Health literacy interventions for immigrant populations: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Health literacy is considered a social health determinant that influences improvement in health, patient empowerment and reduction in inequalities. There is a lack of health literacy interventions for vulnerable social groups (i.e. immigrants), and nurses have shown little familiarity with the concept. AIM: This study aimed to identify and analyse whether interventions directed at immigrant populations improve the functional (basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills), interactive (social and cognitive skills) and critical (advanced cognitive and social skills in critically analyzing information and making informed decisions) dimensions of health literacy, taking into account the role played by nursing in these interventions. METHODS: A systematic review of four databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library and ERIC was conducted to identify relevant articles published between 2000 and 2015. Thirty-four articles met the inclusion criteria, and nine articles used a validated instrument. RESULTS: Few specific health literacy interventions for immigrant populations were found. The main findings of the studies showed positive changes in functional health literacy. However, the interventions were less effective in improving interactive and critical health literacy. LIMITATIONS: Several of the findings of this review were based on studies that had their own limitations. The assessment of the articles was not blinded, and the review was restricted to articles written in Spanish and English. CONCLUSIONS: The interventions studied were reported as being effective in improving health literacy in immigrants, particularly the functional aspects. Regarding the role played by nursing, this review observed little involvement. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: It is important for educational strategies to include health literacy dimensions. The concept of health literacy should be included as a Nursing Outcomes Classification and in its subsequent validation taxonomy. To promote community health, health literacy must be a prioritized objective of health management and policies.

[Features information of the surgical process and patients' satisfaction]. / Características de la información en el proceso quirúrgico y satisfacción de los pacientes.

AIM: To explore the relationship between the perceived characteristics of the information that patients receive on the surgical procedure and their satisfaction. METHOD: Observational cross-sectional study, conducted by the use of surveys at the Virgen Macarena University Hospital (VMUH) of Seville, in July 2009. It involved 75 patients selected by convenience sampling. The ANOVA test was performed according to the assessed characteristics of the information in order to determine the differences in satisfaction. RESULTS: The value obtained in the satisfaction with the information of physicians and nurses are high. Nevertheless, 42, 5% had the impression of not being able to ask questions and 71, 4% were not asked for authorized relatives to be informed. When applying the ANOVA test, statistically significant differences were obtained for the satisfaction with the information received by the physicians, depending on having received it prior to surgery, and the privacy while receiving this information. On the other hand, the satisfaction with the information provided by nursing professionals is related to the supplying of information on discharge and further home care instructions.

[Needs of the families in a Critical Care Unit]. / Necesidades de los familiares en una Unidad de Cuidados Críticos.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the needs of the family of admitted patients in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), and their level of satisfaction with the attention that they received. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study. SETTING: Critical Care Unit, Virgen Macarena University Hospital, Seville. SUBJECTS OF THE STUDY: Two-hundred and sixty-eight families were selected through a random sampling system. INSTRUMENTS: A survey was developed using bibliography as reference. RESULTS: According to information, it was observed that receiving information after visiting hours and its access was difficult in regards to unforeseen changes in the patient's course. On the other hand, there were high levels of satisfactions with the attention received and with the nursing cares. Nevertheless, several deficiencies were observed in the identification of all the professionals, the visiting hours, the physical conditions of the waiting room, and privacy within patient's care environment. CONCLUSIONS: One of the principal needs of the relatives was to spend more time with the patients. Regarding to the information, access after visiting hours, and on that regarding unforeseen changes in the patient's evolution should be reviewed. Regarding satisfaction, in general, families were highly satisfied with the attention received, especially with the nurse's care. Nevertheless, these professionals should encourage the participation of the families in the patient's care. Moreover, all the areas of improvement observed should be dealt with urgently, mainly the visiting hours.

Necesidades de los familiares en una Unidad de Cuidados Críticos / Needs of the families in a Critical Care Unit

Objetivo. Conocer las necesidades de los familiares de los pacientes ingresados en unaUnidad de Cuidados Críticos (UCC) y su satisfacción con la atención recibida.Diseño. Estudio observacional transversal.Ámbito de estudio. UCC del Hospital Virgen Macarena, ubicado en Sevilla.Sujetos de estudio. Doscientos sesenta y ocho familiares seleccionados mediante unmuestreo aleatorio sistemático.Instrumento. Se elaboró una encuesta en base a la bibliografía.Resultados. En cuanto a la información, se evidenció la dificultad para tener acceso aella fuera de las horas de las visitas y para tener noticia de los cambios imprevistos en laevolución de los pacientes. Por otra parte, se detectaron elevados niveles de satisfaccióncon la atención recibida y con el trato de las enfermeras. No obstante, se observarondeficiencias en la identificación de todos los profesionales, el régimen de visitas, lascondiciones físicas de la sala de espera y la intimidad en el entorno de cuidados delpaciente.Conclusiones. Una de las principales necesidades de los familiares es pasar más tiempocon los pacientes. En cuanto a la información, debería revisarse su accesibilidad fueradel horario de visitas, y la que se ofrece sobre los cambios imprevistos en la evoluciónde los pacientes. Respecto a la satisfacción, en general, los familiares se mostraron altamentesatisfechos con la atención recibida, sobre todo con el trato de las enfermeras.En cualquier caso, estas profesionales deberían favorecer la participación de la familiaen los cuidados del paciente. Además, todas las áreas de mejora que se evidenciaronprecisan de una urgente revisión, en especial, el régimen de visitas(AU)

Objectives. To identify the needs of the family of admitted patients in the Critical CareUnit (CCU), and their level of satisfaction with the attention that they received.Design. Cross-sectional, observational study.Setting. Critical Care Unit, Virgen Macarena University Hospital, Seville.Subjects of the study. Two-hundred and sixty-eight families were selected through arandom sampling system.Instruments. A survey was developed using bibliography as reference.Results. According to information, it was observed that receiving information aftervisiting hours and its access was difficult in regards to unforeseen changes in the patient’scourse. On the other hand, there were high levels of satisfactions with the attentionreceived and with the nursing cares. Nevertheless, several deficiencies were observed inthe identification of all the professionals, the visiting hours, the physical conditions ofthe waiting room, and privacy within patient’s care environment.Conclusions. One of the principal needs of the relatives was to spend more time withthe patients. Regarding to the information, access after visiting hours, and on thatregarding unforeseen changes in the patient’s evolution should be reviewed. Regardingsatisfaction, in general, families were highly satisfied with the attention received,especially with the nurse’s care. Nevertheless, these professionals should encouragethe participation of the families in the patient’s care. Moreover, all the areas ofimprovement observed should be dealt with urgently, mainly the visiting hours(AU)

Social support and emotional exhaustion among hospital nursing staff

The role of three sources of social support (family as kin, co-workers as insiders, and supervisors as outsiders) on the emotional exhaustion were analyzed in a sample of 210 nurses at a general hospital in Seville, a city in the south of Spain. They were given an adaptation of the Nursing Stress Scale, (Gray-Toff & Anderson 1981), the Multidimensional Support Scale (Winefield, Winefield, Tiggemann 1992), previously adapted in a sample of nurses and the emotional exhaustion scale of the Spanish version of Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (1997). After applying a hierarchical multiple regression analysis to the data, the results confirm the main effect of the three sources and the buffering effect in the case of outsiders and kin. It suggests the need to perform studies with wider samples, which allow the analysis of professionals’ psychosocial characteristics and types of support, as well as demands in nursing job tasks (AU)