Addressing systemic racism and intergenerational transmission of anxiety using Bowenian family therapy with African American populations: A Discursive paper.

AIM: To examine the intergenerational impact of systemic racism on mental health, depicting the evolution and patterns of anxiety symptoms and the application of the Bowenian family therapy to understand the interrelatedness and long-standing impact of intergenerational trauma in African American families. This article highlights interventions that increase awareness of and promotes physical and mental health for African American populations. DESIGN: Discursive Paper. METHOD: Searching literature published between 2012 and 2022 in PubMed, SCOPUS, EBSCO Host and Google Scholar, we explored factors associated with systemic racism and generational anxiety. DISCUSSION: Evidence-based literature supports the application of the Bowenian family therapy theoretical framework to understand the intergenerational impact of systemic racism and to address the transmission of anxiety symptoms in African American  populations. CONCLUSION: Culturally appropriate interventions are needed to decrease anxiety symptoms in an attempt to heal intergenerational trauma and to improve family dynamics in African American populations. IMPACT TO NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses play an integral role in providing holistic quality patient-centred care for African American populations who have experienced racial trauma. It is critical for nurses to implement culturally responsive and racially informed care with patients that focuses on self-awareness, health promotion, prevention and healing in efforts to address racial trauma. Application of Bowenian family therapy can aid in the reduction of both intergenerational transmission of racial trauma and generational anxiety. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: There was no patient or public involvement in the design or drafting of this discursive paper. The authors reviewed the literature to develop a discussion.

Promoting community institutional partnerships to improve the health of intimate partner violence survivors experiencing homelessness.

BACKGROUND: Disparities faced by individuals experiencing homelessness pose significant threats to the health and wellbeing of communities. Survivors of intimate partner violence are at heightened risk, with over 80% experiencing homelessness at some point in time. The intersection of homelessness and survivorship creates numerous barriers to care including safety concerns, stable housing, employment and childcare needs. The establishment of community institutional partnerships offers an opportunity to provide healthcare in transitional housing settings. AIMS: The aim of this paper is to discuss the need for community institutional partnerships in addressing the health needs of intimate partner violence survivors and provide a working example of an existing partnership. METHODS: A critical literature review of the literature was conducted. Multiple databases were searched to identify articles relating to health services, community institutional partnerships, intimate partner violence and sheltered housing. Articles were reviewed using The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Quality Guide. FINDINGS: Three types of partnerships that can be leveraged to address the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness were identified: academic-community, hospital-community, and large-scale partnerships. Only one article was identified that focused on the health needs of survivors experiencing homelessness, pointing to the need for implementation of more community institutional partnerships to address the unique needs of homeless intimate partner violence survivors. We highlighted a current successful community institutional partnership that addresses the health needs of survivors living in an emergency shelter. IMPLICATIONS: Addressing the complex needs of this population is imperative to dismantle health inequities and structural barriers to healthcare. Holistic, nurse-led approaches to care are essential to address the health of intimate partner violence survivors experiencing homelessness. The example of a successful community institutional partnership provides a framework for delivering a wide range of healthcare services. Future nursing research is needed to evaluate programmes and provide foundational support for increased funding.

Passport to Freedom: A Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Program for Previously Incarcerated Women.

Poly-victimization is often reported by formerly incarcerated women and leads to physical and mental health problems that interfere with daily functioning, sustained employment, and housing stability. Although reentry programs exist, few focus on the physical and emotional impact of multiple traumas. Passport to Freedom (P2F), a woman-centered, trauma-informed reentry program, was developed to support formerly incarcerated women. The pilot intervention, performed in 2017, focused on the connections between trauma and health, coping with symptoms, and managing one's own health. To examine the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention, we performed the current mixed methods study with two phases: (1) focus groups, and (2) sessions combining mindfulness and health promotion activities with follow-up evaluations. Participants (N = 24) showed decreased symptoms of depression and concerns of everyday stressors after the intervention. Of participants, 84% (n = 16) reported practicing mindfulness and 63% (n = 8) stated that mindfulness exercises helped with daily stress management. The P2F program offers a promising approach to support formerly incarcerated women with health self-management. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Promoting nutrition in breastfeeding women.

Nurses have a vital role in providing nutritional education to breastfeeding women. In this article, the authors discuss the nutritional requirements for breast-feeding women in terms of micronutrients, macronutrients, and minerals. They provide recommendations for women with vegetarian diets and low-income women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program who may have dietary deficiencies, and they present a directed case study to provide an example of how to perform a dietary assessment and the educational support that may be offered by nurses to breastfeeding women.