Jonas Preposi Cruz

Religiosity and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study on Filipino Christian Hemodialysis Patients

This study aimed to measure the religiosity and health-related quality of life of Filipino Christian HD patients. A cross-sectional study of 100 HD patients was conducted. The Duke University Religion Index and the Ferrans and Powers QLI Dialysis Version-III were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson r correlation. Attendance to organizational religious activities and NORA were found to be correlated with some of the dimensions of HRQoL. Intrinsic religiosity showed a strong, positive correlation with HRQoL. It is essential to attend to and nourish their religious needs. Holistic approach in providing care to HD patients, with emphasis on spiritual care, is encouraged to improve their total health.

Influence of religiosity and spiritual coping on health-related quality of life in Saudi haemodialysis patients.

Introduction: Patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) are frequently troubled by psychiatric disorders and coping problems, which can pose a serious threat to their physical and mental well‐being. Using religious and spiritual interventions as a means of coping with physical and mental challenges is widely recognized. Although this topic has been well studied, in the Middle East regions, where Islam is the dominant religion, studies are limited. Thus, this study was performed to explore the influence of religiosity and spiritual coping (SC) on the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of Saudi patients receiving HD. Methods: A total of 168 HD patients from three hospitals in Saudi Arabia formed a convenient sample for this descriptive, cross‐sectional hospital‐based study. Data collection was done via questionnaire‐guided interviews using the Muslim Religious Index as well as the Arabic Versions of the Spiritual Coping Strategies scale and Quality of Life Index Dialysis. Regression analysis enabled identification of the factors influencing HRQoL. Findings: Older patients were found to reveal higher levels of religiosity, whereas the younger ones expressed a lesser degree of religious and nonreligious coping. Unemployed patients reported greater involvement in religious practices (RP) and more frequently used religious coping than those employed. The latter showed lower intrinsic religiosity and nonreligious coping usage than the unemployed. The respondents reported the greatest satisfaction scores on their psychological/spiritual dimension and the least scores on the social and economic dimension. Therefore, the factors that could influence the HRQoL of the respondents were identified as involvement in RP, intrinsic religious beliefs, religious coping usage and age. Discussion: This study revealed significant findings regarding the importance of religiosity and SC on the HRQoL of the Saudi HD patients. Therefore, it has been highly recommended to integrate religiosity into the health‐care process for such patients to facilitate the achievement of overall optimum health levels.

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE SPIRITUAL COPING STRATEGIES SCALE ARABIC VERSION IN SAUDI PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSIS.

BACKGROUND Patients often resort to religious and spiritual activities to cope with physical and mental challenges. The effect of spiritual coping on overall health, adaptation and health-related quality of life among patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) is well documented. Thus, it is essential to establish a valid and reliable instrument that can assess both the religious and non-religious coping methods in patients undergoing HD. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Spiritual Coping Strategies Scale Arabic version (SCS-A) in Saudi patients undergoing HD. METHOD A convenience sample of 60 Saudi patients undergoing HD was recruited for this descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data were collected between May and June 2015. Forward-backward translation was used to formulate the SCS-A. The SCS-A, Muslim Religiosity Scale and the Quality of Life Index Dialysis Version III were used to procure the data. Internal consistency reliability, stability reliability, factor analysis and construct validity tests were performed. Analyses were set at the 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS The SCS-A showed an acceptable internal consistency and strong stability reliability over time. The EFA produced two factors (non-religious and religious coping). Satisfactory construct validity was established by the convergent and divergent validity and known-groups method. CONCLUSION The SCS-A is a reliable and valid tool that can be used to measure the religious and non-religious coping strategies of patients undergoing HD in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim and Arabic-speaking countries.

Predictors of cultural competence among nursing students in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND With the continued emigration of Filipino nurses and increasing globalization, there is a need for globally competent nurses. Thus, the development of cultural competence among nursing students is critical in their preparation to assume their future responsibilities in the profession. OBJECTIVES This study investigated the predictors of cultural competence among nursing students in the Philippines. DESIGN This is a descriptive, cross-section study. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING This study included 332 Bachelor of Science in nursing students in three nursing schools situated in the northern Philippines. METHODS The Cultural Capacity Scale was used to gather data from the respondents. The demographic characteristics and cultural background of the students were entered in a regression analysis to predict their cultural competence. FINDINGS The respondents manifested appreciably good cultural competence with a mean score of 68.98±11.73. The ability to understand the beliefs of various cultural groups received the highest mean of 3.65±0.86, while the ability to identify the care needs of patients with diverse cultural backgrounds received the lowest (mean, 3.31±0.74). Living in an environment with culturally diverse people, prior diversity training, being in the latter years of the nursing program, and with experience of caring for patients from diverse cultures and special population groups, were identified as predictors, accounting for 68.1% of the variance of cultural competence. CONCLUSIONS Nursing education should devise strategies to ensure future culturally competent Filipino nurses. Considering the fact that most of the Filipino nurses will potentially work overseas, they should be well prepared to provide competent care that is culturally sensitive.

Predictors of hand hygiene practice among Saudi nursing students: A cross-sectional self-reported study

Summary Hand hygiene is an important component of infection control, which is critical to ensuring patients’ safety in hospitals. Nursing students are regarded as healthcare workers in training and can also be vehicles of cross-contamination within the hospital. Thus, this study aimed to identify the predictors of hand hygiene practice among Saudi nursing students. A descriptive, cross-sectional, self-reported study was conducted among 198 Saudi nursing students. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of hand hygiene were assessed using the WHO Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire for Health-Care Workers and its adopted scales. A regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of hand hygiene practice. The respondents demonstrated moderate knowledge of hand hygiene (mean 13.20±2.80). The majority displayed a moderate attitude toward hand hygiene (52.1%), while only a few reported a poor attitude (13.1%). Approximately 68.7%, 29.8%, and 1.5% of the respondents reported moderate, good, and poor practice of hand hygiene, respectively. Having a good attitude toward hand hygiene, being male, being aware that hand hygiene is an effective intervention in preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), attendance at hand hygiene trainings and seminars, and being in the lower academic level of nursing education were identified as predictors of better hand hygiene practice. The importance of ensuring a positive attitude toward hand hygiene and improving awareness of hand hygiene is emphasized, as are educational interventions. Educational interventions should be implemented to reinforce knowledge and instill a positive attitude toward hand hygiene.

Spirituality and spiritual care perspectives among baccalaureate nursing students in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND No study has been undertaken to understand how spirituality and spiritual care is perceived and implemented by Saudi nursing students undergoing training for their future professional roles as nurses. OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to investigate the perception of Baccalaureate nursing students toward spirituality and spiritual care. DESIGN A descriptive, cross-sectional design was employed. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of 338 baccalaureate nursing students in two government-run universities in Saudi Arabia was included in this study. METHODS A self-administered questionnaire, consisting of a demographic and spiritual care background information sheet and the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale Arabic version (SCGS-A), was used for data collection. A multivariate multiple regression analysis and multiple linear regression analyses were performed accordingly. RESULTS The mean value on the SCGS-A was 3.84±1.26. Spiritual perspective received the highest mean (4.14±1.45), followed by attribute for spiritual care (3.96±1.48), spiritual care attitude (3.81±1.47), defining spiritual care (3.71±1.51) and spiritual care values (3.57±1.47). Gender, academic level and learning spiritual care from classroom or clinical discussions showed a statistically significant multivariate effect on the five factors of SCGS-A. CONCLUSIONS Efforts should be done to formally integrate holistic concept including all the facets of spirituality and spiritual care in the nursing curriculum. The current findings can be used to inform the development and testing of holistic nursing conceptual framework in nursing education in Saudi Arabia and other Arab Muslim countries.

Psychometric evaluation of the Cultural Capacity Scale Arabic version for nursing students

Background: With the rising influx of migrants into Saudi Arabia, it becomes necessary to develop a valid and reliable tool that can accurately measure the cultural competence of the Saudi nursing students. Aim: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Cultural Capacity Scale Arabic version (CCS-A) for nursing students. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 nursing students in Saudi Arabia. The scale reliability was assessed by internal consistency and stability reliability. Scale validity was established by content validity and construct validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to extract the factors of the CCS-A. Results: The computed Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.96 and the intra-class correlation was 0.88. The CCS-A exhibited excellent content validity and good construct validity. The EFA revealed a single factor with a cumulative contribution rate of 57.4%. Conclusion: The CCS-A exhibited acceptable reliability and validity, thus supporting its sound psychometric properties.

Psychometric Properties of the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale-Arabic Version in Saudi Nursing Students.

Aim: To evaluate the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale (SCGS) in a sample of Saudi nursing students. Method: A convenience sample of 202 Saudi nursing students was included in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The 35-item Arabic version of the SCGS (SCGS-A) was tested for internal consistency, stability reliability, content validity, and construct validity. Findings: The SCGS-A manifested acceptable internal consistency and stability reliability with computed Cronbach’s alpha ranges from .84 to .94, and an intraclass correlation coefficient of .97. The item-level content validity index ranged from .83 to 1, and the scale-level content validity index (average) was .98. The principal component analysis revealed five dominant components with eigenvalues greater than 1, and a cumulative contribution rate of 62.0%. The five factors were moderately to strongly correlated (r = .29-.56; p < .001) with each other and with the overall SCGS-A score (r = .57-.77; p < .001). Conclusion: The SCGS-A manifested an acceptable reliability and validity in Saudi nursing students, which supports its sound psychometric properties. With the establishment of this valid and reliable tool, timely and accurate assessment of student nurses’ perceptions about spirituality and spiritual care can be facilitated.

Spiritual/religious coping and depressive symptoms in informal caregivers of hospitalized older adults

&NA; This aim of this study was assess whether positive and negative spiritual/religious coping (SRC) strategies are associated with depressive symptoms (DS) of informal caregiver (IC) of hospitalized older adults. A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 98 IC of hospitalized older adults in the medical clinic of a Brazilian School Hospital. The functionality, Positive and Negative SRC strategies and DS were evaluated. The IC had high average use of SRC, with Positive SRC being more used than Negative SRC. In the unadjusted regression model, Positive and Negative SRC were associated with DS. However, when adjusted for confounding factors, only Negative SRC remained associated with DS. The IC had used their religious and spiritual beliefs as a way to cope with the stress that comes from caring for hospitalized older adults. Although the positive strategy use of these beliefs was more common, only the negative strategies were associated with a higher DS.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Positive and Negative Impact of Spiritual Religious Coping on Quality of Life and Depression in Dialysis Patients

Background: Studies have shown that spiritual/religious beliefs are associated with mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, few studies evaluated how spiritual/religious coping (SRC) could affect hemodialysis patients. Objectives: The present study investigated the role of SRC behaviors on HRQoL and depressive symptoms in hemodialysis patients. Design and Participants: This was cross-sectional study with 184 patients. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Brief SRC Scale, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and a Sociodemographic and Health Characterization Questionnaire. Results: From 218 patients, 184 (84.4%) were included (53.8% male with a median age of 55.9 years). Negative SRC, but not positive SRC, was associated with depressive symptoms. Positive SRC presented significant effects in SF-36 pain and physical and social functioning. On the other hand, negative SRC exhibited significant effects in SF-36 role emotional, energy/fatigue, pain, and physical functioning. Conclusion: SRC influences the mental health and HRQoL in Brazilian hemodialysis patients in two distinct ways. If used positively, it may have positive outcomes. However, if used negatively, it may lead to dysfunctional consequences such as greater depressive symptomatology and affect HRQoL. Health professionals must be aware of these “two sides of the same coin.”