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Biomedical subjects

J Popay

Publications and source records attributed to J Popay.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

It might work in Oklahoma but will it work in Oakhampton? Context and implementation in the effectiveness literature on domestic smoke detectors.

OBJECTIVE: To explore data on factors affecting implementation processes in papers contributing to a Cochrane systematic review (SR) of smoke alarm interventions, supplemented by further papers not included in the review. DESIGN: Screening for data on implementation on the basis of: (1) primary studies included in a Cochrane SR, (2) further papers relating to these and similar studies, and (3) approaches to authors of these and other relevant studies and reports. RESULTS: Relatively few data were found to help people seeking to implement smoke alarm promotion interventions. CONCLUSIONS: For practitioners and policymakers to be able to build on research evidence, researchers and journal editors need to ensure that sufficient data are published, or are otherwise available to interested parties to move from understanding the evidence to using it.

Female↗
PubMed2003

Qualitative research and the epidemiological imagination: a vital relationship.

This paper takes as its starting point the assumption that the 'Epidemiological Imagination' has a central role to play in the future development of policies and practice to improve population health and reduce health inequalities within and between states but suggests that by neglecting the contribution that qualitative research can make epidemiology is failing to deliver this potential. The paper briefly considers what qualitative research is, touching on epistemological questions--what type of "knowledge" is generated--and questions of methods--what approaches to data collection, analysis and interpretation are involved). Following this the paper presents two different models of the relationship between qualitative and quantitative research. The enhancement model (which assumes that qualitative research findings add something extra to the findings of quantitative research) suggests three related "roles" for qualitative research: generating hypothesis to be tested by quantitative research, helping to construct more sophisticated measures of social phenomena and explaining unexpected research from quantitative research. In contrast, the Epistemological Model suggests that qualitative research is equal but different from quantitative research making a unique contribution through: researching parts other research approaches can't reach, increasing understanding by adding conceptual and theoretical depth to knowledge, shifting the balance of power between researchers and researched and challenging traditional epidemiological ways of "knowing" the social world. The paper illustrates these different types of contributions with examples of qualitative research and finally discusses ways in which the "trustworthiness" of qualitative research can be assessed.

Epidemiology↗
PubMed2000

How are policy makers using evidence? Models of research utilisation and local NHS policy making.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This paper is based on a qualitative study that aimed to identify factors that facilitate or impede evidence-based policy making at a local level in the UK National Health Service (NHS). It considers how models of research utilisation drawn from the social sciences map onto empirical evidence from this study. DESIGN: A literature review and case studies of social research projects that were initiated by NHS health authority managers or GP fundholders in one region of the NHS. In depth interviews and document analysis were used. SETTING: One NHS region in England. PARTICIPANTS: Policy makers, GPs and researchers working on each of the social research projects selected as case studies. MAIN RESULTS: The direct influence of research evidence on decision making was tempered by factors such as financial constraints, shifting timescales and decision makers' own experiential knowledge. Research was more likely to impact on policy in indirect ways, including shaping policy debate and mediating dialogue between service providers and users. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the role of sustained dialogue between researchers and the users of research in improving the utilisation of research-based evidence in the policy process.

England↗
PubMed2000

The epidemiology and experience of atopic eczema during childhood: a discussion paper on the implications of current knowledge for health care, public health policy and research.

Atopic eczema is a chronic skin condition affecting between 5% and 20% of children aged up to 11 years at one time or other. Research suggests that prevalence is increasing and various environmental factors have been implicated in the aetiology. While often seen to be a minor problem, research suggests that it can cause considerable disruption to the lives of children and their carers and involves significant cost for the family and health care systems. The current consensus is that the majority of cases of atopic eczema are most appropriately managed within primary care. However, management of the condition is problematic because diagnosis is often difficult. Consultations tend to focus on the physical aspects of the problems neglecting the psychosocial, while treatment remains mainly palliative and can be as diverse as the condition itself. More appropriate and effective primary care management and support for children with atopic eczema and their carers will only be developed if health professionals become more aware of the social context of the disease and the impact on the lives of those affected. Public health responses focusing on primary prevention are also needed. This paper reviews a diverse literature on the epidemiology of the condition, the way in which it affects the lives of children and their carers and the factors that shape their help seeking decisions. The aim is to contribute to a more substantial knowledge base for public health and primary care developments and to point to areas for future research

Child↗
PubMed1998

Rationale and standards for the systematic review of qualitative literature in health services research.

Despite growing recognition of the need for qualitative methods in health services research, there have been few attempts to define quality standards for assessing the results. This article acknowledges the desirability of a plurality of standards. However, it is argued that three interrelated criteria can be identified as the foundation of good qualitative health research: interpretation of subjective meaning, description of social context, and attention to lay knowledge. These criteria can be examined in relation to different dimensions of any research report, including theoretical basis, sampling strategy, scope of data collection, description of data collected, and concern with generalizability or typicality. But if the concern is with the appropriateness of care and with understanding the factors that shape lay and clinical behavior, then these criteria must form the basis of a hierarchy of qualitative research evidence.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

Public health research and lay knowledge.

Social science research into the social patterning of health and illness is extensive. One important aspect of this has been work on lay knowledge about health and illness. In this paper we develop three main arguments. First, we suggest that recent developments in social science understanding of the nature and significance of lay knowledge should be more widely recognized within the social sciences themselves. Second, we argue that if public health research, whatever the disciplinary perspective, is to provide an understanding of contemporary health problems that is simultaneously more robust and more holistic, it must incorporate and develop the theoretical and conceptual insights offered by this recent work on lay knowledge and with lay people. Finally, we argue that in order to accomplish this it will be necessary to construct research questions in such a way that the conventional distinctions between science and non-science, and the methodological wrangles associated with this distinction, become marginal to the research process. This will inevitably involve conflicts between members of different professional groups. These conflicts provide the opportunity for open debate on the science and politics of public health research and represent a challenge for the many disciplines involved in this field.

Forecasting↗
PubMed1996

Is the short form 36 (SF-36) suitable for routine health outcomes assessment in health care for older people? Evidence from preliminary work in community based health services in England.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the short form 36 (SF-36) health status measure when used to assess older people's views of the outcome of community based health care. DESIGN: Completion of a structured questionnaire, before and after intervention alongside in-depth interviews with a subsample of the interviewees. SETTING: Community based continence and mental health services in two health authorities in the North West Health Region. PATIENTS: Forty seven older people newly referred to mental health services or continence services between December 1992 and April 1993 participated. MAIN RESULTS: The SF-36 showed minimal change over time for both patient groups. The more detailed in-depth interviews showed that people experienced positive changes and derived value from contact with services in a number of important ways. For many reasons these benefits were not reflected in their SF-36 scores. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 is not likely to be the "measure of choice" for this type of evaluation, particularly where it involves older patient groups who have high levels of comorbidity. The content of the SF-36 and its lack of detail for individual assessment of change means it masks rather than illuminates patients' views of outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Visual disability among older people: a case study in assessing needs and examining services.

This paper presents preliminary findings from a research project aiming to assess the health and social care needs of older people with visual problems and to consider the implications of the data collected for the new commissioning authorities in the National Health Service. The project was based in four District Health Authorities in the North West of England. The needs assessment work consisted of a number of related elements: a review of the literature on visual impairment and disability; a survey of 1660 people aged over 64 years; a clinical assessment of visual problems among a sub-group of the survey sample; and a review of service provision. To explore the commissioning implications, a number of inter-agency workshops have been held across and within the participating districts. The preliminary findings are discussed within the framework of Maxwell's six dimensions of quality.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

Gender inequalities in health: social position, affective disorders and minor physical morbidity.

Research has consistently reported a female excess of minor physical morbidity and affective disorders compared to men. Using data from a national cross sectional survey of British women and men aged 18-59, this paper explores three prominent explanations for these patterns: that the female excess is due to problems associated with menstruation and the menopause; that it is 'caused' by the social positions which women occupy in contemporary western societies; and that the excess of affective disorders is 'caused' by women's social positions but that their higher rate of physical illness is psychosomatic in origin. The analysis presented here suggests that problems with menstruation and the menopause cannot explain gender inequalities in minor illness. Similarly the argument that the female excess of minor physical illness is psychosomatic is not supported, indeed, there is evidence that women's experience of minor physical illness may 'cause' their higher rates of affective disorders. Finally, with a few exceptions, the relationship between minor illness and four dimensions of social positions--marital status, employment status, social class and income--were broadly the same for women and men but in each social position category, women report higher rates of both types of ill health than men. It is concluded that present measures of these social positions do not capture the differing experiences of women and men and that more gender sensitive measures are needed if gender inequalities in minor illness are to be understood.

Female↗