Communication in mental health nursing - Bachelor Students' appraisal of a blended learning training programme - an exploratory study

Abstract Background It is important that mental health nursing students at Bachelor level obtain effective communication skills. Many students dread the fact that in the mental health field they will encounter patients and relatives with various backgrounds and personalities. Large classes and limited teaching resources in nursing education are challenging. To prepare students for mental health nursing practice, a communication skills course based on the blended learning method was developed and carried out at two different campuses. The aim of the study is to explore Bachelor nursing students’ appraisal of blended learning methods for enhancing communication skills in mental health nursing. Methods This study employed an exploratory design. Teaching and information materials were available on the learning management system (LMS). Videotaped role play training was carried out in the Simulation Department. Data were collected after the course by means of a questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions. The response rate was 59.2%. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the Kruskal Wallis test, while qualitative data were analysed by content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman’s approach. Results No impact of background variables was observed. Students appreciated teachers’ participation in role play and immediate feedback was considered especially important for learning outcomes. The students perceived that their communication skills and knowledge had improved after completing the blended learning programme. Conclusions According to the nursing students, blended learning is an appropriate method for improving communication skills in preparation for mental health nursing. Blended learning makes it possible to build flexible courses with limited resources

Loneliness, social provision and health among older men and women with chronic physical diseases – a mixed methods study

AbstractThe purpose of the study was to explore loneliness, social provision and perceived health from a gender perspective among older persons with chronic diseases. Loneliness has become one of the main challenges facing an ageing society. It is not only a health concern, but also involves social, cultural and relational issues. A mixed-methods approach was chosen to enable a deeper insight into the participants’ experience of loneliness. Perceived social support was assessed by the Social Provisions Scale and self-rated health was reported by 42 older participants with chronic diseases. An interview was conducted with 27 participants who reported feeling lonely. Analysis revealed no gender differences in the survey of social provision, but the association between social provision and self-rated health was much stronger in women than compared to men. In their statements, the female participants expressed missing emotional support, someone to talk to and relationships with their family. The male participants longed for contact and wanted help to get out of the house. Their need for relief strategies against loneliness seems to be closely linked to their previous traditional gender roles. The results indicate that society could improve the health of older persons by promoting safe social contacts, preferably in smaller interest groups, as well as facilitating social contact in society, e.g. social meeting places

Associations of the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism, 5-HTTLPR, and adverse life events with late life depression in the elderly Lithuanian population

Abstract Late-life depression (LLD) is a multifactorial disorder, with susceptibility and vulnerability potentially influenced by gene-environment interaction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is associated with LLD. The sample of 353 participants aged 65 years and over was randomly selected from the list of Kaunas city inhabitants by Residents’ Register Service of Lithuania. Depressive symptoms were ascertained using the EURO-D scale. The List of Threatening Events Questionnaire was used to identify stressful life events that happened over the last 6 months and during lifetime. A 5-HTTLPR and lifetime stressful events interaction was indicated by higher odds of depression in those with s/s genotype who experienced high stress compared to l/l carriers with low or medium stress, while 5-HTTLPR and current stressful events interaction analysis revealed that carriers of either one or two copies of the s allele had increased odds of depressive symptoms associated with stress compared to participants with the l/l genotype not exposed to stressful situations. Although no significant direct association was found between the 5-HTTLPR short allele and depression, our findings demonstrated that lifetime or current stressful life events and their modification by 5-HTTLPR genotype are risk factors for late-life depression