Anxiety among Japanese nursing researchers before and after dispatch for COVID-19 pandemic support: Effects of anxiety-enhancing and buffering factors.

AIM: We investigated the levels of anxiety and the factors influencing it among Japanese nursing researchers before and after engaging in dispatch support activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also tested the relationships between pre- and post-relief anxiety and their enhancing and buffering factors. METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted with 9832 members from the Japan Academy of Nursing Science, covering 15 items related to participant attributes such as age and disaster relief qualifications, factors affecting anxiety about support activities such as the content and duration of one activity, and the level of anxiety before and after activities. After performing multiple regression analyses on the effects of the attributes and the factors influencing anxiety before and after support activities, path analysis was conducted on the adopted independent variables to examine their influence on anxiety before and after support activities. RESULTS: Of the 886 participants, 82.3% were affiliated with educational institutions and 94.8% had no qualifications in disaster relief. Most of the support involved vaccination and activities at health centers. The relationship between pre- and post-relief activities and factors influencing anxiety constituted a high goodness-of-fit, with health center assistance being both a direct and indirect reinforcer of post-relief anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Participants expressed anxiety enhanced by activities at the health center both before and after support activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Intervention research should examine anxiety-buffering and -enhancing factors, and a support system to respond to rapidly increasing medical needs is necessary.

Gender differences in HIV testing service visits and its related factors among adults: a cross-sectional study in Homa Bay, Kenya.

INTRODUCTION: at least 90% of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were expected to know their HIV status by 2020. However, only 84% are aware of their status. This study determined the frequency of HIV testing services visits (HTS) and its related factors to HTS visits among adults in Homa Bay County, Kenya. METHODS: this was a cross-sectional study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. A backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted for quantitative data by gender. Qualitative data were thematically categorised into factors of HTS visits by gender. RESULTS: a total of 645 adults participated in quantitative survey and 17 in qualitative survey. There were no gender differences in the frequency of HTS visits (males=56.3%; females= 58.7%, P=0.785). The frequency of visits was however significantly different between the rural-based (Rachuonyo North=87.5%; Ndhiwa=58.7%) and urban-based (Homa Bay Town=36.8%) facilities at P<0.001. In males, HTS visits were positively associated with ´being in Protestant church´, ´partner´s attitude´, and ´being accompanied by a friend to HTS´. ´Distance to HTS´ was negatively associated with HTS visits in males. For females, 'sexual intercourse in the past 2-5 months´ was positively associated with HTS visits. ´Being in a polygamous marriage´, ´not married´, ´community HIV testing´, and ´affordability of transport cost to HTS centre´ were negatively associated with HTS visits. CONCLUSION: there were no gender differences in the frequency of HTS visits. Social position for males and position in the family for females are suggested as the factors influencing HTS visits in Homa Bay County.

Incidence and Prevalence of Infectious Diseases and Their Risk Factors among Patients Who Use Visiting Nursing Services in Japan.

This study aimed to clarify the incidence of infectious diseases and the associated risk factors among patients who use visiting nursing services in Japan. We conducted a one-year follow up cohort study with 419 participants. The incidence and period prevalence rate of infectious diseases were 0.63 and 15.0%, respectively. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the presence of chronic respiratory failure, Parkinson's disease, dermatosis other than pressure ulcers, and the inability to perform oral self-care were significantly related to the contraction of an infectious disease.

Experiences of patients with HIV/AIDS receiving mid- and long-term care in Japan: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: In the era of antiretroviral treatment (ART), treatment of HIV has become more manageable, and most patients with HIV benefit from long-term therapy in Japan. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of patients with HIV/AIDS receiving mid- and long-term care in Japan. METHODS: A qualitative study was performed using semi-structured interviews at an outpatient clinic of a university hospital in the Greater Tokyo area. A total of 31 Japanese patients with HIV who had been receiving treatment for at least a year were interviewed in Japanese. Data from these interviews were analyzed by 'content analysis' (Krippendorff, 1980). RESULTS: The data were organized into the following seven themes: "feelings toward diagnosis of HIV infection"; "perceptions and behavior after diagnosis of HIV"; "attitudes toward HIV therapy"; "fear and hope for the future"; "feelings toward professional support"; "life changes after HIV therapy"; and "struggles in relationships with others". CONCLUSIONS: Some participants accepted themselves as HIV-positive, some did not when they were diagnosis. This difference of reaction had effect on attitudes toward HIV therapy. But all participants continued mid- and long-treatments owing to feeling well and receiving support from professionals. Additionally, it found that patients were felt stigma of HIV-positive similarly to another Asian countries. Therefore, we should provide the entire Japanese society with knowledge about HIV/AIDS and be early and constant intervention by professional teams after being infected.