The roles and contributions of women to the health of their families and household economics in rural areas in the district of Mbe, Cameroon.

This study examined the roles and contributions of women in family health and household economics in the rural Mbe district of Cameroon. The study employed a qualitative approach, descriptive statistics, surveys, and purposive sampling to select 25 households across five villages in Mbe. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. Thematic coding was used to analyze the data, revealing nuanced insights into women's multifaceted roles. The findings indicated that women in rural Mbe were integral to their families' well-being, actively managing childcare, early education, and minor illnesses through a combination of traditional remedies and modern healthcare practices. Economically, they played crucial roles in farming, small-scale trading, and financial decision-making, significantly contributing to household income and resilience. Additionally, women influenced local governance through active participation in community organizations, shaping decisions that fostered communal cohesion. This study contributes uniquely to the existing literature by highlighting the intersection of women's evolving economic roles and their impact on community decision-making in rural Cameroon. Empowering these women through targeted resources and policies is both urgent and essential for advancing family health, economic stability, and sustainable rural development.publishedVersio

Sykepleierne på Gazastripen redder liv midt i kaoset

Registrert med tillatelse fra tidsskriftet SykepleienArtikkelen handler om hvordan palestinere på Gazastripen håndterer de psykososiale konsekvensene av krigen, med særlig vekt på sykepleiernes rolle i å støtte ofrene i livstruende og traumatiske situasjoner. Den bygger på personlige observasjoner og viser ulike mestringsstrategier blant krigsrammede. Artikkelen understreker hvordan sykepleiere og helsearbeidere er viktige støttespillere for både enkeltpersoner og fellesskapet, selv om de også er sterkt berørt av krigen. Siden oktober 2023 har Gazastripen blitt rammet av en av de mest ødeleggende og langvarige krigene i nyere tid. Over én million mennesker har blitt tvunget til å flykte fra hjemmene sine, og store deler av infrastrukturen – inkludert boliger, skoler, helsetjenester og vannforsyning – er fullstendig ødelagt 1. De humanitære forholdene beskrives som katastrofale, med alvorlig mangel på mat, rent vann, medisinsk utstyr og trygghet. Mange bor i provisoriske teltleirer i områder som Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis og Rafah, ofte uten tilgang til grunnleggende helsetjenester eller utdanning.publishedVersio

The bachelor’s thesis in nursing education: A scoping review

Aim: To explore the existing research literature on the bachelor’s thesis in nursing education. Background: The bachelor’s thesis is a crucial component of the nursing bachelor program, introduced in response to the Bologna Process. Despite its recognized importance and integration into nursing programs across most EU member states, limited research has been conducted on this topic. Design: A scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Methods: The EBSCOhost databases selected for the review included CINAHL, Education Source, MEDLINE and ERIC. The systematic search yielded a total of 1693 references, of which 21 studies were included. Results: The assessed articles were categorized into five themes: (a) nursing students’ experiences and perspectives; (b) supervision of the bachelor’s thesis; (c) content of bachelor’s thesis; (d) nursing students’ learning outcomes from the bachelor’s thesis; and (e) assessment and evaluation of the bachelor’s thesis. Conclusions: Findings highlight that, for most students, the thesis project was seen as an important preparatory tool for future professional activities. The relationship with and role of the supervisor were identified as crucial, emphasizing the need for nursing education programs to support both students and supervisors in navigating this complex dynamic. Undertaking a bachelor’s thesis in nursing education also increased students’ interest in and positive attitudes toward research and development. This indicates that the bachelor’s thesis can provide essential knowledge and skills for future nursing practice and care.publishedVersio

Christian communities and intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a growing development concern affecting women globally including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, knowledge of the involvement of Christian faith communities with IPV and their work on the empowerment of survivors of IPV in SSA is currently vague. The aim of this scoping study was to provide an overview of documented studies conducted in this area as well as identify possible gaps for empirical research. The authors employed a six-step strategy for scoping studies. The search strategies involved electronic searches in nine databases and academic search engines between 11 September 2021 to 23 January 2024. Manual searches in bibliographies were also carried out for grey literature, and one additional study was recommended by stakeholders in consultation with them. The selected studies were analysed for themes and patterns in relation to the research questions and aims. Findings indicate a growing interest in this field of research over the past few years. However, there is inadequate representative knowledge of IPV in SSA and how Christian faith communities deal with it. It is also striking that colonialism and post-colonialism are hardly mentioned in the reviewed research work. From the analysis, it is obvious that faith communities and faith leaders have the potential to fight IPV.publishedVersio

Sleep problems were unrelated to social media use in the late COVID-19 pandemic phase: A cross-national study.

Sleep problems are commonly related to stress and mental health problems. However, social media use has become widespread in the general population during recent years, and their addictive potential may influence people’s sleep routine. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to substantial mental health problems in the population, and restrictions in social life gave social media a unique position as means for both entertainment and interpersonal contact. The aim of the study was to examine sleep problems in relationship to social media use in a cross-national sample two years after the COVID-19 outbreak. Participants were 1405 adults from four countries who completed a cross-sectional online survey. The data were analyzed with independent samples t-tests, Chi Squared tests of independence, and single and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Of the 858 (61.1%) participants who reported sleep problems during the past weeks, a substantial proportion (n = 353, 41.1%) related their sleep problems to their experience with COVID-19. With adjustments for age, gender, employment, and psychological distress, more hours of daily social media use was not significantly associated with sleep problems. However, higher age (OR: 1.13, p = 0.01), female gender (OR: 1.69, p<0.001), having employment (OR: 1.34, p = 0.04), and higher levels of psychological distress (OR: 1.20, p<0.001) were independently associated with sleep problems. While the debate about the pros and cons of social media use continue, this study suggests that higher levels of social media use was not of great concern for people’s sleep quality in the late COVID-19 pandemic phase. However, other aspects of social media use (eg, time of the day, content of interactions, associated stress experience) may be more relevant for understanding sleep problems and may be taken into consideration for people who experience such problems.publishedVersio

The tip of an iceberg? Adult childrens experience with parental suicidal behaviour in childhood

Purpose: This study examined how children exposed to parental suicidal behaviour experienced their parents’ suicide attempts, their relationship with their parents, and family life from childhood to adult life. Methods: This qualitative, exploratory study conducted semi-structured interviews with 11participants recruited from next-of-kin organizations and social media. Open-ended interviews addressed childhood experiences, perceived difficulties, and helpful aspects. Interviews lasted approximately 70 minutes and were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyse the data. Results: We identified two main themes: an unstable, unpredictable upbringing environment and a lifelong responsibility. Participants did not regard their parent’s suicide attempt as the most traumatic event of their childhood. Instead, they identified parental instability due to serious mental illness and/or substance abuse as the most stressful factor. This instability imposed significant emotional and practical responsibilities on the children, forcing them to sacrifice their own development and sense of security. Responsibility was characterized as a life lasting burden. Conclusions: Adult children of parents with suicidal behaviour reported that their parent’s mental illness was the most burdensome aspect of their upbringing, leading to an unstable home with significant responsibilities. These individuals require professional follow-up and should be offered individual counselling sessions as a clinical intervention.publishedVersio

Women`s lived experiences with nurse-supported digital rehabilitation after gynecological cancer: a phenomenological hermeneutical study.

Gynaecological cancer survivors face various post-treatment challenges, including physical, psychological, social and existential difficulties. Despite existing follow-up, many women experience unmet needs and lack of rehabilitation services. In the present study, we aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of how participation in Gynea, a nurse-supported digital rehabilitation program, is experienced after gynaecological cancer treatment. Through in-depth interviews with 20 women, four main themes emerged from a phenomenological hermeneutic analysis. The theme Vital but demanding work described participation as beneficial but emotionally demanding. The theme Normalisation leading to self-compassion and acceptance showed that shared experiences helped women normalise and accept changes. The theme It takes time to digest described the need for individual time processing the cancer experience. The last theme Nursing support as essential in digital rehabilitation, described nursing support as providing safety, guidance and motivation. Overall, participation helped alleviate some of the existential distress following illness and treatment, with nursing support crucial for engagement and completement of the programme. We used the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) to support the research process and ensure transparency in our work.publishedVersio

Children’s opportunities and rights for mobility and participation: Occupational therapists’ experiences with paediatric powered mobility

Background: Mobility is a human right and play a key role for children’s development and participation. Children with limited independent mobility do not have the same opportunities to explore their surroundings and interact in play. Research has shown that powered mobility can enable independent mobility for children as young as 12 months. Aims/objectives: To explore occupational therapists experience with powered mobility for children under three years of age. Material and method: Data was collected through three focus groups. A total of ten occupational therapists from ten different municipalities in Norway participated in the study. Systematic Text Condensation by Malterud was used as a method for analysing data. Results: Five main themes were identified: (1) The child’s prerequisites for powered mobility, (2)Introducing powered mobility requires different considerations within each family, (3) Environmental considerations for enhancing powered mobility for children, (4) Powered mobility promotes self-determination and new roles, (5) Powered mobility promotes increased participation in expanded play activities. Conclusions and significance: Powered mobility is a complex process that must consider the child’s abilities, family context, and environment. Emphasis should be placed on fostering a supportive social environment and adapting the physical environment to enable self-initiated mobility, empowerment and occupational justice.publishedVersio

From gender-segregated to gender-inclusive deacon education in 1970s Norway: Impacts on professional identity

This article explores the gendered history of Norwegian deacon education. We look at the case of the Deacons’ Home (Diakonhjemmet) in Oslo, established in 1890 to train male nurse deacons. The aim was that they would complement female deaconesses’ work with their physical strength and male character traits. 1968 marked a turning point for gender-segregated training, as the deacon programme was opened to women. We ask how this event affected the male professional deacon identity. The article finds that the institution’s nurturing of deacon masculinity until the early 1960s vanished over the next decade, marked by student uprisings, professionalisation and reforms in the Church of Norway. Despite scattered protests, gender-inclusive training and a fusion of gendered professional titles were necessary for the Deacons’ Home programme to survive in Norwegian higher education and the labour market. At the same time, professional identity markers were gradually lost during this process.publishedVersio

Comparison of nursing students’ experiences of learning nursing in Sierra Leone and Norway

Background: Nursing is the backbone of health care systems world-wide however, the entry levels and the level of nursing education varies in different countries. A combination of classroom teaching and skills laboratory, and clinical placements in different parts of health care is the standard of nursing education. With a growing number of nursing students in each class, there are challenges in providing suitable physical structures, availability of placements, and human resources to facilitate good quality education in nursing. Aim: To explore the similarities and differences between how nursing students experience learning nursing in Sierra Leone and Norway. Method: A qualitative research design, using thematic analysis was chosen to analyse focus group interviews of students. Nineteen students from Sierra Leone took part in four focus group interviews and six students from Norway took part in two focus groups. Data were collected from November 2022 to January 2023. Lecturers from Sierra Leone and Norway analysed the transcribed interviews together. Findings: Four main themes evolved through the analysis: 1) culture as the backdrop of the study and how it impacted the learning process, 2) the importance of a conducive learning environment, 3) how students take ownership of their learning, and 4) students longing for inclusion. Conclusion: Nursing students encountered positive and negative experiences that were similar or different in relation to the country and institution. At VID (V: Vitenskapelig = Scientific, I: International, D: Diaconal) Specialized University, Norway, students owned their learning whilst at COMAHS (College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences), University of Sierra Leone, students depended on lectures for their learning. Students in both institutions longed to be included in their learning both theoretically and in the clinical settings. Recommendation: Provide continuing education programmes for faculties on student-centred learning, preceptorship and simulation practices.publishedVersio