A theoretical framework to guide a study exploring cancer related fatigue

This paper explicates how Orem's Self-care Deficit Theory of Nursing (Orem, 1995) was selected to guide a study to explore and measure cancer related fatigue (CRF), and determine the most effective self-care strategies used to combat CRF in a cohort of patients with a diagnosis of cancer (breast cancer, colorectal cancer, Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). The secondary aim was to explore self-care agency and its relationship to CRF

The Preconscious Awareness to Action Framework: an application to promote testicular awareness

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to present a theory-focused analysis of the preconscious awareness to action framework (PAAF), developed to enhance testicular awareness and help-seeking intentions and behaviors among men. Methods: The following approach was used to develop the PAAF: The empirical literature on men’s awareness of testicular disorders was reviewed. A qualitative study was conducted to explore men’s awareness of testicular disorders, help-seeking intentions for testicular symptoms, and preferred learning strategies in relation to testicular disorders and symptoms. An iterative narrative review process of the theoretical literature on health promotion and symptom appraisal was undertaken. Results: The PAAF comprises seven steps: preconscious awareness, unconscious awareness, conscious awareness, unconscious appraisal, conscious appraisal, intention, and behavior. The concept of testicular awareness was developed to familiarize men with their own testes and promote timely help-seeking. Discussion: Researchers are encouraged to use the PAAF to design health-promoting interventions aimed at enhancing testicular awareness, symptom appraisal, and help-seeking

Testicular awareness: The what, the why, and the how

Health outcomes among men are poorer than women and little efforts have been made by health organizations to promote men’s health. Testicular disorders can have a negative effect on men’s health and are rarely addressed in pre-existing men’s health policies. Findings from the empirical literature on men’s awareness of testicular disorders suggest that men’s knowledge of testicular disorders is lacking and their intentions to seek timely medical attention for testicular symptoms are low. This paper aims to introduce the concept of ‘testicular awareness’ and explore its implications for health research, practice, and education. The key attributes of ‘testicular awareness’ include: (i) familiarity with own testes; (ii) knowing what is normal versus abnormal; (iii) ability to detect an abnormality; and (iv) knowing own risk factors. Testicular awareness is an all-encompassing concept since it helps men become familiar with a body part that is seldom discussed and enables them to detect testicular abnormalities and to seek timely medical attentions for testicular symptoms, regardless of the ultimate diagnosis. Testicular awareness can be promoted using a number of strategies; these include but are not limited to: (i) involving men in drafting men’s health policies that address testicular awareness; (ii) partnering with men to develop and test interventions promoting testicular awareness; (iii) being cognizant of the learning needs of men who are at risk of health disparities including those with low literacy and health literacy; (iv) promoting testicular awareness in clinical practice and health education; and (v) using men’s daily spheres of information (e.g. workplaces, universities, gyms, and community organizations) to promote testicular awareness

Exploring men's preferred strategies for learning about testicular disorders inclusive of testicular cancer: a qualitative descriptive study

Purpose: Men's awareness of testicular disorders is lacking and their intention to seek help for testicular symptoms is sub-optimal. Studies conducted to explore and raise men's awareness of testicular disorders did not address their preferred learning strategies and failed to include men who are at risk for health inequities. The aim of this study was to explore, in-depth, the preferred strategies for learning about testicular disorders inclusive of testicular cancer among men who self-identify as heterosexual, gay, or bisexual. Methods: Maximum variation and snowball sampling were used to recruit 29 men aged 18-47 years. Participation was sought from community and youth organizations and a university in the Republic of Ireland. Semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive analysis of manifest content was used. Results: Seventeen informants self-identified as heterosexual, 11 as gay, and one as bisexual. Four main categories emerged, namely: strategies to enhance awareness (television, internet, campaigns, print media), educational dos and don'ts (tailoring effective messages, drawbacks of national initiatives, ineffective learning strategies), implications of raising awareness (risks and benefits of increasing awareness), and learning among gay and bisexual men (learning needs and strategies). Conclusion: Future studies promoting awareness of testicular disorders should take into account men's preferred learning strategies. National campaigns should be delivered frequently and altered occasionally in order to achieve a top-up effect. Clinicians are encouraged to educate young men about the seriousness of testicular symptoms and the importance of seeking timely medical attention for any abnormalities

Promoting testicular cancer awareness and screening: a systematic review of interventions

Background: Testicular cancer (TC) is a relatively curable malignancy that predominantly affects young males. Key decision makers discourage TC screening because of lack of evidence about the benefits of this practice, whereas others argue that men must be aware of normal versus abnormal testicular findings. Despite the debate on TC surveillance, a number of research efforts are still being made to increase men’s awareness of TC and its screening. Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically review studies that were conducted to enhance men’s knowledge and awareness regarding TC and its screening and increase their TC screening intentions and practices. Methods: Studies published in English between 2004 and 2014 were reviewed using 3 e-databases, and interventions that were in line with the review aims were selected. Results: A total of 3076 records were screened for eligibility, and 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the reviewed interventions successfully enhanced men’s awareness of TC and its screening and increased their intentions to perform testicular self-examination. Examples include videos about TC, shower gel sachets, stickers, and posters, a television show, a university campaign, and high self-efficacy messages about TC screening. Men at risk of health disparities were underrepresented in the reviewed literature. Conclusions: A number of interesting channels through which men can learn about TC were identified. Examples include social media and mass media. Implications for Practice: Given the controversy that surrounds TC screening, nurses can play a key role in increasing men’s awareness of TC rather than advising periodical TC self-examination

Males' awareness of benign testicular disorders: an integrative review

Disorders that affect the testes can range from painless and benign to debilitating and life threatening. Despite the availability of literature on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of benign testicular disorders (BTD), very little is known about men’s awareness of these conditions. The aim of this review was to extract and analyze evidence from studies that explored males’ awareness of BTD. Four e-databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and PubMed) were thoroughly searched and four articles met the review inclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was appraised and data were extracted and cross-checked using a standardized data extraction table. It was determined that participants lacked education about testicular self-examination and scrotal signs and symptoms which contributed to their lack of awareness of BTD. Help seeking in the event of scrotal abnormalities was suboptimal which is alarming given the acuteness of some BTD such as testicular torsion. Individuals who are at risk for health disparities were underrepresented in the reviewed literature. Findings from this review highlight the need to address barriers to BTD knowledge and help seeking. This could be achieved through making use of past interventions that succeeded in increasing men’s awareness of testicular cancer such as university campaigns and mass media. From a practical standpoint, clinicians must be encouraged to educate young men about BTD. This could be attained through tailoring creative educational interventions that are sensitive to the needs of individuals who are at risk for health disparities

Exploring awareness and help-seeking intentions for testicular symptoms among heterosexual, gay, and bisexual men in Ireland: a qualitative descriptive study

Background: The incidence of malignant and benign testicular disorders among young men is on the rise. Evidence from three reviews suggest that men's knowledge of these disorders is lacking and their help seeking intention for testicular symptoms is suboptimal. Qualitative studies have addressed men's awareness of testicular cancer, with none exploring their awareness of non-malignant diseases such as epididymitis, testicular torsion, and varicocele and none including sexual minorities. Objective: To explore, in-depth, heterosexual, gay, and bisexual men's awareness of testicular disorders and their help-seeking intentions for testicular symptoms in the Irish context. Design: This study used a qualitative descriptive approach. Data were collected via face-to-face individual interviews and focus groups. Settings: Participation was sought from a number of community and youth organisations and one university in Southern Ireland. Participants: Maximum variation and snowball sampling were used to recruit a heterogeneous sample. A total of 29 men partook in this study. Participants were men, aged between 18 and 50 years, and residents of the Republic of Ireland. Methods: All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflective field notes were taken following each interview. A summary of the interview was shared with selected participants for member check. Data were analysed and validated by three researchers. Inductive qualitative analysis of manifest content was used. Latent content was captured in the field notes. Data analysis yielded two key themes. Results: The themes that emerged from the interviews were: Awareness of testicular disorders and their screening, and help-seeking intentions for testicular symptoms. Although most participants heard of testicular cancer, most did not know the different aspects of this malignancy including its risk factors, symptoms, treatments, and screening. Several men had a number of misconceptions around testicular disorders which negatively impacted their intentions to seek prompt help. Intentions to delay help seeking for testicular symptoms were often linked to a number of emotional factors including fear and embarrassment, and social normative factors such as machoism and stoicism. In this study, culture was perceived by some participants as a barrier to awareness and help-seeking. In contrast, many believed that young men, especially those who self-identify as gay, are becoming increasingly interested in their own health. Conclusion: Findings suggest the need to educate young men about testicular disorders and symptoms. This could be achieved through conducting health promotion campaigns that appeal to younger men, drafting national men's health policies, and normalising open discussions about testicular health at a young age

Feasibility and usability of a virtual reality intervention to enhance men’s awareness of testicular disorders (E-MAT)

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer among men younger than 50, and benign testicular disorders such as torsion and epididymitis can be life-threatening if left untreated. Men’s awareness of testicular disorders is lacking, and their intentions to see help for symptoms of testicular disease are low. This study aimed to describe the development, feasibility, and usability of a virtual reality (VR) intervention designed to enhance men’s awareness of testicular disorders (E-MAT). We designed E-MAT as a three-level VR experience and tested its feasibility and usability with 15 men recruited from a university. Following exposure to the intervention, participants filled a 43-item questionnaire. Participants agreed that the technology was comfortable to use, testicular disorders were well represented, the use of light humor was appropriate, and the scientific facts were easy to understand. Participants also agreed that the intervention was suited for men from different sociodemographic backgrounds and felt confident using VR. Overall, participants perceived the intervention as user-friendly, enjoyable, and aesthetically appealing. To the best of our knowledge, VR has not been used to promote men’s health in the past, let alone increasing their awareness and help seeking for testicular disorders. We recommend testing the effectiveness of E-MAT and making it available on public platforms that men can access at their own leisure. VR can be used in future interventions to educate men about various health topics

Enhanced in-plane anisotropy and ferromagnetic resonance frequency in permalloy films laminated with nitrogen-doped tantalum

Soft magnetic materials are used in integrated power magnetic devices (such as micro-inductors and microtransformers) to achieve reasonable inductances at frequencies over a few megahertz. However, the out-of-plane (perpendicular) anisotropy, in thick films produced by vapor deposition, worsens the in-plane soft magnetic properties. This paper reports on the nano-lamination of Permalloy (Ni81Fe19) thin films with the introduction of nitrogen-doped tantalum in between to eliminate the out-of-plane anisotropy and improve the in-plane anisotropy. This significantly improves the in-plane soft magnetic properties, reducing the coercivity from 1352 A/m to 25.5 A/m and increasing the anisotropy field from 180 A/m to 660 A/m. The high-frequency permeability was uniform up to 500 MHz, and the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency was increased to 1 GHz. These properties are ideal for high efficiency magnetic applications at high frequencies and an extended FMR frequency is imperative for gigahertz-range devices