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.     

利用微信平台延续性护理对老年腰椎间盘突出症术后患者康复及生活质量的影响

目的探讨微信平台延续性护理对老年腰椎间盘突出症术后患者康复及生活质量的影响。方法选取2015年6月—2018年5月在郑州市骨科医院接受手术治疗的老年腰椎间盘突出症患者96例进行研究。对照组行常规延续性护理,观察组行微信平台延续性护理。对比两组康复效果、治疗依从性及生活质量。计数资料采用卡方检验分析,计量资料采用t检验分析。结果观察组有效率为95.83%,明显高于对照组的81.25%。观察组总依从率为91.67%,明显高于对照组的77.08%。干预前两组生活质量量表得分相当,治疗后两组生活质量均有明显改善,但观察组改善程度更为明显。结论微信平台延续性护理相比传统延续性护理可明显提高老年腰椎间盘突出症患者康复效果、提高治疗依从性和改善生活质量。     

Cumulative experiences with life adversity: Identifying critical levels for targeting prevention efforts

This paper aims to assess the role of individual types and cumulative life adversity for understanding depressive symptomatology and aggressive behavior. Data were collected in 2011 as part of the Teen Life Online and in Schools Study from 916 ethnically-diverse students from 12 middle, K–8, 6–12 and high schools in the Midwest United States. Youth reported an average of 4.1 non-victimization adversities and chronic stressors in their lifetimes. There was a linear relationship between number of adversities and depression and aggression scores. Youth reporting the highest number of adversities (7 or more) had significantly higher depression and aggression scores than youth reporting any other number of adversities suggesting exposure at this level is a critical tipping point for mental health concerns. Findings underscore an urgent need to support youth as they attempt to negotiate, manage, and cope with adversity in their social worlds.     

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.     

Communication practices in conversations about sexual health in medical healthcare settings: A systematic review

ObjectiveMany healthcare professionals experience difficulties in discussing sexual health with their patients. The aim of this review was to synthesize results of studies on communication practices in interactions about sexual health in medical settings, to offer healthcare professionals suggestions on how to communicate about this topic.MethodsWe searched for studies using five databases. Reference lists and specialist bibliographies were searched to identify additional studies. We included discourse analytic studies that used recordings of medical consultations.ResultsWe identified five studies that met the inclusion criteria. Findings were synthesized into seven categories of practices deployed by patients and healthcare professionals when talking about sexual health: avoiding delicate terms (1), delaying potentially delicate words and issues (2), using assumptive talk (3), generalized advice-giving (4), deploying patients’ talk (5), depersonalization (6), and patient-initiated advice (7).ConclusionPractices indicate the delicacy associated with discussing sexual health issues, but results also shed light on practices that can help professionals to deal with this delicacy, and to be responsive to patients’ needs and concerns.Practice implicationsFindings will assist healthcare professionals in broaching topics related to sexual health so they can help patients deal with challenges that affect their sexual health and overall well-being.     

正念减压疗法对妊娠呕吐妇女负性情绪和生活质量的影响

目的 探析正念减压疗法对妊娠呕吐妇女负性情绪和生活质量的影响。 方法 将2017年5月-2018年5月在我院治疗的90例妊娠呕吐妇女纳入本研究,采用数字表法随机分成研究组和对照组,每组各45例。对照组接受宣教,研究组在对照组上实施正念减压疗法。分别于入组时、干预4周和干预8周采用焦虑自评量表(self-rating anxiety scale,SAS)、抑郁自评量表(self-rating depression scale,SDS)、生活质量综合评定问卷(generic quality of life inventory-74,GQOLI-74)进行评估,比较2组妊娠呕吐妇女负性情绪和生活质量。 结果 2组SAS、SDS评分及生活质量综合评定问卷总分在组间效应、时间效应及交互效应上差异具统计学意义。 结论 妊娠呕吐妇女进行正念减压疗法,能够显著减轻妊娠呕吐妇女负性情绪和提高生活质量,值得在临床上广泛应用。     

Infección por el virus de la hepatitis C y nuevas estrategias de tratamiento

Hepatitis C is a major public health problem worldwide. This disease is caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is characterised by its genetic diversity. The infection is usually asymptomatic. However, between 60% and 80% of HCV-infected individuals will progress to chronic hepatitis, 20% to liver cirrhosis in the medium-to long-term and, each year, between 1% and 4% of these patients with cirrhosis will develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A Spanish consensus document has recently been drafted to diagnose hepatitis C in a single step, consisting of active investigation (antibodies and viremia) in a single sample, which according to the experts, would reduce the time to access treatment and avoid tracking losses. To definitively change the hepatitis C treatment paradigm, direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) have been approved, whose development has been based on achieving cure rates close to 100% regardless of the genotype of the virus, ie, pangenotypes, with good tolerance and bioavailability. These drugs have constituted a real therapeutic revolution. Supplement information: This article is part of a supplement entitled «SEIMC External Quality Control Programme. Year 2016», which is sponsored by Roche, Vircell Microbiologists, Abbott Molecular and Francisco Soria Melguizo, S.A.© 2019 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosasy Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.     

Effect of a Condom Cover on Vaginal Photoplethysmographic Responses

IntroductionThe vaginal photoplethysmograph (VPP) is a reusable intravaginal device often employed in sexual psychophysiology studies to assess changes in vaginal blood flow, an indicator of sexual arousal.AimTo test whether placing a disposable cover on the VPP probe impacts the acquired data. A condom cover would reduce risk of disease transmission and likely increase participant comfort but may negatively impact the VPP signal.MethodThe genital responses of 25 cisgender women (mean age = 21.3 years, standard deviation = 2.6) were assessed with VPP in a within-subjects design with 2 conditions—with and without a polyisoprene condom cover. Sexual responses were elicited by audiovisual film clips that varied in erotic intensity: nonsexual (nonsexual male-female interaction), low-intensity sexual (nude exercise), and high-intensity sexual (male-female intercourse). Women continuously rated their sexual arousal during stimulus presentations.Main Outcome MeasureChange in vaginal pulse amplitude and also self-reported sexual arousal.ResultsThe magnitude of sexual response to each stimulus category and the overall pattern of results were found to be highly similar in the cover-off and cover-on conditions. The high-intensity sexual stimulus category elicited a greater sexual response than all other categories. The low-intensity sexual category elicited a (small) genital response in only the cover-on condition, although we suspect this is a spurious finding. There was no difference in the average number of edited movement artifacts across conditions.Clinical ImplicationsPotential benefits of encasing the VPP probe with a protective cover include enhanced participant safety and comfort, especially if assessing genital responses of high-risk or immunocompromised samples. The use of a cover complies with current guidelines for reprocessing semi-critical medical devices (eg, vaginal ultrasound probes) in many regions.Strengths & LimitationsAlthough the idea of a VPP probe cover had been discussed among sexual psychophysiology researchers, this is the first study to empirically test whether a cover could jeopardize VPP data. Potential limitations include the use of a 10-Hz VPP sampling rate and a cover that was not tailored to the size of the VPP probe.ConclusionPlacing a protective cover on the VPP probe did not appear to meaningfully impact sexual arousal or the VPP data. Based on these results and the potential advantages of a protective cover, researchers may wish to integrate the use a condom cover in their experiment protocols and clinical applications.Sawatsky ML, Lalumière ML. Effect of a Condom Cover on Vaginal Photoplethysmographic Responses. J Sex Med 2020; 17:702–715.