Primary care of women who have sex with women. Recommendations from the research.

Research on women who have sex with women has increased in the last decade. Attention has been brought to this group of women through the IOM report, which noted a lack of research related to their care. Most of the research has not been published in nursing literature. This article reviews this literature with recommendations for primary care practice.

Uso de álcool e condições de saúde de motoristas de caminhão / Alcohol use and health conditions among truck drivers / Uso de alcohol y condiciones de salud de conductores de camión

O estudo teve por objetivo identificar o uso do álcool e as condições de saúde de motoristas de caminhão participantes de uma campanha de saúde. O desenho metodológico é do tipo descritivo, na abordagem quantitativa. A coleta de dados foi realizada, entre agosto e outubro de 2006, em uma rodovia do interior paulista, por meio de um questionário contendo informações sociodemográficas, Teste de Identificação do Uso de Álcool (AUDIT) e informações sobre condições de saúde. De 1087 participantes, 827 eram motoristas de caminhão, predominantemente do sexo masculino, de cor branca, casados, com baixo nível de escolaridade, católicos. Os resultados apontaram um conjunto de riscos associados em motoristas que pontuaram acima de 8 pontos no AUDIT, além de apresentarem níveis pressóricos, glicêmicos e de colesterol acima dos valores normais, bem como sobrepeso e obesidade. A identificação precoce dos problemas é uma alternativa válida para aaplicação de ações preventivas para essa população.

This study aimed to identify the alcohol use and the health condition of truck drivers participating in a health campaign. The methodological design is an descriptive of the quantitative approach. Data collection was conducted between August and October 2006 on a highway in São Paulo State, Brazil, by means of a questionnaire containing demographic information, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and health conditions issues. Among 1087 participants, 827 were truck drivers, predominantly male, adult, white, and married, with low level of education and Catholic religion. The results pointed out a list of risks among drivers who scored more than eight points in the AUDIT, who had high blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels above normal, and overweight and obesity. Early identification of both problems is a valid alternative to the implementation of preventive actions to this population.

El estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar el consumo de alcohol y las condiciones de salud de los conductores de camiones que participan en una campaña de salud. El diseño del estudio es de tipo descriptivo, en el enfoque cuantitativo. La recolección de datos se llevó a cabo, entre agosto y octubre de 2006, en una carretera en São Paulo, Brasil, por medio de un cuestionario que contiene información sociodemográfica, Test de Identificación de Trastornos debido al Consumo de Alcohol (AUDIT) e informaciones sobre las condiciones de salud. De 1087 participantes, 827 eran conductores de camiones, predominantemente masculinos, blancos, casados, con bajo nivel de educación y religión católica. Los resultados mostraron puntuaciones de riesgos asociados a los conductores que obtuvieron una puntuación por encima de 8 puntos en la prueba de AUDIT, además de presentar los niveles de presión arterial, glucosa y colesterol por encima del normal, y sobrepeso y obesidad. La identificación temprana de los problemas es una alternativa válida para la aplicación de medidas preventivas para esa población.

Vital alcohol role needs extra funds.

Alcohol liaison nurses in hospitals need greater financial support, a report states.

The role of community nursing in providing integrated care for older people with alcohol misuse.

Alcohol misuse in older people is a growing problem for health and social care providers, but remains largely hidden from public view and therefore largely overlooked by commissioners. Many older people with alcohol misuse have a 'dual diagnosis' (alcohol misuse accompanying other mental disorders) rather than alcohol misuse alone, which requires specialist nursing expertise. Over the past 10 years, assessment of and interventions for the detection of alcohol misuse in older people have been developed within one London borough. This article details the background, strategy and outcomes of this service, which provides integrated care in a multi-disciplinary community mental health team covering an inner-city area with a high prevalence of alcohol misuse and dual diagnosis in older people.

"The second thing to hell is living under that bridge": narratives of women living with victimization, serious mental illness, and in homelessness.

The increasing rates of violence committed against homeless women living with serious mental illness (SMI) have been well documented. These increasing rates of violence need attention as they are a serious public health concern. The purpose of this qualitative study is to increase our understanding of victimization among this population as perceived by those who have lived the experience. The study sample consists of 15 homeless adult women who self-reported having been diagnosed with a SMI. The findings highlight the reality that, provided with the right type of resources, positive growth can occur among these women despite lifelong events of trauma, victimization, and loss.

Indicadores clínicos do diagnóstico de enfermagem processos familiares disfuncionais em alcoolistas: revisão integrativa / Clinical indicators of the dysfunctional family processes nursing diagnosis in alcoholics: an integrative review / Indicadores clínicos del diagnóstico de enfermería "procesos familiares disfuncionales en alcohólicos": revisión integrativa

O alcoolismo é um problema de saúde pública que afeta tanto ao indivíduo quanto à sua família, e necessita da assistência de enfermagem. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura com o objetivo de investigar as evidências científicas acerca das características definidoras do diagnóstico de enfermagem nos processos familiares disfuncionais em alcoolistas. A busca nas bases de dados LILACS, PubMed, Scopus e CINAHL, por meio do cruzamento dos descritores alcoolismo/alcoholism, enfermagem/nursing e família/family, resultou em treze artigos. As características definidoras comportamentais mais comuns foram abuso de álcool e abuso verbal; as de papeis e relacionamentos foram problemas conjugais e problemas econômicos; e as de sentimentos foram depressão e insegurança. O estudo identificou, ainda, características presentes na família alcoolista não constantes na NANDA Internacional. Estes achados contribuem para direcionar o enfermeiro no julgamento clínico e apontam para a necessidade de maiores estudos com vistas a analisar e validar o diagnóstico...

Alcoholism is a public health problem that affects the alcoholic and his/her family, and, thus, requires nursing care. An integrative literature review was performed with the objective to investigate the scientific evidence regarding the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis dysfunctional family processes in alcoholics. The search on the LILACS, PubMed, Scopus and CINAHL databases, by crossing the keywords alcoolismo/alcoholism, enfermagem/nursing and família/family, resulted in thirteen articles. The most common defining behavioral characteristics were alcohol abuse and verbal abuse, those of roles and relationships were conjugal problems and economic problems, and those of feelings were depression and insecurity. The also study identified characteristics present in the alcoholic family that are not listed on NANDA International. These findings help guide nurses in the clinical judgment and point at the need for more studies with a view to analyzing and validating the diagnosis...

El alcoholismo es un problema de salud pública que afecta al individuo y su familia, y necesita atención de enfermería. Se realizó revisión integrativa de la literatura objetivando investigar evidencias científicas acerca de las características definitorias del diagnóstico de enfermería "procesos familiares disfuncionales en alcohólicos". La búsqueda en las bases de datos LILACS, PubMed, Scopus y CINAHL mediante entrecruzamientos de los descriptores alcoholismo/alcoholism, enfermería/nursing y familia/family arrojó trece artículos. Las características definitorias comportamentales más comunes fueron abuso de alcohol y abuso verbal, las de roles y relaciones fueron problemas conyugales y problemas económicos, y las de sentimientos fueron depresión e inseguridad. El estudio identificó también características presentes en la familia alcohólica que no constan en la NANDA Internacional. Estos hallazgos contribuyen a dirigir al enfermero en el juicio clínico y expresan la necesidad de mayores estudios apuntando a analizar y validar el diagnóstico...

Female-to-male transmasculine adult health: a mixed-methods community-based needs assessment.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of health research about transgender people. OBJECTIVES: This mixed-methods study sought to formatively investigate the health and perceived health needs of female-to-male transmasculine adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional quantitative needs assessment (n = 73) and qualitative open-ended input (n = 19) were conducted in June 2011. A latent class analysis modeled six binary health indicators (depression, alcohol use, current smoking, asthma, physical inactivity, overweight status) to identify clusters of presenting health issues. RESULTS: Four clusters of health indicators emerged: (a) depression; (b) syndemic (all indicators); (c) alcohol use, overweight status; and (d) smoking, physical inactivity, overweight status. Transphobic discrimination in health care and avoiding care were each associated with membership in the syndemic class. Qualitative themes included personal health care needs, community needs, and resilience and protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: Findings fill an important gap about the health of transmasculine communities, including the need for public health efforts that holistically address concomitant health concerns.

[Family health nurse in the Amazon: concepts and management of themes regarding alcohol use]. / Enfermeiro de Saúde da Família na Amazônia: conceitos e manejo na temática do uso de álcool.

The objective of this study is to identify the concept that nurses in the Amazon have on alcohol abuse and the forms used for management. Focal group and individual interviews were performed with all nurses of twelve family health teams from a city in the Amazon. It was observed there was a lack of university degrees, continuing education and of support/reference - counter - reference towards the dimension of alcohol use in the studied population. There is need to reform nursing courses and perform continuing education for family health team members, and provide them with the necessary support regarding this important theme and its consequences, for individuals and their families, as well as for the society as a whole.

Enfermeiro de Saúde da Família na Amazônia: conceitos e manejo na temática do uso de álcool / Family Health Nurse in the Amazon: concepts and management of themes regarding alcohol use / Enfermero de Salud de la Familia en Amazonia: conceptos y manejo en la temática del alcoholismo

O estudo visa identificar a concepção dos enfermeiros sobre a temática do uso problemático de álcool e as formas de manejo utilizado, em um contexto amazônico. Utilizaram-se grupo focal e entrevistas individuais com todos os enfermeiros das doze equipes de saúde da família de um município do interior da Amazônia, Brasil. Observou-se falta de formação universitária, de educação permanente e de suporte/referência - contra - referência na atenção à dimensão do uso de álcool na população adscrita. Há necessidade de reformulação da estrutura curricular dos cursos de graduação em enfermagem, assim como educação permanente para as Equipes de Saúde da Família e suporte nesta importante temática e suas conseqüências, tanto para o indivíduo e para as famílias, como para a sociedade em geral.

The objective of this study is to identify the concept that nurses in the Amazon have on alcohol abuse and the forms used for management. Focal group and individual interviews were performed with all nurses of twelve family health teams from a city in the Amazon. It was observed there was a lack of university degrees, continuing education and of support/reference - counter - reference towards the dimension of alcohol use in the studied population. There is need to reform nursing courses and perform continuing education for family health team members, and provide them with the necessary support regarding this important theme and its consequences, for individuals and their families, as well as for the society as a whole.

El estudio apunta a identificar la concepción de los enfermeros sobre la temática del abuso de alcohol y las formas de manejo utilizadas, en el contexto Amazónico. Se utilizó grupo focal y entrevistas individuales con todos los enfermeros de los doce equipos de salud familiar de un municipio del interior de Amazonia, Brasil. Se observó la falta de formación universitaria, de educación permanente y de soporte-referencia-contrarreferencia en la atención de la dimensión del abuso de alcohol en la población descripta. Existe necesidad de reformulación de la estructura curricular de los cursos de graduación en enfermería, así como educación permanente en Equipos de Salud Familiar y soporte para los mismos en esta importante temática y sus consecuencias, tanto individuales como familiares y para la sociedad en general.

Program evaluation of a community crisis stabilization program.

The purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the outcomes of treatment for participants in a community crisis stabilization (CCS) program. This CCS incorporated a patient-centered and wellness model of treatment. A descriptive study was conducted to assess change in psychological symptoms and quality of life of participants from admission to discharge. The sample (n = 42) was evaluated on admission and at discharge with four measurements: the Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI), the Revised 24-Item Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief Measure (WHOQOL-BREF). Changes in total scores on the BSI (t = 6.263, P < .001), the BASIS-24 (t = 6.964, P < .001), the BPRS (t = 4.638, P < .001), and the WHOQOL-BREF (t = 6.574, P < .001) demonstrated improvement at discharge.

Occupational stressors and the mental health of truckers.

Trucking has been classified as one of the highest-risk occupations in the United States. Occupational stress is even greater for long-haul truckers who are away from home, family, friends, and other support networks for several days or weeks at a time. Occupational stressors and the mental health of truckers was studied using data collected as part of a large multisite ethno-epidemiological study of trucker networks. Findings from the current study show that truckers face many occupational stressors including constant time pressures, social isolation, disrespectful treatment from others, driving hazards such as weather changes, traffic, and road conditions, and violence or fear of violence. Facing such stressors may be a factor in the prevalence of risky behaviors including drug use and paying for sex. Therefore, mental health promotion and treatment for truckers is an important area of concern and must be examined within the broader context of the transportation environment.

Using the tidal model of mental health recovery to plan primary health care for women in residential substance abuse recovery.

Women currently are 30% of the substance abuse recovery population in North America and have gender specific treatment needs as they enter the difficult work of recovery. Important among women's specific needs as they enter recovery is the need for a focus on primary health care. Few models designed to guide the provision of health care for this population are available in the literature. The Tidal Model of Mental Health Recovery and Reclamation is based on the concept of nursing as "caring with" persons in the experience of distress. Given the emphasis in this model on developing a partnership between caregiver and client, it is especially appropriate for women in recovery for substance abuse. The Tidal Model, integrated with the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services' CSAT model for comprehensive alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse treatment, is used to guide planning for delivery of primary health care in a residential women's substance abuse recovery center in the Midwest. This article describes the Tidal Model, and identifies how the model can improve the delivery of primary care to women in residential substance abuse treatment. Strategies for implementation of the model are proposed. Evaluation and outcome criteria are identified.