{"title":"How mothers manage the stressor of an adult son's incarceration: The role of coping resources","authors":"Kristin Turney, Rachel Bauman","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>More than one fifth of U.S. older adults have endured the stressor of a child's incarceration. We use longitudinal in-depth interviews with 69 mothers of incarcerated adult sons to examine mothers' coping resources during and after their son's incarceration. First, mothers report coping with their son's incarceration via activating social support and using self-directed accessible resources (including prayer, distraction, and acceptance), which mitigate some of the deleterious mental health consequences of their son's incarceration. Second, mothers differentially report the salience of some coping resources during their son's confinement and reentry periods. Third, coping resources employed by mothers can occasionally both alleviate the burdens of a son's incarceration and generate new stressors. Aligned with the stress process perspective, with its attention to coping resources as buffering the mental health consequences of stressors, these findings demonstrate how the intergenerational consequences of criminal legal contact extend to mothers of the incarcerated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100570"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144222917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dietary care and familialisation of children with Prader-Willi syndrome","authors":"Amandine Rochedy , Marion Valette , Maïthé Tauber , Jean-Pierre Poulain","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a neurodevelopmental disorder, features the early onset of eating problems and their progression from anorexia to hyperphagia. This specific trajectory disrupts traditional nurturing patterns, requiring families and caregivers to adjust their approaches to manage these paradoxical behaviours. The interdisciplinarity literature (medical and social sciences) shows that knowledge of eating practices is based on a nutritional approach and focuses on managing hyperphagia.</div><div>An interdisciplinary research initiative broadens our comprehension of PWS by investigating the process of food socialisation within the interconnected contexts of the child and their family. The study, involving 13 families with children who have PWS, utilized a food ethnography approach in two phases. The first phase included individual interviews with 47 family members in their home environments, observing food preparation and meals. The second phase involved observing family mealtimes on a research platform and conducting interviews with all present family members.</div><div>The findings of this research highlight how the dynamics of this condition shape the necessity to anticipate and manage hyperphagia. The appearance of hyperphagic behaviour becomes a tipping point, both expected and feared by parents. It partially obscures the early stages of food socialisation. Thereafter, food control is achieved through rules applied on a daily basis, which are themselves determined by the narrower or broader physical and social contexts. These observations we identified four types of parental food control - Controlling, Transposing, Accommodating, and Innovating - corresponding to distinct physical and social contexts. The styles vary in terms of the intensity of control and family involvement, ranging from strict practices to more flexible and innovative approaches. Thus, the study shows how recommendations made by care teams are interpreted by families, how they are implemented on a daily basis surrounding food management, and the consequences for the food socialisation of children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100574"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144213285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Close to home: Intersectionality of familiarity, emotions, and stigma of mental disorders among rural residents","authors":"Dowla Kuzmickus, Tamara Kang Balzarini","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100572","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100572","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Persons with a mental disorder are often stigmatized, which results in reluctance to seek treatment and self-stigma. These consequences are exacerbated in rural communities due to the limited healthcare infrastructures. Familiarity and emotions may be promising avenues for decreasing stigmatization of persons with a mental disorder. However, findings are mixed, and studies' often fail to use measures that capture the complexities of familiarity (e.g., level of contact intimacy, quality of contact). To complicate familiarity, emotions may serve as the operating mechanism through which familiarity impacts stigma. Thus, qualitative interviews were conducted with 50 rural residents to examine gradients of familiarity with a mental disorder (intimacy and quality of contact), emotions (fear, anger, sympathy), stigma, and desire for social distance. A thematic analysis revealed that first, regardless of familiarity, rural residents’ desire for social distance was grounded in their fear of unpredictable, disruptive or dangerous (violent) behaviors. Specific disorders were frequently categorized as dangerous while others evoked sympathy, sadness, and a desire to help. Second, controllability and the rural landscape fueled stigma for some, but reduced stigma for others. We discuss how the results inform strategies to decrease stigma by discouraging residents (with varied familiarity) from assuming all persons with a mental disorder match the violent stereotype (e.g., dimensionality, evoking sympathy, sadness, or empathy). Further, we conclude by discussing how to correct the violent stereotype attributed to the majority while supporting those with high familiarity (family, providers) who recounted lived experiences with the minority who do indeed become unpredictably violent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100572"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144168089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Patrick J.A. Kelly , Stephanie A. Vento , Traci C. Green , Josiah D. Rich , Madeline Noh , Joseph Silcox , Jaclyn M.W. Hughto
{"title":"Self-reported pathways through which illicitly manufactured fentanyl enters the stimulant supply: Novel insights from people incarcerated for drug manufacturing and distribution","authors":"Patrick J.A. Kelly , Stephanie A. Vento , Traci C. Green , Josiah D. Rich , Madeline Noh , Joseph Silcox , Jaclyn M.W. Hughto","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The unintentional consumption of stimulants containing fentanyl among people who intend to only use stimulants contributes to overdose mortality in North America. Research exploring how fentanyl appears in the stimulant supply among people who manufacture and/or distribute drugs (PWDD) is critical to understanding supply-side factors that shape stimulant and opioid-involved overdose risk.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>From April to July 2023, thirty PWDD incarcerated at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections completed an in-depth interview about stimulant and opioid-involved overdose. Data were thematically analyzed to explore speculated pathways through which fentanyl may appear in stimulants.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participants primarily endorsed unintentional fentanyl contamination pathways, including the accidental mix-up of drugs that look alike and cross-contamination via surfaces containing residual fentanyl where stimulant product is packaged. Congruent with historically contested beliefs about drug cutting and adulteration to induce dependence, some participants speculated that fentanyl may be intentionally added to stimulants to induce fentanyl dependence among people intending to only use stimulants to increase profits, though no participant reported firsthand knowledge of this. Participants extensively familiar with opioid and stimulant drug markets believed intentional contamination at high-level drug trafficking organizations was unlikely to occur as this would mix the drug markets, harming the profitability of maintaining distinct opioid and stimulant markets.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings challenge beliefs about the intentional addition of fentanyl in stimulants, showing them to be unsubstantiated. Instead, participants with advanced knowledge of drug manufacturing and distribution reported that fentanyl primarily appears in the stimulant supply unintentionally underscoring the need for targeted strategies to reduce contamination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100568"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144124991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kara Zivin , Molly Harrod , Linda Takamine , Brittany R. Porath , Jennifer Burgess , Hyungin Myra Kim , Veronica Ortolan , Kristen M. Abraham , Rebecca K. Sripada
{"title":"“Invalidated, dismissed, or minimized:” sex differences in workplace experiences and burnout among VHA mental health providers: A mixed methods study","authors":"Kara Zivin , Molly Harrod , Linda Takamine , Brittany R. Porath , Jennifer Burgess , Hyungin Myra Kim , Veronica Ortolan , Kristen M. Abraham , Rebecca K. Sripada","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100559","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100559","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Burnout negatively affects clinicians nationwide, with elevated levels among mental health providers (MHPs) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Female providers bear a disproportionate burden. We sought <strong>t</strong>o examine contextual circumstances affecting workplace experiences and burnout among MHPs and differences by sex. Employing a convergent mixed methods design, we explored factors contributing to negative workplace experiences among MHPs (psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers) using 2022 VHA All Employee Survey (AES) data and MHP interviews (2021–2022). Our analysis included 14,265 2022 AES responses from MHPs (72.1 % female) and 51 interviews, (66.7 % female). A higher proportion of females reported burnout (42.71 % of females, 40.18 % of males). Among other AES workplace items, females were less likely to report no supervisor favoritism, fair conflict resolution, supervisors addressing their concerns, and performance recognition (effect estimates ranged from −0.05 to −0.18). Qualitative findings complemented quantitative findings: females were less comfortable advocating for themselves and setting “hard boundaries” regarding workload. Females reported more disrespect from coworkers than their male colleagues, and in some cases reported outright discrimination. Reflecting the broader social context, females reported a variety of ways in which sexism pervaded the organization and contributed to burnout. Our findings highlighted multiple ways in which female MHPs experienced higher levels of burnout, less positive workplace experiences, and more challenges advocating for themselves. These findings identify targets for system-level improvements that could address burnout among all employees and those unique to female employees. Downstream, these opportunities could lead to a healthier, consistent workforce and improved patient care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100559"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144107028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Whitney Langlee , Divya Kalluri , Rivka Abedon , Aura T. Teles , Janetta Brundage , Po-Hung Chen , Andrew M. Cameron , Hannah C. Sung , Olivia S. Kates
{"title":"New stories, same Stigma: Framing analysis of news articles about people with alcohol-related conditions needing liver transplants","authors":"Whitney Langlee , Divya Kalluri , Rivka Abedon , Aura T. Teles , Janetta Brundage , Po-Hung Chen , Andrew M. Cameron , Hannah C. Sung , Olivia S. Kates","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100567","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100567","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Public stigma surrounding alcohol use disorder (AUD) negatively impacts people with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) in need of liver transplants (LT). Representations of LT for ALD are socially constructed in part through media, but media on this topic has been underexplored in current research.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Research team members conducted systematic searches during 7/2022-5/2024 for online, publicly available articles about LT for ALD within leading English-language news sites in the US by monthly visits (n = 24). Using inductive framing analysis, we coded and identified patterns in news articles (n = 42) from 1990 to 2021 to generate frames.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Our inductive analysis generated 4 main frames: (a) making individual exceptions: good people in a bad group, (b) appealing to societal costs: individual actions putting a strain on society, (c) questioning professionals' judgements: doctors’ discretionary power, and (d) portraying healthcare as a competition: unfair play in a zero-sum game. Media characterized people with ALD as less deserving of liver transplant, but with individual exceptions. Articles described people with “self-induced” illnesses as irresponsible towards themselves, other LT candidates, and society; doctors as “gatekeepers” with discretionary power over how to apply criteria or rules; and the liver transplant waitlist as a competitive zero-sum game in which people with ALD are or should be deprioritized.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>News articles reflect our society's stigmatization of alcohol-related conditions as well as misconceptions about transplant listing and allocation. Such mischaracterizations can further marginalize stigmatized patients with alcohol-related conditions in need of LTs. We offer recommendations for public communications, including avoiding representations of patients with ALD as exceptions to the norm and contextualizing LT for ALD within the context of public health and social and systemic factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100567"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143924168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. van der Ven , N. Looman , N. Ergun- Al Kafadji , S. Dalloyaux , O. Sir , J. Braspenning , C. Fluit , W. Kuijer-Siebelink , D. van Asselt
{"title":"The impact of context on interphysician collaboration and learning: A focused ethnography around hip fracture patients in the emergency department","authors":"M. van der Ven , N. Looman , N. Ergun- Al Kafadji , S. Dalloyaux , O. Sir , J. Braspenning , C. Fluit , W. Kuijer-Siebelink , D. van Asselt","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Older patients with complex care needs are increasingly seen in the emergency department (ED), requiring patient-centered care that involves collaboration among multiple specialists. Inadequate interphysician collaboration (IPhC) can increase the risk of adverse outcomes. Although the ED presents opportunities for learning IPhC, it is unknown how this potential could be exploited. This study examines ED interactions between residents and supervisors caring for hip fracture patients to explore influencing contextual factors and how IPhC (learning) can be improved.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Interactions between residents and supervisors from anesthesiology, emergency medicine, geriatric medicine, trauma, and orthopedic surgery concerning eight hip fractures patients were observed. Thirteen residents and twelve supervisors participated in field interviews to discuss observed behavior. Thematic analysis was conducted on observation notes and interviews. Themes were discussed with participants in four focus groups to reflect on interactions and explore opportunities for improving (learning) IPhC.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Residents primarily performed their own tasks with remote supervision. Repeated tasks and contradictory treatment plans were common. Five contextual factors influenced IPhC interactions: swarm of unacquainted professionals, bustling ED environment, lack of coordination, silo mentality, and limited, hierarchical feedback culture. Residents viewed their IPhC interactions as sufficient, despite observed contradictions. In focus groups, participants recognized these issues but were unaware of the associated risks.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Interactions in acute care lack coordination and integration. The complex acute care context impedes connectivity between specialties and IPhC learning, which may lead to increased risk of adverse outcomes. To improve IPhC and learning, addressing both contextual aspects and improved role modelling and feedback are needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100566"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rita Dexter, Kristin Kostick-Quenet, Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby
{"title":"A multi-site study of clinician perspectives in the lifecycle of an algorithmic risk prediction tool","authors":"Rita Dexter, Kristin Kostick-Quenet, Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent advancements in the performative capacities of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and algorithmic-based tools open up numerous applications in modern medicine. There are, however, few studies that track the whole lifecycle of a digital healthcare tool as it evolves from conception, to design, and deployment in real world settings—especially with a focus on the social dynamics amongst the end-users of the tool: clinicians. In this paper, we present data from a multi-site, 5-year study focused on the development and deployment of an algorithmic risk calculator (HeartMate 3 Risk Score) into a validated and efficacy tested clinical decision support system (CDSS) for patients and clinicians engaging in shared decision making about left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy for advanced heart failure. We conducted a total of 76 interviews with 20 advanced heart failure cardiologists and 14 nurse coordinators with LVAD expertise (n=34) across different timepoints during the lifecycle of this digital healthcare tool. Results from Thematic Analysis revealed an array of social factors at play at each stage of the tool’s development and implementation, from finding social consensus around risk messaging in the conception and design phases, to various social contingencies that served as facilitators and barriers to the successful integration of the tool in its later stages. Our findings confirm many previously raised issues with introducing new medical and digital healthcare tools into clinical care, and highlight new issues specific to the rapidly advancing technology in CDSS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100562"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143879298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“It's almost a life and death sentence”: Stakeholder perspectives on determinants of substance use risks and treatment access for individuals convicted of sexual offenses","authors":"Ruth T. Shefner","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100565","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100565","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sex offender registration and notification (SORN) policies have significantly destabilizing material and psychosocial collateral consequences for people required to register. There are strong theoretical and anecdotal reasons to believe that SORN policies likely increase substance-use-related harms for registrants. However, no research has directly examined relationships between SORN policies and substance-use-related harms. 20 qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with criminal legal, substance use, and forensic stakeholders who work with people required to register in Philadelphia. Interviews investigated how multilevel SORN consequences structure substance use risk environments for registrants. Through inductive and deductive coding, six broad themes emerged: “Sex offender” is an extremely stigmatized and villainized identity; SORN related restrictions transform the social and material context of reentry; SORN restrictions and the “sex offender” label have “devastating” impacts on mental health and self-concept; these material and psychosocial consequences of SORN increase substance use risk; SORN related policies severely restrict access to court-referred drug treatment; and this overall landscape of deprivation and restriction has dangerous and destructive implications, especially for overdose risk. Results suggest that sex offender registration and notification laws operate as social determinants of poor health for registrants, and are previously unstudied collateral consequences of sex offender criminalization. These findings provide evidence for providers, funders, policy advocates, and officials on the need to reform harmful and ineffective policies and improve access to treatment services for people required to register.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100565"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144242982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ruth Willis , Daniel Mbuthia , Mary Gichagua , Jacinta Nzinga , Carl May , Peter Mugo , Adrianna Murphy
{"title":"‘You can sleep hungry just to buy the medicine’: Applying a patient-centred model of cumulative complexity to explore how patients manage the lifelong workload of hypertension care in Kenya","authors":"Ruth Willis , Daniel Mbuthia , Mary Gichagua , Jacinta Nzinga , Carl May , Peter Mugo , Adrianna Murphy","doi":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research applies the Cumulative Complexity model to examine patient experiences of hypertension management following prescription of anti-hypertensive medication in the public health system in Kenya. Set in Kiambu County, central Kenya, it draws on abductive analysis of interviews with patients (n = 24), caregivers (n = 7) and non-participant observation in four purposively selected public facilities conducted between November 2022 and April 2023. Patients undertook three kinds of ‘work’ to reduce their blood pressure: processing work to accept hypertension diagnosis and its chronic dimension; practical work managing care and medications, and work of managing emotions. Four inter-related domains of patient capacity influenced patients' ability to do this work: individual financial resources; physical functioning; social support and religious faith. Variations in treatment cost and medicine availability increased patient workload. When workload overwhelmed capacity treatment adherence was interrupted. Interruptions in treatment resulted in negative feedback loops further reducing patient capacity. Recognising temporal variability in workload and capacity is key to understand treatment adherence in resource constrained settings. Consideration of adaptive counter-agency can strengthen treatment burden models. We encourage policy makers to prioritise addressing treatment burdens to support treatment adherence and sustained hypertension control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74862,"journal":{"name":"SSM. Qualitative research in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100563"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143911625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}