Mental health literacy

وَقَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلذِّكۡرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجۡنُونࣱ‏

They say, ‘Receiver of this Quran! You are definitely mad

قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُرۡسِلَ إِلَيۡكُمۡ لَمَجۡنُونࣱ‏

Pharaoh said, ‘This messenger who has been sent to you is truly possessed.’

وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓاْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرࣲ مَّجۡنُونِۭ

and said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوۡاْ عَنۡهُ وَقَالُواْ مُعَلَّمࣱ مَّجۡنُونٌ

they turned their backs on him, saying, ‘He is tutored! He is possessed!’

فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَٰحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونࣱ‏

Pharaoh turned away with his supporters, saying, ‘This is a sorcerer, or maybe a madman,’

كَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَتَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُواْ سَاحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٌ

Every previous people to whom a messenger was sent also said, ‘A sor-cerer, or maybe a madman!’

And they that is the disbelievers of Mecca say to the Prophet s ‘O you to whom the Remembrance the Qur’ān — as you claim — has been revealed lo! you are indeed possessed!

He said ‘Verily this messenger of yours sent to you is a madman!’

and would say ‘Are we to abandon our gods for a mad poet?’ that is for the sake of what Muhammad (s) says? as regards the hamzas in a-innā ‘are we’ the same applies as mentioned above.

And they say: "O you (Muhammad) to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been revealed! Verily, you are a madman (6)"Why do you not bring angels to us if you are of the truthful? (7)We do not send the angels down except with the truth, and in that case, they (the disbelievers) would have no respite (8)Verily, We, it is We Who revealed the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'an) and surely We will guard it (from corruption)(9) The Accusation that the Prophet (ﷺ) was a Madman and Demands for Him to bring down Angels Allah tells us about the disbelief, arrogance and stubbornness of the disbelievers as reflected in their words: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ (O you (Muhammad) to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been revealed!) i.e., the one who claims to receive it. إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ (Verily, you are a mad man!) i.e., by your invitation to us to follow you and leave the way of our forefath

Fir'awn said: "And what is the Lord of Al-'Alamin (23)(Musa) said: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty. (24)(Fir'awn) said to those around: "Do you not hear (what he says)? (25)(Musa) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers! (26)(Fir'awn) said: "Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman! (27)(Musa) said: "Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand! (28) Allah tells us about the disbelief, rebellion, oppression and denial of Fir'awn, as He says: وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ((Fir'awn said:) "And what is the Lord of the 'Alamin") This is because he used to say to his people: مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي (I know not that you have a god other than me.)(28:38) فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ (Thus he fooled his people, and

And they will turn to one another and question one another (27)They will say: "It was you who used to come to us from the right side. (28)They will reply: "Nay, you yourselves were not believers. (29)"And we had no authority over you. Nay! But you were a transgressing people. (30)"So now the Word of our Lord has been justified against us, that we shall certainly taste (the torment). (31)"So we led you astray because we were ourselves astray. (32)Then verily, that Day, they will (all) share in the torment (33)Certainly, that is how We deal with the criminals (34)Truly, when it was said to them: "La ilaha illallah," they puffed themselves up with pride (35)And (they) said: "Are we going to abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet? (36)Nay! he has come with the truth and he confirms the Messengers (37) The arguing of the Idolators on the Day of Resurrection Allah tells us that the disb

ولو كشف الغطاء لرأيت أكثر النفوس البشرية صرعى مع هذه الأرواح الخبيثة وهي في أسرها وقبضتها تسوقها حيث شاءت ولا يمكنها الامتناع عنها ولا مخالفتها وبها الصرع الأعظم الذي لا يفيق صاحبه إلا عند المفارقة والمعاينة فهناك يتحقق أنه كان هو المصروع حقيقة وبالله المستعان وعلاج هذا الصرع باقتران العقل الصحيح إلا الإيمان بما جاءت به الرسل وأن تكون الجنة والنار نصب عينه وقبلة قلبه ويستحرض أهل الدنيا وحلول المثولات والآفات بهم ووقوعها خلال ديارهم كمواقع القطر وهم صرعى لا يفيقون وما أشد أعداء هذا الصرع ولكن لما عمت البلية به بحيث ينظر الإنسان لا يرى إلا مصروعا لم يصر مستغربا ولا مستنكرا بل صار لكثرة المصروعين عين المستنكر المستغرب خلافة فإذا أراد الله بعبد حيرا أفاق من هذه الصرعة ونظر إلى أبناء الدنيا مصروعين حوله يمينا وشمالا على اختلاف طبقاتهم فمنهم من أطبق به الجنون ومنهم من يفيق أحيانا قليلة ويعود إلى جنونه ومنهم من يجن مرة ويفيق أخرى فإذا أفاق عمل عمل أهل الإفاقة والعقل ثم يعاوده الصرع فيقع في التخ

الثاني أن هذا باطل بصور كثيرة منها دخول الماء في العود والسحاب ودخول النار في الحديد ودخول الغذاء في جميع أجزاء البدن ودخول الجن في المصروع فالروح للطافتها لا يمتنع عليها مشابكة البدن والدخول في جميع أجزائه

فالعقل فن واحد وطريقه % أدرى فأرصد و الجنون فنون

هكذا ضعف الدين في قرون سالفة فكيف الظن بزمانك هذا وقد انتهى الأمر إلى أن مظهر الإنكار يستهدف لنسبته إلى الجنون فالأولى أن يشتغل الإنسان بنفسه ويسكت

وأما القسم الثاني، وهو المدح بسبب الجاه والمال، فالفرح بذلك، كالفرح بنبات الأرض الذي يصير عن قريب هشيما، ولا يفرح بذلك إلا من قل عقله، وإن كنت خاليا عن الصفة التي مدحت بها، ففرحك بالمدح غاية الجنون.

قالوا وكيف يمدح أمر يمنع القرار ويسلب المنام ويوله العقل ويحدث الجنون بل هو نفسه جنون كما قال بعض الحكماء الجنون فنون والعشق فن من فنونه كما قال بعض العشاق

The effectiveness of school mental health literacy programs to address knowledge, attitudes and help seeking among youth.: Aim: Conduct a systematic review for the effectiveness of school mental health literacy programs to enhance knowledge, reduce stigmatizing attitudes and improve help-seeking behaviours among youth (12-25 years of age). Methods: Reviewers independently searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ERIC, grey literature and reference lists of included studies. They reached a consensus on the included studies, and rated the risk of bias of each study. Studies that reported three outcomes: kn

Is It Possible to "Find Space for Mental Health" in Young People? Effectiveness of a School-Based Mental Health Literacy Promotion Program.: Lack of knowledge regarding, and the stigma associated with, mental disorders have been identified as major obstacles for the promotion of mental health and early intervention. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention program focused on the promotion of mental health literacy (MHL) in young people (“Finding Space for Mental Health”). A sample of 543 students (22 classes), aged between 12 and 14 years old, participated in the study. Each class of studen

Facilitators and Barriers for Advance Care Planning Among Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S.: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature.: Growing evidence suggests a low engagement in advance care planning (ACP) among ethnic minorities in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to synthesize findings from prior research about ACP among ethnic minorities. An extensive literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases. After applying inclusion criteria, 26 studies were included. Four categories of facilitators and barriers to ACP were identified: (1) Socio-demographic factors, (2) health status, literacy and experie

Adolescent health literacy and health behaviors: A systematic review.: Objectives: To systematically review and synthesize literature on the relationship between health literacy and health behaviors in adolescents. Methods: Searches in PsychInfo, PUBMED/MEDLINE, and Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) were conducted. Studies were included if they reported original data on the relationship between health literacy and a health behavior in adolescents, were written in English, and the population did not have a chronic illness or disability. Results: Sevent

The effect of a community-based self-help multimodal behavioral intervention in Korean American seniors with high blood pressure.: Background: Great strides have been made in improving heart health in the United States during the last 2 decades, yet these strides have not encompassed many ethnic minority populations. There are significant health disparity gaps stemming from both a paucity of valid research and a lack of culturally sensitive interventions. In particular, many Korean Americans with chronic illnesses encounter difficulty navigating the healthcare system because of limited health literacy. Methods: The effect o

Workplace Interventions Targeting Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, Help-Seeking, and Help-Offering in Male-Dominated Industries: A Systematic Review.: Mental ill-health and suicide represent a significant proportion of the burden of global disease among men. Connell's relational theory of masculinities provides a useful framework to explore how mental health literacy, mental health stigma, and delayed help-seeking and help-offering behaviors are associated with mental ill-health among men, particularly within male-dominated industries. To address the high incidences of mental ill-health in male-dominated industries, several workplace intervent

Good-parent beliefs of parents of seriously ill children.

Importance: Parents' beliefs about what they need to do to be a good parent when their children are seriously ill influence their medical decisions, and better understanding of these beliefs may improve decision support. Objective: To assess parents' perceptions regarding the relative importance of 12 good-parent attributes. Design, setting, and participants: A cross-sectional, discrete-choice experiment was conducted at a children's hospital. Participants included 200 parents of children with serious illness. Main outcomes and measures: Ratings of 12 good-parent attributes, with subsequent use of latent class analysis to identify groups of parents with similar ratings of attributes, and ascertainment of whether membership in a particular group was associated with demographic or clinical characteristics. Results: The highest-ranked good-parent attribute was making sure that my child feel…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Voluntary organ donation system adapted to Chinese cultural values and social reality.

Organ donation and transplant systems have unique characteristics based on the local culture and socioeconomic context. China's transplant and organ donation systems developed without regulatory oversight until 2006 when regulation and policy were developed and then implemented over the next several years. Most recently, the pilot project of establishing a voluntary citizen-based deceased donor program was established. The pilot program addressed the legal, financial, and cultural barriers to organ donation in China. The pilot program has evolved into a national program. Significantly, it established a uniquely Chinese donor classification system. The Chinese donor classification system recognizes donation after brain death (category I), donation after circulatory death (category II), and donation after brain death followed by circulatory death (category III). Through August 2014, the sy…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Breastfeeding outcome comparison by parity.

Objective: Anecdotally, breastfeeding experiences differ between those who have previously nursed an infant and those who are primiparous. This analysis contrasted breastfeeding outcomes between primiparous women and those with previous experience spanning from maternity stay through 6 months postpartum. Study design: A secondary analysis was conducted of data collected in a randomized, controlled trial with mothers and "well" newborns ≥34 weeks of gestation comparing two post-hospital discharge care models. Mothers completed an in-person interview during the postpartum stay and phone surveys at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months where questionnaires related to breastfeeding were completed. All participants intended to breastfeed. Chi-squared and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to test for differences between parity groups. Breastfeeding duration by parity group was compared using a Kapla…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Disclosure, stigma of HIV positive child and access to early infant diagnosis in the rural communities of OR Tambo District, South Africa: a qualitative exploration of maternal perspective.

Background: Despite the overwhelming evidence confirming the morbidity and mortality benefits of early initiation of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-infected infants, some children are still disadvantaged from gaining access to care. The understanding of the maternal perspective on early infant HIV diagnosis and prompt initiation of HAART has not been adequately explored, especially in the rural communities of South Africa. This study explores the perspectives of mothers of HIV-exposed infants with regard to early infant diagnosis (EID) through a lens of social and structural barriers to accessing primary healthcare in OR Tambo district, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Methods: In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews at two primary healthcare centres in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality of the OR Tambo district, South Africa. Twe…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Attitude and awareness towards organ donation in western India.

Background: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding organ donation in western India. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to generate a sample of 250; 200 interviews were successfully completed and used for analysis. Data collection was carried out via face to face interviews based on a pre-tested questionnaire in selected public areas of Ahmedabad, Gujarat state of India. Data entry was made in excel software in codes and analysis was done by SPSS software. Results: About 86% of participants were aware of the term organ donation but knowledge about its various aspects was low. About 48% aware people heard about organ donation through medical fraternity, whereas only about 21% became aware through mass media. About 59% of aware people believed there is a potential danger of donated organs being misused, abused or misappropriated. About 47% of aware people said the…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Help Seeking Attitudes Among Cambodian and Laotian Refugees: Implications for Public Mental Health Approaches.

This is a pilot study of demographic and acculturation factors in relation to attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Lao and Cambodian refugees and immigrants in the United States of America. Cambodian and Laotian American adults in the United States of America were approached to complete help-seeking attitudes and acculturation scales. T test and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the relationships between the demographic and acculturation variables, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Out of 270 target subjects approached there were 108 respondents. Of the demographic variables, gender was associated with favorable attitudes towards psychological help-seeking. As expected, women were significantly more likely than men to recognize the need for help, to seek psychological help, to be more open to discussing mental health problems, and …

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Early liver transplantation for patients with acute alcoholic hepatitis: public views and the effects on organ donation.

Patients with severe acute alcoholic hepatitis may not survive to fulfill the standard 6 months of abstinence and counseling prior to transplantation. A prospective study demonstrated that early liver transplantation in such patients improved 2 year survival from 23% to 71% and only 3 of 26 patients returned to drinking after 1140 days; graft function was unaffected. Nonetheless, this treatment protocol may raise public concerns and affect organ donation rates. A total of 503 participants took a survey made available at an online crowdsourcing marketplace. The survey measured attitudes on liver transplantation generally and early transplantation for this patient population, in addition to measuring responses to nine vignettes describing fictional candidates. The majority of respondents (81.5%, n = 410) was at least neutral toward early transplantation for these patients; only a minority …

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Factors influencing healthy lifestyle changes: a qualitative look at low-income families engaged in treatment for overweight children.

Background: Childhood obesity disproportionately affects low-income minority populations, yet there is a paucity of literature about effective interventions in this population. This study sought to understand the experience of low-income majority Hispanic families engaged in obesity treatment. Methods: We conducted six focus groups (2=English, 4=Spanish) with families who completed a community-based, family-oriented obesity treatment program, using standard qualitative focus group interview methods. Transcripts were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content. Two coders using the software program ATLAS.ti (v.7.0; Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany) coded each transcript independently; reflexive team analysis with three study team members was used to reach a consensus. Results: Participants (n=37) indicated high program satisfaction. Parents reported buyin…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Healing of the canoe: preliminary results of a culturally tailored intervention to prevent substance abuse and promote tribal identity for Native youth in two Pacific Northwest tribes.

Using Community-based and Tribal Participatory Research (CBPR/TPR) approaches, an academic-tribal partnership between the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute and the Suquamish and Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribes developed a culturally grounded social skills intervention to promote increased cultural belonging and prevent substance abuse among tribal youth. Participation in the intervention, which used the Canoe Journey as a metaphor for life, was associated with increased hope, optimism, and self-efficacy and with reduced substance use, as well as with higher levels of cultural identity and knowledge about alcohol and drugs among high school-age tribal youth. These results provide preliminary support for the intervention curricula in promoting positive youth development, an optimistic future orientation, and the reduction of substance use among Native youth.

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Survey of the knowledge, perception, and attitude of medical students at the University of Leeds toward organ donation and transplantation.

Background: The shortage of organ donors is the key rate-limiting factor for organ transplantation in the United Kingdom. Many strategies have been proposed to increase donation; one strategy aims to improve awareness of organ donation and transplantation (ODT) among medical students. This survey seeks to investigate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of the medical students in the United Kingdom toward ODT and the curriculum content. Methods: A 32-item online questionnaire was distributed to 957 medical students at the University of Leeds (October to December 2012). Results: There were 216 (22.6%) respondents. Students were aware of kidney, heart, and liver transplantation (91.6%, 88.8%, and 86.5%). Awareness of small intestine (36.7%) and islet of Langerhans (33.0%) transplantation was poor. Students understood the term "brain stem death" (82.3%); however, they lacked understand…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Building extended families through embryo donation: the experiences of donors and recipients.

Study question: How do embryo donors and recipients understand and experience embryo donation (ED)? Summary answer: Donors and recipients regard the genetic link between donors and donor-conceived child as significant, and draw on metaphors of ED as adoption and as building extended family networks in order to manage the complex interplay of genetic, gestational and social aspects of reproduction and family-building. What is known already: The uptake of embryo donation internationally is relatively low and there has been little research into the outcomes and experiences of ED for donor and recipient families. Study design, size, duration: Embryo donors and recipients in New Zealand were interviewed between March and October 2012 as to their understandings and experiences of embryo donation. Participants/materials, setting, methods: Participants were recruited from across New Zealand and …

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Assessing the consequences of stigma for tuberculosis patients in urban Zambia.

Background: Stigma is one of the many factors hindering tuberculosis (TB) control by negatively affecting hospital delay and treatment compliance. In Zambia, the morbidity and mortality due to TB remains high, despite extended public health attempts to control the epidemic and to diminish stigma. Study aim: To enhance understanding of TB-related stigmatizing perceptions and to describe TB patients' experiences of stigma in order to point out recommendations to improve TB policy. Methods: We conducted a mixed method study at Kanyama clinic and surrounding areas, in Lusaka, Zambia; structured interviews with 300 TB patients, multiple in-depth interviews with 30 TB patients and 10 biomedical health workers, 3 focus group discussions with TB patients and treatment supporters, complemented by participant observation and policy analysis of the TB control program. Predictors of stigma were iden…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Fear of cancer is associated with cancer information seeking, scanning and avoiding: a cross-sectional study among cancer diagnosed and non-diagnosed individuals.

Background: Nowadays, there is an abundance of health and cancer information in the mass media. Because of this high amount of information, it is possible for individuals to find or incidentally encounter cancer information, but it is also possible to be overloaded by this information and, consequently, to avoid it. Previous studies have indicated that fear of cancer could be both positively and negatively related to behaviours such as screening, help-seeking and information avoidance. Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to assess the relationship between fear of cancer and cancer information acquisition and avoiding behaviour, (2) to examine whether this relationship was curvilinear, and (3) to determine whether this relationship was moderated by being diagnosed with cancer or not. Method: Six hundred and twenty-one cancer diagnosed and 1387 non-diagnosed individuals were recruit…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Lessons learned from engaging men in sexual and reproductive health as clients, partners and advocates of change in the Hoima district of Uganda.

This study examined the impact of a three-year intervention project conducted in the Hoima district of Uganda, which sought to engage men in sexual and reproductive health as clients, equal partners and advocates of change. Structured surveys with 164 self-reported heterosexual men aged 18-54 years were used to assess knowledge and attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health. Data from these were analysed using Stata and SPSS. Additionally, five focus groups were conducted with the female partners and male beneficiaries of the project and with project peer educators. Four interviews were conducted with project staff and male beneficiaries. Data from these and the focus groups were analysed using a thematic approach. Following the intervention, a significantly greater number of men accessed, and supported their partners in accessing sexual health services services, had gained sexual …

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

'Women now wear trousers': men's perceptions of family planning in the context of changing gender relations in western Kenya.

Gender inequity has been closely linked with unmet need for family planning among women in sub-Saharan Africa but the factors related to male family planning disapproval are not well-understood. This qualitative study explored men's perspectives of gender roles and cultural norms as they pertain to family planning. Twelve small group meetings were held with 106 married men in Nyanza Province, Kenya. Shifting gender relations made the definitions of manhood more tenuous than ever. Men's previous identities as sole breadwinners, which gave them significant control over decision-making, were being undermined by women's increasing labour force participation. While many men viewed family planning positively, fears that family planning would lead to more female sexual agency and promiscuity or that male roles would be further jeopardised were widespread and were major deterrents to male family…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Motivations and barriers to exercise in chronic kidney disease: a qualitative study.

Background: Exercise has the potential to modulate a number of complications associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, typically, CKD patients lead very sedentary lifestyles, the reasons for which are not fully known. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the motivators, barriers and beliefs held by CKD patients regarding exercise. Methods: We conducted 3 focus groups and 22 semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from nephrology outpatient clinics in the United Kingdom. A total of 36 individuals with CKD stages 1-5 not requiring renal replacement therapy, aged 26-83 years participated in this study. This manuscript outlines the findings from patients with CKD stages 3-5. Focus groups and interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: Positive attitudes to exercise reflected autonomous motivations including: exerc…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Self-reported symptoms and healthcare seeking in the general population--exploring "The Symptom Iceberg".

Background: Research has illustrated that the decision-making process regarding healthcare seeking for symptoms is complex and associated with a variety of factors, including gender differences. Enhanced understanding of the frequency of symptoms and the healthcare seeking behaviour in the general population may increase our knowledge of this complex field. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of self-reported symptoms and the proportion of individuals reporting GP contact, in a large Danish nationwide cohort. A secondary objective was to explore gender differences in GP contacts in response to experiencing one of the 44 predefined symptoms. Methods: A Danish nationwide cohort study including a random sample of 100,000 individuals, representative of the adult Danish population aged 20 years or above. A web-based questionnaire survey formed the basis of this …

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Are medical students confident in taking a sexual history? An assessment on attitude and skills from an upper middle income country.

Background: Sexual history training during undergraduate education is essential for preparing future doctors to handle patients' sexual health concerns. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and perceptions of final-year medical students in Malaysia toward sexual history taking and the training they receive from their medical schools. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional survey of 379 final-year medical students from three medical schools in Malaysia. Students were asked to rate their attitudes and perceptions regarding training on taking sexual histories using a newly developed questionnaire with good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.73). Ethics approval was obtained from the relevant medical schools, and the statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, Version 20.0. Results: The mean age of participants was 23.58 ± 0.65 SD. Participants reported high in…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Motivations and Constraints to Family Planning: A Qualitative Study in Rwanda's Southern Kayonza District.

Background: While Rwanda has achieved impressive gains in contraceptive coverage, unmet need for family planning is high, and barriers to accessing quality reproductive health services remain. Few studies in Rwanda have qualitatively investigated factors that contribute to family planning use, barriers to care, and quality of services from the community perspective. Methods: We undertook a qualitative study of community perceptions of reproductive health and family planning in Rwanda's southern Kayonza district, which has the country's highest total fertility rate. From October 2011 to December 2012, we conducted interviews with randomly selected male and female community members (n = 96), community health workers (n = 48), and health facility nurses (n = 15), representing all 8 health centers' catchment areas in the overall catchment area of the district's Rwinkwavu Hospital. We then ca…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Toward enhancing 12-step facilitation among young people: a systematic qualitative investigation of young adults' 12-step experiences.

Background: 12-Step Facilitation (TSF) interventions designed to enhance rates of engagement with 12-step mutual-help organizations (MHOs) have shown efficacy among adults, but research provides little guidance on how to adapt TSF strategies for young people. Methods: To inform TSF strategies for youth, this study used qualitative methods to investigate the self-reported experiences of 12-step participation, and reasons for nonattendance and discontinuation among young adults (18-24 years; N = 302). Responses to open-ended questions following residential treatment were coded into rationally derived domains. Results: Young adults reported that cohesiveness, belonging, and instillation of hope were the most helpful aspects of attending 12-step groups; meeting structure and having to motivate oneself to attend meetings were the most common aspects young adults liked least; logistical barrie…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Determinants of unintended pregnancies in rural Ghana.

Background: Unintended pregnancies may carry serious consequences for women and their families, including the possibility of unsafe abortion, delayed prenatal care, poor maternal mental health and poor child health outcomes. Although between 1993 and 2008, unintended births decreased from 42% to 37% in Ghana, the rate of decline is low, whilst levels are still very high. This raises the need to understand factors associated with unintended pregnancies, especially among women in rural settings where the rates and risks are highest to help improve maternal health. Method: We collected data from 1,914 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic between January 2012 and April 2012 in four health facilities in the Mfantseman Municipal of the Central Region of Ghana. We used bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to explore how socio-demographic characteristics, past reproductiv…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

End-of-life care for blood cancers: a series of focus groups with hematologic oncologists.

Purpose: Hematologic cancers are associated with aggressive cancer-directed care near death and underuse of hospice and palliative care services. We sought to explore hematologic oncologists' perspectives and decision-making processes regarding end-of-life (EOL) care. Methods: Between September 2013 and January 2014, 20 hematologic oncologists from the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center participated in four focus groups regarding EOL care for leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Focus groups employed a semistructured format with case vignettes and open-ended questions and were followed by thematic analysis. Results: Many participants felt that identifying the EOL phase for patients with hematologic cancers was challenging as a result of the continuing potential for cure with advanced disease and the often rapid pace of decline near death. This…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Cancer symptom awareness and barriers to medical help seeking in Scottish adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Initiatives to promote early diagnosis include raising public awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and addressing barriers to seeking medical help about cancer. Awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and emotional barriers, such as fear, worry, and embarrassment, strongly influence help seeking behaviour. Whether anxiety influences seeking medical help about cancer is not known. The purpose of this study about adolescents was to examine: 1) the relationship between contextual factors and awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and barriers (including emotional barriers) to seeking medical help, and 2) associations between anxiety and endorsed barriers to seeking medical help. Interpretation of data is informed by the common sense model of the self-regulation of health and illness. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 2,173 Scottish adolescents (age 12/13 years) using…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Complementary and alternative medicine use in infertility: cultural and religious influences in a multicultural Canadian setting.

Objectives: To explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for infertility in a multicultural healthcare setting and to compare Western and non-Western infertility patients' reasons for using CAM and the meanings they attribute to CAM use. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interviews using thematic analysis. Settings/location: Two infertility clinics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Participants: An ethnoculturally varied sample of 32 heterosexual infertile couples. Results: CAM used included lifestyle changes (e.g., changing diet, exercise), alternative medicine (e.g., acupuncture, herbal medicines), and religious methods (e.g., prayers, religious talismans). Patients expressed three attitudes toward CAM: desperate hope, casual optimism, and amused skepticism. PARTICIPANTS' CAM use was consistent with cultural traditions of health and fertility: Westerners relied prima…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Barriers and facilitators to successful transition from pediatric to adult inflammatory bowel disease care from the perspectives of providers.

Background: For adolescents and young adults (AYA) with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the transition from pediatric to adult care is often challenging and associated with gaps in care. Our study objectives were to (1) identify outcomes for evaluating transition success and (2) elicit the major barriers and facilitators of successful transition. Methods: We interviewed pediatric and adult IBD providers from across the United States with experience caring for AYAs with IBD until thematic saturation was reached after 12 interviews. We elicited the participants' backgrounds, examples of successful and unsuccessful transition of AYAs for whom they cared, and recommendations for improving transition using the Social-Ecological Model of Adolescent and Young Adult Readiness to Transition framework. We coded interview transcripts using the constant comparative method and identified major them…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)