Maja Söderbäck

The importance of including both a child perspective and the child's perspective within health care settings to provide truly child-centred care.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) asserts the right of every child to self-determination, dignity, respect, non-interference, and the right to make informed decisions. The provision of quality care in health services tailored to children’s preferences means that health professionals have a responsibility to ensure children’s rights, and that the child is encouraged and enabled to make his or her view known on issues that affect them. This paper will help illuminate and differentiate between a child perspective and the child’s perspective in health care settings. The issues are supported with research which illustrates the different perspectives. Both perspectives are required to perceive and encounter children as equal human beings in child-centred health care settings.

Reframing the focus from a family-centred to a child-centred care approach for children’s healthcare:

In this article, we argue for a conceptual move from family-centred care (FCC) to a child-centred care approach and the implications for clinical nursing practice. Firstly, we argue that the parents and professional dominance constructs an asymmetric relationship towards the child, which may take away the focus from the child; Secondly, we need to renew efforts to promote the fundamental principles of protection, promotion and participation rights for children and young people according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child declaration and thirdly, we need to strengthen the child’s perspective and to view the child as an agent representing own experiences and wishes to be respected and negotiated.

Perceptions of the use of khat among Somali immigrants living in Swedish society

Aims: The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of Somali immigrants’ perceptions of the use of khat when living in Swedish society. Using khat is illegal in Sweden. Methods: A phenomenographic design was used to capture different perception of using khat. Fourteen interviews were conducted with both men and women. The information was subjected to phenomenographic analysis. Results: Perceptions of the habit of chewing khat among Somalis living in Sweden vary. The use of khat is perceived as a kind of food or as a drug. To use khat is perceived as having a physical impact on individual health, as well as an impact on social and family life. Using khat also has an impact on people’s time, because time is needed to indulge the habit. Furthermore, using khat is perceived as a medium for cultural and community cohesiveness. The Somalis preferred preventive measures in place to counter the use of khat in Sweden. Conclusions: The use of a phenomenographic design which captured the variation in perceptions of the habit of using khat among Somali immigrants’ living in Swedish society is helpful in guiding individual strategies in health promotion activities.

Exploring three-year-old children in a primary child health care situation

In the Swedish Primary Child Health Care (PCHC) children participate in regular health visits. In these visits children as actors demonstrate their subjective maturity through bodily and verbal expressions. The aim of this study was to explore three-year-old children’s expressions when they take part as actors in a PCHC situation. An explorative design with a hermeneutic approach and video observations was used. Twenty-nine children participated. The findings exhibit a variation of expressions in the situation conceptualized as actions in a progression of states: from a state of getting ready to a state of being ready and further to a state where the child strengthens their own self. This progression is dynamic and coloured with the states of not being ready or of being adverse. The conceptualization of children’s expressions can contribute towards encouraging nurses’ sensitivity when inviting and guiding children in PCHC situations.

Care of hospitalized children in Mozambique: nurses’ beliefs and practice regarding family involvement

This study aims to describe nurses’ beliefs and practice regarding family involvement in the care of hospitalized children in Mozambique. Ethnographic fieldwork was used. The data production consisted of field descriptions from observations and interviews with 36 nurses. Through qualitative content analysis the findings show that nurses’ practice of family involvement reflects a society that is poor, hierarchical, family-oriented but at the same time still adaptive. Four themes are identified: family members’ presence in order to assist the nurses in care; nurses’ support and education of family members to be involved in care; nurses’ shielding of family members from family involvement; difficulties and conditional dilemmas in the nurses’ involvement of families. It is concluded that emphasizing culturally congruent nursing care is necessary if families’ way of life is to be accommodated. However, to empower family involvement in everyday practice, the Mozambican nurses themselves need to be empowered.

Five-Year-Old Children’s Tuning-In and Negotiation Strategies in an Immunization Situation

In this article, we have explored 5-year-old children’s expressions when they as actors took part in an immunization situation in the Primary Child Health Care (PCHC) service in Sweden. Although children’s health and development are the main concern in the PCHC service, their perspectives in such a setting have not been explored fully. To capture children’s perspectives we used a hermeneutic design and video observations. The findings revealed children as competent and active participants, contributing to the construction of the PCHC situation in mutuality with the nurse and the parent. The conceptualization of children’s expressions and actions revealed how they influenced and dealt with a PCHC situation by using strategies of tuning-in, affirmative negotiation, and delaying negotiation. Understanding children’s actions will assist nurses to act with sensitivity when they encounter and support children.

The child’s perspective as a guiding principle: Young children as co-designers of an interactive application to facilitate participation in healthcare situations

During the last decade, interactive technology has entered mainstream society. Its many users also include children, even the youngest ones, who use the technology in different situations for both fun and learning. When designing technology for children, it is crucial to involve children in the process in order to arrive at an age-appropriate end product. In this study we describe the specific iterative process by which an interactive application was developed. This application is intended to facilitate young childrens, three-to five years old, participation in healthcare situations. We also describe the specific contributions of the children, who tested the prototypes in a preschool, a primary health care clinic and an outpatient unit at a hospital, during the development process. The iterative phases enabled the children to be involved at different stages of the process and to evaluate modifications and improvements made after each prior iteration. The children contributed their own perspectives (the childs perspective) on the usability, content and graphic design of the application, substantially improving the software and resulting in an age-appropriate product.

The child's perspective as a guiding principle

During the last decade, interactive technology has entered mainstream society. Its many users also include children, even the youngest ones, who use the technology in different situations for both fun and learning. When designing technology for children, it is crucial to involve children in the process in order to arrive at an age-appropriate end product. In this study we describe the specific iterative process by which an interactive application was developed. This application is intended to facilitate young childrens, three-to five years old, participation in healthcare situations. We also describe the specific contributions of the children, who tested the prototypes in a preschool, a primary health care clinic and an outpatient unit at a hospital, during the development process. The iterative phases enabled the children to be involved at different stages of the process and to evaluate modifications and improvements made after each prior iteration. The children contributed their own perspectives (the childs perspective) on the usability, content and graphic design of the application, substantially improving the software and resulting in an age-appropriate product.

The importance of a daily rhythm in a supportive environment--promoting ability in activities in everyday life among older women living alone with chronic pain.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore how older women living alone with chronic musculoskeletal pain, describe their ability in performing activities in everyday life and what could promote their ability in activities in everyday life as well as their perceived meaning of a changed ability to perform activities in everyday life. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 women, and an inductive content analysis was used. Results: The results showed the importance of a daily rhythm of activities. Activities included in the daily rhythm were socializing with family and friends, physical activities, doing own activities as well as activities supported by relatives and the community. The activities described by the women also promoted their ability in activities in everyday life. Other findings were the women’s perceived meaning of being independent and maintaining that independency, along with the meaning of accepting and adapting to a changed life situation. Conclusion: This paper concludes that it is important to be sensitive of individual needs regarding the daily rhythm of activities when health-care professionals intervene in the activities in everyday life of older women living alone, promote the women’s independency, and enable them to participate in the community. Implications for Rehabilitation A daily rhythm of activities is important for older women who live alone with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The importance of health-care professionals being sensitive to individual needs to promote ability in activities in everyday life and to encourage the everyday activities into a daily rhythm. Facilitate the women’s desire and will of independency, despite their needs of help from their environment to manage their everyday life.

Younger children's (three to five years) perceptions of being in a health-care situation

Younger children are common users of health-care services. Their perspective on a health-care situation and their ways of communication differ from that of adults. There is a shortness of research of younger childrens perceptions of health-care situations. The knowledge that exists indicates the importance of involving the childs perspective to enable understanding and to offer appropriate support. This paper aimed to describe how younger children perceive to be in a health-care situation. Semi-structured interviews, analysed phenomenographically, were used. The main findings revealed that children view themselves as actors, as either main or co-actors, in a health-care situation. Parents and professionals are also understood as actors. The childrens perceptions enable professionals to create a mutual understanding which will give openings for increased involvement of the children and an improved level of the childrens health literacy.