A digital decision aid for cancer screening can gather balanced information in one place and give individuals the opportunity to elucidate their knowledge, values and engage in shared decision-making. Research shows that ethnic minorities and individuals with various functional limitations participate in cancer screening to a lower extent, hence our ambition to make the decision aid as available and applicable as possible, regardless of end-users’ traits. The aim was to describe the design and alpha phases of the development of a digital decision aid for CRC screening and tentative end-users’ perceptions. Based on a scientific framework for development of decision aids, participants were recruited through multiple channels. The decision aid was evaluated in two steps, a paper version (design phase) and a website prototype (alpha phase), using the think-aloud approach. Data were rich with detailed suggestions for improvements of the decision aid and how it was perceived. A positive outlook on the decision aid was common. Certain words, wordings or visual features were considered difficult and worry or anxiety, related to the content, were expressed. The variation in the findings illustrates the challenges of decision aid development. Still, our findings emphasise the importance of designing a decision aid in co-creation with its end-users. Developing a digital decision aid is complex, why a well-established framework is essential. With the goal of an equal healthcare system, the inclusion of individuals with diverse backgrounds and functional limitations should not only be a fundamental aspect of all research, but a prerequisite.

BACKGROUND:Sweden has a long tradition of organized national population-based screening programmes. Participation rates differ between programmes and regions, being relatively high in some groups, but lower in others. To ensure an equity perspective on screening, it is desirable that individuals make an informed decision based on knowledge rather than ignorance, misconceptions, or fear. Decision Aids (DAs) are set to deliver information about different healthcare options and help individuals to visualize the values associated with each available option. DAs are not intended to guide individuals to choose one option over another. The advantage of an individual Decision Aid (iDA) is that individuals gain knowledge about cancer and screening by accessing one webpage with the possibility to communicate with health professionals and thereafter make their decision regarding participation. The objective is therefore to develop, implement and evaluate a digital iDA for individuals invited to cancer screening in Sweden. METHODS:This study encompasses a process-, implementation-, and outcome evaluation. Multiple methods will be applied including focus group discussions, individual interviews and the usage of the think aloud technique and self-reported questionnaire data. The project is based on The International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) framework and the proposed model development process for DAs. Individuals aged 23-74, including women (the cervical-, breast- and CRC screening module) and men (the CRC screening module), will be included in the developmental process. Efforts will be made to recruit participants with self-reported physical and mental limitations, individuals without a permanent residence and ethnic minorities. DISCUSSION:To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first attempt aimed at developing an iDA for use in the Swedish context. The iDA is intended to facilitate shared decision making about participation in screening. Furthermore, the iDA is expected to increase knowledge and raise awareness about cancer and cancer screening. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION:Lay people are involved throughout the whole development and implementation process of the digital DA. TRIAL REGISTRATION:NCT05512260.

In Sweden the health system is nationally regulated and locally provided by 21 regions and 290 municipalities. To meet the shifting paradigm, where the person is viewed as a co-producer of health and care, Sweden has laws, regulations and policies which support the patient as an active partner in the communication with professionals in the system. Coproduction, person-centred care and shared decision making contribute jointly to the paradigm shift. Principles of human dignity and equity must be supported nationally and enacted in the decentralized, regional provision of care. Infrastructures exist or are under development which can support and strengthen care that is co-produced and based in a person-centred philosophy and approach, where shared decision making becomes a reality in practice. A Knowledge management system together with National Quality registries have the potential to form a co-produced, person-centred learning health system, where patients, and next of kin and professionals are included as partners. The joint integration of Shared decision making, Person-centre care and Coproduction into the Swedish healthcare system now looks like a possible way to realize the emerging paradigm.

Background Supervisors play a key part as role models and supporting the learning during residents’ post-graduate medical education, but sometimes lack sufficient pedagogic training and are challenged by high demands in today’s healthcare. The aim of this study was to describe the strengths and areas for improvement identified in the supervision process by residents and supervisors in post-graduate medical education. Methods This study included supervisors and residents working at departments and health centres who have used a web-based questionnaire, as a part of the Evaluation and Feedback For Effective Clinical Teaching (EFFECT) model, during the period 2016–2019. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse ratings and comments to describe strengths and areas for improvement in the supervision process. Results The study included 287 resident evaluations of supervisors and 78 self-evaluations by supervisors. The supervisor as a role model, being available, and, giving personal support, were the three most important strengths identified by the residents and supervisors. Residents in primary care also identified the role modelling of general practice competence as a strength, whereas residents and supervisors in hospital departments addressed supervisors as energetic and showing work was fun. The area with the need of most improvement was, Giving and receiving feedback. Conclusions To be able to give feedback, residents and supervisors, needed to see each other in work, and the learning environment had to offer time and space to pedagogical processes, like feedback, to improve the learning environment.

AbstractIntroductionInterventions that support patients to handle the emotional and medical aspects of a long‐term health condition is important. One way is to use peer‐support groups, to help patients solving problems, increasing their knowledge and making decisions.Aimwas to investigate the impact on shared decision‐making, empowerment and coping after participation in group‐learning sessions for patients with long‐term conditions (N = 42).DesignAn intervention following a health education programme based on group‐learning sessions was established. Eight different programmes were held in five different departments at a regional county hospital in Sweden.MethodsQuestionnaires were analysed using paired‐sample t‐test.ResultsResults showed that patients might have better opportunities to be more active during their patient encounter after attending the group learning sessions. Interventions directed to patient activation may be one key in future healthcare management, especially concerning long‐term conditions. Empowering patients is central in healthcare, and using different approaches is important.

Background Young adults increasingly seek help for mental health problems. In 2016, a district psychiatric centre in Norway started a brief treatment program to provide early and effective help for moderate depression and anxiety. Aim Exploring patients’ and therapists’ experiences of brief therapy, especially how the time limitation influences the treatment process. Methods Individual interviews with 12 patients and focus group interviews with eight therapists analyzed using systematic text condensation. Results The results constitute five themes: (1) Time-limit as a frame for targeted change, (2) Clarifying expectations and accountability, (3) Shared agreement on a defined treatment-project, (4) Providing tools instead of searching for causes, and (5) Learning to cope—not being cured. Conclusion Time-limitation in brief therapy appeared to play a positive role, helping the therapists to structure the therapeutic process and strengthening patients’ motivation. Shared understanding and activation during brief therapy may reinforce patients’ responsibility and expectations to achieve individual goals. Brief therapy can be viewed as the start of a personal process towards “mastering life as it is”. More research is needed to investigate the patients’ long-term outcomes after treatment and to shed light on the potential for, and limitations of, mastering everyday-life.

Purpose To illuminate user experiences of schizophrenia, reasons for receiving antipsychotic medication, and encounters with mental health services. Design and Methods 24 semistructured qualitative research interviews with schizophrenia patients treated with 3-monthly paliperidone palmitate across Scandinavia were synthesized in qualitative content analysis. Findings Participants describe considerable challenges in everyday functioning. Simultaneously, they rate their current mental and physical well-being high and seem satisfied with their lives. These pathways indicate personal recovery. Practice Implications The participants emphasize the importance of trustful relations with healthcare professionals, therapeutic conversations, antipsychotic medication in a 3-monthly formulation, and support from relatives.

INTRODUCTION:Three-monthly dosage of paliperidone palmitate entails longer time to relapse after discontinuation, is similarly tolerable and safe compared to monthly injections of paliperidone palmitate and is beneficial for the caregivers. However, few studies have so far explored in depth the patients' experiences with paliperidone palmitate medication every three months, or with switching from monthly to three-monthly injections of paliperidone palmitate.MATERIAL AND METHODS:A qualitative study based on individual interviews with persons with schizophrenia who receive three-monthly paliperidone palmitate in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Data was analysed according to qualitative content analysis.RESULTS:Twenty-four patients, 16 men and 8 women, took part in individual interviews. The patients' mental health care professionals mainly recommended the switch to three-monthly paliperidone palmitate, and few or no disadvantages were described. According to the patients, three-monthly paliperidone palmitate had several advantages, such as less frequent injections, less administration and planning and less focus on the illness. In addition, the participants described feeling more stability, being more physically and socially active, and that improvement processes were supported. For some, the use involved practical and economic challenges, and some worried whether the medicine 'wore off' before the next injection. According to the patients, switching to three-monthly paliperidone palmitate did not influence the frequency or content of patients' interaction with health care professionals.CONCLUSION:Switching from monthly to three-monthly injections with paliperidone palmitate seems to be experienced as advantageous for patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: Health education programs using group learning sessions for patients with long-term conditions have been tested, but not evaluated. In order to evaluate such sessions, the purpose was to explore experiences from patients with long-term conditions after participating in group learning sessions. Methods: A descriptive design based on qualitative content analysis was used. Interviews were conducted with 19 patients with different long-term conditions, and participants were asked about their experiences after taking part in the group learning sessions. Results: Sharing experiences with one another gave them opportunities for learning. Patients described a metaphorical “expanded window,” which opens in the group learning sessions; comparable to encounters during regular visits to health care providers. The nature of the learning environment that follows the educational model, together with describing lived experiences, allowed patients to share capability and resources, which was found to be foundational. Conclusions: The health education program as a format was important for shared learning. The facilitator can support the learning by structuring the format, but most essential was sharing experiences that facilitated each patient’s learning that can aid the support of individual self-management.

Background and Objectives: There is a need for improved clinical outcomes, and a useful tool in this endeavor is the use of National Quality Registries (NQRs). To learn more about the impact of NQRs, a National Collaboration Project was formed. This follow-up study had 2 aims: first, to describe the value and learning of a National Collaboration Project focusing on the use of NQRs in collaboration between universities, health care organizations, and the regional registry centers; and, second, to describe what activities are still ongoing. Method: A qualitative design was used to obtain a detailed description of the extent to which project leaders perceived that the goals had been achieved after participation in the national project. A qualitative descriptive content analysis was performed. Results: Four main categories were found. The context proved to be crucial for how the local projects were formed and developed. Networking was highlighted as an important part of learning. Another mentioned part of learning was the change planned and implemented in the curriculum to promote the use of NQRs. Finally, the importance of anchoring and spreading the lessons learned was also stressed. Conclusion: Using NQRs in multidisciplinary education is successful in many ways, but this study shows that certain factors need to be in place to make it work in practice.

Background: In the procedures of surgical pathways it is important to create opportunities for developing active forms of engagement and extending the patients’ health maintenance knowledge, which is essential in nursing. One way is to understand more about the concept of coproduction. Objective: The purpose was to use experiences from spinal surgery patients’ narratives to explore the conceptual model of healthcare service coproduction. Method: A prospective qualitative explorative approach was performed and analyzed in two phases with inductive and deductive content analysis of data retrieved from five focus group interviews of 25 patients with experiences from spinal surgery interventions. Result: The findings indicate that mutual trust and respect, as well as guidance given in dialogue, are two important domains. An illustration of how to apply the conceptual model of healthcare service coproduction was revealed in the descriptions of the three core concepts co-planning, co-execution and civil discourse. Conclusion: This study highlights what is needed to reach coproduction in healthcare services concerning patients with spinal disorders. Development of care plans that focuses on co-planning and co-execution is recommended which are structured and customizable for each patient situation to make coproduction to occur.

BACKGROUND:The supervision process is characterized by differences between the supervisors' and the students' expectations before the start of writing a bachelor thesis as well as after its completion. A review of the literature did not reveal any scientifically tested questionnaire for evaluating nursing students' expectations of the supervision process when writing a bachelor thesis. OBJECTIVES:The aim of the study was to determine the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of a questionnaire for measuring nursing students' expectations of the bachelor thesis supervision process. DESIGN & METHODS:The study had a developmental and methodological design carried out in four steps including construct validity and internal consistency reliability statistical procedures: construction of the items, assessment of face validity, data collection and data analysis. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS:This study was conducted at a university in southern Sweden, where students on the "Nursing student thesis, 15 ECTS" course were consecutively selected for participation. Of the 512 questionnaires distributed, 327 were returned, a response rate of 64%. RESULTS:Five factors with a total variance of 74% and good communalities, ≥0.64, were extracted from the 10-item STQ. The internal consistency of the 10 items was 0.68. The five factors were labelled: The nature of the supervision process, The supervisor's role as a coach, The students' progression to self-support, The interaction between students and supervisor and supervisor competence. CONCLUSIONS:A didactic, useful and secure questionnaire measuring nursing students' expectations of the bachelor thesis supervision process based on three main forms of supervision was created.

Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment tends to be low. Brief validated instruments focusing on shared decision making have not been used in a CPAP context. The aim was to investigate factorial structure, categorical functioning of the response scale and differential item functioning across sub-populations of the CollaboRATE and Sure questionnaires among patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before CPAP treatment is initiated. A prospective design, including 193 objectively diagnosed (polygraphy) OSA patients (68% men, 59.7 years, SD 11.5) from two CPAP clinics was used. Data were collected with the following questionnaires; Sure, CollaboRATE, Attitudes to CPAP Inventory, Epworth sleepiness scale, minimal insomnia symptoms scale, and hospital anxiety and depression scale. Objective CPAP use was collected after 6 months; 49% demonstrated decisional conflict on SURE and 51% scored low levels of shared decision making on CollaboRATE. Unidimensionality was found for both CollaboRATE (one factor explaining 57.4%) and SURE (one factor explaining 53.7%), as well as local independence. Differential item functioning showed both to be invariant across both male and female patients. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.83) and composite reliability (0.89) were good. Latent class analyses showed that patients with low decisional conflict and high shared decision making were more adherent to CPAP treatment. CollaboRATE and SURE provided good validity and reliability scores to measure shared decision making and decisional conflict in relation to CPAP treatment. The questionnaires can be used by healthcare personnel as a tool to simplify the assessment of shared decision making.

Children and adolescents receiving services from two professional parties may obtain support with a coordinated individual plan (CIP). The Swedish law prescribes that CIP must incorporate service user participation. This study aims to explore children and parents’ experiences of participating in CIP-process to generate knowledge with practical implications of how children and parents may be involved in the CIP-process. A descriptive qualitative interview study with 13 service users was conducted during November 2014 to March 2016. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed, and further subjected to qualitative content analysis. Three main descriptive categories with six subcategories emerged. The category “Struggle for coordination” includes service users’ need for participation which are limited by professionals’ lack of consensus. The category “Alliance for coordination” points out the importance of relationship and personal support to accomplish functional coordination. The category “Structure for coordination” shows how the structure facilitate service user involvement on a high level. Service user involvement seemed limited by professionals’ actions, but could be facilitated by support of professionals working in the child’s daily life. Structured coordination seems to relieve the pressure on parents, as well as children, but CIP needs to be individually tailored to reach its full potential.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia. Effective communication of risks (e.g. stroke risk) and benefits of treatment (e.g. oral anticoagulants) is crucial for the process of shared decision making. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication after a follow-up visit among patients who three months earlier had visited an emergency room for atrial fibrillation related symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used and 322 patients (34% women), mean age 66.1 years (SD 10.5 years) with atrial fibrillation were included in the south of Sweden. Clinical examinations were done post an atrial fibrillation episode. Self-rating scales for communication (Combined Outcome Measure for Risk Communication and Treatment Decision Making Effectiveness), uncertainty in illness (Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community), mastery of daily life (Mastery Scale), depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and vitality, physical health and mental health (36-item Short Form Health Survey) were used to collect data. Results: Decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, were independently associated with lower confidence in decision making. Absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness were independently associated with lower satisfaction with risk communication. Clinical atrial fibrillation variables or depressive symptoms were not associated with satisfaction with confidence in decision making or satisfaction with risk communication. The final models explained 29.1% and 29.5% of the variance in confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication. Conclusion: Confidence in decision making is associated with decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, while absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness are associated with risk communication satisfaction.

BACKGROUND Insights in consultations across patient interactions with physicians and nurses are of vital importance for strengthening the patients' involvement in the treatment decision-making process. The experience of involvement and communication in decision-making from the patients' perspective has been sparsely explored. OBJECTIVE To examine how patients describe involvement in and communication about decision-making regarding treatment in consultations with nurses and physicians. METHOD Twenty-two patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), aged 37-90 years, were interviewed directly after their consultations with nurses and physicians in outpatient AF clinics in six Swedish hospitals. RESULTS In consultations with nurses, the patients felt involved when obtaining clarifications about AF as a disease and its treatment and when preparing for and building up confidence in decision-making. In consultations with physicians, the patients felt involved when they could cooperate in decision-making, when acquiring knowledge, and when they felt that they were being understood. One shared category was found in consultations with both nurses and physicians, and the patients felt involved when they had a sense of trust and felt secure during and between consultations. CONCLUSIONS Patients with AF stated that they would need to acquire knowledge and build up confidence and ability in order to be effectively involved in the decision-making about treatment. Despite not being actively involved in decision-making, patients felt involved through experiencing supportive and confirming communication. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Attention must be given to the relationship with the patient to create the conditions for patient involvement in the consultation. This can be achieved through supportive communication attempting to create a feeling of clarity and building confidence. This will support involvement in decision-making concerning AF treatment and feelings of being understood and of trust in physicians and/or nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:To describe facilitators and barriers from a patient perspective in communications between patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and healthcare personnel during the first meeting when continuous positive airway pressure is initiated.BACKGROUND:Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure treatment tends to be poor, especially at the initial phase of treatment. Communication between the patient and healthcare personnel has not been studied from the patient perspective, as either a barrier or facilitator for adherence.METHODS:A descriptive design using qualitative content analysis was used. Interviews with 25 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome took place after their initial visit at four continuous positive airway pressure clinics. A deductive analysis based on The 4 Habits Model (i.e. emphasise the importance of investing in the beginning of the consultation, elicit the patient's perspective, demonstrate empathy and invest in the end of the consultation) was conducted.RESULTS:Building confidence (i.e. structure building, information transfer, commitment) or hindering confidence (i.e. organisational insufficiency, stress behaviour, interaction deficit) was associated with investing in the beginning. Motivating (i.e. situational insight, knowledge transfer, practical training) or demotivating (i.e. expectations, dominance and power asymmetry, barriers) was associated with eliciting the patient's perspective. Building hope (i.e. awareness, sensitivity, demonstration of understanding) or hindering hope (i.e. unprepared, uncommitted, incomprehension) was associated with showing empathy. Agreement (i.e. confirmation, responsibilities, comprehensive information) or disagreement (i.e. structural obscurity, irresponsibility, absent-mindedness) was associated with investing in the end.CONCLUSIONS:Understanding of facilitators and barriers, as described by patients, can be used to improve contextual conditions and communication skills among healthcare personnel.RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:A patient-centred communication technique should be used in relation to all stages of The 4 Habits Model to facilitate shared decision-making and improve adherence to continuous positive airway pressure treatment.

Agenda for collaboration or an agency agenda? Professionals’ experiences of collaboration according to a coordinated individual planAn increasing number of children and adolescents develop complex needs that require simultaneous action by different professionals. Several reports state that efforts for these children and adolescents have become increasingly specialized and fragmented. Since 2010, there are statutory requirements for collaboration according to a coordinated individual plan (CIP) between health care and social services. Pre-school and school can after regional agreement be involved in the co-ordination as equal partner. Collaboration in line with CIP is expected to offset the fragmentation for benefit of the service users’ ability to monitor and comprehend interventions. The aim was to investigate professionals’ experiences of CIP. The study consists of qualitative analysis of 12 focus group interviews with a total of 71 staff with different professions in health care, education and social services about their experiences of CIP. The results indicate that the participants act according to their core mission: nurturing, teaching and investigation. Two main categories with four sub-categories each appeared in the analysis. The main category, hindering factors, contains the categories: different mandates and requirements, requirements for presence initiative, questioning and censure, and timelines and prioritization. The main category of facilitating factors contains the categories: similar interpretation of common agreement, mutual respect and shared learning, common terminology and documentation, and willingness to collaborate. The analysis indicate that CIP was perceived as alternating between, on the one hand, a pro-active and service-focused tool, and on the other hand, a competing and compelling professional instrument.

The aim of this study was to explore child health care nurses’ experiences of conducting health dialogues with non-native-speaking parents. In Sweden, it is not routine that all non-native-speaking parents are invited to a health dialogue. Regardless of language and cultural background, it is important that all parents have the same opportunities to participate. The data were obtained through two focus-group interviews and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results revealed one theme Need for cultural awareness in the health dialogue and two categories: Overcoming feelings of uncertainty, with a need for more transcultural knowledge regarding what health and health promotion mean in other cultures; and Adapting the process of the health dialogue, whereby interpreters need knowledge about the intention of health dialogues and the content of the tool used in the encounter. Transcultural competence is needed in encounters with parents from other cultures.