Future nature, future culture(s): peer reviewed papers for Balance - Unbalance 2013 International Conference, May 31 – June 2, 2013 Noosa, Australia

“Balance - Unbalance is a major International Conference designed to use art as a catalyst to explore intersections between nature, science, technology and society as we move into an era of both unprecedented ecological threats and trans-disciplinary possibilities. The Balance-Unbalance International Conference was founded by Argentinean/Canadian artist and academic Dr. Ricardo Dal Farra in 2010 with the main goal to develop the role of the arts and artists in dealing with environmental challenges and trans-disciplinary possibilities”—Conference website

Future nature, future culture(s): peer reviewed papers for Balance - Unbalance 2013 International Conference, May 31 – June 2, 2013 Noosa, Australia

“Balance - Unbalance is a major International Conference designed to use art as a catalyst to explore intersections between nature, science, technology and society as we move into an era of both unprecedented ecological threats and trans-disciplinary possibilities. The Balance-Unbalance International Conference was founded by Argentinean/Canadian artist and academic Dr. Ricardo Dal Farra in 2010 with the main goal to develop the role of the arts and artists in dealing with environmental challenges and trans-disciplinary possibilities”—Conference website

Nurse experience of participation in a mindfulness-based self-care and resiliency intervention

Nursing is recognized as a stressful occupation where the incidence of negative outcomes such as burnout and high attrition has been well documented. Studies have consistently found that a higher level of resilience is related to retention in the nursing workforce. Mindfulness has been shown to lower levels of burnout and may play an important role in resilience to vicarious trauma. A brief mindful self-care and resiliency (MSCR) program aimed specifically at reducing compassion fatigue, and enhancing nurses’ resilience was piloted in a tertiary acute care hospital in Australia. This paper reports findings from the qualitative component of a mixed methods study which aimed to explore nurses’ responses to the MSCR program including its perceived feasibility, acceptability, and applicability. A sample of 20 nurses completed the MSCR program, of which 16 nurses (80% response) participated in individual unstructured interviews. Verbatim transcripts of the audio recorded interviews were subjected to thematic analysis. Five themes emerged that described participants’ perceptions of how the program benefitted nurses and its applicability in routine practice: Gaining perspective and insight; developing feelings of inner calm; taking time to care for self; feasibility and acceptability of the MSCR program; and using self-care strategies. The MSCR program was found to be feasible and acceptable from the perspective of nurse participants working in this acute care hospital. Fifteen nurses (94%) reported using mindful awareness and self-regulation after completing the program indicating that the strategies offered were practicable in this work setting. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

A pilot evaluation of a mindful self-care and resiliency (MSCR) intervention for nurses

It is now well established that a significant number of nurses have less than optimal levels of wellness as a result of the stressful nature of their work. Identifying effective workplace strategies to help improve the resilience of nurses is therefore a high priority. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of a mindfulness-based intervention aimed at reducing compassion fatigue and improving emotional well-being in nurses. A total of 21 nurses recruited from a large teaching hospital in Western Australia, participated in a mindful self-care and resiliency (MSCR) intervention. The intervention consisted of a 1-day compassion fatigue prevention educational workshop, followed by a series of weekly mindfulness training seminars conducted over 4 weeks (12 h total intervention time). Participants completed a number of standardized measures at pre, post, and 1-month follow-up. Significant improvements were observed following the intervention for compassion satisfaction, burnout, trait-negative affect, obsessive passion, and stress scores. At pre-intervention, 45 % of the sample had high burnout scores, but this reduced to just 15 % by post-intervention. No significant changes were observed for general resilience, anxiety, or secondary traumatic stress post-intervention or at follow-up. The results of this preliminary study indicate that MSCR may represent a feasible approach to improving resilience and well-being among nurses. Further research utilizing a control group is required to strengthen conclusions. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York

Sex differences in stroke incidence, prevalence,mortality and disability-adjusted life years: Results from the global burden of disease study 2013

Background: Accurate information on stroke burden in men and women are important for evidence-based healthcare planning and resource allocation. Previously, limited research suggested that the absolute number of deaths from stroke in women was greater than in men, but the incidence and mortality rates were greater in men. However, sex differences in various metrics of stroke burden on a global scale have not been a subject of comprehensive and comparable assessment for most regions of the world, nor have sex differences in stroke burden been examined for trends over time. Methods: Stroke incidence, prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and healthy years lost due to disability were estimated as part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2013 Study. Data inputs included all available information on stroke incidence, prevalence and death and case fatality rates. Analysis was performed separately by sex and 5-year age categories for 188 countries. Statistical models were employed to produce globally comprehensive results over time. All rates were age-standardized to a global population and 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) were computed. Findings: In 2013, global ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS) incidence (per 100,000) in men (IS 132.77 (95% UI 125.34-142.77); HS 64.89 (95% UI 59.82-68.85)) exceeded those of women (IS 98.85 (95% UI 92.11-106.62); HS 45.48 (95% UI 42.43-48.53)). IS incidence rates were lower in 2013 compared with 1990 rates for both sexes (1990 male IS incidence 147.40 (95% UI 137.87-157.66); 1990 female IS incidence 113.31 (95% UI 103.52-123.40)), but the only significant change in IS incidence was among women