title: A Q methodology study of perceptions of poverty among midwestern nursing students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Providing patient-centered care involves understanding how social factors, including poverty, affect health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore nursing students' beliefs surrounding the poor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Q methodology design was used to discover patterns of perceptions towards those living in poverty.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place on two campuses of a large public, university in the Midwestern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  The purposeful sample of 23 Q participants was drawn from students enrolled in the second, third, and final year of study in a baccalaureate nursing program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants rank-ordered their level of agreement with a set of 30 statements regarding poverty. Data were analyzed by a three-step process that included correlating participant profiles, performing factor analysis, and generating factor scores. A factor array and narrative were used to explain the findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three viewpoints were identified: Judges who tended to feel that poverty was linked to individual behavior; Allies who mostly saw societal reasons for poverty and felt a strong need to assist the poor, and Observers who did not blame individual for their circumstances, but were not as compelled to champion their cause.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given these different perspectives, educators may need to use variety of teaching approaches to help students achieve patient-centered care competencies with their poorest patients.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Nursing, SY 402, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. Electronic address: janelhawkins14@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Janel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Work
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Nursing, SY 402, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. Electronic address: dehensel@iu.edu.
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hensel
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Nursing, SY 409, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. Electronic address: kidecker@iu.edu.
authors.forename: Kim A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Decker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods; D011203:Poverty; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Nursing education; Patient-centered care; Poverty; Q methodology