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Mental Disabilities (mental + disabilities)
Selected AbstractsPandemic influenza communication: views from a deliberative forumHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 3 2009Wendy A. Rogers BA (Hons) BM.BS PhD MRCGP FRACGP Abstract Objective, To use a deliberative forum to elicit community perspectives on communication about pandemic influenza planning, and to compare these findings with the current Australian national communication strategy. Design, Deliberative forum of 12 persons randomly selected from urban South Australia. Forum members were briefed by experts in infection control, virology, ethics and public policy before deliberating on four key questions: what, how and when should the community be told about pandemic influenza and by whom? Results, The forum recommended provision of detailed and comprehensive information by credible experts, rather than politicians, using a variety of media including television and internet. Recommendations included cumulative communication to build expertise in the community, and specific strategies to include groups such as young people, people with physical or mental disabilities, and rural and remote communities. Information provided should be practical, accurate, and timely, with no ,holding back' about the seriousness of a pandemic. The forum expressed confidence in the expert witnesses, despite the acknowledged uncertainty of many of the predictions. Discussion and Conclusion, The deliberative forum's recommendations were largely consistent with the Australian national pandemic influenza communication strategy and the relevant literature. However, the forum recommended: release of more detailed information than currently proposed in the national strategy; use of non-political spokespersons; and use of novel communication methods. Their acceptance of uncertainty suggests that policy makers should be open about the limits of knowledge in potentially threatening situations. Our findings show that deliberative forums can provide community perspectives on topics such as communication about pandemic influenza. [source] Life experiences after stroke among Iranian stroke survivorsINTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 2 2010A. Dalvandi phd DALVANDI A., HEIKKILÄ K., MADDAH S.S.B., KHANKEH H.R. & EKMAN S.L. (2010) Life experiences after stroke among Iranian stroke survivors. International Nursing Review57, 247,253 Background:, Stroke is a major cause of disability worldwide. It is a life-threatening and life-altering event, which leaves many physical and mental disabilities, thus creating major social and economic burdens. Experiencing a stroke and its aftermath can be devastating for patients and their families. In Iran, many services are not available for those who lack property; this may result in many difficulties and long-term problems for stroke survivors and their family members who are usually the main caregivers in Iranian cultural. Despite its effect on their lives, little is known about how the survivors perceive stroke in the Iranian context, therefore, knowing more about this process may enhance problem identification and problem solving. Aim:, To illuminate how stroke survivors experience and perceive life after stroke. Method:, A grounded theory approach was recruited using semi-structured interviews with 10 stroke survivors. Findings:, The survivors perceived that inadequate social and financial support, lack of an educational plan, lack of access to rehabilitative services, physical and psychological problems led them to functional disturbances, poor socio-economical situation and life disintegration. The core concept of life after stroke was functional disturbances. Conclusions:, The study shows the need to support the stroke survivors in their coping process with their new situation by providing appropriate discharge plans, social and financial support, social insurances and training programmes for the stroke survivors and their families. [source] Care dependency of children in EgyptJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 3 2008Hanan Tork RN Aims., This study aimed to modify the Care Dependency Scale so that it could be used for children, to apply its Arabic version to Egyptian children to test the reliability and validity of the modified scale and to compare the care dependency of disabled and non-disabled Egyptian children. Background., A higher dependence of children in their daily tasks undoubtedly places a greater burden on their caregivers. To estimate the extent of the problem of care dependency, data from different countries and proper standard instruments are required. Method., The Care Dependency Scale was modified for children by Delphi technique. This study assessed the care dependency of non-disabled children compared with children with physical and mental disabilities using the modified version of the Care Dependency Scale for paediatrics. The total sample included 260 Egyptian school-age children (50·8% of whom were disabled and 49·2% were non-disabled). Results., Reliability was examined in terms of internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha (0·91). Inter-rater reliability revealed moderate to very good Kappa statistics between 0·57,0·89. Content validity and criterion validity were evaluated. Differences regarding care dependency were found between disabled and non-disabled children. Conclusion., The psychometric properties of the Care Dependency Scale for paediatrics support its usefulness in measuring the care dependency of children in Egypt. This study provides an Arabic version of the Care Dependency Scale for paediatrics that is easy to administer and may be useful to measure the care dependency in various Arabic countries. Relevance to clinical practice., The findings raise concerns regarding the extent to which disabled and also non-disabled school-age children are care dependent leading to an increased burden of care on nurses or on caregivers in general. The Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics can help nurses conduct an appropriate assessment of children's care dependency so that any nursing care can be planned according to the children's needs. [source] Public Health Nursing Directors' Perceptions Regarding Interagency Collaboration with Community Mental Health AgenciesPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2000M.H.A., Rosemary V Chaudry Ph.D. Involvement in collaborative interagency relationships is crucial to the future of public health nursing and public health agencies. The purpose of this study was to describe public health nursing directors' perceptions regarding relationships between public health agencies and mental health agencies in their communities. A secondary analysis was conducted of textual responses to open-ended questions and unsolicited comments from 71 (55%) the of respondents to a larger survey of nursing directors of all public health agencies in Ohio. Data were analyzed inductively using content analysis for emergent themes and patterns, which were organized and classified deductively according to a community interagency collaboration framework. Public health nursing directors described environmental, situational, task, and interagency factors that impact collaboration between their agencies and local community mental health agencies. These descriptions provide a context for understanding impediments to collaboration between these two types of agencies, and have implications for designing interventions to enhance public health nursing directors' skills at marketing both their profession and their agencies. Collaborative relationships between public health and mental health agencies could improve care for community-dwelling persons with severe mental disabilities and enhance the future of public health nursing in a changing, competitive health care system. [source] | ||||||||||