Factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes among nurses - Focusing on climate change cognition and behaviours: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To investigate the relationship between climate change cognition and behaviours (awareness, concern, motivation, behaviours at home and behaviours at work), positive and negative future cognition, and environmental sustainability attitudes in nurses and to identify the factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: In total, 358 nurses currently working in tertiary hospitals in Korea were recruited. Data were collected using an online questionnaire link from 1 August to 7 August 2022. Climate change cognition and behaviours were measured using the Korean version of the Climate, Health, and Nursing Tool. Positive and negative future cognition were measured using the Korean version of the Future Event Questionnaire. Environmental sustainability attitude was measured using the Korean version of the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey-2. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes. RESULTS: Motivation, concern and behaviours at work were factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes. Motivation was a pivotal influencing factor. Better scores for environmental sustainability attitudes were specifically correlated with higher scores for motivation, concern and behaviours at work. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses' motivation, climate change concern and pro-environmental workplace practices should all be considered to improve their attitudes towards environmental sustainability. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: To enhance nurses' environmental sustainability attitudes and behaviours, nurse educators must educate them to increase their motivation for climate action. IMPACT: Nurses are increasingly expected to contribute to environmental sustainability. Hence, awareness of climate change and environmental sustainability among nurses must be improved, and nursing engagement and action encouraged. Nurse educators and managers should explore barriers to pro-environmental behaviour engagement among nurses, examine workplace cultures that encourage pro-environmental behaviours and develop policies/regulations to develop more environmentally sustainable workplaces. REPORTING METHOD: We adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Neither patients nor the public were involved in our research's design, conduct, reporting or dissemination plans. The nurses partook in this study exclusively as research participants and were not involved in any research process.

Racial/ethnic disparities in sleep health among adolescents in South Korea: The role of substance use behaviours.

AIM: To examine the relationship between racial/ethnic disparities and substance use behaviours (alcohol and tobacco use) and their impact on the sleep health of South Korean adolescents. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional study data from the 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey dataset. METHODS: Given that Korean society has historically linked its racial/ethnic identity to a shared bloodline, we categorized 2644 adolescents from the Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey based on their racial/ethnic status, determined by their parents' birthplaces. Using multiple linear regression, we investigated whether the impact of racial/ethnic disparities on sleep health (sleep duration, debt, and timing) varies depending on substance use behaviours (alcohol and tobacco use) after controlling for age, sex, household economic status, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, perceived excessive stress, and anxiety level. RESULTS: Despite no statistical differences in sleep health and the prevalence of substance use between racial/ethnic groups, racial/ethnic minority adolescents experienced greater sleep debt than racial/ethnic majority adolescents when consuming alcohol. Moreover, racial/ethnic minority adolescents were more likely to report psychosocial distress and had lower parental education level. CONCLUSION: Racial/ethnic minority adolescents were more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of alcohol use on sleep health compared to racial/ethnic majority adolescents. This heightened vulnerability may be attributed to the more pronounced psychosocial challenges and the lower socioeconomic status of parents in the racial/ethnic minority group. IMPACT: Racial/ethnic disparities are concerning in South Korea, particularly since the negative effects of substance use on sleep health are intensified among racial/ethnic minority adolescents. Nurses and other healthcare providers should recognize the importance of addressing the social disadvantages linked to racial/ethnic disparities. Beyond just advocating for the cessation of substance use, it is crucial to address these underlying issues to reduce sleep disparities among South Korean adolescents. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Validation of the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey-2 for nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To validate the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey-2 for nurses. BACKGROUND: Climate change and environmental sustainability is an increasing global issue. Nurses' behaviors could produce harmful emission through their activities, while nurses also care for people with climate change-related health problems. Therefore, nurses have a responsibility of achieving environmental sustainability. To enhance environmental sustainability in nursing, examining attitudes toward climate change and environmental sustainability among nurses from diverse culture is needed. DESIGN: Cross-sectional design using secondary data. METHODS: Data from 349 nurses working at tertiary hospitals in Korea were collected in August 2022. The content validity index and the construct, convergent, discriminant and criterion validities were evaluated. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient were also evaluated to determine reliability. RESULTS: The survey comprised five items with single factor, similar to its original version. Its validity and reliability were acceptable. Cronbach's α was .86. The intraclass correlation coefficient was .81 for the entire scale. CONCLUSION: This study found the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey-2 to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring nurses' attitudes toward environmental sustainability. Understanding nurses' attitudes and the educational needs related to environmental sustainability could help develop a more environmentally sustainable workplace in nursing.

Psychometric validation of the Korean versions of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale and Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale.

PURPOSE: Strategies for reducing vaccine hesitancy and negative attitudes toward vaccination and measures to accurately assess them have been developed worldwide. The Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) and Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale (VAX) are reliable and valid tools. This study evaluates the validity and reliability of the Korean versions of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (K-VHS) and Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale (K-VAX). METHODS: We translated the VHS and VAX into Korean using forward and backward translations and tested their psychometric attributes. We collected data from a sample of 2,292 Koreans, recruited in June 2021 from a large online panel using quotas for age and gender. We used content validity, construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis, concurrent validity, and convergent validity to assess the validity of the scales, and tested their reliability with evaluations of internal consistency and stability. RESULTS: The K-VHS and K-VAX showed good model fits in the validity tests, with seven items for one factor and 12 items for four factors, respectively. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94 for the K-VHS, and 0.86 for the K-VAX) and stability (ICC = 0.86 for the K-VHS, and 0.88 for the K-VAX) of the measures indicated that they are reliable. CONCLUSIONS: Both tools are effective psychometric instruments for assessing vaccine hesitancy and vaccination attitudes in Korean adults. K-VHS and K-VAX would be useful for predicting vaccination behaviors in novel infectious disease contexts and communicating the evidence needed to develop related policies or programs.

Eco-anxiety and environmental sustainability interest: A secondary data analysis.

Climate change is an increasingly important global concern, requiring urgent action. To achieve environmental sustainability, identifying the predictors influencing individuals' actions is necessary. Individuals with negative psychological responses to climate change, such as eco-anxiety, are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviour. However, eco-anxiety and other perceptions associated with climate change and sustainability can differ based on an individual's unique background. Therefore, this study aimed to identify potent predictors of individuals' environmental sustainability interest and examine the impact of eco-anxiety on environmental sustainability interest. Data from 459 South Korean adults (19-65 years) were included in this secondary analysis. Eco-anxiety, climate change risk perception and future event cognition were assessed by the Climate Change Anxiety Scale, the Climate Change Risk Perception Inventory and Future Event Questionnaires, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that eco-anxiety was the most potent predictor of environmental sustainability interest, followed by climate change risk perception, age 60-65 years, future event cognition and age under 30 years. Considering that eco-anxiety is the most potent predictor of environmental sustainability interest, mental health nurses should assess patients' eco-anxiety level and help them recognize and manage their anxiety levels appropriately. Age-specific approaches should be considered for interventions to enhance environmental sustainability interest. Further studies are needed to determine the cut-off anxiety level that influences the positive impact on environmental sustainability interest and to develop programmes to manage eco-anxiety.

Attitudes Toward Older Adults and Need for Education Among Nurses and Nursing Assistants.

BACKGROUND: Attitudes toward older adults and education needs could influence the quality of care provided by nurses and nursing assistants. The goal of this study is to assess attitudes toward older adults and geriatric nursing education needs among nurses and nursing assistants working at long-term care hospitals in Korea. METHOD: Data were collected with a structured self-reported questionnaire. The study included 124 nurses and 145 nursing assistants working at six long-term care hospitals in Korea. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found between the nurses and nursing assistants in their attitudes toward older adults, with both groups showing neutral attitudes. Both nurses and nursing assistants had a high need for education in health issues affecting older adults. CONCLUSION: To improve nursing quality, a practical and systematic curriculum on older adults and their health issues is needed for nursing staff working in long-term care hospitals. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(11):517-524.].

Use of Single, Dual, and Poly Tobacco Products in Korean Adolescents.

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of single, dual, and poly use of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products among Korean adolescent smokers and identify factors related to dual and poly tobacco product use. Data from 4028 current smokers in the 2019 Korea Youth Behavior Web-based Survey were included. Single users accounted for 53.1%, followed by dual users at 24.8% and poly users at 22.1%. The factors influencing dual and poly tobacco product use included male, living in a metropolitan area, risky alcohol drinking, sexual experience, number of cigarettes smoked, secondhand smoke exposure, and easy-to-buy tobacco products. The findings suggest restricting the use of new types of tobacco products in the high-risk group are required to prevent dual and poly use. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide support like education for new tobacco products and smoking cessation, programs for secondhand smoke prevention, or rigorous marketing regulations for adolescents.

Evaluation of Stress Experienced by Emergency Telecommunications Personnel Employed in a Large Metropolitan Police Department.

Emergency telecommunications personnel (ETCP) form the hub of police agencies and persistently deal with distressing situations on a daily basis, making them highly susceptible to psychological and physiological ailments. To date, few studies have examined the necessity or feasibility of implementing a resilience training intervention for ETCP. In this study, the authors assessed baseline psychological data from the ETCP of a large police department to determine the differences in baseline measures for ETCP and police officers. Participants included ETCP ages 29 to 64 years ( n = 19). Results showed that ETCP self-reported greater levels of psychological stress compared with police officers ( p < .05) for the majority of measures; ETCP experience excessive levels of stress and greater prevalence of chronic disease. Consideration should be given to piloting resilience interventions within this group to manage stress; improve health, performance, and decision making; and decrease the prevalence of chronic disease.