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The Association Between Neighborhood Environment, Social Relations, and the Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Get PDFIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Stress and socioeconomic influences on IBS have been studied, however few studies have explored the impact of neighborhood and social environments across racial and ethnic groups and sex at birth. The biopsychosocial framework was used to examine whether built environment and social context contribute to IBS prevalence. A cross-sectional analysis of 80,874 participants from the All of Us Research Program was conducted to assess the associations between IBS and six neighborhood and social factors: safety, structure, cohesion, supportive relationships, social relationships, and perceived discrimination. Increased levels of loneliness and social isolation were associated with increased rates of IBS for most racial groups, with 3.3 times increase in odds of IBS (aOR = 3.27, 95% CI: 2.60–5.21, p \u3c .0001) among Hispanics and 2.8 times for Blacks (aOR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.76–4.49, p \u3c .0001) when adjusted for covariates. White males also showed increased rates of IBS with a decline in social relations (aOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 2.14–3.52, p \u3c .0001). Increased experience of discrimination was significantly associated with increased rates of IBS for most populations, with the highest odds increase observed for Black males (aOR = 4.39, 95% CI: 1.58–12.24, p = .0046). Depression was identified as a potential mediator in these relationships. These findings underscore the importance of neighborhood and social factors in IBS prevalence and drive positive social change by targeted public health interventions to reduce disparities. Future research should explore longitudinal associations and develop interventions tailored to high-risk populations
Staff Education on Psychoeducational Interventions for Older Patients with Mood Disorder
Get PDFNo included because we used the Walden University School Templat
Enhancing Nurse Retention in Acute Care Hospitals by Creating an Environment Supportive of Evidence-Based Practice
Get PDFHigh nurse turnover rates in acute care hospitals negatively impact operations, increase turnover-related costs, and worsen organizational performance. Developing solutions for healthcare administrators to create environments supportive of evidence-based practice (EBP) can yield positive nurse outcomes, including reducing nurse turnover and increasing retention. This integrative review includes strategies to execute a system-wide environment supportive of EBP as an efficient strategy to reduce nurse turnover and increase retention in acute care hospitals. Using the advancing research and clinical practice through close collaboration (ARCC) model as a guiding framework and the Johns Hopkins evidence-based model as a tool to evaluate evidence, empirical and non-empirical literature published between 2019 and 2025 were analyzed for best practices to enhance nurse retention in acute care hospitals through an environment that nurtures EBP. Thematic analysis of 24 selected studies resulted in seven key themes and shared sub-themes: (a) evaluation of organizational preparedness for EBP, (b) supportive leadership and policies, (c) budgetary investment, (d) presence and development of EBP mentors, (e) education and training, (f) technology infrastructure, and (g) evaluation and continuous improvement. Recommendations include methods to advance an environment that supports EBP to enhance nurse retention and improve organizational performance. Healthcare administrators can use the results to create an EBP environment that reduces nurse turnover and enhances retention. This approach may lead to positive impacts related to social determinants, resulting in improved quality of care and better health outcomes for individuals and communities dependent on local acute care hospitals
Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Independent Play as Part of Their Daily Schedule
Get PDFResearch shows that independent child-led play is essential to children’s cognitive and social development. The problem that was the focus of this study was that many preschool teachers do not include independent play in their daily schedules. Guided by Gray’s theory of play, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ perspectives regarding independent play as part of their daily schedule and the challenges they encounter or anticipate in incorporating it. A basic qualitative design with interviews guided data collection with 10 lead preschool teachers who worked with children ages 3 to 5 in independently funded preschools in one state in the eastern United States. Thematic analysis was applied to interview data using open and axial coding. Data showed the majority of teachers interviewed conflated teacher-directed learning center activity with independent child-led play. Only 4 of the 10 teachers reported using independent child-led play as described by Gray. Teachers who used learning centers instead of independent child-led play associated play with disruptive behavior and with anticipated inability to complete instructional tasks. All teachers noted that lack of support for play from parents presented a challenge. Positive social change may result from this study when teachers\u27 perspectives regarding independent child-led play are better understood, and when teachers implement child-led independent play in the classroom. Children can benefit developmentally if increased understanding inspires changes that lead to additional time for independent child-led play throughout the preschool day, thus supporting children’s cognitive and social development
Enhancing Staff Knowledge on Fall Prevention For Elderly Patients in Home Care Settings, Through Staff Education Initiatives
Get PDFSummary Falls are one of the leading causes of injury for older patients in homecare settings, affecting patient safety and quality of care. Patient falls contribute to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. A fall often results in injuries which can be fatal. Over 30% of individuals who are 65 years or older experience falls on an annual basis. In these older adults, the leading cause of death is unintentional falls. Although there are evidence-based strategies for preventing falls, there are still gaps in staff knowledge. The purpose of the DNP project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a staff education program that aimed at improving the knowledge among home care providers on how to prevent falls. A 1-hour fall prevention education program was provided to eight staff members. A pre- and posttest was used to assess for a change in knowledge. A paired t test demonstrated a statistically significant increase in knowledge scores from an average of 65% (SD ±3.7) pretraining to 88% (SD ±2.4) post training. The findings indicated that scores improved after training, which supports the effectiveness of short, structured educational programs in enhancing clinical knowledge. The project\u27s key outcomes included developing and delivering an evidence-based training module and a measurable increase in the knowledge scores of the staff. Implications for nursing practice include the potential for broader implementation of staff training to improve patient safety and reduce fall-related injuries in home care settings. The project supports positive social change by promoting equity in care delivery for older adults, especially in underserved home-based environments. By empowering a diverse frontline staff with fall prevention knowledge, the project contributes to delivering care more safely and inclusively
An Exploration of Gender and Sexual Identity Development Within the School Environment Among Gender Sexual Minority High School Graduates
Get PDFCulturally responsive teaching in a global society is critical to students\u27 success. Inclusion is an important part of the culturally responsive learning experience for all types of people. Because identity development takes place during the adolescent years, portrayals of various kinds of individuals throughout the environment and curriculum may support the confidence of students’ identity development. All students can experience improvements through inclusive teaching practices, but particularly students who identify as gender sexual minorities (GSM) can experience improved identity development with inclusive curricula in all areas of schooling. Grounded in identity process theory and sociocultural theory, the purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore perceptions of GSM young adults on the role of core public high school curriculum in the development of their self-identity. Data were collected using open interviews. The participants comprised ten individuals aged 18 to 25 recruited from social media groups. Participant accounts demonstrate the deleterious effects of restrictive high school environments on their academic and identity well-being. Educators, families, and those in the GSM community benefit from an inclusive high school curriculum and well-trained educators equipped to address additional topics. This study suggests the potential for positive social change through focus on the development of self-identity through curricular and school environment inclusion can enhance the experiences of GSM individuals
Phenomenological Study of Gender, Self-Esteem, and Anxiety as Factors Influencing Older Adult Technology Use
Get PDFAn increasing number of individuals 65 years of age and older are in the U.S. workforce. Many older workers are hesitant to learn new technology and adapt to digital innovation that may, in the future, automate jobs and abolish more traditional forms of employment. Organizational leaders need to understand the factors influencing older workers’ attitudes and adoption of new technology for greater productivity. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine how gender, self-esteem, and anxiety influence workplace technology utilization among older workers between 66 and 76 years of age in their jobs. The study was grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory. The participants comprised five male and five female retail store employees between 66 and 76 years old from Dekalb and Fulton Counties in the state of Georgia. Data was collected using semi structured interviews. Thematic analysis yielded four themes: (a) influences of society, work, and family; (b) emotional impact; (c) technology use challenges; and (d) workplace transformation. Findings showed that gender, self-esteem, and anxiety did influence older adult workplace technology use. Organizational leaders could apply these strategies to address aging workers experiencing anxiety and self-esteem challenges during technology use. The implications for positive social change include the potential for empowering industry stakeholders and policy makers by equipping different companies with relevant tailor-made training resources for older adults to facilitate technology use skills development and improve their productivity
Managing Values-Based Purchasing in School Nutrition Programs
Get PDFSchool nutrition managers face the challenge of balancing values-based purchasing (VBP) with maintaining student participation and budgetary stability. While VBP integrates sustainability, environmental impact, and animal safety, these priorities may sometimes compete with traditional goals, such as cost efficiency and meal accessibility. Grounded in program evaluation theory, the purpose of this mixed methods explanatory sequential study was to examine how school food service managers implement VPB, integrating procurement and nutrition transparency while managing participation and costs. The quantitative phase focused on participation trends, cost structures, and procurement metrics across diverse school districts to establish a foundation for understanding VBP’s measurable impacts on 113 participants who completed the survey. Animal welfare resulted in a slight decrease in student participation rates. Comparing the two groups was not statistically significant, F(1,74) = 2.56, p \u3c 0.11. The qualitative phase complemented these findings by capturing manager narratives, offering more profound insights into implementation challenges, decision-making frameworks, and stakeholder experiences. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with six school food service managers from U.S. K-12 public school districts. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (a) planning, (b) internal and external perceptions, (c) director values, and (d) understanding procurement. The implications for positive social change include the potential for school food service managers to apply these VBP-identified strategies, along with policy recommendations, procurement strategies, and scalable models for integrating sustainability and equity into school nutrition programs
A Case Study in Evolving Academic Governance: Democratic Accountability and Academic Capitalism
Get PDFAs the higher education market becomes both more competitive and fragmented (as well as controlled through uncertain and changing regulatory regimes), and as those whom the higher education market serves become more discerning as consumers who apply proven customer behaviors within the market, universities must re-evaluate their internal governance systems. Re-evaluation of customer behaviors and governance systems may allow universities to become more inclusive, responsive, and adaptive within an academic capitalism setting.
In this case study, we present a research-based and integrated “Shared, Informed, Stakeholder-Engaged Governance” model. We describe how a large online university developed and implemented a model that answers the 2017 Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges’ call for a reconceptualization of shared governance, which embraces inclusion and democratic accountability, and supports effective responsiveness and efficiency to enhance competitiveness.
The research presented and the details of our case study should contribute to ongoing discussions and initiatives to improve shared academic governance in a time of market- and government-driven change