Psychiatric boarding incidence, duration, and associated factors in United States emergency departments.

INTRODUCTION: Boarding, especially among psychiatric patients, has been characterized as a significant cause of ED crowding, but no quantitative analysis has described boarding nationally. This study determines the incidence, duration, and factors associated with ED boarding in the United States. METHODS: 2008 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey ED data were stratified by visit type (psychiatric vs. non-psychiatric), boarding status, and patient and hospital characteristics. Boarding was defined as a visit with an ED length of stay >6 hours, and boarding time as ED length of stay minus 6 hours. Pearson's chi-square tests describe hospital and patient characteristics stratified by boarding status. Multilevel multivariable logistic and linear regressions determine associations with boarding and boarding time. RESULTS: While 11% of all ED patients boarded, 21.5% of all psychiatric ED patients boarded. Boarding was also more prolonged for psychiatric ED patients. Controlling for confounders, odds of boarding for psychiatric patients were 4.78 (2.63-8.66) times higher than non-psychiatric, and psychiatric patients boarded 2.78 (1.91-3.64) hours longer than non-psychiatric. DISCUSSION: US EDs experienced high proportions and durations of boarding with psychiatric patients disproportionately affected. Additional research concerning mental health care services and legislation may be required to address ED psychiatric patient boarding.

An exploration of lifetime trauma exposure in pregnant low-income African American women.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe the occurrence of lifetime trauma exposure in relation to perinatal health outcomes in low-income African American women. METHODS: One hundred and sixteen pregnant African American women recruited from two public prenatal clinics participated in this exploratory study. Information was obtained about psychological symptoms, medical conditions, prenatal care utilization, and health behaviors. To measure lifetime trauma exposure, women completed the Trauma History Questionnaire. Maternal and infant outcome data were obtained from the medical records following delivery. RESULTS: The occurrence of trauma exposure was high, with 87% of the women reporting at least one traumatic event. Their mean age was 25 years, 21% were primiparas, and they reported a mean of 4.3 ± 3.5 (median = 3) traumatic events during their lifetime. Crime-related experiences were common and included incidents of family or friends being murdered or killed (40%), robberies (23%), home burglaries (14%), attacks with weapons (13%), and muggings (12%). Lifetime trauma exposure was significantly associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and generalized stress. Women with greater lifetime trauma exposure had a higher rate of tobacco use, higher rate of premature rupture of membranes, and longer maternal hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Low-income African American women in this sample experienced a variety of traumatic events. Lifetime trauma exposure was associated with adverse perinatal health. Findings suggest the need to further investigate trauma across the lifespan to better understand the impact of these experiences on the reproductive health and well-being of women and their infants.

Relationships and betrayal among young women: theoretical perspectives on adolescent dating abuse.

AIMS: Adolescent dating abuse is not specifically described by any current nursing theory, and this article presents discussion of some existing theories that could inform a nursing theory of adolescent dating abuse. To account for the effects of gender, this discussion is limited to young women. BACKGROUND: Adolescent dating abuse is an important and understudied international issue for nursing. Theoretical frameworks can support development of nursing scholarship for such issues. No single theory yet exists in nursing to explain the experiences and health ramifications of dating abuse among young women. DATA SOURCES: A summary table of theories is provided. Literature was gathered via database search and bibliographic snowballing from reference lists of relevant articles. Included literature dates from 1982 through 2010. DISCUSSION: Theories of relationship formation and function are discussed, including attachment, investment, feminist and gender role conflict theories. Betrayal trauma theory is considered as a mechanism of injury following an abusive dating experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Gender, relationship and adolescence combine in a complex developmental moment for young women. To improve nursing care for those at risk for or in the throes of abusive relationships, it is critical to develop specific nursing approaches to understanding these relationships. CONCLUSION: Existing theories related to relationship and traumatic experiences can be combined in the development of a nursing theory of adolescent dating abuse among young women.

Classifying subgroups of patients with symptoms of acute coronary syndromes: A cluster analysis.

The purpose of the study was to identify subgroups of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes based on symptom clusters. Two hundred fifty-six patients completed a symptom assessment in their hospital rooms. Latent class cluster analysis and analysis of variance were used to classify subgroups of patients according to selected clinical characteristics. Four subgroups were identified and labeled as Heavy Symptom Burden, Chest Pain Only, Sweating and Weak, and Short of Breath and Weak (model fit χ(2) [130,891, n = 256] = 867.5, p = 1.00). The largest group of patients experienced classic symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath but not sweating. Younger patients were more likely to cluster in the Heavy Symptom Burden group (F = 5.08, p = .002). Interpretation of the clinical significance of these groupings requires further study.

A 14-day follow-up of adult non-malarial fever patients seen by mobile clinics in rural Malawi.

Background: While health providers consistently use malaria rapid diagnostic tests to rule out malaria, they often lack tools to guide treatment for those febrile patients who test negative. Without the tools to provide an alternative diagnosis, providers may prescribe unnecessary antibiotics or miss a more serious condition, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance and/or poor patient outcomes. Methods: This study ascertained which diagnoses and treatments might be associated with poor outcomes in adults who test negative for malaria. Adult patients for rapid diagnostic test of malaria seen in mobile health clinics in Mulanje and Phalombe districts were followed for 14 days. Participants were interviewed on sociodemographic characteristics, health-seeking behaviour, diagnosis, treatment and access to care. Mobile clinic medical charts were reviewed. Two weeks (±2 days) following clinic visit, follow-up interviews were conducted to assess whether symptoms had resolved. Results: Initially, 115 adult patients were enrolled and 1 (0.88%) was lost to follow-up. Of the 114 adult patients remaining in the study, 55 (48%) were seen during the dry season and 59 (52%) during the wet season. Symptoms resolved in 90 (80%) patients at the 14-day follow-up visit (n=90) with the rest (n=24) reporting no change in symptoms. None of the patients in the study died or were referred for further care. Almost all patients received some type of medication during their clinic visit (98.2%). Antibiotics were given to 38.6% of patients, and virtually all patients received pain or fever relief (96.5%). However, no anti-malarials were prescribed. Conclusions: Mobile clinics provide important health care where access to care is limited. Although rapid tests have guided appropriate treatment, challenges remain when a patient's presenting complaint is less well defined. In rural areas of southern Malawi, simple diagnostics are needed to guide treatment decisions.

Predictors of HIV Risk Reduction in Adolescent Girls.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the associations among mastery, self-esteem, and HIV risk reduction behaviors in a culturally diverse group of adolescent girls. It is important to identify and assess psychological determinants of HIV risk reduction behaviors such as mastery and self-esteem so that healthcare interventions may be tailored to maximize an adolescent's preventive efforts. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Black, Latina, and White adolescent girls were recruited from an urban primary care setting in a tertiary care center. A descriptive, correlational design was used. Measures included the Pearlin Mastery Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Adolescent Problem Severity Index. Data were collected through written surveys completed anonymously. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 224 participants. Mastery and self-esteem, variables that commonly explain health-enhancing behaviors, were not associated with HIV risk reduction behaviors either in the entire sample or cultural subgroups. There was an inverse relationship between age and HIV risk reduction behaviors in all cultural groups. There were no significant differences in HIV risk reduction behaviors among the three cultural groups. CLINICAL NURSING IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest HIV prevention efforts by nurses should be universal regardless of an adolescent girl's presumed level of mastery and self-esteem, and that these efforts need to intensify as they age.

Cluster analysis of elderly cardiac patients' prehospital symptomatology.

BACKGROUND: Chest pain routinely brings patients into the healthcare system, and elderly patients may present with more complex symptoms presaging ischemic heart changes than do younger patients. OBJECTIVE: To examine, using cluster analysis, how elderly patients experiencing an ischemic coronary heart disease cluster based on presenting symptoms in the week before hospitalization and how they vary in terms of their general physical and mental health, mood states, and quality of life. METHODS: Elderly (age >or=65 years), unpartnered patients (N = 247) admitted with ischemic coronary heart disease to one of five university medical centers were inducted into a clinical trial; only baseline data are reported. Interviews assessed cardiac symptoms, medical history, general physical and mental health, mood states, and quality of life. Patients were clustered (grouped) using squared Euclidean distances and weighted average linkage. Characteristics of patients were examined using analysis of variance and chi-squared analyses. RESULTS: Three clusters (groups) were identified: (a) Classic Acute Coronary Syndrome (severe ischemic pain; 22%), (b) Weary (severe fatigue, sleep disturbance, and shortness of breath; 29%), and (c) Diffuse Symptoms (mild symptomatology; 49%). Post hoc tests revealed that the Weary group was more likely to have a history of heart failure; they also exhibited significantly more psychological distress and lower quality of life than the other subgroups. CONCLUSION: Cluster analysis proved useful in grouping patients based on their symptom experience, but further research is needed to clarify the relationships among identified symptoms, psychological distress, and health outcomes; develop interventions for Weary patients; and extend the findings of this study.

School-based drama interventions in health promotion for children and adolescents: systematic review.

AIM: The paper is a report of a review of the literature on the effects of school-based drama interventions in health promotion for school-aged children and adolescents. BACKGROUND: Drama, theatre and role-playing methods are commonly used in health promotion programmes, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited. The educational drama approach and social cognitive theory is share the assumption that learning is based on self-reflection and interaction between environment and person. However, educational drama also emphasizes learning through the dialectics between actual and fictional contexts. DATA SOURCES: A search was carried out using 10 databases and hand searching for the period January 1990 to October 2006. METHODS: A Cochrane systematic review was conducted. RESULTS: Nine studies met the criteria for inclusion. Their topics included health behaviour (five studies), mental health (two) and social health (two). Actor-performed drama or theatre play followed by group activities was the intervention in five studies, and classroom drama in four studies. Four of the studies were randomized controlled trials and five were non-randomized controlled studies. Four reports gave the theory on which the intervention was based, and in eight studies at least some positive effects or changes were reported, mostly concerning knowledge and attitudes related to health behaviour. The diversity of designs and instruments limited comparisons. CONCLUSION: There is a need for well-designed and theory-based studies that address drama interventions in health promotion for children and families. The challenge is to find or develop a theory, which combines educational, drama and health theories with valid and reliable measurements to examine the effects of the intervention.

A discrete choice experiment to determine facility-based delivery services desired by women and men in rural Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: Despite global efforts to increase facility-based delivery (FBD), 90% of women in rural Ethiopia deliver at home without a skilled birth attendant. Men have an important role in increasing FBD due to their decision-making power, but this is largely unexplored. This study aimed to determine the FBD care attributes preferred by women and men, and whether poverty or household decision-making are associated with choice to deliver in a facility. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a cross-sectional discrete choice experiment in 109 randomly selected households in rural Ethiopia in September-October 2015. We interviewed women who were pregnant or who had a child <2 years old and their male partners. RESULTS: Both women and men preferred health facilities where medications and supplies were available (OR=3.08; 95% CI 2.03 to 4.67 and OR=2.68; 95% CI 1.79 to 4.02, respectively), a support person was allowed in the delivery room (OR=1.69; 95% CI 1.37 to 2.07 and OR=1.74; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.14, respectively) and delivery cost was low (OR=1.15 95% CI 1.12 to 1.18 and OR=1.14; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.17, respectively). Women valued free ambulance service (OR=1.37; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.70), while men favoured nearby facilities (OR=1.09; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.13) with friendly providers (OR=1.30; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.64). Provider preferences were complex. Neither women nor men preferred female doctors to health extension workers (HEW) (OR=0.92; 95% CI 0.59 to 1.42 and OR=0.74; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.14, respectively), male doctors to HEW (OR=1.33; 95% CI 0.89 to 1.99 and OR=0.75; 95% CI 0.50 to 1.12, respectively) or female over male nurses (OR=0.68; 95% CI 0.94 to 1.71 and OR=1.03; 95% CI 0.77 to 2.94, respectively). While both women and men preferred male nurses to HEW (OR=1.86; 95% CI 1.23 to 2.80 and OR=1.95; 95% CI 1.30 to 2.95, respectively), men (OR=1.89; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.78), but not women (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.00 to 2.13) preferred HEW to female nurses. Both women and men preferred female doctors to male nurses (OR=1.71; 95% CI 1.27 to 2.29 and OR=1.44; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.92, respectively), male doctors to female nurses (OR=1.95; 95% CI 1.44 to 2.62 and OR=1.41; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.90, respectively) and male doctors to male nurses (OR=2.47; 95% CI 1.84 to 3.32 and OR=1.46; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.95, respectively), while only women preferred male doctors to female doctors (OR=1.45; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.93 and OR=1.01; 95% CI 0.76 to 1.35, respectively) and only men preferred female nurses to female doctors (OR=1.34; 95% CI 0.98 to 1.84 and OR=1.39; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.89, respectively). Men were disproportionately involved in making household decisions (X2 (1, n=216)=72.18, p<0.001), including decisions to seek healthcare (X2 (1, n=216)=55.39, p<0.001), yet men were often unaware of their partners' prenatal care attendance (X2 (1, n=215)=82.59, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Women's and men's preferences may influence delivery service choices. Considering these choices is one way the Ethiopian government and health facilities may encourage FBD in rural areas.

The effects of a collaborative peer advisor/advanced practice nurse intervention: cardiac rehabilitation participation and rehospitalization in older adults after a cardiac event.

BACKGROUND: After the cardiovascular events of myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS), unpartnered older adults are a vulnerable group that may benefit from interventions to improve health outcomes. The purpose of this analysis is to determine if a community-based collaborative peer advisor/advanced practice nurse intervention increased participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs and reduced hospital readmissions after MI and CABS and determine whether the type of cardiovascular event influenced rehospitalization. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized clinical trial that enrolled 247 unpartnered older adults who were single, widowed, or divorced. Subjects were randomized into 4 groups: standard of care group for MI and for CABS and standard of care plus the treatment groups for MI and for CABS, for 12 weeks after discharge. There were 163 women/84 men, with a mean age of 76.4 years, who were admitted for MI (n = 93) or CABS (n = 154) and who were enrolled from 5 academic medical centers. The treatment consisted of a community-based intervention of a home visit within 72 hours and telephone calls at 2, 6, and 10 weeks from an advanced practice nurse and 12 weekly telephone calls from a peer advisor. Participation in a cardiac rehabilitation program and rehospitalizations were collected at 6 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months by telephone interview. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There were significantly more participants in cardiac rehabilitation programs after 3 months in the treatment group, and this increase was seen up to 1 year after MI and CABS. There were no statistical differences, although there were fewer rehospitalizations between 3 and 6 months after MI and CABS in the treatment group compared with the standard of care group. Overall, the evidence from this study suggests that a community-based collaborative peer advisor/advanced practice nurse intervention can play a role in promoting active participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs and fewer rehospitalizations in unpartnered older adults after MI and CAGS.

Depressive Symptom and Related Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of Korean Female Workers Working at Traditional Markets.

BACKGROUND: Depression is one of the psychiatric diseases with a high prevalence rate, globally, and reportedly more prevalent among women than among men. Especially, women workers working at traditional markets are in depressive conditions without occupational health services. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors having a significant effect on the depressive symptoms of women workers at traditional markets in South Korea. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was used and subjects for the present study were 500 female workers in three selected representative traditional marketplaces in South Korea. RESULTS: The results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that increased BMI (ß = 0.297, p = 0.017), poor nutritional status (ß = 0.596, p < 0.001), street vendor status (ß = 2.589, p = 0.001), job stress (ß = 0.491, p < 0.001), lower back pain (ß = 0.377, p = 0.011), lower self-efficacy (ß = -0.368, p = 0.002) and diminished family function (ß = -0.633, p = 0.001) affected workers' depressive symptoms. The explanatory power of these variables was 38.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, future research should focus on incorporating theses significant factors into effective interventions designed to decrease depressive symptoms in this population. Moreover, this study will increase interest in occupational health nursing, particularly in relation to vulnerable social groups, and expand the scope of practice in the field.

Trajectory of prehospital delay in patients with acute myocardial infarction in the Japanese health care system.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to understand the trajectory of prehospital delay in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the Japanese health care system, which offers patients a choice between seeking treatment in a neighborhood clinic/small hospital (clinic group) or a large hospital with comprehensive cardiac services, including a cardiac catheterization laboratory (hospital group). METHODS: In this cross sectional study, 155 consecutive patients admitted with AMI to one of 5 urban hospitals in Japan were interviewed within 7 days after admission. RESULTS: The median total prehospital delay time in the clinic group (n=84) was significantly longer than the hospital group (n=71) (6 h and 48 min vs 2 h and 9 min, p<.001). Patients with severe chest pain were significantly less likely to seek treatment at a clinic/small hospital than at a large hospital compared to patients with mild or moderate symptoms (OR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.97). Patients who did not interpret their symptoms as cardiac in origin were significantly more likely to seek treatment at a clinic/small hospital than at a large hospital compared to patients who interpreted their symptoms as cardiac in origin (OR 3.32, 95% CI: 1.56, 7.10). After controlling for demographic and medical history, patients in the clinic group were 3.69 times (95% CI: 1.28, 10.66) less likely to receive any reperfusion therapy compared to patients in the hospital group. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the need for public education in Japan that focuses on the appropriate response to AMI symptoms. Moreover, regional AMI networks need to be instituted to provide for early transfer for PCI from clinic/small hospitals to tertiary centers.

Sources of Social Capital for Malawi People Living With HIV.

With one of the highest rates of poverty and HIV in the world, Malawi faith-based organizations (FBOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) are expected to provide tangible and emotional support to people living with HIV (PLWH). Using Lin's social capital theoretical approach, we examine the perspective of PLWH regarding the adequacy of support responses. Forty-six rural Malawi HIV+ adults provided interviews that were recorded digitally, translated, and transcribed by Malawi research assistants. Atlas.ti was used to organize the data and to aid in the analytic process. Participants expressed disappointment in the lack of resources that could be accessed through the FBOs although their expectations may have been unrealistic. Outcomes from accessing and mobilizing the FBO network were negative in terms of stigmatization by FBO leaders and members, whereas outcomes related to CBOs and NGOs were generally positive in terms of empowerment through HIV information and attendance at support groups.

Depression and Self-Rated Health Among Rural Women Who Experienced Adolescent Dating Abuse: A Mixed Methods Study.

This study used mixed methods to examine the experiences and health of rural, young adult women (N = 100) who self-reported past experience of physical, emotional and verbal, sexual, and relational abuse in adolescent dating relationships. Few studies have examined the lasting health ramifications of adolescent dating abuse adolescent dating abuse in rural populations, and almost no mixed methods studies have explored adolescent dating abuse. Participants completed questionnaires on demographics, relationship behaviors, and mental health symptoms. A subsample (n = 10) of participants also completed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the primary investigator. Results suggest that depressive symptoms and self-rating of health in these women are associated with particular kinds and severity of abusive experiences, and that adolescent dating abuse has ramifications for health and development beyond the duration of the original relationship. Self-rated health (SRH) was inversely associated with abusive behaviors in the relationship, whereas depressive symptoms were positively correlated with such behaviors. Self-rated health was also negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. The results of this study represent an important step toward establishing lifetime health risks posed by adolescent dating abuse.

Prehospital delay and independent/interdependent construal of self among Japanese patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Reducing the time from symptom onset to reperfusion therapy is an important approach to minimizing myocardial damage and to preventing death from acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Previous studies suggest that certain ethnic or national groups, such as the Japanese, are more likely to delay in accessing care than other groups. The aims of this paper were the following; (1) to examine whether culture (defined as independent and interdependent construal of self) is associated with delay in accessing medical care in Japanese patients experiencing symptoms of AMI; (2) to determine if the relationship between independent and interdependent construal of self and prehospital delay time is mediated by cognitive responses and/or emotional responses; and (3) to determine if independent and interdependent construal of self independently predicts choice of treatment site (clinic vs. hospital). A cross-sectional study was conducted at hospitals in urban areas in Japan. One hundred and forty-five consecutive patients who were admitted with AMI within 72 h of the onset of symptoms were interviewed using the modified response to symptoms questionnaire and the independent and interdependent construal of self scale. The interdependent construal of self scores were significantly associated with prehospital delay time, controlling for demographics, medical history, and symptoms (p<.001). However, the relationship between independent and interdependent self and prehospital delay times was not mediated by cognitive or emotional responses. In multiple logistic regression analysis, patients with high independent construal of self were more likely to seek care at a hospital rather than a clinic compared to those with lower independent construal of self. In conclusion, cultural variation within this Japanese group was observed and was associated with prehospital delay time.

Is Internet-based support for dyspnea self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease possible? Results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: As of 2003, approximately 67% of US adults have Internet access. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an Internet-based dyspnea self-management program (iDSMP) for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A related aim was to compare the differential effects of the iDSMP on 2 different groups: (1) to test a "booster" effect and (2) to evaluate the program as a primary intervention. METHODS: Two groups (n = 16) were evaluated at baseline and at 3 months after completing the iDSMP, which included education, exercise, self-monitoring, and support. Dyspnea, self-efficacy, perception of available support, and exercise behavior were measured. Paired, independent t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used. RESULTS: Most subjects (87%) reported that the program increased their access to information and resources for managing dyspnea. Dyspnea with activities of daily living and self-efficacy for managing the symptom showed significant improvements (both P < .01), whereas more modest changes were noted in perceived support and exercise behavior in the overall sample. There were no differences between the 2 groups on these outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that additional investigations of Internet-based interventions to promote self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are warranted.

Implementation of efficacy enhancement nursing interventions with cardiac elders.

Intervention strategies based on social cognitive theory and encompassing the bio-psycho-behavioral domains are proposed to enhance self-efficacy in men and women 65 years and older recovering from myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass grafting. This paper describes a study in which the theory-based development of efficacy enhancement (EE) nursing interventions and their implementation and utilization with interventions from the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) were used with cardiac elders in the treatment group of the community-based randomized clinical, trial, "Improving Health Outcomes in Unpartnered Cardiac Elders." Advanced practice nurses (APNs) provided the nursing intervention to 110 participants (mean age = 76.2, SD = 6.0) for the first 12 weeks after discharge to home. After an initial introductory meeting in the acute-care setting, participant contacts by the APNs were made at a home visit and telephone calls at 2, 6, and 10 weeks. Results describe the number of participants receiving interventions at all contacts over 12 weeks, at specified contact points, and the intensity (nurse time) of the interventions. Verbal encouragement and mastery were EE interventions used with the greatest number of participants. Exercise promotion, energy management and active listening were NIC interventions used with the most participants. Variations in the use of interventions over 12 weeks and their intensities, suggest patterns of recovery in the elders. During rehabilitation EE interventions can be successfully implemented with men and women 65 years and older and individualized to the recovery trajectory. Nurses can integrate specific EE interventions with more general interventions from the bio-psycho-behavioral domains to enhance the recovery process for cardiac elders.

FAMISHED for support: recovering elders after cardiac events.

BACKGROUND: Heart disease causes disproportionately heavy burdens on unpartnered elders (widowed, divorced, never married) who have limited social resources to contend with recovery demands and complications resulting from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Research suggests that the availability of social support improves recovery after AMI and CABG, yet functional support expressly designed to modify health and stimulate recovery remains unspecified. Advanced practice nurses (APNs) in the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) role who provide social support to recovering elders may be able to improve health outcomes for this vulnerable group. AIMS: The investigators' aims are to (1) quantify the duration and frequency of nurse contact with unpartnered elders recovering from cardiac events and (2) describe the functional support provided by the CNS to the unpartnered recovering elder. METHODS: Forty narrative accounts comprising 670 entries by interventional CNS APNs were examined using thematic analytic techniques. RESULTS: Over a 14-week period, CNS APNs contacted recovering elders 16 times, with a total of 4.5 hours spent per elder, or 13 minutes per phone call and 80 minutes per home visit. Analysis of 670 entries demonstrated functional and emotional support that was captured in the acronym, FAMISHED. CONCLUSIONS: Functional and emotional support from the CNS may enhance self-efficacy for recovery from cardiac events for unpartnered elders.

Predictors of health-promoting behavior associated with cardiovascular diseases among Korean blue-collar workers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of actual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks, psychosocial and work-related factors as predictors of health behavior. A sample of 234 Korean blue-collar workers, who worked in small companies, was included in this cross-sectional study. Data collection included a survey; anthropometric and blood pressure measures; and blood sampling. Multiple regression analyses showed that the model explained 30% of the variance in health behavior of blue-collar workers. The significant predictors for health behavior included education level, perceived general health, greater family function, higher social support, decision latitude, and non-shift work. Future research should focus on incorporating these significant predictors into effective behavioral interventions designed to promote cardiovascular health in this population.

Women recovering from acute myocardial infarction: psychosocial and physical functioning outcomes for 12 months after acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the recovery trajectories for women after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN: The study was designed as a prospective, comparative, longitudinal, convenience sample. SETTING: The study was set in 5 West Coast major medical centers and 1 northeastern major medical center. PATIENTS: The subjects were 76 women (81% white, 19% African American; mean age, 67.8 years) with AMI. OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures were the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), a measure of cardiac and physical functional capacity; the Profile of Mood States (POMS), a measure of mood disturbance; the Mastery instrument, a sense of mastery in one's life; and the Support Requirements Interview, a measurement of needs for social support and assistance during recovery. RESULTS: Repeated measures analysis of variance results revealed that white women recovered more quickly than did African American women, with DASI scores approximately 50% better. POMS and Mastery results improved over time for both groups, with limited differences between African American and white women. At 6 weeks after AMI, age, social support, and mastery contributed significantly and predicted 42% of the variance in functional status (DASI) and 44% of the variance in mood disturbance as measured with the POMS. CONCLUSION: African American women and white women have similar recovery trajectories in terms of psychosocial recovery from AMI but different physical recovery trajectories.