Mental health literacy

وَقَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلذِّكۡرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجۡنُونࣱ‏

They say, ‘Receiver of this Quran! You are definitely mad

قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُرۡسِلَ إِلَيۡكُمۡ لَمَجۡنُونࣱ‏

Pharaoh said, ‘This messenger who has been sent to you is truly possessed.’

وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓاْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرࣲ مَّجۡنُونِۭ

and said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوۡاْ عَنۡهُ وَقَالُواْ مُعَلَّمࣱ مَّجۡنُونٌ

they turned their backs on him, saying, ‘He is tutored! He is possessed!’

فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَٰحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونࣱ‏

Pharaoh turned away with his supporters, saying, ‘This is a sorcerer, or maybe a madman,’

كَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَتَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُواْ سَاحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٌ

Every previous people to whom a messenger was sent also said, ‘A sor-cerer, or maybe a madman!’

And they that is the disbelievers of Mecca say to the Prophet s ‘O you to whom the Remembrance the Qur’ān — as you claim — has been revealed lo! you are indeed possessed!

He said ‘Verily this messenger of yours sent to you is a madman!’

and would say ‘Are we to abandon our gods for a mad poet?’ that is for the sake of what Muhammad (s) says? as regards the hamzas in a-innā ‘are we’ the same applies as mentioned above.

And they say: "O you (Muhammad) to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been revealed! Verily, you are a madman (6)"Why do you not bring angels to us if you are of the truthful? (7)We do not send the angels down except with the truth, and in that case, they (the disbelievers) would have no respite (8)Verily, We, it is We Who revealed the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'an) and surely We will guard it (from corruption)(9) The Accusation that the Prophet (ﷺ) was a Madman and Demands for Him to bring down Angels Allah tells us about the disbelief, arrogance and stubbornness of the disbelievers as reflected in their words: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ (O you (Muhammad) to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been revealed!) i.e., the one who claims to receive it. إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ (Verily, you are a mad man!) i.e., by your invitation to us to follow you and leave the way of our forefath

Fir'awn said: "And what is the Lord of Al-'Alamin (23)(Musa) said: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty. (24)(Fir'awn) said to those around: "Do you not hear (what he says)? (25)(Musa) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers! (26)(Fir'awn) said: "Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman! (27)(Musa) said: "Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand! (28) Allah tells us about the disbelief, rebellion, oppression and denial of Fir'awn, as He says: وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ((Fir'awn said:) "And what is the Lord of the 'Alamin") This is because he used to say to his people: مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي (I know not that you have a god other than me.)(28:38) فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ (Thus he fooled his people, and

And they will turn to one another and question one another (27)They will say: "It was you who used to come to us from the right side. (28)They will reply: "Nay, you yourselves were not believers. (29)"And we had no authority over you. Nay! But you were a transgressing people. (30)"So now the Word of our Lord has been justified against us, that we shall certainly taste (the torment). (31)"So we led you astray because we were ourselves astray. (32)Then verily, that Day, they will (all) share in the torment (33)Certainly, that is how We deal with the criminals (34)Truly, when it was said to them: "La ilaha illallah," they puffed themselves up with pride (35)And (they) said: "Are we going to abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet? (36)Nay! he has come with the truth and he confirms the Messengers (37) The arguing of the Idolators on the Day of Resurrection Allah tells us that the disb

ولو كشف الغطاء لرأيت أكثر النفوس البشرية صرعى مع هذه الأرواح الخبيثة وهي في أسرها وقبضتها تسوقها حيث شاءت ولا يمكنها الامتناع عنها ولا مخالفتها وبها الصرع الأعظم الذي لا يفيق صاحبه إلا عند المفارقة والمعاينة فهناك يتحقق أنه كان هو المصروع حقيقة وبالله المستعان وعلاج هذا الصرع باقتران العقل الصحيح إلا الإيمان بما جاءت به الرسل وأن تكون الجنة والنار نصب عينه وقبلة قلبه ويستحرض أهل الدنيا وحلول المثولات والآفات بهم ووقوعها خلال ديارهم كمواقع القطر وهم صرعى لا يفيقون وما أشد أعداء هذا الصرع ولكن لما عمت البلية به بحيث ينظر الإنسان لا يرى إلا مصروعا لم يصر مستغربا ولا مستنكرا بل صار لكثرة المصروعين عين المستنكر المستغرب خلافة فإذا أراد الله بعبد حيرا أفاق من هذه الصرعة ونظر إلى أبناء الدنيا مصروعين حوله يمينا وشمالا على اختلاف طبقاتهم فمنهم من أطبق به الجنون ومنهم من يفيق أحيانا قليلة ويعود إلى جنونه ومنهم من يجن مرة ويفيق أخرى فإذا أفاق عمل عمل أهل الإفاقة والعقل ثم يعاوده الصرع فيقع في التخ

الثاني أن هذا باطل بصور كثيرة منها دخول الماء في العود والسحاب ودخول النار في الحديد ودخول الغذاء في جميع أجزاء البدن ودخول الجن في المصروع فالروح للطافتها لا يمتنع عليها مشابكة البدن والدخول في جميع أجزائه

فالعقل فن واحد وطريقه % أدرى فأرصد و الجنون فنون

هكذا ضعف الدين في قرون سالفة فكيف الظن بزمانك هذا وقد انتهى الأمر إلى أن مظهر الإنكار يستهدف لنسبته إلى الجنون فالأولى أن يشتغل الإنسان بنفسه ويسكت

وأما القسم الثاني، وهو المدح بسبب الجاه والمال، فالفرح بذلك، كالفرح بنبات الأرض الذي يصير عن قريب هشيما، ولا يفرح بذلك إلا من قل عقله، وإن كنت خاليا عن الصفة التي مدحت بها، ففرحك بالمدح غاية الجنون.

قالوا وكيف يمدح أمر يمنع القرار ويسلب المنام ويوله العقل ويحدث الجنون بل هو نفسه جنون كما قال بعض الحكماء الجنون فنون والعشق فن من فنونه كما قال بعض العشاق

The effectiveness of school mental health literacy programs to address knowledge, attitudes and help seeking among youth.: Aim: Conduct a systematic review for the effectiveness of school mental health literacy programs to enhance knowledge, reduce stigmatizing attitudes and improve help-seeking behaviours among youth (12-25 years of age). Methods: Reviewers independently searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ERIC, grey literature and reference lists of included studies. They reached a consensus on the included studies, and rated the risk of bias of each study. Studies that reported three outcomes: kn

Is It Possible to "Find Space for Mental Health" in Young People? Effectiveness of a School-Based Mental Health Literacy Promotion Program.: Lack of knowledge regarding, and the stigma associated with, mental disorders have been identified as major obstacles for the promotion of mental health and early intervention. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention program focused on the promotion of mental health literacy (MHL) in young people (“Finding Space for Mental Health”). A sample of 543 students (22 classes), aged between 12 and 14 years old, participated in the study. Each class of studen

Facilitators and Barriers for Advance Care Planning Among Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S.: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature.: Growing evidence suggests a low engagement in advance care planning (ACP) among ethnic minorities in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to synthesize findings from prior research about ACP among ethnic minorities. An extensive literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases. After applying inclusion criteria, 26 studies were included. Four categories of facilitators and barriers to ACP were identified: (1) Socio-demographic factors, (2) health status, literacy and experie

Adolescent health literacy and health behaviors: A systematic review.: Objectives: To systematically review and synthesize literature on the relationship between health literacy and health behaviors in adolescents. Methods: Searches in PsychInfo, PUBMED/MEDLINE, and Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) were conducted. Studies were included if they reported original data on the relationship between health literacy and a health behavior in adolescents, were written in English, and the population did not have a chronic illness or disability. Results: Sevent

The effect of a community-based self-help multimodal behavioral intervention in Korean American seniors with high blood pressure.: Background: Great strides have been made in improving heart health in the United States during the last 2 decades, yet these strides have not encompassed many ethnic minority populations. There are significant health disparity gaps stemming from both a paucity of valid research and a lack of culturally sensitive interventions. In particular, many Korean Americans with chronic illnesses encounter difficulty navigating the healthcare system because of limited health literacy. Methods: The effect o

Workplace Interventions Targeting Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, Help-Seeking, and Help-Offering in Male-Dominated Industries: A Systematic Review.: Mental ill-health and suicide represent a significant proportion of the burden of global disease among men. Connell's relational theory of masculinities provides a useful framework to explore how mental health literacy, mental health stigma, and delayed help-seeking and help-offering behaviors are associated with mental ill-health among men, particularly within male-dominated industries. To address the high incidences of mental ill-health in male-dominated industries, several workplace intervent

The health literacy of parents in the United States: a nationally representative study.

Objective: To assess the health literacy of US parents and explore the role of health literacy in mediating child health disparities. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed for a nationally representative sample of US parents from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Parent performance on 13 child health-related tasks was assessed by simple weighted analyses. Logistic regression analyses were performed to describe factors associated with low parent health literacy and to explore the relationship between health literacy and self-reported child health insurance status, difficulty understanding over-the-counter medication labeling, and use of food labels. Results: More than 6100 parents made up the sample (representing 72600098 US parents); 28.7% of the parents had below-basic/basic health literacy, 68.4% were unable to enter names and birth dates correctly on a health in…

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Health literacy and child health promotion: implications for research, clinical care, and public policy.

The nation's leading sources of morbidity and health disparities (eg, preterm birth, obesity, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, mental health disorders, and cancer) require an evidence-based approach to the delivery of effective preventive care across the life course (eg, prenatal care, primary preventive care, immunizations, physical activity, nutrition, smoking cessation, and early diagnostic screening). Health literacy may be a critical and modifiable factor for improving preventive care and reducing health disparities. Recent studies among adults have established an independent association between lower health literacy and poorer understanding of preventive care information and poor access to preventive care services. Children of parents with higher literacy skills are more likely to have better outcomes in child health promotion and disease prevention. A…

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A garden pilot project enhances fruit and vegetable consumption among children.

Fruit and vegetable intake among children is inadequate. Garden-based nutrition education programs may offer a strategy for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children. A 12-week pilot intervention was designed to promote fruit and vegetable intake among 4th to 6th grade children (n=93) attending a YMCA summer camp. Children participated in garden-based activities twice per week. Weekly educational activities included fruit and vegetable taste tests, preparation of fruit and vegetable snacks, and family newsletters sent home to parents. The pilot intervention was evaluated using a pre and post survey to determine participant satisfaction and the short-term impacts of the program. The process evaluation focused on program satisfaction, whereas the short-term impact evaluation assessed fruit and vegetable exposure, preference, self-efficacy, asking behavior, and availability of fruit…

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Knowledge, attitudes and practices survey on organ donation among a selected adult population of Pakistan.

Background: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding organ donation in a selected adult population in Pakistan. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to generate a sample of 440; 408 interviews were successfully completed and used for analysis. Data collection was carried out via a face to face interview based on a pre-tested questionnaire in selected public areas of Karachi, Pakistan. Data was analyzed using SPSS v.15 and associations were tested using the Pearson's Chi square test. Multiple logistic regression was used to find independent predictors of knowledge status and motivation of organ donation. Results: Knowledge about organ donation was significantly associated with education (p = 0.000) and socioeconomic status (p = 0.038). 70/198 (35.3%) people expressed a high motivation to donate. Allowance of organ donation in religion was significantly associated wi…

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The role of the nurse teacher in clinical practice: an empirical study of Finnish student nurse experiences.

This paper focuses on the role of the nurse teacher (NT) in supporting student nurse education in clinical practice. The paper draws on the outcomes of a study aimed at exploring student nurse experiences of the pedagogical relationship with NTs during their clinical placements. The participants (N=549) were student nurses studying on pre-registration nursing programmes in Finland. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and ANOVA. The study showed that the core aspect of NTs work in clinical practice revolved around the relationship between student, mentor and NT. Higher levels of satisfaction were experienced in direct proportion to the number of meetings held between the student and NT. However, whilst the importance of this relationship has been reported elsewhere, an additional aspect of this relationship emerged in the data analysis. Those NT who facilitat…

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"Why doesn't she seek help for partner abuse?" An exploratory study with South Asian immigrant women.

This study explores why South Asian immigrant women with experiences of partner abuse delay seeking help from professionals. Three focus groups were conducted in Hindi language with South Asian immigrant women in Toronto. Twenty-two women participated with a mean age of 46 years (range 29-68 years). Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed data using constant comparison techniques within and across the groups. We found that three major themes emerged from the discussions: reasons for delayed help-seeking, turning points and talking to professionals. Women expressed delaying help-seeking to the point when "Pani sar se guzar jata he" (water crosses over your head). Their dominant reasons for delayed help-seeking were social stigma, rigid gender roles, marriage obligations, expected silence, loss of social support after migration and limited knowledge about available resources and…

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Role of parents in adolescent sexual activity and contraceptive use in four African countries.

Context: Parents have an influence on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, but evidence from Sub- Saharan Africa is limited. A better understanding of the relationship between different dimensions of parenting and recent sexual activity and contraceptive use is needed in the region. Methods: Data were collected in 2004 in nationally representative surveys of 12-19-year-olds in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. Bivariate analysis compared gender differences for two outcomes among unmarried 15-19-year-olds-having had sexual intercourse in the last 12 months and, among those who had had sex in this period, contraceptive use at last sex. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified associations between these outcomes and coresidence with parents or parent figures, parental monitoring and parent-child communication. Results: Unmarried adolescents reported moderate …

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The public's stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental disorders: how important are biomedical conceptualizations?

Objective: This study examined hypotheses that stigmatizing attitudes are increased by use of psychiatric labels, by conceptualization of symptoms as a medical illness and by belief in genetic causes. Method: A survey of 3998 Australian adults asked questions about one of four vignettes: early schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, depression and depression with suicidal thoughts. Attitudes were measured by a social distance scale and a question about likely dangerousness. Results: Social distance was unrelated to the hypothesized factors. For schizophrenia (but not depression), belief in dangerousness was predicted by medical illness conceptualizations and genetic causal attribution. However, more important factors were the behaviours in the vignette and the belief that they are because of weakness of character. Conclusion: Biomedical conceptualizations are not the major cause of stigma,…

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Predictors of medication adherence using a multidimensional adherence model in patients with heart failure.

Background: Medication adherence in heart failure (HF) is a crucial but poorly understood phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to explore factors contributing to medication adherence in patients with HF by using the World Health Organization's multidimensional adherence model. Methods and results: Patients (N = 134) with HF (70% were male, aged 61 +/- 12 years, 61% with New York Heart Association III/IV) were studied to determine the predictors of medication adherence derived from the multidimensional adherence model. Medication adherence was measured objectively using the medication event monitoring system for 3 months. Three indicators of adherence were assessed by the medication event monitoring system: 1) dose-count, the percentage of prescribed doses taken; 2) dose-days, the percentage of days the correct number of doses were taken; and 3) dose-time, the percentage of doses tha…

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Myths and fallacies about epilepsy among residents of a Karachi slum area.

Misconceptions about epilepsy may explain the considerable stigma accompanying it. We aimed to identify such fallacies through questionnaire-based interviews of 487 adult residents of a slum area in Karachi, Pakistan. Of those interviewed, 25% believed that epilepsy was caused by evil spirits, black magic and envy by others - those without a school education were more likely to hold these views (P < 0.05). Perceived complications included impotence and cancer. Shoe-sniffing was considered a treatment modality by 13%. It appears that misconceptions abound regarding epilepsy's causes, complications and methods of treatment. However, those who had received a school education were less likely to link epilepsy with supernatural phenomena.

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Factors associated with breast self-examination practices and beliefs in female workers at a Muslim community.

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify knowledge levels and performance frequency of breast self-examination (BSE) and to examine variables related to breast cancer screening behaviors in a sample of Turkish women. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 103 Muslim female workers at a hazelnut factory in Ordu city, Turkey, using an adapted version of Champion's revised Health Belief Model Scale. Results showed that 26.2% of the women reported knowledge of BSE and 4.3% reported that they perform BSE. Higher health motivation, higher perceived self-efficacy of BSE, marital status, and familial breast cancer history were significantly associated with BSE performance. Higher levels of health motivation and higher perceived self-efficacy of BSE were also significantly associated with knowledge of BSE.

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Dispensary level pilot implementation of rapid diagnostic tests: an evaluation of RDT acceptance and usage by providers and patients--Tanzania, 2005.

Background: Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) may assist in diagnosis, improve prescribing practices and reduce potential drug resistance development. Without understanding operational issues or acceptance and usage by providers and patients, the costs of these tests may not be justified. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of RDTs on prescribing behaviours, assess prescribers' and patients' perceptions, and identify operational issues during implementation. Methods: Baseline data were collected at six Tanzanian public dispensaries. RDTs were implemented for eight weeks and data collected on frequency of RDT use, results, malaria diagnoses and the prescription of antimalarials. Patients referred for RDTs completed a standardised exit interview. Qualitative methods assessed attitudes toward and satisfaction with RDTs, perceptions about the test and operational issues related to impleme…

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Maternal smoking: determinants and associated morbidity in two areas in Lebanon.

Objectives: This study assessed the factors related to smoking during pregnancy in two areas in Lebanon, and the association of smoking to selected maternal and newborn health related factors. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data on 538 women who delivered in nine hospitals in two areas in Lebanon. Women were interviewed about their smoking practices, and on demographic and psychosocial variables. 396 women were followed up and re-interviewed about their smoking status, and the mother's and baby's health after delivery. Smoking during pregnancy included both cigarettes and narghile smoking. Results: About 25.7% of women were smoking some kind of tobacco during pregnancy. Older women, Muslim women, women with poor education, those who had financial difficulty, nervousness, lower support, and delay in seeking prenatal care were more likely to smoke during pregnancy. Women who smo…

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Cultural capital and social inequality in health.

Economic and social resources are known to contribute to the unequal distribution of health outcomes. Culture-related factors such as normative beliefs, knowledge and behaviours have also been shown to be associated with health status. The role and function of cultural resources in the unequal distribution of health is addressed. Drawing on the work of French Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, the concept of cultural capital for its contribution to the current understanding of social inequalities in health is explored. It is suggested that class related cultural resources interact with economic and social capital in the social structuring of people's health chances and choices. It is concluded that cultural capital is a key element in the behavioural transformation of social inequality into health inequality. New directions for empirical research on the interplay between economic, social and c…

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The moderating role of parental smoking on their children's attitudes toward smoking among a predominantly minority sample: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: In general having a parent who smokes or smoked is a strong and consistent predictor of smoking initiation among their children while authoritative parenting style, open communication that demonstrates mutual respect between child and parent, and parental expectations not to smoke are protective. It has been hypothesized that parental smoking affects their children's smoking initiation through both imitation of the behavior and effects on attitudes toward smoking. The goals of the current analysis were to examine these two potential mechanisms. Methods: In 2003, 1,417 high school students in Houston, Texas, completed a cross-sectional survey as part of the evaluation of an interactive smoking prevention and cessation program delivered via CD-ROM. To assess the relationship between number of parents who currently smoke and children's smoking status, we completed an uncondition…

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Your faith or mine: a pregnancy spacing intervention in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community in Israel.

Ultra-orthodox (haredi) Jews in Israel have an exceptionally high fertility rate of 7.7. As most fathers spend their days studying the Bible, the women struggle to support their large families under severe economic pressures. Some women experience maternal exhaustion coping with this life situation. Contraception for pregnancy spacing raises myriad dilemmas in the haredi community, however, many of which apply to promoting family planning in religious settings more generally. In a health promotion course for 23 haredi registered nurses at the University of Haifa in 2006-2007, pregnancy spacing was selected as the subject of the class project, the main aim of which was to convey an influential health message in a culturally acceptable manner. As the issue was debated, it was agreed the project should also address a range of women's health problems as well as pregnancy spacing. Thus, mater…

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"If sex hurts, am I still a woman?" the subjective experience of vulvodynia in hetero-sexual women.

Vulvodynia has recently been recognized as a significant health problem among women, with a considerable proportion experiencing psychological distress and sexual dysfunction for many years. This study used a material-discursive framework and a qualitative methodology to investigate women's subjective experience of vulvodynia within the context of a hetero-sexual relationship, and their negotiation of coitus, commonly associated with vulvar pain. Seven women, who had experienced vulvodynia between 2 and 10 years, took part in in-depth interviews. Thematic decomposition drawing on a Foucauldian framework for interpretation identified that six of the seven women took up subject positions of "inadequate woman" and "inadequate partner," positioning themselves as failures for experiencing pain during coitus, which they interpreted as affecting their ability to satisfy their partners sexually,…

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Ethnicity and registration as a kidney donor: the significance of identity and belonging.

Studies of attitudes towards cadaveric organ donation have failed to adequately explain the disproportionately low rates of cadaveric organ donation among ethnic minorities. This may reflect an unhelpfully static and narrow definition of 'culture' entailing a collection of predefined cognitive 'beliefs' and 'attitudes.' This paper takes a more integrative approach and considers how ethnicity shapes perceptions of identity and belonging that underpin organ donation discourse among a section of Black British Caribbean people, one of largest migrant groups in the UK. The study is based on 14 in-depth interviews with men and women of Caribbean descent living in south London. Respondents' accounts identified their Caribbean heritage and racial identity as producing a divided sense of loyalty and belonging accompanied by perceptions of discrimination and exclusion from the mainstream society t…

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The relationship between health information seeking and community participation: the roles of health information orientation and efficacy.

Health communication scholarship has built on the health-promoting role of the community in exploring participatory communication techniques in community-based health promotion efforts. Community participation inculcates responsibility, strengthens community bonds, and provides a platform for diffusing health interventions. This power of a community to embody responsible action and promote participation in preventive behavior is examined in recent research on social capital. Exploring the link between community participation and health, this article demonstrates, through 2 survey studies, that health information orientation and health information efficacy are positively correlated with community participation. Furthermore, community participation is linked with prevention orientation, health beliefs, and health behaviors. Based on the findings, theoretical and pragmatic suggestions are p…

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The evidence-based practice beliefs and implementation scales: psychometric properties of two new instruments.

Background: Implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) by health professionals is a key strategy for improving health care quality and patient outcomes as well as increasing professional role satisfaction. However, it is estimated that only a small percentage of nurses and other health care providers are consistently using this approach to clinical practice. Aim: The aim of this study was to report on the development and psychometric properties of two new scales: (1) the 16-item EBP Beliefs Scale that allows measurement of a person's beliefs about the value of EBP and the ability to implement it, and (2) the 18-item EBP Implementation Scale that allows measurement of the extent to which EBP is implemented. Methods: Nurses (N= 394) attending continuing education workshops volunteered to complete the scales. Data were analysed to evaluate reliability and validity of both instruments. …

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Understanding the antecedents of the acceptance of donation after cardiac death by healthcare professionals.

Objective: A 3-yr study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was conducted to identify potential barriers to and opportunities for increasing the number hospitals with donation after cardiac death (DCD) protocols, the support of DCD by individuals involved in the donation request process, and the number DCD donors recovered. This study reports the qualitative findings. Design: Methods used included an advisory committee and an extensive array of key informant interviews and focus groups. Setting: Hospitals and telephone contact. Subjects: Discussions with nurses, physicians, social service staff, clergy, administrators, and organ procurement organization staff. A total of 216 people participated. Interventions: Collection and analysis of information regarding perceptions of DCD, potential barriers and opportunities, and strategies for gaining support. Measurement an…

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Women's management of menstrual symptoms: findings from a postal survey and qualitative interviews.

This paper draws on postal questionnaire and qualitative interview data to investigate women's experiences of and responses to menstrual symptoms. Respondents were drawn from general practices in the Lothian region of Scotland. They described a range of strategies to manage menstrual symptoms, learnt both from personal experience and discussions with others. While most women had spoken to others about periods, this more often related to matters such as changes with age, or pain management, whereas heaviness of blood loss was not usually a subject for discussion. When asked about formal help-seeking women described it as a step reluctantly taken, only if attempts to self manage failed, and that often it was opportunistic, occurring when consulting for something else. It was apparent that women thought of menstrual symptoms, even when felt to be problematic, as 'part and parcel' of female …

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Effects of information, education, and communication training about organ donation for gatekeepers: clerks at the Department of Motor Vehicles and organ donor registries.

Context: Clerks at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) serve as gatekeepers in the quest to fill organ donor registries. Most people who join organ donor registries do so through their local driver's license bureau. Objective: To improve knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward organ donation among DMV clerks, and to improve strategies for communicating with the public about organ donation, resulting in more people joining DMV-based organ donor registries. Setting: DMV offices in 8 counties in a southern state. Participants: A general survey of 1504 participants in 8 counties was conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward organ donation. All 76 DMV clerks in those counties participated in surveys before and after a training intervention. Interventions: DMV clerks received a 1-hour training intervention focused on the nature of the new organ donor registry…

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A psychoeducational intervention for sexual dysfunction in women with gynecologic cancer.

Treatment of early-stage cervical and endometrial cancer has been associated with significant sexual difficulties in at least half of women following hysterectomy. Despite the fact that women report such sexual side effects to be the most distressing aspect of their cancer treatment, evidence-based treatments for Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD), the most common sexual symptom in this group, do not exist. We developed and pilot tested a brief, three session psychoeducational intervention (PED) targeting FSAD in 22 women with early-stage gynecologic cancer. The PED consisted of three, 1-h sessions that combined elements of cognitive and behavioral therapy with education and mindfulness training. Women completed questionnaires and had a physiological measurement of genital arousal at pre- and post-PED (sessions 1 and 4) and participated in a semi-structured interview (session 4) durin…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)

Pediatric critical care nurses' perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes regarding organ donation after cardiac death.

Objective: Donation after cardiac death (DCD) is being implemented nationwide in the United States to increase the number of organ donors. Pediatric critical care nurses (PCRNs) are key facilitators in the organ donation process. This study assesses their perception, level of knowledge, and understanding of DCD and the effect of an educational intervention. Design: Anonymous questionnaire administered before and after an educational intervention. Setting: Children's hospital with 39 pediatric and cardiac/transplant intensive care unit beds. Subjects: PCRNs in these intensive care units. Interventions: DCD education. Measurements and main results: Response to the initial questionnaire was 93 of 123 (76%): 63% of PCRNs supported organ donation, 69% felt it gives meaning and worth to death, and 76% felt that it contributes positively to the donating family's grieving process. Ninety-five pe…

matched on Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice (mesh)