Pain Coping Skills Training for African Americans With Osteoarthritis Study: Baseline Participant Characteristics and Comparison to Prior Studies

Background: The Pain Coping Skills Training for African Americans with OsteoaRTthritis (STAART) trial is examining the effectiveness of a culturally enhanced pain coping skills training (CST) program for African Americans with osteoarthritis (OA). This disparities-focused trial aimed to reach a population with greater symptom severity and risk factors for poor pain-related outcomes than previous studies. This paper compares characteristics of STAART participants with prior studies of CST or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-informed training in pain coping strategies for OA. Methods: A literature search identified 10 prior trials of pain CST or CBT-informed pain coping training among individuals with OA. We descriptively compared characteristics of STAART participants with other studies, in 3 domains of the National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities' Research Framework: Sociocultural Environment (e.g., age, education, marital status), Biological Vulnerability and Mechanisms (e.g, pain and function, body mass index), and Health Behaviors and Coping (e.g., pain catastrophizing). Means and standard deviations (SDs) or proportions were calculated for STAART participants and extracted from published manuscripts for comparator studies. Results: The mean age of STAART participants, 59 years (SD = 10.3), was lower than 9 of 10 comparator studies; the proportion of individuals with some education beyond high school, 75%, was comparable to comparator studies (61-86%); and the proportion of individuals who are married or living with a partner, 42%, was lower than comparator studies (62-66%). Comparator studies had less than about 1/3 African American participants. Mean scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain and function scales were higher (worse) for STAART participants than for other studies, and mean body mass index of STAART participants, 35.2 kg/m2 (SD = 8.2), was higher than all other studies (30-34 kg/m2). STAART participants' mean score on the Pain Catastrophizing scale, 19.8 (SD = 12.3), was higher (worse) than other studies reporting this measure (7-17). Conclusions: Compared with prior studies with predominantly white samples, STAART participants have worse pain and function and more risk factors for negative pain-related outcomes across several domains. Given STAART participants' high mean pain catastrophizing scores, this sample may particularly benefit from the CST intervention approach

TURK GERIATRI DERGISI-TURKISH JOURNAL OF GERIATRICS

Introduction: In this study, it was aimed to determine fecal incontinence prevalance and its effect on quality of life of elderly. Materials and Method: The research was carried out in a sample of a total of 304 elderly individuals who were selected senior citizens residing in three nursing homes within the city of Directorate of Social Services, izmir between the dates of September 2006-November 2006. Research data was collected by sociodemographic and bowel habit data form, reliable and valid Turkish Adaptation of Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQOLS) and Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI). Results: 9,5% of elderly in households stated fecal incontinence. The score of elderly's FIQOLS the reason of depression/self perception (12.5 +/- 4.6) and embrassment (4.2 +/- 2.6) domains were low, their psychosocial statement the most affected, Significant correlation between the FISI and FIQOLQ's domains depression/self perception (r=-0.8 p<0.05) and embrassment was found (r=-0.9 p<0.05). Conclusion: Fecal incontinence in elderly has negative effect on health and quality of life. Indepently from the severity of fecal incontinence type and prevalance, it is necessary to support to the elderly for their feeling well for physical, social, hygenic and psyhologic

CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

Bowel movement is extremely important to assess body functions and constipation in all age groups, particularly in the geriatric population. Defecation function, which is the fifth status regarding to Daily Living Activity and the third place in Functional Health Patterns in which Nursing Process, is a concept that is dimension of functional as well as physical, social, and psychological. After the bowel movement of illness/health persons were assessed, health history, needs of training and support by nurses, and nursing care plan should be evaluated and prepared. The aim of this review is to provide nurses knowledge about assessing bowel movement and preparing a nursing care plan based on the current literature

JOURNAL OF WOUND OSTOMY AND CONTINENCE NURSING

PURPOSE: Anorectal disorders, including fecal incontinence, are a significant healthcare problem that produce bothersome symptoms and adversely affect quality of life. We sought to establish the validity and reliability of a Turkish language version of the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQOLS). SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Data were collected at the Fecal Incontinence-Constipation-Biofeedback Clinic, located in the Gastroenterology Department at Ege University School of Medicine Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. The study sample comprised patients with fecal incontinence who attended the clinical assessment and agreed to participate in the study. INSTRUMENTS: A sociodemographic questionnaire form, the 29-item FIQOLS, and the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI), as well as the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to subjects. Both the FIQOLS and FISI were translated from English to Turkish by using a back-translation technique. METHODS: Subjects initially completed the FIQOLS, FISI, and the SF-36 at baseline and again after a 2-week interval to allow test-retest reliability measurement. Internal consistency was also measured, using the Cronbach alpha and Spearman-Brown split-half coefficients. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using interclass correlation coefficient testing. The validity of FIQOLS with respect to the SF-36 and FISI was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Fifty subjects with fecal incontinence participated in the study; their mean age (SD) was 57.1 (+/-15.7) years. Almost two-thirds (66%) were female, and 38% did not complete primary school education. Test-retest reliability analysis revealed an intraclass correlation of r value higher than 0.70 (P < .05). The overall Cronbach alpha coefficient of instrument was .88; the Spearman-Brown split-half value was 0.84 for the first half of the tool and 0.76 for the second half. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for subfactors varied from .56 to .82. The FIQOLS score was found to have a statistically significant (P < .05) correlation with both the FISI and SF-36. CONCLUSION: These findings support the Turkish language version of the FIQOLS as a valid and reliable instrument

HOLISTIC NURSING PRACTICE

The purpose of this study was to assess the oncology patients' spiritual needs and activities. Besides, the study was to provide clinical evaluation of the feasibility and usefulness of the Patients Spiritual Needs Assessment Scale. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed by using a demographic and spiritual practices questionnaire, the Turkish version of the Patients Spiritual Needs Assessment Scale. The results of our study demonstrated that the most common spiritual needs of patients with cancer were to address issues before death and dying (100%), feel a sense of peace and contentment (94.8%), and for companionship (93.5%). Spiritually assessing a patient with cancer requires knowledge of how spiritual needs may manifest and how to talk with a client about his or her spiritual needs. These findings can help nurses to begin this process of providing spiritual care for patients with cancer

TURKISH JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY

Background/aims: Constipation is the most frequent complaint of the digestive tract. It has been reported that approximately half of the patients with constipation have functional defecation disorders (dyssynergic defecation). An important diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of functional defecation disorders is the balloon expulsion test. Normative values have not been widely determined in different populations. We aimed to determine the data which could be indicative of normative values of the balloon expulsion test for healthy individuals in our society. Methods: A total of 116 healthy volunteers were evaluated in. the study (55 men). Subjects were classified into three subgroups according to age (20-39 yrs, 40-59 yrs, >= 60 yrs). Catheters with balloon and application room were standardized, and then a balloon expulsion test was performed in all groups. The results of the balloon expulsion test were statistically compared between groups. Results: The distribution of males/females according to age groups was: 20-39 yrs: 20/22, 40-59 yrs: 20/23, >= 60 yrs: 15/16. The balloon expulsion time was determined as 44.1 +/- 19.0 seconds in male subjects and 56.4 +/- 21.4 seconds in females (p=0.001). An increase in the balloon expulsion time was observed to be related with age in males (p=0.00001); however, no statistically significant difference was shown by age in female subjects (p=0.80). If the entire study group was considered, there was a significant correlation between age and balloon expulsion time (p=0.0001). Conclusions: The balloon expulsion test is a simple procedure to identify impaired evacuation in constipated patients. This study represents the first assessment of the balloon expulsion test in a healthy Turkish population. It has been demonstrated that expulsion should take less than 30 seconds for men younger than 40 years of age and less than 1 minute above 40 years. For women, expulsion should occur in I minute regardless of age. Our results could serve as a valuable resource of normative data

Validity and reliability of a turkish version of the fecal incontinence quality of life scale

PubMed ID: 19752664PURPOSE: Anorectal disorders, including fecal incontinence, are a significant healthcare problem that produce bothersome symptoms and adversely affect quality of life. We sought to establish the validity and reliability of a Turkish language version of the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQOLS). SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Data were collected at the Fecal Incontinence-Constipation-Biofeedback Clinic, located in the Gastroenterology Department at Ege University School of Medicine Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. The study sample comprised patients with fecal incontinence who attended the clinical assessment and agreed to participate in the study. INSTRUMENTS: A sociodemographic questionnaire form, the 29-item FIQOLS, and the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI), as well as the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to subjects. Both the FIQOLS and FISI were translated from English to Turkish by using a back-translation technique. METHODS: Subjects initially completed the FIQOLS, FISI, and the SF-36 at baseline and again after a 2-week interval to allow test-retest reliability measurement. Internal consistency was also measured, using the Cronbach ? and Spearman-Brown split-half coefficients. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using interclass correlation coefficient testing. The validity of FIQOLS with respect to the SF-36 and FISI was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Fifty subjects with fecal incontinence participated in the study; their mean age (SD) was 57.1 (±15.7) years. Almost two-thirds (66%) were female, and 38% did not complete primary school education. Test-retest reliability analysis revealed an intraclass correlation of r value higher than 0.70 (P < .05). The overall Cronbach ? coefficient of instrument was .88; the Spearman-Brown split-half value was 0.84 for the first half of the tool and 0.76 for the second half. The Cronbach ? coefficient for subfactors varied from .56 to .82. The FIQOLS score was found to have a statistically significant (P < .05) correlation with both the FISI and SF-36. CONCLUSION: These findings support the Turkish language version of the FIQOLS as a valid and reliable instrument. © 2009 by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses

Examining the level of knowledge and practices regarding the use of biologic agents among nurses working in oncology and hematology clinics at a university hospital [Bir üniversite hastanesinin onkoloji ve hematoloji kliniklerinde çali{dotless}şan hemşirelerin biyolojik ajan kullani{dotless}mi{dotless} ile ilgili bilgi ve uygulamalari{dotless}ni{dotless}n incelenmesi]

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the level of knowledge and practices of nurses responsible for the execution and management of cancer treatment in patients receiving biotherapy as related to the use of biological agents. METHODS This descriptive study was conducted with 40 nurses in oncology and hematology units of a university Medical Faculty hospital in which biological agents are frequently applied. RESULTS The majority of nurses (57.5%) were aged 23-27 years. It was determined that 35.5% of nurses obtained a patient history and 82.5% queried the allergic history of patients before biotherapy. According to the nurses' responses, 79.5% monitored the patients in terms of development of local complications, 85% informed the patients about complications, and 77.5% informed them about delayed infusion reactions. CONCLUSION Although the majority of nurses had not received a specific education about biotherapy, they were knowledgeable as related to the storage, preparation and administration of biological agents. © 2012 Association of Oncology