ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to describe the information and support needs of women who have primary relatives with breast cancer. The Information and Support Needs Questionnaire (ISNQ) was developed and revised from previous qualitative and pilot studies. The ISNQ addressed concepts of the importance of, and the degree to which, 29 information and support needs related to breast cancer had been met. The study sample consisted of 261 community-residing women who had mothers, sisters, or a mother and sister(s) with breast cancer. Data were collected using a mailed survey. In addition to the ISNQ, additional items addressed family and health history, breast self-care practices, perception of the impact of the relative's breast cancer and other variables. Also included were established and well-validated measures of anxiety and depression. The findings document women's priority information and support needs. The information need most frequently identified as very important was information about personal risk of breast cancer. Other highly rated needs addressed risk factors for breast cancer and early detection measures. Generally, the women perceived that their information and support needs were not well met. These findings illuminate needs of women for more information and support when they have close family relatives with breast cancer and opportunities for primary care providers to assist women in addressing their needs.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/psychology , Family , Needs Assessment , Women's Health Services/organization & administration , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Breast Neoplasms/prevention & control , Family Health , Female , Genetic Counseling/methods , Humans , Middle Aged , Social Support , Surveys and Questionnaires , Women's Health Services/supply & distributionABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to explore and describe the experience of being or having a child with cancer in a rural geographic area. An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted that used semistructured, in-depth, tape-recorded interviews as the primary data collection method. Ten rural families who each had a child with cancer formed the sample. Data were analyzed with qualitative analysis procedures. Families' descriptions revealed that their experiences were fraught with challenges that were due to living a great distance from the cancer treatment center. Descriptions of their experiences are presented in this report. Recommendations for health care professionals, particularly pediatric oncology nurses, to assist rural families in coping with their challenges are also offered.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Caregivers , Family , Neoplasms/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Interviews as Topic , Male , Manitoba , Medically Underserved Area , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/nursing , Oncology Nursing , Pediatric Nursing , Rural HealthABSTRACT
A smoking reduction and cessation program was implemented with registered nurses in 3 Canadian provinces. Nurses (n = 117) participated in either an 8-week group or self-directed program using a resource specifically designed for nurses. Questionnaires were administered prior to and at the end of the 8-week interventions and at 6 and 12 months postintervention. Statistically significant changes at 8 weeks in nurses' smoking practices were found on the number of nurses continuing to smoke, mean number of cigarettes smoked, and movement in the stage of behavioral change. Attrition and variation in patterns of quitting over the 12-month study period made assessing participants' longer term outcomes difficult. This study highlights the complexity of assisting nurses to quit smoking and of implementing and evaluating a program based on accepted community health models of practice.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Community Health Nursing/organization & administration , Nurses/psychology , Self-Help Groups/organization & administration , Smoking Cessation/methods , Smoking Cessation/psychology , Smoking Prevention , Adult , Canada/epidemiology , Female , Focus Groups , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Nursing , Nurses/statistics & numerical data , Nursing Evaluation Research , Program Evaluation , Smoking/epidemiology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Evidence-based nursing is becoming an increasingly widespread phenomenon in the nursing profession. As the evidence-based nursing movement grows, the Internet/World Wide Web has become a vital information link for keeping pace with current science and medical advancements. This article describes Internet resources currently available to support evidence-based nursing practice, presents practical search methods for locating these resources, and suggests criteria for evaluating the "evidence" available on the Internet. Results of an Internet search for Web sites that met the proposed criteria for support of an evidence-based nursing practice located only three sites. The sites are described and evaluated for their usefulness. The authors demonstrate that although many Internet resources are available to nurses, few sites provide information or evidence supported by valid research.
