Subgroups of depressive symptoms in Korean police officers: A latent class analysis.

The prevalence of depressive symptoms is common among police officers; however, studies that identify the patterns of depressive symptoms in police officers and occupational characteristics related to the specific subgroups of depressive symptoms are scarce. A total of 493 police officers in South Korea participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study between October and December 2019. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Latent class analysis was used to identify the subgroups of depressive symptoms. To identify the characteristics and predictors of the subgroup, χ2 tests, analysis of variance, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. Four latent classes of depressive symptoms were identified: "at-risk" (10.8%), "anhedonic" (21.5%), "somatic" (17.2%), and "minimal" (50.5%). Compared to the minimal group, drinking behaviors were higher in the at-risk group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.03, 1.11]), and working hours were greater in the somatic group (OR = 1.01, 95% CI [1.00, 1.02]). Additionally, sleep quality (OR = 1.35, 95% CI [0.82, 2.22]) and fatigue (OR = 1.02, 95% CI [1.00, 1.04]) were found to be related in the anhedonic group. This study identified the heterogeneity of depressive symptoms among police officers. It is necessary to accurately identify the factors associated with the depression subgroups of police officers to develop support strategies and prevent an increase in their depression severity. The association between risk factors such as working hours and drinking behaviors might inform strategies to reduce depression in police offers.

Validity and Reliability of the Life Transition Scale in Parents of Disabled Children Across the Life Transition Process.

PURPOSE: The Life Transition Scale (LTS) consists of 24 items that assess the life transition process of parents of autistic children. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the LTS in parents of children with a wide spectrum of disabilities. METHODS: Data were collected from 260 parents of children with disabilities through self-report questionnaires. Validity was examined using exploratory and confirmative factor analysis to determine the factor structures of the LTS; socio-demographic differences in LTS scores were examined using the t-test or ANOVA. Reliability was examined using Cronbach's ⍺ coefficient. RESULTS: A four-factor structure was validated (x 2=640.0, p<.001, GFI=.81, RMSEA=.07, NNFI=.89, CFI=.89, PNFI=.74, Q [x 2/df]=2.60). The validity of the LTS was verified by exploratory factor analysis, with factor loading ranging from .30 to .80. There were significant differences in the accepting phase according to children's and parents' age and the type of disability, and in the wandering phase according to parental gender, educational level, job, and socioeconomic status. The Cronbach's ⍺s for the reliability of each of the four structures were acceptable, within a range of .80~.90. CONCLUSION: The LTS is a valid and reliable measurement to assess the life transition process of parents with disabled children.

Gambling Subgroups among Korean Out-of-school Adolescents.

PURPOSE: The number of Korean adolescents engaging in gambling is increasing, especially among out-of-school adolescents. This study aimed to identify patterns of gambling activities and factors related to specific subgroups of out-of-school adolescent gambling activities. METHODS: This descriptive study analyzed secondary data from the 2015 Korea Youth Gambling Problem Survey, including 1,200 out-of-school adolescents. Latent class analysis was conducted to identify patterns of gambling activities. The factors related to gambling subgroups were verified with multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Three latent classes of gambling activities were identified: rarely gambling (RG), immediate gain gambling (IGG), and broad gambling (BG). These subgroups differed significantly in terms of gender, age at and type of first gambling experience, number and type of gambling activities, gambling frequency, time and money spent on gambling, problem gambling severity, and motivation for gambling. Compared to the RG subgroup, both the IGG and BG subgroups were strongly associated with an older age at the first gambling experience. CONCLUSION: Out-of-school adolescents who first gambled at an older age and who gambled mainly in order to gain money immediately were at risk of problem gambling. Developing strategies for early screening and referral to professionals is necessary to prevent gambling problems from worsening.

Effects of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of Dysphagia for Nursing Home Residents.

HOW TO OBTAIN CONTACT HOURS BY READING THIS ARTICLE INSTRUCTIONS 1.2 contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded once you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at http://goo.gl/gMfXaf. To obtain contact hours you must: 1. Read the article, "Effects of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of Dysphagia for Nursing Home Residents" found on pages 30-39, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz. 2. Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study. 3. Go to the Villanova website listed above to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name; contact information; and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated. This activity is valid for continuing education credit until October 31, 2018. CONTACT HOURS This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated. Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES 1. Explain the development and testing of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of Dysphagia (ENCAD) in long-term care settings. 2. Review the outcome of implementing the ENCAD for dysphagia management in a nursing home. DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Neither the planners nor the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose. Standardized nursing care protocols for dysphagia management have not been established in nursing home settings in Korea. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of Dysphagia (ENCAD) on risk of dysphagia, oral health, and dysphagia-specific quality of life among nursing home residents. The ENCAD was administered to 40 residents in one nursing home in urban South Korea for 6 months. A control-intervention, time-series design was used, under which participants served as their own controls. Oral health, risk of aspiration, and dysphagia-specific quality of life were measured at baseline, post-control, and post-intervention. Findings showed that risk of aspiration (p < 0.01) and dysphagia-related quality of life (p < 0.001) improved significantly after the ENCAD was applied, whereas oral health status did not change over time (p = 0.06). Results suggest that implementing the ENCAD contributed to a reduction in the risk of aspiration and an improvement in the quality of life in nursing home residents.

Facilitators and barriers to self-management of nursing home residents: perspectives of health-care professionals in Korean nursing homes.

PURPOSE: To explore facilitators and barriers to self-management from the viewpoint of staff taking care of nursing home (NH) residents with chronic diseases in South Korea. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A qualitative content analysis was done using the focus group interview method. A total of 23 health-care professionals (16 registered nurses and 7 social workers) were interviewed from three urban NHs, each with more than 100 beds. RESULTS: Five facilitators were identified: grouping the residents; the resident's awareness of his/her current health status; the willingness of residents to engage in self-management; residence in the facility; and support from the staff. Additionally, seven barriers were identified: deterioration of the resident's health; the dependency expectations of the resident; hesitation in asking for help; difference in expectations between the staff and the resident's family; insufficient staffing and time; lack of standardized guidelines; and conservative tendencies of the staff due to rigid policies. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study can help health-care professionals recognize the factors that influence self-management and provide direction for registered nurses and other health professionals involved in supporting self-management programs for NH residents.

Dysphagia screening measures for use in nursing homes: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric quality and feasibility of measurements for screening dysphagia in older adults to identify the 'right tool' for nurses to use in nursing homes. METHODS: A systematic review was done. Electronic databases were searched for studies related to dysphagia screening measurements. A checklist was used to evaluate the psychometric quality and applicability. Tools were evaluated for feasible incorporation into routine care by nurses. RESULTS: 29 tools from 31 studies were identified. Dysphagia screening tools with an acceptable validity and reliability had sensitivity between 68% and 100% and specificity between 52% and 100%. The Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS) and the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) were the tools with high psychometric quality, especially with high sensitivity, that nurses could perform feasibly to identify the risk and to grade the severity of dysphagia and aspiration of nursing home residents. CONCLUSION: Results show that GUSS and SSA are reliable and sensitive tools for screening dysphagia which nurses can use in nursing homes. Further research is needed to examine feasibility of screening with identified tools, and also, to establish effective and standardized protocols for these tools so they can be effectively incorporated into routine care.