Beyond MEDLINE for Literature Searches

Purpose: To describe strategies for a comprehensive literature search.
Organizing Construct: MEDLINE searches result in limited numbers of studies that are often biased toward statistically significant findings. Diversified search strategies are needed.
Methods: Empirical evidence about the recall and precision of diverse search strategies is presented. Challenges and strengths of each search strategy are identified.
Findings: Search strategies vary in recall and precision. Often sensitivity and specificity are inversely related. Valuable search strategies include examination of multiple diverse computerized databases, ancestry searches, citation index searches, examination of research registries, journal hand searching, contact with the "invisible college," examination of abstracts, Internet searches, and contact with sources of synthesized information.
Conclusions: Extending searches beyond MEDLINE enables researchers to conduct more systematic comprehensive searches.     

Weighing Distress: Decision-Making Surrounding Management of the Pregnancy Experience Among HIV-Infected Thai Women

The researchers conducted this grounded theory study in order to describe the decision making surrounding management of the pregnancy experience of 38 pregnant, HIV-infected Thai women. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and an open-ended questionnaire, and they were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. We found that “weighing distress” was the core category of the decision-making process. The supporting categories were being ambivalent about continuing the pregnancy, exploring alternative options, and selecting the appropriate choice. Health care providers should encourage family members to participate and be involved in the women's decision-making processes.     

The effect of a community-based spiritual life review program on Indonesian elders’ resilience

Objective

This quasi-experimental, pre-/post-test study aimed to examine the effect of a community-based spiritual life review program on the resilience of elders residing in a disaster-prone area.

Influences of partners'' views of asthma self-management and family environment on asthmatic adults'' asthma quality of life

Influences of partners' views of the adult asthmatic's self-management and family environment were explored from the perspective of a collaborative care system. Adults (N = 172, 86 couples) completed questionnaires: perceived control of asthma, perceived ability to care for self, asthma quality of life (AQOL), and an asthma opinion survey. Significant relationships between perceptions of adults with asthma (AWA) and partners were found (r ranged from.32 to.74). Multiple regression analysis of partners' perceptions on AWA AQOL yielded a 3-factor solution (R(2) = 39%). Family cohesion had a significant effect on AWA AQOL (F [1, 168] = 4.43, p 相似文献   

Using nursing practice guidelines for the prevention of multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis among hospitalized adult patients in Bangladesh

Multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) is one of the major public health concerns worldwide particularly in developing countries, including Bangladesh. Thus far, there are no well‐validated clinical guidelines for the prevention of MDR‐TB. This study aims to evaluate the improvement in nurses' practice using the newly developed Nursing Practice Guidelines for the Prevention of MDR‐TB (NPG: MDR‐TB) among hospitalized adult patients in Bangladesh. The guidelines were developed, disseminated and evaluated among 64 nurses by assessing nursing practice for the prevention of MDR‐TB during pre‐ and postimplementation of the guidelines. Significant differences between pretest and post‐test mean scores of nursing practice for the prevention of MDR‐TB in case finding and case holding were found in three levels of wards, including Level 0 (non‐TB), Level 1 (TB) and Level 2 (MDR‐TB) (P < 0.001). This indicated that the guidelines might be applicable to reduce the development of MDR‐TB in hospitals. However, this was a preliminary study with a limited time frame. Further evaluation is, therefore, needed.     

Productive engagement in older adults: A concept analysis

This study aimed to clarify the concept of productive engagement as it applies to older adults. The concept analysis was based on Walker and Avant's eight‐step method. A literature review of articles published in English between 1990 and 2011 (n = 37) was conducted, using an electronic search of multiple sources. Results revealed that four defining attributes for productive engagement include continuing to work either paid or unpaid, caring for others, engaging in social activities, and growing spirituality. The antecedents of productive engagement are sociocultural factors as well as individual and institutional capacities. Meanwhile, the consequences are increased feelings of usefulness, improved health and well‐being, aged successfully, and enhanced quality of life. Model, borderline, and contrary cases are presented to illustrate the concept's defining attributes. Defining the concept of productive engagement provides a basis for nurses and other health professionals to better understand productive engagement in older adults, thus effective strategic plans or programs for promoting productive roles among older adults can be further developed.