Utilization of family planning services in the Governorate of Zarqa, Jordan.

Quantitative and qualitative methods are used to explore family planning (FP) utilization in four clinics with different models of provision in Zarqa Governorate in Jordan. Constraints to utilization at the service level are identified based on service observations and the perspectives of providers. Service statistics, clinic observations, and focus group discussions were used to compare utilization patterns and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the different models of provision. Findings show that FP provision is still fragmented and "techno-patriarchal" in Jordan. Strengthening coordination mechanisms between the service sectors and addressing men are important strategies to increase FP utilization that are transferable to other countries of the Middle East and the developing world.     

Smoking patterns among Jordanian health professionals: A study about the impediments to tobacco control in Jordan

Background

Little is known about Arab health professionals' smoking practices.

Aim

This is the first study to examine smoking practices among Arab health professionals.

Methods

Background: Little is known about Arab nurses and physicians' smoking patterns.

Aim

This study aims to examine smoking patterns among Arab nurses and physicians.

Methods

A total of 918 nurses and physicians participated in this study. Data were collected using the Global Professional Health Survey.

Results

About 38.8% are current smokers. The smoking percentages for male nurses and male physicians were high (83.8%, 94.6% respectively) compared to female nurses and female physicians (16.2%, 5.4% respectively). Approximately 53.8% wanted to quit and 60.6% had made previous quit attempts that lasted for more than two days. About 64.1% believed that nurses and physicians who smoke were less likely to advise patients to stop smoking. The predictors of smoking were: age when tried first cigarettes OR = 6.36, 95% CI = 4.48, 9.04; father smokes OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.40, 2.72; mother smokes OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.18, 3.39; shift work OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.04, 2.03; and the interaction (gender and profession) OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.55, 2.14.

Discussion

Effective interventions often begin with and/or depend on nurses and physicians being committed to smoking cessation. Given the very high smoking rates among nurses and physicians a key priority must be to provide quit smoking programs and to enable them to become effective champions of smoking cessation nationwide.     

An intervention of acupressure and interactive multimedia to improve visual health among Taiwanese schoolchildren

OBJECTIVE: Myopia is a significant health issue but it can be alleviated and prevented by several interventions. This study aimed to construct an intervention of acupressure and interactive multimedia for visual health and to evaluate the effect of its application on schoolchildren. DESIGN: A pre-posttest experimental research design with a control group was used. The experimental group received a 15-week visual health intervention, whereas the control group received none. SAMPLE: 70 children with visual impairment were recruited from 1 elementary school in Taipei, Taiwan. MEASUREMENTS: The data of demographic factors, visual health knowledge, visual acuity, and refractive error were collected before and after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated improvements in visual health knowledge, visual acuity, and refractive error. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes of using the intervention seemed to be promising, but broader studies exploring its effects on children in different school years as well as its longitudinal effects are required.     

Predictors of hostility among university students in Jordan

Scand J Caring Sci; 2010; 24; 125–130
Predictors of hostility among university students in Jordan
Objective:  The study aimed at examining predictors of hostility among university students in Jordan.
Methods:  Two-step multiple hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between hostility, perceived stress, perceived social support, depression, moral commitment, life satisfaction and optimism utilizing data collected from 428 university students were recruited from six different universities in Jordan.
Results:  Life satisfaction, depression and perceived stress were significant predictors of hostility among university students (p < 0.05). Life satisfaction was inversely related, whereas depression and perceived stress were positively related to hostility. Male and female university students were not different in their hostility scores.
Conclusion:  Assessment of psychosocial well being is an important component to manage hostility among university students. The importance of psychosocial well being is highlighted and implications for mental health nurses and professionals are presented.     

Oral health related quality of life among imprisoned Dutch forensic psychiatric patients

Because dental health and oral pathology may affect forensic psychiatric patients' well being, it is important to be able to assess oral health related quality of life (OH-QoL) in these patients. Two studies were conducted among Dutch forensic psychiatric male patients to assess the psychometric properties and some potential predictors of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) as a measure of OH-QoL. Study 1 involved 40 patients who completed the OHIP-14 before receiving professional dental care and were retested 3 months later. The internal consistency was good, the test-retest correlations were fair, and over the 3 months follow-up no significant changes in OH-QoL were observed. Study 2 consisted of 39 patients who completed an improved version of the original OHIP-14, as well as measures to validate of the OHIP. Dental anxiety and unhealthy dentition jointly explained 26.7% of the variance in OH-QoL, and the better patients performed their oral hygiene behavior, the better their OH-QoL. It is concluded that the Dutch OHIP-14 is a useful instrument, and that nurses, especially in forensic nursing, should pay particularly attention to dental anxiety when encouraging patients to visit OH professionals and to perform adequate oral hygiene self-care.     

Utilization patterns among long-term enrollees in a prepaid group practice health maintenance organization

Criteria used in this study established that 13% of long-term adult members of a prepaid group practice health maintenance organization (HMO) were consistently high users of outpatient medical care services. This population accounted for 31% of the total doctor office visits (DOVs), 35% of the hospital admissions, and 30% of the outpatient surgical services for long-term members. The most frequent reason for DOVs in this high user group was treatment and/or follow-up of chronic conditions. Patterns of utilization were unrelated to marital status, income, occupation, and perceived social class. Smoking and alcohol use also were not associated with utilization patterns. However, the consistently high users were more likely to perceive their health status as fair or poor and to report a higher number of physical symptoms. They were also more likely to be characterized by a higher degree of psychological distress, especially depression. Contacts with the HMO's mental health department constituted less than 1% of their total medical care contacts, and only 13% made at least one mental health contact over the study period. The findings are discussed in terms of their health and medical care implications.     

Oral health progress in Kansas

In 2003, Kansas received a grade of "D+" from Oral Health America in an annual rating of the state's oral health status (Oral Health America, 2003). This low grade confirmed what advocates had been saying for some time: Kansas---at several levels--is not taking seriously the oral health needs of many of its citizens. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Kansas dental health system and the role of the nurse in oral health.     

Oral health in older people

Oral health is an area which is often overlooked when caring for older people. This article gives guidelines on how to ensure that older people do not suffer discomfort and diseases in the mouth.