Attitudes and beliefs of medicine and social work students about medical cannabis use for epilepsy.

The current study sought: (i) to explore whether health profession students possess formal medical cannabis (MC) education, feel prepared to answer questions about MC, and perceive it as an effective therapy for epilepsy; (ii) to assess students' attitudes and beliefs about MC use; and (iii) to explore the associations between students' background characteristics, MC-related attitudes and beliefs regarding its effectiveness for epilepsy. A sample of 310 students (141 from medicine and 169 from social work) voluntarily participated in the anonymous online survey. The vast majority (92.5%) indicated they had no formal education about MC, and only 11.2 % reported being prepared to answer clients' MC-related questions. Participants reported favorable beliefs about MC benefits, the need for training, and recreational marijuana use legalization. Less supportive attitudes were reported regarding MC risks. Prior cannabis use (e.g., self-use, friends, or family) and individuals from a secular background were associated with more positive beliefs about MC benefits and its legalization for recreational purposes. Prior recreational cannabis use [OR=1.541] and having friends who recreationally use the substance [OR=1.891] were associated with the belief that MC is an effective therapy for epilepsy. These findings indicate an urgent need for students' MC education to provide future physicians and social workers with MC-related capacities. Development of curricula and training programs in Israel are encouraged.

Correlates of participation in physical activity among older women in Israel: does ethno-cultural background matter?

Osteoporosis and its related fractures are major public health concerns. Physical activity (PA) is crucial for bone density preservation and fractures prevention. Yet, gaps in understanding exist regarding how ethno-cultural backgrounds might shape attitudes, intentions and actual PA participation. Based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) for predicting PA, the aims of this study were: (i) to compare attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, intentions and knowledge, across four ethno-cultural groups; (ii) to evaluate the fit of the model we constructed across four ethno-cultural groups of women: Israeli-born Jews and Israeli-born Bedouin-Muslims, immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and Ethiopian immigrants. Four hundred women (one hundred from each group), aged >65, completed valid and reliable questionnaires assessing knowledge, TPB components and actual PA. The level of knowledge on osteoporosis was relatively low among all four ethno-cultural groups. Intention to participate in PA was the only variable that directly predicted actual PA. Intention to participate in PA served as a mediator among attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control and actual PA. The structural equation models (SEMs) revealed that among Israeli-born Jews and Ethiopian immigrants, TPB components mediated the link between knowledge and intention to participate in PA. Among FSU immigrants and Israeli Bedouin-Muslims, the knowledge variable was not included in the final model, as its contribution was not significant. It is essential to better understand and augment interventions that enhance PA in the community, and to address the unique needs of each ethno-cultural group.

Correlates of quality of life in mothers of children with diagnosed epilepsy.

Contrary to a plethora of studies on the quality of life (QoL) of parents caring for children with chronic conditions, information regarding parents of children with epilepsy remains limited. The main purpose of the current study was to explore associations between children's biomedical characteristics, mothers' sociodemographic characteristics, mothers' situational factors, and QoL among mothers of children with epilepsy. One hundred and fifty mothers of children with epilepsy completed valid and reliable measures. The study was conducted at a large outpatient clinic for children with epilepsy in a central hospital in southern Israel. Sense of mastery and optimism emerged as significant predictors of all four domains of QoL; self-rated health (SRH) and mothers' socioeconomic status were significant predictors of three QoL domains; mothers' sleeping disturbances and children's behavioral problems predicted one QoL component. These results highlight the pivotal role that mastery and optimism play in securing the QoL of mothers caring for children with epilepsy. Moreover, mother's socioeconomic status and SRH should also be screened to deal with possible socioeconomic deprivation. In addition, health professionals should screen mothers and children for sleeping disturbances, and provide information about sleep hygiene. Psychosocial interventions need to be developed and offered to parents, in an attempt to address the social and behavior problems of children with epilepsy.

Profile and burden of care among caregivers of Ultra-Orthodox Frail Elders.

OBJECTIVE: A paucity of research exists on burden of care (BoC) and factors associated with it among minority groups, such as Ultra-Orthodox Jews. The aims of this study were (1) to portray the profile of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) caregivers and their BoC; (2) to explore relations between care recipients' characteristics, care situations, characteristics of caregivers, and BoC. METHODS: A total of 107 UOJ (66 women, 41 men) family caregivers were interviewed face to face in their homes, using valid and reliable measures. RESULTS: Participants reported moderate BoC and high level of social support. Caregiver's self-rated health, caregiver's anxiety, and social support emerged as significant predictors of caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings might help social workers and other health professionals to better understand the unique characteristics of the UOJ community and to target caregivers with higher anxiety, lesser social support, and poorer self-rated health in order to reduce their caregiving burden.

The meaning of burden of care in a faith-based community: the case of ultra-Orthodox Jews (UOJ).

OBJECTIVES: The context of caregiving in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community is still an uncharted field. We sought to facilitate an in-depth understanding of caregivers in Israel through their views of their position as primary caregivers, their coping mechanisms with the challenges of caregiving burden, and their unfulfilled needs. METHOD: Data were drawn from interviews with 28 participants, serving as primary caregivers for at least a year. RESULTS: Three major themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) burden of care as a universal experience, (2) the faith-based spiritual meaning of caring for parents, and (3) modest needs and expectations from the formal services - a total reliance on the familial-community service system, while there is some indication of unfulfilled needs that should be addressed by the formal service system. CONCLUSION: Intervening parties should be aware of the 'cultural color,' and not ignore the unique difficulties this population faces. Policy-makers should acknowledge the patterns of non-formal services used in this community.

Boosting Resilience: Photovoice as a Tool for Promoting Well-Being, Social Cohesion, and Empowerment Among the Older Adult During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This paper examines how older adults who participated in an online photovoice-based group intervention program reported their experience. In a qualitative-phenomenological study, in which 13 older-adult people participated, data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed through content analysis. The findings point to three central themes: a) Challenges-technical difficulties, difficulties in finding a subject for photography, investing time in photography, and an emotional-intellectual effort to put their experience into photography; b) Growth: New knowledge and skills-acquiring new knowledge, acquiring skills, experiencing skills regardless of age, and empowerment; c) Meaning-reflexivity, the ability to project feelings onto images, connection to the outside world, mindfulness, ability to choose, creativity, and critical consciousness. The findings share the way in which the use of creative visual engagement with photography contributed to coping with various challenges and enabled various gains within the process among the older-adult participants.

Translation and Validation of the Motivation to Change Lifestyle and Health Behaviours for Dementia Risk Reduction (MCLHB-DRR) Questionnaire among the General Israeli Population.

OBJECTIVE: The need to promote awareness of dementia prevention is broadly emphasized in Israel. Currently, there is no valid version of a Hebrew questionnaire to assess attitudes and beliefs related to dementia prevention. This study aimed to translate and validate the MCLHB-DRR questionnaire among the general Israeli population. METHODS: A total sample of 328 participants between the ages of 50-83 years (mean = 58.7, SD = 6.9) were included in this study. Participants completed the online translated MCLHB-DRR questionnaire. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to assess the questionnaire's validity. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: The EFA analysis revealed a seven-factor model with 27 items. One item related to perceived barriers and two items related to perceived severity were deleted. The CFA analysis confirmed a good model fit with the deleted items (χ2/df = 2.146, CFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.916, RMSEA = 0.049). Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.61 to 0.92. CONCLUSIONS: The Hebrew MCLHB-DRR questionnaire is a valid and reliable measurement tool for assessing attitudes and beliefs related to health behaviours and lifestyle changes for dementia risk reduction in Israeli adults over the age of 50.

Correlates of Caregiving Burden among Bedouin-Muslim Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Epilepsy.

A paucity of research exists on caregiving burden (CB) and the factors associated with it among minority groups, such as Bedouin mothers of children diagnosed with epilepsy (CDE). The aim of this study was to explore associations between CB and care-recipients' characteristics, contextual factors, and caregivers' characteristics among those mothers. METHODS: A total of 50 mothers completed self-report questionnaires while visiting pediatric neurology outpatient clinic centers, using valid and reliable measures. RESULTS: Bivariate associations were found between social support, number of medications, and CB. General self-efficacy and place of residence emerged as significant predictors of caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide health professionals with a better understanding of the factors that should be assessed in order to address caregiver burden among Bedouin mothers of CDE. Understanding the unique characteristics and culture of the Bedouin community can help professionals in targeting caregivers with a lower sense of self-efficacy, and those that reside in Bedouin cities, in order to reduce their caregiving burden.

Attitudes and beliefs about medical cannabis among social work students: Cross-national comparison.

OBJECTIVES: Worldwide, considerable attention is being given to cannabis use for medical conditions. In the current study, we sought to assess attitudes and beliefs about MC among social work students from the US and Israel. METHODS: We sought to assess attitudes and beliefs about MC among a sample of 417 social work students (230 from the US and 187 from Israel) who voluntarily participated in an anonymous online survey. Chi-square tests were used to analyze differences between groups. RESULTS: Most of the US and Israeli participants (84.3 % and 96.7 %, respectively) reported no formal education about MC; and, they would recommend MC for their clients. Participants who reported any cannabis use, compared to non-users, were more likely to believe MC could benefit physical or mental health and less inclined to believe use of the substance poses serious physical or mental health risks. Secular, compared to religious students, believed it has more benefits for physical and/or mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings evidence a considerable dearth of formal evidence-based education about cannabis for medical conditions in two university-based cohorts, despite beliefs in MC as useful for physical and mental health conditions. Efforts to develop curricula and training programs for social work students are needed since they will be among key professionals addressing client needs from health care and counseling perspectives.

Cross national comparison of medical students' attitudes and beliefs about medical cannabis and its application for pain management.

OBJECTIVES: To examine attitudes and beliefs about medical cannabis (MC), and specifically about its application for pain management, across medical students in Israel and Thailand. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey which measured attitudes and beliefs about MC. Participants were additionally asked to rate the perceived efficacy of MC for different medical conditions that are related to pain (arthritis, chronic pain, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis). Pearson's Chi-squared test was used to compare between students from the participating universities. RESULTS: 430 medical students participated, 37.9 % (n = 163) from Israel and 62.1 % (n = 267) from Thailand. Personal cannabis use was reported by 55.6 % of the Israeli and only by 6.9 % of the Thai students (p < .001). Israeli secular students, compared to those from Thailand, were more likely to recommend MC for patient treatment, less concerned about serious physical and mental health risks, and more inclined to support legalization of recreational cannabis. Israeli students reported more permissive attitudes toward MC, but reported feeling less prepared to answer patient/client questions about MC than their Thai counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study accentuate the need for curriculum designed around MC use to promote students' preparedness to serve patients in pain or with other medical conditions that may benefit from MC use.

Determinants of Bone Mineral Screening Behavior among Three Ethno-Cultural Groups of Women in Israel.

Bone mineral density (BMD) screening is one of the main means to detect and treat osteoporosis. Yet, the manner in which ethno-cultural background is associated with BMD health cognitions and screening behavior remains limited. Several ethno-cultural groups (n = 100 in each group)-Israeli-born Jews, Israeli-born Bedouin-Muslims, and Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), mean age 70 (SD = 7.1)-participated in face-to-face interviews in a cross-sectional survey, using valid and reliable questionnaires on BMD screening behavior, knowledge about osteoporosis, and theory of planned behavior (TPB) components. FSU immigrants reported the lowest BMD screening behavior. The multivariate analysis showed that higher knowledge level, positive attitudes, supportive subjective norms, and greater intentions increase the probability of BMD screening behavior. The TPB attitude component had a more pronounced effect on the probability of undergoing BMD screening among Israeli-born Bedouin-Muslims compared to Israeli-born Jews. Our findings contribute to the TPB by deepening our understanding of the associations between TPB components and BMD screening behaviors, from an ethno-cultural perspective. To assure sufficient BMD screening behavior among all ethno-cultural groups, intervention programs-suited to address the unique characteristics of each ethno-cultural group-are required.

Beliefs and Attitudes of Graduate Gerontology Students about Medical Marijuana Use for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.

AIMS: The aims of the current study were as follows: 1) to assess gerontology graduate students' beliefs about medical marijuana's (MMJ) effectiveness for two common age-related conditions - Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD); 2) to assess students' beliefs and attitudes toward MMJ; 3) to explore associations linking background characteristics, MMJ-related attitudes and beliefs, and beliefs about the MMJ effectiveness for AD and PD. METHOD: A sample of 104 (84 women and 20 men) gerontology graduate students voluntarily participated in the anonymous online survey. RESULTS: The vast majority (95%) of the participants indicated they had no formal education about MMJ and reported being unprepared to answer clients' MMJ-related questions (84.6%). Most of the participants believed that MMJ is effective for use with AD (70.2%) and PD (80.8%) patients. Participants reported favorable beliefs about MMJ benefits, concerns about risks, the need for training, and positive attitudes toward recreational marijuana use legalization. Prior marijuana use (e.g., self-use, friends or family) was found to be associated with more positive beliefs about MMJ benefits, risks, and its legalization for recreational purposes. Prior marijuana use was the only factor associated with the belief that MMJ is an effective therapy for use with AD or PD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings show the need for students' MMJ education in order to provide future gerontology service providers with the necessary knowledge and ability to address clients' questions about MMJ use. Efforts to develop curricula and training programs need to be promoted.

Does religiosity matter? University student attitudes and beliefs toward medical cannabis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between religiosity and medical cannabis (MC) knowledge, attitudes and beliefs among university medical and allied health (i.e., nursing and social work) students. METHODS: This study uses data collected from 540 Israeli male and female, Jewish and Bedouin-Arab, religious and secular students. Pearson's chi-squared and Fisher exact tests for categorical variables were used to determine the relationship. RESULTS: Religious, compared to secular, students reported less personal cannabis use and contact with others who use the substance. Regarding attitudes and beliefs, religious students were more likely to believe cannabis use poses serious physical and mental health risks and were less likely to recommend it for patient treatment. The majority of all students, religious and secular, believed cannabis can be addictive; are not prepared to answer patient/client MC questions; and, have not received formal education about MC. Religiosity was not found related to student knowledge about cannabis and its use for medical conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first in Israel to examine the relationship between religiosity and student MC knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Results evidence the relationship that should be used for curriculum development, education and field practice purposes linked to patient care.

Correlates of depression in caregivers of Ultra-Orthodox frail older adults.

Depression is the most frequent negative health outcome among informal caregivers. The aims of the current study were (a) to assess the level of depression, (b) to explore associations among care recipients' characteristics, caregivers' characteristics, situational factors, and depression among Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) caregivers. A total of 112 (44 men and 68 women) UOJ primary caregivers of frail older adults were interviewed face-to-face in their homes, using valid and reliable measures. Participants reported a notable depressive symptomatology. Three variables emerged as significant predictors of caregiver depression: higher external control (chance), being a spouse, and lower levels of social support. External locus of control, being a spouse, and social support were found to be highly important factors for explaining depression among UOJ caregivers. Resources should be allocated to target spousal caregivers with lower levels of social support and a greater sense of external locus of control in order to alleviate their depressive symptomatology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).