Mervyn Gifford | Örebro University (original) (raw)

Papers by Mervyn Gifford

”The turning point of everything” : Health professionals experiences of working during a natural ... more ”The turning point of everything” : Health professionals experiences of working during a natural disaster

PLoS currents, Jan 19, 2017

Disaster research entails several methodological challenges, given the context of a disaster. Thi... more Disaster research entails several methodological challenges, given the context of a disaster. This article aims to describe and evaluate the use of Facebook as a tool to recruit participants for a self-selected Internet sample using a web-based survey in a post-disaster setting in the Philippines after the Haiyan typhoon hit parts of the country in November 2013. An invitation to a web-based survey about health was posted on several Facebook pages during a ten-day period. In total, 443 individuals who had survived the Haiyan typhoon participated in the study. The demographics of the study sample were similar to the general demographics in the Philippines, considering gender, age distribution and level of education. The study showed that the use of social media to recruit participants for disaster research could limit several of the practical and ethical challenges connected to disaster research. However, the method demands access to the Internet and requires several strategic consid...

International journal of emergency medicine, 2017

Natural disasters affected millions of people worldwide every year. Evaluation of disaster health... more Natural disasters affected millions of people worldwide every year. Evaluation of disaster health and health response interventions is faced with several methodological challenges. This study aimed (1) to describe survivors' and health professionals' health, 30 months after a natural disaster using a web-based self-selected Internet sample survey designed and (2) to evaluate the health effects of disaster response interventions, in the present study with a focus on disaster radio. A web-based survey was used to conduct a cross-sectional study approximately 30 months after typhoon Haiyan. The GHQ-12, EQ-5D-3L, and EQ-VAS instruments were used in addition to study-specific questions. A self-selected Internet sample was recruited via Facebook. In total, 443 survivors, from what 73 were health professionals, participated in the study. The Haiyan typhoon caused both physical and mental health problems as well as social consequences for the survivors. Mental health problems were m...

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 2017

BackgroundIn November 2013, the Haiyan typhoon hit parts of the Philippines. The typhoon caused s... more BackgroundIn November 2013, the Haiyan typhoon hit parts of the Philippines. The typhoon caused severe damage to the medical facilities and many injuries and deaths. Health professionals have a crucial role in the immediate disaster response system, but knowledge of their experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster is limited.AimThe aim of this study was to explore health professionals’ experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.MethodEight health professionals were interviewed five months after the disaster. The interviews were analyzed using phenomenological hermeneutic methods.ResultsThe main theme, being professional and survivor, described both positive and negative emotions and experiences from being both a helper, as part of the responding organization, and a victim, as part of the surviving but severely affected community. Sub-themes described feelings of strength and confidence, feelings of adjus...

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2016

ObjectiveCrisis communication is seen as an integrated and essential part of disaster management ... more ObjectiveCrisis communication is seen as an integrated and essential part of disaster management measures. After Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines 2013, radio was used to broadcast information to the affected community. The aim of this study was to describe how disaster radio was used to communicate vital messages and health-related information to the public in one affected region after Typhoon Haiyan.MethodsMixed-methods analysis using qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics was used to analyze 2587 logged radio log files.ResultsRadio was used to give general information and to demonstrate the capability of officials to manage the situation, to encourage, to promote recovery and foster a sense of hope, and to give practical advice and encourage self-activity. The content and focus of the messages changed over time. Encouraging messages were the most frequently broadcast messages. Health-related messages were a minor part of all information broadcast and ga...

International Emergency Nursing, 2016

In the aftermath of the Haiyan typhoon, disaster radio was used to spread information and music t... more In the aftermath of the Haiyan typhoon, disaster radio was used to spread information and music to the affected population. The study described survivors' experiences of being in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster and the impact disaster radio made on recovery from the perspective of the individuals affected. Twenty eight survivors were interviewed in focus groups and individual interviews analyzed with phenomenological-hermeneutic method. Being in disaster mode included physical and psychosocial dimensions of being in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Several needs among the survivors were expressed. Disaster radio contributed to recovery by providing facts and information that helped the survivor to understand and adapt. The music played contributed to emotional endurance and reduced feelings of loneliness. To re-establish social contacts, other interventions are needed. Disaster radio is a positive contribution to the promotion of survivors' recovery after disasters involving a large number of affected people and severely damaged infrastructure. Further studies on the use and impact of disaster radio are needed.

Prehospital and disaster medicine, 2014

Ambulance staff face complex and sometimes stressful or potentially traumatic situations, not onl... more Ambulance staff face complex and sometimes stressful or potentially traumatic situations, not only in disasters but also in their routine daily work. The aim of this study was to survey ambulance managers' descriptions of crisis support interventions for ambulance staff after potential traumatic events (PTEs). Semistructured interviews with a qualitative descriptive design were conducted with six ambulance managers in a health care region in central Sweden. The data was analyzed using content analysis. Five categories were found in the result: (1) description of a PTE; (2) description and performance of crisis support interventions; (3) impact of working in potentially traumatic situations; (4) the ambulance managers' role in crisis support interventions; and (5) the ambulance managers' suggestions for improvement. Ambulance managers described crisis support interventions after a PTE as a single, mandatory group meeting with a structure reminiscent of debriefing. The amb...

Inventing the future: collaborative design of socio-technical systems CAFE OF EVE: action researc... more Inventing the future: collaborative design of socio-technical systems CAFE OF EVE: action research in the control room Applied cognitive task analysis (ACTA): a practitioner's window into skilled decision making Job design in integrated mail processing A systems analysis of team working in control rooms: methodology considered Models of decision making in emergency management Emergency decision making on offshore installations Cognitive processing and risky behaviour in industrial radiography Modelling of human errors in cognitive processes observed in dynamic environments

International Journal of Cognitive Ergonomics, 1999

... Grants from Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst and the ARC program of the British Council... more ... Grants from Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst and the ARC program of the British Council are gratefully acknowledged. We would also like to thank Walter Ehrenstein and Tony Gallagher for helpful discussion. REFERENCES Antia NH (1994). Keyhole surgery. ...

Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1996

With 14 target odours, 7 via each nostril, 20 subjects' correct recognition was lower for the... more With 14 target odours, 7 via each nostril, 20 subjects' correct recognition was lower for the right nostril than for the left with verbal elaboration, but nonsignificant without verbal elaboration.

The Open Public Health Journal, 2018

Background: The impact of the use of helmet by motorcyclists on motorcycle injuries is enormous. ... more Background: The impact of the use of helmet by motorcyclists on motorcycle injuries is enormous. The primary focus of this study was to asses the helmet use among motorcycle riders as well as the helmet quality. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative studies had been done. Nine observational studies have been done over nine different years between 1997 and 2017 in the same spots. In addition to one qualitative study done in May 2017. Results: The results of the observational studies show a clear fluctuation in the use of helmets (6 - 42%). Whenever there is law enforcement, the percentage of users increases. Upon cessation of enforcement, the percentage of helmet use reduces. About 64% of the helmets inspected did not appear to have a certification, which indicates that the helmet did not meet international standards. Those who had spent less than US$15 on buying their helmets were found wearing a non-certified helmet. Conclusion: Lebanon has failed to pursue a successful and su...

The Open Public Health Journal, 2019

Introduction:The use of seat belts has made a significant contribution to the reduction of road t... more Introduction:The use of seat belts has made a significant contribution to the reduction of road traffic casualties, and the risk inherent with not wearing seat belts in all seats of a vehicle is now well-known worldwide. The use of seat belts has a major role in reducing fatal and nonfatal injuries in all types of motor-vehicles crashes.Aim:The aim of this study is to understand the reasons behind the variation in seat belt use over the past two decades in Lebanon. It analyzes the situation and suggests recommendations to improve seat belt use in Lebanon.Design:Nine observational studies had been conducted in Lebanon during the last two decades between 1997 and 2017, and one qualitative study was performed in 2017.Results:The results show a significant variation in the use of the seat belt. When enforcement efforts are in progress, seat belt use increases. While when there are no checkpoints and the enforcement of seat belt use is almost absent, a significant fall was noticed.Discus...

BMC Nursing, 2016

Background: This study is part of a larger project called ViSam and includes testing of a decisio... more Background: This study is part of a larger project called ViSam and includes testing of a decision support system developed and adapted for older people on the basis of M (R) ETTS (Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System). The system is designed to allow municipal nurses to determine the optimal level of care for older people whose health has deteriorated. This new system will allow more structured assessment, the patient should receive optimal care and improved data transmission to the next caregiver. Methods: This study has an explanatory approach, commencing with quantitative data collection phase followed by qualitative data arising from focus group discussions over the RNs professional experience using the Decision Support system. Focus group discussions were performed to complement the quantitative data to get a more holistic view of the decision support system. Results: Using elements of the decision support system (vital parameters for saturation, pain and affected general health) together with the nurses' decision showed that 94 % of the older persons referred to hospital were ultimately hospitalized. Nurses felt that they worked more systematically, communicated more effectively with others and felt more professional when using the decision support system. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that, with the help of a decision support system, the correct patients are sent to the Emergency Department from municipal home care. Unnecessary referrals of older patients that might lead to poorer health, decreased well-being and confusion can thus be avoided. Using the decision support system means that healthcare co-workers (nurses, ambulance/emergency department/district doctor/SOS alarm) begin to communicate more optimally. There is increased understanding leading to the risk of misinterpretation being reduced and the relationship between healthcare co-workers is improved. However, the decision support system requires more extensive testing in order to enhance the evidence base relating to the vital parameters among older people and the use of the decision support system.

Journal of Adolescent Health

Purpose: This study has aimed to address the gaps in knowledge about male adolescents and their a... more Purpose: This study has aimed to address the gaps in knowledge about male adolescents and their attitudes toward wife beating in multi-country study in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Methods: The study used secondary data generated from nationally representative samples of male adolescents (aged 15-19 years) in the demographic and health surveys data in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. These were household surveys using structured questionnaires, with 275 boys in Bangladesh, 13,078 boys in India, and 939 boys in Nepal. Chi-square tests and logistic regressions were used to assess the associations. Results: In Bangladesh, 42% of 275 respondents had justified wife beating; in India, 51% of 13,078 male adolescents had supported wife beating; and in Nepal, 28% of 939 respondents had supported wife abuse. Individual-level factors, such as rural residency, low educational attainment, low economic status, being unemployed, and having a history of family violence, were positively associated with the justification of wife abuse. Conclusions: This multi-country study indicates a general trend of male adolescents' strong supportive attitude toward wife beating, and hence may suggest that policy makers can specifically target young groups of the population for various interventions for reducing violence against women.