Hospital electronic prescribing and medicines administration (HEPMA) system implementation is advocated by national e-health strategies to produce patient safety benefits. No previous study has evaluated HEPMA implementation impacting discharge information communication or assessed discharge prescribing errors. The aims were to assess HEPMA system implementation impact on medicines related discharge communication and prescribing errors, and to gain the perspective of hospital staff involved in the communication process. Following a narrative literature review, a convergent parallel mixed methods was selected, consisting of interpretative phenomenology and experimental before and after study design. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews of a purposive sample of hospital staff involved in discharge information communication were undertaken using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) as a theoretical lens. In addition a quasi experimental retrospective case notes review, both before and after implementation was completed. Pre-implementation, staff described patient safety concerns with traditional discharge communication processes. They cited frequent prescribing errors, and associated adverse events and hospital readmissions. HEPMA implementation was anticipated to improve patient safety and create more efficient discharge communication. Post-implementation staff articulated improved information quality highlighting fewer omitted medicines and improved patient safety. TDF findings of behaviour change highlighted behavioural alteration including adaption of processes to improve discharge quality. Quantitative data collection (n=159 before and after) confirmed qualitative findings; increased compliance with discharge documentation, for example staff grade recorded increased from 40% to 100% (p<0.001). Prescribing error quantity and severity were reduced; errors reduced from 99% to 23% of patients (p<0.001); only 22% of identified errors likely to cause harm. Omitted medicines decreased from 42% to 11% of patients (p<0.001). The findings contribute original knowledge concerning HEPMA implementation impacting discharge information communication and prescribing errors. The study demonstrated reduced prescribing errors and improved patient safety which potentially impacted health and wellbeing. Qualitative findings and quantitative results are transferable and applicable to other NHS organisations or similar healthcare settings.

Human behaviour in educational contexts can be facilitated and supported by technology enhancements. This thesis considers a virtual 3D world as one such technological enhancement and explores its use in supporting technology acceptance in pre-service teacher education. The adaptation of different educational technology tools can often be challenging for teachers due to negative perceptions, lack of experience and a fear of technology. This thesis investigates the role that immersion within virtual environments can play to change perceptions, increase experience with and overcome fears associated to adopting technologies in the classroom. For this reason, this thesis asks the following questions: What factors and indicators show a positive influence on the participants’ perceptions of learning technologies? Do the virtual world (VW) activities encourage more VW connections and interactions inside the VW? What are the pre-service teachers’ reflections on learning in the VW setting? How is the learning experience in the VW applied to the real world classroom practice? This study focuses on the use of classroom technologies in a pre-service teaching program at the University of Malta. PreVieW (Pre-service teachers Virtual World experience) is evaluated using quantitative, qualitative and social network analysis (SNA). The combination of these three methods is used to measure the extent of the VW’s influence as a medium in affecting the participants’ perceptions about classroom technologies and their behavioural intentions to adopt technology during teaching. The results show that the VW experience has an overall significant positive effect on the self-reported perceptions of technology. Factors affecting this result are perceived ease of use, experience and attitude, whilst social network graphs show that VW activities are responsible for social group formations. Participants attribute the strengths of PreVieW to its flexibility and learner-centric activities whilst finding the technical setup as challenging. Participants reflect on the cultural differences in the understanding of teaching and learning in the VW as opposed to a traditional classroom. Findings lead to a deeper understanding of the human-computer interactions in a VW set in a formal learning experience. Following this a model is recommended proposing the integration of a VW experience in a teacher education program together with a number of propositions to enrich learning in a 3D VW.

This research project focuses on the perceptions of school principals on HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaigns in public schools. The principals of primary and secondary schools in the Rustenburg area of North West Province were investigated. The aim of this research project is to investigate the understanding of school principals on HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns carried in their schools, and to identify government and non-government organizations, which are involved in this process. A qualitative research method was adopted for this research project. Data were collected by means of interviews, and was audio-tapped. Data were analyzed and arranged into five categories; awareness campaigns, leadership, resources/tools, communication, attitudes and behavioural change. The findings indicated that school principals do understand and support HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in their schools. Communication resources and visual materials related to HIV/AIDS, however, were very minimal in public schools. / Dissertation (MPhil (EFCD))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Objective of this thesis is to identify potential energy savings regarding engine heating of cars within the Jämtland-Härjedalen county, northern Sweden. This could contribute to energy consumption reduction goals of Sweden. Potential energy savings are defined by comparing the current energy consumption with the energy consumption of different energy saving scenarios in terms of behavioural change and technological choices. Energy consumption, both current and potential is modeled in excel based on data derived from quantitative investigation and literature review. Engine heating is identified as an energy consumer, the energy saved by fuel consumption reduction (7,77 TJ/year) does not overcome the invested energy to heat engines (26,36 TJ/year). Engine heating reduces engine wear, fossil fuel consumption (0,34 TJ/year) and emissions currently. Regarding the choice of technology using more automatic time adjustment reduces energy consumption, engine wear, emissions and fossil fuel consumption. Other scenarios show a compromise between energy consumption reduction on one side and fossil fuel consumption reduction in combination with reduced engine wear and emissions on the other side.

Background: Due to increasing environmental issues, the social marketing efforts from organisations are increasing with the aim to push for more sustainable behaviour. One recurring issue in these campaigns is palm oil production. Generally, social marketing relies on negative emotional appeals, such as fear, shame, and guilt, to generate desired responses to the message. This paper focuses on the use of both positive and negative emotional appeals in social marketing within the area of environmental sustainability.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between the elements of the theory of planned behaviour with the addition of the social marketing appeal and how it, in turn, affects the intention to avoid palm oil. Further, the research aims to study the effects of positive emotional appeals within pro-environmental social marketing.   Method: To conduct this study, a quantitative approach was taken. Two questionnaires were made with the aim to measure respondents’ motivational factors leading to an intention to behavioural change based on the marketing appeal. One questionnaire included an advertisement using a positive appeal whereas the other utilised a negative appeal.   Conclusion: Both marketing appeals show positive relationships between the elements in the adapted theoretical framework, with perceived behavioural control being the strongest predictor of the intention to behavioural change. Further, it was discovered that the financial factor can be important to consider when it comes to sustainable consumption.

Vindelns kommun har i samarbete med Försäkringskassan och samordningsförbundet Umeåregionen genomfört en pilotinsats för att förebygga eller förhindra sjukskrivningar som orsakas av ohälsosam upplevd stress. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om deltagare har kunnat förändra eller reflekterat över sin livssituation efter kurs, samt vad i insatsen som påverkat detta. Sex deltagare har utfört och avslutat kursen. För att undersöka detta har semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med samtliga deltagare och databearbetning har skett genom tematisk analys. Slutsatserna av resultatet är att deltagarna har genomgått förändring, med en personlig utveckling och ökad självinsikt. Långsiktig förändring inte kan fastställas då intervjuerna skedde i nära anslutning till avslutad kurs. Vidare kan inte förebyggande eller förhindrande av sjukskrivning fastställas, vilket däremot kan mätas i framtida undersökning för att avgöra hur effektiv insatsen har varit. Denna uppsats kan vidare förklara hur och varför interventioner kan fungera, vilket kan bidra till att skapa framgångsrika framtida interventioner. / Vindeln municipality in cooperation with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and samordningsförbundet Umeåregionen have conducted a pilot programme to prevent sick leave due to perceived unhealthy stress. The aim of this thesis is to analyse if the participants have been able to change or reflect over their own life situation after the programme, and what aspect of the programme have influenced this. In total six participants partook and finished the programme. To collect data semi-structured interviews were performed with all the participants and to further conduct a thematic analysis. The thesis concludes that all participants have gone through a behavioural change, with a personal development and increased self-awareness. Long term effects of the programme cannot be proven within this thesis due to the short time period between the finished programme and the interview. Further can this thesis neither say anything regarding preventing sick leave, which can be evaluated in the future to determine the success of the programme. On another note what this thesis have contributed with is an explanation regarding how and why intervention programmes could be successful.

Climate change is a pressing problem and substantial reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions that cause it are necessary to avert the worst impacts predicted. The UK has targeted an 80% reduction from 1990 emissions levels by 2050. This thesis investigates how to promote behavioural changes that will reduce emissions associated with individuals’ lifestyles, which comprise a significant proportion of the UK total. The thesis begins by appraising whether and how climate change communications, specifically films, can succeed in changing attitudes and behaviour. The impacts on viewers of the film The Age of Stupid were assessed using a fourstage panel survey. Increased concern, motivation to act, and sense of agency felt immediately after seeing the film did not persist, but respondents reported some behavioural changes. The longer-term follow-up suggests that behavioural intentions do not necessarily translate into action, but also revealed issues concerning the reliability of participants’ causal attributions of their behaviour. These and other challenges of conducting longitudinal studies of behavioural change related to climate change communications are discussed. The thesis then uses a model of behavioural change transposed from health psychology to analyse the processes of change employed or depicted by four climate change films, in order to identify more generally the strengths and limitations of films as means to promote mitigation action, and to demonstrate the potential utility of the model in the field of proenvironmental behaviour change. The issue is then considered from the opposite angle, with an examination of what has motivated individuals who have already adopted lower-carbon lifestyles. Qualitative research reveals that protecting ‘the environment’ per se is not the primary value stimulating most interviewees’ action; typically they were more concerned about the impacts of climate change on people in developing countries. Although analysis of a survey instrument showed that biospheric values are important to the participants, they tended to score altruistic values significantly higher. Thus it may not be necessary to promote biospheric values to encourage lower-carbon lifestyles. The final element of the work involved researching the opinions of members of Carbon Rationing Action Groups, seeking to understand what can be learned from their experiences of living with a carbon allowance, and the implications that the findings may have for potential government policies, especially personal carbon trading. The thesis concludes that, given the scale of action required, the difficulties individuals face when considering whether and how to adopt lower-carbon behaviours, and the limited impact of initiatives such as Carbon Rationing Action Groups and The Age of Stupid beyond a relatively small circle of people who tend to exhibit particular traits (such as a preference for frugality), significant UK emissions reductions will necessitate far-reaching legislation that will impact on everyday practices and behaviour.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur personal vid en låsbar SiS-institution beskriver sin syn på hur en optimal behandlingsinstution behöver utformas för att uppnå de bästa behandlingsförutsättningarna. Undersökningen har skett på en av statens institutionsstyrelse´s (SiS) ungdomshem i Sverige för ungdomar 14-20 år. De tre frågeställningar som studien redogör för är: Hur beskriver personalen att institutioner behöver organiseras för att uppnå de bästa behandlingsförutsättningarna? Hur beskriver personalen att behandlingsarbetet behöver formas för att uppnå bestående beteendeförändring? Hur beskriver personalen att en optimal ungdomsgrupp behöver formas utifrån den unges behandlingstid och behandlingsinnehåll? Kunskapsläget innehåller såväl den forskning som finns på området men också den teori som utvecklats utifrån den forskning som producerats. I kunskapsläget finns tre centrala begrepp presenterade, organisation, bestående beteendeförändring och ungdomsgrupp, vilka är relevanta för såväl syftet som frågeställningarna. Utifrån studiens syfte valdes en kvalitativ forskningsansats för att förstå varje intervjupersons livsvärld och framställa mening sett från dennes perspektiv och erfarenheter. Semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med fyra informanter som alla är personal på den valda institutionen. Intervjuerna spelades in med diktafon och transkriberades sedan ordagrant för att bli föremål för analys. Som konkret analysmetod användes meningskoncentrering utifrån studiens inspiration av fenomenologiskt förhållningssätt. I resultatet framkommer att det är många komponenter i temana organisation, bestående beteendeförändring och ungdomsgrupp, som påverkar chanserna för positivt behandlingsutfall och informanternas beskrivningar samstämmer med vad tidigare forskning kommit fram till. Essensen som hittats i resultatet är förutsättningar, alltså att institutionen och dess personal behöver förutsättningar för exempelvis ekonomi, förhållningssätt, metoder, teorier, bemanning, kunskapsutveckling, struktur och miljö. Om organisationen kan ge institutionen rätt förutsättningar med tydliga definitioner ökar chanserna för positivt behandlingsutfall markant. / This study aims to examine how staff at a secure SiS-institution describes their view of how an optimal treatment institution needs to be designed to achieve the best treatment conditions. The examination took place in one of the State's board of Institutional Care (SiS) youth homes inSwedenfor young people 14-20 years. The three questions that the study accounts for are: How does the staff describe that institutions needs to be organized to achieve the best treatment conditions? How do the staff describe that the treatment needs to be designed to achieve lasting behavioural change? How do the staff describe that the optimal group of youth needs to be designed from the youth's treatment time and treatment content? The frame of knowledge used in the thesis contains the research results in this area but also the theory that subsequently was developed from the research produced. In the frame of knowledge, there are three key concepts presented, organization, lasting behavioural change and group of youth, which are relevant to both the aim as to the questions at issue. Based on the aim of the study a qualitative research approach was chosen to understand each interviewee’s lifeworld and to see from their perspective and experiences. Semi-structured interviews were accomplished with four informants, all staff at the selected institution. The interviews were recorded with a Dictaphone and transcribed verbatim in order to be subject to analysis. As a concrete method of analysis, meaning condensation was used inspired by the phenomenological approach in the study. The result shows that there are many components in the themes organization, lasting behavioural change and group of youth which affects the chances of a positive treatment outcome and that informants' descriptions is alignment with previous research findings. The essence found in the results is different kinds of conditions. It means that the institution and its staff need conditions for example, economy, policies, methods, theories, staffing, skills development, structure and environment. If the organization can give the institution the right conditions with clear definitions, increases the chances of a positive treatment outcome significantly.

loveLife, the South African national HIV/AIDS prevention programme for youth, is known for its brand-oriented billboards and mass media campaign that ranges over various print-, broadcast- and alternative media. However, the organisation also implements a national grass-roots peer motivation programme where various activities are co-ordinated by youths (GroundBREAKERS and Mpintshis) from the community. The organisation has been criticised for its communication approach, with many researchers primarily focusing on the organisation's mass media and billboards. This study investigates the communicative approach(es) in loveLife's programme implementation in the light of the normative theory of participatory communication. The focus of this study is to identify how loveLife describes its communication approach, what communication approach the organisation employs and how the organisation's communication approach is perceived by a sample of its target audience. The research was conducted by means of a literature review, qualitative content analysis of loveLife's policy documentation and a selection of the organisation's media. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted at head office, which are contrasted with focus groups with the participants at an implementation site. Broadly, it was found that loveLife's programme is more participatory than most critics would expect and that the organisation attempts to put its primary focus on face-to-face communication. But, there is also tension in what loveLife communicates on a national level and how it relates to grass-roots activities as the national / media-driven communication is more modernistic in its approach, whereas the grass-roots communication is more participatory. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

loveLife, the South African national HIV/AIDS prevention programme for youth, is known for its brand-oriented billboards and mass media campaign that ranges over various print-, broadcast- and alternative media. However, the organisation also implements a national grass-roots peer motivation programme where various activities are co-ordinated by youths (GroundBREAKERS and Mpintshis) from the community. The organisation has been criticised for its communication approach, with many researchers primarily focusing on the organisation's mass media and billboards. This study investigates the communicative approach(es) in loveLife's programme implementation in the light of the normative theory of participatory communication. The focus of this study is to identify how loveLife describes its communication approach, what communication approach the organisation employs and how the organisation's communication approach is perceived by a sample of its target audience. The research was conducted by means of a literature review, qualitative content analysis of loveLife's policy documentation and a selection of the organisation's media. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted at head office, which are contrasted with focus groups with the participants at an implementation site. Broadly, it was found that loveLife's programme is more participatory than most critics would expect and that the organisation attempts to put its primary focus on face-to-face communication. But, there is also tension in what loveLife communicates on a national level and how it relates to grass-roots activities as the national / media-driven communication is more modernistic in its approach, whereas the grass-roots communication is more participatory. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.