Structural equation modeling of dispositional mindfulness, internal environmental factors, external environmental factors, and self-care behaviors in people with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: To achieve suitable diabetes care, understanding the factors that affect self-care behaviors is necessary. OBJECTIVE: To construct a model of dispositional mindfulness, internal environmental factors, external environmental factors, and self-care behaviors in people with diabetes. DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed a convenience sample of 311 people with type 2 diabetes in Taiwan. Data were collected through questionnaires, including the Diabetes Symptoms Checklist, Emotional Distress Scale, Empowerment Process Scale, Interpersonal Communication Scale and Self-Care Behavior scale. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling indicated that a model of dispositional mindfulness, internal environmental factors, external environmental factors, and self-care behaviors in the patients with diabetes best fit the data. Dispositional mindfulness (ß = 0.39), internal environmental factors (ß = 0.52), and external environmental factors (ß = 0.71) directly influenced self-care behaviors in the patients with diabetes. Dispositional mindfulness significantly indirectly affected self-care behaviors via internal and external environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: To improve self-care behaviors, interventions should consider mindfulness training, and also include internal environmental factors and external environmental factors in the mindfulness training.

The effect of a bone-preserving board game program on the knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviors of osteoporosis in older adults.

Osteoporosis predisposes to fractures, which affect the quality of life and can be life-threatening. However, the knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviors of osteoporosis in older adults are insufficient. The aim of this paper was to develop and test the effect of a bone-preserving board game program among older adults. A convenience sample of 85 older adults recruited from two community activity centers in southern Taiwan were assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group played a bone-preserving board game for 4 weeks, and the control group participated in routine community center activities. The generalized estimating equation showed significantly larger improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors in the experimental group than in the control group. Board games designed for older adults can support public health education and help prevent osteoporosis. Our results provide a reference for educators, clinical practitioners and researchers.

Comparing the effectiveness of board game-based and drill-based education programs in improving Taiwanese nurses' fire safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Fire education is currently dominated by drill-based programs, however only a limited number of participants may take part in fire drills. This gap could be addressed by the development of innovative board game-based educational programs. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to compare the effectiveness of board game-based and drill-based fire safety education programs in improving nurses' fire safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, 122 nurses were purposively sampled from a hospital in southern Taiwan. The participants were divided into two groups based on their willingness. Sixty-two nurses in the game-based group took part in an hour-long educational board game for fire safety; and 60 in the drill-based group took part in an hour-long fire drill organized by the hospital. The participants' pre- (T0) and post-intervention (T1) questionnaire scores on fire safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior were recorded. The statistical methods included descriptive statistics and t-tests. RESULTS: After the interventions, both groups had improved safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. However, from T0 to T1, only fire safety knowledge was significantly higher in the game-based group than in the drill-based group, and there were no significant differences in fire safety attitudes and behavior between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A board game-based fire education program is similar to a tabletop exercise, and drill-based programs more accurately reflect actual circumstances. Both methods can be applied based on the educational objectives and actual educational settings. The results of this study may function as a reference for designing clinical, educational, and academic interventions for fire safety in healthcare settings.

The efficacy of a mindfulness-based exercise program in older residents of a long-term care facility in Taiwan.

Older people living in long-term care facilities remain largely inactive, and therefore promoting exercise in this population is necessary. This study evaluated the efficacy of a mindfulness-based exercise program in older residents of a long-term care facility in Taiwan. A convenience sample of 72 older residents of a long-term care facility were recruited and assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group (n = 36) participated in an 8-week mindfulness-based exercise program, and the control group (n = 36) received routine care. The generalized estimating equation showed significantly larger improvements in a fear of falling, exercise self-efficacy, dynamic balance, and muscle strength in the experimental group than in the control group from baseline to the end of the intervention and 3 months after the end of the intervention. This study provides a reference for how to improve exercise practice in older people living in long-term care facilities.

The Effectiveness of a Thanks, Sorry, Love, and Farewell Board Game in Older People in Taiwan: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the four themes of life ("thanks, sorry, love, and farewell") board game to enhance interpersonal communication, interpersonal relationships, and self-efficacy; and decrease loneliness. The participants were a convenience sample of 91 older people recruited from two community activity centers in Taiwan. Using a quasi-experimental method, participants from one of the community activity centers were enrolled as the experimental group, and participants from the other center were enrolled as the control group. The experimental group played the four themes of life board game for 4 weeks. The control group participated in routine community center activities. Compared to the control group, the experimental group had statistically significantly larger improvements in scores on interpersonal communication, self-efficacy, and loneliness at 3 months after the end of the intervention. This study provides a reference for the design interventions for promoting health in older people.

Enterovirus board game for elementary school children: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of an enterovirus board game on improving knowledge of enterovirus for elementary school children in Taiwan. DESIGN: A pilot study with a one-group pretest-posttest design. SAMPLE: Using convenience sampling, 27 children were recruited from a single elementary school in Taiwan in June 2020. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic data were collected and the children completed an enterovirus knowledge questionnaire. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, McNemar test, and Wilcoxon test. INTERVENTION: Each experimental group of four to five children participated in a 40-min enterovirus board game. RESULTS: After using the board game, the children had significantly higher mean scores for enterovirus knowledge. Specifically, the children had a higher proportion of correct answers for seven questions related to enterovirus after playing the game compared to before. CONCLUSIONS: Board games designed for elementary school-aged children can support public health education and help prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases such as enterovirus.

Efficacy of a horticultural activity program for reducing depression and loneliness in older residents of nursing homes in Taiwan.

Promoting psychological health in older populations is important. This study evaluated a horticultural activity program for reducing depression and loneliness in older residents of nursing homes in Taiwan. A convenience sample of 150 older residents of three nursing homes were recruited and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group (n = 75) participated in an 8-week horticultural activity program. The control group (n = 75) received routine care. Generalized estimating equations analyses revealed significant time by treatment interaction effects for depression (p < .001) and loneliness (p < .001). This study provides a reference for improving psychological health in older people.

Novel broadband glass phosphors for high CRI WLEDs.

New broadband glass phosphors with excellent thermal stability were proposed and experimentally demonstrated for white light-emitting-diodes (WLEDs). The novel glass phosphors were realized through dispersing multiple phosphors into SiO2 based glass (SiO2-Na2O-Al2O3-CaO) at 680°C. Y3Al5O12:Ce³âº (YAG), Lu3Al5O12:Ce³âº (LuAG), and CaAlSiN3: Eu²âº (nitride) phosphor crystals were chosen respectively as the yellow, green, and red emitters of the glass phosphors. The effect of sintering temperature on inter-diffusion reduction between phosphor crystals and amorphous SiO2 in nitride-doped glass phosphors was studied and evidenced by the aid of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Broadband glass phosphors with high quantum-yield of 55.6% were thus successfully realized through the implementation of low sintering temperature. Proof-of-concept devices utilizing the novel broadband phosphors were developed to generate high-quality cool-white light with trisstimulus coordinates (x, y) = (0.358, 0.288), color-rending index (CRI) = 85, and correlated color temperature (CCT) = 3923K. The novel broadband glass phosphors with excellent thermal stability are essentially beneficial to the applications for next-generation solid-state indoor lighting, especially in the area where high power and absolute reliability are required.

Social support and adaptation of Taiwanese adults with mental illness.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the relationships among contextual factors, dimensions of social support, adaptations and psychiatric symptoms among mentally ill Taiwanese adults in a mental health hospital in southern Taiwan. In addition, this study tested the effect of the dimensions of social support on adaptation as well as whether social support moderated the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and adaptation. BACKGROUND: Social support enhances an individual's ability to cope and adapt to daily life events and stressors. Although the relationships among social support, stress and adaptation have been widely studied in the general population, little is known among individuals with mental illness, especially in Taiwan. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, descriptive correlation design was used. METHODS: The sample consisted of 129 adults, ranging in age from 21-67, who were diagnosed with a major mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, manic depression or organic mental disorder) and who could communicate in Chinese or Taiwanese. A demographic information sheet, the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Life Skills Profile (LSP), were used to collect data. Data were analysed with Pearson's correlation and multiple regressions. RESULTS: The findings suggest that individuals who were older, male, independent and had higher education, a shorter duration of mental illness and fewer psychiatric symptoms had higher life skills. Three dimensions of social support (belonging, tangible and self-esteem) moderated the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and number of hospitalisations. CONCLUSION: Life skills and social support play important roles in the adaptation of Taiwanese adults with mental illness in the community as well as in decreasing their psychiatric symptoms and number of hospitalisations. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings have implications for Taiwanese clinical nurses who provide care to mentally ill patients and their family. They can provide psycho-education programs to teach life skills to mentally ill patients. Clinical nurses can also provide positive feedback on the behaviours displayed by mentally ill patients and assist them to develop better life skills to adapt to the community.