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.     

Psychomotor therapy targeting anger and aggressive behaviour in individuals with mild or borderline intellectual disabilities: A systematic review

Background: Poor anger regulation is considered a risk factor of aggression in individuals with mild or borderline intellectual disabilities. Psychomotor therapy (PMT) targets anger regulation through body- and movement-oriented interventions. This study aims to inform practitioners on efficacy and research-base of PMT in this population.

Method: This systematic review evaluated nine studies which met inclusion criteria in terms of participants, intervention procedures, outcomes and certainty of evidence.

Results: Seven studies revealed a substantial reduction of aggressive behaviour or anger. Certainty of evidence was rated inconclusive in most cases due to absence of experimental control.

Conclusions: We can conclude that body-oriented PMT, involving progressive relaxation and meditation procedure “Soles of the Feet”, is a promising approach. However, the paucity of studies and methodological limitations preclude classifying it as an evidence-based practice. This suggests stronger methodological research and research aimed at PMT’s mechanisms of action (e.g., improved interoceptive awareness) is warranted.     

Bidirectional relationships between future time perspective and alcohol use: an exploratory study in a clinical setting

Abstract

Gaining a better grasp on factors related to changes in alcohol use is of particular interest for clinicians. Past research has highlighted a negative link between future time perspective (i.e. a disposition guiding how individuals consider and act regarding their future) and alcohol misuse. However, much remains at stake in the understanding of this association. The objective of this research was to explore bidirectional relationships between future time perspective and severity of alcohol-related problems, in a clinical setting. The sample includes 79 patients followed up in an outpatient alcohol treatment centre. Two measurement times were planned: at entry into care and 6 months later. Multiple linear regression analyses were carried out, controlling for sociodemographic variables. We found that baseline future time perspective predicted level of alcohol-related problems after 6 months in treatment, even when effects of baseline alcohol-related problems and sociodemographic variables were controlled. This study shows that the way patients see and position themselves regarding their future can affect level of alcohol-related problems. It may be useful for clinicians to identify patients with low future time perspective to offer tailored interventions and consider this dimension as a resource for change.     

Relationships between perceived teachers' controlling behaviour,psychological need thwarting,anger and bullying behaviour in high-school students

We tested a model of the associations between students' perceptions of their physical education teacher's controlling behaviour, perceptions of basic psychological need thwarting, anger and bullying behaviour. School students (N = 602; M age = 12.88, SD = 1.37) from 10 schools completed measures of perceived teachers' controlling behaviour and perceived thwarting of the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in physical education context and self-reported bullying and anger. A well-fitting structural equation model demonstrated that students' perceptions of the negative conditional regard and intimidation exhibited by the teacher had significant indirect effect on students' feelings of anger and bullying behaviour through the perceived psychological need thwarting in physical education. Findings suggest that physical education teachers who avoid the use of negative conditional regard and intimidation in their classes have students who perceive less need thwarting and report less bullying behaviour.     

Infecciones de transmisión sexual en hombres internos en prisión: riesgo de desarrollo de nuevas infecciones

ObjectiveTo measure incidence and main risk factors related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Daroca Prison (Zaragoza, Spain).MethodA retrospective cohort study (2005-2013) to measure the incidence of STI and a cross-sectional study to measure risk factors.ResultsOf the 203 inmates, 79 developed an STI, 37 had a previous STI, 55.2% lacked knowledge on STI prevention, and 28.9% showed behaviours unfavourable for STI prevention. The incidence rate was 6.5 STIs per 1,000 inmates-year. The most frequent STIs were hepatitis B (39.7%), Ureaplasma urealyticum (19.1%), herpes simplex (16.2%) and HIV (8.8%). The risk (hazard ratio, HR) of acquiring a new STI was significantly higher in inmates with a history of previous STI (HR = 2.61; 95%CI: 1.01 to 6.69), and was at the limit of significance for non-preventive behaviour (HR = 2.10; 95%CI: 0.98 to 4.53), but not in knowledge related to STIs (HR = 1.33; 95%CI: 0.58 to 3.07).ConclusionThe most important risk factors in prison are behaviours related to STIs and previous history of STIs. Other factors are being a repeat offender, injecting drug use, or being in a methadone programme. Health personnel and peer education can facilitate prevention and control.