A Qualitative Evaluation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Short Form of the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) in Nepali.

Background Sense of Coherence (SOC) relates to an individual's overall life orientation, and stronger SOC is associated with better health, quality of life, and coping strategies. When our research group used the SOC-13 questionnaire for the first time in Nepal, we identified difficulties in response patterns. The findings necessitated further evaluation of the Nepali version of the SOC-13 questionnaire. Objective To qualitatively evaluate the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali for cross-cultural adaptation. Method Nineteen nurses were interviewed. We used the methodological approach of "think aloud" to obtain a deeper understanding of the interferences of the scales. Transcribed materials were analyzed using a deductive approach through qualitative content analysis. The original translated version of the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali was modified by replacing words that were easier to understand. Result Participants found the questionnaire content general and non-specific but easy to complete. The nurses experienced that the meanings and sentences in some of the items and response alternatives were difficult to understand. However, the overall comprehensiveness of most items and response alternatives was perceived as good. Nurses' interpretation of the SOC-items in the translated version of the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali matched the original English version. Items that were experienced as difficult in the Nepali language were modified to increase their comprehensiveness. Modified items and response alternatives had the same content as before, but some words and meanings were substituted with easier language. Conclusion The current revised version of SOC-13 in Nepali is valid and useful to explore individuals' overall life orientation and their abilities to deal and cope with various life events in the Nepalese context.

Access to Sexual Health Services and Support for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: an Australian Cross-sector Survey.

Introduction: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) have the right to access sexual health services including information, education, and support. Little is known about the capacity of sexual health professionals to provide these services. Methods: Using an observational research design, this study utilised a descriptive survey tool (PASH-Ext) that also encompassed a standardised measure, with a cross-sectional purposive sample of 52 Australian sexual health professionals. Data was collected in 2020. Results: Just over half of the participants reported having received training in their preservice education to work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, of these 60% held the view that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities would not feel embarrassed receiving sexual health information and support. Conclusion: The study found that training is both important to the professionals' preparedness to work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and that these professionals advocate for the continuation of this training in pre-service courses and additional training in post service education for sexual health workers. Policy Implications: To progressively realise Article 25 of the UNCRPD signatory, countries need to ensure sexual health services are accessible to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This study recommends that sexual health policy addresses equity of access for people with intellectual and developmental disability by ensuring all staff are prepared and supported to provide these services.

Determination and Evaluation of Sense of Coherence in Women in Semi-urban Nepal: A part of the Heart-health Associated Research, Dissemination, and Intervention in the Community (HARDIC) Trial.

Background Sense of coherence (SOC) is a core concept of salutogenesis which relates to individuals' overall life orientation. Stronger SOC associates with better coping strategies, better health, and better quality of life. Although the SOC-questionnaire is validated in many cultures and languages, it has not, to date, been applied in Nepal. Objective To determine and evaluate women's SOC before and after a health education intervention. Method This study was conducted as a part of the Heart-health Associated Research, Dissemination, and Intervention in the Community in the semi-urban JhaukhelDuwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site in Nepal. Jhaukhel and Duwakot were selected as the control and intervention areas, respectively. Participants were women with children aged 1-7 years. Eight hundred and fifty-seven women before and 1,268 women after the health education intervention participated in the study. The statistical analysis was carried out with chi-square tests and one-way uni-variate ANOVA. Result Women's total SOC mean values at baseline were 51.1-57.4 and at follow up 54.4-54.9 in the intervention and control area, respectively. At baseline, SOC was significantly weaker in the intervention area compared to the control area (p < 0.001). At followup three months later, SOC was significantly stronger in the intervention area than in the control area (p < 0.001). Conclusion Nepalese women had weaker SOC than women in high-income countries, but comparable to neighboring country India with similar cultural features. Empowerment of women through community participation and health education strengthened SOC. The SOC-13-questionnaire in its Nepali version is recommended to be further evaluated.

Comparing the Structured Multidisciplinary work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire with technical measurements of physical workload in certified nursing assistants in a medical ward setting.

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is an important part of the workforce in hospitals and nursing homes, whose work includes heavy and repetitive work tasks including patient manual handling. The Structured Multidisciplinary work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire is an Occupational Health Service method for evaluation of the work environment. The aim of this study is to compare the SMET questionnaire with technical measurements of physical workload in CNAs in a medical ward setting. 16 CNA's participated voluntarily to 8 h of measurements during one workday. Physical workload was measured with surface electromyography and inclinometers, and the work environment was evaluated with the SMET questionnaire during the same working day. Spearman's rho was used in the statistical correlation analysis between measurements. This study shows strong, statistically significant correlations between the items in the SMET questionnaire and measured physical workload, n CNAs.

Structured Multidisciplinary Work Evaluation Tool (SMET): Reliability testing of a multidisciplinary/multifactorial work questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Occupational health services (OHS) are rarely involved in preventive issues and systematic work environment management. The Structured Multidisciplinary Work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire was created to address the lack of multidisciplinary/multifactorial OHS tools with the aim to be used in preventive issues and systematic work environment management. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate trustworthiness of the inter-rater reliability in the qualitative analysis of the open-ended items and intra-rater reliability of the self-estimated items in the SMET questionnaire. METHODS: A qualitative comparison of the inter-rater reliability in the qualitative analysis of the open-ended items was performed to evaluate trustworthiness. The intra-rater reliability of the self-estimated items in the SMET questionnaire were analysed with Elisabet Svensson method. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis of the open-ended items showed good trustworthiness. The self-estimated items showed a high percent agreement (PA), 0.98-0.99 in the physically, 0.99 in the environmentally and 0.98-1.0 in the psychosocially demanding items. A low degree of systematic errors and individual variability were found. CONCLUSIONS: The SMET questionnaire shows good trustworthiness and intra-rater reliability and can be used to follow up and evaluate work environmental interventions.

Structured Multidisciplinary work Evaluation Tool: Development and validation of a multidisciplinary work questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Important success factors for the Occupational Health Service (OHS) include services being based on active participation and risk identification from a multidisciplinary/multifactorial perspective. Despite an extensive search, no questionnaire with this approach was found so a new questionnaire was developed at the OHS. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the new questionnaire named Structured Multidisciplinary work Evaluation Tool (SMET) through action research. METHOD: Communicative and pragmatic validity were tested through the development of the questionnaire using action theory and presented in a descriptive portrayal. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was used to test content validity for each item as well as for the questionnaire as a whole. RESULT: Communicative and pragmatic validity were developed and tested over time in four different periods between 2008 and 2014, in 24 clinics (with a total of approximately 1000 employees) in Region Jönköping County.The content validity of the SMET questionnaire as a whole was close to excellent and the validity of the questions regarding physically and psychosocially demanding work factors were found to be excellent. The questions regarding environmentally demanding work factors were found to have a lower, but still good, validity. CONCLUSION: The SMET questionnaire has very good content validity. The pervasive work with the SMET questionnaire also shows good pragmatic and communicative validity.