in the more convergent phases, where human expertise and insight are essential. Designers also express concerns about reliability, bias, and the risk of over-reliance on GenAI, which could lead to reduced creativity and weaker critical thinking. Ethical considerations around bias are central, emphasizing the need for designers to maintain ownership and responsibility for their solutions. The study shows that while GenAI offers valuable tools to streamline and inspire the design process, designers must actively retain their creative and critical judgment, as well as clear responsibility for their design outcomes
Seniortävlingsryttares psykologiska upplevelser kring drop out : En kvalitativ intervjustudie om de underliggande psykologiska faktorerna
No full textThis study aims to shed light on former senior competition riders' experiences of dropping out of competitive life, as well as to shed light on the psychological phenomena linked to this process. The study is a qualitative semi-structured interview study with an abductive approach and in-depth follow-up questions. An abductive approach makes it possible to start with a basic theory, Bronfenbrenner's PPCT model, then open to revisions and new data. The participants consisted of ten former senior competition riders in different age categories, from different places in Sweden. The interview guide was designed to answer the following questions: 1) What are the perceived psychological reasons for drop out in former senior competition riders? 2) What psychological challenges were experienced when dropping out? 3) How was the possible change in the self-image of the senior competition riders experienced during the drop out? Through transcription, thematic analysis and the creation of a thematic map, three main themes were identified. The results showed that the psychological reasons for dropping out were often linked to a lack of support, stress, pressure, and reduced motivation because of financial and time constraints. The psychological challenges included changes in self-image, inner conflicts, stress and loss of drive.Denna studie syftar till att belysa före detta seniortävlingsryttares upplevelser av drop out från tävlingslivet, samt att belysa de psykologiska fenomenen som är kopplade till denna process. Studien är en kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervjustudie med abduktiv ansats och fördjupande följdfrågor. En abduktiv ansats möjliggör att börja med Bronfenbrenners PPCTmodell som grundläggande teori, för att sedan öppna upp för revideringar och nya data. Deltagarna bestod av tio före detta seniortävlingsryttare i olika ålderskategorier, från olika platser i Sverige. Intervjuguiden var utformad för att svar på följande frågeställningar: 1) Vilka är de upplevda psykologiska orsakerna till drop out hos före detta seniortävlingsryttare? 2) Vilka psykologiska utmaningar upplevdes vid drop out? 3) Hur upplevdes den eventuella förändringen av självbilden hos seniortävlingsryttarna under drop out? Genom transkribering, tematisk analys och skapande av en tematisk karta identifierades tre huvudteman. Resultaten visade att de psykologiska orsakerna till drop out ofta var kopplade till brist på stöd, stress, press, samt minskad motivation som följd av ekonomiska och tidsbrist. De psykologiska utmaningarna innefattade förändringar i självbilden, inre konflikter, stress och förlust av drivkraft
”Emotional Fuckwittage” : An analysis of the four men in Bridget Jones
No full textThis study investigates what types of masculinities are displayed by the four main men in the Bridget Jones series by Helen Fielding. Theories of masculinity in Western society will be applied to the four male characters who are closest to the series’ eponymous character. According to traditional gender stereotypes, men are supposed to be providers, protectors and emotionally strong, amongst other expectations. The study found that the four male characters break the stereotypes on more than one occasion, although they differ in the consistency of their coded masculinities. These breaks from traditional masculine stereotypes are generally coded positively within the narrative, but ultimately, they reinforce traditional masculine traits through the main characters. It is the secondary characters who display the most significant development
Fast Fashion Circularity : Understanding Swedish Consumers Clothing Recycling Behavior in Brand-Led Take-Back Initiatives
No full textAbstract As the fast fashion industry faces a lot of pressure to become more sustainable, clothing take-back programs has been implemented as a way to increase circularity. Urged by policies on textile waste and stronger corporate promises, fast fashion brands are offering recycling options to consumers. But even with these efforts, participation in these programs remains low. This raises questions about what hinders individuals from engaging in circular behaviors such as clothing take back programs and what motivates them. Understanding these barriers and motivations is essential if firms’ circular initiatives are to succeed. This thesis explores clothing recycling from the consumer’s point of view, focusing on fast fashion in the Swedish context. It seeks to answer two main questions: What factors influence consumer participation in clothing take-back programs? And how can participation in these initiatives be effectively increased? Led by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study examines the influence of behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Where variables such as environmental knowledge, convenience, peer influence, perceptions of greenwashing, and perceived incentives (both economic and environmental) are assessed in relation to actual participation in take-back programs. To answer the research questions, a mixed-methods approach was used, combining data from 138 survey responses and qualitative insights from a case study. While many respondents expressed positive attitudes towards clothing recycling, the findings showed a gap between attitude and actual behavior. Participation is often blocked by factors such as limited awareness of the programs, unclear environmental benefits, logistical inconveniences, and skepticism about how the collected clothes is actually recycled. Notably, only two TPB-based hypotheses were significant, peer influence and perceived incentives. The other four TPB-based hypotheses, environmental knowledge, convenience, greenwashing and inconsistent sustainability messaging were not supported. Suggesting that the standard model of behavior may fall short in explaining the complexities of consumer decision-making in these areas. To complement this finding, survey responses which captured a qualitative insight was used to provide understandings of individuals' personal experiences, such as perceived barriers, motivations, and suggestions for improving participation in clothing take-back programs. The case study data was used to compare consumers experience and suggestions for improvement with current firms’ initiatives, this to provide practical solutions on how to attract and increase participation. This study contributes to ongoing conversations about sustainability and circularity by highlighting the gap between what people say and what they do. It also offers practical guidance for fashion brands, stressing the importance of clear communication, easier access, and building consumer trust. The findings reveal that when developing circular initiatives which are dependent on consumers participation, it is important that firms collaborate and involve the consumer in the process. That, creating true circular systems means understanding and addressing the human side of recycling behavior
Kork som byggmaterial : En jämförande studie av fasad- och isoleringslösningar i relation till traditionella material
No full textDetta examensarbete syftar till att undersöka korkens potential som byggmaterial under svenska klimatförhållanden, med särskilt fokus på dess tekniska och hållbara egenskaper i jämförelse med traditionella material som trä och mineralull. Studien genomfördes som en jämförande analys, där byggfysikaliska beräkningar och klimatanalyser utfördes för sju olika konstruktionslösningar. Dessa analyser baserades på klimatdata från fyra svenska orter med varierande klimatförhållanden, Kiruna, Umeå, Västerås och Malmö och jämfördes mot en etablerad standardlösning. Den teoretiska grunden fastställdes genom en litteratursökning. Resultatet visar att kork har byggfysikaliska egenskaper som i flera fall motsvarar eller överträffar de traditionella materialen. Vid användning av korkpanel presterar materialet likvärdigt med standardlösningen och i fallet med en tjockare korkpanel uppnås ett bättre resultat. För att korkisolering ska uppnå samma isolerande effekt som med mineralull krävs dock en större materialtjocklek. Samtliga väggkonstruktioner höll sig under den kritiska gränsen för relativ ånghalt på 75 %, vilket visar på god fuktteknisk prestanda. Klimatberäkningar indikerar att konstruktioner med korkpanel eller korkisolering har en lägre klimatpåverkan än den jämförda standardlösningen, där kork som byggmaterial medför ett negativt koldioxidutsläpp, mätt i kg CO₂e per kvadratmeter. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultaten att kork är ett lovande alternativ till traditionella byggmaterial, både som fasadmaterial och som isoleringsmaterial. Detta tack vare dess unika kombination av förnybara egenskaper, god isoleringsförmåga och lågt klimatavtryck
Design and Development of a Plastic Fuel Tank
No full textThis thesis explores the design and development of a plastic diesel fuel tank for counterbalanced forklifts. The current welded steel tank increases production costs and limits design flexibility. Replacing it with a plastic alternative aimed to lower material costs, improve manufacturability, and increase compatibility without compromising safety or functionality. The project followed a structured product development process using Ashby’s method and fuzzy analysis, including material and manufacturing selection. A rotationally molded LMDPE tank was designed, evaluated through FEM and meshless simulations, and compared to industry standards. Results show the plastic tank meets structure requirements under load and braking scenarios. Although integration costs raise the total system price, the long-term benefits in durability, manufacturing efficiency, and flexibility support its viability.