Measuring student nurses' preparedness and resilience for a disaster setting

Nurses have long been utilized in disaster response and recovery and they possess broad skill sets, which are critical in times of crisis. However, studies show that more than 80% of nurses who volunteered in disasters settings have no disaster education

Preparedness and resilience of student nurses in Northern Queensland Australia for disasters

Preparing for a disaster helps preserve the health and welfare of all involved, collectively increasing the resilience of individuals and overall community. Nurses hold a wide range of responsibilities related to disaster preparedness and response that are vitally important in times of crisis. While the disaster preparedness of nurses has been documented in nurse practitioners and registered nurses, disaster preparedness is relatively unknown in student nurses. This study measured disaster preparedness and resilience in a cohort of 66 2nd and 3rd year nursing students from James Cook University, Australia utilising the Disaster Preparedness and Evaluation Tool and the 10 point Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. The student nurses demonstrated a lack of knowledge surrounding disaster preparedness but a willingness to contribute time and their limited skills in a disaster setting. Their resilience score was similar to that of other published results. No correlation between disaster preparedness and resilience was identified. This study suggests that while student nurses have the willingness to participant in disaster preparedness and response, they do not believe they possess the necessary skillset or knowledge. Suitable disaster orientated education may increase the ability of student nurses to assist in crisis situations

Novelty seeking and mental health in Chinese university students before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: a longitudinal study

COVID-19 has created significant concern surrounding the impact of pandemic lockdown on mental health. While the pandemic lockdown can be distressing, times of crisis can also provide people with the opportunity to think divergently and explore different activities. Novelty seeking, where individuals explore novel and unfamiliarly stimuli and environments, may enhance the creativity of individuals to solve problems in a way that allows them to adjust their emotional responses to stressful situations. This study employs a longitudinal design to investigate changes in novelty seeking and mental health outcomes (namely, stress, anxiety, and depression) before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, among a group of students (final N = 173; Mage = 19.81; SDage = 0.98; 135 females and 38 males) from a university in southeast China. Participants were surveyed at three points: November, 2019 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic); between February and March, 2020 (during the peak of the pandemic and intense lockdown in China); and between May and June, 2020 (after lockdown had been lifted in China). Cross-sectionally, correlation analysis indicated that greater novelty seeking was associated with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression at all three time points. Univariate latent curve modelling (LCM) indicated a growth trajectory in which novelty seeking increased over time and then remained high during the post-lockdown period. Stress, anxiety, and depression all showed V-shaped growth trajectories in which these variables decreased during lockdown, before increasing in the post-lockdown period. Multivariate LCM indicated the growth trajectory for novelty seeking was associated with the growth trajectories for stress, anxiety, and depression. This suggests that the observed decreases in stress, anxiety, and depression during the lockdown period may be attributable to the sample’s observed increase in novelty seeking. These findings are valuable in that they challenge the notion that lockdown measures are inherently detrimental to mental health. The findings indicate the important role of novelty seeking in responding to crises. It may be possible for future public health measures to incorporate the promotion of novelty seeking to help individuals’ respond to stressful situations and maintain good mental health in the face of crises

Mental health of Chinese people during the COVID-19 pandemic: associations with infection severity of region of residence and filial piety

This study aims to investigate mental health among Chinese people living in areas with differing levels of infection severity during the COVID-19 outbreak. It also assesses the association between reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety and mental health in times of crises. A sample of 1,201 Chinese participants was surveyed between April and June 2020. Wuhan city (where 23.4% of participants resided), Hubei province outside Wuhan (13.4% of participants), and elsewhere in China (63.1% of participants) were categorized into high, moderate, and low infection severity areas, respectively. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale’s severity cut-points were used to categorize participants. In the overall sample, 20.9, 34.2, and 29.0% of the participants showed elevated (mild to extremely severe) levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Those in the highest infection severity group were significantly more likely to be categorized as having elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. General linear modeling was performed on a composite mental distress variable (taking into account stress, anxiety, and depression scores). This model indicated that, even after adjusting for group differences in age, gender, education, and filial piety, the high infection severity group displayed more mental distress than the low infection severity groups. The model also found reciprocal filial piety to have a negative association with mental distress. Conversely, authoritarian filial piety was found to be unrelated to mental distress when controlling for the other variables in the model. No evidence was found for an interaction between either authoritarian or reciprocal filial piety and infection severity, which suggests that the negative association observed between reciprocal filial piety and mental distress was relatively consistent across the three infection severity groups. The findings suggest that future public health programs may integrate the promotion of filial piety as a strategy to help Chinese people maintain good mental health in the face of pandemic crises

Democratising data to address health system inequities in Australia

Understanding the health status of a population or community is crucial to equitable service planning. Among other uses, data on health status can help local and national planners and policy makers understand patterns and trends in current or emerging health and well-being, especially how disparities relating to geography, ethnicity, language and living with disability influence access to services. In this practice paper we draw attention to the nature of Australia’s health data challenges and call for greater ‘democratisation’ of health data to address health system inequities. Democratisation implies the need for greater quality and representativeness of health data as well as improved access and usability that enable health planners and researchers to respond to health and health service disparities efficiently and cost-effectively. We draw on learnings from two practice examples, marred by inaccessibility, reduced interoperability and limited representativeness. We call for renewed and urgent attention to, and investment in, improved data quality and usability for all levels of health, disability and related service delivery in Australia

Incidence and characteristics of dog bites in three remote Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland, Australia, 2006-2011

Dog bites are a worldwide public health concern that can cause serious injury, psychological trauma, disease and death while also affecting animal welfare. This study analyzes dog bite injury data from a clinical file audit performed at Primary Health Care Clinics in three remote Indigenous communities within Far North Queensland, Australia, over the period from 1st January, 2006, to 31st December, 2011. There were 229 dog bite presentations involving 201 individuals. An overall incidence rate of 16.5 per 1,000 population was found across the communities. Incidence rates were highest in 35- to 44-year-olds, did not vary with gender of victim, varied between communities, and significantly decreased after the strengthening of alcohol restrictions midway through the study period. Development of a specific dog bite monitoring system through the Primary Health Care Clinics could enhance knowledge of human-dog interactions, assist in the development of mitigation strategies to reduce dog bites, and determine their effectiveness

COVID-19: implications for mental health and wellbeing, now and in the future

The expeditious spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) has forced individuals to rapidly adapt in the face of challenging circumstances. The fear of the virus, economic shock and unprecedented public health responses have significantly increased the number of people at risk of negative impacts on mental health and overall well-being. Current research suggests that COVID-19 has resulted in an increase in the prevalence of psychological distress within general populations and an intensification of psychological distress among individuals with pre-existing mental health disorders. Additionally, the numerous uncertainties caused by COVID-19 are predicted to increase suicide rates and mental disorders associated with suicide in the foreseeable future. Although it will be important to invest in mental health now to assist individuals in these challenging times, it is likely that the effects of COVID-19 will linger long after the virus is successfully contained, highlighting the need to minimise the echo effects of COVID-19 into the future

Climate change: we have a greater responsibility than we think

[Extract] There is an inextricable link between the health of individuals and populations and the health of the environment. The effects of climate change can be felt through variations in the intensity, frequency and distribution of heatwaves, droughts, super storms and other weather events. While this will have a profound effect on the environment in which we live, the implications on health are just as critical

Accessibility - a pivotal factor in maternal and neonatal outcomes

Australia is one of the safest countries in the world in which to give birth or to be born. Despite this, women in rural areas continue to experience higher rates of maternal mortality(Kildea et al. 2008) and fetal and neonatal deaths (AIHW 2005). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are three times as likely to die as non-Indigenous women, with a maternal mortality ratio of 16.4 deaths per 100,000 Indigenous women giving birth (AIHW 2014). Women also express dissatisfaction with the absence of choice in both rural and metropolitan areas (Department of Health 2009)