Free School Meal Improves Educational Health and the Learning Environment in a Small Municipality in Norway.

It has been suggested that school meals could have an impact on students' learning environments; however, existing research in this field is scarce and inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' and school administrators' experiences with the introduction of a free school meal and whether this influenced the learning environment. The study was conducted in upper primary and lower secondary schools in a small municipality in Norway. In this qualitative study, 17 informants participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo. Thematic analysis was conducted using systematic text condensation (STC). The main findings are that in the informants' experience, a free school meal led to reduced absenteeism during lunchtime and positive social interactions among students, social equalization, and a more peaceful atmosphere during lunchtime. In conclusion, the introduction of a free school meal had a positive impact on the students' educational health and the learning environment, and contributed to social equalization as all the students shared the same healthy school meal.

Standardizing nursing degree curriculum structure in Spain: A mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Legislation regulating Spanish and European academic curricula prescribes a certain level of knowledge and skills any student must master. Spanish universities freely decide the number of credits assigned to each subject and in which year the subject will be taught. We hypothesize that this flexibility may give way to excessively heterogeneous training across universities in nursing degrees. Such curricula heterogeneity hinders inter-university transfers and weakens educational excellence. OBJECTIVES: 1) To review the existing differences in nursing degrees in Spanish universities; 2) to compare our results against current legislation; 3) to propose changes in the legislation, if necessary. DESIGN: Mixed-methods approach. SETTING: Spain. METHODS: We reviewed nursing degree curricula of all 60 Spanish universities. Inter-university differences were analyzed and checked against current legislation. A focus group proposed legislative changes accordingly. RESULTS: Several differences between public and private universities were statistically significant. During the first cycle, public universities´ course loads include more theoretical teachings, more credits in core subjects during the first year, and more compulsory subjects in second year. Private universities are more likely to offer external internships during the first cycle whereas the public ones are more likely to offer them during the second cycle. Public universities offer more credits under the following curricular blocks than private ones: "Nutrition/Dietetics," "Psychiatry," "Public and Community Health," and "Geriatrics." In turn, private universities offer more credits in the areas of "Theory/Methodology," "Ethics/Legislation," "English," and "Theology." Academic curricula meet most of the criteria established by the Spanish and European legislation. The proposed legislative changes aim at standardizing curricula by associating specific credits and their timeline to the teaching blocks. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing degree curricula among Spanish universities are highly heterogeneous. Legislative changes to homogenize teaching blocks would facilitate credit validations and student mobility across universities, in addition to increasing nursing degrees´ standardization and excellence.

Applying Psychological and Educational Health Models to Determine the Effect of a Pharmacist-led Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Background: The prolonged multi-drug treatment regimen for tuberculosis (TB) can lead to non-adherence and unsuccessful treatment outcomes. Educational and psychological health models can be used to design cognitive and behavioral interventions to improve adherence and treatment outcomes. Objective: To determine the effect of cognitive and behavioral interventions on TB treatment outcomes. Methods: The quasi-experimental study conducted in six TB treatment centers involved reinforced medication education and adherence counseling (MEAC), designed from a structured validated psychometric scale. Data were collected three different times during the intensive and continuation phases of treatment from 463 TB patients (232 in the control and 231 in the intervention group). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between the groups. The generalized estimating equation model was used to analyze the repeated measures by determining if treatment success was associated with the cognitive and behavioral interventions and medication adherence. Results: The males made up 290(62.6 %) of the population. The mean age was 36.75±13.9. Most of the TB patients were newly diagnosed 413(89.2%) and HIV negative 315(68%), with secondary level of education 216(46.6%). There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the groups. The intervention group was four times more likely to have treatment success (p<0.01; CI=1.5-8.4), compared to the control group. Medication-adherent TB patients were 24 times more likely to have treatment success than patients who did not adhere (p<0.001; 10.8-52.1). TB patients' emotions, attitudes, and perceptions of their medicines were predictors of treatment success (p<0.05; 1.0 - 1.1). Conclusion: The cognitive and behavioral interventions administered to TB patients improved successful treatment outcomes.

Práticas educativas no controle da dengue: atuação dos agentes de combate às endemias e percepção dos moradores / Educational practices in the control of dengue: performance of agents against endemics and perception of residents / Prácticas educativas en el control del dengue: desempeño de agentes para combatir endémicas y percepción de residentes

Objetivo: Analisar as práticas educativas dos ACE durante as inspeções domiciliares. Método: Trata-se de uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa, do tipo descritiva. Os sujeitos participantes foram os ACE que atuavam nos bairros selecionados e os moradores dos domicílios inspecionados. A pesquisa obedeceu aos princípios éticos e legais conforme determinação da Resolução CNS N.466/12. Resultados: A síntese dos discursos possibilitou chegar a duas unidades temáticas: Categoria 1. A prática educativa do ACE focada essencialmente no controle ao mosquito transmissor; Categoria 2. A mudança de hábito em relação aos criadouros do A. aegypti: uma lição a ser apreendida? Os resultados desse estudo apontaram que a ação educativa realizada pelos agentes durante as inspeções é focada essencialmente no controle do vetor transmissor, pautadas na transmissão de informações, sem a participação do morador neste processo, e realizadas na maioria das vezes ao final da inspeção, dissociado da prática. Conclusão: Entende-se que é necessário repensar a importância desta estratégia, propiciando aos ACE uma qualificação adequada para a abordagem da comunidade durante a visita domiciliar e juntos conseguirem mudar o perfil de infestação do vetor na localidade.

Objective: Analyze the educational practices of ACE during home inspections. Method: This is a qualitative, descriptive research. The participating subjects were the ACE who worked in the selected neighborhoods and the residents of the households inspected. The research followed the ethical and legal principles as determined by CNS Resolution N.466/12. Results: The synthesis of the speeches made it possible to arrive at two thematic units: Category 1. The educational practice of the ACE focused essentially on combating the transmitting mosquito; Category 2. Changing habits in relation to A. aegypti breeding sites: a lesson to be learned? The results of this study pointed out that the educational action carried out by the agents during the inspections is essentially focused on the control of the transmitting vector, based on the transmission of information, without the participation of the resident in this process, and performed most of the time at the end of the inspection, dissociated practice. Conclusion: It is understood that it is necessary to rethink the importance of this strategy, providing the ACEs with an adequate qualification to approach the community during the home visit and together they are able to change the vector infestation profile in the locality.

Objetivo: analizar las prácticas educativas de ACE durante las inspecciones de viviendas. Método: Esta es una investigación cualitativa, descriptiva. Los sujetos participantes fueron los ACE que trabajaban en los barrios seleccionados y los residentes de los hogares inspeccionados. La investigación siguió los principios éticos y legales determinados por la Resolución CNS N.466 / 12. Resultados: La síntesis de los discursos permitió llegar a dos unidades temáticas: Categoría 1. La práctica educativa de la ACE se centró esencialmente en controlar el mosquito transmisor; Categoría 2. El cambio de hábito en relación con la cría de A. aegypti: ¿una lección que aprender? Los resultados de este estudio mostraron que la acción educativa llevada a cabo por los agentes durante las inspecciones se centra esencialmente en el control del vector transmisor, basado en la transmisión de información, sin la participación del residente en este proceso, y se lleva a cabo la mayor parte del tiempo al final de la inspección, disociado práctica. Conclusión: se entiende que es necesario repensar la importancia de esta estrategia, proporcionando a las ACE una calificación adecuada para acercarse a la comunidad durante la visita domiciliaria y juntas pueden cambiar el perfil de infestación de vectores en la localidad

Simbolismo social asociado y actitud manipulativa en niños amazónicos peruanos / Simbolismo social associado e atitude manipulativa em crianças amazônicas peruanas / Associated social symbolism and manipulative attitudes towards children from the peruvian amazon

Resumen El Simbolismo Social Asociado (SSA) y la Actitud Manipulativa (AM) están presentes en la mayoría de niños de nueve años de edad de la Amazonía peruana con desarrollo intelectual adecuado (71.2%). El estudio se realizó en 52 niños y sus padres mediante entrevistas en pequeños grupos, aplicándose la prueba TMP y dos guías de entrevista (niños-padres). Los resultados señalan correspondencia significativa entre la preferencia (niños) y la decisión de compra del producto simbolizado (padres), y el 78,5% elegían la misma marca que sus pares. Las dificultades de comprensión del contenido material de la publicidad (CMP) involucran al 78,9% (mayor en área urbana). Existe interdependencia significativa entre AM (niños) y reacciones de compra (padres) y alta discordancia entre respuestas (niños-padres). Educar en la comprensión del CMP a partir de nueve años, podría disminuir las consecuencias del SSA mediante programas psicosociales para la salud mental escolar.

Resumo O Simbolismo Social Associado (SSA) e a Atitude Manipuladora (AM) estão presentes na maioria das crianças de nove anos de idade, da Amazônia Peruana, com desenvolvimento intelectual adequado (71,2%). O estudo foi realizado com 52 crianças e seus pais, por meio de entrevistas em pequenos grupos, aplicando-se o teste TMP e dois roteiros de entrevista (crianças-pais). Os resultados indicam correspondência significativa entre a preferência (crianças) e a decisão de compra do produto simbolizado (pais), e 78,5% escolheram a mesma marca que seus amigos. As dificuldades de compreensão do conteúdo material da publicidade (CMP) envolvem 78,9% (maior na área urbana). Existe interdependência significativa entre AM (crianças) e reações de compra (pais) e alta discordância entre respostas (crianças-pais). Educar, na compreensão do CMP, a partir de nove anos, poderia diminuir as consequências do SSA através de programas psicossociais para a saúde mental escolar.

Abstract Associated social symbolism (ASS) and the manipulative attitude (MA) are present in most nine-year-old children from the Peruvian Amazon with adequate intellectual development (71.2%). The study was conducted in 52 children and their parents through interviews in small groups, applying the TMP test and two interview guides (child-parents). The results indicated significant correspondence between the preference (children) and the decision to purchase the product symbolized (parents), and 78.5% chose the same brand as their peers. Difficulties in understanding the content of advertising material (CAM) involve 78.9% (higher in urban area). There is significant interdependence between MA (children) and buying reactions (parents) and high discordance between responses (children-parents). Educate in the understanding of the CAM from nine years, could reduce the consequences of ASS through psychosocial programs for school mental health.

[Early detection of mental health disorders at school: The Fil Harmonie pilot program]. / Détection précoce des troubles psychiques en milieu scolaire : le dispositif Fil Harmonie.

OBJECTIVE: Most psychiatric disorders arise during adolescence, a period of life during which school takes an important place. School in France has an official mission of health education and prevention, and early detection of mental disorders is part of these goals. The aim of this study is to describe an innovative service operating in Paris that helps educational staff to deal with students having psychological or psychiatric symptoms. The Fil Harmonie program was launched in 2011. It consists of a telephone line available to all educational staff working for high schools in Paris. METHODS: When in need of assistance, a member of the educational staff can call the dedicated hotline and expose the situation of their student to a trained psychologist. Over the course of the study, data concerning these phone calls were collected such as: socio-demographic characteristics of the student, the reason behind the call, the caller's professional role within the school, and care pathway information. All data collected during the phone calls were anonymized and computerized. We performed an observational descriptive study based on this data by using mixed methods: we integrated quantitative analysis and qualitative research in order to provide a better understanding of the Fil Harmonie program. RESULTS: Between 18 September 2013 and 12 May 2014, the Fil Harmonie program handled 68 calls from educational staff. Students concerned by the calls were aged between 11 and 22 and the average age was 17.3 years. Over half (52.5%) of the pupils concerned had never seen a mental health professional before the call. In more than 70% of cases, the caller was a school nurse while other professionals such as teachers or headmasters represented only a minority of the callers. Approximately two thirds (67.2%) of students were described by the caller as socially isolated and 48.2% were described as sad or anhedonic. One out of four (26.7%) had repeated a school year at least once, and 55.9% of young people for whom a member of staff contacted Fil Harmonie had been missing class. In 56.7% of cases, there had been no contact with the student's family about the psychological situation. The qualitative analysis particularly highlighted the complexity of the collaboration between the family and the educational staff. CONCLUSION: Schooling is an important opportunity to seize in mental health regarding early detection and access to care. By fostering collaboration between educational professionals and mental health services, Fil Harmonie meets a public health objective of prevention and should contribute to the reduction of care delays thus leading to better treatment outcome. Our study shows that such programs are feasible and answer a real need in our current health care system.

Using root metaphors to analyze communication between nurses and patients: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Metaphors in communication can serve to convey individuals' backgrounds, contexts, experiences, and worldviews. Metaphors used in a health care setting can help achieve consensual communication in professional-patient relationships. Patients use metaphors to describe symptoms, or how disease affects them. Health professionals draw on shared understanding of such metaphors to better comprehend and meet patient needs, and to communicate information that patients can more easily integrate into their lives. This study incorporated a theoretical framework based on four worldviews, each with an underlying foundational metaphor (root metaphor). The use of these root metaphors (formism, mechanism, contextualism, and organicism) can have an explanatory function and serve to impart new meanings, as each type of metaphor can lead to a particular interpretation. The study aimed to extract and discuss the root metaphors, with a view to analyzing the communication between health professionals and patients. METHODS: In a case study in Spain over a six-month period, we analyzed the content of recorded, transcribed interviews conducted by one nurse with 32 patients who had chronic illnesses. We inductively extracted five categories that emerged from the interviews: blood sugar, cholesterol, exercise, blood pressure, and diet. We then examined these categories from the standpoint of each of the four root metaphors using two approaches: A series (deductive) and an emergent (inductive) approach. RESULTS: The results show that the nurse tended to primarily use two worldviews: mechanism and formism. In contrast, patients tended to favor mechanism when discussing cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, whereas contextualism was predominant when the category was diet or exercise. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the existing literature on health professionals and patients' communication. It shows how the use of Pepper's root metaphors help to analyze the communication between the nurse and patients. Furthermore, it shows they are both using different root metaphors when they are talking about illness and treatments especially regarding blood sugar, cholesterol, exercise, blood pressure, and diet. Further qualitative and quantitative studies are needed to solidly these findings.

The IARA Model as an Integrative Approach to Promote Autonomy in COPD Patients through Improvement of Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Illness Perception: A Mixed-Method Pilot Study.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most deadly and costly chronic diseases in the world characterized by many breathing problems. The management of COPD and the prevention of exacerbations are a priority goals to improve the quality of life in patients affected by this illness. In addition, it is also crucial to improve the patients' adherence to care which, in turn, depends on their knowledge and understanding of some factors such as the prescribed medical treatment, changes in dailylife, and the process of breathing. In turn, the adherence to care leads to greater autonomy for the patient who is thus able to better manage his illness. Here we presented the application of the Model IARA in patients affected by COPD in order to achieve their autonomy in illness management which, in turn, leads to a better quality of life. IARA is an intervention program which improve the awareness and knowledge of patients with respect to both the disease and symptoms through health education. Moreover, through IARA the patients are encouraged to become more actively involved in COPD care process, also regarding drug therapy adherence. Using St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire combined with qualitative analysis, we demonstrated that IARA could be considered a useful approach in COPD management.