[Sexual risk behaviour of nursing students. A cross-sectional study at nursing schools in Saxony-Anhalt]. / Das sexuelle Risikoverhalten von Auszubildenden der Gesundheits- und Krankenpflege. Eine Querschnittstudie an Krankenpflegeschulen in Sachsen-Anhalt.

AIM: This work describes the sexual risk behaviour of nursing students. METHODS: 22 of 23 state-approved nursing schools in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, participated in this cross-sectional study (study period 7/2005-5/2006). Participation was voluntarily and anonymous. RESULTS: More male than female students (59.6% vs. 44.8%) used condoms to prevent STIs. More female students (58.9% vs. 43.4%) reported constant partnership with just one partner as an STI prevention method (chi² test, p<0.005). 29.6% of the nursing students reported >1 sexual partner in the past 12 months. 3.9% of the students demanded an HIV test from the partner, 69.3% had never tested themselves for HIV. 10.2% used no prevention against STIs. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students should be sensitised for sexual risk behaviour and STIs. This should be included in the content of teaching throughout the education, not least since nursing students are multiplicators and have an influence on health behaviour of the patients.

The relationship between family variables and adolescent substance abuse: a literature review.

Adolescent substance abuse has been the focus of nationwide attention, and researchers have examined an assortment of variables relating to this disease. One area of interest has been the relationship between adolescent chemical dependency and family factors. A review of the current literature yields two broad categories: (1) family drug usage patterns, and (2) family atmosphere. In general, there seems to be a significant relationship between family variables and teenage substance abuse; however, the strength of the relationship differs with the substance used. Specifically, research has shown a strong relationship between adolescent substance abuse and family drug usage, family composition, family interaction patterns, and discrepancies in family perceptions. Findings and their implications for practitioners are discussed.

Parental expectations as a factor in evaluating children for the multichannel cochlear implant.

Recent developments in technology have resulted in a new assistive device for profoundly deaf children: the cochlear implant. However, many variables must be considered when evaluating children for the device, one of which is parental expectations. Because expectations are sometimes unreasonable high, cochlear implant teams need to be aware of the dynamics involved in expectations and of ways to help parents come to a realistic understanding of the benefits and limitations of implants.

Student coping strategies and perceptions of fieldwork.

A questionnaire, the revised Ways of Coping Checklist, was sent to all professional (entry-level) graduate students in the United States in one academic year during their second fieldwork level II experience to determine what coping strategies they used during their fieldwork experience. Information was also gathered regarding their perceptions of this clinical experience. Responses from 101 students showed that they used Problem-Focused and Seeks Social Support strategies more than Wishful Thinking, Blamed Self, or Avoidance strategies. More than half of the students found the experience to be stressful, and almost all agreed that it was important. Most agreed that they had control over their present circumstances in the fieldwork experience.

Coping strategies used by occupational therapy students during fieldwork: an exploratory study.

This exploratory study examined the coping strategies and perceptions of 24 graduate students in occupational therapy who were participating in their second Level II fieldwork experience. The instruments used were the revised Ways of Coping Checklist (WCCL) (Vitaliano, Russo, Carr, Maiuro, & Becker, 1985) and a questionnaire developed by the authors. The results showed that of the five coping scales of the WCCL, the students used the Problem-Focused and Seeks Social Support strategies more than the Blamed Self, Wishful Thinking, and Avoidance strategies. Most of the students perceived the fieldwork experience as important, controllable, and stressful, but not disruptive to their lives.

Reading comprehension of deaf adolescent residential school students and its relationship to hearing mothers' communication strategies and skills.

A nationwide study was conducted to examine the relationship between prelingually deaf adolescents' reading comprehension scores and their hearing mothers' communication strategies and skills. Subjects included 201 students from six randomly selected residential schools for the deaf. Correlation coefficients, stepwise multiple regression analyses and analysis of covariance showed that for this group of subjects, method of communication used by mothers had no significant relationship with their deaf children's reading comprehension scores. No significant relationship was found between reading comprehension of the children of mothers who used manual communication and the age of the child when the mother began to sign. A potential relationship was found, however, between reading comprehension scores and signing skill levels of mothers who used manual communication.

Parental reaction to a child's hearing impairment.

Traditionally, parental reactions to a child's hearing loss have been discussed in terms of stages of the mourning process. Although this framework has been helpful in describing parent adjustment, it appears too simple. Parents react in complex ways to their children's disabilities; these complexities must be considered when working with families. A model of transition that accounts for individual differences is used to discuss the potential interaction among variables associated with the mourning process.