New approaches to qualitative interviewing: Development of a card sort technique to understand subjective patterns of symptoms and responses.

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New approaches to qualitative interviewing: Development of a card sort technique to understand subjective patterns of symptoms and responses.

Int J Nurs Stud. 2016 Jan 9;

Authors: Mammen JR, Norton SA, Rhee H, Butz AM

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ability to elicit individuals’ perceptions of complex behavioral processes can be challenging, as it hinges not only upon the skill of the researcher, but also upon assumptions of a shared language and individuals’ ability to recall, analyze, and effectively communicate events. In a case-based qualitative-descriptive study about teens’ experiences of asthma self-management, we found that variations in terminology and descriptions of events, symptoms, and responses made it difficult to understand teens’ experiences of asthma. In particular, teens’ conceptualization of their asthma symptoms and self-management responses differed from situation to situation, from other teens in the study, from the interviewer, and from prior reports in the literature. These differences across many levels made it difficult to identify patterns in individual processes of self-management, and among teens in general..
OBJECTIVES: To address these challenges, we developed a card sorting activity to facilitate in-depth exploration of teens’ experiences of asthma.
DESIGN: Case-based qualitative description.
SETTING: Teen-parent dyads (N=28) were recruited from the community, Emergency Department, Pediatric Pulmonary Department, and prior study subjects of a major medical center.
METHODS: Teens first identified and then sequenced their own unique sets of asthma symptoms and self-management responses. Teens then developed contextually grounded narratives using the card sort they had created as a visual aid.
RESULTS: This technique not only allowed us to bridge teen-interviewer communication barriers and develop shared terminology, but also resulted in a visible sequence of asthma symptoms and self-management responses.
CONCLUSIONS: The card sort technique facilitated researcher-teen discussion and enabled comparison of self-management patterns across teens in our study. This technique is potentially useful for other areas of research exploring behavioral processes with complex and individual-specific experiences, in particular those involving sequences of events and self-management responses. This paper delineates the development, utility, and potential applications of the symptom-response card sorting technique for research and clinical practice.

PMID: 26897540 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Heavy metals in PM2.5 and in blood, and children’s respiratory symptoms and asthma from an e-waste recycling area.

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Heavy metals in PM2.5 and in blood, and children’s respiratory symptoms and asthma from an e-waste recycling area.

Environ Pollut. 2016 Jan 21;210:346-353

Authors: Zeng X, Xu X, Zheng X, Reponen T, Chen A, Huo X

Abstract
This study was to investigate the levels of heavy metals in PM2.5 and in blood, the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and asthma, and the related factors to them. Lead and cadmium in both PM2.5 and blood were significant higher in Guiyu (exposed area) than Haojiang (reference area) (p < 0.05), however, no significant difference was found for chromium and manganese in PM2.5 and in blood. The prevalence of cough, phlegm, dyspnea, and wheeze of children was higher in Guiyu compared to Haojiang (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found for the prevalence of asthma in children between Guiyu and Haojiang. Living in Guiyu was positively associated with blood lead (B = 0.196, p < 0.001), blood cadmium (B = 0.148, p < 0.05) and cough (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.30-4.32; p < 0.01). Blood lead>5 ?g/dL was significantly associated with asthma (OR, 9.50; 95% CI, 1.16-77.49). Higher blood chromium and blood manganese were associated with more cough and wheeze, respectively. Our data suggest that living in e-waste exposed area may lead to increased levels of heavy metals, and accelerated prevalence of respiratory symptoms and asthma.

PMID: 26803791 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Cooler Weather Can Trigger Asthma and Allergy Symptoms – PR Newswire (press release)

Cooler Weather Can Trigger Asthma and Allergy Symptoms
PR Newswire (press release)
TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — During Florida's cooler months, adults and children who suffer from asthma and allergies may experience symptoms similar to those felt in the spring. Spending more time indoors during the cool months increases …

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Everything to Know About the Flu – Season, Symptoms, Prevention, Treatment – I4U News


I4U News

Everything to Know About the Flu – Season, Symptoms, Prevention, Treatment
I4U News
Complications from flu in this case could be pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus, ear infections, severe asthma, and triggered heart failure among others. These situations require hospitalizations in emergency ward, and treatment may last for a couple of weeks.
Biography – Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Madagascar (cVDPV) – Global Polio Eradication InitiativeGlobal Polio Eradication Initiative
Disease Outbreak Control Division | Dengue Outbreak 2015 – Hawaii Department Hawaii Department of Health – Hawaii.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Omalizumab Highly Effective in Reducing Severe Asthma Symptoms – Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)

Omalizumab Highly Effective in Reducing Severe Asthma Symptoms
Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)
Ivo Abraham, PhD, RN, from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and colleagues reviewed 24 real-life effectiveness studies of omalizumab in the treatment of severe allergic asthma. The studies included 4,117 unique patients from 32 countries

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Sports activities enhance the prevalence of rhinitis symptoms in schoolchildren.

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Sports activities enhance the prevalence of rhinitis symptoms in schoolchildren.

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2015 Nov 27;

Authors: Kusunoki T, Takeuchi J, Morimoto T, Sakuma M, Mukaida K, Yasumi T, Nishikomori R, Heike T

Abstract
BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association between sports activities and allergic symptoms, especially rhinitis, among schoolchildren.
METHODS: This longitudinal survey of schoolchildren collected data from questionnaires regarding allergic symptoms based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) program and sports participation that were distributed to the parents of children at all 12 public primary schools in Ohmi-Hachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Data were collected annually from 2011 until 2014, when the children reached 10 years old. Blood samples were obtained in 2014, and levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) E specific to four inhalant allergens were measured.
RESULTS: Data from 558 children were analyzed. At 10 years old, prevalences of asthma and eczema did not differ significantly, while rhinitis was significantly higher (P=0.009) among children who participated in sports. Prevalence of rhinitis increased as the frequency or duration of sports participation increased (P<0.01). The prevalence of new-onset rhinitis increased significantly among 10-year-olds with increasing duration of participation in sports (P=0.03). Among those who participated in continuous sports activities, prevalence of rhinitis was significantly higher with prolonged eczema (P=0.006). Sports activities did not increase sensitization to inhalant allergens.
CONCLUSION: Sports activities enhance the prevalence of rhinitis in schoolchildren. Prolonged eczema, together with sports participation, further promotes the symptoms. The mechanisms of these novel findings warrant further investigation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID: 26613558 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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