Western journal of nursing research
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This study examined causal attribution beliefs about breast cancer and the influence that these beliefs exert on health behavior change among breast cancer survivors (BCS). Focus groups with Chinese (n = 21), Korean (n = 11), and Mexican American (n = 9) BCS recruited through community- and hospital-based support groups were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English for thematic content analysis. ⋯ Causal beliefs corresponded to behavioral changes with women describing efforts to improve their diet and manage their stress. Ethnic minority BCS adhere to beliefs about what caused their cancer that influence their health behaviors. Providing quality health care to ethnically diverse cancer survivors requires cultural sensitivity to patients' beliefs about the causes of their cancer and awareness of how beliefs influence patients' health behaviors post diagnosis.
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Over the last decade, caring for patients who are conscious while receiving mechanical ventilator treatment has become common in Scandinavian intensive care units. Therefore, this study aimed to describe anesthetists', nurses', and nursing assistants' experiences of caring for such patients. Nine persons were interviewed. ⋯ Staff members found it distressing to witness and be unable to alleviate suffering, leading to ethical conflicts, feelings of powerlessness, and betrayal of the promises made to the patient. They were frustrated about their inability to understand what the patients were trying to say and often turned to colleagues for help. When caring for conscious patients, it takes time to get to know them and establish communication and a trusting relationship.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
An intervention to decrease stigma in young adults with sickle cell disease.
Young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) are often stigmatized when they seek care for pain. The purpose of this pilot study was to test an intervention to decrease health-related stigma during care-seeking. ⋯ Findings suggest that the CSI was associated with significant increased awareness of perceived total stigma and stigma by doctors compared with the attention control group. These findings are promising in terms of lessons learned from a pilot intervention that focused on the role communication skills play in decreasing health-related stigma in young adults with SCD.