Predictors of Paternal Versus Maternal Stress in Families of Children With Neural Tube Defects

This study examined the types of stress experienced by maternal and paternal caretakers of children with Neural Tube Defects (NTD) and examined child and family characteristics that correlated with stress. Participants were 71 two-parent families of a child with spina bifida. Parents completed the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form to measure types of stress. Additional measures were completed to investigate variables potentially related to reported stress. Fathers reported significantly higher levels of stress from “dysfunctional parent-child interaction.” Mothers' personal stress correlated with disability and medical characteristics of the child. Fathers reported more stress when the child had maladaptive behaviors and when experiencing fewer social supports and resources. Mothers and fathers coparenting a child with NTD have both common and unique stresses. It is important that both be included in parent support and education initiatives.     

Nurses' Logs as an Evaluation Tool for School-Based Violence Prevention Programs

ABSTRACT: Programs for preventing violence among youth should be evaluated to determine if they are effective. Nurses' logs appear to be a useful tool for evaluating school-based violence prevention programs. The logs provide a record of students' visits to the school nurse that can be used to determine if a violence prevention program is associated with a reduction in fighting—and other injury-related nurse visits. This method has many strengths: it is simple and inexpensive, it does not interrupt the school routine, it permits school-level rather than student-level data collection, it provides a ready "baseline," and it allows continuous data collection. However, potential limitations do exist. For example, the method may provide insufficient information and may be affected by factors unrelated to the intervention. School officials can increase the usefulness of the logs by encouraging standardization and providing training in their use.     

Sarcoidosis and primary biliary cirrhosis

Summary An unusual case of a woman with primary biliary cirrhosis and cutaneous sarcoidosis is described. The factors that allow a specific diagnosis of each condition are presented and the literature pertaining to such complex and unusual cases is presented.This work was supported in part by a grant from the Gastroenterology Medical Research Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania.     

Without Parental Consent: Conducting Research With Homeless Adolescents

ISSUES AND PURPOSE. To identify the ethical and legal implications of conducting research with homeless adolescents and to discuss guidelines for conducting research without parental consent.
CONCLUSIONS. Ethical principles of capacity, risk, postponement, and truthful disclosure within the context of the rights of minors to consent to healthcare treatment form the basis of the argument for allowing adolescents to consent to participate in research without parental consent when there is minimal risk or when such consent could place them at increased risk for harm.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Adolescents who are the target population for clinical research or who are intended recipients of nursing care should be involved in setting priorities, purposes, and protocols. Parents and other adults from their communities should be included in developing strategies to protect their confidentiality and privacy while helping them achieve autonomy in making informed health-related decisions.