From Systematic Review to Call for Action.

INTRODUCTION: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health and criminal justice concern with significant impacts; especially high rates are seen among rural Hispanic American (HA) communities, the fastest growing population in the United States. They experience additional barriers to care including extreme poverty, lesser education, gender norms, and language and immigration issues. METHOD: A systematic literature review was conducted using Cooper's framework to identify evidence supporting associations between interventions and prevention, reduction, and elimination of IPV among rural HA women. Searches conducted on databases including CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Women's Studies International, MedicLatina, and JSTOR used the MeSH terms Hispanic Americans (Latino/a and Hispanic), domestic violence, and intimate partner violence. Selected studies were published between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2014. RESULTS: Of the 617 yielded articles, only 6 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, none closely examined rurality or provided valid and reliable measures of outcomes, instead reporting program descriptions and suggested interventions. We identify key findings to guide program, screening, and tool development. CONCLUSION: Our study identifies a gap in knowledge, research, and effective practices and issues a call for action to create evidence-based tools to prevent, reduce, and eliminate IPV in these underserved populations.

Guiding the Process of Culturally Competent Care With Hispanic Patients: A Grounded Theory Study.

PURPOSE: To explore nursing care actions that lead to culturally competent care for Hispanic patients. BACKGROUND: Nurses report apprehension when delivering nursing care because of language barriers and a lack of Hispanic cultural understanding. Research is needed to inform culturally aware nursing practice actions for Hispanic patients. DESIGN: The study used a qualitative, grounded theory design to address the questions: (a) What cultural knowledge should nurses have when caring for Hispanic patients and families and (b) What nursing actions should nurses take to provide culturally competent care? Hispanic lay health promoters and Hispanic community members were interviewed to make recommendations for care. RESULTS: A model was identified that informs culturally competent nursing care. "Connectedness," the central phenomenon, describes nursing actions and contains subthemes explaining influences on nursing care. "Up to You" and "At the Mercy of the System" are descriptive themes influencing connectedness. CONCLUSION: Connectedness is central to culturally well-informed nurse-patient interactions.

Sugar or high fructose corn syrup-what should nurses teach patients and families?

BACKGROUND: There is lack of consensus in the lay literature to support consumption of table sugar as a preferred sweetener when compared to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). AIMS: The purpose of this study was to search the literature for evidence to determine the health effects of consumption of table sugar (sucrose) and HFCS on blood glucose, lipid levels, obesity, and appetite as well as to make recommendations for patient and family teaching of those at risk for developing negative health outcomes, including coronary heart disease. METHODS: Nursing and health-related databases, including CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, and Health and Wellness were searched for research articles, which were compared and evaluated for purpose, sample size, procedure, findings, and level of evidence. FINDINGS: Five studies that met inclusion criteria were evaluated. No difference was found in changes in blood glucose levels, lipid levels, or appetite between table sugar consumption and HFCS consumption. When only fructose was consumed, lipid levels were significantly increased. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: The evidence suggests that fructose, found in both table sugar and HFCS, has a negative effect on health outcomes. Clinicians should teach patients and families that all sugar consumption should be closely monitored and kept below the 40 g/day recommended by the World Health Organization.