A medical-surgical nurse's perceptions of caring for a person with severe mental illness.

Background: When hospitalized for medical conditions, many people with severe mental illness (SMI) have poor outcomes, yet little is known about contributing factors. Studies exploring the care experience from nurses' perspectives described care processes as "difficult." None of these studies were conducted in the United States, and sociocultural contexts significantly affect perceptions of SMI.

Health literacy among older adults: a systematic literature review.

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to describe the empirical findings on health literacy in adults 65 and older. A systematic search for research studies from 1999 to early 2010 was conducted in MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. Articles were analyzed using the following foci: skills and health knowledge, functional health literacy, and health behaviors and health outcomes.

Stress in migrant farmworkers during premigration.

Purpose: This study explored the relationship between migrant farmworker (MFW) stress and salivary cortisol (sC) in a sample of MFWs prior to migration.

Sample: The sample, 40 (N = 14 male, 26 female) adult MFWs residing in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, primarily comprised middle-aged immigrants with a middle-school education.

Design: This pilot feasibility study included a self-report farmworker stress inventory and five serial sC specimens in 24 hr.

Participation in physical activity by persons living with HIV disease.

Physical activity (PA) may offer substantial health benefits for persons with HIV disease. The purpose of this study is to describe and explore physical activity behaviors in a sample of persons living with HIV disease. This descriptive correlational study surveyed 78 persons (n = 70 men; n = 8 women) from two outpatient settings.