Background: The highest rates of ECP use in Canada are by women aged 20-24 (38.9%), followed by ages 15-19 (26.9%) (Soon et al., 2005). ECP users are frequently characterized as “irresponsible,” “careless,” and of “low character” (Shoveller et al., 2007). Objectives: This research aimed to explore how female post-secondary students in Ontario describe their experiences of obtaining the emergency contraceptive pill, and what methods and strategies they used to obtain the emergency contraceptive pill. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 11 female post-secondary students in Ontario who have taken the emergency contraceptive pill occurred in January 2024. Participants were 18-23 years old and included undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. Anonymized transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenology. Results: The decision of how to obtain emergency contraception pills was impacted by a lack of accurate information. Participants used various methods to access emergency contraception pills, including drawing attention away from themselves, obtaining emergency contraception pills in a group, or having intimate partners purchase emergency contraception pills. Stigma and perception of judgement influenced participant’s experiences obtaining emergency contraception pills. Conclusions: The experience of obtaining emergency contraception pills was negative but necessary to avoid pregnancy for participants. Women in this study used alternative strategies to obtain emergency contraception pills due to the experience of a lack of body autonomy, misinformation, and access. Implications: This population has not previously been studied and findings can inform future research directions."
Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressively worsening respiratory disease where gas is trapped in the lungs, causing breathing difficulties. Impacts of COPD manifest within the lives of persons living with COPD (PWC) and their caregivers as financial stress, limits on social and leisure activities, mental health struggles, and decreased quality of life (QOL). Life factors such as age, gender, and financial status can exacerbate these impacts, however, are not always considered by current standards of care. It is critical to explore the unique intersections of these life factors on those effected in order to adequately address their unmet needs. Hypotheses/Objectives: The study aims to explore how the intersectionality of age, gender, and financial wellbeing affect the experiences of PWC and their caregivers, and the role of support groups in these experiences. Methods: Utilising an interpretive phenomenological analysis methodology, we have conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with PWC and their caregivers. Next, we will engage with COPD support group members to gain their insight regarding our findings, help develop evidence-based recommendations, and assess best strategies to incorporate them into patient care. Preliminary Results: Both PWC and caregivers indicate a lack of personalized care and adequate resources that effectively attend to their needs, often resulting from financial limitations, and gender and age bias. These struggles worsen existing life stressors, and decrease QOL. Future Directions/Implications: Our recommendations for care practices and essential supports addresses current gaps and will promote effective, equitable COPD management. Ultimately, we hope to improve the lived COPD experience and overall QOL for all effected."
Background: Eco-distress describes the experiences of distress caused by anthropogenic climate change(changes in earth’s climate caused by human activities. Eco-distress is an emerging area of concern, particularly among young people. Despite increasing recognition of eco-distress as a significant psychological and societal issue, there is limited qualitative research on how young people experience and cope with these experiences. Objectives: The aim of this study is threefold: (1) to explore and document the experiences of eco-distress in undergraduate students; (2) to explore and document their coping and resilience strategies; and (3) innovate a strengths-based, art-based approach to explore the eco-distress experiences and coping and resilience strategies for young people through the creation of a zine. Methods: A qualitative research design, integrating in-depth, semi-structured interviews and arts-based methods will be employed. Participants will take part in an interview centered around understanding their experiences with eco-distress, coping mechanisms, and resilience strategies. The zine-making process will serve as both a research method and a means of documenting and sharing findings, offering a creative platform for particulates to express their emotions. Future Implications: This study aims to contribute to the growing body of literature on eco-distress by providing insights into the experiences and resilience strategies of young people. The use of a strengths-based, art-based approach may serve as a model for future research and interventions. These findings have implications for developing supportive resources and strategies to mitigate the effects of eco-distress, promote pro-environmental behaviours, and enhance resilience in young people.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, arts-informed, child-centred research was almost exclusively conducted in-person, however, this was not possible during active social distancing public health regulations. To collect real-time data about children’s lived experiences of the pandemic, there was an immediate need for an interview protocol that was child-centred, compatible with the online context, conducive to building rapport, and capable of collecting data of comparable quality to those gathered in an in-person context. In the absence of an existing protocol, the authors created and evaluated a novel, child-centred, arts-informed interview guide designed for an online environment that sought to understand children’s experiences of resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic; this paper describes its development and evaluation. In total, 27 semi-structured, online interviews with children aged 7-10 were conducted. The child interview guide included eight stages: 1) Introductions and assent; 2) Icebreaker activity; 3) Agenda; 4) Resilience video; 5) Child survey; 6) ME/WE activity; 7) Visioning storytelling video; and 8) Wrap up and thank you. The utility and fidelity of the protocol during implementation were evaluated. Overall, the mixed-media, multi-sensory protocol design was an effective means of building rapport, engaging children, and collecting high-quality data from young participants within a digital qualitative research environment. Future child-centred research should consider the value of online arts-based data collection and consider creating a mixed-media, multi-sensory interview experience to promote engagement.
