Assessing community response to wildfire smoke: A multimethod study using social media.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess health-related responses to wildfire smoke on social media. We examined whether seasonal wildfire smoke is an active topic on Twitter, the correlation between fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ) and Twitter search terms, and dimensions of community-level expression to wildfire smoke through tweets. DESIGN: Search terms were identified using a conceptual model developed and refined by healthcare providers and public health experts. Wildfire-related tweets were downloaded from Twitter users in Spokane, Washington during the 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons. PM2.5 data were correlated with the search terms. A subset of tweets was deductively and then inductively coded to identify perceptions and behavioral responses to wildfire smoke. RESULTS: Seasonal wildfire smoke is an active topic on Twitter. The term "smoke" was strongly correlated with poor air quality and "unhealthy" was moderately correlated. Deductive analyses revealed a multidimensional response to wildfire smoke. Inductive analysis identified new areas of concern, such as pet and animal health. CONCLUSIONS: Social media is a lens through which public health professionals can assess and respond to local community needs. Findings will be used to broaden the conceptual model, enhance ongoing surveillance of community-identified health risks, and communicate protective actions.

A Scoping Review of Nurses' Contributions to Health-Related, Wildfire Research.

Exposure to unprecedented levels of wildfire smoke is increasing cardiopulmonary mortality and is especially catastrophic to people with preexisting respiratory conditions such as asthma. Wildfire smoke is a mixture of hazardous air pollutants and airborne particulate matter and wildfires are burning larger areas of land and lasting longer, extending the smoke season. The wildfire season is also expected to lengthen as a result of the changing climate. This scoping review examines publications related to wildfires and health in order to explore the ways in which nursing science contributes to research on the health effects of wildfires and strategies to decrease exposure to wildfires and/or wildfire smoke. Nursing's contribution to wildfire research needs to increase to meet the demands of this rapidly growing, international problem. Nurses have an opportunity to protect the public's health through interventional research focused on preventing exposure and applying what is learned to practice.

Qualitative Interpretive Metasynthesis of Parents' Experiences of Perinatal Loss.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and synthesize common, experiential themes from qualitative studies of parents who experienced perinatal loss. DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for qualitative articles about parents' experiences of perinatal loss. STUDY SELECTION: We included research on parents' experiences of perinatal loss published in English in the last 10 years. We excluded articles on the perspectives or experiences of health care professionals or persons other than the biological parent who experienced the perinatal loss, systematic reviews, outcome studies, and gray literature. DATA EXTRACTION: We used a priori inclusion and exclusion criteria and identified five articles in which perinatal loss was described from the parents' perspectives. We extracted thematic findings and supporting quotes from each article and documented them in a table for subsequent synthesis. DATA SYNTHESIS: We used a qualitative metasynthesis and interpretive model to synthesize findings from the included studies. Findings were synthesized into one overarching theme, The Paradox of Perinatal Loss, and four subthemes: Complex Emotional Responses, Prenatal Bonding-Acknowledging Personhood, Interactions With Health Care Professionals, and Traversing the Social Sphere. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that perinatal loss is often a transformative event during which parents experience multiple losses and intense, complex emotions. Interactions with health care professionals greatly affected the pregnancy experience, which places professionals in a unique position to positively influence parents' overall experiences. Therefore, it is important to develop protocols related to perinatal loss and ensure that staff are adequately trained and equipped to care for parents during this experience. Findings from this synthesis may also inform the future development of theory related to bereavement surrounding perinatal loss.

Adapting and Testing the Self-Efficacy in Environmental Risk Reduction Instrument Among Spanish-Speaking Populations.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to adapt and test the Self-Efficacy in Environmental Risk Reduction instrument in a Spanish-speaking population. METHODS: Harkness' model of cross-cultural survey design was used to adapt the instrument. We sampled 95 adult, Spanish speakers from a federally qualified health clinic. Exploratory factor analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was used to analyze the factor structure. RESULTS: A 1-factor model provided the best fit to the data. The latent construct of the instrument is household environmental health self-efficacy. All items loaded higher than 0.610, indicating each item explains at least 36% variance in the latent construct. Cronbach's alpha indicates the scale has high internal consistency (α = .92). CONCLUSIONS: Respondents conceptualize self-efficacy in environmental risk reduction as practical solutions to minimize household risks.