Orientador: Luciana Patrícia Fernandes Abbade / Resumo: Introdução: Estudos pilotos e de viabilidade são realizados em diversas áreas clínicas e têm importante papel no planejamento e desenvolvimento de ensaios clínicos aleatorizados (ECAs). Entretanto, na literatura existe grande número de ECAs declarados como pilotos e de viabilidade, mas não relatam claramente em seus objetivos e métodos quais itens são testados quanto aos processos e viabilidade e se são uma preparação para estudos maiores. Objetivos: avaliar a adequação dos relatos de ECAs denominados como pilotos ou de viabilidade publicados na área de dermatologia, em relação aos cincos pontos-chaves necessários para relato destes estudos e determinar quais são os fatores associados com adequação completa aos cincos pontoschaves. Métodos: pesquisa sistemática metodológica de ECAs pilotos e de viabilidade em dermatologia publicados no PubMed, no período de janeiro de 2012 a julho de 2018. Critérios de exclusão: protocolos, carta aos editores e estudos pilotos não aleatorizados. A extração de dados de cada artigo selecionado foi realizada por meio de uma planilha padronizada. Dois revisores extraíram os dados e qualquer desacordo foi resolvido através de consenso. Os estudos incluídos foram avaliados quanto sua adequação aos cincos pontos-chaves, os quais foram escolhidos pelos autores a partir do CONSORT Statement para estudos pilotos e de viabilidade, por considerarem que são itens fundamentais para um bom relato de ECA piloto e de viabilidade. Os cincos pontos-chaves são: ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Background: Pilot and feasibility studies are carried out in several clinical areas and have an important role in the planning and development of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). However, in the literature there are a large number of RCTs declared as pilots and viability, but not clearly related in their objectives and methods. What are the items tested with regard to processes and feasibility and if it is a preparation for larger studies. Objectives: to assess RCT’s suitability reports referred to as tests or feasibility of publication in the field of dermatology, in relation to the values of key keys used for study reports and wich are the factors associated with complete adequacy to the key points. Methods: systematic survey of dermatology pilot’s RCT published in PubMed from January 2012 to July 2018. Exclusion criteria: protocols, letter to editorials and non-randomized pilot studies. Data extraction from each selected article was performed using a standardized spreadsheet. Two reviewers extracted the data and any disagreements were resolved by consensus. The included studies were assessed as to their suitability for the five key points, which were chosen by the authors from the CONSORT Statement for pilot and feasibility studies, as they consider that they are fundamental items for a good report of pilot and feasibility RCTs. The five key points are: i) title or abstract indicating that it is a pilot study; ii) objectives attesting to viability; iii) outcomes that ass... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Recent developments in public debate, health policy, and research on nontraditional families have brought gay-parent families, especially gay fathers, into the cultural and political spotlight. Existing research and literature on LGBT families and gay fatherhood have emphasized relationship dynamics within the families but there are gaps in the literature regarding the health and well-being of these families, specifically as it relates to health insurance. Using symbolic interactionism, life course theory, and grounded theory methodology, I conducted a qualitative pilot study to investigate gay fathers\' health insurance experiences. I collected responses from 10 White, gay fathers across the United States and asked questions about access to health insurance, the process of providing insurance for their families, access and use of community resources, and unique factors of their health insurance story. This research adds to the same-sex parent knowledge based by (a) gaining an understanding of the family decisions gay fathers make around health insurance, (b) identifying obstacles and subsequent solutions to health insurance problems, (c) discussing issues of disclosure and outness in gay father families, and (d) uncovering continued gender associations with the division of labor. This study has more broad implications for theoretical concepts like intersectionality and agency, but also provides insights into policy inequalities that continue in the United States. / Master of Science

BACKGROUND: Professional interpreters improve care for limited English proficient patients but are underused. Study Design: Mixed methods study evaluating effectiveness and implementation of a rooming protocol to screen patients for language needs and call interpreters OBJECTIVE: Examine barriers and facilitators to protocol implementation and effectiveness to increase interpreter use METHODS: Provider surveys explored baseline and post-implementation attitudes. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses examined the impact of practicing in the pilot clinics versus comparison clinics on post-implementation responses. Medical Assistants and providers were interviewed regarding barriers and facilitators to implementation. Interview analysis used modified grounded theory. Trends in the number of telephone interpreter calls were examined to determine protocol effectiveness. RESULTS: Context themes included having established teams and workflows; transitioning to a new interpreter vendor; and challenges incorporating the workflow, including providers’ tardiness and clinic understaffing. Evidence themes included beliefs that the protocol improved the patient experience but otherwise mixed responses; preferring live interpreters; and limited buy-in to language screening. Facilitation themes included Medical Assistants needing more support. Providers in the pilot clinics versus comparison clinics had significantly higher odds of positive responses on post-implementation survey questions regarding satisfaction with care (OR 5.3) and communication (OR 6.7). Implementation did not increase the number of telephone interpreter calls in the pilot clinics. CONCLUSION: Ineffectiveness of the protocol was likely due to inconsistent implementation. The protocol may improve patient care but context limited implementation success. The limited buy-in to language screening raises questions about how to better identify patient language needs. / 2019-11-08T00:00:00Z

Pilot studies, a subset of feasibility studies, are essential in determining the feasibility of a larger study. This is especially true when targeting populations that are difficult to recruit, such as people with HIV. Designing high quality pilot studies can help limit waste by informing researchers how to proceed. We conducted a meta-epidemiological review of pilot studies in the HIV literature published until November 25, 2020 using Medline, Embase and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL). We extracted bibliometric information, including the region and income of the country where the study was conducted, study design, using the pilot label, source of funding, nature of intervention, whether feasibility was the primary objective, progression criteria, protocol registration and sample size estimation. We used descriptive analysis to evaluate how pilot studies are designed and conducted, the outcomes assessed and how are they defined. Our search retrieved 10,597 studies, of which 248 were included in our final review. The number of pilot studies has increased with time, with 25, 55, and 44 HIV studies published in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. We found that 128 studies (70.39%) used the pilot or feasibility labels in their title, however 20.31% used these titles interchangeably. 5 studies in this review included progression criteria, all of which were published in 2020. Sample size estimation was only found in 59 studies (23.9%). Pilot studies in the HIV literature are mislabeled. Sample size estimations are seldom included, and progression criteria are used. Formal guidance on the design and reporting of pilot studies in the HIV literature is necessary. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Pilot studies are important in evaluating whether planned larger studies can be conducted. They are particularly useful in the field of HIV where participants may be hard to identify and recruit. However, there are few instructions on how pilot studies in HIV should be designed. We searched the literature to see the current state of HIV pilot studies, including how they are designed, and their findings reported. We found that pilot studies are becoming more popular in the HIV field. However, there were gaps in how these studies are designed and reported. Studies were often mislabeled as pilots when they were not, the pilot study criteria were applied inconsistently and the outcomes that were evaluated were often poorly defined and their information poorly presented. Pilot studies in HIV can be reported better.

Yes / Background Pilot studies can play an important role in qualitative studies. Methodological and practical issues can be shaped and refined by undertaking pilots. Personal development and researchers’ competence are enhanced and lessons learned can inform the development and quality of the main study. However, pilot studies are rarely published, despite their potential to improve knowledge and understanding of the research. Aim To present the main lessons learned from undertaking a pilot in a qualitative PhD study. Discussion This paper draws together lessons learned when undertaking a pilot as part of a qualitative research project. Important methodological and practical issues identified during the pilot study are discussed including access, recruitment, data collection and the personal development of the researcher. The resulting changes to the final study are also highlighted. Conclusion Sharing experiences of and lessons learned in a pilot study enhances personal development, improves researchers’ confidence and competence, and contributes to the understanding of research.

<p>In 1994 a new Forestry Act was accepted in Sweden. One of its aims was to raise the consideration for preservation of biodiversity. Since this happened over 15 years ago there is now an interest in analyzing if the law has been effective in its purpose. In this study methods suitable for analysis are being investigated. The study contents a pilot study of methods for five parameters that can validate if the law has been followed. The fieldstudy were executed in Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden in a managed forest and where last clearcut was done after 1994. The work consisted of measuring the parameters in the field and to compare them with data from before 1994. The benefits of the parameters and the current and previous Forestry Act and their differences are discussed in the report. The parameters examined were the distribution of tree species, standing dead wood, smaller areas saved for preservation, big trees and trees with cavities/cavernous trees. All of these plus a few other variables favourable for the diversity of species in the forest are dealt with in the 30 § in the Forestry Act of 1994. The study implied that the variables reported to be favourable for biodiversity, and possible to investigate within the restrictions of this study, seemed to have increased. The results should however be interpreted with care since the study is small and the reference values sometimes were missing or covering larger areas than the field data.</p>

Leadership is important to quality improvement initiatives in healthcare. However, few studies have evaluated leadership interventions to enhance nurses’ use of guideline recommendations in the field of knowledge translation. Purpose: To develop and evaluate an intervention designed to operationalize a leadership strategy composed of relations, change, and task-orientated leadership behaviours, and to examine its influence on nurses’ use of guideline recommendations in home-care nursing. Design: Sequential mixed methods pilot study with post-only cluster randomized controlled trial. Methods Phase I: Intervention Development 1. A participatory approach was used at a community healthcare organization with 23 units across the province of Ontario, Canada. The guideline selected was developed by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario for the assessment and management of foot ulcers for people with diabetes. 2. Integrative literature review, qualitative interviews, and baseline chart audits were conducted. 3. Four units were randomized to control or experimental groups. 4. Clinical and management leadership teams participated in a 12-week intervention consisting of printed materials, interactive workshop, and teleconferences. Participants received summarized chart audit data, identified priority indicators for change, and created a team leadership action plan to address barriers and influence guideline use. Phase II: Evaluation 5. Chart audits compared differences in nursing process and patient outcomes. Primary outcome: eight-item nursing assessment score. 6. Qualitative interviews evaluated the intervention and leadership behaviours. Results: No significant difference was found in the primary outcome. A significant difference was observed in nurses’ documentation of five priority indicators chosen by the experimental groups (p=.02). Gaps in care included: 53%, 76%, and 94% of patients not assessed for ulcer depth, foot circulation, or neuropathy (respectively); 75% and 93% did not receive wound debridement or hydrogel dressings. Receiving data to identify priority indicators for change and developing a leadership action plan were reported as useful to guideline implementation. The experimental group described using more relations-oriented leadership behaviours conducting audit and feedback, and sending reminders. Conclusion: Findings from this pilot study suggest that leadership is a team process involving relations, change, and task-oriented behaviours enacted by managers and clinical leaders. A leadership model is proposed as a beginning taxonomy to inform future leadership intervention studies.

Leadership is important to quality improvement initiatives in healthcare. However, few studies have evaluated leadership interventions to enhance nurses’ use of guideline recommendations in the field of knowledge translation. Purpose: To develop and evaluate an intervention designed to operationalize a leadership strategy composed of relations, change, and task-orientated leadership behaviours, and to examine its influence on nurses’ use of guideline recommendations in home-care nursing. Design: Sequential mixed methods pilot study with post-only cluster randomized controlled trial. Methods Phase I: Intervention Development 1. A participatory approach was used at a community healthcare organization with 23 units across the province of Ontario, Canada. The guideline selected was developed by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario for the assessment and management of foot ulcers for people with diabetes. 2. Integrative literature review, qualitative interviews, and baseline chart audits were conducted. 3. Four units were randomized to control or experimental groups. 4. Clinical and management leadership teams participated in a 12-week intervention consisting of printed materials, interactive workshop, and teleconferences. Participants received summarized chart audit data, identified priority indicators for change, and created a team leadership action plan to address barriers and influence guideline use. Phase II: Evaluation 5. Chart audits compared differences in nursing process and patient outcomes. Primary outcome: eight-item nursing assessment score. 6. Qualitative interviews evaluated the intervention and leadership behaviours. Results: No significant difference was found in the primary outcome. A significant difference was observed in nurses’ documentation of five priority indicators chosen by the experimental groups (p=.02). Gaps in care included: 53%, 76%, and 94% of patients not assessed for ulcer depth, foot circulation, or neuropathy (respectively); 75% and 93% did not receive wound debridement or hydrogel dressings. Receiving data to identify priority indicators for change and developing a leadership action plan were reported as useful to guideline implementation. The experimental group described using more relations-oriented leadership behaviours conducting audit and feedback, and sending reminders. Conclusion: Findings from this pilot study suggest that leadership is a team process involving relations, change, and task-oriented behaviours enacted by managers and clinical leaders. A leadership model is proposed as a beginning taxonomy to inform future leadership intervention studies.

Titel: Frivillig revision – Varför väljer aktiebolagets företrädare att ha eller inte ha revisor? Nivå: C -uppsats i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Annelie Molin och Eva Widell Handledare: Ann Wetterlind-Dörner Datum: 2012 – Maj Syfte: I denna pilotstudie vill författarna se varför företrädarna har valt att ha eller inte ha revisor i bolaget, sedan möjligheten med frivillig revision infördes. Metod: Författarna har använt sig av enkäter som de skickat ut till bolagen, samt formulär till Bolagsverket och Skatteverket. Med hjälp av böcker, vetenskapliga artiklar och rapporter etc har författarna sedan analyserat svaren de fått. Resultat och slutsats: Det finns en ekonomisk vinnig med i resonemanget kring valet av att ha revisor eller inte ha revisor och det är viktigt för den enskilde företrädaren att noggrant analysera för- och nackdelarna och utifrån detta göra sina val. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Det skulle vara intressant att följa upp studien om något år och se om åsikterna bland berörda parter förändras vartefter tiden går. Uppsatsens bidrag: Pilotstudien kan ge framtida forskare en inblick i hur bolagens företrädare uppfattar den frivilliga revisionen och anledningen till varför de gör på ena eller andra sättet i dagsläget. Med hjälp av pilotstudien kan de sedan utveckla egna idéer till nya forskningsfrågor eller att utveckla sina egna tjänster som riktar sig till bolagen. / Title: Voluntary audit – why do the representatives of the limited company’s choose to have or not to have an auditor? Level: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration Author: Annelie Molin and Eva Widell Supervisor: Ann Wetterlind-Dörner Date: 2012 – May Aim: In this pilotstudy the authors would like to see why the representatives have chosen to have or not to have an auditor of the company, since the possibility of a voluntary audit was introduced. Method: The authors have used questionnaires that have been send out to companies, and forms to Bolagsverket and Skatteverket. With help of books, scientific articles and reports etc the authors then have analyzed the responses that been received. Result and Conclusions: There is an economic winning behind the choice to have an auditor or not have an auditor and it is important for the individual representative to carefully analyze the pros and cons and accordingly make their choices. Suggestions for future research: It would be interesting to follow-up the study in a couple of years and see if the views of the interested parties are changing as time passes. Contribution of the thesis: The pilot study can provide future researchers to get an insight into the company’s point of view and the reason why they do this or that in the current situation. With this they can develop their own ideas of questions for a new research or how to develop their own services aimed to companies.

In 1994 a new Forestry Act was accepted in Sweden. One of its aims was to raise the consideration for preservation of biodiversity. Since this happened over 15 years ago there is now an interest in analyzing if the law has been effective in its purpose. In this study methods suitable for analysis are being investigated. The study contents a pilot study of methods for five parameters that can validate if the law has been followed. The fieldstudy were executed in Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden in a managed forest and where last clearcut was done after 1994. The work consisted of measuring the parameters in the field and to compare them with data from before 1994. The benefits of the parameters and the current and previous Forestry Act and their differences are discussed in the report. The parameters examined were the distribution of tree species, standing dead wood, smaller areas saved for preservation, big trees and trees with cavities/cavernous trees. All of these plus a few other variables favourable for the diversity of species in the forest are dealt with in the 30 § in the Forestry Act of 1994. The study implied that the variables reported to be favourable for biodiversity, and possible to investigate within the restrictions of this study, seemed to have increased. The results should however be interpreted with care since the study is small and the reference values sometimes were missing or covering larger areas than the field data.