Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward epilepsy among schoolchildren in Jordan.

The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward epilepsy among Jordanian schoolchildren. A cross-sectional design was used, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire to assess students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in eight schools in a single province in Jordan. The results showed students' age ranged from 12 to 18 years (mean = 15.19, SD = 1.8). Students demonstrated inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes toward people with epilepsy. None of the participating students had received first aid or seizure management training in or out of school. The conclusion state that students demonstrated poor knowledge and negative attitudes toward people with epilepsy. They had no form of education or training regarding epilepsy management or first aid, indicating a need to launch education sessions as part of the school curriculum and to introduce straightforward activities in the school health education program.

Clinical Burdens of ß-Thalassemia Major in Affected Children.

BACKGROUND: ß-thalassemia major (BTM) is an inherited blood disorder leading to severe anemia. A better understanding of BTM complications can be considered an important factor in developing effective health care provision. METHOD: A descriptive exploratory design was used to identify the clinical burden of BTM from affected children's perspective. A convenience sample of 45 patients with BTM, accompanied by a family member, was recruited from a governmental hospital during April-May 2015. RESULTS: The most reported clinical burden was facial deformity 86.9%, followed by systematic infection (48.8%), growth delay (44.4%), and liver problems (39.9%). Patient age was significantly associated with clinical burdens such as bone pain and facial deformity. The number of blood transfusions received was associated with growth delay and bone pain. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the clinical burdens of thalassemia on affected children, in terms of physical appearance, growth delay and other burdens.

Pain Management Practice and Guidelines in Jordanian Pediatric Intensive Care Units.

Limited knowledge exists of current pain management practices and supporting guidelines in Jordanian pediatric intensive care units. To determine the current pain management practices and the availability and content of practice guidelines in Jordanian pediatric intensive care units, we conducted a cross-sectional and multisite survey of four pediatric intensive care units in Jordan. A questionnaire was developed and orally administered over the phone or in person to head nurses or their nominees to capture pain management practices and the existence and content of guidelines. All units had written pain management guidelines that included pain assessment, documentation, and management. All four units used one or more pain assessment tools. In three units, pain management was considered multidisciplinary and routinely discussed on unit rounds. In two units, continuous infusion of intravenous opioids was used as well as sedatives and neuromuscular blockers for most ventilated patients. In the two other units, continuous intravenous infusion of opioids was not used and only sedatives were administered for patients on mechanical ventilation. In two units, there were no specific guidelines on the use of nonopioid analgesics, patient-controlled anesthesia, or the management of postoperative pain. No unit used an opioid or sedative withdrawal assessment tool or had pain management guidelines on the use of topical anesthetic agents or sucrose. Pain management practices and guidelines varied across the four units, suggesting that there is an opportunity for improvement in pain management in pediatric intensive care units in Jordan.

Postnatal women's perspectives on the feasibility of introducing postpartum home visits: a Jordanian study.

In Jordan, there is a deficiency in postnatal care provided to women and their newborns. This study investigated the feasibility of initiating postnatal home visits in Jordan. Thirty Jordanian mothers who had recently given birth were recruited from two governmental hospitals in the northern region of Jordan to participate in a qualitative study through face-to-face, voice-recorded interviews. The findings revealed that initiating postnatal home visits as part of postnatal care was well-received by the participants. Mothers' views and perceptions regarding postpartum home visits play an integral role in finding areas to improve postnatal services.

The Influence of Context on Utilizing Research Evidence for Pain Management in Jordanian Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU).

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to gain a beginning understanding of the contextual factors that influence the use of research for pain management in Jordanian Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). DESIGN AND METHODS: A paper or online questionnaire was used to collect data on instrumental research use (IRU) and conceptual research use (CRU) and ten contextual variables from 73 registered nurses working in four Jordanian PICUs. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to test the relationship between continuous (demographic and contextual) factors and IRU and CRU. One way ANOVA and independent t-test were used to examine the differences between sociodemographic variables and IRU and CRU. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) was used to determine the demographic and contextual factors that influenced research use. We modeled the significant variables identified by bivariate correlation, t-test, and ANOVA at (p≤0.10). RESULTS: Nine of the contextual factors significantly and positively correlated with the IRU for pain assessment, eight with the IRU for pain treatment, and six with the CRU for pain management (including assessment and treatment). Hospital type (public) predicted the IRU for pain assessment. Social capital, structural, and electronic resources predicted the IRU for pain treatment. Social capital predicted the CRU for pain management. CONCLUSION: Context influences Jordanian PICU nurses' use of research for pain management. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Concentrating on modifiable contextual factors may positively influence Jordanian PICU nurses' use of research for pain management. This influence may extend to reduce children's pain in Jordanian PICUs.

Symptom management strategies of Jordanian patients following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

The aim of this study was to explore the symptom management strategies utilized by post coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients and its associations with demographic variables. A clear understanding of the use of symptom management strategies following CABG surgery may help nurses in developing educational program and interventions that help patients and their families during recovery period after discharge. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was utilized. A convenience sample of 100 Jordanian patients post CABG surgery selected from five hospitals was surveyed between November 2012 and June 2013 using the Cardiac Symptom Survey. Chi squared analyses were used to examine the associations between the symptoms management strategies and selected demographic variables. Frequency of symptom management strategies utilized by post CABG patients revealed that most frequently employed strategies were use of medications (79%), repositioning (54%) and the rest (45%). Symptom management strategies utilized for poor appetite, sleeping problem and fatigue had significant associations with demographic variables. By providing information about the symptoms expected after surgery and possible ways to manage them, will strengthen the patients psychologically and will make CABG experience within the realm of self-management and coping.

Epidemiology of Nonfatal Injuries Among Schoolchildren.

Nonfatal injuries are considered as one of the major public health hazards affecting schoolchildren, and the majority of these injuries occur at school or in the home. A cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 3 months, March-May 2015. The participants were 4,355 Jordanian schoolchildren in Grades 7-12. The Pearson χ(2) test was computed, and the odds ratio was used to determine the magnitude of various risk factors for nonfatal injuries among schoolchildren. The overall incidence of nonfatal injury was 33.9%. The group most likely to sustain nonfatal injuries was boys, aged 12-15, in Grade 7, whose parents had a low level of education or a high family income. Injury prevention in schools and at homes is a cornerstone for protection or reducing the incidence of injuries. School nurses have a duty to follow up and examine the accident reports and evaluate whether safety policies are applied and are effective in different school settings. Furthermore, health and education authorities should develop a national program for preventing injuries.

Effects of argan spinosa oil in the treatment of diaper dermatitis in infants and toddlers: A quasi-experimental study.

Objectives: Diaper dermatitis (DD) is one of the most common dermatological disorders in children. Commonly used drugs for treatment have several adverse effects; therefore, assessment of safe therapeutic strategies is necessary. We, therefore, aimed at comparing the efficacy of argan spinosa oil and 1% hydrocortisone ointment on DD healing. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Jordan on children 2 years old or younger with mild to severe DD. Initially, 73 participants were enrolled in the argan spinosa oil group, and 74 participants were enrolled in the 1% hydrocortisone ointment group. Participants were assigned to groups randomly after the baseline measurement of DD. Healing was measured on a 5-point scale on days 1, 3, and 7, through home visits. Data were analyzed with Fisher's exact test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and generalized estimating equation (GEE) models in SPSS version 25 software, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Of the 147 enrolled children, 140 completed the study. A significant decrease in the DD grades was observed in both groups. After the exclusion of confounding factors, the GEE models revealed that children treated with argan spinosa oil were approximately 0.25 times less likely to have severe DD grades and to show faster improvement than children treated with 1% hydrocortisone (p < 0.025). Multiple logistic regression on the baseline data revealed that the use of barrier cream (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.72; p = 0.004) and a frequency of bathing one or fewer times per week (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 0.65, 2.10; p = 0.002) predicted DD occurrence. Conclusion: Argan spinosa oil is more effective than 1% hydrocortisone in healing DD and might be used as a complementary treatment. However, further clinical trials on larger samples will be essential for confirming the results and making a reliable judgment. Trial registration: NCT04210674.

Parenting from a Jordanian perspective: findings from a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore Jordanian parents understanding of parenting. METHODS: A convenient sample of 110 Jordanian parents recruited from four health centers participated in the study. A semi-structured one-on-one interview with open-ended questions was used to collect the data. RESULTS: Three thematic areas reflecting parent understands of parenting were identified; parenting as embraced by Islam, transferring of cultural values and traditions, and parenting as a challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Parenting behavior and its effectiveness are reflected by the strong interplay of Islamic teachings, socio-cultural values and traditions in addition to the challenges and difficulties of being a parent. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As the ultimate goal of parenting is to promote the wellbeing and the development of children, it is crucial that health care providers involved in the design and delivery of family and children's services have a thorough understanding of how parents perceive parenting and how their understanding can be integrated in programs to enhance parental roles.

Quality of life of working and non-working Jordanian mothers caring for chronically ill child and its associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Balancing work-life and routines of daily life gets complex when a child is chronically ill. AIM: This study aimed to examine the QOL of working and non-working mothers caring for children with a chronic illness in Jordan and determine predictors of QOL of working mothers. DESIGN: Descriptive comparative cross-sectional design. METHOD: Data from 164 mothers who cared for a child with a chronic disease were collected. The World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to collect the data on physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment domains. RESULTS: The quality of life of working mothers was significantly lower than those of non-working mothers on all domains of WHOQOL-BREF. Mother's working status, monthly income, evaluation of their own health explained 41% of the variance. Social, family and employer support may help them overcome the challenges of caring for a child with a chronic illness and maintain good QOL.

Knowledge of pediatric palliative care among medical students in Jordan: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the medical student knowledge regarding pediatric palliative care (PPC) and determine the predictors of knowledge among them toward PPC. METHODS: A cross-sectional engaging study was directed with 326 medical students studying in Jordanian universities. A campaign utilizing online social media and Web-based software were executed to promote, enlist, overview undergraduate medical students, and gather information for this study. The authors employed four techniques to select undergraduate medical students on paid-promoted Facebook, personal messages, and postings in clinical forums. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that medical students have inadequate knowledge about pediatric palliative care in Jordan. The only factors that predict the knowledge toward PPC is gender. CONCLUSION: it should build the medical students' information on pediatric palliative care. The pointer was not significant in the multivariate studies, and that vicariate studies indicated no distinction in the overall scores on either test among the nonmedical students, Training projects ought to be established and delivered to pediatric medical students to improve their knowledge about pediatric palliative/palliative consideration.

The psychological burden of patients with beta thalassemia major in Syria.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to identify the psychosocial burden of thalassemia on children with beta-thalassemia major in Damascus, Syria. METHODS: The sample consisted of thalassemic patients aged 6-18 years old, admitted to the thalassemia center in Damascus, accompanied by their parents. The parents answered a structured questionnaire (developed by Ratip & Modell) on behalf of their children. RESULTS: The psychosocial burden affected many aspects of life such as education, time off school, sporting capabilities, difference from friends/siblings, social interactions, family adjustment, anxiety, isolation, and stigmatization. Results indicated a significant association between socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, school grade, current schooling, work, family income, and the occurrence of complications with the psychosocial burden variables including education, time off school, sporting capabilities, difference from friends, social interactions and stigmatization. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest the need for psychological support as well as medical help for thalassemic families. Health professionals need to assess the psychological status of children with thalassemia and that of their families in order to minimize these burdens; thus, nurses must provide psychosocial support for children with thalassemia and encourage other family members to assist in providing support for the affected children. IMPLICATION: The current study triggered the need for new policies and new roles for the community health nurse and social workers as well as the need for counseling and educational programs for children with thalassemia.

Psychosocial Burden and Stigma Perception of Jordanian Patients With Epilepsy.

Epilepsy requires long-term treatment that interferes with individuals' social relationships. Because the effects of psychosocial burden and stigma perception on patients with epilepsy in Jordan have not been explored, the study assessed the relationship among psychosocial burden, stigma of epilepsy, and demographic variables. Subjects were adult patients with epilepsy ( N = 200) registered at hospital clinics. Two published instruments were used to measure outcomes. The participants in the study perceived the burden and stigma of epilepsy as moderate. A strong, positive correlation between psychosocial burden and stigma perception among participants was found. Stigma perception, employment, and education variables explained 31.6% of variation of the level of psychosocial burden. The results showed a relationship between stigma perception and psychosocial level, and this provides information that may assist health care providers in formulating strategic plans to improve the care, safety, and quality of life of patients with epilepsy in Jordan.

Pain management interventions in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To map research based pain management interventions used in the paediatric intensive care unit. METHODOLOGY: A scoping review of research literature has been conducted. Five databases were searched from their inception to end 2015 (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global). Reference lists from the screened full text articles were reviewed. RESULTS: 7046 articles were identified, 100 underwent full text screening and 27 were included in the scoping review. Seventeen (63%) were non-experimental, and 10 (37%) were experimental, of which 8 (30%) were randomised controlled trials. The majority of the articles focused on pharmacological interventions (n = 21, 78%), one on physical, and one on psychological interventions. Four studies included more than one category of interventions. The majority of the studies focused on post-operative pain management (n = 18, 67%), three (11%) on analgesia and sedation management and six (22%) on other pain management for different conditions. DISCUSSION: Most studies included in this scoping review focused on medications and post-operative pain management and most were non clinical trials. More research, including clinical trials, is warranted to determine the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for pain management in the paediatric intensive care unit.

Breast Milk Collection and Storage in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Nurses' Knowledge, Practice, and Perceived Barriers.

BACKGROUND: Temporary storage of human milk under appropriate conditions encourages prolonged breast-feeding. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess neonatal nurses' knowledge and practice, as well as barriers, related to breast milk collection and storage and to investigate the association between nurses' knowledge and practice and other variables. METHOD: A cross-sectional design was used. Consecutive samplings of 75 nurses were recruited. The questions were based on a literature review of guidelines for collecting and storing breast milk from various sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. RESULTS: Nurses' knowledge and practice of breast milk collection and storage were adequate in general, but inadequate in relation to issues such as discarding breast milk, the thawing process, and storage temperatures. Poor practices related to absence of required equipment and unit policy. Barriers were increased workload, inappropriate milk room (i.e., a small room with uncomfortable chairs and no privacy), inactive policy, and inadequate time. CONCLUSION: Nurses should be orientated to the guidelines and a unit policy to enhance evidence-based practice. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(12):551-557.

Symptoms Experienced by Jordanian Men and Women After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery experience a wide spectrum of physical and psychological symptoms after surgery. Studies have shown that symptoms usually decline over time; however, some can persist up to months after discharge. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess symptoms experienced by patients after CABG surgery and any associations with demographic variables. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample of 100 Jordanian post-CABG surgery patients was selected from 5 hospitals in Jordan. Patients were surveyed using the Cardiac Symptom Survey. To examine the associations between the symptoms experienced and selected demographic variables, χ(2) analyses were used. RESULTS: Chest incisional pain (65%) was the most frequently perceived symptom by the participants. Leg swelling (60%) was also reported by a nearly equivalent number of respondents. Symptoms like fluttering (15%), angina (8%), and depression (3%) were reported by a handful of participants. Three symptoms (poor appetite, sleeping problem, and fatigue) had significant associations with demographic variables. DISCUSSION: The identification of frequently perceived symptoms among post-CABG patients enables health care providers to focus their assessments in identifying and alleviating them. The demographic associations identified facilitate nurses to forecast certain specific symptoms in targeted populations, like women are more prone to experience poor appetite and sleeping difficulties and strengthen these groups with strategies to prevent themselves from these distressing symptoms.

The relationships between safety climate, teamwork, and intent to stay at work among Jordanian hospital nurses.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationships among safety climate, teamwork, and intent to stay at work as perceived by Jordanian hospital nurses. METHODS: A descriptive correlational design was used to investigate these relationships among a convenience sample of 381 hospital nurses. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire that included the Safety Climate and Teamwork Scale and the McCain's Intent to Stay Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The findings showed (a) a strong positive correlation between safety climate and teamwork; and (b) moderate positive correlations between safety climate and intent to stay at work, and between teamwork and intent to stay at work. Moreover, the overall model of hierarchical regression showed that 45% of the variation in the level of intent to stay at work was explained by background variables, leadership styles, decision-making styles, and safety climate. CONCLUSION: The findings emphasized the positive effect of safety climate and teamwork on the level of nurses' intent to stay. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse administrators should design and implement strategies that create a culture of safety climate and teamwork in their organizations.

Adversities of being infertile: the experience of Jordanian women.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and interpret the experiences of and adversities faced by infertile Jordanian women as described from their own perspectives. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design. SETTING: The women were interviewed at a nonprofit women's organization in the north of Jordan. The organization focuses on empowerment and health issues. PATIENT(S): This study included a purposive sample of 25 infertile Jordanian women who were unsuccessfully trying to conceive for a minimum of 1 year, and who were receiving treatment for infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Face-to-face, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted, audiotaped, and transcribed using thematic analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Outcomes were measured using thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. RESULT(S): Four key adversity themes emerged from the data: the adversity of incomplete being, the social adversity of being infertile, the adversity of another wife, and the adversity of changes in the marital relationship. CONCLUSION(S): Jordanian women are seriously affected by infertility and experience personal, social, and marital adversities, which affect their well-being. These adversities need to be conceptualized within a framework that can be used to empower and counsel infertile women in all aspects of life.

Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in avoiding secondhand smoke exposure among non-smoking employed women with higher education in Jordan.

UNLABELLED: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is a serious public health threat worldwide; in the developing world there are less serious efforts towards controlling women's and children's exposure to SHS. Knowledge, attitudes and avoidance practices among Jordanian women have never been thoroughly studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and avoidance behavior towards SHS exposure among employed Jordanian women with higher education. METHODS: A survey was conducted among employed Jordanian women at two universities. A total of 209 women were included in the analysis. Two questionnaires regarding SHS exposure were used to measure knowledge, attitudes and avoidance practices. RESULTS: Most respondents were regularly exposed to SHS in various locations during daily life, even though they were very knowledgeable about the dangers of SHS exposure for women and children. However, the subject's attitudes and avoidance behavior did not reflect the level of knowledge about SHS risks. The results suggests there is a large discrepancy between SHS exposure, knowledge, attitudes and avoidance behavior among highly educated Jordanian women that is likely influenced by culture and traditional gender roles. Public health initiatives are needed in Jordan to address public policy, institutional practices and to empowerment of women to reduce SHS exposure.