A Systematic Review of Women's Experiences of Interpersonal Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and synthesize women's experiences of interpersonal violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. DATA SOURCES: The MEDLINE, Ovid, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases were searched to identify articles published between December 2019 and November 2022. STUDY SELECTION: Seventeen peer-reviewed studies were included, for a total of 2,046 women. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. DATA SYNTHESIS: COVID-19 brought many challenges for women experiencing interpersonal violence. Women reported worsening of abuse during the pandemic. The pandemic led to severe economic challenges, which eventually precipitated more abuse. Additionally, women experienced mental health distress from social isolation and increased surveillance and control from their abusive partners. Several factors affected their ability to access health care and support services; these included limited availability of services, fear of contracting the virus, and an abusive partner who restricted their movement outside the home. CONCLUSION: The pandemic presented multiple challenges and additional stressors for women who experienced interpersonal violence during pandemic-related restrictions on services, gatherings, and work and school outside of the home. The findings from this review signify the need to raise public awareness about violence against women and to plan for coordinated efforts to decrease violence against women and address victims' needs in the event of future pandemics or other public health emergencies.

Energy Healers' Distance Healing Experience.

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of energy healing practitioners (specifically, Healing Touch) use of distance healing to provide insight into the methods, practice, and experience from the providers' perspective. One hundred and fifty-three energy workers participated in the open-ended survey. Overall, the experience of using distance healing during the pandemic was positive for practitioners in both giving and receiving. Practitioners also reported primarily positive feedback from their patients. A few respondents reported feeling hesitant about using distance healing and preferred hands-on work. However, distance healing was generally seen as providing flexibility to the practitioners' work, connection, and enhanced understanding of the human energy field.

Psychosexual responses to BRCA gene mutations in women of childbearing age.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of a BRCA gene mutation presents a dilemma because life-changing medical decisions must be made to prevent breast and ovarian cancer. There is minimal evidence regarding how psychosexual functioning, psychological well-being with regard to body image and sexuality, affects the decision to have prophylactic treatment in women of childbearing age (WCBA; 18-49 years) with a BRCA gene mutation. PURPOSE: To explore, describe, and interpret the experience of women with a BRCA mutation during the treatment and decision-making process. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative descriptive design was used to recruit participants online through social media postings and from national and local BRCA support groups. Participants participated in semistructured interviews exploring their experience after BRCA diagnosis. Interpretive descriptive analysis was used to identify themes. RESULTS: The purposive sample comprised 18 women aged 21-49 years. Four major themes, such as body image, sexuality, femininity, and childbearing/childrearing, were identified that influenced decisions related to the diagnosis and management of a BRCA mutation. All participants voiced that concerns regarding body image and sexuality caused hesitancy in their decision to have prophylactic surgery. Women who had undergone bilateral prophylactic mastectomy were concerned about the impact of the surgery, scarring, breast disfigurement, and the lack of sensation resulting from surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosexual concerns arise from internal and external influences that significantly affect the decision to undergo prophylactic measures. Therefore, body image, sexuality, and sexual orientation should all be addressed during the decision-making process. IMPLICATIONS: Provider communication and preparation for realistic surgical outcomes can be improved to assist WCBA throughout the decision-making process and enhance psychosexual functioning.

Healing Touch: A Strategy for Acute Care Nurses' Stress Reduction.

The purpose of the study is to determine whether administering healing touch (HT) is more effective than deep breathing (DB) for reducing acute care nurses' stress during a shift. A randomized cluster trial assessed 150 nurses' vital signs and Visual Analog Scale for Stress (VASS) levels pre, post, and at follow-up to achieve a power of .7 and medium affect size. Open-ended questions following the intervention enriched quantitative findings describing the experience, facilitators, and barriers to potential use in nursing. The generalized estimating equation 1 (GEE1) comparisons of mean change over time, found that nurses in the HT intervention, had significantly lower VASS stress scores at posttreatment (-0.95, p = .0002) and at follow-up (-0.73, p = .0144) than the DB group, and the respiratory rate (RR) rate differences were nearly significant at post-intervention and significant at follow-up, respectively (1.36, p = .0568 and -2.28, p = .0011), indicating lower RR after HT. These findings support the use of HT as an effective stress reduction strategy as a relevant strategy to sustain a viable nurse work force post-COVID-19.

Experience in Radical Remission: A Self Study and Framework.

The experience of a radical remission from a terminal diagnosis is essentially life altering. The purpose of this self-report is to provide a basis for understanding this event and to provide practitioners a guide for supporting patients during the transition process. A conceptual model is presented that outlines the structure and changes that are influenced during the transition process.

Resilience and associated psychological, social/cultural, behavioural, and biological factors in patients with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review.

AIMS: The aim of this systematic review of the literature is to synthesize the evidence regarding the associations between individual-level psychological, social/cultural, behavioral, and biological variables with resilience in patients with CVD. METHODS AND RESULTS: A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL was conducted from database inception through March 2020. Studies with a quantitative research design were eligible for inclusion if published in English and focused on resilience among adults with CVD. Of the 788 articles retrieved, 34 studies (35 articles) were included in the review. Twenty-three studies focused on psychological factors, with findings of inverse relationships between resilience and depression, anxiety, and stress. Evidence regarding associations between resilience and social/cultural or behavioral variables was scarce. Four of the 6 studies regarding biological factors found low stress resilience in young adulthood was associated with early diagnoses of stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease. CONCLUSION: Enhancing resilience may improve quality of life for CVD patients, but research is needed to further explore the complex relationships between resilience and associated variables. This research should prioritize under-represented groups (i.e. women and minority racial/ethnic groups), with the eventual goal of developing interventions to support resilience in CVD patients.

Physical and Psychological Health Interdependence Among Dyads in Hematological Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Hematological cancer impacts both patients and their caregivers. Although only patients experience direct physical effects from cancer, both patients and caregivers experience psychological effects from cancer-related stressors. Theories suggest that patient-caregiver dyads, although experiencing individual effects from cancer, may also indirectly affect one another's health. This is called interdependence. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated physical and psychological health interdependence among patient-caregiver dyads facing hematological cancer, and whether their relationship quality was a moderator of interdependence. METHODS: Thirty patient-caregiver dyads were assessed for their self-reported physical function, anxiety, and depression using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and relationship quality using the Mutuality Scale. Data were analyzed using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model, a dyadic data methodology for estimating interdependence. RESULTS: Individual physical and psychological health were related within both patients and caregivers. Patients and caregivers did not significantly differ in their reported depression, anxiety, or mutuality. Partner effects were detected among caregivers' anxiety and patients' physical function and depression. Mutuality did not moderate partner effects. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that health interdependence is present among patients with hematological cancer and their caregivers. In addition, there is a strong link between physical and psychological health within individuals, regardless of role. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Healthcare teams should consider dyadic assessment in their cancer care plans to identify risks for health decline in patients with hematological cancer and their caregivers. Assessment of caregivers, especially their anxiety levels and physical health, may yield integral information about the patients' physical and psychological health status.

Family Caregiver-Receiver Mutuality: A Concept Analysis.

There are more than 43 million family caregivers in the United States. In studies of family caregivers and receivers, evidence suggests that family caregiver-receiver mutuality is linked to health. Lack of a clear definition of family caregiver-receiver mutuality is an obstacle that prevents scientific progress and effective operationalization of the concept. To address this issue, the authors applied Walker and Avant's method for concept analysis and clarified the concept of family caregiver-receiver mutuality. A standardized definition of caregiver-receiver mutuality is presented along with antecedents, consequences, defining attributes, empirical referents, and case illustrations.

An Initial Study Using Healing Touch for Women Undergoing a Breast Biopsy.

AIM: To determine if a noninvasive complementary therapy, Healing Touch, would benefit women undergoing diagnostic procedures for the determination of breast cancer. Women often experience high levels of fear and anxiety during this diagnostic period. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled pilot study. METHOD: An out-patient clinic specializing in breast care management was used. Seventy-three women age 18 to 85 years old participated, with 31 in the control group of standard care and 42 in the intervention group receiving Healing Touch, a noninvasive energy therapy. A specific technique, magnetic clearing, was provided by a practitioner for 15 minutes prior to the biopsy procedure. Both the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Coping Resources Inventory were used preprocedurally and the following day to assess changes. RESULTS: A mixed analysis of variance indicated that State Anxiety for the Healing Touch group showed a statistically significant reduction of anxiety that was sustained into the following day, F(2, 142) = 10.94, p < .001. For Trait Anxiety, there was a significant change pre-and postintervention to the day after, F(2, 142) = 5.15, p < .007. The Coping Resources Inventory had significant changes in two subcategories, Emotional, F(2, 142) = 6.10, p = .003, and the Spiritual/Philosophical, F(2, 142) = 6.10, p < .001, in the Healing Touch group. CONCLUSION: Healing Touch may have benefit in reducing anxiety from diagnostic breast procedures.

Holistic nurses' stories of healing of another.

The purpose of this study was to uncover the essence and meaning of healing through narrative accounts of holistic nurses, using a qualitative, descriptive design integrating narrative and story inquiry. Twenty-five stories were collected. Seven stories revealed personal healing and have been published in a prior article. Eighteen stories, the focus of this analysis, revealed healing of another. A hybrid method blending narrative and story guided the overall process for the study. Nine themes emerged describing healing of another within three story segments: The Call to Healing, The Experience of Healing, and Insights. The theme within The Call to the Healing Encounter was Drawn by Compassion to the Vulnerability and/or Suffering of Another. Five themes describe the Experience of Healing: Connection: Cocreating Relationships; Taking Risks and Dealing With Skeptical Colleagues; Use of Modalities and Actions as Tools in Developing Self as an Instrument of Healing; Profound, Ineffable Events; and Using Metaphor and Rituals to Describe Healing. Three themes describe Insights: Mutual Transformation, Change, and Reciprocity; Gratitude for the Healing Encounter; and Leaving a Legacy. The metastory, a reconstructed story created by the researchers, was the final phase of research synthesizing and demonstrating themes of healing of another. Results were compared to existing healing literature.

Holistic nurses' stories of personal healing.

The purpose of this study was to uncover the nature, experiences, and meaning of personal healing for holistic nurses through their narrative accounts. The study employed a qualitative descriptive design with methods of narrative and story inquiry. Participants were nurse attendees at an American Holistic Nurses' Association conference who volunteered for the study. They were invited to share a story about healing self or another. Twenty-five stories were collected; seven were about personal healing, and these are the focus of this analysis. Data were analyzed using a hybrid approach from narrative and story inquiry methods. Eleven themes were clustered under three story segments. The themes within the Call to the Healing Encounter are the following: recognition of the need to resolve a personal or health crisis, knowledge of or engagement in self-care practices, and reliance on intuitive knowing. Themes under the Experience of Healing are the following: connections; profound sensations, perceptions, and events; awareness of the reciprocal nature of healing; inner resolution: forgiveness, awakening, and acceptance; use of multiple holistic approaches; and witnessing manifestations of healing. The themes for Insights are the following: gratitude and appreciation and ongoing journey. A metastory synthesizing the themes is presented, and findings are related to existing literature on healing.

Energy therapies: focus on spirituality.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How are spiritual experiences described by participants of an energy based healing session? THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: A taxonomy of spiritual experiences (TSE), developed from previous research, provided a linguistic tool to explore and describe spiritual experiences. METHODOLOGY: A secondary qualitative analysis was conducted on a subset of existing data. CONTEXT: Original data was from accounts of spiritual experiences from participants in Healing Touch classes. SAMPLE SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: A purposive sample of accounts of spiritual experiences that occurred during giving or receiving an energy based healing session (n=56) was drawn from the existing data base of spiritual experience accounts. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: A top down deductive analysis using the TSE as a coding schema was applied to this sample. Comparisons were made between this subset who described their spiritual experience specifically occurring during a healing session and the original dataset of more general descriptions of a spiritual experience. Comparisons were also made between this subset and the original data as well as between giving and receiving a healing. MAIN RESULTS: The components of the taxonomy were well represented and richly described as occurring during a healing session. Notable similarities between giving and receiving a healing were apparent in the descriptions of sensate experiences, ecstasy, and experiences of encounters with disincarnate guides. Healing activities are a rich context for spiritual experiences. The taxonomy provides a useful linguistic and cognitive structure for exploring spiritual experiences.

Healing touch for older adults with persistent pain.

The purpose of this report was to provide an in-depth review of responses from older adults residing in long-term care facilities receiving Healing Touch (HT) for pain management. Persistent pain is common in this population and, while the mainstay for pain management is analgesics, HT may provide supportive therapy. Twenty older adults from 5 facilities in the southwestern United States participated in the study, with 12 receiving the active intervention of HT and 8 receiving the control of presence care. A convergent mixed-methods approach was used in this secondary report, using the providers' descriptions of 84 HT sessions and quantitative findings to provide an in-depth within-case analysis. Outcome measures included quantitative measures of pain, daily living, and quality of life, as well as qualitative descriptors of the HT sessions. The findings suggest that the experience is highly varied and on a continuum from no perceived or noticeable benefit to a decrease in pain and improvement in other physiological and psychosocial symptoms. Therefore, HT may be beneficial for some older adults within long-term care facilities as an adjunct for chronic pain.

Using a healing touch intervention in older adults with persistent pain: a feasibility study.

The purposes of this pilot study were to determine the feasibility of using a Healing Touch (HT) intervention with noncommunity-dwelling older adults experiencing persistent pain and to determine an HT protocol. Data were collected at multiple time points from 20 noncommunity-dwelling older adults experiencing pain. Residents were assigned to the HT group that included techniques specific for pain or a Presence Care group. Outcome variables included measures for pain, activities of daily living, and quality of life. The pain measures showed decreases that were not statistically significant for both groups. The measure for activities of daily living showed a non-statistically significant improvement over time for the HT group. Quality of life decreased for the HT group and improved for the Presence Care group although not significantly. The practitioners were able to complete all seven of the 30- minute HT sessions. The findings indicated that both groups showed some improvement in their pain scores with other measures being variable. HT is a feasible intervention for the elderly with pain. Overall, the findings highlight the complex nature of pain in older adults.

Study descriptions of healing touch with veterans experiencing chronic neuropathic pain from spinal cord injury.

CONTEXT: Spinal cord injury often results in chronic pain syndromes that conventional pain management is unable to resolve. Healing Touch (HT) is a biofield therapy that involves using the hands to promote healing and mediate the perception of pain by affecting the energy field of the person. The practice of HT is based on the premise that the energy field has the ability to provide valuable information about the person's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual condition and can influence the dense matter of physical form. OBJECTIVE: This secondary analysis using case study reviews describes two different experiences of receiving a HT session for management of chronic neuropathic pain and its sequelae, utilizing energy field data and reports of participants and their HT practitioners. DESIGN: Qualitative case study approach was used. SETTING: Data were obtained from 42 HT sessions that took place within the homes of seven veterans with spinal cord injury. METHOD: Two cases involving the most common patterns of response were selected from seven cases to represent the participants' and practitioners' experiences. A descriptive qualitative approach informed the results. RESULTS: The findings indicate that a variety of experiences can exist in individuals with chronic pain due to spinal cord injury; experiences will also vary with their healing touch practitioners. There are commonalities in the perception of the practitioners in the damage to the energy field and energy centers, with individualized and consistent resolution of the field over time.

Energy-based modalities.

Research on touch therapies is still in the early stages of development. Studies of Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and Reiki are quite promising; however, at this point, they can only suggest that these healing modalities have efficacy in reducing anxiety; improving muscle relaxation; aiding in stress reduction, relaxation, and sense of well-being; promoting wound healing; and reducing pain. The multidimensional aspects of healing inherent in patient care continue to be expanded and facilitated by our understanding and application of energy therapies.

A pilot study of healing touch and progressive relaxation for chronic neuropathic pain in persons with spinal cord injury.

This pilot study assessed the role of Healing Touch (HT), an energy-based therapy, in modulating chronic neuropathic pain and the associated psychological distress from post spinal cord injury. Twelve veterans were assigned to either HT or guided progressive relaxation for six weekly home visits. The instruments selected showed sensitivity, although there was a large variation among the groups. There was a significant difference in the composite of interference on the Brief Pain Inventory (t = -2.71, p = .035). The mean score of the fatigue subscale of the Profile of Moods decreased (ns) in the HT group and in the subscale of confusion yet remained stable in the control group. The Diener Satisfaction With Life Scale showed increased well-being in the HT group and no change in the control group. Participants reported various experiences with HT sessions indicating that it may have benefit in the complex response to chronic pain.

The summit on healing: honoring diversity, finding common ground.

The issue of languaging became an important point of discussion because the lack of definitions makes it difficult to objectively explore phenomena that occur during healing work. There were many more questions raised than answered. The opportunity to share in this dialogue created an increased awareness of and respect for the complexities of this work and the healers that devote their lives to it.