Biobehavioral measures for pain in the pediatric patient.

Pain is a complex biobehavioral phenomenon. The quantification of pain involves the incorporation of many factors, including physiologic, behavioral, and psychologic factors. Recognition of pain relies heavily on the expression of the patient as well as the interpretation of the caregiver.

Pain and inflammation in women with early-stage breast cancer prior to induction of chemotherapy.

Context: Pain is a commonly experienced and distressing symptom in women with breast cancer (BCA), and recent evidence suggests that immune activation may be associated with pain and other co-occurring symptoms. However, no studies to date have explored the relationships among perceived pain and biomarkers of inflammation in women with early-stage BCA during the initial course of treatment.

Objectives: The purpose of this research study was to examine the relationships among pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers and the presence of pain and other symptoms (anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disorder) prior to induction of chemotherapy.

Tryptophan degradation in women with breast cancer: a pilot study.

Background: Altered tryptophan metabolism and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity are linked to cancer development and progression. In addition, these biological factors have been associated with the development and severity of neuropsychiatric syndromes, including major depressive disorder. However, this biological mechanism associated with both poor disease outcomes and adverse neuropsychiatric symptoms has received little attention in women with breast cancer.

Screening for domestic violence in Jordan: validation of an Arabic version of a domestic violence against women questionnaire.

Objectives: Abuse against women causes a great deal of suffering for the victims and is a major public health problem. Measuring lifetime abuse is a complicated task; the various methods that are used to measure abuse can cause wide variations in the reported occurrences of abuse. Furthermore, the estimated prevalence of abuse also depends on how abuse is culturally defined.

Exploring the complexity of cardiometabolic risk in women.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Women are more likely than men to present with advanced disease and experience higher CVD-related morbidity and mortality. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and CVD.

A biobehavioral perspective on depressive symptoms in patients with cerebral astrocytoma.

More than 51,000 individuals are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in the United States each year, and for those with the most common type of malignant tumor, an astrocytoma, almost 75% will die within 5 years of diagnosis. Although surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have improved length of survival, mortality remains high, which underscores the need to understand how other factors affect the disease trajectory. Several recent studies have shown that depressive symptoms are independently associated with reduced quality of life and survival time after controlling for other variables in patients with an astrocytoma.

Challenges in interpreting cytokine biomarkers in biobehavioral research: a breast cancer exemplar.

Purpose: This report extends the findings of a prior study comparing the level of plasma cytokines in women with breast cancer to those of women with a benign breast biopsy with the addition of a normal comparison group. The results of this three-group comparison are presented as background for discussing several methodologic challenges for biobehavioral research in inflammatory-based conditions.

Method: This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design to compare the levels of plasma cytokines in women with breast cancer, women with a benign breast biopsy, and a normal comparison group.

Integrating genomics into biobehavioral research: a transplantation exemplar.

Biobehavioral research is becoming more established in nursing. This research paradigm includes a focus on the interactions of biological and behavioral variables and their impact on health outcomes. Nurse researchers have incorporated genomics as a research focus.

Wellness appraisal among adolescents in Jordan: a model from a developing country: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

The demographic and economic transition that many developing countries, including Jordan, are undergoing is producing important changes in diet and lifestyle that greatly impact the development of chronic illness. The health behavior of adolescents in developing countries constitutes one of the most serious global challenges we face. The purpose of this study was to explore the wellness appraisal of Jordanian adolescents.

The biobehavioral effects of relaxation guided imagery on maternal stress.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of relaxation-guided imagery (R-GI) on perceived stress, anxiety, and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) levels in pregnant African American women beginning in the second trimester.

Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study of 59 women used a controlled randomized experimental design with two groups conducted over 12 weeks. The intervention was a set of three R-GI CDs developed and sequenced to influence study outcomes.

Developing an English-as-a-second-language program for foreign-born nursing students at an historically black university in the United States.

The nursing department at Norfolk State University (NSU), a historically Black university located in Norfolk, Virginia, designed a program to increase the retention and success of foreign-born students challenged with English as a Second Language (ESL). Through strategies designed to address language, social, academic, and personal challenges, the program has led to improvements in student satisfaction and performance. This article reviews the literature related to educating foreign-born nursing students in the United States, discusses unique considerations for these students within minority-serving institutions, describes key components of program development, and evaluates NSU's program.

Cytokine comparisons between women with breast cancer and women with a negative breast biopsy.

Background: Understanding the biological milieu associated with disease states has important implications for biobehavioral research. Cytokines, signaling molecules that mediate and regulate immunity, inflammation, and hematopoiesis, are an important component of the biological milieu associated with breast cancer. Cytokines have been used as biomarkers in research for prognosis and have been associated with symptoms and adverse outcomes in multiple conditions, including breast cancer.

Modification and translation of the Thai version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) has been used as a standard and updated as required for 15 years to measure risk behavior among American youth. This article discusses the modification and translation of the YRBS to be used to measure risk among youth in Thailand. The steps involved included not only modification and translation but also testing of cross-cultural equivalences (semantic, content, and conceptual) and assessment of feasibility and acceptability of the modified survey among adolescents in Thailand.

The power of story.

In this guest editorial, the author introduces the reader to the value of stories as a source of vision and inspiration for caregiving.

Coronary heart disease risks and lifestyle behaviors in persons with HIV infection.

Metabolic complications such as HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome are common in patients with HIV-1 infection who are taking highly active antiretroviral therapy. HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome is characterized by dyslipidemia, fat redistribution, and altered glucose metabolism; however, there has been little study of relationships between these risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and lifestyle risks. The aims of this study were to (a) describe the physical activity levels, nutrition habits, and smoking behaviors of persons with HIV-1 infection; (b) describe their CHD risks and estimate 10-year risk for CHD outcomes; and (c) examine the relationship between potentially modifiable lifestyle behaviors and risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in persons with HIV-1 infection receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Oral health measurement in nursing research: state of the science.

Oral health can impact general health and systemic disease. Changes in dental plaque, oral microbial flora, and local oral immunity may be important in the development or exacerbation of disease in critically ill patients, trauma patients, adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and frail elderly. Inasmuch as oral health potentially can be influenced by nursing interventions, nursing research in this area can contribute greatly to improved patient outcomes in these diverse populations.

Public health nurses for Virginia's future: a collaborative project to increase the number of nursing students choosing a career in public health nursing.

A shift in the role of public health practice in the United States to population-focused care, together with demographic shifts increasing the diversity and age of the population, has created a need for a public health workforce more highly skilled in community and population-based practices. Despite this need, few changes have been made in the pattern of field placements for nursing students, in part because many public health nurses in population-focused roles are unfamiliar with models of successful student fieldwork in their areas. We describe the Public Health Nurses for Virginia's Future project, a successful project undertaken by nurse educators and public health leaders to increase the number of highly qualified graduates working in state and local health departments.

Health disparities in practice and research for aging women with cancer.

The purpose of this article is to examine health needs as well as disparities in practice and research pertaining to aging women with cancer. Given the increasing number of aging women with cancer and the concomitant challenges in survivorship, caregivers need research and improved clinical care to identify needs and enhance cancer survivors' quality of life. The authors use inner strength as a theoretical framework to discuss examples of practice and strategies to improve health outcomes and assess health needs in aging women with cancer.

Maternal perspectives on postpartum return to the workplace.

Objective: To describe maternal perceptions about postpartum return to the workplace.

Design And Setting: The research framework was McCubbin and McCubbin's Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation. Employed, postpartum women, who resided in six different states, were recruited from day care and primary care settings to participate in this descriptive study.

Update on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most significant chronic illnesses of adults. Comprehensive care of the affected patient requires the medical-surgical nurse to have knowledge of the disease process, collaborative management, and nursing care based on research and current practice guidelines.