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Backgroun d. Constipation is a common distressing problem in patients with schizophrenia that can cause complications and impair quality of life. Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of applying auricular acupressure (AA) treatment in improving constipation in patients with schizophrenia. Metho ds. A crossover randomized controlled trial design was performed from April 2022 to December 2023 at four psychiatric rehabilitation care centers. A total of 23 patients with schizophrenia received an AA intervention or usual care according to the designated treatment sequences. Measurements comprised subjective assessment of constipation by the Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) questionnaire, an objective assessment of the stool pattern rated by a Bristol stool form scale, and heart rate variability. A generalized estimating equation model was used for data analyses. Result s. After completing an 8-week AA intervention stimulating the Shenmen, San Jiao, Large intestine and Rectum, the AA group exhibited lower scores in the PAC-SYM total score (difference = −12.66, , 0.001), and the subscales: abdominal (difference = −3.36, p <.001), rectal (difference = −3.51, p <.001), and stool (difference = −5.79, p <.001), compared to those receiving usual care. The cases of constipation indicated by type 1 and type 2 of the BSF scale significantly decreased after the 8-week AA intervention. Moreover, the AA group displayed more parasympathetic dominance compared to the usual care group, with a low frequency to high frequency ratio of −1.15. Conclusion. AA is an effective non-pharmacological method for improving subjective constipation symptoms and objective stool pattern in patients with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to examine determinants of undernutrition among children under 2 years of age. Design and Methods: A matched case‐control study design was conducted to recruit 300 mothers comprising 100 mothers with an undernourished child (case group) and 200 mothers with a healthy child (control group). Measurements consisted of demographic characteristics of children data, mother's data, household data, mother's knowledge of child undernutrition, mother's knowledge of nutrition, complementary feeding practices, and undernutrition parameters of the children. A conditional logistic regression was used to identify determinants of undernutrition. The risk of undernutrition was estimated by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was defined as any p value of <.05. Results: Findings showed that mother's knowledge of undernutrition (AOR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91−0.98), mother's knowledge of nutrition (AOR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.85−0.96), and mother's knowledge (AOR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.67−0.91) and behavior of complementary feeding practices (AOR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94−0.99) were significant determinants of undernutrition (p <.05). Practice Implications: Mothers with high scores on knowledge of undernutrition, knowledge of nutrition, and knowledge and behaviors of complementary feeding practices would benefit the children under 2 years to reduce the risk of undernutrition. Healthcare professionals (i.e., pediatric nurses and community health nurses) should provide early assessment of knowledge related to undernutrition, nutrition, and complementary feeding practices for mothers with children under 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of four questionnaire-based tools (i.e. the FRAIL scale, Groningen Frailty Indicator [GFI], Tilburg Frailty Indicator [TFI], and PRISMA-7) for screening frailty in older adults. Research Design and Methods The 4 databases comprising the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, PubMed, and ProQuest were searched from inception to June 20, 2023. Study quality comprising risks of bias and applicability was assessed via a QUADAS-2 questionnaire. A bivariate network meta-analysis model and Youden's index were performed to identify the optimal tool and cutoff points. Results In total, 20 studies comprising 13 for FRAIL, 7 for GFI, 6 for TFI, and 5 for PRISMA-7 were included. Regarding study quality appraisal, all studies had high risks of bias for study quality assessment domains. Values of the pooled sensitivity of the FRAIL scale, GFI, TFI, and PRISMA-7 were 0.58, 0.74, 0.66, and 0.73, respectively. Values of the pooled specificity of the FRAIL scale, GFI, TFI, and PRISMA-7 were 0.92, 0.77, 0.84, and 0.86, respectively. The Youden's index was obtained for the FRAIL scale with a cutoff of 2 points (Youden's index = 0.65), indicating that the FRAIL scale with a cutoff of 2 points was the optimal tool for frailty screening in older adults. Discussion and Implications The FRAIL scale comprising 5 self-assessed items is a suitable tool for interview older adults for early frailty detection in community settings; it has the advantages of being short, simple, and easy to respond to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interactive e-books offer multimedia and interactive features that make them particularly suitable for learning nursing skills and also allow for easy content updating, ensuring that students learn the most current skills based on the latest clinical guidelines. Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of an interactive e-book in increasing nursing students' knowledge, confidence, and learning self-efficacy of performing nasogastric tube feeding. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 62 nursing students, with the experimental group using an interactive e-book for learning whereas the comparison group using a printed textbook. Results: The experimental group demonstrated significantly greater knowledge and confidence improvements than the comparison group, but no significant difference was found in learning self-efficacy. The experimental group was significantly more satisfied with the learning materials than the comparison group. Conclusions: Interactive e-books are more effective in enhancing nursing students' knowledge and confidence in performing nursing skills than printed textbooks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is variability in the reported prevalence of stress and anxiety among nursing students across studies, and few studies have investigated the pooled prevalence of stress and anxiety of these students. Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and associated factors related to stress and anxiety among nursing students. Methods: Various electronic databases were searched up to October 26, 2022. A random-effects model and a moderator analysis were used to examine the overall prevalence and related factors. Begg's test was adopted to examine publication bias. Results: In total, 121 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Most nursing students experienced moderate stress (42.1%) and mild to moderate anxiety (19.4%-25.1%). Third- and fourth-year nursing students had severe stress levels compared with those in the first and second years (29.0% vs 15.1%). Conclusions: Nurse educators should design appropriate curricula to strengthen student knowledge and provide regular assessments and supportive interventions to reduce stress and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the efficacy of applying auricular acupuncture (AA) treatment in improving dry mouth in institution‐dwelling older adults. Background: Dry mouth (xerostomia) is a common distressing problem in older populations, especially for institution‐dwelling older adults that can affect oral health and quality of life. Design: A randomised controlled trial was conducted from December 2020 to March 2021 and performed according to STRICTA guidelines extended from the CONSORT statement. Methods: Older adults aged more than 65 years were randomly allocated to an AA group (n = 37) with an 8‐week actual auricular points treatment or a control group (n = 38) receiving sham auricular point acupuncture. Measurements comprised a subjective assessment of the level of dry mouth as assessed by a visual analogue scale in a xerostomia questionnaire, and an objective assessment of the physiological wetness of the lingual mucosa measured with a moisture‐checking device. A generalised estimating equation model was used for data analyses. Results: After completing an 8‐week AA intervention stimulating the Shenmen, Point Zero and Salivary Gland 2‐prime points, the AA group exhibited significantly improved subjective symptoms of dry mouth comprised of difficulty speaking (B = −6.47, p <.001), difficulty swallowing (B = −6.73, p <.001), the amount of oral saliva (B = −5.38, p <.001), a dry throat (B = −7.53, p <.001) and thirst (B = −8.06, p <.001) compared with the control group. Moreover, the AA group had higher objective oral saliva flow than the control group (B = 4.73, p <.001). Conclusion: AA is an effective non‐pharmacological method for improving subjective symptoms of dry mouth and objective saliva secretion in older populations living in nursing homes. Relevant to clinical practice: Performing regular AA on the Shenmen, Point Zero and Salivary Gland 2‐prime auricular points can be considered an alternative treatment approach to improve dry mouth in institution‐dwelling older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]