The Importance of Nurse-Patient Relationships in the Midst of Substance Misuse: Support for Rural Youth Well-Being.

Nurses working in rural acute and community-based settings are often asked for substance use treatment guidance and education in a health care system with minimal treatment services available. Nursing science provides an alternative answer for nurses to lean on in their clinical practice when working with rural-dwelling youth in the midst of substance misuse. Practical strategies are offered, which nurses may integrate into their routine clinical care to strengthen the nurse-patient relationship and enhance positive attributes among youth. Connective caring practice is essential to support rural youth well-being and recovery in the midst of substance misuse. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(6), 7-11.].

Connectedness, Self-Esteem, and Prosocial Behaviors Protect Adolescent Mental Health Following Social Isolation: A Systematic Review.

Societal trends and COVID-19 quarantines have increased the number of adolescents experiencing social isolation, placing them at heightened risk for mental health issues. The aim of this review is to explore protective factors that might mitigate psychological harm in the presence of social isolation. A systematic literature review was conducted using Fink's step-by-step process. Four library databases were searched, and results were reported using PRISMA. Of the 246 studies reviewed, 12 studies were retained following the quality assessment. The sample includes 14,064 participants from USA, Australia, and Europe, ranging from 10-19 years old. Social connectedness (ie., family connectedness, school connectedness, social support), self-esteem, and prosocial behaviors were the most common protective factors to social isolation. Additional factors such as self-efficacy, optimism, and ethnic identity are discussed. Implications for future research are recommended, including the need to explore spiritual, biological, and sociocultural factors influencing social connectedness and mental health in adolescents.

Social Determinants of Health and Psychological Capital Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness.

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health affect health behaviors and outcomes. Youth experiencing homelessness suffer significant deprivation of resources such as inadequate housing, reduced education, poor health care, and decreased economic stability. Inner resources, such as psychological capital, may also be related to health behaviors and health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to describe and explore associations among selected determinants of health and self-reported scores on indicators of psychological capital among youth experiencing homelessness. METHODS: This cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted with a randomized subsample of 148 youth. We calculated chi-square frequencies to describe the data, classical item analyses to evaluate responses, and correlation tests to examine significance of associations. RESULTS: Youth in this sample demonstrated that they possess inner resources associated with determinants of health. Education, health care, and social support were significantly associated with attributes of psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resilience, optimism). Sexual minority groups had high representation in this subsample (25.7%), indicating a need for more study and equitable services for this population. CONCLUSION: More research should be conducted to better understand the associations between determinants of health, psychological capital, and health behaviors among disadvantaged youth to advance health equity initiatives.