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While much research has been conducted on the experiences of individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases, there remains a dearth of research conducted on those affected by polyposis conditions. As a result, little is known about the lived experiences of those with polyposis conditions, especially in the cases of parents of pediatric patients with these conditions. This study qualitatively explored the lived experiences of parents of children with polyposis conditions, specifically Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome and Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to explore the lived experiences of seven parents of children diagnosed with polyposis conditions through semi-structured interviews. Collected data was analysed using Lindseth and Norberg (2004)’s Phenomenological Hermeneutical Method for Researching Lived Experience. In total, four major themes comprising of twelve sub-themes were revealed. Parents discussed feeling grateful for the use of family-centred approaches by their children’s physicians as well as access to medical care for their children, which encouraged them to demonstrate a proactive approach towards their children’s health maintenance. Furthermore, they explained that while seeking information concerning their children’s conditions was anxiety-inducing, discussing their experiences with others with situations similar to theirs was validating and informative. The participants described the importance of advocating for their children within and outside of the medical system, and the responsibility they feel in teaching their children to undertake the advocating process for themselves. Lastly, the parents reflected on the impact their children’s diagnoses have had on their relationships with themselves, their families and their support networks. Overall, the findings from this study are in-line with findings from prior research, except in the case of the ‘Teaching the children to speak for themselves’ theme which proves to be a novel contribution to the literature. The shared key aspects of the phenomenon indicate that focus should be placed on the utilization of family-centred care by physicians, the development of support groups for parents, and on educating physicians on how to best facilitate parents as they model advocating behaviours to pediatric patients. This study provides insight into the lived experiences of parents of children with polyposis syndromes, informing the medical community of how the needs of this group can be better met. Furthermore, the qualitative nature of this research will provide the polyposis, chronic illness and rare illness literatures with information it has been lacking, using a valuable methodological perspective.

Informal caregiving for aging Canadians plays a vital role in the health care system, and scholars have noted the urgency and primacy of studying this important contribution provided by a relatively invisible cadre of volunteers, family members and friends. Despite the recent attention caregiving has received in the scholarly literature, it is dominated by quantitative research. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the lived experiences of female caregivers in terms of their perspectives on caregiving and their own personal health and wellness. A sample of seven female caregivers was obtained using a combination of both purposive and snowball sampling. Through semi-structured interviews participants were asked to describe their experiences as a caregiver. A primary theme “one day at a time” emerged from the data. Within this overarching narrative were three sub-themes: “Intensive care”, “Transitions”, and “Support” found to characterize their caregiving realities including both positive and negative aspects. Capturing a rich understanding of the lived experience of female caregivers, intentionally including and honouring their voices, can inform the design and implementation of health promoting policies, programs, and interventions, as well as identify avenues and approaches to future research. / Graduate

The use of prescription opioids for chronic non-cancer pain is complex. Opioids have the potential to alleviate discomfort and increase ones overall ability to function but, long term use also has potential physical and psychological impacts. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of adults who use prescription opioids to manage chronic non-cancer pain. Nine participants were recruited and interviewed. Participants were asked to describe how using prescription opioids had affected their lives. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically using Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Eight themes emerged from the data: the process of decision making, physical effects of using opioids, social consequences of using opioids, Guilt, fears, ambivalence, self-protection, and acceptance. Using opioids made pain more manageable and improved function for most of the participants. Nevertheless, using opioids was also associated with stigma, guilt, fears and ambivalence about their future as persons with chronic pain.

This study examined the lived experience of diabetes as told by four young women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Assuming a qualitative approach, I asked participants to describe their medical, academic, social, and psychological experiences during a single, guided open-ended interview. Analysis of the data revealed the subjective and unique nature of the illness experience, and the variety of ways in which diabetes had influenced Abbey’s, Olivia’s, Hannah’s, and Melinda’s life choices and existence. Despite differing in the ways in which they experienced their illness, there were some similarities that existed across cases. These women all faced a variety of challenges throughout their lives, ranging from difficulties with the treatment regimen, with the lack of diabetes awareness in the school setting, and in coming to terms with their illness. Applying the Shifting Perspectives Model of Illness (Paterson, 2001) to the stories told by these four women provided an in-depth view of how these four individuals with diabetes made meaning of their experiences. Because these women viewed their lives primarily from a wellness in the foreground perspective, they were able to identify the many positive ways in which diabetes had transformed their lives. This study contributes to the understanding of the lived experience of diabetes in the literature, and is one of the few studies to explore the diabetes experience using a theoretical framework. Recommendations for teachers are made based on the participants’ interpretations of the needs of diabetic students in the classroom, and based on suggestions offered by these four women. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-30 11:24:06.407

The purpose of this qualitative thesis is to describe the common elements of sense of place in the lived experiences of volunteer trail managers. Through a triangulation of data gathered from secondary research, interviews with trail managers, and participation observation of hikers, I sought to draw out the essence of the trail manager???s sense of place towards their trail experience and connect this back to ongoing management challenges in the organization. Some of these challenges include declining membership, limited lines of communication, and problematic landowner relations. Themes around this common sense of place are situated within meanings, relationship/ attachments, emotions, and behaviors towards the trail experience. Interrelationships between sense of place, phenomenology, and trail management are also highlighted.

With little research documenting elderly medication users’ beliefs and attitudes towards medication, the purpose of this study is to document how seniors experience medication use within the context of their daily lives. The study population was comprised of female and male seniors aged 65 and over who were recruited from the Parksville – Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo communities of eastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The findings of this research suggest that for seniors, medication use is a complex and emotionally charged experience. It is an experience filled with contradictions, in which seniors are forced to negotiate between diverse realms of information concerning medications, from the directives they receive from health care professionals, to the signals they receive from their bodies. It is an experience in which powerful conceptions of medications as prolongers of life often trump an individual’s overwhelming desire to stop taking those medications. This research is intended to expand our understandings of the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs that inform Canadian seniors’ medication use practices. Furthermore, findings from this thesis will contribute to a collaborative investigation of seniors’ experiences with medication designed to address the increasing number of adverse drug reactions experienced by the elderly. / Graduate

In an era of comprehensive school reform, it appears that the voice of teachers is seldom solicited or recognized in the process of planning and implementing school-wide reform. The primary purpose of this study was to report the lived experiences of teachers at Timberton North High School (pseudonym) as it related to the Smaller Learning Community (SLC) reform initiative. Research questions addressed how the faculty experienced the SLC initiative and how their experiences were different from their perceived notion of what SLCs were trying to accomplish and in what ways SLCs initiated a socially constructed understanding of educational purposes. This study utilized a social constructivist lens to identify the nuances of reform and the interplay of effects upon the social, historical, and cultural constructs as they existed on the Timberton North campus and in the minds of the faculty members who participated. The lived experience of the faculty members who participated in this study could be summed up in terms of frustration. The concept of frustration was manifest throughout the data as a unifying thread of a socially constructed understanding. Members of the faculty who formally and informally participated cited various evidences to substantiate their position of frustration, which proved invaluable to the success of this research. The theme of frustration, coupled with disaggregated subthemes, offers a hermeneutic understanding as to what was experienced on the Timberton North Campus. An additional theme of “hope” emerged from the data, as each of the faculty members expressed, in one way or another that something good would come as a result of their SLC efforts in the future. There is considerable attention given in this study to the way the SLC concept was first articulated by the school and district and what was actually realized on the Timberton North campus. This further situates the lived experience within the context of the themes. The themes that were derived in this study have also been situated into the current literature that elaborates on issues of teacher emotionality, educational policy, administrative leadership, and educational reform in general. This particular study is primarily beneficial to those who participated. However, this piece of research will provide some breadth to the growing body of research that involves how teachers influence comprehensive high school reform agendas.

The purpose of this study was to explore how women living with an ADHD diagnosis coloured their experiences throughout life. Women continue to be excluded from clinical research and ADHD is a diagnosis that suffers from a significant male bias. As such, there is limited research about women with ADHD. This study employed a thematic analysis approach, inspired by grounded theory. Four women were recruited online after confirming they met criteria. The four women were interviewed with a semi-structured interview protocol, permitting for organic follow-up questions. Data analysis resulted in the identification of the following 4 themes: Negotiating and navigating education; Experiences of mental health; Socioemotional implications of having ADHD; and Strategies used to cope with ADHD. A total of 11 sub-themes were also identified and were correspondingly organized under appropriate main themes. This research is relevant to any professional working with women with an ADHD diagnosis or who may be querying an ADHD diagnosis.

Background and aims: The individual’s experience of living with epilepsy is often neglected with the dominant focus being upon seizure control. However, the experience of living with epilepsy is more than the seizures. Epilepsy is an illness that is understood in many different ways and the narratives the person draws from will impact their own understanding, experience and management of the condition. Based upon this gap in the literature this study sought to hear the narratives of people diagnosed with epilepsy in adulthood as told to an outsider with the hope of developing understanding, informing clinical practice and improving support for people diagnosed with epilepsy in adulthood. Methodology: A qualitative approach was chosen for this project. A purposive sample of eight individuals diagnosed with epilepsy in adulthood was recruited. Individual interviews were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. Narrative analysis was used to analyse the transcripts with a focus upon both what was spoken about and how it was told. Analysis and findings: Each participant is introduced individually, presenting a ‘global impression’ of their narrative. This is followed by a consideration of the similarities and differences across all participants under the shared plots of stories of: onset; changes and challenges; and meanings of epilepsy. Within the shared plot of stories of onset are the storylines of ‘affirmation’ of self; ‘continuation’ of self; biographical disruption and searching for a cause. Within the changes and challenges shared plot there are storylines of: dependency; emotional expression; ‘I try to think positively’ and ‘It’s like talking about someone else.’ Within the final shared plot of meanings of epilepsy there are storylines of: something ‘normal’; something ‘all a bit scary’; something ‘people used to get locked up for’; a ‘hidden illness’ and ‘it’s not to be spoken about.’ The narratives show that having epilepsy is a journey that has different effects on people at different times of their lives and in different contexts. The findings are discussed in relation to clinical implications; strengths and limitations of the methodology and directions for future research.