An Evidence-Based Education to Improve Children's Mental Health

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Description
An alarming number of youth have mental health concerns, but of those who are diagnosed, only half receive treatment. Using Bandera's social cognitive theory, one can achieve behavioral changes through self-efficacy and control their actions by self-regulation. Mindfulness activities, when

An alarming number of youth have mental health concerns, but of those who are diagnosed, only half receive treatment. Using Bandera's social cognitive theory, one can achieve behavioral changes through self-efficacy and control their actions by self-regulation. Mindfulness activities, when implemented early, can decrease stress, and improve well-being in youth. Methods: This project was implemented among students attending an alternative high school in Arizona. Nine students participated in four different mindfulness, hands-on activities during two classes- 1 hour each. Participants completed a pre and a post-test with the 10-item questionnaire Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and a 3-question survey to evaluate the program at the end of the second week. Results: Among the 9 participants (mean age = 16 SD=2.06), the stress levels were considered low to moderate in the pretest (mean=16.56) and the post-test (mean=15.89). Stress level scores were reduced after the education although the difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, all participants agreed that the content and activities were appropriate, 88.9% agreed they had a "better understanding of how to reduce stress," and 77.8% stated their "knowledge of stress has improved." Discussion/Conclusion: This project aimed to help reduce vulnerable adolescents' stress level through mindfulness activities. Mental health education like this may help adolescents better manage stress and consequently promote their overall well-being. Future projects should recruit a larger sample and implement a longer time for larger and longer effects.
Date Created
2023-05-10
Agent

An Evidence-based Education for Elementary Teachers to Manage Students' Misbehaviors

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Description
Student misbehaving at a K-8 school in the Southern United States stresses out teachers and hinders other students from their work. The lack of effective misbehavior management strategies was disturbing the teachers. Guided by the balancing theory of relationships, this

Student misbehaving at a K-8 school in the Southern United States stresses out teachers and hinders other students from their work. The lack of effective misbehavior management strategies was disturbing the teachers. Guided by the balancing theory of relationships, this project aimed to inform elementary teachers about the "5:1 positive to negative interaction ratio with their students" and to evaluate their sense of efficacy in managing student misbehavior after education. Methods: Nine teachers (44% of teachers have age 40-49 years, 78% are non-Hispanic white, and 56% have 10-19 years of teaching experience) provided consent to participate in the project voluntarily. They filled out a pre-test survey and attended an evidence-based presentation at a staff training section on a 5:1 positive-to-negative interaction ratio with the students. An email with a link was sent to them for an online post-test survey two weeks following the presentation. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics were conducted to describe the variable distribution and compare scores of the "Teachers' Sense of Efficacy" short-form scale over time. Results: The findings showed increased teachers' sense of efficacy after the education although the difference was not statistically significant. The efficacy of student engagement had a small effect size (Cohen's d= .37), and the efficacy of instructional strategies had a medium effect size (Cohen's d= .66). Discussion/Conclusion: This evidence-based education may have a larger impact on elementary school teachers' sense of efficacy if implemented within a larger sample and over a longer time.
Date Created
2023-05-10
Agent

Reducing Burnout in Bedside Nurses Through Guided Meditation

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Description
Purpose & Background: Nurses regularly have encounters with traumatic and stressful events which can have deleterious effects on their physical and psychological well-being and lead to burnout. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the stress on nurses. The purpose of this

Purpose & Background: Nurses regularly have encounters with traumatic and stressful events which can have deleterious effects on their physical and psychological well-being and lead to burnout. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the stress on nurses. The purpose of this project is to evaluate if an evidence-based, guided mindfulness-based intervention would reduce burnout levels among registered nurses (RNs) working in in-patient settings. Methods: Participants enrolled in nursing programs from a local university were recruited for the project with the following inclusion requirements: (1) RNs working in an in-patient setting, (2) aged 18 years old or older; (3) fluent in the English language. Participants completed a pre-survey and then enrolled in a free mindfulness application via their phone or computer. Participants listened to one ten-minute mindfulness session for a consecutive ten days and then completed a post-survey. Results: Data collected from the pre and post surveys included the use of the following valid and reliable instrument tools: Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, Brief Resiliency Coping Scale, and Short Form Health Survey. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test. The analyzed data showed that there was statistical significance in decreased burnout levels, increased resiliency, and increased health perceptions of the participants. Conclusion: By finding ways to cope with the experience of burnout in nurses, nurses’ mental health wellness can improve in order for nurses to continue to be an integral part of the healthcare system.
Date Created
2022-05-06

Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Korean Americans Via Digital Storytelling: Lessons Borrowed from Vaccine Uptake Research

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Description
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been causing high rates of hospitalization and death among the marginalized Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Disaggregated data revealed low COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Korean Americans/Immigrants (KA/I) due to vaccine-related fears unaddressed by cultural

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been causing high rates of hospitalization and death among the marginalized Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Disaggregated data revealed low COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Korean Americans/Immigrants (KA/I) due to vaccine-related fears unaddressed by cultural and linguistic barriers. Prior evidence demonstrates that digital storytelling (DST) is an effective medium to improve recommended vaccine intent and uptake among AAPIs. Objective: This DNP project aimed to assess the effect of DST intervention on improving KA/I’s COVID-19-related vaccine hesitancy, intent, and uptake. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conducted, with participants (n=4) self-identifying as KA/I adults with English or Korean fluency residing in the U.S. Participants were recruited online via convenience sampling from CARE (Collaborative Approach for AAPI Research and Education). Individuals who had already received COVID-19 vaccines were excluded. The intervention included two first-person audiovisual stories documenting the personal experience of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Outcomes were measured via a pre-post-1-month-follow-up survey utilizing a modified Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (? = 0.72) and Narrative Quality Assessment Tool (? = 0.78-0.81). Results: DST intervention had a marginally significant effect on lowering post-COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scores (p = 0.068). Participants (n=2) who rated the DST videos with a higher score indicated vaccine uptake at one-month follow-up. Conclusion: This cost-effective, sustainable, and scalable DST evidence-based project has the potential to promote COVID-19 vaccination among KA/I and other AAPI groups with appropriate modification.
Date Created
2022-05-01
Agent

Perceived Racial Discrimination, Mental Health, and the Differences of These Variables by US Citizenship Among Asian College Students

Description

This research aimed to examine college students’ perceived racial discrimination, mental health, and differences of these variables by US citizenship to promote healthier mental health practices within Asian college students. Mental disorders are a leading cause of suicidal ideation, which

This research aimed to examine college students’ perceived racial discrimination, mental health, and differences of these variables by US citizenship to promote healthier mental health practices within Asian college students. Mental disorders are a leading cause of suicidal ideation, which is the fourth leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults, becoming a global phenomenon. The rate of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, have steadily increased in a decade, with higher rates among racial and ethnic minorities. More than half of adults with serious mental illnesses haven't received treatments, with minorities being more likely to delay or fail seeking mental health treatments due to cultural and structural barriers such as cultural stigma, racial discrimination, acculturation, and language, making it more difficult to address the inaccessibility to high mental health care services, especially for Asians. The findings of this study suggest that, compared to international students, domestic students have greater mental health service seeking intention, received worse racial discrimination (subject to slurs and suspiciousness) and worse mental health since Covid-19, and determined language concordance between patient and healthcare provider is important. International students have more negative beliefs towards the difficulties of treatment and care of mental illnesses and determined ethnicity concordance between patient and healthcare provider is important. The findings provide preliminary insight to acknowledge the differences between domestic and international students in their perceived racial discrimination and mental health. Furthermore, based on findings the issue can be addressed by implementing a mixed-method approach on collecting disaggregated data among this population, removing language and stigmatic barriers to mental health services by education, and promoting cultural competency among mental health workers.

Date Created
2023-05
Agent

Will Video Education on HPV and the Vaccine Affect Young Adults’ Vaccination Intent?

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Description

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of educational videos on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intent among young adults aged 18-26. A two-group randomized control trial (RCT) is conducted among 156 individuals (control group n = 79,

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of educational videos on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intent among young adults aged 18-26. A two-group randomized control trial (RCT) is conducted among 156 individuals (control group n = 79, intervention group n= 77). Inclusion criteria were English-speaking young adults aged 18-26 who have not been vaccinated against HPV. Participants who met the inclusion criteria based on an online screening form were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and invited to join the study. They first completed a pretest (T0) online via REDCap, randomly assigned to the intervention or control group, and completed a posttest (T1) after viewing their assigned intervention. Participants assigned to the intervention group watched two brief animated videos while participants assigned to the control group examined an HPV educational brochure created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, survey questions measured HPV-related knowledge, attitudes, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, vaccination intent (T0 and T1), sociodemographic characteristics, and health history (T0 only) of participants. The results showed the intervention group had an increase in vaccination intent while the control group had a decrease in vaccination intent. This shows that video education methods are more effective than traditional written education methods at increasing vaccination intention among young adults.

Date Created
2022-05
Agent

What the Health is This?

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Description
“What the Health is This” is a creative project that aims to provide health education, improve health literacy, encourage young adults to do their own reputable health research, and empower them to make informed health decisions through that research. Centered

“What the Health is This” is a creative project that aims to provide health education, improve health literacy, encourage young adults to do their own reputable health research, and empower them to make informed health decisions through that research. Centered on topics of interest for young adults, the podcast covers four main concepts: wellness, self-care, health care, and public health. Each episode is approximately 20 minutes.
Date Created
2022-05
Agent

What the Health is This?

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Description
“What the Health is This” is a creative project that aims to provide health education, improve health literacy, encourage young adults to do their own reputable health research, and empower them to make informed health decisions through that research. Centered

“What the Health is This” is a creative project that aims to provide health education, improve health literacy, encourage young adults to do their own reputable health research, and empower them to make informed health decisions through that research. Centered on topics of interest for young adults, the podcast covers four main concepts: wellness, self-care, health care, and public health. Each episode is approximately 20 minutes.
Date Created
2022-05
Agent

Resilience-Oriented Education on Secondary Trauma: Impacts on Secondary Traumatic Stress Scores among Psychiatric Registered Nurses

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Description
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the natural, consequent behaviors and emotions that result from the individual’s knowledge about traumatizing events experienced by another. Psychiatric registered nurses (RN), due to the nature of their jobs, are frequently exposed to significant amount

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the natural, consequent behaviors and emotions that result from the individual’s knowledge about traumatizing events experienced by another. Psychiatric registered nurses (RN), due to the nature of their jobs, are frequently exposed to significant amount of secondary trauma during nurse-patient interactions. Secondary traumatic stress impacts the physical and emotional health of the nurse, compromises patient outcomes and organizational success. Evidence acknowledges the significant extent of secondary traumatic stress among nurses and is insistent on the necessity for effective interventions to mitigate the impacts of secondary trauma on healthcare professionals. A review of literature suggests that knowledge is a protective factor against secondary traumatic stress, and that nurse resilience also moderates the effects of secondary trauma and other work related stressors. These findings have led to the initiation of an evidence-based project that seeks to assess the efficacy of a resilience-oriented educational intervention in decreasing secondary traumatic stress scores and improving resilience among hospital-based psychiatric registered nurses. This project was guided by the Theory of Cognitive Appraisal and Rosswurm and Larabee’s model for evidence-based practice. Results from this project, despite being non-statistically significant, showed a decrease in STS scores from time-point zero (T0) to time-point one (T1) and increased resilience scores from time-point one (T1) to time-point two (T2), and from time-point zero (T0) to time-point two (T2). This project highlighted a deficit in knowledge of concepts of ST, STS and resilience among psychiatry RNs and inspired an open discussion on STS and other types of work-related stress among psychiatry RNs.
Date Created
2021-04-28
Agent

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in the Prenatal Population

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Description
False accusations concerning the development of autism and other hazardous side effects have triggered parental vaccine hesitancy, leading to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. This opposition to vaccination risks the health of both individuals and entire communities. The purpose of this

False accusations concerning the development of autism and other hazardous side effects have triggered parental vaccine hesitancy, leading to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. This opposition to vaccination risks the health of both individuals and entire communities. The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of prenatal education on maternal vaccine hesitancy and infant immunization rates. In a pretest posttest design, pregnant mothers greater than or equal to 30 weeks gestation were recruited by The Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI) and virtually educated about infant immunization. A voice-over PowerPoint presentation was delivered to the participants virtually and focused on vaccine knowledge, intention to vaccinate, and vaccine hesitancy. These outcomes were evaluated virtually pre- and post-intervention with the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines (PACV) survey (⍺ = 0.84), and the infants’ vaccination records were compared against the recommended immunization schedule at two months of age. Using the Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test, data analysis revealed vaccine hesitancy was significantly reduced between pre- and post-intervention (Z = 27.70, p = .000), and 100% of the 2-month-old infants were fully immunized with the recommended vaccines. The effect size (d = 12.807) also indicated a strong relationship between pre- and post-intervention vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy remains a threat to public health. With prenatal education, pregnant mothers will likely become more knowledgeable of vaccine benefits and better prepared to make informed decisions. Confident vaccination will decrease vaccine hesitancy and improve immunization rates, while promoting individual and societal health.
Date Created
2021-04-27
Agent