<p> Untreated depression among older American adults has serious consequences. Individuals experiencing symptoms of depression, as well as those providing care to these older adults, habitually overlook symptoms or dismiss them as normal in this age group. Strategies are urgently needed to overcome this practice. In the study presented here, this researcher provides analyzed content regarding caregiver responses to focused interview questions about recognizing symptoms of depression in the older adults for whom they care and how to engage those with depression in treatment. The researcher considered this analysis within the framework of mental health literacy and knowledge brokering. Outcomes are presented in terms of how to improve components of mental health literacy, specifically regarding geriatric depression, among caregivers for older adults. Participants in this case study were volunteers in one of three identified categories providing care to older adults: Professional, paraprofessional, and nonprofessional. The sample size consisted of four participants in each category, with 12 participants in total. Participants demonstrated a baseline level of mental health literacy regarding geriatric depression. Based on corresponding implications, the researcher suggests which components of caregiver mental health literacy are sound, as well as areas where interventions could be used to improve caregiver mental health literacy.</p><p>

<p> <i>Purpose:</i> To determine if personality style is related to perceptions of health coaching and if there is a relationship between perceptions of health coaching and the ability to lose weight. <i>Methods:</i> Data was gathered from approximately 2,000 MR program participants via an electronic survey. The Client Evaluation of Motivational Interviewing scale was used to determine if perceptions of health coaching affect the ability to lose weight. The Ten Item Personality Inventory was used to determine if personality style is associated with the perception of health coaching. Self-reported start weight and current weight were used to calculate percent of starting weight. Linear regression was used to determine the specific aims. Statistical analysis was controlled for age and sex. <i>Results:</i> Participants who reported a greater satisfaction with their health coaches&rsquo; knowledge, ability, time, support, and relationship displayed a greater weight loss than those who were not satisfied. Satisfaction with the relationship/connection with health coach was associated with extraversion (<i>p</i> = .039). Satisfaction with support of the health coach was associated with emotional stability (<i>p</i> = .061). <i>Conclusion:</i> Positive perceptions of health coaching influence weight loss in MR program participants. Some personality styles indicated satisfaction with specific aspects of health coaching. However, it can be assumed that personality is not the sole determining factor for health coaching perceptions.</p><p>

<p> Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness costing over $300 billion per year in the United States with an estimated 100 million individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Complications due to diabetes place individuals at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, amputations, blindness, kidney failure, disability, and early death. Education has been shown to be effective in improving health behaviors that decrease complications due to diabetes. Common risk factors for development of diabetes are modifiable behaviors such as sedentary lifestyle and obesity. </p><p> A peer-led approach to diabetes education has the potential to overcome multiple barriers to receiving education. Peer-led diabetes education can provide education at low or no cost in communities where individuals feel welcomed and travel is minimized. Diabetes education has the potential to decrease disability, early death, and the economic costs of diabetes. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to determine if peer-led sessions on diabetes self-management impacted health behaviors, empowerment, and knowledge of diabetes. Four topic-driven educational sessions were provided for participants in Northeast Arkansas who had either a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes. Pre and post-questionnaires were used to assess changes in knowledge using the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Test, empowerment using the Diabetes Empowerment Scale - Short Form, and health behaviors. </p><p> A statistically significant difference was found in the empowerment scale with an increase in mean scores from 31.23 to 36.04. A paired samples t-test found a statistically significant difference in scores on Diabetes Knowledge Test, (t (25) = &ndash;2.54, p &lt; .05). Significant changes in health behaviors were found for knowledge of A1C levels, the frequency of foot exams, and days of exercise per week. </p><p> Focus groups following intervention provided qualitative results indicating satisfaction with the peer-led model. In order to implement peer-led education, there is a need to develop improved strategies for recruitment. A peer-led model for diabetes education has potential to provide needed education.</p><p>

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of overweight and obesity on veterans' careers. Obesity, once thought unproblematic for the military, is being recognized as a health concern that has expansive implications for the health and readiness of service men and women, as well as for veterans. There is an abundance of information on obesity within the general population, but research on the impact of obesity on military careers is limited. This quantitative, cross-sectional research study investigated how obesity is a challenge throughout a veteran's career, from enlistment to retirement, using an online survey to gather data related to demographics including rank, age, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, and years of service. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t tests, Levene's test, and the Mann-Whitney test. Results of the analyses showed that military veterans' overweight at separation contributes to their likelihood of adverse weight-related experiences while in the service, and that military veterans who are overweight or obese have more adverse weight-related experiences than those who were not obese when they separated from the military. Among respondents who were not overweight at separation, women had more adverse weight-related experiences than men. The findings of this study could change how military leaders and policy makers develop new programs, promoting a focus on the prevention of obesity rather than on causes of obesity. Understanding how overweight and obesity affect service members' careers could lead to increased appreciation of the importance of ensuring military readiness through interventions that address multiple levels of influence.

Research has shown that child abuse is a serious public health issue that may warrant child welfare agency intervention and removal of children from their homes. Placement with kin caregivers is considered the least restrictive placement option by social workers. It has been recognized that kin caregivers require some type of formal parental training to prepare them to care for relative children. A large city implemented the Caring for Our Own training program as prelicensing training to prepare relatives for roles as kin caregivers. Prior to this study, no research had assessed whether this training program adequately addressed caregivers' ability to adopt effective discipline practices in response to perceived child misbehavior. The purpose of the study was to examine how the Caring for Our Own prelicense training impacted kin caregivers' use of ineffective discipline practices, as measured by change in scores on the 3 subscales of the Parenting Scale. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. One-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed no statistically significant difference in kin caregivers' (n = 27) use of ineffective discipline practices as measured by the 3 subscales of the Parenting Scale over time. In light of this finding, the child welfare agency may create an evidence-based curriculum to assist in the development of competent kin caregivers. Social change to improve training and thus foster more effective responses from kin caregivers may occur within educational departments of child welfare agencies, through assessing and developing prelicensing kin caregiver training that allows for effective child behavior discipline management.

Women in Cameroon as well as those residing in the Maryland-Washington Metropolitan area and the Diasporas suffer a disproportionate rate of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality due to the vast disproportion in the distribution of healthcare services. The widespread human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination holds promise for helping to attenuate the disproportion in cervical cancer screening and prevention services. Literature from other countries including Cameroon suggests that barriers to the uptake of cervical cancer screening include: culture, religion, the psychological impact of embarrassment, the influence of husbands, cost, discomfort, and vulnerability. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the perceptions of the Cameroonian women regarding cervical cancer prevention, taking into consideration parental attitudes, their knowledge, and their beliefs about the acceptance and usage of the HPV vaccines and other screening services. A survey was designed from a combination of 2 separate instruments as developed, tested, and validated by Kahn et al. (2008) and Griffioen et al. (2012) for this qualitative study. The open-ended survey questions were completed by women who volunteered to participate. Data were collected between April and May, 2015. Eighty women volunteered to participate but only 30 were able to return the completed survey. Using the NVivo software version 10, data were inductively coded, analyzed, and major themes were derived. Results showed that although the women knew about HPV, the vaccines, and Pap test, there was still a need for more education. The results of this study will be provided to law makers in Cameroon to reconsider the educational needs and distribution of healthcare services for women in Cameroon.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate whether there were differences between the preconceived notions of emergency medical technicians and paramedics prior to entering the profession and their notions of the vocation after facing the realities of the job. The contribution of alignment or misalignment to job satisfaction and the intention to leave the profession was also further investigated. This research is important as there currently is a gap in the literature pertaining to the factors affecting career longevity of emergency medical service (EMS) professionals. The degree of fit between individual and occupational characteristics guided this phenomenological study according to Lowman's theoretical model of career assessment and counseling. Study participants (n = 10) were recruited from organizations providing EMS training courses and ambulance service providers in New York State. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and the information was coded into themes. Key findings indicated aligned expectations and experiences of altruism led to satisfaction, physical challenges not considered prior to employment were associated with intent to leave the profession, and a perception of EMS as a transient career. This study's implications for positive social change are that its results will likely aid organizations in developing strategies to retain prehospital service workers, resulting in improved responses to the medical emergencies of communities and improvements in the care provided to society's sick and injured.

African Americans are adversely affected by health disparities due to the complexities of the patient-provider relationship. The behavioral model of health services was used as the theoretical framework to understand how individuals make healthcare utilization decisions. The purpose of the research was to evaluate how the patient-provider relationship influences inconsistent doctor visits by African American patients despite the prevalence of chronic conditions. 45 African Americans located in Shelby County, Tennessee were included in this study. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used to collect the data via an online survey. The 45 collected responses were analyzed by performing multiple linear regression, Pearson correlation, and Cronbach's ï?¡. Results of the analyses were statistically significant in proving that education level, income, gender of African Americans, and having health insurance affect the patient-provider relationship. It was determined by the statistically significant results that the patient-provider relationship had an effect on African American patients' decision to seek healthcare services and medication compliance and follow-up medical care. This information may guide the conversation within the Shelby County, Tennessee African American community regarding what role the patient-provider relationship has when addressing health disparities among African Americans.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experience of older homeless females who have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Women who have stable housing often find it difficult to manage their diabetes; for those who are homeless, managing the disease is even more difficult. This chronic disease has impacted people all over the world and decreased their quality of life. However, people who are homeless may be at a higher risk of this stressful illness. Managing glycemic levels is a crucial factor in decreasing the adverse results in type 2 diabetes. In this study, face-to-face interviews were conducted with flyers from 15 participants between the age of 55 and 64 years who have type 2 diabetes. The participants shared their experiences of how they managed and monitored type 2 diabetes. The qualitative analytics in this study showed that the implementation of a secure storage area for diabetic medications is needed in shelter environments. The administration of insulin injection is essential, and needles should be allowed and stored appropriately in a locked cupboard or cabinet at the shelter. The 15-participants reported that the lack of a permanent address reduces their chance to access health insurance and other social benefits. The implementation of an emergency mailing program and modified interventions could meet the needs of older homeless women with diabetes and lead to a positive social change that would improve long-term care for these women. Therefore, the findings of this study show the need for new knowledge and social change that benefits the participants, the entire community, neighboring communities, and anyone who is struggling with type 2 diabetes.

Many companies have used perceptions of their employees to understand how sleep disorders affect their working environment. Sleep disorders have had an undesirable effect on employee performance and often result in employee modifications to accommodate their condition in the workplace. Though information is available concerning employees' experiences pertinent to working with sleep disorders, research focusing on how employees with narcolepsy perceive their work environment appears to be missing from the literature. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of perceptions of employees with narcolepsy about their work environment and strategies that may influence others to promote positive health maintenance of narcolepsy in the workplace. The repair and restoration theory of sleep and the disability theory guided this study. Fifteen employees with narcolepsy participated in this descriptive phenomenological study by sharing experiences of their working contributions to become or remain employed. Giorgi's data analysis strategy revealed thematic employee reports of declines in work performance as a factor for being employed with narcolepsy. Study findings established that participants believed sleep attacks and inability to multitask were barriers in the workplace. Scheduling naps and changing work tasks offset barriers to help the participants remain successfully employed. The results of this study may benefit the health services industry as it relates to knowledge and understanding about productivity, schedules, and tools of the work environment for employees with narcolepsy. Positive social change implications include improved work environments and accommodations for employees with narcolepsy.