Dataset Information

Exploring the Experiences and Well-Being of Australian Rio Olympians During the Post-Olympic Phase: A Qualitative Study.

ABSTRACT: Research about the Olympic Games has primarily focused on preparing athletes for competition. Less attention has been paid to the post-Olympic-phase (POP) and athlete well-being during this time. This study explored Australian Olympic athletes' experiences following the conclusion of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, including the factors that may have contributed to or challenged their well-being during this time. Eighteen athletes participated in semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis revealed that when Olympic performance appraisal met prior expectations, when athletes planned for a return to work or study, and when support from a variety of sources was readily available, this positively influenced athletes' well-being during the POP. When these factors were not in place, more challenging post-Games experiences were present, and well-being was compromised. The findings contribute to the broader literature on elite athlete well-being and at an applied level, may be used to inform targeted programs that focus on supporting athletes after an Olympic campaign.

SUBMITTER: Bennie A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8187857 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Exploring the Experiences and Well-Being of Australian Rio Olympians During the Post-Olympic Phase: A Qualitative Study.

Bennie Andrew A Walton Courtney C CC O'Connor Donna D Fitzsimons Lauren L Hammond Thomas T

Frontiers in psychology 20210526

Research about the Olympic Games has primarily focused on preparing athletes for competition. Less attention has been paid to the post-Olympic-phase (POP) and athlete well-being during this time. This study explored Australian Olympic athletes' experiences following the conclusion of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, including the factors that may have contributed to or challenged their well-being during this time. Eighteen athletes participated in semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis reve ...[more]

PMID: 34122283

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Project description:ObjectivesProviding well-supported general practice (GP) training is fundamental to strengthen the primary health workforce. Research into the unique needs of GP registrars during disasters is limited. Registrar burnout and insufficient support have been associated with personal and professional detrimental effects. This study aims to explore the experiences of Australian GP registrars with learning, well-being and support from their training organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to guide training organisation efforts to support registrars through future disasters.SettingInterviews were conducted via Zoom.ParticipantsFifteen GP registrars from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales who had experienced community-based GP training in both 2019 (prepandemic) and 2020 (early pandemic).Outcome measuresTraining, well-being and support experiences were explored. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and themes analysed.ResultsDiverse experiences were reported: changes included telehealth, online tutorials, delayed examinations and social restrictions. Social and professional connections strongly influenced experiences. Personal and training factors were also important. Additional GP training organisation support was minimally needed when strong connections were in place.ConclusionsThis study identifies aspects of support which shaped registrars' diverse experiences of COVID-19, particularly regarding professional and social connections. Findings illustrate the importance of broad principles around supporting registrar well-being. Particularly significant aspects of support include connection to educational mentors such as supervisors and medical educators; connection and culture within practices; opportunities to share clinical experiences; and connection to personal social supports. Participation in this global disaster contributed to registrars' developing professionalism. GP training organisations are positioned to implement monitoring and supports for registrars through disasters. Although registrars may not require significant GP training organisation intervention where powerful professional and personal connections exist, strong foundational GP training organisation supports can be established and augmented to support registrars in need before and during future disasters. These findings contribute to the global developing field of knowledge of registrar training and well-being needs during crises.

Project description:PurposeMost of what is known about resident burnout and wellness comes from cross-sectional snapshot surveys. The purpose of this study was to elicit qualitative perspectives on wellness from a cohort of internal residents over time using ecological momentary assessment.MethodDrawing on principles of ecological momentary assessment, 13 different open-ended survey prompts were delivered between October and March during the 2019-2020 academic year. Participants were 88 randomly selected internal medicine residents from 4 internal medicine training programs in the Northeast.ResultsThe response rate was 95%. Three main themes regarding wellness were self, program/education environment, and medical/structural system. A fourth theme, the desire to provide quality patient care, cut across all other themes. The patient care theme repeatedly stressed residents' desire to spend more time with patients. The self theme primarily reflected messages about personal emotions and the need for work-life balance and wellness. The program/education environment theme reflected the value of learning, teamwork and community, and program culture. The medical/structural system theme showed that residents' experiences were shaped by the efficiency of their days and largely a product of their schedules and administrative support. Closing advice to future trainees was optimistic and reassuring.ConclusionsWhile findings support much of what has been learned via single-occasion survey snapshots, an ecological momentary assessment design allowed a deeper dive into contextual associations. The results affirm the primacy of patient care and also highlight the value of teamwork and culture. Peers and program leaders are heavily influential in setting the tone for the learning experience, whether for the day or with a more enduring message of respect and support. There is opportunity to maximize high- or higher-value learning experiences for residents and find solutions to reduce and reframe the perceived "low-value administrative work" that is part of care coordination.

Project description:BackgroundPost-partum rectus diastasis, or the separation of the abdominal muscles after pregnancy, occurs in conjunction with physical symptoms and impaired quality of life. In Australia, health funding for surgery to treat diastasis was ceased in 2016, but reinstated in mid-2022, providing a unique context from which women's experiences of this condition can be analysed.ObjectivesThe objective is to examine the experiences of Australian women with post-partum rectus diastasis.DesignThis is an interview-style study with qualitative content analysis.MethodsWomen diagnosed with rectus diastasis were recruited to complete a baseline questionnaire (n = 45). Twenty-three responded to invitation for one-on-one interview via Zoom® between November 2021 and May 2022. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using qualitative content analysis to identify key themes.ResultsEighteen women had undergone caesarean section and eight had twins. Thirteen had private health insurance. Women were most often diagnosed by a physiotherapist (n = 10). Key themes identified included changed physical appearance and function; issues with self-esteem and intimacy; barriers to treatment; lack of recognition as a medical condition; and overall frustration. The impact of rectus diastasis extended beyond physical and psychological symptoms to affect women's social functioning, child rearing, and return to work. There was a complex interaction between healthcare providers' knowledge of rectus the removal of funding for surgical treatment, and limitations of conservative therapy, with women's lived experiences and symptoms. The lack of an established medical definition also influenced the experiences of these women and their engagement with treatment.ConclusionThis study contextualizes women's experience of post-partum rectus diastasis with respect to the unique landscape of Australia's healthcare economy and provides evidence of women's absorption of health policy surrounding this condition. Our qualitative analysis provides critical knowledge for future quantitative studies, the results of which in combination could advance the definition of rectus diastasis and inform healthcare policy surrounding treatment.

Project description:ObjectivesThe well-being of doctors is recognised as a major priority in healthcare, yet there is little research on how general practitioners (GPs) keep well. We aimed to address this gap by applying a positive psychology lens, and exploring what determines GPs' well-being, as opposed to burnout and mental ill health, in Australia.DesignSemi-structured qualitative interviews. From March to September 2021, we interviewed GPs working in numerous settings, using snowball and purposive sampling to expand recruitment across Australia. 20 GPs participated individually via Zoom. A semi-structured interview-guide provided a framework to explore well-being from a personal, organisational and systemic perspective. Recordings were transcribed verbatim, and inductive thematic analysis was performed.ResultsEleven female and nine male GPs with diverse experience, from urban and rural settings were interviewed (mean 32 min). Determinants of well-being were underpinned by GPs' sense of identity. This was strongly influenced by GPs seeing themselves as a distinct but often undervalued profession working in small organisations within a broader health system. Both personal finances, and funding structures emerged as important moderators of the interconnections between these themes. Enablers of well-being were mainly identified at a personal and practice level, whereas systemic determinants were consistently seen as barriers to well-being. A complex balancing act between all determinants of well-being was evidenced.ConclusionsGPs were able to identify targets for individual and practice level interventions to improve well-being, many of which have not been evaluated. However, few systemic aspects were suggested as being able to promote well-being, but rather seen as barriers, limiting how to develop systemic interventions to enhance well-being. Finances need to be a major consideration to prioritise, promote and support GP well-being, and a sustainable primary care workforce.

Project description:ObjectiveConflict, forced migration and searching for safety in a foreign land are all experiences common to refugee children. They experience potentially traumatic events that are distinct from the general population, yet current adverse childhood experience (ACE) studies do not cover these events. Studies that do examine refugee children's experiences typically focus on a single stage of migration or adversities from the community, offering insight into only a fraction of their realities. This study aimed to identify potentially traumatising and protective experiences subjectively perceived as influencing refugee children's well-being from all stages of migration and all socio-ecological levels.DesignQualitative study with thematic analysis of semi-structured individual and group interviews. Themes were organised within a socio-ecological model.SettingNon-profit organisations, youth welfare facilities and societies that organise civic engagement for refugee families in the Rhine-Neckar region in Germany provided rooms where interviews could be conducted.ParticipantsRefugee parents and children who spoke one of the four most common languages of those seeking asylum in Germany in 2018 were included. This study excluded refugees who were not fleeing a conflict area. Forty-seven refugee parents and 11 children (aged 8-17 years) from Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and Eritrea participated.ResultsEight major themes emerged from interviews including six reflecting potentially negative experiences and two potentially protective themes. These themes evolved from experiences such as family dispersion, displacement, rigorous immigration and national policies, as well as constructive parenting and community support.ConclusionIt is increasingly important to identify these diverse experiences as the refugee population continues to grow, and the increased prevalence of poor health outcomes in refugee children continues to be widely documented. Identifying ACEs specifically relevant to refugee children could contribute to understanding potential pathways and could further serve as a starting point for tailored interventions.

Dataset Information

Exploring the Experiences and Well-Being of Australian Rio Olympians During the Post-Olympic Phase: A Qualitative Study.

Publications

Exploring the Experiences and Well-Being of Australian Rio Olympians During the Post-Olympic Phase: A Qualitative Study.

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