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gilmour j.a., huntington a., broadbent r., strong a. & hawkins m. (2012) Nurses' use of online health information in medical wards. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1349-1358. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a study of nurses' access, use and evaluation of online health information in medical wards. Background. Online health information is commonly used by patients with chronic illness to support their education needs. Nurses have a critical role in assisting patients to access and use this information. Method. This descriptive cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 540 nurses employed in medical wards was carried out in 2009. The response rate was 58·7% (293). The analytical approach included descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests of correlation and differences between groups. A content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. Results. Most respondents (78·6%) were satisfied with work Internet access and 58·2% believed that the use of online information improved care delivery. Nearly half the group was aware of patient misconceptions about their illness due to incorrect interpretations of online information, but only 24·4% checked if patients used online information. There was a significant association between assessing patients use and awareness of patient misconceptions. Conclusion. The findings of this study highlight that while online resources add to education opportunities, the ongoing nursing assessment required to determine online information needs is not always incorporated into nursing practice. Patient misunderstandings of online material were also identified; developing patient competency in evaluating open access health information should now be recognized as an integral aspect of illness management education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is disproportionately prevalent among Pacific population groups in New Zealand. Lifestyle behaviours of excessive consumption of high energy, unhealthy foods and inadequate physical activity are risk factors for obesity that can be modified. AIM: To identify and describe the risk factors for and protective factors against obesity among Pacific Is- land (PI) adolescents who attend church and compare them with PI adolescents who do not attend church. METHODS: We investigated the lifestyle behaviours of 2495 PI adolescents at six secondary schools in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ), 77% of whom attend a church or other place of worship. The cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 2005. Structured individual interviews and anthropometric measurements were undertaken. RESULTS: Church attendees had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) compared with non-attendees (BMI 27.4 vs BMI 26.6), adjusted for age, gender and PI ethnicity (p=0.01). The weight status of attendees was associated with less healthy breakfast and lunch sources, lower levels of physical activity, and limited knowledge of the risk factors for obesity (p<0.05) DISCUSSION: Culturally appropriate and ethnic-specific weight management interventions, including monitoring and policy development programmes, are needed urgently to change pro-obesity lifestyle behaviours in PI adolescents and to avoid the burgeoning future obesity-related illnesses that would otherwise result. The church may be an important venue and change agent in the prevention of obesity for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]