Islamic Mindfulness-Based Caring as an Intervention to Manage Fatigue.

Purpose: This study aims to determine the effects of Islamic Mindfulness-based Caring (IMC) on fatigue among breast cancer patients. Design: A quasi-experimental study was undertaken in the chemotherapy unit of a hospital, in Bandung, Indonesia. Methods: A total of 112 females with stage III breast cancer undertaking chemotherapy treatment were recruited by purposive sampling technique. The experimental group (n = 53) was given both IMC and usual care, whereas the control group (n = 59) received only the usual care. Data were collected on days 1, 3, 23, and 44 using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) and demographic information tools. Data analyses were carried out with the Mixed-Effects Linear Regression. Findings: We found a significant difference in fatigue between the control and experimental groups on days 23 (mean: 29.34-34.92; p = .001) and 44 (mean: 28.68-37.89; p < .001) after IMC intervention. The increase of time was significantly associated with a lower fatigue score (p < .05). Mixed-Effect Linear Regression showed a significant interaction between time and intervention of IMC effect on fatigue score on time-4 (adjusted ß coefficient: 6.62; 95% CI: 2.17-11.06). Conclusions: Nurse-administered IMC is capable of reducing fatigue among breast cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy.

Aesthetic Expressions of the Life-World of Filipino School-Age Children with Advanced Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the meanings of the life-world of school-age children with advanced cancer through aesthetic expression. DATA SOURCES: Drawing, writing, and interviewing data from 10 school-age children with advanced cancer living in Negros Island, Philippines, who met the inclusion criteria of the study. CONCLUSION: Five major thematic categories structured the participants' existential life-worlds with advanced cancer and were reflected within five lived-worlds as follows: lived body, poor body conditions but strong mind; lived relation, unlike the others; lived time, being in present while waiting for normal life; lived space, certain places of living and caring; and lived thing, supportive living by technology. The participants did not have control over the external events that happened to them, but their internal reactions made a powerful turning point. Advanced cancer made them tough and resilient to emotions. The negative problems dictated their response and allowed being unaffected by advanced cancer, and they were able to do it. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The results presented by this study can be used to enhance positive feelings and emotions of school-age children with advanced cancer. Schooling should remain an active part of participants' life to provide them with a sense of normalcy to carry on with their social and academic development. A prearranged discussion with the teacher, principal, school nurse, and hospital team is important to help everyone know what to expect.

Phenomena of Psychological Sufferings Among Nepalese Stroke Survivors and Analysis of Applicability of Samkhya Philosophy for Enhancing Their Psychological Wellbeing.

INTRODUCTION: Psychological suffering is commonly found among stroke survivors, particularly in the acute stage. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the phenomenon of psychological sufferings of stroke survivors and analyze the applicability of Samkhya philosophy for enhancing their psychological wellbeing. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted at a university hospital of Nepal among 16 stroke patients in the acute stage, selected by purposive sampling. Data collection was done by using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using deductive content analysis. Additionally, the analysis of Samkhya philosophy was done by using descriptive literature review from online databases. RESULTS: Stroke survivors in the acute stage experienced psychological sufferings, which were analyzed as intrinsic, extrinsic, and divine based on Samkhya philosophy. The intrinsic sufferings were (a) shock and denial with a sudden loss of normal body function, (b) worry about the possibility of lifelong disability and future life, and (c) fear and concern about the consequences of the disease to self. The extrinsic sufferings consisted of (a) worry when thinking about dependent family members and (b) feelings of making trouble or being a burden to the family members because of their dependency. The divine suffering consisted of feeling of being a burden caused by distress resulting from an inability to perform religious rituals. Samkhya philosophy explains the methods of relieving these sufferings by using yoga practice. CONCLUSION: Psychological sufferings are prevalent among Nepalese stroke survivors, and Samkhya philosophy might be one of suitable strategies to relieve these sufferings of the Hindu stroke survivors in the acute stage, and promote their psychological wellbeing. This study recommends integrating yoga in caring for stroke patients in the acute stage to promote psychological wellbeing.

Aesthetic expressions as data in researching the lived-world of children with advanced cancer.

Background: Understanding the true world of children needs a special method. Using aesthetic expressions through artworks with reflections assists nurse researchers in exploring children's feelings, thoughts, and behaviors in relation to their health and well-being. Objective: This article focuses on the use of aesthetic expressions as innovative data sources in a study of the lived worlds of children experiencing advanced cancer. Method: The use of aesthetic expressions in Gadamerian hermeneutic phenomenology and aesthetics, by means of van Manen's approach using draw and write, is examined as a suitable approach in a study of the lived worlds of children experiencing advanced cancer. Results: The aesthetic expressions through the Draw-and-Write method of data generation were well-suited to a hermeneutic phenomenological study involving the group of Filipino children living with advanced cancer. The children drew images and figures of themselves, their families, classmates, friends, and teachers in several places and events during the series of two days. The drawings showed their facial expressions, home, parents, hospital stay, school activities, extracurricular activities, and other daily activities. Conclusion: Aesthetic expression linked to art and connected to human experience drew the participants into different realms and expanded their perceptual capacities so that the fullness of the meaning of the experience was appreciated. The understanding of the experience through aesthetic expression provided sensitivity to and awareness of the variation of experience among children with advanced cancer. It is hoped that this paper can contribute to an understanding of aesthetic expressions as pathways to understanding and support health professionals as they embark on their goal of creating or restoring a comfortable relationship with children.

Moving from fear to realization: Family engagement in tuberculosis prevention in children living in tuberculosis Sundanese households in Indonesia.

OBJECTIVE: Children living in tuberculosis households need protection. However, families need to be engaged to prevent tuberculosis transmission to children. This study aimed to analyze the details of "moving from fear to realization," which is one category of a substantive theory of family engagement in tuberculosis prevention in children. METHODS: Fourteen family caregivers participated as key informants after their families met the criteria. The participants were recruited at a lung clinic in West Java, Indonesia and followed up at their homes. The data were gathered using in-depth interviews and analyzed following the coding procedures of the Straussian grounded theory. FINDINGS: "Moving from fear to realization" was the main category that emerged from the experiences of the Sundanese families to begin engaging in tuberculosis prevention in children living in tuberculosis households. It was composed of four sub-categories, namely, fear of tuberculosis, seeking information, following God's will, and awareness of tuberculosis transmission risks. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed how a family moves from fear to the realization of tuberculosis transmission risks. Its findings are useful for nurses to provide optimum care in order to prevent tuberculosis transmission to children with household contact by providing both education and counseling for families.

Self-caring in Islamic culture of Muslim persons with ESRD and hemodialysis: An ethnographic study

Objective: Culture and religion may influence self-caring of persons with End Stage Renal Disease on hemodialysis therefore the study aimed to explore self-caring in an Islamic culture of Muslim persons living with End Stage Renal Disease undergoing hemodialysis. Method: This study is a qualitative ethnographic study. Purposive sample of 4 females and 8 males of Muslims on hemodialysis aged between 31 and 62 years old and length of undergoing hemodialysis between 11 months and 9 years 3 months were recruited by using several inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria were being diagnosed End Stage Renal Disease and having known the diagnosis, having been undergoing hemodialysis at least 6 months, and never change treatment to peritoneal analysis or renal transplantation. Exclusion criteria applied in this study were hemodialysis persons with severe hyperventilation and edema, and loss of consciousness. Data were collected by using in-depth interviews, participant observation, and field note takings. Data analysis used the ethnonursing data analysis method. Results: Findings of the study revealed four categories that reflect meanings of and how informants care for themselves and how Islamic teachings and cultural values influences them. The categories emerged from the study are meaning of self-caring, actions in self-caring, Islamic influences to self-caring living and cultural influences to self-caring living. Conclusions: Muslims on hemodialysis performed any activities or actions that reflected their efforts to perform their self-caring in order to survive or be healthy based on their own perspective. Islamic teachings were used as guidance in selecting treatments and performing their self-caring. Family members, nurses and other healthcare professionals should consider Islamic teachings in assisting and delivering care for Muslims on hemodialysis

No disponible

Development and psychometric testing of the active aging scale for Thai adults.

BACKGROUND: Active aging is central to enhancing the quality of life for older adults, but its conceptualization is not often made explicit for Asian elderly people. Little is known about active aging in older Thai adults, and there has been no development of scales to measure the expression of active aging attributes. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a culturally relevant composite scale of active aging for Thai adults (AAS-Thai) and to evaluate its reliability and validity. METHODS: EIGHT STEPS OF SCALE DEVELOPMENT WERE FOLLOWED: 1) using focus groups and in-depth interviews, 2) gathering input from existing studies, 3) developing preliminary quantitative measures, 4) reviewing for content validity by an expert panel, 5) conducting cognitive interviews, 6) pilot testing, 7) performing a nationwide survey, and 8) testing psychometric properties. In a nationwide survey, 500 subjects were randomly recruited using a stratified sampling technique. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis, item analysis, and measures of internal consistency, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation resulted in a final 36-item scale consisting of seven factors of active aging: 1) being self-reliant, 2) being actively engaged with society, 3) developing spiritual wisdom, 4) building up financial security, 5) maintaining a healthy lifestyle, 6) engaging in active learning, and 7) strengthening family ties to ensure care in later life. These factors explained 69% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall AAS-Thai was 0.95 and varied between 0.81 and 0.91 for the seven subscales. Concurrent validity and test-retest reliability were confirmed. CONCLUSION: The AAS-Thai demonstrated acceptable overall validity and reliability for measuring the multidimensional attributes of active aging in a Thai context. This newly developed instrument is ready for use as a screening tool to assess active aging levels among older Thai adults in both community and clinical practice settings.

Lived experiences of patients on hemodialysis: a meta-synthesis.

Patients on hemodialysis may experience physical, psychological, and relationship changes. The objective of this meta-synthesis was to analyze and synthesize findings from qualitative studies of lived experiences of patients on hemodialysis. Ten articles were included in the final review. Four themes emerged as a result of synthesizing the findings of those studies: having a physical shackle in life, feeling mental and emotional distress, relying on a hemodialysis machine, and dealing with problems.

The experience of persons with allergic respiratory symptoms: practicing yoga as a self-healing modality.

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of persons with allergic respiratory symptoms who practice yoga as a self-healing modality. Fifteen participants were interviewed. Using the content analysis method, 5 themes emerged from the data: perceived positive effects, powerful and harmonious inner energy, mindfulness and self-awareness, understanding self and others, and promoting and achieving a state of balance and harmony. These findings foster the value of knowing the experience of persons who practice yoga as an intervention in holistic nursing.

Yoga during pregnancy: effects on maternal comfort, labor pain and birth outcomes.

This study examined the effects of a yoga program during pregnancy, on maternal comfort, labor pain, and birth outcomes. A randomized trial was conducted using 74-primigravid Thai women who were equally divided into two groups (experimental and control). The yoga program involved six, 1-h sessions at prescribed weeks of gestation. A variety of instruments were used to assess maternal comfort, labor pain and birth outcomes. The experimental group was found to have higher levels of maternal comfort during labor and 2h post-labor, and experienced less subject evaluated labor pain than the control group. In each group, pain increased and maternal comfort decreased as labor progressed. No differences were found, between the groups, regarding pethidine usage, labor augmentation or newborn Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min. The experimental group was found to have a shorter duration of the first stage of labor, as well as the total time of labor.

The effects of yoga on hypertensive persons in Thailand.

To determine the effectiveness of a yoga program on blood pressure and stress, a group of hypertensive patients in Thailand were studied, with the experimental group showing significantly decreased mean stress scores and blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index levels compared with the control group. Further studies are suggested to determine the effects of yoga on hypertension in Thailand.