Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires

www.mobilehealthmap.org 617‐442‐3200 New research shows that mobile health clinics improve health outcomes for hard to reach populations in cost‐effective and culturally competent ways . A Harvard Medical School study determined that for every dollar invested in a mobile health clinic, the US healthcare system saves $30 on average. Mobile health clinics, which offer a range of services from preventive screenings to asthma treatment, leverage their mobility to treat people in the convenience of their own communities. For example, a mobile health clinic in Baltimore, MD, has documented savings of $3,500 per child seen due to reduced asthma‐related hospitalizations. The estimated 2,000 mobile health clinics across the country are providing similarly cost‐effective access to healthcare for a wide range of populations. Many successful mobile health clinics cite their ability to foster trusting relationships. Qualitative research in such mobile health clinics has found that patients value the informal, familiar environment in a convenient location, with staff who “are easy to talk to,” and that the staff’s “marriage of professional and personal discourses” provides patients the space to disclose information themselves. A communications academic argued that mobile health clinics’ unique use of space is important in facilitating these relationships. Mobile health clinics park in the heart of the community in familiar spaces, like shopping centers or bus stations, which lend themselves to the local community atmosphere.

Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care

Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change

Background No systematic review and narrative synthesis on personal recovery in mental illness has been undertaken. Aims To synthesise published descriptions and models of personal recovery into an empirically based conceptual framework. Method Systematic review and modified narrative synthesis. Results Out of 5208 papers that were identified and 366 that were reviewed, a total of 97 papers were included in this review. The emergent conceptual framework consists of: (a) 13 characteristics of the recovery journey; (b) five recovery processes comprising: connectedness; hope and optimism about the future; identity; meaning in life; and empowerment (giving the acronym CHIME); and (c) recovery stage descriptions which mapped onto the transtheoretical model of change. Studies that focused on recovery for individuals of Black and minority ethnic (BME) origin showed a greater emphasis on spirituality and stigma and also identified two additional themes: culturally specific facilitating factors and collectivist notions of recovery. Conclusions The conceptual framework is a theoretically defensible and robust synthesis of people's experiences of recovery in mental illness. This provides an empirical basis for future recovery-oriented research and practice.

Conceptual framework for personal recovery in mental health: systematic review and narrative

http://sites.psu.edu/clair333/wp-content/uploads/sites/22671/2015/02/The-prevalence-and-correlates-of-depression-anxiety-and-stress-in-a-sample-of-college-students.pdf

The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students.

https://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/laurap/pub/IwC2010a.pdf

Maintaining reality: Relational agents for antipsychotic medication adherence

Research has revealed the impact of the diagnosis of cancer on an individual, their spouse, and their family. One dimension that has received little attention is the impact of the cancer diagnosis on the patient's adolescent. This article offers an analysis of descriptive studies, intervention studies, and databased book chapters, published between 1966 and 2006, that examined the impact of parental cancer on the adolescent. The results of 45 studies and three databased book chapters are organized around four themes: adolescents' (1) emotions and behaviors (2) perceptions and knowledge of parental cancer (3) changes in roles and (4) ways of coping. These themes will assist the reader in understanding the application of the knowledge gained from the analysis of the literature to directions for future research.

The impact of parental cancer on the adolescent: an analysis of the literature

Optimism is a stable personality trait that has important implications for behavior, yet little attention has been given to examining optimism in adolescents. This article describes levels of optimism in rural adolescents and the relationship of optimism with depression, coping, anger, and life events. The identification of optimism may be a vulnerability factor when screening adolescent mental health and, as such, has implications for the psychiatric nurse clinician.

Optimism and its relationship to depression, coping, anger, and life events in rural adolescents.

Purpose: To identify point prevalence of psychosocial resilience (PR) and to test moderating and predictive relationships among optimism, chronological age, gender, perceived family and friend support, number of bad life events, and PR in rural adolescents.

Design: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey of 624 rural adolescents aged 14 to 18 in an eastern U.S. state.

Method: Descriptive statistics were used to identify point prevalence, and stepwise logistic regression was used to identify which variables alone or in combination had significant effects upon PR.

Findings: The point prevalence of PR was 17% with the largest percentage of students reporting medium levels of resilience. Level of adolescent PR was partially predicted by cognitive factors (optimism, perceived family support), number of bad life events, age, and gender. Perceived support of friends and optimism modified the level of PR.

Conclusions: The predictive and moderating model was useful for building knowledge about the process of PR in rural adolescents.

A predictive and moderating model of psychosocial resilience in adolescents.

PROBLEM Incidence of depressive symptoms and lack of sufficient adaptive coping skills in adolescents.



METHODS A randomized controlled study to test the effectiveness of a group-administered, cognitive-behavioral interventions method, TKC©, on rural adolescents (N = 89). Outcomes were measured by changes in the scores on an Adolescent Depression Scale and the Coping Response Inventory pre/post intervention, at 6 and at 12 months.



FINDINGS Results indicated improvement in depressive symptomatology and certain coping skills. Students in the intervention reported a higher use of cognitive problem-solving coping strategies.



CONCLUSIONS The role of a psychiatric nurse in the school system providing short-term psychoeducation interventions is a practical and effective mental health practice.

Kathryn R. Puskar

Papers

Maintaining reality: Relational agents for antipsychotic medication adherence

The impact of parental cancer on the adolescent: an analysis of the literature

Optimism and its relationship to depression, coping, anger, and life events in rural adolescents.

A predictive and moderating model of psychosocial resilience in adolescents.

Effect of the Teaching Kids to Cope (TKC) program on outcomes of depression and coping among rural adolescents.