Embodied relational research: How can researchers' competences in exploring existential aspects be enhanced?

Background: This methodological essay discusses the following question: How can researchers' competences in exploring existential aspects related to healthcare be enhanced? Exploring this novel perspective on caring practice may help us better understand and communicate about experiences and issues that matter to others (e.g. patients/users).

The Danish linguistic validation of the Ureteral Stent Symptoms Questionnaire.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to validate the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) in Danish for patients with indwelling ureteral stents.

Methods: The linguistic validation of the original USSQ was performed following standardised multi-step translation procedures. Seventy patients with indwelling ureteral stents were asked to complete the Danish USSQ one and two weeks after stent placement and four weeks after stent removal.

Informed consent: towards improved lay-friendliness of patient information sheets.

Regional research ethics committee (REC) members have voiced a need for the linguistic improvement of informed consent documents to ensure duly informed consent and to ease committee deliberation. We have little knowledge of what elements of language use hamper comprehension, or of the extent of medical researchers' appreciation of this problem and their willingness to accept intervention. This qualitative, explorative study proposes an intervention design and tests its feasibility and acceptability.

Readability of patient information can be improved.

Introduction: The number of participants in medical experiments has declined and consent often rests on perilous ground because the participant information sheet (PIS) on which informed consent rests preserves identification with the expert environment. This study explores to which extent research ethics committee (REC) members appreciate this problem.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of ten REC applications were subjected to a naïve reading followed by structural analysis to generate themes and subthemes to guide structured REC member focusgroup interviews.