Development Of Coping Strategies Research Articles

Determinants of coping strategies in two types of natural hazards: Flash floods and costal flooding

Over recent decades, the effects of the intensity of natural disasters, especially hydro-meteorological phenomena, have increased significantly, especially in countries with rapidly-growing economies. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify the coping strategies individuals use and, in particular, their willingness to act. Cognitive and affective variables explain the presence or absence of behavioral intention. The aim of this study was to formulate and empirically test an explanatory model of coping strategies in response to two natural disaster risks: coastal flooding and flash floods. A total of 608 individuals living in Colombia, exposed to these phenomena, participated in our study (257 exposed to flash flooding and 351 to coastal flooding). Structural equation modeling allowed us to establish that although place attachment and personal involvement are constants in determining coping strategies focused on problem solving, the role of risk perception differs significantly according to the risk under study. In the case of flash floods, the longer a person has lived in a place, the more they tend to develop coping strategies to manage stress, while in the case of coastal flooding, risk perception negatively determines strategies based on emotion regulation and avoidance. These findings are discussed in the light of the literature in this field.

Medicine Residency Training Program during COVID-19: Qatari Experience

Family medicine residency training programs should put in place COVID-19 action plan in conjunction with other clinical departments, employee health personnel, and infection control leads. Programs should develop coping strategies that balance resident and patient safety, resident wellbeing, clinical training services, and resident education.

Strategies for Survival: Human Rights Organizations’ Responses to the Closing of Political Opportunity Structures in Hungary

In the last decade, there has been a tendency for governments to impose tighter restrictions on civil society organizations, especially those promoting democracy and human rights. In this study, we examine how human rights organizations are responding to the increasingly hostile political environment in Hungary. The expanding limits on civil society organizations is usually discussed within a framework labelled as the closing space for civil society, which emphasizes the legislation and governmental actions directly attacking civil society organizations. Despite the impression that the restrictions threaten the existence of these organizations, a closer examination reveals that well-established organizations are capable of developing coping strategies to survive. To fully understand how these strategies are developed, we need to supplement this framework with the theory of political opportunity structures. This broader theoretical perspective examines the openness of decision-making processes for non-ruling actors and includes the role of perceptions in the examination of reactions to changes in the opportunity structure. As our study shows, perceptions about the social environment have a crucial role in understanding the strategies of human rights organizations. Examining the reactions of ten organizations, primarily using the method of organizational interviews, we show that rather than direct restrictions attacking civil society organizations, the major factor shaping their strategies is the closing of political opportunities. As a consequence of an almost total closure of decision-making mechanisms, they have been changing their activities from focusing on their roles as experts and working with state institutions to emphasizing social embeddedness, community building and raising awareness.

Is informal caregiving at odds with optimal health behaviour? A cross-sectional analysis in the caregiving partners of persons with spinal cord injury

ABSTRACT Background The intricate relationship between caregiving and health may to some extent be determined by the burden and restrictions imposed on informal caregivers, and the impact these experiences have on health behaviours. It is assumed that a positive caregiver experience leads to health promoting behaviours in caregivers, whereas a negative experience induces the opposite. The objective of this study is to test these assumptions and to investigate the association between the caregiver experience and health behaviours in the caregiving partners of persons with severe physical impairment, due to spinal cord injury. Methods Cross-sectional survey data from 133 couples of caregiving partners and persons with spinal cord injury living in Switzerland was used. We employed multivariable regression to evaluate the associations of the caregiver experience (objective and subjective caregiver burden, and satisfaction with caregiving) with health behaviours (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, alcohol consumption, smoking, and sleep duration). Results The most robust associations were found between subjective caregiver burden and health behaviours, whereby caregivers reporting a higher burden reported less physical activity (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]:0.41; 95% CI 0.35-0.49), more alcohol consumption (IRR: 1.46; 1.20-1.77), greater smoking intensity (IRR: 1.29; 0.95-1.73), and a higher likelihood of insufficient sleep duration (Odds Ratio [OR]: 4.98; 1.58-15.74). Caregivers, who reported high objective burden, i.e. invested long hours in caregiving, were more prone to partake in health adverse behaviours, in particular greater alcohol consumption. Results also suggested that caregivers who were satisfied in their role and who received social support in caregiving were more likely to be physically active. Conclusion Caregivers suffering from high emotional and time burden may benefit from both practical and psychological support. This support may release resources enabling individuals to partake in health promoting behaviours, or to develop coping strategies to better deal with the burden of caregiving.

The impact of studying abroad on students’ intercultural competence: An interview study

This paper presents qualitative research examining to what extent sojourns abroad engage their participants in intercultural interactions and whether or not such experience translates into students’ intercultural growth. The results of the study demonstrated that studying abroad did not provide students with ample opportunities to immerse into the local community and fully discover a new cultural environment. However, students surrounded by local and their fellow international students met foreign cultures, which motivated them to explore and interpret the encountered diversity, and thus equipped them with knowledge about foreign cultures, sensitizing them to cultural diversity. Sometimes such contacts challenged students’ preconceived judgments and stereotypes of specific cultural groups, their ways of thinking, valuing and acting, and resulted, to a lesser or greater extent, in rethinking these, leading to changing attitudes and values. International experiences also stimulated students to self-analyze their own cultural identity, and thereby contributed to their growth in self-awareness in this respect. By offering opportunities for experiencing cultural differences and prompting students to develop coping strategies and to make references to the home culture, the sojourn is thus of significant importance for tertiary students, allowing for fostering their intercultural development to a certain degree.

Coping with Fears in Everyday Urban Mobility

The paper is focused on the interrelations between citizens’ everyday mobilities and the ways they cope with urban fears. It describes situations when people expect and experience security threats that trigger their fears, while moving in the city. To deal with fears urban citizens develop coping strategies - a set of actions that helps them to manage their emotional experiences. Coping strategies transform various elements of everyday urban mobility and, thus, rearrange and redefine it. The paper is based on semi-structured interviews with Moscow residents and digital diaries of emotions.

A qualitative study into female sex workers\u2019 experience of stigma in the health care setting in Hong Kong

BackgroundHong Kong has gained a good reputation for its quality public health care services. However, there is a growing recognition that social stigma is a potential obstacle when female sex workers (FSWs) access health care services. There are a lack of studies focusing on how FSWs experience and cope with stigma when accessing health care services in Hong Kong.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore how FSWs experience stigma and develop coping strategies when accessing health care services in Hong Kong.MethodsThis is a qualitative interview study. Staff of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that serve sex workers in Hong Kong facilitated the process of recruiting the participants. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 22 FSWs, focusing on their experiences of stigma and coping strategies when accessing health care services. A directed content analysis approach was adopted to analyze the data.ResultsThe interview data can be grouped into three themes: experience of stigma in the health care setting; coping with the stigma of sex work; and the call for non-judgmental holistic health care.ConclusionThis study contributes to an understanding of the experience of stigma and stigma coping strategies of FSWs when accessing health care services in Hong Kong. stigma remains an important issue for a large proportion of FSWs when they seek timely professional help, openly disclose their sex work identity, and receive comprehensive health care services. The study also highlights the need to address multiple healthcare needs of FSWs beyond STDs. Moreover, the study contributes to increasing awareness of, and respect for, the human right of FSWs to receive non-discriminatory health services.

Dysphagia Prevalence, Attitudes, and Related Quality of Life in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Dysphagia in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with significant morbidity and has profound impact on the quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to analyze the dysphagia prevalence, attitudes, and dysphagia-related QoL in patients with MS, not at relapse. A prospective study of 108 consecutively recruited patients. The patients were asked to report dysphagia and completed a general dysphagia questionnaire (the Eating Assessment Tool-10, EAT-10), a disease-specific dysphagia questionnaire (the Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis, DYMUS), and a dysphagia-related QoL questionnaire (the Swallowing-Quality of Life). Twenty-six percent of the patients reported dysphagia. Many more were classified as dysphagic by the questionnaires (34.3% by EAT-10 and 44.4% by DYMUS). Overall, one out of four patients reported difficulties or choking while drinking fluids and eating food, cough related to eating, food sticking in the throat, need for food and drink segmentation, and repetitive swallows. The pleasure of eating was found to be moderately affected. The patients seem to cope well with the psychological and social impact of dysphagia. Serious consideration must be given to patients' perceptions and attitudes towards dysphagia. Our patients reported very little fear associated with their swallowing difficulties and choking. Apparently, they do not perceive the severity of their symptoms as an actual danger, as they have developed coping strategies. Dysphagia is common in MS patients not at relapse, even with mild disease-related impairment. Swallowing should be systematically assessed with validated questionnaires in all patients with MS at the course of the disease.

The mental health needs and concerns of older people who identify as LGBTQ+: A narrative review of the international evidence.

To synthesize the best available evidence on the experiences and perceptions of older people who identify as LGBTQ+regarding their mental health needs and concerns. A narrative review and critical appraisal of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. A systematic search was undertaken across all of the databases including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Sociological Abstracts. International studies published in academic journals in the English language, from January 1995 - January 2019 were appraised. Studies had to involve older people identifying as LGBTQ+and who had experiences mental health issues. Fourteen papers were selected for inclusion in the systematic review. A narrative analysis of the papers was used by synthesizing the key findings and organizing them into themes and concepts. Following analysis of the data, the identified themes were: (a) LGBTQ+identity issues (b) risk and vulnerability factors, (c) coping strategies and resilience, (d) interventions and supports. This review highlights key mental health-related issues that need to be taken into account in the creation and provision of appropriate, responsive and inclusive supports and services. What were the main findings? Some older people who identify as LGBTQ+have experienced stigma, discrimination, and minority stress. However, many have developed coping strategies and resilience while others have developed mental health issues. It is necessary to have in place appropriate interventions and supports to effectively meet the needs of this population. Where and on whom will the research have impact? The review has significant implications for health and nursing policy and inform developments in nursing practice and nurse education.

How nurses cope with death in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

The death of a child in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is difficult, the loss generates feelings of sadness and pain; this study highlights the different coping strategies used by nurses to manage this situation and find the strength to provide care at the end of life. ObjectiveExplore the strategies used by nurses in the PICU in coping with death. MethodsStudy conducted in the city of Manizales, Colombia, during the months of October, November and December. A qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological approach was used. The method of intentional sampling for the selection of participating nurses (n=10) working in PICU, in-depth interviews were conducted for the construction of the information and the data were analyzed according to the procedures proposed by Cohen, Kahn and Steeves. ResultsNurses use coping strategies focused on emotions: they inhibit their feelings towards the patient and their family; they use communication and prayer with the patient, as well as accompaniment to alleviate the suffering of the family. ConclusionUCIP nurses develop coping strategies for end-of-life care using spiritual resources and communication with the family who require ongoing support, reflecting on death and accompanying the child in its transcendence.

Perceived stress and stressors among first-year undergraduate students at a private medical school in Nigeria.

ObjectivesMedical training has long been globally recognised as involving numerous stressors that can affect the well-being of students. This study, the first to be conducted among first-year medical students at a private university in Nigeria, aims to identify factors associated with students’ perceived stress.MethodsAn analytical cross-sectional design was employed. A semi-structured pretested and validated questionnaire was administered to first-year medical students. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Descriptive and analytical statistics were presented as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The chi-square test was also used to identify the associations between categorical variables.ResultsThe majority of the respondents were females (72.2%) and Christians (85.8%). Sixty seven percent of the participants perceived medical school as being stressful. More females than males were stressed. Statistically, ethnicity and intrapersonal factors were correlated with perceived stress.ConclusionIn this study, the prevalence of perceived stress among first-year medical undergraduate students was high. Students should be prepared on how to cope with stress by developing coping strategies such as healthy lifestyle patterns, availing of social support, engaging in physical activity, and seeking counselling when needed.

Systematic review of patient-reported measures of treatment burden in stroke

ObjectivesTreatment burden is the workload of healthcare for people with long-term conditions (LTC) and its impact on well-being. A method of measurement is required to identify those experiencing high burden...

The Home Halo Effect: how Air Quality Perception is Influenced by Place Attachment

Studies on air pollution suggest that individuals perceive their neighborhoods as less polluted than their cities, termed the “halo effect.” This effect is important because how people perceive air quality is highly correlated with whether they will develop coping strategies to reduce health risks from air pollution. We conducted 489 household surveys in two municipalities in south-central Chile, both highly polluted with smoke from wood-burning stoves, to identify differences in perception of air quality at the city, neighborhood, and household levels. We found evidence of a home halo effect even though studies show indoor pollution in these municipalities might be equal to or higher than outdoor pollution. The findings are relevant for local and central governments to improve their communication strategies, which to date have been focused on providing data about outdoor air pollution aggregated at the city level. More detailed and disaggregated information on the health risks linked to indoor air quality can improve residents’ awareness and engagement in developing protective and coping behaviors concerning air pollution.

SUN-095 Patient Reported Outcome Measures Over the First Three Months of Dialysis: Interim Results from the Multidisciplinary Assessment at Dialysis Entry (MADE) Study

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) assess outcomes of importance to patients. They include measures of a patients’ health or health care from the patient’s perspective. The benefits of measuring PROMs can include identifying unmet physical and psychological need, facilitating enhanced staff/patient communication and improving the quality of care. The aim of the Multidisciplinary Assessment at Dialysis Entry (MADE) study was to identify PROMs that impact upon the quality of the patient’s illness experience in the first 6 months of dialysis in order to develop a validated tool to be embedded within standard practice. We report results from the first 3 months of data. Longitudinal descriptive design. Participants commenced dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) over a 6-month period (November 2017 to June 2018) in the Central & Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Service (CNARTS) in South Australia. Study approved by the health service human research ethics committee with fully informed consent. Participants completed a 169 item questionnaire within 2 weeks of commencing dialysis and completed the same questionnaire at 12 weeks following commencement of dialysis. The instrument measured: illness and symptom perception (Palliative Care Outcome Scale-Renal (IPOS-Renal) Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ), Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale (IIRS)); psychosocial health (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), Brief COPE Inventory, Emotional Thermometer (ET)); gastro-intestinal health (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, Bristol Stool Chart, Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)); sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Assessment (PSQI)), and health literacy (Brief Health Literacy Screening tool, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8)). In addition, cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)) and physical function measures (Grip Strength, Timed Up and Go (TUG) were performed. A patient participant focus group was formed to provide study feedback. From a population frame of 64 incident dialysis patients 43 participants were enrolled (67% response rate), 28% female, mean age 62.1 years (SD 14.4) and 37% with diabetes. 33 out of 43 participants completed the survey at 12 weeks demonstrating non-significant trended improvement in items related to shortness of breath, energy, drowsiness, appetite, itching, mobility, cognition, anxiety, bowel health, social relations, physical function, health literacy and sleep quality. There was a non-significant decline in the participants’ perceptions of developing coping strategies as measured by the COPE Scale. Study participant focus group members were positive regarding patient participation in this ESKD PROMs study. The majority of PROMs over the first 3 months of dialysis revealed non-significant improvement. Current and further analysis will contribute to the development of a more concise tool to be embedded within standard practice.

Attitudes on land-use systems and social mindset transformations after group ranch subdivision in Kenya

Ranch subdivision transforms the landscape in terms of human, other biodiversity and land use systems. Studies have generally concentrated on its effects on land productivity and biodiversity. However, gaps exist on information available on social wellbeing of communities after ranch subdivision, perhaps due to its broad, diverse and complex nature. The case of Aimi ma Kilungu (AMK) ranch subdivision is used here to delve into the potential transformation of attitudes and practices on land tenure and land use systems in addition to social restructuring necessary for survival in the new environment. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews to respond to questionnaire questions. There were 79 respondents randomly selected from those who had settled in AMK after subdivision. The driving forces for ranch subdivision were; the opportunity to change one’s fate and economic empowerment which were presented, during the research, as the expectations and apprehensions held by the affected persons. Factors such as ownership of land and the desire for freedom also played a major role. There were challenges met on settling at AMK, but settlers developed coping strategies and transformed themselves and the land to enhance their living standards. From the results, respondents preferred ranch subdivision to group ranching, citing improved quality of life, freedom to determine land use priorities and ability to create practices for ambitious livelihoods.

Inclusive physical and digital spaces in vocational rehabilitation

This paper describes and discusses factors related to the working environment that promote the inclusion of job seekers with cognitive impairments. Vocational rehabilitation for job seekers with cognitive impairments is undertaken in adapted working environments. The working environment is a synthesis of the practices that are developed in the enterprise, in physical premises and digital spaces.
 Job seekers with cognitive impairments, for example Asperger’s syndrome and/or ADHD, have greater challenges in entering the labour market compared with other groups with impaired functional capacity (Hansen 2009). The importance of social skills, a more complex and dynamic working life and modern methods of organizing work, such as groupwork or teamwork in smaller groups with a flat structure, constitute some of the reasons for these challenges (Hawkins 2004, Attwood 2007).
 This paper builds on research following two adapted rehabilitation programmes for job seekers with cognitive impairments. Empirical data were collected through ethnographic/praxiographic fieldwork in enterprises offering the rehabilitation programmes (duration 24 months) (Mol 2002). The empirical material from this multiple case study is discussed using the concepts of ‘scenario’ (Callon 1987), and ‘affinity space’ (Gee 2004) from Geography and Science, Technology and Society studies (STS).
 The paper describes how the rehabilitation scenario in the enterprises is constructed to help participants to work on something that interests them, in a space where they can develop coping strategies and with access to technology that can enable them to find work as IT professionals in the future. Further, the study points to how development of an individually adapted and familiar digital interface, as well as access to a digital space in which the job seekers can be relatively autonomous, were crucial.
 The study finds that factors such as job tasks, the community of a shared diagnosis and interests, and the fact that the working environment includes physical space that can be characterized as affinity space, contribute to inclusion and the development of coping strategies.

Coping with moral distress – The experiences of intensive care nurses: An interpretive descriptive study

BackgroundOver the last three decades, there has been a growing body of literature that has described moral distress as a prominent issue that negatively affects intensive care nurses. Yet, little focus has been given to how intensive care nurses cope and continue in their practice despite being exposed to moral distress. ObjectiveTo describe intensive care nurses’ experiences of coping with moral distress. Research methods/settingA qualitative design using an interpretative descriptive approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven intensive care nurses. FindingsThe shared experience of coping with moral distress was explicated through the overarching theme of being Like Grass in the Wind. Four major themes emerged: Going Against What I Think is Best, Moral Distress - It’s Just Inherent in Our Job, It Just Felt Awful, and Dealing with It. The findings also reflected actions associated with turning towards or turning away from morally distressing situations. ConclusionBy developing coping strategies such as seeking social support, nurses can move forward in their practice and meaningfully engage with patients and families experiencing critical illness. When successful coping is not attained, nurses are at risk of becoming morally disengaged within their practice.

Traumatic injury survivors’ perceptions of their future: a longitudinal qualitative study

Aim: Persistent disability following traumatic injuries can disrupt future plans and create uncertainty about how to mitigate future impacts. It is unknown how or whether perceptions of the future change in the years after injury. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore trauma survivors’ perceptions of their future over time.Methods: A longitudinal qualitative study, nested within a population-based longitudinal cohort study, was undertaken in Victoria, Australia with survivors of serious injury. Sixty-six seriously injured adults (≥16 years) without severe neurotrauma were interviewed at 3 years post-injury (n = 66), and re-interviewed at 4 (n = 63) and 5 years (n = 57) post-injury. A longitudinal thematic analysis was performed.Results: Many traumatically injured people had persistent physical and mental impacts. Participants reported being anxious about pain, mobility, work, housing and accommodation, social activities, and finances in their future. Others were hopeful and optimistic regarding their future and developed coping strategies and adopted new viewpoints.Conclusion: Over time, most seriously injured people’s perceptions of the future remained consistent. Some had enduring anxiety and others sustained hopeful approaches. Personalised and targeted interventions that address specific concerns could reduce anxiety and support positive adjustment following traumatic injury.Implications for rehabilitationMany seriously injured people, particularly people who sustained orthopaedic injuries, held concerns about experiencing persistent pain, physical impairment, and reduced mobility in the future.Personalised and targeted interventions that address specific concerns about future financial, social, housing and employment issues could reduce anxiety and support coping and adjustment strategies.In addition to their direct impacts on post-injury recovery, health, rehabilitation, occupational, social, and insurance systems all have a role in facilitating positive responses of injury survivors that draw on their strengths and sources of resilience.

Strategies used to cope with stress by emergency and critical care nurses.

developing coping strategies to use in stressful situations is an essential nursing skill. Prolonged and constant stress is harmful to nurses' health and leads to organisational inefficiency, high staff turnover and decreased job satisfaction. to identify nurses' stress coping strategies and determine the relationship between coping strategies and sociodemographic factors. a descriptive cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was undertaken at an emergency department and critical care units at the largest referral hospital in Brunei. problem-solving and positive reappraisal were the predominant positive coping strategies identified. Those working in medical intensive care employed escape-avoidance behaviours more frequently. Married participants exhibited higher levels of confrontative coping behaviours. to the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine job-stress coping strategies among nurses in Brunei. The authors examined the different strategies and the poor health outcomes associated with using negative coping styles. Future stress management interventions should target staff who employ negative coping strategies to promote positive strategies, enabling them to provide better quality care.

Emirati University Student Mothers Post-Childbirth: Support Systems in the Home

The young female university students of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today are the first generation of women for whom higher education has become not only a possibility but almost an expectation. Young Emirati women today make up around 77% of students in higher education institutions in the country. However, the societal expectations placed upon these women in terms of early marriage, child-bearing, and child-rearing are similar to those placed upon their mothers and grandmothers in a time where women were not expected to go to university. A large proportion of female university students in the UAE are mothers of young children or become mothers whilst at university. This creates a challenging situation for young student mothers, where two weeks’ maternity leave is typical across institutions. The context of this study is in one such institution in the UAE. The authors employed a qualitative approach to gather interview data from 13 new mothers. The ways in which these new mothers have developed coping strategies at home to deal with the pressures of returning to their studies so rapidly whilst simultaneously running their homes are described. The authors found strong evidence of female family members’ support, a deep sense of intrinsic personal motivation in the students, and much less dependency on domestic help for childcare than may be presumed.