173 research outputs found
Grounded Theory – Methods Matter: Series 2, Episode 2
No full textIn expert corner for this episode is Dr Kahryn Hughes, from University of Leeds. Dr Hughes is Director of the Timescapes Archive, Editor in Chief of Sociological Research Online, Convenor of the MA Qualitative Research Methods and a Senior Fellow for the NCRM. In researcher ranch is Nisha Dhanda, Audiologist, Teaching Fellow, and PhD Candidate from Aston University. Nisha has always had an interest in the way people communicate and how this is affected with unmanaged hearing loss and associated comorbidities like cognitive impairment and dementia, an interest that has inspired her teaching and her PhD.
Methods Matter – from Dementia Researcher and the National Centre for Research Methods – is a podcast for people who don't know much about methods, those who do and those who just want to find news and clever ways to use them in their research. In this second series, Clinical Research Fellow Dr Donncha Mullin from the University of Edinburgh brings together leading experts in research methodology, and the dementia researchers that use them, to provide a fun introduction to five qualitive research methods in a safe space where there are no such things as dumb questions. In this season, the podcast covers oral histories and story telling, grounded theory, visual and creative methods, focus groups and surveys and questionnaires
The benefits of growth for Indonesian Workers
Get PDFIndonesia's adopted development model has proved to be the most successful in alleviating poverty and benefiting workers in developing countries. The government's development efforts focused on agriculture, education, and transport infrastructure. It emphasized providing productive employment opportunities and gradually improving the labor quality through education and training. The wage, employment, and income growth rates were left to market forces. Although the rapid growth of labor-intensive manufacturing has led to more jobs and higher wages benefiting workers, workers employed in these industries have expressed growing dissatisfaction. They complain about problems of child labor, the denial of centrally mandated wages and benefits to workers, poor working conditions, and the abuse of young female workers. The government has tried to improve worker's wages and working conditions by centrally mandating higher labor standards, relying principally on minimum wages. Enforcement has improved and, despite low compliance, minimum wages are beginning to bite. Indonesians are debating whether they need labor intensive industries and whether it is a mistake to base Indonesia's growth on cheap labor. They argue that if labor is more expensive, manufacturers must substitute some capital for labor. However, if labor-intensive industries are rejected, the capacity of the economy to absorb plentiful workers will be reduced. The main alternatives are to push up wages now, or to let wages be determined by market forces and strengthen institutions that could improve working conditions, such as labor unions. The author recommends maintaining flexible labor markets and allowing market forces to set the pace of change, while strengthening labor unions.Environmental Economics&Policies,Public Health Promotion,Labor Policies,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Work&Working Conditions,Environmental Economics&Policies,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Banks&Banking Reform,Work&Working Conditions,Municipal Financial Management
Improving the efficiency of urban bus services in India
No full textThis dissertation analyzed the performance of public bus services in Indian cities and explored factors that affect their efficiency. Following the Road Transport Corporation Act of 1950, most states in India established State Road Transport Corporations to provide public bus services in their respective states. By early 1990s, most of the State Transport Undertakings (STUs) had become large monopolistic operations that incurred huge losses. The government of India started to encourage the STUs to resort to privatization to expand their services and stopped providing funds for purchase of new vehicles. Delhi and Bangalore privatized part of their urban bus services to increase the supply of buses in the city. The analysis involved quantitative analysis of the performance of urban transport companies, the efficiency of their operations and a comparison of the privatization experience of Delhi and Bangalore to understand the differences in their experience. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to estimate the relative efficiencies of public bus companies. Then, tobit regression and truncated regression were performed on the estimated efficiencies to explore the exogenous factors that influence efficiency. Results from the multivariate analysis showed that privatization significantly affects service efficiency. Privatization led to an increase in the supply of buses, a decrease in crowding on buses and overall improvements in the quality of service. However, its impact on production efficiency was insignificant. The results from regression analyses indicated that factors other than privatization, such as higher population density and regular revisions of fares influence efficiency. Higher traffic speeds can also improve efficiency of bus systems. While some these factors can be directly controlled by the bus operator, others are beyond their control and have to be addressed though overall planning for land use and traffic management. The research also offers several practical implications to cities that are planning to privatize their operations. The comparison of the privatization experiences of Delhi and Bangalore does not support the theory that competition between operators improves efficiency. Regardless of the method of privatization chosen, the nature of regulations imposed on the private operators determines the outcome from privatization.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vitaby Nisha Korattyswaroopa
Hearing, Cognition, And Social Isolation In Older Adults: A Pluralist Approach
Get PDFThis thesis examined the role of social isolation in older adults living with hearing loss and Dementia. A pluralist approach was used to investigate these associations at both a population and individual level. A systematic review and meta-analysis investigated whether social isolation was a mediator between hearing loss and later cognitive impairment or onset of Dementia. The review's findings supported an association between hearing loss and later cognitive impairment, but social isolation was not identified as a mediator. The results led to epidemiological analyses of hearing threshold and later cognitive score and hearing threshold and later social isolation score using the Hertfordshire Ageing Study. No statistically significant or clinically significant associations were observed in the multiple linear regression analyses, highlighting the need for more specific measures of social isolation to be used in population-level data. Substantial planning and engagement work was conducted at four care homes to adequately prepare for ethnographic work, which involved an environmental audit, interviews, and qualitative analysis using Grounded Theory. The ethnographic work aimed to explore the mechanisms that contribute to the experience of social isolation and give voice to the resident, staff, and visitor perspective. The model demonstrated internal and external barriers to communication and how this contributed to sustained social isolation within residential care settings. Residents needed to frequently engage in meaningful conversation and interactions with their peers and staff to feel connected to one another and retain social identity. Their ability to communicate and for care staff to listen through disordered language was the deciding factor in experiencing social isolation. A person's level of hearing impairment was almost irrelevant. The combined work highlights the complexities of social isolation in older adults. A pluralist approach allowed for novel insight into the mechanisms contributing to and maintaining social isolation
Exploring the purpose and stages of patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in audiology research: a case study approach
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) has become an integral component of contemporary audiology research. It aims to capture diverse views and experiences, essential for evaluating the long-term impact of technological advancements and care models on individuals. Traditional inclusion methods, such as focus groups, may exclude individuals with additional needs or communication difficulties, necessitating the development of more inclusive approaches. METHODS: This study explores PPIE's purpose and stages in two recent audiology studies, adhering to the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP2) criteria. The authors describe their attempts to optimise participation by PPIE volunteers in two studies. The methods sought to engage volunteer PPIE contributors who might otherwise have not known about or contributed views of research methods. Specifically, our novel methods for engagement meant reaching out deliberately to marginalised communities and using individual, relationship building approaches, rather than relying on previously described focus group style meetings. Flexible engagement methods were developed to include marginalised communities with lower levels of research engagement. In the first study, the Hearing Loss and Patient Reported Experience Study (HeLP) developed the first Patient-Reported Experience Measure (PREM) in audiology. The study involved creating a conceptual framework, developing a prototype questionnaire, and validating it through test-retest procedures. The second study conducted an ethnographic analysis of adults with dementia and hearing loss in care homes, employing environmental audits, ethnographic observations, and semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: The HeLP study successfully developed a culturally meaningful and accessible PREM, capturing the experiences of individuals with hearing loss, including those from South Asian communities. PPIE contributors highlighted the need for non-judgmental, empathetic approaches and culturally sensitive language. The PPIE component of the ethnographic study emphasises the importance of creating appropriate communication environments and implementing tailored inclusion strategies to address barriers faced by PPIE contributors in their participation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings stress the necessity of inclusive PPIE methods in audiology research. Building meaningful relationships with PPIE contributors ensures a wide range of perspectives, informing research design and conduct. The study highlights the challenges of traditional focus groups and the benefits of flexible, personalised engagement methods. By prioritising relationship building and nuanced conversations, researchers can develop interventions that better align with users' needs, preferences, and lifestyles. This approach contributes to the growing body of literature advocating for more inclusive and representative PPIE practices in health research, ultimately enhancing the relevance and impact of audiology studies
An ethnography study exploring factors that influence social isolation in care home residents living with dementia and hearing loss
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Hearing loss and dementia are highly prevalent conditions amongst older adults living in residential care. The consequences of living with these conditions may include social withdrawal and reduced communication opportunities. We sought to examine patterns of communication and interaction in residential care and explore resident, staff, and relative perspectives within two care homes located in Birmingham, UK. This enabled an understanding of how communication environments contributed to social isolation. METHODS: This work used ethnography methodology to explore mechanisms that created and maintained social isolation in older adults living with dementia and hearing loss. A planning and engagement phase took place in four care homes. This was followed by an environmental audit, observations, and interviews. Data generated were analysed using Grounded Theory methods. RESULTS: There were 33 participants (16 residents, 11 care staff, and six relatives) who took part in the observations and interviews. Residents experienced social isolation through lack of meaningful conversation with others and being misunderstood. Additionally, observations of residents' interactions informed the overall findings. A Grounded Theory model was employed to explain the core phenomenon of social isolation. The main contributors were internal and external barriers to communication, and reduced opportunities for meaningful conversation. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide range of social isolation that care home residents experience. This was not always associated with the severity of hearing loss but rather communication ability. Simple interventions such as staff dining with residents and focussing on improving communication could reduce social isolation within residential care settings
Population aging and the labor market : the case of Sri Lanka
Get PDFSri Lanka's population is predicted to age vary fast during the next 50 years, bringing a slowdown of labor force growth and after 2030its contraction. Based on a 2006 representative survey of old people in Sri Lanka, the paper examines labor market consequences of this process, focusing on retirement pathways and the determinants of labor market withdrawal. The paper finds that a vast majority of Sri Lankan old workers are engaged in the informal sector, work long hours, and are paid less than younger workers. Moreover, the paper shows that labor market duality carries over to old age: (i) previous employment is the most important predictor of the retirement pathway; (ii) older workers fall into two categories: civil servants and formal private sector workers, who generally stop working before they reach 60 because they are forced to do so by mandatory retirement regulations, and casual workers and the self-employed, who work until very old age (or death) due to poverty and insufficient income and who stop working primarily because of poor health; and (iii) the option of part-time work is used primarily by workers who held regular jobs in their prime age employment, but not by casual workers and self-employed.Labor Markets,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Labor Policies,Work&Working Conditions,
Dementia and communication comorbidities within the context of caregiver support systems:a scoping review
Get PDFBackground: Dementia is a growing global health concern affecting millions of people worldwide. Communication difficulties are a hallmark feature that pose challenges for both people with living dementia (PLWD) and caregivers. These challenges encompass spoken and unspoken communication and can lead to social isolation and diminished quality of life. Caregivers also face significant burdens owing to communication difficulties, stress, and burnout.Aims: This review aimed to explore the existing literature on dementia and communication comorbidities within the context of caregiver support systems. By synthesising current evidence, this review aimed to identify gaps in knowledge, highlight effective interventions, and inform future research and clinical practice aimed at improving the communication experiences of individuals with dementia and supporting their caregivers.Methods: The review methodology was guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework. A search strategy using relevant keywords was developed, and searches were conducted using PubMed and EMBASE without any limitations. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts and full texts using predetermined eligibility criteria. Data extraction was conducted by two reviewers and disagreements were resolved through discussion. The extracted data were grouped based on common themes and narratively synthesised.Results: A total of 228 articles were screened at the title and abstract levels, and 120 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. 23 eligible studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Most of these studies were conducted in the United States of America (47.8%) and Europe (43.5%). The studies used various designs, with an almost equal number of cohort studies (30%), qualitative studies (26%), and experimental studies (26%). The key themes identified were as follows: adult day service use reducing caregiver burden, educational interventions reducing caregiver burden, supportive technologies, caregiver counselling, perspectives of informal caregivers and PLWD, perceptions of staff caregivers. Only one study addressed hearing loss as a communication comorbidity.Conclusion: The findings highlight the potential value of adult day-care services, caregiver counselling, educational interventions, and supportive technologies in dementia care. Future research that focuses on specific interventions tailored to dementia and communication comorbidity needs and integrating them into care plans can reduce the caregiver burden
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