Search

Aims: To explore the relationship between nurse practitioner work environment and nurse practitioner outcomes (job satisfaction and intent to leave) in the United States. Design The study used a cross‐sectional survey design to collect survey data from primary care nurse practitioners in six states in the United States. Methods: We sent mail surveys to 5689 eligible nurse practitioners in Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, Pennsylvania, California and Texas. The mail also contained an online link. Participants could complete either the paper or online questionnaire. In total, 1244 participants completed the survey in 2018–2019. The work environment was measured using the Nurse Practitioner‐Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire comprised of four subscales: Nurse Practitioner‐Administration Relations, Nurse Practitioner‐Physician Relations, Independent Practice and Support and Professional Visibility. Global items measured job satisfaction and intent to leave. We used mixed‐effect proportional‐odds cumulative logit models to assess the association between work environment and job satisfaction and intent to leave. Results: Overall, 90% of participants were either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their job and 22% reported intent to leave their job in 1 year. With a one‐unit increase in the organizational‐level Nurse Practitioner‐Administration Relations score, the odds of having a higher job satisfaction level increased by about four times and the odds of intent to leave job decreased by about 60%. A higher organizational‐level Nurse Practitioner‐Physician Relations score was significantly associated with higher job satisfaction and lower odds of intent to leave. Conclusion: Improvements in work environments may improve nurse practitioner job satisfaction and retention. Impact This study examined the relationship between work environment, job satisfaction and turnover intention of nurse practitioners. Better work environment is associated with higher job satisfaction and lower turnover intention. Findings have implications for clinical leadership who can take actions to create better work environments to increase the nurse practitioner workforce capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of PainReApp, an mHealth system, based on physical exercise recommendations for patients with chronic pain (low back pain, fibromyalgia and diabetic neuropathic pain) based on pain intensity, quality of life, anxiety and/or depression, and sleep quality. Design: Single‐blinded randomized controlled trial. Methods: One hundred patients from three different chronic conditions (low back pain, fibromyalgia and neuropathic diabetic pain) will be recruited and randomized into two groups to receive the intervention with a physical activity program guided by the PainReApp system (experimental group) or with the program information in paper format (control group). All patients will attend a first face‐to‐face session in which the smartphone application usage (experimental group) and exercise execution will be explained (both groups). Data will be collected at baseline, 4, 12 and 24 weeks. Nevertheless, the users of the application will have a daily registry of the exercise performed and the self‐perceived difficulty. The primary outcomes of the trial will be the intensity of pain and quality of life. Anxiety and/or depression and sleep quality will be also assessed to evaluate the influence of the physical activity at multiple levels. Discussion: Physical exercise is becoming one of the leading evidence‐based interventions to treat chronic pain. It needs to be adapted to the necessities of each pain condition. One of the major problems is the low adherence to the proposed program. New strategies that empower the patients, such as the m‐Health, are reliable and useful tools to ease this end. Impact: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first long‐term randomized controlled trial researching the impact of an m‐health system on chronic pain from different origin. The intervention is based on international physical exercise recommendations and can be performed without specific material, allowing the home‐based practice. Trial registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000783820). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe a protocol for the pilot phase of a trial designed to test the effect of an mHealth intervention on representation and readmission after adult cardiac surgery. Design: A multisite, parallel group, pilot randomized controlled trial (ethics approval: HREC2020.331‐RMH69278). Methods: Adult patients scheduled to undergo elective cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting, valve surgery, or a combination of bypass grafting and valve surgery or aortic surgery) will be recruited from three metropolitan tertiary teaching hospitals. Patients allocated to the control group with receive usual care that is comprised of in‐patient discharge education and local paper‐based written discharge materials. Patients in the intervention group will be provided access to tailored 'GoShare' mHealth bundles preoperatively, in a week of hospital discharge and 30 days after surgery. The mHealth bundles are comprised of patient narrative videos, animations and links to reputable resources. Bundles can be accessed via a smartphone, tablet or computer. Bundles are evidence‐based and designed to improve patient self‐efficacy and self‐management behaviours, and to empower people to have a more active role in their healthcare. Computer‐generated permuted block randomization with an allocation ratio of 1:1 will be generated for each site. At the time of consent, and 30, 60 and 90 days after surgery quality of life and level of patient activation will be measured. In addition, rates of representation and readmission to hospital will be tracked and verified via data linkage 1 year after the date of surgery. Discussion: Interventions using mHealth technologies have proven effectiveness for a range of cardiovascular conditions with limited testing in cardiac surgical populations. Impact: This study provides an opportunity to improve patient outcome and experience for adults undergoing cardiac surgery by empowering patients as end‐users with strategies for self‐help. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12621000082808. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Advanced Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Advanced Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Advanced Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Aims: To explore factors associated with, and predictors of, posttraumatic stress symptoms in midwives. To explore factors associated with, and potential moderating effects of, trait emotional intelligence. Secondary analysis explored predictors of resilience. Background: Midwives may experience vicarious trauma responses due to exposure to certain perinatal events in their professional lives. This may have adverse psychological outcomes for midwives, and women and children in their care. Design: A cross‐sectional, online and paper survey of midwives in the United Kingdom was conducted. Methods: Between February and October 2016, 113 midwives who met inclusion criteria provided demographic information, and completed scales measuring posttraumatic stress symptoms, trait emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience, social support, and attitudes towards emotional expression. Results: Higher resilience and trait emotional intelligence scores were associated with reduced posttraumatic stress symptoms. Higher empathy, perceived social support, and resilience were associated with higher trait emotional intelligence. Lower resilience significantly predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms. Trait emotional intelligence did not moderate relationships between resilience and posttraumatic stress symptoms, but may protect against posttraumatic stress symptoms in midwives with higher empathy. Higher trait emotional intelligence, and lower empathy and need for support, significantly predicted resilience. Notably, when trait emotional intelligence was higher, the negative relationship between empathy and resilience was reduced. Conclusion: Approximately one‐fifth of midwives were experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms at clinically significant levels. Trait emotional intelligence may protect against posttraumatic stress symptoms by supporting resilience, while enabling midwives to remain empathic. The negative correlation between resilience and empathy needs careful consideration by policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objective of this study is to explore the various latent categories within the sleep quality of night shift nurses and to investigate whether shift‐related factors predispose nurses to higher levels of occupational stress and anxiety. Design: This is a cross‐sectional study. Methods: From November to December 2020, registered nurses from 18 tertiary hospitals and 16 secondary hospitals in Chongqing were selected through convenience sampling for this study. Latent class analysis was used to investigate the sleep quality of nurses working night shifts. Furthermore, univariate analysis and logistic multivariate analysis were utilized to identify the contributing factors to occupational stress and anxiety. Results: The four latent categories of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for night shift nurses were identified as 'Low Sleep Disorder Group' (56.34%), 'Moderate Sleep Disorder Group' (37.27%), 'High Sleep Disorder Non‐Reliant on Sleeping medication Group' (4.89%) and 'High Sleep Disorder Reliant on Sleeping medication Group' (1.50%). The results showed that having a night‐shift frequency of 3–4 times per month, night‐shift durations of 9–12 h, sleep time delay after night shift (≥2 h), total sleep time after night shift less than 4 h were shift‐related factors that increased the levels of occupational stress and anxiety. Conclusion: The sleep quality of night shift nurses demonstrates heterogeneity and can be classified into four latent categories. Higher frequency of night shifts, extended work hours and insufficient rest time are all associated with increased levels of occupational stress and anxiety. Impact: By identifying the four latent categories of sleep quality among night shift nurses, this study sheds light on the relationship between sleep patterns and levels of occupational stress and anxiety. These findings have important implications for healthcare institutions in the management of nurse well‐being and work schedules. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to analyse the effects of servant leadership on nurses' emotional failure and compliance with standard precautions and to explore the moderating effect of individual resilience. Design: A cross‐sectional survey. Methods: This descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted from October 9 to November 1, 2022. The convenience sampling method was used to collect questionnaire data from 924 clinical nurses in a third‐class general hospital in Chongqing, China. Results: The emotional exhaustion and compliance with standard precautions were at the general level. Servant leadership mediated by emotional exhaustion had a significant positive predictive effect on compliance with standard precautions. Personal resilience played a negative moderating role in the relationship between servant leadership and emotional exhaustion. For nurses with low resilience, servant leadership had a greater impact on emotional exhaustion. Conclusion: The current compliance with standard precautions for clinical nurses is not high due to emotional exhaustion. The level of servant leadership can alleviate nurses' emotional exhaustion and improve compliance with standard precautions. Especially for nurses with low personal resilience, the care and support of department leaders are needed. Impact: We found that the compliance with standard precautions is not high, and the link between emotional exhaustion, servant leadership and compliance with standard precautions provides a basis for further patient care. No Patient or Public Contribution: There was no patient or public involvement. Impact Statement: Nurses are the key population for hospital infection prevention and control, and their level of compliance with standard precautions is of great significance for hospital infection prevention and control. However, in practice, nurses' compliance with standard precautions is generally low. Most of the previous studies on nurses' compliance with standard precautions were conducted from the perspective of individual nurses, based on the staff's 'knowledge, belief, and action' to study the current status of compliance with standard precautions and the factors affecting adherence, with less attention paid to the influence of psychological, environmental, and organizational factors. Therefore, the study focuses on the impact of servant leadership and emotional exhaustion on standard precautionary adherence, which is of great significance for good care management at the organizational level. It also explored how the impact of servant leadership on emotional exhaustion varies across levels of resilience, which is important for accurately identifying different types of nursing staff and targeting assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study explores the experiences of women with low‐risk pregnancies and no complications who planned a home birth. Design: A cross‐sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire. Methods: The questionnaire included socio‐demographic, obstetric and perinatal variables. Birth satisfaction was evaluated via the Spanish version of the childbirth experience questionnaire. The study group comprised home‐birthing women in Catalonia, Spain. Data were collected from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: A total of 236 women responded. They reported generally positive experiences, with professional support and involvement being the most highly rated dimensions. Better childbirth experiences were associated with labour lasting less than 12 h, no perineal injuries, no intrapartum transfers to hospital, euthocic delivery and the presence of a midwife. Conclusions: Women's positive home birth experiences were linked to active participation and midwife support. Multiparous women felt safer. Medical interventions, especially transfers to hospitals, reduced satisfaction, highlighting the need for improved care during home births. Implications for the Profession and Patient Care: Home births should be included among the birthplace options offered by public health services, given the extremely positive feedback reported by women who gave birth at home. Impact: Home birth is not an option offered under Catalonia's public health system only as a private service. The experience of home‐birthing women is unknown. This study shows a very positive birth experience due to greater participation and midwife support. The results help stakeholders assess home birth's public health inclusion and understand valued factors, supporting home‐birthing women. Reporting Method: The study followed the STROBE checklist guidelines for cross‐sectional studies. Public Contribution: Women who planned a home birth participated in the pilot test to validate the instrument, and their contributions were collected by the lead researcher. The questionnaire gathered the participants' email addresses, and a commitment was made to disseminate the study's results through this means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the impact of COVID‐19 on students' lives and their online learning experience. Design: A cross‐sectional survey design was used in this study. Methods: A total of 44 nursing students who were enrolled in an undergraduate programme at a Canadian University participated in the study. The students were asked to fill out a 35‐item survey that was developed by the European Students' Union and that was circulated across Europe in April 2020. Results: The COVID‐19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown affected students mentally, and emotionally. Findings also revealed that whilst most students had the privilege to study from home, many students did not have a desk, or a quiet place to study in their home and some had problems with Internet connectivity. Online lectures were delivered according to students' preferences; however, students were dissatisfied with the way their practice was organized. Conclusion: The similarities between this study and the European study provide common grounds for academics around the world to connect, collaborate and work on the challenges in providing nurse education in emergencies such as national disasters or pandemics to ensure preparedness for such future events. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. Impact: The commonalities experienced in nursing education across the globe should act as an impetus for globalized nursing action. Educators need to prepare and reinvent a role for students in the clinical area in the event of future disasters/pandemics. Policy makers and administrators need to ensure when switching to online education no student is underprivileged or marginalized in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify health literacy profiles in individuals receiving haemodialysis and to explore how these profiles interact with individuals' self‐efficacy, engagement with traditional dietary habits, self‐reported fluid restriction and relative‐interdialytic weight gain. Design: A cross‐sectional study engaging nephrology departments from four hospitals in Guangdong Province, China. Methods: A sample of 433 individuals receiving haemodialysis participated between December 2018 and July 2019. We assessed health literacy, self‐efficacy and self‐reported fluid restriction using the Health Literacy Questionnaire, the Fluid Self‐efficacy Scale and the Fluid Adherence Subscale, respectively. Traditional dietary habits, including daily tea drinking, soup drinking and preserved food consumption, were measured using three yes/no questions. Relative‐interdialytic weight gain was calculated by dividing the mean interdialytic weight gain (from three recent intervals) by dry weight. Latent profile analysis and structural equation modelling were performed. Results: Three health literacy profiles were identified: low, moderate and high. Compared to those in the low health literacy profile, individuals in high and moderate health literacy profiles demonstrated an indirect association with reduced relative‐interdialytic weight gain. This reduction can be attributed to their higher self‐efficacy levels, decreased reliance on dietary habits and higher self‐reported fluid restrictions. Conclusions: Most participants exhibited either low or moderate levels of health literacy. Improving health literacy has the potential to promote self‐efficacy and foster effective fluid restriction, ultimately leading to a reduction in relative‐interdialytic weight gain in individuals receiving haemodialysis. Impact: This study reveals heterogeneity in health literacy levels among individuals receiving haemodialysis and illuminates the connections between an individual's entire spectrum of health literacy and fluid management. These findings provide valuable insights for developing person‐centred fluid management interventions, especially for individuals with diverse cultural dietary backgrounds within the haemodialysis population. Reporting Method: We adhered to the STROBE guideline. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients were included only for collecting their data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine the contributions of psychosocial factors (attitude towards drinking, perceived drinking norms [PDNs], perceived behavioural control [PBC]), and biological sex on drinking intention and behaviours among rural Thai adolescents. Design: A cross-sectional study design. Methods: In 2022, stratified by sex and grade, we randomly selected 474 rural Thai adolescents (Mage= 14.5 years; SD = 0.92; 50.6% male) from eight public district schools in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Structural equation modelling with the weighted least square mean and variance adjusted was used for data analysis. Results: All adolescents' psychosocial factors contributed significantly to the prediction of drinking intention, which subsequently influenced their drinking onset, current drinking and binge drinking pattern in the past 30 days. PDNs emerged as the strongest psychosocial predictor of drinking intention, followed by PBC. Rural adolescents' drinking intention significantly mediated the relationship between all psychosocial factors and drinking behaviours either fully or partially. The path coefficient between drinking attitude and drinking intention was significantly different between males and females. Conclusion: Different from previous studies focus on adolescents' drinking attitude, rural Thai adolescents' PDNs play a significant role on their drinking intention and subsequently their drinking onset and patterns. This nuanced understanding supports a paradigm shift to target adolescents' perceived drinking norms as a means to delay their drinking onset and problematic drinking behaviours. Impact: Higher levels of perceived drinking norms significantly led to the increase in drinking intention among adolescents. Minimizing adolescents' perceptions of favourable drinking norms and promoting their capacity to resist drinking, especially due to peer pressure, are recommended for nursing roles as essential components of health education campaigns and future efforts to prevent underage drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this was to psychometrically adapt and evaluate the Tilburg Frailty Indicator to assess frailty among older people living in Slovenia's community and nursing home settings. Design: A cross- cultural adaptation and validation of instruments throughout the cross- sectional study. Methods: Older people living in the community and nursing homes throughout Slovenia were recruited between March and August 2021. Among 831 participants were 330 people living in nursing homes and 501 people living in the community, and all were older than 65 years. Results: All items were translated into the Slovene language, and a slight cultural adjustment was made to improve the clarity of the meaning of all items. The average scale validity index of the scale was rated as good, which indicates satisfactory content validity. Cronbach's α was acceptable for the total items and subitems. Conclusions: The Slovenian questionnaire version demonstrated adequate internal consistency, reliability, and construct and criterion validity. The questionnaire is suitable for investigating frailty in nursing homes, community dwelling and other settings where older people live. Impact: The Slovenian questionnaire version can be used to measure and evaluate frailty among older adults. We have found that careful translation and adaptation processes have maintained the instrument's strong reliability and validity for use in a new cultural context. The instrument can foster international collaboration to identify and manage frailty among older people in nursing homes and community-dwelling homes. Reporting Method: The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist for reporting cross-sectional studies was used. No Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public involvement in the design or conduct of the study. Head nurses from nursing homes and community nurses helped recruit older adults. Older adults only contributed to the data collection and were collected from nursing homes and community dwelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This paper aims to describe the research protocol that will be used to determine the effectiveness of a health-social partnership intervention programme among community-dwelling older adults. Background Ageing in place is a preferred option for overcoming challenges of the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the risk for hospitalization associated with the ageing population. Nevertheless, our knowledge of how to implement this concept is limited. The integrated efforts of health and social services may help to enable older adults to live with a sense of control over their daily life and to be independent to the fullest extent possible in the community. Design This is a randomized, controlled trial. Methods Participants are community-dwelling older adults referred from a community centre. Sample size calculation was based on power analysis. The intervention group will receive the programme with the standard protocols guided by a comprehensive assessment-intervention-evaluation framework. Home visits and telephones follow-up will be employed as means of conducting the interventions and monitoring their progress. The customary care group will receive placebo social calls. The duration of the interventions will be 3 months. The study was funded by the School of Nursing in Hong Kong. Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained in September 2014. Discussion The results of this research are expected to enable older adults to stay in the community with optimal health and well-being. Health and social sciences are integrated into the practice in this research protocol. The scarce literature on this topic means that this study can also provide an opportunity to bridge the caring gap among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study assessed adolescents' satisfaction with services received during their most recent abortion and the factors associated with satisfaction at reproductive health centres in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Design: A facility‐based cross‐sectional survey was used for this study. Methods: Overall, 254 adolescent girls aged between 15 and 19 years, who had an abortion within 1 week of the study period were recruited for the study. All the 254 respondents were recruited consecutively as they visited health facilities for abortion services from March 2019 to February 2020. Written informed consent was signed by respondents, and data were collected using the Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire, and the data were analysed using Stata version 15.0. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: A majority of adolescents reported being satisfied with the abortion services they received. Ample waiting space and the system of 'first‐come‐first‐served' were the highest rated elements of service satisfaction. Adolescents were least satisfied with the inadequacy of instructions and lack of information on medications received and their therapeutic or side effects. Ethnicity, having a stable intimate partner and perceived adequacy of staff were the factors associated with satisfaction with abortion services. Conclusion: Adolescents are unique group of people with peculiar health needs. If they are treated with respect and dignity, they are likely to be satisfied with services received from the reproductive health centres offering comprehensive abortion care. Impact: The study addresses adolescent satisfaction with abortion care received; if health providers treat adolescent seeking abortion care with respect, friendly and non‐judgemental attitude, it will enable adolescents to seek abortion care from qualified professionals instead of unskilled service providers to reduce maternal mortality. Patient's contribution: Patients from 11 reproductive centres responded to the questionnaire used for the data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop a parsimonious, shortened version of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale‐Revised for perioperative nurses to complete as part of their specialty training while retaining good psychometric properties. Design: A longitudinal online survey was adopted. Methods: A national sample of perioperative nurses from Australia completed an online survey at two different time points 6 months apart between February and October 2021. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for item reduction and construct validity, while criterion, convergent validity and internal consistency were examined. Results: Usable data for psychometric assessment were obtained from 485 operating room nurses at time 1 and 164 nurses at time 2. The original 40‐item revised scale was reduced to an 18‐item measure, maintaining its six domains. Cronbach's alpha for the 18‐item scale was.92 at time 1 and.90 at time 2. Scale validation demonstrated moderate to weak positive relationships in perceived competence scores relative to general self‐efficacy, years of operating room experience, postgraduate education and recency of training. Conclusions: Results suggest the 18‐item Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale‐Revised Short Form has initial robust psychometric properties and may be implemented in clinical settings as part of perioperative transition‐to‐practice, orientation programs and yearly professional development reviews. Implications for the Profession: This short‐form scale can help prepare perioperative nurses to demonstrate clinical competence in a climate of increasing professional demands using a valid measure of competence required in clinical practice. Impact: Short and validated scales of perioperative competence are needed in clinical practice. Assessment of practising operating room nurses' perceived competence is essential in quality care provision, workforce planning and human resource management. This study provides an 18‐item measure of the previously validated 40‐item Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale‐Revised. This scale can help provide an option for future testing of perioperative nurses' competence in clinical or research settings. Patient or Public Contribution: Perioperative nurses were involved in the design of the study, particularly in the assessment of validation of the tools used in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This paper reports a study testing of the validity and reliability of the personnel version of the Family Empowerment Scale in family services in Finland. Background The role of family services in parental reinforcement is important, given their extensive reach to most families and their aim of promoting family welfare. No instruments applicable to this situation were available in Finland. The Family Empowerment Scale is a widely used instrument that measures parent's empowerment. The personnel version of the Family Empowerment Scale enables an evaluation of the reinforcement of empowerment. Design This study used a cross-sectional survey design. Methods The Family Empowerment Scale was modified to measure how family services personnel evaluate reinforcement of parental empowerment. In May 2009, a questionnaire was sent to unit heads ( n = 457) in public social, health and educational services for families with children aged 0-9 years. The construct, convergent and discriminant validities, reliability and responsiveness of the personnel version of the Family Empowerment Scale were assessed. Results According to confirmatory factor analysis, the personnel version of the Family Empowerment Scale comprised three subscales (family, service system and community) as in the original Family Empowerment Scale. Confirmed convergent and discriminant validities supported the same construct. The reliability of the personnel version of the Family Empowerment Scale was acceptable. The reinforcement level of parental empowerment was high. Parental empowerment was reinforced most in health and least in educational services. Conclusion The psychometric properties of the personnel version of the Family Empowerment Scale were acceptable. It can serve as a generic instrument for assessing reinforcement of empowerment in family services in Finland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This paper introduces the concept of acceleration-related demands in the care of older adults. It examines these new demands and their relation to cognitive, emotional, and physical job demands and to employee well-being. Background Various changes in the healthcare systems of Western societies pose new demands for healthcare professionals' careers and jobs. In particular today's societal changes give rise to acceleration-related demands, which manifest themselves in work intensification and in increasing requirements to handle new technical equipment and to update one's job-related knowledge. It is, therefore, of interest to investigate the effects of these new demands on the well-being of employees. Design Survey. Method Between March-June 2010 the survey was conducted among healthcare professionals involved in care of older adults in Austria. A total of 1498 employees provided data on cognitive, emotional, and physical job demands and on acceleration-related demands. The outcome variables were the core dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization) and engagement (vigour and dedication). Results Hierarchical regression analyses show that acceleration-related demands explain additional variance for exhaustion, depersonalization, vigour, and dedication when controlling for cognitive, emotional, and physical demands. Furthermore, acceleration-related demands associated with increasing requirements to update one's knowledge are related to positive outcomes (vigour and dedication). Acceleration-related demands associated with an increasing work pace are related to negative outcomes such as emotional exhaustion. Conclusion Results illustrate that new demands resulting from social acceleration generate potential challenges for on-the-job learning and potential risks to employees' health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. This paper is a report on a study analysing the effect of the umbilical cord cutting experience on fathers' emotional involvement with their infants. Background. Participation in childbirth offers an opportunity for father and mother to share the childbirth experience, so it is vital that midwives improve the fathers' participation in this event. Design. A quasi-experimental study with a quantitative methodology was implemented. Methods. One hundred and five fathers were recruited as part of a convenience sample in a Maternity Public Hospital in a Metropolitan City in Portugal, between January and May of 2008. The Bonding Scale, the Portuguese version of the 'Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale' was used to evaluate the fathers' emotional involvement with the neonate at different moments: before childbirth, first day after childbirth and first month after childbirth. After childbirth, the fathers were divided into three separate groups depending on their umbilical cord cutting experience. Results. The results demonstrate that the emotional involvement between father and child tends to increase during the first days after childbirth and to decrease when evaluated 1 month after birth, for fathers who did not cut the umbilical cord. However, fathers who cut the umbilical cord demonstrate an improvement in emotional involvement 1 month later. Conclusion. Results suggest that the umbilical cord cutting experience benefits the father's emotional involvement with the neonate, supporting the benefits of his participation and empowerment in childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

zwijnenberg n.c. & bours g.j.j.w. (2012) Nurse practitioners and physician assistants in Dutch hospitals: their role, extent of substitution and facilitators and barriers experienced in the reallocation of tasks. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1235-1246. Abstract Aims. This paper is a report of a study exploring the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the extent of substitution and the barriers and facilitators experienced by them as a consequence of substitution in public hospitals. Background. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are emerging worldwide. However, despite the large amount of evidence showing the added value of these professionals, little evidence is available concerning the role, extent of substitution and facilitators and barriers experienced by them as a consequence of substitution. Methods. Interviews were conducted and a questionnaire was completed by 43 nurse practitioners and 13 physician assistants employed in public hospitals in the south of the Netherlands in 2007. Results. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants performed a broad spectrum of tasks, but differed significantly in the time spent and the kind of tasks performed. Nurse practitioners spent 25% (10·4 hours; sd = 5·5) and physician assistants 40% (18·7 hours; sd = 7·6) of their time on medical procedures. They both also performed new tasks or tasks for which there previously was insufficient capacity. Many of them experienced policy/organizational, legal, financial or facility problems in the reallocation of tasks. Conclusion. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants have wide ranging but different responsibilities in public hospitals. By performing medical procedures and new tasks or tasks for which there was not enough capacity, they function as substitutes and supplements for doctors. However, barriers are affecting the extent of substitution. The challenge ahead is to remove the barriers experienced by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

arts e.e.a., landewe-cleuren s.a.n.t., schaper n.c. & vrijhoef h.j.m. (2012) The cost-effectiveness of substituting physicians with diabetes nurse specialists: a randomized controlled trial with 2-year follow-up. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1224-1234. Abstract Aims. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an intervention substituting physicians with nurse specialists. Background. Increasing populations of people with diabetes in most Western countries require creative solutions that give high-quality chronic care while controlling costs. Instigating nurse specialists as a substitute for physicians yields positive results in this area. Research about such interventions in a hospital-based setting is limited. Methods. This paper is a report of a study of a randomized, non-blinded clinical trial including people with diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2. In the intervention group nurse specialists were the central carers, providing care that conformed to a preset protocol. Patients were included between 2004 and 2007. Costs, quality of life and adverse events were measured, cost-effect ratios and incremental cost-effect ratios were calculated based on health-resource utilization rates, corresponding market prices and national tariffs from 2007. Results. Health related quality of life scores did not differ significantly between the control and the intervention group. In the intervention group, fewer patients were hospitalized and fewer side effects from drugs were reported compared to controls. Nurse specialists as central care givers generated a modest reduction in costs per quality adjusted life year gained compared to usual care. Conclusion. Nurse specialists give diabetes care that is similar to care provided by physicians in terms of quality of life and economic value. Instigating a nurse specialist as central carer yields opportunities to generate cost savings. Developing interventions which also focus on prevention of complications is recommended when aiming for long-term organisational cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kuma A .O . & J ordan S . (2012) Pain management in neonates: a survey of nurses and doctors. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1288-1301. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a descriptive survey of nurses' and doctors' knowledge and reported practice regarding procedural pain assessment and management in neonatal intensive care units. Background. There are concerns that pain is often unrecognized and under-treated in neonates. Current guidelines advocate administration of analgesia and comfort measures, but may be vulnerable to inter-professional differences in guideline implementation. Methods. All nurses and doctors working in all seven neonatal intensive care units in one area of the United Kingdom were surveyed between January to August 2007. Lead clinicians distributed and collected anonymous questionnaires. Findings. Response rate was 44% (62 doctors, 137 nurses). Internal consistency was high, overall Cronbach's alpha 0·976. Respondents were knowledgeable, mean score 82% (SD13·3%). They agreed that neonates feel pain and need analgesia. Chest drain insertion was perceived to be the most painful procedure, heel-prick the least. Respondents reported that analgesia and comfort measures were not usually administered for most procedures: nurses were more likely than doctors to report adhering to guidelines advocating administration of analgesia and comfort measures. Statistically significant differences between current and optimal practice were acknowledged. Few (21% and 37%) had received training on neonatal pain and fewer (2·5%) employed recognized pain assessment instruments. Pain management guidelines were available to 29(47%) doctors and 85(62%) nurses; 20(18%) reported that these had been audited. Conclusion. Clinicians were knowledgeable about neonatal pain, but gaps between knowledge and practice remain. This hiatus could be bridged by providing research evidence for the efficacy of guidelines incorporating validated pain assessment instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

fealy g.m., treacy m., drennan j., naughton c., butler m. & lyons i. (2011) A profile of older emergency department attendees: findings from an Irish study. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1003-1013. Abstract Aims. This paper is a report of a study of older emergency department attendees' demographic, health and social profiles. Background. Relative to the general population, older people are higher users of hospital emergency departments. Attendance is most often associated with medical need, including a chronic condition and related morbidities. Method. A series of standardized health and social profiling questionnaires was administered to a non-probability sample of 307 older emergency department attendees. The sample was recruited during the spring-summer and autumn-winter periods in 2008 and 2009 at two hospitals in the city of Dublin. Subjects who met the inclusion criteria were recruited as they presented to the emergency department during the hours 8 am to midnight. The sample was stratified into those admitted and those discharged, with the aim of equally representing each stratum. Data were collected at the time of the index visit or shortly following hospital admission. Findings. Medical conditions accounted for almost half of all reasons for attendance and the health profile of the sample was characteristic of a population of chronically ill older people. Relative to the national picture for older people's social networks in Ireland, a proportion of the sample was at risk of social isolation. Conclusions. In the absence of other avenues to treatment and based on health profile and diagnostic category, older people's attendance at the emergency department was appropriate. The hospital emergency department remains a major arm of the Irish health service in dealing with the morbidity associated with enduring illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

papastavrou e., efstathiou g., tsangari h., suhonen r., leino-kilpi h., patiraki e., karlou c., balogh z., palese a., tomietto m., jarosova d. & merkouris a. (2011) A cross-cultural study of the concept of caring through behaviours: patients' and nurses' perspectives in six different EU countries. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1026-1037. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of an international study of patients' and nurses' perceptions of nurse caring behaviours. Background. Current economic constraints on healthcare systems, demand to increase the quality of care and the incorporation of the consumers' perspective into care, have created a need to develop a clear understanding of nursing behaviours which convey caring. Patients in different areas of the world report different expectations of nurses' caring actions when compared to nurses' views. Method. A descriptive comparative survey design was used to analyse a sample of surgical patients ( n = 1659) and their nurses ( n = 1195) in 88 wards of 34 hospitals in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Italy. Data were collected in autumn 2009 using the Caring Behaviours Inventory-24. Nurses' and patients' responses were compared using both inferential and descriptive statistics. Results. Independent samples t-tests showed important differences between nurses' and patients' views. Although both groups perceived knowledge and skill as being the most important sub-scale, the nurses' responses were higher compared to patients ( P < 0·05) with important differences in the 'assurance of human presence' ( P < 0·001) and the 'respectful deference to others' ( P < 0·001) sub-scales. Cross-country comparisons showed important differences between the nurses' ( F = 24·199, P < 0·001) and patients' views on caring ( F = 26·945, P < 0·001). Conclusions. Important differences were observed between patient-nurse perceptions in the participating countries. The results form a foundation for future research into the development of a common international perspective about caring behaviours between patients and their nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

hatlevik i.k.r. (2011) The theory-practice relationship: reflective skills and theoretical knowledge as key factors in bridging the gap between theory and practice in initial nursing education. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(4), 868-877. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a correlational study of the relations of nursing students' acquired reflective skills, practical skills and theoretical knowledge on their perception of coherence between theory and practice. Background. Reflection is considered a key factor in bridging the gap between theory and practice. However, it is not evident whether reflective skills are primarily generic in nature or whether they develop from a theoretical knowledge base or the acquisition of practical skills. Method. This study is a secondary analysis of existing data. The data are part of a student survey that was conducted among third-year nursing students in Norway during the spring of 2007. A total of 446 nursing students participated in this study and the response rate was 71%. Structural equation modelling analyses were performed. Findings. The results indicate that students' perception of coherence between theory and practice during initial nursing education is directly influenced by reflective skills and theoretical knowledge. The results also reveal that reflective skills have mediating effects and that practical skills have a fully mediated and theoretical knowledge a partially mediated influence on students' perception of coherence. Conclusion. The findings imply that helping students perceive coherence between theory and practice in nursing education, developing students' reflective skills and strengthening the theoretical components of the initial nursing education programme might be beneficial. The results suggest that reflective thinking is not merely a generic skill but rather a skill that depends on the acquisition of relevant professional knowledge and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

van de mortel t.f., kermode s., progano t. & sansoni j. (2012) A comparison of the hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices of Italian nursing and medical students. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(3), 569-579. Abstract Aim. This paper reports a study examining the hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices of Italian nursing and medical students with the aim of informing undergraduate curricula. Background. In comparison with registered nurses, physician status is a risk factor for non-compliance with hand hygiene guidelines. Little research has been conducted to determine if differences between the professions in relation to hand hygiene are apparent at the undergraduate level. Cross-disciplinary studies that may provide an insight into this topic are lacking. Methods. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 117 nursing and 119 medical students in a large university in Rome, Italy, to determine their hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices. The data were collected in 2007-2008. Results. Nursing students' hand hygiene knowledge ( F = 9·03(1,230); P = 0·003), percentage compliance ( Z = 6·197; P < 0·001) and self-reported hand hygiene practices ( F = 34·54(1,230); P < 0·001) were significantly higher than that of medical students. There were no statistically significant differences between hand hygiene beliefs. Mean scores on the knowledge questions were low for both groups, reflecting primarily a knowledge deficit in relation to the use of alcohol-based hand rubs to decontaminate hands in the healthcare setting. Conclusion. Statistically significant disciplinary differences in hand hygiene knowledge and self-reported practices were apparent among undergraduate Italian healthcare students. Further research is needed to determine the causative factors. The overall low scores on the knowledge items indicate that these students require further education on hand hygiene, particularly in relation to the use of alcohol-based hand rubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

garmon bibb s.c., padden d.l. & ferguson w. (2012) Moderators of access and utilization of clinical preventive services in older adults. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(2), 335-348. Abstract Aim. This paper reports a study exploring the relationships between potential moderators of access and utilization of clinical preventive services in a homogeneous sample of older adults with near universal health coverage. Background. Advancements have occurred in eliminating financial and structural barriers to utilization of clinical preventive services (primary, secondary and tertiary prevention) in most developed countries, but variations in utilization continue. These variations may be attributed to non-social determinants of health moderators that impact utilization in older adults. Methods. Theorized relationships were explored using questions from the United States Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey and a homogenous convenience sample of 202 older adults (mean age 84; sd 5·23) with near universal health coverage. Data collected across a 2 year period (2007-2009) were analysed using Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and Hierarchical Logistic Regression. Findings. Several logistic regression models of personal access (advised to lose weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol); moderators (gender, perceived health status, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2); and clinical preventive services utilization (check-up in last 12 months; ever had colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy) showed statistically significant ( P < 0·05) improvement in model fit by adding interaction terms (access X moderator). Conclusion. Exploring the impact of moderators on utilization may yield more insight into variations than could be explained by measurement of the direct affect of having near universal health coverage alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

o'leary d.f. & ni mhaolrúnaigh s. (2012) Information-seeking behaviour of nurses: where is information sought and what processes are followed? Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(2), 379-390. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a study on how nurses inform their decision-making in the workplace. Background. Despite the growing availability of research evidence, nurses have been slow to adopt it into their daily decision-making. Method. The study was undertaken in Ireland between 2006 and 2007 using a sequential mixed methods approach. In phase 1, the views of a quota sample of 29 nurses were explored using semi-structured interviews incorporating vignettes. Phase 2 involved the design and dissemination of a survey to a disproportionate stratified random sample of 1356 nurses. The response rate was 29%. Findings. In decision-making, nurses accessed other people, especially nursing colleagues, the most frequently. Sources that provided prepackaged information such as guidelines were favoured over sources that provided access to original research. The process of information-seeking for routine and non-routine decisions was different. Nurses making routine decisions relied mostly on their experience and an assessment of the patient. In non-routine decision-making, participants experienced more uncertainty about their decisions. Accordingly, sources of information used were more varied and the information-seeking process more extensive. The study highlighted the complexities of establishing whether information used in decision-making is research based or not. Conclusion. Routine practices should be reviewed and updated regularly through organizational mandates, as nurses do not generally question them. Research information to inform non-routine decision-making must be easily available to nurses in their workplace, as information searches generally prioritize finding enough, rather than the best, information to make a decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe transitions in smoking status and their determining factors among nursing students between baseline (2015–2016) and follow‐up (2018–2019). Design: Observational prospective longitudinal study of 4381 nursing students in Catalonia (Spain). Methods: We examined transitions in smoking status from: (i) current smokers to recent quitters, (ii) never smokers to new smokers and (iii) former smokers to quitters who relapsed. We fitted logistic regression models to assess the predictors of quitting smoking. Results: The proportion of current smokers decreased from 29.7% at baseline to 23.6% at follow‐up, with a cumulative incidence rate of quitting of 28.3% during follow‐up. Nondaily smokers were more likely to quit than daily smokers. Of those who were never smokers at baseline, 4.6% were smokers at follow‐up, and 23.2% of former smokers at baseline had relapsed at follow‐up. Conclusions: Nondaily smokers were more likely to have quit smoking at follow‐up among this cohort of nursing students. The early implementation of a comprehensive tobacco control program that includes tobacco‐free campus policies, tobacco prevention interventions and cessation support during college years may decrease tobacco use among nursing students. Impact: Nursing students' tobacco use is concerning, as they are the future workforce of nurses who have a key role in tobacco product use prevention and cessation. During college years, nursing students have a greater likelihood of experimenting with several smoking status changes as well as to consolidate smoking behaviors. This is the first longitudinal study to highlight the factors associated with quitting smoking among a cohort of Spanish nursing students. Being a nondaily smoker at baseline predicted quitting at follow‐up. Our findings support the early implementation of a comprehensive tobacco control program that includes tobacco‐free campus policies, tobacco prevention interventions and tobacco cessation support during college years to decrease tobacco product use prevalence among nursing students. Reporting Method: We have adhered to STROBE guidelines. No Patient or Public Contribution. This observational study has not been registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Missed Nursing Care (MNC) is an error of omission which occurs when a necessary nursing intervention is not initiated, is not completed, or when it is delayed. The MNC model explains this problem and describes four antecedents that can lead to MNC: (1) demand for patient care, (2) available human resources, (3) material resources, and (4) and relationship and communication factors. Aims: This study aims to test the relationship between the theoretical antecedents of MNC and their impact on MNC. Design: A quantitative cross‐sectional study. Methods: The Austrian version of the revised MISSCARE Survey was completed by nurses working in general hospital units between May and July 2021. Recruitment followed a respondent‐driven sample via Austrian nursing education institutions and social media. One thousand six nurses fulfilled inclusion criteria. The structure of the theoretical constructs of the MNC model was tested using a confirmatory factor analysis approach. The relationships between the four antecedents and MNC were explored using structural equation modelling with 427 complete cases. Results: The results support the structural validity of the revised MISSCARE Austria concerning the defined theoretical constructs, although discriminant validity and measurement error should be further investigated. The antecedent "resource allocation: labor" had a statistically significant impact on MNC: The lack of adequate nursing staff played the most important role to explain missed care in our model. Conclusion: In our study in Austria, MNC was mostly influenced by a lack of appropriate labor resources. Further studies exploring mediation effects and non‐linear relationships may contribute to better understanding of reasons for MNC. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the levels of subjective well‐being in graduate nursing students, explore the impact of academic stress and resilience on subjective well‐being, and examine the mediation effect of resilience on the relationship between academic stress and subjective well‐being among graduate nursing students. Background: Few studies explore the impact of academic stress and resilience on subjective well‐being among graduate nursing students. Understanding the status of subjective well‐being and associated factors in graduate nursing students will enable the development of tailored interventions to improve their well‐being and academic achievements during graduation education. Design: A cross‐sectional design. Methods: Graduate nursing students were recruited by social media between April 2021 and October 2021, in China. Subjective well‐being was measured using the General Well‐Being Schedule, resilience by the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale, and academic stress through the Questionnaire of Assessing Academic Stress for graduate nursing students. Structural equation modelling was used to test the relationship among academic stress, resilience and subjective well‐being. Findings: The mean score of subjective well‐being for graduate nursing students was 76.37. The proposed model revealed a satisfied fit with the data. Academic stress and resilience were significantly related to subjective well‐being in graduate nursing students. Resilience partially mediated the relationship between academic stress and subjective well‐being, and the mediation effect accounted for 20.9% of the total effect of academic stress on the subjective well‐being. Conclusion: Academic stress and resilience affected subjective well‐being in graduate nursing students, while resilience partially mediated the relationship between academic stress and the subjective well‐being. No Patient or Public Contribution: This study did not involve patients, service users, caregivers or members of the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the relationships between public risk perceptions, emotions and behaviours during a major epidemic. Design: Exploratory cross‐sectional design. Methods: The 701 subjects were surveyed using self‐administered questionnaires, including the General Information Questionnaire, Public Risk Perceptions Questionnaire, Public Emotions Questionnaire and Public Behaviours Questionnaire. The results were analysed using structural equation modelling, and mediated effects were probed at the same time. Results: The median of the total scores of the Public Risk Perceptions Questionnaire was 70, the median of the total scores of the Public Emotions Questionnaire was 65 and the median of the total scores of the Public Behaviours Questionnaire was 83. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficient ρ between public risk perceptions and emotions was 0.26 (p < 0.01); the correlation coefficient ρ between risk perceptions and behaviours was 0.36 (p < 0.01); and the correlation coefficient ρ between emotions and behaviours was 0.37 (p < 0.01). After many rounds of correction, the final model was established, the fit was good, and the results of the mediating effect analysis showed that the level of public risk perceptions under a major epidemic had a direct positive effect on public emotions (β = 0.41, p < 0.01) and public behaviours (β = 0.51, p < 0.01). The level of public risk perceptions also had an indirect positive effect on behaviours by affecting public emotions (β = 0.11), while public emotions had a direct positive effect on public behaviours (β = 0.27, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our findings revealed that public perceptions and public emotions directly influenced public behaviours. Additionally, public perceptions can indirectly influence public behaviours through public emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model that can identify the suicidal ideation risk group among older adults in rural areas using machine learning methods. Design: This study applied an exploratory, descriptive and cross‐sectional design. Methods: The participants were older adults (N = 650) aged over 65 living in rural areas of South Korea. Self‐report questionnaires were used to collect the demographics, suicidal ideation, depression, socioeconomic information and basic health information from September to October 2020. The collected data were analysed using machine learning methods with R statistical software 4.1.0. Results: The predictive models indicated that depression, pain, age and loneliness were significant factors of suicidal ideation. Good performance was observed based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the decision tree, random forest and logistic regression. Finally, the evaluation of model performance indicated moderate to high sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: The predictive models using machine learning methods may be useful to predict the risk of suicidal ideation. Furthermore, depression with pain, age and feelings of loneliness should be included in the initial screening to assess suicide risk among older adults in rural areas. Impact Identifying suicidal risk among older adults is challenging. Thus, employing predictive models that can assess depression, pain, age and loneliness can enable public healthcare providers to detect suicidal risk groups. Particularly, the presented models from this study can facilitate healthcare providers with initiating early interventions to prevent suicide among older adults in clinical and community nursing care settings. Reporting Method: The reporting of this study (Observational, cross‐sectional study) conforms to the STROBE statement. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. This study did not involve patients, service users, caregivers or members of the public. Implication for the Profession and/or Patients Care: Applying this model may help to prevent geriatric suicide because the nursing staff will have a greater awareness regarding the suicide ideation risk of older adults, thereby reducing the possibility of their suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine the rate and level of postpartum depression (PPD), as well as to examine and compare PPD, social support and maternal self‐efficacy between adolescent and adult mothers at 8 weeks postpartum during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background: Policy measures to reduce the rapid spread of COVID‐19 have disrupted many aspects of life and decreased social connections, which negatively impacts psychological well‐being of the general population. However, studies focused on the impact of COVID‐19 on mental health and maternal self‐efficacy in postpartum mothers, particularly adolescent mothers, are limited. Design: A comparative cross‐sectional study was carried out following the STROBE guidelines. Methods: An online questionnaire was administered from February to March 2021. Data were collected by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Postpartum Support Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC) at 8 weeks postpartum. One‐way MANOVA was used to analyse the data. Results: Data from 63 adolescent mothers and 63 adult mothers were analysed. There were significant correlations between PPD, social support and maternal self‐efficacy of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Both adolescent and adult mothers had significantly negative impacts from the pandemic on mental health, social support and maternal self‐efficacy. However, the adolescent mothers had higher rates of depressive symptoms (36.5% and 23.8%, respectively) as well as lower PSQ score (121.25 and 130.52, respectively) and PSOC scores (62.54 and 70.94, respectively) compared with adult mothers in the first 8 weeks postpartum during the pandemic. Conclusion: Adolescent mothers had a significantly higher rate of depressive symptoms and significantly lower social support and maternal self‐efficacy scores compared to adult mothers at 8 weeks postpartum during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Impact Midwives or nurses should emphasize the negative mental health impacts during the COVID‐19 situation and routinely screen for depressive symptoms, especially in adolescent mothers, which could help identify the at‐risk mothers for developing PPD. Patient or public contribution: Neither patients nor the public were directly involved in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Walking and cycling are beneficial for urban adults' health. Transport and recreation are modifiable domains of major physical activity resources. The purposes of this study were to explore associations among psychological and environmental factors, walking and cycling behaviours and quality of life by developing a path model and comparing gender differences. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: Participants were community‐dwelling healthy urban adults aged 20–65 years. Data were collected between September 2019 and June 2020 by self‐reported questionnaires, including health beliefs, the neighbourhood environment, walking and cycling behaviours and the World Health Organization Quality‐of‐Life Scale. An ANCOVA, chi‐squared tests, partial least squares‐path model and a multi‐group analysis were performed for statistical analyses. Results: In total, 1294 valid responses were received, which included 41.27% men and 58.73% women. Men had lower walking behaviours and better self‐efficacy than women. The developed path model indicated an acceptable model fit. Significant path coefficients were found among psychological and environmental factors, walking and cycling behaviours and quality of life. The path model between men and women found no significant differences in any path coefficients. Significant path coefficients of environmental factors with cycling behaviour and of walking behaviour with quality of life were found in men but not in women. Conclusion: Improving individuals' health beliefs, self‐efficacy and perceived walkability and cyclability is a beneficial strategy for promoting physical activity. Walking and cycling behaviours are recommended to improve the quality of life of urban adult populations. Impacts: What problem did the study address? A large proportion of urban adult populations still have insufficient physical activity globally. It is essential that implications from an overall perspective of psychological and environmental factors and their interactions be integrated to develop efficient strategies for promoting physical activity and quality of life. What were the main findings? The developed path model with an acceptable model fit found that psychological and environmental factors were important in explaining urban adults' walking and cycling behaviours and quality of life. Differences were not found between men's and women's path models. Where and on whom will the research have impact? Improving urban adults' psychological and environmental factors might be an efficient strategy for promoting sufficient physical activity. Men's low engagement in walking behaviours should garner increased attention. Providing equal opportunities for both genders to engage in walking and cycling behaviours are recommended for health promotion in urban regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. To evaluate a web-based educational smoking cessation programme on changes in the frequency of hospital-based nurses' self-reported interventions to help smokers quit using the 5 As (i.e. Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange), to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and to change attitudes about nurses' involvement in tobacco control. Background. Few nurses in China support smokers' quit attempts using evidence-based smoking cessation interventions based on the 5 As. Limited knowledge is a barrier to intervention. Web-based tobacco cessation programs have the potential to reach a large population of nurses. Design. A prospective single-group design with pre-, 3- and 6-month follow-up after the educational programme evaluated the feasibility of conducting web-based educational programs in two cities in China in 2012-2013. Methods. Frequency of interventions was assessed using a valid and reliable web-based survey with a convenience sample of nurses from eight hospitals in Beijing and Hefei, China. Generalized linear models, adjusting for age, clinical setting, education and site were used to determine changes in the consistent (usually/ always) use of the 5 As from baseline to 3 and to 6 months. Results. Nurses (N = 1386) had baseline and/or 3- and 6-month data. At 6 months, nurses were significantly more likely to Assess, Assist and Arrange for smoking cessation and recommend smoke-free home environments. There was significant improvement in attitudes about tobacco control. Conclusions. Nurses receiving web-based smoking cessation education significantly increased self-reports of frequency of providing interventions to patients who smoke, including recommending smoke-free home environments to support quit attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To clarify second victim symptoms subgroups, explore the factors affecting profile membership and determine how desired support strategies differ between the subgroups. Design: A cross‐sectional study using an online survey. Methods: A total of 378 Korean staff nurses directly involved in patient safety incidents were recruited between December 2019 and February 2020. Data analyses consisted of latent profile analysis, multinomial logistic regression and analysis of variance. Results: Three latent profiles were identified: 'mild symptoms', 'moderate symptoms' and 'severe symptoms'. Lower organizational support and higher non‐work‐related support were more likely to belong to the severe symptoms' profile. Incidents that caused temporary harm to the patient were more strongly associated with an increased likelihood of belonging to the moderate and severe symptoms profiles than no‐harm events. Participants with severe symptoms agreed more with the usefulness of the support strategies than other participants; the usefulness of the psychological support strategies was rated particularly high. Participants in the mild and moderate symptoms groups agreed more strongly with the usefulness of coping strategies following patient safety incidents than psychological support. The strategy that all profiles considered the most useful was having the opportunity to take time away from clinical duties. Conclusion: Tailored support should be provided to nurses with factors influencing the profile membership and subgroups of second victim symptoms. Impact This study confirmed the need to provide organizational support to nurses as second victims and provided valuable evidence for developing support programs tailored to the subgroups of second victim symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Advanced Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims: To examine the psychometrics and measurement invariance of the Short‐Form Health Literacy 12‐item questionnaire (HL‐SF12) among Vietnamese and Indonesian married immigrants. Design: A cross‐sectional survey design. Methods: In total, 1171 Vietnamese and Indonesian married immigrants were enrolled between September 2019 and December 2019. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to verify the structural validity of the suggested factor structure. The multiple‐group CFA (MGCFA) used a series of hierarchical nested‐in models as a measurement invariance test which confirmed the adequacy of the model fit at each stage. Results/Findings The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin coefficient was 0.898, and the Bartlett test of sphericity was statistically significant (χ2[66] = 1965.97, p < 0.01). According to a scree plot and Kaiser's criterion for eigenvalues of >1, the EFA explained 61.6% of the total variance and confirmed three theoretically supported factors of health care, disease prevention and health promotion. The 12 items showed factor loadings of >0.4 and four items were in each subscale. The CFA showed adequate structural validity, including a relative chi‐squared/degrees of freedom (X2/df) of 2.01, a comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.98 and a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.04 (95% confidence interval [0.03, 0.05]) in married immigrants. For the measurement invariance, a change in the goodness‐of‐fit measures did not exceed 0.02 for the RMSEA or 0.01 for the CFI. The results indicated Cronbach's α values of 0.87 for the HL‐SF12 scale in Vietnamese and Indonesian combined samples (n = 1171). A t‐test showed that the HL‐SF12 and its three subscales were unable to significantly differentiate between Vietnamese and Indonesian groups (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: The HL‐SF12 scale showed acceptable theoretically supported structural validity, equivalent measurement invariance and reliable internal consistency among Vietnamese and Indonesian married immigrants. Measurements of immigrants' HL using the HL‐SF12 could be integrated into future immigrant health policies. Impact As the first study of the measurement invariance of the HL‐SF12 instrument among immigrants. Related factors of immigrants' HL can be further explored to increase immigrants' health and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the prevalence of modifiable health‐risk behaviours among Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes attending a regional Victorian Indigenous primary‐care clinic. Design: A cross‐sectional observational single‐site study. Methods: As part of a multi‐study project we administered the Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol consumption, Physical activity and Emotional wellbeing (SNAPE) survey tool during the study baseline visit to methodically capture health‐related behavioural data in the nurse‐led integrated Diabetes Education and Eye Screening (iDEES) project in a regional Indigenous primary healthcare setting between January 2018 and March 2020. This descriptive SNAPE study helps address the lack of health behaviour data for Indigenous people with diabetes. Results: Of 172 eligible adults, 135 (79%) were recruited to the iDEES study, 50 (37%) male. All participated in at least one survey. Median (range) age was 56 (46–67) years; 130 (96%) had Type 2 diabetes of median [IQR] duration 6 (2–12) years. All 135 provided smoking data; 88 (65%) completed all surveys. Forty‐nine (36%) and 29 (22%) were current or former smokers, respectively; 5 (6%) met vegetable intake guidelines, 22 (25%) met fruit intake guidelines; 38 [43%] drank alcohol in the past year. On average, participants walked for ≥10 min at a time 4 days/week and sat for an average of 8 h on weekdays; 35 (40%) had minimal‐mild, and 30 (34%) had moderate‐severe depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Suboptimal modifiable health‐risk behaviours and depressive symptoms are common in Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes. Impact: Orderly assessment and reporting of health‐risk behaviours using a single multi‐component survey instrument (SNAPE tool) during a nurse‐led diabetes education clinical visit is feasible and efficient. Such data may facilitate personalised interventions and improve diabetes management at both individual and health service levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine patient-caregiver concordances about psychological distress among Chinese patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and identify factors related to concordance among patients and family caregivers. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: From October 2019 to June 2020, 137 patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled. Sociodemographic information, the distress thermometer (including the problem list), the Distress Disclosure Index and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale were used to collect data. Data were analysed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), kappa statistics, two related samples test, chi-square tests and/or Fisher's exact tests and binary logistic regression. Results: Overall, fair agreement was identified between patients' and caregivers' reports (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC] = .528). Patients reported significantly higher psychological distress scores than paired caregiver reports. Lower psychological distress concordance was found among patients with comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 0.352; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.155-0.798) and lower levels of self-disclosure (OR, 0.402; 95% CI, 0.186-0.868). Conclusion: There was relatively low concordance between patients' reports and caregivers' perceptions of psychological distress. Family caregivers tended to underestimate patients' psychological distress. A comorbid condition and lower levels of self-disclosure contributed to this bias. Impact: Having an awareness of the incongruence between patient and caregiver may help healthcare providers better interpret caregiver assessments. Healthcare providers should reinforce patient-caregiver dyadic psychosocial education to improve concordance. More psychological care and substantial emotional support should be provided for Chinese breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy by family caregivers and healthcare providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative postnatal risk assessment (the postnatal Rotterdam Reproductive Risk Reduction checklist: R4U) and corresponding care pathways in Preventive Child Healthcare (PCHC), along with PCHC professional satisfaction. Design: Four PCHC organizations located in three municipalities with a higher adverse perinatal outcome than the national average were selected for participation. The study concerns a historically controlled study design. Methods: The study enrolled participants from September 2016 until December 2017. The historical cohort existed of children born in previous years from 2008 until 2016. The outcome measure was defined as catch-up growth: more than 0.67 standard deviation score weight for height increase in the first 6 months of life. PCHC professional opinion was assessed with a digital survey. Results: After the inclusion period, 1,953 children were included in the intervention cohort and 7,436 children in the historical cohort. Catch-up growth was significantly less common in the intervention cohort; 14.9% versus 19.5% in the historical cohort (p < 0.001). A regression sensitivity analysis, using matching, showed an odds ratio of 0.957 (95% CI 0.938-0.976) for the intervention cohort. In the survey, 74 PCHC physicians and nurses participated; most of them were neutral concerning the benefits of the postnatal R4U. Conclusion: This study shows that the implementation of a novel postnatal risk assessment including in PCHC is feasible and effective. Final efforts to ensure a widespread implementation should be taken. Impact: PCHC offers a unique opportunity to recognize and address risk factors for growth and development in children and to implement care pathways. Effective and widely implemented risk assessments in antenatal and PCHC are scarce. To our knowledge, this kind of evidence-based postnatal risk assessment has not been implemented in PCHC before and seizes the opportunity to prevent catch-up growth and its long-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the satisfaction of patients managed by independent nurse prescribers with that of patients managed by nurses using PGDs with respect to experience of the consultation and information received about the medication. Design: Survey. Methods: Patients receiving medications from nurses in five urban sexual health services in the United Kingdom completed validated questionnaires immediately after the consultation, September 2015–August 2016. Scores of independent nurse prescribers and nurses using patient group directions were compared about consultation experience (5 items) Satisfaction with Information about Medicines (SIMS 16 items scale). Results: Of 808 patients receiving medications, 393 (48.6%) received questionnaires and 380 were returned (independent nurse prescribers 180 of 198, 90.9%; patient group directions 173 of 195, 88.7%). Patients in both groups reported high levels of satisfaction. About the consultation experience, patients found nurses friendly/ approachable (>99%), instilling confidence and trust (>99%) and explaining reasons for medications clearly (97%). Satisfaction with medication information: Of 348 (92%) respondents completing SIMS, the overall mean score was 13.4 of maximum 16 (no difference between groups, t‐test, p =.63). Conclusions: Patients were highly satisfied with nurse consultations and information around medications regardless of whether they were managed by independent nurse prescribers or nurses using patient group directions. Impact: Findings provide evidence in support of autonomous provision of medications by nurses in sexual health clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

li x.-m., zhou k.-n., yan h., wang d.-l. & zhang y.-p. (2011) Effects of music therapy on anxiety of patients with breast cancer after radical mastectomy: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1145-1155. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a clinical trial of the effects of music therapy on anxiety of female breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy. Background. There is insufficient evidence on the effects of music therapy on state anxiety of breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy. Methods. A Hall's Core, Care, and Cure Model-based clinical trial was conducted in 120 female breast cancer patients from March to November 2009. A randomized controlled design was utilized. The patients were randomly allocated to the experimental group ( n = 60) received music therapy in addition to routine nursing care, and the control group ( n = 60) only received routine nursing care. A standardized questionnaire and the State Anxiety Inventory were applied. The primary endpoint was the state anxiety score measured at pretest (on the day before radical mastectomy) and at three post-tests (on the day before patients were discharged from hospital, the second and third time of admission to hospital for chemotherapy respectively). Results. The pretest score revealed that the majority of the patients had a moderate level (77·5%) and 15% had severe level of state anxiety. The repeated-measure ancova model analysis indicated that the mean state anxiety score was significantly lower in the experimental group than those in the control group at each of the three post-test measurements. The mean difference between the experimental and control group together with 95% confidence intervals were −4·57 (−6·33, −2·82), −8·91 (−10·75, −7·08) and −9·69 (−11·52, −7·85) at the 1st post-test, 2nd post-test and 3rd post-test respectively. Conclusion. Music therapy is found to have positive effects on decreasing state anxiety score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

lobchuk m.m., mcpherson c.j., mcclement s.e. & cheang m. (2011) A comparison of patient and family caregiver prospective control over lung cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1122-1133. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of our secondary analysis of patient and family caregiver prospective control in lung cancer. Background. Control beliefs underlie self-care in sickness and health. Self-care often involves 'shared' activities between the afflicted individual and caregiving family and friends. However, depending on how control is perceived, conflicts can occur in decision-making thus jeopardizing optimal self-care. We need to comprehend how control beliefs compare between patients and caregivers and how their control beliefs are linked with dealing with serious illness. Methods. Based on questionnaire data collected in our larger study between September 2005 and February 2009, we conducted exploratory comparative analyses of 304 patients' and caregivers' control beliefs in managing lung cancer. Eight 5-point response items captured prospective control. Exploratory factor analysis with promax rotation was conducted to compare dyadic perceptions on the dimensionality of prospective control. We also conducted exploratory correlations between control beliefs and smoking cessation, attributional reactions, caregiver helping and symptom reports. Results. Principal component analysis identified the same factors for patients and caregivers: factor 1, Fate control and factor 2, Team control. Patient and caregiver 'Fate' and 'Team' control sub-scales were respectively associated with hope, caregiver helping and patient smoking cessation. Conclusion. Clinicians need to support, adapt or develop a philosophy of cancer care that is inclusive of partnerships, drawing on beliefs of patients and caregivers that controlling lung cancer is a team effort which in turn is tentatively linked to patient smoking cessation, positive emotions and caregiver helping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local services in the United Kingdom National Health Service enable autonomous provision of medication by nurses, supporting individual nurses to gain prescribing qualifications or by introducing local patient group directions. Aim: To compare nurse prescribing and patient group directions about clinic processes, patients' experiences, and costs from the perspectives of providers, nurses, and patients. Design: Mixed methods, comparative case study in five urban sexual health services in the United Kingdom. Methods: Data were collected from nurse prescribers, patient group direction users and their patients July 2015 to December 2016. Nurse questionnaires explored training (funding and methods). Nurses recorded consultation durations and support from other professionals in clinical diaries. Patient notes were reviewed to explore medication provision, appropriateness and safety; errors were judged by an expert panel. Patients completed satisfaction questionnaires about consultations and information about medications. Results: Twenty‐eight nurse prescribers and 67 patient group directions users took part; records of 1682 consultations were reviewed, with 1357 medications prescribed and 98.5% therapeutically appropriate. Most medication decisions were deemed safe (96.0% nurse prescribers, 98.7% patient group directions, Fisher's Exact Test p =.55). Errors were predominantly minor (55.6% nurse prescribers, 62.4% patient group directions) and related to documentation omissions (78.0%); no patients were harmed. Consultation durations and unplanned re‐consultations were similar for both groups. Nurse prescribers sought assistance from colleagues less frequently (chi‐squared = 46.748, df = 1, p <.001) but spent longer discussing cases. Nurse prescribing training required more resources from providers and nurses, compared with patient group directions. Nurse prescribers were on higher salary bands. Patient satisfaction was high in both groups (>96%). Conclusions: Nurse medication provision by both nurse prescribers and patient group direction users is safe and associated with high patient satisfaction; effects on clinic processes and costs are similar. Undertaking the prescribing qualification involves independent study but may bring longer‐term career progression to nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine the association of the timing and consistency of parent bedtime routines with infant night‐time sleep duration and variability. Design: This was a prospective observational study conducted between November 2012 and November 2016. Methods: Three hundred and twenty healthy 6‐month‐old infants were recruited from the well‐child clinics of a university‐affiliated hospital in northern Taiwan. Participating families provided sociodemographic, health and bedtime routine information. Infants wore an actigraph on the ankle for a week. General linear model analysis was performed with the frequency and timing of bedtime routines treated as the primary predictor variables of interest. Results: One hundred and ninety‐seven (61.6%) parents started the bedtime routine for infants after 9 PM, with 162 (50.6%) not having the exact same bedtime routine every night. In both crude and adjusted analyses, starting a bedtime routine after 9 PM was associated with shorter infant night‐time sleep duration (b = −23.55, p < 0.01). Infants with a bedtime routine of <3–4 nights per week were associated with more variable night‐time sleep duration than a bedtime routine of 5–6 nights per week (b = −7.81, p < 0.05) or every night (b = −8.47, p < 0.05). Conclusion: A bedtime routine of at least 5 nights a week and initiated no later than 9 PM was associated with longer and less variable night‐time sleep in infancy. Findings suggest that a consistent bedtime routine implemented in accordance with age‐appropriate bedtimes should be addressed as part of anticipatory guidance in the well‐child clinics. Future studies should include infant sleep variability as an outcome in addition to the conventional mean‐level sleep variable analyses to more thoroughly characterize bedtime routine effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify factors influencing healthcare professionals' engagement in health behaviour conversations with patients. Design: Cross‐sectional survey. Methods: Between April and June 2019, an online survey of 1338 nurses, midwives and healthcare support workers was conducted. The survey assessed whether staff felt comfortable initiating health behaviour conversations with patients about five behaviours (reducing alcohol intake; stop smoking; being more active; reducing their weight; and improving their diet) and barriers to conversation initiation. Health professionals' own health‐related behaviours, self‐rated health and mental wellbeing, and socio‐demographic characteristics were recorded. Logistic regression models were built to assess factors associated with feeling comfortable initiating health behaviour conversations for each topic. Result: Less than 50% of respondents reported feeling comfortable initiating health behaviour conversations with patients. Female staff, young professionals (18 to 29 years), those in lower staff grades and those with poorer health and low mental wellbeing were less likely to report feeling comfortable having health behaviour conversations across all topics. Those who did not adhere to physical activity and dietary guidelines were less likely to initiate a conversation about being more active and having a healthy diet, respectively. Not having time to discuss the topic, suitable space to hold a conversation, and feeling worried about offending/upsetting patients were the main barriers reported. Conclusion: Around 6 in 10 members of the nursing, midwifery and healthcare support workforce in Wales potentially do not feel comfortable to initiate a health behaviour conversation with patients about health and wellbeing. Feeling less comfortable to initiate a conversation was associated with staff demographics and organizational factors. Impact: We identified those less likely to initiate health behaviour conversations as well as personal and organizational barriers to initiation. This will help to target and tailor interventions to ensure staff are equipped and enabled to hold health behaviour conversations with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined differences in sociodemographic characteristics and the achievement of a good death between cancer patients who live alone and those who do not live alone prior to death in different settings. Secondary analysis of data collected across two cross‐sectional self‐reported questionnaire surveys was undertaken. The participants were bereaved family members of cancer patients who had died in palliative care units (PCUs), acute hospitals or homes. We stratified the data by the place of death and examined the differences in sociodemographic characteristics to determine the relationship between cancer patients achieving a "good death" and whether they were living alone. The data were collected through 15,949 surveys. On the Good Death Inventory, significantly higher total scores emerged for cancer patients who were living alone than for those who not living alone in PCUs (effect size [ES] = 0.11, Student's t‐test: p <.0001), but not in acute hospitals (ES = −0.03, p = 0.74) or home care services (ES = 0.02, p = 0.86). Cancer patients who were living alone were more likely to have been female, been older and have earned a lower annual income than those who were not living alone. Thus, among those who had received specialized palliative care, there was no difference in the quality of palliative care between cancer patients who were or were not living alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]