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Abstract Background The design of new interventions to improve health care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires knowledge about what patients with an acute exacerbation experience as important and useful. The objective of the study was to explore patients’ experiences of an early discharge hospital at home (HaH) treatment programme for exacerbations in COPD. Methods Six exacerbated COPD patients that were randomised to receiving HaH care and three patients randomised to receiving traditional hospital care were interviewed in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Four spouses were present during the respective patients’ interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed by a four-step method for systematic text condensing. Results Despite limited assistance from the health care service, the patients and their spouses experienced the HaH treatment as safe. They expressed that information that was adapted to specific situations in their daily lives and given in a familiar environment had positive impact on their self-management of COPD. Conclusion The results contribute to increased knowledge and awareness about what the patients experienced as important aspects of a HaH treatment programme. How adapted input from health services can make patients with exacerbation of COPD feel safe and better able to manage their disease, is important knowledge for developing new and effective health services for patients with chronic disease.

Objective. The objective of this study was to explore how principles of empowerment are reflected in the experiences of young users of the mental health service in Norway and to determine challenges to their implementation. Method. Thirty-two qualitative interviews were conducted with nine users during a 12-month period and analyzed to identify key themes related to their empowerment. Results. Four themes were identified: the users' wish to have control of their own illness and treatment; their trust in themselves and plans; at the same time, their self-devaluation and vulnerability; and a feeling of powerlessness because of the lack of choice and information within the Norwegian mental health service system. Conclusion. The young mental health service users in our study had an adequate level of psychological empowerment. However, their empowerment as mental health patients was restricted by environmental factors, most of all the skewed power distribution between users and health service professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To use general policy guidelines and staff experience of rehabilitation work in two boroughs in Oslo to develop a model for organisation and cooperation in home-based rehabilitation. Method: The project was conducted as a collaboration between researchers and employees in the two boroughs. It was a practice-oriented study designed as an action research project combining knowledge generation and improvement of practice. Data were collected at seven meetings, and individual, qualitative interviews with a total of 24 persons were conducted in the period February 2010 to June 2011. Results: Home-based rehabilitation occurred rarely in the boroughs, and this field received little attention. However, this project provided a broad discussion of rehabilitation involving all parts of the organisation of both boroughs. In the course of the project, researchers and borough staff together developed a model for the organisation of and cooperation on rehabilitation including a coordinating unit assigned the paramount responsibility for the rehabilitation and an interdisciplinary team organising the collaboration on the practical level. Conclusions: When implementing a model like this in primary health services, we recommend involving several levels and service locations of the borough staff in order to legitimise the model in the organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The design of new interventions to improve health care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires knowledge about what patients with an acute exacerbation experience as important and useful. The objective of the study was to explore patients' experiences of an early discharge hospital at home (HaH) treatment programme for exacerbations in COPD. Methods: Six exacerbated COPD patients that were randomised to receiving HaH care and three patients randomised to receiving traditional hospital care were interviewed in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Four spouses were present during the respective patients' interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed by a four-step method for systematic text condensing. Results: Despite limited assistance from the health care service, the patients and their spouses experienced the HaH treatment as safe. They expressed that information that was adapted to specific situations in their daily lives and given in a familiar environment had positive impact on their self-management of COPD. Conclusion: The results contribute to increased knowledge and awareness about what the patients experienced as important aspects of a HaH treatment programme. How adapted input from health services can make patients with exacerbation of COPD feel safe and better able to manage their disease, is important knowledge for developing new and effective health services for patients with chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study is to acquire an understanding of the suicides among a group of elderly people by studying how they experienced their existence towards the end of life. Methods: This is a psychological autopsy study based on qualitative interviews with 63 informants in relation to 23 suicides committed by persons aged over 65 in Norway. Informants who knew the deceased persons well describe what the elderly person communicated to them about their experience of life in the period before the suicide and how they as informants saw and understood this. The informants comprise relatives, family doctors and home-based care nurses. The analysis of the interviews follows the systematic text condensation method. Results: The descriptions are divided into three main elements: the elderly persons' experiences of life, their perception of themselves, and their conceptions of death. "Experience of life" has two sub-topics: this life has been lived and life as a burden. Everything that had given value to their life had been lost and life was increasingly experienced as a burden. Their "perception of themselves" concerned losing oneself. Functional decline meant that they no longer had freedom of action and self-determination. "Conceptions of death" involve the following sub-topics: acknowledgement/acceptance and death is better than life. Life had entered into its final phase, and they seemed to accept death. For some time, many of them had expressed the wish to die. Conclusions: The results lead us to argue that their suicides should be considered as existential choices. The sum total of the different forms of strain had made life a burden they could no longer bear. Age meant that they were in a phase of life that entailed closeness to death, which they could also see as a relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - To develop a group-based treatment programme in primary health care for women with chronic muscle pain, and adjust programme development according to experiences obtained by the participating women and health personnel. The aim of the programme was to help the women develop a tool for handling their chronic state of pain. The article describes and discusses experiences essential for elaboration of the treatment programme. Design - Action research design. Setting - Existing therapy groups in Stovner for women with chronic muscle pain. Subjects - We arranged eight treatment groups, each lasting 12 weeks, and three groups lasting 10 months, with a total of 133 participants. Main outcome measures - Experiences were systematised by means of pragmatic analysis of qualitative data from field notes, tape recordings of focus group interviews, and video recordings of training and discussion groups. Results - While initially the training programme aimed at increasing physical fitness and muscle strength, it gradually developed into activity based on movement with an emphasis on noticing and experiencing. The instruction programme initially aimed at providing information, and developed towards discussion groups with emphasis on mutual understanding and recognition. Conclusions - The training programme is now concentrated on a few, simple exercises and is characterised by awareness of the relationship between breathing and muscle tension. Groups were found to be the main pillar of the programme, characterised by security and a feeling of belonging with room for reflection and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter of gratitude to Professor Mazess for showing interest in the menopausal developments of Pakistani women in Norway. Data on the parameter provided by the Lunar Achilles ultrasound equipment; Percentage of corrected stiffness for Pakistani women; Difference in hyperthyroidism between Norwegian and Pakistani women.

Background: Each person develops their own posture and patterns of movement; our bodies are marked by the life we live. Our ways of being imply that the body is used and strained in different ways, and these habits are decisive for what kind of functional problems we may develop. A group-based treatment programme for women with chronic muscular pain includes movement training and group discussions once a week over the course of ten months, aimed at changing straining bodily habits. The study explores what the participants appreciate as meaningful and beneficial effects of this programme., Material and Methods: A treatment group of ten women with long-lasting chronic muscular pain was organised at the start of the 21st century. Seven of them completed the programme. Transcriptions from individual interviews with the participants were analysed using a phenomenological analysis., Results: The participants made new bodily experiences, changed their bodily habits and developed strategies for handling stress and pain in daily life., Interpretation: Group treatment may be a beneficial offer in primary care to women with chronic muscular pain.