Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the current role of the Chiropractor in the Patient-Centred Approach to Stress Management. Methods: Chiropractors were contacted telephonically in order to discuss a convenient time in which they are free to receive the questionnaire at their practice. The questionnaire was developed specifically for this particular research project and verified through the use of a focus group and pilot testing. The researcher waited outside the room whilst the Chiropractor completed the questionnaire. The questionnaire was then collected after completion prior the researcher leaving the practice, in order to improve the return of the questionnaires. Results: Seventy-five percent of chiropractors, in the study indicated that they took a psychosocial history which may indicate that they utilised the fundamental biopsychosocial theme of ‘patient-centeredness’. 68.9% of chiropractors who took a psychosocial history indicated that they are equipped with the necessary skills to evaluate psychosocial stressors in patients and 55.6% indicated that their patients responded ‘Very Positively’ to their stress management protocols. All the Chiropractors in the study indicated that they had consulted patients who had associated their main complaint with stress related issues. 38.3% of Chiropractors felt that their patients ‘Often’ associated their main complaint with stress-related issues whilst 35% felt that their patients ‘Very Often’ relate their main complaint with stress-related issues. Muscle spasm (85%) was the most common symptom or sign found or elicited in a patient suffering with chronic stress. Referral was the most common primary method of treatment with 36% of Chiropractors utilising this method in the clinical setting when dealing with a stressed patient. iii Conclusion: Chiropractors in the study indicated that they took a psychosocial history therefore they utilised the fundamental biopsychosocial theme of ‘patientcenteredness’ and that the majority indicated that they are equipped with the necessary skills to evaluate psychosocial stressors in patients and that patients responded positively to their stress management protocols.

Asthma affects over 2.2 million people in Australia. Asthma morbidity is increasing while mortality is decreasing. People with asthma experience shortness of breath as their airways narrow and become inflamed. After an episode of acute asthma many patients experience a relapse requiring further emergency department care. Numerous studies have been undertaken to identify the determinants of asthma morbidity and these studies have primarily used asthma oriented and co-morbidity scales such as anxiety and depression indices. Other studies in this area have indicated psychosocial factors such as coping, asthma attitudes and beliefs that may be linked to people with asthma who are non-compliant or adherent to treatment. Currently, there is no research available that has examined the link between general health promoting behaviours, an individual’s risk behaviour assessment and a brief asthma education encounter that is patient-centred. This study provides a description of the health promoting and risk taking behaviours of people who attend the emergency department with acute asthma. Secondly, it examines the effectiveness of patient-centred education compared with standard education. One hundred and forty-six people with acute asthma who attended the emergency departments of the Princess Alexandra and Mater Adult Public Hospitals were enrolled in this study. Participants self-reported health promoting and risk taking behaviours by completing the questionnaire that contained the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLPII) and the Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) instruments. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was also incorporated into the questionnaire to ascertain levels of anxiety and depression in this acute asthma group of people. The asthma education curriculum had the same topics for both the standard education and the patient-centred groups. However, the patient-centred group were able to prioritise the order of the topics according to their identified need. Secondly, the patient-centred group were asked two questions to ascertain the most important issue and asthma issue for them at that point in time. Both groups of participants were educated using the Asthma Foundation Leaflet “Asthma - Basic Facts” during the individual education session. There were 56% females and 44% males with a mean age (+SD) of 34 (13.8) years with 70.3% reported year 12 or above education and 49% of participants earned less that $20,000. Nearly half of the participants were admitted to a hospital ward following emergency department assessment and care. A large proportion of the participants had either moderate or severe asthma. The health behaviour findings from this study suggest people with acute asthma follow preventive health recommendations and safety guidelines more so than the wider community. However, they did not self-initiate home based health actions such as breast self-examination. At the time of attendance to the emergency department with acute asthma there were no statistical difference between the patient-centred education and standard format education groups for age, gender, education, income, asthma control and previous emergency department attendances. The patient-centred education group had fewer re-attendances in the four months after the education intervention when compared with prior emergency department attendances than the control group (p=0.057; p=0.486). In conclusion, people with acute asthma report undertaking a number of preventive health behaviours and actions according to national guidelines and safety recommendations. They report a lack of self-initiated home based health behaviours. Further research is required to investigate the impact on the National Asthma Council’s recommendations of the importance of asthma action plans on people who follow preventive health guidelines and who lack self-initiative abilities. In terms of asthma education, patient-centred education when compared to standard format education may be useful in reducing further emergency department attendances for acute asthma. More research is required to identify other key education issues for people with acute asthma.

Working at the intersection of medical sociology and the psychology of health, language and communication, in this PhD I use thematic analysis (TA) and conversation analysis (CA) to provide an insight into various aspects of doctor-patient communication that may be considered, or are constructed as, challenging and/or delicate for either the patient, doctor or both at a Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) in the UK. This project involves the secondary analysis of two existing data-sets: (i) 21 recorded telephone interviews between my PhD supervisor and transsexual patients who attended the GIC; (ii) 156 transcribed audio-recordings and 38 video-recordings (total = 194) of psychiatrist-patient consultations in the GIC. The first original research paper uses TA to investigate the views and experiences of transsexual patients regarding their communication with psychiatrists at the GIC. An important finding was that patients actually appreciated being challenged in this setting, subsequently the implications of this are considered with regards to the achievability and desirability of patient centred communication. The second research paper uses CA to consider how patients overtly challenge psychiatrists in the GIC in ways that have not been shown in conversation analytic research on medical interactions to date. Analysis of the data corpus revealed that there were three common ways in which patients challenged psychiatrists at the GIC, which are (1) by problematising their questions; (2) by disagreeing with statements that are made regarding their treatment; (3) and by initiating complaints. The findings of this study are considered in relation to the implications that they have for clinicians and for the persistence and desirability of asymmetry in clinical interaction in light of the current debates surrounding the concept of patient-centeredness. The final research paper also uses CA, in this instance to study how the topic of weight, which is often constructed and orientated towards as delicate in talk-in-interaction, is occasioned and discussed by psychiatrists and patients at the GIC. Whereas previous CA research on this topic has focused on how this is constructed by speakers as a moral issue, this paper is concerned with focusing on how psychiatrists (1) establish with patients that their weight is an issue, (2) encourage patients to lose weight by informing them that this is their responsibility and (3) offer advice on the behavior changes associated with weight loss. The results of this paper are discussed with regards to the implications that they have for clinicians who discuss the potentially delicate topic of weight with patients in a number of different settings. This project contributes towards the growing debates regarding the achievability and desirability of patient centred communication and the persistence of asymmetry in clinical interaction. It also contributes to medical conversation analytic literature to date on asymmetry and talk about weight in clinical interactions.

The thesis presented consists of two parts: a theory and the empirical part. The theory is introduced with a brief survey of the history of the patient centred care followed with current trends in nursing. It is followed with the three key areas determining nursing care. The first one consists of the objective factors - the health care system. The second area is formed by the factors associated with the practical implementation of nursing. The third area is devoted to the role of the patient and his surroundings. Objective of the thesis: The mapping of the factors influencing patient-oriented care by the nursing staff and management in various health care institutions. Research group The research group consisted of 11 female respondents state-registered nurses, aged from 24 to 58 years of age. The respondents varied in their position, level of education, and specialization, and they worked in various health-care institutions. Among them, there were 6 registered nurses, 4 ward nurses, and 1 head nurse. The willingness to cooperate and the saturation of responses were principal in forming the research team in question. The way adopted for achieving of the objective A qualitative research method has been chosen to achieve the goal. The phenomenological focus of the work has led to the selection of the method. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The findings were further categorized and confronted with the source material to answer the research questions. Results The research confirms the nursing care is a complex phenomenon. The recently-adopted health care legislation shows a shift from the paternalistic concept of care on behalf of the right of the patient to self-determination. On the other hand, however, the principle of solidarity the basis of the health care system in the Czech Republic retains some paternalismus, and that can negatively affects the relationship of the patient to the nursing staff in some cases. The respondents are in agreement as to the notion of PCC but a single one respondent knows its concept. The possibility of putting the PCC in practice is hampered by a wide range of factors. According to the respondents, the major obstacle is the undernumerousness of the nursing staff, resulting in the omnipresent time stress. The excessive red-tape demands have been seen as the almost equally important factor, together with the lack of continuity of care, but also the fast-and-loose approach of some nurses. The evaluation of the cooperation between staff nurses at the bed and the nurses in senior positions differed. Staff nurses see the problem in cooperation with their superiors, lacking appreciation of their work. Management, i.e. head nurses and ward nurses are often seen as systemic obstacles. The research investigation also shows insufficient cooperation with the patient's family. Permanent changes in the nursing education concept are seen as a hindrance to the problem solution. Regretfully, the actual approach of a nurse often slides down from a vocation to a mere employment. Conclusion The problems identified in the healthcare system indicate a wide range of factors influencing the relations between the nursing staff and patients. Multidimensional patient care concepts and examples from our healthcare system illustrate how clinical, structural, and interpersonal factors can interact in the relations between nursing staff and patient. The PCC concept should enable any health-care provider to set ways to improvement the care rendered and to motivate the caring staff to adopting it.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease that requires lifelong medical management, health education and self-management. According to a World Health Organisation report, there is a global increase in the prevalence of diabetes and even more so in the low-and middle-income countries, specifically Nigeria, which has the highest number of people with diabetes in the African region of the World Health Organisation. As a global issue, the positive health outcomes of diabetes are tied to health education and self-management of the disease and using the health resources of nations. However, in the context of limited resources in Nigeria, there is a need for improvement of health education in self-management of Type 2 diabetes. Health education that is provided in some Nigerian health facilities is reported to be unstructured, without patients’ active participation, not tailored to the needs and the interests of the patients and limited collaboration between multi-disciplinary professionals. In this context, the aim of the study was to develop a structured health education programme for self-management of patients with Type 2 diabetes, to facilitate the quality of the lives of these patients .An adapted intervention mapping framework provided a structured process for development of an evidenced based programme. A mixed method approach was followed. In the first phase of the study an exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was followed. A purposive sampling approach was used in selecting (i) participants, who were patients with Type 2 diabetes and (ii) health-care professionals working in two health-care institutions in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. In phase 1, Step1 of the research was a situation analysis, which consisted of conducting 30 semi-structured interviews with patients; observation of nurses providing health education; and five focus group discussions with health-care professionals (nurses, dieticians and social workers). Qualitative data analysis was accomplished through using Tesch’s (1990) steps of analysis to identify themes and categories. The situation analysis revealed, firstly, that there was a lack in the knowledge and self-management of Type 2 diabetes among patients. Secondly, that the health-care professionals acknowledged their collective role in health education and were burdened with the patients who were non-adherent to self-management. The result also revealed the necessity to change from a traditional teaching method to a structured educational process that is patient-centred. The second phase of the research was the stage of developing the educational programme through collaboration with the stakeholders (health-care professionals and patients with Type 2 diabetes) using the findings from the data-analysis of the first phase supported with literature. In phase 2, Step 2 was to develop matrices from the data analysis in Phase 1 for the programme. Step 3 added theory-based intervention methods and practical applications to the preliminary program and in Step 4 the programme was described. This was followed in Step 5 by preparing health-care professionals for offering the programme to patients and implementing and evaluating the programme. The evaluation of the programme was by means of a quantitative pilot study in which a pre-post-test in a quasi-experiment was conducted with 28 patients and qualitative interviews after the program and post intervention interviews with the participants. The evaluation showed that the program was effective in meeting its objectives. In Step 6 a plan for the adoption, implementation, sustainability and evaluation of future implementations was developed.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Background: Satisfaction with the care mothers receive during child-birth is known to have a very strong influence on their future use of facility-based care during child-birth. Women and children continue to die from complications associated with pregnancy and child-birth and the majority of the causes that lead to mortality are related to labour and delivery. For this reason it is imperative for mothers to access facility-based child-birth care to receive skilled birth care. Mothers report dissatisfaction with facility-based child-birth care as one of the reasons for home births without skilled attendants. The presence of the skilled birth attendants is known to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates because of their ability to diagnose any early complications, and to intervene appropriately. Aim: The aim of the current study was to develop an in-service training programme for midwives to provide patient-centred child-birth care that would increase client satisfaction with child-birth care. Method and findings: The intervention research model by Rothman and Thomas (1994) – Design and development (D & D) – was used as the research framework. Only the first four of the six phases of the D & D model were applied in this study. In the first phase, a situational analysis was done using a qualitative study. The expectations, experiences, and satisfaction with child-birth care of antenatal and postnatal mothers, were explored. The research was conducted in four health institutions within the Kumasi Metropolis. Between 12 and 15 participants were purposively sampled in each hospital. Data were collected by means of individual in-depth interviews using an interview guide and data were analysed using content analysis. The study found that mothers expected to receive respectful care and safe care. Mothers had encouraging experiences and discouraging experiences during their child-birth care. The discouraging experiences did not align with their expectations of care, leading to dissatisfaction with child-birth care. In the second phase of the study an integrative literature review was conducted to identify evidence-based best practices to deal with client dissatisfaction with health care. The integrative literature review indicated that in-service training was commonly used as best-practice to improve health professionals' knowledge, skills and attitudes towards work and consequently to improve health outcomes for patients, including client satisfaction. In the third phase of the study, the in-service training programme to enhance patient-centred care was developed using Chinn and Kramer (2005) guidelines for programme development and steps to programme development by Management Sciences for Health (2012). The fourth phase entailed an assessment of feasibility and usability of the in-service training programme using 6 midwives in a district Hospital. The procedure was guided by the I-Tech Technical Implementation guide (2010). The outcomes of the assessment was used to refine and revise the developed in-service training programme. Conclusion: This study sought to develop an intervention to increase client satisfaction with child-birth care service by engaging the following processes in phases: • Assessing the expectations and experiences of mothers about child-birth care services. • An integrative literature review for evidence-based best practice to tackle client dissatisfaction with health care. • Designing a patient-centred care in-service training programme together with experts in the field of maternal and child health. • As assessment of feasibility and usability of the in-service training programme by means of a pilot test to refine the programme. Recommendations: It was recommended among others that, the study is carried out on a national scale to cover all administrative regions of Ghana. It is further recommended that the study findings and the programme developed form part of the continuous professional assessment course requirement for nurses and midwives.

Sexual assault is a global public health and human rights challenge which cuts across all social classes. According to a literature review based on 50 studies from around the world, between 10% and 50% of women have experienced some act of physical violence while one in every four women experience sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. In an emergency unit in the North West, South Africa there are policies, guidelines and procedures in place with regard to the management of the rape survivors after the incident which focus on a medical orientated approach. The views of female rape survivors on their management are neglected; therefore management is not patient-centred. The main objective of the study was to explore and describe the views of the female rape survivors regarding the management they received in emergency unit to enable the health care professionals to move towards a more patient-centred approach in the management these patients. Appreciative Inquiry was used a research methodology. A qualitative design using purposive sampling was used to select the participants. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 10 female rape survivors and Tesch steps were used to analyse the data. Three main themes were identified, namely 1) therapeutic environment, 2) optimal healthcare received and 3) excellence in service delivery. With regard to the disease orientated management received the female rape survivors found it to be good. The participants voiced that it is important that female rape survivors should have an opportunity to attend group therapy following the rape incident so that they are able to support each other. / Dissertation (MCur)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Nursing Science / MCur / Unrestricted

Introduction: Patient-centred communication is vital to ensure a good patient experience in the emergency department. Visits to the emergency department leave patients disillusioned regarding the communication experienced and this increases patient dissatisfaction. There is a need to put the "patient" back in communication in order to make it more patient-centred and provide the patient the opportunity to voice their individual needs pertaining to patient-centred communication. The aim of the study was to co-design patient-centred communication in an emergency department. In order to reach the aim of the study the following objectives were set: To explore current communication in an emergency department as experienced by patients and healthcare professionals. To collaboratively co-design strategies to enhance patient-centred communication in an emergency department. Research design and methods: An Experience-based Co-design has been used. Unstructured observation was done to observe existing communication in the emergency department. Patients have told their stories through narrative-based film interviews and healthcare professionals have been interviewed to share their experiences regarding communication in the emergency department. The observation notes and interviews have been shared during a Co-design event. Patients and healthcare professionals have collaboratively analysed the data to identify key touch points and co-design strategies to enhance patient-centred communication in the emergency department. Results: Three (3) key touch points were identified namely; professionalism, communication and daily focus. The patients and healthcare professionals were equal partners to change the communication culture in the emergency department to be more patient-centred. This may lead to positive patients' experiences with an increase in patient satisfaction. Conclusion: The ultimate goal of this study was to raise awareness relating existing communication in the emergency department and collaboratively plan strategies to work towards patient-centred communication. / Dissertation (MCur)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Nursing Science / MCur / Unrestricted

Aim and objectives. Although many international sources in literature describe the treatment regimes for the management of adult female rape survivors, very few actually evaluate if the care that is implemented, are beneficial and supportive towards an optimal level of health. The researcher initiated this study to specifically determine what the experiences of adult female rape survivors were with regards to the management they received from health care workers in the emergency care environment. This information that was gathered was then incorporated into the writing of recommendations for health care services towards the improvement of patient-centred care. Method. A qualitative phenomenological methodology guided the research process in which ten semi-structured voluntary interviews was held with adult female rape survivors. This study was conducted in a private hospital in Gauteng, South Africa, which is at the top of the international statistics list for the incidence of rape. Findings. Patient management with regards to accessibility to health care services, the forensic examination and the use of medications proved to be a major concern. Participants in this study emphasized the value and importance of the physical presence of family members or significant others. A positive attitude from these support-givers improved the patient’s psychological state, memory and co-operation. Prolonged waiting times in all areas of management contributed to an increased level of anxiety, where as the prompt and competent interventions by empathetic multi-disciplinary team members had improved patient satisfaction. Various patient responses after the rape incident warranted that minimal, but yet effective and professional health care workers be involved in rape survivor management. Confidentiality and honest, effective communication that is based on patient preference, should guide all interventions. Conclusion. The medical management of adult female rape survivors in this hospital compared favorably to international standards, however, the need to improve the level of specific patient-centred care exists in order to ultimately facilitate a better quality of service provision. Copyright / Dissertation (MCur)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Nursing Science / unrestricted

Bakgrund: Brister i kommunikation och informationsöverföring är en av de största orsakerna till vårdskador. För att arbeta mot en säkrare vård måste patienterna bli delaktiga. Delaktiga patienter är nyckeln till personcentrerad och säker vård. Ett sätt att involvera patienterna är genom att de får delta i bedsiderapportering. Syfte: Att beskriva patienters upplevelser när sjuksköterskor använder bedsiderapportering vid skiftbyten.  Metod: En litteraturöversikt med induktiv ansats, baserad på sju artiklar med kvalitativ design och tre artiklar med mixad design. Artiklarna är hämtade från CINAHL och Medline. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i två teman, inkluderande vårdrelation och samtal på lika villkor. Patienterna upplevde att bedsiderapportering kunde främja delaktighet i vården, patienterna fick vara en del av informationsutbytet och bidra med meningsfull information. Patienternas känsla av trygghet ökade och sjukhusupplevelsen förbättrades vid säkerställandet av informationsutbytet. Däremot framkom även önskan från patienterna om ökat deltagande, bibehållen konfidentialitet och bli inbjuden i bedsiderapporteringen av sjuksköterskorna. Slutsats: Resultatet framhäver både positiva och negativa upplevelser. Bedsiderapportering kan vara ett steg mot mer personcentrerad vård men ytterligare riktlinjer behövs som berör hur konfidentialiteten bör hanteras. Framtida forskning behövs för att studera om metoden är lämplig för alla patientgrupper. / Background: Healthcare related injuries are often caused by insufficient communication and poor transferring of information. To make healthcare better the patients need to be included in the process. Keeping the patients involved is the key to patient-centred and safer health care. One way to involve the patient is through implementing “bedside handover”. Aim: To describe patient’s experiences when nurses implement bedside handover during shift change. Method: The study is a literature review with an inductive approach, based on seven articles with a qualitative method and three articles with mixed methods. The articles were taken from the databases CINAHL and Medline. Results: The results generated in in two themes: healthcare relationship and conversations on equal terms. The patients experienced that bedside handover could promote participation in care, patients could be a part of the information exchange and contribute with meaningful information. Patients' sense of security increased, and the hospital experience improved when they could secure the information. However, some patients wished for increased participation, maintained confidentiality and to be more invited to participate in the nursing bedside handover. Conclusion: The result highlights both positive and negative experiences. Bedside reporting can be a step toward more person-centered care, but additional guidelines are needed that address how confidentiality should be handled. Future research is needed to study whether the method is appropriate for all patient groups.