Table 4 Feedback from user groups (Leicester)
Groups | No. of users | Conducted by: | Emergent themes |
|---|---|---|---|
User group 1 | n = 11 | n = 4 | o Transport: a free bus pass or taxi provided enable/motivate people to attend appointments/sessions, particularly if people are feeling unwell or down. o Duration of a session should not exceed 2 h. Long sessions could cause anxiety, be difficult for people on injections, put them off coming o Sessions should start in the afternoon, around 1:00pm or 2:00pm. o Regular breaks are important for concentration o Would be OK bringing a friend or support worker with them to a session, but not family member. o Barriers to attending sessions: tiredness, depression, feeling isolated or down, bad weather, football match, or something interesting on TV. o Availability of free food/drinks a big motivator. People with schizophrenia do not cook for themselves when they feel down. o Entertainment at the venue is a good motivator, e.g. to play pool. o Call reminders as people forget about appointments. Text or phone OK. o Feedback after the sessions, but a phone call, not a form to fill in. o Many comments on resources, e.g., people are not aware of the amount of sugar in fizzy drinks, which are easy to take especially when people are unwell. o Beer is harder to change—people with schizophrenia can be addicted to alcohol. o Health messages given should depend on the individual |
User group 2 | 1× developer; 1× independent interviewer | 2× developers; 1× independent interviewer | o Methods suggested to avoid weight gain: eat food low in calories; have someone to cook for them; carry a bottle of water with them; carry little snacks with them; drink tea at night; use mp3 player to motivate them to walk; have access to recommended information on daily allowances, etc. o People with schizophrenia have no control over craving. o Upsetting events can overwhelm and lead to over eating o Tablets that cause sleepiness can de-motivate to stay physically active. o Do not like the idea of food diaries—a hassle to complete and would probably forget about it. o Exercise seen as good motivator to overcome depression—not about losing weight, but about becoming fitter o Give reward for weight loss, e.g., going away on holiday o It can be hard to take in information and make a change in diet o People did not like the word ‘group’—people with schizophrenia would not attend—replace with ‘drop-in’. o Sessions need to be in a routine, as change is stressful when you have schizophrenia o If people are attending a session for more than one reason, e.g., they are coming to a drop in to get support for weight management, there will be a free lunch and drinks, and there it is possible to play pool and other games at the venue—more are likely to attend. |