Religion and Spirituality: Why and How to Address It in Clinical Practice.

Religion and spirituality (R/S) have been influential in societies' history, daily life, and identity in the past and in today's society. From a sociological perspective, R/S contributes to family development and organization, influences culture, and often contributes to forming opinions, beliefs, and concepts about oneself, family, society, and the world. In addition, R/S help shape individuals, families, and communities' ethical and moral understanding, thus influencing their behavior.

Relationship between exercise intensity and stress levels among U.S. medical students.

Background: Physical activity may protect the mental health of medical students, yet it is unknown which types and intensities of physical activity have the greatest potential to improve medical student well-being.

Objective: We characterize the relationship between exercise intensity and stress levels of U.S.

Engaging Latino Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Survivors in Their Care: Piloting a Photonovela Intervention.

Latino adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors represent a growing population given the changing demographics in the USA. They experience significant healthcare disparities and barriers that warrant age-specific and culturally appropriate interventions to improve their clinical and psychosocial outcomes. This single-arm pilot study evaluated a novel intervention - a photonovela - on its ability to educate Latino AYA survivors and their family members and engage them in survivorship care.

The impact of caregiver post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms on pediatric transplant outcomes.

PTSS as well as symptoms of depression have been reported in children who experience a serious medical adversity as well as their caretakers. The adverse effects of PTSS, when experienced by the patients, on medical outcomes have been clearly documented. However, the impact of those symptoms, if any, when experienced by the caretakers on child outcomes has not been investigated prospectively.

The use of mobile technology and peer navigation to promote adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivorship care: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors experience unique barriers that compromise receipt of survivorship care; therefore, development of innovative educational interventions to improve rates of AYA survivorship care is needed. The efficacy of text-messaging and peer navigation interventions was compared to standard-of-care survivorship educational materials to increase AYAs' (1) late effects knowledge and (2) knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy towards seeking survivor-focused care.

Methods: This was a three-armed, prospective, randomized controlled trial with one control group and two intervention groups.

Alcohol consumption behaviors and neurocognitive dysfunction and emotional distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Aims: To estimate the level of alcohol consumption behaviors in adult survivors of childhood cancer and to test associations between alcohol consumption behaviors and symptoms of neurocognitive impairment and emotional distress.

Design: Retrospective cohort study with longitudinal follow-up of self-reported health outcomes.

Setting: Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), a 26-center study of ≥ 5-year survivors of childhood cancer diagnosed ≤ 21 years of age between 1970 and 1986 in the United States and Canada.

Recruiting a representative sample in adherence research-The MALT multisite prospective cohort study experience.

Medication adherence is an important determinant of transplant outcomes. Attempts to investigate adherence are frequently undermined by selection bias: It is very hard to recruit and retain non-adherent patients in research efforts. This manuscript presents recruitment strategies and results from the MALT (Medication Adherence in children who had a Liver Transplant) multisite prospective cohort study.

Medical Student Perceptions of the Learning Environment in Medical School Change as Students Transition to Clinical Training in Undergraduate Medical School.

Unlabelled: Phenomenon: The learning environment is the physical, social, and psychological context in which a student learns. A supportive learning environment contributes to student well-being and enhances student empathy, professionalism, and academic success, whereas an unsupportive learning environment may lead to burnout, exhaustion, and cynicism. Student perceptions of the medical school learning environment may change over time and be associated with students' year of training and may differ significantly depending on the student's gender or race/ethnicity.

Implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) in 16 U.S. medical schools: Common practices, barriers and facilitators.

Background: Enhanced patient outcomes and accreditation criteria have led schools to integrate interprofessional education (IPE). While several studies describe IPE curricula at individual institutions, few examine practices across multiple institutions.

Purpose: To examine the IPE integration at different institutions and determine gaps where there is potential for improvement.

Assessing the Learning Environment for Medical Students: An Evaluation of a Novel Survey Instrument in Four Medical Schools.

Objective: A practical, reliable, and valid instrument is needed to measure the impact of the learning environment on medical students' well-being and educational experience and to meet medical school accreditation requirements.

Methods: From 2012 to 2015, medical students were surveyed at the end of their first, second, and third year of studies at four medical schools. The survey assessed students' perceptions of the following nine dimensions of the school culture: vitality, self-efficacy, institutional support, relationships/inclusion, values alignment, ethical/moral distress, work-life integration, gender equity, and ethnic minority equity.

Medical Student Perceptions of the Learning Environment: Learning Communities Are Associated With a More Positive Learning Environment in a Multi-Institutional Medical School Study.

Purpose: Many medical schools have implemented learning communities (LCs) to improve the learning environment (LE) for students. The authors conducted this study to determine whether a relationship exists between medical student perceptions of the LE and presence of LCs during the preclerkship years.

Method: Students from 24 schools participating in the American Medical Association Learning Environment Study completed the 17-item Medical Student Learning Environment Survey (MSLES) at the end of their first and second years of medical school between 2011 and 2013.

Chaplain rounds: a chance for medical students to reflect on spirituality in patient-centered care.

Objective: This study assesses the perceived impact of a required half-day with a hospital chaplain for first-year medical students, using a qualitative analysis of their written reflections.

Methods: Students shadowed chaplains at the UCLA hospital with the stated goal of increasing their awareness and understanding of the spiritual aspects of health care and the role of the chaplain in patient care. Participation in the rounds and a short written reflection on their experience with the chaplain were required as part of the first-year Doctoring course.

Relations between posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth in long-term survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Objective: Contemporary models of trauma suggest that posttraumatic stress and growth should be related and that symptoms of stress resulting from a perceived trauma (e.g., childhood cancer) are prerequisite for posttraumatic growth (PTG) to occur.

Improving child and adolescent psychiatry education for medical students: an inter-organizational collaborative action plan.

Objective: A new Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Medical Education (CAPME) Task Force, sponsored by the Association for Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP), has created an inter-organizational partnership between child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) educators and medical student educators in psychiatry. This paper outlines the task force design and strategic plan to address the long-standing dearth of CAP training for medical students.

Method: The CAPME ADMSEP Task Force, formed in 2010, identified common challenges to teaching CAP among ADMSEP's CAPME Task Force members, utilizing focus-group discussions and a needs-assessment survey.

Relationship between medical student perceptions of mistreatment and mistreatment sensitivity.

Background: National statistics reveal that efforts to reduce medical student mistreatment have been largely ineffective. Some hypothesize that as supervisors gain skills in professionalism, medical students become more sensitive.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine if medical student perceptions of mistreatment are correlated with mistreatment sensitivity.

Psychiatric issues in pediatric organ transplantation.

Solid organ transplantation has become the first line of treatment for a growing number of life-threatening pediatric illnesses. With improved survival, research into the long-term outcome of transplant recipients has become important to clinicians. Adherence to medical instructions remains a challenge, particularly in the adolescent population.

Defining medical posttraumatic stress among young adult survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Objective: To examine the implications of use of differential thresholds for studying medical Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Methods: Self-report data from 6,542 young adult survivors of childhood cancer and 374 of their siblings were used to create clearly differentially defined groups to compare prevalence, correlations and predictors of posttraumatic stress.

Results: Prevalence of posttraumatic stress in survivors compared to siblings differed by definition used, ranging from an odds ratio of 4.

Perceived positive impact of cancer among long-term survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the childhood cancer survivor study.

Objective: Investigations examining psychosocial adjustment among childhood cancer survivors have focused primarily on negative effects and psychopathology. Emergent literature suggests the existence of positive impact or adjustment experienced after cancer, as well. The purpose of this study is to examine the distribution of Perceived Positive Impact (PPI) and its correlates in young adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Psychiatric issues in pediatric organ transplantation.

Solid organ transplantation has become the first line of treatment for a growing number of life-threatening pediatric illnesses. With improved survival, research into the long-term outcome of transplant recipients has become important to clinicians. Adherence to medical instructions remains a challenge, particularly in the adolescent population.

Prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder in adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Objective: This study compared the prevalence of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with functional impairment and/or clinical distress, among very long-term survivors of childhood cancer and a group of healthy siblings.

Methods: A total of 6542 childhood cancer survivors >18 years of age who received diagnoses between 1970 and 1986 and 368 siblings of cancer survivors completed a comprehensive demographic and health survey.

Results: A total of 589 survivors (9%) and 8 siblings (2%) reported functional impairment and/or clinical distress in addition to the set of symptoms consistent with a full diagnosis of PTSD.

Integrating case topics in medical school curriculum to enhance multiple skill learning: using fetal alcohol spectrum disorders as an exemplary case.

Objectives: This article describes the use of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) as a theme to connect the learning of basic neurosciences with clinical applications across the age span within a systems-based, integrated curricular structure that emphasizes problem-based learning.

Methods: In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the Western Regional Training Center for Fetal Alcohol Exposure at UCLA developed and integrated educational materials on FASDs into the curriculum for first-year medical students.

Results: Quantitative and qualitative evaluations suggested materials were effective in enhancing student knowledge and skills related to FASDs, as well as embryology, brain development, substance abuse, developmental psychopathology, and medical ethics.