Do social support and community engagement act as mechanisms in the association between neighbourhood income inequality and the mental health of mothers in Calgary,Canada? A mediation analysis

PurposeAccording to the social determinants of health framework, income inequality is a potential risk factor for adverse mental health. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms suspected to mediate this relationship. The current study addresses this gap through a mediation analysis to determine if social support and community engagement act as mediators linking neighbourhood income inequality to maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms within a cohort of new mothers living in the City of Calgary, Canada.MethodsData collected at three years postpartum from mothers belonging to the All Our Families (AOF) cohort were used in the current study. Maternal data were collected between 2012 and 2015 and linked to neighbourhood socioeconomic data from the 2006 Canadian Census. Income inequality was measured using Gini coefficients derived from 2006 after-tax census data. Generalized structural equation models were used to quantify the associations between income inequality and mental health symptoms, and to assess the potential direct and indirect mediating effects of maternal social support and community engagement.ResultsIncome inequality was not significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.32, 95%CI = −0.067, 0.70), anxiety symptoms (β = 0.11, 95%CI = −0.39, 0.60), or lower social support. Income inequality was not associated with community engagement. For the depression models, higher social support was significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms (β = −0.13, 95%CI = −0.15, −0.097), while community engagement was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.059, 95%CI = −0.15, 0.27). Similarly, for the anxiety models, lower anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with higher levels of social support (β = −0.17, 95%CI = −0.20, −0.13) but not with higher levels of community engagement (β = 0.14, 95%CI = −0.14, 0.41).ConclusionThe current study did not find clear evidence for social support or community engagement mediating the relationship between neighbourhood income inequality and maternal mental health. Future investigations should employ a broader longitudinal approach to capture changes in income inequality, potential mediators, and mental health symptomatology over time.     

Climate Change: Effects on the Older Adult

The effects of climate change include floods, hurricanes, heat waves, and fires; these natural disasters can result in respiratory, cardiovascular, and psychological harm in older adults, who experience the highest morbidity and mortality during heat waves. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) need education on preparing, assessing, and treating older adults for climate-change disasters, especially heat waves. This article will help APRNs understand the effects of climate-change events on the vulnerable older adults and advocates for the need to integrate health effects of climate change into curricula, practicums, policy, and research agendas.     

Burnout and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner: Who Is Experiencing Burnout and Why?

IntroductionA sexual assault nurse examiner role exemplifies the high-stress and highly emotional patient interactions that are often associated with burnout. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of burnout among sexual assault nurse examiners in North Carolina.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was an anonymous survey of practicing sexual assault nurse examiners within North Carolina using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and additional demographics. Results were analyzed with odds ratios, confidence intervals, Fisher exact, chi-square, and Kruskal Wallis tests as appropriate.ResultsAmong 95 respondents, burnout was more frequent in sexual assault nurse examiners who stopped both emergency and nurse examiner work (55.6%, odds ratio 4.41, 95% confidence interval 1.07-18.06) and in dual function nurses (both emergency and nurse examiner work, 35.7%, odds ratio 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.04-7.06). Sexual assault nurse examiners who had a high percentage of pediatric cases (above the median of 40%) were more likely to meet burnout thresholds for emotional exhaustion scores > 26 (48.78% vs 25.93%, χ² = 5.30, P = .02) and more likely to meet burnout thresholds for depersonalization scores > 9 (48.78% vs 24.07%, χ² = 6.28, P = .01).DiscussionHigher frequency of burnout threshold criteria was found in those people who worked concurrently as a sexual assault nurse examiner and an emergency nurse and in those who had retired from both specialties. We also found that sexual assault nurse examiners with a higher case mix of pediatric cases had higher emotional exhaustion scores and higher depersonalization scores.     

The Bachelor’s thesis in nursing: Characteristics and students’ approach and satisfaction

AimThe aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of the Bachelor’s thesis of fourth-year nursing students at a Spanish public university, the criteria that students used to choose a topic and students’ degree of satisfaction after completing the Bachelor’s thesis.DesignQuantitative study.MethodsWe examined 420 Bachelor’s theses carried out from 2013 to 2018 and conducted an online survey among fourth-year students in the 2017–18 and 2018–19 academic years (81 completed questionnaires).ResultsThe Bachelor’s thesis took the form of a research proposal. The most frequent proposal type was a qualitative hospital-based study whose objective was to understand the experiences of adult or adolescent patients, close family members, or nurses. Students chose topics for personal reasons. Most participants reported feeling satisfied with the knowledge and skills acquired.ConclusionsStudents completing a Bachelor’s thesis in the form of a research proposal have the potential to transfer their research skills to their nursing practice.     

厦门市社区老年慢性病共病与不良生活方式共存现状研究

目的 调查社区老年人常见的14种慢性病共病情况及不良生活方式共存现象。 方法 采用方便抽样的方法抽取厦门市社区906例老年人群为研究对象,使用自设问卷调查研究对象的慢病共存及不良方式共存现象,使用检验和多因素logistic回归方法进行分析。结果 共纳入906例老年人,慢性病患病率为79.5%,老年人慢性病共病患病率为58.9%。主要的不良生活方式是BMI异常(46.8%)、饮酒(40.5%)、睡眠时间少(37.9%)、缺乏锻炼(35.2%)、吸烟(32.8%)等。多因素logistic回归分析显示,女性(OR=2.232,95%CI:1.474～3.380,P＜0.001)、高龄(OR=2.038,95%CI:1.234～3.365,P=0.001)、有慢性病家族史(OR=2.854,95%CI:1.943～4.194,P＜0.001)、肥胖(OR=2.571,95%CI:1.096～6.033,P=0.030)、饮酒(OR=3.582,95%CI:2.531～5.071,P＜0.001)、吸烟(OR=1.789,95%CI:1.172～2.732,P=0.007)、嗜盐(OR=1.818,95%CI:1.170～2.823,P=0.008)、嗜油(OR=2.023,95%CI:1.153～3.550,P=0.010)、睡眠质量差(OR=2.091,95%CI:1.360～3.215,P=0.001)的老年人,慢性病共病的比例高。 结论 厦门市社区老年人慢性病共病和不良生活方式共存现象严重。肥胖、饮酒、吸烟、嗜盐、嗜油、睡眠质量差等行为生活方式是慢性病重要的可干预因素,社区工作者应提高社区居民对健康生活方式重要性的认识,促使其主动改变不良生活方式并长期坚持健康的生活方式,以降低其慢性病的发病风险,减少其伤残程度,提高生活质量。     

Moral Distress and Burnout in NICU Nurses

The objectives of this study were to factor analyze the Moral Distress Scale–Revised (MDS-R) in NICU nurses and to evaluate the relationships among dimensions of the MDS-R and the demoralization, exhaustion, and loss of motive dimensions of the Burnout Measure (BM). A total of 142 NICU nurses completed modified pen-and-paper versions of the MDS-R and BM. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the MDS-R-14 was a relatively good fit for the data. The compromised care dimension predicted BM demoralization (β = 0.24) and exhaustion (β = 0.22), the futile care dimension predicted BM exhaustion (β = 0.18), and the untruthful care dimension predicted BM demoralization (β = .25). Strategies to mitigate moral distress and resulting burnout in NICU nurses should address futile care, compromised care, and untruthful care.     

基于罗森塔尔效应的护理干预对脑出血后遗症病人的心理状况和生活质量的影响

目的:探讨基于罗森塔尔效应的护理干预对脑出血后遗症病人的心理状况和生活质量的影响。方法:按照随机数字表法将2019年1月—2021年1月收治的98例脑出血后遗症病人分为对照组和观察组各49例,对照组实施常规护理,观察组在常规护理基础上给予基于罗森塔尔效应的护理干预。干预前后采用卒中量表(NIHSS)、功能独立性评定量表(FIM)、生活活动功能测量量表Barthel指数(BADL)评定两组病人康复情况,采用非精神病性焦虑量表(HADS-A)、非精神病性抑郁量表(HADS-D)、自我效能量表(GSES)评定两组病人心理状态,采用生活质量简明调查表(SF-36)评定两组病人生活质量。结果:观察组病人干预后NIHSS评分低于对照组,FIM和BADL评分高于对照组(P<0.05);观察组病人干预后HADS-A和HADS-D评分低于对照组,GSES评分高于对照组(P<0.05);观察组病人干预后生活质量各维度(躯体功能、躯体角色、肌体疼痛、总体健康、活力、社会功能、情绪角色、心理卫生)评分均明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:基于罗森塔尔效应的护理干预应用于脑出血后遗症病人能有效促进病人康复,改善病人心理状态,提高病人生活质量。