Healing Path Research Articles

Shamans and “Dark Agencies”: War, Magical Parasitism, and Re-Enchanted Spirits in Siberia

Alleged practices of magical assault and vampirism are a recurrent feature of popular explanations of misfortune in Tuva, South Siberia. Based on a field study of healing practices in an “Association of Shamans”, this article analyses rituals of redressing curse afflictions in the context of Russian political domination. A central purpose of this discussion is to foreground the centrality of kinds of parasitical worship and occult threat to structures of political power in—and beyond—the territory of Tuva. Focusing on a “cursescape”, which develops from the combative practices of shamans, occult specialists, and office-holders, the article probes a repertoire of shamanic healing symbols. It is argued that healing efficacy is constructed in the process of engaging with hunting symbols and animal spirits, which appear in Indigenous Siberian cosmologies. The analysis shows that ideas of ritual risk underpin the process of symbolic resolution. Whereas shamanic practices provide refuge to spirits evicted from their natural landscapes, Tibetan Buddhism—the unifying religion of Tuva—offers an alternative path of healing the effects of the shamans’ propagation of spirits. The article highlights indigenous perceptions of a “cursed” landscape as a space where the agencies of “darkness” and their political sponsors are confronted with an emancipating religious modality emerging from local Buddhist rituals. The analysis displays the unsolved drama of itinerant spirits and shamanic ancestral souls, whose agency is revealed through successive—yet inauspicious—forms of reincarnation.

Production of a magnetic nanocomposite for biological and hyperthermia applications based on chitosan-silk fibroin hydrogel incorporated with carbon nitride

Hydrogels based on natural polymers have lightened the path of novel drug delivery systems, wound healing, and tissue engineering fields because they are renewable, non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Furthermore, applying modified hydrogels can upgrade their biological activity. Herein, Chitosan (CS) was used to create a hydrogel using terephthaloyl thiourea as a cross-linker. Silk fibroin (SF) and carbon nitride (CN) were added to the hydrogel to enhance its strength and biocompatibility. Finally, CS hydrogel/SF/CN was in situ magnetized using Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and manufactured as a nanobiocomposite for improved hyperthermia. The structural properties of the nanobiocomposite were assessed using several analytical techniques, including VSM, FTIR, TGA, EDX, XRD, and FESEM. The saturation magnetization of this magnetic nanocomposite was 23.94 emu/g. The hemolytic experiment on the nanobiocomposite resulted in ca. 98 % cell survival, with a hemolysis rate of 1.69 %. Anticancer property is confirmed by a 20.0 % reduction in cell viability of BT549 cells at 1.75 mg/mL concentration compared to 0.015 mg/mL. The nanocomposite is non-toxic to the human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293T), indicating its potential for biomedical applications. Finally, the magnetic nanocomposite's hyperthermia behavior was examined using a specific absorption rate (SAR), achieving the highest value of 47.44 W/g at 200.0 kHz. When subjected to an alternating magnetic field, the nanobiocomposite may perform well in hyperthermia therapy. These results indicate that the magnetic nanobiocomposite has the potential to perform well in hyperthermia therapy when subjected to an alternating magnetic field.

Healing the Healers: Prioritizing the Mental Support for Nurses

The demand of qualified nurses is growing worldwide which has made nursing a highly sought-after profession. This profession is revered for its unwavering dedication to healing and support, and stands as a beacon of compassion and care. Yet, there are various challenges that often go unnoticed behind the scenes of this noble vocation, the most disregarded is the mental health struggles faced by nurses. Despite this profession being auspicious, its burden can take a toll on the mental well-being of nurses. However, it is seen as stigma that the people who heal others also need healing. Nurses navigate the complexities of patient care and are the embodiment of resilience and selflessness. On the daily basis, they witness pain, triumph and loss, and shoulder the emotional weight of the patients as well. Moreover, it is often required from them to work irregular hours and rotating shifts, which may include nights, weekends and holidays, which not only disrupts sleep patterns but also makes it challenging for them to maintain work life balance straining personal relationships. These negative aspects can cumulatively result in professional burnout and dissatisfaction in nurses. It may worsen the mental health of nursing leading them to leave the profession altogether. Unfortunately, this issue is not appropriately addressed making it a pervasive stigma in the profession. Nurses are often seen as strong and resilient but it creates a perception that nurses should be able to handle any mental or emotional stress themselves. If the nurses admit vulnerability and seek help, it is viewed as sign of weakness. In addition, nurses fear judgement and the negative opinions of the colleagues who perceive them as incompetent, unreliable, or unfit for duty. Moreover, unfavorable health care settings, such as understaffing, high workload, and limited resources may contribute to the mental health support being viewed as a luxury and inconvenience rather than a legitimate need. These notions hinder the open dialogue and impede access to much needed support. It is imperative that the stakeholders within the healthcare system exert efforts to address the challenges faced by nurses regarding mental. We need to acknowledge and recognize that the arduousness of the nursing profession and how it affects the mental well-being of nurses. The organizations should prioritize mental health of their practitioners by offering them resources such as counseling services and peer support networks. The stigma surrounding mental health needs to be shattered so that an environment can be fostered where nurses feel safe and are supported in their time of vulnerability. Only then can we ensure that auspicious nature of nursing shines brighter than ever before and illuminate a path of healing for healers as well.

In Darkness We Meet: Annie Ernaux's Account of Care and Dementia.

The complexities surrounding aging, dementia, and care are timely issues that transcend beyond institutional boundaries, evincing a critical debate on later life across disciplines. The aim of this study is to offer fresh insights into the intricate paradigms of living and growing older with dementia. The study focuses on the Nobel Prize-winning author Annie Ernaux's memoirI Remain in Darkness(1999), which provides a candid account of her mother's journey through dementia from its onset to the gradual decline. This article employs the theoretical frameworks of literary gerontology, illness narratives and life writing to address the challenges of aging, dementia and care that are represented in Ernaux's memoir. It also addresses societal attitudes and stigma associated with aging and dementia by exploring the embarrassment that individuals and families experience when confronted with the deteriorating mental health of their loved ones. Ernaux's memoir explores the nuances of dementia and caregiving within both the familial and institutional context, and sheds light on the complex relationship between a mother and a daughter. Through the act of witnessing, Ernaux embarks on a path of healing, which allows her to confront her past wounds and better navigate the challenges that lie ahead. However, Ernaux's confessional memoir also troubles the ethics of life writing and identity issues, and seems to perpetuate the pathologizing medical gaze through the exposure of her mother's vulnerability and intimacy in the face of dementia and care. Ernaux's account of her mother's dementia and aging is both a confessional piece of writing and a narrative therapy, which reveals the challenges of aging, illness, and unresolved family tensions. Her work illuminates the interconnectedness between the past, present, and future, and shows that illness narratives can act as a catalyst for transformative change, identity formation, and self-reflection. The article addresses the intricacies of old age, showcasing how life writing and humanities-based inquiry can bring to the fore key aspects of the latest stages in life, which are often unvoiced because they represent the most unpleasant and feared aspects of aging in contemporary society.

The Steel Jacket: Antecedents of Trauma A Pilot Nurse-Led Study to Examine Trauma Patients Existential Experience and the Impact of Empathic Nursing Care

This nurse-led, institutional review board-approved pilot study describes basic nursing research from the phenomenon of interest through institutional review board submission and approval process, study protocol development, study execution, and reporting both qualitative and quantitative finding. This study is underpinned with a novel nursing theory, The Steel Jacket: Antecedents of Trauma, inspired by the work of physicist David Bohm and nursing theorist Martha Rogers. The study involved 2 distinct sets of subject: nurses and trauma patients. Nurses were recruited to participate in a prestudy and poststudy of The Steel Jacket Theory. Trauma patients were interviewed to understand their lived experience of the meaning of trauma 1 year after the event. One hundred acute care nurses in a level 1 trauma center were emailed a survey about their level of empathic care and existential nursing approaches toward trauma patients. The intervention included a short module on The Steel Jacket Theory and an accompanying original 6-minute video. Simple statistics were used to tabulate findings. The second set of subjects were trauma patients who were consented and participated in 30-minute interviews. Spielberg's Phenomenological framework was used to describe themes from trauma patient's lived experiences: feeling lost, engaging in self-blame, internally fighting vulnerability and fear, marshalling inner resources to survive, and knowing that a moment in time changed their life forever. Trauma patients can benefit from Trauma Survivorship clinics and nurses need protected time to appreciate and cultivate the space to listen for what is said, perceive what is not said, and co-create a path of healing.

1395. The Path of Healing: Demographic Features and Therapeutic Trajectory of Patients with American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in a City of Northern Brazil

Abstract Background American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) is a neglected infectious disease caused by protozoa of the Leishmania genus. Its incidence in the state of Para, Northern Brazil, reached 38,95 cases per 100,000 individuals in 2017. During this illness, people will move through several layers of a healthcare structure on a path for solutions to their affliction. This is described as therapeutic trajectory or itinerary, and it is directly influenced by determinants of health. In this scenario, we question what the trajectory of patients with ATL within healthcare in the city of Ruropolis, Brazil, is. Methods This was a transversal retrospective study. Qualitative data was also obtained through patient interviews. The research was developed in the city of Ruropolis, in Northern Brazil, and included individuals who received care through the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). All patients or responsible adults involved in the research signed an informed consent form. Results A total of 49 patients were initially included, but only 27 were interviewed. In 2021, ATL was diagnosed and notified every month, although April had the highest incidence (12 new cases). Over half of the patients resided in rural areas, and most worked in agriculture. Clear differences in trajectory were noted between patients or urban versus rural areas, as the latter mostly visited the local Emergency Department (ED) for care. Histopathologic work-up of all patients as performed. Regarding treatment, individuals had to relocate up to 50 kilometers daily to receive injections. Home healthcare services were not available. Overall, 23 patients received intravenous treatment with meglumine antimoniate, and 10 had a myriad of effects, such as fatigue, peripheral edema, and vertigo. Only four patients had intralesional therapy. Of 27 patients, 22 did not know how to prevent ATL or refused to answer. Conclusion The struggles faced by patients with ATL are diverse. The local population is unaware of the different layers of service within healthcare, and a hospital-centric model seems to prevail. Patients seek care wherever it seems appropriate to solve their trouble. The narratives on knowledge of the disease reveal the need for further health education, preferably with the introduction of active teaching methods. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Embracing Nature's Therapeutic Potential: Herbal Medicine

This study investigates the significant relationship between nature and human well-being, proposing for the incorporation of nature-based therapies into modern healthcare procedures. In a society dominated by technology and fast-paced living, the need to reconnect with nature and embrace its therapeutic power has never been more pressing. The paper emphasizes the inherent connection between humans and the natural environment, drawing on evolutionary history and scientific research that indicate nature's positive impact on mental, emotional, and physical health. The concept of nature-based therapies, such as ecotherapy, horticultural therapy, forest bathing, wilderness therapy, and nature meditation, lies at the heart of this holistic approach to healing. Each of these therapies uses natural ingredients to promote healing and well-being, responding to individual requirements and developing a sense of connection with the natural environment. The report delves into the unique benefits of each nature-based therapy, emphasizing its usefulness in lowering stress, increasing mood, enhancing cognitive function, and strengthening the immune system. This comprehensive approach to healthcare, with a focus on prevention, personalized care, and root-cause investigation, is in sync with the concepts of nature-based therapies. The incorporation of herbal medicine into modern healthcare supplements this approach by providing natural and gentle healing therapies that target the full person—mind, body, and spirit. The report also underlines the significance of the biophilia concept, which emphasizes humans' inherent affinity for nature. Embracing nature's therapeutic potential not only increases personal well-being but also instills a sense of responsibility for environmental protection and sustainability. The greater connection individuals create with nature through nature-based therapies fosters a heightened respect for the natural environment, encouraging a dedication to safeguard it for future generations. As the future of healthcare develops, embracing nature's therapeutic potential serves as a light of hope and transformation. The incorporation of nature-based therapies into current healthcare procedures provides an inclusive and holistic approach that improves conventional treatments, empowers patients in their healing path, and promotes general well-being.

South Asian COVID-19 Memoirs: Mourning and Erasure of “Grievable Lives”

This article analyzes how narratives about the COVID-19 pandemic are beginning to memorialize lives lost in the crisis. It juxtaposes the author’s personal experience of the loss of family members with emerging memoirs by South Asian women to explore the diversity of genres like the lyric essay and the graphic memoir that memorialize lives lost to COVID-19. While acknowledging that the current pandemic and its effects are far from over, the essay argues that these memoirs are a conscious attempt to mourn and thereby restore the humanity of lives robbed of traditional acts of remembrance due to the isolation and bureaucracy of laws governing COVID-19 deaths and funerals. These texts by Barkha Dutt, Kay Sohini, and Jhumpa Lahiri are exceptional because the great majority of deaths during this time have been consigned to erasure, lack of documentation, or censorship. These texts are resisting the dominant trend to leave the pandemic behind and resume normal lives. By committing to grief instead of a facile recuperation, these memoirs are not just charting a private path of healing but also transforming private grief into a statement of shared suffering and solidarity, even when the pandemic has affected individuals differently based on stratifications of race, class, and privilege.

The Healing Path: reconciling the attempt to eliminate Indigenous healing in Canada.

Canadian health care systems have failed to recognize that traditional healing practices and ceremonies are central to Indigenous culture and identity. The roots of this failure date back to colonial policies such as amendments to the federal Indian Act in 1885 (persisting until 1951), that made

Holistic homoeopathic approach to conjunctivitis: A natural path of healing

Holistic homoeopathic approach to conjunctivitis: A natural path of healing

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the General Public of Western Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been continuously used worldwide. Various cultures have used this path of healing, and to our date, people are still using it and some even prefer it to modern medicine.Thus, this study aims to analyze awareness, self-use, perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes toward CAM in the general public of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A descriptive observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the public places of Jeddah. Data were collected from 784 participants using a self-administered paper-based questionnaire, and statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The majority of the population was aware of massage (91.8%), herbs (90.7%), nutritional supplements (89.8%), and prayers (88.1%). With regards to usage and effectiveness, prayers and spirituality is used by 75.5% of the population and considered to be the most effective by 76.0%. Respondents obtained information about CAM mostly from friends and relatives (76.6%), followed by media (67.2%), while lack of knowledge about CAM and lack of trained professionals are the most perceived barriers to CAM implementation. Data showed a significant association (p < 0.05) between gender, awareness, and self-use of CAM modalities. Yoga (44.2%) and herbs (72.6%) were mostly used by females, whereas males were mostly aware of cupping (90.4%) and cauterization (76.2%). Another significant association was found between the level of education,awareness, and self-use of CAM modalities indicating that those who were not educated were aware of and used cauterization the most, while those who went to college were more aware of yoga (75.4%). Lastly, having a relative in the healthcare field showed a significant association with awareness of yoga, prayers, andspirituality compared to other CAM modalities. In conclusion, the present study revealed that the majority of the Western Saudi Arabian population was aware of several CAM modalities and practiced some form of CAM. However, awareness of specific types of CAM may relate to gender, educational level, and relationship to the medical field.

Community-led Recovery from the Opioid Crisis through Culturally-based Programs and Community-based Data Governance

The opioid crisis is disproportionately impacting Indigenous communities in Canada. There is a need to evaluate practical approaches to recovery that include community-based opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and integration of cultural treatment models. Naandwe Miikan, translated as The Healing Path, is an OAT program that blends clinical and Indigenous healing concepts and providers in a community-based setting. Aside from OAT pharmaceutical treatment, clients work with Indigenous counsellors that integrate culture with treatment, such as land-based activities, that reconnect the community to Indigenous teachings and harvesting. In this paper, we present a case study showcasing community advocacy in creating innovative funding models and engaging with clinicians to provide a shared care OAT model with traditional Indigenous counselling, cultural programs, and data sovereignty. Policy needs are identified.

Shared Decision Making and Peer Support: New Directions for Research and Practice.

Shared Decision Making and Peer Support: New Directions for Research and Practice.

PCL strut-like scaffolds appear superior to gyroid in terms of bone regeneration within a long bone large defect: An in silico study.

The treatment of large bone defects represents a major clinical challenge. 3D printed scaffolds appear as a promising strategy to support bone defect regeneration. The 3D design of such scaffolds impacts the healing path and thus defect regeneration potential. Among others, scaffold architecture has been shown to influence the healing outcome. Gyroid architecture, characterized by a zero mean surface curvature, has been discussed as a promising scaffold design for bone regeneration. However, whether gyroid scaffolds are favourable for bone regeneration in large bone defects over traditional strut-like architecture scaffolds remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether gyroid scaffolds present advantages over more traditional strut-like scaffolds in terms of their bone regeneration potential. Validated bone defect regeneration principles were applied in an in silico modeling approach that allows to predict bone formation in defect regeneration. Towards this aim, the mechano-biological bone regeneration principles were adapted to allow simulating bone regeneration within both gyroid and strut-like scaffolds. We found that the large surface curvatures of the gyroid scaffold led to a slower tissue formation dynamic and conclusively reduced bone regeneration. The initial claim, that an overall reduced zero mean surface curvature would enhance bone formation, could not be confirmed. The here presented approach illustrates the potential of in silico tools to evaluate in pre-clinical studies scaffold designs and eventually lead to optimized architectures of 3D printed implants for bone regeneration.

Mythology in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM): Practitioners’ Views on the Use of Myth in GIM

This research explores therapists’ perception about the use of myth in GIM, based on clients’ experiences and how myths occur during the GIM process. Six GIM practitioners were interviewed through Skype and phone conversations using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that practitioners experience myth as a bridge for the unexpressed to be expressed. The clients give meaning to myth through their journey in the form of private myth. Based on the practitioners’ view, there is something from the collective in each client’s myth, and the path of healing depends on the client’s personal development. The therapists work together with clients, showing cultural sensitivity, and music unfolds like a story, containing all the qualities of myth (intensity and education).

Visual analysis of chronic wounds and its correlation with biofilm

Aim: To evaluate the biofilm using visual indicators that were clinically observable to see if any significant method of clinically detecting or predicting the presence of a biofilm can be developed. Material and methods: The prospective study was conducted from late 2019 to 2021 in the Department of Surgery at Chatrapati Shivaji Subharti Hospital, a tertiary care super speciality institute of Swami Vivekanand Subharti University among patients with chronic wounds admitted in the department through surgery outpatient department/Emergency/transferred from other departments formed the study group. Samples were subjected for aerobic bacterial culture on blood agar, chocolate agar and MacConkey agar plates. The isolated bacterial pathogen was identified using standard bacteriological procedures which included colony morphology, gram stain and battery biochemical tests both for Gram positive and negative bacteria as per Gram stain. Efficacy of visual score was calculated using diagnostic tests (Sensitivity, Specificity, Diagnostic Accuracy) considering biofilm assessment by culture method as gold standard. Results: Visual score viz. 0 (None), ≤5 (Not Sure), 6-8 (Probable) and ≥9 (Predicted) was reported in 0%, 8%, 31% and 61% of the subjects respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy rate of visual score considering culture method as gold standard was 94.74%, 83.72%, 99.10%, 45.57% and 94.19% respectively. Conclusion: We concluded from our findings that clinical algorithm (visual score) may serve as a nearly signal to alert clinicians that the wound has diverted off its normal healing path. Detection of early (young) biofilms enable intervention before recalcitrance and/or infection become a problem.

Older Spousal Dyads and the Experience of Recovery in the Year After Traumatic Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND: Significant others of older persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be more likely to face increased caregiving responsibilities, leading to increased relationship challenges. Relatively little is known about this cohort. The study aimed to describe the impact of experiencing a mild/moderate TBI on the older adult as well as the significant other in the year post injury. DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a multiple-case study using data from a larger parent study. Qualitative content analysis of interviews conducted at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post injury with 3 dyads was performed (24 interviews) and included cross-case and cross-time comparisons. RESULTS: Dyads that included persons 65 years and older with a mild-moderate TBI and their significant others were enrolled (N = 3/6 individuals). The identified themes were struggling to accept limitations and acceptance, gratitude, fear and concern, frustration/anger/guilt/resentment, broader social support, emotional coping, and the presence or absence of broader social support. CONCLUSIONS: Feelings of hope, gratitude, and acceptance serve as vital ways for couples to continue toward a path of recovery and healing. Lack of social support was a stressor, creating a barrier to recovery. Significant others tended to focus on others versus self-care needs. Nurses should integrate social support and self-care into the assessment of the spousal dyad after TBI. These findings can also inform the development of support groups and case management models for both patients after TBI and their significant others.

Remembering in the Second Shift

Remembering in the Second Shift

The Lived Experience of Anxiety Disorder Patients: Narrative Inquiry

Background: Anxiety disorder patients tend to feel that they are misunderstood and judged. Their lived experiences were understudied in clinical setting where the focus is mostly on their response to treatment. Apart from the stigma associated with the disorder, they face negative social perceptions, which affect their ability to interact with their community, disrupting their healing path. A narrative account in mental health can lead to the creation of a healthier society. This research examines how people with anxiety disorders view themselves and ascribe meaning to the stigma surrounding their condition.&#x0D; Method: A narrative analysis of case studies in Europe, each patient sharing their in-depth lived experiences with anxiety disorders.&#x0D; Results: Nadir's experience was initially expressed and as the participants gained a moderate, balanced level of self-awareness through narrative approaches, they quickly develop coping strategies that are essential to their recovery.&#x0D; Conclusion: Narrative mental health might be an area that needs refocusing during the treatment of anxiety disorders patients.

Meeting death and embracing existential loneliness: A cancer patient’s experience of being the sole author of his life

Facing the truth of death in silence instead of fearing and denying it enables people to regain their freedom. This qualitative case study aimed to illuminate the meaning of a single person’s experience of confronting death and living with cancer. The transcripts of unstructured interviews were analyzed using the hermeneutic phenomenological method. Data analysis led to extraction of four themes including “Confronting death, meeting nonbeing and longing for being”, “Embracing existential loneliness, responsibility and freedom”, “Taking over the mind, living mindfully, a meaningful life”, and “Flourishing authentic self-love, moving in the path of caring and healing the self”.