Analyzing Depressive Symptoms Among Elderly Cancer Patients: A Comprehensive Examination of Demographic and Medical Correlates.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationship between depressive symptoms and demographic as well as health-related variables in elderly individuals diagnosed with cancer. METHODS: A cohort of 50 elderly cancer patients participated in the study. Data collection involved the completion of surveys and assessments encompassing demographic characteristics, medical profiles, levels of depression, cognitive functioning, activities of daily living, and perceived social support. RESULTS: Findings revealed that among the elderly participants, 45% experienced mild depression, 20% exhibited moderate depression, and 5% showed severe depression. Depression levels were found to be linked to marital status (P = 0.03), with widowed individuals reporting the highest depression rates (80%) and single individuals reporting the lowest (4%). Living arrangements were significantly associated with depression (P = 0.012), with participants cohabiting with their partner and children showing lower depression rates (6%) compared to those living solely with their children (40%). Additionally, depression showed a significant correlation with income (P = 0.01), as individuals reporting insufficient income for living expenses displayed higher levels of depression (58%). Furthermore, depression was notably linked to chronic health conditions like diabetes and respiratory ailments (P = .023), with individuals grappling with respiratory issues reporting the highest depression scores. CONCLUSION: Recognizing and addressing factors such as marital status, living situation, income level, and the presence of chronic illnesses hold the potential for healthcare professionals to tailor interventions effectively to meet the specific requirements of this vulnerable demographic. This tailored approach has the capability to contribute significantly to enhancing the overall well-being and mental health outcomes of elderly cancer patients.

Factors Influencing Prostate Cancer Screening Intentions in Lebanese Men.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the perceived obstacles and willingness of Lebanese men aged 40 and above to undergo screening for prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional research design was employed. The study utilized a survey questionnaire to collect data on various factors influencing screening behaviors. The research instrument consisted of a comprehensive survey questionnaire that incorporated validated scales to assess barriers to prostate cancer screening, intention to screen, and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). RESULTS: The study found that the 120 participants had an average IPSS score of 7.20 ± 2.23, most people (70%) had mild symptoms of prostate cancer, whereas others had moderate (20%) or severe symptoms (10%). The majority of the men indicated a low to moderate inclination to undergo screening through Prostate-specific antigen testing, or digital rectal examination (DRE) (PSA), with 76% considering DRE and 70% considering PSA. The main barriers to screening included the dread of receiving distressing outcomes (48%) and a lack of understanding about the screening procedure (54%). The study identified key factors affecting the intention to undergo a prostate cancer screening. Regarding DREs, these factors included the perceived danger of the illness and prior information from doctors about prostate conditions. When it came to the intention to undergo screening through the prostate-specific antigen test (PSA), determinants included the perceived threat of the disease, one's general health perception, and prior information from doctors about prostate-related issues. Additionally, a significant proportion of participants believed that prostate cancer was not a serious illness (56%) and 57% thought DRE was embarrassing. CONCLUSIONS: The participants displayed a low willingness to get screened for prostate cancer. Implementing interventions that focus on increasing awareness of the disease and its associated risks could potentially reduce the barriers and boost participation in prostate cancer screening.

Nurses' Insights and Experiences in Palliative Chemotherapy Care.

OBJECTIVE: The study sought to provide an overview of the perspectives and experiences of Jordanian nurses in the context of caring for patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. METHODS: A phenomenological qualitative design was used to explore the perspectives and experiences of 11 Jordanian nurses providing care to patients receiving palliative chemotherapy at a governmental cancer care center. RESULTS: The nurses identified two main themes: "Patient Persistence in Hope" and "Positive Impacts of Palliative Chemotherapy." They observed that some patients held onto false hopes of a cure when consenting to palliative chemotherapy, often influenced by family pressure. However, despite acknowledging fatigue as a major side effect, the nurses generally had a positive view of palliative chemotherapy, especially when it improved patients' quality of life or relieved pain. The nurses believed that the patients' resilience and positive attitude during treatment were encouraging. CONCLUSION: To better support patients, the study suggests that nurses should gain a deeper understanding of the significance patients attach to hope in advanced cancer situations to avoid misinterpreting it as denial or false optimism.

Investigating Saudi Nursing Students' Health Beliefs about Testicular Cancer and Testicular Self-Examination: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Health Belief Model.

INTRODUCTION: Testicular cancer (TC) is a serious health issue, which requires early detection through testicular self-examination (TSE). OBJECTIVES: To investigate Saudi nursing students' health beliefs about TC and TSE using the Health Belief Model (HBM) scale and assess the validity and reliability of the HBM scale. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited a convenience sample of 374 nursing students from six nursing colleges in different cities in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires that included demographic and academic information, as well as a valid and reliable HBM scale for TC and TSE. RESULTS: Most participants were single (88.8 %), in their third year of nursing education (43.9 %), had excellent or very good health (83.2%), had no family history of TC (88.9%), and had no medical problems with their testicles (92.8%). The participants had low susceptibility to TC and moderate beliefs about the seriousness of TC. Furthermore, participants reported moderate levels of perceived benefits and health motivation for preventing TC and practicing TSE, but high levels of perceived barriers and low levels of self-efficacy for practicing TSE. The internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha) of susceptibility, benefits and health motivation, seriousness, barriers, self-efficacy, and health motivation and promotion sub-scales was 0.91, 0.89, 0.88, 0.84, 0.67, and 0.65, respectively. Significant relationship between students' performing TSE and their health beliefs about Susceptibility (t=1.93, p=0.04) and Seriousness of having TC (t=2.88, p=0.03), and self-efficacy (t=3.91, p<0.001) and barriers (t=-2.51, p=0.04) to practice TSE. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that Saudi nursing students had moderate levels of health beliefs about TC and TSE, with high perceived barriers and low levels of self-efficacy for practicing TSE.

Health professionals and family members during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A qualitative study on the experience of witnessing resuscitation in Jordanian critical care units.

BACKGROUND: The interaction between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and family members during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in critical care units (CCUs) has received significant attention. In the Arabic region, family members are typically excluded from participating in critical care treatments, despite the cultural and religious significance of their presence. This highlights a lack of policies and research addressing the cultural factors related to family involvement in CPR within this context. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of the relationship between HCPs and family member relations during CPR in Jordanian CCUs. METHODS: This study employed a qualitative research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 45 participants, including 31 HCPs and 14 family members of patients who had undergone CPR in Jordan. Data was managed, organized, and thematically analyzed using NVivo. RESULTS: The study revealed three main themes: Family-Witnessed Resuscitation (FWR) through the eyes of HCPs, FWR through the eyes of family members, and the relationship between HCPs and family members during CPR. The last theme has three subthemes: "Looking out for the Patient," "Looking out for Ourselves," and "Looking out for Each Other." These themes highlighted the complex and dynamic relationships between HCPs and family members during CPR in Jordan. Participants emphasized the importance of clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative approach to decision-making during CPR. CONCLUSION: The resultant study model uniquely explains the relationship between Jordanian health professionals and family members during CPR, with important implications for clinical practice and healthcare policies regarding family involvement during resuscitation in Jordan. Further research is needed to explore the cultural and societal factors influencing family involvement in resuscitation in Jordan and other Arab countries.

Saudi Nursing Students' Knowledge and Perception of Testicular Cancer Assessment and Management: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Testicular cancer (TC) incidence is increasing worldwide. This study aimed to investigate Saudi nursing students' knowledge and perception about TC. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was done using convenience sampling method. In this study, 280 nursing students from different nursing schools in six cities of Saudi Arabia were recruited. A structured self-report questionnaire was used to collect data. RESULT: About 49.2% of the participants received education about TC in their nursing schools. The findings showed lack of enough knowledge about TC among Saudi nursing students. Mostly, the participants reported that heredity factor and having family history of TC (48.9%) and age between 56 and 70 years (41.8%) were the most common risk factors of TC. According to the participants, physical examination was the most common diagnostic test usually used for early detection of TC (40.4%) and biopsy test was the most accurate test to confirm TC diagnosis (45.4%). Only one third of the participants (34.6%) knew that between 75% and 100% of TC cases can be cured in case of early detection. About half of the participants (51.8%) reported that surgical procedure was the most common treatment for TC. The nursing students who had high GPA (r=0.86, p<0.001), were unwilling to get more information on TC (r=0.24, p=0.04), had family history of TC (r= 0.53, p=0.02), medical problems with testicles (r= 0.69, p=0.01), received education about TC in their school of nursing (r=0.65, p=0.02), and were more self-confident in assessing and managing TC (r=0.38, p=0.03) had higher level knowledge about TC.  Conclusion: Despite the importance of nurses' roles in assessing and managing TC, nursing students in Saudi Arabia still did not have enough knowledge about TC. Improving nursing programs' curricula and conducting health education programs are recommended.