Ya-Chu Hsiao

Psychometric testing of the properties of the spiritual health scale short form

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To further examine the psychometric properties of the spiritual health scale short form, including its reliability and validity. BACKGROUND Spirituality is one of the main factors associated with good health outcomes. A reliable and valid instrument to measure spirituality is essential to identify the spiritual needs of an individual and to evaluate the effect of spiritual care. DESIGN A cross-sectional study design was used. METHODS The study was conducted in six nursing schools in northern, central and southern Taiwan. The inclusion criterion for participants was nursing students with clinical practice experience. Initially, 1141 participants were recruited for the study, but 67 were absent and 48 did not complete the questionnaires. A total of 1026 participants were finally recruited, indicating a response rate of 89·9%. The psychometric testing of the spiritual health scale short form included construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis, known-group validity and internal consistency reliability. RESULTS The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor model as an acceptable model fit. In the known-group validity, the results indicated that people who are in the category of primary religious affiliation have better spiritual health than people in the category of secondary religious affiliation and atheism. The result also indicated that the 24-item spiritual health scale short form achieved an acceptable internal consistency coefficient. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that the spiritual health scale short form is a valid and reliable instrument for the appraisal of individual spiritual health. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The spiritual health scale short form could provide useful information to guide clinical practice in assessing and managing peoples spiritual health in Taiwan.

Elders’ Experiences During Return Visits to the Emergency Department: A Phenomenographic Study in Taiwan

Background Elders often experience multiple chronic diseases associated with frequent early return visits to emergency departments (EDs). There is limited knowledge of the experiences and concerns of elders during ED return visits. Objectives The purpose of the research was to explore the experiences of elders during ED return visits, with a view toward identifying factors that contribute to return visits. Methods The qualitative approach of phenomenography was used. Data were collected at one ED in a 3,000-bed medical center in Taiwan. Inclusion criteria were aged 65 or above and return visits to the ED within 72 hours of discharge from an index ED visit. The seven steps of qualitative data analysis for a phenomenographic study were employed to develop understanding of participants’ experiences. Results Thirty return-visit elders were interviewed in 2014. Four categories of description were established from the participants’ accounts. These were “being tricked by ED staff,” “doctor shopping,” “a sign of impending death,” and “feeling fatalistic.” The outcome space of elders with early return visits to ED was characterized as “seeking the answer.” Conclusion Index ED visits are linked to return visits for Taiwanese elders through physiological, psychological, and social factors.