Quality of life and psychological distress in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis and transplantation

BACKGROUND Among diverse profound impacts on patients’quality of life(QoL),end-stage renal disease(ESRD)frequently results in increased levels of depression,anxiety,and stress.Renal replacement therapies such as hemodialysis(HD)and transplantation(TX)are intended to enhance QoL,although their ability to alleviate psychological distress remains uncertain.This research posits the existence of a significant correlation between negative emotional states and QoL among ESRD patients,with varying effects observed in HD and TX patients.AIM To examine the relationship between QoL and negative emotional states(depression,anxiety,and stress)and predicted QoL in various end-stage renal replacement therapy patients with ESRD.METHODS This cross-sectional study included HD or TX patients in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia.The 36-item Short Form Survey and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale(DASS)was used for data collection,and correlation and regression analyses were performed.RESULTS The HD and TX transplantation groups showed statistically significant inverse relationships between QoL and DASS scores.HD patients with high anxiety levels and less education scored low on the physical component summary(PCS).In addition,the results of the mental component summary(MCS)were associated with reduced depression.Compared with older transplant patients,TX patients’PCS scores were lower,and depression,stress,and negative working conditions were highly correlated with MCS scores.CONCLUSION The findings of this study revealed notable connections between well-being and mental turmoil experienced by individuals undergoing HD and TX.The PCS of HD patients is affected by heightened levels of anxiety and lower educational attainment,while the MCS of transplant patients is influenced by advancing age and elevated stress levels.These insights will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of patient support.

Evidence-based practice profiles of nurses: a transcultural study

Objective: To compare(i) the evidence-based practice(EBP) profiles and(ii) socio-demographic characteristics of nurses in 4 selected low-middle income countries(LMICs).Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 677 nurses from 4 hospitals in 4 countries(Afghanistan, Ghana, Iran, and Uganda).Results: The findings revealed that there are significant differences between the 3 EBP subscales(that is, practice/use, attitude, and knowledge/skill) across the 4 countries(P < 0.05). No significant EBP differences were identified across age groups and gender in the subscales of practice, knowledge, and attitude. Practice and knowledge subscales were significantly associated with working schedules(that is, par t-time and full-time)(P < 0.05). Analyses also revealed significant differences between attitude and knowledge subscales and working experience(P < 0.05).Conclusions: Nurses in the 4 countries have moderate practice, attitude, and knowledge/skil s of EBP. Nurses in LMICs require continuous professional development programs and suppor t to enhance their practice and knowledge regarding EBP in clinical settings.

Relationship between perceived social support and post-traumatic growth in coronavirus disease 2019 patients discharged from the hospital

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has affected mental health and physical health negatively in some individuals.Examining perceived social support and post-traumatic growth(PTG)in COVID-19 patients could facilitate our understanding of how patients maintain their mental health.AIM To examine the relationship between the level of perceived social support and PTG in COVID-19 patients discharged from the hospital.METHODS This descriptive study was carried out between August and September 2022 with patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in a university hospital in Erzurum and who were discharged at least 3 mo prior to the beginning of the study.The study was completed by 196 patients.Study data were collected faceto-face using a personal information form,multidimensional scale of perceived social support and PTG inventory.RESULTS The total mean score of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support was 63.82±15.72.The PTG inventory total mean score was 47.77±19.85.In addition,a direct significant correlation was found between perceived social support in COVID-19 patients and PTG.CONCLUSION The study results showed that perceived social support variables affected PTG significantly.Therefore,it is recommended for healthcare professionals to implement interventions to promote social support from healthcare professionals and the patient’s family and friends.Considering the negative effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,it is very important and necessary to implement effective public health interventions to promote PTG to reduce mental health problems.

Hospital-acquired insomnia scale:A validity and reliability study

BACKGROUND Sleep breathing,one of the basic human needs,is a physiological need that affects cardiac functions,body temperature,daily vitality,muscle tone,hormone secretion,blood pressure,and many more.In the international literature,studies reported that patients have had sleep problems in the hospital since the 1990s,but no measurement tool has been developed to determine the causes of hospitalacquired insomnia in individuals.These findings suggest that sleep remains in the background compared to activities such as nutrition and breathing.Although patients generally experience hospital-acquired sleep problems,there is no measurement tool to determine hospital-acquired sleep problems.These features show the originality of the research.AIM To develop a measurement tool to determine the sleep problems experienced by patients in the hospital.METHODS A personal information form,hospital-acquired insomnia scale(HAIS),and insomnia severity index(ISI)were used to collect research data.The study population consisted of patients hospitalized in the internal and surgical clinics of a research hospital in Turkey between December 2021 and March 2022.The sample consisted of 64 patients in the pilot application stage and 223 patients in the main application stage.Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)analyses were performed using the SPSS 20 package program and the analysis of moment structure(AMOS)package program.Equivalent forms method used.RESULTS The HAIS consisted of 18 items and 5 subscales.The Cronbach alpha values of the subscales ranged between 0.672 and 0.842 and the Cronbach alpha value of the overall scale was 0.783.The scale explained 58.269%of the total variance.The items that constitute the factors were examined in terms of content integrity and named as physical environmental,psychological,safety,socioeconomic,and nutritional factors.CFA analysis of the 5-factor structure was performed in the AMOS package program.The fit indices of the obtained structure were examined.It was determined that the values obtained from the fit indices were sufficient.A significant correlation was determined between the HAIS and the ISI,which was used for the equivalent form method.CONCLUSION The HAIS is a valid and reliable measurement tool for determining patients’level of hospitalacquired insomnia.It is recommended to use this measurement tool to determine the insomnia problems of patients and to adapt it in other countries.

Attitudes towards pain management in hospitalized cancer patients and their influencing factors

Objective： To investigate patients＇ attitudes towards cancer pain management and analyze the factors influencing these attitudes.Methods： The self-developed Demographic and Disease-Related Information Questionnaires, Pain Management Barriers Questionnaire-Taiwan form（BQT）, and Pain Knowledge Questionnaire were administered to 363 pairs of hospitalized cancer patients and their caregivers from the oncology departments of 7 hospitals in Beijing, China.Results： The average patient score for attitudes towards pain management was 2.96±0.49. The dimension scores indicated good attitudes in three areas（scores 〈2.5）, ＂Desire to be good＂（2.22±1.04）, ＂Fatalism＂（2.08±0.81） and＂Religious fatalism＂（1.86±1.00）, and poor attitudes in six areas（scores ≥2.5）, ＂Tolerance＂（3.83±0.96）, ＂Use of analgesics as needed（p.r.n.）＂（3.73±1.01）, ＂Addiction＂（3.44±1.05）, ＂Disease progression＂（3.28±1.26）, ＂Distraction of physicians＂（3.16±1.07） and ＂Side effects＂（2.99±0.68）. Two factors were entered into the regression equation：the caregivers＇ attitudes towards cancer pain management and the patients＇ pain knowledge. These two factors explained 23.2% of the total variance in the patients＇ average scores for their attitudes towards cancer pain management.Conclusions： The patients＇ attitudes towards cancer pain management were poor and could be influenced by the caregivers＇ attitudes and the patients＇ pain knowledge, and thus need to be improved.

Data mining based hospital management

Rapid progress in information technology has come to enable us to store all the information in a hospital information system,including management data,patient records,discharge summary and laboratory data.Although the reuse of those data has not started,it has been expected that the stored data will contribute to analysis of hospital management.In this paper,the discharge summary of Chiba University Hospital,which has been stored since 1980's were analyzed to characterize the university hospital.The results show several interesting results,which suggests that the reuse of stored data will give a powerful tool to support a long-period management of a university hospital.